Amelia povThe door clicked softly behind me, but my mind was already miles away, replaying Mr Garciaâs words over and over in my head.âYou have to survive the week without getting another strike.âIt was absurd. Impossible, even. How could he expect me to balance all the chaos surrounding Haroldâs lawsuit, my own mounting stress, and Ameliaâs care without slipping up? The demands heâd already placed on me felt like enough to break anyone, and now he was adding one more, as if I could simply wave a magic wand and make everything work.I clenched my fists, fighting the urge to slam somethingâanythingâagainst the walls. I didnât have time for this. I didnât have the luxury of frustration.Still, his offer lingered, like a sickly-sweet promise that left a bitter aftertaste. He would help me with Harold, but only if I could somehow manage to stay perfect. No mistakes, no signs of weakness. JustâĶ survive.I could feel his eyes on me again, the way he had looked at me when I finally agre
Michell povI watched her.Every morning, without fail, Audrey followed the schedule. She was up before the sun, precise, unwavering. At first, I thought it would be temporary. A couple of days of forced discipline, maybe, before sheâd crack. But I started to think I had misjudged her. Four days. Thatâs how long it had been. Four days of watching her wake up early, follow every rule, and keep Amelia on track. No excuses. No deviation. Not even a hint of frustration. I couldnât decide if I was impressed or irritated. The first day, I thought she was just putting on a show. But by the second day, I noticed the small detailsâhow she made sure Ameliaâs breakfast was exactly the way I liked it, down to the lack of sugar in the cereal. How she followed through with the walk, even when it was cold enough to make your bones ache. By the third day, it became impossible to ignore. She was serious. Serious enough to make me start questioning my own rules. It was a strange thing, wa
Audrey povI sat in my room, staring at my phone, waiting for Greg to call back. The moment Mr. Garcia told me his lawyers were pulling strings, everything had started moving faster than I expected. Depositions, restraining orders, counter-motionsâI could barely keep up with the legal jargon, let alone process the fact that Mr. Garcia was handling things like it was just another business deal. I should have been relieved. I was relieved. But it also terrified me. This was no longer just my fight. Mr. Garcia had made it clear that he was involved, which meant I couldnât afford to mess up. Not with Ameliaâs routine, not with my testimony, not with anything. If I failed, I wouldnât just be disappointing myselfâIâd be proving him right. That I wasnât capable. That I wasnât strong enough to handle this. My phone buzzed. Greg.I exhaled sharply before answering. âHey.â âI just got off the phone with Mr. Garciaâs legal team,â Greg said, his voice carrying the exhaustion I felt. âT
Michell povI sat in my office, fingers steepled under my chin as the last of my legal team filed out. The meeting had gone exactly as expectedâefficient, calculated, and airtight. Ms. Taylor had sat across from me, her shoulders squared, her hands clenched in her lap. She thought she was hiding it well, but I saw her fidgeting. The way her breathing changed when Haroldâs name was mentioned. The way she kept swallowing, like she was trying to keep everything inside. She wanted to fight. I had seen that determination before, but this time, it wasnât just about survival. She was fighting for something bigger. For herself. I leaned back in my chair, my gaze drifting toward the darkened windows. Months ago, I had expected her to fail. I had expected her to make a mistake, to crumble under the pressure. To prove that she was like every other woman who had tried to weasel her way into my life through my daughter. But she hadnât. She followed the rules. Every single one. She
Amelia povI stood in the courtyard outside the courthouse, the chill of the morning air biting at my skin as I clutched my coat tighter around my frame. The hustle and bustle of the city felt distant here, muffled by the towering stone walls surrounding the courthouse. In contrast to the chaotic energy inside, the courtyard was quietâpeaceful evenâbut I couldnât shake the tightness in my chest.Harold was inside. I had seen him, as soon as I stepped through the doors, looking every bit the part of the man who thought he had all the power. His usual smug expression was plastered across his face, and beside him, his new mistressâGinaâlooked like she was born for this world of drama and spectacle. She was clutching his arm with an air of possessiveness, like she was staking her claim in front of the world. And his motherâĶ the woman who had always stood behind him, no matter what wrong he did, sat beside Gina, looking at me with disdain. She had always made it clear that she did
Audrey povThe air in the courtroom felt like it had thickened, the silence hanging heavy as the next part of the trial loomed. Haroldâs plan to use me as the villainâthe woman who had betrayed himâhad begun to unravel in front of everyone, and now, Mr. Garciaâs legal team was ready to hit him where it hurt the most. My heart was pounding, and I could barely focus on the back-and-forth between the lawyers. Every so often, my eyes would flicker to Mr. Garcia, who stood across the room, exuding an air of quiet confidence as his team took over. Haroldâs lawyers were still trying to salvage the story they had been tellingâthis narrative of my supposed infidelity. They had painted me as a woman who had been chasing after Mr. Garcia, trying to tear apart my family for a man who was far out of my reach. It was all lies, and they knew it. But now, they were about to see the truth. Mr. Garciaâs lawyer stepped up to the stand, folder in hand, eyes cold as he made his way toward the judg
