Days passed, and we continued our roles for the public. The engagement was splashed across every tabloid, every entertainment show. "Margarette and William: An Unlikely Love Story," they called it, but behind the scenes, everything felt off-kilter.One evening, Aunt Lou talked to me, her voice light but curious. “So,” she started slowly, “I saw the news. You and William, hmmn?” I could hear the hope in her voice, the expectation that I was moving forward, that maybe William could be someone who’d bring light back into my life. But the warmth in her tone only served to underscore the lie.“Yes and it’s complicated, Aunt Lou,” I replied, not sure how to explain. “Things are…well, they’re not exactly what they seem.”She let out a small sigh, pausing as if she were piecing together what I’d left unsaid. “Margarette, child, you don’t have to explain if you don’t feel like it. I just want to make sure you’re not pushing yourself into anything that doesn’t feel right.”I appreciated her und
I spent the better part of the morning in the living room, trying to focus on a new puzzle with Lucas, who was steadily becoming my little mastermind. He was getting quicker at these, his tiny fingers piecing together shapes with a focused little frown that made my heart swell with love. As I leaned over to help him fit a corner piece, he looked up at me with his wide, curious eyes.As Lucas and I played with his favorite puzzle on the living room rug, he was bubbling over with excitement, his little fingers working to fit pieces together. I loved these quiet moments with him—watching his expressions shift with each puzzle piece he conquered. I thought we were set for a peaceful morning until he glanced up with a question I hadn’t prepared for.“Mommy,” he asked, looking at me with an innocent curiosity. “Why hasn’t Uncle Daddy William come to play? Did he… forget me?”I felt my heart falter. William had been so present in Lucas’s life, even during our tangled, complicated act for the
That evening, as I settled Lucas into bed, my mind was still spinning with everything I’d felt and realized at English Bay. I found myself replaying the questions I had asked Leon, turning over his silent answers in my mind, as if the warmth I’d felt there was indeed a sign that he’d heard me. I knew I’d have to face these feelings sooner or later, and that meant confronting William. He’d been patient, trying to play his part as best he could, and yet it was impossible for him to understand what it meant to carry a loss like mine.After days of thinking, wrestling with memories and regrets, I made my way back to the café where William had asked to meet. Today felt different. I had come to terms with the possibility I’d spent so long avoiding: that maybe, letting go of the past didn’t have to mean erasing it. Maybe it could mean making space for someone else. For Lucas’s sake. And, I admitted to myself, maybe even for mine.The next morning, I decided to send William a message: Mee
The days felt lighter than usual, like I was finally able to breathe again after what felt like a lifetime of holding my breath. I had made my peace with the past, with Leon's memory, and had decided to give my heart a chance to find love again, even if the path was still new and uncertain. William was making it easy. Each day, he seemed determined to show me how committed he was—not just to Lucas and me but to our future together. Today marked the end of a long and exhausting shoot. The sun was dipping behind the set as the director called for a wrap, the crew breaking into applause, and my co-stars and I relaxed, feeling the collective weight lift. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw William approaching with a radiant smile and a massive bouquet of red roses. I didn’t expect him to show up on set, let alone with flowers in hand, but the sight of him sent a quiet warmth through me. He looked proud, confident, and undeniably handsome, and I couldn’t help the blush that crept o
The day after my conversation with William, I received a message from my publicist about an upcoming press conference. It was organized by the studio to promote the film, but they’d be opening the floor to any questions the press might have about the recent engagement between me and William or the scandal. Part of me dreaded the entire affair, but another part knew this was necessary. After everything that happened, it was crucial to show that I wasn’t hiding from the spotlight—or from the truth. I arrived early, the room already buzzing with reporters setting up their equipment and fans gathering outside, hoping for a glimpse of the cast. My eyes scanned the rows of chairs and the raised platform where we’d be seated, and I tried to calm my nerves.“Margarette!” My publicist, Tina, called from the corner, waving me over. “Quick, before the others get here. I want to go over a few things.”I nodded, grateful for her organization as she quickly briefed me on potential questions and r
A FEW WEEKS AFTER...The day began like any other, except for the excitement in Lucas’s eyes as he pulled me down the hallway."Mommy! Look!" he squealed, pointing to the plane tickets William held, smiling wide. “We’re going to the theme park!”My eyes widened, looking from Lucas to William, who simply shrugged with a mischievous grin. “Thought we all deserved a bit of fun,” he said. I couldn’t hold back a laugh, my surprise quickly turning to excitement. “Thank you, William. This is… beyond words.”The three of us boarded the plane, Lucas chattering nonstop as we took off. I could already feel a lightness, a sense of joy I hadn’t felt in so long. Lucas held my hand, eyes wide with wonder as we soared over the clouds. The theme park awaited, but the journey there felt like a gift all on its own.When we arrived, Lucas ran ahead, practically pulling us toward the entrance. We took in the vibrant sights and sounds of the park, the colorful lights reflecting in Lucas’s eyes as he marve
