(Ethan)I pushed open the door to James’s room, where he lay curled up on the hospital cot, clutching his space-themed backpack.“Dad!” He leaped up, throwing his arms around my neck. “Is the baby here?”“Yes.”“Can I see her? Can I see her?” he said excitedly.“Of course, buddy.” I scooped him up. “Ready to meet your sister?”“Is she tiny?” James asked as we walked down the hall. “Cara says babies are super tiny at first.”“She is tiny for us, but bigger than most babies,” I adjusted him on my hip. “Speaking of Cara…”“I miss her,” James sighed. “She always knows cool facts.”We reached Lila’s room. Nick stood by the window, rocking Fleur while Lila slept.“Look who’s here,” I announced quietly.Nick turned. “Hey James. Come meet your sister properly.”James squirmed down from my arms and tiptoed to Nick’s side. “She’s so small! Dad said she’s big.”“Big for her age,” Nick laughed. “Want to hold her?”James’s eyes went wide. “Can I?”“Here.” Nick placed Fleur carefully in my arms. “S
(Lila)I stared down at Fleur sleeping in her crib, counting each tiny breath. The clock on the nursery wall showed 6 PM. Nick’s arm slid around my waist.“You’ve been here for hours,” he said quietly.“What if she stops breathing? I’ve read babies do that sometimes. What if someone takes her while we sleep?”“The security system—”“There are spies! Remember how Thompson put cameras here? No, nobody can be trusted,” I gripped the crib railing. “Robert took James from our engagement party! He got through security. Grace got to James’s school. All the cameras and guards in the world didn’t stop them.”“Lila.” Nick turned me to face him. “Dr. Morris said this anxiety—”“Isn’t normal? That I’m being paranoid?” I pulled away. “The nannies think I’m crazy, hovering all the time, but they don’t understand. Maybe one of them will take her away…”“Neither do I, not really. Talk to me.”“I keep having these dreams.” I touched Fleur’s dark curls. “Someone breaks in, takes her. Or she stops breat
(Lila)I jerked away from Ethan’s arms like I’d been burned. Cara stood frozen in the doorway, her face carefully blank despite the hot chocolate threatening to spill over the mugs’ rims.“I should go check on James,” I muttered, moving toward the door.“No.” Cara’s voice rang firm. “We need to talk about what just happened.”“Nothing happened,” Ethan said quickly. “Lila was upset about Fleur—”“And you comforted her. I understand.” Cara handed us each a mug. “But we both know it’s more complicated than that.”I gripped the hot chocolate, letting the warmth seep into my trembling fingers. “I’m sorry, Cara. I didn’t mean to—”“To what? Hug someone who understands your trauma?” Cara settled into the rocking chair. “There’s nothing wrong with that. What’s wrong is pretending it’s just a hug when we all know there’s more beneath the surface.”“I don’t—I wouldn’t—” My face burned. “Nick and I—”“Are happy together,” Cara finished. “Just like Ethan and I are building something real. Which i
(Ethan)I stood in Montgomery Mansion’s ballroom, watching doves flutter in their ornate cages. Lila’s mother had gotten her wish—twenty pure white birds ready to be released at the reception.“The doves are staying in those cages until the actual wedding day,” Alexander said firmly to the handler. “My security team will monitor them.”The security team, dressed in matching navy suits Alexander had insisted on, nodded in unison.“Look how pretty!” James exclaimed, pressing his face against a cage. “Can I help release them?”“Of course,” I told him. “You’re the ring bearer for both couples, remember?”“The most important job,” Cara added, adjusting his bow tie.The wedding planner rushed past, barking orders into her headset. “No, the flowers need to be arranged by height! And where are the ice sculptures?”“You’d think we were hosting a royal wedding,” Nick muttered beside Lila.“Mother does love a spectacle,” said Lila as she bounced Fleur gently.She brought her daughter everywhere,
