Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 371 - Chapitre 380

The party continued under the illusion of perfection for Cassie. To anyone watching from afar, it was flawless. A celebration worthy of power, legacy, and money. But beneath the elegance, beneath the politeness and the glittering surface, something subtle had shifted, like the air itself had grown heavier and tighter. Cassie felt it pressed on her harder. She sat beside Nikolai, her posture composed, her lips curved into a soft smile whenever someone glanced their way, her fingers delicately wrapped around the stem of her champagne glass. She nodded at the right moments, laughed quietly when spoken to, and played her role perfectly. Yet her attention kept drifting, tugged away by an inexplicable unease curling in her chest. The laughter sounded a little too loud now for her. It felt like the calm before a sudden storm, the kind that doesn’t announce itself until it’s already tearing everything apart. Veronica leaned closer to her, whispering something sarcastic ab

The noise in the hall seemed to dim, not because the orchestra had stopped playing or because the guests had suddenly fallen silent, but because Rafael could no longer hear anything beyond the violent, erratic pounding of his own heart, each beat crashing against his ribs like waves. His vision blurred for a brief second. Then his eyes shifted, slowly, painfully, from his mother’s rigid, irritated face to the sight that was tearing him apart piece by piece. Harlow. Harlow was crying bitterly now, no longer trying to hold it in, no longer pretending he was fine. His slender body shook with raw, uncontrollable sobs as Cassie held him tightly, one arm wrapped protectively around his shoulders while the other cradled his head against her chest, shielding him from the hundreds of eyes watching. Veronica stood close, rubbing Harlow’s back in slow, steady motions, her jaw clenched so tightly it looked like it might crack, her eyes blazing with fury and heartbreak she was barely

The humiliation had crossed a line so definitive, so irrevocable, that there would be no salvaging dignity afterward. No careful public relations maneuver, no carefully worded statement capable of undoing what had already been carved into the collective memory of everyone present. Annabelle’s parents stood stiffly near the stage, their carefully smiles long gone, stripped away layer by layer until only raw outrage and wounded pride remained. This was no longer a social inconvenience, no longer a broken engagement that could be quietly smoothed over with money, favors, or carefully controlled narratives. This was a public execution of their family’s reputation, carried out under curious eyes and flashing cameras, before an audience that included not only social elites but business rivals who would dine lavishly on this scandal for months, perhaps years, to come. Mrs. Franklin’s chest rose and fell in sharp, uneven breaths, her nails digging into her palm as she struggled to main

Camilla did not raise her voice. She didn’t need to. Because just her presence alone spoke volumes than words. The room was already hanging on her every breath, every slow blink of her eyes as she stood with one hand still wrapped protectively around Harlow’s fingers, her body angled just enough to shield him without making it obvious, like mother kangaroo. That alone spoke volumes. Mrs. Franklin was still reeling, her mouth opening and closing as if she were searching for words that suddenly refused to come. The name Baldwin had hit her like ice water to the face, washing away arrogance, fury, and certainty in one brutal sweep. Camilla tilted her head slightly, studying her the way one might examine something unpleasant but mildly interesting. “So... You were saying,” Camilla prompted softly, “that my son comes from no respectable family?” The word son landed deliberately. Mrs. Franklin swallowed hard. “I... I didn’t know...” “No,” Camilla interrupted smoothly, h

A large, heavy-duty vehicle burst from a side road, engine roaring as it swerved violently, accelerating instead of slowing, its front end aimed directly at Nikolai’s car like a missile with deadly intent. "What's going on?!" Nikolai asked when his driver started swerving their car. But it was too late! Cassie screamed. “NIKOLAI!!!” Emily shrieked, a high, piercing sound that cut straight through bone and instinct alike, raw terror spilling from her tiny chest. The driver reacted instantly. He yanked the steering wheel hard to the right, muscles straining as tires screamed in protest, rubber burning against asphalt. The car spun just enough to avoid a direct collision, metal grazing metal with a deafening screech that rattled windows and teeth alike. The impact sent shockwaves through the car, slamming everyone violently sideways. Glass rattled and the world tilted. Airbags didn’t deploy, but the car skidded, spinning out of alignment before jerking to a violent sto