Crises in Love (Zora and Jaylan)

My words made Logan pause too.

"That's the real reason I'm so anxious." I said with a wry smile, "It's terrifying. You know, at first, she was just trying to help me by setting Jaylan up, and now..."

I couldn't go on. The chain reaction had come full circle back to her.

Logan gave us a signal to calm down, "Hold on. It's not as bad as you think. My advice is let's think this through."

The mood was somber among us all.

Ronan hadn't made it back for dinner.

I had planned to book a flight back to Silverdale City tomorrow, but with everything that had happened, I couldn't just up and leave.

That night, a storm broke out of nowhere. Lightning streaked across the sky, scaring Milo so much that he leaped onto the bed and snuggled close, his eyes gleaming like tiny beacons.

It reminded me of that "cat eye" still lurking in Silverdale City.

The howling wind and lashing rain outside mirrored the turmoil in my heart. After the divorce, I thought everything would settle down. I wanted nothing more than to live a simple life with my kids, close to my parents. But one thing after another kept happening.

Today's turn of events was something I had never anticipated. It felt like a backlash.

Why I was pulled into this mess was beyond me.

A flash of headlights pierced through the curtains that hadn't been drawn tight, followed by the sound of a car.

I instantly perked up, rolling out of bed and fumbling for my slippers in the dark. I grabbed a throw blanket, wrapping it around myself as I hurried outside.

I had a feeling it was Ronan coming back.

Somehow, without even realizing it, my heart had started to depend on him. Some things just needed his nod for me to have absolute confidence.

As I dashed down the stairs, I saw that it was indeed Ronan who had returned, and Logan was still up, lounging in his pajamas on the couch.

Ronan, fresh from the outside, was still in his black shirt and trousers, a commanding aura about him.

Seeing me come down, Logan sat up, shedding his lazy demeanor.

"Why are you still up?" Ronan asked with concern, "You shouldn't be staying awake all night."

"I can't sleep," I replied softly, tightening the shawl around my shoulders, "The rain's too heavy."

I turned to Logan and asked quietly, "Did you tell him?"

Logan nodded, then showed Ronan the video clip. "This is what she recorded today. I've arranged for it to be investigated, but no leads yet. This guy's really covered his tracks."

Ronan zoomed in on the image, his mouth curving slightly with regret, "I never would've thought it was Noah."

"He's had a commendable track record these past years, bringing in a number of successful ventures. We were just starting to focus on grooming him. What a shame." Ronan murmured, "I never suspected him."

"So how do I break this to Geneva?" I ventured, "The thing is, Renata might be infected. And Geneva..."

I saw Ronan sink into thought, so I stopped talking.

After a while, Logan spoke up, "This is tricky. We can't tip off Noah too soon. Given his position, those behind the scenes must be aware. If we handle this poorly, it could set off a chain reaction."

I looked anxiously at Ronan, my hands clenched and a chill running down my spine.

After a long silence, Ronan turned to me, "Allie, I have a task for you."

I nodded eagerly.

"Arrange to meet with Geneva privately. Have a heart-to-heart with her, and try to get a sense of her feelings for Noah. Test the waters," he instructed with a firm gaze, "We need to understand her true feelings for Noah to plan our next move."

"Okay," I agreed, feeling a sudden surge of nerves.

"Relax and be natural. Geneva is a smart woman, and don't startle her," Ronan advised.

I nodded again, but my anxiety remained. After all, Geneva's family was at stake.

That night, I barely slept, plagued by nightmares.

In the morning, I stared at the dark circles under my eyes in the mirror and actually felt a sense of relief.

When I came down for breakfast, Ronan asked softly, "Didn't sleep well?"

I gave a half-hearted smile, raising an eyebrow at him, "Maybe these are the best props I have."