로그인One week later. SoftVoice Studio. Afternoon sun.
"Lisa! Song! Your favorite aunt is here!" Clara's voice arrived before she did. She burst through the door, carrying bags of fancy pastries. She dropped them on the center table. "Fresh. Top-tier macarons. Hand-brewed coffee. Everyone grab some." Song Sheng looked up from her screen. Her eyes lit up. "Clara. That's an expensive visit." "Obviously." Clara dropped onto the beanbag. Looked around. "Hey.I stared at his frozen hand. Bubbles of hurt and bitterness rose in my chest.On any other day, I would have melted. Leaned into him. Let him recharge.But today? His need just made the fire inside me burn hotter.My brain knew Lila was full of shit.But that old fear. The one the original plot left behind. It was a hand in the water. Reaching up. Grabbing my ankle.What if the book's power was strong enough to twist even Alexander?What if he held me. Kissed me. And thought of her?I'd been there. Chasing Ethan like a puppet on strings.I wasn't scared of much. But that pull? That mindless, scripted force? That scared me.I'd broken free. I knew how sick it was.I was smart. Rational. But I was also twenty-two.My man? I'd fought for him. Well. We'd found each other.But knowing he could be pulled away by some stupid story? Could I pretend that didn't terrify me?This was my first real love. I'd never been so unsure.
I paused.Something was off.This wasn't just jealousy. This girl knew things.I studied Lila carefully.Wrong. Very wrong.The way she spoke wasn't like an NPC following a script. It was like someone who knew how the story ended. Someone sure she would win.A wild thought hit me.Was the original female lead awake too?---"Taken back?"I raised an eyebrow.I stepped closer. My eyes traced her innocent face."What exactly are you, Miss Bennett? Coming to me with that tone.""Pretending to be sweet. Pulling cheap tricks. Yapping at the real wife like a stray dog.""Best case? Delusional. Worst case? Trashy.""You—"Lila shook with anger. Her face went red, then white."Don't pretend. We both know.""You're just a bug. A glitch. A thief who stole someone else's story.""Alexander Knight was supposed to be mine. You took my place. You took my man. Feel g
One week later. SoftVoice Studio. Afternoon sun. "Lisa! Song! Your favorite aunt is here!" Clara's voice arrived before she did. She burst through the door, carrying bags of fancy pastries. She dropped them on the center table. "Fresh. Top-tier macarons. Hand-brewed coffee. Everyone grab some." Song Sheng looked up from her screen. Her eyes lit up. "Clara. That's an expensive visit." "Obviously." Clara dropped onto the beanbag. Looked around. "Hey. Where's Elena? She works here now, right?" "Meeting. New client." I saved my file. Took a sip of coffee. "What brings you here? Skipping work again?" Clara put her hands on her hips. "Sis! That's harsh. I call it strategic relaxation." "And research. Checking out my future workplace." Her eyes sparkled. "Even Elena works here now. I'm the only one stuck at Knight Group with no one to gossip with." Song Sheng grabbed a macaron. "Want to quit? Com
Luke blinked. Then he understood. She'd jumped to the wrong conclusion.He rubbed his temples. Headache. And a strange urge to laugh."Elena. Listen. Last night—""Listen to what?"Elena cut him off. Tears spilled down her cheeks."That you didn't mean it? That I started it?"She remembered. She'd reached for him first. Kissed him.Her tears hit him like a punch to the chest. He reached for her face."You started the kiss, yeah. But I—""But what!"She slapped his hand away. Humiliation and rage burned together."You did that. And then you changed my clothes. Left me with nothing underneath!"The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became. Her body felt different. She remembered how it felt with him before.Luke was trapped. Drowning in a mess he didn't make.He breathed deep. Tried again."You got sick. Your dress was ruined. I was just trying to—""Stop!"Elena thre
The car glided smoothly into the underground garage of The Haven. Luke killed the engine. Turned to look at her. Elena was slumped in the passenger seat. Dead to the world. Her breathing was soft. Her lashes lay like tiny fans against her skin, casting faint shadows beneath her eyes. Her cheeks still held that drunk flush. Her lips were parted in a small, unconscious pout. Completely defenseless. Like a small animal that had finally found its den and let go. Luke watched her for a moment. His throat moved. He unbuckled his seatbelt. Leaned over. The distance vanished. Her scent hit him. Faint alcohol mixed with something soft and sweet. His hand hovered near her face. In the end, he only brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. "Sweetheart. We're home." Elena stirred. Annoyed at being woken. Her nose scrunched. She mumbled something and turned away. Luke almost smiled. He got out, walked around, and opened her doo
Elena Voss didn't know how she had made it through the night.The contract was signed, but the ink was a blurry mess in front of her eyes.The clients had finally been escorted away by their assistants, and she had managed to maintain a polite, professional smile until the last shadow vanished down the hallway.The moment she was alone, the strength left her spine.She slumped against the cold wall to keep from falling.The world was spinning.Her head felt like it was filled with lead."Mmm...""Go home..."She mumbled, stumbling toward the exit.Her footsteps felt like she was walking on clouds.Her heel caught on a piece of carpet, making her stumble.She frowned, pulled the shoes off her feet, and continued barefoot.The cold carpet grounded her slightly as she wobbled toward the parking garage.The night air hit her, and the alcohol hit her even harder.She leaned against a concrete pillar, squinting at
Alexander raised an eyebrow, his gaze catching on my whitened knuckles."Afraid he'll see?"His voice was low, carrying the casual scrutiny of a man who held all the cards."Since when did Assistant Lisa lose her taste for trouble?"I couldn't let Ethan discover us. Not now.
Alexander Knight was not the only one lying awake that night.10:00 p.m.Under the same dark sky, the neon lights of Nebula Club dazzled the eyes.Ethan Knight leaned back against the booth, twirling a lighter in his hand, listening to Winnie Carter sing a sappy love song.Wes
I slipped into the driver's seat but didn't fire the engine right away. I leaned back wearily against the seat, picking unconsciously at the steering wheel. Five million dollars sat quietly in my account, and the ashen, defeated faces of the three White family members still lingered viv
Dawn was breaking when I was jolted awake by my phone buzzing insistently on the nightstand.I pried my eyes open to find the screen flooded with notifications—over ninety-nine missed calls and messages.Icons for Marcus White, Elaine White, and Chloe White flashed relentlessly, t







