Isla’s POVDaniel pulled up in front of my apartment building, shifting the car into the park as I reached for the door handle. The evening had gone by too fast, filled with lighthearted conversation and laughter that made me forget, if only for a moment, the weight I carried on my shoulders."Thanks for tonight," I said, turning to face him. "I had a really great time."Daniel smiled, his usual easy-going expression softening. "Me too. I’m glad we finally had that dinner."I nodded, feeling the warmth spread through me. He had been nothing but kind and supportive, and spending time with him always made me feel comfortable. It was rare to find that kind of ease with someone, and I appreciated it more than I could put into words.As I stepped out of the car, Daniel suddenly spoke again."By the way, next Saturday is my birthday."I turned back, raising an eyebrow. "Oh?""Yeah," he said, leaning casually against the car door. "I’m throwing a party, and I’d really like you to come."I he
VICTOR’S POVSeeing Isla working hard every day gave me mixed feelings. I admired her dedication, her drive to prove herself, and the way she handled challenges with determination. But at the same time, a part of me felt uneasy.I wasn’t sure if it was because I was proud of her for becoming stronger or because I was afraid that, in her pursuit of success, she would forget about me.I tried not to dwell on it too much. After all, seeing her grow, watching her push forward no matter what, was inspiring. She had potential—undeniable, limitless potential—and no matter where she ended up, she would shine.That thought brought me some peace.A week passed quickly, and soon, Daniel's birthday arrived. It was a day I never forgot because, for as long as I could remember, we had always celebrated it together.I drove to his house, a familiar place filled with warmth and memories. The moment I parked, the door opened, and Daniel’s mother, Margaret, stepped out with a welcoming smile."Victor,
VICTOR’S POVI stood frozen in place, staring out of the study window.Why was Isla here?I hadn’t expected her to show up, yet there she was, standing at the entrance, speaking to Daniel. And whatever she said must have been funny because Daniel threw his head back, laughing as if he had just won the lottery.My grip on the curtain tightened.Were they really that close?From where I stood, Daniel looked too happy. He leaned in slightly, hanging on to her every word. Isla, on the other hand, was relaxed, completely at ease. She even playfully nudged his shoulder at one point.I frowned.That was supposed to be me.I stayed in the study longer than necessary, flipping through a random book, pretending to read while my thoughts raced.But eventually, I had no choice. Dinner was starting.Taking a deep breath, I walked downstairs and joined the guests. The room was filled with lively chatter, old friends reminiscing, and laughter ringing through the air. Daniel, of course, was at the ce
ISLA’S POVDaniel’s voice lingered in the air, his words carrying an unspoken meaning that made my heart race."Isla, have you noticed that my mom likes you very much? She has been urging me to marry. I said I haven't met the right person, but now..."I felt my cheeks heat up at his words. What was he trying to say? Was he joking, or was there something more? The weight of his unfinished sentence settled between us, making my heart pound in my chest.Just as I opened my mouth to respond, a deep, commanding voice cut through the air."Isla, I need to talk to you about the project."I turned quickly toward the voice, my heart skipping a beat when I saw Victor standing at the top of the stairs. He was looking down at us with an unreadable expression, his dark eyes sharp and intense. It was as if he had been watching us for a while, assessing the scene before deciding to interrupt.Daniel, who had been cut off mid-sentence, chuckled and shook his head. "Victor, do you ever stop working? I
ISLA’S POVVictor kissed me.It wasn’t my first kiss, but something about it felt entirely different from anything I had ever experienced before.At first, my mind protested. This was wrong. This was unexpected. This was—But the warmth of his lips against mine, the sheer intensity of the moment, made thinking impossible. I placed my hands against his chest, my first instinct being to push him away. My body, however, had a different reaction. A shiver ran down my spine, my fingers curling slightly into his shirt instead of pushing him away.Victor didn’t hesitate. His hands, firm and sure, cupped my face, angling my head as he deepened the kiss. The heat between us grew, his lips moving against mine with a mix of frustration, urgency, and something else—something I wasn’t ready to name.I tensed, trying to fight against the overwhelming sensation of being completely consumed. But as the seconds passed, my resistance wavered. The way he kissed me—it wasn’t just about dominance or contr
ISLA’S POVBefore we left, Daniel looked at Victor and said meaningfully, "Don’t forget what you should do." His tone carried a weight that made me pause for a moment. It was clearly directed at Victor, but I had no idea what he meant. I glanced between them, but neither elaborated.Victor didn’t respond, but something about the way he tensed told me he understood. I considered asking, but before I could, Daniel gave me a reassuring smile and said, "Take care, Isla."Victor gestured toward his car. "Let’s go. I’ll drive you home."I nodded, not thinking much about Daniel’s words. Whatever it was, it was between them.The drive home was quiet at first. I didn’t know what to say, and Victor kept stealing glances at me, his expression softer than usual. I could feel the weight of his gaze, and it made my heart beat faster.Finally, I broke the silence."Victor, why did you act like that earlier? At Daniel’s house?"His jaw clenched slightly. "Like what?"I turned in my seat to face h
