VICTOR POV The moment I ended the call, I knew the battle was just beginning. Stratos Corporation wasn’t a company that played fair, and they were coming for everything we had built. It wasn’t just about business—it was war. A war that could shake the very foundation of my company if I didn’t act swiftly. I needed a plan. I needed control. Without hesitation, I called for an urgent board meeting. Every major shareholder, department head, and executive was summoned. I refused to let panic set in. We needed to act, and we needed to act now. The conference room was already buzzing with murmurs when I arrived. Some board members were tense, while others tried to mask their worry with unreadable expressions. Isla was seated near the front, her posture straight and composed, though I could tell she was on edge. I took my seat at the head of the table and steeled my voice as I spoke. “We have a problem,” I announced, my tone sharp and unwavering. “Stratos Corporation popularly know as
ISLA’S POVI stormed out of Victor’s office, my vision blurred with unshed tears. My heart pounded violently in my chest as Emma’s words replayed in my mind over and over again.She’s pregnant…I could still hear Emma’s voice, calm yet laced with something sinister, as if she enjoyed watching my world crumble. “I just thought you should know… I’m carrying Victor’s child.”A sharp pain sliced through my chest. How could this be happening? How was this even possible?A million thoughts swirled in my mind, colliding like a raging storm. Victor had told me he had feelings for me. He had pursued me, made me believe I was special to him. And yet, he had been sleeping with Emma—Emma, of all people! The same woman who had bullied me at work, who made my life miserable every chance she got.I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I fought the overwhelming wave of emotions crashing over me. Disappointment. Anger. Betrayal. How could he do this? How could he lie so easily while ma
ISLA'S POVI sat at the café, staring blankly at the drink in front of me. I had ordered something light—nothing too strong, but just enough to keep my hands occupied. The midday sun poured through the windows, casting warm patterns on the table, but I barely noticed. My mind was elsewhere, tangled in a web of emotions I couldn’t quite sort through.Everything felt like a mess.I thought back to Jason—how he had deceived me, how I had trusted him only to realize he had never truly valued me. I wouldn’t say Victor was the same, but the feeling of betrayal was eerily familiar. The bottom line remained: they both hurt me.I clenched my hands around the cup, frustration bubbling in my chest. I wasn’t with Victor when he slept with Emma, so technically, it wasn’t cheating. But knowing he had been with her, knowing he had been intimate with someone who had made my life miserable—it stung in a way I couldn’t explain. He claimed to have feelings for me, but how could I believe that now?I sig
VICTOR’S POVI had only been with Emma once—maybe twice—but never frequently. It wasn’t supposed to mean anything, and it never did for me. But ever since I started having feelings for Isla, I had put an end to it. I kept my distance, no longer allowing Emma the closeness she used to have.It wasn’t easy, though. Emma never stopped trying. She would visit my house unexpectedly, bringing excuses like needing to discuss work or just wanting company. In the office, she’d always find a way to lean too close, touch my arm, or give me looks that made it obvious what she wanted. But I refused.I made it clear to her."I’m sorry, Emma. I can’t love you the way you want me to. My heart belongs to someone else."She never liked hearing it, but I hoped she understood. I had only been intimate with her in a moment of weakness—a moment I never intended to repeat.But then Isla came into my life. From the first day I met her, I knew she was different. There was something about her that made me want
ISLA'S POVThe weekend had finally arrived, and for once, I had no plans to step into the office. After everything that had happened this week—the emotional rollercoaster, the long hours at work, and the unexpected bombshell about Emma—I needed a break. A real one.So, when Lucy, my old college friend, told me she would be in town for her sister’s wedding, I immediately invited her to stay at my place. It made more sense than her booking a hotel, and besides, it was a perfect excuse to have a girls' night. Judith, of course, didn’t need an invitation. The moment she heard Lucy was coming over, she declared she would be joining us.By evening, the three of us were sprawled across my living room, glasses of wine in hand, laughing so hard our stomachs hurt.It started with Lucy talking about the horrors of wedding planning."You won’t believe the nonsense my sister is stressing over," she groaned dramatically. "She cried—actual tears—because the shade of the napkins didn’t match the tabl
ISLA’S POV A groan escaped my lips as I slowly opened my eyes. My head throbbed, and the room spun slightly as I tried to sit up. "Ouch, my head hurts," Judith mumbled beside me, rubbing her temples. I chuckled weakly, realizing that last night’s drinking had been a little excessive. But I couldn’t deny that it had been worth it. Spending time with my best friends, laughing, reminiscing, and letting loose—it was exactly what I needed. "I swear, I'm never drinking that much again," I muttered, pressing my fingers against my forehead. "Yeah, right," Lucy scoffed. "You say that every time, Isla." I threw a pillow at her, and she laughed as she dodged it. Judith stretched and groaned. "I need to head home and get ready for the wedding. Try not to be late, okay?" "I won’t," I assured her. After Judith left, Lucy and I began preparing for the wedding. She was already fully dressed and had flawless makeup on before I could even decide what to wear. I sat on the bed, staring
ISLA’S POV The soft melody of the music played in the background, filling the air with a romantic ambiance. The dance floor was filled with couples swaying effortlessly to the rhythm, lost in their own little worlds. I, however, was completely out of my comfort zone. When Damian extended his hand toward me, asking me to dance, my heart skipped a beat. A nervous chuckle escaped my lips as I hesitated. "I should warn you… I’m a terrible dancer," I admitted, biting my lip. Damian tilted his head slightly, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement. "Isla, dancing isn’t about being perfect. It’s about feeling the moment. Just follow my lead." I hesitated again, but something about the way he looked at me—confident yet gentle—made me take a deep breath and place my hand in his. "Alright," I whispered. He grinned. "That’s the spirit." As soon as he pulled me closer, his touch sent a strange warmth through me. His hand rested lightly on my waist while our fingers intertwined. The moment
