Author’s POVAs Hannah walked away, she stood at a distance and took a deep breath, hardening her resolve. She would find Lily and get the answers she needed, no matter the cost. As she stood there, her phone suddenly vibrated and she quickly retrieved it and checked the message. At a glance, she could tell it was the same psycho from the party. His words sounded ominous,“The truth is closer than you think. Meet me tomorrow night if you want to know what it is.”Her heart leaped with excitement but just as quickly disappeared, replied by an anxious expression. The man knew too much already. And if he could find her, he could likely find her husband, Ethan too. The more she thought about it, the more dangerous and complicated this could get, and the thought terrified her. She had just realized what she was walking into, only that she couldn’t back down now.She took a deep breath and looked around, checking for any sights of Ethan, she didn’t want to run into the man again, especial
Author’s POVEthan scoffed upon hearing this, “It seems you can’t if you’re just going to get yourself into dangerous situations. Someone has to watch you, Hannah, if not you’re just going to end up in a mess you can’t get yourself out of.”“Like this marriage,” Hannah interjected coldly.Those words hit Ethan low, and he paused for a moment, his face flushed with anger, but he composed himself and said nothing for some moment.Then he shifted his gaze, cold and stern toward Hannah, “You’ve been lying to me. Sneaking around behind my back. How many times, Hannah?”Hannah’s face immediately flushed with anger, as if she had finally been pushed to a curb, “You’re one to talk about honesty,” she shot back.“You keep secrets – you keep secrets about your life, about your business, about your friends and exes. I don’t even know who you are. Is anything about you even real?” She snapped.The car suddenly jerked to a stop over a deserted street, and the abrupt silence that followed was deafe
Author’s POVWith a shaky breath, Hannah crossed the room and picked up her phone, her thumb hovering over Grace’s number.She wanted to call her, tell her to stop digging for information on Ethan, to let this whole thing go before it unraveled any further.But as she was about to pick up the phone and send the text, a notification pinged at the top of her screen, making her heart skip in fear.It was a text. From an unknown number. Hannah’s hands trembled slightly as she opened it, her hands froze as she read the text, “Something happened tonight, didn’t it? Meet me tomorrow night. No more hiding.” She felt a chill run down her spine as she read the words over and over, her mind racing thinking about the implications. The mysterious stranger had not yet given up, instead, this was just getting more serious. She stared at the screen, her hand hanging in the air, hesitantly.She did not know what to do at that time. Her mind whirled with questions, about Ethan, about Lily, the hidden
Author’s POVBy the time Ethan returned to the mansion that evening, the weight of his father’s words was still heavy on him. As he walked through the grand hall, he felt tense, afraid that everything might collapse on him.He knew he could disobey his father, uncertain that the man might even make it out of this, but everything he now had to do was constantly suffocating him, and this marriage. This marriage just made everything a lot more heavy to bear. It didn’t matter if he was tired, no one would care even if he said something. All that was required of him was to fulfill his father’s legacy by carrying on his responsibilities, both in the family and in the business.For Ethan, it was all too much at this point. With the pressures he had to face day in and day out, the person he was forced to be, he felt like a side of him was fading away like he was losing control.He walked through the grand hall of his mansion, his footsteps echoing as he walked past rooms he could barely reco
Author’s POVHannah remained dumbfounded at this point, not sure what to say. She felt her heart twist painfully, guilt gnawing at her. The whole reason for this was to uncover the truth about Lily and to use Ethan’s world as her means to that end. But standing here now, seeing the vulnerability in his eyes, she realized just how tangled this whole situation and her feelings had become.Before she could respond, a sudden vibration from her pocket broke the silence. Her blood ran cold. Without checking, she knew who the message was from. The mysterious figure was still watching her, still closing in, and now Ethan was questioning her as well.His expression hardened as he caught the flash of fear in her eyes. “What’s going on, Hannah?” He asked, his tone sharp.“Who are you hiding from?” Hannah opened her mouth to speak, but the words wouldn’t come. She was caught between the truth she couldn’t share and the growing connection she couldn’t deny. But with Ethan’s patience thinning and
Author’s POVFinding out that there was truly a connection between Lily and Ethan devastated Hannah, she remained quiet for a while, looking at Ethan with pure horror on her face. She shifted her gaze away from Ethan for a while, trying to process this, and then suddenly she opened her mouth to talk, but the words remained stuck in her throat.After a while, she slowly pulled her wrist from his grip, but his hand lingered in the air, curling as if still trying to hold on to her touch.Reluctantly, Hannah sat beside him, brushing her hand over his as Ethan’s breath steadied. She stayed there, unable to pull herself away, her heart thudding painfully in her chest.At that moment, she could not help but wonder. Was this who he was when his guard fell? Was this the real Ethan beneath the steel exterior? She was starting to see cracks, pieces of his real self forming together, exposing a hidden vulnerability, but somehow seeing this part of him only made it harder. At that moment, she w
