Zeke's POVWe settled into the car as soon as Kamille walked back into the house. The kids had settled into the back seat with me, while the driver was already seated in front with Andrew, my chief security.“Let's go,” I instructed and the car ignited and off we zoomed.The kids were giggling and chatting away, filling the car with their infectious energy."Daddy, what’s your favorite snack?" Tyris asked, her eyes wide with curiosity."Ice cream and pizza," I replied with a grin. I knew kids loved them these days. The kids chorused their agreement. "We love ice cream and pizza too!""What’s your favorite flavor?" I asked, now genuinely interested in their preferences. "Reon likes plain and sweetened," Royer chimed in. "Royer and Torin love chocolate, while I love strawberry flavors." Tyris exclaimed excitedly.We talked about their favorite outings and how much they loved spending time together. Reon looked up at me, his eyes shining. "Having you here makes such a difference, Dad
Zeke's POV The sudden chime of my phone brought me back from my thoughts. I glanced down at my phone to see a message from one of the special operations members assigned to my kids.The kids are ready to be picked up.Christopher really did not have it in mind to send me the closing time information. There was something about Christopher that was unsettling in my heart. I really can’t wait to find out."It's time to go," I said, standing up abruptly. "I'll see you soon."“Oh brother,” Zane complained. “We really thought that we could finally have you to ourselves at least for the night.”“Yes, Zeke. We thought we could hang out together tonight,” Fletcher joined in.I looked at them briefly and understood where they were coming from, but I had a responsibility to my kids and Kamille. “Sorry guys, I'll make it up to you guys,”Without waiting for their response, I walked out of the office and headed straight to my car. With the driver in the seat and Andrew in the passenger seat, we d
Kamille's POV The day of the dinner finally arrived, and I felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness that had been building up since morning. Zeke had kept to his word and made sure that everything was sorted out. My kids were already in school and from school, they would be taken to Zeke's penthouse by himself, where they would go and meet Nanny Dona.I smiled remembering how excited they looked when I told them they would sleepover at Zeke's penthouse. Their excitement had reduced when I added we might not make it home on time to meet them before they go to bed.Reon had begun smiling more and behaving more at ease. I now understood the responsibility that my little boy had taken upon himself due to the absence of their father. They would soon be five years old and yet they felt so grown.I selected a loose flowery gown with some flips on and using s sunshade, I stepped out of my house into my car and drove in the direction of the spa Mr. Rogers sent me a reservation for.I ar
Kamille's POV The best part was that every single damn time I set my eyes on him, in pain or in joy, all I wanted was for him to be mine and for me to be his. Together with our kids, making one big beautiful family.Zeke joined me at the table, his gaze lingering on me until I felt uncomfortable. “What?” I asked, trying to break the silence.“Sorry,” he said, looking away. “I didn’t mean to stare.” He gulped down the alcohol in front of him, and we sat in silence for a while longer.I bet that although we still had our senses intact, we were both somewhat tipsy at the end of the dinner. Not wanting to be seen in that state Zeke escorted me to the elevator that would take us to the private car park. The elevator suddenly felt hot. I felt it was just on my part, but I noticed Zeke unbutton his tuxedo, taking it off, then he also went ahead to undo a few buttons on his shirt, revealing his perfect Adam's apple and showing off a bit of that apple in the form of his chest. I gulped hard
Zeke's POV I woke up feeling an unusual warmth and softness around me. Stirring awake, my eyes fell on Kamille, perfectly snuggled in my arms, her face peaceful in sleep. My gaze roamed over her delicate features, her smooth skin, and I couldn’t help but recall the night before. The memory of how we had come together with such intensity and passion made me smile. I had tried to control myself, but the moment I realized she wanted me just as much, I lost all restraint. Now, looking at her, all I desired was to replay everything that had transpired between us.I picked up my phone and sent a message to Mr. Rogers. We would need new sets of clothes as my eyes settled on the clothes strewn across the floor of the room.Kamille stirred and slowly opened her eyes, meeting my gaze. “How long have you been awake?” she asked, her voice soft and sleepy.“Not long,” I replied with a smile.She returned my smile, but then sighed. “I have to go meet the kids,” she said, starting to sit up.“Oka
Ellen's POVI stared out the window as my father and I drove towards the outskirts of town. It had been a long time since I had left town and I certainly did not think that I would be leaving this way. I did not expect that good-for-nothing lawyer to come and try to mess things up.I took a breath and turned to my father. “Dad,” I finally broke the silence, my voice clear and audible, “What exactly is the situation with the lawyer?”Father sighed deeply, his eyes fixed on the road. “He was caught trying to sneak out of the hospital grounds to meet with Kamille. We’ve put enough security around him now, so he won’t be able to reach out to Kamille again. But surprisingly, the latest report says he’s lost his memory.”I felt a flicker of relief, but it was quickly replaced by suspicion. “That’s great, but if he’s lost his memory, then who the hell sent a message to Kamille?”“That’s what we’re going to find out.” His voice was firm, a resolve I knew all too well.We continued in silence