Audrey povThe courtroom was filled with an eerie quiet as the judge re-entered the room. The gavel struck again, this time signaling the end of the long wait. Everyone slowly took their seats, the tension in the air almost suffocating.The judge looked over at us all, her eyes sharp and focused. She was about to deliver her verdict.âAfter reviewing all the evidence presented and considering the circumstances surrounding this case, I have come to a decision,â she began. Her voice rang out clearly, the authority in it making every word feel heavier than the last.I took a deep breath, bracing myself. My hands were cold, and despite everything I had endured, the nerves still lingered. It was hard to shake the feeling that something could go wrong at the last moment, but I couldnât deny that this was my chanceâmy chance to finally break free from the control Harold had over me for so long.âMr. Thomas,â the judge continued, turning her gaze to Harold, âit is clear from the evidence th
Michell povI walked beside Ms. Taylor as we exited the courthouse, the cold afternoon air brushing against us. The tension from the courtroom still lingered, but Ms. Taylorâs shoulders had visibly lessened. She wasnât the same woman who had walked into this mess. She had won. And yet, she was silent.Reporters and photographers swarmed outside, their cameras flashing, their voices blending into a chaotic mess of questions and accusations. My security team was already in place, ensuring we had a clear path to the car.âMs. Taylor, do you have a statement?ââDid you really have an affair with Mr. Garcia?ââHow do you feel about the ruling?âI felt her stiffen beside me, her pace steady but tense. She didnât answer. She didnât need to. The ruling had spoken for itself.I reached for the door, holding it open as she slipped inside. I followed, shutting out the noise of the outside world.The ride home was quiet. Ms. Taylor sat beside me in the car, staring out the window, lost in thoug
AUDREY POV.I couldnât stop smiling as I touched my belly, feeling a sense of warmth and connection that seemed to grow with every passing day. It was strange, but in the best way possible. This babyâour babyâhad already become such a huge part of my world, even before I had a chance to meet them. I couldnât wait for the day when theyâd be in my arms, but for now, I was content with the gentle movements, the little kicks, and the love that already filled me up inside.Michell was beside me every step of the way, and the love I saw in his eyes each time he looked at me was enough to make me feel like I could do anything. The planning for the wedding had been a whirlwind, but it was a beautiful chaos. Everyone was on boardâEthan, Lisa, Ameliaâeach of them supporting me, making me feel like I wasnât alone in any of this. I chuckled softly to myself as I remembered the weird cravings. Sometimes they were so odd, even I couldnât believe what I was asking for. The other day, I had sent
MICHELL POV.The days after Audrey told me about the pregnancy felt like they were moving at a dizzying speed, but with each passing moment, I found myself growing more and more excited. It was a strange combination of fear and joyâa blend of emotions I hadnât expected. But one thing I knew for sure: this was happening. And I couldnât be more ready.Ethan was the first person I wanted to tell. He had always been my sounding board, the one I went to for advice. And now, with everything changing, I knew I needed his support more than ever. So, I called him up one evening after dinner, my voice steady but a little too eager. I could hardly contain the news anymore.âHey, Ethan,â I said, trying to sound casual, but the excitement was practically bubbling over. âI need to tell you something. Can you meet up?âThere was a brief pause on the other end, followed by Ethanâs usual laid-back tone. âOf course, man. Whatâs up?ââIâuhâwell, Audrey and IâĶâ I let the words trail off, feeling a mix
AUDREY POV.I held onto Michell as if I could somehow wrap my arms around the whole world in that one moment. There was something so surreal about it, like time had stopped just for us. The air felt thicker, full of everything I had ever wanted, yet never truly believed I deserved.Michell and I had been through so much, had lived through the ups and downs that tested the very foundation of who we were. Weâd fought our way back from uncertainty, built something that felt more real than anything I had ever known before. Yet here we were, standing in the middle of a dreamâone that I wasnât sure I could have even imagined until this moment.As I looked at him, his eyes were still shining with that quiet joy, and I saw something else in them, something deeper than I had ever seen before. He wasnât just happy because of the proposal. No, this was a sense of peace, of certainty. A quiet understanding that he knew exactly what he wanted in this lifeâand that was me.And I knew, in that
