CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY EIGHT – ONE MORE CHANCE TO EXPLAIN

Her heart seized in her chest as the name blinked insistently. With a trembling hand, Kayla quickly rejected the call and rushed outside to the quiet courtyard adjacent to the office building. Once she was alone, she collapsed onto a secluded wrought-iron bench, burying her face in her hands as the sobs came anew. After several minutes of unrestrained weeping, she became aware of her phone buzzing with a voicemail notification. "Kayla...baby, I'm so sorry about whatever has you so distraught," came Lance's warm baritone, thick with worry and care. "But whatever it is, I promise we can work through this together. I'm actually already on my way to London as we speak. We need to talk this out face-to-face so I can explain everything." The message clicked off, leaving Kayla utterly adrift. Part of her was relieved at the prospect of finally getting answers directly from Lance. But another part recoiled at the mere thought of being face-to-face with the man she had idolized, only to feel