{Martha's POV}Her lashes fluttered as she waited for my response, her sharp gaze fixed on me. I froze; my tongue felt heavy, and I struggled to find the right words. As a stranger in the house, I didn’t know how to explain myself. My throat was dry, and I swallowed hard, avoiding her expectant stare.“I’m a friend of Nathan,” I finally mumbled, the words tumbling out awkwardly. My voice sounded strange even to my own ears, and beads of sweat gathered on my forehead, threatening to roll down.Her expression hardened instantly, her eyes narrowing with a judgmental glare. It was the kind of look I’d seen so many times before, a look that said I didn’t belong, that I wasn’t good enough to be here.But she didn’t press further. Instead, she placed her small handbag on the couch and began tying her dark hair into a neat bun.“I’m Carolina,” she said briskly, her voice calm but distant. “I handle the housekeeping when Mr. Evans isn’t around.” She paused, her sharp eyes continuing to scan me
{Martha's POV}Three Year Later.“Ma’am, your dress is here,” Carolina said as she entered the room, carrying a white box wrapped with a delicate red ribbon.I jumped up from the couch, excitement bubbling within me. With hurried steps, I approached her and took the box from her hands. My fingers lingered on the ribbon for a moment, savoring the anticipation, before I gently untied it and lifted the lid.“Oh my gosh!” I gasped as my eyes fell on the plush bodycon dress, its fabric shimmering with diamond-shaped sequins. I held it up, marveling at its perfection. It was exactly as I had seen it online.“This is beautiful,” Carolina said, stepping closer to admire it. She set the box aside with a careful touch. “Do you want to try it on now, ma’am?”“Yes,” I said, unable to contain my excitement. “I think I should. The dinner party is tonight, anyway.” I draped the dress over her arm with a smile. “Please, come with me.”Carolina patted the dress gently as we ascended the stairs. Each s
{Martha's POV} I stared at my reflection once more, my gaze lingering on my brunette hair. A small thought crossed my mind, it could use some curling. With a sigh, I turned to gather my clothes from the bed, folding them neatly before walking over to put them in my closet.“I’m sorry, duty calls,” Nathan’s voice broke the silence as he entered the room, slipping his phone into his pocket.I glanced at him over my shoulder, smiling softly. “I understand. Your job always demands your attention.”Shutting the closet door, I turned to face him. Nathan was leaning against the doorframe, his piercing eyes fixed on me. The intensity of his gaze sent warmth rushing to my cheeks, making it hard to hold his stare.Heat crept up my sleeves as I fiddled with the hem of my dress. The way he looked at me made my heart flutter, stirring emotions I wasn’t sure I could manage. Clearing my throat, I tried to shift the focus. “Um, the dinner. It’s at five,” I said, offering a small smile. “You wouldn’t
{Martha's Pov}I looked at Peter’s hand for a moment, debating whether or not to accept it. Refusing might create a scene that could arouse suspicion. Forcing a thin smile, I placed my hand in his palm.He brought it close to his lips, placing a soft kiss on my knuckles. “It’s a pleasure,” he said, his tone smooth and confident. I quickly pulled my hand away, my skin crawling at the contact.Peter’s gaze lingered, his sharp eyes tracing every inch of my features with unsettling intensity. My stomach twisted, but I forced myself to remain composed. He finally turned to Nathan, acting as though nothing had happened. I kept my expression neutral, a picture of innocence, as though this man wasn’t the same person who had broken my heart and ruined my life years ago.“Let’s grab a drink,” Rachel said, her voice sharp with jealousy. She turned to us, her forced smile as thin as paper. “We’ll be right back.” Without waiting for a response, she linked arms with Peter and trotted off, her postu
{Martha Pov} I ignored her question, my gaze locked onto her reflection in the mirror. Her heels clicked against the marble floor as she moved closer, the sound echoing in the quiet restroom. She stopped beside me, her presence stifling. “Nathan and I have known each other for a long time,” I finally replied, my voice calm but laced with tension. She positioned herself next to me, half-facing the mirror as she studied my reflection before meeting my gaze. “Quite surprising,” she chirped. “That my cousin would have time for a woman, considering how busy his schedule is.” A practiced smile curved her lips. I turned to her, my eyes locking onto hers with piercing look. “Yes, he is busy sometimes. But it’s nothing I can’t manage,” I replied, my voice sharp yet controlled. Her smile faltered for a split second before she recovered, her gaze drifting to the floor as if in thought. “You’re right. It takes patience to be with a doctor,” she said lightly, then looked up at me again. “
{Peter's Pov}Ever since I set my eyes on her, I just couldn't look away. She is beautiful, undoubtedly the most curviest and sexiest woman I've ever seen.I shoved my hand into my hair, brushing it back as I sank into the chair, swirling the glass of wine in my hand slowly. The way her golden-brown eyes pierced into mine when I took her hand and kissed it softly, God, I wish I could do more.I wish I were the one standing next to her instead of Nathan. I'm sure he doesn't have much time for her anyway.I took a sip of my drink, the coldness of the liquor doing little to cool the heat of emotions churning within me.But the feeling faded as Rachel approached me, her face laced with guilt as she sank into the seat opposite me.“All I did was tell her what I thought, and she attacked me like I’d said something terrible,” she hissed, almost to herself, as she sat down, dragging me out of my thoughts.I leaned back in my chair, setting the glass on the table. “What’s the problem, honey?”
