Calvin’s POVThe study smells like coffee, old paper, and exhaustion. The kind of exhaustion that doesn’t just sit in your bones but in your mind, making every thought feel heavier than it should. The desk lamp flickers slightly, casting uneven light over the chaos of blueprints, files, and scattere
Stevie’s POVThe house is quiet, the kind of quiet that feels rare lately.I rock Elijah gently, his tiny body curled against my chest, his breath warm and steady. His little fingers twitch slightly, grasping onto the fabric of my sweater in his sleep. I close my eyes for a moment, listening to the
Bill’s POVI ignore the pain in my ribs as I push through the doors of Calvin’s office. Every step sends a dull, burning ache through my side, but I don’t slow down. I don’t have the patience for weakness right now.Calvin and James are already at the table, hunched over a laptop, deep in discussion
Serena My husband Bill and his beautiful assistant Doris are laughing and eating like they're on a first date. But the joke is on me... I'm here, Bill's wife, watching them from across the room, tending to my flat belly where a little life is now living. Of course, Bill doesn’t know about the ba
Serena’s POV It’s funny how adrenaline can make you forget pain for a bit. As I leave the hotel, my left knee starts to sting again. “Well, at least, I’m out of there,” I mumble. I still hear the commotion inside. Bill's family is checking on Doris. Wow, they're overreacting. She only fell — it'
Serena’s POV I thought Bill actually cared about my leg for a second there, but nope, he's back to being a total dickhead. "I tripped outside the hotel and —," I begin. “You know what, it doesn't matter. Just go say you’re sorry to Mom and Doris,” he says, not even letting me finish. And he's do
Bill’s POV I find myself staring at the door, just waiting for Serena to come into our room. The truth is, I didn't actually need to work on the Johnson and Haines proposal. I just needed a reason to get Serena to stop bringing up divorce. But now, here I am, typing away on my laptop, rewriting th
Bill’s POV No wonder Calvin wants to get out of Mom’s house. Aunt Claire and Doris are here. Calvin has always been an introvert. Dealing with gossip, especially the kind involving women, has never been his cup of tea. Meanwhile, I can handle it better than him. The women are already enjoying a
Bill’s POVI ignore the pain in my ribs as I push through the doors of Calvin’s office. Every step sends a dull, burning ache through my side, but I don’t slow down. I don’t have the patience for weakness right now.Calvin and James are already at the table, hunched over a laptop, deep in discussion
Stevie’s POVThe house is quiet, the kind of quiet that feels rare lately.I rock Elijah gently, his tiny body curled against my chest, his breath warm and steady. His little fingers twitch slightly, grasping onto the fabric of my sweater in his sleep. I close my eyes for a moment, listening to the
Calvin’s POVThe study smells like coffee, old paper, and exhaustion. The kind of exhaustion that doesn’t just sit in your bones but in your mind, making every thought feel heavier than it should. The desk lamp flickers slightly, casting uneven light over the chaos of blueprints, files, and scattere
Serena’s POVThe house is finally quiet.I stand by the twins’ crib, watching their small chests rise and fall in slow, steady breaths. Their room is dimly lit by the soft glow of the nightlight, casting gentle shadows along the walls. For the first time in what feels like forever, they’re both asle
Bill’s POVPain.That’s the first thing I register. A deep, dull ache pulsing through my ribs, spreading through my chest like a slow burn. It’s not unbearable, but it’s enough to remind me that I’m not at full strength. Not even close.I blink against the morning light filtering through the curtain
Stevie’s POVThe four of us sit in Bill and Serena’s living room, the weight of everything pressing down like a storm cloud.No one speaks at first.Bill is in a wheelchair, recovering from the gunshot wound that was meant for Calvin. His face is pale, drawn tight with exhaustion, but his eyes are s
Calvin’s POVI should’ve done this sooner.For months, I’ve been playing defense, trying to keep my family safe while Sterling takes shot after shot. I’ve been reacting, scrambling to patch the holes he punches in our lives.But that ends now.Bill is in a hospital bed because of him.My son was nea
Serena’s POVI don’t move from Bill’s side.The hospital room is dim, the only light coming from the monitors next to his bed, casting a soft glow over his face. His breathing is steady, but the sound of it isn’t enough to calm me. The machines beep in slow, measured rhythms, a reminder that he’s st
Stevie’s POVThe call comes in just after midnight.I almost don’t answer.Elijah finally went down an hour ago, and I was hoping for maybe one solid stretch of sleep. But my phone vibrating on the nightstand sends a jolt through my system.No one calls this late unless it’s bad news.I grab my phon