Lucas's POVThe second I pulled away from Nova Designs, I felt a pang at the loss of Claire's presence beside me. It was ridiculous, really - we'd only been apart for a minute and already I ached to have her back in my arms.Grinning ruefully, I shook my head at my own foolishness. If this was love, it had well and truly done a number on me.And God help me, I wouldn't have it any other way.Still riding the high of the perfect morning with my fiancée and soon-to-be stepson, I made the drive to Anderson Industries in record time. The roads were clear, the day was bright, and my heart felt lighter than it had in years.I practically bounded into the office, startling poor Jason where he sat hunched over his computer. His head snapped up, eyes going wide behind his glasses."Mr. Anderson ! I...I wasn't expecting you so early...""I had an exceptionally good reason to start the day off right." I clapped him on the shoulder as I breezed by, unable to contain my ear-splitting grin. "Walk w
Claire's POVI practically floated into Nova Designs, my heart still soaring from the perfect morning with my boys. My fiancé and my son. God, I loved the sound of that.Grinning like a fool, I breezed past the reception desk with a wave, too giddy to stop for my usual morning chitchat. I had a feeling my face said it all anyway - I'd caught my reflection in the car window and I was lit up like Times Square on New Year's Eve.The delirious joy lasted all the way to my office...until I pushed open the door and found Anna already at my desk, meticulously sorting files and clearing the surface. She glanced up as I entered, surprise flickering across her face."Good morning, Anna," I said, trying for nonchalance as I hung my purse on the back of my chair."Ms. blakes! You're here early." Her brow furrowed, a sly smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "And you look...different. Good different."I bit my lip, feeling a telltale flush creep up my neck. "Lucas just dropped me off, actuall
Claire's POVI was elbow-deep in fabric swatches and paint chips when my phone buzzed for the umpteenth time that morning. Biting back a giddy grin, I glanced at the screen, already knowing who it would be.Lucas. Of course."Hey there, handsome," I answered, cradling the phone between my ear and shoulder as I continued to rifle through samples. "Miss me already?"His warm chuckle sent shivers down my spine. "Always. Just wanted to make sure you weren't working too hard. I know how you get when you're in the zone."I snorted, even as my heart fluttered at his thoughtfulness. "Lucas, it's barely been three hours since you dropped me off. I think I can manage a morning without you.""Are you sure about that? Because I seem to recall a certain someone clinging pretty tightly to me in the car earlier..."I could hear the smirk in his voice. Laughing, I abandoned my swatches and leaned back in my chair, already picturing his face. "Can you blame me? I'm marrying the most gorgeous, attentiv
Lucas's POVI couldn't wipe the grin off my face as I hung up with Claire, her sleepy, happy voice still echoing in my ears. God, I loved that woman. Loved knowing I could bring a smile to her face, even from across town."Jason!" I called, already reaching for my phone. "Get in here. I need you."He appeared in the doorway a second later, ever-present tablet in hand. "What's up, boss?""I need you to place an order for me. Top priority." I rattled off a list, my mind whirring. "A dozen sunflowers, the biggest basket of fresh fruit and cheese you can find, and throw in some of those fancy French pastries from that bakery Claire loves. Oh, and a few slices of that almond cake she made this morning, if they can swing it."Jason's eyebrows shot up, but to his credit, he didn't comment. Just nodded and tapped away at his screen. "Got it. Anything else?"I hesitated, then figured what the hell. In for a penny... "See if they can add a bottle of that raspberry champagne. The really good stu
Lucas's POVI couldn't shake the uneasy feeling as I drove away from Nova Designs, Eddie Spencer's smirking face haunting my thoughts. Something about that guy set my teeth on edge, despite his alleged history with Claire.Or maybe because of it."Keep an eye on him," I muttered to Jason as I slid behind the wheel. "I don't like the vibe I'm getting."Jason, to his credit, didn't even blink. Just nodded and tapped something into his ever-present tablet. "You got it, boss. I'll have a full workup on your desk by morning."I flashed him a grateful look, already peeling out of the parking lot. I didn't like leaving Claire alone with Spencer, but I trusted her judgment. And more importantly, I trusted her.Still, the sooner I could put some distance between them, the better I'd feel.The drive home was a blur, my mind too caught up in worst-case scenarios to focus on the road. By the time I pulled into my driveway, my head was pounding and my jaw ached from clenching.All I wanted was a h
