?Chapter 799:


    Once inside the study, the air turned heavier. Alexander faced his son, his tone suddenly firm. “Tell me—do you know what your real mistake was?”


    Louis’s lips pressed into a thin line before he replied, “I didn’t realize someone was following and filming me. I lost my temper outside the hospital.”


    “That’s not it,” Alexander said tly, his eyes narrowing as he studied Louis closely. There was promise in Louis, no doubt, but he hadn’t yet learned how to wield it properly.


    “You acted with your heart when you should’ve led with your head. You didn’t stop to think. You should’ve called me the moment things got out of hand. There’s a—”


    The Harper Group security team was always stationed near that hospital. They would have been there within five minutes. Instead, you handled it like it was your burden alone.”


    Louis pressed a hand to his temple and said nothing. At that moment, all he wanted was to protect Kiera from harm. He hadn’t even considered calling for backup.


    Alexander didn’t raise his voice or scold Louis. This wasn’t about me. He wanted his son to learn that power wasn’t just about standing your ground—it was about knowing when to lean on the support built around you.


    Though Alexander respected Louis’s determination, he didn’t believe going it alone was the right path.


    In a rundown neighborhood of Foiclens, Sylvia stared intently at a breaking news post. There was a fierce hunger behind her gaze. With the right moves, she thought, this surge of public interest might be her ticket out of this dpidated neighborhood and back into theforts of the vi district.


    Everything had gone downhill after the Reed family’s business copsed. Her father, Benjamin, ended up behind bars. Darren called off the engagement not long after. Sylvia’s world, once filled with silks and champagne, unraveled quickly.


    Benjamin left behind an enormous debt. When creditors couldn’t recover their money, they wasted no time seizing the Reed family vi.


    gα? ησ ν?? ?s is your story hub


    Sylvia had no choice but to squeeze into her grandmother She’s shabby t, sharing the musty space with her checked-out mother, Cecily.


    Cecily barely lifted a finger, spending her days lost in daytime TV reruns. She, on the other hand, seemed to only potter around the yard, trimming flowers that never really bloomed. To Sylvia, this life felt like punishment. She could barely survive the stench, let alone the stillness.


    Desperation drove Sylvia online. She leaned into risqué live streaming, banking on charm where beauty alone couldn’t carry her. She wasn’t exactly a head-turner, but she knew how to draw attention. Her confidence and uninhibited style earned her a steady stream of fans. It was enough to fund a lifestyle that looked more morous than it actually was.


    Still, her followers weren’t content to simply watch. Their messages grew bolder, hinting at things she had no intention of offering. Sleeping with fans wouldn’t make the tips roll in faster—it would only cheapen her value.


    When donations started to fall, panic crept in. Sylvia feared she was losing her grip until a lucky turn of fate brought her back into the spotlight.


    With practiced fingers, Sylvia applied her makeup—not too heavy, just enough to make it look like she’d been crying. A touch of blush at the corners of her eyespleted the illusion: sad, soft, vulnerable—exactly what they wanted.


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