FLORENCE’S POVAs soon as I stepped into the office, Raiden was already making his way toward me, concern written all over his face.“I heard Blake sent you to see your mother,” he said. “I told her to handle it herself, I don’t know why—” He stopped when he spotted Mason following me. “Whitehill…” he said, in his typical curt, stand-offish way. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” Pleasure was not what his voice reflected. It dripped with sarcasm and just a tinge of anger. “I’m here to see my wife. Is that a problem?” Mason responded. My wife.Funny how the first time I had ever heard him call me “wife” was the time I actually wasn’t. “Really?” Raiden smirked. “Then what on earth did Florence, Anna, and I celebrate a few nights ago? Was it not the end of this disastrous marriage?” I knew he was toying with him. We hadn’t celebrated anything, but Mason wouldn’t know that. I turned to look at my ex-husband—he was all but ripping Raiden’s head off his body. “Flo…” he said, his tone
FLORENCE’S POVPick me up after work? Never, in all our years of marriage, had Mason waited to pick me up from anywhere. I went anywhere I wanted to go by driving myself or taking a taxi. Not that I went to many places. Mason never took me out, and I stayed at the mansion to save money to send to Marco for my father’s protection. Somehow, that felt like a simpler time than whatever was happening now. Now, everything just felt confusing. Why was Mason trying to play the good husband? AFTER we were already divorced? I didn’t bother hiding my irritation. “You don’t need to put on a show anymore. We’re done, remember?”His eyes flickered with something unreadable. “You need me.”I scoffed. “Excuse me?”“Well, if you didn’t, why did you call me after you got that camera?”I regretted that call more and more by the second.“Are you joking? I was trying to warn you that we were being watched and that some news about us might leak to the papers. I was trying to prepare you. So you can do
FLORENCE’S POVFlynn.The sight of him sent a cold chill down my spine. Once upon a time, he had been kind to me. He had been warm. He had made me believe I could move on from Mason and fall in love again.That someone could love me back. And yet, here he was now, standing in the shadows outside my building, a smirk curling at the corner of his lips, his eyes glinting with something I couldn’t quite place.I clenched my fists. “How did you find me?”“I’m a paparazzo, Flo,” Flynn said, taking a step closer. “I know more than you think.”I held my ground, my heart pounding. “What do you want?”He lifted his chin, expression smug. “You took a camera from my guy today. I’m just here to take it back.”“Well, since you know everything, you should know I gave it to Mason.” “No, you didn’t…” he stepped closer. “It’s with you because you can’t trust Mason. Think I don’t know about your divorce?” he laughed. “So. I’ll take that with me now, thanks.” I stepped back as he came closer, clutchin
FLORENCE’S POVIt was past midnight. The fluorescent lights in the police station cast a cold, sterile glow over everything, making the moment feel even more surreal. And yet, the most surreal part wasn’t the fact that I was here or that Flynn had been caught.It was Mason, with Jade behind him, clinging to his arm as usual. As if she would stop breathing if she couldn’t touch him. Suddenly, I was grateful I hadn’t called him to pick me up. If he had shown up to my office with her, I might have lost my mind. I didn’t know why the thought stung. I had told myself I wouldn’t care anymore. And yet, here I was, feeling utterly ridiculous for having that brief flicker of hope when he offered to pick me up from work. I straightened, brushing off my exhaustion, my embarrassment, my heartache. “Sorry to disturb you both,” I said coolly. “I’ll update my emergency contact first thing tomorrow.”Mason ignored that completely. “I’m asking you again, Flo…” his voice was low. Concerned. Worried.
