Semua Bab The CEO Who Won’t Let Me Go: Bab 41 - Bab 50

I didn’t know which voice to follow—everyone was talking at once, their stories crashing over me faster than I could take them in. My grandfather was endlessly curious, firing off question after question about my life—where I studied, what kind of music I liked, how I spent my evenings. My father, on the other hand, kept talking about the future, spinning out different versions of what our relationship could become. The words blurred together into noise. I caught fragments here and there, but my head was starting to throb—until Kira stepped in.She set her teacup down with a quiet clink. “Men,” she said dryly. “All trying to grab a girl’s attention at the same time, and in the end, she doesn’t hear a single word. Maybe try talking to her one at a time? What do you think, Zoe?”“Perfect,” I said, shooting her a grateful look.“Then we start with the eldest,” Kira added smoothly, earning an irritated huff from Konstantin and a delighted laugh from my grandfather. “Levon, would you show

"What are you doing here?" I snapped the second I stepped into the room."Well, well… look who finally decided to show up." He leaned back with a lazy smirk and gestured for me to sit like he owned the place.My eyes flicked to the teddy bear lying on the floor beside the sofa—how had it even ended up there?—before I lowered myself into the armchair across from him."What’s going on? This is my apartment. You don’t get to just walk in here like this, Mr. Philip.""Already showing your claws?" he drawled. "Save it. You’ll have your moment soon enough. This isn’t going to be a pleasant conversation.""Zoe, are you okay?" Kira rushed in behind me, her voice tight with concern. "Who is this? Do you know him?""Yeah, it’s okay, Kira," I said, forcing a smile I didn’t feel. "This is my mom’s husband.""You mean… your stepfather?" Her brows lifted, but I could see the tension easing out of her shoulders. "So I don’t need to freak out?""No. Everything’s fine."She hesitated for a second, the

Everyone froze like they’d been turned to stone. Yes, I’d wanted to hear words like that—but right now, the pain I felt for my sister cut deeper than anything I’d gone through myself that night… the night Alan took advantage of me when I couldn’t fight back.Silence swallowed the room. No one dared to speak.Valeri parted her lips, barely breathing, and took the box from her former fiancé’s hand like she was on autopilot.“This is my farewell gift,” Shulgin said again, his tone smooth and controlled. “I hope it brings you at least a little comfort.”Then he turned away abruptly, showing everyone his back.“Thank you for dinner. But I think it’s best if I leave.”He crossed the room in a few long strides and walked out. No one moved. It was like the entire house had shut down.I was the first to snap out of it.I ran after him.I needed answers. Maybe he didn’t love her—but at the mall, it hadn’t looked that way. He’d asked me to help him pick out a gift for Valeri.So what the hell wa

Kira handed me the keys with a triumphant smile, declaring everything had been handled. By the time I got back, she was already dressed and waiting to head out for our shopping trip, so all I had to do was freshen up after the drive.The heat didn’t leave me lightheaded anymore, and the sun wasn’t making me feel like I might pass out, so for the first time in a while, I actually wanted to put some effort into how I looked. I hadn’t worn heels in forever, and my dresses had been sitting untouched on the shelves like they belonged to someone else. From the things I’d bought recently, I picked a soft peach dress and paired it with heeled sandals. Something in me had shifted. I kept reaching for lighter, more delicate looks instead of the bold, attention-grabbing ones I used to love. Not that I’d given up shorts and T-shirts—they still had a permanent place in my life—but they were pretty much the only pieces left from my old wardrobe. Even my makeup bag had changed. Less focus on bold lo

I’m probably part of a dying breed—the kind of girl who agrees to go on a date with a rich, powerful, ridiculously attractive man and dreads every second of it. What am I even supposed to do when I feel like I’m betraying someone—twice over? I feel guilty in front of Valeri, even though she has no idea why I’m standing here in this dress. And Boris… I can’t stop replaying the way we said goodbye at the mall. The second that moment hits me, my cheeks heat, my palms go damp, and my heart stutters hard enough to send a shiver through me.How am I supposed to go meet someone else when it feels like whatever is happening between me and Boris is… real? Mutual. At least, I want to believe it is. Maybe I misunderstood what he said. Maybe I imagined that kiss. But it’s too late to undo any of it now. The process is already in motion, and there are too many hopes and wants building inside me, simmering under my skin.Time was slipping away way too fast, and I still couldn’t make myself walk out