CHAPTER 122 — A TABLE FOR TWO AND A THOUSAND UNSAID THINGSThe restaurant smelled like melted butter and warm spices—soft, cozy things Mia hadn’t felt around her in a long time. The lights were low but golden, making the whole place look like a safe pocket of warmth tucked away from the rest of the world.A waitress led them to a booth near the window. Mia slid into her seat so quietly that Kelvin frowned; she used to hop into chairs, legs swinging, loud, alive. Now she sat like she didn’t want to take up space.Kelvin forced a smile for her. “Pick anything you want. No rules.”She nodded, eyes scanning the menu like it was written in a different language.Kelvin didn’t bother opening his. He kept watching her—small hands tracing the laminated page, lips pressed together in concentration, shoulders still too tight, too alert.The waitress returned. “Ready to order?”Mia whispered, “Pancakes… with strawberries. And fries. Please.”Kelvin added his order—simple, quick—before handing the

CHAPTER 124 — THE KING WALKS INThe music was loud enough to shake the glasses on the table—heavy bass, fake laughter, clinking champagne flutes. The rooftop hall of D&K Cosmetics looked like a magazine spread: employees dressed their best, cameras flashing, waiters weaving between bodies with trays of tiny overpriced snacks.Tonight was supposed to be Diana’s night.A new collaboration. A huge investor from Canada. Reporters everywhere.Diana loved two things: power… and being seen holding it.So of course she came back from her “romantic getaway” with Harry wearing sunglasses bigger than her face and stress bigger than her ego. The trip wasn’t even that great—Harry snored, complained about every hotel towel, and spent half the vacation taking calls—but she told herself they had the time of their lives in Miami.Truth was, the only reason she rushed back wasn’t love.It was business.The minute she heard Mr. Collins—the Mr. Collins, the billionaire investor who could triple the compa

CHAPTER 126 — THE MAN WHO BROUGHT THE ROOM TO ITS KNEES Kelvin’s mouth curved into a slow, razor-edged smile.Not a warm smile.Not a polite one.A smile that promised chaos.He took his time strolling forward, weaving easily between startled guests, eyes flicking across the sea of faces now parting involuntarily. His pace was measured, almost taunting, like he was walking across a stage he suddenly owned.When he finally stopped, he stood directly in the center of the spotlight—literally. The rooftop lighting caught him perfectly, throwing his shadow long and dark against the marble.He clasped his hands calmly behind his back, looked around as if admiring their decorations……and then said, loud enough for every recording phone:“Wow. Isn’t this adorable? A whore and her little playmate. Truly picture-perfect.”Gasps slapped the air.Diana felt the breath punch out of her lungs.Someone dropped a champagne flute and it shattered.A woman in a gold dress covered her mouth.A journali

CHAPTER 128 — THE GUARDS WHO WEREN’T WHO THEY SEEMED“Oh, you actually thought they were going to kick me out?” Kelvin’s voice slid across the room like a knife, calm, teasing, but edged with fire. He let his gaze roam the crowd, letting each whisper, each sideways glance, land exactly where he wanted it. Every head that turned toward him seemed to shrink under his presence, the air thickening with audacity, as if daring anyone to challenge him.Harry’s jaw tightened. “Obviously, you don’t belong here. We’re going to get Diana’s guards to—” He leaned toward the nearest uniformed men at the edges of the crowd and hissed, sharp enough to cut glass, “Get him out. Now.”But the guards didn’t move. Not a twitch. Not a glance toward Harry. They simply stood there, statuesque, arms folded, eyes alert, like they were carved from stone, entirely unbothered by the tension climbing faster than a thermometer in summer.Harry’s mouth went dry. He glanced back at Diana, hoping for some confirmation

CHAPTER 130— THE NIGHT THE BLACKS HOSTED THE DINNERThe night the Blacks opened their mansion to the entire elite circle was the night everything quietly shifted—like the universe exhaled and decided someone’s destiny needed to be rearranged. The invitations were gold-foiled, handwritten, and delivered like royal summons. Everyone who mattered in the city was expected to attend. Everyone who mattered—or pretended they did.And that included Harry and Diana. Harry wasn’t important though, just Diana’s plus one.Harry offered his arm in the car, and even though they weren’t technically dating, he had this annoyingly gentlemanly way of making you feel like you should blush. The camera flashes outside the mansion gates made it worse. Paparazzi acted like the Black Mansion was the second coming of the Oscars.“Ready?” Harry asked as their car rolled to a stop.She wasn’t. But she nodded like someone who had her life under control.The doors opened. Heat, lights, and whispers immediately cr