The morning light filtered through the thin curtains, bathing Ryleigh’s room in soft gold. She stirred slowly, blinking against the warm rays, and for a moment… she smiled.
Last night had been something out of a dream. Derek’s kiss still lingered on her lips, his voice echoing in her mind like a secret lullaby. He’d seen her. Chosen her. In a world where she felt like a shadow, he looked at her like she mattered.
The thought made her chest flutter.
She sat up, stretching, letting the quiet joy settle around her like a fragile layer of warmth.
But then her gaze fell on the nightstand.
Her purse.
And inside it… the check.
One hundred thousand dollars.
Like a chain wrapped in silk.
She looked away and pushed herself up from the bed. The dress she pulled on felt heavier today. Not bec
