Isabel’s POV“Excuse me, ma’am,” Emerson’s voice came from behind me, smooth but laced with a certain edge. “Isabel is part of my team,” he continued, adding just the faintest touch of authority. His gaze flicked to me, a possessive glint in his eye. “But I appreciate the interest.”The magazine editor glanced between us, her brow arching as if she could sense the simmering tension beneath the polished surfaces. She shifted her attention to me with a knowing smile. “Alright,” she said coolly, but as she turned, she slipped a card into my hand, her voice just above a whisper. “Call me if anything changes.”Emerson’s jaw tightened. The card in my palm suddenly felt like a rebellion, a small act of defiance I wasn’t sure I’d have followed through on, but it made his reaction all the more interesting.After the shoot, he insisted on driving me back to the estate himself. The car was quiet as we pulled onto the long driveway, the hum of the engine almost soothing—if it weren’t for the cons
Isabel’s POVHe hesitated, swallowing as if debating whether to go on, and finally took a deep breath.“Goodnight,” he said softly, letting his hand fall back to his side. And with that, he stepped back, allowing me to pass, but not without one last look that left me breathless.As I walked away, my mind raced, uncertainty and frustration weaving through me. I had a plan, I reminded myself. And nothing—no lingering glances, no fleeting touches—was going to pull me off course.I tried to shake it off as I moved through the hall, heading for the elevator. But as soon as I rounded the corner, I nearly collided with a colleague who’d been hurrying past.“Oh!” she exclaimed, pulling back. Then she offered a strange, knowing smile. “Late-night chat with the boss?”I managed a polite smile, though I could feel heat rise to my cheeks. She held my gaze a beat too long, as if searching for something I wasn’t offering. My cheeks flushed further, but I said nothing. After a pointed look, she walk
Isabel’s POVIn the break room, I glanced around at the gathered group, mostly women. They were all watching the confrontation unfold with expressions ranging from amusement to curiosity. I took a slow breath, setting my coffee down on the counter with a deliberate calm. The tension was palpable.“Let me clear something up for you,” I said, my voice even, though my heart beat like a drum. “I was offered this role because of my skills as a photographer. If you have any doubts, feel free to watch me work today. You’ll find I’m more than capable of handling the job.” I met their eyes one by one, daring them to say otherwise.The two ringleaders exchanged a glance. The taller of the two opened her mouth to retort. But before she could get a word out, a voice came from the back of the room.“Honestly, cut it out.” A woman stepped forward, crossing her arms. She was petite, with a sleek hazel ponytail and a no-nonsense expression. “Maybe you’ve all forgotten what professionalism looks like
Isabel’s POVEmerson’s gaze swept the room, taking in the tense atmosphere. His brow furrowed as he assessed the situation. His eyes found mine. They softened for a brief moment before his composed mask fell back into place.Beside me, Sarah cleared her throat, arms crossed tightly. Her irritation was practically radiating from her.“Emerson, I’ll be frank,” she said, a tightness to her voice. “The final edits Isabel submitted didn’t meet our standards. The lighting was off, there were typos—frankly, it was amateur work.” Her expression softened as she looked at Emerson, but it was clear she held no such mercy for me. “This isn’t what I expect from my team.”I opened my mouth to respond, to explain that I hadn’t completed the final edits. But Emerson interrupted with a calm nod.“I’ll handle it, Sarah,” he said with quiet authority. “Let’s meet with the client later and discuss compensations. For now, I’d like a word with Isabel.”He motioned for me to follow him out of the studio. Th
Isabel’s POVAs I watched Emerson’s figure fade down the hallway, I couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh. It seemed that no matter what we did, we couldn’t escape the tangled web that lay between us. Everything felt too close, too intense. Despite the professional environment, our history together was impossible to ignore. For a brief moment, I wondered if it was always going to be this way—complicated, layered with memories that resurfaced, and heavy with the tension we refused to address.I shook my head and had a quick lunch, then returned to the studio. Sarah was standing by the editing screens, her brows knit in irritation as she reviewed the final edits that Eve had made. Even though she had been fired for her betrayal, Eve had left us with a mess that we couldn’t ignore—her disastrous work had offended one of our biggest clients.Sarah’s face was lined with frustration, and I could see the weight of the situation bearing down on her.“I can fix it if you need,” I offered gen
Isabel’s POVThe atmosphere in the room was stifling, charged with a strange tension as Lilith’s slanted green eyes locked onto me. She leaned back in her chair. Her lips curled into a slow, deliberate smile. As if she were savoring a private joke. Everything about her was perfectly controlled, from her posture to her immaculate hair. She looked like she had stepped out of a polished ad. It was unsettling, to say the least.“So,” Lilith’s voice was smooth, dangerous, “the question we should really be asking, Isabel, is... what are you still doing in Emerson’s life?”I forced myself to keep my composure, though my stomach churned. Her gaze felt like a spotlight, pinning me in place. I wanted to scoff, to tell her I wouldn’t be anywhere near Emerson if I had any choice in the matter. But I kept my mouth shut, choosing my words carefully. “I didn’t realize you were the client,” I said, keeping my tone as neutral as I could manage.Lilith let out a laugh, light and mocking. “Oh, but why
