(Winona)“Guys, look, don’t say things you don’t mean…” Lance is up and trying to stop us arguing.“Jayden is the one acting like a mad man.”Jayden’s face hardens again. “Don’t turn this on me. You betrayed me, Winona. Of all the men in the world, you had to go with the two that would hurt me the most.”“It wasn’t about you, Jayden. This whole fucking world does not revolve around you.”“Your world sure as hell doesn’t. If it wasn’t for the photos I got, I’d never have known. You three would be laughing at me behind my back forever.”“I was going to tell you. Just not yet.”“Sure. Like I believe that. Well, now I know. Anything else you care to share with me while we’re at it?”I glare at him. My head is thumping, and I feel dizzy. I need to get calm, I need to think of the baby. My baby.I hold my head in my hands.“Maybe you need another hall pass week while Lance is here? Is Phillip on the next flight?”My breath catches, and I feel the sting of hot tears spilling down my cheeks a
(Jayden)I don’t even stop to catch my breath after heading back to the jet. I’ve called the pilot and organized a return trip. The sooner I’m away from here the better.My heart is still racing, my torn fists ache from the fight. The betrayal. The utter destruction of everything I thought I knew engulfs me.Finally, I’m at the airport private jet area. I get out of the car and make a beeline for the jet. It’s waiting, fueled up and ready to take me back to London.“Mr. Brennan,” the pilot greets. “Do you need anything else before we leave?”“I’m fine,” I snap. “Just get me out of here.”He nods, and I march past him, my phone clenched in my hand. I don’t want to talk to anyone. I don’t need anyone. Winona, Lance, Viktor. I can run my own life. Make my own decisions.I collapse into the seat, yanking out my phone to turn it off. I don’t want to talk to anyone right now. I recall the argument with Winona. I can’t remember the last time rage engulfed me like that.Those words just spewe
(Winona)The cottage is eerily quiet after the fight. The only sound is my own ragged breathing as I sit on the edge of the sofa, my head still spinning from hitting the step.The ache in my chest, both from physical pain and the emotional wreckage Jayden left behind, refuses to fade.Lance stands a few feet away, his face battered and bruised. Estate staff are tending to his cuts, wiping away the blood with practiced but concerned efficiency.He keeps glancing at me, eyes full of worry, but I can’t bring myself to meet his gaze.I’m trying to keep it together, but I’m unraveling fast. I’m hot and sweaty and each pulse rushes through my ears.“Do you have Klara’s number?”I unlock my phone and hand it to him. “She lives a three-hour drive away and she has her own family. But she will know who can come see me.”“Okay. Otherwise, I’m taking you to the nearest hospital.”“As if you’re in any condition to drive.”“Klara,” Lance says, into my phone, his voice thick with urgency. “I’m Lance
(Jayden)The three-hour flight goes by in a blur. I suspect I slept through most of it, lost in a drunken haze, but I can’t be sure. My head is pounding, a steady, merciless throb that matches the ache in my chest.The alcohol dulled the fire, but it’s like trying to put out a forest blaze with a glass of water. It’s only made the edges of my grief sharper, more cutting.The jet touches down in London, and I force myself upright, stumbling slightly as I exit. My vision swims, and I grab my briefcase just to have something solid to hold onto.The fight with Lance replays in my mind, every punch, every accusation. And Winona’s face—her eyes wide with shock, then hurt. The memory crushes me like a boulder, heavy and unrelenting.Viktor is waiting. Of course he is. He’s leaning against a sleek black SUV, arms crossed, his expression as impassive as ever. His eyes narrow as he watches me stagger down the steps of the jet.He pushes off from the car with that same unshakeable authority he a
(Winona)The room is suffocating, even though Klara has opened the windows to let in the evening air. I’m lying on the bed, trying to keep my breathing even. My blood pressure has come down, but Klara’s concern hasn’t.She sits beside me, her hand resting on mine, grounding me. The soft hum of conversation between Lisa and Lance fills the other room, but I’m barely hearing them.Lance and Lisa come into the bedroom, looking just as exhausted as I feel.Lance still has dried blood on his shirt, and his bruised face is swollen.“I’m going to London,” he says, his tone rough but resolute.Lisa stares at him. “You can’t be serious. Look at you! You’re in no shape to travel, let alone deal with Jayden. Have you even seen your face?”“I have to,” he insists, his eyes blazing with determination. “Jayden’s my friend—at least he used to be. I have to try and fix this before it’s too late. Before he does something even more destructive.”The determination in his voice stirs something inside me,
(Jayden)The morning light filters through the curtains of my hotel suite, glaring and unrelenting. My head throbs with the hangover from last night’s scotch-fueled spiral.Everything is a blur, yet the anger and pain from the fight remains vivid, slicing into me.I’m sitting on the edge of the bed, trying to gather the pieces of myself, when there’s a knock at the door. It’s firm and authoritative. Only one person knocks like that.“Come in,” I mutter, my voice rough and strained.The door opens, and Viktor steps inside. His gaze is steely, assessing me with that infuriating calm of his. He’s dressed sharply, not a hair out of place, but there’s a tension in his eyes.He looks at me as if he’s deciding whether I’m capable of doing my job.“Mr. Brennan,” he says, voice cool and even. “You look… unwell.”I let out a harsh, humorless laugh. “I feel worse than unwell,” I admit, grabbing a glass of water from the bedside table. It does little to soothe my parched throat. “What is it, Vikt
