Mira’s PovI stood there, waiting. Watching Alex as he pressed his lips together, his eyes flickering with hesitation. He was thinking about how much to tell me, how to phrase his next words. But I was done waiting.“Just say it, Alex.”He exhaled sharply. “The two men following you tonight… they were part of the group with Aaron that night at your family estate.”I frowned. “What?”“There were four men that night,” Alex continued, his voice steady but grim. “Two of them disappeared after the attack, and the other two—the ones following you—are still working with Aaron. And the weapon they used to stab you…” He trailed off, his eyes darkening.I felt my stomach drop. “They still have it?”“ No the other men had escaped with the knife and gun they buried so we could use it as evidence “I gasped, my pulse roaring in my ears. “How do you even know all of this?”Alex didn’t answer immediately, and that silence spoke volumes. My mind started racing with possibilities, but I needed to hear
Aaron’s FearThe drive back was silent for a while. The two men who had been tailing Mira were both tense, their hands gripping the steering wheel and dashboard as if they could hold onto some sense of control. The city lights flashed past them in streaks, the hum of the tires against the road the only sound filling the car.Finally, the man in the passenger seat, Tony, let out a sharp exhale and shook his head.“I’m starting to think those two guys that escaped Aaron made the right choice,” he muttered.The driver, Greg, shot him a quick glance. “What?”Tony shifted in his seat, rubbing a hand over his face. “Think about it, man. What kind of psycho tries to kill his wife after their divorce? And then, when she comes back, he still won’t leave her alone? It’s not normal.”Greg scoffed. “You knew what we signed up for. Aaron pays well, and we don’t ask questions. That’s the deal.”Tony let out a bitter chuckle. “Yeah, well, maybe we should start asking some questions. Because right no
A Growing FearAlex waited until Mira was sound asleep before quietly slipping out of the bedroom. She had already been through too much, and the last thing he wanted was for her to know just how deep the situation had gotten. She needed rest—he needed answers.The penthouse was silent as he made his way to the balcony, the city lights stretching endlessly before him. He pulled out his phone and dialed the number he had called countless times before. It rang and rang. No answer.Alex clenched his jaw and redialed.Nothing.A third time.Still nothing.Just as he was about to curse in frustration, the line finally connected.“Alex?” A deep voice came through, slightly muffled.Alex exhaled sharply. “Yeah, it’s me. Took you long enough.”There was a brief rustling on the other end before another voice chimed in. “Sorry, we were in the middle of something. What’s up?”“How are you both holding up?” Alex asked, his tone controlled but firm.“We’re alive,” one of them replied dryly.“Good,
Nowhere to Run(Mira’s POV)I stood frozen in place, my body stiff, my heart pounding so hard that it felt like it would burst out of my chest. My hands trembled as I gripped my phone, trying to process what I had just heard.Josh is in danger.My son.My baby.I couldn’t breathe. The air around me felt thick, suffocating. The room spun, and my vision blurred as hot tears welled up in my eyes.Aaron wasn’t going to stop. Not until he destroyed me completely.I barely noticed Alex turning around and spotting me. His face fell when he realized I had heard everything.“Mira…” he sighed, stepping toward me, his hands slightly raised as if preparing to calm me.I took a shaky step back, my chest heaving. “No.” My voice was barely above a whisper, but the pain in it was unmistakable.Alex reached for me, but I shoved his hands away. “Don’t touch me,” I choked out.“Mira, please, let’s—”“My son is in danger, Alex!” I screamed, my voice breaking. “Do you even understand what that means? Do y
His Own Battles (Mira’s POV)I was about to walk back to the room when Alex’s voice stopped me.“I’ll support you if you want to leave,” he said.I turned to look at him. His expression was unreadable, but his voice held no resistance. It was as if he had accepted my decision.“But Mira,” he continued, “don’t think I was hiding anything from you.”I swallowed, searching his face for any sign of hesitation. “Then tell me everything I want to know.”Alex didn’t hesitate. He nodded. “Ask me.”I took a deep breath. There was one question that had been on my mind for years, something I had never truly understood.“Why didn’t you want to marry me when our families arranged the marriage?” My voice was quiet, but the words felt heavy. “I know you went from happy to cold real quick. What was the reason?”A tense silence stretched between us. Alex said nothing, his lips pressed into a thin line. His eyes darkened as if he were lost in thoughts he didn’t want to revisit.I waited, but when it b
Aaron’s patience was running thin.After the two drivers he had sent to tail Mira lost track of her, he decided to take matters into his own hands. He drove to her house, his fingers tapping impatiently on the steering wheel. If Mira thought she could hide from him, she was mistaken.When he arrived, one of her workers opened the gate, looking startled to see him.“Where’s Mira?” Aaron demanded.The worker hesitated before answering. “She’s not home, sir.”Aaron narrowed his eyes. “Not home? Then where is she?”“We don’t know,” the worker said carefully.Aaron’s frustration grew. “Then let me see Josh.”The worker hesitated again before shaking his head. “She left with him.”Aaron’s jaw tightened. Mira had taken Josh with her. That meant she had no plans of returning anytime soon.Without another word, he pulled out his phone and dialed Mira’s number. It rang and rang, but she didn’t pick up. He clenched his jaw, feeling his anger rise. He dialed again. No answer.He cursed under his
