A soft sadness colored Linsey s voice as she said, Before she died, I believe Alexa truly carried the weight of the choices she made more than twenty years ago and wished she had done things differently.

When she heard this, Myla s hands curled tightly, her emotions rising like a tide she could barely hold back.

It stung to realize that, if only she had been more observant, Linsey might not have carried so much pain alone for so long.

Instead, she had poured every ounce of love into raising her enemy s child.

Had Alexa survived, she would have demanded her answers face to face.

Linsey s voice stayed calm, almost chilly. No amount of tragedy excuses what Alexa or Carol did. The damage remains. I can t just let that go.

She paused, her eyes steady. Honestly, you re all the same to me. Maybe if we were lovers or close friends, I d consider giving us another shot. But that s not our story. There s no special bond tying me to this family.

Unhurried, she reached for a piece of food, chewing slowly, her composure untouched by the weight of her own words.

Almost ruthless, yet she simply spoke the truth.

The truth was, there had never been any real bond between her and the Lawson family. All they had ever given her were wounds that never truly healed.

Given everything they had done, expecting her to offer forgiveness without hesitation was out of the question.

She wasn t the kind of person to overlook that kind of hurt just to keep the peace.

At Linsey s words, the light faded from Myla s eyes, her expression shadowed by disappointment.

Linsey s forgiveness was never going to come easy Myla had known that from the start. Anyone in Linsey s shoes would find it hard to accept apologies that arrived so late in the game. She doubted she would forgive, either.

Linsey set her utensils down with deliberate care, her face remaining unreadable. If you ve truly decided, then I have no reason to refuse the shares.

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Excitement broke out instantly, lighting up every face at the table.

Did you just say yes? Jeffery nearly jumped from his seat, unable to hide his shock.

Emotion shimmered in Myla s eyes, her voice trembling. Are you sure, Linsey?

Cruz let out a deep breath, relief showing in his features. This is the right choice, Linsey. Truly, it s good you ll take them.

He nudged Jeffery with a hint of urgency. Well? Where s the lawyer? He should be here by now.

Right then, Jeffery checked his phone just as a new message popped up. The lawyer s already at the restaurant!

For a second, Linsey blinked at their collective reaction, caught off guard by their enthusiasm. But she recovered quickly, steady as ever.

She answered, her tone unwavering, I mean it. If you ve all decided to hand over the shares, then I m taking them. It s the smart move financially and honestly, it s what I deserve.

Linsey glanced at Jeffery, her smile sly and unbothered. If Alexa hadn t swapped me at birth, and I d lived with you, I d have been a far better leader for this company than you ever were.

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