~IsabellaI leaned back on the hotel bed, exhaling a puff of smoke as the dim light flickered above me. The room reeked of cigarettes, expensive perfume, and a faint hint of whiskey from the open bottle on the nightstand. I ran a hand through my hair, feeling the frustration settle deeper into my bones. “Dammit, Nathaniel,” I muttered, tapping the cigarette against the ashtray. "That man always thinks he can win." Across the room, my friend, Camille, stretched out on the couch, swirling a glass of liquor in her hand. She had been watching me for the past ten minutes, her expression unreadable. “You’re thinking too hard,” she finally said, taking a sip. “That’s never a good look on you.” I scoffed, flicking the ash. “I need a way to strike, Camille. Nathaniel has what belongs to me, and I refuse to let him win. Not after everything.” Camille leaned forward, her long nails clicking against the glass as she smirked. “Then why not call him? Negotiate. You know he owes you, Bella
~NathanielI stood in the doorway, my body tense, my mind already forming the next set of commands. There she was—Isabella. She stood frozen, her wide, guilty eyes darting between me and Ethan, her lips slightly parted as if she was still searching for an escape route. There was no escape. Not this time. I turned to my men. “Take her.” The security guards moved swiftly, stepping inside. Isabella barely had time to react before their hands clamped around her arms. She gasped, trying to pull away, but they held firm. “Wait—no!” she hissed, twisting in their grip. “Nathaniel, please!” I ignored her, already reaching for my phone. The prison. I needed to call them and inform them that their missing prisoner had just walked into my house. How stupid could she be? Did she really think she could waltz in here, sneak past me, and not get caught? As I dialed the number, Isabella struggled harder. “Nathaniel, listen to me—please! Just give me a few minutes. That’s all I
~IsabellaI sat on the edge of my bed, staring blankly at the wall. My hands trembled in my lap, my body still numb from the events that had just taken place. I had done it. I had broken down in tears. I had begged Nathaniel. Begged Sophia. Begged Ethan. Me. Isabella. The woman who once held her head high with pride, who never admitted to being wrong, who never shed a tear in front of anyone. And yet, tonight, I had collapsed in front of them, stripped bare of all my arrogance, all my anger, all my greed. I couldn’t believe myself. I clenched my fists, shaking my head. What the hell got into me? Was it the fear? The fear of going back to that hellhole of a prison? I had suffered too much to get out of there. I had fought, manipulated, bargained my way out. And now, I couldn’t risk going back. Maybe… maybe I had changed. Overnight. It was ridiculous to even think about it, but something inside me felt different. The money, the properties—the very things
~SophiaFor the first time in what felt like forever, I could finally breathe. No more looking over my shoulder. No more fear of waking up to another nightmare caused by Isabella’s schemes. She had finally turned a new leaf. It felt surreal, almost too good to be true, but for now, I chose to believe it. To believe that she was truly done with her tricks. And, as if life had decided to reward us for enduring so much, Lily was being discharged today. I smiled to myself as I walked toward Nathaniel, who was reading something on his phone near the window. His sharp suit hugged his frame perfectly, and despite all the stress of the past weeks, he still looked as handsome as ever. "You're smiling," Nathaniel said, not looking up. "That’s rare these days." I rolled my eyes, stopping beside him. "I have a reason to." He finally glanced at me, his lips tugging upward slightly. "And what would that be?" I leaned against the table, crossing my arms. "Well, for one, your ex-wif
~SophiaThe night was quiet, the kind of silence that should be peaceful, but I felt anything but peace. Lying on the bed, I turned to my side, feeling a strange discomfort in my stomach. A wave of nausea crept up my throat, making me feel dizzy. I groaned softly, shifting slightly, my hand reaching out toward the other side of the bed. My fingers brushed against Nathaniel’s bare chest—warm and steady. He was lying there, his breathing slow and even, completely unaware of my current state of misery. I swallowed thickly, trying to push back the sickness, but it wasn’t working. "Baby," I whispered, my voice weak. Nathaniel didn’t stir. He was still fast asleep, his face relaxed in the dim light of the room. I tried again. "Nathaniel… baby." This time, he shifted slightly before his eyes fluttered open. His gaze was heavy with sleep, but at the sound of my voice, his expression immediately changed. He turned to me, instantly alert. "My love," he murmured, his deep voi
~EthanI stabbed my fork into a juicy steak, cutting into the tender meat as the aroma of garlic butter filled the dining room. Beside it, creamy mashed potatoes glistened with melted cheese, and a side of steamed vegetables added a pop of color to the plate. Dinner at home had always been this way—luxurious, delicious, and filled with conversation. Across from me, Lily swung her little legs under the table, stuffing a piece of bread into her mouth with excitement. Sophia, sitting beside Nathaniel, was picking at her grilled salmon, her expression relaxed and happy. Nathaniel, however, had that look—the one that meant he had something big to say. I knew my father too well. I took another bite of my steak, waiting for him to drop the bombshell. And then, he did. Nathaniel cleared his throat and set down his fork. His voice was calm but firm when he spoke. “Ethan, Lily… You two are going to have a sibling.” I froze mid-bite, my fork stopping inches from my mouth. Lil
~EthanThe hum of the private jet's engines was a steady background noise as I leaned back in my seat, stretching my legs in front of me. Through the large windows, the sky was a vast expanse of blue, painted with streaks of white clouds. Below us, the ocean stretched endlessly, shimmering under the afternoon sun. Beside me, my mother, Isabella, was practically glowing with happiness. “I still can’t believe I was considered for this trip,” she said, her voice soft with emotion. “A family vacation… I never imagined this would happen.” Before I could say anything, Sophia—sitting on the other side of her—reached over and took her hands, squeezing them gently. “Isabella,” Sophia said with a warm smile, “you’re family. And nothing can ever change that.” My mom blinked rapidly, trying to hold back tears. “Oh, Sophia…” Nathaniel, who was sitting across from us, smirked. “If she starts crying, we’ll have to turn the jet around.” Isabella laughed, wiping the corner of her eye.
