CHAPTER 90: INTRUDING

DANIELLE I awoke slowly, my body heavy, my mind slow to respond. And I felt the cold first, followed by the light.My eyes blinked open, and I stared ahead, disoriented, trying to figure out where I was. The balcony door remained open, the morning air soft but chilly, and I was on the floor.Thank God for the thick, plush rug, which had protected me from the full brutality of the hard surface beneath it. Nonetheless, pain shot through me the moment I attempted to move.I pushed myself up with a soft cry, realizing that my medication had worn off. Every bruise and scrape, every impact I had inflicted on my body the night before, came roaring back to life at once. And my muscles protested, my skin throbbing.I remembered the asphalt and impact from how I had repeatedly thrown myself down, desperate for my story to be believable.A knock pierced the memory, and I froze before scrambling up as quickly as my body could allow, ignoring the way everything screamed in protest.I forced my br

CHAPTER 91: CALCULATED MOVES

REVA Levi's gaze met mine immediately. And I didn't even try to hide the shock and disappointment on my face as my mind raced, recalling everything from the night before.We had spoken about Danielle. I asked him about the key she used to get into his place, and he explained how Danielle had access and that he had spoken with security, who would change the codes.I had also expressed how Danielle's presence around him made me feel. And I'd made it clear that I didn't feel comfortable with her around him. I trusted him, but not her, not after how she had acted and what had already occurred between them.Levi had understood, or at least told me he did, which was why hearing her say she was staying here hit me hard. He hadn't said anything about letting her stay here with him.How could he, given that I had already told him I wasn't comfortable with it?I felt the question rise in my chest, ready to emerge. And just as I was about to pull him aside to try to figure out what was going on

CHAPTER 92: TRASH

HUNTER I stared at the screen, my eyes moving slowly as each line shook me to the core. Danielle's file was not what I was expecting. The polished image and status I remembered were nowhere to be found. Instead, I saw a long, ugly pattern.She'd been arrested several times. Not once or twice, but enough to show that she had fallen hard from whatever she had been before. Breaking into her ex-husband's home was detailed, as was the theft of expensive jewelry and his car.There were additional charges stacked beneath it. Possession of controlled substances. Shoplifting at high-end stores. Disorderly conduct. Public intoxication. There was even a record of her being arrested for attempting to sell stolen property.It read like a steady descent, with each entry worse than the previous one, confirming that she had spiraled far beyond anything I could have imagined.My heart raced faster and faster as I continued reading. She had also been arrested for attacking her own mother and charged w

CHAPTER 93: CAUGHT OFF GUARD

REVAI pulled into the parking lot, already late, and the knowledge sat uncomfortably in my chest as I turned off the car. It didn't look good after being away. Plus, I didn't want it to appear that I was taking advantage of my boss now that we were dating.I'd always been disciplined. But this morning, I barely made it out of bed. My body was heavy with exhaustion from spending hours on the phone with Levi last night.We had not seen each other since we parted ways the day before. He had performed a successful surgery. But that wasn't the end of his day. He had contracts from a large project that his family was involved in.Last night, I learned that they were planning to build luxury hospitals and that multiple companies had submitted bids. Their foundation oversaw everything, but final decisions required his and his father's approval.So he met with the people they had appointed to manage the project, and there was still more waiting for him. He was more than just a surgeon; he was

CHAPTER 94: INNOCENT ACTING

REVAI finally backed away from the kiss, my breath uneven and my hands still resting against him, as I didn't want to let go but needed to. For a moment, I just looked at him, taking him in as the warmth in my chest turned into quiet gratitude, not just for the lovely surprise, but also for being mine.Finally finding my voice, I thanked him for the basket and flowers, realizing that the larger bouquets must also have come from him, as they were familiar.He said I was welcome and reached back to properly close the door behind him, blocking out the noise of the hospital, while I continued to tell him how I had walked in not knowing how I'd face my colleagues, only to be hit by such a heart-warming scene. I told him how moved I was by what they did.Levi agreed it was sweet of them, and I mentioned that I suspected the PR woman was behind it. He confirmed this. She came to him, explained what they wanted to do for me, and asked for his approval because he was in charge of my departmen

CHAPTER 95: FINALLY OVER

REVAStepping out of the building, I spotted Hunter almost immediately. He stood to the side of the building, just beyond the main entrance's direct line of sight, tucked into a section of the wall that curved slightly inward. Anyone walking in or out would miss him unless they were looking for him. My heart pounded harder with each step I took toward him, the sound echoing in my ears. But I didn't slow down because the image from my phone was still vivid in my mind, replaying itself as I closed the gap between us.I didn't want Levi involved in my mess.I demanded to know what he had just sent me before I could fully reach him. I asked him how he got that footage, my voice tight with panic, but he didn't respond; instead, he began walking toward me.His hands were in his pockets, and he closed the gap between us with a calm that made everything worse as he kept walking until I found myself backing up against the wall.My breath caught because of how close he was, and he stared direc