(Lila)I walked down the aisle beside Nick, Fleur cradled against my white dress. She gurgled happily, reaching for the crystals sewn into my bodice.“Careful, little one,” I whispered. “Those aren’t toys.”Behind us, Alexander and Romy followed, their hands clasped tightly. The string quartet played softly as we approached the flower-covered altar.James stood proudly between the couples, clutching two ring pillows. “I remembered both sets!” he announced loudly, making the guests laugh.“Perfect job,” Nick praised quietly.The officiant smiled at us all. “We gather today to celebrate not one, but two unions…”I barely heard the words, too focused on Fleur’s warmth against my chest and Nick’s hand in mine as he stood beside me. Until movement caught my eye—Ethan shifting in the front row, Cara’s hand settling on his arm.“The rings, please,” the officiant requested.James stepped forward importantly. “Here are the rings that show your love!” he proclaimed, exactly as practiced.Nick s
(Lila)I laid on top of Ethan in his king-sized bed, still catching my breath, enjoying the warmth of his body beneath mine. My heart was still racing from our passionate encounter, but my mind had already wandered to something else—something that had been consuming my thoughts all day.“Where’s my anniversary present?” I asked playfully, tracing lazy patterns on his chest with my finger. The silk sheets rustled beneath us as I shifted to look at his face, expecting to see that familiar warm smile.“What anniversary?”Two words. Just two simple words, but they made my entire body freeze. We had been seeing each other for exactly one year now. Three hundred and sixty-five days of stolen moments, passionate nights, and what I thought was growing love. My jewelry designer friend had told me just last week that Ethan had bought a ring. I’d been floating on cloud nine ever since, imagining the perfect moment he would propose.Surely he was teasing me. He had to be. I forced a chuckle an
(Lila)“He never even knew my real name,” I said, staring at my reflection in the vanity mirror while Maria, our longtime housekeeper, pinned my hair up. “For a whole year, I was just Lila. No last name. No family legacy. No Montgomery fortune.”“Miss Lila—”“Do you know what the funny thing is?” I cut her off, pressing my hand to my temple. “When I saw him…something just clicked. Like I knew him from somewhere.”Maria’s face went blank. I’d seen that expression before, whenever I asked about my childhood.“The doctors said your memories might return naturally,” she said, busying herself with my jewelry box. “It was your brain’s way of protecting itself.”“Eight years old,” I muttered, picking up an old photograph from my bedside table. I stared at the faded image—a summer barbecue, a little girl with pigtails turned away from the camera, standing next to a teenage boy.Everything before that car crash was a blank slate. Sometimes I’d get flashes—the smell of cotton candy, a warm hand
(Lila)I smoothed down my red dress and made my way to the bar. No one even tried to hide their stares tonight. The Montgomery name commanded attention, whether I wanted it or not.“Whiskey, neat,” I told the bartender, deliberately positioning myself next to Nicholas.He turned, and those striking blue eyes landed on me. “Let me guess. Lila Montgomery?”“What gave me away?”“The red dress.” His smile widened. “Your mother mentioned you’d be wearing one.”“Of course she did.” I accepted my drink from the bartender. “And you’re Nicholas Baldwin.”“Nick, please. Only my father calls me Nicholas, usually when he’s disappointed in me.” He touched his glass against mine. “Which is most of the time.”I couldn’t help but laugh. There was something disarming about him, so different from his nephew’s intensity.“So,” he leaned closer, “want to tell me why your mother’s so desperate to get us talking?”“Probably hoping we’ll fall madly in love and merge our empires.”“Ah, the classic rich peopl
