Ethan’s focus was consumed by Katherine’s claim about Lauren hating him. It gnawed at him, but not because he believed it—no, he doubted Lauren ever hated him, even when he left her. Though he didn’t want to rely on Katherine’s words, the glimmer of raw truth in her eyes convinced him that, for once, she wasn’t entirely lying. And yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something deeper she wasn’t saying. He had observed Lauren closely in the few days since his return and hadn’t seen even a flicker of hatred in her. All he saw was hurt—the kind of pain only betrayal could cause. That’s why he wasn’t going to let Katherine’s words stand unchallenged. If Lauren truly hated him, he needed to find out for himself.“Katherine,” he said finally, his voice low and hoarse, but laced with a cold sharpness that made her shiver. “You’re lying.”Katherine’s eyes widened in shock. She had been prepared for a lot of reactions—anger, disbelief, even acceptance—but not this. “Wha…what do yo

Alex Walker stared at his daughter, his mind racing with the shocking revelation. Ethan Maverick—the man whose family had been utterly destroyed, the man they had written off as nothing more than a relic of a fallen dynasty—was now the owner of E.M Corporation.His fingers tightened around the armrest of the chair as he tried to process the information. His heartbeat pounded in his chest, a deep sense of dread settling in. He had assumed that after the Maverick family's downfall, Ethan had disappeared into obscurity, ruined beyond repair. But now, he was not just back—he was more powerful than ever.“Katherine, do you realize what this means?” His voice came out slow, measured, laced with worry.Katherine, who was still nursing the stinging sensation on her cheek, nodded quickly. “Dad, that’s why I rushed home. He’s dangerous, and he made it clear that he is coming for us.”Alex exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples as he tried to think of a way out of this. The Walkers had wealth, but

Asper Stanley was silent for a while, his expression unreadable. Then, with a slow, deliberate sigh, he finally spoke."Okay then. She is an arrogant person anyway. Let’s see how much arrogance she will still have after this happens to her."A small click followed his words, signaling the end of the recording. And then, silence.For a fleeting second, the vast hall remained frozen in time, as though the very air had thickened, trapping everyone in a moment of disbelief. Then, like an explosion, the silence shattered.The room burst into chaos.Gasps, murmurs, and frantic whispers filled the air. Reporters exchanged glances, their professional instincts kicking in as they scrambled to process what they had just heard. Some looked genuinely shocked, their faces contorted with disbelief. Others, seasoned journalists who had covered their fair share of scandals, merely raised their brows, their expressions hinting at the thought: This is just another tale of deception in the high society.

Katherine Walker sat stiffly in her room, her fingers clenched so tightly around the hem of her silk robe that her knuckles turned white. The air around her felt suffocating, thick with anxiety and an overwhelming sense of dread. She had barely slept in days, haunted by Ethan Maverick’s chilling warning. His words echoed in her head repeatedly, refusing to fade no matter how hard she tried to ignore them.She had never seen him that furious before—his presence alone had been enough to send shivers down her spine. And now, after everything, she was completely trapped, unable to move forward or backward.Since her disastrous visit to E.M Corporation, she hadn't stepped foot outside. The walls of her luxurious bedroom, once a sanctuary, now felt like a prison closing in on her. Even the expensive chandeliers that used to make her feel powerful and rich seemed dimmer, their glow unable to chase away the growing shadows in her mind.She was desperate. She had done everything within her pow

Grey Stanley’s face darkened with cold fury, his aged but still powerful hands tightening into fists as he fixed his piercing gaze on Lara Jean. His silver hair, neatly combed back, only made him look more intimidating as his sharp eyes locked onto her trembling form.“Are you deaf?!” he thundered, his deep voice slicing through the tense air like a blade.The entire dining hall fell into absolute silence.Not even the faintest rustling of cutlery or the usual murmurs of servants moving about the estate could be heard. The weight of his words had sucked all the warmth out of the room, leaving only the cold, suffocating presence of his wrath.Lara Jean’s heart pounded wildly in her chest, her throat tightening as she struggled to form a coherent response. She had known Grey Stanley for years, had lived under the same roof as him for decades, and yet she had never seen this level of rage directed at her.She wasn’t just afraid—she was terrified.She had always understood that Grey Stanl