From Ashes of Scandals to His Embrace novel Chapter 134

Laurinda stood up and reached out to Baal.

Now that their partnership was official, Baal let out a breath of relief. The intensity he carried seemed to melt away. As he went to shake her hand, his eyes caught sight of her palm. He paused, his gaze flickering with concern.

“Is your hand really that bad?”

Laurinda opened her hand and smiled, just a hint of mischief in her eyes. “It’s not a big deal. The reins just rubbed my skin raw, so it looks worse than it actually is.”

She pulled her hand back and sat down again, waiting patiently as York and Baal discussed the final details of the contract. Once everything was set, she and York left The Baker Group together.

After Laurinda walked out, Baal opened his drawer and pulled out an old photo, the one that showed a woman from behind. His voice was soft, edged with guilt.

“I’m sorry. I said I’d protect her, but she still ended up hurt. It looked pretty serious, but she told me it’s healing. I’ll make sure to get her the best scar cream. Now that we’re working together, I’ll keep an eye on her. I won’t let anything happen to her if I can help it.”

He traced the photo with his fingertips, the woman’s face lingering in his mind. He couldn’t help but wonder, if nothing had gone wrong back then, would their little girl have grown up with the life of a princess?

In the car, Laurinda stared out the window, lost in thought. The scent from Baal’s office clung to her memory. She knew that fragrance way too well, but she never expected to find it there. What was that supposed to mean?

“What’s on your mind? I’ve been talking and you haven’t heard a word,” York said, her voice pulling Laurinda back to the present.

Laurinda turned to York, exhaustion in her voice. “Sorry, what did you say?”

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