The Kiss that Sparked it All

Chapter 2418

Balfour stood alone in the sterile hospital corridor, his mind a whirlwind of recent events that left him with a pounding headache. Watching the doctors wheel Mara away for tests, he couldn’t help but be swamped by a sense of déjà vu, recalling the fraught days with her sister, Victoria, and the turmoil they had gone through.

After a while, he let out a weary sigh, his thoughts drifting to Ivy. Despite her rise in the cutthroat world of showbiz, she had never lost her integrity. She never harbored intentions to harm others, focusing solely on her craft, on being the best actress she

could be.

The thought of Ivy caught in a maelstrom of public scandal made his heart ache anew. The mess, he conceded, was his fault. If only he had steadfastly believed in her, trusted her words, they wouldn’t be in this heartbreaking standoff.

He knew his hasty, hurtful words had cut Ivy deep. But seeing Mara on the ground had triggered haunting memories of Victoria’s kidnapping, and the helplessness he had felt then. His emotional defenses had crumbled in that moment.

set the stage

first time. If he had addressed the undercurrents of feelings

his stance, perhaps their lives wouldn’t have spiraled out of control. Regret, an emotion alien to

conscience.

investigation continued, the case unraveling

had left a heavy digital footprint. A look into her bank records revealed a recent

her to frame Ivy. The question remained, who would dare cross the formidable Mrs. Howard?

Mara, felt a burden lift off her shoulders. A lawyer would be arranged; she just had to show up

possibly go

reveled in her online persona, basking in the anticipation her followers had for her next expose of the industry’s dark underbelly. Ignored in real life, she thrived in