ISABELLA'S POVThe trial treatment had since begun. And here was in the private ward where they had admitted me.I lay on the bed, tangled in stiff white hospital sheets, feeling every ache and burn.I have been hearing the hum of machines for some time now, and the rhythmic beep of my heart monitor filled the room.They were the only sounds cutting through the quietness.I blinked twice, forcing my eyes open to find Michael sitting by my side.He was there the day I got this update; everything I was going through healthwise had been revealed to him. And like I expected, he had become so quietly overprotective.He had even insisted on accompanying me there.His eyes were fixed on me, filled with a worry he couldn’t quite hide. From time to time, he would reach out, his hand cool against my fevered skin, brushing back a strand of hair that clung to my forehead.The forced smile he wore didn’t reach his eyes. His face was shadowed with dark circles, and yet this was just the first da
ISABELLA'S POVSince we started the trials, it had drained me in ways I had not anticipated.Each injection, each dose chipped away at my strength until I could barely move, much less function properly.As a matter of fact, I had been avoiding my parents for days now, shutting out their worried calls, and even my precious job had become an afterthought. Dr. Ken, the Chief Medical Officer at the hospital, had called more than once, but I just couldn’t bring myself to respond. The treatment had left me so fragile, so utterly vulnerable. My life had become one linear cycle of shuffling between the research center and my apartment. where I would collapse into the nearest chair and stay there, too exhausted to do anything but read. When I say read, I mean my atlas and my medical textbooks, as I was used to doing. The mental journey gave me some sort of strength.Lilian, my best friend, handled the driving. She always did, these days.It was Lilian who drove me back into the house that
ISABELLA'S POVI sat there, staring at my father as he demanded every piece of information concerning my illness, his voice tight and filled with urgency.Owen and Nathan, my brothers, exchanged helpless glances, both knowing they had no choice but to reveal everything. Every chart, every test result, every number... everything.Even Evelyn’s contact details were handed over to him, and moments later, he was on the phone with her, throwing question after question about the nature of my ailment and the chances of my survival.We all watched him, each of us reacting in our own way.Owen’s jaw was clenched, Nathan rubbed a hand across the back of his neck nervously, and I lay weakly in my chair, a dull ache throbbing in my hand.After what felt like an eternity, he hung up. The silence was uncomfortable. He threw his hands behind him and paced the room; his eyes narrowed in thought. Then his declaration after that hit us like a thunderclap, destroying any last hope I had nursed of ke
(GENERAL POV)Lilian was sitting in her office alone.The wooden panels and shelves of neatly arranged files seemed to close in on her, matching the heavy weight in her chest.Her desk, once a space of order, felt like a battlefield.Different papers scattered, her laptop half-closed, and her phone lying face down as if she couldn't bear to face it. The silence was like a faint cloud, broken only by the soft hum of the air conditioner above.She leaned back in her chair, exhaling slowly. Her mind was just like her desk, but it was consumed by wild thoughts relating to just one person... Nathan.Ever since that kiss at the club, the one that sent sparks through her but left her reeling, she had done everything to distance herself from him. She had to protect her heart. And so she had begun avoiding him, retreating into the safety of her office, her phone, and her work. Nathan had noticed, of course. He wasn’t one to let things like this slide easily.He had tried to reach out, le
ISABELLA'S POVI had actually always thought that the rode to death would be peaceful, a quiet, serene release from the pain of existence. But the last few days had proven me totally wrong. The last stages of the trial treatment to cure me from tyrosine poisoning had been nothing short of a brutal war, one that left me swinging on the edge of life and death. My weak body had been ravaged by side effects, from burning fevers that felt like molten lava coursing through my veins to muscle spasms that left me unable to move, then the pounding in my head that felt so intense that it blacked out the power of my vision.I was barely aware of being moved from one ward to another, sometimes waking up only to faint voices and distant echoes, really.My mother’s voice stood out the most, trembling with fear and helplessness. Other times I would catch fragments of conversations, snippets of her pleading with the doctors. As for my father, he would pace relentlessly, asking the professionals
JAMES’S POVTwo hours had passed since my last ward round, and I returned back to the comfort of my office. in a bid to rest my tired limbs and also make my inquiries on what has been disturbing my mind for some time now.As soon as I took my seat, I exhaled and pulled out my phone, ready to do some targerted browsing.And yes, it wasn’t my typical browsing. This time, it was research. It was circled around one person, Isabella.I needed answers. The rumors had been flying around the hospital for weeks now, and they weren’t even really rumors anymore after the expensive public display in front of everyone over a week ago.Isabella and that douchebag locked in an embarrassing kiss for all to see.The image had haunted me ever since.Now, with my phone in hand, I typed her name into the search box: Isabella Harrington. The moment I hit send, the screen was immediately flooded with photos. First i saw her Her then like a magnet i saw him with his self entitled hands wrapped around he
