Chapter 103: ProductiveGREGTaking a deep breath as I stared at the company logo on the wall. Riverdale Enterprise—Evans corporation subdivision. The office was quieter than usual, with most of the employees having left for the day. I leaned back in my chair. If someone had told me a year ago that I’d be working under my brother, helping him expand the company, I would have laughed in their face. But here I was, actually enjoying my job. It felt good to be productive, to contribute to something real. More than anything, it felt good to finally be at peace with my family. Well, almost everyone. Mia. She was the only one left, the only one I haven't settled with and knowing how badly I had hurt her over the years, I didn’t blame her for keeping her distance. But I couldn’t leave things as they were. I needed to make things right.I grabbed my suit jacket, packed up my briefcase, and headed out, determined to finally have the conversation I’d been avoiding. At home, the house
Chapter 104: I hope you find happinessMIAAunt Cecilia and I arrived at the rehabilitation facility in silence. I hadn’t seen Marvin in weeks, and as much as I wanted to be hopeful, a part of me was still afraid. Afraid that he wouldn’t be better. Afraid that I’d see the same lost and broken brother I had grown used to. “You’re thinking too much,” Aunt Cecilia said as she parked the car. I let out a small laugh. “Am I that obvious?” “Very.” She turned off the ignition and turned to me. “Marvin is getting help and we’re here to support him. That’s all that matters right now.” I nodded, even though my stomach tightened.We got inside and the place was quiet, almost too peaceful. A nurse led us to the visiting area where Marvin was already sitting at a table, waiting for us. He looked… different. The usual darkness in his eyes had lessened, and he actually looked healthier. “Hey, big brother,” I greeted with a small smile. “Hey, little sister. You look good.” He said, smilin
Chapter 105: Build a family with youETHANI left John’s house feeling restless. My mind kept replaying what had just happened, Mia totally overheard my conversation with John about Emily and the child I didn’t even know I had. The look on her face when she broke that vase… She was shocked, but she was holding back, obviously because she didn't want her dad being suspicious but she failed miserably.I pulled out my phone and dialed her number. It rang and rang then went straight to voicemail. I sighed, gripping the steering wheel tighter as I drove home. She was ignoring me. I couldn’t blame her. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if she hated me. This is the millionth time I'm ruining things between us.By the time I got home, Emily was in the living room, scrolling through her phone like she had no care in the world. I ignored her and went straight to my room, hoping that sleep would somehow clear my mind but It didn’t. The next morning, I tried calling Mia again but she still
Chapter 106: You do not deserve to be at peaceSOPHIE For the first time in a long time, I felt at peace, no fear, no anxiety, no guilt. I've had a few panic attacks whenever I'm about to miss my deadline at work but asides that, I felt free.Just pure, undisturbed happiness and I had Liam to thank for that. Most nights, I fell asleep wrapped in his arms, listening to his heartbeat, and every morning, I woke up with his warmth still lingering on my skin. And right now? I was watching him sleep.“You’re staring,” Liam mumbled, his voice thick with sleep. I smirked. “Maybe I like looking at you.” His lips curled up in a lazy smile. “Maybe I like waking up to you looking at me.” I traced his jawline with my fingers. “You’re so cheesy.” “Admit it. You love it.” He smiled, sitting up.I rolled my eyes, but I didn’t deny it. Because I did.He cupped my face, pulling me in for a deep, slow-burning kiss that sent warmth spreading through my chest. “We have to get up, work cal
Chapter 107: My dangerous desiresOops, Another smutty smut ahead!MIAThe gallery had never looked better, after months of redevelopment, fresh coats of paint, modern lighting, and carefully organized displays, it finally felt like a place that would attract more buyers and lovers of art.And judging by the foot traffic, I wasn’t the only one who thought so. Ella walked into my office with a stack of invoices and a bright smile. “You won’t believe the numbers, Mia,” she said, practically bouncing on her heels. “We’ve had over twice the amount of visitors this month compared to last. And online sales? Skyrocketing.” I leaned back in my chair, smiling. “That’s amazing.” “It’s more than amazing. It’s insane.” She grinned. “I think we might need to hire more staff soon.” I let out a soft laugh. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. But still, this is good.” “Great, actually.” She set the papers down on my desk. “This is all you. You should be proud of yourself.” I was.But bef
