Ryan's POV Same day, in the morning...I stood by the window, watching the weak morning light filter through the blinds, casting long shadows across the floor. My thoughts were already running wild, as they often did these days, consumed with memories of her—of Emma. The thoughts had been restless, as they often were these days, tangled with memories and unresolved feelings that seemed to haunt my every waking moment. The way she looked, the way she moved, how she used to smile before everything went wrong. My grip tightened around the edge of the windowsill as I glanced at the clock. It was already half past eight; she should have been out of her room by now when she knew we had such an important meeting, and before that, we needed to talk as last night she had a splitting headache, and she didn't explain anything. But now I wanted to answer my questions; I needed to know everything. But why was she not out of her room? Was she not feeling well? Or was she deliberately taking so
Ryan's POV I felt my jaw clench at the thought. He’d been circling her like a vulture for weeks now, his interest in her obvious despite her supposed disinterest. But Emma was good at hiding things. She’d become an expert at it over the years.When I arrived at the office, I walked in with the air of authority that came naturally to me, but my mind was still preoccupied. I barely greeted anyone as I made my way to the boardroom, already dreading the tedious meeting ahead. Quarterly projections, budgets—none of it mattered right now. Not when my mind was focused on Emma and where the hell she had disappeared this morning.Just then, I saw that she was in her cabin, talking to Kate and Jane; Kate was talking to her as she talked to me, and Jane even offered her a coffee mug. She took it with a sarcastic smile. I felt a bit relieved. She was giving orders to them when I walked into her cabin. " Good morning! Why did you come so early? You didn't even wait for me? We could have come
Ryan's POV P“Emma,” I called out, my voice sharp with authority. I tried to stop and confront her, Her face was pale, her eyes wide with something close to panic. She looked at me, and for a moment, I saw something raw in her gaze—fear, maybe, or desperation. But she blinked, and it was gone, replaced by that same guarded expression she always wore around me.“I need to go,” she said, her voice shaky, but firm. “It’s personal.” She looked like she was on the verge of breaking down, but she held herself together, her chin lifting defiantly.I felt the anger flare again, my control slipping. “You don’t just walk out of a meeting without an explanation,” I snapped, my tone harsher than I intended. “What’s going on, Emma? Who was on the phone?” I asked but she snapped.“It’s none of your business, Ryan. Just… let me go.” Something about the way she said it—let me go—made my chest tighten. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t just let her walk away from me again, not without knowing what was going
Ryan's POV The boy was small, maybe five or six, but from my vantage point, I couldn’t see the boy’s face, only the back of his head, a mop of dark hair that looked unsettlingly familiar. A sick feeling settled in my gut. I watched as Emma knelt to the boy, her lips moving in quiet conversation, her hand gently brushing through his hair. She looked tender, motherly—a side of her I had never seen before.A child?Who was this child?Does she have a child? It couldn’t be hers. Could it?My jealousy flared up, a wave of bitterness washing over me.For a brief moment, I wondered if this boy was the child of the man Emma had supposedly moved on with. Was this why she had kept her life so private? Had she started a family without me?My chest tightened as a horrible realization began to dawn on me. The child… could he be mine?No. She wouldn’t have kept that from me. She wouldn’t have hidden something like that for six years. Would she?But there he was, holding her hand, and she hugged
Ryan's POV I didn’t need to ask the question again or wait to hear her reply. I didn’t need a DNA test. The truth was staring me right in the face, as clear as day.Emma had been hiding him from me? But why? How could she?? I staggered back, my mind reeling. I could barely breathe, the shock hitting me like a freight train. The boy—my son—was looking up at me, wide-eyed, innocent, unaware of the storm brewing inside me." Hello, I am James, who are you? " His name. My voice cracked as I said it, almost unconsciously. "James?"The boy blinked, his small face lighting up with excitement. "You know my name?"I couldn’t speak. My throat was tight, my heart thudding painfully against my ribcage. But then, something happened that shattered the last bit of restraint I had left, nothing could have prepared me for it. "James, he is Ryan... He is my... " She was saying but the expression of his cute face changed dramatically, all of a sudden. " Ryan????" He asked as if he was shocked to
Ryan's POV My parents had died in an accident and I was deprived of their love and family environment. My grandpa gave me everything, but he could not give me the love my parents used to. And here this son of mine was craving for my love, thinking that he lost me... I had a son... A son. I was getting very emotional and, at the same time, was getting very furious with Emma for depriving him as well as me of each other. My family was right in front of me." Orphanage?? " I glared at Emma again and she looked away. " Yes!" "But why did they say that you were from an orphanage?" I asked. " They asked me my dad's name, but I didn't know, so they teased me that she got me from there or she was a bad woman who didn't know my dad's name. " He said, a tear flowed from his eyes. I wanted to beat all those guys for hurting my son. But first of all, I wanted to punish Emma for all this... Why didn't she tell me anything? Why was she putting our son through so much pain? " Oh, my dear, you
