Talia hadn't stopped pacing.
Her bare feet whispered against the cool marble of Ethan's hallway, her silk robe flaring behind her like wings. Zane and Luna had finally gone down for their nap, but peace still hadn't returned to the Wolfe mansion. Not after what she'd just seen.
"Mia, are you absolutely sure?" she whispered, clutching her phone like it held her sanity.
Mia's voice crackled through the speaker. "Talia. I saw the message with my own eyes. Vanessa didn't just leak that twisted 'DNA discrepancy' lie—she's been meeting with that journalist. The one who's been sniffing around you two for weeks."
Talia's throat dried. "What the hell does she want now?"
"To ruin you. And Ethan. Publicly. Completely."
Talia sat on the edge of the plush armchair in the hallway, her hands trembling. Her fashion brand was finally gaining traction. Ethan was slowly letting go of his iron-clad control and letting love in. The twins were flourishing. Everything had begun to *feel* like home.