(Judy)London’s pulse beats with an energy I’ve always found exhilarating. I walk through the busy streets with a sense of ownership of life, bending chaos to my will, whether the people around me realize it or not. Life is mine, a chessboard on which I move my pieces, and today, I’m preparing to play one of my most significant moves.The queen can move anywhere she wants.Sliding into the back of my town car, I pull out my phone. The screen lights up with a string of updates from my contacts. Information from Gus’s estate staff flows to me like clockwork.A constant stream of intel I’ve worked hard to cultivate, weaving my influence so tightly into every corner of Jayden’s world that nothing escapes me. Even the smallest whispers reach my ears.Jayden, my brilliant but stubborn son, is back in London, and the ripples I set in motion turned into a tsunami. It’s a beautiful thing, really, watching how easily people fracture when you know which strings to pull.The fight. The accusation
(Cass)The alley stinks of rotting garbage, stale beer, and desperation. My heart races as I wait, shifting from foot to foot, clutching the small bag of pills in my hand.It’s quiet in an eerie way, the kind of quiet that prickles at your nerves and makes you second-guess every decision that led you here.This used to be my life a long time ago. I swore I’d never be back here again. I promised Mom. I argued with Winona that I could take care of myself. Now here I am.I glance at my phone. The screen is cracked, just like everything else in my life, but it flashes the time anyway. It’s been twenty minutes, and every second feels like a razor blade on my nerves. Someone is supposed to be meeting me here.I never thought I’d be selling drugs to save my own ass. But unloading this stash will get me out of the debt I owe these dealers. Enough to keep them from rearranging my face or worse. Then I’m never, ever doing this again.I’ll get clean. I might even have some money left to start ov
(Winona)I don’t call ahead. I don’t give Mia a chance to prepare.I walk into Brennan Industries like I own the place, straight past the receptionist, ignoring the protests as I push open Mia’s office door and shut it behind me. Mia looks up sharply, her entire body stiffening. “Winona, what the hell?” Her English has nuances of her Cuban accent but less than the rest of her family.I step forward, keeping my voice steady. “We need to talk.” Her eyes narrow. “Then schedule a meeting like a normal person.” “I don’t have time for games, Mia.” I plant my hands on her desk. “Tell me the truth. Are you in contact with Don Alejandro?” Mia lets out a sharp breath, closing her laptop with more force than necessary. “Are you serious right now?” “Deadly.” She scoffs, shaking her head. “I have nothing to do with him. It’s also none of your business what I do.” “Right,” I say flatly. “But I don’t trust you. I don’t trust Gabriel and I’m not even sure I trust your mother. You better not be
(Winona)The call is done. Vault is set for the launch. I should feel good. It’s all about to happen for me. The biggest night of my life so far. And Jayden won’t be there to share it with me. I know he must have a good reason, but it still makes me a little sad. A major milestone missed. But we’ll have others.I go to step back into the room and stop. Jayden and Astrid are still talking, their voices low, steady. Sofia isn’t there. Astrid is smiling and laughing. I’ve never seen that before. She’s into him, I know she is. But I also know she won’t overstep. Won’t do anything that would throw Nexus Global out of whack.Is that the only reason why, though? I watch them relaxed and enjoying a conversation. It feels ages since Jayden and I have been so relaxed in each other’s company. But we do have the stresses of the family dynamic.The kids are undoubtedly our main priority. Are we just trying too hard for the rest?He and Astrid are joking about something.It’s not romantic. No
(Jayden)Winona’s phone buzzes against the table. She glances at the screen, mutters something, and pushes up from her seat. “Vault,” she says looking at me, already heading out to the terrace. I nod at Winona and give her a smile.“Jayden, the media shoot will go a long way to help turn public perception. Sorry we had to blow up your family time…” Sofia says with a smile. “But can I just say, those kids are adorable, and you guys really seem to have your shit sorted as a family.”“At least we have that perception down solid.” I grin at her. “Trust me, it feels the exact opposite sometimes. I appreciate you saying that, Sofia. We’ve worked hard to keep it real for the kids.”“And sacrificed a lot,” Astrid states.“There’s been a lot of changes, for sure. All worth it.”“Maybe we should do a segment on the kids. I know you adopted Bobby and Sarah… and Winona adopted Henry?”“Are you trying to get me killed? There’s no way Winona will ever go for an exposé on our kids, and neither wou
