Ryan's POV The moment I stepped out of the principal’s office, I was overwhelmed with a rush of emotions—anger, frustration, confusion, and something I couldn’t even begin to name. It wasn’t just the revelation that I had a son. No, it was the fact that Emma had kept it from me for six years. Six long years where I had been deprived of knowing my child, deprived of being a father, while she had carried that secret around as if it were something she could simply hide away.James. My son.The weight of it was still sinking in. I watched as he stood there, holding onto Emma’s hand, looking up at both of us with such innocent eyes, completely unaware of the storm brewing between his parents. It was as if, in his little world, everything was perfect—his mum and dad were together, and they were going to spend the day with him. The reality, though, was far from perfect. Underneath the polite smiles and the casual banter, there was a tension so thick it was suffocating.Emma looked over at m
Ryan's POV He hugged us both tightly, practically glowing with happiness, and as we said our goodbyes, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt. This was what he wanted—a family. But then reality crashed back in, and I pulled away, the awkwardness settling in again like a heavy blanket. I glanced at Emma, and for a moment, our eyes met. There was something in her expression—something raw and vulnerable—and it twisted something inside me. We were both thinking the same thing: this was what James wanted. A family. But could we give it to him? Could we ever get back to that place, after everything that had happened?Maybe... If we both forget everything and try. God help me, I wanted that, though things weren’t that simple. I wanted to have her back in my life, but at the same time, I wanted to punish her for leaving me and taking my son away from me. James was very excited and his eyes went wide with excitement, darting from one ride to the next, barely able to contain himself.
Ryan's POV We finally got on the ride, and as it shot forward, Emma let out a gasp, her hand instinctively reaching for mine. I tightened my grip on her, holding her close as the roller coaster twisted and turned, sending us plummeting and soaring in quick succession. She hid her face in my chest, and I felt so good as if I had found the oasis in the desert. Hell!! She would be the death of me one day. Despite the tension, despite everything, it felt good to hold her again, to be close to her, even if it was under these circumstances. I wanted the ride to go on and time to stop right there. But it was not possible. When the ride finally came to a stop, Emma backed off, apologizing, getting as embarrassed and awkward as she was when I rescued her from that bank that day, she looked a little pale, but James was beaming. “That was amazing! Can we do it again?”Yes, that was amazing... I wanted that too but I was not sure about her. Emma shot me a look that clearly said, “No way,” an
Ryan's POV The day went on like that—ride after ride, James dragging us from one attraction to the next, completely oblivious to the tension between his parents. And for his sake, Emma and I played along. We smiled, we laughed, and we acted like everything was fine. But underneath it all, the anger, the frustration, the desire—it was all still there, simmering beneath the surface.He found a very cute ride for kids, so we went to ride that while we waited. He was waving at us and was laughing with other children. I was mesmerized to see him like that. " I still don't understand, why did you leave so suddenly? Why didn't you tell me about the pregnancy?" I could not contain my anger. But she looked angry, and surprised at my question, as if I was asking something that I should not have. Before she could respond, James came closer and cut in. “Can we go on the swings now?” he asked, tugging on both of our hands.I forced a smile. “Sure, buddy. Let’s go.”The swings were deceptively s
Ryan's POV It was, indeed, dinner time, and we were all exhausted. We found a small restaurant inside the park, nothing fancy, but good enough to sit down and unwind. James, still buzzing with excitement, barely touched his food, more interested in telling us about all the rides he wanted to go on again. Emma smiled and listened, though I could tell she was as drained as I was.The laughter of our son rang around us, but it felt distant. My focus was entirely on her—the woman who shattered everything. Emma stood a few feet away, her eyes following James as he ran ahead, oblivious to the war raging inside me.She kept him from me... I swallowed the anger, my jaw tightening. We were supposed to be here for James, but every second felt like a ticking bomb. I couldn’t keep pretending everything was fine. Every time I looked at him—my son—it felt like someone had shoved a knife in my chest and twisted it.Dinner was awkward, to say the least. We found a quiet restaurant inside the park,
Ryan's POV "About how you vanished without a word? Or how did you hide my son from me for six years?"" Why are you asking me? Don't you know the reasons?" " What reasons could possibly justify keeping my son from me? I swear, I wanted to make you go through all this. This time, it would be you who will be deprived of his love; I want to make you crave even a glance of him. ” I was furious beyond the limit. “You have no right,” she said, her voice sharp and cold. “No right to take him away from me.”“I have every right,” I snapped back, my anger finally boiling over. “He’s my son too, Emma. You don’t get to make that decision for both of us.”“I was trying to protect him,” she said again and now I wanted to know what she meant by that. “From what? Me?” I asked Her silence was all the answer I needed.“Unbelievable,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair. “You hid him from me, and now you’re acting like I’m the bad guy?”“I didn’t hide him from you out of malice, Ryan,” Emma
Ryan's POV In three long strides, I closed the distance between us, grabbing her arms "Are you out of your mind? I could never think of harming you. Do you really think I wouldn’t have wanted James?" I demanded, my voice rough with emotion. "Do you really think I would’ve just thrown him away like that?"Her eyes met mine, wide with surprise at the force in my words. The air between us crackled with tension, both emotional and physical. We were so close, too close. I could feel the heat of her body, the quickened rise and fall of her chest, the way her breath hitched as she stared up at me.Neither of us moved. Neither of us pulled away.I hated her for what she did, for keeping James from me. But God, I couldn’t deny that I still wanted her. Even after everything, the attraction between us hadn’t faded. If anything, it had grown more intense, fueled by all the anger and frustration.Her lips parted slightly, and I could feel the tension shift from anger to something else. Something
Ryan's POV " Emma, we need to calm down and talk, properly." " Then why did you try to..." " I was trying to fix things, and got carried away," I said before she could finish her sentence. "This won’t fix anything. We need to talk," she said, her voice softer now, but still strained. "Just talk."I nodded, stepping back, though every fiber of my being screamed at me to pull her close again. "You’re right. But don’t think for a second I’m letting you go. You still belong to me."Her eyes met mine, and for the first time since all this started, I saw a flicker of something else in her gaze. What was that?? But I knew, somehow, that this wasn’t the end. Not even close."Ryan! We can't talk like this. We will talk later..." She said. " We will talk about it right away, don't you think we should have talked about this years ago? No, we will talk right away. " " I have a severe headache. " She said pressing her head. Enough of her excuses... She used the same one last night as well
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