LOGIN90. Only one of them knewMorning arrived gently.Unfortunately, the headache did not.Dahlia groaned and covered her face with both hands. The hangover crashed in fully the moment she tried to sit up, a dull throb settling behind her eyes. She reached instinctively for her temples.Only then did she notice it.A glass of water. Two painkillers. Placed neatly on the bedside table.She drank. Swallowed the pills. Felt marginally more human within a few minutes.Then she noticed the rest.She was in her pajamas.She froze. Looked down. Looked around the room.Her room. Her clothes.She had absolutely no memory of changing.Kimberly walked in a few minutes later, entirely too pleased with herself for this hour."Morning," she said, dropping onto the edge of the bed.Dahlia waited until she'd settled before asking. "Who changed my clothes?""Lucien."Dahlia stopped functioning.Completely. Her soul left the room and did not immediately return.Kimberly let her sit in that for exactly thre
89. Hope No Longer Felt Impossible.The car glided to a quiet halt in front of Dahlia's penthouse, its glass front catching the last of the city's midnight glow.Jace stepped out and opened the door.Lucien got out first. Then turned back.Dahlia was asleep. Or close enough to it. Champagne soft and unguarded in a way she never let herself be when she was awake and watching everything.He lifted her into his arms without effort. No protest from her. No struggle. She simply curled closer, tucking her face against his chest like the decision had already been made somewhere beneath conscious thought.He carried her toward the entrance.Kimberly opened the door before he could knock.One look at Dahlia. One look at Lucien.She understood immediately without needing a single word exchanged. No romantic speculation. Just recognition.She stepped aside without a word.Lucien carried Dahlia through the entrance. Kimberly followed, quiet, watching the careful way he moved through her home. Not
88. The Things I Don't HaveThe ballroom had started thinning two hours after Lucien and Dahlia left.Not empty. Just quieter. The music had softened into something background and forgettable. Staff moved between tables, clearing glasses with practiced quiet hands.Executives shook Sasha's hand on their way out."Wonderful speech, Miss Vale.""The board couldn't be more confident in this direction.""Vale Enterprises has a bright future ahead."Sasha smiled at each of them. Thanked them. Accepted every compliment with the same polished expression she had spent years perfecting.It felt strangely muted.Like she was watching the whole exchange from somewhere just outside her own body.The last guests filtered out. Fiona approached."Miss, the car is ready."Sasha nodded and started toward the exit.Then stopped.Looked around. Not obviously. Just enough.Fiona noticed. She always noticed."Miss, Mr. Liam offers his congratulations," Fiona said.Silence.Sasha turned slowly. Looked at h
87. Don't Tell Lucien I said ThatLucien was halfway through excusing himself from the old investor when his phone buzzed. No reply from Dahlia. He scanned the room once, found her table empty, and started walking.He didn't get far before he ran into Liam.The air shifted. Not harshly. Not comfortably either. Just shifted.The brothers looked at each other."You're alive," Liam finally found his tongue."I won't die easily," was Lucien's reply.They stood there, not saying anything, just looking at each other in a different kind of way now. Not acceptance. More like a hard-to-accept kind of way."She's at the balcony. East side," Liam said.Lucien's jaw worked in irritation. "I know."Liam smirked and walked past him. Two steps past him when Lucien said, "Thank you."Liam stiffened. He hadn't expected that. Not from his brother. Not from the arrogant Lucien Voss.He clenched his fists. "She would have been the most hurt if anything ever happened to you," he said. "I couldn't bear to
86. The Side He Chose."You're going to hurt the glass Sasha" the voice came from behind, deep but not like she remembered. She stilled for just a second. Then, brought the rim to her lips. "Liam" she said and sipped from it. "The floor is pulsing with life. Aren't you going to attend to it?" She heard the sound of metal clink open behind her, then was closed almost immediately. "Smoking is prohibited here Liam" Sasha said. Liam cocked his head to the side. "I have never abided by rules". "But that doesn't seem to be the same when it comes to Dahlia". Liam took a slow drag from his cigarette, his eyes shifting to the figure standing beside Lucien, her eyes shining as though Lucien was the only thing in the room. He took his eyes away and rested them on something insignificant in the room. "The party is starting" he said quietly. Sasha's lips stretched into a line. "Alright", she said. "I will be downstairs". Liam said nothing. Sasha walked towards the door, her heels clickin
85. Under Flashing LightsDusk of the next day slid in quietly. Orange and violet streaks flashed across the sky, the soft evening rays slipping through the windows of Dahlia's penthouse. "You're putting more effort this time" Kimberly's voice came from the side. Dahlia didn't turn to look, as the stylist was doing something serious on her face. She only managed something close to a smile. "Is it because of—""Oh Kim" Dahlia cut her off. "No! It's not because of Lucien"Kimberly paused and looked at her friend for the fraction of a second, then burst out into a train of laughter. Dahlia rolled her eyes. "I wasn't even going to call his name" Kimberly said. "What?" A sudden heat warmed her cheek and spine."I was going to mention Sasha and how you didn't want to look any less than her...but then..." Kimberly sneered. "I hate you" Dahlia muttered. "I love you too" she said with a soft chuckle. A heartbeat passed. Dahlia's eyes schooled into something more serious. Sharper. "I
29. Home, on the line...Liam stood there for a moment too long. His gaze flickered once to his reflection in the pool before resting on the spot his mother had left from. A marriage proposal. And not just any proposal. But one to the woman he has ever loved. Dahlia Winters. An offer he wasn't sup
28. Pools and positions...The meeting finally came to an end. Lucien left, gloom etched sparsely across his face.The room fell back into silence save for Dahlia's soft tapping on the desk. Her face held no expression but the slight shift in her eyes said otherwise. Gaux walked in. "Miss Winters"
26. A memory of her. Morning arrived in washed out tones, the sky bruised with grey as sunlight edged cautiously forward. It wasn't bright— not yet. Just present, like a truth that had decided not to hide anymore. Lucien remained awake long after the night had passed, standing by the window as if
19. A fiancée's furyThe Voss manor was now quiet, the tension of the night's events still clinging to the air. Lucien stepped into the mansion. It was quiet as well, save for the low hum of air conditioner hanging at all corners. He settled into one of the sofas and took out a stick of cigarette.







