Natalia’s POVI didn’t move an inch. I felt my feet stuck on the floor and my knees were too tired to move. And there he was, his hand beating up down, up down. And I couldn’t do anything about it other than just watch him on the verge of dying. I couldn’t fucking save him. I couldn’t utter a word either. I was frozen. Tears welled up my eyes, as they trickled down my cheeks to the side of my mouth. No, this couldn’t be. “Do something for god’s sake” a voice screamed in my head, but I still didn’t do anything. If I’m asked why, I wouldn’t be able to give a reasonable explanation. It was as though I was glued to that spot and did nothing but cry like some three years old. “Somebody help. Call the doctors and the nurses.” Mother yelled as loud as she could. I could see the fear in her eyes. She wanted to save her son, but she couldn’t do anything. She was helpless and hopeless. Immediately, she turned to me. Her eyes filled with tears and anger. It was obvious she was surprised I jus
Natalie’s POVI stared at the doctor, my heart pounding so hard I thought it would break through my chest. He said Sebastian was awake. Could it be true? Was he really going to live?For a moment, I couldn’t move. My legs felt heavy like they were stuck to the floor. I stood there, unsure of what to do. Should I go in and see him, or stay back? My head was spinning, my thoughts all tangled up. But then, I felt Mother’s eyes on me again, burning with anger.“You see what I’ve been saying?” she spat, pointing a shaking finger at me. “You were just standing there like a statue. Useless!”I wanted to say something, anything to defend myself, but the words didn’t come. My mouth felt dry, and my chest tightened. I knew no matter what I said, she wouldn’t believe me. She had already made up her mind about me. To her, I was the villain, the evil girl who came into their lives and brought nothing but trouble.“I swear, I didn’t want any of this to happen,” I whispered, but my voice was too sof
Sebastian's POV I have always been careful. Careful of my life, the decisions I made and the aftermath of each and everyone of it, but today seemed different. I had destroyed my life in a twinkle of an eye. This event still made me doubt that I was ever serious.Just take a look, my life was on a pause. Everyone bringing me flowers, wishing for a better health and quick recovery, mother blaming me for not being careful while driving, the media spreading the news like wildfire that the billionaire CEO had been in an accident.Shit. Just then I knew my life would be over if I spend another minute herre. It's been two weeks since I was admitted. The workaholic part of me slowly died and I had started to feel like a piece of a wood who did nothing but just like around waiting for help. Plus, I never knew this accident of a thing would escalate into this big mess. No, I needed to move. I needed to something. I needed to get my ass up and do some work. I got up from the bed, taking off t
Natalie's POV.What would he think of me? The one he was trying to help went away without telling him…I should have protested against leaving. I should have stood my ground that day. It'd been two weeks now since he was admitted and I don't know if he's doing okay or not.The least I could do was hope for the best. He'd be fine, that was what was sure. I had gone to Iris's apartment to question her on the statement she had made the other day. This wasn't about any romantic feeling. This was about her. If I didn't show this much interest in the statement, she might doubt the authenticity of our “relationship.” I wasn't in for that. Come to think of it, I was clueless of where this too much care came from. For crying out loud, this marriage of a thing wasn't real. I need his help. It was high time I stuck to it.Yeah, I'd charge my strategies. Something better would do. Love wasn't for me and anything close to love would be out of the box for now.And where am I living since I've be
Natalie's POV It was the 26th of August. Oh,this day. It was the day my father died. I forced the tears back, holding tightly to the rail as I headed a great sigh, leaving all my burden and heartache on nature. I was too young to be facing these kinds of problems. If someone had told me all my problems would begin that very day I saw Iris with my boyfriend, I would have laughed and concluded they were joking.I inhaled and exhaled, practicing the mediation technique I had started incorporating into my life. I had been gradually losing my mind, my life was in a mess, I had even started going into debts. Shit, no one ever told me life was this hard. No one.It was past ten already. I needed to visit the cemetery. I took a bus there and on my way, got flowers. Dad was lonely. But I was lonelier. He never knew he'd raise his kids to be rivals. I'm sure he had never thought to that extent but here we are.Tears welled in my eyes. ***Flashback (16 years ago) ***“Come here, Natalie!” Fat
Sebastian's POV Her mouth gaped open. She wanted to hide her surprise, but fate was against her. “Where have you been?” I whispered, not believing she was standing right in front of me. She had been gone for months. I tried calling her line and meeting people she knew but all was to no avail.“Away from you.” She swallowed hard and went to the sink, the tap gushing out water. “Why did you leave? You do know you faltered part of our agreement. You're my wife and you have no right to leave my house!” “Like you own me. I hate this sense of entitlement you men have. And so that I may remind you, we're not legally married. All this isn't real, did you forget that?” “Of course not. I…just missed you.” “Get the hell out of here.” She pushed me aside, almost making her way out. “I won't accept you pushing me away with that tiny body of yours. Get back here.” I held her by the wrist.“What do you want from me?” “I want you. I want you back as my wife. As my friend. Look, I should even b
