After changing into my normal clothes, I stepped out of the hospital room. I didn’t want to stay there any longer; the sterile walls and the beeping machines made me feel suffocated. As I opened the door and walked out, the first thing I saw was Noel and Elijah sitting in the hallway. They were seated so far apart, you’d think they were strangers. Both of them looked up at me at the same time, their expressions unreadable. I sighed internally. This was going to be exhausting. "I’m ready to leave," I said simply, avoiding their gazes as much as possible. I’m not really this dramatic before. I couldn’t even give a damn about everyone, but this... This pregnancy is so ugh! The baby is making me do things I’ve never done before—like hugging Elijah. Hugging! What the hell was that about?!I walked ahead of them, my pace steady, while Noel and Elijah trailed silently behind me. Their presence was heavy, but I ignored it. As we moved through the hallway, I couldn’t help but notice
I stilled.I fucking stilled!Eloise's hug made my heart jump out of my chest. Never in my life did I think I could still be this close to her after everything that happened—after all the chaos and the lies. Yet here she was, holding on to me like I was her lifeline.Slowly, I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her closer. I felt her trembling, her body so small against mine, and it shattered something inside me. She was scared—no, terrified—and I hated that I couldn't protect her sooner.Slowly, I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her closer. She was trembling, her small frame shaking against mine. "The baby... My baby... Edmund..." she whispered, her voice breaking. I clenched my jaw, feeling the fear radiating off her. She was struggling to speak, her words barely making it out. "Shh," I said softly, brushing a hand over her back. "You’re safe now. Just breathe." She clung to me, and I held her tighter. No matter what, I wasn’t going to let anything happen to her or the
Months passed, and Edmund didn’t bother anymore. I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing.At first, I thought I’d feel relieved. No more unwanted confrontations, no more exhausting arguments. But as time went on, his silence became something else entirely—an eerie kind of absence that I wasn’t sure how to feel about.Did he finally give up? Or was he just waiting for the right moment to strike again?I hated that I even cared enough to wonder.Shaking the thoughts away, I focused on the present. My pregnancy had started to show, and with it came a mix of changes I wasn’t entirely ready for. The cravings, the exhaustion, the constant need to pee—it was all overwhelming.But the worst part? The hormones. I often see myself for the past few weeks crying over petty things—like when I dropped my spoon on the floor or when my blanket didn’t feel soft enough. Yesterday, I cried because my ice cream melted too fast. The day before that? I teared up watching a dog in a commercial. A
I gritted my teeth before I followed Elijah with heavy footsteps. Unfortunately, I'm Eloise Hart, and I will never let you dismiss me like that! Never!Instead of heading to Elijah’s room, I turned toward Noel’s door, which was slightly ajar. The sound of retching filled the silence of the penthouse, followed by a sharp gasp for air.I froze mid-step, my frustration with Elijah momentarily forgotten.What the hell?Curiosity—and maybe a bit of concern—pushed me forward.I stepped inside and immediately spotted Noel hunched over the toilet, gripping the edges as if his life depended on it. His back was tense, his breathing uneven as he heaved again, cursing under his breath.“Noel?” I called out, my voice softer than I expected.He stiffened at the sound of my voice but didn’t turn around. Instead, he let out another heave, gripping the edges of the toilet like it was the only thing keeping him from collapsing.My annoyance with Elijah took a backseat as concern took over. “What the h
I felt the world tilt beneath me. My legs wobbled, and I had to grip the back of a chair just to keep myself standing. Twin brother? No. That’s impossible. I would have known. I should have known. I shook my head violently. “You’re lying.” My voice came out hoarse, almost desperate. Edmund smirked. “Am I?” He took another sip of his coffee, completely unfazed. “Tell me, Eloise. Have you ever truly *looked* at him? Have you ever noticed the differences? The little things? Because you should have.” My mind raced back to every moment I had spent with him—Noel. The way he carried himself, the slight differences in his mannerisms, the things he didn’t know that Noel should have. The blonde hair in that hospital document. The missing childhood memories. The way he changed after disappearing for years. Oh my God. I felt sick. My stomach twisted painfully as I took a shaky step back. “Where… where is the real Noel?” My voice barely came out. Edmund’s smirk grew wider. “N
Two weeks. Fourteen fucking days, and still—nothing.No signs of Eloise. No leads. Nothing but dead ends and frustration.I ran a hand down my face, exhaustion creeping into my bones, but I couldn’t afford to rest. Not when she was still out there, not when I didn’t even know if she was—I swallowed hard, shoving the thought away.Jace and the others were doing everything they could, but it wasn’t enough. Every hour that passed without news was another hour of hell. And as if that wasn’t enough, my family was falling apart.Victoria was getting worse.She refused to take her meds, spiraling deeper into whatever darkness consumed her. She kept muttering Eloise’s name, her obsession bleeding into full-blown delusions. I had known she hated Eloise, but I didn’t think she’d actually—No.I should have known.I should have seen it coming, should have stopped it before it ever reached this point. But I was too blind, too fucking wrapped up in my own world to notice the signs. And now… now,
