The first rays of sunlight were barely peeking through the curtains when I heard the relentless knocking on my bedroom door. I groaned, burying my head deeper into the pillows, hoping whoever it was would get the hint and leave me alone. No such luck. “Eloise! Open the door!” Farah’s voice rang out, sharp and insistent. “We need to leave early if we want to find the perfect dress!” I peeked out from under the covers, squinting at the clock. 9:12 AM. Too early for this nonsense. “Farah, go away,” I called out groggily. “I’m not leaving until you get up!” she shot back. I sighed, rolling onto my back and staring at the ceiling. This was Farah—relentless, energetic, and annoyingly persistent. “Fine!” I yelled. “Give me five minutes!” “Make it three!” she replied, her footsteps retreating down the hallway. Grumbling, I dragged myself out of bed and shuffled toward the bathroom. As I splashed cold water on my face, I caught a glimpse of my reflection—messy hair, puffy eyes, a
ELIJAH"Do you really need to say it right to her face?" I muttered, feeling the irritation boil inside me.Michelle was in the car, humming like she hadn't just pulled some passive-aggressive stunt in the boutique. Her little jab at Eloise had been so obvious that I couldn’t even look at her without getting annoyed.“Don’t act like it’s a big deal, Elijah,” she replied, her voice light, as if she hadn't just done what she did. “It’s just Eloise. You know, I’m just having some fun.”I shot her a glance, unable to keep the sarcasm out of my voice. "Fun? That was some grade-A cattiness, and you know it."Michelle rolled her eyes, leaning back against the seat as if she couldn’t care less. "Oh, please. She can take it.”I clenched my jaw. “It’s not about that, Michelle. Why push it? She’s already dealing with enough, and you—" I stopped myself before I said something I might regret. The last thing I wanted was to drag this into something more than it needed to be."I don't really get it.
I walked into the office, the smell of fresh flowers hitting me before I even reached my desk. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw the bouquet sitting on my table. A note was tucked into the arrangement, the paper crisp and clean, as if someone had put in extra effort to make this as annoying as possible.I should’ve known. It was a message, plain and simple.I ripped the note out and read it, trying not to roll my eyes as I did.“Eloise, I know you’ve been thinking about it, but you haven’t said yes yet. I’ll be waiting for your answer. Noel.”Of course, everyone at the company already knew that Noel had been relentlessly asking me to be his date for the anniversary event. They were all probably giggling behind my back, thinking it was some sort of romance. It was driving me crazy, the way everyone was so eager to gossip about something so trivial.I didn’t even bother throwing the note away. I just crumpled it and shoved it into my bag, walking to my desk to get started on work.
Before I could even take another step, he grabbed my arm. We both froze, his fingers warm against my skin as our gazes simultaneously dropped to where he held me.My eyes darted back up to him, and I shot him a deadly glare. "What do you think you’re doing?" I hissed, yanking my arm free.Elijah quickly let go, almost like my touch had burned him. His expression shifted into something unreadable, a mix of surprise and regret flashing across his face before he masked it with his usual calm demeanor."Relax," he said, his voice low, almost teasing. "I just wanted to make sure if you're comfortable working for Noel—"I cut him off, my tone sharp. "We already talked about this, Elijah." He sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose before closing his eyes. "I know. I just can’t help it, okay? It’s... frustrating." "Then do something about it. Idiot." I rolled my eyes, not even bothering to hide my irritation, and spun on my heel to leave. As I walked away, I heard him mutter som
The company event day came faster than I anticipated. I sat in the back seat of the car, watching the city blur by as Michelle talked beside me, her voice laced with excitement."Remember, Elijah, appearances matter. We need to look like a power couple—confident, unstoppable," Michelle said, adjusting her makeup in a compact mirror. She glanced at me, her lips curving into a smirk. "You're not planning to mess this up, are you?"I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I get it, Michelle. We're here for the show, not because I want to be."Her smirk deepened. "Relax, darling. You’ll thank me when this works out in your favor."I didn’t respond. Instead, I shifted my gaze outside the tinted window. We were close to the venue now, and the flashing lights of cameras waiting at the entrance became visible. Paparazzi swarmed the doors, eager for shots of the evening’s big arrivals.Michelle leaned in slightly, adjusting my tie as if she were perfecting her masterpiece. "Smile for the cam
I slammed the door behind me as soon as we entered the private room. My blood was boiling, my hands trembling at my sides. “What the hell was that, Edmund?!” I spat, my voice echoing in the room. “Engagement? With Noel? Are you out of your damn mind?” Edmund, on the other hand, sat calmly on the leather chair, pouring himself a glass of whiskey. He looked completely unbothered, as if this was just another day for him. “Sit down, Eloise,” he said, his tone infuriatingly steady. “We need to talk.” I don’t want to sit!” I snapped, my fists clenching. “How could you do this to me? Announcing something so insane without even telling me?!” He finally looked up at me, his face as calm as ever. “I don’t see what the big deal is. Noel is a trusted ally. This is for the company, Eloise. You’ll thank me someday.” I looked at him in disbelief. Oh my God. Is this really my father?! "Fuck... I don't even know what to call him anymore! My adopted brother... My husband's mistress or my fucking f
