Isabel’s POVI was frozen. Emerson knew. Somehow, he had pieced it together, connecting dots I didn’t even know existed. Sebastian’s secret, Margot’s safety, my very presence—it was all in jeopardy. My first instinct was to burst through the door, offer myself up in exchange for their freedom. But then, through the one-way glass, I caught a subtle gesture from Sebastian. His fingers shifted. It was a barely noticeable movement, but one I recognized immediately.Don't move.I clenched my fists and forced myself to stay still. Despite every nerve in my body screaming to act. The tension between Sebastian and Emerson was palpable, like the air had thickened with an invisible force. Neither man was backing down. The room seemed to hum with danger.Sebastian’s expression remained calm, his poker face impeccable. "I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about," he said, his voice laced with false innocence. "Woods is a common name. The General's family name, not mine. You must be mista
Isabel’s POVAfter Emerson left, the tension in the room hung heavy in the air. His presence still lingered like a storm cloud threatening to break. I waited a while to make sure he was truly gone. I watched quietly as Sebastian paced the room with clenched fists, muttering curse words under his breath. After a few minutes, I left the small room behind the mirror and joined Sebastian. His normally calm demeanor was shattered. His chest was still heaving with frustration and anger."Are you okay?" I asked softly, unsure of how to ease the storm brewing inside him.He just shook his head, his jaw tight, and said nothing. His silence spoke volumes, though. I could feel the weight of everything we had just endured pressing down on him. I couldn’t blame him—Emerson had come armed with far more knowledge than we had anticipated, and the danger was now more real than ever.I found myself studying Sebastian more closely, suddenly aware of the man behind the disguise. His square jawline was
Isabel’s POVI stood frozen, ready to scream for help. Michael raised his hands, trying to signal peace. His expression softened, and he spoke gently. As if I were a frightened animal about to flee.“Miss Isabel,” he began, his voice calm but insistent, “I’m not here to hurt you. Emerson sent me. He’s been worried sick about you, more than you know.”My eyes narrowed. I didn’t trust him. Michael stepped forward cautiously. “Emerson had me keep watch on the barracks, hoping we’d find you,” he admitted.I suddenly remembered the look I’d seen pass between him and Emerson in the room earlier. Michael wasn’t here by chance—this was planned. I should have known better than to wander off like this. I clenched my fists, internally cursing my recklessness.“I never expected to see you this soon, but now that I have… Please, come back with me,” Michael said softly.I took another step back, feeling the cold bite of the wind as my heart raced. “No. I won’t go anywhere with you,” I replied, my vo
Isabel’s POVSebastian and I walked side by side, heading back toward the military camp. The air between us was thick with unspoken tension. He hadn’t said a word since the fight with Michael and the bodyguards. His face was hard as stone, eyes distant. I figured he was preoccupied, calculating his next steps. Emerson wasn’t someone to give up easily, and I knew Sebastian was already thinking about how to stay ahead of him.I kept my distance for most of the walk, staying just a step behind him, unsure of what to say. But as we neared the camp, something felt… off. His usually brisk pace had slowed considerably, so much so that without realizing it, I’d caught up to him. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, and that’s when I noticed it: the slight tremble in his steps, the shallow rise and fall of his chest, and the sheen of cold sweat forming on his forehead.My stomach twisted as I looked closer. His normally composed face was pale, his lips tight and colorless. Then I saw
Isabel’s POVAs I wandered through the camp, desperately trying to figure out where Sebastian might be, my mind was spinning with possibilities. Margot’s room? No, he wouldn’t go there. He wouldn’t want his sisters to worry about him. His office? I didn’t know exactly where it was, but it seemed like the most logical place.Frustration bubbled inside me. Why did he have to be so stubborn, refusing to admit he was hurt? I couldn’t just leave him like that. I needed to find him.I caught sight of a familiar face—Sebastian’s deputy, the soldier who had saved me along with him. He was talking to another soldier, but I figured it was worth a try.“Excuse me, sir,” I said tentatively, approaching them.He glanced over his shoulder and gave me a quick smile. “Oh, hi. Wait just a minute,” he said, turning back to the soldier. “Just do what I told you.”“Yes, sir,” the soldier replied before walking away.Sebastian’s deputy turned back to me with an easy grin. “What a coincidence. We meet agai
Isabel’s POV“I—I can’t believe you’re joking at a time like this,” I muttered, shaking my head but feeling a small smile tug at my lips despite myself.I hesitated for a moment longer, but then I stepped closer, taking the bandage from his hand. As I started wrapping it around his chest, I could feel his sharp intake of breath. I knew it hurt more than he was letting on.“Why didn’t you get help?” I asked quietly, focusing on my task to avoid looking directly at him.“I’m used to taking care of myself,” he replied, his voice steady but tinged with exhaustion. “And like I said, there are more important things to worry about.”“That doesn’t mean you should ignore your own injuries,” I said.He chuckled softly, but it sounded strained. “You sound like my sister.”“Well, she’s right,” I shot back, glancing up at him.The look in his eyes made me nervous, so I quickly averted my gaze. My fingers trembled slightly when they brushed against his skin. His muscles were solid, warm beneath my t
