(JARED'S POV)Eight months—it’s been eight months, but it feels like an eternity. My life has spiraled in ways I never anticipated, and not for the better. Sofia and I... we were never meant to be. I see that now.What started as an escape—maybe from my own demons—has become another prison, one I built with my own hands. Regret gnaws at me, but it’s too late. Too late to fix what I’ve broken.The moment Sofia lost the baby, everything changed. I wasn’t ready for it—not for the life she carried, and certainly not for its loss. But as the weight of the grief sank in, I realized it wasn’t just her child I was mourning.It was the child I lost with Arielle.The one I could have had. The one I wasn’t there for.I can still hear Sofia’s voice from that day—shrill, desperate. It rings in my ears even now, haunting me in quiet moments.(Flashback)I was knee-deep in paperwork, trying to escape into the dull routine of the office when my phone buzzed on my desk. Sofia’s name flashed on the scr
(JARED’S POV) I watched in horror as Sofia's grip on the laptop tightened. "Sofia, please," I begged, trying to keep my voice low and not aggravate things. "Don't do this. That laptop has very important files and contacts." "Important files and contacts?" she sneered. "Or just important contacts?" "Sofia, stop this," I warned, my patience wearing off. "I'll stop when you fire that secretary of yours," she spat. My jaws clenched, as I paused to weigh my options. I couldn't afford to lose these files. "Fine, I'll fire her." Sofia's expression changed a little now, a sly smile spreading on her face. "Do it now." I grabbed the intercom, my hands heavy with reluctance. "Brooke, you're fired, effective immediately." Brooke's voice came through the intercom. "Sir, please...what did I do?" But I ended the call, unable to best her pleas. "Satisfied?" I asked Sofia, my eyes hard, and my tone cold. "No," she replied, her eyes glinting mischievously. "Promise you'll come hom
(JARED'S POV) At the close of work, I packed up, ready to leave. I was reluctant to go home at first, but then, I had to if I didn't want Sofia to create another scene. And besides, I couldn't keep running away from my own house. On arriving home, Sofia welcomed me with a hug. I recoiled at her touch, I've been doing that lately. It amazed me how she could act normal after the stunt she pulled at my office earlier. "Hey, how was your day?" She asked, her voice dripping with fake sweetness that I could decipher. "Fantastic, all thanks to you," I responded sarcastically while moving toward the stairs. Her smile faltered, but she said nothing. I got inside my room, our room rather, because Sofia had insisted on moving in since we were engaged and soon to be married. Just then, my phone rang. It was my mother calling. "Hello, Mom," I answered. "My dear, how're you?" Her familiar soothing voice breezed in. "I'm fine, Mom. Just got back from work." "Alright. I have som
(JARED'S POV)Her name, in her handwriting. Keeping a diary? This is too old-shool, just what Arielle would do. How could I never realize she had this habit? My pulse quickened as I skimmed through the next few pages, my eyes searching for anything—anything that would bring me closer to understanding what I had lost.I came upon an entry, and the words on the page seemed to leap out at me."I discovered I was pregnant today. I’ve been having the symptoms, so I went to see a doctor. It’s confirmed, I’m going to be a mother! I can’t wait to tell Jared… he’s going to be so happy."The excitement in her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I could almost hear her voice in my head, the same way she used to look at me with that hopeful smile. My hands tightened around the diary as my chest constricted painfully. Our child.I flipped to the next page, my eyes scanning the next entry."I was going to break the news to Jared tonight at our anniversary dinner, but he left on a work call and ha
(Jared's POV)My hands trembled as I closed the diary, barely processing the words still echoing in my mind. Just then, I heard footsteps outside the door, snapping me out of my daze.The door creaked open, and Sofia strode in, her face already set in its usual frown. She stopped when she saw me, her eyes narrowing with suspicion."Sofia," I rasped, my throat tight, "we need to talk."She paused, eyebrows raised. "What’s this about?"I didn’t answer right away. Instead, I held up the diary. "Do you recognize this?"Her eyes flickered—recognition, maybe fear—but she quickly masked it with indifference. "No. Why would I?""I think you do," I said, my voice low but steady. "Look closer."She hesitated, taking the diary from my hands, her fingers brushing over the worn cover. "It’s just a diary, Jared." She pushed it back to me, dismissively. "Where did you find this?"I ignored her question. "Did you hide it?"Her eyes darted, the discomfort obvious now. "Why would I hide something like
(ARIELLE'S POV)I walked into the house, exhausted from a long day at the academy. All I craved for at that point was a light lunch and a long nap. But as I entered the kitchen, a sudden pain struck me in my abdomen."Ah!" I gasped, clutching my stomach.What was that? I thought, suddenly panicky. Was it labor? I know I was in my ninth month, but I was not due for delivery until the end of the month and today was just day 15.The pain hit again, more intense this time, and I doubled over. Oh God, something's over.I limped to the living room, grabbed my handbag, and fumbled for my phone. My fingers trembled as I dialed Dwayne's number."Please pick up, please pick up," I chanted."Dwayne!" I exclaimed, relief washing over me when he answered."Arielle, what's up?""I... I'm in pain, I don't know, but it hurts so much. My abdomen, waist–""What? Where are you?" He asked, his voice urgent."I'm at home. I–""Damnit! I'm about to board my flight."“Sorry, I forgot..." I paused, the pain
(ARIELLE’S POV)"I didn't know how to tell you," I said softly. "It wasn’t something I hid on purpose. I was afraid of how the academy might react if they found out I was pregnant. I wasn't sure if they would still accept me."Dwayne’s expression grew somber, his eyes filled with a mixture of understanding and disappointment."Even me?" His voice was calm but carried a weight that made me feel small. "Arielle, we are friends. I know I have no right to demand anything from you, but you could’ve at least told me. I’d never rat you out, not if you were afraid of that."I looked down, "I'm sorry. I really did think of telling you, but… I didn’t know how you’d react. And honestly, what could you have done? You’re not a doctor, and you’re not a woman who can relate to pregnancy."He shook his head gently, his voice unwavering. "You don’t give me enough credit. I would’ve done anything to help you. You know I would’ve been there for you. Hell, I wouldn’t have even gone on that trip if I knew.
