登入She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out.Instead, she just stared at him with that expression of complete devastation, tears streaming down her face unchecked.Victor saw her struggle, saw her wrestle with the question, saw her come face to face with the reality of what accepting her children's relationship would mean.And he understood.He pulled her close again, wrapping his arms around her, holding her as tightly as he could."You don't have to make the decision now, dear," he said softly, his lips brushing against her hair. "Let's talk about it later, okay? There's no rush. We can figure this out together."Isabella just shook her head...not in disagreement, but in exhaustion, in emotional devastation, in the overwhelming weight of everything she was feeling.She didn't respond. She simply held onto her husband and let him hold her, drawing strength from his presence, from his understanding, from the fact that he was there with her in her pain.Neither of them notic
The call had ended barely a minute ago.Isabella sat on the edge of the bed in her and Victor's bedroom, her phone still clutched in her hand. She wasn't moving. She wasn't thinking about anything in particular. She was simply existing in the space between the call and whatever came next, a space filled with relief and guilt and longing all mixed together into something she couldn't quite name.Her eyes were still wet with tears.She was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't hear Victor come into the room.His footsteps were soft as he crossed the carpet toward her. He stopped in front of her, and for a moment, he simply looked at her....at his wife sitting there with her phone in her trembling hand, at the tears that had traced lines down her cheeks, at the expression on her face that spoke of heartbreak and hope tangled together.He reached out and gently touched her shoulder."Let me guess," he said softly, his voice filled with understanding. "You called Lyra."Isabella's he
In the bathroom, she wrapped her hair in a towel, piling it on top of her head in a haphazard bun. She was still humming as she caught sight of herself in the mirror...her cheeks flushed, her eyes bright, her entire face glowing with a kind of happiness that came from deep within her.She looked like a woman who was completely satisfied.She looked like a woman who was in love.She was about to step into the shower when her phone rang.The sound cut through the quiet of her apartment, and for a moment, she froze.She stood there, naked and dripping slightly, trying to figure out who could possibly be calling her at this hour. It was late...nearly 11 PM on a weeknight. No one she knew would be calling her at this time unless it was important.She quickly grabbed her robe from the back of the bathroom door and wrapped it around herself, tying it loosely. Then she padded back out to the living room where she'd left her bag.She pulled out her phone and looked at the screen.Her breath ca
Emma's smile widened, and she handed Lyra a document."Before you go, can you just sign this?" Emma asked. "It's for the Voltish collection. We need it filed with the authentication records. It won't take a minute."Lyra took the document from Emma's hands. She quickly scanned it to make sure everything was in order, and then she signed her name at the bottom and then she handed it back to Emma."Done," she said, trying to sound casual.Emma took the document back, and her smile was knowing. She clearly suspected something was going on, but she was gracious enough not to push for details."Have a good evening," Emma said warmly, already turning to leave."You too," Lyra replied.Emma left the office, closing the door quietly behind her.Lyra resumed gathering her things.She put on her coat and grabbed her bag.She took one last look around her office to make sure she wasn't forgetting anything. Then she stood up, straightened her clothes, and then walked out of the office.***The el
They continued working for the next couple of hours, and by the time Victoria was ready to leave, it was almost 5 PM."This has been wonderful," Victoria said, packing up her materials. "I'll bring more pieces next week. We're making excellent progress.""Yes, we are," Lyra agreed politely. "Thank you for coming in.""Of course," Victoria said, standing up and collecting her bag. "And Lyra? You should take care of yourself. You look a bit... tense. Maybe you need some rest."***The moment Victoria stepped outside the conference room, Lyra's phone rang.She knew exactly who it was before she even looked at the screen. The phone was still in her hand from the meeting, and the moment she saw his name light up on the display, her entire body responded...her heart rate accelerating, heat pooling low in her belly.She picked up immediately."How was the meeting?" His voice came through the phone, low and controlled and absolutely commanding.Just hearing him speak made her want to forget a
That afternoon, Victoria walked into Stella Design House like she owned it.The moment she stepped through the glass doors of the lobby, heads turned. She was dressed impeccably.....a tailored navy dress that hugged her curves perfectly, paired with designer heels that clicked against the marble floor with each step. Her hair was styled in loose waves that framed her face, and her makeup was flawless...smoky eyes, perfect lips, everything screaming wealth and sophistication.She moved through the lobby with absolute confidence.As she walked, she acknowledged the front desk staff with a warm smile and a small wave."Hi, darlings!" she called out, and several of the receptionists immediately smiled back. "How are you all today?"One of the younger receptionists stood up. "Victoria! Great to see you! We haven't seen you in a while!""I know, I know," Victoria said warmly, placing her hand on the desk with familiarity. "I've been so busy with work."She lingered for just a moment longer
Lyra set her phone down with shaking hands and stood up.Her legs felt weak, her body hypersensitive. Every movement of fabric against her skin made her gasp.She walked to the full-length mirror in her room and looked at herself.Her hair was disheveled from the flight and the stress. Her face was
Lyra stared at her phone screen, her heart still racing from the encounter in the hallway.DarkVeil: Welcome home, little one. Did you miss me?Her fingers trembled as she typed back.LyraNight: How did you know I got to New York? I didn't tell you I was flying home.The three dots appeared immedia
"The Mercers. They were good people. Are good people." Karla's eyes filled with fresh tears. "They passed away six months ago. Car accident. That's when I did the DNA test. I had no one left and I just... I needed to know if there was anyone out there who shared my blood."Isabelle made a soft soun
LYRA POV:The plane touched down at JFK with a jolt that matched the anxiety thrumming through Lyra's veins.She'd barely slept during the flight, her mind spinning with questions her mother refused to answer over the phone. Urgent. Family matter. Need you home. The words had echoed through her hea