In this lifetime, I was never given the privilege to just exist.I had to fight for every damn thing—my name, my place, my worth, and even my love for Eloise.God really humbled me. I used to be so damn proud of myself, thinking that my success was solely because of my hard work. And yes, I did work hard. I bled for the life I built. But now, I realized that no amount of power, no amount of wealth, can protect the things I truly care about. Because in the end, the truth still came crashing down on me. Edmund Hart’s words that night never left my mind. You’re not a Dawson, Elijah. That one sentence ruined everything I thought I knew about myself. I remembered the way he looked at me—calm, collected, like he had been holding onto that secret for years, waiting for the right moment to shatter me. You are the product of your mother’s betrayal. The man you call your father? He knew the truth all along. He just loved your mother too damn much to let her go. I laughed bitterly, shaki
I smirked. I needed to compose myself. There was no room for fucking drama right now, Elijah. We needed to focus. We needed to prioritize Eloise. Even with the gun pointed at me, I took a deep breath and let my smirk widen. "Go ahead, Eloise," I taunted. "Shoot me." Her grip on the gun was steady. Her expression was cold—unwavering. "You think I won’t?" she asked, voice sharp as a blade. "I know you can," I said, stepping forward. "But will you?" She didn't move. Didn't even blink. "You're standing beside the man who destroyed your life—”"But also," she continued, her voice unwavering, "the man in front of me pointing his gun is the brother of the woman who killed my brother and husband!"She was talking about Veronica.My fingers tightened around my gun, but I didn't move."And don't forget, dear, the reason why he distanced himself away from you it's because he choose Veronica than you—" “Shut the fuck up you old man!” I couldn't help it anymore. I feel like I lose
I sat across from Matthew in the private room of the restaurant, my fingers curled around the warm cup of tea the waiter had just placed in front of me. The man sitting across from me—my first husband—felt like a stranger. His aura was different now. Darker. He wasn’t the Matthew I used to know—the one who made me laugh, the one who always had a teasing smirk on his face. This Matthew was cold, unreadable. But still, I remained patient. I owed him that much. He leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping against the table. “You’re different,” he muttered, eyes scanning my face. “You’re calmer than I expected.” I offered him a small, tight-lipped smile. “I didn’t come here to fight, Matthew.” He chuckled, but there was no humor in it. “Then why did you come?” "To talk to you—”“About what?” Matthew cut me off, leaning forward with a smirk that didn’t reach his eyes. “About how happy you are with him? About how you moved on so easily while I spent years in hell?” I exhaled s
I grew up with Matthew. Deep inside, I always had a feeling about his true identity, but I pushed it away. Because no matter what, he was still my brother.Maybe I was too focused on Eloise back then that I failed to notice even the slightest thing between Matthew and Noel.When Matthew came out of the closet to Dad, he was furious—disappointed. I couldn't even name all the emotions he showed that day. But one thing was clear: from that moment on, Dad's treatment of Matthew started to change.He put more effort into me, teaching me how to handle business, how to be the perfect heir—the son he could proudly present to the world. But with Matthew… it was different. Dad distanced himself, his disappointment manifesting in subtle ways at first—longer business trips, missed birthdays, colder stares.Matthew was always the type to seek approval, to crave validation—especially from our father. So when Dad started pulling away, treating him like a mere afterthought, Matthew did what he though
I gripped the steering wheel tightly, my jaw locked as I trailed behind Eloise’s car. She was chasing after Matthew, and like a damn fool, I was chasing after her. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. The roads blurred past me, headlights flashing in the dark as we weaved through the streets. I kept my distance, watching as Eloise’s car sped up, refusing to lose sight of Matthew’s vehicle ahead. Where the hell was he going? Then, I recognized the familiar road leading to Uncle Sandro’s house. Damn it. Matthew’s car skidded to a stop in the driveway, and before his engine even fully died, he was out, slamming the door shut. Eloise parked next, practically throwing her car door open. I pulled up right after, stepping out and slamming my own door shut as my eyes locked onto them. “Matthew!” Eloise called, her voice cracking with urgency as she hurried after him. He didn’t stop. He pushed the door open and stepped inside Uncle Sandro’s house, his movements stiff
