Gabriel woke up earlier than usual and his thoughts were entirely consumed by Antonia. She was on his mind more than he cared to admit. It was foolish, he told himself, to be this excited about someone he’d only just met. And yet, he couldn’t help it.The way they’d connected, effortlessly, as though they had known each other much longer than a few hours. He wanted to see her again. Needed to.He had already made plans, of course. It was in his nature to go all out for something he cared about, and he cared about impressing her. He didn’t want to take her to some stuffy restaurant or an overhyped bar. No, he wanted her to remember this day. Something that felt special.He could have asked Jonathan to handle everything for him, but it would be exciting to do it himself. There was something personal about taking control of the plans. That way, he’d feel more connected to it. He wanted to be part of the process, to have the satisfaction of knowing that every little piece had his touch on
Antonia’s eyes fluttered open, her body still warm and heavy from the night before. Her bare back rested against his chest. His arm rested possessively around her waist, holding her close, as though even in sleep, he didn’t want to let her go. The faint scent of cologne and the lingering warmth of their naked bodies told the story of passion that had unfolded just hours earlier. His breath was soft and steady against her neck, and for a moment, she simply lay there, relishing the quiet intimacy of the moment.Antonia turned her head slightly, careful not to wake him, and let her gaze linger on his face. His features were relaxed, almost boyish in his sleep, and it made her smile. For all his intensity the night before, he looked peaceful now, as though the weight of the world had been lifted.She shifted a little, careful not to disturb him too much, but his arm tightened around her waist instinctively. His lips brushed her shoulder, and a low murmur escaped him."Morning already?" h
Gabriel sat behind his large, polished desk, flicking through business proposals with the occasional furrow of his brow. Jonathan, seated across from him, shuffled through papers, checking the details of an upcoming meeting. The steady hum of the office felt normal, but there was an odd energy in the air today.Every now and then, Gabriel would glance up from the documents, a small smile tugging at his lips. It wasn’t much, a brief curve of his mouth, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. But it was enough for Jonathan to notice. Gabriel wasn’t usually so distracted. Not when he was buried in work.Jonathan raised an eyebrow. He’d worked with Gabriel long enough to know that something was different. The man wasn’t easily moved by much, and yet, here he was, smiling to himself like a teenager in love. Jonathan shifted in his seat, trying to make sense of it. He knew Gabriel had been seeing Antonia for a couple of months now, but was this really the cause of his strange mood?He didn’t as
One Year LaterIn the span of a year, Gabriel’s world had become a love story written for Antonia. The once self-assured, business-savvy billionaire was now a man who revolved around her, every decision tinged with her presence. Antonia had seamlessly become a part of his life—his family adored her, his friends admired her charm, and his staff spoke of her kindness.Over the months, Gabriel had put her name on properties, an apartment in Miami, another in Mexico, and shares in one of his smaller businesses. She had gained access to his accounts under the guise of helping him organize his life, funding personal projects, and even donating to causes close to her heart. To Gabriel, she was a partner in every sense. He was utterly convinced that she was the woman he would marry.Despite their growing closeness, there was one person who still doubted Antonia, which was Jonathan. Gabriel’s closest confidant and right-hand man had spent the past year quietly observing her. Every time he voic
Gabriel sat in the living room of his family’s estate, a glass of whiskey untouched in his hand. The cozy warmth of the crackling fireplace couldn’t ease the chill he felt in his chest. Around him, the family gathered in tense silence.Jonathan stood a few feet away, a folder clutched tightly in his hands. He’d waited for this moment with a sinking heart, dreading the impact this revelation would have. He had already shared the truth with the family; now, it was time to tell Gabriel.“What’s going on?” Gabriel asked, breaking the silence. His voice was calm, but his eyes betrayed his growing unease. “Why does everyone look like someone just died?”Grandma’s lips trembled, and she looked to Jonathan, nodding for him to continue. Jonathan stepped forward, placing the folder on the coffee table in front of Gabriel.“I need you to look at this,” Jonathan said, his tone serious but careful. “It’s about Antonia.”Gabriel frowned, his heart immediately on edge. “Antonia? What about her?” He
Jonathan was about to respond, but his gaze shifted, his eyes narrowing. He suddenly tapped me on the shoulder, his voice low. “You might want to look up.”I followed his gaze, my heart sinking in my chest when I saw her. Standing in the doorway, looking as out of place as ever, but just as unforgettable.Antonia? What could she be doing here?It felt like the ground beneath me shifted. For a second, I thought I was imagining it—a trick of my overworked, exhausted mind. But no. There she was, standing under the soft glow of the garden lights, her figure as striking and unforgettable as ever.My chest tightened, my breath catching in my throat. I froze, my hands gripping the railing so tightly that the cold stone bit into my palms.How?The question tore through my mind like a whirlwind. How was she here? How did she escape prison? What was she doing at my wedding, of all places?A storm of emotions hit me all at once. Anger. Betrayal. Confusion. The betrayal I thought I had buried cla
