MasukBefore Lilith could even process what was happening, Luci Pearl’s wailing filled the air, loud and theatrical, dripping with what seemed like heartfelt remorse.“Solenn… I’m so sorry,” Luci Pearl sobbed, her voice trembling dramatically. “I just… wasn’t thinking. It was an accident, I swear!”She pressed on, her tone increasingly theatrical. “You’re my precious daughter. I carried you for nine months. I even went through a C-section to bring you into this world. How could I ever—ever—intentionally hurt you? Please, just this once… forgive me. I promise it won’t happen again. I love you so much.”For the first time since the confrontation began, Griffin’s expression softened just slightly. The icy pressure radiating from him eased, though only enough to be noticeable to someone as perceptive as Lilith.Lilith didn’t understand all the complexities of the adult world, but she knew enough to recognize danger. She pressed her lips together, quiet and watchful, careful not to make the situ
Silas lifted his head when he heard Althea’s voice. “Lilith went to the restroom.”Althea’s heart skipped. She spun around and hurried toward the bathroom, calling back as she ran, “Silas, pack everything up quickly. Ivy’s already downstairs, and parking’s a nightmare, we need to leave now.”Before the last word even left her mouth, Althea had already pushed open the bathroom door.Inside, Solenn was standing on her tiptoes, stretching her small arms to reach the sink. She hadn’t even had time to turn around before Althea rushed in, scooped her up, and carried her straight out.Pressed against Althea’s chest, Solenn froze in surprise. Her thoughts went blank. A soft, familiar scent surrounded her, warm, comforting, strangely reassuring. For reasons she couldn’t explain, her tense little body slowly relaxed in Althea’s arms, as if she belonged there.By the time Althea returned to the break room, Silas had already finished packing. Althea took his hand without a word and ushered him
Solenn scratched her head, thinking hard for a few seconds before answering, her voice hesitant.“But… my mom only has me. I’m her only child.”Lilith raised an eyebrow, studying her closely.“Are you sure she’s your real mom?” she asked casually. “Have you ever done a DNA test or something?”The words DNA test stunned Solenn into silence.The way Luci treated her flashed through her mind, the shouting, the impatience, the cold looks. A tiny seed of doubt crept in, heavy and confusing. Could it be possible… that Mommy isn’t really my mom?The thought frightened her. Almost instinctively, Solenn clung to the one certainty she believed in.“I did a DNA test with my dad,” she said quickly, as if reassuring herself. “I’m definitely his daughter. My daddy loves me a lot. He really does.”Lilith’s eyebrow lifted again, this time higher.“He doesn’t seem that great to me,” she said bluntly. “If he really loved you, he wouldn’t leave you alone here, crying.”Solenn lowered her head, her throa
Luci Pearl leaned close to Griffin, her voice soft and calculated. “Griffin, you should go handle your work at the company. I’ll stay here with Solenn. As soon as Harriet comes out, I’ll ask her to check on her.”With pressing business matters pulling at him, Griffin hesitated only briefly before nodding. Leaving Solenn in Luci’s care, he departed with Yvo and his team, the weight of responsibility temporarily lifted from his shoulders.Luci stayed by Solenn’s side, scrolling idly on her phone, her attention only half on the child. Outside the operating room, the faint hum of hospital activity surrounded them.Inside, the surgery was underway. Althea and Wade moved with flawless precision, fully absorbed in the complex procedure on Theron’s father.Meanwhile, young Silas, fingers flying over his laptop, worked furiously while Lilith played a mobile game beside him.“Lilith,” Silas said, glancing up, “Mom said our sister is here in Crimson Ridge. How do we find her?”Lilith barely look
Luci Pearl couldn’t fully mask the flicker of disdain in her eyes as she looked at Solenn, a child who had stubbornly resisted her charm despite years of carefully calculated effort.For four long years, Luci had performed the part of a doting caretaker, attending to Solenn’s daily needs and escorting her to countless medical appointments. If Solenn weren’t the key to Luci’s plan to become Mrs. Monreal, she would never have wasted a single second trying to win the girl’s affection.Even so, Luci plastered a smile on her face and extended her arms toward the little girl.“Solenn, come to mommy for a hug,” she cooed, her tone syrupy and practiced.Solenn recoiled immediately, pressing herself against Griffin’s chest. “But I want Daddy to hold me,” she murmured in her small, urgent voice. “Daddy, hold me.”Griffin’s strong hands rose to gently stroke her back, soothing her trembling form. “It’s okay, sweetheart. Don’t be afraid. Daddy’s here. Daddy’s holding you,” he whispered, his voice
The presidential suite of Aurora Heights glittered like a jewel in the heart of the city, but Althea Greene hardly noticed. Her senses were consumed, her body trembling beneath the weight of a stranger’s hands. Every touch, every motion left her spinning, untethered from herself, as if the world had dissolved into the heat of that instant.She tried to lift her eyes, to see who held her so completely, but pleasure clutched her like a storm, dragging her under again and again. Hours slipped by unnoticed, each one folding into the next until her body could bear no more.When Althea finally sank onto the enormous bed, drained and trembling, a cool weight rested against her neck. Fingers had slipped an emerald necklace around her, a silent, deliberate gift, before vanishing into the shadows.She slept, oblivious, until noon. When consciousness returned, it brought a chill. Standing at the edge of the bed was Luci Pearl Greene, arms crossed, eyes sharp with scorn.Althea scrambled to cover







