Navy’s POV The woman on the stretcher was none other than Rosé, my wife. Fear and concern gripped my heart as I rushed to her side, oblivious to everything else around me.“Rosé, my god!” I exclaimed, seeing the blood stains on her dress.Suddenly, a grip on the back of my shirt faltered my movement, preventing me from following the stretcher into the surgery unit.I turned to find the bearded man whom I failed to recognize, holding me back.“Who are you?” I asked, furrowing my brows in confusion.“Who are you?” He returned, forehead deepened with frowns, his gaze unwavering as he glanced at me.“Her husband!” I declared, my voice firm with assertiveness. He took a step backward, releasing the grip on my arm.“Okay,” he nodded softly, “here is what happened, husband.” “She had a little stomach cramp last night. I asked if she was alright, and she said yes she’ll be fine, it happens now and then. So I left. I returned to the coffee shop this morning and it wasn’t open, I was worried
ROSÉ’s POVIt felt like a dream but I think it was real. Every sensation of it felt achingly real. Navy stood beside me in the surgery room with me, his grip on my hand both reassuring and desperate. The gentle squeezes and light kisses on it kept me awake through the process. The harsh glare of fluorescent lights in the surgery room stung my eyes every time they fluttered open.I couldn’t feel anything else, until my eyes gave out and my body was taken by darkness.The next time I opened my eyes, the entire Leonardo family filled the hospital ward, staring at me like I was a newborn baby.“Can you see me, hon’?” Mrs Leonardo asked, her sad eyes contradicted the wide grin on her face. As I tried to respond, I realized an oxygen mask attached to my face.“Don’t ask her questions, Mother,” Lumbar cautioned, his voice careful and low.Even though I had been hurting so much before now, a bittersweet smile tugged at the corners of my lips.Seeing them here, cheering for me to get better
Rosé’s POVIn the intense moment, my heart thudded against my chest, my gaze lingering on his lips, longing to remember what he tasted like. All my frustrations melted away at the sight of him, and I had no thought in my head but be wrapped in his arms with our baby. Us… just us. In that fleeting moment, the door reverberated with a soft thud, startling me back to my senses.“Could you stand up, please? You’re blocking the door…”“Oh, uh…” he exclaimed, standing awkwardly.The door creaked open and Amir peered inside the room. “Can I come in?” “Give me a sec…”“Come in Amir,” I interrupted his rambles. The two men shot their glances at me, staring in confusion.“He’s done, come in.” I said, smiling Amir. Navy exhaled softly, placing a kiss on my face before walking away.Amir smiled softly, as the door closed behind him. “Amir, I can explain, I’m sorry that I lied to you. My name…”“Rosé,” Amir’s deep voice interrupted my rambles, his eyes were softest gaze of relief.“I am so h
Navy’s POVThere was no deceit in Cecilia’s words. Her sources were always right. The perks of having a father who was the number one person in the country. Rosé handed me the phone, her expression filled with shock. “Navy,” she whispered, “is she telling the truth?” I nodded silently, reassuring her.“She said my father was dead, no one would ever save me….” Her voice choked with emotions as she broke down in tears.“She said I was the reason for her failed life, what if he doesn’t want me? The daughter of a fraudster? If my mother’s stigma didn’t give me bad luck then her words must cursed the day already…”“You didn’t do anything wrong… we didn’t do anything wrong…”“We?” She paused, turning to me. I nodded softly, “We, both consequences of their unfaithfulness. That wasn’t our fault. It was their flaw. I’m sorry it took me too long to see that and allowed my birth mother to hurt you.Because I thought she loved me, she would never watch evil befall me. I was wrong, she was the
NAVY’s POV“Clarissa!” Lumbar exclaimed, his eyes widening at the sight of her. A smirk graced her soft face, as she walked in, her hips swayed in motion. The woman carried effortless seductive grace. Her gaze lingered on my lips as our eyes locked, and her smirk widened.“Hello there, stranger,” she beamed, her perfect dentition suitable for a commercial. My heart skipped a beat. Clarissa will always be my first love. I realized. “Hello,” I replied, returning her smile. I could literally feel Lumbar holding his breath, he loved her. It was written on his face. But then fear masked his excitement, she had probably come to announce the lawyer’s verdict on their divorce and win me back somehow. Such thoughts occupied his mind.“Clarissa, you’ve my wife, Rosé,” I said, introducing the two.“I have, she’s a gorgeous woman. She won you over after all. You won, sis,” Clarissa chimed, her eyes flaring with sincerity.“Congratulations on your baby.” Rosé was surprised at the change in her
Rosé’s POVIt was on a Saturday morning when Doctor Martins informed us that the neonatal care unit for our daughter was ready. Navy had been up and around, working on releasing new designs that he claimed were also inspired by me.We were yet to agree on a name for our daughter, so we decided- we will let my father name her.Well, of course if he accepted to run a dna test.Navy strolled into the bigger room he had moved me too, his face beaming with smiles. He had given the mansion a makeover as well, the minimalistic style of it had been reformed to a more colorful look. Pale shades of happy colors filled the room with colors that reflected on his face as he waltzed in.“Hey,” “Hey…” I replied, wondering why he had such a wide smile.“Uh… what is going on?”“I just got off the phone with Ambassador Henry Benoit…”My hands instantly went to my mouth, as if covering my lips would wipe the shock on my face.“He is eager to meet you,” Navy continued, his voice rang in my ear like a
