lelanidebbiee

After a fleeting one-night affair with a stranger, the wealthy and beautiful Lani  Carlisle finds herself the target of public scorn. The situation worsens when her father drove her out of the house. Driven by the pressure, Lani becomes a workaholic and hires a personal assistant to care for her kids. But everything changes when her daughter becomes deeply attached to him, even wishing he were her father.

As Lani unexpectedly falls for him, she faces judgment from both her family and society. Will she accept her fate, or fight for the love she desires?

Find out in "Unbreakable Ties"

Unbreakable Ties

Vanessa sat frozen, staring at the picture of Elias and Lani on her phone.

She hadn't spoken to Lani in years—not since their friendship had ended on bitter terms. And now, fate had brought her into Lani's life again… but in the most unexpected way.

She glanced up, watching Elias as he worked, completely unaware of her discovery.

Back at home, Lani couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Elias had become more distant lately—physically exhausted, emotionally unavailable, and always brushing off any concerns she had.

She had tried not to push him, knowing he had a lot on his plate. But when he came home late again that night, looking completely drained, she couldn't hold back anymore.

"Elias," she called, stopping him in the hallway before he could go to their room.

He turned to her, his expression weary. "Yeah?"

Lani crossed her arms. "You need to tell me what's going on."

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Lani, I told you—"

"I don't believe you," she cut him off, frustration in her voice. "You look like hell. You barely eat, you barely sleep, and I know you're hiding something from me."

Elias hesitated. "I just want to do better, Lani. I need to prove that I can take care of this family."

Lani's expression softened slightly, but she shook her head. "You already do. You don't need to destroy yourself for that."

Elias forced a small smile. "I'll be fine."

Lani exhaled sharply, knowing she wasn't going to get the truth out of him just yet.

The next day at work, Vanessa walked into Elias's office, holding two cups of coffee.

"You look like you need this," she said, placing one in front of him.

Elias looked up, surprised. "Thanks."

Vanessa sat down across from him, watching him with curiosity. "So, Elias… tell me something. Do you have a family?"

Elias nearly choked on his coffee. "W-What?"

Vanessa smirked. "Come on, don't look so surprised. A man like you? Hardworking, responsible? I'm sure there's someone waiting for you at home."

Elias hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. My wife and kids."

Vanessa leaned back in her chair, a playful glint in her eyes. "Your wife must be pretty lucky."

Elias chuckled. "I'm the lucky one."

Vanessa studied him carefully. Does he have any idea who I am?

"So… what's your wife like?" she asked, feigning casual interest.

Elias smiled, a warmth filling his eyes. "She's amazing. Strong, kind, stubborn as hell—but that's one of the things I love about her."

Vanessa hummed, pretending to be thoughtful. "She sounds familiar."

Vanessa shrugged. "Maybe I've met her before."

Elias laughed lightly. "Doubt it. She's not really involved in my work life."

Vanessa smiled, but inside, she was grinning for a different reason.

Later that night, Vanessa sat in her car outside the office, staring at her phone.

She had been debating something all day.

Or… should she play with this situation a little longer?

A mischievous smirk tugged at her lips.

She had the perfect way to step back into her life.

Vanessa clicked on Lani's profile, hovering over the message button.

Then, after a moment, she typed a single sentence.

"Hey, old friend. Long time no see."

Chapter 58: The Past Resurfaces.