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The tension in the air was palpable as the group dispersed after the conversation. Each one of them was left with lingering doubts, but also a sense of urgency. Utter had made his move, and now they had to prepare for the unknown.Kim stood alone in the hallway, his hands clenched at his sides as he replayed Utter’s words in his head. A secret weapon. Someone on the inside. The threat lingered like a shadow, one he couldn't shake. He had always prided himself on being the best in the business, but the thought of someone working against them from within shook him to his core.Riele, Jane, and Jay had all left to begin their own investigations. Kim remained, staring at the floor, trying to figure out what their next move should be. He was used to facing challenges, but this felt different. Utter was playing a dangerous game, one where the stakes were higher than just the competition.Suddenly, Kim's phone buzzed in his pocket, pulling him from his thoughts. It was a message from Riele:
Madison had always known how to charm her way through any situation. But now, standing in the dimly lit back office of Utter’s upscale showroom, the mask of politeness and poise had fallen away. Her face was drawn, tense, as she looked down at the documents spread out on the table between her and Utter."Is this everything?" Utter’s voice was calm, calculated, though his eyes betrayed a hint of impatience. He ran a hand through his neatly combed hair, his gaze shifting from Madison to the array of design sketches and competition plans she had brought with her.Madison nodded, her eyes flicking nervously between the pages. "This is just part of it. Kim and his team have been working around the clock—there’s so much more to uncover. These are the ones I managed to get hold of before they tightened security." She placed a few more files onto the table, her hands trembling slightly.Utter studied the plans closely, his lips curling into a sly smile. "Impressive," he muttered, his fingers
The city buzzed with the kind of energy that only came when something big was about to happen. The press was already abuzz with rumors about a huge scandal in the modeling competition, whispers of stolen designs and underhanded tactics that would leave the industry reeling.Kim hadn’t yet realized how close the storm was. He was still lost in the plans he’d made with Riele, Jay, and Jane—focused on their next move, on how to root out the mole in their midst. He hadn’t yet pieced together that the threat came from somewhere he least expected: someone who once sat at the table, part of the inner circle. Someone who had now betrayed them for her own gain.The office was filled with an almost eerie quiet as Riele, Jane, and Jay stared at their screens, digging through information, hoping for something—anything—that would point them toward the mole. But every lead was a dead end. It felt like the walls were closing in.Then Kim’s phone buzzed, shattering the silence.He picked it up, glanc
The following morning felt different. The air was thick with anticipation, a mixture of fear and resolve hanging in the office. Kim, Riele, Jane, and Jay gathered in their war room, all eyes fixed on the pile of documents, photos, and notes that littered the table. Their team had always been tight-knit, but now, it felt like they were fighting an enemy they couldn’t see—someone who had been within their ranks all along.Kim’s phone buzzed again, this time with a message from a source he didn’t recognize.“I have something that can prove Utter’s involvement. Meet me at the warehouse. 3 PM sharp. Don’t bring anyone.”The message was short, cryptic, but the words stood out. This was their chance to expose Utter once and for all. Kim’s mind raced as he read it, a part of him feeling the weight of the decision. He couldn’t trust anyone right now—not even the people who claimed to have information. But this was too important to pass up.“We’ve got a lead,” Kim said, his voice steady despite
Charlotte had kept the secret for almost three months, hiding it behind layers of excuses, long nights, and evasion. But the reality was undeniable now—she could no longer keep her pregnancy from Utter. The baby was his. It was time to tell him, even if it felt like the weight of the world was about to come crashing down on her.She stood in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection. Her body was changing, the evidence of the life growing inside her was becoming harder to ignore. Her fingers brushed over her stomach, the small bump now visible beneath the fabric of her loose top. She had kept it hidden for as long as possible, but every day it became more difficult to conceal.She thought about Utter—his cold demeanor, his calculated moves, and the way he had always treated her with a mix of indifference and possessiveness. She had never imagined that a child, his child, would ever be a part of the equation. But now it was here, and she had no choice but to face him.The decision
Charlotte sat in her living room, the silence weighing heavily on her. After the confrontation with Utter, she felt drained, as though every ounce of energy had been drained from her. She had known, deep down, that he wouldn’t embrace the news, but the reality of his harsh rejection hit her harder than she could have imagined. His words echoed in her mind: “I don’t want anything to do with you or this child.” The coldness in his voice still stung.She picked up her phone, her fingers trembling as she dialed Riele’s number. After a few rings, Riele picked up.“Hey, Charlotte,” Riele’s voice was warm, yet there was a hint of concern. “How did it go with Utter?”Charlotte closed her eyes for a moment before responding. “Can you meet me at my place? I need to talk.”“Of course,” Riele replied, without hesitation. “I’ll be there in twenty.”Charlotte hung up and sank into the couch, her thoughts a jumble of disappointment and hurt. She had always hoped that Utter would change, that he woul
The office was dimly lit, the only sounds coming from the rhythmic tapping of keys and the occasional rustle of paper. Kim and Jane were sitting side by side, sifting through Madison's files. But despite the serious nature of their work, an undercurrent of tension was thick in the air. It was undeniable—the atmosphere between them had shifted.Kim had noticed it earlier but had chosen to focus on the task at hand. He couldn’t afford to be distracted, not now. But as the hours wore on, he couldn’t ignore it any longer. Every time he glanced at Jane, there was a heaviness in the air, a lingering uncertainty.Finally, Jane set down the file she was holding and looked at Kim, her gaze more intense than usual. Her fingers drummed lightly on the desk as she took a deep breath.“You know,” she began, her voice low, almost as if she was testing the waters, “I’ve been thinking about us. About everything.”Kim froze for a moment, his chest tightening. He didn’t want to go down this path again.
