Adela fidgeted with her fingers, feeling slightly uneasy in the quiet car. Even after all these years, something about being around Layson made her uncomfortable. It wasn’t fear—at least, not anymore—but an awareness that unsettled her. Layson, sitting beside her in the driver’s seat, stole a glance at her out of the corner of his eye. Five years had passed, and she had changed in so many ways, yet some things remained the same. Like now, her small, nervous habits gave away her discomfort. It was both frustrating and endearing.“How have you been these past five years?” Layson asked, his voice calm yet oddly weighted with something deeper.Adela turned sharply to look at him, clearly caught off guard. She hadn’t expected that—hadn’t expected him to ask such a personal question. Layson had never been the type to inquire about others’ lives, not in a way that felt… genuine. He had always kept his distance, detached and unreadable. The fact that he was asking now threw her completely off
When Layson returned to the Norman estate, he found Richard and Diana still sitting in the living room. However, Ralph was nowhere in sight."Where's Ralph?" he asked, glancing upstairs.Diana, surprised to see Layson back, hesitated before answering. Earlier that afternoon, she had struggled to console Ralph, yet Layson had managed to calm him down with just a phone call. She had no idea what he had said to him."He's in his room. What did you say to him this afternoon? I couldn’t get him to stop crying, no matter what I did."Layson didn't answer. He simply looked toward the second floor, knowing that Ralph had taken today’s events to heart. Without another word, he headed upstairs.Richard frowned. "Crying? But he barely knows her. They haven’t spent much time together."Diana shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe he just naturally longs for his mother."To her, this was actually a good thing—it saved them from having to build their bond from scratch. Still, even she found it strange how dee
Adela arrived at Starry Jewelry early in the morning, wanting to familiarize herself with the environment before her first official workday began. She believed that making a good first impression was important, especially in a company filled with elite designers.Each designer at Starry Jewelry was assigned a personal assistant, and Adela had already received the contact information for hers. They had spoken briefly over the phone the previous day. As soon as she stepped into the company lobby, she spotted a young woman waiting for her."Good morning, Ms. Walton. I'm your assistant, Juliet," the young woman greeted her with a polite smile.Adela took a quick glance at the girl in front of her—she looked to be about twenty, with a soft-spoken demeanor and a hint of nervousness in her eyes. Over the phone, Juliet had sounded gentle and professional, and now in person, she seemed exactly the same. Adela extended her hand warmly."Hi, Juliet! Just call me Adela—no need for formalities."J
Adela felt a little awkward stepping into the meeting room, but the others barely acknowledged her. Once everyone was seated, Cora turned on the projector, displaying this season’s summer collection sketches. Adela carefully examined the designs and could tell immediately that they were of high quality.“These designs fit well with our summer theme, and these have been approved,” Cora began, pointing at a few selections. “But the ones toward the end don’t work. The theme alignment is weak, and their overall concept doesn’t quite fit.”As Cora listed the issues one by one, Adela nodded internally. She had noticed the same problems while reviewing the sketches. The team was engaged, discussing ideas back and forth. The meeting had been going on for nearly an hour when suddenly, Cora turned to her.“Adela, what do you think?”Caught off guard, Adela’s eyes widened. For the first time, all eyes in the room landed on her. Some looked curious, others skeptical. She could sense that not ever
Leopold Davis had been curious about Adela ever since he discovered who she was. He had looked into her background and found plenty of information about her time in the UK, but anything beyond that? A dead end. The only person who could fill in the blanks was Layson Norman, and he wasn’t talking. That, in itself, was enough to make Leopold even more intrigued. He had known Layson for years, and this was the first time he had ever heard of a woman being connected to him in such a significant way. It was practically a miracle.As soon as he stepped out of the elevator, he made a beeline for the Elegance team’s workspace. Leopold wasn’t the type to go unnoticed—whenever he appeared, people paid attention. He was the biggest source of gossip in the design department, so the moment he entered, all eyes naturally followed him, landing squarely on Adela."How are you settling in?" he asked casually.Adela, caught off guard, looked up at him in surprise. She had thought she’d arrived early, y
Adela had been working at Starry Jewelry for a few days now, and everything was going smoothly. She had finally settled into her new home and had arranged with Mrs. Anderson to pick up Herbie that evening. As she glanced at the time, she realized it was almost the end of the workday, but the design department was still bustling with activity.With the first quarter coming to an end, each design team was finalizing their collections. The entire department was working overtime, making last-minute adjustments. Cora walked over to Adela’s desk and tapped lightly on it, signaling her to follow. Adela looked up, slightly puzzled but quickly got up and followed her to the conference room.“What’s going on, Cora?” Adela asked as she stepped inside, noticing Cora’s serious expression.Without responding immediately, Cora pulled out a few design sketches and placed them in front of Adela. Adela picked them up and quickly realized they were her own designs for the summer collection.“These are m
