"You think I wouldn''t dare?" Delia hissed.


    N remained calm. "Whether or not you dare doesn''t matter to me. I need to change. Please step aside."


    When Delia didn''t move, N pushed her aside and walked toward her bedroom.


    By the time she returned to the living room, she saw Delia sitting next to Andre, whispering something to him.


    N approached, stopping a few steps away. "Andre, we can go now."


    Andre looked up and smiled. "Alright, Ms. Kinsey."


    He turned to Delia. "Thank you, Ms. Nixon, for sharing that information about Ms. Kinsey. I''ll see you next time."


    Seeing Andre smile without any hint of distancing himself from N, Delia stood up to block his path. "Andre, even knowing she has a husband and son back in her homnd, you still want to be with her?"


    Andre furrowed his brow and looked at Delia, his expression one of disapproval. "Ms. Nixon, Ms. Kinsey is your sister. I expect you to show her the respect she deserves.


    "I''m having lunch with her because we''re friends, nothing more. I hope I won''t hear you speak so disrespectfully about your sister again."


    "She''s not my sister! She''s just—" Delia couldn''t finish the sentence when she met Andre''s disappointed gaze.


    She forced herself to calm down, staring into Andre''s eyes. "You say you invited her because you''re friends. I''m considered your friend too. Why invite her alone and not me?"


    "Because Ms. Kinsey took the ss seriously today, while you kept causing disruptions. If you focus next time, I''ll consider bringing you along."


    Andre didn''t wait for her response but turned to walk toward N. "Ms. Kinsey, sorry to keep you waiting. Shall we go?"


    "Of course," N replied.


    Before leaving, N nced at the distraught Delia, then calmly turned away, walking out with Andre.


    ...


    An hourter, Andre stopped his car outside a high-end restaurant.


    The two get out, and Andre led N inside, handing her a note. "He''s waiting for you here. You''ll need to leave through the back door Someone will meet you, but you only have one hour."


    As he spoke, he moved to the wall and tly pushed it. A hidden door ared, leading to a passage led straight to the back door.


    N nodded. "Thank you, Andre."


    She entered the hidden door, and Andre closed it behind her.


    The wall returned to its original state, leaving no trace of the secret door.


    A few minutester, N got into the car parked at the back.


    The driver, a local from Meristate, started the car as soon as she got in.


    In less than ten minutes, the car stopped in front of a vi.


    N took a deep breath, opened the car door, and walked up to ring the doorbell.


    Footsteps quickly approached from inside.


    When the door opened, N''s breath caught in her throat as she saw the face she''d been longing for. She


    ther mouth, her voice ve


    trembling Damon


    "Come in. We''ll talk inside," Damon said.


    N forced herself to steady her emotions and stepped into the vi.


    Although it was daytime, the windows on the first floor were all closed. Without the


    lights on, the ce would have been pitch dark.


    As soon as N stepped inside, Damon pulled her into his arms.


    N returned the embrace, their bodies pressed tightly together.