As we returned home from the theme park, life fell back into its usual ways, although there was an unmistakable change between William and me. We still had a long way to go, but that night on the balcony had laid a new beginning—one built on mutual hope and a shared desire for happiness, both for us and for Lucas. A few days passed in a blur of rehearsals and meetings, a routine I welcomed for its predictability. Lucas had returned to school, and I found myself back on set, diving into my work with a renewed sense of purpose. Despite the hectic schedule, William and I made time for each other in small, meaningful ways. He would bring me coffee in the morning, his smile a reminder of the warmth that had started to bloom between us.Sometimes, he would surprise Lucas with little notes in his lunchbox or pick him up after school, small gestures that showed just how much he wanted to be a father figure in Lucas’s life.One afternoon, William sent me a message just as I was wrapping up a
ONE YEAR LATERA year had passed since William and I had gotten engaged, and in that time, life had taken on a new glow, filled with moments that made me believe in happiness again. From the beginning, William never once tried to overshadow Leon’s place in my heart. He knew how deeply that history had shaped me, and he respected it in a way that felt both genuine and reassuring. He had his own unique way of loving me, and day by day, he proved himself, not only as a loving partner to me but as a devoted father figure to Lucas.With William, I had been given space to heal, to laugh, and to slowly open myself up again. Our relationship grew beautifully, with no rush or pressure—just a gentle unfolding of love. William had seamlessly integrated into our lives, creating a warmth around our home that Lucas noticed and enjoyed. Lucas had grown fond of him, and seeing them together brought me a sense of peace I hadn’t felt in years.One of the most defining moments that solidified my love a
Gunfire tore through the air, glass raining down around us as we hit the ground. The sharp sound of bullets striking wood and metal sent my heart into a frantic rhythm. Leon grabbed me, shielding my body as we crawled behind the heavy oak desk.“Dorian?” Leon’s voice was sharp, controlled despite the chaos.“I’m fine,” Dorian called from behind a toppled chair. He moved fast, drawing his gun and firing two precise shots toward the broken windows. A pained grunt told us he had hit his mark.Vincent, the smug bastard, was still in his chair, completely unbothered by the attack.“This is cute,” he mused, swirling the whiskey in his glass. “But you should know by now—I never play fair.”Leon turned his gun on him. “Call them off.”Vincent only smiled.I gritted my teeth. “Damn it, Vincent, this isn’t a game! Who the hell is shooting at us?”The door burst open, and three armed men stormed in.Dorian moved first. He lunged at the closest attacker, his blade flashing in the dim light. The m
The safe house felt suffocating, the air thick with unspoken tension. Every second we wasted gave Vincent more time to prepare. More time to strike.I wasn’t going to let that happen.Leon stood by the table, his hands braced against the surface, muscles tight with frustration. Dorian, despite the pain from his injury, sat nearby, flipping a knife between his fingers—a habit he had when deep in thought.“We need a lead,” Leon finally said, his voice low and controlled. “We can’t storm in blind.”I paced near the window, arms crossed. “We do have a lead. This locket.” I held it up, the metal catching the dim light. “Vincent had it for a reason. He wanted me to see it. Why?”Dorian exhaled sharply. “Because he’s playing with you.”I shook my head. “No. There’s more to it. He wouldn’t go through the trouble of planting something from my past just to taunt me. He wants me to remember something.”Leon’s gaze darkened. “Then let’s start at the beginning. The night of the accident.”My throa
The salty night air carried the hum of distant ship engines and the occasional murmur of dock workers. But this wasn’t just a routine shipment—this was a calculated exchange of power, a moment that could unravel everything Elise’s father had hidden for years.I crouched behind a stack of shipping containers with Leon beside me. Dorian’s team was spread out, positioned along the pier, watching, waiting. A dark van was parked near the edge of the dock, its back doors open. Men in suits moved between the van and the cargo, transferring crates that likely held more than just money.Leon’s voice was low in my ear. “Four men on the ground, two near the van. More could be inside.”I nodded, my gaze locked on the crates. “That’s not just cash, Leon. That’s leverage. He wouldn’t move it unless he was running scared.”Dorian’s voice crackled through our earpieces. “We take them now, we risk losing the files. We wait too long, we risk backup showing up.”I made the decision before anyone else co
