LOGINKatie had barely walked away from Theresa and Damien when a strange uneasiness settled over her.She tried to ignore it. She moved toward the pool, finding an empty chair under one of the large umbrellas, but she couldn’t stop herself from glancing back every few seconds.Theresa was still speaking to Damien. Whatever she was saying seemed important because Damien’s attention remained fixed on her.Katie looked away.She didn’t want to seem like she was monitoring them. She picked up a glass of water from the table beside her and took a small sip, trying to settle her thoughts.A few minutes passed before she noticed Damien and Theresa walking toward one of the private lounges attached to the venue.Katie frowned. Why were they leaving? She watched them disappear through the doors. Perhaps Theresa had something personal to discuss with him.Katie lowered her gaze.She reminded herself that Damien was an adult and Theresa was someone his family had known for years. There was no reason
Katie had tried to push Rita out of her thoughts after returning to work, but every time she remembered the sight of Rita dropping to her knees, something uncomfortable twisted inside her chest.Katie still couldn’t decide whether Rita’s tears had been genuine. Perhaps she was sorry. Perhaps she was simply desperate. Either way, Katie didn’t want to think about it tonight.She had promised Damien she would attend the pool party, and she intended to keep it.After changing out of her work clothes, she stood in front of her wardrobe and stared at the clothes inside.She eventually picked out something suitable for a pool party, then changed carefully, making sure not to put unnecessary pressure on her recovering leg.When she finished, she checked herself in the mirror before grabbing her handbag. As she walked downstairs, she heard voices coming from the living room.She entered and stopped. Damien was already ready. He wore a loose shirt with shorts, looking considerably more relaxed
Katie stared at Rita, unable to believe that the woman who had spent years fighting her was now standing in her office looking completely broken.Then the surprise turned into anger.Katie turned sharply toward the receptionist. “Did you let her walk in here?”The receptionist immediately stood. “Ma’am, I—”“Did you?” Her voice carried across the reception area, making Emma and Harry glance in their direction.The receptionist swallowed nervously. “She said she had an appointment with you, ma’am, and—”“I never gave her an appointment.”“I’m sorry, ma’am. I should have confirmed with you first.”Katie clenched her jaw. “From now on, nobody sees me without an appointment. I don’t care who they are.”“Yes, ma’am.”Katie reached for her phone. “Call security.”Rita’s face changed. “No, Katie.”Katie didn’t even look at her. “Call them.”“Katie, please.” The desperation in Rita’s voice finally made Katie turn around. Rita took a step toward her, tears already filling her eyes. “Please, j
The next morning, Katie woke earlier than usual and stayed still under the covers, staring at the ceiling. After waiting for a while, Katie exhaled and slowly pushed herself upright. She carefully moved it before getting out of bed, relieved that she could walk without the sharp discomfort she had experienced the day before.After getting dressed for work, she picked up her handbag and headed downstairs. Damien was already there.He stood near the dining table with a cup of coffee in his hand, looking through something on his phone.When he noticed Katie, his eyes immediately moved toward her leg. “How does it feel?”Katie glanced down. “It’s Better.”He nodded, although his expression suggested he wasn’t entirely convinced. Katie reached for a glass of water before noticing that Damien seemed to be waiting to tell her something.“What?”He looked up. “We got invited to a pool party tonight.”Katie paused. “A pool party?”“Yes.”“Who invited us?”“Someone from the family’s circle. It
Katie sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the small tube of ointment the doctor had given her.Her leg was still slightly swollen, although the sharp pain from earlier had disappeared. She carefully rubbed a small amount of the ointment over the affected area, moving her fingers gently so she wouldn’t irritate it.The ointment's coolness eased some of the discomfort. Katie leaned back against the headboard and exhaled.There was no longer a secret sitting inside her chest, waiting for someone else to uncover it.Katie glanced toward the clock before slowly getting to her feet. The doctor had told her to rest, but she had been sitting upstairs for long enough. Besides, she was beginning to feel hungry.She walked out of the bedroom and headed downstairs. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, the smell of food immediately caught her attention.Katie stopped. The smell was coming from the kitchen. She walked toward it, and when she entered the kitchen, her eyes widened.Damien was
By the time Rita returned home that evening, the sky had already begun to darken, and her mind was still trapped inside the abandoned container, replaying the man’s ultimatum.Abandon Samantha or deliver Brian.Rita had chosen Brian.She had said the words aloud, but now that she was back in the safety of her own home, the decision no longer felt as simple as it had in that moment. Her stomach twisted whenever she thought about what she had promised, and the image of Samantha sleeping peacefully under her blanket kept appearing in her mind.She had chosen Brian because she could not lose Samantha. But what would happen when Brian discovered what she had done?Rita walked upstairs slowly, her handbag hanging loosely from her fingers. She reached the bedroom door and pushed it open.She stopped immediately. Something was lying on the bed. A white envelope.Rita’s eyes narrowed as she walked closer. She already had a terrible feeling about what was inside, and when she picked it up, her







