Sign the Papers Mr. Langford novel Chapter 115

She knew better than to ask for a title, to demand promises for the future, or to bring up Wren.

She just needed him to stay.

To make sure that when he was at his most frustrated, most chaotic, and most unwilling to admit Wren's impact on him, he would always crawl back to her.

That was enough.

The living room lights were clicked off, plunging the space into darkness.

The bedroom door was left ajar, the river outside completely swallowed by the night.

Willow's voice hitched, laced with the perfect amount of vulnerability. "Don't leave."

Lawrence loomed over her, his eyes entirely devoid of pity, fueled only by aroused possessiveness and irritation.

"When did I say I was leaving?"

Willow's eyes shone with damp heat, looking completely soothed by his command.

But her mind was sharp and clear.

You could never fully trust the words a man said in bed.

But you could certainly exploit them.

Just before dawn, Lawrence got up and walked into the bathroom.

Only when the sound of the shower echoed did Willow slowly open her eyes.

The fragile act vanished from her face, leaving behind nothing but cold calculation.

On the nightstand, Lawrence's phone lit up.

She shouldn't have looked.

But a preview notification flashed across the screen.

Xavier: [Mr. Langford, Vivian Vance's project code from back then might have been "Project Morning Star." It's tied to the batch of equipment used before Margaret's surgery. We still need to check the archives for the full details.]

Willow's gaze locked onto the screen.

Vivian Vance.

Project Morning Star.

Margaret's surgery.

She slowly sat up and reached out, pulling the phone slightly closer.

Lawrence's phone had a passcode; she couldn't unlock it.

But that single notification was enough.

So Wren's mother really did have deep ties to Langford Medical.

No wonder Margaret was taking Wren's side.

No wonder Lawrence was suddenly investigating Vivian Vance.

Willow placed the phone exactly where it had been, ensuring the angle remained unchanged.

The shower stopped running.

She lay back down, closed her eyes, and softened her breathing.

When Lawrence stepped out, he saw her sleeping soundly, a faint trace of dried tears on her cheek.

He stood by the bed and watched her for a couple of seconds.

Wren, the lawsuit, his son, Margaret, Vivian Vance.

Every single name was a blaring reminder: He thought he could use one woman to prove the other didn't matter, but the reality was far from it.

When Lawrence got dressed and left, Willow never opened her eyes.

Only when the front door clicked shut did she sit up.

She padded barefoot across the rug to the window, watching the black luxury sedan pull out of the complex.

Then, she picked up her own phone and dialed Lydia.

The call connected immediately.

"It's so early."

Willow stared at her reflection in the glass, her voice slightly hoarse but razor-sharp. "Mom, look into Vivian Vance for me."

"Who?"

"Vivian Vance."

The line went dead silent.

Willow caught the hesitation instantly, her expression shifting.

"You know something, don't you?"

Lydia's tone turned ice-cold. "Why are you looking into her?"

Willow gripped her phone tighter. "Lawrence is looking into her. Margaret brought her up too. Did she have some kind of history with the Langfords?"

"That's none of your business."