Semua Bab UGLY? No More!: Bab 91 - Bab 100

Julian finally found his voice, low and harsh. “You’re lying.”Diana flinched, her tears faltering for a second before she caught herself. “If you truly believe that, meet him. Look him in the eyes and tell me he isn’t yours. Tell me he doesn’t carry your blood.”Her words slithered under his skin like poison, leaving Julian gripped by a fury he couldn’t entirely place.Because as much as he hated it, the possibility, even the smallest fraction, was enough to shatter the ground beneath him.And Diana knew it.Julian sat stiffly, his knuckles white around the edge of the table, his gaze locked on Diana like she was a cobra poised to strike.Diana’s tears dried almost instantly as she read his silence. The soft, pitiful act cracked like porcelain, replaced by steel. Her back straightened, her chin lifted, and her voice lost its tremor.“You think I care if you’re in the picture or not?” Her tone was razor sharp now, slicing through the quiet of the restaurant. “I don’t. This isn’t about

Elara stood by the window, the curtains parted just enough for her to see the sleek black car idling at the gate.Her heart clenched when Julian’s tall frame appeared, standing there as though the world had just been ripped out from under him.He lingered on the steps, shoulders heavy, his hand dragging across his face before he finally turned and walked back to his car.Elara swallowed hard. She had told her mother to tell him she was asleep, but the truth was she couldn’t face him, not when every look, every word felt weighed down by something unspoken.She leaned her forehead against the cool glass, breath fogging faintly against it. The ache in her chest wouldn’t ease.Had she made a mistake?They had rushed into this, secret vows, stolen moments that had felt like salvation at the time. But now, she realized how little she truly knew of the man she had chosen.His past was a locked vault, one he only let her peek into when it suited him. And here she was, willingly binding hersel

The silence between them stretched, heavy and suffocating.Lila’s vision blurred, rage and heartbreak twisting her insides until her smile returned, bitter and venomous.“Irrelevant? Fine, Leonard. Throw me away. But don’t forget, I know your dirt. Every scheme, every whisper, every secret you’ve tried to bury.” She tilted her chin defiantly. “You might win Elara’s attention for a while, but when the truth comes out, she’ll see you for the pathetic man you really are.”Leonard’s expression didn’t crack, though his hand tightened around the edge of his desk until his knuckles whitened. “Careful, Lila,” he warned softly. “You’ve been useful, but I don’t take kindly to threats.”She turned on her heel, heels clicking sharply against the floor, and shot him one last glare over her shoulder. “Then maybe you should start taking me seriously.”The door slammed behind her, and Leonard’s smirk faltered. He poured himself another drink, staring into the amber depths.Elara is mine. And no one,

Lila's laugh was softer now, a whisper laced with poison. “Think about it. The mighty Julian Cross, reduced to a fool who unknowingly took in his rival’s child? Do you really think I’d let Elara enjoy that kind of power over him? Never. I’d rather tear her apart myself.”The man shifted uncomfortably on the line. “This could ruin everyone involved.”“That’s the point,” she snapped, her voice suddenly sharp as glass. “Leonard thinks he can cast me aside, as if I was some fling he can discard the moment he decides Elara’s worth more. Elara walks around like she’s untouchable, dripping in Julian’s protection. And Julian…” Her lip curled. “Julian thinks he can buy loyalty and bury the truth forever. I’m going to show them all how fragile their little kingdoms really are.”The man’s breathing slowed, and finally, he said, “Very well. I’ll make the arrangements. But when this goes wrong...”“It won’t,” Lila cut in, her eyes glittering with malice. “Because I’ll be standing right there to ma

Julian gripped the steering wheel tighter than he should have, the leather groaning beneath his knuckles.Mira was in the backseat, humming softly as she colored in a little sketchbook, her legs swinging in the air.The sound should have soothed him, it always did. But today, it only made the silence between him and Elara more suffocating.She sat with her body angled toward the window, her reflection in the glass pale, lips pressed into a thin line.She hadn’t said a word since they left the Hayes Estate. He stole glances at her, trying to find an opening, some way to reach her.Finally, she spoke. “Julian.”He swallowed, his chest tightening at the sound of his name in her voice, clipped, cool, nothing like the warmth he was used to. “Yes?”Her gaze didn’t shift from the glass. “Leonard and I have to leave tomorrow. The Shaw Group is launching a new expansion, and they’ve asked me to attend with him. It’s important for the collaboration.”Julian’s heart lurched. “What?” His voice ca