What do you think Lucas will do when he finds out what happened?
Meanwhile… On the stock market monitor, Foster Corporation’s share prices continued their relentless decline. Each red number on the screen represented another blow to the family’s company. “I’m sorry, Mr. Foster, but we can’t afford to upset Mr. Westwood. Our company’s security depends on his firm.” “And now you’ve managed to offend Mr. Voltaire as well?” “The decision is final, Mr. Foster. There’s nothing more we can do.” A sharp crash echoed through the office as Mr. Foster hurled his ashtray across the room. They were just a few messages he’d received from clients and business partners whenever a contract was terminated or support was pulled. “Dad, you need to calm down…” Elara said carefully. “This is Isla’s fault! She has to be behind all of this!” “That’s right! Who would’ve thought she’d show her face at that party? Isn’t she supposed to be with Conrad?” Mrs. Foster chimed in. Elara’s face twisted. “Exactly! And the Westwood family, this is partly their fault, t
Isla I didn’t want to cause any trouble for Lucas with his family, so I asked for an excuse to step away. I only meant to clear my head, but I didn’t expect we wouldn’t return to the gathering at all. Now I couldn’t help but wonder what his parents or relatives thought about our sudden disappearance. “Thank you,” I said softly as Lucas drove. I wasn’t used to having someone defend me like that, and I truly appreciated both him and his friends for standing by me. “Are you sure it was okay for us to leave like that? Isn’t your family important to you?” He kept his eyes on the road but answered without hesitation. “I won’t lie, my sister has already asked to speak with me. They want me at the mansion tonight. But this isn’t about whether someone’s family or not. If they crossed a line, I do not have to adjust or pretend nothing happened. What went down tonight… that wasn’t like them at all.” A part of me tensed. I had a feeling Elara and my dad had something to do with it. The though
Lucas Isla’s body trembled. Her own father had just accused her of seducing me. Something was seriously off with my family tonight, and I hated it. Whatever the Fosters said to my mom had blown things way out of proportion, turning what should’ve been a pleasant evening into a total mess. Despite her hurt, Isla clearly didn’t want to cause me further embarrassment in front of my family and the other guests. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides as she fought to maintain her dignity. “P-please, excuse me for a moment,” Isla managed as she lowered her gaze. Without waiting for a reply, she stepped away from the table and walked off. Mom’s frown deepened as she watched Isla leave. “Isla!” I called after her, ready to go after her, but Nora grabbed my arm. “Lucas.” Her voice was tight, urgent. She leaned closer, lowering her voice so only I could hear. “I announced earlier that you were dating Ms. Foster because that’s what I heard from Dr. Castillo and Dr. Sinclair. But
My eyes met Lucas Westwood’s, and I swallowed hard as he stopped just inches before me. Before I could process what was happening, his arms encircled my waist and lifted me effortlessly. My hands found his shoulders instinctively, seeking balance, just as his mouth claimed mine in a kiss that made the world disappear. A sudden chime echoed through the penthouse, cutting through the moment and forcing our lips to part. “Damn! Perfect timing,” he muttered, clearly annoyed by the interruption. “That’s probably the stylist and his team,” Lucas said, setting me down as we stepped into the living space. He checked the security system and buzzed them in. “Would you mind greeting them?” He turned back to me, his expression softening. “This is your home now, Isla. I want you to feel comfortable here with everything, including the people who come and go.” I nodded, moved by the weight behind his words. Lucas disappeared into his bedroom while I waited for the guests to arrive. Geez, I si
Isla “Ready to go?” Lucas asked. I nodded, unable to trust my voice. I couldn’t bear the thought of my mother’s spirit wandering restlessly, the way I had been these past weeks. That’s why Lucas and I made this solemn journey to the columbarium when I finally gathered the courage to leave our apartment. Here, we could lay her to rest properly. He didn’t have to come, but he did. For that, I was quietly grateful. With trembling hands, I placed the urn gently inside the marble niche. As the bronze cover slid into place, sealing her remains behind polished granite, a fresh wave of grief washed over me. But even as her body found its resting place, I wasn’t ready to release her memory. Silent tears streamed down my cheeks. Lucas said nothing; he placed an arm around me and guided me back to his vehicle. We were already inside when I finally found the words. “Thank you for everything, Lucas. I’ll pay you back in a few months.” I was thinking about the sixty percent shares I was set
Gazelle had been quiet for some time as we sat in the car. Our meeting with the Fosters hadn’t gone well. She kept her gaze fixed outside the window, lost in thought. The silence started to feel heavy, so I decided to break it. “I-I’m sorry if I lost control back there,” I said, breaking the tension. “I shouldn’t have let Elara get under my skin like that.” She finally turned to me and let out a quiet sigh. “It’s okay. I’m sorry, too, for going silent. My head’s just all over the place; thinking about the Foster Corporation, the wedding, my baby twinkle…” Relief washed over me. At least the silence hadn’t been about my outburst. “About the issues you’re investigating,” I said carefully, “the engineers we spoke with earlier seemed unaware of what’s happening.” “They are,” Gazelle replied. “The refineries are overseas, so they outsourced manpower outside of Foster Corporation. That’s where the contract went wrong. I only discovered the third-party involvement during my audit. I not