Lahat ng Kabanata ng Killed By My Husband But Reborn A Supermodel: Kabanata 151 - Kabanata 160

The breakthrough comes in late January, six weeks before trial.Margaret calls an emergency meeting. Elara and Kieran arrive at her office to find two additional lawyers and a man in a dark suit."This is Assistant US Attorney James Chen," Margaret introduces. "He's not on the prosecution team. He's from the organized crime division. He has a proposal."Chen sits forward. "Mr. Vaughn, we've been reviewing your case. The evidence against you is strong. But we've also reviewed your business transformation over the past five years. You've been cleaning up your father's empire. Going legitimate.""That's what I've been trying to tell you," Kieran says."We believe you. The problem is the crimes were still committed. Money was still laundered. Laws were still broken. We can't just ignore that because you reformed later.""So you're here to tell us we're still prosecuting," Elara says coldly."No. I'm here to offer a deal. A way out that benefits everyone.""What kind of deal?"Chen pulls o

The question comes on a quiet Sunday afternoon.Sienna is seven years old now. Smart. Curious. Always asking questions about everything.She's looking through old family photos with Elara. Pictures from before she was born. The wedding. Ethan as a baby. Diana and Julian and Lorenzo.Then she finds one Elara forgot was there. A memorial photo. Sienna Vaughn. Marcus's daughter. Dead at thirty. The woman whose name Elara's daughter carries."Mama, who is this?"Elara's stomach drops. She knew this conversation would come eventually. But she's not ready."That's Sienna Vaughn. Your grandfather Marcus's daughter.""I have the same name as her.""Yes. You were named after her.""Why? Did you know her?"Here it is. The moment of truth. Sienna is seven. Old enough to understand. Old enough to know at least some of the truth."Come sit with me. We need to talk about something important."They sit on the couch. Sienna curls up next to Elara. Waiting. Sensing this is significant."You know how E

The call comes on a Tuesday afternoon in March.Diana's voice is calm. Too calm. The forced composure that means something is very wrong."Can you come to my apartment? I need to talk to you about something. Alone. Don't bring the children.""What's wrong?""Just come. Please."Elara drives to Diana's apartment with growing dread. Diana is seventy-two now. Still sharp. Still active. Still running foundation fundraisers and managing charity events. But she's been tired lately. Losing weight. Dismissing concerns as "just age."Diana opens the door looking fragile. Thinner than last week. Paler. She's wearing a scarf that doesn't match her outfit. Unusual for Diana who's always impeccably styled."Come in. I made tea."They sit in Diana's living room. Elegant. Tasteful. Full of photos. Raven's modeling career. Elara and Kieran's wedding. Ethan and Sienna at various ages. A life in pictures.Diana pours tea with shaking hands. Sets the cup down carefully. Takes a breath."I was diagnosed

The official remission diagnosis comes in September, six months after treatment began.Dr. Rothstein reviews the latest scans with Diana and Elara. The tumors are barely visible. Dormant. The cancer markers in Diana's blood are nearly normal."This is as good as it gets with stage four pancreatic cancer," Dr. Rothstein says. "Complete remission is rare. But you're there. The cancer is undetectable on scans. It's still in your body somewhere. It always will be. But it's sleeping. Controlled. You're officially in remission.""How long?" Diana asks. "How long do I have?""With maintenance therapy and monitoring? Years. Five years minimum. Maybe ten. Maybe more. You're seventy-two and in excellent health otherwise. This cancer is now just another chronic condition you manage. Like diabetes or high blood pressure. It's part of your life but it doesn't control your life."Diana cries. Elara cries. Five to ten years. Maybe more. Diana will see Ethan graduate high school. Maybe college. She'l

The nausea starts two weeks after Julian's wedding.Elara is forty years old. Her period is late but she attributes it to stress. The foundation is expanding. She's been working long hours. Stress delays periods. It's normal.But the nausea persists. Morning sickness. Though calling it morning sickness is generous. It's all-day sickness. Constant low-grade nausea. Food aversions. Fatigue.She ignores it for a week. Then two. Then Diana notices."You look pale. Are you sick?""Just tired. Busy season at the foundation.""Tired doesn't make you nauseous at the smell of coffee. When's the last time you had a period?"Elara pauses. Counts back. "Six weeks. Maybe seven. But I'm forty. Perimenopause. Irregular periods are normal.""Or pregnancy. Have you taken a test?""I can't be pregnant. Kieran and I are careful. Mostly. And I'm forty. Fertility declines at forty.""Declines doesn't mean disappears. Take a test."Elara buys a pregnancy test that afternoon. Takes it in the estate bathroom