(Winona)The backyard is alive with laughter and chatter as the grill sizzles away. Jayden stands at the helm, flipping burgers, hot dogs, and skewers of vegetables, while Bobby and the girls dart around, helping where they can.It’s a beautiful scene—warm, welcoming. The large fire is burning well and there are many gathered around it. Some sitting on the many stumps provided as seats and some just standing near the warmth.Everyone is smiling and chatting. I’d gotten some of the bottles of rosé from the main house cellar brought down. Not everyone likes beer.Viktor walks over, holding a beer, his usual stoic expression softened. “I think you’ve won them over,” he says in his deep, accented voice, gesturing toward the staff who are now mingling and laughing, clearly enjoying the meal.“Bobby has really outdone himself. I never would have expected it of him.”“Kids can surprise you if you don’t limit them.”I glance around, taking it all in. The chefs have been cooking alongside Jayd
(Winona)Hugo hesitates, but under the weight of everyone’s expectations, he finally sits down, the beer still in hand. He takes a sip, and I swear I see him wince. He swallows like it has razor blades in it.The whole scene is comical—Hugo, ever the formal assistant, sitting here with us, trying to look like this isn’t the most uncomfortable situation he’s been in.Everyone else raises their glasses and goes back to their conversations. I separate a little from the women and stay close to Jayden for now.Jayden chuckles softly. “Now that you’re settled, how are the plans coming along for the welcome party I promised Abby and Winona?”Hugo stiffens again, clearing his throat. “The welcome party, monsieur?”Jayden raises an eyebrow. “You do remember the family party I promised Abby over the phone at my welcome dinner, right? I asked you to look into organizing it.”Hugo’s face pales slightly. “I… may have overlooked that particular detail. There were pressing matters concerning the Lon
(Winona)I stand in the cottage, staring at my phone. My mind is a whirlwind, and the words that woman said, the steadiness of her dark gaze, replays in my head. Pregnant. No way.I hit Lisa’s speed dial and the video call button. She picks up after a couple of rings, her face popping up on the screen. She’s in her kitchen, coffee mug in hand, looking at me with wide eyes.“Oh no, what happened? You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” she says, skipping the small talk as usual.“I wish it was that simple,” I reply, trying to laugh it off, but even I can hear the unease in my voice. “A ghost would be perfect right now.”Lisa raises an eyebrow, taking a sip of her coffee. “Uh-oh. Spill. What’s going on? Did Jayden do something? Or is it the whole Belgian experience finally hitting you? But it’s not the chocolate, right? That stuff is as amazing as they say it is?”I shake my head. “No, it’s not Jayden. He’s actually been great. And the chocolate is amazing, yes. It’s something else… someth
(Winona)My heart pounds, and for a second, I can’t speak. I look away from the screen, my stomach knotting up, thoughts swirling in my mind. Hall pass week was wild on two occasions.Yes, there were condoms to start with. But can I be one hundred percent sure after that? No. No, I can’t.“Lisa…” My voice trembles as I force the words out. “I don’t know. I don’t think I did have unprotected sex, apart from with Jayden. But there’s always a chance even with contraceptives…”The silence on the other end stretches, heavy and suffocating. I watch Lisa’s face as she processes what I’ve just said, her brow furrowing.She knows me too well, knows when I’m not telling her everything. But how can I even begin to explain this mess? I barely understand it myself. This might get way more complicated. This may tear apart my family for good.Lisa finally breaks the silence, her tone firm and serious. “Winona, you need to find out. If there’s even the slightest chance you’re pregnant, you need to kn
(Winona)I walk back to the main house. The kids are in lessons now, but I have to go check out schools this afternoon. Sure, check out schools I may never need. I could be a single mom back in the USA anytime soon.I need to get a pregnancy test while I’m out and keep that hidden.This is so ridiculous. I’m not pregnant. I can’t get pregnant.I practiced safe sex on hall pass week. Now I wish I’d never insisted on hall pass week. What a crazy-ass idea. But I did do it safely. There were condoms.But condoms break. Condoms slip. And everything got out of control fast. It was chaotic, messy, and in the back of my mind, I know there’s always a chance these things fail. That’s just the ugly truth.Maybe I can’t remember every detail now, but surely I insisted on double checking at the time…But still… the odds are in my favor, aren’t they? It has to be Jayden’s. We’ve been together so much recently, and it would make sense that if I was pregnant, it would be his baby. It has to be. Right
(Cass)“Cass!” Ziggy’s voice snaps me back to the present. He’s standing by the counter, eyebrow raised as he holds a tray of fresh-cut veggies toward me. “Earth to Cass. You gonna season these, or are you planning on serving ‘em bland?”I blink, fumbling as I grab the tray. “Right. Sorry, I was just… thinking.”He sighs, running his hand through his vibrant blue hair. “Cass, girl, I get it. Trust me. But you’ve been ‘just thinking’ all day. If you’re gonna space out, at least pretend like you’re here.”“Yeah, yeah, I know,” I mutter, feeling my face flush under his watchful gaze. “I’m good.”Ziggy doesn’t look convinced, though. He eyes me for a moment longer, then glances around to make sure no one’s paying attention. “Do you, though? You’re riding that ‘green wave’ again, obviously.”My gut tightens. I hate how he reads me so well. Ziggy’s been around the block a few times, his arms a map of tattoos, each telling a story I’ll probably never hear. He knows when I’m out of it, and h
(Winona)It’s a gorgeous day. If I let myself forget last night’s revelation, it feels like I’m adjusting to life abroad, kids in lessons, baby asleep, husband at work.I lean into the warmth of that thought for a moment. Despite the uprooting, the shift to Brussels has been more promising than I expected. The kids are settling in, and Jayden…he’s been nothing short of amazing, shouldering so much.But then there’s the shadow. The kind that feels invisible, but close. Judy.If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that she will never fully leave us alone. I’ve seen the way she pulls strings from afar, somehow finding her way into the cracks of our lives.Jayden might think that his distance has finally given us peace, but I know better. I can’t let my guard down, especially now.I shake off the thought, trying to focus on the good. The cottage, for one, has been a real gift. It’s perfect for us, more intimate and homier than the grand halls of Gus’s estate.It’s clear Ja
(Winona)The car ride is quiet at first, the gentle hum of the engine almost soothing as I gather my thoughts. Viktor glances at me briefly in the mirror. I need to explain where I’m going and why.“Thank you,” I say, breaking the silence. “For everything you do for Jayden, and for us.”He nods, keeping his eyes on the road. “It’s my job, Winona. Gus knew you’d need someone you can trust.”“Because of Judy?” I venture.“That and also what he was involved in. Some people have long memories.”There’s a calm steadiness to him that rubs off on me.“Can I ask you something, Viktor?”He nods, waiting.“Do you trust everyone on Gus’s staff? I mean, really trust them?”There’s a flicker in his eyes, a hint of caution. “I trust that Gus hired them with a purpose. But,” he hesitates, choosing his words carefully, “even the most trustworthy people can be persuaded to change loyalties if the stakes are right.”“Except you?”“I work for Gus. Not Nexus Global.”“But why are you so loyal to Gus?”“