Ellen's POVI sat across from my father in his study, the flickering light from the fireplace casting shadows on the walls. His revelation still hung in the air between us, like a dark veil resisting tear and wear.“How the hell is she a Manor?” I demanded, my voice shaking with disbelief.My father’s eyes met mine, steady and calm. “Remember the story I told you about your Aunt Fiona’s baby and your Grandma Monica coming home with an adopted baby?”I felt a chill run down my spine as the pieces of a long-buried puzzle began to fit together. “The baby didn’t die,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.My father nodded. “Exactly.”Dumbfounded, I struggled to process this new information. Kamille, the woman I had come to despise, was actually family. Why would Grandma Monica do such a thing?As if reading my thoughts, my father continued. “Your Grandma Monica couldn’t bear to tell the world that her granddaughter was the daughter of a mere security guard. She didn’t want the stigma that
Kamille's POVSitting at the table in my study, the flickering light from my laptop screen cast shadows across the room. My heart rammed hard in my chest as I scrolled through the latest press releases about my reappearance. The media was relentless. I was in every tabloid. Every blog post had a picture of either myself or myself together with Zeke. I know this was the desired effect, but somehow I began to feel a little uneasy about it."Gabriel's release was already underway since Kamille was presumed dead," the new Manor family lawyer declared in one clip, his voice smug. "But her resurfacing means she was the one behind the release of those videos. This is a direct attack, and the family will fight back—legally, of course." He added.His laughter echoed in my ears, a cold, mirthless sound that irritated me. I leaned back in my chair, staring at the screen. Was this really worth it? The lawyer's words replayed in my mind. Was my comeback into society important at this point? I t
Belle's POV The sun was warm on my skin, the breeze gentle and soothing as it drifted through the open patio where we all sat, the laughter of our loved ones filling the air. It was a picture-perfect moment—the kind of moment I used to dream about but never truly believed would come. We were all gathered around the long, sun-dappled table, the warmth of the day reflecting the joy that radiated from everyone’s faces. Zane was sitting beside me, his hand resting comfortably on my leg, our twins, Sean and Clara, gurgling happily in their bassinet close by. The twins were the center of attention today, as they were most days. Kamille’s kids, Reon, Torin, Tyris, Royer, and little Phoebe, were running around the patio, shrieking in delight as they chased each other. I glanced at Kamille and Zeke, who were sitting across from us, laughing and chatting while keeping a watchful eye on their children. Amanda, was helping prepare the meal, occasionally smiling in our direction as the kids d
Zane's POVI stood there, fists clenched, staring Dave Scott down. Every fiber of my being wanted to lunge at him, to make him pay for everything he’d done. But I couldn’t—at least, not yet. The recorder in my pocket was still running, capturing every damning word that fell from his mouth. I could feel it, a tiny weight pressing against my ribs, reminding me that I had to play this smart. For Belle. For Kelly. For justice.Dave, on the other hand, was as smug as ever, leaning back with that infuriating smirk plastered across his face. He had no idea that his time was running out.“You think you can just waltz in here and act like you own the place?” Dave sneered, his voice dripping with arrogance. “You’re nothing, Zane. A nobody playing hero in a game that’s way beyond your league.”I bit back my anger, forcing myself to remain calm. His words didn’t matter. Not when I had the truth on my side. I took a deep breath, my fingers brushing against the stop button on the recorder hidden
Belle's POVWalking into the living room wasn’t easy. My legs felt heavy, like I was dragging weights with each step. The air in the mansion was suffocating, thick with tension and unspoken fears. My heart raced, a wild, chaotic rhythm that matched the pounding of my thoughts. I could still hear my mother’s frantic voice behind me, begging, pleading for me to stay with them, to hide, to escape into the secret bunker.“Belle, you don’t have to do this!” she cried, reaching out as if she could physically hold me back. Her eyes were wide with fear, her voice trembling. “Come with us. We can hide. We can survive this.”I stopped, my hand resting on the doorframe, my back to her. I couldn’t turn around. I couldn’t let her see the turmoil etched on my face, the way my hands trembled from the weight of what I was about to do. My family was scared—terrified, really—but the idea of running, of leaving Zane behind to face this monster alone, felt like a betrayal I wasn’t willing to commit.“W