(Winona)The kids are out cold, completely wrecked from a full day of running, climbing, eating junk food, and making a mess of the suite. River and Kit have been off-duty since we got back from our day until we fly out tomorrow night.My muscles are really feeling sore right now. I make mental note to get more strength training sessions in. Maybe I better get out of the gym and do more outdoor activities. I loved the rock-climbing wall.I place the green salad on the table next to the warmed flatbreads. Jayden and I are hosting Astrid and Sofia for a late dinner. A bit of a debrief on the media situation and a friendly catch up outside of work. I’m looking forward to it but also a little nervous about being in close proximity to Astrid.She is very straightforward, and she doesn’t flinch at stating things how they are. Something I always appreciated about her even though at first it was a little jarring. So far, so good though. Jayden places the char-grilled meats and vegetable pl
(Jayden)Henry is in his highchair, making a complete mess of himself with mustard and ketchup. Bobby and Sarah are locked in a dramatic debate over whether onions belong on hot dogs, while Abby is curled up between us singing the song on the movie. Winona leans over to me, her body warm against mine.I tighten my arm around her. “We’re okay? Yes?” She hesitates. “Yes, we’re just fine. Sorry I get in my head so much with feelings.” “Sorry I don’t get in mine enough with your feelings.”She smiles back at me and I’m glad we just get each other these days. “But what about sleep? Are you getting enough?” I’m really asking if Winona is still having the nightmares about the baby crying…“Mostly.”“So you still having them, huh?”“It’s been better with Vault to focus on. Staying busy.”“If you need to get to the point of exhaustion before you can sleep soundly, that isn’t good long term.”She leans over and kisses me. “I’m okay. I promise. It’s getting better. Let’s not ruin the fun ni
(Jayden)Henry shrieks in delight as the bucket tips over, drenching him in a torrent of water that would terrify most kids his age. His little hands slap the wet surface, his laugh infectious as Sarah and Abby cheer him on. “I told you he’d love it,” Bobby calls from the climbing ropes, shaking his head as he swings across to the next section. “He’s used to the hose at home.”“I’m not sure you and your little brother are safe together.” I laugh and Bobby climbs higher. This is a fantastic kids park, it has everything and not just for kids. Winona and I have given them a run for their money today.Kit chuckles beside me. “Gotta admit, the kid’s fearless.” “No argument there,” I say, keeping a watchful eye on Henry as he wobbles through the shallow splash area, River close behind. It’s been a perfect day—the kind we don’t get nearly enough of. No meetings, no deadlines, no PR disasters. Just us. The family. All playing and having loads of fun. The film crew is here, but they’ve don
(Winona)Sofia’s voice cues the next topic. “You’ve both had demanding careers. How do you make sure the kids come first?” I shift, pushing my sunglasses up onto my head. “We make it work by making sure that when we are together, we are fully present. No distractions.” Jayden smirks. “Well, most of the time. There’s always the occasional emergency.” “Business emergencies are one thing. But the kids know they’re our priority. They always come first,” I say.Bobby speaks up. “We have a family video call every night, before bed. We never miss it. No matter where we are.” I nod. “That’s right. And this is our first family trip but not our last. The kids have chores. Bobby gets out in the garden and he’s great at landscape design. We just find ways to drown out the negative white noise with positive family energy.”The day finally comes to an end and cameras capture it all. The smiles, the laughter, the easy dynamic we’ve spent years building. I’m proud of us. Sofia was right. This was
(Winona)The sun blazes down, the sky a perfect, uninterrupted blue as we step onto the deck of the yacht. Dubai’s skyline looms behind us, glass towers gleaming in the heat, the water an impossible shade of turquoise. The cameras are already set up, discreet but ever-present. A carefully curated glimpse into the life of a family that—on paper—has it all. Jayden shakes hands with the producer, exchanging pleasantries, while I shift Henry on my hip, forcing a smile. I see Sofia Fernandez, Nexus Global’s Head of Public Relations. I’m a little relieved to see a familiar face and someone I bonded with in Brussels. Then behind her I see Astrid Koenig. I stiffen slightly at the blank expression but that’s just Astrid. Sofia comes straight in with a huge smile and hug for me.As I hug her back, I see Astrid approach Jayden. She’s not a hugger but she does touch his hand and eyeball him while giving a definite nod. He smiles back like he’s not trying to smile. I can tell she likes him.A w
(Winona)Dubai is breathtaking. The resort is pure indulgence—pristine beaches, towering glass buildings, the smell of salt and luxury in the air. The kids are all fed and crashed in bed and Jayden has arranged a late dinner for us.Dinner is set on the resort rooftop, candles flickering against the warm night breeze, the city stretching out beneath us in a blanket of gold lights.Jayden reaches for my hand across the table. “It’s nice, isn’t it? Us, here. Without work hanging over our heads. Our family all together. I’ve missed the kids so much.”I smile, but it’s not quite real. I’m trying to forget earlier. “The kids?”“And you as well, that goes without saying.”“Does it?”He studies me. “You okay?”“Not really. But I will be. It’s been hectic and I so looked forward to being here,” I say, “ without the media.”“I can guarantee you there’s no media or cameras clicking tonight. I made sure we had absolute privacy.” “We may as well get to the first of the herd of elephants in the r