Chapter 108: Stalker much?EMILYI stood in Ethan’s living room, glancing around the grand space. Everything about this house screamed luxury, the sleek, dark furniture, the towering bookshelves filled with legal documents and books, and the expensive art pieces on the walls that I doubted he even glanced at. It was a house meant to impress, to intimidate. But to me, it was a house that should have been mine, I should have been the lady of the house if I didn't mess things up by being impatient. Ethan was in love with me but I messed it up. It's not too late though, I'll give the boss what he wants and live together happily with Ethan and Nathan.I ran my fingers along the polished marble countertop in the kitchen, taking a slow breath. I had spent months planning my return, carefully weaving my way back into Ethan’s life, and now I was so close to getting everything I wanted. I had taken the necessary steps to ensure the DNA test would be in my favor but Ethan just had to call me
Chapter 109: Some coy teenagerAVAI should have stayed. The thought had been haunting me since I left John’s house that night. I had wanted to stay—God, I had needed to, but my damn pride had gotten in the way. Now, here I was, a few days later, alone in my bed, staring at the ceiling, questioning my life choices. John hasn't even made a move on me since the night I said no to staying over.I was approaching my late forties, unmarried, and yet I was acting like some coy teenager playing hard to get. Who was I fooling? Sighing, I turned onto my side, frustration bubbling inside me. I wanted him. I had always wanted him. And now that he wanted me too and had made it clear. Why the hell was I making this difficult? Enough of this. If I wanted something, I just had to take it. Especially if that thing was already mine to begin with.The next morning, I dressed for work with a plan in mind. Underneath my professional navy-blue dress, I wore a lace lingerie set, it was black, seduc
Chapter 110: Families stick out for each otherJOHN EVANSI woke up to the warmth of Ava’s body beside me, her soft breath tickling my bare shoulder and for a moment, I just lay there, watching her, wishing we could stay like that forever. She looked so peaceful, so content like she belonged here, in my arms, every morning. A lazy smile appeared on my lips as I brushed a strand of hair away from her face. Just as I was about to pull her closer, she stirred, her eyelids fluttering open. “Morning,” she murmured, her voice husky from sleep. “Morning, beautiful,” I said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. She stretched, a satisfied sigh escaping her lips. “You’re staring,” she teased. “Can’t help it,” I admitted. “I like waking up to you.” She grinned, but then her gaze flickered to the clock on the nightstand. “You have work, Mr. Evans.” I groaned, burying my face into the pillow. “I’d rather stay here.” “Well, you can’t,” she laughed, playfully shoving my shoulder. “Go be
Chapter 121: Innocent until proven guiltyETHANI barely had time to process the evidence I had gathered when my office door slammed open. A man strode in, wearing an expensive suit, his face red with fury. I didn’t bother standing. I simply leaned back in my chair and watched him. "You really think you’re untouchable, don’t you, Ethan?" He hissed, slamming his hands on my desk. I remained calm. "And who the hell are you? Barging into my office like you own the place." "Don’t play games with me," he snapped. "I know you had my late wife’s case reopened." I tilted my head. "Ah, so words travel fast. That’s interesting." His eyes darkened. "You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into." I let out a small chuckle. "That’s where you’re wrong. I know exactly what I’m getting into. The question is…do you?" Smith clenched his jaw. "Drop it, Ethan. I’m warning you." I stood slowly, placing my hands on my desk as I met his gaze. "You don’t get to warn me. You think I don’
Chapter 120: I'm not a childMIAI was curled up on the couch, absentmindedly scrolling through my phone when I heard the front door open. It was Uncle Greg.I sat up looking at him. Judging by the way he looked back at me, I had a feeling my dad had already told him everything. Greg walked into the living room, rubbing his neck, his eyebrows narrowing.“So,” he said, dropping onto the couch across from me, “you and Ethan, huh?” I swallowed. “Dad told you.” He snorted. “Told me? More like ranted for a full hour. I had to remind him to breathe at some point.” I let out a small, humorless laugh. “Sounds about right.” Greg leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Look, Mia, I get it.” I frowned. “You get it? That's a lie. No one understands me.” He nodded, sighing heavily. “You’re in love with someone older, someone who’s got baggage, someone who isn’t exactly an easy choice.” He paused. “I’ve been there.” I blinked. “Wait…what?” Greg rubbed his jaw, looking lik
Chapter 119: AnxietySOPHIEMia was still asleep. I sat on the couch beside her, watching her. She looked exhausted, and I didn’t blame her. With everything happening, she deserved the rest. I tried to focus on her, on making sure she was okay, but my mind kept drifting. To Liam, the baby. To whether or not Liam even wanted this baby. He had reassured me, held me close, and told me we would be okay. But what if he was just saying that because he felt he had to? What if deep down, he was scared, or worse—regretful? He had always wanted to stand on his own, to build a life outside his father’s influence, I mean I even encouraged it but a baby changes everything. Did he see it as a burden? I shook my head at the thought. No. Liam loves me. He wouldn’t see our baby as a burden… right? Mia stirred beside me, stretching before her eyes slowly fluttered open. She blinked up at me sleepily. “You’re still here?” I managed a small smile. “Yeah, but I was just about to head home.”