Emerson’s POVThe faint hum of the surveillance video filled the room, the images flickering in and out of clarity. I had watched this footage more times than I could count. My eyes, tired but sharp, were fixated on the moment Isabel vanished from the screen. Every detail was burned into my memory—the way she was hoisted off the ground by Sebastian and his soldiers. I paused on the image where he held her, helping her to her feet. Something about it gnawed at me, twisting in my gut like a vice.Why didn’t Isabel reach out to me? Why hadn’t she come home yet? Why did she trust that Sebastian guy over Michael?A dark, nameless anger stirred inside me. Maybe it was jealousy. Maybe it was the betrayal of her choosing strangers over me. Either way, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something more was happening. Something I was just out of reach of grasping. Isabel’s face, her blue eyes filled with that familiar determination, haunted my thoughts.I paused the video, freezing on that image
Isabel’s POV“Margot? Are you in there?” I knocked gently on her bedroom door. Silence. No response.I opened the door. “Margot?” My eyes narrowed as I scanned the room. She wasn’t there.Margot was gone. An unsettling feeling in my gut told me something was wrong. It was strange—she was always meticulous about letting someone know her whereabouts. Especially with how things had been lately. I called her name again, hoping she was just in the bathroom or had simply stepped out for a moment. No response.Everything in the room seemed in order, except for her hairbrush. It was lying on the ground. My pulse quickened. The hairbrush was a gift from Sebastian; she cherished it. The thought of her carelessly dropping it didn’t sit right with me. I picked it up and noticed a crack along its handle, as if it had been thrown. Hard.Panic began to tighten its grip on me. Something was wrong. The air in the room felt heavy with tension, like the lingering remnants of a storm. I had to tell Seba
Isabel’s POVI sat at the long outdoor table with Eric, his family, and little Elena. The sound of laughter and clinking glasses wove a fragile sense of warmth I hadn’t felt in years. This was… my family.The golden hues of the setting sun painted the ocean in shimmering amber. The air was heavy with the scent of grilled seafood and the faint sweetness of tropical flowers. But my heart was heavy, weighed down by the revelations of the evening.Eric leaned forward, his expression softened by nostalgia. His deep voice was steady but tinged with emotion. “Your mother, Lily… she was the heart of our family,” he began, his gaze drifting toward the horizon. “She was young, beautiful—just like you—and perhaps a little too naive when she left us.”I swallowed hard, my hands gripping the edge of my chair. “She left? Why?”Eric sighed and shook his head. “She fell in love. Head over heels, the kind of love that blinds you to everything else. He was a man with a reputation—a famous playboy known
Isabel’s POVThe ride to the other side of the island was surreal. As the dense jungle opened to reveal the North Star Hotel, my breath caught. The place was a paradise within a paradise. Beach huts with thatched roofs stood in neat rows along the golden shoreline, their soft lights glowing against the approaching dusk. Palm trees swayed lazily in the breeze. The sound of distant waves mixed with warm laughter and the enticing aroma of barbecue.A maid in a crisp white uniform greeted me as I stepped onto the cobblestone path leading to the main resort area. “Miss Isabel?” she asked with a warm smile.“Yes,” I replied, suddenly feeling out of place in my simple sundress amidst the elegance of the setting.“Please follow me.” She gestured toward a winding path that led deeper into the property.The beach hut she led me to was perched perfectly on the edge of the sand, its wide veranda overlooking the sparkling ocean. Twinkling fairy lights adorned the edges of the roof, and lanterns sw
Isabel’s POVReaching the girl, I carefully pulled her onto my back. Her delicate weight was almost nonexistent. Her pale skin and lips tinged with blue made my chest tighten with fear.“Don’t you dare give up,” I muttered, kicking hard toward the shore. The effort burned my muscles, each stroke a battle against the ocean. But adrenaline and sheer determination propelled me forward faster than I’d ever swam.When my feet finally touched the sandy shore, I stumbled onto the beach, cradling her in my arms. I laid her gently on the warm sand, brushing wet strands of her blonde hair from her face.“Come on, sweetheart,” I murmured, my voice trembling. “Stay with me.”I pressed my ear to her chest. The faint sound of her heartbeat brought a wave of relief. Still, her breaths were shallow. Panic clawed at my mind, but I forced myself to focus.I tilted her head back and began CPR. My hands moved with a steadiness that surprised me, even as fear gnawed at my resolve.Minutes felt like hours u