JAMES’S POVThe next morning, I was at my desk, going through a stack of files, trying to focus on a bunch of paperwork that I had allowed to pile for the past few days.I had almost convinced myself to settle into the quiet routine when, without warning, the door to my office flew open. slamming against the wall with a loud bang.I half jumped and looked up immediately, my hands freezing in the air. What I saw next was the red-faced figure of Zoey storming in aggressively, her eyes blazing with fury I had never seen in them before."Geez," I muttered under my breath, already knowing this wasn’t going to end well.“What was that for?” I managed to ask.But Zoey was hardly in the mood to answer anything; rather, she had come with questions herself.“What the hell is going on between you and Emerald?” She shouted, her voice sharp as a razor.I blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the accusation, then quickly shrugged, trying to keep my expression neutral, as though her words or th
MICHEAL'S POVIt was a normal day at our family mansion. We were all sitting at the dining table for lunch.The soft clink of silverware and the low murmur of conversation surrounded me.Grandpa was seated at the head of the table as always, looking every bit the imposing patriarch he was—and a really happy one this afternoon.Grandma sat beside him with her delicate frame and gentle smile. Across the table, my parents chatted softly with themselves, ear to ear.While Gregory and Aunt Elsa barely moved, her eyes occasionally darted toward me with something that felt like calm disdain.The chandelier above cast a warm glow over our dishes. My fork played over the tender roast on my plate, but my appetite had long vanished. I wasn't that hungry anyway.It was Grandpa’s hoarse voice that broke the short silence that had persisted.He beamed with pride as his gaze landed on me, the corners of his mouth turning up in approval."My dear golden boy over here has proven himself time and tim
ISABELLA'S POVA year had passed since our wedding ceremony, and as expected, so much had changed. And this change began from where we had chosen to start a family.A towering off white mansion.It was everything we had dreamed of as a couple: It really made the experience feel like what it was called—exactly settling down.Think about the spaciousness; think about meaningful layout. It was just perfect.However, our new home was one out of many of the positive developments. My career as the “Phantom Medic” had soared in ways I hadn’t thought possible. Over the past year, I could no longer count the number of lives, performing surgeries that others deemed initially impossible had saved.My renown had grown by twice, not just as a surgeon but as an advocate. Remember the foundation I had fought so hard to establish? It had also grown to become a beacon for research into rare diseases, and that had been a deeply personal mission born out of my own health struggles... my near-death
ISABELLA'S POVThree weeks had passed, and it felt like a lifetime since everything had come together so perfectly. I was standing at the entrance of the outdoor venue of Augustine's parish, it was the same church my maternal grandfather currently attended.The garden was so, so breathtaking.The large hall adjacent to the garden was filled up with family, friends and well wishers.The groom boy, Michael, my grandparents, cheerful as always, was sitting proudly among executives from his family's company. His own family mingled with the guests, their smiles radiating pride. My parents, always a picture of grace, were seated in the front row. My dad, Elliot Harrington, was wearing a navy blue suit that complimented his tall frame, while my mother looked radiant in an elegant gown. Owen and Nathan, my loving brothers, sat beside them. Owen, always the typical charmer that he was, wore a fitted burgundy suit.While Nathan opted for a classic black tuxedo, looking more reserved than
MICHAEL’S POVMy grandparent’s large living room felt like a theater of looming judgment this afternoon.Every seat was occupied, and none of us was sitting with ease. It was like we all had fire under our buttocks.At the head of the room, Grandpa Howard sat, his large frame rigid in his high-backed chair, his normal face was a mask of barely contained rage, lips pursed, eyes narrowed. He gripped the armrests, staring at Elsa, who, as usual, was sitting in the far corner of the room; this time, she was avoiding his gaze like it would burn her alive.Her posture was stiff, hands clenched tightly in her lap, her eyes moving about in every direction but Grandpa’s.I found myself also mirroring Grandpa’s expression, the same fire in my own eyes.I could feel my parents sitting on either side of me, their faces drawn tight with disgust, eyes locked on Elsa.My mother’s lips were twisted, and my father’s fingers twitched as though ready to lash out at any moment. The only person who wasn
