A False Heiress's Guide to Love and Power

In the darkness, York spoke in a low voice, but every word reached Ivan’s ears with crystal clarity. He threw off the covers, and the sudden glare from the bedside lamp made both of them squint.

“What are you doing…” York blinked, but before he could finish, Ivan grabbed his hand, cutting off his words in his throat.

Ivan didn’t say anything–he just shook his head. York understood: he meant for him not to go looking for Ileana.

“Alright, alright, I get it.” Mimicking Alessia’s habit of pinching his neek, York reached out and gave Ivan’s cheek a gentle squeeze. “Don’t be scared, okay? I’ll look out for you.”

York always thought he didn’t really need friends, but having someone to watch

over wasn’t so bad.

Inside, the mood grew lighter, but out in the living room, tension hung heavy in the air. Alessia quietly set down her spoon and fork, while Zachary had already

returned to his seat.

“Lessie, do you… do you know something you’re not telling us?” Brendan’s mouth twisted into a frown, his expression weary and defeated. He couldn’t understand where things had gone so wrong. How had it come to this?

at Alessia too, her gaze full of hope and dread. She wanted to believe this was all just a misunderstanding–but the possibility that it wasn’t terrified her. All these years, she had thought Ileana was just a little vain, but never truly capable of something

drained the hope from Karen’s eyes. She forced a brittle smile, disbelief written

Even when our family started falling on hard times,

pressed a trembling hand to her chest, her grief so raw it left Brendan

to decide to cut ties with her, seventeen years of memories didn’t just vanish overnight. The pain

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Chapter 152

tried to deny it.

grades. He’d protected her

evidence yet.” Alessia rubbed her

with Ileana was, it wasn’t really her concern. She cou their pain, but

Mortons‘

understand

you first find out Ileana wasn’t your