MASON’S POVI watched Florence run out of the conference room, her footsteps sharp and quick, like she couldn’t get away from me fast enough.We had a moment… I sensed it. We hadn’t been that close before, but I went and messed it up by saying the wrong thing. I had no right to be jealous. I knew that. She wasn’t mine anymore. And yet, every time Raiden’s name came up, I lost my temper.Because Raiden understood Florence better than I did. Knew her better than I did. Florence never talked about her friends or family with me. I had known her my entire life, but as I stood in that conference room, I realized I knew nothing about my wife. Ex-wife. It was too late.The only reasons I could find to talk to her were work or this investigation. It wasn’t a lot… it was nothing… but I would try to use it to bring her back to me. When did talking to her become so hard?I hoped she would call me to pick her up from work like I offered. Because watching her walk away? It felt like she was sl
MASON’S POVA tiny flicker of hope warmed my heart when I learned I was still her emergency contact. She still trusted me to take care of her when things went wrong. But seeing her face turn cold when she spotted Jade… I knew Florence would change it that second. And I was right. “Sorry to disturb you both,” she said. “I’ll update my emergency contact first thing tomorrow.”My heart withered hearing those words. Why hadn’t I made Jade take a taxi and come here alone? The officer at the desk had briefed me on the situation over the phone, but I wanted to hear it from Florence herself. “I’m asking you again, Flo…” I asked, hoping she could hear and understand my concern. “What the hell happened?” “Flynn was the one behind the website posts. He even admitted it while trying to snatch the camera from me.”I knew from the beginning it wasn’t Florence who leaked our news to the website. I just didn’t understand why she had to lie about it. “If Flynn was behind it, why did you take the
FLORENCE’S POVAnnalise pulled me into her apartment, immediately ushering me to sit on her couch while she grabbed a first aid kit.“Flo, are you sure you’re okay?” she asked, crouching in front of me, her brows furrowed in concern.I nodded numbly.She wasn’t convinced. “You just got into a fight with your psycho ex, got thrown into a police station, and had to deal with Mason and Jade at the same time. And you’re telling me you’re fine?”I didn’t want to talk about it. Lately, it felt like all I did was complain about Mason. Wasn’t the divorce supposed to end all that? When was my past going to stop haunting me? “I’m telling you. I’m fine.” I said. Annalise sat on the couch next to me, waiting. “I just… I feel stupid. He said he wanted to pick me up from work, and it gave me a tiny bit of hope that things were changing. And then he pulled up with Jade. Again.” Annalise’s lips pressed together, her expression unreadable.“I was a fool,” I murmured, shaking my head. “Still clingi
FLORENCE’S POV“Are you Carmen?”The voice was excited, eager.I turned around to find a young man, early twenties at most, staring at me like I was a celebrity. His dark brown hair was slightly tousled, his camera strap slung casually over his shoulder.I blinked, thrown off by the name. “I think you’re mistaking me for someone else.”His face fell for half a second before brightening again. “Wait… Florence? Florence Hart?”I stiffened slightly. I knew what was coming next.“Yeah,” I said cautiously.His eyes widened. “Oh. Wow. Rumors about you have been everywhere.”There it was.I inwardly braced myself for the inevitable onslaught of assumptions, invasive questions, and veiled (or not-so-veiled) insults.But instead, his expression softened. “I don’t believe all that garbage online, by the way. People love tearing others down for sport. Honestly, I think it’s cool that you’re focusing on your career.”I blinked at him. “You… don’t think I was just after Mason’s money?”He scoffed.
FLORENCE’S POVOnce Emily confirmed she was okay with doing the nude shoot—completely on her terms, no pressure—we got to work.It wasn’t even sunrise yet when I sent the first text, barely able to feel my fingers after such an emotionally wrecking night. But there was no time to sleep. We had a window—small and delicate—and I was determined to help her step through it.I remembered an art director I’d met at Fashion Week just a few days ago. French, sharp, and wildly creative, she’d shown me a campaign she did for a sustainable lingerie brand that felt more like a gallery exhibit than an ad. I’d tucked her number into my phone, not thinking I’d need it anytime soon.Now I was dialing with barely a second thought.Her response came in instantly.Florence? Mon dieu, I would die to work with you.I didn’t even need to explain much—just that it would be raw, elegant, empowering, and fast. That was enough. She was in.I’d never done anything this last-minute in my life.Usually, shoots to
FLORENCE’S POVEmily stared at the wine glass in her hand like she couldn’t remember how it got there.The room had quieted now. We’d coaxed her into eating something—a small plate of pasta and a few forkfuls of salad—and poured her half a glass of red. She hadn’t said much. She wasn’t crying anymore, but the silence around her wasn’t peace. It was a void.We sat around the little dining table in her suite, lit only by the dim overhead light and the soft glow from the city outside the windows. Rosa sat beside Emily, one protective hand resting lightly on her forearm. Rosa hadn’t even met Emily before this night, but had practically adopted her by that point. I was on her other side. Across from us, Raiden had flipped open his tablet and was already in fix-it mode.“I suggest we start with the basics,” Raiden said calmly, tapping through his notes. “Natalie, you’ll need to call the police. File a formal report. The earlier we do it, the better. Even if it doesn’t lead to anything imme
