Chapter 129: A threat under disguise (Part – 1)

Words : 1148 Updated : Sep 21st, 2025

Chapter 129: A threat under disguise (Part – 1) Lorie’s fake composure cracked. Her voice rose, tinged with panic. "How can you say that? We are family. You can’t just cut me off like that. I know I hurt you before, but I can change. I will change. Please, Anne, give me a chance." Anne watched her keenly. Lorie’s words sounded sincere, but something felt off. Her sudden humility, the eagerness—it didn’t sit right. Anne was sure Lorie had something on her mind. "I know you don’t trust me," Lorie pressed forward. "But I’ll prove I mean it. Let me buy you lunch. I am not asking for forgiveness—just one small step to make up for what I did." But Anne didn’t drop her guard. Not even for a second. She didn’t believe a word of Lorie’s act—but something told her it was worth seeing how far this charade would go. "Fine," Anne said coolly. "I’ll give you one chance. But if you try anything, don’t expect mercy." Lorie’s face lit up, but behind that smile, something more dangerous gleamed. "Thank you, Anne. I promise—I won’t mess this up." She pretended to be grateful, but the flicker in her eyes betrayed her. She thought she had baited the hook, and Anne had taken the bite. All she needed now was to get Anne to the hotel, and Robert would do the rest. ’You won’t walk away from this, Anne,’ she thought darkly. They stepped out of the hospital room together. Behind them, in the quiet stillness of the room, Paul’s fingers twitched faintly before falling still again. Lorie led Anne through the gleaming lobby of a luxury hotel. Anne glanced around, uneasy. The place was extravagant, far beyond what she’d expect for a simple apology lunch. "Why here?" Anne asked as they walked down the hallway. "You could’ve picked any regular restaurant. This place is over the top." Her voice was calm, but inside, alarms were starting to go off. Still, she kept walking, curious to see where this was going. Lorie flashed a bright smile. "It’s the first time I’m treating you to a meal. I wanted to do something special. After today, I really believe things will change between us." She looped her arm through Anne’s and gently steered her toward a private booth tucked behind frosted glass doors. "Don’t worry. The food here is amazing." Anne frowned. "A private booth, too? That’s a bit much, don’t you think?" Her suspicion deepened. This wasn’t just about food or forgiveness. There was something else going on. Lorie, still wearing that too-perfect smile, pulled out a chair for her. "It’s not my reservation. My boyfriend booked it." Anne raised an eyebrow. "Boyfriend?" "Yes," Lorie said, settling across from her. "We were supposed to have lunch together. I figured it was the perfect time to introduce you two. You are my elder sister, after all." Anne stared at her, trying to read between the lines. The story sounded too neat, too rehearsed. Still, a sliver of doubt crept in. ’Maybe I’m overthinking this,’ she thought. ’Maybe she really is trying to make peace.’ But deep down, that uneasy feeling in her gut wouldn’t go away. Lorie slid the leather-bound menu across the table toward Anne. "Let’s order first." Anne didn’t move. "Aren’t you waiting for your boyfriend?" she asked curiously. "He had to handle something urgent," Lorie replied casually. "He might be a little late, but he promised he’d be here. Probably around the time our food arrives." Anne gave a slow nod, but something in her gut twisted. Her instincts screamed at her to flee, but she kept her expression neutral. She ordered the food. Once the waiter left, Lorie spoke again, this time, more seriously. "Anne, I mean it. I really regret everything I did." Her lips pressed into a tight line. "I hated you. I thought you took my father from me. I believed his love should belong to me alone, not to some girl who wasn’t even part of our family by blood. I resented you. I told myself you didn’t belong." Anne’s voice cut through Lorie’s words like glass. "And now, just like that, all that hate is gone overnight? What changed?" Lorie went quiet, her mind racing for the right words—something that would sound heartfelt enough to get Anne to lower her guard. She took a long breath, then spoke. "Yesterday taught me a hard lesson. My resentment blinded me. I acted out of spite, and it backfired. Badly." She paused, reaching up to dab at the corners of her eyes, wiping away tears that weren’t real but looked convincing enough. "I didn’t just hurt you," she added with fake sadness. "I embarrassed myself. My actions hurt the company, the CEO’s image. I almost lost everything because of my stupidity. I was this close to being fired and banned. I should’ve been. But they showed me mercy. And that made me realize how wrong I’ve been." She looked up and locked eyes with Anne. "I want to fix what I broke. I’m not playing around anymore. I’m asking for one real chance." Anne studied her carefully. Lorie’s words carried the weight of sincerity, but trust didn’t come that easily—not after everything. She and her mother had caused Anne too much pain in the past. Believing in Lorie again was impossible. That would take more than words. Still, Anne was willing to wait and see just how far this performance of remorse would go. "Okay," Anne said at last. "The chance is given." But in her mind, she stayed alert. Just then, the waiter arrived, placing dishes carefully on the table. He set a glass of wine in front of Anne, offering a polite smile. "Have a nice day, ma’am." Then he turned to Lorie, setting down her glass with a meaningful smile on his face. A flicker of understanding passed between them. Lorie’s lips curled into a knowing smirk. "Thank you." With a small nod, the waiter walked away. Anne watched him leave, then turned to Lorie. "So, where is your boyfriend? Is he actually coming?" "He’ll be here any minute," Lorie said lightly, gesturing toward the food. "Start eating." Anne didn’t touch anything. "Why don’t you check on him?" Lorie hesitated for a second, then got up from her seat. "Alright, I’ll call him." She stepped a few paces away, lifting her phone to her ear. As soon as her back was turned, Anne’s eyes flicked to the wine glasses—the subtle exchange between Lorie and the waiter hadn’t gone unnoticed. Her gut told her that the drink was spiked. With a swift motion, she switched the glasses. Across the room, Lorie’s voice dropped into a whisper. "Is everything ready?" A voice on the other end replied, "Yes, yes. Everything is set. Just make sure she drinks the wine."

Chapter 129: A threat under disguise (Part – 1)

Comments (0)