{Nathan's Pov}“Is something bothering you?” I asked, glancing toward Martha’s direction before focusing back on the road. She seemed lost in thought, and I couldn’t figure out why.At first, she was happy to go to dinner with me, but later, she seemed like she wanted to leave badly. Did someone offend her?She looked my way and smiled. “No, just got a little carried away.”Her response didn’t sit right with me. “Tell me, is it Rachel? Did she say something to you?” I tried to think of the possible reasons why she seemed moody, recalling her earlier complaint about not liking the vibe Rachel was giving her.She shook her head. “Nope, she didn’t. Please stop worrying about me. I’m fine. I just got a little overwhelmed by the dance, I guess.”I looked at her again, locking eyes with her briefly before turning my attention back to the road. Well, I intended to wipe that mood away with the surprise I’d been preparing for days.I pulled into the driveway and got out of the car, walking ove
{Martha's POV}“You deserve it, Martha,” Mrs. Evans said as we pulled away from the hug.I still couldn’t believe it, everything felt like a dream. “Thank you so much, Mrs. Evans. How can I ever repay you?”Mrs. Evans smiled as she gently took my hands, pulling me toward the couch. We both sat down. She squeezed my hands softly and reached over to tuck a loose strand of my hair behind my ear.“You don’t have to repay me, honey. You’ve given me something far more precious,” she said calmly. “By staying here with my son, you’ve given me something I’ve been longing for, a day when he would finally find a girl who loves him genuinely.”I blushed at Mrs. Evans’ words, but she was right. Ever since I met Nathan, I’d never experienced heartbreak. He always put me first before himself, even though I've asked him several times not to. “No, ma’am. It’s you and your son I should be thanking. You’ve been there for me, even when I was a stranger.”She chuckled at my words. “I like your energy, Mar
{Martha’s POV}Mrs. Henderson gave me a sweet smile, the kind that hinted she knew something I didn’t. She removed her summer hat and placed it beside her, then leaned back in her seat.“You know, Martha, after all these years, I thought you’d be smart enough to come out of your shell.”I blinked, trying to decipher her words. It was clear she was playing the same game Rachel had attempted earlier, using carefully chosen words to push me to the edge, to make me lose control of my anger and spill the truth. But I refused to give her the satisfaction. Instead, I remained composed, pretending not to understand where she was heading.“What are you talking about, Mrs. Henderson?” I asked, arching an eyebrow.She paused for a moment, adjusting her posture on the lounge chair before speaking again. “I had a little conversation with Nathan yesterday. About you.” She tilted her head slightly, gauging my reaction. “I was very concerned, you see. I wanted to know more about you.”A chill crept u
{Martha's POV}I stood up from the bed, raising a hand to block the sunlight peeking through the slightly open curtains. As usual, Nathan wasn’t in the room, I assumed he was already up and getting ready for work.Walking over to the bathroom, I freshened up, changed into a fresh pair of light brown overalls, and headed downstairs.By the time I reached the kitchen, I found Carolina sitting on the counter, her eyes glued to her phone while she absentmindedly nibbled on a carrot.“Good morning, ma’am,” she greeted as I walked past her toward the refrigerator to grab a bottle of chilled water.“Morning, Carolina,” I replied, taking a seat across from her at the counter. Twisting open the bottle, I took a sip, then rested my hand on the counter, watching as she typed furiously on her phone before suddenly looking up at me.“You won’t believe this,” she blurted, her eyes widening to the size of baseballs. “The Hendersons are hosting an event to honor the death of the Stewart family. And g
{Peter’s POV}“Something tells me that she is Martha,” Rachel’s voice rang out from the living room just as I stepped inside.She immediately sprang up from her seat, rushing toward me, her excitement barely contained. The way she had said Martha’s name made my chest tighten with unease.My mother sat on the three-seater couch, scrolling through her phone with a level of seriousness that only fueled my suspicion.“Honey, you won’t believe this if I tell you,” Rachel exclaimed, her face lighting up as she met me halfway across the room.I sighed, already exhausted from the day, and rubbed a hand over my jaw. “What is it?” My tone was flat, but I couldn’t help the flicker of curiosity in my voice.For days, Rachel had been relentless about Martha, accusing her of being behind the termination of our contract with the Evans. She was convinced it was some elaborate revenge plot. I had laughed it off every time, finding the whole idea ridiculous.Martha Stewart, the fat, timid woman I once
{Martha's Pov}Peter adjusted his grip on my hand and stepped in front of me, his blue eyes piercing into mine. "I don't know why I feel so..." He paused, as if searching for the right words. "Happy whenever I'm with you. I feel safe, and maybe that's why I tell you things."I pushed aside the unsettling feelings prickling my pulse as I slipped my hand free from his grasp. "I know how this might seem to you, Mr. Henderson," I murmured, stepping back. I knew this was my moment to convince him, but I couldn't stop myself from speaking the truth. "But you're married, and I'm sure your wife is at home right now, wondering why you haven't come back. And you know that I'm with Nathan. I don’t want things to get messy because of this."Peter took a step closer, reaching for my hand again. And to my own frustration, I let him. I seemed to be allowing a lot of things lately, and the urge to slap myself back to my senses was stronger than the urge to slap him."We shouldn’t let that bother us,
