Regaining my composure, I exchanged a concerned glance with Mrs. Meyers before following Maverick. My heart pounded in my chest, a terrible weight pressing down on me with each step toward Arielle’s room. We found him there—his small arms wrapped so tightly around his mother that his little fingers turned white from the force of his grip. He buried his face into her, as if holding her close could somehow fix everything, as if his warmth could pull her back from the abyss she was slipping into. But Arielle didn’t react. She didn’t move, didn’t acknowledge the desperate embrace of the little boy who loved her more than anything in this world. She just sat there. Silent. This was what I had been trying to avoid, I wanted to shield Maverick from this, from watching his mother fade away in front of his eyes. But it seemed I was doing a bad job. I stood there, helpless. I wanted to pull Maverick away, tell him that everything was going to be okay, that I would fix this so
(ARIELLE'S POV) In Flåm, a small town in Norway, I experienced the most peaceful autumn and early winter of my life. When I first arrived with Dwayne, the country was bathed in autumn colors—burnt orange, deep crimson, and golden leaves that drifted lazily through the crisp air. There was a stillness here, a kind of quiet that softened the weight pressing on my soul. I had forgotten what it felt like to breathe without pain, to exist without the ache of memories gnawing at my mind. Three months passed. Winter arrived, blanketing the town in a hushed white serenity. The air grew sharper, filled with the scent of frost, and the world around me slowed. The cold should have bitten into my skin, but strangely, I felt nothing—neither the chill nor the warmth of the crackling fireplace inside my little ranch. My heart had been numb for so long, it didn’t know how to thaw. Dwayne wasn’t by my side all the time. In fact, our one-on-one moments were so rare I could count them on one hand
(DWAYNE'S POV)I strode into the room, my eyes locking onto Jared. The anger burned low in my gut, rising with every step, threatening to snap its leash. I had known. My instincts had screamed at me, warning me that something was off. And of course, Brown had tipped me off just in time—restless, pacing, sensing an intruder before I even stepped onto the property. Jared. I knew he would do this. Bypass me. Come straight to Arielle. Because he knew exactly what he wanted—to take her away. To convince her to take the risk. Arielle stood calm, as if she had already processed the weight of the conversation before my arrival. She turned to me, her voice measured. *“We were… discussing a possible new treatment.”* A treatment. Right. That’s what he was selling. I barely kept my expression neutral as I shifted my gaze back to Jared. “We already heard the diagnosis, Jared. And you were there when the doctors said it—Arielle’s body isn’t in any condition for experimental procedure
(DWAYNE’S POV.) For moments after Arielle spoke I remained silent, clenching and unclenching my fists in fury. I gritted my teeth so hardly they might have turned into fine power under the pressure. Nothing made sense. Jared opened his mouth to speak and closed it. Arielle remained silent herself,
(DWAYNE’S POV.) Arielle walked up to the entrance of the bar and stopped, her face etched with uncertainty. We held each other’s gazes in silence. The wind whipped her hair up to her face and she held it away from her eyes. I fought the urge to reach out and pull her under the shade of the building
(ARIELLE'S POV) After I left Dwayne at the bar, I had left for the location Jared and I were meeting, and we had both boarded the jet together. We sat side by side with each other, and I awkwardly realized that it was the first time in months that I had been in such close proximity to him, and I fo
(ARIELLE'S POV) I felt Jared freeze on me, and then he relaxed, accepting the hug. We stayed that way for seconds, no words uttered, just silent communication. A few seconds later, I disengaged from the hug feeling much better. It felt like the soothing balm I needed. And without a word, I grabbed
(ARIELLE'S POV) I woke hours later, feeling much better. The jet lag had subsided, and I felt refreshed. I sat up, stretching my arms above my head, and glanced at the clock on the bedside table. It was pre–noon, and I remembered Jared mentioning brunch. Swinging my legs off the bed, I stood up, m
(JARED’S POV) The next day, I pulled out of the hotel's driveway, Arielle and Ashley chatting away in the backseat. The atmosphere was lively, with Arielle's infectious laughter and Ashley’s bright smile. I was glad to see Arielle so carefree, even on a day like today. Ashley's presence was a bless
“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