Nicholas' POV“Sir, the FMF company's shareholders are planning to terminate the contract unless you comply with their demands.” Allen, the director of my board, said in a warning tone. That was it. Hollis had orchestrated this. Forcing me into marriage just to save my company. I growled under my breath, feeling my board members’ eyes on me as I stared at the file on the table.I barely heard the rest of the discussion. The contract lay before me, the words blurring together. “We've had other investors show interest,” Martha chimed in. “but none are willing to commit to the one-year deal.” I nodded absently, my mind elsewhere. Sarah Cameron had already dragged my company through hell, and now, just as I was rebuilding, Hollis was ready to take her chance. She had agreed to help without asking for marriage. What the hell was she on about? I pushed back my chair abruptly. “That'll be all for today. We'll meet again tomorrow.” Without another word, I strode out, heading straight fo
Nicholas’ POV“Kiara,” I muttered under my breath as the call went on. A cold, malicious laugh crackled through the speaker, making my stomach tighten with rage. Damon. My grip on the phone tightened, my knuckles turning white as I glanced at Hollis, who was still waiting from a distance, oblivious to the storm brewing inside me. "Funny how you actually thought Kiara was calling you." His voice dripped with mockery, followed by another laugh that made my blood boil. I clenched my jaw so hard it ached.“Why the fuck did you call me?” I asked, growling. “To say thanks. For, um, saving my woman. And yes I took the credit, she would hate it if she found out that it was her cheating ex-husband who had saved her.” Damon explained. I bit my lip, all I wanted to do right now was punch him in the face. I never wanted the credit. I never wanted Kiara to know. But how on earth had Damon found out enough to pretend that he saved her?A sharp ting of frustration shot through me as I ended the
Kiara's POV“Welcome back to work, Miss Kiara.” Rose greeted me with a smile on her face. I was happy to be back too, after a week of bed rest. My step-siblings were in jail, and I had ignored Ava's countless calls. I didn't even do anything to them. The police had caught them red-handed, and I didn't know how. Damon had sorted everything as he explained. “Collen!” I screamed in excitement as the old man walked up to hug me. Collen had been my biggest support ever since my dad passed away. He never stopped working with me despite the huge change in the company. Although I had given him enough funds and time to spend with his family and friends, he continued working. Collen had saved my life. And I was forever grateful to him and to God who had used him to change my story.“Good to have you back, Kiara.” He said with a big smile on his face. The rest of my staff greeted me happily as I proceeded to the meeting with my board members. “In your absence, ma'am, Mr. Collen has invited th
Nicholas’ POVThe shrill ringing of my phone pulled me out of sleep, cutting through the quiet morning. I groaned, rubbing my eyes as I reached for it on my nightstand. Luca's name flashed on the screen. I answered, my voice still hoarse from sleep. “What is it, Luca?” “Sir,” Luca's voice held excitement. “We got in. Kiara's company accepted your application.” I sat up abruptly, the drowsiness vanishing instantly. “What?”Kiara had accepted my application? Unbelievable. I hadn't expected it at all. “Yes, sir,” Luca confirmed. “We got the official email this morning.”For a moment, I didn't know how to react. My fingers tightened around the phone as emotions flooded through me. My eyes widened in happiness as I emerged from my bed. I had sent out applications to several companies, expecting rejections or complicated negotiations, but never in my wildest imagination did I think Kiara would approve me. A part of me wanted to believe it was her way of making peace, but I wasn't that
Kiara's POV Lately, I have been suspecting my husband. Whenever I confronted him about my suspicions, he'd kiss me on the lips and tell me not to worry—it's just business deals. He'll never lie to me, right? He loves me. And I love him too. I have been married to Nicholas Chavez, a top billionaire in Florida, for three years now. We don't have kids yet, but I've been seeing signs of pregnancy. He's not bothered about having kids, but his mother is. So, I plan on going to see the doctor tomorrow. It's his birthday and I want to spend time with him as he promised. I was covered in flour, focused on making his favorite cake for his birthday when he walked into the kitchen. I didn't hear him at first, too wrapped up in wanting everything to be perfect. It had been a while since we'd spent a real evening together. He is always going on business trips and barely even has time for me, his wife. Today, which was his birthday, he promised me he wouldn't go to work, yet I woke up
Kiara's pov My eyes flashed open to the blurred sight of a middle-aged man leaning close to me. Panic shot through me as I tried to remember where I was, or even who he was. My fingers tightened around the sheets as my head throbbed. “Doctor, she's awake!” He called, his voice echoing around the room. My head pounded as I slowly recalled what happened. Divorce. Nicholas. A car. “Where am I?” I managed to speak as I looked at the man who sat beside me. He looked rich. “You're in safe hands now, Miss Kiara Abernathy.” The man spoke, a small smile leaving his lips. How did he know my name? What in the world was going on? How did I end up in a hospital? He only nodded toward the doctor, who stepped forward to examine me briefly. “She’s stable, but she needs rest,” she said, giving him a meaningful look before leaving us alone. “Thank you doctor,” “I'm sorry it took us so long to find you, ma'am. Your father is sick, and he wants to see you.” He said, his back slumping. I had