I folded my arms, staring her down. “How the hell did you even get an invite to this place?”Antonia hesitated, her fingers tightening around the hem of her dress. “I heard about it, and I... managed to get one.”I let out a sharp, bitter laugh. “Managed to get one? Huh?” I repeated. “So what, you just walked up to the venue, smiled at security, and they let you in?”She didn’t answer.Unbelievable. I dragged a hand down my face, frustration burning through me. “That means the guest list wasn’t properly vetted.” My voice was cold, controlled, but inside, I was fuming. “I wasn’t trying to ruin anything,” she said quickly. “I just…”“That’s exactly what you do, Antonia,” I cut her off. “You ruin things.” My jaw clenched. “You don’t get to show up here like this and act like you have the right to be anywhere near me.”She exhaled shakily. “I just wanted to see you, Gabriel.”I shook my head. “And why the hell would I want to see you?” My voice dropped lower, harsher. “Do you think I’d b
I didn’t know what to say. The words wouldn’t come. All I could think about was how much I had loved her, and how every time she’d left, every time she’d hurt me, I’d promised myself I’d moved on. But hearing her say all of that… it felt like I was shattering into pieces all over again.She was silent for a moment, and I could see her struggling to hold it together. But I wasn’t sure I could.“Do you understand what you’ve done to me?” I finally muttered. “All that time, I gave you everything. I loved you without holding back, and this… this is what you’ve done?”Her eyes filled with tears, and she lowered her gaze. She looked so small, so fragile now, and it made the anger inside of me feel even more confusing.“I never wanted to hurt you,” she whispered, her voice cracking.“But you did!” I yelled at her.“Yes, I did. And I’m so sorry. I just… I can’t live like this anymore. I need your forgiveness, Gabriel. I need to be free of the guilt of everything. That's all I have left.”Her
Gabriel’s POVDominic’s update came in like clockwork.Aria had taken the promotion. No hesitation. No second-guessing. She thought it was luck. The right place, the right time, the perfect opportunity falling into her hands. And why wouldn’t she? That was the world I wanted her to live in. A world where doors opened for her effortlessly, where she could step into the future she deserved without ever knowing whose hands had cleared the path.Her brother’s scholarship had come through. Full ride. Mentorship, books, everything covered. Another twist of fate in her mind. Another reason to believe life had finally started working in her favor.I leaned back, exhaling slowly. She was happy. She was thriving. And for now, she was safe.I should have been satisfied. I should have let it be enough. But it wasn’t. It never would be. I still wasn’t breathing right.Because I wasn’t there. Because I wasn’t the one she was coming home to at the end of the day, the one she was smiling at when she
Aria's POVThe walk to work was peaceful, the kind of morning that made me grateful for this change. The air was crisp, the streets quieter than what I was used to, and for once, I didn’t feel like I was constantly racing against something I couldn’t see.Lennox & Co. Publishing was not the biggest publishing house in the country, but it was reputable, respected. It had an impressive catalog of bestsellers, a growing influence in the industry, and most importantly, a work culture that wasn’t suffocating. Here, creativity thrived. Ideas were encouraged, not dismissed. For the first time in a long while, I felt like I was in a space where I could breathe.As I pushed through the glass doors, the familiar hum of morning activity greeted me. The scent of coffee lingered in the air, blending with the faint aroma of paper and ink. Editors and assistants moved around with purpose, some already deep in conversations about manuscripts and market trends.I had barely settled at my desk when I h
GABRIEL’S POVLetting her go was supposed to protect her. That was the only reason I did it. I told myself that if I walked away, if I created enough distance, she would be safe. But it had been two months, and I was lying to myself if I thought I had ever truly let her go.I wasn’t there with her. I wasn’t beside her when she woke up or when she fell asleep, but I still knew everything. Where she lived. Where she worked. Who she spoke to. What time she left her apartment in the morning. What time she returned. The smallest details of her life reached me because I made sure they did.It wasn’t about control. It was about protection.Aria thought she had a fresh start. A new city. A new job. A life away from me.But there was no such thing as away when it came to her.I knew everything.I knew she had gone back to Colorado, back to the only family she had left. I knew she lived in a small apartment a few blocks from her workplace, in a neighborhood that was safe but not safe enough for