Claire's POVAs I watched Lucas leave my office, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The way he frowned, the tense set of his shoulders...was he jealous of Eddie? I shook my head, trying to push the thought aside. Lucas trusted me. He knew how much I loved him. There was no reason for him to feel threatened.Right?Sighing, I gathered up my files and headed for the conference room, determined to focus on the task at hand. But even as I arranged my notes and samples, my mind kept drifting back to Lucas's pinched expression.The sound of the door opening jolted me out of my musings. I looked up, pasting on a bright smile as Eddie Spencer strolled in, all easy confidence and megawatt charm."Claire Blakes ," he drawled, crossing the room to pull me into a hug. "As I live and breathe. You haven't aged a day, you know that?"I laughed, returning his embrace. "Eddie Spencer, silver-tongued devil. You always were a smooth talker."He grinned as he pulled back, holding me at
Claire's POVThe drive back from Brian's school was unusually quiet, the weight of his earlier question hanging heavy in the air between us. I glanced at him in the rearview mirror, my heart clenching at the troubled furrow of his brow, the way he stared listlessly out the window."Sweetheart," I began, choosing my words carefully. "About what you asked earlier..."Brian's gaze snapped to mine, something painfully vulnerable in his eyes. "It's okay, Mom. You don't have to tell me. I know it's hard for you to talk about him."Oh, my sweet boy. So young, but already so perceptive. So attuned to the ache in my heart, the scars I tried so hard to hide."No, baby. You deserve to know the truth." I took a deep breath, quelling the tremor in my voice. "Your dad...he wasn't perfect. But he was a good man, at heart. Strong and kind and so full of life."A wistful smile tugged at my lips, the memories of those early days flooding my mind. "He would have loved you so much. Been so crazy proud of
EDDIE’s POV I paced the length of Claire's waiting room, my agitation growing with each passing second. Where the hell was she? How long did it take to pick up a kid from school, for chrissakes?I glanced at my watch for the hundredth time, the numbers blurring together in a haze of frustration. I couldn't do this. Couldn't just sit here, twiddling my thumbs, while the woman who had haunted my dreams for the past five years went about her merry way."I'm sorry, Mr. Spencer," Anna, Claire's annoyingly perky assistant, chirped from behind her desk. "Ms. Blakes should be back any minute now. Can I get you a coffee while you wait?"I waved her off with an impatient grunt, my jaw clenched so tight I could feel my molars grinding together. I didn't want coffee. I wanted answers. I wanted to look into those fathomless blue eyes and demand to know why she had left me, why she had run away without so much as a backward glance.But most of all, I wanted to know about the boy. The one with my c
Claire sat across from Lucas and Prince Will in the small café near the courthouse, her hands wrapped tightly around her coffee cup. The warm steam curled into the air, but she barely felt it. Her mind was set on what she was about to say.Lucas watched her carefully, his deep honey-gold eyes filled with something unreadable. Prince Will, on the other hand, leaned back slightly, observing her with quiet curiosity.Claire took a deep breath. “I’ve made a decision,” she said finally.Lucas’s jaw tightened slightly. “What decision?”Claire exhaled. “I’m moving away. I’m taking Brian with me to another city.”Silence.Lucas’s entire body went still. PrinceWill raised an eyebrow but said nothing.Lucas’s fingers tapped against the table once, twice, before curling into a fist. “You’re taking Brian away from me?”Claire swallowed hard. “Lucas, after everything that happened… I need a fresh start. Brian needs a fresh start. He deserves to live in a place where he isn’t constantly looking ove
Claire sat in the hospital waiting room, her hands clenched together so tightly that her knuckles turned white. The sterile smell of antiseptic filled the air, and the soft murmurs of nurses and doctors blended into the background. But she heard none of it.All she could think about was Lucas.He had lost so much blood. The doctors had been inside the operating room for hours. Every time the doors swung open, her heart leaped into her throat, but it was never the news she wanted.Her entire body was stiff with exhaustion, but she couldn’t rest. Not when his life was hanging by a thread.She leaned forward, burying her face in her hands. “Please, just let him be okay,” she whispered to no one in particular.A sudden commotion near the nurses’ station caught her attention. Several people had gathered around the television mounted on the wall, murmuring among themselves.Claire frowned and slowly stood up, walking toward them. The screen displayed breaking news, and her heart nearly st
Lucas barely had time to react.A sharp pain exploded at the back of his head as Chloe struck him, making him stumble forward. He caught himself against the wall, breathing heavily, trying to stay steady.“Don’t move,” Chloe hissed.Lucas turned his head slightly and saw her holding a gun, her hands trembling just enough to show her nerves.“Chloe,” he said slowly, keeping his hands where she could see them. “You don’t want to do this.”Chloe let out a bitter laugh. “You think you know what I want?” Her grip tightened around the weapon. “I wanted you, Lucas. I wanted us to be together, but you threw me away like garbage!”Lucas took a cautious step forward. “You know that’s not true.”“Don’t lie to me!” Chloe shouted, her breath ragged. “You chose her. You always chose her!”Lucas exhaled, forcing himself to remain calm. One wrong move and this could end badly.“I didn’t choose anyone, Chloe. This isn’t about that. It’s about you making the wrong choices,” Lucas said, his voice steady.
