LOGINLiu lifted his head, studying him. “Do you suspect they met?”“It could be a coincidence,” Cale answered shortly, though the uncertainty in his voice lingered beneath the surface.He didn’t like making assumptions.But he didn’t ignore possibilities either.“Check it,” he ordered.Liu nodded without
“I’ll come pick you up once I’m done,” Cale said as he unfastened his seatbelt, already moving to open the door for Lydia. Behind their car, Andrew followed closely, ever watchful.Today, Andrew was once again assigned to accompany Lydia around Berlin. In just two more days, their honeymoon would co
And yet…She also realized that his control wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.Her gaze flicked to the watch on her wrist. Dinner would likely arrive in about ten minutes. Aside from the salmon steak Cale had recommended, she had ordered a few light dishes—just enough for the two of them without being
“You… don’t want to tell me?” Lydia asked.She had been patient—waiting, giving him time—but ever since she asked that question, Cale had chosen silence. As if it were something so easy for him to ignore.“Not every promise… is something you need to know,” Cale said shortly.The answer left Lydia st
As if asking her to return to him—to the version of her that smiled easily, without the lingering tension from this morning.No matter what, Cale still cared about how she felt.“Of course.” Lydia gave a faint smile, slipping her hand into his.Their fingers intertwined.Andrew quickly stepped forwa
“Where is she?” Lydia asked, her voice edged with confusion.Her eyes kept searching for the girl she had just been talking to. As she stepped out of the restroom area, her pace slowed, her breath still slightly uneven—as if she had left something behind in there. Not an object. Not a sound.A feeli
“Why would I be?” Josh asked calmly. “We’re both under pressure, just in different ways.”Eli let out a long breath. “I… I never wanted to force things like this. But—” She trailed off, lowering her head again.Josh nodded in understanding. “I get it. How about we change the subject?”Eli finally la
“I didn’t realize you two were close,” Althea said, shifting slightly in her seat so she could speak more comfortably with Josh.The car rolled away from the restaurant at an easy pace. City lights flickered on one by one, their reflections sliding across the windows. Josh sat quietly in the passeng
“No,” she growled under her breath. “Not today.”Eli opened her eyes; her breath caught in her throat.“Tomorrow is important,” Selena continued, more to herself than to Eli. “Your face can’t look ruined.”Eli stared at her mother, confused. “Important for what?”“Go to your room,” Selena ordered. “
“Yes. He didn’t like it,” Lydia continued. “He said if Selena had a goal, why did she have to force Eli like that? Josh felt sorry for her. He said… Eli is a good girl.”Silence followed, as if each of them was processing the weight of Lydia’s words. None of them had expected Selena to be using Eli







