Aria's heart skipped a beat as she continued watching Lyra. She kept her head up stiffly, trying hard not to expose her sudden anxiety. Her expression was frozen, and her body language instantly became guarded. Hot sweat crept up the base of her palms as she maintained her defensive stance, wondering inwardly how much information Barbara could have shared with her."How much could she have possibly heard? Was it enough to worry about?" She queried herself in the awkward silence.Meanwhile, Lyra, on the other hand, did not seem to have noticed her friend's sudden change in attitude. She had instead leaned back casually on her chair before she continued speaking."Crazy story." She mouthed, shaking her head lazily."So Barbara told me how she actually went there to report her baby daddy to his friend, a fellow gambler, obviously."Aria's shoulders slumped at once. After Lyra was done, she let out a quick breath of relief.And then she murmured a quick "oh." beneath her breath, blinking
"I'm really sorry, ma'am. I tried to stop her, but she pushed me off." Lyra's secretary appealed with a pleading tone from behind her."It's okay, Bancroft." Lyra waved quickly, glancing at Mirabel once more before signaling for her to leave. Bancroft curtsied and immediately did as she was told.Aria cleared her throat and shifted on her seat as she also watched Mirabel guardedly.Her seat was not so far away from where Mirabel was standing."You snake!" Mirabel spat out at once as Bancroft left, pointing at Lyra with one finger as her voice trembled with rage."So you have finally succeeded in bewitching my brother, haven't you? You... I don't even know what to call you." She gasped, brushing her face with both palms and exhaling before she began to speak again. Meanwhile, Lyra maintained a stiffened posture from her seat, a slightly confused and surprised expression on her face."So you tried the first time, and it didn't work. Then you decided to upgrade your fucking dark sche
"I still don't understand why Mirabel would do such." Dante whispered again, allowing his croaky voice to trail off. His already rumpled face was screwed in further confusion. Lyra opened her mouth to say something, but before she could get the words out, Dante had already made a quick turn in the direction of the armchair, where his phone was lying on the cushion.The moment he grabbed it, Lyra stepped forward simultaneously, and a little bit forcefully, she reached out and snatched the phone from him."W...what are you doing?" Dante stuttered in a lowered tone."What does it look like I am doing?" Lyra raised her voice a little in contrast. Dante immediately sensed the tremble in her voice and the hint of raw emotion it bore. He became quiet."What did you do to your sister because of me?"She queried.Dante glanced at her and looked away.Then he turned to glance at her again and sucked his teeth before answering with a slight flap of his arm against his side."Look, she was the
"I missed you too," Lyra confessed back, surprising herself by how true the words felt to her. Dante gasped for a second, the way he widened his eyes after her confession showed that her response had stunned him as well.The expression on his face was a mix of happiness and disbelief. They gazed at themselves for a second time. The interval had not lasted for too long before they hastily grabbed themselves, lips and bodies pressed together even more tightly.Dante's hands slipped under Lyra's blouse, feeling the contours of her shapely body and grabbing the fleshy mounds of her breasts.Lyra let out a soft moan, sliding her fingers through his hair and tugging gently.She met his gaze, her eyes filled with urgent desire.In the next instant, Dante swept Lyra off her feet carrying her into his arms and bearing her up as he led the way to his bedroom.On getting there, Dante dropped her on the bed hurriedly. He took off his shirt at once to reveal his muscular, slightly hairy ches
Lyra took in a deep breath allowing a space of silence after Dante asked the question.Her mood suddenly became dull. Dante was quiet as well. It was his way of respecting the sensitive nature of the moment."The man is not my biological father." Lyra said after some time, her eyes focused on space.Dante continued watching, keeping his silence and determined not to interrupt."After I parked out of your place and at the point in time when I almost took my own life..."Her voice trailed off. She paused because a little teary crack had appeared in her voice as she reminisced on the past event. Dante looked away guiltily, knowing the part he played in that particular scene. A little uneasy silence ensued until Lyra was able to compose herself, breaking the silence once again."It was this man, who saved me. It was he who took me into his home and gave me my life back. Luckily for me, his wife was also as kind as he was. And it was after meeting them that everything changed for good
A few days later, Lyra was sitting next to her office desk, immersed in her work and sketching up something as usual, when her phone buzzed vibrantly on her desk. She glanced at the screen and saw James's name flashing on it. With a mix of surprise and bubbling excitement, she grabbed the phone to answer."Dad!""Eleanor, sweetheart, we've just arrived in your city a few minutes ago. We are at the airport now. Emily is with me too."Her heart leaped. "I'm screaming right now. Finally! This is so great!" Lyra exclaimed getting up at once."You saw the address I texted to you earlier right? I'll be heading home right away. I can't wait to see you both." She babbled further."Oh dear, we can't wait too." Janes cheered back happily."But one more thing though." He added."What?""We might join you a few minutes late. There's someone we need to see quickly before coming over.""Oh that's fine...that's fine," Lyra repeated happily packing up her things at the same thing as she started t
"Dad?" Lyra whispered, nonplussed by Dante's reaction. Slowly she turned back to face James face who was now wearing a sympathetic look. Emily was also nodding steadily in the same manner beside him making pleading gestures to Dante who now had a reddened glare on his own face."How?" She mumbled."I said what are you both doing here!" Dante suddenly raised his voice again, startling every one of them.“Don't tell me you followed back from there.” he continued.Then he paused to glance at Lyra before looking at his father again."Wait, you are the one who saved Lyra?"James took a deep sigh, shifted forward to the edge of his chair, and jammed his hands together before he began to speak."Son....."(FLASHBACK TO FEW HOURS AGO)After the call with Lyra, James and Emily had boarded a cab to the old Cooper's mansion.As soon as they drove passed the huge gate and spaced out walls of the estate they could immediately see his mother; grandmother Alessandra, Dante, and Mirabel waiting for
"I am talking about this dirty stinking opportunist you guys picked from the gutters or wherever you found her. She might think herself a queen now but that doesn't change the fact that she is and will always be the wretched low life, your foolish son Dante decided to help with our money." Mirabel continued even more harshly, pointing at Lyra with disdain."What?" James and Emily exchanged glances looking horrified by Mirabel's words.Dante immediately gestured at Lyra in a way that said she should remain calm before turning angrily to face Mirabel."Now shut that hole of yours Mirabel, Lyra is my fiancée and you will show respect when you address her." He declared."Fian...what?" Mirabel burst out laughing derisively."You're just one big stubborn buffalo, Dante. You don't learn from your mistakes...I mean didn't you learn anything from the last time? What if you discover she has twenty kids this time? Trust me this whore certainly has more skeletons in her cupboard.""I said ke