Chapter 16 The Rochefort Group headquarters stood quietly against the morning sky, all glass and steel. Arianne stepped out of the car without hesitation, her movements unhurried and her expression neutral. It had been years since she last entered a building like this—not as a guest, but as someone expected

Chapter 15 Franz returned home past midnight. He didn’t mean to come home late, but his meeting ran longer than he expected. The house was dark, save for the small lamp on in the living room. The twins were already asleep upstairs. He regretted not being able to accompany them

Chapter 14 The car pulled away from the curb in silence. Neither Samantha nor the twins uttered a word as they left the villa where Arianne was staying. City light slid past in a blur. Samantha kept her eyes on the road, one hand on the wheel, the other resting

Chapter 13 Silence lingered after the presentation ended. Lily didn’t look away from Arianne. She studied her face carefully, as if waiting for some clue to appear. When it didn’t, she spoke again. “Is that why you didn’t stay p> Her question was soft, but careful. It wasn’t an accusation.

Chapter 12 Arianne wasn’t expecting to see Alex’s children when the door opened. She paused for a moment before her composure returned, her eyes moving from Samantha to the two young children beside her. Lily held Leo’s hand tightly, her expression nervous. Meanwhile, Leo clutched an envelope against his chest

Chapter 11 Lily realized something after her conversation with her Uncle Franz, but she didn’t know what it was until she found out what adults mean by consultant much later. She heard from her grandparents that Arianne had started working with their Uncle Franz as his consultant, helping him manage

Chapter 10 The room the twins stayed in was never meant to be permanent. It wasn’t the first time they stayed at their Uncle Franz’s place, but it was clearly not suitable for young children like them. The place was too clean, the decor too neutral and not functional, unlike

Chapter 9 Franz visited Arianne a few days after the funeral. Arianne was seated by the window, a cup of untouched coffee in her hands, her eyes fixed on the cityscape outside her hotel room. Since her return, she has already received a few phone calls and emails asking for

Chapter 8 Franz Rochefort had learned long ago how to be quiet when it mattered, though his stunning looks kept most people unable to look away. From the corner of the sitting room, he watched Arianne standing by the window, engaged in small talk with Samantha. She hadn’t smiled since

Chapter 7 The Rocheforts’ ancestral mansion was quieter than Arianne remembered. Even with servants moving about and low murmurs of conversation reaching her ears, there was a still atmosphere that had not been there before. It had the kind of silence that made one uncomfortable and alone, even with people

Chapter 6 Arianne did not move at first. The mausoleum was quiet except for the uneven sound of the young boy’s breathing and the patter of rain outside. The boy on the floor clutched the worn lion doll tightly, his small body curled inward as if trying to make himself

Chapter 5 The cemetery was nearly empty by the time Arianne approached the mausoleum. The rain had softened into a steady drizzle. The ground beneath her shoes was damp, the soil dark where it had been disturbed only hours earlier. She entered the mausoleum. The graves were surrounded by fresh

Chapter 4 The rain poured on the day of the funeral, mirroring the grief that hung heavily over the Rochefort family and those who had gathered to mourn the sudden passing of Alex and Layla. Rain drummed steadily against umbrellas and stones, pooling along the narrow paths between graves. Shoes

Chapter 3 Five years later. At the airport, a reporter tried to get closer to Arianne as she passed through the arrival gate. Noticing she was being followed, she raised an inquisitive brow. He looked away first, lowering his phone and disappearing into the crowd, likely realizing it wasn’t worth

Chapter 2 The moment the car doors closed, the noise of the outside world faded into nothing. Arianne sat quietly in the backseat, her gaze fixed on the passing scenery. The city lights blurred together as rain streaked down the glass, turning everything indistinct. She rested her hands on her

Chapter 1 “You are a shrewd woman,” Dominic said calmly. “Do you think I would want to spend the rest of my life with someone like you p> Dominic Blackwood didn’t raise his voice. He never had to. The hall fell silent. Arianne stood at the center of the hall,