로그인Natali Hye Chen sat behind her desk in the marketing division, her eyes fixed on the computer screen in front of her. On the display was a photo—taken from the charity gala security footage—of Kayla Reeds standing beside Jordan More, their hands just barely touching as they watched Qing Lin dance with Liam. Natali had been collecting information on Kayla for weeks, ever since she’d spilled coffee on her hand in the break room. Something about the woman had rubbed her the wrong way from the start—too quiet, too determined, too close to Liam for Natali’s liking.“Ms. Chen?”Natali looked up to see a man in a dark suit standing in her office doorway. He was tall and lean, with sharp eyes that took in every detail of the room.“Mr. Abel,” she said, standing up and extending her hand. “Thank you for coming. Please, have a seat.”The private investigator sat down, pulling a leather folder from his briefcase. “You asked me to look into Kayla Reeds—specif
The office building’s lobby was quiet for once—most employees were in a midday meeting, leaving only a few receptionists at the front desk. Kayla was walking toward the entrance to grab lunch when three men stepped out of the elevator, blocking her path. Their faces were hard, their suits cheap and ill-fitting, and she recognized the leader immediately: the same man who’d trashed her home weeks ago.“Kayla Reeds,” he said, his voice low and gravelly. “We’ve been looking for you.”Kayla took a step back, her hand moving instinctively to her phone in her pocket. “I told you—I’m working on getting the money. Give me more time.”The man laughed, a sound like grinding stone. “Time’s up. We gave you thirty days to pay what your brother-in-law owes. Now we want double—interest, plus what we spent finding you here.”“I don’t have that kind of money,” Kayla said, her voice steady despite the fear coiling in her stomach. “I’m doing everything I can—”
The morning after the gala felt like walking through fog. Kayla moved through her routine on autopilot—making coffee, checking her phone for messages she didn’t want to read, staring at the ceiling as she tried to erase the image of Mrs. Penelope standing in that dark room, phone in hand. By the time she reached the office, her hands were shaking so badly she could barely unlock her desk drawer.She’d barely sat down when Mrs. Penelope appeared at her cubicle, her small frame wrapped in a crisp gray suit, her expression unreadable. “Ms. Reeds,” she said quietly. “Could we talk? Somewhere private.”Kayla’s stomach dropped. She nodded, pushing back her chair and following Mrs. Penelope down the hallway to an empty conference room. Once the door was closed, Mrs. Penelope pulled out her phone and set it on the table between them. The video thumbnail was clear: Liam’s hand in Kayla’s hair, their faces inches apart, the moonlight casting shadows across their skin.
The gala was still roaring behind them—music swelling, laughter echoing, cameras flashing as guests fawned over Qing Lin and Jordan’s “magical moment.” But in the secluded corridor leading to the hotel’s old storage rooms, the world fell silent. The only sounds were their footsteps on the worn carpet and the distant thrum of the ballroom orchestra.Liam’s hand was wrapped around Kayla’s wrist—not tight enough to hurt, but firm enough that she couldn’t pull away even if she’d wanted to. He’d followed her out of the ballroom, pushing past guests and ignoring his father’s calls for him to return. His mind was racing, filled with images of her standing alone in the corner, of Qing Lin in Jordan’s arms, of the way Kayla had looked at him when he’d danced with his fiancée—like her heart was breaking piece by piece.“Liam, let go,” Kayla said, her voice barely above a whisper. “We can’t be seen like this.”He didn’t respond, just kept walking until he reache
The grand ballroom of the Continental Hotel gleamed like a jewel box under thousands of crystal lights. White roses cascaded from every surface, their sweet scent mixing with the perfume of The City’s elite, who moved across the polished dance floor in a sea of silk, velvet, and diamonds. This was Kang Jin Chen’s annual charity gala—though everyone knew it was less about giving back and more about displaying power, forging alliances, and reminding everyone in attendance exactly who controlled Bæbë Phi Universe.Kayla stood in the corner near the stage, her hands folded neatly in front of her as she held a cream-colored cashmere shawl belonging to Qing Lin Young. She’d been told to dress “appropriately but unobtrusively”—a dark navy dress that was nice enough not to embarrass the company, but plain enough to ensure she didn’t draw attention. Liam had tried to argue against her being assigned to Qing Lin, but Kang Jin had insisted.“Every executive needs a perso
The lobby of Bæbë Phi Universe was buzzing with morning energy—employees hurrying to their desks with coffee cups in hand, clients being escorted to conference rooms, the soft hum of conversation mixing with the click of heels on marble floors. Kayla was making her way toward the elevators, a stack of folders pressed to her chest, when she heard a voice she’d hoped never to hear again.“Kayla! Don’t you walk away from me!”She froze mid-step, her heart sinking. Tyler Morrison stood by the front doors, dressed in a rumpled suit that looked like he’d slept in it, his face flushed with anger. He’d cut his hair shorter than she remembered, but his eyes—hard, entitled, and full of the same arrogance that had ended their relationship five years ago—were exactly the same.She turned slowly, setting her folders down on a nearby table. “Tyler. What are you doing here?”He strode across the lobby, ignoring the stares of everyone around him. “You know exactl







