Semua Bab STYGIAN : Bab 41 - Bab 50

The mall was alive with conversations from every corner. Their voices overlapped as everyone talked at once. Soft music played in the background through hidden cameras. And the sharp rhythm of the ladies' heels clicked on the polished floor as they went from roll to roll. Barbie walked at the center of the mall like she belonged there. Her confidence and polished presence drew attention without her even trying. Two of her friends walked beside her, both equally dressed for attention, their arms filled with shopping bags that swung lightly with each step they took.“Wait, wait…no,” one of them said, laughing. “That bag is not worth that price.”“It is,” Barbie replied, flipping her hair slightly. “You just don’t understand quality.”“Or you just like expensive things,” the other teased.Barbie smirked. “Same difference.”They stopped in front of a glass display, the reflection of their perfectly curated appearances staring back at them.“That one,” Barbie said, pointing at the red ba

Lewis didn’t remember the drive. All he knew was that his hands had been tight on the steering wheel, his jaw was clenched, and his thoughts ran in circles that all led back to one name.Derek.By the time he pulled up in front of the mansion, his anger hadn’t cooled. If anything, it became hotter. The gate opened without question. That alone irritated him more because it felt like they had expected him to show up… Like he was already part of something he never agreed to.He parked roughly, stepping out of the car, barely containing his frustration. His steps were quick and uneven, driven more by his anger. The door opened before he could knock, and the staff stepped aside silently, letting him in.That annoyed him too. Everything about this place annoyed him. He thought he wouldn't have a reason to come back there. He thought he was done with everything that concerned Derek. But Derek clearly didn't get it. And his house?It was too quiet and calm for someone who had just cause

Morning crept in quietly.He didn't need an alarm, he didn't need noise. He didn't need rushing footsteps or distant traffic to wake him up. Just a soft wash of light slipping through the curtains was enough to stir him awake. The slow awareness pulled him out of his sleep, and he just laid there like nothing in the world had gone wrong the night before.Then the memory hit him sharp and unforgiving. Barbie, the shouting, the broken things, and Derek, the author of the confusion. Lewis’s eyes snapped open.He sat up slightly, running a hand over his face, already feeling the weight of it all pressing down on him again.“What a good morning,” he muttered under his breath.He swung his legs off the bed, still half-dazed, his mind trying to catch up with his body. But then, he noticed someone was already in the room, leaning casually against the wall, watching him. Derek.Lewis froze, thinking he was still dreaming. He closed his eyes, and opened it again, but Derek was still there,

Derek stood by the window of his study, one hand in his pocket, the other holding a glass. His mind was everything, especially with Paulo, who just called him to tell him about Raine's husband. He knew a day like that would come. He knew sooner or later, Raine's husband would come for her. He wasn't just expecting him to go crazy in public. Derek didn't want to get involved. He had a lot on his plate. From Alonso and his useless sons, to the election for the new CEO, to his goods that were about to arrive. However, he had ordered Paulo to start a thorough background check on Raine's husband. He needed everything, both legal and illegal, public and private, family and business… everything. And he wasn't even surprised when Paulo said he had started working on it. The door opened but Derek didn't turn to know who it was. Maybe because Lewis was the only one in the house or because he was already used to Lewis presence. “I was wondering how long it would take,” he said calmly.Lewis

“Is this a reunion of intruders?”Paulo stood at the entrance with both hands in his pockets, dressed in black as usual, looking far too composed for someone walking into complete domestic chaos.His eyes moved from Lewis to Raine, then slowly around the kitchen destruction.“What exactly happened here?” he asked, lifting his eyebrows. Mrs. Gloria looked like she had finally found an ally.“She happened,” she said, pointing dramatically at Raine.Raine looked offended.“That was unnecessary.”“You being in the kitchen is unnecessary,” Mrs. Gloria retorted. Paulo stepped fully into the kitchen, surveying the damage like he had entered a crime scene.He looked at the pancakes, then at the scrambled eggs, then at the suspiciously burnt toast, then finally at Raine.“Is this a kitchen or a wrestling ring? Paulo asked, causing Raine to gasp. “Did you fight the food before cooking it?”Lewis burst into laughter.“You too?” Raine said, her attention snapped towards Lewis. Paulo smirked fa