Chapter 42 Soon, a stir rippled through the side entrance of the Norse Mansion. Conversations faltered. Heads turned. A line of men stepped in—some broad-shouldered and silver at the temples, others older but still carrying themselves with soldier-straight backs. They walked two by two, instinctively synchronized, like formation had never

Chapter 41 When Lara and Amelia emerged from the mansion, Shay struggled out of her chair and ran toward Lara. She ran too fast, and Sarah could not catch up. “Mommy, you’re back.” Shay’s cheerful voice reached Lara’s ears. “Where have you been? Why did you disappear for so long

Chapter 40 Amelia was lost in herself, she forgot that she wasn’t alone in the restroom. “You’re trying to reject yourself before anyone else can p> Lara’s gentle voice startled her. “It feels safer. But it’s still cowardice p> Amelia flinched. Cowardice. The truth stung worse than the gossip. Because

Chapter 39 “Oh,” Lara said casually, meeting Amelia’s eyes in the mirror, “it’s you p> “You know me?” Amelia asked as she straightened her back. Lara hesitated as she looked at the reflection of the girl in the mirror whose eyes had turned red from crying. “I just heard some

Chapter 38 Amelia felt so stifled. The laughter around her felt too loud, the music too sharp, the air too thick with perfume and champagne. Every word, every glance, pressed against her ribs like invisible hands squeezing tighter and tighter. If she stayed one second longer, she was certain she

Chapter 37 If Lara wanted to play, she’d learn her place. Layla clapped her hands lightly. “Oh! Lara, since you’re Shay’s governess, maybe you can help p> Her tone brightened artificially. “There are extra drinks that need to be brought to the officers’ table. The staff’s short tonight p> A

Chapter 36 Lara’s steps slowed without her permission. Something in her chest tightened. It wasn’t attraction nor nerves. It was something else. Like a thread had just tugged inside her ribcage. A pull. Quiet but undeniable. The youngest Norse—Lucas —laughed at something Madeline said. And the sound hit her like

Chapter 35 “But she’s my Mommy p> Shay’s said it again—louder and more forceful. “You can’t take her away from me p> The words cracked through the lawn like a gunshot. Conversations died mid-sentence. Wine glasses hovered halfway to lips. Laughter collapsed into silence. Every head turned. First to the

Chapter 34 It was Saturday, and dusk was about to fall in Lanura. As the twilight deepens, the city’s lights begin to spark—streetlights and neon signs turned on, turning the metropolis into a “river of headlights” and a “sea of gold and silver p> Lara leaned slightly toward the window,

Chapter 33 Like the day before, Ares offered to drop Lara, Shay, and Sarah at the school. Sarah reached for the back door first. She wanted the seat beside Shay… beside Ares. Close enough to smell his cologne. Close enough to pretend she mattered. She slid halfway in. It took

Chapter 32 “Do you know him?” Lara asked when she caught the shift in Ares’ expression. It was subtle, but she didn’t miss it—the way his jaw tightened, the way his eyes lost their usual lazy calm. Ares gave a careless shrug, like it meant nothing. “An old acquaintance p>

Chapter 31 Before Lara could knock on the door, a deep, pleasant voice echoed from within. “The door is open. Come in p> His voice was not loud. Didn’t need to be. It was the kind of voice that assumed obedience. Lara paused for half a second, then pushed the

Chapter 30 At Obsidian Peak, the city shimmered beneath the glass walls, traffic sliding through avenues in slow currents, rooftops flashing white under the early-afternoon glare. From the penthouse, it looked almost peaceful. Like a frozen postcard. Ares didn’t see any of it. His attention was locked on his phone.

Chapter 29 Across the restaurant, two children watched like they were at the movies. They’d pushed their desserts aside, attention locked on a table at the corner. “That’s her,” Aira whispered, bouncing in her seat. The pink bow in her hair bobbed with every word. She grabbed the boy beside

Chapter 28 Sarah’s message was answered almost immediately. Her phone vibrated once in her pocket. She slipped it out just enough to read the screen. There were three words. Short, sharp and final. That was all. Her lips curved, small and satisfied, before she locked the phone and tucked it

Chapter 27 At the top floor of the Obsidian Peak building, Ares stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office, the city sprawling beneath him in glass and steel. Lara’s calm and precise voice still lingered faintly through the speaker. Not the flustered questions of a careless nanny. He didn’t

Chapter 26 Shay’s lashes trembled. “But,” Lara added softly, brushing hair from the girl’s face, “you can call me Mommy anytime you want, okay? Wherever. Whenever p> For a second, Shay just stared at her. Then she smiled—shy, but real. Like that was enough. Like Lara had just given her

Chapter 25 They were almost at the gate when Shay stopped cold. Lara followed her gaze and immediately understood why. The drop-off lane was packed. Four cars had just pulled in back-to-back, commanding attention without trying—a stretched black limousine, two Bentleys, and a Rolls-Royce Phantom, glossy and oversized, its presence

Chapter 24 When Teacher Alice began her lesson, Lara retrieved the unassuming cellphone she had purchased earlier. The device was plain—cheap casing, nothing that would draw attention. She angled it so only she could see the screen and opened a website that had caught her eye days ago. A money-making

Chapter 23 The words were so soft, barely audible, yet they struck Lara with startling force. She walked Shay to the back of the classroom, her steps slow, deliberate. As Shay settled into her seat, Lara couldn’t help but notice how different the child was here—shoulders drawn inward, eyes wary,