Finally, after Aiden let me go, I decided to go to Spencer's workplace and drop my resignation letter on his desk. I know that he is currently in the hospital which was the best opportunity to do this, but I didn't want to leave his company like that. Even though I was with Aiden now, the royalty shares of my work were important to me. It should be hard work paid off. "Are you going to somewhere?" Aiden asked when he noticed how dressed up I was. I nodded, deciding to tell him the truth in case he intended to send someone to monitor my movements today. "I'm going to Spencer's company," I replied. "Why?" "I want to drop my resignation letter on his desk. Whenever Spencer is back from the hospital, he will see it," I said. "It is really important to do that. He already knows that you are going to quit your work," Aiden said. "He doesn't know that Aiden, and this is the best way to confirm that I'm done with work," I said trying to sound convincing to him. I didn't want to tell
My heart was pounding fast as I arrived at the hospital where Spencer was. I was scared too, what if he didn't want to see my face again? I stood in front of his room for some minutes before summoning the courage to knock slightly before opening the door to enter inside. He was lying down with his eyes closed but as soon as I closed the doors, Spencer opened his eyes to see who the visitor was. He tried to sit up when he saw me and l helped him to relax properly. "How are you feeling now?" I asked him. He snorted harshly, "Do you care about how I'm feeling?" "Spencer, I just came here to know how you are. Please, don't make it any more difficult for me than it is now," I said to him. Trying to suppress every emotional breakdown that was inside me, I kept staring at my hands. My palms were already sweating profusely as I was rubbing them both constantly. "You look pretty today," he said instead. "Thank you," I replied. "Why did you do that?" He asked suddenly. "What?" I was s
** Collins ** I tapped my fingers against the smooth surface of the café table, watching the door like a predator stalking prey. Miriam was late, as usual, but I didn’t mind. It gave me time to think—plan. Every move had to be calculated. With Sydney in the picture, my goal wasn’t simple anymore. She was a puzzle that couldn’t be solved with brute force or charm alone. Miriam finally walked in, her sharp heels clicking against the tile floor. Her eyes scanned the café before landing on me, her expression guarded as always. She wore her typical look of cool detachment, but I knew better. Beneath that icy exterior, she was desperate. She wanted Spencer, and that made her useful to me. “Miriam,” I greeted, standing up and gesturing for her to sit. She slid into the seat across from me, crossing her legs as if she wasn’t in a hurry. But I could feel the tension in the air. The desperation. “You wanted to talk,” she said, voice flat but curious. I leaned forward, lowering my voice. “I
** Collins ** I left the café with a satisfied smirk, replaying the conversation with Joyceline in my head. Sydney was as good as mine, and now, with Miriam and Joyceline both invested in their own little games, I had more leverage than I’d expected. All I needed now was to consolidate the plan—and for that, I had to meet with the others. When I got back to the estate, the old family house loomed over me like a dark reminder of what I was up against. The lights inside flickered warmly, but the air around it felt cold, heavy with the weight of generations of deals and betrayals. This place always made me feel both powerful and trapped at the same time. I pushed open the door and stepped inside. Tessa was the first to greet me, lounging on the grand couch with a book in hand, though she barely glanced at the pages. She dropped it as soon as she saw me, her gaze sharp. “How did it go?” she asked. I shrugged out of my jacket, tossing it onto the armrest. “Better than expected.” Tessa
** Spencer ** The ride back from the hospital was quieter than usual. My mom, Elizabeth, sat beside me, her hands folded neatly in her lap, her expression calm but distant. Max, my best friend, drove in silence, occasionally glancing in the rearview mirror at the two of us, his brow furrowed with concern. He knew I wasn’t in the mood to talk, and to be honest, neither was I. The doctor’s words still rang in my ears, but I tried to push them to the back of my mind. “You doing okay, Spence?” Max asked after a long stretch of silence, his voice low, almost tentative. I nodded, though I didn’t feel okay. I wasn’t sure how to feel. “Yeah, I’m fine,” I lied. Elizabeth placed her hand on mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Everything’s going to be alright, Spencer. You’re strong. We’ll get through this.” I glanced over at her, her pale blue eyes meeting mine with a softness that always managed to make me feel a little better, even when everything else was falling apart. She had been t
The sound of my phone buzzing on the table pulled me out of the silence. I glanced down, seeing Collins’ name flash across the screen. My jaw tightened. I wasn’t in the mood for whatever scheme he was cooking up, especially after everything with Miriam. I debated ignoring it, letting it go to voicemail, but something in me—the part that knew Collins too well—compelled me to answer. “Yeah?” I said, my voice clipped. “Spencer,” Collins’ voice came through smoothly, as always. “I need to meet with you. It’s important.” “Important for who? You or me?” I leaned back in my chair, the tension already creeping into my shoulders. “Both,” Collins said, his tone carrying that familiar cockiness. “I wouldn’t waste your time otherwise.” I sighed, running a hand through my hair. This was going to be a headache. “Fine. Where?” “There’s a bar downtown, Mason’s. I’ll see you there in an hour.” He hung up before I could respond, leaving me staring at the phone. I rubbed my temple, feeling the we