FLORENCE’S POVAs soon as Rosa and I reached her studio, I immediately grabbed her laptop. My fingers shook slightly as I typed in the gossip websites, terrified of what I might find. The screen quickly filled with images, headlines, and notifications—and there it was. Exactly as Emily had said.Her nude photos were everywhere.“Oh my god…” Rosa whispered behind me, leaning closer to see the screen. “This is so messed up. What sick asshole would do something like this?” Her voice tightened, anger radiating from every word. “I swear to god, when I find him…”I took a deep breath, pushing down the panic rising in my chest. “Can you tell where these photos were taken?”Rosa squinted, carefully scanning every detail on the screen, her eyes flicking rapidly back and forth. She shook her head slowly. “Honestly? There’s no windows, doors, or distinguishing features. It’s artificial lighting and a professional backdrop. Whoever took these photos knew exactly what they were doing. It looks li
FLORENCE’S POVWe stood in silence for a few seconds, waiting. Rosa leaned in and gently pressed her ear to the door like she’d done this kind of thing before.“Anything?” I whispered, my voice barely above a breath.She held her position for another beat, then pulled back. “Nope. Seems like it’s empty.”I let out a small sigh. “Okay, maybe—”“Florence?”I nearly screamed. I spun around with my whole body, stumbling back a step. My heart jumped straight into my throat.A guy with tousled curls and splattered paint on his sweatshirt stood a few feet away, carrying a canvas under one arm. His expression lit up when he saw me.“Ian,” I blurted out, instantly recognizing him.He grinned. “Wow, you remember me!”Of course I remembered him. We’d met on that yacht I was checking out for the Eternity-Amora event a few months back. He was one of the hopeful photographers trying to land a commission. He’d given me his card, a sheepish smile, and a surprisingly good portfolio. I’d meant to rea
FLORENCE’S POVMy heart thumped wildly in my chest as I immediately switched apps, fumbling slightly with my trembling fingers. My thumbs flew across the keyboard, rapidly typing a frantic message to Emily.Where are you? That pic behind you was stolen from a gallery a few nights ago??The screen glowed softly as I hit send. My throat tightened as I watched Emily’s status shift from offline to online. The little green check marks appeared, signaling that she had read the message.Seconds passed. My breath stalled in my chest.Then, abruptly, Emily’s status returned to offline.My stomach churned. It felt intentional—heavy and pointed, like a slammed door in my face.“What’s got you all stressed?” Rosa asked from across the table. Her voice startled me back into the noisy café where we’d been laughing just minutes ago.I blinked, trying to shake away the anxious haze clouding my thoughts. “It’s nothing, it’s just some silly family drama.”Rosa’s eyes brightened mischievously, her lips
FLORENCE’S POVMy silence stretched just a little too long. I could feel it. That uncomfortable beat of tension, the kind where everyone realizes someone in the group is no longer smiling.Rosa jumped in quickly, her tone light but purposeful. “Dad, don’t be weird. Florence is his girlfriend.”Ashton blinked, visibly startled. “Oh! I—really?” He looked at me, hands raised in surrender, flashing a sheepish grin. “Well, damn. I’m sorry, Florence. I meant it as a joke.”I forced a smile. “All good.”But it wasn’t. Not really.The conversation moved on, but something in me had curled inward. Raiden and Ashton returned to talking about next season’s silhouettes, material shortages, and the problem with micro-trends killing long-term vision. Rosa threw in a comment here and there, mostly teasing her father, while I lingered behind them like a quiet accessory to someone else’s night.Their words blurred in my ears. I felt small—again.Invisible, the way I used to feel at events where Mason
FLORENCE’S POVI stood there for a long time. Longer than I should have.I should have asked him why he was looking for me despite choosing Jade. I should have asked him why he ended up bloodied and broken in the hospital. I should have asked him if he ever found Daniel after speaking to Emily. If Daniel was the cause of the scars on his face. I should have done lots of things. But all I could do was replay his words in my head. Can we still be good friends?So gentle. So final.It was like I’d stepped outside my own body during the conversation and only now—now that he was gone—had I reentered it.The music had shifted, the crowd moved around me, but I felt frozen. Like I was watching my own life through a glass window.I smoothed down my dress. Straightened my spine. Took a slow, steady breath.Right.I had a good life. I was in Paris. I had a kind, loving man waiting for me. A man who saw me. Who never needed reminding to listen.I wasn’t the girl standing outside a glass wall an
FLORENCE’S POV“What are you guys doing in Paris anyway?” Emily asked, adjusting the strap of her designer bag like it was a microphone she planned to drop at any moment.“Oh, just… on vacation,” I replied.She raised her eyebrows, clearly impressed. “Wow. It’s serious if you’re taking holidays together.”I shrugged, trying to play it cool. “Yeah, you know it’s going well since—”“I don’t care for details,” she said quickly, waving me off like I was about to bore her to death. “I’m meeting someone else later anyway. Young photographer, super cute and very into me. Which is exactly what I need after the narcissist that was Daniel.”“Um… okay. Bye, I guess?”But she was already halfway down the corridor, disappearing into the post-show haze of crew members and models packing up.I lingered a moment, unsure of what to feel about that whole interaction. Then, I turned back toward the main venue, scanning for Raiden in the sea of guests. I spotted him near the refreshments, chatting anima
FLORENCE’S POVAs soon as the final model stepped off the runway and the lights began to rise, I rose from my seat like a fire had been lit beneath me.“I’ll be right back,” I told Raiden.He blinked in surprise but didn’t stop me. “Want me to come?”“No,” I said quickly, already stepping past him.From the corner of my eye, I saw him turning his attention to one of the designers seated nearby, sliding effortlessly into conversation. Typical Raiden—he could read me without even trying. He knew I needed space. And I appreciated him for that.But right now, all I could think about was Emily.She was here.Not just here but on the runway, front and center. Strutting down like she hadn’t vanished off the face of the earth after Daniel had kidnapped me. After Mason had nearly died. After everything.I pushed my way backstage.The buzz was overwhelming—stylists shouting, models laughing, and garment bags flying from one end to another. The air was thick with perfume, hairspray, and leftov