Chapter 118: FuryJOHN EVANSI dropped Mia off at the house and gave strict instructions to the security not to let her out. My blood was boiling and my fists clenched so tight my knuckles ached. The image of Ethan and Mia together, still fresh in my memory. My own best friend. My daughter. How could they? I needed to forget everything. I zoomed off, gripping the steering wheel, my breaths coming in short. I didn’t trust myself around Mia—not when I was this furious. I needed a drink. I drove aimlessly until I spotted a bar on the corner of an empty street. Without thinking, I pulled in, parked, and headed inside. The smell of alcohol and smoke hit me instantly. It was quiet, only a few people scattered around. Perfect. I walked straight to the counter. “Whiskey. Neat.” The bartender nodded, pourin
Chapter 117: Mr politicianLIAMI stood outside my apartment door, gripping my keys so tightly my knuckles turned white. I recalled what my boss told me as I got to the office.“We're sorry, we have to lay you off. We appreciate your time here.” That's how I was fired. Just like that, without any reason.I hadn’t even seen it coming. One moment, I was in a meeting, and the next, I was being pulled aside by my boss who told me that my services were no longer needed. No explanation. No warning.I forced a breath through my nose, trying to push the frustration down. I wasn’t going to tell Sophie. Not yet. She had been dealing with so much at work, and I didn’t want to add to her stress. I unlocked the door and stepped inside. The apartment was quiet. “Sophie?” I called, scanning the living room. No answer. I che
Chapter 116: Danger to societyETHANPain was the first thing I felt when I woke up. A deep, throbbing ache that spread through my ribs and face like wildfire. I groaned, my head pounding as I forced my eyes open. My vision was blurry, but I could make out a figure sitting beside me. It was Emily. She was dabbing a cloth against my forehead, her face unreadable. “You’re awake,” she murmured, relief laced in her voice. I tried to sit up, but my body protested. “What the hell are you doing here?” I rasped. “You were beaten unconscious, Ethan,” she said matter-of-factly. “Someone had to take care of you.” I scoffed, wincing at the pain it caused. “I don’t need your help. You're the one who caused all these in the first place.” She frowned, clearly irritated. “You could at least say thank you, I mean, I did all of that for your own good. She doesn't deserve you, she too young for…”I glared. “I didn’t ask for your help. Get out.” She hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin
Chapter 115: A wreckMIAThe car ride home was unbearable. The silence between dad and I was suffocating and heavy. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, glancing at my father, but his hands remained tight on the steering wheel, his knuckles white. His jaw was clenched, his entire body was stiff with fury. I swallowed hard and finally gathered the courage to speak. “Dad…” My voice was quiet, hesitant. Nothing. “Can we at least talk about this?” I tried again, my fingers twisting in my lap. Still nothing. He didn’t even glance in my direction. I bit my lip, my chest tightening. “I know you’re mad, but…” He let out a sharp breath through his nose, gripping the wheel even tighter. “Mad?” he finally spoke, his voice dangerously low. “Mad doesn’t even begin to cover it. I'm livid, Mia Alexandria Evans.” I flinched, he never calls me by my full name. “Dad, I…” “Don’t! I do not want to do this with you, young woman.” His voice was cold, final. Tears stung my eyes. I hated th
Chapter 114: Did you groom her?JOHN EVANS“You really need to organize this mess,” Ava teased, holding up a stack of papers with a playful smirk. “How about I organize you?” I responded, wiggling my brows.She laughed, the soft melody filling my office as she ran her fingers along the edge of my desk. I chuckled, leaning back in my chair. “As for organizing the office files, isn't that what assistants are for?” She rolled her eyes. “I’m your secretary, dummy. You’re so impossible.” Something about the way she said it—her tone, the light amusement in her voice sent a sharp pang through my chest. It was the exact same way my dear Martha used to say it. For a moment, I saw my late wife standing there instead of Ava. Martha. I swallowed hard, the guilt creeping in on me. How could I be here with another wom
Chapter 113: Don't get killedETHAN I leaned against the counter, staring at my phone for a moment before finally pressing the call button. The dial tone barely rang twice before Mia picked up. “Hey,” she answered, her voice soft. I exhaled, feeling lighter just hearing her. “Hey, baby. I wanted to tell you something.” “What is it?” She responded.I smiled, “I sent Emily away.” There was silence then she asked cautiously, “For real?” “For real. She packed up and left this morning. I told her she had no choice but to sign the divorce papers. She fought it, of course, but I don’t care. I should’ve done it sooner.” I responded, “hopefully, she doesn't cause any more problems.”There was another pause before she said, “I don’t even know what to say.” “Say you’ll come over.” I smiled, trying to ease the tens