Dwight’s POVThe office hums with quiet efficiency as I step out of the conference room. I walk with measured strides, my face unreadable, but inside, my thoughts churn. Leah.I should be past this by now.Yet, seeing her today—poised, confident, effortlessly weaving her ideas into something tangible—stirred something I thought I had buried. I force the thoughts aside, buttoning my suit jacket as I reach the elevator. It’s done. I’d made the decision to have her here. And I have to live with it.The doors slide shut, and for a brief moment, I let my shoulders drop. Just a fraction. Just enough to remind myself that I can breathe.By the time I reach the underground garage, my mask is back in place. My driver, Rafael, straightens when he sees me, already opening the back door of the sleek black sedan.“Señor Spencer,” he greets respectfully.I nod, slipping into the car’s cool leather interior. “Take me to Calle de los Olivos.”Rafael doesn’t question it. He never does. With a silent n
Dwight’s POVMamá’s kitchen is exactly as I remember it—warm, filled with the rich scents of spices and home. The wooden cabinets, slightly worn with age, are still polished to perfection. The tiled countertops, the ceramic bowls stacked neatly in the corner, even the little clock shaped like a rooster hanging above the stove—it’s all the same.She moves with ease, pulling out ingredients from the pantry and fridge, humming a tune under her breath. The sight of her here, in her element, makes something in my chest unclench.“Help me, mi amor,” she says, handing me a cutting board and a knife.I roll up my sleeves, stepping beside her. “What are we making?”“Cochinillo asado,” she says with a small smile, pulling out a slab of fresh suckling pig. “Your favorite.”I let out a quiet chuckle. “That’s ambitious for a last-minute dinner.”She waves a hand. “I had a feeling you would stay.”Of course, she did.I help her prepare the meat, rubbing it down with olive oil and a blend of spices—
Dwight’s POVThe rhythmic clang of metal against metal fills the workshop, the scent of heated gold and silver lingering in the air. I run my fingers over a delicate gold band, its unfinished surface cool against my skin. Around me, the other jewelers work with quiet focus, their hands steady, their movements precise.They don’t know who I am. And that’s how I want it.Jordan is the face of this division. To them, he’s the boss. I’m just another craftsman—an observer, a participant, nothing more. Here, there are no expectations, no whispered assumptions. Only the work.I pick up a pair of pliers, adjusting the small diamond setting on a bracelet when my phone vibrates in my pocket. I ignore it at first, finishing the adjustment before checking the screen.Miss Hayes.I almost don’t answer. Almost.Something tells me I should.I press the phone to my ear, already stepping away from the worktable. “Miss Hayes.”“Mr. Spencer.” Her voice is tight, edged with urgency. “It’s Leah. She had a
Dwight’s POVI meet her gaze, my expression impassive. “That wasn’t a suggestion.”Her eyes flicker, something dark and unreadable moving behind them.I know that look.I remember it.A long time ago, it would have ended in something else entirely.But not now. Leah belongs to someone else. She’s taken. The love and absolute devotion we once professed to each other hadn’t mattered to her. None of it did.That was why she had been so quick to move on the second I’d disappeared. I remember the days after I’d returned, struggling to find closure, to make peace with the fact that Leah was never going to be mine again.Had she ever looked for me? Had she ever tried to find me? Or had she merely muttered, thank fuck, and moved on to the next available man?These questions had kept me up for days. Months.She leans forward slightly, just enough that I can feel the heat of her body. “I’m not taking time off for a scratch.”I inhale slowly, keeping my tone calm. “You hit your head.”“And I’m f
Leah’s POVI shut my office door behind me, pressing my back against the smooth wood as I exhale. My heart is still pounding. My mind is racing.What the hell just happened?I press my fingers to my temple, feeling the dull throb where the wound is. The pain is nothing compared to the chaos swirling in my head.Dwight had touched me.Not in the way he used to—softly, possessively, like he was memorizing every inch of my skin—but with careful detachment, as if he was afraid of breaking something. Or maybe afraid of breaking himself.I squeeze my eyes shut, but the image of him in that damn faded polo and washed-out jeans won’t leave me.I wasn’t prepared for that.The Dwight Spencer I had come to know was always immaculately dressed. Crisp suits. Polished shoes. A presence that commanded attention the second he walked into a room.But today… today, he had looked different. He had looked like the Dwight that I once knew, the Dwight that I once loved.Raw. Unpolished. Almost vulnerable.