Without wasting another second, I scrolled through my contacts and called Rafael. “Eloise?” He answered almost immediately. “I need to see you,” I said, my voice firm. “Now.” There was a brief pause on the other end before he sighed. “Come to my office.” I didn’t even bother responding. I turned on my heel and headed straight for my car, my mind running a hundred miles per hour. I walked into the towering building bearing Rafael’s family name, my heels clicking against the polished marble floor. His family didn’t just run a security firm—it was the most trusted in Asia, handling the biggest names in business and politics. Ignoring the glances thrown my way, I headed straight for the top floor. The receptionist barely had time to greet me before I pushed the door open and stepped inside.Rafael was at his desk, flipping through some documents, but the moment he saw me, he leaned back, arms crossing over his chest. “That was fast,” he said, his usual smirk missing. “You sound
The moment I stepped inside Uncle Sandro’s house, I felt the weight of everything crash down on me. My chest was tight, my hands were still shaking, and my head wouldn’t stop replaying what I had just seen. Elijah. That woman. The baby bump. I swallowed hard and set my bag down by the door, forcing myself to take deep breaths. Farah peeked from the living room, her brows furrowing the second she saw my face. “El?” “I don’t want to talk about it,” I muttered, walking past her. She didn’t push. She never did. I made my way to the guest room, closing the door behind me before I finally let the tears fall. I pressed a hand against my mouth, muffling the sobs as my knees gave out. I should have been used to this by now—the disappointment, the heartbreak, the constant cycle of expecting too much. But damn it, it still hurts.What the fuck? I want to give him the benefit of the doubt—I really do. But the look on his face says something. Like it says everything. Guilt. Hes
“Elijah.” I didn’t look up. I kept my gaze fixed on the papers in front of me, my fingers tapping restlessly against the desk. Rafael sighed. “Are you seriously okay with this?” Silence. “You’re just going to let Eloise go like that?” he pressed, his voice laced with frustration. I flipped a page, ignoring the tightness in my chest. “Did you get the report I asked for?” Rafael exhaled sharply, clearly annoyed at my deflection, but he didn’t push. Instead, he placed a thick folder on my desk. “Yeah. I did.” Finally, I looked up. My jaw tightened as I reached for the folder, my grip firm. “Good,” I muttered. “Let’s get this over with.”Because after all of this, I will make sure to get my family back and live the life we had before this messed-up situation happened.I leaned back against my chair, rubbing my temples as I scanned the report Rafael handed me. Every detail lined up with what Ellise had told me.“She’s telling the truth,” I muttered, tossing the papers onto
I cursed under my breath the moment I saw the look on Eloise’s face. She was furious. Hurt. And I knew exactly what she was thinking. “It’s not what you think,” I said quickly, stepping toward her. But she backed away like I was a disease. Her eyes burned with betrayal, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “Not what I think?” she spat, voice trembling. “Are you seriously going to say that while she’s right there—while she’s literally pregnant, Elijah?” I exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Eloise, just listen—” “Oh, I am listening. And you know what I hear? Lies. Bullshit. The same excuses cheaters always make.” Cheater. The word hit me like a slap. My jaw tightened. “Don’t do this. Don’t twist it into something it’s not.” She let out a bitter laugh, crossing her arms. “Oh? Then why don’t you tell me what the hell it is, Elijah? Because from where I’m standing, it looks pretty damn clear.” I glanced at the woman beside me, who shifted unco
A dull throbbing pulsed through my skull as I slowly blinked my eyes open. The hospital room's fluorescent lights were dimmed, but even then, the brightness made me wince. I shifted slightly, my body feeling sluggish and heavy. Then I saw him. Matthew. Sitting by my bedside in his wheelchair, watching me with quiet concern. I swallowed the lump in my throat, disappointment creeping into my chest before I could stop it. I didn’t even know why. Maybe I had expected—hoped—to see someone else when I woke up. Like Elijah. But it was Matthew. And as much as I knew I should be relieved to see him safe but all I felt was exhaustion. “You’re awake,” he said softly, a small, almost relieved smile on his lips. I nodded weakly. “Yeah.” His eyes scanned my face, his brows drawing together in worry. “How are you feeling?” I hesitated, debating whether to tell him the truth. That I felt like my world was crumbling. That I was stretched so thin I could barely breathe. But instea
I paced back and forth in the hospital hallway, my heart hammering in my chest. My hands wouldn't stop shaking, my mind replaying the sound of Eloise’s body hitting the floor over and over again.Damn it.One second, she was running after me, desperate to explain herself. The next, she was falling—crashing down like everything between us.I clenched my fists. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go.I just wanted her to choose us. To choose me.I ran a frustrated hand down my face, forcing myself to stay calm. The doctor had yet to come out, and the waiting was eating me alive. My stomach twisted painfully as the image of her limp body flashed in my mind again. I should’ve caught her. I should’ve—The door finally opened, and the doctor stepped out. I straightened immediately, my pulse quickening."Doctor," I breathed out, my voice tight. "How is she? Is she okay?"The doctor gave me a reassuring nod. "She’s stable. She hit her head, but it’s just a minor injury. No signs of a conc