Leopold Davis twirled a pen between his fingers, lost in thought. Since this was about Adela, he figured he might as well give Layson Norman a call. Though, in all honesty, he was more interested in messing with Layson than actually solving Adela’s problem. When Layson saw Leopold’s name flash on his screen, he hesitated before answering. He had a feeling this was going to be yet another call filled with annoying questions he had no interest in answering."What?" Layson answered, his tone as indifferent as ever."Adela’s designs require a high amount of materials. The budget committee might cut them," Leopold said, amusement lacing his voice, already anticipating Layson’s reaction.Layson’s brows furrowed. He knew exactly what Leopold was up to. That half-smirk in his voice was obvious. But instead of playing along, Layson cut straight to the point."Let her do it. I’ll cover the cost."Leopold was momentarily speechless. He hadn’t expected Layson to agree so easily. Not that he minde
"Who is it, Adela?"Herbie called out from the dining table, her voice filled with curiosity. It was unusual for them to have visitors, especially since Adela had just moved in and hadn’t even told anyone about her new place. Adela frowned slightly as she set down her glass and walked toward the door."I have no idea," she replied, her brows furrowing as she cautiously opened the door just a crack to see who was outside.To her surprise, standing at the doorstep was none other than Layson Norman. Adela’s mind went blank for a moment, unable to process why he was here. Seeing her stunned reaction, Layson’s lips curled into a faint, almost amused smile."You moved into a new place, so I thought I’d come by and check it out," he said casually, his hands tucked into his pockets, his tone as composed as ever.Adela was still processing the shock of seeing him when her eyes caught sight of a small figure stepping out from behind Layson. It was the little boy she had met twice before—Ralph.
Layson drove steadily through the quiet streets, making sure Adela and Herbie got home safely. After seeing them both settled, he finally left and headed straight to the police station. Meanwhile, Liam Walton was in the interrogation room with the officers, listening to Ella’s statement. Apparently, she had been following Adela for a while, originally just intending to ask her for money. But somehow, her greed had spiraled out of control, and things escalated into the kidnapping of Herbie.“I have nothing more to say. I just wanted to take her with me,” Ella muttered, her head hanging low. The confidence and aggression she had earlier were now gone, replaced by a hollow expression. Sitting in the dimly lit interrogation room, she seemed completely unaware of the weight of her actions.Liam, who had come to check on the situation, frowned at her indifferent attitude. “Do you even realize what you’ve done?”Ella scoffed and lifted her head slightly. “What did I do? Taking my own daughte
Ella watched as Jackson surrendered, surrounded by countless cars. She knew that today was the end of the road for her—there was no escape. Just as she came to this realization, Layson’s car arrived.Adela saw the chaotic scene before them, and a deep sense of unease settled in her chest. The moment the car came to a stop, she hurriedly pushed the door open and ran out. Layson hadn’t even had time to react before she was already on her way. His heart clenched in alarm—police officers had their weapons drawn, and the situation was clearly dangerous."Adela, come back!"Layson quickly opened his door to chase after her. At the same time, Liam’s car pulled up, and he caught sight of Adela rushing toward the scene. His chest tightened with anxiety.Adela ran into the crowd of officers but didn’t see Herbie or Ella. Instead, she only spotted a man she didn’t recognize. Her heart pounded in fear."Where is my sister, Herbie?"She grabbed a nearby officer, desperate for answers. The uncertai
As soon as Adela stepped into the dimly lit apartment, the stench hit her like a wave—damp mold mixed with the acrid scent of cigarettes and alcohol. The place reeked of decay, of hopelessness. The police had already arrived, but the room was empty. The only things left behind were a dirty mattress and a chair with loose ropes around it. Clearly, they had missed them."Mr. Norman, by the time we got here, they were already gone," an officer reported.Adela walked further inside, her heart tightening as she imagined Herbie sitting there, tied up, scared, trapped in this suffocating place. Her mind raced with a whirlwind of emotions—fear, anger, and a deep-seated guilt. If only she had been more cautious. If only she had noticed something was off sooner.“We need to find them. Now.” Layson’s voice was calm, but the authority in his tone was undeniable. He was fuming inside, not just at the situation, but at himself for underestimating Ella. He had always seen her as nothing more than a