{Martha's POV}I grabbed a file from the stack Hendrix had placed on my desk and scribbled my signature on the first page before setting it aside with the rest of the completed documents.Flipping open another file, I signed it quickly, only to pause and glance at the remaining stack waiting for my approval. With a sigh, I realized I'd been doing this for hours now, reviewing purchase confirmations and sales reports. I couldn't help but wonder just how many products had been sold so far and how many more orders needed verification.The sudden ringing of my phone pulled me out of my thoughts. Without checking the caller ID, I picked it up and brought it to my ear.“Hello?”“How are you doing, Martha?” Peter’s voice came through the speaker, instantly making my stomach twist. Instinctively, I felt the urge to hang up, but I quickly reminded myself to stay composed. I had a plan, and I needed to stick to it. If I wanted to get my hands on those documents, I had to keep up the act.“I’m f
{Nathan’s POV}The day had been far more stressful than usual, especially compared to my regular routine of scheduled surgeries and checking in on patients a few days after they've been discharged.I dropped the tab onto my desk and sank into the brown leather chair opposite it. I reached up to massage my temples, the tension in my head throbbing, before letting my head rest on the armrest. I closed my eyes, trying to clear my mind and release the weight of the day before I gathered the energy to finish my remaining tasks.The creak of the door pulled me out of my momentary respite. I lifted my head to see who was at the door.“Dr. Nathan, one of your patients is here to see you,” Nurse Hannah said, her hand still on the doorknob.I glanced at her through tired eyelids. “Who is it, precisely?" The question slipped from my lips slower than intended.“Mrs. Henderson,” she replied, shutting the door. Almost immediately, it opened again, and Mrs. Henderson walked in, looking more excited
{Martha's POV}I took a deep breath and exhaled sharply as I sat in the passenger seat of the car. The city lights flickered through the tinted windows, casting shadows that danced across my face.Through the rearview mirror, I caught Hendrix stealing a glance at me before quickly looking away. He was always unreadable, but tonight, I sensed something behind his gaze, curiosity, perhaps, or maybe concern.The dinner had gone well. Peter had been thoroughly engaged, hanging onto every word, savoring every moment. And yet, all I could think about was the feel of his hand in mine, It wasn’t supposed to happen.I hadn’t planned for physical contact, hadn’t accounted for how much it would unsettle me. And the fact that it was just the beginning, that there might be more, made my stomach churn with unease, there had to be another way.I shook my head, my mind racing for an alternative. Some way to get those documents from Peter without spending more time with him, without letting him touch
{Martha's POV}My heart ached with every passing minute as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. For the fifth time, I reminded myself why I was doing this. Why I had to.Carolina straightened the last section of my hair, running her fingers through the strands with admiration. I couldn’t deny it, the smooth, silky look suited me. My brown waves shimmered under the vanity light, framing my face just right.I reached for a lip gloss and coated my nude lips with a subtle sheen. Turning toward Carolina, I placed my hands on my waist. “How do I look?”Her smile was bright, teasing. “Beautiful. I’m sure Peter won’t be able to resist staring at you.”I rolled my eyes but smiled. “Thanks.” I grabbed my silver purse from the vanity and tugged down the hem of my plush dinner dress. “If Nathan comes before I return, tell him I went out for an important meeting.”Carolina chuckled. “Got it. Just make sure to break a heart today.”I smirked, shaking my head as I stepped out of the room.—The
{Peter's POV}I ended the call and dropped my phone onto the desk, rubbing my sweaty palms together. I hadn't realized just how nervous I was until I received confirmation that the video of Rachel had been removed from the internet. Thank goodness for the influence I had.Letting out a deep sigh, I ran a hand through my hair before rising from my chair. I walked over to the glass wall, gazing out at the city. This had always been my favorite thing to do, watching the endless movement of people below, the vibrant city lights blending into a symphony of colors, and the chaos that somehow always seemed perfectly organized.The soft creak of the door opening behind me pulled me from my thoughts. I didn’t have to turn around to know who it was.Mabel was the only person in the entire Stewart Company who had unrestricted access to my office. Not because I fully trusted her, but because she was my personal assistant."Mr. Henderson, there’s a lady here to see you," Mabel’s small voice chimed