MICHELL POV.The sound of laughter filled the room as Ethan and I clinked our glasses together, the amber liquid catching the light of the late afternoon sun. It had been a good dayânothing special, just two guys sitting in the living room, talking about life. It felt like the first time in ages that things had slowed down to a pace I could enjoy.âMan, Iâm telling you, life is different when youâre not always running from something,â Ethan said, leaning back on the couch, his hand cradling his drink as he looked over at me with that familiar half-smile of his.I chuckled. âI hear you. I spent half my life runningâsometimes, it feels like Iâm just starting to figure out how to stand still.âEthan nodded, his gaze thoughtful. âYeah, itâs strange, isnât it? Everythingâs changed so fast.âAfter a few moments, I cleared my throat, breaking the silence.âHey, Ethan,â I started, my voice a little more serious than usual. âIâve been thinking.âEthan looked up from his beer, raising an eyebr
AUDREY POV.The court proceedings felt like a distant memory now, the courtroom and the judgment barely leaving a mark on me anymore. Evelyn had been sentenced to thirty years, but even that didn't bring the closure I thought it would. Somehow, what she'd done to me still hung in the air. But in the quiet moments that followed, I could feel something shifting inside me, as if the fog was slowly lifting, bit by bit.Iâd spent the next few days with Ethan, moving through the motions, trying to piece myself together. There was a sense of calm, but also something delicateâlike I could break at any moment if I wasn't careful.Ethan was always there, steady and patient. And somehow, in his presence, I started to feel like I wasn't alone anymore. The pieces of me that felt lost began to click into place.It wasnât just him, though. Michell, Amelia and Lisa too. They had been so supportive. One morning, as we were all seated in the living area, Lisa spoke. Amelia had gone to school, but n
AUDREY POV.The days after Evelynâs arrest felt like they belonged to someone else. A strange, dizzying blur of noise and silence, filled with questions I couldn't answer, and memories that still stung like fresh wounds. But somehow, I had to breathe through it all.Ethan had been thereâsteady and unwavering, like the one constant in the chaos. We had spent hours together, just the two of us. His words were like soft blankets wrapping around the rawness inside me. Ethan and I sat in the garden that morning, the sun barely rising but casting soft golden light over everything. It felt like it was just the two of us, the world far away, as he spoke.âYou know,â he said, his voice soft but sure, âno wonder I liked you the moment we met.âI frowned, looking up at him. âWhat do you mean?âEthanâs lips twisted into a small, self-deprecating smile. âI couldn't put it together back then. It was like I knew youâĶ but from somewhere else. I should have realized.âI took a deep breath, trying to
AUDREY POV.Ethanâs voice was barely a whisper, but it sliced through the air like a blade. âYouâre telling meâĶ it was my uncle?âEvelynâs body sagged as if the truth was physically tearing her apart. Her lips trembled. âMattâĶ Matt wanted both you and Sophia gone. He was afraid theyâd ruin everything.ââWhat the hell are you talking about?â Ethanâs voice cracked, a mix of confusion and horror. âWhy would heâ?ââBecause he wanted your fatherâs properties!â Evelyn cried. âSo, he wanted to get rid of both of you.âThe room was spinning. My breath came in shallow bursts. My knees nearly buckled under me, and I clung to the wall like it was the only thing holding me upright. âWhat are you saying?â I whispered. âWho was she?âEvelyn looked at me thenâreally looked at me. And what I saw there made my blood run cold. It wasnât the cold stare of the woman Iâd called Mother all my life. It was something different. Something broken. She stepped forward, trembling, her voice hoarse.âYou were So
AUDREY POV.âEvelyn?â Ethan's voice sliced through the tense air. It wasnât a questionâit was an accusation.âEvelyn?â I echoed, my voice barely a whisper as I tried to process the flood of emotions rushing through me. My gaze darted between Ethan and my mother, whose body had frozen.She turned slowly, her eyes locking with Ethanâs for the briefest moment. In that fleeting instant, I saw itâa flash of something that wasnât just anger, but something much darker. Fear. But as quickly as it appeared, it was gone, leaving behind only the mask of defiance she always wore.Before anyone could react, she made a desperate moveâjerking violently against the grip of the security guards holding her. Her eyes widened in sheer panic, and for a split second, I saw the wild, primal look of someone on the edge of losing control.âHold her!â one of the guards barked, his grip tightening around her arm as he fought to keep her still.She was cornered now, her frantic eyes scanning the surroundings
AUDREY POV.That night, after everything, as I finally lay down to sleep, my mind couldn't seem to settle.The dayâs events replayed over and over, but it wasn't long before exhaustion took over, pulling me into a deep slumber.The dream came again. The one Iâd had so many times before. It was always the sameâgentle, comforting. A manâs voice, low and warm, calling me beautiful names, followed by a womanâs melodic tone, soft but so loving, calling me something sweet, something precious. Their words were a lullaby, one I never wanted to wake from.Then there was the boy, the same boy from every dream. A little, golden-haired boy, swinging me in the air. His laughter would echo, sweet and innocent, as the swing creaked with each push. The breeze would tangle my hair, and Iâd feel weightless, carefree. For a moment, everything was calm, perfect even. But then something shifted. For the first time, I wasnât just watching. I was part of the dream. I was the one dancing. My body moved i