ISABELLA’S POVI was sitting on my couch that afternoon, my TV tuned on some spaces away. The live broadcast had been on for nearly an hour, but my focus hadn’t wavered. There on the screen was Michael, seated among the press, his expression calm but resolute, just as we had rehearsed together the night before. His dark suit was perfectly tailored, and his eyes were sharp. Michael sat in the center of the long table, surrounded by journalists whose pens moved rapidly across their notepads, eager to catch every word.His posture was upright, shoulders squared, but I could of course feel the tension he bore.I leaned forward on the couch as Michael began speaking, his voice strong and unwavering despite the gravity of what he was about to expose."After months of working with Robert Carlisle, I’ve uncovered disturbing truths." Michael began, his voice steady but his eyes darkening with emotion."I discovered that he’s been altering the properties of our product to make it more addict
GENERAL POVOwen stood in front of the full-length mirror, tightening his tie with slow, deliberate movements. His reflection stared back.He brushed a few wrinkles from his collar, muttering under his breath, ticking off the list of meetings and cover-ups waiting for him at the office. After some time of thinking about the office and where he had to be, the same old thoughts crept back, uninvited and heavy.The same old sense of discomfort he had tried to bury for days now…his tangled feelings for Claire.Came yet again.However, his thought pattern was a little different this time.For reasons he couldn't explain, the scene from that fateful night replayed in his head.He had gone to meet her, intent on laying everything out his feelings, urge to speak his mind only to find her in the VIP section, lips locked with another man. Owen had frozen, his eyes startled and alarmed.But thinking about it now, what had haunted him more than the betrayal was actually her reaction. Claire ha
ISABELLA'S POVI sat at the edge of my couch, my mind a storm of thoughts.It's been three days. Three days since I’d stormed out of Scarlett’s place, a trip of reconciliation that had quickly developed into something else I didn't bargain for.Now, it was followed by her trying to reach out to me, forwarding. desperate and pleading in the text messages...I had ignored them all, as if refusing to acknowledge them would make the gnawing suspicion less real.My gaze drifted out of the window. Inside me, there was only a deepening gloom. The things I had seen that day, the contracts with Xander, strange inconsistencies in Scarlett’s defense—it had all begun to fester like an open wound.No, something isn’t right. The words escaped my lips in a low murmur, barely audible.I needed answers. And I needed them now. I picked up my phone, quickly dialing Claire’s number and agitation in my veins.“Good morning, Dr. Isabella,” Claire’s voice greeted me, bright and efficient as always.“Morn
MICHAEL’S POV The moment I stepped into the club,music hit me, vibrating floors dim lights, charged atmosphere…name it. I paused just inside the entrance, scanning the room casually, my eyes adjusting to the low lighting as I searched for Owen. We had agreed to meet here. The club was one of those exclusive spots, packed with people who knew they were being watched but pretended otherwise. As I looked around, I saw a few groups clustered in private booths, laughter merged with the hum of conversation, while some others wriggled their tiny waists on the dance floor. Taking a breath, I made my way in, walking slowly and moving through the crowd, my hands brushing past people’s shoulders. Owen would be waiting in the VIP section, and I needed not to rush to get there. However, the urgency of what brought me drove me. The VIP area was cordoned off by a velvet rope, guarded by a bouncer who gave me a curt nod of recognition before unhooking the rope. I slipped past without a
ISABELLA'S POVNathan had shared with me how Scarlett had been visiting him of late, lingering too long at his door, just enough to stir old wounds. And even reaching out to the estate security personnel whenever he wasn't around. At least it showed a level of desperation on her part. And that was why I was on my way there today.Despite the hurt, part of me hoped we could still talk this out. Even though restoring her back into his life wouldn't be all that possible.But we could still arrive at something that works. Just like James and I had done.After all, we had been friends for years. All I wanted was a hint of remorse from her, an acknowledgment of the line she had crossed.As I parked in front of the gallery, the emptiness of the space mirrored the hollow feeling in my chest. The lights were off, the windows dark, and not a soul in sight. I stood for a moment, staring at the locked door, a quiet sigh escaping my lips. So, she wasn’t here. And perhaps indoors or something
GENERAL POVOwen pushed the door to his apartment and entered.He shut the door softly behind him, pausing for a second, as though leaving the world outside was not quite enough.He moved with slow, deliberate steps, crossing the room with a weariness that had become second nature to him over the past few days.His face was hard to read; his brows were slightly drawn, lost in thought.When Owen reached his bedroom, he stopped at the center of the room, standing there as though uncertain of what to do next.His eyes were scanning the space, landing on nothing in particular, and for a long moment, he didn’t move.The room felt too big, too empty. It swallowed him whole.With a heavy sigh, his hand reached up to undo the buttons of his shirt, one by one, slowly. The fabric fell away from his body, and he carelessly tossed it onto the bed. He stood shirtless and then made to sit down on the edge of the bed, elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped loosely as his head hung low.For day