He rushed forward and pulled Tyler into a tight embrace.
"Thank goodness... thank goodness you’re safe!"
Tyler’s own emotions broke at that mont. His shoulders shook as he hugged the driver back, tears slipping down his face.
"I thought... I thought I wasn’t going to make it," he admitted in a choked voice.
Watching the two of them cry, Lana rolled her eyes slightly.
"Crybabies," she muttered under her breath, though there was no real annoyance in her tone.
Once everyone had settled down, they got into the car.
Tyler insisted on dropping everyone off personally.
Emily was the first to be dropped ho, followed by York, and then Aiden.
Each farewell was filled with gratitude, their voices sincere as they thanked Lana again and again.
Finally, it was Lana’s turn.
As the car slowed, Tyler suddenly spoke, his tone hesitant yet determined.
"I’ll give you five hundred million dollars," he said, looking at her seriously. "Just... stay with for one night."
For a brief mont, Lana was tempted. ’Five hundred million...’
But the thought lasted only a second. She shook her head.
"Not possible."
Her voice was firm.
"I have a boyfriend," she continued calmly. "Spending the night with another man would be inappropriate."
Tyler leaned forward slightly, unwilling to give up.
"I can explain everything to him," he said quickly. "I’ll call him myself... "
Lana waved her hand dismissively.
"That won’t be necessary. Just drop at my address."
She then gave him the location.
The mont Tyler heard it... and froze.
His mind went blank for a second.
’That place...?’
A complicated expression appeared on his face.
That address wasn’t just anywhere.
It was a well-known area, an exclusive zone, practically a sanctuary for the wealthiest elites.
Realization hit him like a punch.
’She... lives there?’
A bitter smile ford on his lips.
’And here I was... offering her money like that.’
Now it all made sense.
Her strength. Her confidence. Her indifference toward wealth.
She was already far beyond his reach.
A faint regret crept into his heart.
’She’s beautiful... powerful... and she made feel safe.’
For a fleeting mont, he had even imagined a future, dating her, maybe even marrying her.
But now... he understood the gap between them.
After dropping her off at the grand mansion, Tyler remained seated in the car for a while, staring ahead in silence before finally heading back to his own ho.
Despite everything, one feeling remained strong within him. Gratitude.
As soon as he returned, he took out his phone and sent Lana a ssage.
"I want to buy your talismans."
He wasn’t the only one.
York, Aiden, and Emily had all sent similar ssages.
Seeing the notifications, Lana raised an eyebrow.
’Business... already?’
Without wasting ti, she replied with her prices, the sa ones listed on her official site.
However, this ti, she saved on platform fees, aning her profit margins were significantly higher.
When she saw their orders... each of them was buying at least a hundred talismans.
She couldn’t help but feel satisfied.
’That’s quite a gain.’
Generously, she waived the delivery charges and arranged for the parcels to be sent out imdiately.
By the ti she finished, exhaustion weighed heavily on her body.
She collapsed onto her bed that night, her muscles aching, her mind finally giving in to sleep.
But rest did not co easily.
She woke up abruptly. A thin layer of sweat covered her forehead.
Her breathing was uneven.
’It’s over... it’s already over,’ she told herself, taking slow, deep breaths to calm her racing heart.
Gradually, her body relaxed.
The next day, she returned to her usual routine, burying herself in work as if nothing had happened.
Later, after coming back from the university, Axel called out to her from the living room.
"Co here for a mont."
Lana frowned slightly, confused, but walked in anyway.
The mont she stepped inside, she froze.
On the television screen,a familiar face appeared.
Lucian.
Her heart skipped a beat. ’What is he doing here?’
For a second, her thoughts raced, but then she steadied herself.
’Did he... co to explain?’
Taking a deep breath, she forced a faint smile and waved slightly toward the screen.
Lucian paused when he saw her.
"Hi," he said gently. "How are you?"
Lana let out a small chuckle, masking her emotions.
"I’m fine," she replied. "Not bad."
Lucian nodded, then glanced toward Axel.
Axel cleared his throat and spoke carefully.
"There’s sothing... we haven’t told you yet. And we think now is the right ti."
Lana’s heart tightened. ’Finally...?’
Her mind imdiately jumped to one possibility. ’My real family...?’
Despite the storm of thoughts inside her, she kept her expression calm and simply nodded.
Seeing this, Lucian continued.
"Do you know about the Peterson family?"
Lana paused, thinking.
Of course she knew.
One of the richest families in the entire nation.
Her heartbeat quickened slightly, but she restrained herself and nodded.
"Yes."
Lucian looked at her, his gaze steady. "You... are their daughter."
Lana closed her eyes.
She took a slow, deep breath, her fingers curling slightly at her sides.
’So it really is this...’
But she didn’t react imdiately.
She waited for him to continue.
Lucian did not begin with the softer parts of the story.
He did not speak about how the Peterson family had raised the fake daughter with affection, nor did he ntion how deeply they had co to care for her.
Instead, his gaze turned serious, and his voice lowered slightly.
"What I’m about to tell you... might co as a shock."
"In reality," he continued, "you are the true daughter of the Peterson family. But at the ti of your birth... soone deliberately switched you with another child."
He paused for a brief second before finishing.
"Thessy."
Lana’s fingers slowly curled into fists at her sides.
’So it was intentional...’
A quiet anger began to rise within her chest, burning steadily.
Lucian watched her reaction but continued anyway.
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