141. The Party I

I couldn’t bring myself to care why Aiden had come to see Cassandra. Whatever business he had with her wasn’t a thread I had any interest in pulling.The moment Cassandra left the room, trailing after the servant with a bright, eager little skip in her step, I finally let myself breathe properly again. It was like the air itself had been thinner while she was in the room.Xander lingered behind, though, shifting his weight like he had something on his mind.“Hey, before I forget.” He pulled a small velvet box from his jacket pocket and held it out. “This is for you. For tonight.”I opened it slowly, and the second the lid clicked back, light caught on a delicate diamond necklace nestled inside, the stones cut into a teardrop pattern that shimmered every shade of white and pale blue depending on how it tilted under the lamp. A cluster of smaller diamonds trailed down from the center pendant like dewdrops frozen mid-fall.It had to have cost a small fortune.“Xander, this is too much.”

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142. A Remarkable Woman

The whispers and idle chatter died down almost instantly the moment Cassandra’s voice rang out clear through the speakers.Every head on that terrace turned toward the small stage set up near the fountain, where she stood in a white mermaid-tail gown that clung delicately to her frame, making her look smaller somehow, more fragile, exactly the kind of docile, breakable image that pulled sympathy out of a crowd without them even realizing they’d been moved.“I know everyone’s curious right now,” she said softly, a shy little smile tugging at her lips, “so let me explain.”Behind her on the stage, my parents sat with matching expressions of pure pride, and even Grandpa, a man who rarely allowed his face to do anything but frown, wore something close to a genuine smile.“Wait, what is she about to tell us?” someone near me whispered.“I have no idea, but look at her face. Something big is coming.”Cassandra’s gaze drifted across the crowd until it landed directly on me. “I want to tell y

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143. His Panic

The chatter cut off all at once, replaced by a kind of stunned quiet that pulled every head toward the mansion’s entrance.A line of black cars rolled up the long driveway, headlights sweeping across the fountain before coming to a smooth stop. Five of them in total, sleek and matching, the kind of fleet that didn’t belong to anyone who needed to save money on gas. The lead car alone looked like it cost more than most of the houses on this street, its paint catching the string lights overhead like dark water.Then the whispers turned into gasps.“Wait. Is that actually Andrew Hale’s car?”“It has to be. Look at the emblem on the hood.”“What in the world is he doing here?”“Did he come for Amelia? For the new heiress?”“That can’t be right. Andrew Hale doesn’t attend parties like this. I’ve heard he’s turned down royal weddings.”“Maybe he’s here for business. The Sterlings do have ties to half the companies in this city.”“No, look how everyone’s staring. Something’s off.”I felt my

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144. Her Blood Sister

Andrew’s POV“Go faster!”The driver’s shoulders jumped. “Yes, Mr. Hale!”My heart wouldn’t slow down. It kept slamming against my ribs while I held her against my chest, too tight probably, but I couldn’t make myself loosen my grip.Annie.She hadn’t fully recovered yet. I was sure of it. She needed more time, more rest, and instead she’d dragged herself out to some garden party just to keep herself away from me. She’d ignored every call, every text, all day long, and I still couldn’t figure out what I’d done to earn that kind of silence.When I first spotted her on that stage, the only thing running through my head was how much thinner she looked. Like the last few days had carved something out of her.I didn’t even get a full second to process it before she dropped.The car swerved onto the main road, and somewhere in the middle of the noise and the panic, my heartbeat finally started to even out. I forced a breath through my chest.Why was I even reacting like this? What exactly d

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Todos os capítulos de Don’t Beg for Love : Capítulo 141 - Capítulo 144

141. The Party I

142. A Remarkable Woman

143. His Panic

144. Her Blood Sister