AmeliaI heard it — a soft, sharp gasp — from somewhere behind us.It was quick, almost like someone had accidentally let the sound slip out, but I caught it. Lorenzo caught it too. Our eyes met for a moment. His narrowed.“Who’s there?” His voice was calm but heavy with authority. Then he turned his head slightly toward his men. “Find whoever it is!”Two of his men moved without hesitation toward the sound.I frowned, feeling uneasy. I had been careful — so careful — about these meetings. I didn’t even take Cole’s car this time. I didn’t want anyone knowing where I was going or who I was meeting. If someone had followed me here…Lorenzo’s gaze lingered on me, his expression unreadable, before turning back toward the street. “Stay close.”I obeyed, though my thoughts were running wild. Recently, Lorenzo had been summoning me more often. Every time, it was somewhere different — a hotel, a private club, a random apartment. I was growing tired of it. But I knew I couldn’t say no. Not yet
Skylar If there was a record for the number of times someone complained in a single day, I was sure I had just broken it.“This is the third store, Amber,” I said for what felt like the hundredth time, dragging my feet as she inspected yet another gown like her life depended on it. “Why am I going through all this stress when it’s not even my engagement party?”Amber didn’t even look at me. She was holding up a long, glittering gown, her head tilted slightly as if she was analyzing some priceless treasure in a museum.I crossed my arms and added, “And don’t think I’ve forgotten—the last time, you dragged me to that spa day you swore was ‘essential.’ Now it’s shopping day again. At this rate, next week will be a full beauty bootcamp.”Finally, Amber glanced at me, raising an eyebrow. “Skylar, I’m trying to make sure you look absolutely stunning that day. Everyone should see that you’re doing way better than when you were with Ethan. I'm your fairy godmother, remember?”I groaned and r
CelesteThe room was filled with laughter and the excited voices of my friends. We were gathered in the private lounge of my family estate, and all eyes were on the beautiful, elegant dress that had just been delivered.“Oh my God, Celeste!” Ava squealed as she clasped her hands dramatically. “It’s stunning!”“It’s not just stunning, it’s a masterpiece,” Chloe added, almost breathless. “Is this really from Xavière Vonn? The famous designer who only dresses royalty and billionaires?”I nodded proudly. “Yes. Mom made the order months ago. She said the designer had to fly in the materials from Paris.”Cassie, my childhood friend, let out a low whistle. “Now that’s what I call serious dedication.”The dress hung elegantly on the gold rack nearby. It was a soft champagne hue, flowing with layers of silk and detailed hand embroidery. The neckline was off-shoulder, and tiny crystal-like beads sparkled subtly around the bodice. The waist was cinched to perfection. The bottom flared out softly
SkylarThe loud buzzing of my phone dragged me out of sleep.I groaned and shifted under the sheets, stretching my hand blindly across the nightstand to find the source of the noise. My fingers finally wrapped around it, and I cracked one eye open just enough to see Amber’s name on the screen.Great.I slid to answer, pressing the phone against my ear. “Hello?”“Sky, get up. I’m coming over. Wear something comfy. We’re going somewhere nice.”I blinked. “What? Where are we going?”Amber’s voice came through like a burst of energy I wasn’t ready for. “It’s a surprise. You’ll love it.”I turned to my side and buried half of my face into the pillow. “Amber… I’m really not in the mood to go anywhere. I just want to sleep.”“Nope,” she replied cheerily, ignoring my whining. “You’ve been too locked up lately, and I’m not taking no for an answer. I’ll be there in thirty. Be ready!”Then she hung up.I stared at my phone for a moment in disbelief before sighing heavily. “Unbelievable,” I mumbl
ColeI couldn’t move.For a few seconds, it was like everything around me had gone silent, and the only thing echoing in my head were Jason’s words.“Skylar… might be my sister.”I stared at him, completely lost for words. Jason had a steady look on his face. He wasn’t joking. He wasn’t messing around. He meant it.“What… what are you saying?” I asked, my voice filled with disbelief.Jason nodded slowly, eyes serious. “I’ve been investigating her parents for a while now. Just trying to connect the dots, you know? And just a few weeks ago, I got the confirmation I needed — Skylar was adopted by the McLairs.”I blinked, unable to wrap my head around it. “Adopted?”“Yes,” he said softly, leaning forward, “And the more I dug, the clearer it became.”I leaned back in my seat. My head was spinning.Skylar. Adopted?That thought had never crossed my mind. Not even once.Of course, I had done a background check on her parents when we first met — basic stuff. Income, connections, family ties.
ColeIt was finally the weekend. I came down the stairs slowly and headed straight to Amelia’s room.I paused at the hallway and noticed that her door was slightly open. I knocked, and as I peeked in, I saw her standing beside her suitcase, zipping the last part shut. Her other bags were already neatly arranged by the corner of the room.She looked up just then, and our eyes met. I gave her a small nod.“Morning.”“Morning,” she replied quietly. Her face didn’t hold any sadness, no sign of the tears like last time. That surprised me a little, but deep down, I felt a bit relieved.I cleared my throat and walked in.“I just wanted to make sure you had everything you needed. As I mentioned earlier, the new apartment has been fully set up—everything should be in order. If anything’s not to your liking, you can let me know. Reed and his team will be there for your safety and protection. I also transferred some money into your personal account for upkeep.”She nodded once, saying nothing.I