Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 371 - Chapitre 380

(Lydia)The morning sunlight filtered through the windows, casting a warm glow across the kitchen table, but my heart felt anything but light. I watched as Mabel and Miles played quietly in the living room, their laughter and little voices filling the house with the innocence that had kept us grounded through so much turmoil. But the incident with Nathan’s fans invading our privacy and the constant, lingering tension outside our home had left a mark. A nagging feeling I couldn’t shake, a tightening worry in my chest whenever I thought of them going off to school.I glanced at Thomas as he sipped his coffee, looking as worn down as I felt, though he’d never let on. The sleepless nights, the constant strain of trying to keep our family safe while dealing with our careers and the fallout from Nathan’s actions, it was wearing on both of us. But through it all, Thomas remained strong, the steady rock we could lean on. And I didn’t want to burden him with more worries. Still, I knew I had

(Lydia)The mansion was quiet, still, almost too empty for my comfort. I wandered from room to room, trying to settle into some kind of calm, but restlessness had wrapped itself around me, making it impossible to relax. Thomas was at the office, and Mabel and Miles were at preschool, their laughter and chaos temporarily absent. I glanced at the kitchen clock. Only a few hours until they would be home, but right now, time seemed to stretch on endlessly.Usually, in moments like these, I would check social media, browse through photos, or catch up on whatever the world was up to. But after everything that had happened with Nathan and the press, I’d cut myself off from that world. It was a relief in some ways, but in moments like this, the silence grew too loud. My thoughts drifted to Mama, who was at the hospital right now for her chemotherapy. The treatments had taken such a toll on her. Each time I saw her, she looked more tired, more fragile. She’d tried to assure me that she was fi

(Ruby)I hated that I wasn’t with Lydia when she was going through such a horrible time, but there were some things I had to care about as well.I stood in the middle of the mostly empty living room, glancing around at the stacks of boxes scattered everywhere. My new apartment was modest but charming, with a sunlit kitchen and a little balcony where I could set up a small herb garden. For the first time in months, I felt a sense of calm I hadn’t realized I was missing. Adam was lugging another box through the door, setting it down with a dramatic sigh before wiping his brow with the back of his hand."Honestly, Ruby," he said, breathing heavily, "Do you really need this many books?"I laughed, rolling my eyes, “They’re essential, Adam. Imagine living here without them!”He gave me a mock-scowl, “You say that now, but wait until you realize that I’m your only bookshelf.”"Fair enough," I grinned. He’d been jokingly griping since he’d arrived, but he’d been a saint through all of this.

(Ruby)I strolled through the empty storefront, imagining my vision filling the blank walls, the open floors. It was almost perfect: lots of natural light, big front windows, and space that I could easily picture filled with the racks of carefully curated pieces I’d spent months collecting. The boutique was so close to becoming a reality that I could practically feel the fabric under my fingers, smell the new paint, hear the bell above the door ringing as customers walked in.But still, a part of me felt oddly disconnected, as if I was floating somewhere between excitement and doubt. It had nothing to do with the space itself, this was a beautiful location, and I could see it working. No, it was something inside me, a restlessness I couldn’t quite name. And if I was being honest with myself, I knew exactly where it came from.As I wandered through the back rooms, considering where I’d set up a little office, my phone buzzed. I glanced down and saw Adam’s name. A slight smile tugged a

(Thomas)I leaned back in my chair, absently twisting a pen between my fingers, my thoughts still tangled up in last night’s conversation with Lydia. Her worry clung to me, sharper than I wanted to admit. She wasn’t wrong, I hadn’t been sleeping well. But I had everything under control. Or, at least, that’s what I kept telling myself.It wasn’t the first time Lydia had suggested therapy. I knew she thought I was pushing too hard, spreading myself too thin, that I was letting the weight of everything crush me. She could see the cracks, even when I tried to hide them. And maybe she was right, maybe I was fighting to keep my grip on things. But therapy? I wasn’t sure I was ready for that. Or even that it would help.The tension of our talk had settled into me like an ache I couldn’t shake off. Lydia was hurting, too. Nathan’s threats, the media, the endless questions, none of it was easy for her, and it showed. The thought of her suffering alone left me feeling...helpless. But I couldn’t