Stevie’s POVThe soft hum of the penthouse’s ventilation system is too damn loud today. Or maybe it’s my own restlessness that’s making me hyper-aware of everything—the sound of my foot tapping against the floor, the faint ticking of a ridiculously expensive clock that Calvin insists is “decorative.
Calvin’s POVThe morning starts like most others these days. I wake up early, review emails over a cup of coffee, and make a mental list of everything I need to get done before the day spirals out of control. Except, today, there’s a weight sitting on my chest that has nothing to do with quarterly r
Stevie’s POVThe envelope looks expensive. Heavy cream-colored paper, embossed gold lettering, and Calvin’s name written in the kind of script that probably costs more than my monthly grocery bill. He’s staring at it like it’s a summons to court.“What is that?” I ask, leaning against the kitchen co
Stevie’s POVThe camera feels good in my hands. Familiar. Steady. It gives me something to focus on other than the weight of a hundred judgmental stares and the deafening hum of old money conversations swirling around me.Through the viewfinder, the Lancaster gala is dazzling. Gilded chandeliers spa
Stevie’s POVThe Lancaster ballroom glitters like something out of a dream, all soft candlelight and crystal reflections. But there’s nothing dreamy about the tension hanging in the air.I’m perched near a grand staircase, scrolling through my shots to make sure they’re not completely trash. Most of
Calvin’s POVVictoria’s stunt stays with me, gnawing at the edges of my patience. The second we left the ballroom, I knew I had to get Stevie away from the stares and whispers. Now, she’s sitting on a plush couch in one of the estate’s private lounges, blotting at her wine-stained dress with a damp
Stevie’s POVIf I have to listen to one more toast about “the strength and legacy of the Lancaster name,” I might throw up—and it won’t be from morning sickness.The ballroom is back to its usual glittering chaos, filled with laughter that feels more performative than genuine. Calvin’s family clinks
Calvin’s POVThe morning after the gala, I sit at my desk, staring at a mountain of emails. Most of them are the usual — status updates, meeting schedules, thinly veiled power plays from board members. But one subject line catches my attention: Coffee to Catch Up?It’s from Victoria.I close my lapt
Serena’s POVThe second I hear the footsteps, I know we’re not alone.Stevie and I don’t move right away. We sit frozen, barely breathing, listening. Another sound—closer this time. Someone is here.Then, just as quickly as it started, it stops.A voice crackles over the radio clipped to the securit
Stevie’s POVSerena looks as exhausted as I feel.We’re sitting on her back patio, the twins asleep upstairs, the security team doing their rounds just beyond the fence. The air is cooler tonight, the kind of LA evening that almost tricks you into thinking life is peaceful. Almost.She tilts her hea
Calvin’s POVThe conference room is dead silent, but the tension is loud as hell.I sit at the head of the table, fingers pressed together, scanning the faces in front of me. Some of them look uncertain. A few of them look straight-up terrified. Others, like Andrea, are focused, ready to move.This
Bill’s POVI’ve been watching.Not just the threats, not just the obvious moves, but the pattern.Sterling isn’t attacking outright. He’s not sending lawyers to our door or making some grand, public play. No, he’s applying pressure in ways that don’t leave fingerprints.A text message to Serena. A b
Serena’s POVI sit in the courthouse, watching Sterling’s lawyers try to talk their way out of reality.Their lead guy, some overpriced corporate attorney who probably thinks his suit makes him untouchable, stands before the judge, voice smooth, confident. Like he hasn’t just spent the last ten minu
Stevie’s POVCalvin’s been different lately. Distant.I don’t blame him. With everything going on, with Sterling moving like a shadow over all our lives, with the tension that clings to the air like the thick layer of smog over downtown, I get it. He’s trying to stay ahead of the storm. Trying to pr
Calvin’s POVJames leans back in his chair, arms crossed, eyes locked on the screen in front of him. His apartment is dark except for the glow of the monitors, a half-empty beer sweating on the table next to him. I’ve been here for hours, and neither of us has said much beyond what’s necessary. We’r
Bill’s POVI don’t take chances. Not when it comes to my family.The second Serena showed me that text, I made the call. More security. More eyes on the house, on the kids, on every single thing in our lives that Sterling might try to get his hands on. He’s already proven he has no limits. He’s alre
Serena’s POVHannah’s office looks the same as last time—controlled chaos, a war zone disguised as a law firm. Papers spread across the table, sticky notes covering folders, a whiteboard crammed with timelines and bullet points. The air smells like stale coffee and tension. I don’t sit. Neither does