•Juliet POV•"Thank you for dropping me off," I told James as I stepped out of his car. He closed the door and looked toward the mansion, his eyes widening in awe."This is where you stay?" he mumbled, and I immediately started to regret letting him drive me home, and not only that, but also letting him pull into the parking space."Yes," I replied, removing his jacket from my body. But he stopped me, his hand resting gently on mine, causing a million sparks to fly immediately."You can keep that," he said.I shook my head. "No, thanks. I don't need it anymore. Besides, I'm home," I interjected, my gaze flickering to his hand, which was still resting on mine."I insist. And if you still want to give it back, do it when next we meet," he said, his voice surprisingly calm."Okay," I murmured, shifting slightly, trying to step away from him to maintain some distance. His hand left mine in return, and I felt a wave of relief.I turned towards the mansion. "Have a good night, Mr. Grigs.""
Edward POV"Mr. Miles, I'll suggest you stay in the hospital until we're sure the fever is completely out of your system," the nurse said as she walked into the room. She was a young lady with charcoal-black hair neatly packed up in a bun."I've been trying to tell him that, but he doesn't want to listen," Josh told the nurse before turning to look in my direction."I'm fine, and I no longer feel the hangover," I said firmly."I can't agree with that," the nurse replied, doing a few checkups before looking down at her notepad. "But if you insist, then we can get you a private nurse to keep watch while you're at home. She’ll ensure you receive the proper treatment until the fever is completely cleared from your system.""That's okay with me," Josh shrugged, and I sighed."Alright then, you can be discharged," the nurse said before walking out.Once she was gone, I pulled myself up from the bed and walked over to the window, letting the fresh air brush against my face."So, what are you
Edward's POVI didn’t respond to his question but instead focused my attention on Jace, who was staring up at me.“But Mummy said you shouldn’t,” Jace said, shaking his head.“Your mummy doesn’t want your daddy around you… Do you want that too?” I asked gently, making sure Jace understood that I was his father.“Are you my daddy?” he asked innocently. “But Mummy said you’re a bad man.”“Oh, he is so cute, and he talks just like you,” Josh said as he reached out to take Jace’s hand in his. “Hey, little Edward. I’m your uncle. My name is Josh.”Jace smiled and reached out to grab Josh’s cheek, pulling it slightly. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Josh.”“Jace!” a woman called from inside the classroom. She rushed outside, her face lined with worry. But when she saw Josh and me, her expression turned even sterner.“Who are you?” she demanded, walking over to take Jace from my arms. But Jace shifted reluctantly.“Jace, what did I tell you about strangers?” she asked firmly.“He’s not a strange
"Urgh... Edward... Arghh, please... fuck me harder... I'm all yours."Raya’s voice echoed through the walls, her moans blending with the rhythmic squeaking of the bed. My breath caught in my throat, my body locking in place as I stood at the doorway, unable to look away.The moment my mother called after three years of silence, pretending to care, I should have sensed there was an ulterior motive. When she mentioned my step-sister had an accident and urged me to check on her, I should have known it was a lie.But nothing could have prepared me for this.My body went numb, all the blood rushing to my feet, leaving me hollow. I stood just a few feet away from the room, with the door wide open enough for me to see my husband, the man I had given five years of my life loving and supporting holding onto my step-sister waist as he slammed into her harder.“Yes, fuck me,” Raya moaned louder, her voice slicing through my skull like a jagged arrow. A silent sob built in my chest, but when I op
"Raya," he scoffed, his gaze dropping to the divorce papers that had fallen at his feet. "So this is all about her?"He ran a frustrated hand through his raven-black hair before stepping closer to me, his presence suffocating. "I've told you several times, I had nothing to do with Raya. I haven't seen her since we got married."The world around me seemed to spin, my breath hitching in my throat. His words cut through me like a blade, not because they were unexpected, but because of how easily he lied. My legs felt weak, and for a brief moment, I thought I might collapse under the weight of it all.He had no idea.He didn’t know that I had seen him with Raya. He didn’t know that my mother had orchestrated the entire situation so flawlessly that he never suspected he would be caught.I clenched my fists, pressing them tightly against my chest in an attempt to hold myself together. "Then who is this?" I asked, my voice strained but firm.I lifted my phone, the screen glowing in the dim r
The next morning, I woke up early and packed my things, Edward hadn’t come home after last night’s events, I was sure he had gone straight to Raya. But I didn’t care anymore. She was the one he had loved from the beginning, and I had only ever been an obstacle in their way.As I dragged my suitcases down the stairs, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I stopped to check it, and my heart clenched when I saw the message from Raya.{I hope you liked what you saw yesterday. Edward is mine. He has always been mine. If you know what’s best for you, leave him.}I scoffed. The audacity of her telling me to leave Edward, as if she had the power to dictate my choices. If only she knew… I didn’t give her message a second thought before shoving my phone back into my pocket.My only hope was that Edward would show up at the courthouse. And I knew he would. He understood the consequences, if he didn’t, I would release the video of him and Raya. That would be enough to shatter both their reputations.Just
