Lyla’s POVI folded my arms across my chest, a habit that had become second nature when I was trying to hide my emotions. My arms were positioned firmly at breast level as I stared at Abel. A scoff escaped my lips before I could stop it.“What did you just say?” I moved closer to him, my eyes narrowing, trying to read his expression.“You heard me correctly, Lyla,” Abel’s voice was cold, almost mocking. “I’m going to tell my father and my uncle about Bailey’s kidnapping, and I’ll make sure they know exactly what you’re doing—all of this to get your sister out. How do you think they’ll react when they find out you’ve played them both twice? Do you really think the contract you have with Jace is enough to shield you from their wrath?”His words were meant to strike fear into me, but I wasn’t intimidated. I held his gaze firmly, my arms still crossed. I wasn’t afraid of him or his threats. Abel was many things, but he wasn’t someone who could rattle me. Not now, not after everything.Abe
“She looks so beautiful” Bailey,my younger sister, said sitting beside me as she took in the baby’s hand. The baby had fallen asleep.My smile grew wider as I stared at the new-born baby girl, my best friend had just given birth to.I wish she knew the guy she had a one-night stand with. He would be so happy to see his baby.As funny as it was, the baby had taken all the father’s features and none from his mother.Becky layed on the bed with a tired smile. “She already has five thousand likes,” she said, staring at her phone.I nodded. I had been so happy about the news of my best friend giving birth and had posted it on my blog.Becky cleared her throat and stood up “Can you take her to the PEDs doctor? She said she will have to give her some vaccines,” she said.I nodded with understanding that I knew she was weak. She deserves to rest after all she just gave birth. I stood up and walked towards the PEDs doctor’s office. Bailey followed me. The doctor had gone for an abrupt break,
I entered the room with a fake smile, even though everything within me was trembling with fear at the possibility of this baby being my husband’s own.Becky sat up immediately, when she saw me. She gave me her usual smile, which I returned with a fake smile.“Have you told Chad about the baby?” She asked. “No, he is in a business meeting,” I said as I gave her the baby.She gave me a tight smile. “I understand. He is a billionaire. He is always busy,” she replied.I nodded. An awkward moment existed between us before I finally decided to break the silence.“You never told me you registered your name with Mrs. Karma?” I asked calmly.She swallowed hard. I watched her expression for a while before I added, “I never knew you had suddenly become Mrs karma”. She stared at me for a while. “Well, Chad said I could use his name to avoid gossip. I didn’t think you would have a problem with that,” she said and swallowed hard.I nodded with a raised eyebrow. “I see”. Few minutes later my husb
Deep hurt pierced through my heart as I made my way to my car with a blurry vision.My heartbeat fastened with every step that I took. Immediately, I opened my car and rushed inside and closed it. Trying to close all the beautiful memories that filled my head.“No” I screamed as I hit my hands on the steering wheel. My heart heavy with anger. How could Chad just sweep everything we had under the carpet? All the memories we had from the university down to this time.Something wet and salty flowed down my cheeks and landed on my lips. I realized that I had started crying again.I shook my head. He was not worth my tears, but each time I said that, I remembered the five years of dating and five years of marriage he ended because of her.The sadness slowly turned into rage. My heart ached from the anger I felt. I had given up my dreams of being the CEO of a jewelry company to work as an accountant in his company.I knew I was more than that. I deserved more than that position, but I did i
Lyla pov.Jace karev had been my rival right from Harvard days. He always wanted to be ahead of me. I think a part of him hated that I was the best in the Accounting department, considering the fact that he was the best graduating student in the medical department.History has it that he genuinely loved medicine. In fact, he was the best cardiologist student, but his father sent him back to school to study accounting.Given our history, I was meant to be quiet and let him do the talking, but curiosity took over me. “Aren’t you meant to be in jail?” I asked.The Karev Company has been the best ceramic and steel company for the past hundred years.When my husband said he wanted to go into the same niche, his friends advised him to go against it.The Karev’s owned the entire steel and ceramic niche, but with my aid and guide, he managed to become the best, superseding their own company.A bitter chuckle escaped his lips. “I had always known that you were not as smart as they thought you
Lyla pov“So what do you have to say about this?” He asked me to draw back from my thoughts.I opened my mouth to say something and closed it back.“I was not drunk,” I defended.I am not even into alcohol. The last time I took tequila at Becky’s request, I made a mess of myself.He nodded with a tight smile. “Says the girl who had a bottle of tequila beside her,” he replied.“What?” My car brakes failed. I am a coffee girl, not an alcoholic, ‘’ I explained.His stony expression returned. “Are you going to take the deal or not?” He asked.I stared at the ring and at him. Marrying him meant I would be tied to another loveless marriage.And I truly wanted a break from all this. But at least, it would be better than Chad’s own. At least I know I am prepared to have any emotional connection.I also had to save my ass from this setup.“For how many years?” I asked.“Forever. You will be by my side forever,” he replied.Blood drained from my face as it turned white. Seeing my expression, he