Isabel’s POVLilith’s gaze flicked to Eve. Her mouth pulled into an annoyed scowl. “What is it now?” she snapped.Eve looked tense, glancing over her shoulder like a nervous rabbit. “Miss, I just saw Emerson’s car parked at the door!”“What did you say?” Lilith’s eyes widened, and she rushed to the window. She let out a curse under her breath as she looked down at the parking lot, spotting his sleek black car. “Damn it. We need to move. Now.”I felt a surge of hope. Emerson was here.But that relief was short-lived as the guards grabbed me by the arms. Their iron grips tightened as they started to drag me forward. I struggled, twisting and pulling against them. “Let me go!” I shouted, hoping Emerson would hear my voice. But the guards simply yanked me harder, dragging me along after Lilith and Eve.As we climbed the stairs, my heart pounded. I dug my heels in, fought with every bit of strength I had left, but the huge men barely seemed to notice. Eventually, I was being carried up the
Isabel’s POVAs the footsteps drew closer, Lilith straightened her clothes with brisk, sharp movements. She quickly arranged her hair and stood taller, as if preparing herself for some grand entrance. Even with the guard’s hand covering my mouth, I couldn’t help but smirk. Of course, she was still trying to make herself look perfect. Emerson would show up any second, and she was primed to charm him into her grasp once again.Then, from the stairwell, I heard my name. “Isabel?” The voice was sharp and clear, but it wasn’t Emerson.The entire room seemed to hold its breath as we all looked, surprised, toward the staircase. Sarah stepped into view. Her face was calm and her gaze unwavering. The surprise was evident in Lilith’s eyes. The brief flicker of disappointment that crossed her face was quickly replaced by a sneer."Who the hell are you?" she snapped, her disdain palpable.Eve’s face paled, her mouth opening and closing wordlessly, as though caught between dread and some guilty a
Isabel’s POVDays passed, stretching into an unspoken eternity, and Emerson’s condition could no longer be kept from Liam and Elena.One afternoon, I was sitting by Emerson’s bed, my hand gently brushing his, when the door to the hospital room creaked open. My heart skipped a beat."Liam, Elena, what are you doing here?" I asked, my voice thick with emotion. I hadn’t expected them today, and the sight of their small faces brought a surge of overwhelming love and guilt.Eric stood behind them, his expression apologetic, his eyes soft with understanding. “They begged me, Isabel. They wouldn’t stop asking to see him... I couldn’t say no anymore.”Liam’s face was drawn, his usual bright energy dimmed with concern. Elena clung to her brother, her eyes wide with fear as they both hesitated in the doorway.Before I could say anything else, another figure appeared behind them, stepping into the room. My heart stopped for a moment as I looked up to see Emerson’s mother, Estelle, walking towards
Isabel’s POVA month had passed. One whole month, and still, no sign of life from Emerson. The machines beside his bed beeped steadily. A monotonous rhythm that I had come to know too well. A rhythm that seemed to mock the stillness of his body. I sat by his side every day, watching him, praying for some miracle—some sign that he was still there, still fighting. But each time I whispered his name, there was nothing. Nothing but the soft hum of hospital machinery.“Emerson,” I whispered, my voice trembling despite my attempts to sound steady. “Don’t you want to be with me? If you wake up, I promise we can live happily as a family of four.”I meant it, every word of it. The thought of a future with him, of raising our children together, was the only thing that kept me going. I needed him to hear me. I needed him to wake up.But Emerson remained unresponsive.He looked like a prince charming, trapped in an eternal dream—strangely peaceful. I combed his dark hair back neatly after gently
Isabel’s POVThe world blurred—shouts, chaos, the metallic scent of blood thick in my nostrils. My heartbeat pounded in my ears as I clung to Emerson, his labored breaths hot against my skin.I didn’t dare move. The slick warmth of his blood drenching me was unnerving. His chest rose and fell in erratic, shallow breaths. But then, amid the cacophony of battle, a stunned silence emerged. Orders were shouted. Weapons clicked into position. Something had changed. I forced myself to glance up from Emerson’s chest, my pulse hammering.Alistair stood frozen, his face contorted in pain. Blood dripped from his hand—the very hand that had been pointing a gun at me just seconds before. His grip slackened, and the weapon tumbled to the ground.A sniper.Alistair’s men immediately scattered, taking defensive positions, frantically searching the area. But before they could react, several of them suddenly dropped to the ground.They were convulsing violently, frothing at the mouth. One by one, the