I sat on the cold bathroom floor, my head buried in my hands as the pieces of last night played over and over in my mind. "Shut up and just kiss me!" "If you don't touch me, I will literally go out there and find another man to touch me!" "Please... I'm begging you..." The words echoed in my head, each one more painful than the last. My stomach churned as I clutched the blanket tighter around me. I was still naked underneath, my body trembling—not just from the cold but from the shame crawling up my spine. How could I say those things? What happened to me last night? Outside the door, I could hear their voices. "Eloise," Elijah called, his voice tense but controlled. "Open the door. We need to talk!" Then Noel’s voice followed, calmer, but no less pressing. "Eloise, stop hiding. Let’s sort this out." I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block them out, but their voices kept pulling me back to reality. My breathing hitched as panic bubbled in my chest. I didn’t want t
I sat in my car, staring at Eloise’s house, watching the curtain move with the wind. I’d been doing this for two weeks now, waiting, wondering."Are you telling me the CCTV was broken that night?! Did you even check it properly?!" I snapped, gripping my phone tightly.I could hear the person on the other end try to explain. "The footage is corrupted, Mr. Dawson. We've tried everything, but it’s not recoverable."I ran my hand through my hair in frustration. "There has to be something you missed. I need answers! I need to know what happened that night!"Another long pause. "We’ll keep looking, but I’m telling you, there’s nothing left…"I gritted my teeth, the anger boiling inside me. "You better find a way! I’m not giving up on this!"I hung up, my mind still racing.I slammed my fist against the steering wheel, frustration taking over. "What the hell, Elijah? Get it together," I muttered to myself, but it didn't help. No matter how hard I tried to piece things together, it was like e
The blinding lights above me blurred through the tears in my eyes. My body shook, exhausted, every inch of me screaming in pain. I gripped the sides of the bed so hard my knuckles turned white."Push, Eloise! One more push!" the doctor said.I sucked in a breath and pushed with everything I had. My heart pounded in my ears, the world narrowing to nothing but the sound of my own strained breathing and the overwhelming need to meet my baby.Then — a cry.A loud, desperate cry that made my heart burst in my chest. Tears streamed down my face as I collapsed against the bed, gasping for air."It's a girl," the nurse said softly.A girl.Our girl.I screamed again, my body wracked with a new wave of pain. I thought it was over—but the doctor’s voice cut through the chaos."Another one! Keep pushing, Eloise!"My eyes widened in shock. Another one?I didn’t even have time to process it. Elijah and I had agreed not to do an ultrasound, wanting it to be a surprise... but we never imagined this.
"Won't you apologize for Matthew?"Those were the first words I said the moment I sat across from him. No anger. No shouting. Just a cold, tired question.Noel leaned back in his chair, chains clinking lazily, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Apologize?" he repeated, almost amused. "For what?""For everything," I said, voice flat. "For ruining him. For dragging all of us into your mess. For being the reason he's dead."Noel scoffed, shaking his head slowly like I was the one who didn’t understand. "Matthew made his own choices. Don’t put that on me.”"You robbed me of ten years with him—""Oh, come on, Eloise. Don’t act like what I did didn’t favor you. And don’t pretend you loved Matthew the way I loved him. It was Elijah you loved, not Matthew. So stop acting like you’re heartbroken just because Matthew died!”I stiffened, feeling the rage rise in my chest, but I forced myself to stay still. I wasn’t going to give Noel the satisfaction of seeing me crack."You’re right,"
The walls were white. Too white. Too clean. Too quiet.I sat on the hospital bed, my hands resting on my lap, fingers unmoving. My eyes stared ahead, but I wasn't really seeing anything. Everything felt distant. Muted. Like the world decided to move on without me.I could hear Elijah’s voice somewhere near the door, low and serious. He was speaking to a doctor, their words blurring together until I finally caught one thing clearly—“They’re both okay.”They were talking about me and the baby.I’m okay.The baby is okay.But why didn’t it feel like it?My chest felt hollow. Heavy. Like something had been scooped out of me and all that was left was the echo of his voice.Matthew…He died in my arms.I keep replaying it—his last words, his final breath, the way his eyes dimmed as if the light just flickered out of his soul. And I just kept crying, screaming his name, begging a God I wasn’t even sure I believed in anymore.I didn’t get to say sorry.I didn’t get to tell him that I truly lo
We arrived at the edge of the abandoned building, the air thick with tension and dust. The place was rotting, every window shattered, every wall covered in graffiti. But it was quiet—too quiet. The men we brought with us started to spread out, silently taking their positions, blending into the shadows. I felt the weight of every second pressing down on me. My jaw clenched. My fists itched. My heart pounded with one thing in mind—Eloise.I glanced at Matthew, who gave me a nod. Even now, even with everything he was carrying, he was calm. Focused. We didn’t exchange words. We didn’t need to. We were here for one thing. And nothing was going to stop us.We didn’t go in right away.The building loomed ahead like a sleeping beast, silent and dangerous. But I knew better. It wasn’t sleeping. It was waiting.Matthew came up beside me, crouched low behind the broken wall we were using for cover. "Two on the left," he murmured. "Three more near the back, guarding the exits."I nodded once.
