Semua Bab Love Lies and Deceit: Bab 91 - Bab 100

* Penny *A few days after I returned to Magnolia Manor, still adjusting to the silence of the house and the familiar creak of wooden floors that had once echoed with my childhood laughter, an invitation arrived.The envelope was pink, shimmery, and unmistakably Mia. It had her signature sparkle, a dramatic flair only she could pull off without irony. I found it tucked beneath the silver tray of fresh scones and steaming tea that Julianne had sent up to my room that morning. My name was written in glittering cursive on the front, flourished, dramatic, impossible to ignore.Penny D., don't you dare flake.Classic Mia.Inside, the invitation was loud and unapologetic. The print was gold foil, the background a burst of confetti. It screamed celebration. Her birthday bash this year was to be held at a private rooftop bar downtown, Skylight, 14th floor, overlooking the glittering skyline. There'd be a DJ, an open bar, and a theme that only Mia would dare to put in writing:Dress code: Come

* Penny *The boutique smelled of satin, lilies, and dreams I didn't know I was allowed to have. Sunlight poured through the tall arched windows, casting soft gold over the racks of hand-sewn wedding gowns that shimmered like stardust. I stood barefoot on the fitting platform, a half-zipped gown hugging my waist, while Alex sat nearby in a velvet armchair, pretending not to be completely captivated."Stop staring like that," I said, cheeks warm.Alex's lips twitched. "I'm not staring. I'm memorizing."I rolled my eyes, but my heart fluttered.The dress was unlike anything I'd imagined, off-shoulder, with cascading lace sleeves that looked like something out of a fairytale. The bodice fit like a whisper, and the soft tulle skirt spilled around my feet in waves. For once, I didn't feel like someone hiding behind a name or a past. I just felt... me. Seen."You like it?" the boutique manager asked, gently adjusting the neckline.I met my own reflection in the mirror. "I think I do."Alex

* Alex Hamilton *My half-brother is Mayor Gregory Hamilton, Jason's father and the first person I thought of when it came to tracking him down. We've never been particularly close. The only thing we truly shared was a surname, and even that always felt like a borrowed title, more political currency than familial bond. Lance had once sponsored Gregory's candidacy, pouring in money and influence when the odds were against him. I thought that might still count for something. Maybe not loyalty, but leverage."Mr. Hamilton? The Mayor will see you now," said the secretary in a crisp, almost mechanical voice.I glanced at her nameplate, Charlotte. Neatly etched in silver. She was young, paper-thin, probably fresh out of university with the bright eyes of someone who still believed power could be charming. She smiled at me with an air of practiced professionalism and gestured to the polished oak door beside her desk."Thank you, Charlotte," I nodded, giving her a small smile before stepping

* Alex Hamilton *By the time we reached the Magnolia estate's lower west wing, Calder's base of operations during high-level alerts, I was vibrating with tension. The wedding ring box in my coat pocket felt heavier than it should, like a weight Claire had tied to my neck and dared me to carry.Calder locked the reinforced door behind us. Thick curtains shut out the midafternoon light. One long table stretched before us, covered in maps, blueprints, laptop screens, and thick files labeled with names I hadn't thought about in years, Claire Morrison, Jason Hamilton, Freya King, and others we hadn't yet identified."Close the curtains. Lock the windows. This stays between us until Lance greenlights dissemination to the full security detail," Calder said, moving already."You think this is a siege," I muttered.He looked at me. "No, Alex. I think this is a hunt."I folded my arms. "Whose idea was it to bring my half-brother into this? Gregory's too busy covering his son's ass."Calder did

* Alex Hamilton *We breached the estate at 0200.Calder's men moved like clockwork through the vineyards, four strike teams converging with practiced, brutal precision. Each squad punched through a separate entrance in perfect synchronicity, their thermal scopes cutting through the darkness, their weapons trained and unforgiving. The old state groaned under the sudden intrusion of war.Drones hissed above like steel wasps, circling with cold eyes. The vineyard's neat rows, once romantic in their symmetry, had become a hunting ground.I was with Bravo Team, flanking the eastern corridor, the same path Penny had just fled minutes before. I could still feel her heartbeat in my ear, like the aftershock of a blast, panicked, defiant, alive.We had followed Jason's SUV from the highway to the winding service road. He'd gone dark for eleven minutes. Eleven. Long enough for a drop, a meeting, or a plan to unfurl in the shadows. But this wasn't a man fleeing.It was a lure.Jason wanted this