“I knew Raya was a witch, but Edward?” Vera groaned, shaking her head as we settled onto her couch. “I’m totally disappointed.”I sighed deeply, running my fingers through my tangled hair. The exhaustion in my body felt like it had seeped into my bones. I rested my head against the armrest, staring blankly at the ceiling. “I gave them the satisfaction of hurting me before, but not anymore,” I said, trying to sound strong. But my body betrayed me—I felt hollow, drained.Vera’s expression softened with sympathy. “I’m glad you divorced him.”I let out a bitter chuckle. “Me too. But why does it still feel like I lost?”Vera shifted closer and took my hand in hers. “Because you invested everything into that marriage, Juliet. You loved him. You trusted him. And they broke you in the worst way possible.” Her voice was gentle, yet firm. “But you’re not lost. You’re free.”I nodded slowly, but the tight knot in my stomach wouldn’t ease. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Edward’s cold expressi
~Three Years Later~"Mommy, do we have to leave now?" The little boy beside me whined, his bottom lip protruding in a pout, his blue eyes shimmering with unshed tears. He turned to look back at our apartment one last time, his gaze heavy with the weight of his sadness.I crouched to his level, brushing a soft curl from his forehead. “Jace, sweetheart,” I murmured, cupping his small face in my hands. “We’re not leaving forever. We’re just going on a trip, okay? Mommy has something important to do in New York.”His tiny fingers clutched the hem of my coat. “But I don’t want to go. I like it here.”I sighed, my heart squeezing. “I know, baby. But I promise, we’ll come back soon.”He sniffled, but nodded reluctantly. I pressed a kiss to his forehead before standing and taking his hand. “Come on, our flight won’t wait for us.”As we climbed into the sleek black car waiting outside, my phone rang. The name flashing on the screen made me smile. “Hey, Vera.”“Hey, boss lady,” she teased, the
Edward's POVI didn’t respond to his question but instead focused my attention on Jace, who was staring up at me.“But Mummy said you shouldn’t,” Jace said, shaking his head.“Your mummy doesn’t want your daddy around you… Do you want that too?” I asked gently, making sure Jace understood that I was his father.“Are you my daddy?” he asked innocently. “But Mummy said you’re a bad man.”“Oh, he is so cute, and he talks just like you,” Josh said as he reached out to take Jace’s hand in his. “Hey, little Edward. I’m your uncle. My name is Josh.”Jace smiled and reached out to grab Josh’s cheek, pulling it slightly. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Josh.”“Jace!” a woman called from inside the classroom. She rushed outside, her face lined with worry. But when she saw Josh and me, her expression turned even sterner.“Who are you?” she demanded, walking over to take Jace from my arms. But Jace shifted reluctantly.“Jace, what did I tell you about strangers?” she asked firmly.“He’s not a strange
Edward POV"Mr. Miles, I'll suggest you stay in the hospital until we're sure the fever is completely out of your system," the nurse said as she walked into the room. She was a young lady with charcoal-black hair neatly packed up in a bun."I've been trying to tell him that, but he doesn't want to listen," Josh told the nurse before turning to look in my direction."I'm fine, and I no longer feel the hangover," I said firmly."I can't agree with that," the nurse replied, doing a few checkups before looking down at her notepad. "But if you insist, then we can get you a private nurse to keep watch while you're at home. She’ll ensure you receive the proper treatment until the fever is completely cleared from your system.""That's okay with me," Josh shrugged, and I sighed."Alright then, you can be discharged," the nurse said before walking out.Once she was gone, I pulled myself up from the bed and walked over to the window, letting the fresh air brush against my face."So, what are you
•Juliet POV•"Thank you for dropping me off," I told James as I stepped out of his car. He closed the door and looked toward the mansion, his eyes widening in awe."This is where you stay?" he mumbled, and I immediately started to regret letting him drive me home, and not only that, but also letting him pull into the parking space."Yes," I replied, removing his jacket from my body. But he stopped me, his hand resting gently on mine, causing a million sparks to fly immediately."You can keep that," he said.I shook my head. "No, thanks. I don't need it anymore. Besides, I'm home," I interjected, my gaze flickering to his hand, which was still resting on mine."I insist. And if you still want to give it back, do it when next we meet," he said, his voice surprisingly calm."Okay," I murmured, shifting slightly, trying to step away from him to maintain some distance. His hand left mine in return, and I felt a wave of relief.I turned towards the mansion. "Have a good night, Mr. Grigs.""