Chapter 23Natalie’s POVI turned to see Sebastian’s face etched with surprise. What? This was not true. “What are you talking about? This is my husband. He can’t steal, so what the hell are you talking about?”I had never seen her face before so what point was she making here? I was pretty sure he barely knew her either. So what the hell was she talking about then?“He knows what I’m talking about. Ask him. I caught him picking her ring that fell. I swear it.”I turned to Sebastian. His eyes narrowed at her. It was obvious she was lying. Speaking of Sebastian stealing her jewelry, Sebastian was a goddamn billionaire. For what purpose will he steal her jewelry? To crown it all, a woman’s jewelry. “Oh, my god. Are you sure of what you’re saying?” Iris ran from the podium to the audience, grabbing her by the arm with this concerned look etched on her face that seemed quite unreal. This wasn’t true. I could feel it in my veins. “You are lying. Why would he want to steal Iris’s jewelry
Chapter 23Natalie’s POVI turned to see Sebastian’s face etched with surprise. What? This was not true. “What are you talking about? This is my husband. He can’t steal, so what the hell are you talking about?”I had never seen her face before so what point was she making here? I was pretty sure he barely knew her either. So what the hell was she talking about then?“He knows what I’m talking about. Ask him. I caught him picking her ring that fell. I swear it.”I turned to Sebastian. His eyes narrowed at her. It was obvious she was lying. Speaking of Sebastian stealing her jewelry, Sebastian was a goddamn billionaire. For what purpose will he steal her jewelry? To crown it all, a woman’s jewelry. “Oh, my god. Are you sure of what you’re saying?” Iris ran from the podium to the audience, grabbing her by the arm with this concerned look etched on her face that seemed quite unreal. This wasn’t true. I could feel it in my veins. “You are lying. Why would he want to steal Iris’s jewelry
The house was too quiet. It was at this moment I knew silence had a sound and could be heard. It wasn’t the peaceful kind of silence. It was the heavy, suffocating kind-the kind that made the air thick, the kind that made my own heartbeat sound too loud in my ears. It pressed against my chest, wrapping around me like an invisible chain. I stood in the middle of the living room, staring at the space in front of me. My hands were clasped together, but my fingers kept fidgeting, twisting over one another. Sebastian hadn’t come downstairs since we got back from the courthouse. I knew where he was. Locked in his study. Alone. I hated this silence. Because it wasn’t really silent. It had a sound—the sound of pain, of grief, of everything that had gone unsaid. I walked toward the couch and sank down, my body feeling heavier than it should. This house wasn’t just a house. It had been a home—a place where we shared laughter, warmth, love. But now… now it felt different. The walls
The house was too quiet. It was at this moment I knew silence had a sound and could be heard. It wasn’t the peaceful kind of silence.It was the heavy, suffocating kind-the kind that made the air thick, the kind that made my own heartbeat sound too loud in my ears. It pressed against my chest, wrapping around me like an invisible chain.I stood in the middle of the living room, staring at the space in front of me. My hands were clasped together, but my fingers kept fidgeting, twisting over one another.Sebastian hadn’t come downstairs since we got back from the courthouse.I knew where he was.Locked in his study. Alone.I hated this silence.Because it wasn’t really silent.It had a sound—the sound of pain, of grief, of everything that had gone unsaid.I walked toward the couch and sank down, my body feeling heavier than it should.This house wasn’t just a house.It had been
The weight of the the whole dramam going on settled on my shoulders like a boulder.I stood outside the police station, gripping my phone tightly in my hand, my thumb hovering over the play button.This was it.The moment I would turn my own mother in.The woman who had raised me, who had held me as a child, who had taught me how to ride a bike—now, I was handing her over to the law.Because she was a monster.Because she had betrayed me.Because she had tried to kill the woman I love.I sucked in a sharp breath, closing my eyes for a second. The night air was cold, biting against my skin. The streetlights flickered above, casting long shadows on the pavement. I could hear the faint sounds of cars honking in the distance, but everything around me felt… muted.Like the world had slowed down.Like I was standing on the edge of something I could never come back from.Then, with a final exhale, I stepped inside.The police station was bright and, the air was thick with the scent of coffee
