A few days passed, and a day came when Damien’s grandfather called, and said he wanted to see both him and Lauren. “What do you think he might want to say?” Lauren asked him, out of curiosity. “Well, I don’t know. But I’m hoping it’s good news.” Damien said as he drove. At least, for the past few days that had passed, they had learned to tolerate each other again, so Liam didn’t need to be interrupting at every interval. Lauren felt herself tense as she didn’t know what the outcome could be. For days now, she had not seen Quincy, and then he had also made up with her by calling her and explaining the situation to her. She was glad that he at least explained to her, but she just couldn’t help but feel that he still had at least, an atom of love for Kohler, and that hurt her deeply each time she thought about it. Soon, they got to his family house, and on getting there, it was only the grandfather who was present at the dining table. But there was no food served there. “Welcome,

Chapter 164Darius studied Kohler for a moment, his expression hard to read. The tension between them hung in the air like a thick fog, both of them playing a delicate game of manipulation and trust. "I'll be the judge of that," he replied, his voice calm but sharp, like the edge of a blade.Kohler chuckled lightly, masking the slight tremor that threatened to creep into her voice. "Fair enough," she said. "But you know I wouldn't be here if I didn't have what it takes."Darius took a step closer, his gaze narrowing. "We'll see." He glanced over at Quincy, who remained motionless in the backseat, supposedly unconscious. "You’ve done well to bring him here. Now, let’s see if you can handle what comes next."Kohler swallowed hard but nodded, reminding herself to keep calm. Quincy had drilled into her the importance of staying in control. "Of course," she said, standing tall.Darius gestured to one of the men, and he stepped forward with a syringe filled with a clear liquid. "This," Dari

Chapter 166Kohler slowly stirred awake the next morning to the soft strains of music drifting through the air. Her mind, still foggy with sleep, searched for the familiar warmth of Quincy beside her, but the space in the bed was cold and empty. Confused, she opened her eyes, blinking away the haze of dreams. As her gaze adjusted, something unexpected caught her attention—rose petals, scattered across the bed in delicate patterns of red. Her heart skipped a beat. She sat up, her fingers brushing over the soft petals, a surprised smile forming on her lips. The roses didn’t just cover the bed; they formed a trail on the floor, leading out of the bedroom like a path designed to guide her somewhere.Curiosity piqued, Kohler swung her legs off the bed and stood, her bare feet padding softly across the floor. The music played softly in the background, its romantic melody weaving into the air like a whisper meant just for her. Her heartbeat quickened, and she followed the trail of rose peta