Aria’s POVIt had been exactly two months since that night.Two months since I had gasped for breath, my body thrashing against the weight of water pulling me under. Since my lungs burned, my chest clenched, my limbs flailed uselessly in the cold grip of the pool. I had never learned how to swim. The moment I hit the water, panic took over, swallowing every rational thought. I could still remember the way my pulse had hammered in my ears, the desperate way I had kicked and clawed at nothing, the helplessness of realizing I couldn’t save myself.Then hands. Strong, steady hands cutting through the water, pulling me up, dragging me toward the surface. Air rushed into my lungs in sharp, painful gulps the moment I broke free from the depths. I had coughed, sputtering, gripping onto the stranger who had saved me as if my life depended on it because it had. I never got his name. Never saw his face clearly through the haze of fear and chlorine-stung eyes. By the time my friends arrived, brea
Aria’s POVTime blurred in Nicole’s apartment. Days and nights folded into each other, indistinguishable. I wasn’t counting them. I barely acknowledged their passing. I simply moved through them, existing in a cycle of forced normalcy.Wake up.Eat when they made me.Sleep when exhaustion became heavier than the ache in my chest.Repeat.The world outside moved on without me. But in here, in the warm cocoon of Nicole’s home, I was frozen in place.I didn’t cry. Not in front of them. Not when Liv cracked jokes that were funnier in her head than out loud. Not when Jenna threw on ridiculous reality shows, hoping for an eye roll or even a scoff from me. Not even when Nicole who was always effortlessly put together, sat cross-legged on the floor in sweats, painting my nails in silence because she knew words wouldn’t fix this.They didn’t let me sink completely.They hovered, filling the space around me with warmth, chatter, and relentless attempts to pull me back into the world.And tonigh
Gabriel's POVMorning comes like a slow, merciless execution.The sheets beside me are cold. The space where she had once been—where her warmth had lingered hours ago—is empty now. I stare at it for too long, my body still, my mind awake but unwilling to move. Maybe if I stay like this, if I don’t breathe too deep, the weight in my chest won’t crush me whole.But reality isn’t kind. It never is.Aria is gone.The realization is a sharp, unforgiving blade. I told myself last night that this was necessary, that this was the only way. I had made my choice. And yet, the silence she left behind feels like a living thing, curling around me, digging its claws in.I exhale through my nose, forcing my body upright. The world will talk. The media will speculate. That’s the least of my concerns.Because as long as Aria is still my wife, she’ll never stop being a target.I knew this the moment I saw the tattoo on the man who tried to take her. The same tattoo Antonia had. The same one I’d seen be
Gabriel’s POVWhen my grandmother died, she left everything to me. The estate, the properties, the businesses—every single thing. Not a damn cent to Ethan. Not even a piece of land to appease him.I should have expected it. I did, in some ways. She was never blind to who Ethan was, never fooled by his charm the way others were. She saw what lay beneath—the recklessness, the ambition fueled by entitlement rather than discipline. She once told me that power, when given to the wrong hands, destroys more than it builds.But even knowing all of that, I still braced myself for the fallout when the lawyer read the will aloud.I saw the disbelief flicker across the faces of those in the room. The unspoken question hanging thick in the air: Why would she do this?I didn’t need to answer. The answer was already there, written in the years of choices she made—choices that led her to place the entirety of our legacy in my hands alone.Ethan’s silence was the loudest thing in the room.For the fir
The call came late at night. Gabriel had just stepped out of the shower when his phone rang, and the moment he answered, I knew. I saw it in his eyes. How the color drained from his face, how his grip tightened around the device as if holding onto it could somehow change what he was hearing.His grandmother was gone.He didn’t say a word. Just stood there, towel slung low on his hips, water still dripping from his hair. I barely had time to react before he turned on his heel and left the room, walking out as if the walls were caving in on him.I followed him to the balcony, where he stood, hands braced against the railing, head bowed. The city lights stretched endlessly before us, but I knew he wasn’t seeing any of it. His shoulders were trembling slightly, his breath uneven. Gabriel never let his guard down—not in public, not in private. But in that moment, I saw the cracks in the armor.“Gabriel…” I whispered, stepping closer.He didn’t move, didn’t acknowledge me at first. Then, af
Gabriel’s POV The moment I read the message, the weight of it settled in my chest like a heavy stone. Sabotage. I sat there for a second, unmoving, letting the words sink in, letting the reality of what it meant register in my mind. Someone had been siphoning money from my company—testing the system, waiting for the perfect moment to take more. And they had done it under my nose. Aria shifted slightly, still fixing herself beside me, but I wasn’t seeing her anymore. My mind had already switched into something colder and sharper. I reached for my desk phone, pressing the button that connected me directly to Jonathan. “Come to my office,” I said. “Now.” Jonathan didn’t ask questions. He never did. A few minutes later, the door opened, and he stepped inside, his expression unreadable, but his eyes sharp, already assessing the situation. He closed the door behind him, waiting. “We have a problem,” I said, leaning back in my chair, my fingers tapping lightly against the desk. Jon