Chapter 167

Angela POV

The elevator doors slid open silently, revealing the elegant hallway that led to Sean's penthouse. I stepped out and immediately froze at the unexpected tableau before me.

William West lay sprawled on the plush hallway carpet, his expression stunned as he struggled to right himself. Christina Jordan stood nearby, her hand covering her mouth in shock. Evan White stood slightly apart, watching the scene with his usual calculated reserve.

And there was Sean, standing in his doorway, one hand still gripping the handle, his normally composed demeanor cracked by obvious anger.

My heart rate accelerated instantly. My children were inside that apartment, and Christina Jordan was here！

The woman who had once offered me three million dollars to terminate my pregnancy was mere steps away from meeting those same children I had protected from her. The thought sent ice through my veins.

I moved forward, ignoring the chaos. Getting to Aria and Ethan was my only priority.

Christina noticed me first.

Her eyes widened, recognition flickering across her features like lightning.

The shock on her face quickly transformed into something harder, more calculating.

I recognized that look-the rapid assessment of a potential rival, the mental tallying of strengths and vulnerabilities.

Evan's eyes met mine next, a flash of understanding passing between us. Unlike the others, he seemed unsurprised by my appearance, as if he'd suspected this connection all along.

William had managed to stand by now, brushing off his expensive suit with indignant huffs. Following Christina's gaze, he turned and spotted me.

"Angela Wilson??" he exclaimed, his voice echoing down the hallway. "How is this possible??"

Sean, who had been about to close his door, froze. Our eyes met briefly, his expression unreadable.

I assessed the situation quickly. This was not the confrontation I had come for. My children were somewhere inside Sean's apartment, and that was all that mattered. These people-with their tangled histories and complicated agendas-were irrelevant obstacles.

With practiced composure, I stepped forward, intending to walk past them all without acknowledgment. My gaze remained fixed on the doorway beyond Sean.

"Sean," William suddenly called out, his voice sharp with accusation. "Why is Angela Wilson here? Didn't you divorce her years ago? And what about that child inside-what's your relationship to her?"

I kept walking, determined not to engage.

"How can you do this to Christina?" William continued, his voice rising. "After everything she's done for you?"

From the corner of my eye, I saw Christina's eyes grow glassy with carefully timed tears, her lower lip caught between her teeth in a perfect picture of feminine distress. The performance was flawless-I had to give her that.

Sean's expression hardened as he turned to William, his voice dropping to that dangerous register I remembered all too well. "That's enough."

"No, it's not nearly enough," William shot back, stepping closer to Sean. "We deserve answers. Today, with all of us here, you need to explain yourself. Or this isn't over."

William lunged forward, reaching for Sean's collar again. Sean didn't move, but his voice cut through the tension like a blade of ice.

"Don't touch me."

Something in his tone made William pause mid-stride, his hand hovering in the air between them.

"Fine, I won't touch you," William huffed, stepping back. "But you're going to explain what's happening here."

Sean's eyes narrowed coldly. "Since when do I need to report to you about my personal affairs?"

I stood quietly, waiting for my opportunity to slip past them. My patience was wearing thin, but creating a scene would only make things worse.

A small movement caught my eye-a flash of dark curls peeking around the doorframe behind Sean. My heart stopped. Aria and Ethan had come to investigate the commotion.

They stood just inside the apartment, their small faces curious and concerned as they tried to understand the adult drama unfolding before them. The realization that they might be hearing this entire exchange-accusations about divorces and relationships they couldn't possibly understand-sent a surge of protective fury through me.

I moved decisively then, stepping around William and heading straight for the door. My only thought was to reach my children and remove them from this toxic situation.

I'd almost made it past when William's hand shot out, gripping my shoulder hard enough to stop me in my tracks.

"This woman abandoned you!" he shouted at Sean, using his free hand to point accusingly at me.

"Five years without a word! She didn't even come back when Elizabeth died! And you're throwing away what you have with Christina for her? Have you lost your mind?"

I frowned, trying to twist away from his grip. William's fingers dug into my shoulder, refusing to release me.

Something shifted in the atmosphere-a sudden drop in temperature that had nothing to do with the building's climate control. I looked up to see Sean's face transform, his usual mask of control slipping to reveal something darker, more primal.

"William West," Sean growled, "get your fucking hands off her. Now."