Trapped by Fate(Mira’s POV)The morning sun cast a soft glow across the dining table as I sat beside Josh, helping him with his school assignment. His little brows furrowed in concentration as he wrote down an answer, and I couldn’t help but smile at how much he had grown. He was so smart, so determined—just like his father.No, not like his father.Like the man I wished had been his father.I pushed the thought aside and focused on the task at hand. I had to tell him. There was no way around it.“Josh, sweetheart,” I said gently.“Hmm?” he hummed without looking up.“We’re leaving for Paris today.”His pencil stopped moving. His head snapped up to look at me, his brown eyes filled with shock. “What?”I hesitated. I should have said it differently, softened the blow. But there was no easy way to tell him that I was uprooting his life because of my fear.“Why are we leaving?” he asked, his voice small. Then his eyes widened in realization. “But my competition—my national swimming comp
Mira’s POVI found Alex in his room, a glass of wine in his hand. He was leaning back on the couch, staring at the ceiling as if lost in his own thoughts. The lighting cast a soft glow on his face, highlighting the sharp lines of his jaw and the tension in his shoulders.I hesitated for a moment before stepping closer. “Alex…”He didn’t respond at first, just took another slow sip of his drink. When he finally looked at me, his eyes were clouded with something I couldn’t quite place—anger, frustration, pain? Maybe all three.“Are you just going to stand there and watch me?” His voice was low, rough.I swallowed hard and moved closer, taking the wine glass from his hand. He let me, but his grip on my waist tightened as soon as I was within reach. Without a word, he rested his head against my stomach, his arms wrapping around me.I gently ran my fingers through his hair, soothing him. “Talk to me, Alex.”He sighed against me. “The few weeks we were together… those were the happiest days
Mira’s heart raced as she clutched Josh’s hand tightly, her fingers trembling from fear. The woods were silent except for the occasional rustle of leaves in the breeze. It was cold—too cold—and the night seemed to stretch on endlessly. She looked around, trying to find any sign of help, but the dense trees and thick fog obscured everything beyond a few feet.Josh was quiet beside her, his small frame shivering. He had been through so much already, and now Mira had to protect him, even if it meant risking her own life.She pulled him closer to her, trying to shield him from the chill, but her thoughts kept drifting back to what had happened before they ended up here.Two men had burst into their house, guns pointed at Josh, taking them both against their will. The flashbacks were vivid—Mira had screamed, had fought, but it was useless. They shot two of Alex’s security guards and dragged her and Josh out of the house. Her worst fears had come to life in that instant, and now they were h
Alex’s POVAlex paced around his office, his mind running wild with anxiety and frustration. Mira and Josh were gone, and the more he tried to track them down, the more the trail seemed to fade. His men were searching every inch of the city, every corner of their contacts, but there were no signs of them—no leads, no calls, just complete silence.His fingers tightened around the edge of his desk, the weight of the situation pressing on him harder than anything he had ever experienced.Who would do this? Who would dare take Mira and Josh?The questions rattled through his mind. He had powerful enemies, sure, but none of them would have the audacity to go after his family—his real family, the ones who mattered. And if it was someone who had been watching from the shadows, how did they even know how much Mira meant to him now?Just as his thoughts spiraled deeper into confusion, his phone buzzed sharply, interrupting his frustration. The unknown number that flashed on his screen gave him
Mira’s POVJosh’s cries were the only sound keeping me from losing my mind.He clung to me, his little fingers digging into my arm as he sobbed, his body trembling against mine.“M-mom, I’m scared,” he whimpered, his voice breaking.I swallowed the lump in my throat, forcing myself to be strong. If I broke down now, it would only make things worse.“I know, baby. I know,” I whispered, tightening my grip on him. “But you have to stay calm, okay? No matter what happens, don’t say anything. Don’t cry too loud. Just… just listen to me.”He nodded against my shoulder, sniffling, trying his best to be brave.The men in the front of the car barely paid attention to us, speaking in hushed voices to each other as they drove. I couldn’t see their faces clearly, but their towering frames and rough voices were enough to terrify me.The car smelled like smoke and sweat, and the air was suffocating. My hands were tied behind my back with thick rope, making it impossible to hold Josh properly, but I
