جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 130

Corinne was still standing outside Mia’s door, looking perfectly at ease in the narrow hallway, leaning against the doorframe as if she had all the time in the world.“I just assumed you would be here,” she said calmly, her voice smooth. “I have been unable to reach you by phone and have been to your apartment several times. So my next guess was to check here… and here you are, darling sister. Hiding away like a wounded little bird.”Lauren’s fingers tightened around the door handle until her knuckles turned pale. The coldness of the metal felt grounding, but it didn't stop the heat rising in her chest.Anger rose quickly, pushing aside the brief shock she had felt moments ago. “I asked what you are doing here,” she said again. “We have nothing to do with each other anymore, Corinne. I thought I made that clear the last time we spoke. You aren't welcome in my life.”Before Corinne could answer with one of her usual clever remarks, Mia stepped forward from behind Lauren. “Corinne, you

Lauren stood up, and for a moment, it felt as if the very air in the room shifted.Her movement was sudden and sharp. It was as if something vital inside her had finally snapped, and the pieces had rearranged themselves into something harder and colder. The grief that had kept her pinned to the couch for months was gone, replaced by a fire burning behind her eyes.Across from her, Corinne just sat there, watching. There was no sympathy on her face, no sisterly love, and certainly no guilt. Instead, there was a strange look of amusement, as if she were a spectator watching a play and had just reached the most interesting part.Then she spoke, her voice casual, almost bored, as if they were discussing the weather rather than a murder.“My money,” she said, tapping her fingers on her bag. “I want it now so I can get the hell out of here. This place is depressing.”Lauren heard the words, but they felt as if they were coming from miles away. She stood in the middle of Mia’s living room, b

“You’re staring again,” Lauren whispered as she reached for an earring on the dresser. The small gold hoop slipped from her hand and bounced softly against the wood before she snatched it from the air.Mia didn't answer. She perched on the edge of the bed, her eyes fixed on Lauren.Lauren caught her gaze in the mirror. She forced the earring through her lobe with a sharp, determined motion. “Aren’t you going to work, Mia? Or are you planning to sit there all morning, throwing daggers at my back?”Mia let out a long, heavy sigh and stood up. Her movements were slow, drained of her usual energy. “I really don’t think this is a good idea, Laur. You’re acting on impulse. You haven’t sat down to consider the consequences of walking into that lion's den.”“Oh, I have.” Lauren turned to face her. Her chest felt tight, the kind that comes from a whole night spent staring at the ceiling without a wink of sleep. But her voice stayed steady. “I didn't sleep at all. I spent every hour of the nigh

As Lauren stepped into the office, she felt as if she had stepped through a portal into another world. The space was vast. Big didn't even begin to describe it. Her entire apartment, including the kitchen, the small living room, and the bedrooms, could have fit into this one room twice over. In the center of the office sat an elderly man. His hair was silver, and a pair of reading glasses rested on the bridge of his nose. He didn't look up immediately, his eyes focused on a set of papers, but the power he radiated was unmistakable. Lauren straightened her cream-colored corporate gown, smoothing the fabric over her hips, then turned and closed the door softly. She forced herself to take one step, then another, across the room until she stood a few feet from the desk. She stopped and waited.“Good morning, Mr. Baker.”The man looked up, furrowing his brows, his gaze sharp and piercing behind his lenses. He studied her face as if flipping through a mental filing cabinet, trying to plac

Colt stopped at the doorway to his office. The moment he saw his mother, he felt a weight settle onto his shoulders.“Mother… what are you doing here?”His voice was tight. He was already tired, and the sun was barely up. He had spent the night reviewing financial reports, and his head hurt.Julia sat comfortably in the leather chair across from his desk. She crossed her legs slowly, smoothing her skirt, her face sharp with irritation. “I came to see my son,” she said. “You haven’t been answering my calls. We need to talk.”Colt shut his eyes for a long second, letting out a quiet groan. He walked behind his desk and dropped into his chair. “It’s too early for this, Mother. I have a company to save.”Julia ignored his words. “We need to talk about the wedding; it has to happen soon. We need to set a date before Madison gets too big. She is already in her second trimester. People will start talking if she walks down the aisle with a big belly.”Colt stared at her. He felt a flash of pu