Chapter 32

The room was cloaked in an awkward silence. After Ana's injuries had been treated, the two figures seated on the bed stared at each other neither daring to speak first. The air between them was thick with tension and unshed tears.

After several long, suffocating seconds, Ana lowered her gaze, unable to endure the piercing coldness in Adoni's eyes. Her lips trembled as she bit down gently, then parted to speak.

"I... I'm sorry that I lied to you, Mami, and A

Julie," she whispered, voice shaky. "I didn't have a choice back then. I accepted this family's offer to be a... a surrogate mother. In exchange, I received five million dollars. I used it all to save our family."

Her confession hung in the air like a dagger. Adonis blinked, stunned. It took a moment for her words to truly register, and when they did, his heart sank like a stone.

His worst fears had not been far from the truth. How could a girl barely twenty raise such a large amount of money so quickly?

"You sold your womb for money..." he said hoarsely, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her close. His eyes were bloodshot with pain and fury.

"Who gave you the right to do something like that? Why would you make such a decision on your own? Do you even understand how serious this is?"

Ana flinched at his tone. Her eyes filled with tears, and for a moment, her breath caught in her chest. Then, her own emotions erupted, spilling over in a cry of frustration.

"What did you expect me to do?!" she yelled, voice breaking. "Our family was falling apart! Mom was mentally exhausted. Julia was on her deathbed. Mr. Smith was threatening to destroy us if I didn't pay him. And you... you were in jail, Adonis. How was I supposed to handle everything? I was suffocating under the pressure! Did you expect me to sit and do nothing when I knew I could save you all?!"

Her knees gave way beneath her, and she collapsed to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. Months of silent suffering now poured out in broken, miserable cries.

Adonis's fury melted into remorse. Guilt stabbed at his chest as he knelt beside her, wrapping her in his arms.

"I'm sorry, Ana. I'm so sorry..." he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "Big brother failed you. I wasn't there to protect you… I let you carry this burden alone."

Ana clung to him like a child.

"I didn't have a choice… I just wanted everyone to be okay. Please forgive me for lying to you."

"It wasn't your fault," Adonis murmured, patting her back comfortingly. "I'm the one who has wronged you. But I swear… I'll make everything better again."

Neither of them noticed the faint creak of the door, or the figure peeking through the crack, phone in hand, silently snapping photos of the moment.

In the lavish confines of Kimberly's bedroom, a video call was underway.

"Harry, when are you coming home? You've been gone for so long. Someone really misses you," Kimberly said in a teasing tone, reclining on her bed.

But Harry's face remained stoic. His sharp gaze scanned the room beyond Kimberly.

"Where is she?" he asked coldly. "I've been calling her number, but she hasn't answered."

Kimberly bit her lip, struggling with her conscience. Should she tell him?

"You mean Ana?" she replied with a forced smile. "Oh, she wasn't feeling well earlier. Took some medicine and went to bed. She's probably still resting."

Meanwhile, in another wing of the estate, Sasha lounged gracefully on a recliner, her Persian cat curled in her lap. A maid knelt before her, head bowed low.

"Madam, this is what I got today. I believe you'll like the content," the maid said, handing her a phone.

Sasha took it and her expression lit up with delight as she scrolled through the pictures. Ana, crying in the arms of a man, one of the guards.

A slow, malicious smile curled her lips.

"Oh, Harry," she purred to herself. "Look at the woman you worship. Nothing more than a desperate little slut."

Turning to the maid, she clapped her hands once in approval. "You've done well. I'll reward you generously."

The maid beamed with pride. "Thank you, Madam. I'll keep watching her closely."

Since she couldn't enter the Lake House herself, Sasha had bribed this maid to be her eyes and ears. Anything involving Ana was to be reported especially anything that could ruin her in Harry's eyes.

And now, she had gold.

Belgium

Back at his private suite, Harry had just ended the call with Giselle when a new email appeared in his inbox. Anonymous.

He hovered his cursor over the delete button but then paused. A strange unease crept into his chest. With a click, the email opened, and what he saw made his blood run cold.

Photos.

Ana in another man's arms.

His jaw tightened. His eyes turned icy, dangerous.

He picked up the phone. "Get the jet ready. I'm going home tomorrow."

"But sir," Nolan protested, "you can't leave yet. The A Corp merger is tomorrow night..."

Harry snapped.

The laptop slammed shut, flying off the table in his frustration. The images burned into his mind like fire.

Ana. His Ana. In someone else's arms.

His possessiveness ran deeper than blood. Her heart, her body, her soul, they belonged to him alone.

And anyone who dared to touch what was his… would pay with their life.