The dimly lit room reeked of damp mold, mixed with the stifling scent of cigarette smoke, making Herbie feel dizzy. Her hands had been tied up for so long that they had gone numb. Across the room, Ella and Jackson sat on a moldy, yellowed mattress, both frowning deeply."So, you're saying we should use this kid to get money from her sister?" Jackson took a long drag from his cigarette, the smoke curling through the damp air, barely dispersing before it clung to the surroundings like an invisible fog. Ella cast a glance at Herbie, who was bound tightly, her eyes darkening with ruthless intent. A chill ran down Herbie’s spine as her sense of unease grew stronger."Yes, her sister has money now. Once we get our hands on a decent amount, we can get out of here and start over somewhere better." Ella’s eyes glimmered with greed, her mind already envisioning a brighter future, oblivious to how terrifying her expression had become. Jackson observed her face and felt a flicker of hesitation. H
Layson saw the redness in Adela's eyes, and it felt like someone had squeezed his heart. A wave of pain surged through him. Without thinking, he gently patted her arms, trying to comfort her."Don't worry, I'm here."His words were like an anchor, grounding her amidst the chaos. Somehow, just knowing he was there made everything feel a little less terrifying, as if things would turn out okay."It’s alright. Get in the car first."Layson held her close and guided her into the car, but he stayed outside, making a call. Adela watched him through the window, noticing the way his brows furrowed as he spoke. She couldn't hear everything clearly, but she caught bits and pieces. His eyes flickered toward her every so often, checking on her. The subtle gestures, the quiet attention—it warmed her heart in a way she hadn’t expected.When he finally finished the call, he circled the car and slid into the driver’s seat.He had been in the middle of a crucial meeting when Mrs. Anderson’s call came
Herbie was heading home as usual that day, completely unaware that she would run into someone from her past—someone she hadn’t seen in years. When she first saw Ella standing there on the street, it took her a moment to even recognize her. The woman looked older, much thinner, and had a weary, almost defeated air about her. Life had clearly not been kind to her."Herbie!"Ella had been waiting along Herbie’s usual route home, and her sudden appearance startled the girl so much that she instinctively took several steps back. Her only memory of this woman was from when she was five years old—the same woman who had abandoned her, leaving her alone in the same house where her father had died."Herbie, it's me, your mother."Ella's face was filled with an exaggerated sadness, as if genuinely hurt by Herbie’s reaction. But her presence here wasn’t some spontaneous decision—she had been planning this moment for a long time. She had been watching, observing from a distance, learning about Her
Liam Walton watched as the old man slowly made his way up the stairs, his back slightly hunched with age. He could tell that his grandfather was feeling down. The man who had once commanded power and influence in the business world was now worn out, troubled by family matters that refused to resolve themselves.Turning back to Evelyn, Liam gently stroked her hand, offering silent comfort."By the way, Liam, when is your father coming back?" the old man suddenly asked, pausing at the staircase. He had almost forgotten that Spencer had called, saying he was returning soon. The thought only struck him now."His flight is the day after tomorrow," Liam replied, his voice carrying a mix of anticipation and tension. He hadn’t yet told his father that they had found Adela.Spencer Walton had left for overseas after his wife passed away. He had been devastated by her death, completely unable to recover from the grief. The knowledge that he had a daughter who had been abandoned only added to hi
The room was filled with the gentle trickle of a small indoor fountain, the sound making the silence between them even more pronounced. Adela sat with her head slightly lowered, absentmindedly toying with her fingers as she processed everything Liam had just told her. She could understand now why she had been abandoned—it was a desperate move, a last resort by a mother trying to protect both her children. But understanding didn't make it any easier to accept.“Adela, I know this isn’t something you can just accept overnight,” Liam said, his voice carrying a mix of patience and pleading. “But Grandpa’s getting older. He’s been hoping for years that you’d come back.”Adela’s lips pressed together into a tight line. She barely remembered her grandfather, and whatever connection they might have had was severed long ago. As far as she was concerned, she had spent her entire life as an outsider to the Walton family, and she wasn’t sure she wanted that to change now.Liam exhaled, sensing he
It was a cold night, one without rain but with a biting wind that swept through the dark streets of New York. Under the dim glow of streetlights, a woman walked slowly, cradling a baby in her arms. She was well-dressed, her makeup still flawless despite the lateness of the hour. Even in the shadows, one could tell she was a strikingly beautiful woman.The child in her arms was unusually quiet, not frightened by the howling wind, as if sensing the inevitable abandonment looming ahead. Perhaps, in its innocent way, the baby was trying to be good, trying not to upset the mother who was about to leave it behind. Wide, curious eyes gazed up at the world, unaffected by the chill in the air.At this hour, New York’s streets were nearly deserted, especially on such a cold night. Most houses had their doors tightly shut, leaving only the occasional glow of lights spilling out onto the pavement. The woman walked aimlessly, as though searching for something—or perhaps stalling for time.At the e