Victor’s POVWhen I got home, I still couldn’t stop thinking about Isla. No matter how much I tried to push her from my mind, her presence lingered—her voice, her scent, the way she had looked at me with those wide, uncertain eyes before running into her apartment. I could still feel the warmth of her lips against mine, the way she had responded, hesitant at first, then melting into me. It wasn’t just about desire—I wanted her, yes, but there was more to it. She made me feel something I hadn’t in a long time. A strange warmth in my chest, an ache I couldn’t quite name.But then, Daniel’s words echoed in my mind like a glass of cold water splashed over me. "Don’t forget what you should do."His reminder grounded me. He was right—I knew it. No matter how much I was drawn to Isla, I couldn’t afford to forget the real reason I had approached her in the first place. If she ever found out that I had initially gotten close to her because of this case, she would hate me. I had no doubt about
VICTOR’S POVAfter Daniel left, I sat back in my chair, staring at the ceiling. My mind was a tangled mess of thoughts.Nick’s story didn’t add up. His refusal to talk, his family’s sudden relocation overseas, and now his connection to Stratos Corp—it was all too suspicious. And now there was Lyra Holdings, a ghost company moving money in the shadows. Someone powerful was pulling the strings, and I needed to find out who before it was too late.But amidst all the chaos in my head, there was one thought that kept surfacing—Isla.Just thinking about her softened my tense muscles. The way she had looked at me before running into her apartment a few nights ago, the way she had responded to my kiss... I wanted to see her. Hold her.A knock on my office door pulled me from my thoughts."Come in," I called.The door opened, and there she was—Isla.She stepped inside with her usual confidence, but I noticed the way her gaze flickered across my face as if she was checking if I was okay. It was
ISLA’S POV When I woke up this morning, I didn’t expect to be plotting someone’s professional execution. But here we are. Lucas crossed a line — no, he leaped over it. And I wasn’t about to sit back and let him burn down everything I built. Still, I couldn’t afford to be reckless. This wasn’t just about firing someone. This was about making sure he couldn’t come back to bite us in the future — not through a lawsuit, not through gossip, and certainly not by sabotaging someone else again. So I did what I always do when the stakes are high. I dressed sharp, pulled my hair into a clean twist, and walked into the boardroom like a woman who already knew the ending of the story. Because I did. Andy was waiting for me inside, pacing nervously. She held a folder in her hands — a printout of every security log David from IT had sent me. “He’s not going to go down easy,” she whispered, handing it over. “He’s been bragging around the office all week. Acting like he has something on you.”
ISLA’S POVThe morning sun flooded Titan Holdings headquarters with a golden glow, but beneath the polished marble floors and high-end furniture, there was a crackle of tension I couldn't ignore.We had just secured the biggest collaboration in years — a joint luxury collection with Maison Delacroix, one of the most prestigious European fashion houses. If this launch succeeded, it would cement Titan holdings For me, it was personal. I had fought tooth and nail to secure this deal, standing against internal competition, backhanded politics, and endless late nights.Today, we were scheduled to unveil the preliminary designs to the Maison team.Today, everything had to be perfect.But from the moment I stepped onto my floor, something felt... off.Andy, my brilliant but sometimes overly nervous assistant, sprinted toward me, her tablet clutched tightly in her hands, her face pale."Isla," she gasped. "You need to see this."I barely had time to set down my coffee before she shoved the t
ISLA’S POVSince the night Victor and Sienna showed up at the gala together, something inside me has felt... different.At first, I tried to brush it off — told myself it was nothing. Just two friends. Two adults enjoying a night out. But the way they looked together, the way people whispered about them, it stuck with me longer than I wanted to admit.I sat in my office staring at my screen, unable to focus on anything except the way Sienna laughed beside Victor, how easy it all seemed. How natural.A part of me knew I had no right to feel this way.But another part — a deeper, more stubborn part — couldn’t stop the twinge of something that felt a lot like jealousy.Nathan had mentioned, almost casually, that they met at his restaurant.That made it worse somehow.Like fate had given them a perfect introduction... I sighed and leaned back in my chair, rubbing my temples.I hated feeling like this.I hated feeling weak.But the truth was... it hurt.It hurt seeing Victor with someone