•Edward POV•A sharp antiseptic smell burned my nostrils as soon as I blinked into the soft white light above me. My vision blurred for a second, then cleared, revealing pale ceiling tiles and the soft whirring of machines beside me. My throat felt like sandpaper, and a seething headache ran through my forehead.I shifted and hastily pushed myself up to sit. Looking around, I noticed the white walls, monitors, and the bandage wrapped around my arm. What am I doing in a hospital?The question echoed in my mind until my gaze shifted toward the window. Josh was curled awkwardly in a chair, legs folded, arms crossed like he hadn’t moved in hours.His head rested against the glass, the soft amber light from outside framing his face. He looked uncomfortable as hell but still fast asleep.I let my body sink back against the bed again, exhaling a breath carefully through my nose.“I told you I was fine,” I muttered under my breath, though the hoarseness in my voice made it sound more like a g
• Juliet POV •"Get your hands off me," James snapped, slapping the bouncer’s hand away as his gaze immediately flicked toward the exit door of the diner. He released his balled fist and reached up to touch the blood trailing from his nostrils, staring at his fingers now coated in red.I looked around for my purse and spotted it on a chair. Grabbing it, I walked over to meet him."I'm sorry for what happened tonight," I apologized, even though the mess wasn’t entirely my fault.I blamed myself anyway, if I had just turned down his offer and stayed home, none of this would have happened."You don't have to apologize," he said, shaking his head. I glanced around for a napkin to give him, something to help wipe his nose. "I feel terrible for not putting that dickhead where he belongs."I didn’t have a response to that, so I kept quiet. James was all rigid muscle and built like a wall, so different from Edward’s leaner frame. I wasn’t sure I would’ve enjoyed watching Edward get beat up, n
Edward’s POVThe rage in me grew with every second as I walked out of the diner, the scene back there prickling at my pulse like I'd been stabbed. Who the hell was that guy, and why did he think he could hold her or look at her like that? I felt like punching the hell out of him until I was sure he’d never come near her again.“Eddy, why aren’t you saying anything?” Raya asked, struggling to keep up with my pace.I stopped in my tracks, and she almost collided into me. I turned toward her, my hands balled into fists.“Haven’t had enough? I told you not to go there, not to create a scene, but you didn’t listen to me.”“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice sounding more sober now. “But she was getting more of your attention than I was.” She pointed to her chest, tears filling her eyes. “Every time Juliet is around, you act like I don’t exist.”“You’re talking nonsense,” I shot back. “You’re always in your head, and I’ve always tried to put up with your behavior everytime you act without thin
•Juliet POV•"I was just about to accept that you won't come, and then you did," James said, staring at me, his eyes doing what they knew how to do best. Make me feel uncomfortable.I gulped, forcing a smile at him. "I had to. It wouldn't be nice if I let a business partner down, would it?" I replied, keeping my tone casual. As I looked away from his gaze and grabbed the menu on the table. "Business partner," he chuckled, flashing a boyish smile my way. "You know this is beyond business. I'm interested in you."I looked up at him hastily, and regretted it immediately."I want to get to know you, Juliet. You’re a beautiful woman, and any man would die to be with you."I scoffed, giving a thin-lipped smile. "Thanks for the compliment, James. But you should know by now that what you're aiming at isn’t possible. I’m a married woman, and I have a kid.""That’s not what your son said," James smirked. "You can’t lie about something to—""Juliet, what are you doing here?" a familiar voice sh
Edward’s POVI stared at the lavish design of the diner perched on the top floor of a two-story building, its glassy display reflecting the moonlight above.“Sera Diner,” I muttered in awe. According to the few rumors I’d heard about this place, it was enough to know it was one of the most expensive and classic spots, somewhere anyone would dream of visiting.“Yes, my love,” Raya chuckled, grabbing my arm the moment we got out of the car. “One of the best diners in New York. It’s as special as the love I have for you.”I smiled. “Well, I’m impressed,” I mumbled, admiring her once more and how beautiful she looked. Her red hair cascaded in curly waves, bouncing on her shoulders. The sleek black bodycon dinner dress hugged her curves perfectly, showing off just enough to make me want to keep staring.“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” Raya said happily as we walked toward the entrance. “Wait until we get inside and you see the VIP spot. Your mind is going to be blown away.”“Now I’m
•Juliet’s POV•I stood close to the car, resting my back against it as I stared towards the entrance of Jace’s school. I would've gone inside with Eric to pick Jace up, but I felt it would be quicker if I stayed out here.Eric was more straightforward when it came to picking Jace up, he’d just walk in, say a few greetings, and walk out with Jace. Unlike me, who usually had to make small talk and take longer.Just a minute later, as expected, Eric walked out of the school with Jace beside him. His finger clung tightly to Jace’s tiny ones as they walked closer. The moment Jace saw me, he let go of Eric’s hand and started running towards me. His steps picked up speed as Eric tried to stop him, but instead, I ran to meet him and scooped him up the moment I reached him. I carried him in my arms and turned around.“Oh, my baby, I’ve missed you,” I murmured, placing kisses on his cheeks and forehead.He giggled softly. “I miss you more, Mummy,” he mumbled, placing his lips on my cheek. “Mwah