When Lyra finally woke up, she found herself dressed in fresh, impossibly soft pajamas.
The memories of the previous night came rushing back, sending uncontrollable shudders down her spine. The suffocating agony of it all pushed her to the brink of a breakdown. Her eyes welled with fresh tears.
Andrea walked into the bedroom, noticing how awful she looked. "Actually, Mr. Jameson has always kept to himself. He doesn't play around with women like other wealthy men do. Miss Fairchild, if you're willing to marry him—"
Before Andrea could even finish her sentence, tears spilled down Lyra's cheeks. She sat there trembling violently, her empty gaze staring off into nothingness, as if the light had been completely snuffed out of her.
It wasn't as if Rowan hadn't been her partner before. He was rotten. Rotten to the absolute core.
Lyra suddenly grabbed the collar of her pajamas and began violently yanking it off, despite wearing nothing underneath. Even as a fellow woman, Andrea was alarmed. She quickly grabbed Lyra's wrists. "What's wrong with you?"
Lyra dropped her head. "I'm sorry. I just feel like I'm suffocating."
Andrea studied her pale face, a pang of genuine sympathy hitting her. "Miss Fairchild, go get dressed. I'll take you somewhere to get some fresh air."
Andrea turned to leave the room, but paused when she noticed an ornate gift box sitting on the nightstand.
"Looks like a gift from Mr. Jameson. Want to open it?"
Lyra didn't even spare it a glance. "I don't want it."
She stood up and moved to the closet. The entire wardrobe had been swapped out again; there were even new pairs of shoes and dazzling new jewelry lines. She grabbed a random outfit and retreated into the bathroom.
Keys in hand, Andrea waited for Lyra to finish before driving them away from Blackwood Manor. They headed toward the winding mountain roads on the outskirts of the city. The route was flanked by dense, lush forests, the greenery stretching as far as the eye could see. They didn't stop until they reached a scenic overlook at the peak.
Andrea threw the car into park and popped her door open. "Let's walk around for a bit."
Lyra stepped out, her flat shoes sinking into the soft grass. Almost instinctively, she spread her arms wide to embrace the cool mountain breeze. Standing up here, the crushing weight in her chest finally began to ease.
Leaning against the car, Andrea watched her in silence, that earlier pang of sympathy deepening. This wealthy heiress was still so young, yet according to the background checks Rowan had run, she was already heavily in debt from purchasing that plot of land. Even her overseas company had been uncovered. If she didn't play ball, everything she had built could be obliterated in a heartbeat.
"Hungry? I grabbed some food from the kitchen since you didn't eat." Andrea reached into the passenger seat to retrieve the breakfast.
Lyra turned around, the warm sunlight catching the corners of her eyes as she offered a small, tentative smile. "Anything is fine."
Andrea handed her two breakfast rolls and a bottle of warm milk.
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