LOGINShayla’s stomach grumbled loudly.She froze. Her eyes widened as she pressed both hands against her belly. A groan escaped her lips.“Oh, this is bad.”Her gaze drifted towards the door. She remembered the food Ola had brought earlier and immediately regretted refusing it. At the time, she had been more worried about the maid losing her job than about herself. Now, with hunger twisting her stomach, that decision seemed very foolish.She reached for her phone on the bedside drawer. The screen lit up.It was past eleven.“Seriously?”She tossed the phone aside and lay back, pulling the duvet over herself. Maybe if she slept, she would forget about the hunger.She turned to one side, then the other. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to force herself to sleep, but her stomach refused to cooperate.A soft whine came from beside her.Shayla opened her eyes. Tega had lifted his head, his tail wagging gently against the mattress.“What is it, baby?”She reached over and stroked his head. H
Shayla’s eyes slowly opened.For a few seconds, she remained still, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling. Her body felt heavy, and the room was quiet except for the soft sound of Tega breathing beside her.She turned her head.Tega was curled up near her, still asleep. One of his ears twitched when she shifted, but he didn’t wake.Shayla reached for her phone on the bedside drawer. The screen lit up, and her eyes widened at the time.“Nine?”She pushed herself upright. “Oh, shit.”Had she really slept for that long?She rubbed her face and glanced at Tega again. He was still sleeping, his injured leg stretched carefully beside him. Shayla leaned over and brushed a few strands of fur away from his eyes. He didn’t stir. She wondered whether he had eaten enough earlier, then remembered how carefully she had settled him before falling asleep. At least he was resting now.The day had been exhausting. It felt as though one thing had happened after another since she arrived at the Hart mansion.
Patrick's lips parted, but no words came out.For a moment, he stared at Grandma, his fingers pressing into his knees. Heat crept up his neck. He had come here expecting her to understand, perhaps even speak to Warren on his behalf. Instead, she had reminded him of the very thing he had spent years trying to forget."I..." He cleared his throat. "I have somewhere to be."Grandma watched him quietly.Patrick pushed himself to his feet and straightened his jacket. "I'll take my leave, Grandma.""All right."He gave her a brief nod before turning towards the door. His steps were measured, but his jaw remained tight. He didn't look back.As soon as he was out of sight, Grandma shook her head. A soft sigh escaped her."Madam?"She looked up. Maria had returned and was standing near the entrance."What is it?""Miss Morgan arrived yesterday."Grandma's expression changed at once. A smile spread across her face, lifting the corners of her mouth."She did?" she asked, sitting a little straigh
Cassie stared at the stain spreading across the front of her dress.Shayla's eyes widened and her lips pressed into a thin line behind her mask. The maid's hands trembled as she looked between Cassie and the mess."I'm so sorry, Miss Cassie!" the maid blurted. "I didn't see you coming. It was an accident."Cassie lifted her head. "Are you blind?" Her jaw tightened as she looked down.The maid flinched. "Please, Miss Cassie. I didn't see you. I'm sorry.""Look at what you've done!" Cassie snapped, pointing at her dress. "Do you have any idea how much this costs?""I'll clean it, ma'am. I promise.""Of course you'll clean it." Cassie's voice sharpened. "How could you be so careless?"A few maids had gathered farther down the hallway. They stood pretending to be occupied, but their eyes kept drifting towards the commotion. One whispered something to another.Cassie barely glanced at them. Her attention shifted to Shayla."What are you doing here?" she asked.Shayla blinked. "I came looki
Warren's brow creased slightly. He didn't look up. He kept his eyes on his laptop, his fingers still on the keyboard, like the man standing in his doorway wasn't even there. Patrick stepped farther into the office and closed the door behind him. Soft click. He looked around once, like he was just here for a friendly visit, then pulled out the chair opposite the desk and sat down. "Good morning and congratulations on your contract marriage." he said, resting one arm on the chair. Warren's expression didn't change. "Why are you here?" Patrick gave a small laugh. "Straight to the point, as usual." "How did you hear about the marriage contract?" Warren asked. His fingers rested beside the documents on his desk, still. "Come on, Warren." Patrick chuckled, shaking his head. "You know nothing stays hidden under the moon in this family." Warren leaned back carefully. The movement tugged at the graze beneath his shirt. His jaw tightened for a second, just a second, then he force
The car screeched and came to a violent stop at the roadside. "Mr. Hart!" the chauffeur shouted, his eyes wide as he twisted around in his seat. His face was pale as he stared at the blood spreading across Warren's shirt. "Mr. Hart, can you hear me?" Warren remained in his seat, one hand pressed against his chest. His black shirt was stained with a small patch of blood, and tiny pieces of broken glass covered the leather beside him. "I'm fine," he muttered, his voice rough. Warren slowly lifted his head. His jaw was tight, his grey eyes sharp despite the pain flickering across his face. The bullet had only grazed him. It hadn't gone deep, but the sharp sting was enough to make his jaw tighten more. He glanced at the chauffeur, who was already reaching for the door. The man stepped out and hurried around the vehicle, looking in the direction the shot had come from. He scanned the opposite side of the road, then the nearby buildings, but saw nothing. Just as he was about to