NAVY’S POVThe weight of Rosé’s words hung heavy in the air, casting a shadow over us. I wanted to take legal action against her foster father, it was the only way to stop him from doing whatever he meant by the message he sent, and also, I didn’t want anything to threaten my wife and child. Not anymore, not again.It was a bitter pill to swallow but watching Rosé accept defeat even before the struggle had began suddenly uncovered a mystery to me.“Is this how it is for you?” Rosé glanced at me, her features drawn with confusion.“I’m sorry, Elodie. I just…” I swallowed, then cleared my throat before beginning again.“Every time you left me after an argument or a big fight, I used to feel like you didn’t care about me enough to stay and fix it… but that isn’t the case, it is not that you don’t care, you’re just quick to surrender.”Rosé shook her head, her expression a mix of sadness and pain.“All my life, I’ve been told that I can’t win, I wouldn’t win even if I tried, it was impr
ROSÉ’s POVThe day had begun like every other day. Cold and cloudy with gray skies like every other winter day.Navy had waved goodbye to me and his daughter before leaving to work.Mr and Mrs Alessandro Leonardo, my parents in-laws had long returned to Italy. I couldn’t thank them enough for the support and love they showed me and Amelia. Maya wouldn’t stop talking about her to all her sisters. She insisted Amelia was a copy of her. It was barely three weeks before Amelia had started showing vital stabilization signs. Doctor Martins said all that warmth and excitement from the Leonardos and Sergio sisters did nothing but build my daughter up and her heart rate and breathing were normalized.Even though he advised against carrying her around just yet, I couldn’t wait. Having Amelia in my arms felt like heaven, and the weight of her small body against mine filled me with warmth I had never known before. Everyday I cradled her close, I whispered promises of love and protection to her
It was a cheat sheet, or something like that. But the evening was set. A house wedding, one I had never seen. Mother would turn wherever she was if I ever attempted something like this. Alexander called it a parlor wedding. It was happening right in my living room. We redesignedput my minimalist style living room aesthetic to good use, the chandeliers above creating a dimly lit room as dawn set in.Guests trickled in, their murmurs mingling with our choice of music.Alexander stood by the makeshift altar, being the head of two long feast tables, placed at the center. I stood behind him taking in the sight of everything we had done together.The scent of fresh flowers filled the air, the vibrant colors of the floral arrangements contrasting beautifully with the muted tones of the room.Soft candlelight danced on the two-tier cake, sitting at the center of the table.Alexander was particular when he said there were twenty people coming. As his parents arrive right on time, I couldn
Rosé’s POVI left Amelia straddled to his forefront, with a direction of how the rest of the day would go for her. Navy asked a million questions, yet before we left, Alexander asked the same questions all over again.“Is there anything that comes as an instinct to men?” Paula asked, shaking her head in disbelief.Finn stepped into the driver’s seat with my sister right beside him in the passenger’s seat. Paula instantly exclaimed, “I’m getting married tonight, please let’s focus on the road.”A soft chuckle escaped my lips as I glanced at Finn, “she’s burning you,” I teased, Finn nodded agreeably, “I am searching for a good comeback…”Paula broke into a soft laughter, flailing her arms in the air. “What are we buying first?” “A wedding dress first, before the bridesmaids dresses. We haven’t even decided on the color. We’re wasting time!” Grace exclaimed, strangely motivating us in the right way.“Pink,” Paula replied, her voice cracking with emotions, suddenly she broke down in
Chapter 146Rose's POVAs we all know, every story ends. Sometimes a new story begins where the old ended, other times, it is really the end. Grace's life was about to turn to the next chapter. I could already see the fire in her eyes, she could accomplish anything. I wasn't interested in fighting for her before, but seeing her want things like every normal girl her age felt fulfilling, striving to have a purpose told me we were alike in more ways than just blood. "Maybe having you as my legal guardian won't be so bad," Grace's voice boomed into my thoughts, her excitement evident in her bubbly tone."I was worried about us, about the kind of relationship I would have with you." She continued in a tone calmer than the first.I glanced at her with an eyebrow raised. "She told you about me?"Grace nodded, her gaze softening as she glanced at me. "There are only two people mamañ talks about you, and her mother.""She was always complaining about you." Her voice shivered faintly as she
