Marco faltered, looking into her eyes filled with apprehension. A myriad of thoughts shed through his


    mind.


    He was the illegitimate son of the Bryant family and secretly the CEO of the Sr Company…


    There were aspects of his life he didn’t want to conceal from Loraine, but some things weren’t ready for


    disclosure, and he didn’t know how to exin them. Marco hesitated.


    Noting his hesitation, Loraine’s expression shifted subtly. Was Marco hiding something else from her?


    Just then, her phone buzzed, interrupting her train of thought.


    Collecting herself, she picked up the phone to find a call from Rowan.


    Slightly taken aback, she promptly answered the call.


    Seeing Loraine’s attention diverted, Marco breathed a sigh of relief.


    But his inner turmoil intensified. Until those issues were resolved, he couldn’t exin them to Loraine.


    How would he respond if she questioned him again?


    Lyi


    As Loraine picked up her phone, Rowan’s troubled voice echoed. “Lorrie, it’s sote. Why aren’t you


    home yet? Shall Ie fetch you?”


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    “No need to, Uncle Rowan. I’ll be home shortly.”


    The hospital corridor was deserted, the echo of her voice quite distinct from the open-air echoes of the


    cemetery.


    With his military background, Rowan was quick to realize that Loraine’s location had shifted. His tone


    filled with concern, he asked, “Lorrie, where are you now?”


    Except for that one time she had disappeared three years prior, Loraine had always been reliable,


    never giving her family cause for concern.


    Rowan found himself puzzled by her suddente-night absence without prior notice. It was certainly not


    her usual behavior.


    The eerie backdrop of their call intensified Rowan’s anxiety, deepening his fear that something


    unfortunate might have happened to Loraine.


    Caught off guard, Loraine stumbled on her words, unable to articte a reply. She wanted to keep her


    hospital visit a secret. Her family had just ovee the worries of Aldo’s illness, she didn’t want to


    burden them further.


    Moreover, she didn’t want Rowan to know about Marco’s presence.


    But her hesitation merely amplified Rowan’s worry. His voice turned stern as he demanded, “Lorrie,


    share your whereabouts with me. I’ming to get you!”


    Loraine found herself in a dilemma, unsure of how to respond, when


    Marco, who was by her side, gently took the phone from her hand.


    Speaking calmly, he assured, “Mr. Torres, you can rest assured that