By the time the screen faded to black, I couldn’t stop the tears. The room sat in silence, heavy with emotion. Then, applause—loud, heartfelt, overwhelming.I couldn’t speak. Couldn’t move. All I could do was sit there, consumed by love.Ashley’s voice broke through my haze. "And now, personalized s
(ARIELLE'S POV)After the cake-cutting, it was time for gifts.Mom presented me with a stunning silver necklace, the pendant engraved with "Culinary Queen." Maverick handed me a resin key fob with "Super Mommy" written on it, his excitement making it even more precious. Margaux gifted me a certifica
"Il Cuore di Smeraldo," he said softly. "It belonged to my mother. It’s been in my family for generations."My breath hitched. His mother’s heirloom.I swallowed, struggling to find the right words. "Dwayne, this is too much. I can’t—""You can," he interrupted, his voice low, firm yet unbearably ge
(ARIELLE'S POV)Dwayne remained silent beside me, his presence a steady warmth against the cool night air. I glanced between him and Jared, then let out a slow sigh. "Anyway, Dwayne, I really hope you'll think about what I said. It’s important—"He shrugged with an exaggerated air of indifference. "
A sharp ache lanced through my chest.Jared ran a hand through his hair, exhaling shakily. “Back then, you told me it didn’t matter. That you never cared about birthdays. And I believed you. But today, after seeing what everyone did for you, I realized how blind I was.”I clenched my fists. Stop tal
After parting with Jared, I returned to my cabin and fell into a deep sleep. When I woke up, sunlight was streaming through the window. A glance at the clock made me gasp—noon already? Stretching, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, still groggy but gradually waking up. A soft knock sounded, and be
(ARIELLE'S POV)Every muscle in my body ached, my throat felt like sandpaper, and my head was pounding so hard that even opening my eyes took effort. Heat clung to my skin, yet I shivered as I pulled the blanket tighter around me. I tried to sit up, but the moment I moved, dizziness knocked me back
His tone was calm, but the undercurrent of concern was unmistakable. I opened my mouth to insist again, but my words felt too heavy. I didn’t have the strength to argue with him, and—honestly—I didn’t want to. I collapsed back into the pillows, the weight of exhaustion sinking into my bones. For a
“Okay, how about… the bartender from that rooftop dinner we went to?” “Arielle!” Ashley exclaimed, feigning offense. “Seriously? A random bartender?” I shrugged. “Hey, you never know. Besides, you said it yourself that he was your type.” She rolled her eyes and didn't say a word. I continued the
(ARIELLE’S POV) I halted, my mind going blank. Pregnant? Ashley? It felt unbelievable. The Ashley I know would never let a man knock her up without marriage, she was that uptight. My eyes darted from her beaming face to the hand she was now placing on her stomach. “Pregnant?” The word escaped my l
(ARIELLE'S POV) “Surprise!” She exclaimed, her face beaming with smiles as she stepped fully into the room, pulling a small suitcase behind her. My jaw dropped, and my eyes widened. She looked tired from her trip, but her radiant smile masked it well. “Ashley, what are you doing here?” I asked, st
(ARIELLE'S POV) Back in my room at the hotel, I sat in front of my phone that was placed on the bed’s dashboard, waiting for my mom to answer the phone. Excitement coursed through my system like an unending river, and I couldn't wait to share the good news with my loved ones, my mom topping the cha
“I won’t be long in the shower,” he promised as he dashed into the bathroom. I picked up my phone and found a couple of missed calls from Michael Langley. A little frown crossed my face until I realized he might’ve worried after checking on me at my suite. I didn’t owe him any explanations of cours
(ARIELLE’S POV) I was awake—eyes closed, but very much aware of my surroundings. I could feel the gentle early morning breeze dance over my skin as it traveled across the room. The warmth of Jared’s skin against mine, his spring arms wrapped around me like a second blanket, brought back very vivid
(MICHAEL’S POV) I was on a zoom conference call with my strategy team back home when my phone rang. Normally, I’d just ignore it and let it ring out until whoever it was on the other end got the message. But when I looked at the caller ID, I thought better. “Jared. Is everything okay?” I asked my
“That bounce in his step? You’ll only ever find it in a man who’s in love. And you.. your skin has a different glow this morning. Plus you arrived an hour late for our appointment,” Ellen finished with a shrug. “Morning, Dr. Keystone,” Jared nodded as he walked into the room. “Good morning, Mr. Sm
(ARIELLE’S POV) I woke up in his arms, this time, fully aware and hardly willing to break the contact between our bodies. I slowly turned around to look at his face, to be sure none of it was a dream. Jared’s lips stretched in a smile and his eyes peeled open gradually. “Hey,” he said. “Hey,” I e