I’d been driving for what felt like hours, but in reality, it was only thirty minutes since I left my meeting with Collins. The whole conversation churned in my mind like a storm. Collins’ words rang in my ears: “Joyceline wants Sydney out of the way, and Aiden wants the baby. You need to act fast.” The minute Collins had finished talking, I knew where I needed to be. Joyceline was never subtle with her actions, and if Collins was right, she’d be making her move sooner rather than later. My gut told me I had to find her before she did something reckless. Tracking her wasn’t difficult. She was predictable. Too predictable. I pulled into the parking lot of the city mall, where I knew she’d be, and scanned the area. People streamed in and out of the glass doors, shopping bags hanging from their arms, unaware of the chaos brewing nearby. And then I saw her. Joyceline. She was standing near the entrance, her eyes fixed on a pair walking just a few paces ahead of her. Sydney . My blood
** Alan ** The restaurant was louder than I’d have liked. The clinking of cutlery, bursts of conversation from every table, and the occasional laughter grated against my nerves. But I didn’t mind it tonight. Not when Morgan sat across from me, her eyes sparkling under the dim candlelight, her lips curved in that teasing smile I’d grown addicted to. We’d been out a few times, nothing too serious, but I knew I was ready to make it official. Something about her—her fire, the way she kept me on my toes—made me want to lock this down before anyone else could get a chance. I wasn’t exactly known for settling, but this time was different. “I’m surprised you picked this place,” Morgan said, taking a sip of her wine. “It’s not your usual style.” “Thought I’d mix it up a bit,” I replied, leaning back in my chair. “Besides, you said you liked Italian.” “I do,” she said with a smirk. “But you strike me as the type who prefers something quieter, more… exclusive.” I grinned. She wasn’t wrong.
** Sydney ** The day had finally arrived. The warm sunlight streamed through the tall windows of the bridal suite, casting a soft glow over everything it touched. I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection in awe. The white dress I wore was a dream, elegant and simple, yet breathtaking in its detail. The lace sleeves hugged my arms, and the fabric flowed down like a waterfall, pooling gently at my feet. I could hardly believe it was me. I couldn’t help but smile, my heart fluttering with excitement. Today was the day I would marry Spencer—the man who had walked into my life at a time when I needed him the most, and the man I had grown to love more than I ever thought possible. The past few months had been a whirlwind, but in that moment, nothing else mattered. It was just us. There was a knock at the door, and Lydia, my best friend and now my maid of honor, peeked her head in. “You ready?” she asked with a grin. “As ready as I’ll ever be,” I said, my voice shaking sli
Elizabeth was sitting calmly in the living room, her legs were crossed and I could feel the elegance as it emanated from her calmness. My heartbeat was louder than the sound that came from the movie that she was watching in the television."Mom, you're here," Spencer said to get her attention.She turned around and smiled at him, when she looked at me, she maintained a mild expression before looking back at her son. "Yes, Spencer. I was bored at my place so I decided to come over and see you and Sydney," she replied to him.Spencer ordered a tray of fruits for his mom while we settled down to keep her company."You are looking healthy, Sydney," she complimented me."Thank you," I said with nervousness. I felt like my nervous system was going to break down any minute from now."Spencer, can you spare me twenty minutes of a private moment with Sydney?" Elizabeth asked her son.Spencer nodded and stood up, "Okay."As soon as he left, my heart sank further because I thought that Elizabeth
** Sydney**I felt his touch on my hair and earlobe and neck, his hands were all over my face but his touch was gentle, sweet and arousing. I stirred my eyes open slowly, I didn't want to wake up in the first place because the last few events have been exhausting for me.Learning the truth in the most painful manner was exhausting enough for me, I was glad that I was done with the Talker's family although it was not yet official. Aiden had really used my heart and broken it into a million pieces but in the darkest of hearts, I have found Spencer and he was willing to be my ride or die for life and nothing was going to change that forever."Good morning, sleepy head," Spencer murmured in my eyes and I giggled, that sweet feeling of being a loved woman has returned to me again."Spencer, why are you disturbing I and the baby so early in the morning?" I asked, pretending to be angry at him.He kissed my forehead and then my baby bump that was more visible now, we were almost at sixteen w
** Sydney ** I had thought about it for days before deciding to make the trip to see Joyceline. Part of me had wanted to avoid her altogether, to leave everything she had done in the past where it belonged—behind me. But there was another part, the part that needed closure, that needed to confront her, not out of anger or vengeance, but to finally put