Semua Bab IT STARTED WITH A LIE AND ENDED WITH US.: Bab 71 - Bab 80

Bianca and Kiara walked out of the school hall, swallowed almost immediately by the sea of chattering parents and excited children that flooded the corridor. The annual midterm celebration had drawn a massive crowd—mothers in elegant dresses, fathers in crisp shirts, grandparents clutching cameras, and children everywhere, bouncing with uncontainable energy. Some families huddled together for photographs, posing in front of colorful banners and balloon arches. Others stood in small clusters, chatting heartily about grades and summer plans and whose child had won which award. The air was thick with perfume, laughter, and the distinct electric hum of anticipation.Bianca kept one hand on Kiara's shoulder, guiding her through the crowd, while her other hand clutched her small purse. Her eyes scanned the hallway every few seconds, unconsciously searching for a familiar face—then catching herself, looking away, forcing herself to stop. She wasn't supposed to be looking for him. She wasn't

The afternoon sun hung low over the school compound, casting long golden shadows across the gravel path where parents and children lingered after the event. Balloons bobbed lazily from the entrance gates, and the faint sound of laughter still echoed from the hall behind them. Justin stood near the edge of the parking lot, his hands loosely at his sides, his gaze drifting down to the small figure beside him.Kiara was twisting her fingers together—a nervous habit he had begun to notice over the past few weeks, something she did whenever she felt overwhelmed or uncertain. Her little lavender dress was slightly wrinkled from running and playing, the hem dusted with pale gravel dust from the path. Her hair had been styled that morning into neat, perfect puffs, each one secured with a tiny yellow bow, though several had begun to loosen after hours of excitement. Her face—soft, open, impossibly innocent—tilted up toward him slowly, as though she wasn't quite sure what she was about to hear.

Justin's voice thundered through the office, raw and desperate, bouncing off the glass windows and mahogany shelves like a trapped animal searching for escape. His hands were clenched at his sides, his knuckles white, his jaw set so tightly that the muscles in his neck stood out like cords. He had been trying—trying—to remain calm, to keep his voice level, to approach this conversation with the patience and understanding that Bianca deserved. But her words, her refusal, her determination to push him away at every turn had finally cracked something inside him."How can you say that?" he barked, his blue eyes blazing with a mixture of frustration and anguish. "Don't you see how happy Lily is to finally have a dad? Or do you just hate the notion of her being happy? Do you resent the fact that someone else can make her smile? That someone else can love her without taking anything away from you?"He was unwilling—no, unable—to sit back and be pushed away from his own child. Not anymore. No

Justin carried the empty dishes to the kitchen, his bare feet padding softly against the hardwood floor. The warm glow from the pendant lights above the sink cast golden halos across the countertops, illuminating the faint swirls in the granite and the small constellation of water droplets left behind from earlier. Kiara trailed close behind him, her small arms wrapped around a stack of plates that wobbled precariously with each careful step she took. The china clinked softly—a delicate, musical sound—as she navigated around the kitchen island, her tongue poked out in concentration, her brows furrowed with the solemn importance of her task."You're doing great, little one," Justin said over his shoulder, his voice warm with encouragement. "Just a few more steps. You've got this."Kiara beamed at the praise, her cheeks flushing with pride. She adjusted her grip on the plates, her small fingers curling more securely around the edges, and took the final few steps to the counter. With a g

The slap came out of nowhere.One moment Bianca was stepping out of the black town car, adjusting the strap of her designer bag against her shoulder, her heels clicking confidently against the sun-warmed pavement. The next, her head snapped violently to the side as sharp nails raked across her cheek with enough force to send a shockwave of pain through her skull. The sting exploded instantly—hot, blinding, humiliating. Her vision blurred for a split second, white spots dancing at the edges of her eyes.A chorus of gasps rippled through the small crowd gathering near the building's entrance. People stopped mid-stride. Conversations died. Phones began to rise, cameras angled toward the scene like hungry mouths."You are a shameless whore!" Arian screamed, her voice shrill with fury, sharp enough to cut glass. She shoved Bianca again, hard enough to make her stumble backward, her manicured nails digging into Bianca's shoulder before releasing. "How dare you touch my husband? How dare you