(Mike’s POV).“Why are you here? Why can you—” Emily’s voice trembled, her question left unfinished as she stood frozen in shock, her wide eyes fixed on the figure in the doorway. Ben.The air seemed to thicken, a heavy silence falling over the room. I could feel the shift in Emily's body beside me, her hand gripping mine tightly as cold sweat beaded on her brow. I stepped in front of her instinctively, pulling her closer to my side. My chest tightened at the sight of him, anger swirling within me like a storm waiting to break loose."Who released you from prison?" I demanded, my voice sharp, cutting through the tension like a blade. Ben, my nephew—the man who had nearly destroyed Emily with his lies, his betrayal—stood there in front of us as if it were nothing as if the past hadn’t happened.He had no right to be here.Ben’s face was blank, expressionless, his eyes void of the usual arrogance I had always despised. He didn’t answer my question immediately. Instead, he took a step
(Mike’s POV)."Who the hell are you? Get off me!" Ellen's voice pierced through the walls, full of desperation and fury. I stood just outside the door, hearing her screams as she fought against the men I had sent to retrieve her. She must have been struggling hard, like a cornered animal, thrashing wildly. Ellen had no idea that it had been me behind all this. But she would soon find out.I’d instructed my men to bring her in—quietly, efficiently, no unnecessary attention. I wanted to confront her face-to-face, one-on-one. And it wasn’t until they caught her, wrestling her into submission, that Ellen realized the gravity of the situation.The truth was, Ellen thought she could get away with anything. Meddling in my family’s affairs, making reckless decisions that endangered everything I cared about. She’d underestimated me. She always did.As I approached the door, wearing black leather gloves I’d slipped on in preparation for this meeting, I braced myself. If things got rough, I wa
(Mike’s POV).“Hey, how’s your day?” Emily greeted me with her usual warmth the moment I stepped through the door. Her voice was soft, comforting—like it always was. But today, it couldn’t chase away the exhaustion hanging over me. I closed the door behind me and exhaled slowly, loosening my tie. "It was fine," I replied, my voice flat. I didn’t want to worry her. Not yet.Emily gave me a look—one that said she knew better. She always did. She could see right through me, the way I held tension in my shoulders or how my jaw clenched when something was on my mind. Without saying a word, she knew I wasn’t fine. "You look tired," she said softly, walking up to me, her gaze full of concern. Her fingers brushed against my arm, coaxing me gently toward the living room. "Come on, sit down for a minute."I didn’t resist. She guided me to the sofa, and I sank into it with a heavy sigh. I leaned back, letting the cushions take the weight I had been carrying all day."I’ll make you some tea,
(Emily's POV).“Can you tell me more specifically what you decided for her?” I asked, my voice quiet but insistent as I slipped under the covers. Mike had already turned off the lights, and the room was dark except for the faint glow of the bedside lamp. We were supposed to be getting ready for bed, but my mind was still spinning from everything I’d found out earlier.Mike paused, standing at the foot of the bed, his hands lingering at the hem of his shirt. He sighed deeply, a sound that seemed to carry the weight of the world. "Why do you want to know more, Love?" he asked, his voice low and cautious.I could feel his hesitation, but I wasn’t going to let him evade this. Not now. "Because I know you," I said softly, looking at him in the dim light. "I know you’ve done something... something more than you’ve told me."He sat down on the edge of the bed, still not looking at me, and I could see the tension in his shoulders. For a moment, neither of us spoke. The silence stretched b
(Emily's POV)."Tonight, there’s a big family dinner. It includes Ben. Do you want to come?" Mike’s voice broke through the comfortable silence as we sat at the dining table, enjoying breakfast.I paused mid-bite, the fork suspended between my plate and my mouth. The food I had been casually enjoying suddenly felt like a lump in my throat, and I had to force myself to swallow. Ben. Dinner. With the Johnsons. Mike’s family. It meant I had to meet him; Ben - my ex.I placed the fork down gently and turned to look at him, trying to hide the shock I felt. My heart started to pound. Ben and I hadn’t been in the same room since... since everything fell apart between us. And now I am married to Mike, his uncle. The idea of sitting across from Ben, of having to face him while pretending everything was fine—it was daunting.But I couldn’t refuse, could I? Not when Mike was asking. Not when I’d already stepped into this complicated world when I said yes to him."I... I guess I should go," I
(Emily's POV).Mike leaned against the counter, his eyes watching me carefully. His gaze held a mix of concern and anticipation, as if he was waiting for me to reveal how I truly felt about last night.“How’d you sleep?” he asked again, a little softer this time, as though he already knew my answer.I sipped the coffee he handed me, letting the warmth settle the unease still lingering from the night before. “Better than I thought I would,” I replied, though my voice didn’t sound as convincing as I’d hoped.Mike’s eyes flickered with understanding. “It was a lot to handle,” he admitted, moving closer to me. “You being there, with him... It was bound to stir up something.”I stared into my coffee, swirling it around absentmindedly, trying to push away the thoughts of Ben’s lingering glances, the tension that had filled the room like a heavy fog. No matter how much I wanted to pretend last night didn’t affect me, it did.“Yeah, it brought up a lot of old feelings,” I admitted quietly, f
(Emily's POV)."Today I want to ask you to come with me to Paris, Love."I blinked, caught off guard by Mike’s words. My heart fluttered, and a giddy smile spread across my face as I looked at him. “Paris?” I echoed, excitement bubbling up inside me. “Really?”Mike smiled, his eyes twinkling with amusement at my reaction. “Yes, Paris.” He reached out, brushing a stray hair behind my ear. “I have some business there, but I thought we could make it special. Take you and the baby with me. Have our second honeymoon,” he paused, his voice softening, “but this time, as a complete family.”My heart melted at the sound of those words. The idea of us, as a family, exploring the streets of Paris together filled me with warmth. “A second honeymoon?” I asked, grinning. “I like the sound of that.”Mike chuckled, a deep, rich sound that made me fall in love with him all over again. “I thought you might.”I nodded eagerly, my mind already racing with the thought of strolling along the Seine, seein
(Emily’s POV).“Welcome to the city of love, Love.”Mike’s deep, velvety voice greeted me the moment we stepped off the private plane. His lips captured mine in a soft kiss, making my heart skip a beat. As the cool Paris air brushed against my skin, I felt a surge of warmth—not just from the weather, but from the love in his touch. I closed my eyes, kissing him back tenderly, savoring the sweetness of this moment.When we finally pulled apart, I smiled up at him, my chest swelling with emotion. “That’s quite the welcome,” I whispered, wrapping my arms around him and resting my head on his chest. “I’m so happy, Mike. This is all so romantic.”He chuckled, the sound reverberating in his chest. “Well, this is Paris. It’s a city made for romance,” he said, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “And you deserve nothing but the best, Mrs. Johnson.” His words were warm and affectionate, and I felt my heart flutter all over again.Just as we shared another intimate look, a man in a crisp s