Under the Veil I Rule

It wasn't all that surprising when Mr. Kevin Everly decided to step down from his position. Given his age, it seemed he was ready for some well-earned rest.

As she watched Finnian mingle with the crowd, she couldn't help but think, with him climbing the corporate ladder, Liliana would transition from being the CEO's wife to the Chairwoman's wife. Their future seemed bright and promising.

For some reason, she felt a bit uneasy. She didn't want to see him anymore and moved to the side.

Once the formalities were over, everyone started to dig into the feast.

She had barely started her meal when her phone buzzed with a video call from Keith West. Excusing herself, Amara stepped out into the hallway to take the call.

"Wow, you're all dressed up today!" Keith teased as soon as the connection was made, seeing Amara's elegantly made-up face on his screen.

Amara chuckled, "Well, I'm at a fancy party, so I had to look the part. Where are you this time?"

Every recent call with Keith had featured unusual backgrounds, and this time was no exception. He appeared to be on a windy cliffside.

"I'm filming a reality show on the edge of a cliff. It's freezing out here," Keith said, sneezing for emphasis.

"Did you bring any hand warmers? If not, I can send some your way," Amara offered.

"Don't bother sending any. Those are for women," Keith replied dismissively.

"What are you implying? That's pretty sexist," Amara shot back. "Just give me your address, and I'll mail them over. I don't want you catching a cold and complaining about it in your old age."

Keith sighed in resignation, "Alright, alright, I'll use them."

They chatted for a bit longer, with Keith sharing amusing anecdotes from the show, making Amara laugh. But her laughter faded when she glanced back and saw Finnian standing at the entrance, watching her with a stony expression.

"What's wrong?" Keith asked, noticing the change in her demeanor.

"Nothing, something came up here. I've gotta go," Amara said, ending the call abruptly.noveldrama

She pocketed her phone and met Finnian's gaze, sensing something off about him.

Finnian walked over, his eyes fixed on her phone. "Were you talking to Keith?" "Yeah."

"What were you two discussing?"

"Nothing much, just some stuff about his crew."

Finnian stayed silent, his face unreadable. The narrow hallway seemed to press in on them, making the air feel heavy.

"Keith likes you," Finnian suddenly stated, catching Amara off guard.

She frowned immediately, "We've been friends since childhood. He doesn't feel

that way about me. Stop making things up."

Finnian's towering figure cast a shadow over her, his face dark and his gaze cold. "He likes you," he insisted.

Amara despised it when people tried to ship her with her friends,

especially when it tainted pureel.ne

friendships. It felt like a betrayal.

Her voice was sharp as she retorted, "I told

you, he doesn't. We're just ne

friends. Can you please stop this nonsense?"

Amara rarely lost her temper with Finnian. The only other time she had stood up to him was when he and Keith had gotten into a fight outside her apartment, and she had slapped Finnian. Now, for the second time, she found herself defending Keith.