Selena's POVIt was the D-day. The wedding song was about to begin, my cue to march in and meet my future husband. Only my family was present.As planned, I would be walking down the aisle alone. The few guests from my side included Mom, Gracie, Sophia and the twins, Hillary and her son Max, Mr. Luke and Mr. Abrahams, along with my assistant. My aunt had refused to participate in "such a union."I hadn't seen Jake for two days. The last time we interacted, he seemed distant, avoiding conversation with me while remaining playful with the kids. Was it because of the wedding? My behavior last time? How did he feel about me now? I was a different person than before. Could he see it? Did it matter to him? Or was he only concerned about the kids?Was securing heirs all his attention on them amounted to? It brought tears to my eyes when Jada called him "dada" one evening, and Jadon mimicked her. I watched as Jake wiped a tear away, pulling the twins into a hug that excluded me.For two days
Diego's POVSelena was finally mine. I couldn't wait to show her my love and devotion, to prove I was committed to making our marriage work. Her smile throughout the ceremony seemed forced, tense even. But during the reception, when she held her children, a genuine smile lit up her face. She laughed with them, took pictures, and even playfully placed the crown on Jada's head. The little girl, oblivious to the oversized crown, giggled and declared herself a princess.While Jadon clung to his mother, his eyes wide with curiosity, Nana approached me for a dance. Selena, carrying Jadon, joined us on the floor, swaying gently with her son."Congratulations again," Jane said. "Such a shame your father couldn't be here." I knew the apology drill was coming.Honestly, his absence didn't bother me. Everything went smoothly. But Jane seemed determined to make excuses for him."He'd be here if it weren't so important," she muttered, her gaze glued to her feet. She wasn't the most graceful d
Selena's POVI was so tired that I slept half of the time for our short flight. By the time I felt a touch on my shoulders, it was Diego. He looked down at me with a grin.“We are here.”“Where is the 'here'?” I asked, rubbing my eyes and sitting upright in my seat. I couldn't feel the motion, so we must have landed. “Sorry, I slept off.”“It is no problem. Come and find out where we are,” he helped me with my seat belt and took my hands. We stepped out of the jet, and my jaw dropped.We were on an island. I looked around for a hint of which island. Queens, that was where we were. Diego led me to the glass house away from where we landed.“Wow, this is massive, Diego,” I said, shocked.“Wait till you see the inside of it,” he said with a wide grin and walked ahead of me to the house. “They will bring our things in, don’t worry,” he called back to me.I gathered my wedding gown and hurried after Diego. He was waiting for me at the door. I stopped beside him. “Ready?” he asked, looking d
Diego's POVI saw the look on Selena's face; she looked so torn. Her bottom lip trembled with unshed tears. Her heart must have gone to her kids. Her kids were like the thread that kept her together.And I wouldn’t be the one holding her back from what makes her happy. I just vowed to make her happy, I won’t do otherwise now. With my mind made up, I spoke.“Go get ready, we are flying back home,” I informed her, pulling out my phone and calling Johnny.“But Diego…” Selena started to object.“We are leaving,” Johnny picked up the call. “Get the jet ready, we have an emergency back at home.”“Yes, sir,” he responded and hung up.Selena was still rooted in her position. I touched her shoulders, which were so stiff. “They will be fine once we get back home. Go get your bag ready.”“We just got here,” she complained. “They will stop crying once they are sleepy or tired.”“Are you for real?” I felt like laughing but instead said, “Let’s go back home.” I placed a kiss on her forehead and pus
Jake's POVI realized that it does not have to be an hour or a whole day before one's life can turn upside down. All it took was seconds for the news to go on air.It spread like wildfire; my phone has been ringing since I left New York. I knew reporters would be waiting for me at the airport since the news had gone out that I was in New York for business. I traveled to South America and took another flight back to Italy.No one would be expecting that. I made sure my disguise was in place as I exited the gates. I saw the reporters, but hopefully, no one noticed me. I called for a cab, still leaving my car in the airport parking lot. Who knows, they might be waiting for me there.I took the cab to the penthouse I stayed in with Selena when we got married. No one would be expecting me to go there. I tried calling Jeff, but it would take me to his voicemail.How on earth did the news get out? Was it my doctor? Did he spill my secret for money? I closed the door behind me as I walked into
Selena's POVMy mind was not at peace. It had been a few days since my wedding to Diego. The marriage itself seemed good, the kids were happy, but a hollowness persisted within me. I possessed everything I thought I ever wanted, yet something crucial remained missing.I knew the news on my phone wouldn't be pleasant, but staying totally informed felt necessary. Picking it up, I stumbled upon a report of Jake attending a board meeting. Had he lost his mind? They'd tear him to shreds!Before I realized it, I was pacing my office, I felt so much anxiety eating me up. Having faced rejection myself, I understood the challenge of facing those who despise your success, and I knew Jake did too. So why this reckless behavior?My assistant knocked and entered, her eyes searching mine with concern. "Is everything alright?" she inquired."Yes," I forced a nod, dismissing her worries. Suddenly, a memory flashed to me, it was when Jake addressed my mother as Gracie. It had to be true then. But from
