Isabel’s POVLila turned slowly, almost too slowly, and her green eyes locked onto mine. That was one of the few differences between her face and mine—instead of blue eyes, hers were a striking shade of green. There was something unnervingly familiar about them. A resemblance I couldn’t place, but one that sent an icy chill skittering down my spine.Her expression was strange, a careful mask of innocence. Yet it failed to hide the underlying tension in her features. “I was just delivering desserts for the little ones… to give them a sweet welcome,” she said, holding up the empty silver tray in her hands as though it were proof of her harmlessness.My eyes darted past her to the children, seated at a small table in the corner of the room. Liam and Elena were happily munching on cupcakes, their laughter filling the space with a warmth I couldn’t let myself fully relax into. The sight of their joy should have reassured me. But it didn’t.Lila’s lips curved into that unnatural smile of
Isabel’s POVThe sight before me froze the air in my lungs. Liam was sitting on the floor, clutching his mouth, tears streaming down his face. A small streak of blood glistened at the corner of his lips, and a smashed cupcake lay in pieces around him.“No...” I gasped, the worst scenarios racing through my mind. Elena stood frozen by his side. Her wide, frightened eyes darted between Liam and me.“What happened?” I rushed to Liam, pulling him into my arms as he sobbed against my shoulder. “Lila,” I growled, my voice laced with barely controlled fury. “What have you done to my son?”Lila, standing in the doorway, looked the picture of confusion. Her green eyes widened, her hands clasping the empty dessert tray in front of her like a shield. “I—I didn’t do anything,” she stammered, her tone drenched in innocence.Emerson stepped past her and crouched beside us, his brow furrowed in concern. “Liam, let me see.” He gently reached out. But Liam clung to me, his sobs growing louder.I cradle
Isabel’s POVAs soon as Emerson proposed the plan to the kids, there was no way I could back out.Liam’s face lit up like the sun breaking through storm clouds. “Yeah!!! I wanna go camping!”Before I could voice my doubts, Elena joined in, her small hands clasped together in a pleading gesture. “Please, Mommy! Camping will be so fun. We can roast marshmallows, and Liam can tell me scary stories!”It was impossible to say no to their sparkling eyes and contagious excitement. I laughed, relenting. “Alright, alright. Camping it is.”Though I agreed, I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at the thought of Emerson roughing it in the wilderness. Camping didn’t exactly scream ‘Emerson Williams,’ the man whose wardrobe probably had more three-piece suits than most men owned socks.We left early the next morning. The car was loaded with supplies, snacks, and the kids’ boundless energy. I had to admit, seeing Emerson in a lumberjack-style outfit—a plaid shirt, slim-fit jeans, and hiking boots—wa
Isabel’s POVThe fire crackled softly, its warm glow dancing on our faces. I cradled Elena in my lap, wrapping the blanket tighter around her small frame. Her shivers were less frequent now, but I could feel the lingering fear in her tight grip on my hand. Liam sat close to Emerson, looking subdued, a rare stillness settling over his usually lively demeanor.I needed answers.“Elena, sweetheart,” I said gently, brushing a strand of damp hair from her face. “Can you tell me what happened? How did you end up in the water?”Her big eyes, still glossy with unshed tears, blinked up at me. She hesitated, glancing toward Liam before speaking. “We were playing hide-and-seek,” she began, her voice barely above a whisper.“I was counting,” Liam added, his tone defensive, as if he already anticipated blame. “I swear I didn’t know she went near the lake, Mom. I didn’t see her leave!”“I know, Liam,” I assured him, reaching over to squeeze his hand. “Just tell me everything you remember.”Elena no
Isabel’s POV“I am... Do I know you?” I asked, my voice careful, measured. I was certain I had never met this woman before. Yet the way she looked at me, as if we had some kind of unspoken history, unsettled me.She smiled—a polished, professional kind of smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “My name is Victoria Jacobs,” she said, extending a perfectly manicured hand. “Pediatrician. And also... Robert’s girlfriend.”The words struck me harder than I expected. I blinked, momentarily at a loss. Robert’s girlfriend. I had never given much thought to who Robert might be with now, but hearing it out loud felt strangely jarring.“Oh, how lovely. Nice to meet you,” I said finally, shaking her hand. “Robert mentioned he was seeing somebody. I’m happy for both of you.”“Oh, thanks,” she said lightly. “I’ve heard a lot about you, Isabel. Robert used to talk about you often.”At that, my gaze flickered toward Emerson. He had been quiet until now. But I could see the slight tightening of his ja
Isabel’s POVI forced myself to act naturally. To keep my expression calm even as the air between us crackled with unspoken tension.Victoria studied me with sharp, assessing eyes. Her perfectly poised demeanor was a stark contrast to the discomfort tightening in my chest.I chose my words carefully. “Robert and I have always been close,” I said, keeping my tone even. “But not in the way he might have wished. If that’s what you’re getting at.”Victoria’s lips curved into a knowing smile. “Oh, I know. But it’s fascinating, isn’t it? How some people leave such an imprint on others.”There was something calculated in her words. A test hidden beneath the guise of casual conversation. I met her gaze without wavering.“I’d like to think we all shape the lives of those we care about,” I said simply, my voice firmer than I felt.Her fingers tapped idly against the desk. “Perhaps. But some more than others.”I resisted the urge to sigh. “Victoria, if you’re asking whether Robert and I had unres
Isabel’s POV“I didn’t come back to Rivermont to steal other women’s men, Victoria,” I said sharply, my patience wearing thin. “I have better things to do.”Victoria studied me, her expression unreadable. For a long moment, she said nothing, simply watching me with the kind of quiet intensity that made my skin prickle. Finally, she exhaled, as if coming to some internal conclusion.“I understand,” she said. But there was something cautious in her voice, as if she wasn’t quite sure whether she believed me.She leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs elegantly. “I didn’t know about you at first,” she admitted. “Robert had never mentioned you. Not once. But then, one day, I found a box of photos at his place. Pictures of you.”A strange tightness settled in my chest. “I see.”She gave a small, dry laugh. “I thought maybe you were an ex, someone from his past who had simply drifted away. But there was something in the way he looked at those pictures—something different.”I swallowed ha
Isabel’s POVAs I stepped out of Victoria’s office, Emerson was leaning against the opposite wall, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. His gaze flicked from me to Victoria, sharp and assessing.She didn’t flinch under his scrutiny. Instead, she merely lifted an eyebrow and gave him a small, unreadable smile. “No need to glare at me like that, Mr. Williams,” she said lightly. “I didn’t bite.”Emerson didn’t respond, but his stare darkened. His silence spoke far more than words. Victoria shrugged, unconcerned. “Before you go,” she said, shifting her attention back to me, “Elena’s recovery will take time, but she’s resilient. Just make sure she stays hydrated and gets plenty of rest. If she has any lingering dizziness or nausea, bring her back immediately.”“Thank you,” I said, and I meant it. Whatever else Victoria might be, she had helped Elena today. That was what mattered most.She inclined her head slightly, then glanced once more at Emerson before turning away. “Take care, Is
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