Semua Bab My mother's suspicious partner (The night between us): Bab 11 - Bab 20

She looked up the moment she heard his footsteps on the hardwood floor. “Everything alright?” Melissa asked, her voice soft but laced with exhaustion. Alaric slipped his phone into his pocket with practiced ease. “One of my security teams called. Something came up at one of our facilities.” Melissa studied him for a long second before nodding slowly. “I guess emergencies don’t wait until morning.” “They rarely do.” She offered him a tired smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’m sorry.” His brow lifted slightly. “For what?” “For taking up so much of your time today.” Her gaze drifted toward the staircase, heavy with guilt and worry. “If it wasn’t for you… I don’t even want to think about what could’ve happened to Rhea.” “You don’t have to apologize,” he said gently. “But I do.” Her voice broke just enough to reveal how close she still was to falling apart. “You’ve done more for us in one day than anyone has in years.” Alaric said nothing. He simply stood there, lettin

Rhea stirred slowly. A dull ache pulsed behind her eyes. The first thing she noticed was the unfamiliar heaviness around her right wrist. She frowned and tried to move it, only for a sharp sting to shoot up her arm. Her eyes fluttered open. Morning sunlight filtered softly through the curtains, bathing the room in a warm golden glow. For a few seconds, she simply stared at the ceiling. Then everything came rushing back. Her breathing caught. She pushed herself up slightly before another wave of dizziness forced her back against the pillows. A quiet rustling sound drew her attention. She turned her head. Melissa sat in the chair beside the bed, fast asleep. Sometime during the night, exhaustion had finally claimed her. Her head rested against the edge of the mattress, one hand still loosely wrapped around Rhea’s uninjured hand, as though she had been afraid to let go. Her eyes were swollen from crying, and loose strands of hair had escaped her messy bun, falling across her face. Rhea

Work was over, and Rhea stepped out of the revolving doors with her handbag resting lightly against her shoulder. The day was finally over, and she was ready to go home and try to process the fact that Alaric was her CEO.She had been so lost in thought that she almost walked straight past him.“Noah?”She stopped abruptly. He stood a few feet away on the sidewalk, hands buried inside the pockets of his jacket. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Rhea felt her chest tighten. The last time they had seen each other had been awful. The last time they had spoken over the phone, they had both been lying to themselves that they were done.Standing before her now, Noah looked rough. His beard had grown in. Dark circles rested beneath his eyes. His clothes were neat, but there was an exhaustion about him that couldn’t be hidden. He looked like someone who hadn’t slept properly in days. He managed a small smile. “Hi.”The simple greeting made something inside Rhea ache. It was really awkward

"I said I'm fine, Mom."Noah lifted another shirt from the bed and folded it into the open bag beside him.Serena stood near the doorway, watching him with growing concern. "You're not fine. You were in an accident a few days ago, and you're already packing your things as though nothing happened.""It was a minor accident.""You were taken to the hospital.""And they discharged me."Noah closed the small travelling bag and pulled the zipper shut. Several days had passed since the accident, and aside from a few bruises and the stitches above his eyebrow, he had recovered well enough to return to his normal routine.The accident had happened after he left Rhea. He had been drinking, overwhelmed by everything that had happened between them, and had driven while tipsy. On his way home, he lost control of the car and collided with the side of the road. Thankfully, the accident had been minor, leaving him shaken and bruised but with no serious injuries.Serena had barely allowed him out of

By the time Alaric pulled into the driveway, the day had left a dull weight behind his eyes. He switched off the engine but remained behind the wheel for a moment, staring through the windshield at the mansion. Then he noticed the familiar car parked near the entrance. His parents. Alaric closed his eyes briefly. Of course. For the past four months, they had been relentless. What had started as casual suggestions had turned into dinners, introductions, and increasingly direct conversations about his future. They had even cornered him at his office more than once, insisting that it was time for him to consider moving on. He had made his position clear every single time. Apparently, they had decided not to listen. With a resigned sigh, Alaric stepped out of the car, grabbed his keys, and walked toward the entrance. The moment he stepped inside, he found his parents sitting in the living room. His mother looked up first. His father was beside her, absorbed in something on his phone,