Leah’s POVThe next morning, I step into the office, coffee in hand, ready to push through another work-filled day. My head is clearer than it was last night, my resolve firm. Today, I would focus on my job—nothing else. But the moment I approach my desk, my steps falter. A bouquet of deep red roses sits there, colorful and freshly cut, their fragrance curling into the air around me. My brows knit together as I set my coffee down, staring at the flowers like they might somehow explain themselves. "Who the hell…?" I glance around, scanning the office for clues, but everything looks normal. I pick up the large bouquet of beautifully arranged flowers. My fingers tighten around the fashionably wrapped stem as I inhale deeply, before I catch myself. I shouldn't be doing this. Not even I'm unaware of who'd sent it. Maybe, it was Ethan? Or someone else? "Ava," I call out. She appears within seconds, a soft smile tugging her lips. "Yes, Miss Carrington?" I gesture at the f
Dwight’s POVThe drive to the workshop is long, stretching into the quiet hours of the night—three hours of open roads, highways, and too much time alone with my thoughts.I keep my hands steady on the wheel, but my mind drifts back to the conversation with Leah. Her words had been sharp, precise, cutting through whatever illusions I might have let myself entertain."We are strictly boss and employee now. Nothing more.""I'm in a relationship with a man I love with all my heart."The truth had never been clearer, yet it sat heavy in my chest.By the time I pull up in front of the workshop, the place is alive with activity. Unlike the last one I visited, this space is much larger, its high ceilings and reinforced glass panels allowing natural light to spill in during the day. The scent of molten metal and polish hangs thick in the air, the rhythmic sound of hammering echoing from within.This division is one of the newest, located outside the city—one of many I own across multiple coun
Leah’s POVIt has been three days since the flowers appeared on my desk, and I haven't seen Dwight once.At first, I told myself it didn’t matter. I had made myself clear, drawn the line. This was exactly what I wanted—strict professionalism, distance, and no room for blurred boundaries.But the longer his absence stretches, the more it bothers me.I catch myself glancing at the hallways whenever I walk through the office, my ears unconsciously tuning in for the sound of his voice. The easy confidence in his stride, the low, controlled way he spoke—it’s like he has vanished.And it’s unsettling.I try to ignore it, push through my workload, and focus on anything else. But the nagging guilt in my chest refuses to fade.Maybe I overreacted.Maybe the flowers weren’t some ploy to get under my skin.What if they really were just a kind gesture?The thought makes my stomach twist uncomfortably. I had assumed the worst of him, snapped at him in a way that might have been harsher than necess
(Felix’s POV)The moment the call ends, I let out a slow breath and lean back in my chair, pressing my thumb and forefinger against my temples. The tension coiled in my chest begins to unravel, but only slightly. Leah is safe. She’s fine. That should be enough to put my mind at ease.And yet, it isn’t.Because the moment relief settled in, something else took its place. Guilt.I had lashed out the second I knew she was all right. Instead of expressing relief, I questioned her decisions, criticized her choices—like I always do.Like I don’t know any other way to communicate with my own daughter.I rub a hand over my face and sigh. Damn it, Felix.I should have told her I was glad she was okay. I should have told her that I had been worried sick, that my mind had been racing with worst-case scenarios ever since I heard she was gone.But no. Instead, I asked her where the hell she had been. Because anger is easier than fear. Because control is easier than vulnerability.And now, I might
Dwight’s POVThe jet touches down in New York just before dawn. The sky remains a murky shade of blue, the city still shrouded in the last remnants of night. I should be exhausted—I haven't slept in nearly twenty-four hours—but exhaustion isn’t something I have the luxury of feeling.Not when two of my workshops have burned to the ground in a single night.The moment the wheels hit the tarmac, I unbuckle my seatbelt, my jaw clenched so tight it aches. The cabin door swings open, letting in a gust of biting cold air. It does nothing to cool the fury simmering beneath my skin. Without waiting for my driver, I descend the steps swiftly, pulling out my phone as I cross the private runway.Jordan’s name flashes on the screen. I answer immediately.“Tell me.”His voice is sharp, controlled. “The fires were fully extinguished a few hours ago. Both locations are in ruins.”I exhale slowly, my grip tightening around my phone. “Any injuries?”“A few. Some minor burns and smoke inhalation. But n
(Leah’s POV)The phone sits in my palm, the screen illuminated with a single voicemail notification.Dad.My thumb hovers over the play button, hesitating, even though I know I have no choice but to listen. There’s a quiet, sinking feeling in my chest as I prepare myself for what’s coming. My father never leaves voicemails. If he calls and I don’t pick up, he simply moves on—because Felix Carrington does not repeat himself.But this time, he did.I press play.Static crackles for a moment before his voice comes through, deep and controlled, but unmistakably tight."Leah."He pauses."Call me back when you get this."Another pause. A sharp exhale. His next words are quieter, rougher around the edges."I need to know you’re alright."And then, the voicemail ends.I sit there, frozen, the weight of those five words sinking into me. I need to know you’re alright.It’s not an order. Not a command. It’s something else. Something I’m not used to hearing from him.Something close to worry.My