Author’s POVHannah lingered around in the kitchen, her heart racing as her mind delved deeper into the thoughts. She'd heard every word Ethan whispered last night, felt the desperation in his touch, and saw the raw pain in his eyes. Her mind was conflicted, she never pictured Ethan as someone who would let down his guards, someone she’d find herself worried and concerned for. Lily’s lip had slipped from his lips like a wound reopening, and her heart ached at the sound of it. She knew Ethan hadn’t meant to say it, yet she couldn’t just ignore last night. Finally, she had confirmed her suspicions – Ethan knew about Lily, but how?She’d been racking her brain, trying to trace that connection. Anything at all that would make sense of all of this.‘Why did he say she wasn’t like Lily?’ Hannah wondered, filled with fear and curiosity. However, her mind also raced with one thought.She knew sooner or later, Ethan would be up and if he remembered anything from last night, she wouldn’t know
Author’s POVEthan walked up slowly to Julienne, and stopped just a few inches in front of her, “Drop it, Julienne,” he said his voice tight,“Just don’t get involved. My marriage is fine.” He brushed past her, heading out of the kitchen, hoping she’d let the matter go.Julienne on the other hand had no intentions of letting the matter go. She watched him leave, her mind slipping with possibilities. She’d seen the way Hannah looked at Ethan when he wasn’t noticing. A mix of desire and guardedness that screamed secrets. Nothing intrigued her more than a well-kept secret. She could tell that something was wrong and that Hannah might be too afraid to ask for help with Ethan, and knowing Ethan, he would be too blind to see it. As such she decided to do the one thing she knew Ethan would hate, and step in. As she walked out of the room, she made it a point to casually run into Hannah somewhere in the mansion. After searching for a while, she spotted Hannah across from the balcony, in the
The ocean stretched endlessly before them, its deep blue waters shimmering under the afternoon sun. The waves crashed rhythmically against the shore, filling the air with the scent of salt and freedom. The soft hum of distant laughter, the occasional cry of a seagull, and the warmth of the sand beneath his feet made Ethan feel something he hadn’t in a long time—at peace.He lay back in his beach chair, sunglasses shielding his eyes as he took in the scene before him. Hannah and Lily were walking along the shoreline, their bare feet sinking into the wet sand with each step. Hannah’s laughter carried over the breeze, light and unguarded.Ethan couldn’t stop staring at her. It had been years since he’d seen her this carefree. No worries, no burdens—just pure, unfiltered joy.Lucian, lounging beside him, sipped his drink and smirked. “Didn’t think you were the vacation type.”Ethan chuckled, shaking his head. “Didn’t think I’d get a second chance at this kind of peace.”Lucian nodded slow
The evening air carried the soft scent of roses and freshly cut grass as the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting a golden glow over the garden. Strings of twinkling lights hung above, flickering gently in the breeze. It was simple, intimate—exactly what they needed.Ethan adjusted the cuff of his suit, taking a deep breath. He never thought he’d be standing here again, vowing himself to Hannah, not because they had to, but because they chose to.Lucian clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Nervous?”Ethan scoffed. “Since when do I get nervous?”Lucian smirked. “You’re literally sweating.”Ethan wiped his palms against his pants, rolling his eyes. “It’s just hot out.”Lucian chuckled. “Sure it is.”But the truth was, Ethan was nervous—not because he doubted what he was about to do, but because of how much it meant.He glanced around. The guest list was small, just their closest friends and family. Noah stood in the corner, ever the watchful guardian. Lily adjusted Hannah’s bouquet, whisper
Ethan sat across from Hannah in their bedroom, the quiet between them stretching long and heavy, filled with everything they hadn’t yet said. The past few days had been a storm—one they had barely made it through. And yet, in this moment, it wasn’t the past battles that scared Ethan the most. It was this. Sitting here, looking at Hannah, knowing he had nearly lost her in more ways than one.Hannah sat on the edge of the bed, her hands clasped together in her lap. There was no anger in her eyes, but there was something else—something deeper. A sadness. A weariness. And maybe, just maybe, a little hope.Ethan exhaled slowly, rubbing his hands together as if that would ease the tension in his chest. “I should’ve told you everything from the beginning,” he admitted, his voice quiet but firm. “I thought keeping things from you would protect you, but all it did was push you away. I was scared of losing you.”Hannah sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Ethan, I knew you had secrets. I c