Diego's POV I watched her intently, sensing she was carefully choosing her words, saying what she thought I wanted to hear. There had to be a limit to how much she could tolerate.I knew exactly what to ask to break down the walls she'd built around her emotions. Jake Marino. Couldn't she just forget about the damn guy?"Heard from Jake lately?" I inquired casually.She lowered her spoon, surprise flickering across her face. "What?""He's facing some challenges, I heard," I said, unable to hide the glee in my voice when I saw the news. He was gone, back to where he came from. Hopefully, this would be his downfall, ensuring he wouldn't return."Well, I saw it on the news too," she replied evenly."Why the concern for Italian news, then?" I pressed.She bit her lip and closed her eyes, a tactic I recognized. She'd probably count to ten to control herself, but I wouldn't give her the chance."You still love him, don't you?" I blurted out.Her eyes snapped open, and she glared at me. "Di
Selena's POVThe weight of my decision settled on me. Had I just done the right thing by divorcing Diego? The media would have a field day with this story. What would my family say?Pushing the anxieties aside, I decided to face them head-on. I called everyone for dinner – it was better to rip the bandaid off now. Hillary joined the group as well.Max was on "big brother" duty, keeping the kids entertained with cartoons in the living room. This way, the adults could talk freely."Why the sudden dinner at my place, Selena? And why are the kids with you? Is Diego on a business trip?" Mom launched into a flurry of questions."Diego isn't away. He's at home, actually," I replied.My answer drew a collective gasp from the table. "What's going on?" Gracie, ever the voice of reason, asked."We... we decided to separate," I stammered."Separate? What kind of separate are we talking about?" Mom's frown deepened.Taking a deep breath, I blurted, "We're divorced."The room exploded. "Divorced? Wh
Epilogue || Selena's POVI thought I'd be able to sleep in today, given that yesterday was as hectic as it gets with the kids' birthday party. It was a fun-filled and fantastic day; the kids were showered with gifts from every direction.They even received some gifts they won't be able to use until they're maybe 19 years old. Their aunt Nancy went overboard with the planning and every other detail of the day.It turns out the kids don’t just have one godfather, but two—Austin and Justin also blew the kids' minds.And their grandmas? Well, I'm at a loss for words about them. Even my aunt came with a gift; she gave each child a book titled “Italian for Beginners.” Wonderful, right?The kids completely ran out of energy yesterday, so I'm baffled as to how they're up this early.By mistake, we forgot to close the bedroom door last night. Before I could get out of bed to bolt it, the door swung open, and they bounded in. I pretended to still be asleep, hoping they would bypass me and go str
Selena's POVIt's been five months now, and looking back, I find it hard to forget everything that happened after my wedding.Glancing down at my wedding ring, I kissed the tiny diamond that always reminded me of Jake. With a smile, I looked at the calendar on my desk—his return was just around the corner.I had moved the company headquarters to Italy, and surprisingly, my mother had agreed to relocate as well. She bought a new house that could accommodate 20 people, claiming she was tired of living small.She decided to keep our house in New York as is, suggesting it could serve as a venue for family gatherings.Hillary stayed behind in New York; apart from taking care of her son, she had started seeing someone, which was exciting news for everyone.The whole family rejoiced when Mr. Marino finally woke up from his long unconscious state. He was recovering well, much to Mrs. Marino's joy.The kids were adored by everyone, especially by their Aunt Nancy. Everyone was doing well.Howev
Jake's POVI entered the house, searching for my family. Voices echoed from a nearby room where I heard Selena asking Nancy how they had managed to set up the nursery so quickly. “Dada!” a little voice called out. I turned to see Jada rushing toward me, her small form barely visible beneath the layers of her adorable outfit. Bending down, I scooped her into a tight hug as she began chattering nonstop, sharing everything she thought I needed to know.Holding her close, she peppered me with kisses.“Hey,” Selena greeted with a wave.“Welcome, Sophia,” I said, placing a kiss on Selena’s forehead. She seemed eager to hear about my meeting at the station.Later that day, we gathered for dinner. The kids sat on Selena’s and my laps, stubbornly refusing their high chairs. My mother had certainly gone all out with the meal.It was heartwarming to see both families getting along well. As the evening wound down, the kids began to warm up to my mom and Nancy, who tempted them with an array of
