Kelvin's POVI sat by the window of the plane, the world outside a blur of clouds and blue sky, my head resting against the headrest. It felt surreal, yet my mind was anchored to the ground—specifically, to the last conversation I had with Racheal. The weight of my emotions pressed down on me as I closed my eyes, letting the memories wash over me like a tide.Rachael's smile was the first thing that came to mind. It had a warmth that could light up the darkest days, a beacon of hope that I had foolishly taken for granted. I remembered the way she talked, her voice a melody that danced through the air like a gentle breeze. The way she swayed her hips when she walked—a simple motion that drove me wild. Each little thing she did captivated me, and yet, I felt like a fool for allowing my desires to cloud my judgment.I had made a huge mistake, one that gnawed at my insides. I let my selfishness get the best of me. I wanted her, but the truth was glaringly evident: she loved Noah. The fath
RACHEAL'S POVI woke up to the sound of my phone alarm only to switch it off immediately so as not to wake Ariella up, I glanced at little Ariella who wrapped herself in a protective nature to me with her little finger hanging around my waist."She was just so beautiful" I muttered while studying all the facial illustrations of her face starting from her fringe which seemed lighter in brown compared to the hair which looked so brown......She took her brown hair from Noah, which even made it difficult for me to conceal and resulted in me preventing her meeting with Noah.I chuckled lightly as Noah's flushed face came to my mind. She barged into our room when the tension was so heated between Noah and me, that we were close to resuming back our kiss while her sudden outburst into the room dismantled our position. Even when Noah was quick to mask his expression....it was still obvious to little Ariella which she deliberately spotted out."Mom, why is daddy's face so red like the big to
Kelvin's POV“Bella, did you say the company hired you to be my P.A.?” The words slipped from my lips, edged with incredulity. “Yes, sir. I passed through the normal process and submitted my resume online, though…” Her voice trailed off, and I could see the tension in her posture. I shut my lips tightly, forming a thin line. I knew I had said too much; there was no need for her to elaborate. “I asked a simple question, which you have replied to. You can keep the details,” I shot back, irritation bubbling beneath the surface. “Rude jerk,” she muttered under her breath, clearly unaware that I could hear her. “What did you say?” I countered, my tone sharp. “Nothing, sir!” Her response was quick, almost too quick, and I could sense her embarrassment. This trip to my mansion wasn’t going as I had anticipated. I had expected expertise touching, perhaps a touch of warmth—something to make me feel at ease. Instead, I was met with an unexpected rudeness. As I stood there, my eyes wander
Bella's POVI couldn’t stop mumbling to myself, frustration spilling out in quiet complaints about how rude and feisty my boss could be. Every time I thought about Kelvin, I felt a mix of annoyance and admiration. He looked perfect—tall, with that perfectly tousled hair and those piercing eyes that could make anyone weak in the knees. I tried to wave off those thoughts, reminding myself of my goals.“Oh no, don’t do this, Bella,” I whispered, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks. I gave myself a little slap on the cheek, trying to bring myself back to sanity. I had a mission—to save enough money to move to New York. Nothing else mattered right now.“What are you doing?” Kelvin’s voice startled me, making me almost lose my balance. I rolled my eyes at him, a reflex more than anything. It was embarrassing to be caught off guard like that, especially when I was trying to focus.“You can have it.” I slid the plate of food toward him, attempting to keep my composure. But when I met his col
Bella's POVI couldn’t stop mumbling to myself, frustration spilling out in quiet complaints about how rude and feisty my boss could be. Every time I thought about Kelvin, I felt a mix of annoyance and admiration. He looked perfect—tall, with that perfectly tousled hair and those piercing eyes that could make anyone weak in the knees. I tried to wave off those thoughts, reminding myself of my goals.“Oh no, don’t do this, Bella,” I whispered, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks. I gave myself a little slap on the cheek, trying to bring myself back to sanity. I had a mission—to save enough money to move to New York. Nothing else mattered right now.“What are you doing?” Kelvin’s voice startled me, making me almost lose my balance. I rolled my eyes at him, a reflex more than anything. It was embarrassing to be caught off guard like that, especially when I was trying to focus.“You can have it.” I slid the plate of food toward him, attempting to keep my composure. But when I met his cold
Racheal's POVI decided to stay with Sophia till the wedding, not because I really wanted to but because Rayla would not even allow me to stay almost overnight for office work, and that's exactly what I usually do anytime I go home.Rayla insisted on a bridal shower, which I don't seem to be very much interested i,n, but it was glaring that I have no say in my party as she would only say........"I have the right to be happy after having gone through everything I have been through""Okay....fine. I am in." I forced myself to spell out what they wanted.Ariella was granted a week's holiday, which happened because Noah specifically requested it.It was still around 5, which meant I had less than 12 hours to my big day and some hours left to do whatever Rayla insisted on doing.I have been trying to reach Juliet because she was also supposed to be here, of course, we've both passed through thick and thin together, and this moment of my life is once in my lifetime.I heaved a sigh of relief