The explosion was deafening. A wave of heat and force slammed into Ethan, knocking him off balance as shards of debris flew through the air. The ground beneath him trembled. Smoke curled into the night sky, filling his lungs with the acrid scent of burning metal and dust.Ethan coughed, trying to steady himself as his vision swam. He turned his head and saw Anderson slumped beside him, barely conscious, his breathing shallow.A few feet away, the man in the tailored suit—his enemy, his nightmare—stumbled back from the force of the blast. But even through the chaos, he recovered quickly, brushing the dust off his expensive jacket. A smirk tugged at his lips, as if none of this fazed him.Lucian, always the fastest to react, grabbed Ethan’s arm. His grip was firm, urgent. “Move!”Ethan didn’t waste time. He wrapped an arm around Anderson and hoisted him up, supporting most of his weight. Anderson groaned in pain, but he didn’t resist.Flames crackled from the black SUVs parked nearby. T
A thick silence fell over the room. Ethan’s breath hitched in his throat, his pulse thundering as Anderson’s words settled in. “You should have left things alone.” What did he even mean by that? Ethan wondered.Lucian exchanged a glance with Ethan, his body shifting uncomfortably. He took a step toward the door, his hand instinctively reaching for the gun at his waist. Something was wrong. Very wrong.Ethan turned back to Anderson, whose face was pale, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. His breathing was ragged, his chest rising and falling with effort. But it wasn’t pain that twisted his features—it was terror.“Anderson,” Ethan pressed, his fingers tightening around Anderson’s cold wrist. “What do you mean? Who did this to you?”Anderson tried to move, but his body was too weak. He clenched his jaw, forcing out a whisper between his shallow breaths.“They know.”Ethan’s blood ran cold.Before he could ask what Anderson meant, Lucian moved abruptly, shoving Ethan back.“Get down
As Ethan entered the room again, his heart sank as he saw Anderson. He looked even worse than he was before. Ethan hesitated for a moment, and then pulled a chair close to the bed and sat down, gripping the armrest tightly.This time around, Lucian stood by the door, arms crossed and his eyes scanning the room like he expected danger to come crashing through at any moment. Somewhere deep down, he knew Anderson was not in the clear yet. Not while he was still in this hospital.Ethan barely noticed, Lucian’s demeanor. He reached out, hesitating before lightly grasping Anderson’s wrist. It was cold. Too cold.His throat felt tight. “You have to wake up,” he whispered. “You have to tell me who did this.”Anderson didn’t move.Ethan exhaled shakily, his grip tightening. “I thought you were dead. Do you get that? I—” His voice wavered, and he clenched his jaw. “I grieved you. And now you’re back, but you’re barely here, and I—”He shook his head, frustration burning beneath his skin. “Damn
The hospital room felt smaller, like the walls were closing in, pressing down on Ethan’s chest as he watched Anderson convulse on the bed. The shrill beeping of the heart monitor filled his ears, drowning out everything else. Nurses and doctors shouted, moving quickly, but all Ethan could focus on was Anderson—pale, shaking, slipping away right in front of him.“They know.”The words echoed in his mind like a warning, a scream he couldn’t ignore. Lucian was still gripping his arm, holding him back, but Ethan barely felt it. His entire body was tense, his breath coming in short, shallow bursts.A nurse shoved past them, her voice sharp and urgent. “We need to stabilize him now!”“BP’s dropping fast!” another called.“Charging to 200!”Ethan flinched as the defibrillator paddles pressed against Anderson’s chest.“Clear!”Anderson’s body jerked, then slumped.Ethan’s stomach twisted.“Again!”Another jolt. Another lifeless slump.Panic gripped Ethan so hard his pulse pounded against his
Lucian paced. He couldn’t help it. His body was too charged, his mind too overwhelmed to stay still. His breaths came in sharp, measured inhales as he kept his eyes on Anderson.Ethan hadn’t moved. He was still kneeling beside his cousin, gripping his arm as if afraid that if he let go, Anderson would disappear again. His lips moved in whispers, too low for Lucian to hear. Maybe he was apologizing. Maybe he was making promises.Lucian clenched his jaw. He could hear the distant wail of sirens now, cutting through the silence of Greenville’s ruins. Help was coming. But was it fast enough? He didn’t know how Anderson had managed to survive this long, but one thing was sure, if he hadn’t gotten any help soon, he might not make it much longer anymore.His eyes flickered to Ethan. The man had barely reacted to anything else since they found Anderson. The emotions flickering across his face were too raw to name, shock, disbelief, agony, relief. All tangled into something indescribable.Luci
The drive to Greenville was short, but every mile stretched on like an eternity. With each passing second, Lucian’s hand gripped the wheel tighter, his mind caught in an endless loop of Ethan’s chilling words.“The earthquake should’ve taken me, not him.” Those words replayed once again in his mind, followed by guilt, regret and pain.Ethan had been drowning in it, and Lucian had missed all the signs. This weighed heavily on him considering his welfare was one of the main things he was supposed to look out for. How could he have been so blind? Lucian groaned.He should have stopped him. Should have made him stay. Should have—He exhaled sharply. “No. No more should-haves.” He muttered. He was here now, and in a matter of time, he would find Ethan before it was too late.As he looked at the place now, the road cracked at the edges, debris scattered across the pavement like fallen memories. The photos had not done it justice, the ruins of this place was more than what was shown. Buildin