Kelvin sat in the interrogation room, his hands cuffed to the table, sweat dripping down his forehead. The walls felt like they were closing in, and the harsh overhead light made it impossible to escape the cold, hard truth—he was caught.Across from him, PrinceWill leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. His gaze was sharp, unwavering.“Let’s try this again,” PrinceWill said. “Who else was involved?”Kelvin licked his dry lips. “I already told you everything.”PrinceWill tapped a pen against the table. “Lying won’t help you, Kelvin.”Kelvin clenched his jaw, looking away.PrinceWill sighed. “We already have enough to put you away for a long time. The only thing that’ll make your life easier is if you cooperate.”Kelvin’s fingers twitched. He knew he didn’t have a way out of this.“Fine,” he muttered. “Chloe.”PrinceWill didn’t react, but his grip on the pen tightened. “Go on.”Kelvin exhaled heavily. “She planned everything. She was the one who arranged for Brian to be taken to the
PrinceWill sat in his office, his eyes fixed on the stack of reports in front of him. The search for Brian had gone cold, and frustration was eating him alive. Claire had been coming to the station every single day, her face pale with exhaustion, her eyes swollen from endless crying. It hurt to see her like that.He had promised to help her. He couldn’t fail.A knock on the door made him glance up. One of his officers stepped in, looking hesitant.“Sir, we still haven’t recovered any CCTV footage from the night Brian was taken. It’s like everything was wiped clean,” the officer said.PrinceWill let out a slow breath, rubbing his temples. “There has to be something. No way a child disappears in a city like this without leaving a trace.”The officer sighed. “We’ve checked all nearby buildings. All footage was mysteriously deleted.”PrinceWill clenched his jaw. This wasn’t a coincidence. Someone had done this on purpose.“Sir,” another officer peeked into the room, his expression tense.
Chloe smirked as she looked through the small window into the children’s area.Brian was sitting alone, his little face filled with sadness.Soon, he would be out of the picture for good.And Claire would never see him again.Brian kicked his legs slowly as he sat on the wooden bench inside the orphanage playroom, watching the other children run around. He didn’t want to play. He didn’t want to be here.He wanted his mother.Tears stung his eyes, but he blinked them away. His mom always told him to be strong. But how could he be strong when he was stuck in this place with no idea when he would see her again?Then he saw her.His little heart pounded as he spotted the familiar blonde-haired woman walking through the hallway, her heels clicking against the floor.Chloe.She was the one who brought him here.She knew where his mother was.Brian jumped up, his small feet moving as fast as they could. He ran toward her just as she was about to step into an office.“Miss… please.”Chloe sto
Lucas stormed into his office, his entire body rigid with anger. His assistant, Mark, stood near his desk, looking anxious.“You need to see this,” Mark said, handing Lucas a file.Lucas barely glanced at it before slamming it onto the desk. “Tell me what happened.”Mark hesitated. “Kelvin called for a vote. He convinced the board members that your absence was harming the company.”Lucas’s eyes darkened. “And they listened?”Mark swallowed. “Most of them. But I called Camila.”Lucas’s jaw clenched at the name.Camila.His former love interest.It had been years since they last spoke, but she still held significant power in the company after inheriting her late father’s shares.Mark continued, “She arrived just before the final vote. As soon as she voted no, the others started reconsidering. Almost all of them joined her.”Lucas exhaled slowly, his hands tightening into fists.“So I’m still CEO.”Mark nodded. “Yes. But Kelvin isn’t backing down. He acted like nothing happened, said he’
Lucas lay on his bed, his body burning with fever. His head felt like it was splitting in two, his muscles weak, his throat dry. He barely had the strength to lift his arm, let alone get up. The room was dimly lit, curtains drawn shut, and the air was thick with silence.He had ignored his health for too long. Days without eating properly, sleepless nights filled with stress, and now his body had given up on him.A cold hand touched his forehead, and he groaned, shifting slightly.“Shh,” a soft voice murmured. “Just rest, Lucas. That’s all your body needs for now. Stop fighting it.”He forced his heavy eyelids open, his vision blurry. A figure sat beside him, a damp cloth in her hand. He blinked, trying to focus.Chloe? He wondered as his body tensed immediately.“What… are you doing here?” His voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper.Chloe gave him a small smile, pressing the cloth against his forehead. “Taking care of you.”Lucas tried to move, but his limbs felt too weak. “How di
Chloe pulled her coat tighter around her body as she stepped out of the car. The orphanage stood before her, an old brick building with a rusted iron gate. Children played in the front yard, their laughter ringing through the air. The sight made her sick.She wasn’t here for charity.With a confident stride, she walked through the entrance, where a woman in a long, dark dress stood behind a desk. The woman, Sister Agnes, looked up from a pile of papers, adjusting her glasses as Chloe approached.“Good afternoon,” Sister Agnes greeted, offering a warm smile. “How may I help you?”Chloe forced a sad expression onto her face, lowering her gaze. “I’m here to… to give my son up for adoption.”Sister Agnes’s smile faltered. “Oh, dear. That must be very difficult for you.”Chloe let out a dramatic sigh. “It is,” she whispered, looking down as if holding back tears. “I love him so much, but I can’t give him the life he deserves.”Sister Agnes reached across the desk, gently touching Chloe’s