Chapter 12: Slipping Masks

The morning light filtering into the shared office of *L’Aura* did nothing to warm the frigid tension in the room.

Clara sat at her desk, meticulously reviewing the inventory spreadsheets, while Simon paced like a caged animal behind her. His usual charismatic swagger h

Chapter 13: Doubt and Desire

After the hammer dropped, the silence in Victor’s penthouse was sudden and suffocating. The city lights of the skyline spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting long, sharp shadows across the minimalist furniture. Clara stood by the marble kitchen island, he

Chapter 14: The Sisterly Chat

For three agonizing seconds, neither woman moved. The sprawling, luxurious lobby of the Sterling residential tower felt suddenly as small and suffocating as a closet.

Elise’s perfectly manicured eyebrows shot up toward her hairline. Her gaze flicked from Clara’s slig