go straigh
and baths and bedtime stories. But deep down, she knew the truth-she needed time. Time
ence heavier. The children were in the living room with the babysitter Adrian had arranged, the
uted, jumping up
immediately, practical and serious,
lowly, watching her carefully, a
nto her arms. Their warmth grounded her.
you," she
one by one. She lingered longer than usual-brushing Elena's hair, straightening Noa
like she might need the me
iet, Lina sat alone at the kitchen
ternal memos. A consent form bearing a signature that looked like h
omach
't just a
e layered with sil
hone
le: Where
osed he
city stretched out below, glittering and indifferent. He stood the moment she ente
o long," he
o think," L
sit. Neit
eaten you?"
Lina sa
ched. "Which
't make demands." Lina placed the env
t for a long momen
the darker his e
nally. "Some of this was never
kno
the narrative," he said
g," Lina finished. "She
and dropped into his ch
cted softly. "Th
ching her face. "You shou
nted me
exactl
mmediately. "I'm sorry. I just... I needed to se
d n
Now I know she's pat
bbing a hand over his
aid quickly.
fro
ha
into a public war," Lina said. "And Ethan, N
ying?" His voice wa
ed. "We protect the kids. We document ev
e reluctant admiration flickering
llow smile. "S
interrup
ale. "I'm sorry to interrupt, bu
ightened. "
d the review," she said. "They wa
heart d
d sharply. "That's impossi
formation,'" the as
t the ro
nform
ri
moved," Lin
ned. "I won't let t
Lina said. "The system
, Lina bar
re dawn and cleaned obsessively-scrubbing counters that were already spotless, rearranging toy
nock came, her ne
e. Polite. Professiona
th a practiced smile. "We're her
o Lina's legs as the
estions. Too
cipline. About finances.
She smiled when appropriate. She
ed at the wall where the ch
their father w
ed-just for
said. "He's
ental figure?" the wo
ned. "She's... recen
cribbled so
on felt louder
stood at her penthouse wind
de now," a vo
calmly. "Let me kno
d and stared do
ore was
thout power was
t her life on unde
d leaned against it, her knees giving out. She slid to the
hone
ail noti
mediate Rev
red at t
hook as she
ed reading the first l
d already decided
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