Ryan's POV Life before this day felt so dull compared to the bright smile on my son's face. Emma had kept all this happiness from me. She had kept him from me. I felt like a raging bull at the moment; I wanted to confront her properly, not in hushed tones, in front of everyone. I turned back to James, my heart heavy with the weight of everything I had just discovered. "Why don’t you go find your teacher for a moment, son?" I said softly, brushing his hair out of his face.He nodded, beaming at the word son, and ran off without hesitation, leaving me and Emma alone. The silence between us was deafening. My blood was roaring in my ears as I stared at her, trying to keep my rage in check, but it was impossible.I turned to her and, holding her arm in my hand, I pulled her aside. "Why?" I finally rasped, my voice low and dangerous. "Why didn’t you tell me?" I really wanted to yell... If it was anyone but her, I would have lost my anger completely. Her eyes filled with shock, and she
Ryan's POV "There was nothing like that... I was too busy to take care of him." Her eyes locked onto mine, filled with guilt, pain, and something else that I could not read.But that wasn’t enough. It would never be enough. How could she look me in the eye now, after all this time, and expect me to just let this go?" Then why did you elope when you were with my child if you could not take care of him?? No, you don't deserve to have him with you. I will make you repent the moment you thought of taking my child away from me. I will make you crave to get even a glance at him. He will live with me now." I yelled at her. “Ryan, you can't do that after everything that happened between us. You don't know how difficult it was for me to do it.” Her voice cracked, barely a whisper as the tears finally spilled over, cascading down her cheeks. She burst into tears. I felt bad for her as I had seen how she had panicked when someone from the school had called her; she drove here at a record-br
Emma's POV The hours that followed blurred together—Ryan by my side, holding my hand, whispering words of encouragement. He whispered words of encouragement, his gaze full of love and strength, his fingers tracing soft circles over my skin, soothing me. His strength became my strength, his voice a lifeline. Every time I looked into his eyes, I felt anchored, loved, and understood in a way that words could never express.At last, the moment came. I heard the first wail, and as they placed her in my arms, I felt the first weight of her in my arms and a rush of love so deep, it was overwhelming, and my heart expanded in ways I hadn’t thought possible. Ryan was beside me, his eyes fixed on her with a look of absolute awe. He kissed my forehead, his voice thick with emotion. “She’s beautiful,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. His hand cradled her tiny head, and he looked at me, eyes filled with gratitude. “Thank you, Emma,” he whispered, leaning down to press a tender kiss to m
Emma's POV One month had passed since our island escape, and coming back to the life we’d built here felt different now—lighter somehow as if love had settled into every corner of our home. Ryan had slipped into our family life effortlessly, filling each day with small acts of tenderness that wove us closer together. For the first time in so long, I felt whole.But nothing could have prepared me for the morning. I realized my life was about to change once again.The signs were subtle at first—just an unusual fatigue, a lingering wave of dizziness now and then. I brushed it off as the after-effects of our busy schedules. But soon the signs became clearer, and I found myself looking down at a positive pregnancy test, a swirl of emotions overwhelming me. I sat there, staring at it, joy and disbelief intermingling. I was going to have another baby.Ryan came home later that evening, his face lighting up as he saw me. He wrapped me in his arms, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. “Hey,
Emma's POV We headed back to our suite, but Ryan had one last surprise waiting for me. When we entered the room, the lights were dimmed, and the air was filled with the scent of jasmine and vanilla.A path of rose petals led to the bathroom, where a luxurious bubble bath had been drawn, candles flickering around the edges of the tub.“Ryan…” I gasped, turning to him with wide eyes. “Did you—?”He grinned, wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing my cheek. “I figured after a day like today, you deserved a little pampering.”My heart swelled with love for this man, who knew exactly how to make every moment special. He led me to the tub, helping me slip into the warm, fragrant water before joining me. The bubbles rose around us, and I leaned back against his chest, closing my eyes as his hands massaged my shoulders.We sat in comfortable silence for a while, the only sound of the gentle lapping of the water and the soft flicker of the candles. It was peaceful, intimate, and everyth