Kiara's pov I took a shaky breath as I looked at the frail man before me. This was the father I had imagined a hundred different ways, but never like this. My heart was pounding, and my hands wouldn't stop trembling. This was my father, the man I had built up in my mind for years after my mom's tragic accident which led to her demise. “Kiara…” His voice was barely a whisper, as if even saying my name took the last of his strength. Collen exited the room, leaving us alone as I sat beside my dad. I forced myself to move closer, to reach for his hand. It felt fragile, cold, and I could see the effort in his eyes as he looked at me. There was so much I wanted to ask, so much anger and confusion swirling in me, but all of that felt irrelevant now. “Why… didn't you… come for me?” My voice cracked, barely holding back the resentment I had held in for years. A soft sigh escaped him. “I…tried, Kiara. I searched everywhere. But they…took you from me.” His voice broke, and it hurt to
Kiara's pov I woke slowly, my eyes adjusting to the hospital room. Damon was right there, beside me, holding my hands. “Damon… what…happened?” My voice was barely a whisper, but I had to know. He looked down, pain clouding his face. “Kiara…the baby,” he said quietly. “I'm so sorry. You lost the baby.” “I lost it?” I asked in a shaky voice. “Yes. I… I didn't know you were married.” He said cautiously, a hint of jealousy in his eyes. “I was.” I replied without meeting his eyes, memories of Nicholas flooding my mind. ‘You lost the baby'. These words hit me like ice, freezing every part of me. My baby was gone. A tear slipped down my cheek, then another, until I was silently sobbing. The hurt was too deep to put into words. Losing this baby made me realize I had totally cut ties with Nicholas. But I felt the agony of a mother losing a child. Even if the dad was a scum. Mandy. She had looked me in the eye yesterday, handed me a drink with that innocent smile, and p
Nicholas’ POVThe shrill ringing of my phone pulled me out of sleep, cutting through the quiet morning. I groaned, rubbing my eyes as I reached for it on my nightstand. Luca's name flashed on the screen. I answered, my voice still hoarse from sleep. “What is it, Luca?” “Sir,” Luca's voice held excitement. “We got in. Kiara's company accepted your application.” I sat up abruptly, the drowsiness vanishing instantly. “What?”Kiara had accepted my application? Unbelievable. I hadn't expected it at all. “Yes, sir,” Luca confirmed. “We got the official email this morning.”For a moment, I didn't know how to react. My fingers tightened around the phone as emotions flooded through me. My eyes widened in happiness as I emerged from my bed. I had sent out applications to several companies, expecting rejections or complicated negotiations, but never in my wildest imagination did I think Kiara would approve me. A part of me wanted to believe it was her way of making peace, but I wasn't that
Kiara's POV“Welcome back to work, Miss Kiara.” Rose greeted me with a smile on her face. I was happy to be back too, after a week of bed rest. My step-siblings were in jail, and I had ignored Ava's countless calls. I didn't even do anything to them. The police had caught them red-handed, and I didn't know how. Damon had sorted everything as he explained. “Collen!” I screamed in excitement as the old man walked up to hug me. Collen had been my biggest support ever since my dad passed away. He never stopped working with me despite the huge change in the company. Although I had given him enough funds and time to spend with his family and friends, he continued working. Collen had saved my life. And I was forever grateful to him and to God who had used him to change my story.“Good to have you back, Kiara.” He said with a big smile on his face. The rest of my staff greeted me happily as I proceeded to the meeting with my board members. “In your absence, ma'am, Mr. Collen has invited th
Nicholas’ POV“Kiara,” I muttered under my breath as the call went on. A cold, malicious laugh crackled through the speaker, making my stomach tighten with rage. Damon. My grip on the phone tightened, my knuckles turning white as I glanced at Hollis, who was still waiting from a distance, oblivious to the storm brewing inside me. "Funny how you actually thought Kiara was calling you." His voice dripped with mockery, followed by another laugh that made my blood boil. I clenched my jaw so hard it ached.“Why the fuck did you call me?” I asked, growling. “To say thanks. For, um, saving my woman. And yes I took the credit, she would hate it if she found out that it was her cheating ex-husband who had saved her.” Damon explained. I bit my lip, all I wanted to do right now was punch him in the face. I never wanted the credit. I never wanted Kiara to know. But how on earth had Damon found out enough to pretend that he saved her?A sharp ting of frustration shot through me as I ended the
