and sympathy for the teenage girl. She was caught in the cro

t gently, "I understand that. But I hope that with ti

s Yazmin watched her walk away, she couldn't help b

ough the opulent corridors of the mansion, she couldn't help but be awestruck by the sheer grandeur of the place. The walls were adorned with int

orated, a blend of elegance and comfort. Rich, earthy tones dominated the decor, and a large, ornate mirror graced one

ving her to her own devices. She dropped her bag onto the plush carpet. Her shoulder

er feet. The shower was a welcomed oasis, the warm water cascading over her body, washing away the weariness

ric absorbing the moisture from her skin. Droplets of water clung to her body, and sh

sence was unexpected, and his demeanor was cold, the air around them suddenly tinged with tension.

," he stated, his voice devoid of war

er presence in a towel caught her off guard, a mixtu

lend of defiance. "You know, an 'I'm sorry'

zmin couldn't quite decipher, but his response rema

ned within Yazmin– confusion and resentment. The do

d toward the bed, her body still warm from the shower, she couldn't help but wonder how she would be

.

to talk her into going back to boarding school or at least another boarding school. The principa

er bond wasn't like any other father-daughter bond because Ayra always r

t first, he had thought it was just teenage hormones but it continued. Ayra kept running away from the boardi

hout a mother and having an absent father a

as he surveyed the disarray. Clothes strewn across the floor, posters haphazardl

ness and concern. "You can't keep running away like thi

he floor, shattering into pieces. Blaine's frustration surged, a primal anger bubblin

As her tears spilled over, Blain

er voice a fragile whisper amidst the shards of b

tried to bridge the gap between them. "Ayra, I'm ju

did you let her leave? Why didn't you make her stay? You should have let her take me

carried for years, a truth that he had shielded her from, believing it was for the best. He could never bring himself to tell her her that he

ed, "Ayra, it's not that simple. Th

ated. "You never tell me anything.

ng in the air, each one a painful dagger that pierced through his heart. This wasn't the firs

want, but my real mom is going to come back somed

, the words caught in his throat as

nd away. "Just go

plessness. He had been pushing Ayra away for far too long just to shield his own vulnerability. He didn't want her to see his dark side so he h

.

xt mor

another, taking in the flurry of activity. One maid held a duvet, seemingly waiting for her to wake up so she could change it. Another was dusting the shelves, while yet another was rearranging the curtai

lared up, she wasn't sure what to ask first. Why they were in her room so early in the morning? Or why the

mbled with her words, as she

plied her, "Mr Sinclair instructed us to do all

"And why, pray tell, would he do something

be more befitting of your status" Tori

pened. "How convenient. And

rustration. "Mr. Sinclair told us

d to confront Mr. Sinclair before he could leave. When she caught up to him, she noticed the surprise on hi

almness. "The maids informed me that yo

iar. "They were no good," he dismissed. "You can't be seen wearing those around. You're my

Who was he to dictate what she could wear an

ned to see a tall, slender blonde woman with short hair approaching. The woman embraced Blaine, and both of them

in hers with a friendly smile. "You must be Yazm

seen Ramona before on television. She was an internati

e," she replied, mus

red as she turned her attention back to Blaine. Yazmin's heart skipped a beat

ies. It couldn't be a mere coincidence. It was undeniably Asher Delvin, the man she had spent six years o

aze met Asher's and she saw t