The car ride to the hospital was filled with a palpable tension. Riele’s mind raced, both with hope and fear. After months of uncertainty, the news of her mother’s recovery was like a breath of fresh air, but she couldn’t bring herself to fully believe it until she saw it with her own eyes.As they pulled into the parking lot, Riele’s heart pounded. She glanced back at Harry, who sat silently beside her, his face a mixture of hope and caution. Charlotte, sitting in the front seat, was quiet but equally affected by the weight of the moment.When they arrived at the hospital, Riele wasted no time in rushing inside. The sterile scent of the hospital air hit her immediately, but it wasn’t enough to dull the anticipation in her chest. She barely even noticed Charlotte and Harry following her; her focus was solely on the room ahead.She arrived at her mother’s door and stopped for a brief moment to steady herself. Her fingers brushed against the handle, and she pushed it open slowly. Inside
The soft scent of freshly brewed tea wafted through Riele’s living room, mingling with the distant hum of a playlist Charlotte had picked—gentle acoustic love songs that filled the silence between conversations. The coffee table was buried beneath magazines, color swatches, and a notepad scribbled with names and ideas. Riele sat cross-legged on the couch, flipping through a bridal catalogue, while Charlotte and Kim debated the merits of an outdoor ceremony versus an indoor one. Utter leaned back in the armchair, half-involved, half amused, nursing a glass of juice like he’d been roped into something way beyond his understanding. Hope was sleeping soundly beside them. “It has to be outside,” Charlotte said, pointing to a photo of a vineyard-style wedding with twinkling fairy lights. “You and Kim under a canopy of stars? That’s poetry.”“It rains in spring,” Kim said, folding his arms. “A surprise downpour isn’t romantic. It’s soggy.”“That’s why tents exist,” Charlotte shot back.Riel
The breeze was gentle that afternoon, rustling the bare branches as though whispering secrets only the trees could understand. Riele stepped carefully between the headstones, her fingers interlocked with Harry's as they made their way toward the familiar spot. It had been three months—three quiet, aching months since they last stood here together. Time had softened the sharpness of their grief, but the ache still lived somewhere inside them, persistent and tender.Their mother’s grave was just as they remembered. A simple marble headstone with her name etched in gold: Esmeralda Grants, Beloved Mother, Eternal Light. Harry bent to brush away the leaves that had gathered at its base while Riele knelt, her hand smoothing over the cold stone."Hey, Mom," Riele whispered. Her voice was steady, but her chest quivered with the familiar ache. "We came to visit you. It's been a while, I know."Harry crouched beside her, setting down the small bouquet of wildflowers he’d picked up on the way. H
Charlotte was pacing the length of her living room, her newborn daughter nestled against her chest in a soft carrier. Utter was lounging on the sofa, half-watching her, half-focused on the bottle he was warming for Hope. Harry sat on the floor, his back against the couch, absentmindedly shaking a rattle and making faces at his niece who, despite her tiny size, already had a gaze sharp enough to quiet a room.The door creaked open and Riele stepped inside, cheeks pink from the cold outside and something else—something warmer.“I have news,” she said, pulling off her scarf and hanging it carefully by the door. “Big news.”Charlotte turned immediately. “What kind of news? Don’t tell me you’re leaving town again.”“Not that kind of news,” Riele said with a soft laugh, her voice unsteady with anticipation. She moved toward them slowly, like someone holding a secret she’d been dying to share but afraid to say out loud.Harry raised an eyebrow. “You’re not pregnant, are you?”“No,” she said
The sun had barely risen when Charlotte felt the first real pang. It wasn't like the false alarms she'd had over the last few days. This was different—heavier, deeper, a pressure that curled from her back to the pit of her stomach with the force of something ancient and inevitable. She’d always imagined that when this moment came, she’d be frantic or afraid. But she wasn’t. She was just... ready.Utter drove them to the hospital, one hand on the wheel, the other gripping Charlotte’s with all the quiet reassurance of a man who had grown into his role more than he ever expected. Riele sat beside Charlotte, holding her other hand, whispering encouragement and trying not to cry.“You’ve got this,” Riele kept saying, her voice soft, steady. “You’re stronger than you think.”Hours passed. The waiting room filled and emptied, nurses moved like angels in scrubs, and finally, when Charlotte thought she couldn’t take one more breath, one more push.A cry filled the room.And just like that, she
The hospital was bathed in soft white light, the air tinged with antiseptic and quiet murmurs. Riele shifted on the waiting bench just outside the maternity ward, her hands gripping the edge of her coat tightly. Harry sat beside her, fidgeting with his phone but not really looking at it. It was past noon, and Charlotte had been inside for over an hour now."She’s strong," Harry murmured, breaking the silence. "She’ll be okay."Riele nodded slowly. "I know. She’s been preparing for this day for months. I’m just... nervous."Harry reached over and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "She’s lucky to have you here."Before Riele could respond, the elevator doors chimed, and a familiar figure stepped out, arms filled with baby bags, blankets, and a soft-looking teddy bear. Utter.His eyes found Riele first, then Harry. He gave a small nod and approached, his steps hesitant but determined."I heard... she went into labor," he said, his voice slightly breathless. "I wanted to bring a few things.
