Mag-log inANDREAMy stepmother straightened in her seat, clearly confused. âWhat is going on?â she asked, her voice tight. âAndrew, you are scaring everyone.âAndrew exhaled slowly, like he had been holding it in for too long. âAfter Andrea was kidnapped, Alex and I agreed on one thing,â he said. âWe did not trust Lia. Not then. Not now.âMy stomach sank a little at her name.âSo we started looking into her,â Andrew continued. âAt first it was just her. Her movements. Her contacts. Her past. But then we realized something did not sit right, so we widened the search.âMy father frowned. âWidened it how?ââTo the Grey family,â Andrew said. âBefore the divorce. Before you married Mom.â His eyes flicked briefly to my stepmother, then back to my father. âWe decided to investigate the entire family history.âThe room went quiet.Andrew clasped his hands together. âWhat we found took time. A lot of time. Records buried. Names altered. Places changed. But eventually, it all lined up.âI felt my chest t
ANDREA I woke up to the quiet hum of the room and the soft light slipping in through the curtains. My hand moved to the other side of the bed out of habit, but the space beside me was empty and already cold. For a moment I just lay there, blinking, trying to fully wake up. Just then my phone rang. I reached for it on the bedside table and smiled when I saw Alexâs name on the screen. I answered right away. âHey,â I said, my voice still rough with sleep. âGood morning, sunshine,â he said. I could hear the rush in his voice, like he was already deep into his day. âI had to leave early. Thereâs an important meeting I couldnât miss.â I sat up slowly, pulling the sheets closer around me. âI figured,â I said. âYou werenât there when I woke up.â âI didnât want to wake you,â he replied. âPlease donât do anything unnecessary today. No stress, no running around.â I smiled to myself. âIâll behave.â âYour breakfast is already on the table downstairs,â he added. âEat properly, okay? Iâll b
ANDREA "Sunshine...?" He whispered breathlessly. "Hmm?" I hummed, taking slow steps towards him. "What are you wearing?" He asked, his eyes almost looking clouded. I smiled at him, slow and playful, and kept walking toward him like I had all the time in the world. âMy night wear,â I said softly, tilting my head to the side. âWhat else would it be?â His throat moved when he swallowed. He didnât answer right away. His eyes were still glued to me, like if he blinked I might disappear. âThat is not a night wear" he muttered, his voice rough. I stopped right in front of him, close enough to feel his warmth. I reached out and lightly touched his chest with one finger, feeling how tense he was under my touch. âIt is to me,â I said, trying not to laugh when his breath hitched. âYouâre the one who hasnât been paying attention.â He finally lifted his hands, but instead of touching me, he rested them on the door frame on either side of me, trapping me there without actually making con
ANDREA I kept giggling like an idiot as I stared at Alexâs smiling face. I did not know why it made me feel so light, but it did. I walked closer until I was right in front of him and then wrapped my arms around him without thinking. He let out a small breath, the kind that sounded like I had caught him off guard in the best way. He leaned down and kissed my forehead, then my cheek, and then finally my lips. The kiss was deep and slow, and it made my knees go soft. I held on to him tighter because I honestly felt like I might fall. For a moment, he kissed me like he had missed me for weeks, like he had been holding back. Then suddenly he pulled away. I blinked, confused and a little annoyed. He looked like he did not want to stop either, like the kiss had messed with him as much as it did with me. But instead of coming back for more, he took my hand and guided me toward the kitchen. I followed him, still wondering what just happened. He let go of my hand only when he rea
ALEXANDER The moment the kitchen door closed behind us, I turned around and faced Andrew. I didnât even try to hide how pissed I was. âWhat the hell is she doing here?â I snapped. âWhy would you bring her? Do you think Andrea needs this right now?â Andrew rubbed a hand over his face and let out a tired breath. He looked worn out, like he hadnât slept properly even with Andrea around and already found. âI didnât bring her to upset her,â he said quietly. âShe called me. She said she wanted to see Andrea.â âAnd you agreed?â I shot back. âJust like that?â âI agreed because I needed to see her too,â Andrew replied, lowering his voice. âThereâs something I found outâŚsomething I need to confirm.â I stared at him, my jaw tightening. âWhat are you talking about?â Andrew didnât answer immediately. He looked toward the living room, toward Andrea, and his expression shifted into something serious. Something heavy. âI canât say it yet,â he said finally. âNot before Iâm sure.â âThatâs bul
ANDREA About twenty minutes later, I heard the sound of a car pulling up outside the villa. Lexi was already halfway to the door before I could even sit up properly. She always tried to handle visitors before they reached the living room, mostly so I wouldnât feel pressured. But the second she opened the door, she let out a sharp gasp. Then she scoffed, her tone shifting so fast it made my stomach tighten. âWhat are you doing here?â she asked, almost snapping the words. I froze. Lexi never spoke like that with us. Not to family. Not to guests. Not to anyone unless something was seriously wrong. My heart jumped into my throat. I pushed myself off the couch, ignoring the slight sting in my ribs, and walked toward the hallway. When I reached the entrance, I stopped. Andrew stood there. My father stood next to him. My stepmother hovered right behind them. And between themâŚlooking stiff, awkward, and completely out of place wasâŚLia. My heart clenched before I could stop it. She







