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

now it's gone, and without it... She trailed off, the implications

own problems suddenly seemed to pale in

side, Shaina's

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

days because she felt she would soon meet Anya as long as she could find out

just going over," Shaina answered

Mansion, Daniel

Daniel said, his voice gentle as he approached her. "I need to go on a

keep up

Daniel, her eyes filled

telling me this?" Anya asked, her

her reluctance to trust him after the

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

eyes widened in surprise at Daniel's invitation, her heart fluttering with uncertainty. She couldn't shake the feeling that Daniel was up to something. "Are

"No."

in agreement, her curiosity getting the better of her as she wondered what Daniel

as he realized that he had a chance to spend some quality time with her. He knew that he had a long way to go before he could win her heart, but he

excitement. "Let's pack up. We'll be gone

days."

her belongings and prepared for the trip ahead, Daniel couldn't

of anticipation

Daniel led Anya out of

but feel a sense of excitement coursing through her veins. It was her

never seen a city from this angle, the towering buildings and bustling streets a stark contrast to the quiet solitude

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

settle into our room first," he said, and she

would have her own

together?" Anya asked, her voice filled with disbelief. Even at

corners of his lips as he let

you?" Daniel asked, his voice casual as he led Anya towards the reception

he do to

but feel slightly uneasy. A

he would really only book