•Edward POV•“Good morning, bro,” a familiar voice said as I walked closer to the couch, trying to ignore the sharp pain shooting through my head. “You must’ve been up all night to be waking up at this time.”“Josh… seriously?” I said in awe, staring at the premium view of my younger brother, who had been away in Scotland for quite some time now.He sat up straighter on the couch, casually scanning my disheveled morning mess of a self. “Yeah, I know you’re surprised. And don’t…” He waved his hand dismissively. “Ask me all those questions you usually bombard me with over the phone.”I snorted, doing my best to mask the sudden joy rising in my chest with the lingering sadness from last night, then plopped down on the couch opposite him. “I wasn’t going to do any of that,” I said, lying poorly. “But you can’t stop me from asking how you’ve been doing. And how’s Scotland?”Josh sighed, running his hand through his now-blond hair, which used to be black. “I’ve been good. Just facing life a
•Edward POV•I sat in my car, staring at the steering wheel as if it held the answers to all the questions piling up in my head. According to what Josh has said, Juliet wasn't married, and I didn't even know why I had listened to his advice about seeing Juliet's son from a different perspective.Josh had a way of proving his points, and most times, he had always turned out to be right.I clicked my tongue, running my hand through my black hair as I looked out the window at the tall, glassy building with the gold-filling signboard displaying the company's name.I couldn't deny the fact that Juliet had done remarkable work on the design, work so good, mine looked like the opposite of everything.What was my plan again? I mumbled to myself. Walk in, meet her, try to run a little test of inquiries, and if she gave me the impression that I was right, then what?I sighed, trying to ease the heaviness in my chest, and finally got out of the car. As I stepped into the building, a brunette rec
•Juliet’s POV•I pushed open the door to the restroom and walked in hastily, still feeling the grip of Edward’s hand around my wrist, not just that, but the way he had wrapped his arm around my waist.Reaching for a face wipe, I began removing the makeup from my face, staring hard at my reflection in the mirror. How dare he walk up to me and talk to me that way? My heart wouldn't stop thumping in my chest as I replayed Edward’s words about Jace.Biting my lower lip, I leaned forward, my hand resting on the cold marble sink. He was too quick... too observant. I had thought I could keep Edward from knowing the truth, that Jace was his son, but after today’s encounter, I wasn’t sure if it would be that easy.I rinsed my face and patted it dry with a napkin before leaving the restroom. As I entered the dressing room, ready to freshen up with a light touch of makeup, I found Nora just finishing packing up her kit.“Can you do a light makeup for me?” I asked, settling into the chair.“Of co
•Edward’s POV•I pulled into the parking lot of my mansion, feeling utterly devastated. That emotion had clung to me like a shadow ever since I left Juliet’s company. I still couldn’t wrap my head around what she did, walking off while I was still talking, her PA escorting me out like I was some stranger. That wasn’t just rejection, it felt like punishment.With clenched fists, I slammed one against the steering wheel, the sharp pain doing little to dull the ache in my chest. Is this her way of getting back at me? Acting cold, detached, powerful, even bossy. Making sure I saw just how successful she’d become without me. It was a silent reminder of the woman I had once underestimated.I opened the car door and stepped out, the cool evening air brushing against my face, bringing with it a wave of nostalgia. It reminded me of the early days of my marriage to Juliet, how calm and shy she used to be. Back then, I had looked at her in disgust, wishing I hadn’t been the one forced to marry h
•Juliet POV•“Yes, Mr. Grigs,” I replied, dropping the file on the desk. I let out a slow breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.“Is there a problem, Miss Ryder?” James asked, his eyes locking onto mine with a seductive stare that made me instinctively look away.“No,” I replied, steadying my voice. “Getting to know each other as business partners isn’t a bad idea.”His lips curled into a smirk as he pushed his swivel chair forward, resting his arms on the table. I glanced at them briefly. His sleeves shifted, revealing a glimpse of a black tattoo string curling around his wrist.“Exactly. Working with a beautiful woman like you, Miss Ryder,” he said, the smoothness of his voice heating up my skin under my sleeves. This was exactly why I had dreaded meeting James in person. Ever since he called about the partnership, he had been crossing boundaries, making unexpected, personal phone calls that had nothing to do with work. And now here he was, leaning forward across my desk, looking a
•Edward’s POV•I moaned as I turned her over, slamming into her from behind. She cried out, her voice high and raw as she screamed my name in pleasure. My hand gripped her waist firmly, her soft skin brushing against my lap as our bodies moved in rhythm.“Yes, harder, Eddy!” she screamed, her voice trembling with intensity.I increased my pace, feeling the tight coil inside me ready to snap. Her body tensed beneath me, trembling as I drove deeper into her, stretching her even more. The sound of skin against skin echoed around us, mingling with her breathless moans and my groans of pleasure.I let out a guttural sound as the release hit me hard, my body jerking as I spilled my seed deep inside her. My arms shook, and I finally collapsed beside her, breath ragged and chest heaving.Raya crawled up to me, her body warm against mine, and rested her head on my chest. She let out short, panting breaths as she calmed, the aftermath of our passion leaving her flushed and trembling.I wrapped