ISLA'S POV I fell asleep with a smile on my face, reliving every beautiful moment from the wedding. The laughter, the dance, and the unexpected connection with Damian made it a night I wished would never end. It had been a while since I felt that free, that happy. The way he made me laugh, the way he looked at me—it was different, refreshing. But now, the wedding was over, and reality was setting in again. Morning came too soon, and I groaned as I stretched my arms, unwilling to leave my warm bed. But unlike other mornings when I would drag myself to work, today was different. I felt light, energized, and in high spirits. Maybe it was the lingering excitement from the wedding, or maybe it was something else—someone else. Either way, I was ready to take on the day. After a warm shower, I slipped into a fitted white blouse and navy-blue pencil skirt, completing the look with my favorite nude heels. I let my hair fall in soft waves over my shoulders and applied a touch of makeup, just
VICTOR'S POVAs I watched Damian being dragged away in cuffs, I thought I would feel something—relief, satisfaction, maybe even peace. After all, he was finally facing justice for everything he had done, for all the lives he had destroyed. But instead, I felt… nothing. There was no triumph in my heart, no sense of victory. Just an empty weight pressing down on me.I glanced at Isla, and I could tell she felt the same way. Her expression was unreadable, but the slight tension in her shoulders and the way she exhaled slowly told me she was struggling to process it all. She turned to me, her eyes filled with something unspoken, and then, without a word, she wrapped her arms around me.“At least he’s going away for a long time,” she murmured, her voice soft against my shoulder.I nodded, closing my eyes for a brief moment as I found a small measure of comfort in her embrace. Isla had been through so much—her father’s death, being manipulated by Damian, and now seeing justice finally serve
VICTOR’S POVThe moment the arrest warrant for Damian Lannister was issued, law enforcement officers were dispatched to his residence. However, when they arrived, he was nowhere to be found."Suspect is not at the residence. No sign of forced entry or rushed departure. Repeat, the suspect is not at home," a police officer’s voice crackled through Daniel’s radio.I was with Daniel when the report came in, and the moment we heard those words, we exchanged a knowing look. We didn’t need to say it aloud—we both understood exactly what this meant.Damian was trying to flee.“Damn it,” Daniel muttered under his breath. “He’s not going to face justice willingly.”My fists clenched as my mind raced through the possibilities. He had the money, the power, and the connections to disappear without a trace. If he got away now, we might never catch him.We needed to act. Fast.“We have to think like him,” I said urgently. “Where would he go? What’s his exit strategy?”Isla, who had been standing be
VICTOR'S POVThe hospital felt like a prison. No, worse—it felt like a graveyard.I sat in the cold, sterile hallway, my hands gripping the edges of my chair as if letting go would send me spiraling into nothingness. The weight of everything crushed my chest. I had won the battle, but I had lost the war.My grandfather was gone.Emma had lost our baby.What kind of victory was this?I felt hollow, a walking corpse moving through the motions of arranging my grandfather’s body with the hospital staff. The doctor stood in front of me, speaking in a calm, professional tone, but his words barely registered.“We’ll need to finalize the paperwork for the body transfer, your grandfather the doctor said, his voice measured and sympathetic.I swallowed hard. “And then?” My voice was hoarse, barely recognizable even to myself.“We’ll arrange for the morgue to hold him until the funeral home takes over. Do you have any preferences for the arrangements?”Preferences? What kind of preference could
VICTOR’S POVI had won the battle.But at what cost?As I stood there, watching the video Damian had sent, a crushing weight settled on my chest. The pain was unbearable, like a blade slicing through my soul. My hands trembled, my breath came in ragged gasps, and my vision blurred with unshed tears.My grandfather was dead.Emma had lost her baby.The very people I had fought to protect had suffered because of me.I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought I was fighting for justice, for the truth. But now, standing in the wreckage of my choices, it felt like I had lost everything.A hollow laugh escaped my lips, but there was no humor in it. Just pain. Deep, consuming pain.I clenched my fists, my entire body shaking with rage. “I’m going to kill him,” I growled.Daniel, who had been standing beside me, grabbed my arm. “Victor, don’t.”I turned to him, my eyes burning with fury. “After everything he’s done, you expect me to just stand here and do nothing?”Daniel’s grip tight
DAMIAN'S POV The event was a grand display of wealth and power—just the way I liked it. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a warm glow over the room filled with New York’s most influential businessmen, politicians, and socialites. Waiters dressed in black moved smoothly through the crowd, offering glasses of champagne on silver trays.I walked through the hall with my usual composed confidence, acknowledging familiar faces with nods and brief smiles. It was the same routine—handshakes, fake smiles, subtle power plays woven into casual conversation. These events were a necessary evil, a way to keep my business untouchable in the eyes of the public.But tonight was different.Because tonight, Isla was with me.She stood beside me, poised and elegant in a Red dress that hugged her figure in just the right way—not too revealing, but enough to draw attention. And attention she got. Men stole glances at her as we walked, their eyes lingering a little too long. It amused me.