While waiting for Matthew, I sat on the couch. Eliana climbed beside me, wrapping her arms around mine like she always did. I kissed the top of her head.Eloah stood by the window, stiff and silent.“El…” I called softly.He didn’t look at me.“I know you’re mad. I messed up. I’m sorry.”Still nothing. I stood and walked to him. “I never stopped thinking about you. Or your sister. I thought I was doing the right thing, but I hurt you instead. I’ll make it right.”Eloah finally looked at me. “You leave, Mommy… alone…”His voice cracked, and it felt like someone punched me straight in the chest.“I know,” I said quietly. “And I hate myself for that every day.”He blinked fast, trying to hold back whatever he was feeling. “I cry… every night.”I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to stay still. “I’m sorry, El. I didn’t mean to hurt your Mommy. Or you.”He looked down, fists clenched at his sides. “Don’t leave again.”“I won’t,” I said instantly. “Not ever again.”There was a beat of silence
In a second, I’m already clutching his collar. We both look each other in the eyes, and I can see… that we do indeed have the same eyes.The same. Even the kind of anger we’re both trying to hold back.Rafael and Venice gasp behind me—they can feel the tension, thick in the air. But I don’t care. My heart’s beating like a war drum in my chest, and it’s not just anger. It’s confusion. Betrayal. Pain.“She’s pregnant,” he finally says, almost like a whisper.Venice lets out a sharp breath behind me. Rafael stays silent.“What did you just say?” I ask, my voice shaking.“She’s pregnant, Elijah,” he repeats, louder this time. “Eloise is carrying your child.”It feels like something exploded inside me. I don’t even know if it’s anger, happiness, or fear. Maybe all of them.“Don’t mess with me,” I say, shoving him back slightly, though I don’t let go. “If she’s pregnant, why didn’t she tell me?! Why the hell are you the one telling me and not her?!”“Because she didn’t plan to,” he answers.
“What do you mean Uncle Sandro died?!” I snapped, my voice louder than I intended.I was gripping my phone so tight my knuckles turned white.Rafael's voice on the other end was shaky. “Elijah… Noel found him. He got in the way while trying to protect Farah. He didn’t make it.”I froze. The words didn’t register at first. My chest rose and fell as the air seemed to thicken around me.“No,” I muttered. “No, that can’t be.”“I’m sorry,” Rafael said, his voice barely above a whisper. “He died a hero.”I ran a hand down my face, feeling the sting in my eyes. I turned away, making sure Eloah and Eliana couldn’t see me fall apart."What about Farah?" I asked, my voice low and tight. "Where is she now? Is she safe?"Rafael sighed on the other line. "She’s safe, Elijah. She's in Spain… with Matthew and Eloise. Matthew picked her up the moment he found out Uncle Sandro was gone."My jaw clenched. Spain. With them.Of course he’d go to her. Of course she’d be there too.I closed my eyes and lea
“Elijah, what is this?!” Uncle Sandro’s voice boomed behind me, his cane tapping loudly against the pavement as he approached the car. “You’re seriously taking the kids? At this hour?”I didn’t stop packing Eliana’s small pink backpack into the backseat. Then came Eloah’s toy dinosaur. I refused to look at him. If I did, I’d lose it.“Elijah!” he shouted again, this time grabbing my arm tightly. “Listen to me, son. Don’t do this—don’t take them away like this.”I clenched my jaw. “I’m not taking them away. I’m protecting them.”“From what? Eloise?! From their own mother?” His eyes were wide with disbelief. “You’re angry—I understand that. But don’t use the kids. Don’t pretend they’re not hurting too!”Finally, I met his eyes—mine glassy, but cold. “She made her choice, Uncle. She chose Matthew. Again. Do you know how many times I’ve endured that? How many times I caught her when she let go? I waited. I stayed. I kept hoping.” I let out a bitter laugh. “And still, it wasn’t enough.”Un
My vision was blurry, my head pounding with every step they dragged me through the hallway. The coldness of the cement wall, the smell of metal and rot—it all screamed prison. But the only thing that mattered to me right now… was the tiny life inside me.I curled into myself the moment they threw me into a small, dimly lit room and slammed the metal door shut behind them. The silence was deafening. My arms shook as I held my stomach, whispering through gritted teeth."You’re okay… please be okay."Tears slid down my cheeks as I leaned my head against the cold wall, swallowing the pain. The baby… my baby. I couldn’t let anything happen. Not again. Not like with everything else I failed to protect.Noel thinks I’m weak. He thinks bruises and fear will make me bend. But he doesn’t know me. He doesn’t know what a mother becomes when you threaten her child.He will know soon.I jolted awake at the sudden sound of the door creaking. My body tensed, thinking it was one of Noel’s men again. B