I took a deep breath as I stepped out of the elevator and into the familiar space of Grant Enterprises. It had been weeks since I was last here. Weeks since my life had spiraled into chaos. Since secrets had been revealed, betrayals exposed, and the foundation of everything I knew had been shaken to its core. But now, I was back. Back to work. Back to normal. Or at least, as normal as life could get after everything that had happened. The office smelled the same-fresh coffee, crisp paper, the faint scent of polished wood. The soft hum of conversations and clicking keyboards filled the air, blending with the occasional ringing of phones. It was comforting in a way. Familiar. And yet, something felt different. Or maybe I was the one who had changed. …. The first thing I did after settling into my office was call HR. I needed a personal assistant. Ever since I got promoted, I had been handling too much on my own, and after everything that had happened, I knew I couldn’t affo
The knock on my office door was sharp, deliberate. I didn’t expect anyone. Not at this hour. Not today. I set down my pen, glancing at the clock. 3:47 PM. I had been drowning in work all day, trying to keep my mind off everything that had happened in the past few weeks. Trying to pretend that life was normal again, that I wasn’t standing on the remains of a world that had been shattered beyond recognition. But now, someone was at my door. I straightened, adjusting my tie before speaking. “Come in.” The door creaked open, and my muscles tensed the moment I saw him. Thomas Grant. My stepfather. The man who had been nothing more than a shadow in my life, standing by while my mother did whatever she wanted. A man who never protected me, never spoke up, never did anything except watch. And now, he was here. I said nothing as he stepped inside, his movements slow, cautious—like he knew he wasn’t welcome. His eyes darted around the office before finally settling on me. He cleare
Sebastian sat on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. I had never seen him like this before. Not when we were trapped. Not when we thought we wouldn’t make it out alive. Not even when he was injured, fighting to stay conscious. But now—now he looked like a man who had lost everything. His shoulders were tense, his breathing uneven, his fingers tangled in his hair as if he was trying to hold himself together. I sat beside him, close but not too close, giving him space. I wanted to say something, but words felt useless. What could I possibly say to make this better? How do you comfort someone when their entire world has just crumbled? I reached out and gently touched his arm. He flinched. Not in fear. Not in anger. Just in pure, raw pain. I pulled my hand back. For a long moment, the only sound in the room was the distant hum of the city outside, cars moving, life continuing as if nothing had changed. But for Sebastian, everything had changed. Finally, he lifted h
Four Weeks Later Freedom. That’s what the doctors called it when they finally discharged us. I should have felt relieved. I should have felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. But as I stepped outside the hospital, the cold air filling my lungs, something in my chest still felt tight. Four weeks. That’s how long we had been stuck in that place - four weeks of beeping machines, fluorescent lights, and hushed voices whispering about whether we’d make it. I had spent every one of those days sitting by Natalie’s bedside, waiting for her to open her eyes, for her to say my name. And when she finally had, I’d felt something break inside me - relief so strong it had made my legs weak. Now, she stood beside me, her hand tucked into mine, looking up at the sky like it was the first time she had ever seen it. The sun cast a warm glow on her skin, but she still looked too pale, too fragile. Her body was thinner than before, her movements slower. But her grip on my hand was st
Darkness. That was all there was at first. A deep, heavy nothingness that felt like me feel like sinking underwater, like being swallowed whole by a world without sound or light. Then came the pain. It was dull at first, a distant throbbing somewhere deep in my body. Then it sharpened, spreading like fire through my veins. My head pounded, my hands felt like they weighed a thousand pounds, and something tugged at my skin - tubes, maybe? I tried to move, but my body didn’t want to listen. Panic curled in my chest. Where was I? I forced my eyelids to move, even though they felt glued shut. A soft beeping sound filled the air, slow and steady. The scent of antiseptic, which was sharp and clean, filled my nose. The air was cold, almost too cold, biting at my skin. A hospital. Memories hit me all at once. The attack. The blood. The feeling of slipping away. I was supposed to die. A shaky breath left my lips, and I turned my head slowly. The effort sent a sharp sting down my neck,
The city had never felt this big. The streets stretched on endlessly, the lights flashing past like blurs of color as I pushed the car faster. The call kept repeating in my head, a cruel echo that refused to fade. "She lost a lot of blood. There's a high chance she won’t survive." My fingers gripped the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white. No. She couldn't die. I refused to let her die. The car roared as I sped through a red light. Horns blared, tires screeched, but none of it mattered. My heart pounded against my ribs like a war drum, my breaths coming out sharp and uneven. The world outside blurred, but my mind was painfully clear. I could still see her face, pale and weak, lying in a pool of her own blood. The memory was like a knife twisting in my gut. "Hold on, Natalie. Just hold on." I had never prayed before. Not once in my life. But as I raced through the city, I found myself muttering desperate words under my breath. I didn’t care who was listening.