•Juliet POV•“Mummy, is that man a bad person?” Jace asked as we both walked into his room. His small hands tugged at the hem of my blouse while his big blue eyes stared up at me with quiet curiosity. He glanced at his nearly made bed with the beige-colored blanket and brown pillows, waiting for my answer.I knew he was referring to James, one thing about Jace was that he is a curious kid and always want to know the details of people, especially the ones I ask him not to be familiar with.“He’s not a bad person, baby,” I said gently, helping him up onto the bed. I pulled the blanket up to his waist and tucked him in as he blinked up at me, still waiting.“He’s mummy’s business partner,” I added, trying to keep my tone casual.He nodded slowly, accepting the answer for now. I leaned down, ran my fingers through his soft curls, and pressed a kiss to his cheek, then to his forehead.“I love you, baby.”“I love you too, mummy,” he murmured, a sleepy smile on his lips.His eyes fluttered c
•Edward’s POV•“Mr. Miles, here’s the report you asked for,” Ellen, my office assistant, said as she walked in and handed over a slim blue file to me.I took it from her, my brows slightly furrowing as I flipped it open. My eyes scanned the neatly typed figures and charts on the report, but the more I read, the tighter my grip grew on the file. A cold rush spread through my chest, and my jaw tightened.“What’s this, Ellen?” I asked, my voice low but laced with simmering disappointment.Lately, I had been unsettled about the performance of my latest perfume line, the new design and fragrance we launched had been my personal project. I had poured time, energy, and resources into it. Yet, the gut feeling that something was wrong wouldn’t let me rest, so I decided to have a full report pulled.And there it was, staring right back at me like a slap in the face.“Why are the order numbers dropping every day?” I demanded, my tone sharper now as I slid the file back across the table toward he
•Juliet POV•“No, baby," I said hastily pulling him close to me, he rested his head on my laps as I brush my hand through his hair. “Edward isn't your daddy.“Jace pouted but didn't raise his head off my laps. "But he told me he is my daddy, he said you use to be his wife.“I feel a heat up my sleeves as I heard Jace asked these questions. Edward thought he could convince my son that he is part of him but I won't let that happened, as long as I'm concerned Edward isn't coming anywhere close to my son."Baby, promise mummy you won't believe anything that man tells you again,” I said still brushing my hand through Jace hair, he nodded softly and then close his eyes.I took a deep breath when I noticed he had drifted off to sleep, grateful that I found Jace and that Edward didn't do more than taking Jace from school to have ice cream. The moment we got into the house and I settled Jace in his room, I made my way to my room upstairs thinking of my next move to take in protecting my son.I
•Juliet POV•The car stopped in front of Grace Gourmet Shop, a fancy building painted in brown and white. I got out of the car without waiting for Eric to open the door for me and made my way in haste toward the building.The moment I stepped in, a woman with black short dreadlocks and a brown skirt paired with a white shirt approached me. “Hello, ma'am. What would you like to order?" she asked, masking a smile that was the opposite of my expression.I ignored her question and looked around in search of Edward or Jace, but I couldn’t find them. “Would you like me to help you with something, ma'am?" the lady asked again, and I finally turned in her direction.“I’m looking for Edward Miles and a little boy about the age of three,” I told her.She looked behind her for a moment, then looked back at me. “I don’t take note of customers' identities, and I haven't seen anyone that matched with that description.”I bit my lower lip in frustration. Exhaustion finally overtook me, and I felt my
•Juliet's POV•“This new design should be our best masterpiece,” I said, staring at my staff seated around the conference table, their eyes fixed on me in anticipation. “Does anyone else have a suggestion about the distribution?”“I think, concerning distribution, our sales have been up,” Jerry, my accountant, said, glancing down at his tablet. “I’d suggest that once we release the new design, we inform our clients immediately. Also, there should be a slight raise in price.”“That’s a great idea, Jerry,” I nodded, turning back to the projected figures on the screen.“And the fragrance should be different,” Dora, Jerry’s PA, added.I shifted my attention to her. “The fragrance has always been unique, Dora, but sure, we can go over some new scents once the samples arrive.”A sudden creaking sound distracted me, and I turned toward the door. Eric stood there, panting and drenched in sweat like he had just run a marathon. My eyes instinctively searched behind him for Jace, but he wasn’t t
•Edward POV•I sat in the car, staring at the building in front of me. The engine was off, and silence filled the cabin as I glanced down at my phone to confirm the address one more time before stepping out.The school loomed ahead, modern and massive, with sleek glass panels, whitewashed walls, and colorful murals painted along the sides. A large banner fluttered gently above the entrance that read Welcome Back, Little Stars! The laughter of children echoed across the open grounds, some tugging their backpacks while others ran into their parents’ arms."Cool," I muttered under my breath, taking in the sheer size of the place. The damn school looked more like a mini college campus than a preschool.I started walking toward the front entrance, my hands stuffed in the pockets of my jacket, scanning the crowd. I had no clue where Jace would be or what class he was in."Why do I keep listening to Josh?" I groaned through clenched teeth. That idiot sent me a location pin with zero detail.
