Semua Bab The Lovely Loner: Bab 21 - Bab 30

Lee sat hunched at his desk, phone in hand, his fingers trembling ever so slightly as he finalized the last call. The arrangements had been delicate, urgent, and every detail mattered. One misstep, and the fragile girl sleeping on his couch could fall apart again. He wouldn’t allow that. The memory of that early morning still played vividly in his mind—more like a nightmare that wouldn’t let go. It had been 4:13 AM when his phone rang. The name “Ann” flashed across the screen. At first, he thought it was a mistake. Ann never called at that hour, never called at all unless it was work-related. But when he picked up, the sound on the other end shattered his world. She was sobbing. Hysterically. And for Lee—who had known her for years, who had never seen her cry, not even once—it was the most terrifying sound he’d ever heard. His Ann didn’t cry. She bottled things up. She suffered in silence. So to hear her like that… it was like hearing a statue collapse. He hadn’t asked questions.

The first few weeks in X Country were the most stressful days of Ann’s new life. Everything was unfamiliar—the streets, the language, the customs, even the way the air moved. It wasn’t just colder; it was lonelier. Every breath felt like a whisper in a land where no one knew her name. The classes at X Capital University of Arts were intense and demanding. She’d hoped they’d be a distraction, a way to stay ahead of the pain—but instead, they became a mountain she could barely climb. She’d come here full of resolve. But resolve doesn’t fill your belly or pay your rent. Her little savings began to shrink faster than she had anticipated, eaten up by textbooks, transportation, and the steep cost of survival in a foreign city. Lee helped—of course he did—but she hated the weight of dependency. She hated that feeling of always having to ask. She wanted to stand on her own, to prove she wasn’t just some fragile girl he’d rescued from the ashes. She needed a job. Fast. So, after classes, s

In just a matter of days, the entire nation buzzed with one singular topic—Annie Yin and the mysterious twins she had returned with. Whispers turned to gossip, gossip turned to heated discussions, and the spark that truly ignited the wildfire came from a glossy magazine cover. There, staring back at the country, were two children—adorable, radiant, and, most strikingly, familiar. One, a boy with strikingly sharp eyes and a magnetic face that mirrored someone almost too well. The other, a girl with such hauntingly delicate beauty, many found themselves staring at her picture in awe. “Oh my gosh! Have you seen this boy?” a woman whispered at a crowded newsstand, gripping her friend’s arm tightly. “Damn! That boy looks just like the billionaire, Rex Radford. And the girl… God, she’s too adorable. I can’t even tell who she looks like. But she’s just so… exotic. Like something out of a fairytale.” “You’re right, Beatrice,” her friend Lisa murmured, leaning in to study the photo again. “Wh

Walking into the company, Annie was immediately met by her assistant, Miriam—the woman entrusted with the entire project and the day-to-day running of the fashion house. Miriam’s grin stretched wide across her face as she approached, a mixture of confidence and pride lighting her eyes. “Ma’am, you’re welcome!” Miriam beamed. “Everything is in place for the shop to open in the next twenty-four hours. Clothes, shoes, and bags are all ready—models are prepped, the showcases set, and refreshments handled. We’re completely set.” She handed Annie a neatly stapled printout. Annie accepted the document with a calm nod and began flipping through the pages, her eyes scanning every line with calculated focus. Without another word, she walked ahead, Miriam falling into step behind her as they made their way toward her office. As they arrived on her floor, the company secretary practically sprinted to the front, her face lit up with awe and admiration. She had never met Annie in person since sta

The door to Annie’s office closed behind them with a soft click, the chaos of the hallway now locked out. The three women stood in momentary silence—only the soft hum of the air conditioner could be heard. Miriam looked at Annie with gentle expectation, still a bit unsettled from the confrontation outside. Annie turned to her first, her voice calm but firm. “Miriam,” she said, brushing invisible dust from her blazer, “go ahead and finalize the preparations for the runway later this evening. I’ll be heading home soon—need to pick up the kids and settle them before returning for the show. If anything urgent comes up, call me directly.” “Yes ma’am,” Miriam replied, giving her a respectful nod before glancing at Lynda with a mix of concern and sympathy. She hesitated for a second, then quietly slipped out. Lynda remained, head still bowed like a punished child. Even after Miriam left, the girl wouldn’t meet Annie’s gaze. Her shame clung to her like wet clothes. Annie turned, folding h