Lahat ng Kabanata ng BENEATH THE LIES : Kabanata 91 - Kabanata 96

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