Falling For My Surrogate Mistress のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 21 - チャプター 30

The Luna Café wasn’t exactly what Darwin had expected. Nestled in a quieter corner of Bay City, the small coffee shop radiated a cozy charm that felt at odds with the high-stakes conversation he was about to have. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the faint hum of conversation, and the sunlight streaming through the large windows softened the atmosphere.Darwin adjusted his tie as he entered, his sharp eyes scanning the room for Elena. Fiona followed close behind, her steps hesitant. Despite Darwin’s insistence that she stay at the estate for her safety, Fiona had refused. She wanted to hear whatever Elena had to say firsthand.“There,” Fiona whispered, nodding toward a secluded booth in the back. Elena was seated, a steaming cup of coffee in front of her, her posture calm but alert.Darwin took the lead, his expression unreadable as he approached the table. Elena looked up, her green eyes flickering with recognition and something that resembled relief.“You came,” she s

Fiona awoke to the faint glow of morning sunlight filtering through the heavy curtains. Despite her exhaustion, sleep had been fleeting, broken by vivid dreams of shadowy figures and whispered threats. She sat up slowly, her heart heavy with the weight of the previous day's revelations.A soft knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts.“Come in,” she said, her voice hoarse.Thalassa peeked her head inside, her expression a mix of concern and determination. “Morning, sunshine. Darwin called me last night. I’m your bodyguard for the day.”Fiona managed a small smile. “I appreciate the effort, but I’m not exactly a damsel in distress.”“No, you’re not,” Thalassa agreed, stepping fully into the room. “But it doesn’t hurt to have backup, especially with everything going on. Besides, you’re my best friend. You think I’m going to let you deal with this mess alone?”Fiona sighed, pulling the blanket tighter around her shoulders. “Thanks, Thalassa. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”“

The following morning dawned with an eerie stillness, as though the city itself was holding its breath. Fiona awoke to the sound of soft murmurs coming from the hallway. She sat up, her heart pounding, and strained to listen. The voices were low, urgent—Darwin and Marcus, deep in discussion.Curiosity got the better of her. She slipped out of bed, pulled on a robe, and padded to the door. As she cracked it open, Darwin’s voice reached her.“We can’t underestimate him,” he was saying. “William’s moves are calculated. He doesn’t take risks unless he’s confident of the outcome.”Marcus replied, his tone grim. “He’s leveraging something big. The journalists he’s been meeting with aren’t just tabloids—they’re reputable. If this story breaks, the damage won’t be easy to contain.”Fiona’s stomach churned. She knew they were talking about her, about the storm William was orchestrating. But what could he possibly have on her that would cause such a stir?Deciding she couldn’t remain in the sha

The recording circulated rapidly, its contents analyzed, dissected, and speculated upon by media outlets and online commentators. In the span of a few hours, it became clear that William's strategy wasn’t just to ruin Fiona’s reputation; he wanted to isolate her completely.Darwin stood at the penthouse’s panoramic window, staring at the city lights while gripping his phone tightly. Marcus had left to mitigate the fallout, leaving Fiona, Thalassa, and Darwin to process the turn of events.Fiona sat curled up on the couch, watching the endless stream of updates with growing despair. The narration over the video painted her as a manipulative woman orchestrating a scheme to trap Darwin, with Eleanor’s involvement spun as further evidence of her duplicity.“This is worse than I thought,” Thalassa muttered, sitting beside her. “He’s not just attacking you—he’s trying to destroy every shred of credibility you have.”Darwin turned, his gaze sharp and unyielding. “He’s playing dirty, and we’l

The morning sun filtered through the windows of the penthouse, but the atmosphere inside was anything but bright. Fiona paced the living room, her fingers knotted together in agitation. Darwin stood at the kitchen counter, his eyes glued to the screen of his tablet as he read the transcript of William's press conference.The television in the corner played the press event on a loop. William Newton stood confidently at the podium, his expression one of practiced outrage.“These baseless accusations against me are the work of desperate individuals,” he declared. “Darwin Solomon and Fiona Woods have conspired to fabricate evidence in a malicious attempt to tarnish my reputation and derail my business endeavors.”The soundbite was chilling in its simplicity, its venom disguised as righteous indignation.Darwin tossed the tablet onto the counter and rubbed his temples. “He’s good. Twisting the narrative like this—it’s exactly what I expected.”Thalassa, perched on the arm of the sofa, shoo