Selena's POVA stroll on the beach and a picnic with the one I love—that was the plan after crafting a new one this morning. But here I am, driving to the airport.Mom always has her own way of doing things. I knew I hadn't been entirely open about what was happening here, but I never expected her to bring the whole family down.They even took the company jet. She must not know how to manage boarding four people. Shaking my head, I turned into the private sector of the airport.I called my mother for their location, and she directed me. The first thing I heard were the excited voices shouting, "Mama!""Mama!" Jadon ran toward me, his focus unswayed by the crowd.I dropped to my knees with open arms to welcome my beloved son. His small body fit perfectly against mine, his baby scent warming my heart. I buried my face in his soft hair, showering him with kisses.He seemed taller. Pulling back, I kissed his face. "My sweet boy, how I've missed you.""Mama, I miss you," Jadon said.I hugg
Jeff's POVThe fury within me was seething; I felt an overwhelming urge to lash out at something, or better yet, someone—specifically, the person right in front of me.I might have managed a clean getaway if Kelvin hadn't botched things by getting caught. Perhaps if I'd demanded the money sooner, I would have gained a crucial head start in my escape plan. It was Kelvin’s blunder that had left me trapped in this forsaken country.If only I had expedited my fake passport, I might have made a successful escape by sea, but the relentless police were already on my trail. They had effectively banned me from leaving the country, but I was aware of other, illicit means of escape.I refused to let anyone revel in seeing me rot in jail. And why on earth was Jake Marino here? My only recourse was to taunt him with everything I had managed right under his nose.“How did my father cause the death of your father?” Jake inquired.He seemed genuinely clueless about the connection to my father, but th
Jake's POVWe had planned to spend the day just to ourselves, and I was thrilled with the idea. Selena walked around the house, filling the picnic basket she found in the kitchen. Eventually, we found ourselves in the bedroom, Selena rifling through her packed bag in search of something suitable to wear.Although it wasn't particularly sunny outside, we were eager to enjoy the day together, hoping for a bit of sunshine as we forecast while we were at the beach.Just then, her phone began to ring. I hoped it wouldn't be a call that might dampen our spirits. She dived into her pile of clothes, searching for the phone, and resurfaced with a frown. "It's my mom," she said, her tone a mix of resignation and concern. I knew how deeply she missed the kids, avoiding calls to stave off their tears and pleas for her return.I felt a pang of guilt, aware that my needs had kept her away. My own phone started ringing, and I glanced at the caller ID before showing it to her. She sighed and gestured
Selena's POVThe morning light flooded the room when I opened my eyes, a reminder that we'd left the windows open again. I yawned and stretched, feeling the protest of my bones. The hard night at the station hadn't done me any favors. Feeling the empty space beside me, I realized Jake wasn't there. I missed waking up in his arms, but lately, our mornings had shifted; either he rose before me or vice versa.When would we find the peace we so desperately sought? As I lay there, my mind wandered back to the phone call from last night. I hadn't caught any of the conversation, only the ringing that had pierced the late silence.Was it something important? I got out of bed, went through my morning routine in the bathroom, and dressed for the day, hoping it wouldn't be spent at the police station.With Kelvin in custody, the assassin apprehended, and Diego held by New York police pending cooperation with the investigation, the immediate threats seemed contained. He would be released after th
Jake's POVI still find it hard to believe Kelvin could do such a thing to his own family. He had embezzled a significant amount of money from the company and had been deceitful in his dealings.He had several accounts, estates, and properties in his name, yet he still craved more. Wasn't he satisfied with what he had already taken?The detectives were on the hunt for someone named Mr. K, who had been collaborating with Kelvin. Since Kelvin denied any involvement with the attacks on me and the kidnapping on my wedding day, they believed there was another conspirator out there. I hoped that with Mr. K's capture, the chain of attackers would end.Looking over at the bench, I saw Selena asleep in an awkward position. I wished we could wrap up here and leave so she could get some proper rest. She had been tirelessly working the phones, to the point where her phone had run out of battery.We hadn't been able to speak to the kids, and it was clearly affecting her mood."Who do you suspect m
Kelvin's POVIn my office, I mulled over the unsettling shift in public sentiment that had started favoring Jake. Oddly enough, I had uncovered that Selena was no ordinary person; she was from a wealthy family. Yet, when I sought more information, I found no news articles about her—only a brief mention that she had two children and had once been married to someone named Diego Lorenzo.This Diego was the same individual who had contacted me months ago, offering information to undermine Jake when Mr. K mysteriously vanished.Clearly, something was amiss, and my instincts told me it wasn't good. I was about to stand up when my phone rang with a call from an unknown number.I answered, and Mr. K's voice came through. "Hello, I have something you desperately need," he said, his timing uncanny."Will it finish my brother?" I asked."Yes, but before that, you need to transfer €500 billion euros to the account I will send you.""What?" I exclaimed, incredulous. "For what information?" I deman