Semua Bab Runway Matrix : Bab 51 - Bab 60

Her heart fluttered with a mix of excitement and nerves. Yesterday’s outing with Chloé flickered through her mind—the café confessions, the dangerous gossip, and then the shopping spree that followed. Chloé had refused to let her leave without buying something “fun,” and Aurelia smiled now remembering the tiny surprise she’d tucked into her luggage for Kyle: a soft plush giraffe wearing a miniature beret and a striped Parisian scarf. He’d love it. “Mon dieu, girl, if you exhale any harder you’ll blow the diamonds off your neck,” Jake’s voice sing-songed from across the room. Aurelia glanced over to find him pacing with a phone pressed to one ear, the other hand dramatically gesturing at a stylist. He wore slim black trousers cropped at the ankle, a cream silk shirt half-tucked with just enough buttons undone to show a gold chain. His platinum hair gleamed under the lights like a spotlight. “Yes, yes, big hair. Big hair equals big money. I trust your magic hands,” he said into

The first thing Aurelia heard when she cracked open her eyes was silence. Not the elegant kind of silence—no soft Paris traffic hum, no distant violin busker—just that heavy, dead quiet of a hotel room that had been lived in for too many nights. Her body ached deliciously from the Coco runway marathon. She barely remembered kicking off her heels and collapsing into bed sometime around five a.m. But the second her lashes fluttered open, her motherly instincts screamed: phone. She reached for it, hair still a red, curly storm across the pillow. Three missed calls from home lit up her screen. Panic shot through her chest. She dialed immediately. Eloise answered on the first ring, her voice bright and teasing. “Morning, superstar! Paris treating you like royalty? We saw you on TV, Sis!" “Eloise,” Aurelia breathed, rolling onto her stomach. “Yeah yeah...how is Kyle?” Her sister chuckled softly. “He’s perfect. Actually, he tried to ‘rescue’ a kitten this morning. You know th

Aurelia’s spine stiffened. She set her wineglass down carefully, fingers tightening around the stem. Greg’s head tilted. “Really? That’s wonderful! Boy or girl?” “A boy,” she said shortly, forcing a polite smile. “Oh, that’s amazing,” Becky said, her eyes bright with genuine warmth. “How old?” “Four.” Greg leaned forward, curiosity flickering. “So is his father… in the picture?” Aurelia’s stomach clenched. “No,” she said curtly, the single syllable crisp as glass. Greg didn’t take the hint. “Ah, I see. That must be challenging. Is it—” Becky’s hand shot out to rest on her husband’s arm. “Greg,” she interrupted gently, her smile tight. “Don’t interrogate the poor woman.” He blinked, then leaned back with an apologetic chuckle. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to pry. I’m just… curious about strong women, I guess.” Aurelia gave a small shrug and reached for her wine, hiding her discomfort behind the rim of the glass. “It’s fine,” she said, though her voice was a little cold

The silence returned, broken only by the faint hiss of the air vent. Lucas sat forward in the chair, elbows braced on his knees. His gaze roamed Aurelia’s sleeping face—the faint bruise on her chin, the red marks on her wrists where John had gripped her, the faint discoloration on her neck where his hands had pressed far too hard. His jaw tightened until it ached. A shiver of pure rage ran through him. If Jake hadn’t come when he did… Lucas swallowed hard. He’d been seconds away from ending John Hardy’s life with his bare hands. But John was behind bars now. Lucas had made certain of it. Hours earlier, he’d called a district attorney he knew in Paris. She’d promised him that hard evidence was already stacking up—security footage, text messages—and several victims were finally stepping forward. John wouldn’t see daylight for a long, long time. He checked his Rolex and frowned. His driver should have returned by now with updates. A small rustle from the bed pulled his eyes back ins

From where he stood, Lucas watched silently, Steven behind him. His expression was soft—proud, almost reverent. Aurelia caught his gaze and managed a trembling smile. “You did this?” she asked, her voice low but full of gratitude. Lucas stepped forward, his eyes never leaving hers. “Anything for you," he said simply. “Bringing your family here… it was the least I could do.” Still holding Kyle’s small hand, Aurelia rose and crossed the room toward him. On impulse she leaned up and pressed a brief, tender kiss to his lips. “This means everything to me,” she whispered. “Thank you.” Lucas nodded, his jaw tight with emotion he didn’t bother to hide. “You never have to thank me for loving you,” he murmured. A small tug at his trouser leg drew his attention downward. Kyle, eyes wide and earnest, looked up at the tall man towering above him. “Hey, buddy,” Lucas said with a warm smile. “Thank you for saving my mommy,” Kyle said solemnly. “My aunty Lo told me you were a hero.” Lucas’s e