Amanda turned to Elliot, her voice trembling with controlled anger. “Is that really how you see me?”Elliot said nothing. The bruise on his cheek was already darkening, but his expression was unreadable. When she tried to reach out to him, he shoved her hand away.“Don’t touch me,” he muttered. “You shouldn’t have come here, Amanda.”Her eyes shimmered with hurt. “I came to invite you to my fashion show tomorrow. I thought—”“I don’t care about your show,” Elliot snapped, his tone sharper than intended. “Just… leave.”Amanda’s lips trembled, her eyes glistening as she turned away. Without another word, she stormed out of the office, her heels echoing down the marble corridor like fading heartbeats.As soon as the door shut, Elliot slumped into his chair, breathing heavily.For a long moment, the only sound in the office was Elliot’s heavy breathing. He looked down at his trembling hands, then at his bruised reflection in the window. His mind was racing — with anger, confusion, and fea

As the tension lifted, Jane began tidying up the medicine bottles on the bedside table. Alan helped their father settle back under the blanket, adjusting the pillows. Amanda lingered for a few seconds, watching her father’s tired eyes flutter shut, the rise and fall of his chest finally steady again.When she returned to her room, the house had gone still. The day’s chaos slowly gave way to the quiet hum of the night.Amanda sat on the edge of her bed, the weight of everything pressing down on her — Elias’s cruel smirk, Elliot’s cold rejection, her father’s frail body, and the looming shadow of financial ruin.She lay back, staring at the ceiling, her mind spiraling through the fragments of the day. The image of her father, frail and worn out, haunted her. Then came the memory of the chaos earlier that day — the heated confrontation in Elliot’s office,She exhaled shakily. “Everything is falling apart,” she muttered to herself.Tears welled in her eyes, though she brushed them away be

Bruce turned toward Chris, stunned beyond words as he was unable to understand how Chris was closely acquainted with such a prominent individual as Travis.. Eva’s lips parted in astonishment, and Kate brought a trembling hand to her chest.Chris’s expression remained composed, his voice quiet but steady. “You’ve done enough for everyone else, Mr. Carter. It’s time someone did something for you.”For a moment, no one spoke. The silence was heavy, filled with gratitude, disbelief, and unspoken emotion. Bruce’s eyes shimmered faintly with tears he refused to let fall.“Chris… I don’t even know what to say,” Bruce whispered hoarsely.“Don’t say anything,” Chris replied softly. “Just focus on recovering. You deserve that much.”For the first time in years, Bruce Carter allowed himself to believe that he might stand again.Travis nodded in agreement. “I’ve already reviewed your medical scans and reports,” he said, flipping open a sleek tablet. “Your case is challenging, but I’m confident I

After changing into a simple yet elegant white dress, Amanda followed the coordinator through the corridor toward the VIP lounge. She didn’t think much of it—perhaps it was a brand representative, or someone offering a collaboration.But the moment she stepped into the room and saw him, she froze.Elias Brown was lounging casually on the leather sofa, the same charming smile from yesterday playing across his lips.“You…” Amanda muttered under her breath, her expression instantly hardening.Elias rose smoothly to his feet, his eyes gleaming with that same hungry fascination. “Miss Jensen,” he greeted, voice low and warm. “I’m glad you came. Please, have a seat.”Amanda’s jaw tightened. “No, thank you,” she said sharply, crossing her arms. “What are you doing here, Mr. Brown?”Elias gave a soft chuckle. “I think it’s fairly obvious. I came to see you.”Amanda’s eyes narrowed, her irritation flaring. “To see me? Are you serious? You don’t even know me.”“Oh, but I do now,” he said with a

The dark blue of the night sky framed the tall skyline of Brooklyn through the glass walls of Elliot’s penthouse. The low hum of city life echoed faintly from below as the brown Rolls-Royce pulled into the underground parking. Elliot stepped out first, his jaw still tense from the confrontation earlier. Amanda followed quietly, her hand pressed gently to her reddened cheek.When they reached the elevator, Amanda finally broke the silence.“Why did you bring me here, Elliot?” she asked softly, her voice trembling slightly. “You could’ve taken me home…”Elliot pressed the top floor button without looking at her.“You didn’t say anything when we were driving,” he replied in a calm but tired tone. “So I assumed you were fine with it.”Amanda frowned but said nothing more. The elevator doors slid open to reveal the penthouse — a spacious, elegantly lit apartment with floor-to-ceiling windows and sleek, minimalist furniture. The faint scent of sandalwood hung in the air.Elliot guided her to