everything to rest. The drive to the jail was long, giving me too much time to think. As I parked the car and walked inside, my heart beat steadily in my chest, though I wasn’t sure if it was from nerves or resolve. It felt surreal, walking into this place, knowing that the woman who had once been my friend had turned against me in such a cruel way. They led me through the dimly lit hallways to a small room, separated by a pane of glass. Joyceline would be brought in soon, and I would finally face her. I sat down on the cold metal chair, my fingers tapping lightly on the surface of the table as I waited. When she entered, escorted by
** Sydney ** The pen trembled slightly in my hand as I hovered over the final line of the divorce papers. It was surreal to think that after everything, it was finally coming to an end. My marriage to Aiden—the lies, the manipulation, the deceit—was all about to be over with one stroke of a pen. I let out a deep breath and pressed the ink down, signing my name for the last time as his wife. It was done. I was free. I sat back in my chair, feeling both a weight lift off my chest and a strange emptiness settle in its place. It wasn’t like I was sad to see Aiden go. In fact, I was relieved. But the reality of it all—how much I had endured, how much I had fought for, only to end up here—left me feeling raw, exposed. “You alright?” Spencer’s voice cut through my thoughts, gentle but concerned. He was sitting across from me, his eyes soft as he watched me. I nodded, giving him a small smile. “Yeah. It’s just… surreal.” He reached across the table and took my hand, giving it a comfortin
** Spencer ** “Sydney, we need to talk about this now,” I said. She nodded, biting her lip as she tried to hold back more tears. “I just… I don’t know what to do or say now.” I gently took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You’ll figure it out, Sydney. You’re strong. And whatever you decide, I’ll be here for you. Always.” She looked up at me, her eyes filled with gratitude, and for a moment, the tension in the room lifted. We sat there in silence, just the two of us, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like maybe—just maybe—things would be okay again. I stayed close to Sydney, watching as the emotions played across her face. Her eyes, once filled with hurt and confusion, softened slightly as the reality of everything settled in. I could see the exhaustion in her, both from the ordeal with Aiden and the emotional rollercoaster she’d been on ever since he came back into her life. For a moment, I didn’t know what else to say. I just held her hand, letting the sil
Spencer’s POV I lost track of time after they took Sydney in. The sterile hospital walls felt like they were closing in, and the ticking of the clock in the waiting room was deafening. I kept pacing, back and forth, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios. What if the drug Joyceline gave her had lasting effects? What if the baby was harmed? Every minute felt like a lifetime. Max had come by earlier, sitting with me for a bit before he had to head out. His presence had been grounding, but now I was alone, back to circling the room. The nurses occasionally gave me sympathetic looks, but none of them had any answers. I ran my hands through my hair for what felt like the hundredth time. I couldn’t lose her. Not now. Not after everything. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the door to the waiting room swung open. I spun around, my heart pounding as the doctor walked in, clipboard in hand. I rushed up to him before he could even say a word. “How is she? Is Sydney okay? And the bab
**Spencer** The tension in the police van was palpable, the hum of the engine the only sound breaking the silence as we raced toward the location Collins had texted me. My hands were clenched tight, knuckles white from the grip I had on my phone. The moment the message had come through, I knew this was it—this was where Joyceline was holding Sydney. A sense of dread had been eating at me ever since I found out what Joyceline had planned. I should have seen it coming. After all, she was never one to back down, especially not when it came to getting what she wanted. But this… this was insane, even for her. I glanced at the police officers sitting beside me, their faces grim and focused. They had been briefed, and they knew how delicate this situation was. Sydney was pregnant, and any wrong move could not only endanger her but also the baby. The head of the task force, Officer Richards, looked over at me. “We’re almost there. Stay calm, Martin. We’ll handle this.” I nodded, swallowin
** Sydney ** I sat at the café, stirring the spoon in my coffee absentmindedly. The tension in my stomach hadn’t eased since Joyceline had called. I glanced at the door every few seconds, scanning each new arrival. My nerves were on high alert, and it didn’t help that Joyceline had always been good at getting under my skin. I tried to recall the last time we had spoken before everything exploded. She was the person I trusted with everything, my best friend—or at least, she had been before the betrayal. And now, here I was, waiting for her as if things hadn’t completely fallen apart. The door chimed, and in walked Joyceline. She wore her signature smirk, her eyes scanning the café until they landed on me. Her outfit was immaculate as always—a designer coat draped over her shoulders, her heels clicking as she walked confidently toward my table. Nothing about her seemed different on the surface, yet there was something in her eyes… something I couldn’t quite place. “Sydney,” she gree