Chapter 72

Lauren. Since that humiliating night when Tyler had the audacity to turn down my offer, I'd been consumed by a volatile mixture of indignation and resentment. Every fiber of my being rebelled against the idea of being dismissed so easily, as though I were inconsequential, unworthy of his attention. But I refused to accept such a reality. No one rejects Lauren, not without consequences. Frustration pulsed beneath my skin like a relentless drumbeat, driving me to lash out at anyone who dared to cross my path. My temper, normally kept under tight control, now simmered dangerously close to the surface, ready to erupt at the slightest provocation. And those unfortunate souls who served under Tyler's roof bore the brunt of my wrath. I summoned the housekeeper, a timid woman who always seemed to be hovering just out of sight. It was as though she was afraid of intruding upon my space, as if I was some sort of ticking time bomb ready to explode at any moment. And honestly, given my current