Brenda stepped out of the police station, putting on her dark goggles as she tired to hide her face from the sun. It was her usual signature when she wanted to act like the baddie that she knew how best to be.She knew exactly what she was doing, and she knew how manipulation can be the perfect arsenal to unwind people's convictions, and she could tell that it would not be any different even for Harry.For a moment, she didn’t look back. Her expression was unreadable, her sharp eyes fixed straight ahead as she exited the secluded compound and walked briskly toward her car parked in the shadows beyond the gates.Sliding into the driver’s seat of her sleek black Maserati, Brenda exhaled deeply. For the first time in hours, the mask of composure she wore began to crack. For a long moment she just sat there, her fingers drumming on the steering wheel, her mind spinning. The meeting with Harry had gone as she expected — confusion, anger, denial — but there had been a flicker in his eyes b

The woman pushed herself shakily to her feet as she pointed once more at Wilfreda. Her voice trembled, but her words carried enough force to cut through every other sound in the restaurant.“Don’t you dare defend her!” she shouted, her tone cracking under the weight of emotion. “I know that face! I’ll never forget it as long as I live. That girl—” she jabbed her finger again, eyes wild with certainty “—that girl stood there the night Marco died! She was there with that young man who took the blame for her. He was arrested while she walked away free!”A wave of murmurs swept through the restaurant, rising like a tide. Guests turned in their seats. Waiters froze mid-motion, uncertain whether to intervene. The gentle hum of jazz music still played, absurdly calm against the tension that now hung like static in the air.Wilfreda stood rooted to the spot, her pulse hammering in her ears. For a fleeting moment, she thought she might pass out. Her fingers trembled as she reached for the edge

The drive back to the Helsin residence was a quiet one. The city lights streaked past the windows, the hum of the car filling the silence that neither Chance nor Chloe dared to break. Wilfreda sat in the back seat, her hands folded tightly on her lap, her eyes distant. Everything that had happened—the accusations, still weighed heavily on her.She wished there was a way she could have avoided what happened that night. She never intended to hurt anyone, and was merely trying to protect Harry.She thought of Harry, and what he was probably going through in prison right now all because of her. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes but she quickly held them back.She wished she could just shut her eyes and wake up to see that everything that had been happening to her was nothing but a dream. But each time she did, she woke up to the sad reality that everything that was happening was as real as it was.When they finally arrived, Professor Helsin was already waiting by the door. The porch

The next morning came heavy with silence — the kind that seemed to hang in the corridors like a living thing. The O’Connor estate was always immaculate, but today it felt colder, and emptier.Chance stood outside Julia’s door for nearly a minute before knocking.He’d barely slept. The argument from the night before still rang in his head, every word replaying in sharp, accusing echoes. He had been wrong to miss the reception — not because of the cameras, not because of the politics, but because he knew what it meant to Julia. After everything they’d lost, she’d wanted this one evening to remind the world — and herself — that the O’Connors were still standing.He could understand the pressure upon her mother as the president of a nation like the United States, and the least he could actually do for her was to be there whenever she needed him, to make her see that she wasn't alone in the matters of the country, but he had failed to make that happen.From behind the door, he heard voic

Prime Minister Rajan Mehra chuckled, walking toward Priya and gently placing a hand on her shoulder. “Perhaps. But I’m not blind, beta. I saw the way you both looked at each other. You think he might be the one?"Priya looked down briefly, her voice softening. “He’s… not what I imagined the son of an American president would be. There’s something… real about him. Something he tries hard to hide.”Rajan’s gaze softened, the teasing fading into something more thoughtful. “Then tread carefully, my dear. Men like him — born into power, raised among wolves — they either learn to guard their hearts or forget they have one.”Priya met his eyes, nodding slowly. “I know, Papa.”The prime minister smiled faintly, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. “Still, it’s good to see you smile again. Washington can be a lonely city for visitors, even for a prime minister’s daughter.”Priya’s lips curved into a gentler smile. “It’s not so lonely anymore,” she said quietly.Rajan chuckled again a