Mag-log inHenry didn't flinch at the commanding tone. He kept his grip firmly in place.When Julian saw that he refused to let go, he stepped forward, ready to force Henry's hand.But Talia moved first. She planted herself directly in front of Henry and stared Julian down without so much as blinking. Her gaze was steady and unflinching.She didn't say a single word, but Julian could read the message loud and clear. She was reminding him of her relationship with Christian.That only made things worse. Julian didn't give a damn about Christian right now. Seeing Talia try to use Christian's name as a shield sent a fresh wave of anger surging through him.He didn't back off. Instead, he swung at Talia.Henry released Eliza's hand and threw his arm up to block the blow. Julian's fist connected with Henry's forearm, and the impact sent a jolt of pain shooting through his own palm.He winced, his brows creasing, but the sneer on his face didn't falter. "You're the only one still treating her lik
Talia stared at the red dots scattered across Henry's skin, and when she spoke, her voice came out strained and uneven. "Henry, what happened to your arms?"She already knew the answer, but she asked anyway, clinging to the slim chance that it might just be a skin condition.Henry didn't try to hide anything from her. He pulled his sleeve back down without making a fuss and explained in a quiet, steady voice. "It's nothing serious. Just some subcutaneous bleeding."He made it sound like nothing, but every single word weighed heavily on Talia's chest. She was heartbroken and terrified, but she knew there was nothing she could do to change any of it.In the end, the two of them left the room together.When they reached the outdoor courtyard downstairs, Talia stepped into the sunlight, and Henry stood beside her. His gaze rested on her, soft and still, with a tenderness he didn't bother trying to conceal.Talia turned to look at him and found his eyes already on her. Neither of them
The moment the car stopped, Talia got out.Cecilia stayed behind the wheel and rolled down her window. "Talia, I've got class, so I won't be able to stay with you."Talia hadn't expected Cecilia to stick around, so she just smiled and said, "That's fine. Go ahead."Cecilia straightened up and was about to start the car when something crossed her mind. She turned back. "I'm sorry I can't talk any sense into my brother."Talia gave her a gentle smile and waved her off. "Whatever's going on between him and me has nothing to do with you. Go about the rest of your day. I'll be fine."Cecilia still felt the weight of it, but she knew that saying more wouldn't help. She ultimately pulled away.Talia walked into the hospital and headed straight for the hematology ward. She knew the route by heart and found Henry's room without any trouble.When she stepped inside, he was hooked up to an IV, propped against the headboard, mindlessly scrolling through videos on his phone. He looked relaxe
The wind swallowed Christian's words as the car pulled away.Even so, Talia had heard him clearly enough. Cecilia, on the other hand, acted as though she hadn't heard a thing and stepped harder on the gas.It wasn't until they'd been driving for a few minutes that Talia turned to look at her. "Cecilia, where are you taking me?"Cecilia eased off the accelerator at the sound of her voice and eventually found a spot to pull over.The moment the car stopped, she turned to Talia, her face full of concern. "Talia, my brother's an animal. What he did to you was wrong, but please don't shut me out because of him."She started out angry, but by the end, her voice had softened into something closer to a plea.Talia smiled softly. "I know. I'm not shutting you out."Cecilia dropped her gaze, guilt written all over her. "I'm sorry."Talia's smile lingered, gentle and unbothered. "What are you sorry for?""For what my family did to you," Cecilia said, meaning every single word.Talia did
Joseph swallowed hard and turned to Margaret. "Sit down. Let's have some soup."Margaret took a seat and settled down, giving a slight nod. "Fine."Joseph ladled out a bowl for her himself and handed it over. "Try it."Margaret took the bowl and brought it to her lips, ready to enjoy it. The moment the broth touched her tongue, she spat it right back out.She slammed her hand on the table. "That little witch! She's trying to kill us with salt! She's been away so long that she's forgotten how to cook!"Joseph tried a spoonful next. He spat it out just as fast.He stood up, let out a long sigh, and looked at Margaret. "Something tells me that she is going to give you plenty of headaches from here on out."Margaret frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"Joseph didn't elaborate. "Figure it out."He headed upstairs without saying another word, leaving Margaret sitting alone at the dining table. She turned his words over and over in her mind, yet still couldn't make sense of them.
Talia untied her apron and rinsed her hands under the faucet. She glanced back at the pot of soup on the stove, allowed herself a small, satisfied smile, and walked out of the kitchen.Christian met her at the door, clearly irritated. "So Mom tells you to cook, and you jump right to it, but when I ask you to do something, you won't?"The implication was obvious, but Talia pretended she hadn't caught it. Christian grabbed her arm and started steering her toward the exit, but when they passed Margaret, Talia stopped.She looked up at her mother-in-law and softened her voice. "Margaret, I made some soup for you, Joseph, and Franklin. I was pressed for time, so it's just the one dish, but please make sure you all try some. It's a new recipe I've been working on."Christian had stopped the moment he felt Talia halt behind him, and when he heard what she was saying, something jolted through him. For just a second, it felt like they'd gone back to the way things used to be.But the feeli
Seeing Quentin walk toward the stage, panic rose in Talia's chest. Throwing caution aside, she called out to him, "Quentin, what are you doing? Come back down."On the other side, both Christian and Nancy heard Talia's anxious shout. Quentin heard it too, but he didn't turn around. After walking st
Upon smelling the acrid smoke of cigarettes filling the study, Talia opened the window to air out the room before turning to Garrett, asking, "What are you doing up so late, Garrett?"It was only when he heard that voice that Garrett realized that the person who walked into the study was Talia. He
"What's the matter? Did you miss me, sweetie?" Quentin's languid, playful voice came from the other end of the line, his deep voice barely audible over the loud music in the background.It was common knowledge that Quentin was a womanizer. It was said that he had countless women, changing them as o
Having departed Jubilee Manor, Talia had just absentmindedly taken her seat in her car when the front passenger door was opened from the outside and someone climbed in, frightening her. She only managed to calm down after identifying the sudden visitor.Quentin, having settled in the passenger seat







