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I don’t know what to say. This revelation isn’t something I can process casually or decide about in a moment. While some of my questions have been answered, many more have emerged. If my mother truly belongs to the Doyle family, then her wealth stems from their dark dealings. At least now I understand the source of her mysterious funds. I turned to Auditrose and looked her straight in the eye. “Why did the lawyer send me a plane ticket to the South?” It was a valid concern. The whole situation felt wrong. “They sent you a plane ticket?” She looked genuinely shocked. I nodded. “Think about it, Rosie. You left the South for a reason. And now your family wants me to go there? For what?” My voice grew sharper. “You were the one who told me women in your family never end up well. So what now? Am I being monitored simply because I carry Doyle blood? If I take their help, that’s basically me signing up for whatever they’ve planned.” Everything has a price. I couldn’t imagine walking
The lawyer sent me a plane ticket so I could travel to the South. I’m still unsure what’s going on, but he said he would explain everything to me in person. According to him, they could easily pressure Mr. Foster to hand over my mother’s share in the company without waiting for more months. I’d arrived in Bryston that morning after a restless night of overthinking, and even though it was only midday, exhaustion weighed on me. I’d managed a few hours of uneasy rest, but recent events kept my mind churning. Four hours after my last call with Lucas, he tried reaching out again. Honestly, I didn’t plan on answering. Then came the text: ‘I’m here outside the gate of your friend’s place.’ My heart skipped a beat. Despite everything, despite the hurt, despite trying to build walls around myself, that familiar flutter of excitement still found me. When I went downstairs to check, Lucas stood before the main building entrance. He was arguing with Auditrose. “I need to talk to Isla,” he s
Lucas Isla is angry. That much I’m sure of. I drove straight to Hillcrest Estate, still trying to make sense of everything. Ivan and Amara were already there when I arrived. “Let me understand this correctly,” Amara began. “You brought Isla to the lake house, presumably for a romantic getaway, only to abandon her there so you could attend the birthday celebration of a woman who’s clearly infatuated with you?” “Even I would be furious if I were in her position,” Gazelle added. “It’s not what you think,” I tried to explain. “Then what is it?” “Surely you’re not going to tell us you haven’t noticed that this woman, the one you’ve been financially supporting for years, has romantic feelings for you?” Gazelle added, raising a brow. Amara breathed, adding, “Honestly, just listening to this, I’m already annoyed with you.” The two women exchanged looks, silently agreeing with each other. Their gazes made it clear they were questioning my judgment. Clearly enjoying my discomfort, Iva
Isla Auditrose’s home was unexpectedly grand. When she invited me to stay with her, I had expected a modest apartment, not the sprawling villa that greeted me behind the gates of one of the city’s most exclusive neighborhoods. “You were surprised when you found out I inherited millions from my mom,” I said, glancing around. “You acted like you didn’t have a dime. So… what do you call this?” She shrugged. “This place belongs to my brother. He’s the one with deep pockets, not me.” We’d always kept our friendship pretty simple; there were unspoken boundaries. We emotionally had each other’s backs, but never really got into deep stuff. It just so happened that my mom got sick and passed away. “Are you absolutely sure it’s okay for me to stay here?” I asked, following her through rooms that seemed to stretch endlessly. “I promise I’ll find my own place soon. The last thing I want is to impose on your brother’s generosity.” She looked me straight in the eye. “Isla, you’re a friend. Yo
Conrad stood in front of the facility, silently watching Isla’s friend’s car disappear down the road. “What’s with that woman?” Ethan muttered beside him. Conrad didn’t respond immediately. A profound sadness settled over him, the kind that comes when you realize someone who should have been part of your story forever has just walked away. “I told you before,” Conrad said quietly, facing his friend. “No one speaks ill of Isla.” Ethan frowned but didn’t say anything more. Conrad’s thoughts drifted to the past, to the girl who had once been just a quiet presence in the background. He first met Isla when she was just seventeen and was already in his second year of college. He had actually mistaken her for Elara that first time at one of the Foster family’s elaborate social events. Even then, Conrad had recognized the way Isla looked at him. Her feelings were written plainly across her face. The turning point had come during their senior year of high school. Both twins had received
Isla It was morning when I arrived at the Bryston bus station. I hadn’t slept at all. The entire trip had been a blur of streetlights, passing towns, and a heavy, anxious weight pressing down on my chest. I had reached out to Auditrose as soon as I boarded, knowing she was the one person I could count on in this crisis. I sent her the bus’s plate number and told her which station I’d be getting off at, just to be safe. After all, it was an overnight trip. But my phone died somewhere during the journey, and the battery drained from overuse. Though the bus had charging ports, I had forgotten my cable in my hasty departure from the lake house. I felt utterly defeated. So when I stepped off the bus and saw Auditrose waiting for me, my heart almost gave out. Tears welled in my eyes before I could stop them. She walked straight toward me and wrapped me in a firm hug. “Why are you here?” I asked, my voice cracking. “The moment you texted about taking an overnight bus back to Bryston,