Jake's POVMy gaze locked with Rose's across the room. I hadn't realized she was there, representing her father most likely. The shock of recognition drew my attention, and I scanned the room further. To my surprise, several faces were familiar. The drugs must be working, although I hadn't been taking them regularly as prescribed.Quickly tearing my eyes away from Rose, I focused on the board. My situation could wait. "What is the board's decision?" I addressed the room at large. It wouldn't do to talk too much. Someone had obviously reached a conclusion before the meeting even began.Mr. Timothy, acting as the board representative, rose and approached the raised platform. "We've heard your statement, Chairman. The rumors are false, and your wife is taking time away to heal from the brutal media attack on her personal life. While these rumors do damage the company's image, you've assured us you'll handle containment.""We have two propositions," Mr. Timothy announced. "Either you step
Selena's POVI lunged forward just in time to stop my aunt from striking my mother, who wisely backed away. I cursed under my breath at my aunt's aggression. "I may not have had a child of my own, but I ended up raising yours," my aunt spat."Please, stop this, Aunt," I pleaded. "You're both adults. There's no reason to resort to violence.""I have a reason you never liked me," my aunt declared, pointing at my mother from behind me."Why? What is it?" my mother demanded.My aunt unleashed a torrent of accusations. "You should have stood by your daughter years ago! You didn't! You and your husband shipped me off to Italy to deal with the mess! You only want her back because your husband's career is falling apart, right? Now you suddenly remember you have a daughter? You couldn't even tell she was pregnant! What kind of a mother are you?"There was a long silence from my mother. She looked small and close to tears, but her expression remained stoic. Even with the wine stain on her dres
Jake's POVThe news was finally contained. No more articles about Selena or me would be circulating. Thinking back, I questioned my last conversation with Rose. Why would she divulge Selena's feelings to me?Selena had hinted at something similar, but why would Rose flaunt it? She must be desperate to locate Selena. Well, she'd be sorely disappointed. I couldn't even track Selena down, and her friend wouldn't budge on her whereabouts, even if she knew.Putting that aside, I scheduled an appointment with a new doctor far from home. It would be a short trip, and secrecy was paramount. Not even Jeff could know. Speaking of whom, he'd been acting strangely lately. It must be the stress of the past week. We still hadn't identified the news leak.My phone buzzed for what felt like the hundredth time that day. Knowing the caller, I ignored it again. Eventually, she'd tire of trying to reach me.I shut down my laptop, grabbed my schedule, and reviewed my day's plans. It was astonishing how mu
Selena's POVMy mother and I locked eyes, the silence thick with tension. Then, in a move that mirrored something I might do myself to regain control, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Opening them again, she sighed heavily."Selena, I don't want to argue with you," she said, her voice calmer now."Neither do I," I retorted. "But you can't just claim you're right about everything. I expect an apology from you and Dad.""He is your father," she reminded me pointedly.I held her gaze steadily. "At least apologize for these wasted years. You shipped me off when I was what, nine? Ten? You both hurt me deeply. I felt unloved, unwanted. Do you think living with my aunt was a picnic?" My voice trembled, and tears pricked my eyes."Damn these hormones!" I muttered, frustrated by my sudden vulnerability. "Where's my strength when I need it?" Wiping away a stray tear, I continued, "All those attempts to reach you were futile. I felt like I had no roots, no family. It was terrifying."
Jake's POVRelief washed over me as I opened the door to find the police waiting. However, that relief was quickly replaced by anger. What on earth was Rose doing here? How had she found this place? Even before I could see who was standing there, her scent gave her away. "What the hell are you doing here?" I snapped, fury lacing my voice. She had no business being there!"Jake! That's not nice," Rose whined, feigning hurt."Why are you here? How did you find out about this place?" I demanded."I... I just did," she stammered. "I... followed you.""What?" Her audacity never ceased to amaze me. Then, I heard the elevator doors open followed by footsteps. Glancing past Rose, I saw three police officers approaching. They stopped, taking in the scene."Mr. Marino?" one of them inquired."Yes," I confirmed, then turned back to Rose, frustration coloring my voice. "This is a terrible time, Rose. Can we talk later?"Rose frowned, her gaze darting between me and the officers. She clearly had
Selena's POVWe wasted no time registering my phone under my real name. Afterwards, Gracie drove us back home. I wasted no time in escaping to my room and dialing Hillary's number. It rang, but there was no answer.Checking the time, I saw it was past one. Italy should be around five in the afternoon. Hillary must be busy picking Max up from his friend's place. I decided to call her back at a more appropriate time. Surely she wouldn't mind me waking her if it meant reaching her.I must have dozed off because a knock on the door startled me awake. Dragging myself out of bed, I opened the door, surprised to find it locked. (Perhaps it was to deter unwanted company and avoid unnecessary arguments.)"Your mother would like a word with you before dinner," Gracie informed me, glancing at me and shaking her head as I started to leave. "It would be better if you showed up first and changed into something appropriate for dinner."I sneered at her dismissive tone, but she simply ignored me. Sla
Hillary's POVI had a hard time getting Jake Marino to leave my office. He was so persistent that I finally had to request a few private minutes with him. Taking a seat, I took a calming sip of my cold drink. (Perhaps it was something I enjoyed having whenever he was around.)"How can I help you, Jake?" I inquired evenly."Selena," he blurted out, getting straight to the point. "Where is she?""I've already told you, I don't know where she is," I repeated."I don't believe you," he said, his voice heavy with apology. "Sorry, you two are close friends. Why wouldn't she tell you where she's going?"I shrugged helplessly. "Maybe she didn't want me to know because she figured you'd pester me for the information."He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Please," he pleaded."Why now?" I challenged. "You didn't seem to care before.""I... I don't really have an excuse," he admitted sheepishly. "But I feel bad now that she's gone. I should have treated her better.""It's too late for
Selena's POVThe next morning, I woke up early and got ready before Gracie could knock on my door. I was already seated at the breakfast table when my food arrived. My mother's empty chair across from me didn't go unnoticed."She's skipping breakfast," Gracie muttered, her voice laced with disapproval."Because of me?" I blurted out."I haven't the foggiest," Gracie replied, though her eyes betrayed her. I kept my thoughts to myself – it was probably better this way. Who knows what kind of argument we'd have gotten into if she'd been at the table?I ate my breakfast in peace, then slipped outside to the garden for some fresh air. My phone rang, and I answered it with a cheerful greeting."Hey girl!""You sound happy this… morning over there, right?""Yeah, you must be on your break.""Bingo! So, what's going on, Sel?""Nothing much. How's Max?""He's doing good, but he might blab something out if you talk to him.""Blab something? To who?""Well, Jake's been dropping by asking about y
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