Racheal's POVThe pleasantries exchanged between Sophia and my dad turned the bridal shower into more of a family gathering, though Kim and my stepmom seemed to be the exceptions. I sat at a table, trying to focus on my laptop, but it was clear that I was just waiting for their conversation to wrap up. Now and then, I craned my neck to check on my dad, unable to shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in my stomach.Liana, my stepmom, had been hovering nearby, her eyes darting between me and my dad. I could tell she was trying to gauge my mood, perhaps looking for an opportunity to bridge the gap that had grown between us over the years. Her sudden kindness was disarming, and I wasn’t quite sure how to respond. I was still grappling with the emotional aftermath of my mom’s passing, and the last thing I wanted was to engage in a heartfelt conversation with Liana of all people.“Racheal,” she finally said, approaching me with an expression that was softer than usual. “I’m sorry
Noah's POVI couldn't describe the feelings and knots tying in my stomach the moment I saw Houston, Racheal's father, walking her down the aisle. My little girl was trailing behind with another girl I didn't recognize, tossing flower petals like confetti, illuminating the moment with innocence and joy. As Rachael approached, my heart raced, and a swell of pride and love washed over me. This was everything I had hoped for. I couldn’t stop smiling at myself, lost in the moment as I took in the sight of her. The wedding gown, almost entirely made of lace, clung perfectly to her skin, accentuating her curves in all the right places. It was as if the dress had been tailored just for her, highlighting her slim waist and curvy hips. Even though I had seen her naked before, I could never tire of her beauty. The gown featured a daring slit that trailed behind her, making her the epitome of grace and allure.I was mesmerized. I couldn’t take my eyes off her throughout the ceremony—the vows exch
Noah's POVOne week later...I stood beside Racheal, who was propped up on the hospital bed, still struggling to fully recover. The sterile scent of antiseptic hung in the air, but it was the sight of her fragile form that gripped my heart. Kelvin and Bella had flown back to New Coastal two days ago, insisting on leaving after Racheal woke up. Their departure felt like a hollow echo of the chaos that had consumed us.Juliet was locked away, and sentenced to life imprisonment. I made sure of that. She deserved every bit of it. A maniac like her wasn’t meant to walk among the living.As I watched Racheal adjust herself, attempting to sit upright, I instinctively reached out to help her. But she slapped my hand away with a surprising force. The sting of her rejection hit me like a cold wave. She had done the same thing when she first woke up, and it scared the hell out of me. I rushed to the doctor, fearing she was suffering from amnesia, but my worries eased when he assured me she had b
Kelvin's POV"You left us, remember? You gave us hope, Ana! You let us all believe you would come back! We waited for you, Ana. I waited. Mom waited... You broke your promise! You broke your fucking promise because of your selfish interest, your lust for revenge!"I pulled Bella into an embrace, which she calmly accepted. Juliet, whom I now realized was Anabella, had recently been caught at the same tournament Bella had described. She had a lot on her mind and plenty of tools at hand. If not for Bella, we would still be in the dark; no one would have thought that this old tournament, long neglected, would be used to commit such a devious act.Just two days ago, Bella had been crying in my arms. So much was uncovered—so much I hadn’t expected at all.After coming to terms with the fact that Bella was Juliet's younger sister, it occurred to me that Juliet wasn't who we thought she was. Her initial aim in entering R.A. was to cause harm to the Houston family. As she had said moments ago,
Kelvin's POVI was on the brink of tears the moment I set my eyes on Kim. The fact that she was breathing with the aid of oxygen wasn't enough; she was hooked up to a life-support machine. I felt a flicker of irritation that Noah had signed the forced labor consent form, but perhaps I was wrong—maybe that was the best decision.Bella had a tough time going back to sleep after mentioning a random name that only gave me a hint amidst the shattered debris of my thoughts. I tried not to force any conversation on her, at least keeping my promise to Noah until she opened up. Until then, I remained silent.We couldn't go into the ward, so we decided to stay back, looking through the transparent glass that separated us from the lobby lawn. Bella couldn't control her tears anymore; I had been hearing her trying to stifle the sobs since we arrived. Her soft gasps said it all. It made me reflect on my decision to stay outside; I didn’t think I could keep my emotions in check once we entered.Lin