****Three years later**** "And the overall best graduating student and winner of this year's $100,000 scholarship grant is Arielle Meyers!" I gasped at the announcement, unable to believe the event anchor's words. It was not only after the hall erupted in applause, and people were glancing at me that I realized that it was indeed my name that was called. I stood up from my seat, my heart racing with excitement as I walked through the rows of seats, making my way up to the elevated podium. As I reached the stage, I was met with a warm smile by the organizer, who handed me the award and shook my hand. "Congratulations, Arielle!" I scanned the crowd, locking eyes with my mother and Ashley, who were grinning wildly. They had flown in the previous day to witness my graduation. I smiled back at them, my gaze shifting to my three-year-old son, Maverick, waving excitedly on the lap of his nanny. "Mommy's won!" I mouthed, waving at him. As I returned my gaze to the stage, Dwayne was st
(JARED’S POV.)I stopped by a flower shop on my way to the restaurant. Thankfully, the storekeeper was a friendly middle-aged lady. She took me through the large shop, showing me different flowers sticking out of fancy flowerpots. The place was designed to have an infinity garden theme—it felt like a walk in paradise, with all the smells and sounds. There was a deer statue in one end and a flowing water fountain from which fishes jumped into the air on the other. A squirrel sat on a rubber tree statue in the far corner, while a bunny stuck its head out of a log somewhere else. I let my awe of the place cover up for the fact that I didn’t know what flower to get Keira.“Having a hard time deciding what to get her?” she asked with a kind smile.I nodded, scratching the back of my head in embarrassment. “Gosh. I don’t even know what which to get her. She loves Lavender, hit I want to pair it with another nice flower,” I confessed.“Well, no one ever goes wrong with a mix of lavender and
(ARIELLE’S POV.)I sat in my office for the first time since the hospital incident, and I had to keep a hard fight to keep my mental energy flying high. I couldn’t help but feel a bit overwhelmed by the mountain of work that welcomed me on my first day. Jared and Dwayne had insisted that I let things at the restaurant handle themselves under Stephen and Rebecca’s care. And even though they’d done their jobs very thoroughly, I still had a mountain of paperwork to sign through. Turns out the administrative expectations of the restaurant didn’t take a break like I did.I heard a knock on the door and raised my head from the document before me. Stephen walked in, his lips stretched out in a goofy smile as always. Rebecca pushed past him almost immediately.“Get out of the way, Ste…,” she began saying but paused to observe him. He’d frozen still with the smile still intact, like a mascot. “Hey. Earth to Stephen,” she snapped her fingers in his face and caused him to jump back in fright.“T
(ARIELLE’S POV.)The other parents were taking forever to get ready. The sun was going down and the skies were stained a bright orange. Jared looked at his watch multiple times and I could tell he was growing restless and would’ve disappeared if Maverick’s emotions weren’t involved.The public address system crackled to life and the principal took the stage. All eyes filed in the direction of his booming voice. “In a matter of moments, the race will begin… hold on. I’d like to acknowledge the presence of our biggest sponsors…,” he said. But we didn’t need to hear him finish his sentence.Out of the blues, Mr. Langley appeared in sight, Tiana perched on his arm. They had the facetious look of hypocrites putting on a good show for all who cared to see.“What are they doing here?” my mother asked, her face set in a skeptical frown. I looked at Jared too who was having a hard time concealing the contempt on his face. We exchanged a knowing look and I shook my head in the negative to keep
(DENZEL'S POV)The gears clicked into place in my head. I’d been missing a key detail this whole time. Of course. “Your nephew. The kid is your nephew!” I pointed out in a moment of eureka. “Of course. Jared Smith is your brother. Now you’ve made me look stupid,” I said with an animated pout."You’ve been stupid from the start," Dwayne said, amusement laced with dry contempt. "That’s your problem, not mine. Stay away from Jared and his family." My brain was racing. My lips stretched out in a smile. “You see, sir, actually I think we’ll make a good team.” He raised an eyebrow."I know how it goes with you rich brothers—fighting tooth and nail over family assets. Even if you are a Mafia godfather, so what? There's still more wealth to go around in the wealthy Smith, right? You’re using a fake identity to compete with him, which means there’s a reason. Whatever it is, I can help you." I was on a roll now, the more excitement buzzing in my veins as the more I realized. “Jared owes
