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Chapter 120: Buried Truths

Penulis: Raven
last update Tanggal publikasi: 2025-07-09 13:53:50

The second my mother’s name came up, Vivian froze.

The fire in her eyes flickered, dimmed, then vanished altogether—just for a second. But I caught it. She quickly masked it with that cold indifference she always wore like armor.

I knew the story too well. Lisa Ruyan and my mother had once lit up Hollywood like twin stars. But my father—David Brooks—chose my mother. Or at least, it looked that way on the surface.

Even after marrying her, he never truly let go of Lisa.

Two years after I was born
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    The shame arrives before the anger. I'm sitting on my husband's lap in his office, and the shame arrives, specific and sharp, the feeling of being the kind of person who needs her husband to hand her sister a check because her father couldn't bring himself to ask for help directly. "I'll pay you back," I say. "If Dad's company really is in trouble, I'll treat the five million as a loan. I'll find a way to repay you." Liam looks at me like I've said something absurd. "Do you have to be this formal with me? It's five million." "There's a difference between formality and principle. You didn't give that money to Vivian because you believe in her. You gave it to her because she's my sister and you didn't want to say no in front of me. That's not the same thing." He's quiet for a moment. "Let's set this aside for now," I say. "Tonight, I'll go to Dad's house. I'll ask him directly. If the company really is struggling, we

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    I can't take it anymore. "Vivian, what are you doing here?" The words come out harder than I intended. Not that I care. I step fully into the office and get my first clear look. Vivian is clutching something in her hand. A piece of paper. I can't make out the amount from here, but I know what it is. Liam wouldn't hand her anything else. "Give it to me," I say. Vivian shoves the check into her purse with the quick, defensive motion of someone protecting something they know they shouldn't have. Her face arranges itself into the expression her mother taught her. The wounded look. The misunderstood daughter. The woman who is only trying to help and is being punished for her kindness. "It's a gift from my brother-in-law," she says. Her voice is sweet. Too sweet. The specific, saccharine sweetness that means she's performing. "Allie, it's been so long since you visited home. Don't you know Dad's company is in trouble? Liam is fam

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    The hallway exhales. Someone behind me gasps. Not dramatically. Just a small, involuntary release of breath from a person who has just heard something they didn't expect. The crowd is doing the math. I can see it happening behind their eyes. Mia Stone: international film star, three consecutive Silver Hugo wins, two Film Queen titles, ten years at the top of the industry without a single misstep. Allie Brooks: debut actress, one television role, nominally famous for being married to Liam Hart and nominally infamous for everything that's happened since. The math doesn't work. Everyone in this hallway knows it. George knows it. Amy knows it. The photographers with their phones know it. Even Mia knows it, because the expression she's wearing right now is the expression of someone watching a insect walk onto a road and knowing what's about to happen. "Are you sure?" Mia asks. Her voice is almost gentle. The gentleness of certainty. The

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    Allie watched as Liam leaned in closer. His warm breath brushed against her ear, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine.Her voice trembled as she closed her eyes tightly. “Stop it, Liam! Get away from me! Just leave me alone!”Liam smirked, his amusement barely concealed. He was deliberately

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    Allie Brooks stirred awake to the sound of Liam Hart’s deep voice. He had just stepped out of the bathroom, freshly showered, and was buttoning up his crisp shirt. His hair glistened with droplets of water, and he exuded a calm confidence that made Allie’s stomach churn with mixed emotions.With a

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