The Billionaire's Mistake

MISTAKE 118

Chapter 118: Must keep up the lie

Hazel blinked, momentarily stunned. "My... sister? You mean Anya? But I've never even met her, and you know it is because she is not my..." "Shut it! If I say she is, then she is." Shaina replied, her attention focused on the safe's contents

"Someone has paid a lot of money for the to show.. same face as me,

but her daughter is married Into the Shaw family. If anyone can help us with a Mafia problem, it's them."

I can't believe she has the

Hazel's mind reeled with this new information. She'd always known there was no sister. Her

mother had made it up. Some paid her? Well, she did not care as long as they could use her.

"Are you sure they're that powerful? I mean, how do you know they can help?"

Shaina didn't answer immediately. She was staring into the safe, her face a mask of shock and disbelief. "No," she whispered. "No, no, no!"

"Mom? What's wrong?" Hazel asked, alarmed by her mother's sudden panic.

Shaina began tearing through the bedroom, yanking open drawers and upending boxes. "It's gone," she muttered, more to herself than to Hazel. "It can't be gone. Where is it?" Hazel watched in bewilderment as her usually composed mother descended into frantic searching. "What's gone? Mom, you're scaring me. What are you looking for?"

Shaina whirled to face her daughter, her eyes wide with fear and frustration. "The leverage," she said, her voice cracking. "I've lost our leverage."

"Leverage? What leverage?" Hazel asked, struggling to keep up with the rapid turn of events.

Shaina sank onto the bed; her energy

uddenly depleted. She looked up at Hazel, tears glistening in her eyes. "I abandoned Anya when she was a child," she confessed, the words

heavy with long-buried guilt. "I wasn't sure she'd be willing to help us, so II took something from her father's safe. Something to bargain with if she refused."

Hazel stared at her mother, shocked by this revelation. "You stole Mafia family?"

from Anya's father? From a

But now it's

to process everything she'd learned in the last few minutes. Her own problems suddenly seemed to pale in comparison to the web of secrets and danger she'd unknowingly been

on their side, Shaina's phone started ringing. It

to inspect the orchard. Why have you not gone yet?" The old woman screamed,

few days because she felt she would soon meet Anya as long

going over," Shaina answered

in the Rose Mansion, Daniel glanced

said, his voice gentle as he approached her. "I need to

keep up the

glanced up at Daniel, her eyes filled with curiosity as she listened to his

you telling me this?"

her reluctance to trust

wondering if you'd like to come with me." Daniel said, his

Daniel's invitation, her heart fluttering with uncertainty. She couldn't shake the feeling that Daniel was up to something. "Are you going to bring

"No."

the better of her as she wondered

some quality time with her. He knew that he had

filled with excitement. "Let's pack up. We'll

days."

the trip ahead, Daniel couldn't help but feel

anticipation

Anya out of the

feel a sense of excitement coursing through her veins. It was her first time traveling by helicopter, and she was in awe of the sleek aircraft as it soared through

they touched down in Appletown, Anya's eyes widened in wonder at the bustling city below. She had never seen a city from this angle,

to the hotel, Anya's excitement quickly gave way to confusion

he said, and she shot him a

she would have her own room, but he had

asked, her voice filled with disbelief.

a smile playing at the corners of his lips as he let Anya inside the

asked, his voice casual as he led

wasn't convinced. What can't he do to her? A

couldn't help but feel slightly uneasy. A bit of discomfort

he would really only book one