Isabel’s POVMy wrists ached from the tight ropes binding my hands behind my back as I was shoved forward. The rough ground beneath my boots felt unsteady, my knees weak with exhaustion. The air smelled of blood, gunpowder, and sweat. The night was still alive with distant gunfire, but here, in the heart of the enemy’s grasp, there was only the sound of my ragged breathing and Alistair’s mocking laughter.“Stop resisting, Emerson,” he drawled, his voice filled with smug amusement. “You’re in over your head. Oh—look who finally decided to join us.”Emerson was holding back several opponents, bruised and bloodied from the fight. His head snapped up at Alistair’s words.He turned, and when his eyes landed on me, something in his face shifted. Shock, then rage, then a devastating kind of fear. He lunged forward, but a guard was faster. A rifle butt slammed into Emerson’s ribs. The sickening crack echoed in the night, and he crumpled to the ground, gasping for air."Emerson!" I screamed,
Isabel’s POVAt first, Emerson and I managed to escape the building, slipping into the shadows like ghosts. The night was thick around us, swallowing our hurried footsteps as we navigated through the wreckage of Alistair’s camp. The distant gunfire and shouts of battle echoed behind us. But just as we reached the edge of the compound, the world seemed to shift.From the darkness, figures emerged—silent and predatory, their weapons gleaming under the pale moonlight. They moved like shadows given form, their presence an unspoken promise of violence. My breath caught in my throat as a dozen, no, more than two dozen enemies surrounded us, blocking every escape route. The sheer hatred in their eyes sent an involuntary shiver down my spine. These weren’t just guards; they were fanatics, men who thrived in the chaos of bloodshed and terror.Emerson moved instinctively, stepping in front of me, gun raised. “Stay close,” he murmured, barely audible over the wind. I nodded, steadying my grip
Sebastian/Elias’ POVScarlet’s scream echoed through the dimly lit room, raw with disbelief and fury. “You’re lying!” she spat, her eyes blazing with denial. The restraints binding her wrists rattled as she struggled, but I didn’t move to stop her. There was no point—her fight wasn’t with me. It was with the truth.I let out a slow breath, pulling a small, timeworn pocket watch from my coat. The silver casing had dulled over the years, but the engraved initials remained clear. I clicked it open and held it out to her, revealing a faded family photograph inside.“My father gave this to me before he died,” I said evenly, my voice softer than before. “He cared about you, Scarlet. No matter what you believe, you were never forgotten.”Her breath hitched. For a moment, the fire in her eyes flickered, replaced by something rawer—uncertainty. “How could it be?” she murmured, barely more than a whisper.All the pieces had finally clicked into place as Scarlet unraveled her story. The tangled
Scarlet’s POVTelling my story, I was flung back into the past. Lost in the grip of memories that had never truly left me. The present moment faded, and I found myself reliving those painful years. As vivid and raw as the day they had happened.I had been young, hopeful, foolish. Despite the years of neglect, I had still wanted my parents' love. But when I overheard them denying my very existence, something inside me snapped.Disheartened, I had returned to the countryside, burying myself in my studies. Medicine became my refuge, my salvation. I dedicated myself to understanding the human body—not just how to heal it, but how to manipulate it, how to break it. My hands, once weak and trembling from years of frustration, became steady, precise instruments of control.The first time I killed a lab mouse, something dark and exhilarating bloomed inside me. Power. The ability to decide whether something lived or died. The ability to take control of what had always been out of my grasp.
Elias’ POVI watched from the shadows as Isabel and Emerson disappeared into the night, their figures swallowed by the chaos of battle outside. I clenched my fists and tried to push down the sharp, aching weight that settled in my gut.Maybe it had been foolish to think I ever stood a chance with Isabel. Emerson had always been the one she turned to in the end. The one she trusted in the heat of battle. The one she looked at with that fierce determination in her eyes. And me? I was just a shadow lingering on the edges of her world, never quite stepping into the light.A slow clap echoed through the dimly lit room."Are you just going to let them go?" Scarlet’s voice slithered through the shadows like a snake.I turned away from the exit, my expression unreadable as I faced the woman bound to the chair before me. Her wrists were tied behind her back, her face partially obscured by strands of disheveled hair. Even restrained, she exuded a sickening confidence, her smirk unwavering.I m
Isabel’s POVI had to stop Margot.There was no time to think, no time to call for backup—just raw instinct and the desperate need to prevent her from making a terrible mistake. My boots pounded against the forest floor as I sprinted after her, weaving through the pine trees in pursuit. I knew why she was doing this. I understood the desperate, reckless pull of wanting to save someone you love. But charging straight into enemy territory? Alone? It was suicide.“No!” I hissed under my breath, pushing my legs harder.Margot moved swiftly, her figure barely a shadow in the dim light. She reached the edge of the enemy’s perimeter and, without hesitation, hoisted herself up onto a low window ledge. She pulled her body through with practiced agility. She was inside before I could even call her name.Damn it.I skidded to a halt near the building, pressing myself against the rough exterior. The compound was crawling with patrols. My heart pounded as I scanned the area, calculating the be