(Lila)I walked down the aisle beside Nick, Fleur cradled against my white dress. She gurgled happily, reaching for the crystals sewn into my bodice.“Careful, little one,” I whispered. “Those aren’t toys.”Behind us, Alexander and Romy followed, their hands clasped tightly. The string quartet played softly as we approached the flower-covered altar.James stood proudly between the couples, clutching two ring pillows. “I remembered both sets!” he announced loudly, making the guests laugh.“Perfect job,” Nick praised quietly.The officiant smiled at us all. “We gather today to celebrate not one, but two unions…”I barely heard the words, too focused on Fleur’s warmth against my chest and Nick’s hand in mine as he stood beside me. Until movement caught my eye—Ethan shifting in the front row, Cara’s hand settling on his arm.“The rings, please,” the officiant requested.James stepped forward importantly. “Here are the rings that show your love!” he proclaimed, exactly as practiced.Nick s
(Ethan)I stood in Montgomery Mansion’s ballroom, watching doves flutter in their ornate cages. Lila’s mother had gotten her wish—twenty pure white birds ready to be released at the reception.“The doves are staying in those cages until the actual wedding day,” Alexander said firmly to the handler. “My security team will monitor them.”The security team, dressed in matching navy suits Alexander had insisted on, nodded in unison.“Look how pretty!” James exclaimed, pressing his face against a cage. “Can I help release them?”“Of course,” I told him. “You’re the ring bearer for both couples, remember?”“The most important job,” Cara added, adjusting his bow tie.The wedding planner rushed past, barking orders into her headset. “No, the flowers need to be arranged by height! And where are the ice sculptures?”“You’d think we were hosting a royal wedding,” Nick muttered beside Lila.“Mother does love a spectacle,” said Lila as she bounced Fleur gently.She brought her daughter everywhere,
(Lila)I jerked away from Ethan’s arms like I’d been burned. Cara stood frozen in the doorway, her face carefully blank despite the hot chocolate threatening to spill over the mugs’ rims.“I should go check on James,” I muttered, moving toward the door.“No.” Cara’s voice rang firm. “We need to talk about what just happened.”“Nothing happened,” Ethan said quickly. “Lila was upset about Fleur—”“And you comforted her. I understand.” Cara handed us each a mug. “But we both know it’s more complicated than that.”I gripped the hot chocolate, letting the warmth seep into my trembling fingers. “I’m sorry, Cara. I didn’t mean to—”“To what? Hug someone who understands your trauma?” Cara settled into the rocking chair. “There’s nothing wrong with that. What’s wrong is pretending it’s just a hug when we all know there’s more beneath the surface.”“I don’t—I wouldn’t—” My face burned. “Nick and I—”“Are happy together,” Cara finished. “Just like Ethan and I are building something real. Which i
(Lila)I stared down at Fleur sleeping in her crib, counting each tiny breath. The clock on the nursery wall showed 6 PM. Nick’s arm slid around my waist.“You’ve been here for hours,” he said quietly.“What if she stops breathing? I’ve read babies do that sometimes. What if someone takes her while we sleep?”“The security system—”“There are spies! Remember how Thompson put cameras here? No, nobody can be trusted,” I gripped the crib railing. “Robert took James from our engagement party! He got through security. Grace got to James’s school. All the cameras and guards in the world didn’t stop them.”“Lila.” Nick turned me to face him. “Dr. Morris said this anxiety—”“Isn’t normal? That I’m being paranoid?” I pulled away. “The nannies think I’m crazy, hovering all the time, but they don’t understand. Maybe one of them will take her away…”“Neither do I, not really. Talk to me.”“I keep having these dreams.” I touched Fleur’s dark curls. “Someone breaks in, takes her. Or she stops breat
(Ethan)I pushed open the door to James’s room, where he lay curled up on the hospital cot, clutching his space-themed backpack.“Dad!” He leaped up, throwing his arms around my neck. “Is the baby here?”“Yes.”“Can I see her? Can I see her?” he said excitedly.“Of course, buddy.” I scooped him up. “Ready to meet your sister?”“Is she tiny?” James asked as we walked down the hall. “Cara says babies are super tiny at first.”“She is tiny for us, but bigger than most babies,” I adjusted him on my hip. “Speaking of Cara…”“I miss her,” James sighed. “She always knows cool facts.”We reached Lila’s room. Nick stood by the window, rocking Fleur while Lila slept.“Look who’s here,” I announced quietly.Nick turned. “Hey James. Come meet your sister properly.”James squirmed down from my arms and tiptoed to Nick’s side. “She’s so small! Dad said she’s big.”“Big for her age,” Nick laughed. “Want to hold her?”James’s eyes went wide. “Can I?”“Here.” Nick placed Fleur carefully in my arms. “S