•Edward’s POV•“Mr. Miles, here’s the report you asked for,” Ellen, my office assistant, said as she walked in and handed over a slim blue file to me.I took it from her, my brows slightly furrowing as I flipped it open. My eyes scanned the neatly typed figures and charts on the report, but the more I read, the tighter my grip grew on the file. A cold rush spread through my chest, and my jaw tightened.“What’s this, Ellen?” I asked, my voice low but laced with simmering disappointment.Lately, I had been unsettled about the performance of my latest perfume line, the new design and fragrance we launched had been my personal project. I had poured time, energy, and resources into it. Yet, the gut feeling that something was wrong wouldn’t let me rest, so I decided to have a full report pulled.And there it was, staring right back at me like a slap in the face.“Why are the order numbers dropping every day?” I demanded, my tone sharper now as I slid the file back across the table toward he
•Juliet POV•“Mummy, is that man a bad person?” Jace asked as we both walked into his room. His small hands tugged at the hem of my blouse while his big blue eyes stared up at me with quiet curiosity. He glanced at his nearly made bed with the beige-colored blanket and brown pillows, waiting for my answer.I knew he was referring to James, one thing about Jace was that he is a curious kid and always want to know the details of people, especially the ones I ask him not to be familiar with.“He’s not a bad person, baby,” I said gently, helping him up onto the bed. I pulled the blanket up to his waist and tucked him in as he blinked up at me, still waiting.“He’s mummy’s business partner,” I added, trying to keep my tone casual.He nodded slowly, accepting the answer for now. I leaned down, ran my fingers through his soft curls, and pressed a kiss to his cheek, then to his forehead.“I love you, baby.”“I love you too, mummy,” he murmured, a sleepy smile on his lips.His eyes fluttered c
•Edward’s POV•I moaned as I turned her over, slamming into her from behind. She cried out, her voice high and raw as she screamed my name in pleasure. My hand gripped her waist firmly, her soft skin brushing against my lap as our bodies moved in rhythm.“Yes, harder, Eddy!” she screamed, her voice trembling with intensity.I increased my pace, feeling the tight coil inside me ready to snap. Her body tensed beneath me, trembling as I drove deeper into her, stretching her even more. The sound of skin against skin echoed around us, mingling with her breathless moans and my groans of pleasure.I let out a guttural sound as the release hit me hard, my body jerking as I spilled my seed deep inside her. My arms shook, and I finally collapsed beside her, breath ragged and chest heaving.Raya crawled up to me, her body warm against mine, and rested her head on my chest. She let out short, panting breaths as she calmed, the aftermath of our passion leaving her flushed and trembling.I wrapped
•Juliet POV•“Yes, Mr. Grigs,” I replied, dropping the file on the desk. I let out a slow breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.“Is there a problem, Miss Ryder?” James asked, his eyes locking onto mine with a seductive stare that made me instinctively look away.“No,” I replied, steadying my voice. “Getting to know each other as business partners isn’t a bad idea.”His lips curled into a smirk as he pushed his swivel chair forward, resting his arms on the table. I glanced at them briefly. His sleeves shifted, revealing a glimpse of a black tattoo string curling around his wrist.“Exactly. Working with a beautiful woman like you, Miss Ryder,” he said, the smoothness of his voice heating up my skin under my sleeves. This was exactly why I had dreaded meeting James in person. Ever since he called about the partnership, he had been crossing boundaries, making unexpected, personal phone calls that had nothing to do with work. And now here he was, leaning forward across my desk, looking a
•Edward’s POV•I pulled into the parking lot of my mansion, feeling utterly devastated. That emotion had clung to me like a shadow ever since I left Juliet’s company. I still couldn’t wrap my head around what she did, walking off while I was still talking, her PA escorting me out like I was some stranger. That wasn’t just rejection, it felt like punishment.With clenched fists, I slammed one against the steering wheel, the sharp pain doing little to dull the ache in my chest. Is this her way of getting back at me? Acting cold, detached, powerful, even bossy. Making sure I saw just how successful she’d become without me. It was a silent reminder of the woman I had once underestimated.I opened the car door and stepped out, the cool evening air brushing against my face, bringing with it a wave of nostalgia. It reminded me of the early days of my marriage to Juliet, how calm and shy she used to be. Back then, I had looked at her in disgust, wishing I hadn’t been the one forced to marry h