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Chapter 19: Lines That Blur 

last update 公開日: 2026-06-17 16:11:57

ANDREA’S POV

I arrived at Ryder’s sprawling residence at exactly six in the morning, the sky still dark with the last traces of night. My hands trembled slightly as I gripped the steering wheel before stepping out. Everything had shifted since yesterday. He was no longer just my boss. He was Lily’s father. The man whose child I had hidden for five years. The thought made my stomach twist into knots. I needed this job more than ever, but facing him now felt like walking into a minefield.

The fr
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    RYDER’S POVI watched Andrea leave the hospital room, her steps quick and her shoulders tight with whatever burden she carried. The door clicked shut behind her, and the quiet hum of the monitors filled the space again. Lily had drifted back into a light sleep, her small chest rising and falling steadily. I sat there for several minutes, fingers steepled, before I stood. I couldn’t wait any longer. I found her in the small family lounge at the end of the corridor, phone in hand, staring out the window at the darkening city. She looked exhausted, the weight of the day pressing down on her. I crossed the room in long strides and stopped just behind her.“Andrea,” I said quietly. “It’s time to go back. Lily needs us there. Whatever this is… it can wait.”She turned, surprise flickering across her face, followed by a flash of reluctance. For a moment I thought she might argue, but then her gaze softened. She slipped her phone into her pocket and nodded. “You’re right. Let’s go.”We walke

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    ANDREA’S POVI stepped out of Lily’s hospital room and pulled the door almost closed behind me. Ryder looked up from his phone, eyebrows raised in quiet question. The fluorescent lights cast sharp shadows across his face, highlighting the exhaustion we both carried after hours at her bedside.“I need to step out for a bit,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “There is something important I have to handle. I will be back as soon as I can.” He studied me for a long moment, suspicion clear in his eyes. “Is everything okay? You have been quiet since that message.” I forced a small nod. “It will be. I promise. Just trust me on this one.” Ryder did not push, though the set of his jaw told me he wanted to. He simply nodded once. “Be careful. Call if you need anything.” I turned and walked down the hallway before he could change his mind. My heels clicked against the linoleum as I made my way to the elevator. My hands shook slightly as I pulled out my phone and confirmed the address Elena h

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    RYDER’S POVI kept one eye on Lily while the other stayed fixed on Andrea. She had gone quiet after checking her phone, too quiet. Her shoulders stayed rigid even though she sat close to our daughter’s bed. The soft beeps of the monitors filled the room, but something heavier hung in the air between us. I set the dragon book down on the side table and studied her face.“Andrea,” I said quietly. “What is wrong? You look lost.”She slipped the phone back into her pocket and forced a small smile that did not reach her eyes. “I am fine. Just tired. Hospitals do that to me.”I knew better. The way her fingers twisted together in her lap told a different story. I leaned forward in my chair, keeping my voice low so Lily would not wake from her light nap. “Tell me the truth. Something happened on that call. Or after it. Talk to me.”She hesitated, biting her lower lip. Then she pulled the phone out again and handed it to me. “This. It came while you were reading to Lily.”I took the device an

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