(Ethan)I watched through the doorway as Lila’s eyes opened fully. Her fingers twitched on the white sheets as she smiled at Nick—she’d woken up after hours. Nick stared down at her as he stood beside her bed with Fleur in his hands.“Hey beautiful,” he whispered, brushing her hair back.I gripped the doorframe hard enough that my nails dug into the wood. Romy appeared at my side.“You don’t have to watch this,” she said.“I need to.”Inside, Lila turned toward Nick. Her voice came out raspy. “Fleur? Is she…”“Perfect.” Nick stared down at our daughter in his arms. “Ready to meet your mama?”My chest constricted as he placed Fleur in Lila’s arms. Tears spilled down her cheeks while she traced our daughter’s tiny features.“Hello, my love.” Lila kissed Fleur’s forehead. “I’ve waited so long for you.”Alexander cleared his throat. “Should we give them some time?”“No.” Lila looked up at all of us crowded in the doorway. “Come meet her properly.”The family flooded in—the Montgomerys, my
(Ethan)I paced the waiting room, checking my watch again. Ten minutes since they’d taken Lila into delivery.“Sit down, Ethan,” my mother said gently. “You’ll wear a hole in the floor.”“We should have known.” I ran my fingers through my hair. “It’s too late. She should have gone into labor a week ago.”“Babies come when they want,” Romy said from where she sat beside Alexander. “Not when we plan.”Caroline Montgomery dabbed her eyes. “My poor girl. All alone in there…”“Nick’s on his way,” Alexander assured her. “Traffic’s bad, but—”The delivery room doors burst open. A nurse rushed out, calling for more hands.“What’s happening?” Jonathan Montgomery demanded.“The baby’s breech,” the nurse threw over her shoulder as she ran past. “We need—”Nick exploded through the waiting room entrance, his tie askew. “Where is she?”“Delivery room three,” I pointed. “But they won’t let—”He was already running, shouldering past orderlies. A doctor tried to stop him.“Sir, you can’t—”“That’s my
(Nick)I stared at the draft contracts, each page detailing another piece of my empire I was signing away. The legal team had worked through the night, but it still didn’t feel fast enough.“Mr. Baldwin?” Davis knocked tentatively. “The second round of paperwork needs your signature.”“Bring them in.” I rubbed my eyes, exhausted from the sleepless night.My phone pinged—a message from Brigitte. The attachment showed young Fleur Renaud smiling at the camera, her father’s eyes shining from her small face. She wore a sailor dress, standing proudly on what I recognized as a yacht. Just like the yacht where I’d…“The Hong Kong acquisitions need immediate attention,” Davis said, placing more papers on my desk.“Not now.” I hit reply before I could stop myself:“She’s beautiful. He would be so proud.”Brigitte’s response came instantly: “He was. Every day. I have more photos, if you’d like to see them.”“Yes,” I typed back. “Please.”More images filled my screen—Fleur at ballet recitals, bir
(Nick)I paced my office, checking the time again. Ten minutes until Brigitte Renaud arrived. The old merger documents lay spread across my desk—the ones I had saved five years ago when Jean-Paul’s died.Harlow knocked. “Sir? Mrs. Renaud is here early.”“Send her in.” I straightened my tie, bracing myself.The woman who entered looked nothing like the one I had met five years ago. Her hair was now dirty blonde rather than golden, as if she’d stopped dyeing it. Her face was lined deep by grief.But her eyes—they pierced straight through me, just like Jean-Paul’s had that night.“Nicholas.” She spoke my name softly. “You look exactly like you did then.”“Madame Renaud. Please, sit.” I gestured to the chair across my desk.“Brigitte,” she corrected, settling gracefully. “We’ve been corresponding long enough to use first names, haven’t we?”“Of course.” I sat down, hands flat on the desk to keep them steady. “I will have the transfer documents ready for review—”“I didn’t come for paperwo