~SophiaAs soon as we stepped into our villa, I was in awe. It was stunning, a perfect blend of luxury and nature. The room was massive, with tall wooden beams stretching across the ceiling, large open windows covered by soft white mosquito nets, and a private pool just a few steps from our bed. From where I stood, I could see the island’s coastline, the waves gently rolling onto the golden sand. The air smelled of salt and fresh flowers, a mix so intoxicating it made my head light. Birds soared in the sky, their songs blending with the sound of the waves, and in the distance, I could see wooden boats floating lazily on the water. “This…” I whispered, placing a hand on my stomach, “is paradise.” Nathaniel walked up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. His lips brushed against my temple. “Do you like it?” he asked, his voice deep and smooth. I turned to face him with a bright smile. “I love it.” He smirked. “Good. Now, let me do all the work while you sit back
~Sophia“Eight Months Later”Eight months had flown by in a beautiful blur, and now, here I was, sitting on our bed, cradling our bouncing baby boy in my arms. Nathaniel sat beside me, leaning in, staring at the tiny miracle we had created. His fingers gently traced our son’s little hands, a soft smile tugging at his lips. “He’s perfect,” Nathaniel murmured. I smiled, pressing a soft kiss to the baby’s forehead. “He really is.” But now came the hard part—choosing a name. Nathaniel sighed, stretching his legs out on the bed. “Alright, we need to settle this before he grows up and starts naming himself.” I chuckled. “I mean, he might as well, because we’ve been arguing for days.” Nathaniel smirked. “Well, that’s because your name choices are… questionable.” I gasped, pretending to be offended. “Excuse me? Ezra is a strong, beautiful name!” Nathaniel shook his head. “I’m sorry, but he doesn’t look like an Ezra.” I narrowed my eyes. “Okay, Mr. Perfect, what do you sugg
~EthanShe gave me a knowing smile. “I’ll take that as a compliment.” “Please do,” I said smoothly. “So, where are you from?” “Nigeria.” I blinked in surprise, genuinely impressed. “Wait—Nigeria?” I let out a low whistle. “Damn. I had no idea Nigerian women were this breathtaking.” She chuckled, shaking her head. “You should visit sometime. We have plenty more where I came from.” I smirked. “I doubt any could compare to you. You look like an African goddess.” A light blush dusted her cheeks, and she looked away for a second before meeting my eyes again. “And you don’t look bad yourself. You’ve got that… classic, handsome white-boy charm.” I wasn’t expecting that, and for the first time in a while, I actually felt shy. I cleared my throat, quickly changing the subject. “So… what do you do for a living?” Her eyes sparkled with excitement. “I’m a UI/UX designer for a tech company in the U.S.” I raised my eyebrows. “Damn. Smart and beautiful?” She laughed. “It’s
~EthanThe coconut juice was ice cold, the perfect companion for a warm, salty breeze rolling in from the ocean. I leaned back against my chair, stretching my legs out in the soft golden sand, my sunglasses resting low on my nose as I took a slow sip. Beside me, Lily was doing the same, except she had managed to get half the coconut juice on her shirt rather than in her mouth. “You’re a mess,” I muttered, smirking. Lily rolled her eyes, licking a stray drop from her lips. “Whatever, Ethan.” I glanced at her sideways, raising an eyebrow. “You wanna tell me why you’ve been following me around since we got here? Shouldn’t you be with your parents in their room or something?” Lily groaned dramatically, sinking deeper into her chair. “Ugh. First of all, ew. Why would I want to be trapped in a room with them?” She sat up, turning to face me. “And second, we both know we’d end up around each other eventually, so why fight it?” I chuckled, shaking my head. “You’re unbelievable.”