Kelvin's POVI couldn't believe I had given in to my lust once more. The last time something like this happened, I apologized and vowed it would never repeat itself. Now, as I sifted through the files Noah sent me, I still struggled to admit that Juliet and Bella might be sisters. Our alliance was built on a shared goal, and the last time we had met like this was to reveal the truth behind RA. Now, we were here because of Racheal, but my purpose was to uncover Juliet's identity.*I didn’t start this relationship on a clean slate just to end it because of a culprit sharing her blood.*“You seem early!” Noah remarked, his voice laced with sarcasm.“And you seem late,” I shot back, eyeing him. He looked lean and disheveled, a total mess compared to the Noah I knew.“Is she with you?” he asked.“Why would I bring her with me?” I replied, my irritation rising.“You have no reason to call me here, then—”“What makes you think they’re related? Even if they are, I doubt she knows about her ex
Bella's POVEvery part of my body ached from the journey, and I could barely feel my legs. But it was worth it. It had been a long time coming—discussing the idea of flying down here to visit Kelvin's parents. He had been overly protective, worrying I wasn’t ready for this. Yet, here we were, on our way to meet both my idol and his parents. The former excited me; the latter filled me with dread.Kelvin noticed my uneasiness and pulled me into an embrace, planting a soft kiss on my forehead—a gesture I had grown so accustomed to. We had just landed, and as we headed to the lobby, I spotted Kelvin shaking hands with someone I didn’t recognize. Others bowed slightly to him, showing their respect.*What should I expect?* I thought. *He is one of the youngest renowned businessmen, linking a channel between New York and the USA is no small feat.* I mustered a smile for those who acknowledged me.We would head home before leaving early to visit Racheal in the hospital. My gaze was caught in
Kelvin's POVI had barely settled back into my office when the news hit me like a freight train. Rachael had been in an accident? My heart sank as I slumped into my chair, the weight of the world crashing down around me. I had just returned, hoping to find some semblance of normalcy, when everything spiraled out of control again.“Kelvin, are you okay?” Bella asked, moving toward my chair, her eyes scanning my face for any sign of reassurance.“No, not really,” I replied, rubbing my temples to ease the pounding in my head. She could see how close I was to Racheal, and I knew she understood my worries. “Rachael is in critical condition. I need to get down to New York,” I added, my voice strained.“Do you want me to come with you?” she offered, concern lacing her tone. I hesitated for a moment, the urgency of the situation clashing with my instincts to protect her. “No, I’ll travel alone,” I said, pushing myself to my feet. I grabbed my phone and shot a quick message to my secretary,
Kim's POVI could remember feeling utterly drained when I returned home, free from Kelvin's silence, the weight of everything pressing heavily on my shoulders. My parents welcomed me with open arms, their warmth almost overwhelming. My dad, who had been distant for so long, embraced me tightly. The love in that moment nearly brought me to tears.“Kim, we’ve missed you so much,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “I’ve missed you too, Dad,” I replied, feeling the tears well up in my eyes. It was a bittersweet reunion, knowing what lay ahead. I wasn't expecting such a reaction from my dad and hearing how he missed me made me feel like I was close to my endThe last time I went to the clinic for a check-up, I had received the results I had dreaded. I had known, deep down, that choosing to keep the baby while battling cancer was a gamble. The odds were stacked against me, and I felt the looming shadow of my mortality.My mom had sensed something was wrong, even when I tried to keep
Racheal's POVI couldn't take Noah's silence anymore. It was suffocating me, and it was terrible for Ariella to witness all of this. My heart raced as I stormed into Noah's study, furious and desperate for answers. My hands trembled with anger and confusion as I stumbled upon a collection of files and documents, all centered around Juliet.I picked up every picture I could find. My breath caught in my throat as I looked at the images of Juliet and her family. There was one of a man smiling lovingly at a woman—Juliet's parents, I realized. The man’s coat struck a chord in my memory, though I couldn't pinpoint why it seemed so familiar. As I traced the photos, my eyes fell on a little girl who looked strikingly like Juliet. It had to be her sister. A shiver ran down my spine as I pieced together the fragments of my discovery. But then, my gaze landed on a guillotine with a body labeled "XAVIER'S." My heart dropped. I was about to open it when Noah’s voice shattered the silence.“You're
Kelvin's POVThe air between us hung heavy with unspoken words. I could see Bella processing everything I had just said, her brow furrowed in thought. I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words to bridge the gap that had grown between us.“Kelvin, I don’t understand why you didn’t tell me sooner. I could have helped you,” she said, her voice steady but filled with a hint of disappointment. “I thought I was protecting you,” I replied, my frustration mixing with regret. “I didn’t want you to be dragged into the chaos of my life. But now, I realize that keeping you in the dark only hurt us both.”She fell silent, staring at the ground as if searching for answers in the cracks of the pavement. I wanted to reach out, to comfort her, but I hesitated, unsure if she would welcome my touch again.“Do you think this is something I could just forget?” she finally asked, her voice breaking slightly. “You made me feel like I was special, and then you pulled the rug out from under me.”