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
Author’s POVThe air in the room was heavy, as Lily stared at the phone in Hannah’s hand, her fingers trembling. She didn’t want to answer. She didn’t want to hear his voice again. But Hannah wasn’t giving her a choice. Slowly, she grabbed the phone and brought it to her ear. “H-Hello?” she stammered, her voice barely audible. There was a brief silence on the other end for a moment, and then a calm yet cold voice spoke. “Lily,” the man said softly, his tone dripping with satisfaction. “Did you really think you could hide from me forever?” Lily’s breath caught in her throat. She tried to speak but couldn’t form words. Her throat felt dry, and her heart raced. “Wh-what do you want?” She stuttered.The man laughed bitterly. “What I’ve always wanted, Lily,” he said. “The money you stole from me.” “I don’t have it,” Lily said quickly, her voice trembling. “I don’t have your money anymore.” The man’s tone hardened. “Well, that’s unfortunate,” he said. “Alfred won’t like hearing t
Author’s POVHannah folded her arms, watching Lily closely. She could not imagine that she had spent years feeling so little since Lily took her boyfriend from her, but now looking at her now, all she could see was a small and uncertain girl who had no clue what she was doing. Hannah sighed heavily, the tension thick between them. “Well?” She asked, her voice sharp. “What are you doing here?”Lily hesitated, her eyes darting to the ground. It was as though she was struggling to find the right words or anything to say, but still, the words were unable to form. Frustrated, Hannah, turned on her heel to walk away.“Wait!” Lily’s voice broke through the quiet, her ton tinged with desperation and fear. “I’m here because of you.”Hannah froze mid-step, and slowly turned back, her face unreadable but her eyes hinting with curiousity. “What do you mean, ‘because of me?’” Lily moved uncomfortably, looking anywhere but at Hannah. She opened her mouth to speak, but before any words could come
Author’s POVHannah froze, the familiar voice sending a chill down her spine. She clenched her fist, recognizing it immediately.Slowly, she turned around, already aware of who it was, but still her heart dropped when she saw her.It was Lily.Hannah’s breath caught, and her expression twisted with shock and anger. Every memory of betrayal—her father’s death, Lily’s theft, and the wreckage she had left behind rushed to the surface. It was as if time had stopped, and all she could see now was the woman who had ruined everything.Her lips trembled as she tried to speak, but the hurt was so deep that she couldn’t move. For a moment, she wanted to lunge at her, she had spent years thinking about what she’d do when this moment finally came. Would she fight her? Make her feel even a fraction of the pain she had caused? Would she immediately turn her over to Alfred Wolfe and every other enemy Lily had made along the way?The thoughts rushed at her, tempting, but she remained rooted in place,
Author’s POVEthan’s eyes widened when he heard Lily’s name and for a moment he seemed at a loss for words. “Lily?” he repeated, his voice soft with disbelief.“Yes, Lily,” Hannah spat.“Was I just her replacement? Someone to fill the void she left behind?”Ethan stepped closer, his face filled with confusion and a loss for words. He knew this day would come, but he didn't want to have to deal with this here. The crowd were still waiting for them, and he couldn't afford anything to seem wrong between them,“Hannah, where is this coming from? Lily was—”“Don’t,” Hannah interrupted, holding up a hand. Her voice was firm, though her heart felt like it was being ripped apart. “Don’t tell me she didn’t mean anything. Don’t insult me like that.”Ethan’s jaw tightened. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”“Oh, don’t I?” she shot back, her voice rising. “You think I don’t see it? Every time you look at me, it’s like you’re looking at someone else. Someone who isn’t here anymore. I’
Author's POVHannah’s heart raced as Liam’s name was announced. The revelation felt like a slap to her face. She had worked with Liam for more than two years and never for once sensed that he was the heir of the Eunuch family.At this point, everything she knew felt like a lie. Her breath hitched, and her head spun as she stared at him. How could this be? The man she had once worked with in the nightclub was now revealed as one of the most powerful figures in the city. Meanwhile, Ethan froze on the stage, still staring at Liam in disbelief, his face pale and his jaw tight, his shock mirroring her own. Hannah tried to wrap her head around this. Tonight was quickly becoming more than she could comprehend, but before she could even process the shock, her phone buzzed in her hand. Her stomach tightened as she glanced down at the screen. It was a message from Grace. She sensed what this was about. Grace had informed her earlier that she was closing in on a lead about Ethan, and would
Author’s POVThe hallway speakers suddenly sounded, breaking the festive atmosphere in the room.Curious to find out what was going on, Hannah approached Ethan hastily with a glass of wine and handed it to him, her face filled with confusion.At this time, a middle aged man strode towards the stage with a glass of wine in his hand,“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for showing up tonight. I must say you all look very lovely. Tonight is the beginning of a very important partnership, one that will change the future of two of the biggest companies in the country.”“With that, please join me as I welcome the man who made all of this possible to the stage to tell us briefly about what they have in future for us. I believe most of us here already know him.” As he spoke, the reporters among the crowd started looking around for Ethan, and just then, the announcers voice went off again,“Please welcome Ethan Ford to the stage.” As soon as Ethan’s name was announced, the crowd started applaudin
Author’s POV“Chairman Eunuch?” Ethan asked, seeking clarification. The chauffeur looked a little puzzled, but answered, “Yes, he’s excited to meet with you.”Ethan nodded, thinking it was Liam’s father. Finally, he wouldn’t have to deal with Liam anymore, he thought.The chauffeur opened the car door and after they entered, drove to the country club.The Eunuchs owned one of the largest real estate enterprises in the country and this country cafe was the largest in the country with a large reception and entertainment hall for events.After a short drive, Ethan and Hannah arrived at the venue and right from the entrance, they could tell this was a large event.The reception hall was luxuriously decorated, and outside stood a live media coverage. However, when Hannah saw this, her nerves felt like they were set on fire. Ethan noticed the anxious look on her face and gently held her hand, “It’s going to be okay. I’ll be right there with you the whole time.” He said in a calm tone.Stra
Author’s POVHannah's heart raced as she stared at Ethan, her thoughts drifting away. His large arms and ripped back left her in a trance, and slowly as if in a trance, she approached him.Ethan suddenly turned around hearing her footsteps, “Hannah.” He blurted in shock, his face flushing with humiliation.He quickly picked up his shirt and threw it on, “What are you doing here?”“I-uh…” Hannah stammered, her eyes still glued to his toned packs and rounded chest.“I came to check in on you.” She finally said.Ethan quickly dressed up, “I’ll be out in a minute.” He said dismissively.Hannah remained quiet for a while and then replied, “Right. I guess I’ll see you out there.” She turned to leave but then suddenly stopped at the door, turning back. She could not tell what came over her, but everything in her fought the urge to forget the party and throw herself on him right now. And for the first time, the thought of it did not make her uncomfortable. Ethan was buttoning his shirt w
Author’s POV“What is a letter doing here?” Hannah wondered, still staring at the letter curiously. After a while, she approached the dress, gently picked it up, and observed the intricate designs, and then her gaze shifted back to the letter. Hannah heaved a deep sigh, glancing at the door. At first, she thought it was Ethan, but they shared a room and Hannah could not imagine what it was he had to say that he just couldn’t say to her. Slowly, she picked up the letter and tore open the seal. However, as soon as she noticed who it was from, she froze in shock and the letter fell right out of her hands. Without thinking, Hannah turned and ran out of the room into the hallway, scanning her eyes around hoping to find the waitress from before, but she was too late, she was already gone. After some more time searching the hallways and trying to describe the waitress from earlier even though she had barely gotten a good look at her, Hannah finally gave up and returned to her room.She pace