(DENZEL’S POV.)I licked my lips in self-absorbed satisfaction as I watched the gears in the man’s head move. He’s a dangerous man.That’s the first thought that struck me.There’s a vast difference between how men and women look at other men. A woman might first notice the tailored black suit sculpting his broad shoulders and tapering waist, the sharp cheekbones and chiseled jaw that gave him a sculpted air.But I? I saw the quiet promise of violence beneath his composed demeanor.He stood tall, his frame lean but deceptively powerful—built for precision rather than bulk. Those weren’t gym-trained muscles but the product of relentless, high-intensity exertion. A body honed for efficiency. For lethality.A man like Jared was a lion or a tiger—the noble king of the jungle. But this man was a leopard. Not the biggest beast in the wild, but the deadliest.I made a mental note: If I could deliver someone this menacing into my grandfather’s service as a foot soldier, the old man might jus
(DWAYNE’S POV.)My legs carried me in the direction I’d been looking earlier, my eyes involuntarily scanning the place for any signs of the face I’d seen. He was supposed to be away— at least for a long time. So it didn’t make any sense that I was seeing him out here in the open. Maybe I was just paranoid. Or maybe it was just my mind giving me a reason to keep away from Jared while he attained hero status before his son.I stepped around a family of three, the parents laughing as they tied their legs together with their little daughter’s. It was a simple, beautiful moment—one I had no right to interrupt. The little girl giggled, catching my gaze, and I gave her a quick wink before moving on. Then I saw him again. This time, he was in motion, moving through the crowds. My pulse slowed in calculated awareness. I didn’t know if he was the mastermind or just another pawn, but I wasn’t about to take any chances. I murmured “excuse me” and “sorry” as I cut through the moving bodie
(DWAYNE’S POV.)“Fist bump?” I held out my hand for Maverick and he brushed his knuckles gently against mine and pulled it backwards with a soft “whoosh” to mimic an explosion. Jared was in the corner. He’d finally let the paramedics tend to his injuries which thankfully didn’t need any serious medical intervention. Half a bottle of spirit and swabs of cotton later, he was all fixed up and ready for the race.The public address system crackled to life and all heads lifted up to the now cleared stage where the principal was standing, his face devoid of its usual sternness. The smile on his face seemed so out of place — and must have been an uncomfortable expression for him to make— because it looked more like a grimace than anything else.I pulled Maverick in closer and stroked his hair tenderly. Jared’s eyes trailed to us and he looked away.“I want to sincerely apologize again for the accident earlier on. You must believe me when I say the school will never do anything to put our st
(DWAYNE'S POV)I couldn't remember ever being scared as I was when I saw the chandelier falling. Without thinking, I bolted off my seat with one mission in mind; save Maverick. Fortunately, Jared was faster. And for the first time, I didn't think about who saved the little boy first, no thought of competition whatsoever. All that mattered at that point was that Maverick was safe.I just couldn't imagine what would have happened if anything had happened to either Maverick or Jared. As much as I hated to admit it, Jared was still my blood and that was not changing. I would rather have him alive as my sworn rival, than dead.As we stood there, trying to process what had just happened, parents approached us to offer consolation and thank the stars for not letting harm come to either Maverick or Jared. A group of school staff approached us, too, looking worried and apologetic."I'm so sorry, everyone," Maverick's class teacher said, her voice shaking. "It was an accident, a totally unexpec
(ARIELLE'S POV)After that round of activity was over, there were subsequent ones, and soon it was time for the talent show. In the talent show, parents anxiously watched as their kids and wards who were participating came on the stage. I was anxious as well, as Maverick was also participating.Minutes ticked by, and pupils trooped in and out of the stage for their performance, but there was no sign of Maverick. I shifted impatiently in my seat, wondering when his turn would be. His class teacher had earlier come to pick him up, citing that he had to get dressed in his costume in preparation for his performance, but there was still no sign of him.I was just about to turn to the others to voice my concern when Maverick emerged. He was the last to appear as others were already done with their performance. I sat up properly in my seat, curious about what Maverick would show. I turned to others to see if they were as anxious as I was, and that was when I found that Jared was no longer i