Chapter 242 CHAPTER 0242

Chapter 242 CHAPTER 0242
LAUREN'S POV

“I don’t really need much, I just need to pay off someone I’ve been owing here for a while,” Liz said over the phone, her voice carrying a subtle edge of urgency that made me stand up straighter

I cleared my throat, trying to keep my voice steady as I replied. “Ok… how much?” I asked, my fingers tapping lightly against the back of my phone 

“Five thousand,” she said plainly, as if it were a number I could easily pull out of nowhere.

I paused for a moment, letting the number sink in. Five thousand was pocket change, but it also wasn’t something I can just dash away, no matter the millions that sits in my account and the billions that sits in Romans, I still respect every dime I have because once upon a time five thousand could feed me for an entire month.

I exhaled softly, feeling a hint of tension from the long day pressing against my shoulders. “Alright, just send me the account I need to transfer the money to, and I’ll do it immediately,” I said, trying to sound casual though my mind was already running through logistics.

There was a brief pause on the other end before Liz spoke again, her voice slightly hesitant this time. “The thing is… the person doesn’t want the money via transfer. He wants it given to him in cash.”

I raised a brow, caught off guard by the request. Cash? Really? In this digital age, people prefer transfers, bank deposits, or online payment apps. It seemed strange, even suspicious, for someone to insist on cash. My mind flicked through possibilities, but before I could dwell on them too long, I asked, “So… what do you suggest?”

“Well,” Liz hesitated, the weight of her request clear in her tone, “I was thinking maybe you could come give it to me yourself. The guy… he doesn’t trust me well enough to leave this place and come get it from the house.”

I frowned, rubbing the back of my neck. I had been ready for a small favor, but this was something bigger. “I should come give it to you? You know it’s already late, right? And I’m exhausted from work too. Who’s this guy exactly? Let me speak to him,” I said, trying to balance my concern with practicality.

“There’s not much time for that or any explanation,” she said quickly, almost cutting me off. “I know you’re tired, that’s why I called this a big favor. Please… just help out.”

The urgency in her voice made me pause. She was clearly distressed, and I couldn’t ignore that. Family always came first, no matter how tired I was. I let out a small sigh, pressing a hand to my forehead to shake off the stress of the day.

“Sure,” I said finally, my voice soft but firm. “What are sisters for? Send me the address, I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Thanks so much!” she exclaimed, relief washing through her words. “I’ll text it to you immediately. Please, don’t waste time.”

And with that, she hung up abruptly, leaving the room quiet except for the faint hum of the city outside. I set the phone down slowly, feeling the weight of the request settle on my shoulders.

I could feel Roman watching me, his expression unreadable but clearly showing his concern. I avoided his gaze, knowing full well what he was thinking, he wasn’t happy with my decision, and he was waiting for the phone call to end before saying anything.

Now that the call was over, I took a deep breath and tried to brace myself for the conversation I knew was coming.

“Babe… I know what you’re going to say, and I understand if you don’t like it, but I can’t just leave her hanging there when she needs my help again, especially when I’ve told her I’d be coming,” I said quickly, trying to explain before he could start lecturing.

“You shouldn’t have done that in the first place,” Roman said, his tone steady but firm, almost like a parent scolding a child. “First of all, you should consider yourself. You’re tired, you had a stressful day, you haven’t even gotten fifteen minutes of rest since you came back, and you want to go out again? Secondly, I understand she’s your sister, but you should also understand that you’re a mother. By the time you leave and get back, Aria would already be asleep. You haven’t seen her since morning.”

His words weren’t angry, but they carried weight. It felt different from being yelled at or mistreated, it was a reminder of responsibilities I couldn’t ignore. Roman wasn’t trying to hurt me; he was trying to make me see the bigger picture. I exhaled slowly, letting the truth in his words settle.

I stepped closer to him and held his hand, trying to ease the tension between us. “I’m sorry, okay? I understand. This would be the first and last time, I promise,” I said, my voice soft and sincere, hoping to calm him and reassure him that I understood.

Roman let out a small sigh, his eyes locking with mine for a brief moment. “And what about what I was about to tell you? That’s more important than this. You have to hear it before we leave,” he said, his tone gentle but firm, as if he was reminding me that some things couldn’t wait.

Just as I was about to reply, a small beep from my phone drew my attention again. I glanced down and saw a new message from Liz. It was the address.

I stared at the screen for a moment, taking in the text. It wasn’t somewhere I knew, and a brief flicker of unease passed through me. But I didn’t dwell on it. New York was a huge city, and it wasn’t unusual to not be familiar with every corner. I was already preparing myself to head out, gathering my thoughts and energy for the errand ahead.

As I was about to put the phone down, another message from Liz appeared.

I froze, staring at the screen in surprise.

Her follow-up message caught me completely off guard.