"Karen, if sothing’s going on, just tell us. You know we won’t judge you."
Karen clenched her fists. She wanted to tell them — to unburden herself. But how could she?
How could she admit that she’d fallen for soone else, soone dangerous, soone who wasn’t supposed to touch her but did anyway?
"I..." she began, but her throat tightened.
"Karen?" Lea whispered.
Chelsea rose from the bed and walked closer, her tone gentler now.
"Sis. We’re not your enemies. But if you keep lying, it’s only going to hurt more when the truth cos out. Just be honest with us. Who is he?"
The silence in the room felt heavy — thick with expectation and fear.
Karen’s lips trembled as she tried to form words, but nothing ca out.
"..."
She looked away, her reflection in the mirror showing a woman torn between guilt and longing.
The truth burned inside her, desperate to escape, yet she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
In that still mont, Karen realized that no secret could be hidden forever — not from her sisters, not from Marco, and certainly not from herself.
A few minutes passed, though to Karen they felt like hours.
The room was so silent that she could hear her own heartbeat echoing in her chest.
Chelsea and Lea sat in front of her, both watching closely, their faces serious but patient.
They didn’t speak — they didn’t need to.
The silence alone was heavy enough to demand an answer.
Karen’s hands twisted together nervously on her lap. Her throat felt dry.
She wanted to say sothing — anything — but the words caught sowhere between her chest and her lips.
Finally, she closed her eyes, drew in a deep breath, and let it out slowly.
"It’s Ross," she said at last, her voice soft and trembling. "Ross Oakley."
The mont the na left her mouth, it was as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
The air around her seed lighter, easier to breathe.
A wave of relief washed over her body, but it was quickly followed by the prickling awareness of her sisters’ stunned silence.
"Ross Oakley?" Chelsea repeated in disbelief. "Wait — Ross Oakley? The Ross Oakley?"
Karen nodded weakly.
Chelsea’s jaw dropped.
She leaned back against the chair, blinking rapidly as if she were trying to convince herself she’d misheard.
"You an the billionaire Ross Oakley? The one who practically owns everything we have right now right here? The man who saved us? The guy who—"
"Who already has wives," Lea interrupted, her tone caught sowhere between shock and awe. "And kids. Don’t forget the kids. Lots of them."
Chelsea turned toward her younger sister. "Exactly! How could she fall for him? Karen, he’s fifty!"
"Wrong," Lea said quickly, raising her hand as though presenting evidence in court.
"He’s turning forty-five this year in December. And seriously, Chels, he doesn’t even look it. Have you seen him recently? That man looks barely twenty. Perfect hair, perfect skin — ugh, he’s annoyingly handso after he took the heart stone buff."
Despite herself, Chelsea groaned and rolled her eyes. "Lea, you’re impossible."
Lea shrugged with a mischievous smile. "I’m just saying what everyone’s thinking. I can’t really bla Karen for... you know." She trailed off with a sly grin, and though the tension in the room didn’t disappear completely, it eased just enough for a nervous laugh to escape Chelsea’s lips.
Karen sat there, silent, eyes lowered.
Her heart was still racing, but she felt strangely calm after saying it out loud.
She’d been holding that truth inside for too long, and now that it was out, she almost felt free — even if she knew what ca next wouldn’t be easy.
Chelsea finally leaned forward again, her expression softening. "Karen... how long has this been going on?"
Karen hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "A few weeks," she said quietly. "It wasn’t supposed to happen. I didn’t plan it. I just... couldn’t stop myself. It started small — just searching for sothing, then I t him, and before I knew it..." She trailed off, unable to finish.
Lea’s eyes widened slightly. "And you actually—"
Karen’s silence was answer enough. Lea let out a low whistle, sitting back with wide eyes. "Wow. You really went all in, huh?"
"Uhmmmm..." Karen nodded.
"What about Marco? He deserves to know, Karen. You’re engaged to him." Chelsea argued.
Karen’s heart sank. The ntion of Marco’s na was like a dagger twisting in her chest. "I know," she whispered.
"Then why haven’t you told him?" Chelsea pressed gently but firmly. "He’ll find out eventually, you know that. Secrets like this... they don’t stay hidden."
Karen’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Because I don’t know how to tell him," she admitted, her voice cracking slightly. "I can’t just walk up to him and say, ’Oh, by the way, I slept with soone else — and not just anyone, but Ross Oakley.’ How do you even start that conversation?"
Chelsea didn’t answer imdiately.
Her lips pressed together in a thin line as she tried to find the right words.
Lea, sensing the shift in mood, reached out and placed a comforting hand on Karen’s arm.
"You’ll have to face it eventually, sis," Lea said softly. "But not alone. We’re here, okay? No matter how ssy it gets."
Karen’s eyes t hers, full of guilt and gratitude. "Thanks, Lea."
Chelsea exhaled deeply, running a hand through her hair. "I just... I can’t believe it’s Ross Oakley of all people," she muttered.
"You do realize what kind of man he is, right? He’s powerful, yes, but he’s not simple. His life’s full of won who would do anything for his attention. You could get hurt."
Karen looked away, her gaze drifting toward the window. "I know," she said quietly. "But when I’m with him... I don’t think about any of that. He makes feel alive, like I actually matter."
Lea sighed, shaking her head but smiling faintly. "You’ve got it bad, huh?"
"Yes." Karen admitted with a smile.
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