Emma's POV After several hours in the sky, we began our descent, and I noticed a glimmer of turquoise below, almost like a hidden jewel nestled in a sea of endless blue. As we got closer, I could make out an island ringed with pristine beaches, the sunlight casting golden highlights across the sand. My heart skipped a beat as I took in the scene—the untouched beauty of white sand, palm trees swaying gently, the promise of secluded beaches.“This is…all yours?” I asked, a sense of disbelief coloring my words. It felt almost unreal.Ryan laughed softly, wrapping an arm around me. “Not just mine. Ours. Consider this our private retreat.The thought of it—an entire island, untouched and serene, where we could simply be together—sent a thrill through me. Once we landed, a small team greeted us, but they quickly disappeared after helping us settle in. It was just the two of us, alone in paradise.Ryan wrapped his arms around me from behind, pulling me close against him. I leaned into his c
Emma's POV Once we were certain that Daniel and Evan were safely behind bars, I felt like I could finally exhale. It was surreal to think that the shadows of their crimes—murder, kidnapping, so many lives shattered—were now confined, unable to reach us. The damage, though, still lingered, especially in Eva’s life.Daniel’s conviction allowed her to obtain a swift divorce and full custody of their son, Danny. But while she had her freedom, she deserved a chance at happiness too.Eva had been through unimaginable hardship, and now, with a young son, Danny, to care for, her life was far from settled. Thankfully, the charges against Daniel made it relatively easy for her to get a divorce and secure sole custody of Danny. Still, she was young and had lost much; it wasn’t right for her to face the future on her own.Ryan, in his characteristic way of looking after people, was the first to offer support. It was Ryan who first suggested a way to help her move forward. He introduced her to on
Ryan's POV As the officers secured him in handcuffs and began reading him his rights, I turned to Emma. She was still trembling, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as though trying to shield herself from the horrors she’d just endured. Her eyes, red and puffy from tears, met mine, and I saw a mix of relief and determination there.“Ryan,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “There’s something you need to know.”I stepped closer, my hand brushing against hers in a gesture of comfort. “What is it?”She hesitated, glancing at James, who clung to my side, his small fingers gripping my shirt. I knelt, cupping his face gently.“It’s okay, buddy,” I murmured. “Everything’s going to be fine now.”I turned to one of the officers. “Can someone take my son outside? He doesn’t need to hear this.”An officer nodded, extending his hand toward James. “Hey, champ, why don’t you come with me? We’ve got some juice and snacks in the car.”James looked at me, uncertainty flickering in his wide
Ryan's POV With a swift kick, the door slammed open, the sound reverberating like a gunshot through the room. Evan spun around, startled but not surprised. He stood over Emma and James, both bound to chairs. My heart clenched as I took in their faces—pale but alive, their eyes widening in shock and relief at the sight of us.“Emma,” I murmured, my voice low but filled with urgency. “It’s alright. I’m here.”Relief seemed to flood through her, and she nearly collapsed in the chair as if she had been holding her breath, the tension finally breaking. But there was no time to rest. Evan was already recovering, his face twisted with rage.“You,” he spat, his voice dripping with hatred. “Always ruining everything.”“This ends now, Evan,” I said, “You’ve done enough.”Evan laughed, “Oh, you think you’re the hero now? After everything you took from me?”My jaw tightened, and my fists clenched at my sides. “I didn’t take anything from you, Evan. You did this to yourself.”Evan’s face twisted
Ryan's POV Just ahead, I saw tire marks in the mud, leading away from the area. I crouched down, examining them, my mind racing. I followed the impressions of the tires in the mud and was shocked by what I saw ahead.I saw a car, just like mine, with the same number.What the hell?He used this to make them think it was me, not him, so they’d believe him.I saw a candy wrapper lying there—a Swiss chocolate candy I’d bought for my son. I picked it up, frustration coursing through me, a flood of helplessness rising with it. I was used to solving problems with precision, but here, every step felt like I was grasping at shadows. Emma and James were out there somewhere—alone, scared, with that monster.Gritting my teeth, I swore I’d kill that man. For the first time in years, I felt powerless, as if everything I valued was slipping through my fingers.Finally, the team managed to pinpoint Emma’s phone’s last ping just outside an abandoned cottage—the perfect hiding place. A surge of deter
Ryan's POV Then, the final revelation, the one that sent a chill through my veins. “Evan doesn’t just want to ruin you, Ryan,” Daniel said, his eyes glinting with perverse satisfaction. “He wants to be you. He’s been planning this for months. Changing his look, studying you—down to your bloody mannerisms. He’s got a way out, a clean record. No one would question it if he walked right back into your life, because no one would know.”The room fell silent, his words hanging in the air, heavier than anything I’d imagined. Evan planned to kill us, to eliminate every trace of my existence, and then live as me—he’d done everything necessary to erase his old life and assume mine, seamlessly.The realization gripped me like a vice. Emma and James were in the hands of a man who was not only ruthless but methodical, who wouldn’t hesitate to kill them just to ensure his twisted plan played out perfectly. I could feel the rage, the cold, calculated fury that settled deep in my bones, overriding t