CHAPTER 72– TINY TYRANT, BIG DRAMAThe rumble of the school bus hit the street like a drumroll, and Kelvin froze mid-kiss, his tie half undone, heart leaping into his throat. Diana shrieked, hands scrambling over the sheets, tugging at her blouse, cheeks burning hotter than the stove.“Shit! The bus!” Kelvin hissed, yanking the zipper of his pants in a panic while simultaneously trying to grab a shirt.Diana shoved the nearest robe over herself, twisting it around her like a human pretzel. “Mia’s home! Mia’s home! Oh no, oh no, oh no!”From the curb, a tiny voice called out, impatient, carrying the unstoppable energy of a six-year-old. “Mom! Dad! I’m home!”Mia stepped down from the bus, her backpack swinging, shoes scuffing the sidewalk. She squinted at the front window, catching a glimpse of her parents—red-faced, flustered, half-covered. Her little hands shot to her hips. “Uh… hi?”Kelvin froze, mid-button, eyes wide. “Mia! Sweetie! Hi, honey!” He yanked on his shirt like it had be

CHAPTER 74 – DINNER AT LA PERLEThe drive to Miss Clara’s house was anything but peaceful.Mia sang off-key in the back seat, swinging her bunny by the ears, while Kelvin gripped the steering wheel like it was the only thing keeping him alive. Diana sat beside him, arms crossed, gaze fixed out the window, every inch of her body radiating silent judgment.The car smelled faintly of Diana’s perfume and grilled cheese crumbs from Mia’s lunch box. Somewhere between the traffic lights and Mia’s third rendition of “Let It Go,” Kelvin decided that silence was probably safer than small talk.Mia leaned forward, her little voice breaking through the tension. “Daddy, are we almost there?”Kelvin forced a smile into the rearview mirror. “Almost, sweetheart. Five more minutes.”“Five minutes is forever,” Mia groaned dramatically, flopping back in her seat. “Aunty Clara better have cookies ready.”“She always does,” Kelvin said, too quickly.Diana shot him a look that could’ve set the dashboard on

CHAPTER 76 – DINNER FOR OBEDIENCE The invitation came wrapped in silence and perfume.Joyce found it on the marble counter that morning — an embossed white envelope sealed with gold wax, sitting beside her mother’s untouched cup of tea. The scent of roses clung to it, too deliberate to be accidental.Her mother didn’t look up from her newspaper when she spoke. “He dropped by this morning.”Joyce froze halfway to the kettle. “Who?”“You know who,” Mrs. Arizona said smoothly, flipping a page. “Mr. Williams. He said you left things unsettled the other night.”Joyce’s pulse quickened. “You mean the night I ran away from his proposal?”Her father’s voice cut in, cold and controlled. “The night you embarrassed this family.”Joyce turned to face him. He stood by the window, hands clasped behind his back, his expression carved from disappointment. “Dad, I—”He raised a hand. “Don’t. You’ve said enough. You will meet him tonight.”Joyce blinked. “Meet him?”Mrs. Arizona set her cup down with

CHAPTER 78– HOT, HOTTER… HOTTEST Before she could process the promise in those words, his hands were on her. They slid from her face to her shoulders, his grip was strong. With a low growl that vibrated through her very bones, he physically pivoted her in his lap. The world spun for a dizzying moment—the blur of the fogged window, the dark leather seats—and then her back was flush against his chest, her face turned toward the glass reflecting his triumphant expression.“What are you—” she began, but the protest died in her throat as his hands found her hips, his fingers digging into the soft flesh there with a possessiveness that stole her breath.This isn’t for him, she had thought moments ago. But now, the control she had so fiercely claimed was being wrested away, and a treacherous, shocking thrill shot through her. The sight of Kelvin’s easy smile, the bitch Diana , the crushing certainty that she was unloved and unwanted—it all coalesced into a desperate need to feel anything el

CHAPTER 80– THE KISS THAT LIEDFor a moment, Kelvin thought his heart had stopped.Everything inside him went still — the breath in his chest, the thoughts in his head, even the trembling in his fingers. The world blurred until all that existed was the inside of that car — Joyce, Leviathan, and the truth he’d just stumbled into.Leviathan’s face twisted first — fury, sharp and instant, as he realized the door had opened. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” His voice ripped through the night, rough and cold.Kelvin didn’t answer. Couldn’t. His gaze was locked on Joyce.She sat there, frozen, her skin pale and bare against the emerald silk. Her hair was a little messy, her chest rising too fast as she clutched her breast with one trembling hand. Her lips parted like she wanted to say something — anything — but no sound came out.For the first time since he’d met her, Joyce looked… human. Not composed, not untouchable, not the woman who always knew what to say. Just shattered.Kel