Lahat ng Kabanata ng My Ex-Fiance's Cousin is My Baby's Father: Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

Lyra had done everything she could.Now all she could do was wait.By the end of the day, she might still have the career she had worked so hard to rebuild.Or she might lose everything.There was no reason to remain at Empowered Magazine while the board decided her future, so Lyra left the office.Her hotel was only about ten minutes away by car, but she could not bring herself to take a cab.She needed air.She needed time to think.Lyra walked through the busy streets while the city carried on around her. Cars passed, and people talked and laughed. Everyone seemed to be moving forward while her own life felt stuck.The meeting with the department heads kept playing in her mind.From what they knew so far, the anonymous tip appeared to have arrived before Damon told her about his adoption.That meant someone else might have already known his secret.Then someone had used Lyra’s credentials to approve the article.None of it was an accident.Someone wanted the story published.And so

Damon held Lyra's gaze.There was no accusation in his eyes now.That should have made things easier.Instead, Lyra felt exposed.Damon knew Vito was involved in the leak. He knew someone had been listening to their private conversations.But there were still things he didn't know.Things Lyra wasn't ready to explain.Damon finally broke the silence.“There's something else I need to understand.”Lyra waited.“Why didn't you tell me about Vito?”The name settled heavily between them.“My past with Vito,” Lyra corrected. “There is nothing between us now.”Damon nodded.“Your past, then. Why didn't you tell me?”Frustration rose inside her.“I'm sorry I didn't. I know I should have.”“Then why didn't you?”Lyra looked away.“I thought Vito would tell you.”“I'm not asking about him.”A hint of frustration entered Damon's voice.“I'm asking about you. I would rather have heard it from you than find out the way I did.”He wasn't wrong.Lyra lowered her eyes.“I had no idea who you were si

The moment Vito entered the hotel lounge, he spotted Damon sitting alone at a table in the corner.He slowed down.Damon looked relaxed.That was a good sign.After everything Vito had learned at the Blackwood estate, he needed to know exactly how much Damon knew.He walked over with a casual smile.“Drinking alone? That’s not like you.”Damon looked up at him.“I’m just clearing my head. It’s been a long day.”Vito sat across from him and carefully studied his face.Damon’s jaw was relaxed.His voice was calm.There was no anger in his eyes.Maybe Vito had nothing to worry about after all.“I just wanted to know if you were still angry with me after what happened at the party.”Damon gave a small shake of his head.“Last night feels like it happened a week ago.”It wasn’t a direct answer.Still, Vito smiled.“I’m sorry I kept things from you. I should have told you about Mylica.”Damon raised one hand.“I’ve already moved on from that.”Some of the tension left Vito’s body.Then Damo

Lyra stared at Margaret through the video call.For several seconds, Margaret couldn't speak.“So let me understand this,” she finally said. “Gail's father is the same man you're interviewing now?”Lyra nodded.“Yes.”Even saying it aloud made everything feel unreal.Margaret leaned back and let out a long breath.“Lyra, this doesn't feel like a coincidence.”A faint smile appeared on her face.“It feels like fate refusing to let the two of you go.”“Don't make it sound romantic, Maggie. It's complicated.”“Your life is always complicated.”Margaret's smile faded.“Have you told him about Gail?”The question hit harder than Lyra expected.“No.”“And I'm not planning to. Not yet.”Margaret frowned.“Why?”“Because I don't know where we stand. His family already hates me. Vito and Ruth are manipulating everyone around us.”Lyra lowered her eyes.“If I tell Damon now, he might think I'm trying to use Gail to keep him close.”“Lyra, a child isn't a trap.”“I know.”Her voice softened.“Bu

Lyra had been staring at the same paragraph for several minutes.Soon, she would officially become editor-in-chief of Empowered Magazine, the position she'd worked so hard to earn.She should have been excited.Instead, she could barely focus.Deadlines were piling up. Writers were waiting for feedback. Page layouts still needed her approval.But her thoughts kept returning to Damon.Her eyes moved to her phone.No message.No missed call.Nothing.She hated that part of her had been hoping to see his name.Lyra forced herself to look back at the article on her screen.She changed one word.Then another.Finally, she was beginning to focus when her phone rang.Her heart jumped.She grabbed it.Susan.Lyra ignored the small disappointment.“Hello, Susan.”“Lyra, how are things going?”“Good. I'm working on some edits.”“That's good.”Susan paused.“I wanted to ask about your interview with Damon Blackwood. Are you still handling it?”Lyra's hand tightened around the phone.Even hearing