2025-07-04 05:13:13
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Chapter 208
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
Chapter 207
The car doors clicked shut, and the engine of Chance's car came to life, breaking the fragile stillness. As the vehicle rolled down the quiet street, Wilfreda stood beside her mother under the porch light, watching the taillights fade into the darkness.Professor Helsin placed an arm around her shoulders and whispered, “He meant what he said, you know. He’ll protect you. They both will.”Wilfreda nodded slowly, her voice barely a whisper. “I know, Mom… I just hope it’s enough.”Inside the car, Chloe glanced sideways at Chance, her expression thoughtful. “You really meant that, didn’t you? What you told her — that you’d protect her no matter what.”Chance’s gaze stayed fixed on the road ahead, his jaw tightening slightly. “She’s family, Chloe, and that means something. Especially now.”Chloe nodded quietly, turning her eyes to the passing lights outside the window.The hum of the car filled the silence between them, soft and steady — a rhythm that somehow felt louder than words. The c
Chapter 206
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
Chapter 205
As Chance moved to the driver’s side, Chloe circled around and slid into the passenger seat. Inside the car, Wilfreda sat silently, her hands clasped in her lap, her knuckles white.The engine purred to life, but none of them spoke. The tension was thick enough to taste, every unspoken truth filling the air.Chance’s grip on the wheel tightened. His eyes flicked to the rearview mirror, meeting Wilfreda’s reflection—haunted, pale, and trembling.The ride from the restaurant felt endless as no one spoke.The only sounds were the soft hum of the engine and the occasional shuffle of Wilfreda’s hands in her lap as she fidgeted—her fingers trembling, clutching and unclutching the hem of her black dress like she was trying to hold herself together.Inside the car, everything was silent, except for the storm brewing in their minds.Chloe’s gaze kept flicking toward the backseat through the side mirror, her heart twisting every time she saw Wilfreda’s pale face reflected against the glass. The
Chapter 204
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
Chapter 203
The restaurant buzzed softly with the hum of midday conversation, the faint clinking of glasses, the murmur of voices blending with the low jazz playing from the ceiling speakers. It was one of those high-end establishments where the waiters moved with the grace of dancers and every meal looked like a work of art.Gary sat opposite Courtney in a secluded booth near the window, the soft afternoon light glancing across his face. He looked unusually relaxed for the first time in days. The chaos of the estate, Brenda’s probing questions, the pressure of managing Stannis Holdings — all of it felt distant here.Courtney smiled at him, a flicker of hesitation behind her eyes before she finally spoke. “Gary, can I ask you something… without you taking it the wrong way?”Gary tilted his head slightly, setting down his drink. “You can ask me anything. What’s up?”She exhaled, nervously playing with the edge of her napkin. “I don’t know if I’m imagining things, but… I get this feeling your aunt
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