جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 60

Chapter 52(The Quiet Exit)The mansion was silent when Pearl arrived. The new security guards at the gate nodded to her, their expressions unreadable behind their visors. The house felt cold, the sterile elegance Ace had implemented making every hallway feel more like a gallery than a home.Pearl didn’t go to her room. She headed straight to Mia’s room.Mia was asleep, her small hand clutching the worn stuffed bear Pearl had given her. The little girl looked peaceful, untouched by the chaos of the night. Pearl sat quietly in the rocking chair, watching the gentle rise and fall of Mia’s chest.This was the only reason she was still here. Not for the silk dresses. Not for the man she had left behind at the gala, who still couldn’t seem to understand his own heart. She was here for this little girl caught in the crossfire of a war she didn’t even comprehend. And sometimes, when she allowed herself to think about it, Pearl still wondered how she had been pulled into their world so swiftl

Chapter 54(The Day She Stayed)Pearl stood on the balcony later that afternoon, the wind lifting loose strands of her hair as she held the envelope in her hand and watched the gardens below stretch out in careful, controlled symmetry. The paper felt heavier than it should have, as though the decision it carried had weight of its own.“She has a way of making you feel like a pawn, doesn’t she?”Pearl didn’t startle at the voice behind her. She had already grown used to the silent way the Warrens moved through their fortress. Turning slightly, she saw Diana leaning against the glass doorway, her designer sunglasses pushed up into her hair. For once, there was no trace of her usual amused detachment. She looked tired, which softened her sharp confidence, as though the effort of living inside this house had finally begun to show.“The golden parachute,” Diana continued, nodding toward the envelope in Pearl’s hand. “It’s Isabella’s favourite solution. She’s used it on everyone who ever le

Chapter 56(Mr Warren)The conversation in the library did not resolve anything. By morning, Pearl had already decided how she would behave.She woke before her alarm and did not remain in bed longer than necessary. There was no hesitation, no lingering between thoughts. She dressed quickly, tying her hair into a neat knot at the back of her head and choosing the same neutral cardigan she wore when she expected a long day.She didn’t need calm. She needed structure, and by seven o’clock, she was already in Mia’s room.She stopped just inside the doorway, the room had changed overnight.The wooden crib she had assembled herself during Mia’s first week in the house was gone. The simple rocking chair she used during early morning feedings had disappeared. In their place stood pale Italian furniture with clean edges and careful symmetry. The new crib looked expensive enough to belong in a showroom rather than a child’s room.Even the curtains had been replaced. A slim silver laptop sat on

Chapter 58(The Night He Didn’t Send It)It was past eight when Ace finally shut his laptop. The study was quiet except for the rain tapping steadily against the windows. The blue light from the screen faded, leaving the room dim once more.“I’ll be on the ground in New York by the end of the month, sir,” Daniel’s voice had said moments earlier. “The Singapore merger is stabilised.”“Good,” Ace had replied. “Take a few days off when you get back.”Now the call was over, and only Maria remained on the line.“Mr Warren?” she said softly. “You’ve been working from home for two weeks. The board hasn’t seen you. Investors are starting to ask questions.”“The work is getting done,” he said.“I know,” she replied. “But you don’t usually stay away from the office like this.”He didn’t respond immediately. “I have things to handle here,” he said finally.Maria paused, then nodded to herself on the other end.“Alright,” she said. “Just don’t disappear completely. I’ll send the morning briefings

Chapter 60(Misunderstanding)Pearl didn’t stay in the Mia room after Ace left. Mia had settled on the rug with her book, legs tucked underneath, already flipping through the pages as if nothing had happened.“I’ll be downstairs,” Pearl said, adjusting the edge of the blanket on the chair.Mia looked up briefly. “Okay.”Pearl nodded once and walked out. Voices reached her before she arrived at the drawing room.Patrick was speaking—easy, confident. Ace’s replies came lower, shorter, like he was forcing himself to stay engaged.Pearl stepped in.Patrick noticed her presence immediately. He straightened, a grin already forming as he set his glass aside.“Well, finally,” he said, walking towards her. “I was beginning to think he imagined you.”Pearl paused a few steps inside the room. She didn’t move closer than necessary.“Good morning,” she greeted.Patrick extended his hand. She took it briefly—firm, polite—and let go.Up close, he studied her without hiding it, as if trying to figure