Mira’s POVA loud bang shattered the silence. My body froze. That sound—I knew it too well. It was the same sound I heard the night I was attacked years ago.Before I could react, the door burst open, and two hefty men stormed in. My heart slammed against my ribs.Josh.They had guns. And they were pointed straight at him.“Mommy?” Josh whimpered, his little hands gripping his toy car.“No!” I screamed, stepping in front of him. “Please, don’t—”One of the men grabbed me roughly, yanking me backward. Josh shrieked as the other man lifted him off the ground like a sack of rice.“Let go of my son!” I thrashed against my captor, kicking and clawing, but his grip was like iron.“Shut her up,” one of them growled.Something hard slammed against my temple. Pain exploded in my head, and my vision blurred.No. No. No.I felt myself being dragged outside. The cold air hit my skin, but it did nothing to clear the fog in my head.Then I saw them.Alex’s security guards. Two of them. Lying lifele
Mira’s POVThe second I answered the call, a voice on the other end spoke before I could say anything.“I’ve been expecting your call.”I exchanged a quick glance with Alex, who immediately leaned closer, listening intently. My grip tightened around the phone.“Who is this?” I asked cautiously.The man chuckled. “The guy you’ve been searching for.”Alex immediately caught on. He mouthed Aaron’s financial adviser?I kept my voice steady. “You worked for Aaron?”“Yes. And I know everything you want to know,” he said. “But there’s one condition.”I could already guess what was coming.“I need to remain anonymous,” he continued. “No names, no connections, nothing that ties back to me.”I hesitated. This was huge—someone on the inside willing to talk. But could I trust him? What if he was baiting me into a trap?Alex motioned for me to put the call on speaker, and I did.“You don’t want your name involved?” Alex asked. “Then why reach out?”The man sighed. “Because I know what Aaron is cap
Mira’s POVAs we stepped outside, the cold night air was a welcome relief from the suffocating tension inside. I had barely taken a few steps toward the car when I heard someone call my name.“Mira!”I turned just in time to see one of Aaron’s cousins rushing toward me. She was a little out of breath, her eyes darting around as if making sure no one was watching her.Before I could ask what was going on, she slipped a small piece of paper into my hand. “Call him,” she whispered urgently. “He has a lot you’d want to know.”I frowned and looked at the number scribbled on it. “Who is this?”She hesitated, glancing over her shoulder. “Someone who knows things about Aaron. Things you should know.”That caught my attention. “What kind of things?”She shook her head. “I don’t want to get involved. Just call him. And Mira…” She smiled slightly. “I’m happy you got out of that marriage. And that you’re with Alex. He suits you better.”I blinked in surprise. Of all the reactions I had gotten ton
Mira’s POVThe morning of the family event came faster than I wanted. If it were up to me, I wouldn’t have attended at all, but Aaron had sent a reminder message, probably hoping to intimidate me into showing up. I wasn’t the same woman he used to control. If anything, this was the perfect opportunity to make a statement.I focused on getting Josh ready first, helping him with his little tuxedo. “You look so handsome,” I said, adjusting his bow tie.Josh grinned. “I know,” he said confidently. “But why do I have to wear this? It’s too tight.”“Because it’s a formal event,” I said. “Besides, you match with Alex.”At that moment, Alex walked in, dressed in a sleek black tuxedo. He took one look at Josh, then at me, and smirked. “Did we all just decide to ignore the dress code?”I turned back to the mirror and admired my red dress. It was bold, fiery, and a complete rebellion against the expected white. “I guess so,” I said, shrugging. “White isn’t really my color.”Josh laughed. “Dad’s
Mira’s POVThe house was quiet when I walked in, the kind of silence that made the weight of the day feel even heavier. The plans, the secrets, the moves I had just started to make—it was all swirling in my mind like a storm. But there was one thing I needed to do before I could let the chaos take over. I needed to talk to Alex.I found him in the living room, leaning back on the couch, his eyes glued to his phone. His usual calm was there, but I could tell something was bothering him. Maybe it was the pressure of everything happening with Aaron or the shadows from his past that still seemed to haunt him.“Hey,” I said softly, sitting next to him. “We need to talk.”He looked up at me, his gaze steady. “What’s going on?”I took a deep breath, my thoughts scattered. But I started from the beginning, telling him everything that had happened with the two investors—how they’d come to me, their plans for a hostile takeover, and how they’d been waiting for the right moment.“They said they’
Mira’s POVOlivia had left earlier with a promise to get back to me with some information. When she called me back, her voice was different, a little more unsure than usual.“Mira, I’m not sure about this. It feels like everything is moving so fast, and I can’t help but wonder if we can trust these men.” Olivia’s words lingered in the air as I leaned back in my chair. The weight of the situation had started to settle over me.I knew exactly what she meant. It felt too good to be true that these men—who had been a part of Aaron’s inner circle, who had supported him for so long—were suddenly on my side. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that if this was going to happen, I needed to take control and handle it the way I always did: strategically.“Olivia, show me the reports,” I said, my voice firm but calm.There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Olivia responded. “Okay, I’ll have someone bring them to you. Just… Mira, make sure you’re really ready