wn, his fury palpable even t

e hollow dial tone as a profound sense

e director's house, sh

ng she could have imagined, leaving her no opportunity

triggered a wave of anxiety th

something-anything-to alle

ized in her mind: Tristan'

al days had restored a sense of

reached for her p

ver the dial button

rrangement for mutual benefit; she coul

Paulina needed h

n against Paulina. Without even touching the breakfast Tri

ard, however, she halted abruptly

straining against his protruding stomach. His murky eye

ssed woman whose heavy makeup fai

Lloyd-Gianna

t the hands of both Lachlan and Azaria-

her courage. She positioned herself protectively before Paul

nt you've become lately. A VIP room with premium care-no wonder you dared t

ed with indignation

I shouldn't be surprised. A girl raised without a mothe

o explode. Without thinking, she

ent deathl

ove, second only to agreeing to marry the man w

lap. When she recovered, she seized Gianna's

bled to the floor, her palms sc

e taking on a whining quality. "Ar

g at Gianna. "Are you looking for trouble? How

d, defiance blazing i

nacingly over her. "You'd better kneel, apolog

to use Paulina as leverage, forcing

luxury even he couldn't afford. The thought that Pauli

on, the more his anger intensified.

efuse to comply, I'll have this old woma

the floor, grabbed a nearby vase, and threatened, "You'r

a with contempt. "You? Fight me?" With that

collapsed to the floor, the vase slipping fr

curled into

g Mr. Brooks, you ran off with someone else and dared to stri

anna's hair, forcing her face towards

stinctively, but Azaria's other hand pinned her dow

fragments, Gianna closed her eyes, a pr

d made that ca