Emma's POVAs we explored more options, Ryan couldn't resist teasing me by suggesting some daring choices, like a bold velvet jacket or a flamboyant bow tie. "Come on, Emma, let's add a dash of wild to the mix. Your parents will love it!" "Ryan, we're not attending a circus. We need something classy." I raised an eyebrow and said. Amidst the formality, Ryan managed to slip into a few casual outfits that exuded charm without compromising style. He twirled in a well-fitted blazer, winking at Emma. "What do you think? Can I wear this to the pre-wedding festivities?"I couldn't help but laugh. "You're going to turn heads, that's for sure."We continued the process of trying on different outfits, each exchange made me more aware of him. As they moved on to accessories, Ryan couldn't resist a playful attempt at tying a bow tie. I couldn't resist teasing him about the silk tie as he had not tied the naught perfectly. "Oops, I think I messed it up. Mind helping me, Emma?" he asked me to t
Emma's POV "I think I am paying you to work, not to gossip. Go and do your work, or I will deduct your salary. " I threatened her but she smiled. " I said shut up!! He is just a friend. " " Liar!! If he is just a friend, why are you getting so hyper?? I am happy for you. " " Go and do your work, Lily. " I said. She smiled and went away, saying, " But I liked this one, very handsome and hot. Introduce me to him if he is single by any chance, and if, you are not interested. " Crazy girl!! Why do I have to deal with all the crazy people in the world? I kept working on some new designs, and after a few hours, it was my time to go home, so I drove home. I opened the door of my cottage; it was absolutely clean and calm, the way I liked it. That's why I bought this nice beautiful cottage on the outskirts of the city, away from the busy life and heavy traffic of the city. It had been a good summer, but now we were in October, and the blue sky beyond my window held the clear pureness
Emma's POV It was a beautiful cottage, only the kitchen was modern, as I could not deal with the old ways of cooking and wanted everything to be very functional and easy to use. I was still thinking about it when the doorbell rang. I went to open the door and saw him standing there with his luggage. The moment Ryan stepped into my home, his eyes widened in amazement. "Wow, your home is beautiful," he exclaimed, practically bouncing on his toes. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his enthusiasm." You came here in the morning as well, you didn't say anything at that time." I reminded him. " I wanted to, but George had told me to be quiet as you were very upset and tense, and later on when you were normal, we were already discussing more pressing and serious issues. But seriously, Emma, this place is like a dream!" He said and I thanked him with a polite smile. " I can't believe, I am going to live here with you. " He said again looking around. "Ryan, let's get one thing strai
Emma's POV "Ryan, I am allowing you to stay with me in my home, but since none of my family members are here, we don't need to pretend or be friendly. So stay as far as possible from me. Make yourself almost invisible to me. I don't like noise or to be disturbed, that's why I bought this cottage in the calm surroundings. Don't even think of spoiling the peace and tranquility that I need and feel here. " " I swear, you are very pretty but extremely boring. Fine, I will try not to disturb you deliberately. But I am not your servant, you need me more than I need you. So I will try not to disturb you, but I don't promise to follow your rules." He said. I was annoyed with his arrogance but I had no other choice as I had already introduced him to my family. " Fine!! But keep one thing in mind we need to be very convincing. My family will leave me alone only if they are convinced that I'm dating a serious, responsible man. So, no dance parties, no fights, no flirting, no guests, and def
Emma's POV " Are you not interested in men? Or are you interested in some particular man?" He asked again with a raised eyebrow. Ughhh!!! God, please forgive me, If I kill this man someday soon. " Listen for once and for all. I am saying this for, the last time, none of the assumptions you made are correct. I am not interested in all this. For me, my work is everything; I don't have time to waste on useless emotions. " I said firmly, and just then, the doorbell rang, and he went to get the food. He had ordered Italian food. He got the food while I got up to lay the table. The food smelt good, and we served food on our plates. I was so tense and felt guilty about deceiving my family. So could not eat much. He seemed to be very hungry and finished his food. " Hey, why are you not eating, the food was so good, you didn't like it? If so, I will order something else for you. " He asked. " No!! I don't feel like eating. Please don't worry. I am fine, just tense as I feel that I am
Emma's POV Next, he made me sit on a garden chair and made Ryan sit by my feet with his head on my lap, my fingers were in his hair. I got conscious of this as it was quite intimate. As the morning sun climbed higher, we changed outfits and locations. From the picturesque garden, we moved to a quaint café downtown. I wore a flowy sundress, and Ryan donned a crisp white shirt. George directed us to a cozy corner table by the window, where we sipped lattes and shared a pastry. The atmosphere was charmingly romantic, and for a few fleeting moments, it was easy to imagine we were just another couple in love with any person but me. I was a bit stiff. "Lean in closer, Emma," George instructed, his camera lens trained on us. "Rest your head on Ryan's shoulder."I hesitated for a second before complying, feeling the warmth of Ryan's body against mine. The scent of his cologne was comforting, and I closed my eyes, trying to immerse myself in the role I was playing. George's shutter continue
Emma's POVFinally, only a few more photographs were to be clicked, though I was not in a mood, so we went to another location. After the pictures were clicked. George went to do some other assignments, while Ryan and I thought of coming back to our office. Ryan wanted to go back to his hotel to pack his stuff so that he could vacate it. So he decided to go back after dropping me at the office. ********We were coming back to our office when I thought of the perfect gift for Eva and I smiled. I had a hobby of buying very rare and designer jewelry, and I had bought some very beautiful pieces a few months back, but since they were very expensive, I kept them in my bank locker because I lived alone on the outskirts of the city. Eva had always liked my collection, and these pieces were the most recent additions to the collection, she had not seen them as I kept them in the back immediately after buying them. My bank was on the way and I could get some of the designs out of the locker.
Emma's POV I had left for work at the right time in the morning as I always did; I liked to arrive at the office at the same time as the other staff; my father arrived later, his chauffeur dropping him off outside the office premises at about 9:30. The bank was situated inside the city, and the manager greeted me. Though he was my senior, everyone knew that I was my dad's heir, so I was usually being handled cautiously with kid gloves, not just by my fellow workers but also by my superiors, all of whom were very conscious of the fact that I was the chairman's daughter. It was not an enviable position despite what the sum of the contemporaries thought... I had overheard one of the other girls making Katy remarks about me in the clock room, I felt set apart from the other girls alien to them. I never got the privileges they seemed to think, I had. I was all too conscious that my dad was expecting me to do well.In the evening, while other girls used to enjoy themselves, I used to rep
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