Dave's POVI had been waiting for over an hour, sitting there, staring at the doors leading to the rooms, expecting Belle and Zane to finally step out. It wasn’t like them to hide this long, especially Zane. But instead of the two people I was dying to confront, what I got was the Perri family, practically groveling before me. Pathetic.The Perri patriarch, Mr. Perri, stood in front of me with a forced smile, his hands clasped in front of him as though in prayer. His wife hovered behind him, wringing her hands nervously. “Please, David,” her father began, his voice trembling. “We don’t want any trouble. Just… drop the lawsuit. We’ll leave quietly, I swear. We won’t cause any problems.”I couldn’t help the smirk that stretched across my face. They were so desperate, so weak. This was the kind of power I craved, watching them squirm, knowing I held all the cards. “You won’t cause any trouble?” I repeated, mocking his words as if they were a joke. “Oh, trust me, you wouldn’t be able
Zane's POVBelle’s tears were too much for me to handle. The way her shoulders shook, the soft sniffles she tried to hide—it broke something inside me. I couldn’t stand seeing her like this. Without thinking, I reached out, pulling her into my arms once more, holding her as tightly as I dared.“It’s going to be okay,” I whispered, my lips brushing against her hair. “I swear to you, Belle, this will all end today. I’ll make sure of it.”She pulled back slightly, her wide, tear-filled eyes meeting mine. There was a small, hopeful smile on her lips, but I could see the doubt lingering beneath it. It killed me to know that she still didn’t fully believe everything would be fine, that she didn’t fully believe in me. But I didn’t blame her. After everything that had happened, after all the lies, how could she?God! I needed her to trust me.I leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her lips again, my hand cupping her cheek gently. When I pulled away, her eyes fluttered open, and I saw a leve
Belle's POV“I’m scared, Zane,” I confessed. My voice trembled, and my arms tightened instinctively around my belly. I felt so vulnerable, standing there in front of him, exposed and raw. How was I supposed to face Dave? What would he say? What would he do?Zane hugged me tighter. His warmth, his strength—it was like a lifeline, grounding me in the storm of emotions threatening to overwhelm me. He pressed a soft kiss to my hair, his lips lingering there for a moment before he spoke.“You don’t have to be scared,” he murmured into my hair, his voice gentle yet filled with quiet resolve. “I’m here. No one is going to hurt you. Not Dave. Not anyone.”I closed my eyes, leaning into his chest, letting his heartbeat steady mine. His words were soothing, like a balm to my frayed nerves. Dave had always had a way of getting under my skin, and now… with everything that had happened…“Go get refreshed,” Zane said, pulling back slightly to look into my eyes. His fingers brushed a loose strand o
Zane's POVI cursed under my breath as we broke the kiss. I let her take a while to arrange her silk gown. I moved a bit from her as my mind played over what happened the night before.Belle couldn’t sleep all night; I could tell from the way she kept shifting in bed, her body tense beneath the silk sheets. I lay beside her, watching her.I thought back to earlier that night when I walked into the Perri mansion, my mind filled with chaos, only to be confronted by an entirely different reality. I remember the way Belle’s mother was yelling, her voice shrill with rage, but none of that mattered the second I saw Belle. She stood there, so fragile and strong all at once, and without thinking, I crossed the room and pulled her into my arms. Her soft, warm body pressed against mine, grounding me in the middle of the madness. She was everything. The only thing that made sense. The world could be burning down around us, and I wouldn’t care, as long as I had her.Belle’s mother, however, didn
Belle's POVI hadn’t moved from my spot on the bed. Not an inch. I sat there, staring blankly at the wall across from me, my mind heavy with thoughts, swirling memories of last night that I couldn’t quite shake. Everything felt so distant yet so vivid, playing over and over again in my mind. The weight of it all bore down on me, rendering me numb.Opposite me, Zane sat with his back against the headboard, his eyes wide open, just watching. He had been watching me all night. He hadn’t said much, but I could feel his presence, steady and unwavering, like a tether keeping me from completely unraveling. His gaze hadn’t left me, and for some reason, I found comfort in that. My thoughts drifted back to the moment it all came crashing down. The nausea that hit me like a brick after the shouting match with my mother, the way she had followed me into the bathroom after I threw up, concern etched across her face despite the earlier anger.“Belle, are you alright?” she’d asked, her voice surp
Dave's POVThe sun was barely up, casting a dull, gray light over the city, but the weight on my chest was already heavier than the day before. The shipment I had been waiting for was just a few hours away. The timing couldn’t have been worse, not with Belle out there and Zane still breathing. I needed to tie up loose ends, and fast.I sat on the brown leather swivel chair in my study, my hands running over my face as I tried to think. I needed to find a way to get the attention of the drug enforcement agency off my back before the shipment arrived. Every second counted, and I knew that one wrong move could bring it all crashing down.I reached for my phone, my fingers tapping rapidly as I sent out a message to my men. It was time to surround the Perri mansion. We need to bring Belle's family to their limit. Once that was done, they would bring out Belle. Or rather, she would bring forth herself. Then that nosy Zane Caruso will come for her and I get to silence him forever."Surrou