All Chapters of BENEATH THE LIES : Chapter 91 - Chapter 100

091**Ryan’s POV**I stood frozen on the pavement, staring at the fading taillights of Stanley’s car, the roar of its engine echoing in my ears. Alora was gone, lost to another man, and the weight of it crushed me. I’d chosen Ash over her, thrown away the best thing I ever had for someone who betrayed me. I was selfish, blind, but now I saw her worth, and nothing—*nothing*—would stop me from making her mine again.As I turned to head back to the restaurant, my eyes caught Mr. Ken staring at me, his chest still heaving from the shouting match with Alora. His face was a mix of anger and regret, and I couldn’t stand to look at him. I didn’t want to. He’d hated me from the moment Alora introduced me as her boyfriend, all because I was a poor orphan with nothing to my name. And when Alora returned to him, broken and stripped of everything I’d taken from her, he’d rejected her too, replacing her with that low-life Tasha standing next to him. Now, I could see it in his eyes—he regretted it.

093**Alora’s POV**“Hey, Stanley,” I said, my voice shaky as I forced a sheepish smile. I knew I’d screwed up big time. I’d just burst into one of his meetings, and from the looks of the men around the table—sharp suits, stern faces—it was a big deal. My stomach twisted, but Stanley’s wide-eyed stare held me in place, his expression a mix of shock and something I couldn’t quite read.Before he could respond, a short man in a black suit, his hair touched with gray, shot to his feet and slammed his hands on the table. His face, sharp and furious, marked him as maybe Chinese, and I’d clearly pissed him off. “This is the height of it, Mr. Stanley Richardson!” he barked, shoving his chair back and stalking toward Stanley. “What’s gotten into you lately?”“What’s wrong with me?” Stanley snapped, his voice tight. “What are you implying, Mr. Chen?”“What am I implying?” Mr. Chen yelled, his face reddening. “*Her*! She’s why I’m shouting! Because of her, you’ve been acting crazy. Or haven’t y

095**Alora’s POV**My heart stopped as the glass doors swung open, revealing my father and Tasha, their faces smug and unwelcome. I froze, Stanley’s hand still in mine, my mind racing. What were they doing here? After that night at the bar, I thought I’d never see them again. But as their eyes locked on me, my resolve hardened. I wasn’t letting them ruin this moment.“Stanley, keep walking,” I whispered, my voice firm. “Ignore them. Pretend they’re not here.”He hesitated, his brow furrowing. “Alora, maybe we should—”“He’s not my father,” I cut him off, my tone sharp. “The best thing is to do what I said. Please, Stanley.” I squeezed his hand, begging with my eyes.Stanley sighed but nodded, unable to say no to me. We started walking, our steps steady, heading straight for the doors. As we passed Tasha, her smirk made my skin crawl, but I kept my face blank, refusing to give her the satisfaction. My father’s gaze burned into me, but I didn’t flinch. Just as we reached the doors, he

097Tasha’s POVI walked into the house, making sure my heels clicked hard enough to echo through the room. I wanted Mia’s attention—and I got it. She turned, her eyes wide like she’d seen a ghost.“Tasha!” she said, rushing toward me, her hands already reaching to cup my cheeks. “I’ve been sick with worry. What is it? What happened?”Just as she got close and her fingers grazed my face, I shoved her hands away, pushing them like they were filthy. I glared at her, letting every ounce of hate I felt burn in my eyes.“You must be nuts to want to touch me,” I said, my voice low, venomous. “Never in your life try to touch me again!”I pointed a finger right in her face, my hand steady, my heart racing with cold satisfaction.Mia froze, her face pale, shock written all over it like I’d shot her and she didn’t know how to scream. I loved it—every second of her pain. She was too gullible, manipulated by my so-called father, Ken, who thought he could use me and toss me aside like I didn’t mat

099**Alora’s POV**I couldn’t tear my eyes off the phone. My hands shook, the screen blurring as tears burned my cheeks. The video looped in my head—my mother, standing on a stool, a rope at her neck, her face crumpled like she’d already checked out of life. My stomach twisted, and I couldn’t breathe right. It wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real.“What is this?” I whispered, my voice shaking as I turned to my father. His face was pale, eyes wide like he’d seen a ghost. He just sat there, frozen, his mouth half-open like he couldn’t find words. “Dad, what the hell is this?!” I screamed, holding the phone up, the video still playing its sick loop.He didn’t answer. He couldn’t. He just stood up, turned around, his shoulders stiff, and walked out of the room like I wasn’t even there. The door clicked shut behind him, and I was alone, the silence choking me.I stared at the phone again, my thumb hovering over the screen. Her hands, trembling as she tied the rope. Her eyes, empty, like she’d