Chapter 902

What an entrance! Everyone turned to look at the source of the bold voice. A tall woman strutted in, dressed in a mix of luxury and extravagance: a fur coat on top, leather pants on the bottom, and a pair of oversized sunglasses perched on her nose. No one seemed to recognize her, and whispers began to ripple through the courtyard.

“Who is she?”

One of the bolder ones shot Hayden a look and joked, “Is this one of your unresolved affairs?”

Unfazed, Hayden replied calmly, “She’s not here for me.”

Keira, however, wasn’t surprised by the woman’s sudden appearance. Nor did she hold back. “Who are you, and why would we need to notify you?”

This remark drew curious glances toward her. The woman, unfazed, swayed her hips dramatically and smirked. “You’re acting all high and mighty already, and you’re not even Mrs. Hart yet?”

Her words immediately shifted the attention to Hayden. It was a clear jab at him for not having formally married Keira yet, suggesting he’d shortchanged her for a wedding.

“Well, I’ve always been this high and mighty, married or not,” Keira retorted with a grin. “And maybe take off those massive sunglasses. People might think you’ve got a black eye under there.”

She chuckled lightly. “Wow, boss lady, still as sharp-tongued as ever. Aren’t you afraid of scaring off all your customers?”

“Scare them off, and I’ll just drink tea and enjoy the view by myself,” Keira replied, gesturing toward the beautiful courtyard. “Not like I’m hurting for money.”

“Hopeless,” she sighed dramatically, shaking her head. “How do you all put up with her? I don’t see how anyone could be friends with this woman.”

Finally, she removed her sunglasses, revealing a meticulously made-up face. Her unveiling drew audible gasps from the group. It wasn’t just her striking beauty that caught everyone off guard, but the fact that they recognized her.

“She’s from the Drago family,” someone murmured, glancing at Keira with confusion. “Surprised, huh?” she teased, striking a pose. “What do you think? Have I gotten prettier?”

“When were you ever not pretty?” Keira replied with an indulgent smile.

Her face lit up. “That’s why I like you – always speaking the truth!”

Despite everything, Keira couldn’t help but smile at her antics. After all the drama and chaos she had been through, Sasha still remained herself – bright, carefree, and unapologetically vibrant. She was living the kind of life most people envied but didn’t have the courage to pursue.

“I didn’t expect you to show up here,” Keira admitted. “How did you find me?”

“Please, a celebrity like you? One quick search online, and voilà,” she said, casually waving her hand. Her gaze wandered across the courtyard. “I have to say, you really know how to live. This place is beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Keira said with a nod. “What are you up to these days?”

“Making money,” she replied breezily, leaning in close and whispering, “Men’s money.”

Keira frowned, her thoughts immediately jumping to Sasha’s complicated past relationships.

Sasha laughed when she saw Keira’s expression. “See? You’ve already got the wrong idea.”

“Well, your phrasing doesn’t exactly help,” Keira said dryly. Then, remembering her daughter, she added, “You’ve got Nina to think about. Set a good example for her, will you?”

At the mention of her daughter, her playful demeanor faltered. A shadow crossed her face, and Keira’s heart sank. “What’s wrong? Did something happen to Nina?”

“No,” she said with a small shake of her head, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. “She just doesn’t like me anymore. Everything I say or do, she fights me on it.”

That didn’t sound like Nina. She was a sweet, well-mannered child. “What did you do to upset her?”

“I didn’t do anything,” Sasha replied, her voice tinged with frustration. “It’s been like this ever since Thorsten’s accident. She hasn’t seen him since, and I can’t tell her the truth. I just told her he’s gone out of town. Now she’s constantly asking me to call him. Who am I supposed to call? She thinks I’m lying to her and keeping her from seeing him, so she’s mad at me all the time.”

Keira pictured Nina and Thorsten together. There weren’t many such moments, but it was clear how much Thorsten adored her. It was only natural for Nina to miss her father.

“This is a tough time for her,” Keira said gently. “You’ll need to be extra patient with her. Just comfort her as much as you can. She’ll get through it eventually.”

Sasha nodded silently, her usual lightheartedness replaced by a rare moment of vulnerability. Keira reached out to give her hand a reassuring squeeze. Sometimes, the weight of loss didn’t just linger – it reshaped the lives of those left behind.