LOGINChapter 183: Not My Type Lizzie The moment the heavy dining hall doors closed behind Reese and Alex, the girls swarmed toward me like sharks catching the scent of blood in the water. Even River, usually the quiet observer, drew closer with a shy, curious smile playing on her lips. A laugh tore from my lips as I glanced around at their expectant faces. “What?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “Why are you all looking at me like that?”Riley shrugged with exaggerated innocence, but the mischievous glint in her eyes betrayed her. “I don’t know. Ask them.” She pointed toward River and Charlotte. Charlotte laughed, a rich, throaty sound that filled the suddenly lighter space. She leaned forward, elbows on the table, her wine glass still half-full and catching ruby reflections from the lights. “You’re something else, Lizzie. Every other person fears the General. They wouldn’t dare say such filthy things in his presence. Myself included.”A light-hearted laugh bubbled from me as I settled
Chapter 182: That's A TrapReese “What do you mean by that?” Roman asked, his temper clearly rising the moment Penelope’s name left my lips. His voice sharpened through the phone speaker, cutting through the quiet night sounds of the garden.“Someone saw her here—” I started, my own words measured. “Who?” He demanded, his tone dropping into a near-growl. “Who was the one that saw her? What if it’s a mix-up?”“Ramsey,” I said simply.There was silence over the line—thick, heavy, and telling. I knew he was thinking the same thing I had earlier. Even before he spoke, the weight of it settled between us. “So… it really is true then,” he said finally, voice low.“I’m afraid so,” I replied, glancing at Alex who stood nearby, arms crossed, listening intently. The cool night breeze rustled the rose bushes, releasing another wave of sweet, heady fragrance that clashed oddly with the dark conversation. “There’s even a photo. I’ll share it with you.” I quickly forwarded the image from my pho
Chapter 181: What's The Rush? Reese “Roman, you didn’t tell me you were sending in a friend,” I said the moment he picked up. The night air in the rose garden felt cooler now, carrying the sweet, almost cloying scent of blooming roses that mixed with the faint, acrid trace of Alex’s cigarette smoke.I heard him chuckle over the line, that familiar low rumble that always carried a hint of calculated amusement. “Just sent you a little something to help facilitate the process.” “What’s the plan? Zahir has an agenda, doesn’t he?” I pressed, pacing slowly along the gravel path. The small stones crunched under my shoes, a steady rhythm against the distant gurgle of the fountain. “Met him at dinner and instantly knew he was a wolf.” “Definitely,” Roman replied. “I’ve done business with him for over three years, and in those three years he’s always tried to play a fast one on me.” He sighed, the sound crackling slightly through the speaker. “The smartest thing to do when signing a cont
Chapter 180: Net Worth Reese I stopped dead on the marble steps leading out to the estate grounds, the cool night air brushing against my heated skin.He just laughed, stopping in his tracks. Then he leaned in close, voice dropping to a conspiratorial murmur. “Didn’t you give her a task? She’s preparing herself to seduce Hudson.” Alex pulled me by the arm, his grip firm but brotherly. “Come on. Let’s go where we can have a little privacy.”I was still swimming in confusion as he dragged me out into the grounds. The night air wrapped around us carrying the sweet, heady fragrance of night-blooming jasmine and freshly watered roses. The fountain gurgled softly in the distance, its water sparkling under strategically placed garden lights that cast long, dancing shadows across the manicured lawns. We stopped near the rose garden, far enough from the scattered guards that their low murmurs blended into the background hum of crickets.I tugged my arm free, frowning deeply. “I admit I sen
Chapter 179: Handsome Reward Reese I don’t know why Ramsey’s innocent slip about the “footage” had me pausing mid-thought, replaying them slowly in my mind like a looping tape. Maybe it was the deep-seated knowledge of just how twisted the inhabitants of this manor truly were. Secrets festered here like mold in damp corners, poisoning everything they touched. Or maybe it was the lingering shadow of Penelope, that sick woman who had unleashed an incredibly inappropriate video of me into the world and left it flying around. Yes, flying around. I had no idea who else she’d sent it to or shown it to. That kind of vindictive move was exactly what someone as unhinged as her would do.If Ramsey had somehow stumbled upon actual footage of me with Penelope… God, I’d want to jump off the nearest cliff. That would scar the kid for life.He’d insisted it wasn’t porn—just “a footage.” But what kind of footage? The question gnawed at me, sharp and insistent.I glanced at him while the rest of
Chapter 178: A Footage Reese Alex snorted with laughter, nearly choking on his water. “If she’d stop being a hag then maybe—just maybe—someone might have a little mercy on her and show her what she's been missing.”“You’re disgusting,” Rosalie spat, her eyes shining with barely contained tears of rage.Alex raised his glass in a mock toast. “Thank you. At least I don’t lose my shit at the mention of a good head.” He grinned. “If you were a little nicer, then maybe you’d experience that. Head is good for the soul, Rosie.”I burst out laughing, the sound rolling deep from my chest. The absurdity of it all—the lavish dining hall with its untouched feast, the crystal glasses catching fractured light—made the family meltdown feel almost theatrical.“I can’t believe I’m related to you guys,” Rosalie muttered, voice trembling.“Likewise, sister,” Alex cooed sweetly.“You are all okay with this?” Rosalie pressed, gesturing wildly. “Did you all not hear what Father said? He isn’t happy!”“F