Nicholas' POV“Sir, the FMF company's shareholders are planning to terminate the contract unless you comply with their demands.” Allen, the director of my board, said in a warning tone. That was it. Hollis had orchestrated this. Forcing me into marriage just to save my company. I growled under my breath, feeling my board members’ eyes on me as I stared at the file on the table.I barely heard the rest of the discussion. The contract lay before me, the words blurring together. “We've had other investors show interest,” Martha chimed in. “but none are willing to commit to the one-year deal.” I nodded absently, my mind elsewhere. Sarah Cameron had already dragged my company through hell, and now, just as I was rebuilding, Hollis was ready to take her chance. She had agreed to help without asking for marriage. What the hell was she on about? I pushed back my chair abruptly. “That'll be all for today. We'll meet again tomorrow.” Without another word, I strode out, heading straight fo
Kiara's POVA dull ache spread through my body as I forced my heavy eyelids open. The brightness of the hospital room made me squint, and for a moment, everything was blurry. My head throbbed, my limbs felt weak, and I struggled to move. “Kiara…” The familiar voice broke through my haze, filled with so much emotion that it tugged at something deep inside me. Blinking a few times, my vision cleared, and I saw Jamie sitting beside me, her eyes glossy with unshed tears. “Oh, thank God!” she choked, covering her mouth with one hand. “You scared the hell out of me.” I tried to speak, but my throat felt too dry. She quickly reached for the cup of water on the bedside table, helping me sit up slightly so I could take a few small sips. The cool liquid soothed my throat, but my body still felt unbearably weak. “How… How long have I been here?” I managed, my voice barely above a whisper. “Since last night,” Jamie said, sniffling. “You were unconscious, Kiara.”I swallowed hard, memories o
Kiara's POV“Your sister is in danger, James. I need you to leave whatever you're doing right now.” I said to James over the phone as I drove faster. “Is this some stupid stunt? Mandy has been at her boyfriend's since yesterday.” James scoffed. Damn it! He was getting on my nerves as usual. Only if he knew the mess Mandy was into right now. “Listen to me. I don't even care. Okay? I'm only driving off because the picture was sent to me in view once,” I swallowed. “I was asked to come alone, but I can't endanger my life either. I'll text the location to you, stay around.” I said, forwarding the location to him immediately. “Are you for real? Okay, I'll meet you there.” Goodness gracious. I exhaled, approaching the location. It was a deserted building, and I could feel my heart leaping out of my chest. I couldn't involve the police. It would only make matters worse. As I parked my car, my phone buzzed with James’ text saying he was around the building. I didn't trust James, but his
Kiara's POV“Open your legs, Kiara.” He ordered but in a gentle growl. His eyes were desperate, looking down my thighs as I obediently spread my legs. I was naked. Comfortably naked. He grabbed my thighs, slowly burying his head in between them. I felt the air through his nostrils, his tongue slowly licking my core. I grabbed his hair with one hand, as I moaned at the overwhelming pleasure coursing through me. I bit my lower lip, closing my eyes to behold the stars. The way he fondled my core was out of this world. Suddenly, he stopped. “Come back to me, Kiara.” He whispered, raising his head. I looked at him closely and gestured for him to stand up. “You hurt me badly, Nicholas. I moved on, yeah? And I have someone in my life right now. How hard is it to understand?” I said sharply, getting off the bed to get dressed. “You don't love Damon. I see it in your eyes.” He blurted. I laughed, rolling my eyes. “I do love him. You know nothing about me, Nicholas Chavez.” “Then why are
Damon's POVI stood up, watching the phone ring aloud as I stepped out of the house. I didn't want Sofia and Serena to hear our conversation because they disliked Sarah a lot ever since she stole their jewelry years ago.Swallowing the lump in my throat, I picked up the call after it rang again. “I knew you wouldn't ignore my calls. Meet me at our spot.” Our spot? She got to be kidding me right now. I clenched my fist, about to speak until she hung up on me. I sent Sofia a text saying I'd be out for a while, and then I kick-started the car and drove off to FAYS.That was where I met her a few years ago. She was just a blonde with a pretty boldface and had a tiny dove tattoo on her neck. I had just got off work and was driving home at night, and I noticed a lady in a fur coat, walking by the roadside alone. She walked freely and slowly as though nothing else mattered, her head was bent down and when I stopped my car, she stopped walking too.I took her in, she explained that her ex-h
Damon's POV20 Years AgoI was only five years old, but the sound of my mother's sobs still haunts me. I sat on the cold, wooden floor of our small house, watching her pack her clothes into a tattered suitcase. Her hands shook as she tried to close the latch, tears streaming down her bruised face.“Mom,” I cried, crawling closer to her. “Don't leave me. Please, don't leave me.” She knelt in front of me, her trembling hands cupping my face. Her eyes were red, swollen, and filled with pain I couldn't understand at the time.“I love you, Damon,” she whispered. “But I can't stay here anymore.”“Then take me with you!” I begged, grabbing onto her dress. Before she could answer, the door slammed open, and my father stormed in. His face was twisted in anger, his fists clenched. “You think you can leave me?” he roared. “Stop it, Fred!” My mom screamed, standing in front of me as if she could shield me from his rage. But my father didn't stop. His fist collided with her face, and she fel