LOGINLia stared at the glowing screen of her phone, the mysterious message still open. ‘I saw what happened at the hospital. Meet me tomorrow if you want real help against Serena. I have proof.’ Her heart beat faster. Everything she had told Victor earlier was made up, just words twisted from her own jealousy. So how could this stranger claim to have proof? It surprised her. For the first time, a small doubt crept in. What if Serena really was planning something against the Laurent family? What if her return wasn’t innocent after all? She sat on the edge of the couch, mind racing through every recent encounter. Serena coming back would make it even difficult for Adrian to love her again, all hope Lia had that Adrian would eventually forgive her. It began to fade. Lia shook her head slightly but couldn’t push the thought away completely. “Mom, Dad, I’m tired,” she said, standing up. “I need to go lie down for a bit. Today was too much.” Her mother nodded with understanding. “Go on, de
The air grew thick. Lia’s back hit the wall, apologies spilling out in a rush as fear flashed across her face. “I’m sorry, Mr. Laurent. Please, I only wanted to help the family. I thought—” Victor kept closing the distance, his steps slow but heavy. His eyes never left hers. The hallway felt smaller, the beeps from nearby machines the only other sound. Before he could say more, footsteps echoed from the entrance. Adrian walked in, phone still in hand, his face lined with exhaustion. “What is going on here?” Adrian asked, voice sharp. He glanced between his father and Lia, sensing the tension right away. Victor stopped and turned to his son. He ran a hand through his graying hair and let out a tired breath. “Why don’t you ask Lia here? She seems to have plenty to say about Serena and this whole mess. Go on, Lia. Tell him what you told me.” With that, Victor shook his head and walked away. He pushed open the door to his wife’s room and stepped inside. Elena lay still in the bed, mon
Clara and Emma walked through the front door just as the sun dipped low, painting the living room in soft orange light. I’d been waiting for them, tea already cooling on the table. Lila and Elias ran to greet them first, Elias tugging at Clara’s sleeve with a big grin.“You’re back!” I said, standing up. “Tell me everything. How did it go at the branches?”Clara dropped her bag on the couch and sank into it with a tired sigh. Emma followed, looking pleased but worn out. “It was busy but good,” Clara started. “The east branch had a small mix-up with the new supplier order. They sent the wrong shade of yarn twice. I sat down with the manager, went through the invoices line by line, and got it sorted. Called the supplier right there. Promised them a better discount if they fixed it by morning. Customers were happy once we explained.”Emma jumped in, eyes bright. “The west branch was smoother. We ran a quick training session on the new inventory system. A couple of the girls were nervous
The doctor’s words hung in the air like a heavy curtain. Adrian stood frozen outside the ICU, his jaw tight. Madam Laurent is stable for now. But the next twenty-four hours are critical. He watched the doctor walk away, white coat flapping slightly, before turning to his father who was pacing around the ward worried.“Dad,” Adrian said, voice low. “What really happened?”Victor looked up, eyes tired. He rubbed his face with both hands. “I wish I knew, son. My phone just rang last night while I was on a business meeting with some clients. It was the hospital. They said there’d been an accident. Your mother’s car… hit hard. I didn’t ask questions. I just grabbed my keys and drove here as fast as I could. The police hadn’t even arrived yet when I got the call. That’s all I know right now.”Adrian paced a few steps, hands clenching at his sides. “No details? No one saw anything? A side impact at high speed? That doesn’t sound like a normal crash.”“I know it doesn’t,” Victor replied, voic
I waited for Adrian for a while. I sat in the hallway outside the ward, my hands clasped in my lap, staring at the floor tiles. The hospital was quiet at this hour, the lights dimmed for the night shift. I expected him to come back with questions. After all, he had just learned he had children he never knew about. He had seen the twins. He had donated blood for Lila. I thought he would want answers. I thought he would demand to know why I had hidden them. Why I had run. Why I had become Elena Voss instead of staying as Serena Laurent.But the minutes stretched into an hour. Then two. He didn’t return. The nurse who had taken him for the blood draw walked past once, but she only gave me a small smile and kept going. I stood up eventually, my legs stiff from sitting so long. I needed to clear my mind. I needed to see him, even if it was just to tell him to leave us alone after this. I couldn’t sit there wondering what he was thinking.I walked down the hallway, my shoes soft on the floo
Lia turned to leave. But before she could reach the door, footsteps approached fast from the hallway. Heavy, urgent footsteps. Someone was coming really fast.The head maid burst into the room, her face pale and her uniform slightly disheveled from running. She stopped short when she saw Lia adjusting her dress, her hair messy, her cheeks flushed. The older woman’s eyes widened for a brief second, but she didn’t comment. She had worked in this house long enough to know when to stay silent.“Master,” the head maid said, her voice shaking. “There’s been an accident. Madam Laurent, was in a car crash on the way back from her trip. She’s at the hospital now. The doctors say it’s serious. They need you there immediately.”Victor stood up so fast his chair fell backward. His face went white, then red with shock and anger. “What? How did this happen? Where is she?”The head maid gave him the name of the hospital and the details she had received from the call. Victor didn’t waste time. He gra
He called all the guards together.They came quickly, lining up in front of him. All except one, the guard who had been on duty at the side gate last night.Adrian’s voice was ice cold. “Who opened the gate for my wife last night?”The guards looked at each other nervously. No one spoke.Adrian’s e
I stood frozen at the side gate, the backpack heavy on my shoulders. The security guard’s flashlight was pointed directly at my face. My heart was beating so fast I thought it would burst.“Mrs. Laurent,” he said, his voice firm but surprised. “It’s very late. Where are you going?”I swallowed hard
“What is that?” he asked me. He was pointing at the little bruise on my wrist. I said it was nothing. Then he smiled again, that same fake, gentle smile.“Okay. Don’t take too long.”He turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.I let out a shaky breath and collapsed back on
We got home from the business event in heavy silence. Adrian didn’t say a word during the entire car ride. His hand stayed on my thigh the whole time, but it wasn’t gentle. It was tight, almost like he was reminding himself that I belonged to him. When we walked into the mansion, he went straight u







