Her Heart’s Not Yours Anymore

"Now that you're here, get to work. Change into your uniform and head straight to V8."Kylie Cooper took the uniform from Lily Smith and turned toward the dressing room.Lily sized her up as she walked away. It had been over three years since they last met, and the young woman had only become more enchanting with time.What surprised Lily, though, was that Kylie was willing to return to this line of work.This was a newly opened high-end club in the city of Jorundale. Kylie had taken a job here as a hostess, serving drinks and taking song requests in private rooms for the clients. The club catered to the city's elite—young, rich men who spent big. The tips they gave could be pretty substantial.Kylie was short on cash, and this hostess job seemed like a decent part-time gig.The club's uniform was daring and borderline revealing—tight, low-cut shirts paired with skirts that barely reached the tops of her thighs. One wrong move, and it was easy for everything underneath to show.

Kylie stumbled forward, her high heels twisting awkwardly as her ankle gave way. She crashed to the ground, falling to her knees with a loud "thud". A sharp pain shot through her knees. Instinctively, she reached out to steady herself, her palms pressing against the cold floor. Her hair, which had been carefully styled, now spilled messily around her face, blocking her view.At that moment, her forehead was less than five inches from Jonathan's custom Italian leather shoes.The woman in Jonathan's lap let out a high-pitched scream, her hands clutching at him as she flung herself into his chest."Mr. Sinclair! That scared me!"However, Jonathan remained calm and unbothered. He raised one foot, gently pressing the toe of his shoe under Kylie's chin, lifting her face to meet his. His gaze was sharp, his words dripping with disdain."Is this how you apologize?"Jonathan had always been aloof, never one to stoop to such levels with others. It was clear he was still angry.Samuel co

On the other side, Lily received a call. With a troubled expression, she relayed the message to Kylie."Kylie, you don't need to come in tomorrow.""Why? Is it because of Jonathan?"Kylie was furious. Even though she had hurt Jonathan tonight, it was because he had forced her into it in the first place. Plus, she had already apologized. How could Jonathan be so ruthless? Rich people really did whatever they wanted.Without this part-time job, her monthly income would be reduced. What would she do about her brother's medical bills?Kylie couldn't accept it. She thought if she couldn't work at this place, she could find another. Jonathan couldn't possibly blacklist her from every club in Jorundale, could he?Lily seemed to guess what Kylie was thinking. With a tone of regret, she tried to convince her."I'm afraid you'll have trouble finding another job at a different nightclub. Maybe it's time to switch careers."Kylie felt helpless. Clearly, she was the one who had been aband

"Kylie, what's wrong?"Lana's voice pulled Kylie out of her thoughts."It's nothing."Kylie brushed the stray hairs from her forehead and forced a faint smile before adding, "Oh, by the way, I have something to take care of at noon, so I won't be joining you for lunch."Lana nodded. "Alright, but make sure you come back early. I heard the new CEO is coming for an inspection this afternoon."Kylie's eyes flickered slightly, and she only murmured a quiet acknowledgment before falling silent.-Kylie took a cab to the hospital.Kevin lay quietly on the bed, as peaceful as ever. His eyes were closed, and the light cast a soft shadow on his lashes. Aside from the prominent scars from the burns, he looked just like someone who was merely asleep."Ms. Cooper, your brother's condition is very stable, don't worry," the nurse said, offering reassurance.Kylie came to the hospital every week, and every time, the doctors and nurses would say the same thing: "He's stable."She knew that

Kylie felt bad for causing trouble for Alex, so she quietly murmured, "Sorry, Mr. Hill. I'll be more careful next time."Alex turned to face her and was about to scold her. But then he paused, his expression thoughtful."Did Mr. Sinclair say you were working part-time at a nightclub?"Kylie saw the hint of gossip—and something more inappropriate—in his eyes. She quickly responded, "Mr. Hill, I was just working as a regular waitress. Please don't read into it.""Did you run into Mr. Sinclair at the nightclub?"Alex's sharp instincts kicked in, and his words hit the mark. Kylie was left speechless, unsure how to respond.Lana, ever the gossip, immediately leaned in and said, "Hey, Kylie, I think you look a lot like Mr. Sinclair's fiancee!"As she spoke, Lana pulled out her phone and started comparing photos.Alex raised an eyebrow, glanced at the photo on Lana's phone, and then studied Kylie with narrowed eyes. He nodded slowly."Yeah, there's definitely a resemblance."Lana, w