VICTOR’S POVDamian’s house was bigger than I expected, but it wasn’t the fortress I had assumed it would be. I had imagined layers of security—armed guards patrolling every corner, motion detectors, hidden cameras in every inch of the place. But as we crept toward the house, staying in the shadows, I realized it was just like any other high-end home.There were cameras, of course, but nothing we couldn’t handle. The back entrance had a security panel, but Daniel worked fast, bypassing it in under a minute. The doors unlocked with a soft click, and we slipped inside, silent as ghosts.The interior was sleek and modern—dark wood, marble floors, and dim lighting that cast shadows across the expensive furniture. The house smelled of leather and faint cigar smoke, and for a second, I could almost hear Damian’s voice echoing in the space, giving orders like a king in his castle.We moved carefully, our footsteps barely making a sound. I led the way, knowing exactly where we were headed. Th
ISLA’S POV The first few days at Titan Holdings had been exhausting, not just because of the workload but because I had to constantly watch my every move. I had to be Isla—the talented designer, the ambitious woman looking for a fresh start—not Isla, the woman secretly plotting to bring down the very company that had hired her. And it wasn’t easy. Damian was testing me. Victor, Daniel, and I had expected this. Damian wasn’t stupid. He wouldn’t just believe that I had joined his company because he had offered me a better job. He would suspect there was more to my presence, and that meant I had to be careful. Every word, every action had to seem natural. Still, I wasn’t here just to play it safe. I had a job to do. I had already made an impact—one of my designs had attracted a million-dollar contract, putting me in the spotlight. The executives had praised me, and even Damian had acknowledged my work. But none of that mattered. I was here for one reason—to take him down.
ISLA’S POVWalking into Titan Holdings felt surreal. The polished marble floors gleamed under the bright lights, and the scent of expensive cologne lingered in the air. It was a world of power and precision, where people in tailored suits moved with purpose, their gazes sharp, their expressions unreadable.I kept my posture straight, chin lifted, eyes scanning everything as subtly as possible. This wasn’t just another job.I was here for a reason.Despite my confidence, a part of me couldn’t shake the unease in my gut. The feeling of being watched.It wasn’t blatant, nothing obvious, but I knew I wasn’t imagining it. There were moments when I caught a shadow moving just beyond my line of sight, or a presence lingering too long in the hallway near my office. It could have been paranoia, but I doubted it.Damian wasn’t stupid. He knew people. He read them.And right now, I was the biggest mystery in his world.The first few days were an adjustment. Damian had placed me in the design d
DAMIAN'S POVI sat behind my desk, watching the city skyline stretch endlessly before me. The glass of whiskey in my hand remained untouched, the amber liquid catching the light. My mind, however, was far from the serene view.Isla had accepted my offer.I leaned back, tapping my fingers against the armrest of my chair. She wasn’t the type to make impulsive decisions. Which meant this was calculated. The question was—what was her angle?Victor had made his stance clear—he wasn’t backing down. I had anticipated him to put up a fight, but I didn’t expect Isla to step away from his side so easily. Unless, of course, something had happened between them. Something that pushed her straight into my hands.A slow smirk tugged at my lips. Whatever it was, I intended to find out.A soft knock came at the door before Samson stepped in. "She’s here."I downed the rest of my whiskey and stood, smoothing the sleeves of my suit. "Let’s not keep her waiting, then."Samson led the way to the executive