Felix’s POVThe house is silent. Too silent.I sit in the dimly lit study, a half-empty glass of whiskey resting on the desk beside me. The amber liquid catches the glow of the desk lamp, flickering like dying embers, but it does nothing to warm me. Nothing does. Not anymore.The air in here feels stale, the kind of stillness that settles when a place has been left untouched for too long. I don’t remember the last time I had company in this house. Not real company. Not the kind that fills a place with laughter, movement, life.My fingers tighten around the glass. I take a slow sip, the burn of the alcohol cutting through the numbness creeping into my bones. I used to hate whiskey. Now, it keeps me company more than anyone else.I exhale, rubbing a hand over my face, my mind spiraling in one direction, over and over again.Leah.Where is she? Is she safe? Is she thinking about me the way I’m thinking about her?The thought of anything happening to her sends ice through my veins. The ki
Dwight’s POVThe hum of the jet is steady, a low vibration that fills the silence. But Dwight isn’t listening to it. He’s gripping his phone so tightly that his knuckles turn white.Two workshops. Gone.The first call had been bad enough—a fire, a total loss. But the second? That was no accident. He knows it deep in his gut.He leans back in his seat, staring at the glass of whiskey untouched on the table before him. His mind is racing, threading through every possibility, every enemy he’s made over the years.This wasn’t some random misfortune. Someone did this.The problem is, he doesn’t know who.Glimmr has competitors, plenty of them. People who’d love to see him fail, even if they don’t know he’s the one pulling the strings behind the brand. But outright sabotage? Arson? That’s a different level of hostility.And whoever did it made sure there was nothing left behind. No trace. No evidence of arson. No trails.Scrubbed clean.Dwight exhales sharply and presses the call button. He
Ethan’s POV“Is it done?”“Yes, sir.”“Good,” I mutter.The world sees chaos as an accident. A tragic, unfortunate event.I see it as strategy.My glass rests against my lips, the whiskey burning down my throat as I watch the city below. A storm of lights flickers through the skyline, but my mind is elsewhere—on a different kind of fire. One that has already turned a part of Dwight’s empire to ash.I set the glass down with a quiet clink, my pulse steady, my satisfaction quiet but absolute.This moment should feel like victory. And in many ways, it is. The first strike has been made. A calculated, well-executed move that no one will suspect. By morning, the news will break—one of Glimmr’s major workshops, up in flames, reduced to nothing but ash and twisted metal.A tragic accident, they’ll call it.An unfortunate loss.And Dwight?He’ll know better.That’s the beauty of it. No one will point fingers. There will be no investigations, no trails leading back to me. Just whispers. Just u
Dwight’s POVLeah’s words cut through me like a blade, sharp and precise, leaving behind a wound that refuses to close."You never gave me a chance to choose."She’s still looking at me, her eyes burning with hurt, anger, and something else—something unspoken but undeniably there. The weight of it settles in my chest, suffocating, pressing down with the full force of every mistake I’ve made.I rake a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply. I had thought leaving had been the hardest thing I’d ever done. But standing here, seeing the pain my absence caused her, knowing that I was the reason she spent years believing she wasn’t enough—it’s unbearable.And yet, even now, with so much standing between us, I can’t stop looking at her.She’s still the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.The silk of her nightwear clings to her in a way that makes it impossible not to notice every curve, every dip of her body. The soft glow from the lamp casts a warm hue across her skin, highlighting the deli
Leah’s POVThe night drags on, stretching endlessly as I lie in bed, staring at the ceiling. Sleep remains elusive, chased away by the endless cycle of thoughts circling in my head. No matter how much I try to push them away, they keep coming back—Dwight’s words, Cece’s questions, the gnawing uncertainty that refuses to let me rest.I turn onto my side, gripping the sheets. The weight of everything presses down on me. I had spent years believing Dwight had chosen to leave. Years convincing myself that, for some reason, I wasn’t enough to make him stay. And now, with one revelation, the past has been rewritten.I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to slow my racing heart.I had searched for him. After he disappeared, I had called, emailed, even gone to his office. But I had always been met with silence, with a void where he should have been. Eventually, I had stopped searching. I had forced myself to move on.But had I really?If I had, why does it still hurt this much?I exhale sharply and
Leah’s POVThe silence in my hotel room feels heavier now.I sit on the edge of the bed, staring at my phone, but my mind is still caught in the last hour—still replaying Dwight’s words over and over."I was taken, Leah. Held captive. Tortured."I press my palms against my temples, my breathing uneven.Maybe I should take a shower. Maybe that would help calm me. I step into the glass stall and switch on the overhead shower, sighing as the lukewarm water pelts my skin.But even the heady sensation of warm water does nothing to quell the endless thoughts swirling in my head.I don’t know how to process this.I can’t process this.Dwight was taken. Not just gone—not just choosing to leave—but forcibly removed from my life. It’s the kind of revelation that should change everything.And yet, somehow, it changes nothing.So much time has passed. Why did he not reach out? I had been waiting. Hoping. Praying.I'd anticipated his return. Dreamt of it. But I'd never gotten it. Maybe if he had r