26

"I—"

"Come in, I'll explain what's going on. Before you jump to any conclusions, I hope you don't assume anything," Darryl interjected firmly, cutting off my sentence.

Lidya could only accept his words while continuing to give me a cynical look. Obviously, no one would like this situation; I'd react the same way if I found my partner with another woman.

"I want you to respect Kesha as you respect me. She's my guest, and you don't need to give her that look, Lidya. Understand?" Darryl reprimanded Lidya, immediately causing her to shift her gaze to Darryl and nod quietly.

Honestly, Darryl's response can sometimes be too much; he's making Lidya feel cornered by my presence. He shouldn't act so cold and stern like this.

"Relax, everything will be fine," Darryl whispered, pulling my arm to lead me into his penthouse.

Lidya sat down on the sofa and folded her arms, watching as we approached the sofa.

"Kesha will stay in this penthouse, specifically in the upstairs room, for an indefinite pe