Dorian smirked. “Relax, lover boy. I’m not saying she’s defenseless—I’m saying we need to be smart about this.”Leon’s glare didn’t waver, but he didn’t argue either. He knew Dorian was right.I exhaled, my fingers tightening around the locket that had started all of this. “So what do we do?”Dorian sighed. “You have two choices: disappear and hope they forget about you… or go after them first.”Leon tensed beside me. “You’re suggesting we take the fight to them?”Dorian shrugged. “Elise’s father had powerful connections. Some of them might scatter now that he’s locked up, but the smart ones? They’ll wait. Watch. See what you do next.”I swallowed hard. “Then we don’t give them time to plan.”Leon turned to me, his expression dark. “You’re sure about this?”I met his gaze. “I didn’t come this far just to hide.”Dorian grinned. “That’s what I was hoping you’d say.”Alexa shifted uncomfortably. “I wish I had your courage.”I reached for her hand. “You have more than you think.”She gave
The night before our departure, I barely slept. The weight of the locket pressed against my collarbone, a silent reminder that my past was no longer buried—it was clawing its way back to the surface.Leon must have sensed my restlessness because he found me in the kitchen before dawn, staring into my untouched cup of coffee.“You’re thinking too much.”I let out a breathless laugh, shaking my head. “You always say that.”“Because it’s always true.” He leaned against the counter, arms crossed. “Second thoughts?”“No,” I said. “Just… doubts. What if I don’t find the answers I’m looking for? What if I’m just chasing ghosts?”Leon studied me for a long moment before stepping closer, his fingers grazing the locket at my neck. “Then we chase them together.”My chest tightened at the quiet intensity in his voice.Before I could respond, Dorian’s voice cut through the stillness. “Time to go.”The drive to the estate was long and silent. Alexa had insisted on coming, despite her injuries. She
The moment Elise’s father whistled, chaos erupted. Gunfire cracked through the air, sending dock workers scattering. Shadows moved between the containers—his men, heavily armed and ready.Leon pulled me behind a stack of crates as bullets ricocheted off the metal. “Dorian, how many?”Dorian’s voice came sharp through the earpiece. “At least eight. They were waiting for you.”I clenched my teeth. Of course, he knew we’d come.Leon checked his ammo. “We need to take them out before he reaches the cargo ship.”I exhaled, steadying my grip on my gun. “Then let’s end this.”Leon moved first, stepping out just long enough to fire three quick shots. A grunt of pain echoed through the night. One down.Dorian’s rifle cracked, taking out another.I kept close to the containers, listening—waiting. A figure rushed toward me. I ducked just as he swung a knife, feeling the blade slice the air above my head.Without hesitation, I drove my elbow into his ribs, twisting his wrist until the knife clatt
The weight of the file in my hands was suffocating. The words blurred together, but the truth was undeniable—my father hadn’t just been a scientist. He had been a test subject. And Elise’s father had orchestrated it all.Leon took the file from me carefully, his jaw tight as he read through the documents. “This wasn’t just research. They were experimenting on people.”Dorian exhaled sharply. “And your father was one of them.”I clenched my fists. “But why? What were they trying to do?”Leon flipped to the last page, scanning the details. His eyes darkened. “Something about genetic resilience. Accelerated healing. They were looking for ways to manipulate biological responses to trauma.”My stomach churned. “You mean… like making people stronger?”“Stronger, faster, immune to certain injuries.” Leon met my gaze, his voice heavy. “Margarette, they weren’t just studying human endurance. They were creating something.”A chill ran down my spine. “Creating what?”Dorian shifted uncomfortably
The room felt heavier now, as if the ghosts of the past had never truly left. My father’s study had once been a place of quiet authority, filled with the scent of polished wood and old books. Now, it was chaos—a graveyard of secrets waiting to be unearthed.Leon and Dorian moved swiftly, sifting through papers, searching for anything that might explain my father’s connection to Elise’s father. But my hands trembled as I flipped through the documents.My father’s handwriting stared back at me in sharp, deliberate strokes.Project Haven—Initiated 20 years agoI frowned. “Project Haven?”Leon peered over my shoulder. “That name mean anything to you?”I shook my head, but something about it felt... familiar. Like a memory I had brushed against in passing but never grasped fully.Dorian pulled a dust-covered filing box from beneath the desk. “We’ve got more.” He popped the latch and revealed stacks of old documents, some stamped with red ink.CONFIDENTIAL.I swallowed hard as I pulled out
The weight of the locket in my palm was heavier than I remembered. The last time I had seen it, I was a child—too young to understand the depth of what had been stolen from me. And now, years later, it had resurfaced in the hands of a man who had every reason to use it against me.Leon’s grip on my knees tightened. “We need to figure out why he has this.”I nodded, but my thoughts were elsewhere, tangled in memories I had buried long ago. My parents. Their deaths. The accident—or what I had been told was an accident.I took a shaky breath. “This locket... it was my mother’s. She gave it to me the day before she died.” My voice wavered. “When they found me after the accident, it was gone.”Leon’s eyes darkened. “Someone took it.”“Not just someone,” I whispered. “Elise’s father.”Dorian entered the room, his usual calm demeanor slightly frayed. “I just got word. Elise’s father left town hours ago. Whatever game he’s playing, he planned this move in advance.”Leon cursed under his breat