Sofia’s hands trembled as she stormed out of her mother’s mansion. The night air hit her face, cool and heavy, but it did nothing to calm the storm raging inside her chest. Her mother’s words echoed in her head — “Andrea can never be the lost heir!” — and the sound of it felt like poison spreading through her veins.She entered the garage, her heels clicking sharply on the concrete floor. Without thinking, she grabbed her car keys and slid into her white Mercedes. The moment the engine roared to life, she pressed her foot hard on the accelerator and sped out of the compound.The streets blurred as she drove aimlessly through the city, tears stinging her eyes. How could everything fall apart so quickly? One moment, she was certain she knew who Andrea was — and now, her entire world felt like a lie.By the time she stopped, she found herself parked outside a dimly lit bar on the outskirts of the city. She didn’t think twice. She walked in, her perfume mixing with the stale scent of alco

Chapter 55The door creaked softly as Sofia stepped into the quiet hospital room.The air smelled faintly of disinfectant and lavender — the kind of calm scent hospitals used to mask pain. The room was neat, filled with the soft hum of machines and the rhythmic beep of a heart monitor.Andrea’s grandmother lay on the bed, her frail frame wrapped in a thin blanket, her silver hair spread across the pillow like strands of silk. Her breathing was soft and steady — peaceful, unaware.Sofia hesitated at the doorway for a moment, her heart thudding in her chest. Then, she quietly shut the door behind her and walked forward. The sound of her heels softened as she approached the bed, each step filled with a strange mix of guilt and determination.She pulled a stool closer and sat down gently, her eyes studying the old woman’s face — so kind, so worn by years, yet somehow still beautiful. Sofia reached out and took her hand, warm but fragile in her palm.“Grandma…” she whispered, her voice tre

The next morning, Andrea arrived at WhiteWater Corporation, his chest tightening as soon as he stepped through the glass doors. The whispers started almost immediately, he has get use to the whispered now, it seems they aren't tired if it. small, sharp voices cutting through the air like blades.“There he is… the one who stole from his wife.”“Unbelievable. And he still has the nerve to show up?”“Heard he begged her family for money too.”Andrea kept walking, pretending not to hear. His steps were steady, but inside, anger and humiliation churned like a storm. He’d worked too hard to let gossip drag him down now.When he reached his desk, a message popped up on his screen:“Report to Supervisor Yvette’s office immediately.”His stomach dropped. Yvette Morgan was known for her cold professionalism and zero tolerance for scandal.Andrea took a deep breath and knocked on her door.“Come in,” came her crisp voice.He entered, bowing his head slightly. “Good morning, ma’am.”Yvette looked

The intern group chat was always a noisy place — half gossip, half chaos.But that afternoon, when Gracie opened it, everything went eerily still inside her.Her thumb froze over her phone screen.The new message sat there, glowing in the chat window like a bruise she couldn’t look away from:> Laura: “You know, I’m starting to think the rumors about Andrea might not be all false. He’s been acting strange lately…”The typing bubbles beneath the message flickered on and off as people reacted — a few laughing emojis, some cryptic replies, and one intern even sent,> “I knew it. He’s too calm for someone innocent.”Gracie felt her chest tighten.Her first instinct was disbelief — she blinked, reading the words again, hoping maybe she’d misunderstood. But no. It was Laura’s profile picture. Laura’s name. Laura’s message.Laura — the same girl who’d laughed with Andrea last week during lunch.The same one who’d offered him help, who’d acted like she cared.Gracie clenched her jaw and turne

Chapter 61 The night felt heavier than usual.Andrea sat quietly on the couch, staring at the floor while Maria paced the living room. The soft hum of the air conditioner couldn’t drown out the storm brewing in her chest.When he finally told her what had happened at WhiteWater Corporation — the humiliation, the whispers, the way his supervisor had spoken to him — Maria froze for a full ten seconds.Then, slowly, she turned toward him, her eyes sharp like a blade.“What did you just say?” she asked, her voice dangerously calm.Andrea sighed, rubbing his temples. “It’s fine, Maria. Don’t get angry. It’s just… the rumors. They’re saying things again. The supervisor thinks I’m a liability because of the scandal.”Maria clenched her jaw. “And you let her talk to you like that?”“She’s my superior,” he replied. “I didn’t want to make things worse.”Maria’s laughter came out low — not from amusement, but disbelief. “Andrea, are you hearing yourself? They insulted you, humiliated you, and y