~SophiaAs soon as we stepped into our villa, I was in awe. It was stunning, a perfect blend of luxury and nature. The room was massive, with tall wooden beams stretching across the ceiling, large open windows covered by soft white mosquito nets, and a private pool just a few steps from our bed. From where I stood, I could see the island’s coastline, the waves gently rolling onto the golden sand. The air smelled of salt and fresh flowers, a mix so intoxicating it made my head light. Birds soared in the sky, their songs blending with the sound of the waves, and in the distance, I could see wooden boats floating lazily on the water. “This…” I whispered, placing a hand on my stomach, “is paradise.” Nathaniel walked up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. His lips brushed against my temple. “Do you like it?” he asked, his voice deep and smooth. I turned to face him with a bright smile. “I love it.” He smirked. “Good. Now, let me do all the work while you sit back
~EthanThe hum of the private jet's engines was a steady background noise as I leaned back in my seat, stretching my legs in front of me. Through the large windows, the sky was a vast expanse of blue, painted with streaks of white clouds. Below us, the ocean stretched endlessly, shimmering under the afternoon sun. Beside me, my mother, Isabella, was practically glowing with happiness. “I still can’t believe I was considered for this trip,” she said, her voice soft with emotion. “A family vacation… I never imagined this would happen.” Before I could say anything, Sophia—sitting on the other side of her—reached over and took her hands, squeezing them gently. “Isabella,” Sophia said with a warm smile, “you’re family. And nothing can ever change that.” My mom blinked rapidly, trying to hold back tears. “Oh, Sophia…” Nathaniel, who was sitting across from us, smirked. “If she starts crying, we’ll have to turn the jet around.” Isabella laughed, wiping the corner of her eye.
~EthanI stabbed my fork into a juicy steak, cutting into the tender meat as the aroma of garlic butter filled the dining room. Beside it, creamy mashed potatoes glistened with melted cheese, and a side of steamed vegetables added a pop of color to the plate. Dinner at home had always been this way—luxurious, delicious, and filled with conversation. Across from me, Lily swung her little legs under the table, stuffing a piece of bread into her mouth with excitement. Sophia, sitting beside Nathaniel, was picking at her grilled salmon, her expression relaxed and happy. Nathaniel, however, had that look—the one that meant he had something big to say. I knew my father too well. I took another bite of my steak, waiting for him to drop the bombshell. And then, he did. Nathaniel cleared his throat and set down his fork. His voice was calm but firm when he spoke. “Ethan, Lily… You two are going to have a sibling.” I froze mid-bite, my fork stopping inches from my mouth. Lil
~SophiaThe night was quiet, the kind of silence that should be peaceful, but I felt anything but peace. Lying on the bed, I turned to my side, feeling a strange discomfort in my stomach. A wave of nausea crept up my throat, making me feel dizzy. I groaned softly, shifting slightly, my hand reaching out toward the other side of the bed. My fingers brushed against Nathaniel’s bare chest—warm and steady. He was lying there, his breathing slow and even, completely unaware of my current state of misery. I swallowed thickly, trying to push back the sickness, but it wasn’t working. "Baby," I whispered, my voice weak. Nathaniel didn’t stir. He was still fast asleep, his face relaxed in the dim light of the room. I tried again. "Nathaniel… baby." This time, he shifted slightly before his eyes fluttered open. His gaze was heavy with sleep, but at the sound of my voice, his expression immediately changed. He turned to me, instantly alert. "My love," he murmured, his deep voi
~SophiaFor the first time in what felt like forever, I could finally breathe. No more looking over my shoulder. No more fear of waking up to another nightmare caused by Isabella’s schemes. She had finally turned a new leaf. It felt surreal, almost too good to be true, but for now, I chose to believe it. To believe that she was truly done with her tricks. And, as if life had decided to reward us for enduring so much, Lily was being discharged today. I smiled to myself as I walked toward Nathaniel, who was reading something on his phone near the window. His sharp suit hugged his frame perfectly, and despite all the stress of the past weeks, he still looked as handsome as ever. "You're smiling," Nathaniel said, not looking up. "That’s rare these days." I rolled my eyes, stopping beside him. "I have a reason to." He finally glanced at me, his lips tugging upward slightly. "And what would that be?" I leaned against the table, crossing my arms. "Well, for one, your ex-wif
~IsabellaI sat on the edge of my bed, staring blankly at the wall. My hands trembled in my lap, my body still numb from the events that had just taken place. I had done it. I had broken down in tears. I had begged Nathaniel. Begged Sophia. Begged Ethan. Me. Isabella. The woman who once held her head high with pride, who never admitted to being wrong, who never shed a tear in front of anyone. And yet, tonight, I had collapsed in front of them, stripped bare of all my arrogance, all my anger, all my greed. I couldn’t believe myself. I clenched my fists, shaking my head. What the hell got into me? Was it the fear? The fear of going back to that hellhole of a prison? I had suffered too much to get out of there. I had fought, manipulated, bargained my way out. And now, I couldn’t risk going back. Maybe… maybe I had changed. Overnight. It was ridiculous to even think about it, but something inside me felt different. The money, the properties—the very things