Semua Bab A Heart Eclipsed by Shadows: Bab 1 - Bab 10

Lorrie Scarrow stood frozen, stunned.Chuck Bassett, the man who swore he loved her to the bone, had never meant a single word. She was just a stand-in for Lylith Fowler, nothing more.Heartbroken, Lorrie turned away and entered the restroom around the corner. She splashed cold water over her face, trying to steady herself. The woman in the mirror looked shattered.Lorrie first crossed paths with Chuck during a fashion week event.The year before, she'd spent over six months working on her collection, and it won first place. As the designers stepped forward for their final bow, she could sense Chuck's gaze lingering on her.From then on, he pursued her with everything he had.Lavish gifts ranging from imported flowers to a limited-edition supercar were poured into Lorrie's studio. Whenever she dealt with a difficult client, Chuck would swoop in, smooth things over, and then quietly ensure that the person went bankrupt.Lorrie couldn't help but fall for his charm.Last month,

It was Lylith. She stood in the living room wearing a white shirt and jeans.Chuck spoke up. "Lylith just got back to the country. The problem is, good jobs won't take someone without experience. Since you're hurt, I thought hiring her to look after you would be the best move."Lylith smiled and gave Lorrie a little wave. "Ms. Scarrow, it's really nice to meet you."Lorrie didn't even glance at Lylith. Instead, she snapped, "We agreed to keep her out of my sight. Or did you forget?""Look, I've got a ton of work coming up. If Lylith's here taking care of you, at least I'll know you're safe," Chuck said.But Lorrie wasn't fooled. She knew he wanted Lylith living under their roof.She ignored them both and headed back to her room.Lylith's voice followed her, filled with hurt. "What am I supposed to do? I don't think Ms. Scarrow wants me around."Chuck reassured her. "Don't worry about it. Just help where you can. I'm the one paying you, so don't overthink it."Before long, Chuc

Lorrie's breath caught as her eyes locked onto the cross in Lylith's hand.That was her mother, Carol Tate's keepsake—the protective charm she'd given Lorrie on her deathbed. Carol had carried it for decades, whispering prayers over it every day.Last year, when Chuck was jumped by robbers and almost killed, Lorrie had handed it to him for protection. And he'd kept it safe ever since, treating it like something sacred.But now, he'd given it to Lylith—the one thing Lorrie cherished more than anything.Lorrie trembled with fury. Every instinct screamed at her to storm inside and snatch her protective charm back, but hushed voices behind her stopped her cold."This is the second time Ms. Fowler's gotten hurt for Mr. Bassett, isn't it? Ten years back, when the store he worked at went up in flames, she heard him shouting for help and ran straight in to save him without a second thought.""She suffered terrible burns, but never once complained.""No wonder Mr. Bassett's still hung up

Chuck stepped up to Lorrie. "You're sick. Jack won't go too far. Just do as you're told, and I'll come back for you."With that, he wrapped an arm around Lylith and walked off.Jack's lips curled into a cruel grin as he yanked Lorrie against him. "Still planning to stay with him? Even I can't stand to watch this."Lorrie thrashed, trying to wrench herself loose. "Let me go!""You're just a plaything. It doesn't matter who you're with."His hand closed around her throat as he ripped at her clothes.Suddenly, the air shattered with a deafening boom.A subordinate burst in, yelling, "Mr. Kirk, the gasoline stash just exploded! We need to get out of here, now!"Jack's frown twisted into a grin as he turned to Lorrie. "Chuck only left a few minutes ago. Do you think he'll come back for you?"Lorrie already knew the answer.Flames engulfed the warehouse. Left behind in the inferno, Lorrie gasped against the searing smoke, her consciousness flickering. Dragging her injured leg, she

Lylith could tell Chuck was antsy and let out a mocking snort. "I thought you said Lorrie was the obedient type. But she's clearly got a fiery side. She's giving you the cold shoulder just because you drove me to the hospital."Lorrie had never lost patience with him before. But now, he couldn't shake the feeling that she was truly mad. And the fact that he was worried about her just made him even more frustrated."Tell me you're not... falling for her." Lylith sobbed, her eyes glistening with hurt. "She was just a stand-in—someone you picked because she reminded you of me. Now that I'm back, how could you bear the thought of losing me again?"She hadn't been sure how Chuck really felt before. But after seeing him cry for her, she knew his love was still there. And that certainty made her bolder.Chuck brushed her off. "I've got a headache. I'm hitting the shower first."The sound of running water floated from the bathroom.Lylith opened the wardrobe and took out the lace lingeri