NATHAN'S POVEver since that night Sienna and Victor showed up together at the gala, something inside me had been off-balance.I tried to pretend it didn’t bother me — told myself it was nothing. They are after all.Just friends.But something about the way Victor looked at her… and the way Sienna smiled when he said something to her… it didn’t sit right with me.Not because I didn’t trust Sienna. I did.It was Victor I didn’t trust.I didn’t know anything about him beyond the polished version he showed to the world. Beyond business, beyond casual charm — what kind of man was he really?And more importantly, was he the right person for Sienna after everything she had been through?I sat behind the counter in my restaurant that afternoon, pretending to go over the invoices, but my mind wasn’t in it.The pen I was holding tapped a restless rhythm against the table.Was it jealousy?Maybe a little.But it was more than thatcared about Sienna — deeply.I wanted the best for her, someone
SIENNA’S POVSince the night Victor and I showed up at the gala together, something between Nathan and me has shifted.I could feel it from across the room — the way his eyes burned into my skin every time I laughed a little too loudly or leaned a little too close to Victor.At first, I tried to ignore it.I focused on smiling, waving politely, mingling with strangers who now seemed suddenly interested because I had Victor beside me.It wasn’t just me imagining things.I heard whispers — little comments like,"Who's that with Victor?""They look perfect together."Victor leaned closer once and whispered in my ear, “It’s working. He can’t take his eyes off you.”I almost laughed out loud, but I caught myself.Instead, I just nodded slightly and took a sip from my glass, pretending to be completely at ease.Truth was, my heart was racing.Every time I caught Nathan’s gaze, it felt like I was being pulled back into memories I’d buried deep — the laughs we shared, the quiet talks late at
SIENNA’S POVI should have known Victor had something else up his sleeve.We had barely gotten through planning our fake dating act when he called me late that night, his voice low but urgent.“There’s a gala tomorrow night,” he said. “Nathan’s going to be there.”I stiffened where I sat, curling my fingers around the throw blanket.Nathan.It was always Nathan.Always the name that made my chest hurt and my heart speed up.“I’m not invited,” I said before I could stop myself.I heard the words come out, too sharp, too defensive.Victor chuckled, soft and patient.“You are now.”I frowned. “Vic—”“Sienna,” he cut me off gently, “I was invited. And now I’m inviting you.”I hesitated, the words twisting inside me.Nathan had mentioned the gala once.Casually.Almost like it didn’t matter.And he hadn’t invited me.What was I supposed to think?Victor must have heard the hesitation in my silence.“He’s an idiot if he thinks you don’t belong there,” he said quietly. “Come with me. Let’s s
VICTOR'S POVIt was strange how easy it became to talk to Sienna after that night at Nathan’s restaurant.What started with a simple exchange of numbers turned into casual chats every other day.Nothing serious at first — just random conversations about life, work, memories from our different paths.But tonight, something shifted.We found ourselves sitting outside a small coffee shop, two cups of coffee warming our hands while the cool evening breeze brushed past us.Sienna was watching the busy street, a faint smile on her lips, looking like she was somewhere else entirely.I took a sip of my coffee, then said, “You know, I noticed something the other day.”She turned to me, one brow raised, curious. “Oh yeah? What's that?”“The way you look at Nathan,” I said, keeping my voice casual but steady. “It’s... different.”For a second, she froze — just a small flicker across her face before she hid it with a laugh.But I caught it.I saw through the smile she tried to wear like armor.“Y
NATHAN’S POVI wasn’t planning to see Sienna that day.She’d called earlier in the morning asking if I still had the spare keys to my old apartment. Apparently, a few of her belongings were still tucked away in the hallway closet—left behind from the chapter of our lives I preferred to leave unread. I told her I’d be at the restaurant all day and she could swing by to pick the key up there.The Yard was already buzzing with energy when she arrived, her signature scent trailing in ahead of her. She had always been composed—polished like fine silver—but today there was something lighter in her steps. Maybe it was the sun or the scent of rosemary in the air, but even I couldn’t deny how easily she still blended into places like this.“Still my favorite spot,” she smiled as she slid into a booth near the corner.I nodded, handing her the key across the counter. “Figured you’d show up before lunch. Still remember your usual?”Sienna glanced at the chalkboard menu and laughed softly. “You h
ISLA'S POV The lights inside the gallery shimmered like stars caught in motion, casting warmth over sleek canvases, glass sculptures, and colorfully dressed guests weaving in and out of conversations. The event was going smoothly—Tasha’s idea to merge creative exhibitions with culinary excellence had turned out to be brilliant. Nathan’s corner had drawn a crowd, as expected. People weren’t just eating—they were savoring. Even the art enthusiasts lingered around his table longer than necessary, sampling delicate bites and engaging him in cheerful banter. Isla watched him, a soft smile playing at her lips. He moved with grace and humility, laughing modestly when someone complimented his smoked truffle crostini or lavender lemon tart. “This is a hit,” Tasha whispered beside her, sipping a glass of Prosecco. “You were right about him. Everyone’s raving.” “I’m glad,” Isla replied. “He deserves this. He’s been hiding too long.” “Is he always this humble?” Tasha asked, raising an eyebro