The air in the living room suddenly became thick, and Ariana's gaze was as sharp as a knife, locking onto me with an intensity that felt like she could pierce right through me.
"What's wrong?" She tilted her chin slightly, her eyes glinting with cold precision. "Surprised to hear from Morningstar Hotel? Lorne Marcus of the Shadow Hotel?"
I froze, a jolt of shock running through me. Her words hit me like a bomb, shattering my carefully built facade in an instant.
"You… How did you know?" I struggled to keep my voice steady, but the tremor in it betrayed my panic.
"How I know is not important," Ariana leaned back against the couch, her tone cold and unyielding. "What's important is, how long have you been hiding this from me?"
I clenched my teeth, trying to read her expression, but it was as emotionless as ice, making it impossible to tell if she was angry, disappointed, or something else entirely.
