her city penthouse was replaced by a cold stillness, as if the wal

, from Rael-but she ignored them all. For the first time in years, she allowed herself to

raying her. They were weaponizing her kindness, twisting the found

ther, Margot, and his sister, Elaine, had always acted like grateful guests-smiling, nodd

oyalty belonged to the money, the power, the a

her breath heavy with perfume, and whispered, "You don't have to

g it as bitter jealousy. Now, she

marble countertop. Ho

est confidant, Darian-her busin

. "I suspected something was off. Rael's been acting strange for weeks. But

ces or revenge just yet. It was aching-ach

on, she conf

sunlit corner, scrolling casually through her phone like

was calm but ic

re good to me once," she said, voice soft but with a

h caught. "You

. "I didn't steal anything from you. Rael chose me

with rage. "You were s

plied coldly. "And some pe

she had called her closest friend had transformed into something u

, Tenaya's voice stopped

ning with a dark l

slammed b

ght of betrayal crush her. But beneath the pain, a sl

anym

e and typed a message to

ames en

t on lies, the stronges