By the time Lani pulled out of the Carlisle estate's driveway, her hands were still shaking.
She had expected to feel relief—to feel free.
Instead, her chest felt hollow.
She gripped the steering wheel tighter, glancing at the keys sitting in the passenger seat. Los Angeles. That was her destination now. A house she had never seen. A life she had never planned for.
Her phone buzzed, but she ignored it. She already knew what it would be—either another notification about the scandal or someone from work trying to reach her.
She wasn't ready to face that yet.
Right now, she just needed to get away.
---
Six Hours Later – Los Angeles
Lani pulled up to the house just after midnight.
It was nothing like the Carlisle estate. No towering iron gates, no perfectly manicured driveways, no endless hallways filled with expensive art.
It was simple. Modern. Private.
Exactly what she needed.
She stepped out of the car, stretching her sore limbs before grabbing her suitcase. The air smelled different here—less like polished stone and roses, more like salt and fresh pavement.
As she unlocked the front door, an unfamiliar sense of peace washed over her.
This is yours now.
She stepped inside, flipping on the lights. The interior was sleek and minimalistic—black and white furniture, high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city.
For the first time in weeks, she exhaled deeply.
No father. No pressure. No expectations.
Just her.
And the baby.
Her hand instinctively rested on her stomach. It still didn't feel real. She wasn't showing yet, but the thought of what was growing inside her sent a mix of fear and warmth through her chest.
She had never planned for this.
But it was happening.
And now, she had to figure out what came next.
---
The Next Morning
Lani woke up to the sound of her phone vibrating against the nightstand.
She groaned, rolling over before reluctantly picking it up.
Olivia: Lani, we need to talk. Call me.
Olivia: The board is asking questions.
Olivia: And your father… he's livid.
Lani sighed, rubbing her temples. Of course, he is.
She wasn't naïve enough to think she could just disappear without consequences. Carlisle Enterprises wasn't just any company—it was an empire. And she was its CEO.
Or at least, she had been.
Her father was probably already trying to push her out.
Let him try.
She had built her reputation from the ground up. Her father may have given her the company, but she was the one who had made it stronger.
She wasn't about to let him take that away.
But first, she had to decide what she wanted.
She got out of bed, dragging herself to the bathroom.
As the warm water ran over her skin, she closed her eyes, letting herself relax—until a sudden memory flashed through her mind.
A touch.
A whisper against her skin.
The stranger.
Her eyes snapped open, her breath catching.
Even after all these weeks, she could still feel him.
His rough hands. His warmth. The way he had held her, like she was the only thing that mattered in that moment.
She shivered.
It was ridiculous. She didn't even know him.
But he had left something behind. A part of him was inside her now.
And whether she liked it or not…
She would have to find a way to live with that.