Selena’s POV I was hungry, and I wanted to be full with what on earth was entering into my nostrils. I almost fell from my chair, but Jake kept me right as I kissed him passionately on the lips. What was I doing? I hiccupped out of a sudden and pulled away from Jake. “Oops!” I covered my mouth, still feeling the spark from our heated kiss. “What are you doing?” I asked Jake. He looked at me as if I had lost my mind. He stood up on his feet. “You just kissed me.” “What? I did what?” Was I imagining the kiss? “I… I mean, I don’t…” What excuse do I want to give for kissing him? Because I wanted it? Because I wanted to feel connected to him, because I missed him? Which excuse will not sound immature to him? “It was a mistake,” I said with a stoic face. Before he could say more, my stomach growled in hunger, and Jake shook his head before going back to his seat to sit down. He pushed a plate in my direction; the aroma filled me a little. I dug into the food immediately, and when I was
Selena’s POVFor days, I wandered through life like a zombie, treading on eggshells, my nerves constantly on edge. Fear gripped me as I hesitated to open the last drawers of my vanity, unsure of what I might find. I remained oblivious to Jake's subtle expressions over the past few days, and though he observed, he remained silent.The inauguration event would start soon, and here I am seated in front of my mirror. My reflection seemed distant, my hands trembling. I declined Jake's suggestion of having someone else do my makeup, insisting that I could handle it myself.Hours passed, and I remained immobilized in my room, unable to lift even an eyeliner to my face. Emotions churned within me. I finally mustered the courage to open the drawer, my left hand trembling as I did. There it was, exactly where Hillary had placed it, and I stared at the pregnancy test kit.Conflicted thoughts raced through my mind. What should I do? How would Jake react? His family… I shook my head, using my leg
Jake’s POVI hoped I wasn't making a huge mistake by asking Selena to keep me updated with people's names—it was a big risk. But it would be odd to have Jeff with me throughout the whole night, considering I was happily married.The only person I could ask to do this was Selena. I hoped she wouldn't ask too many questions and would do as she was told. I had a lot to hide tonight, and I prayed she would make it easy for me, since her face would be the only one I could recognize fast enough."Okay," she agreed with no further questions. We were already there, and my fingers drummed on the wheel. "I am ready," she said after she had put her phone back in her purse, returning the file to the back seat.She looked at me, and any traces of what she might have been feeling were gone from her face. Even her strange attitude from the past few days had vanished. How quickly she changed into her role-playing. Was it so easy for her? Was she having fun with all this? While I found it hard to keep
Selena's POVI sneaked my way to the cookie rank; there was a lot of display to choose from. I took a plastic plate and chose some. Tasting it, I nodded in approval; it was delicious. Well, I finally found something that got my full attention at the whole event, and it's worth my time.I was onto my fifth cookie when I saw Jake. How on earth did he see me? I thought I was perfectly hidden out of view. He walked towards me, and my hand with the cookie was suspended in midair. When he got closer to me, he looked from my cookie to my face and back at the rank of cookies behind me.“I see, you’ve found something that interests you,” he said.“Well…” I trailed off but finished my cookie. I took an apple drink off the same table and chased down my cookie. I was completely full. My gown protested; I won’t be taking in anything again tonight. “I was hungry,” I told him, which was not a lie.“And how do you feel now?” he asked.“Good, filled with more energy,” I said, looking around. Why was h
Jake's POVWhen I was finally free from the people trying to involve me in conversations or other things, I made my way to the table where my mother and Selena were seated. It was time to call it a day. I had missed some calls from the police station; they must have some information for me. As for the case of the wedding day, there were no traces as to how I was drugged.I only found myself at the scene; I don’t remember driving there since Jeff confirmed that I came back to him for some task after I dropped Selena off. He also informed me that he found nothing odd that day. There was no footage to follow up the investigation. As much as I would like to pursue the case, there was no leading evidence.I wonder what this one would also be like. I will have to go back to the police station and confirm. When I got closer to the table, I heard my mom and Selena talking and the mention of the word ‘pregnant’. What were they actually talking about?“What is going on here?” I asked as I took
Selena's POV1 rested my back on my door as I closed it behind me. But then I felt as if I was back in my cell. I looked around my room, every part of the room reflected who I am. I walked further into the room and ended up at my vanity table, dropping my shoes beside the table I opened the forbidden drawer.It was time to make a decision, my purse from the floor vibrated and I picked it up and fished out my phone from it, I got a text from Hillary, asking if I was back from the event and how it went, I know the mean thing she wanted to ask is the result of the test. I placed the phone on the table and reached for my zipper.The struggle to bring the zipper down required acrobatics, jumping and twisting, but finally, it relented. I stepped out of the gown, tossed it on my bed, and approached the test. Carrying it to the bathroom, I closed the door firmly and did what needed to be done, sitting on the toilet lid as I awaited the result.In less than five minutes, my heart pounded as I
Jake's POVArriving at the office, I headed straight to the conference room. The meeting with the heads of each department lasted almost four hours, during which I was updated on their progress. Tomorrow, we would continue with other departments. Right now, I had an appointment with a client.Logan awaited me in the car at the building entrance where my car was parked. The doorman opened the car door, and I slipped in. Logan started the car and drove me to the destination, parking in the restaurant car lot.Entering the restaurant, I found my reserved table and took a seat. I had a few minutes before my client arrived. Glancing around, I was surprised to see Selena with a lady named Hillary. It had slipped my mind that I hadn't paid her since we got together, but I'd arranged for it to be taken care of.Selena seemed quiet, letting her friend do the talking as she sipped her drink.My thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of my client, a man in his mid-sixties who had lost his whol
Selena's POVI drove aimlessly around town to pass the time before meeting up with Hillary. When it was time, I picked her up from her workplace before heading to the hospital.After my name was called, I went in for the test. Afterwards, we were told to come back the next day."Cheer up, Sel," Hillary said from the passenger seat. "Let's go for some hot chocolate.""Chocolate," I repeated, thinking it might help alleviate this emotional breakdown.I parked in front of a restaurant, and Hillary gave me a confusing look. "Sel, can you afford this place?""I can," I assured her. Jake had credited me; he was also keeping his end of our bargain. I thought he had forgotten, since he hadn't mentioned it, and I hadn't received any money from him. But he had actually paid for the missed months.Our planned contract marriage would not only benefit him; I would get something out of it too. I then parked in the open parking lot, and we got out. After securing my car, we made our way to the resta
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