MasukLia pushed through the heavy wooden door of The Shadow Lounge. A wall of noise and stench greeted her immediately. The air was thick with cigar smoke that burned her eyes and the sharp bite of cheap alcohol spilled across the floor. Laughter boomed from a group of men crowded around a pool table in the corner. Glasses clinked. Someone shouted at the bartender for another round. The place was dimly lit by flickering neon signs advertising old beer brands, casting long shadows across scratched tables and worn bar stools. This was not the kind of establishment she ever imagined entering. It felt rough, unpredictable, like one wrong move could spark trouble. She paused just inside the entrance, scanning the room. Her heart hammered against her ribs. Then she spotted him. A man in a faded black jacket sitting alone in a booth near the back wall. He raised his hand in a casual wave, his face half-hidden in shadow. Lia straightened her shoulders, clutched her purse tighter, and started walk
Lia stared at the glowing screen of her phone, the mysterious message still open. ‘I saw what happened at the hospital. Meet me tomorrow if you want real help against Serena. I have proof.’ Her heart beat faster. Everything she had told Victor earlier was made up, just words twisted from her own jealousy. So how could this stranger claim to have proof? It surprised her. For the first time, a small doubt crept in. What if Serena really was planning something against the Laurent family? What if her return wasn’t innocent after all? She sat on the edge of the couch, mind racing through every recent encounter. Serena coming back would make it even difficult for Adrian to love her again, all hope Lia had that Adrian would eventually forgive her. It began to fade. Lia shook her head slightly but couldn’t push the thought away completely. “Mom, Dad, I’m tired,” she said, standing up. “I need to go lie down for a bit. Today was too much.” Her mother nodded with understanding. “Go on, de
The air grew thick. Lia’s back hit the wall, apologies spilling out in a rush as fear flashed across her face. “I’m sorry, Mr. Laurent. Please, I only wanted to help the family. I thought—” Victor kept closing the distance, his steps slow but heavy. His eyes never left hers. The hallway felt smaller, the beeps from nearby machines the only other sound. Before he could say more, footsteps echoed from the entrance. Adrian walked in, phone still in hand, his face lined with exhaustion. “What is going on here?” Adrian asked, voice sharp. He glanced between his father and Lia, sensing the tension right away. Victor stopped and turned to his son. He ran a hand through his graying hair and let out a tired breath. “Why don’t you ask Lia here? She seems to have plenty to say about Serena and this whole mess. Go on, Lia. Tell him what you told me.” With that, Victor shook his head and walked away. He pushed open the door to his wife’s room and stepped inside. Elena lay still in the bed, mon
Clara and Emma walked through the front door just as the sun dipped low, painting the living room in soft orange light. I’d been waiting for them, tea already cooling on the table. Lila and Elias ran to greet them first, Elias tugging at Clara’s sleeve with a big grin.“You’re back!” I said, standing up. “Tell me everything. How did it go at the branches?”Clara dropped her bag on the couch and sank into it with a tired sigh. Emma followed, looking pleased but worn out. “It was busy but good,” Clara started. “The east branch had a small mix-up with the new supplier order. They sent the wrong shade of yarn twice. I sat down with the manager, went through the invoices line by line, and got it sorted. Called the supplier right there. Promised them a better discount if they fixed it by morning. Customers were happy once we explained.”Emma jumped in, eyes bright. “The west branch was smoother. We ran a quick training session on the new inventory system. A couple of the girls were nervous
The doctor’s words hung in the air like a heavy curtain. Adrian stood frozen outside the ICU, his jaw tight. Madam Laurent is stable for now. But the next twenty-four hours are critical. He watched the doctor walk away, white coat flapping slightly, before turning to his father who was pacing around the ward worried.“Dad,” Adrian said, voice low. “What really happened?”Victor looked up, eyes tired. He rubbed his face with both hands. “I wish I knew, son. My phone just rang last night while I was on a business meeting with some clients. It was the hospital. They said there’d been an accident. Your mother’s car… hit hard. I didn’t ask questions. I just grabbed my keys and drove here as fast as I could. The police hadn’t even arrived yet when I got the call. That’s all I know right now.”Adrian paced a few steps, hands clenching at his sides. “No details? No one saw anything? A side impact at high speed? That doesn’t sound like a normal crash.”“I know it doesn’t,” Victor replied, voic
I waited for Adrian for a while. I sat in the hallway outside the ward, my hands clasped in my lap, staring at the floor tiles. The hospital was quiet at this hour, the lights dimmed for the night shift. I expected him to come back with questions. After all, he had just learned he had children he never knew about. He had seen the twins. He had donated blood for Lila. I thought he would want answers. I thought he would demand to know why I had hidden them. Why I had run. Why I had become Elena Voss instead of staying as Serena Laurent.But the minutes stretched into an hour. Then two. He didn’t return. The nurse who had taken him for the blood draw walked past once, but she only gave me a small smile and kept going. I stood up eventually, my legs stiff from sitting so long. I needed to clear my mind. I needed to see him, even if it was just to tell him to leave us alone after this. I couldn’t sit there wondering what he was thinking.I walked down the hallway, my shoes soft on the floo
“There’s a family willing to help us,” my mother explained quickly. “Very powerful. Very wealthy. But they have conditions.”My stomach tightened. “What kind of conditions?” I asked.My sister let out a soft, shaky breath. “They want their son to be married so that they can get a grandchild out of
He smiled. Soft. Warm. Almost boyish. “There you are,” he murmured. My heart dropped. Because even now… He still thought I was Lia. He stepped in, jacket already off, shirt partially unbuttoned, the scent of whiskey and cologne clinging to him. His movements were unstable from drinking, but ther
The days before the wedding passed like a blur I couldn’t escape. People moved in and out of the house carrying fabrics, jewelry, flowers, and invitations while I stood in the middle of it all feeling completely detached. Measurements were taken and dresses were fitted. Every room was filled with
That night, I sat alone in the vast bedroom that wasn’t mine, wearing a white light robe they had given me after the wedding with no panties under. My hands were clenched so tightly in my lap that my nails left little crescent marks on my palms. I felt nervous.The door opened.He stepped in, jacke