Isabel’s POVFrom the moment I stepped foot on the island, I knew I had made the right decision. The air was warm and heavy with the scent of salt and hibiscus. The sound of waves lapping gently against the shore soothed the raw edges of my nerves. It was a paradise unlike anything I had ever known. The ocean stretched endlessly before me—a shimmering expanse of turquoise that met the sky at an indistinct line. A local fisherman greeted me warmly as I stepped onto the pristine shore. His weathered face broke into a kind smile as he motioned toward a path leading up the beach. “This way, miss,” he said, his voice rough from years spent at sea.He led me to a charming beach house, nestled among a grove of palm trees swaying gently in the ocean breeze. The house was modest in size but modern in design.Its whitewashed walls glowed softly in the afternoon light. Large windows reflected the surrounding dunes and the endless stretch of turquoise sea just steps away.The porch was shaded b
Isabel’s POVSince Elias left, restlessness had wrapped around me like a second skin. I couldn’t shake the gnawing unease that clawed at my chest. Each tick of the clock only amplified my fears. What did Emerson want? Why had he gone to such lengths to meet Elias? Was it a ploy to find me, or was it something else entirely?I paced the room, my thoughts spiraling. Images of Emerson flooded my mind—his intense gaze, the quiet storm that always brewed in his presence. Would he storm in here, demanding answers, or was he plotting something far more calculated?Hours dragged by, each one heavier than the last. Finally, the phone rang, shattering the silence. I lunged for it, my pulse quickening.“It’s me,” Elias’s voice came through, steady and composed as always. “He didn’t discover you.”Relief coursed through me, and I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “Then why was he here?”“He proposed a partnership,” Elias said, his tone measured. “He wants us to work together to o
Sebastian/Elias’ POV“He’s found me, hasn’t he?” Isabel’s voice was barely above a whisper, yet the panic in her tone was unmistakable. Her eyes darted around the room as if expecting Emerson to burst through the door at any moment. “I knew it would happen sooner or later. I knew I couldn’t stay hidden forever. He’s too smart, too determined. I should’ve insisted we move somewhere even more remote. Maybe changed my appearance... maybe—”She began pacing the room, her movements rapid and restless, her hands repeatedly tugging at the hem of her shirt as though trying to ground herself. Her bare feet made soft but hurried sounds against the wooden floor, each step amplifying the tension in the small space.Her eyes turned to me, searching for answers. “Do you think he’s angry? That’s why he’s here, isn’t it? To confront me? To tell me how much I’ve hurt him? Maybe to...” Her voice faltered, and she wrapped her arms tightly around herself. “Maybe to take me back—by force, if he has to.”
Isabel’s POVMy hands trembled as I stared at the television screen, my breath catching in my throat. Alistair Montrose’s sharp, confident eyes bore into the camera as he vehemently denied the accusations. His words were laced with defiance, his arrogance unwavering. How dare he? How dare he act so righteous after tearing my family apart, after ruining lives without a shred of remorse?I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms. “How can he stand there and say those things after all he’s done?” My voice wavered with anger.Elias leaned back in his chair. His expression was unreadable but his tone was calm and deliberate. “That’s who he is. Alistair doesn’t bow to pressure. But don’t let that calm exterior fool you, Isabel. He’s cornered, and Emerson made sure of it.”“Emerson?” I asked, startled.Elias nodded. “Over the past three months, he’s been relentless. Retaliating. Gathering evidence. It’s no coincidence Alistair’s empire is crumbling. If Alistair can’t navigate his way
Isabel’s POVThe sight of Margot standing in the doorway stole my breath. Her hair, usually flawless, was a windswept mess, and her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. Before I could find my voice, she rushed toward me, her arms wrapping around me tightly.“You’re awake!” she sobbed, her body trembling against mine. “I thought… I thought I’d never see you again.”Her vulnerability tugged at something deep within me. I held her close, my own emotions threatening to spill over. “Margot… What are you doing here?”As she pulled back, wiping her tears, a thought clawed its way into my mind. If Margot was here, did it mean Caleb might know where I was? My chest tightened. The fewer people who knew about me being alive, the safer everyone would be.Before I could ask, Margot seemed to read my mind. “No, Caleb doesn’t know,” she admitted, her tone quieter now. “He’ll never find out.”The weight of her words made me falter. “What do you mean? Aren’t you two… together?”She shook her head, forcing
Isabel’s POVThe weight of Elias’s words settled over me like a suffocating blanket, each revelation cutting deeper than the last. I stared at him, my heart hammering in disbelief. Alistair and Raoul—names that now carried the full weight of betrayal and hatred. And my dad... or rather, my adoptive father, as he had admitted in his dying moments. The man who raised me, who taught me strength and resilience, was gone. And with his death came the unrelenting sting of truths I was not ready to confront.“I still can’t believe it,” I murmured, my voice trembling. “All these years, he hid the truth from me. He wasn’t my biological father.” I paused, swallowing hard. “But that doesn’t change how much I loved him. Or how much it hurts knowing I’ll never see him again.”Elias’s face softened. “He loved you, Isabel. Whatever the truth of your bloodline may be, he raised you as his own daughter. I’m sure his greatest regret was not telling you sooner.”I wanted to believe him, but the ache in