Navy’s POVLove only took a moment, and I was witnessing that moment right before me.Finn had no notice of the heart that was not beating for him, fascinated by his mere presence.My gaze flickered from Rosé to Finn, before returning to Grace. It was only then I noticed her striking semblance to her sister. Her gaze captured the depth of her desires, her long wavy hair began to bounce as she jumped in surprise, startled by an incident we were yet to see.The server had over poured the coffee, spilling the hot drink on her dress.Finally the incident that would bring them together had finally presented itself. Just the interview was his opportunity to retain Rosé.“I apologize for that…,” Finn paused, swiping his gaze on the features of the inconvenient customer to be certain of the status. From the look on his eyes, it was obvious that he was stricken by her. In that moment, I wondered what could have drawn him to her, I wanted to know if it was her beauty or her smile.I couldn’t
Chapter 144Navy’s POVThe sister’s fight had ended the moment Grace face was flooded with tears. Rosé fragile as usual gave in to her emotions too, joining her in tears. The morning sun was yet to show his face, yet the sniffles from her mother and aunty must have woken my daughter, her presence now contributing to the chorus of tears in the room.I fell into a state of chaos, torn between racing to my daughter or my wife, not knowing who to console first.Amelia got louder, hurling me towards her direction.“I’m sorry,” Grace’s soft voice echoed in the room, “please, let me rely on you… as a sister. I have no one else.”Cradling my daughter on chest, I turned to face them. Rosé was quivering slightly, her face flushed with a mix of tears and relief. “Hmmm,” I exhaled softly, looking between mother and daughter.“Such crybabies.” I remarked, stirring a blush on Rosé’s face.“I think she is hungry…” Grace croaked, her voice barely above a whisper.I nodded, “I think so too… and I f
Chapter 143Navy’s POVI blinked my eyes open, perturbed by the noise in the house. It was barely a minute since I closed my eyes, my eyes were heavy from the the lack of sleep.The first image that came into my view, was an image of Rosé packing a luggage, and instantly, my heart plummeted at the sight of it, thudding against my chest.“Baby, what’s going on?” I asked, the drowsiness in my eyes was completely gone as I jolted to my feet, making my way to Rosé.“Please, tell me, what’s wrong? Please…” Rosé turned to me, her eyes blaring with something I had never seen before.“Let’s go to Paris… let’s go today, now, let’s just go!”“Why?” I asked, “I’ll do whatever you want me to do but I need to understand why first.” “Mamañ, she’s gone…” Rosé replied, her voice quivering as she spoke, “She left Grace here and disappeared, just like me… she’s abandoned her. You think she’s still going to change? You think we still have a chance to her support? That woman deserves to burn in hell!”
Chapter 142ROSE POV Navy sat on the armchair in my spacious room, observing me as I paced agitatedly around, seething with anger at mamañ.“I can’t believe her!” I breathed, “The message Andre sent to us is a clear threat, yet she perceives it as him seeking her. What’d I tell you? She would choose Andre over anyone at any time.”“Elodie,” Navy’s soothing voice interjected, imbued with longing. As our eyes met, I could not help but notice the desire in his gaze. His gaze steadied on me, the intensity of it sending shivers down my spine. Despite my anger at mamañ, in that moment, all I could focus on was the sudden pull between us. His presence filled the room, wafting around me like a curl of smoke.“Rosé,” Navy murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, but it echoed loudly in the silence between us.“Uh,” he cleared his throat, “She is just in love… could you look at it from that perspective?“A wave of disappointment struck me as the desire in his eyes faded while he spoke.I
ROSÉ’s POVA soft exhaled escaped me, as my eyes crinkled with tears, a lump formed in my throat as I struggled to speak.“What… what do you mean, Maa?” Grace spoke out finally, breaking the silence.The answer to that question I already knew. Mamañ had acted as expected.“Henry Benoit,” she sighed sadly, “I’ve wronged him in so many ways. Andre tried to kill him once, or twice…” Our eyes met briefly moment, and I could tell from her expression that it was more than that. “Only the truth mamañ.”Mamañ bowed her head in regret, memories flooding back.“Rosé, Andre tried to harm him so many times that Benoit got a restraining order against him.”“But he didn’t stop, did he?”Mamañ shook her head sadly, her tears welling up.“He didn’t, he tried every means possible.”“Why didn’t he just arrest him?” Navy’s voice boomed into the air, shifting our attention to his tall figure emerging from the hallway.“I put her back to bed,” he explained, planting a peck on my cheek as he joined the
As I stayed in his arms, breathing in his faint fragrance and warmth until a soft coo of a baby interrupted the silence.“It’s Amelia!” Navy gasped, excitement bubbling in his voice.“Wait, you called her Amelia?” I exclaimed, surprised. “Well, I figured she could have two names.”A soft chuckle escaped my lips as I stepped out of his arms. “I’d love that…”Navy nodded, cupping my face in his hands. “I’ll take care of her, you go to the dining.”Taking a deep breath, I made my way back to the dining room, where mamañ and Grace were still seated, their conversation paused as I stepped in. Grace’s appearance was nothing like mamañ’s, and the more I studied her features, I was more convinced that she wasn’t Andre’s daughter.“Mamañ, Grace,” I began, my voice steady, despite the turmoil within, “let’s talk,”Mamañ raised her gaze to me, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.“Where have you been?” I asked, my voice demanding nothing but the truth.“Here and there…” Mamañ replied, dartin