Semua Bab Tastes Like Damn Chocolate : Bab 71 - Bab 80

CHAPTER 72 Lyn returned just after nine, suitcase in one hand and a determined glint in the other. The mansion’s foyer lights cast long shadows across the marble as she allowed the door shut behind her. “Phase one of Operation: Tiana Doesn’t Die of Sadness is complete,” she announced, dropping the suitcase with a dramatic flourish. “I brought reinforcements — clothes, wine, and zero tolerance for moping.” Tiana, still curled on the living room sofa in the same oversized hoodie, managed a weak smile. “You really came back.” “Of course I did.” Lyn crossed the room and sat beside her, close enough that their thighs touched. “I told you, I’m not leaving you alone in this mausoleum while Nikolai plays house with your son and his side piece. Speaking of which…” She leaned in, voice dropping conspiratorially. “How long has he been gone now?” Tiana swallowed. “Since this afternoon. He didn’t even look back.” Lyn’s expression hardened. “Your husband treats you like trash, Tiana. You migh

CHAPTER 74 Nikolai Toriaga pushed through the revolving doors of his office building later than he had planned. His driver was waiting curbside, but Nikolai waved him off, he needed the solitude of the drive tonight. The day had been relentless: board meetings, investor calls, projections that never quite aligned. He loosened his tie as he slid into the driver's seat of the black Mercedes GLS, letting the heated seats and low rumble of the engine ease the tension in his shoulders. The drive north to the penthouse took thirty minutes through rush-hour traffic. Tonight it felt longer. He kept replaying the hospital discharge, Pascal clutching that ridiculous stuffed bear from the gift shop, Tiana's shattered expression when he told her he was taking the boy with him. He had convinced himself it was the right call. Pascal needed stability while his iron levels climbed back to normal. But the truth gnawed at him now. Part of it had been anger — at Tiana for the lapse at the school event

CHAPTER 76 Lyn came home dragging the day behind her like a badly packed suitcase. Her heels clattered off first, kicked haphazardly near the door. She remembered she was in the Toriaga mansion and quickly picked them up. She went to the guest room where she dropped her handbag with a dull thud on the console table. She leaned back against the wall, eyes squeezed shut, lips parted in exhaustion, as if the building itself might offer a round of applause for making it through. “Never,” she declared to the empty air, “ever again.” She walked back to the living room. Tiana glanced up from the living room couch, legs tucked beneath her, laptop glowing softly on her thighs. The screen displayed yet another house listing in a newer development on the edge of Velmore. “Rough day?” Lyn laughed, a dry, humorless sound. “Rough? I stepped in as Ryan Lancaster’s secretary for one single day, and now I get why people dream of early retirement. Back-to-back meetings, endless calls, people who ta

CHAPTER 78Nikolai turned on his heel, shoulders rigid, and jaw set like iron. His footsteps echoed down the hallway, and the study door closed behind him with a firm click, not quite a slam, but very loud enough.Tiana didn't watch him go. Her world had narrowed to the warm weight of her son in her arms.Across the room, Lyn raised an eyebrow and gave her a silent ‘what was that?’ look. Tiana met her eyes and gave the tiniest shake of her head. Not now.She carried Pascal upstairs without a word, his head resting against her shoulder, small fingers curled into the fabric of her dress.The bathroom light felt too bright after the dim foyer, but Tiana didn't dim it. She needed to see every inch of her son clearly tonight. Pascal stood patiently while she turned on the tap, testing the water with her wrist the way she always had, making sure it was warm, not hot. Steam rose slowly, curling against the mirror like soft ghosts.She helped him out of his clothes, and washed his hair with s

CHAPTER 80The boardroom felt smaller now, the air denser after Tiana’s entrance. The long glass table reflected the overhead lights in cold, fractured lines. Graphs on the screen behind Ryan pulsed red like warning signals no one could ignore anymore.Ryan gestured toward the display, his voice calm but edged with finality. “As we were discussing, Sweet Alchemy is underperforming. Significantly. And the supply chain disruptions from Hartwell are a major contributing factor.”The Hartwell lead, a silver-haired executive named Marcus Hale, adjusted his cufflinks twice before responding. “We’ve acknowledged the delays…”“Acknowledged isn’t fixing,” Ryan interrupted, tone even but lethal. “We scaled back orders to match your stated capacity. You’re still missing shipments. That’s not a logistics issue. That’s a commitment issue.”A ripple of discomfort moved through the room. Nikolai remained perfectly still, fingers steepled, eyes half-lidded, watching everything with the quiet intensi