CHAPTER 246

ELODIE’S POV

I am furious, seething with anger at my own blood, my son, Adam. The lie I had to tell him burns in my mind— I said I spent the money on male escorts, knowing full well I don’t need any man. The truth is far more humiliating.

Ever since Eva left, I’ve been filling my days with kitty parties and gambling, desperately trying to stave off the crushing loneliness. But luck has not been on my side, and I’ve lost more than just money. Some of my most precious jewelry, family heirlooms, and symbols of my past, have slipped through my fingers in my futile attempts to win.

As I sit alone, I replay the conversation with Adam over and over. His words cut deep, his decision to ban me from the company fund stinging like a betrayal. After losing Eva, now I’m losing my financial security too. No retirement funds, no safety net. The enormity of my situation crashes down on me, a wave of regret and frustration threatening to drown me.

How I regret treating Aria like a maid, dismissing her