Jay hadn't traveled this far in months. The jet hummed beneath him, a steady sound that failed to drown out the noise in his thoughts. He sat by the window, staring out at the endless sky, a tablet balanced on his lap. Every few seconds, he'd glance at the screen showing his destination time—still hours ahead. His mother had summoned him. No one summoned Jay unless it was urgent.He had a rough idea why. The last time they spoke, she hinted at her desire for grandchildren, her voice laced with nostalgia and a touch of disappointment. “You're not getting younger,” she had said. “And neither am I.”Jay had brushed it off then, more concerned about Riele, about the tension growing between her and Kim. But now, with Riele emotionally distant and Kim hovering uncertainly between guilt and silence, Jay had found no excuse to delay this meeting.When the jet touched down, the staff ushered him into a sleek car that took him straight to the estate. His mother’s home was a sprawling villa tuck
Kim stepped into his apartment and leaned against the door as it clicked shut behind him. The silence was a relief. No condolences, no murmured apologies, no lingering eyes studying his every reaction at the burial. Just silence. But it didn't soothe him. If anything, the emptiness felt heavier.He dropped his coat on the couch and sat down, resting his head in his hands. Esmeralda’s burial had drained something in him. Riele’s tear-streaked face haunted his thoughts. There were still unspoken words between them, too many, and the distance that had crept in after the incident with Jane was still there, even though they’d tried to move past it.A soft knock interrupted the stillness. Kim stood slowly, frowning, not expecting anyone.When he opened the door, Jane stood there with a sad smile and a bottle of wine in hand."Hey," she said gently. "I just wanted to check on you. Is this a bad time?"Kim hesitated. "You shouldn't be here, Jane." Everything about her felt wrong. But exhaust
The sun filtered softly through the half-closed curtains, casting muted light across the quiet living room. The house was still, save for the occasional sound of footsteps or the clinking of tea cups. The burial was over, but the silence it left behind felt heavier than before.Riele sat on the couch beside Harry, their bodies leaning slightly toward each other, connected by grief and the exhaustion that always came after loss. A few relatives and friends still moved about quietly, offering small comforts, squeezes on the hand, hushed condolences. But most people had already left.Among the few who remained were Kim and Jay.Jay was speaking with Harry near the hallway, his arm lightly around his friend’s shoulders. They were murmuring something that only the two of them could hear. Whatever it was, it made Harry chuckle faintly, a rare sound in the past few days.Riele glanced at them and then turned her eyes to Kim. He was standing quietly near the window, hands in his pockets, gaze
The afternoon sun filtered weakly through the trees, casting long shadows over the small cemetery nestled behind the old church. The scent of fresh soil lingered in the air, mingling with the faint fragrance of flowers laid gently over Esmeralda’s resting place. The ceremony had been quiet, intimate—just a handful of close friends and family gathered around in solemn reflection.Riele stood beside Harry, both dressed in black. The wind tugged gently at the hem of her long coat, but she barely noticed. Her fingers gripped a white rose, now resting on the mound of earth that covered her mother. Esmeralda's photo sat framed on a stand nearby, her eyes forever watching with a kind, steady gaze that made Riele's heart ache all over again.People lingered a while after the burial—friends, neighbors, and even some of Esmeralda’s old colleagues—offering warm embraces and quiet condolences. Riele appreciated the gestures, but none of them could dull the hollow ache inside her chest.Harry excu