Ties That Bind のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 161 - チャプター 170

PIPER’S POVThe room felt like a storm had just passed through it. Glass from the shattered table crunched beneath Rowan’s shoes as he stood between me and Ruben. My heart was still pounding in my chest, the air thick with fear and disbelief.Ruben slowly got up from the floor, blood trickling from the side of his lip. His eyes darted from me to Rowan, wild and filled with rage.“So you set me up!!!” he shouted, his voice trembling with both fury and humiliation.I froze, shaking my head. “No, I didn’t…”“Don’t lie to me, Piper!” he barked, taking a step forward. “You brought him here! You made me look like a fool!”I swallowed hard, my voice barely steady. “Ruben, you brought this on yourself. You shouldn’t have…”“Enough!” Rowan’s voice cut through the air like thunder. “You don’t get to speak to her like that.”Ruben turned his gaze to his son, his face twisted with anger. “You have no idea what’s going on here, Rowan. You think you understand everything, but you don’t.”Rowan’s to

LIA’S POVThe money problems never left me. They sat in the corner of the small living room like a hungry animal, always moving, always ready to bite. Bills kept arriving. Steve’s voice was sharper every day. The house smelled the same …frying oil, old soap ..but nothing in it felt safe anymore.I told myself I would not be obvious. Piper’s marriage was supposed to change things for me. I had helped where I could...smiled at the right times, laughed when she laughed, been the perfect friend. I thought that would get me something back. But life didn’t hand out favors like that. Smiles didn’t pay rent.So I went out to buy groceries. It was an excuse, really. Walking around the market made my head clear just enough to think. I moved down the aisles picking the cheapest things. Rice, tomatoes, a small chicken. My fingers kept counting on their own. Five thousand. Five thousand kept repeating like a broken clock.“Maybe Piper will help,” I thought. “Maybe she will see I didn’t get anythin

LUCIA’S POVThe hospital was crowded that morning. Mothers holding babies, nurses moving from one room to another, and the soft cries of newborns filled the air. I had come for my baby’s postnatal checkup. Everything had been going fine since the birth, and I was just thankful for peace after everything that had happened in the family.After the nurse finished checking my baby’s temperature, I stepped out into the hallway to wait for the doctor to sign the report. I was about to sit down when I caught sight of someone familiar at the far end of the corridor.It was Lia.She was dressed in dark glasses and a scarf as if trying to hide her face. At first, I thought maybe she was sick, but then I noticed she wasn’t heading toward any doctor’s office. She was walking quickly toward the hospital’s back gate.That’s strange, I thought.Curiosity got the better of me. I picked up my baby, secured her gently in her stroller, and slowly followed Lia from a distance. The hospital’s back area wa

ROWAN’S POVI was tired when I finally drove into the compound that evening. It had been a long day at work…meetings, phone calls, and endless files. All I wanted was to take a shower, maybe eat something light, and rest my head.But the moment I opened the door and stepped inside, a soft smell hit my nose…something sweet and warm. Garlic, butter, maybe seafood. The house smelled like home, like peace.I stopped in the hallway and inhaled deeply, my eyes moving around slowly. There were faint lights glowing from the dining area, soft and golden, and the sound of slow music playing in the background.“Piper?” I called out quietly.No answer.I dropped my briefcase and took a few steps forward. Then I saw her.She stood by the dining table, her back slightly turned as she adjusted the candles. My breath caught for a moment. She was wearing a silk lingerie dress, light cream in color, hugging her body perfectly. Her hair was loose, falling over her shoulders, glowing under the dim light.

PIPER’S POVMy phone buzzed early that morning.It was a message from Dad.“Family meeting today. Very important. You and Rowan should come. 2 PM.I frowned. That sounded serious.I showed it to Rowan. “Dad says it’s urgent. We need to be there.”He looked up from his laptop. “At your father’s house?”“Yes,” I said quietly. “It’s for the whole family.”He nodded. “Alright, we’ll go.”But, as usual, we ran late. Rowan had a quick meeting, and by the time we left the house, it was already 2:30 PM.When we arrived, it was almost 3 PM.I didn’t expect what I saw when we walked into the room.Everyone was already seated .. Dad, Lucia, and… my mother. She sat stiffly at the end of the table, avoiding my eyes.The air was tense. No one spoke.Rowan pulled out a chair for me, and we sat down. I kept staring at my mother. She looked pale, nervous, and tired.Dad cleared his throat. “Now that everyone is here,” he said in a low voice, “your mother has something to say.”I looked at him, confuse