Lyla’s POV. The slap was hard on Jace’s face but he didn't flinch; he stood his ground and tightened his jawline to endure the pain. Jace’s family didn't seem to be pleased with his actions and when we got to the house, his fiancée Sasha, was pacing around the house alongside Jace’s mother After we got out from the registry, it was a silent trip home because I wasn't in the mood for too many questions; the only thing I wanted to do was call my sister Bailey; I know she would be worried about me, and I don't know what she would be doing.Even though I tried to ignore it, my head was banging badly but I sat still like nothing was happening. I wondered what my life would be like; everyone now had a different narrative about me. I didn't even have the balls to check the comment section of my blog because I wasn't sure how my followers and other blogs would react to the news. I wasn't sure what to do when Jace’s father slapped him, but I knew better than to interfere. “Have you gone star
Lyla’s POV. Seeing Bailey was a burst of emotions; after the wedding drama, Jace didn't let me leave the house because of the tension from the media and people; he was protecting me from the eyes of people. I Still had trauma from the accident but was on pills to stop the pain and anxiety. My sister hugged me tightly and I felt her tears drop on my shirt; she was filled with emotions because the news of my death got to her before I got the chance to tell her that I was alive. Her eyes were filled with both happiness and pity. “I am so glad you are alive. I don't know what I would have done if anything had happened to you. “I am fine, Bailey; nothing happened to me. I was involved in the accident, though I was unhurt. “That bastard and that witch need to pay for everything they did to you. I cannot believe Becky would do this to you after all you have done for her. The worst of it all is Chad. You practically built that company for him, and he transferred your shares to Becky like
Lyla’s POVI folded my arms across my chest, a habit that had become second nature when I was trying to hide my emotions. My arms were positioned firmly at breast level as I stared at Abel. A scoff escaped my lips before I could stop it.“What did you just say?” I moved closer to him, my eyes narrowing, trying to read his expression.“You heard me correctly, Lyla,” Abel’s voice was cold, almost mocking. “I’m going to tell my father and my uncle about Bailey’s kidnapping, and I’ll make sure they know exactly what you’re doing—all of this to get your sister out. How do you think they’ll react when they find out you’ve played them both twice? Do you really think the contract you have with Jace is enough to shield you from their wrath?”His words were meant to strike fear into me, but I wasn’t intimidated. I held his gaze firmly, my arms still crossed. I wasn’t afraid of him or his threats. Abel was many things, but he wasn’t someone who could rattle me. Not now, not after everything.Abe
Lyla's POVEverything was finally in place. The warehouse was packed with crates of the new drink, and the press had already arrived to cover the production of the latest strawberry-flavored beverage. It was an important day for the Karev family, one that would bring them both publicity and, hopefully, profits.Mr. Karev was present, of course, though he was accompanied by his mistress. Mrs. Karev, on the other hand, looked absolutely miserable, her frown unwavering throughout the entire event. It wasn't just because we had ignored her wishes—it was because the woman standing beside Mr. Karev, who was laughing and leaning into him, was none other than her old friend. The woman who had, years ago, swooped in to steal Mr. Karev away from her."Can you believe this?!" Sasha hissed, her voice dripping with disgust. "The audacity! Who does she think she is? Look at them! They're practically holding hands in front of everyone. This is not good for your image as the leader of the Universal W
Lyla’s POV“Are you insane? I will never let that happen, not under my watch! Have you completely lost your mind? Your father and I worked so hard to build this company and the reputation you’re trying to destroy! What the hell has come over you?” Mrs. Karev’s voice was sharp, every word cutting through the room like a knife. The anger in her eyes was undeniable, a storm brewing behind them as she raked Jace with her gaze. She had just learned about the plans to open another factory for the production of the illegal drink, and she was having none of it.I stood frozen at the edge of the doorway, barely daring to breathe, as the argument unfolded before me. The tension in the room was suffocating, every word from Mrs. Karev fueled by disbelief and frustration.“This is the only way we can save Bailey, Mum,” Jace replied, his voice firm, but there was a hint of desperation beneath it. He was never one to back down, especially when it came to people he cared about. “The Mafia boss is a v
Lyla’s POV“I don’t know what to do… I’m so worried about my wife. I can’t even tell if they’re treating her well or if they’re hurting her! That Don… he’s a terrible, wicked man. I just hope he’s not doing horrible things to Bailey.” Collins’ voice cracked with emotion, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I saw a man cry. The tears flowed down his face, his body shaking with the weight of his anguish. I had never seen him like this—so raw, so vulnerable. Collins, usually the calm and collected one, had lost all semblance of control.The only person standing by his side in that moment, holding him together, was Jace. He stepped toward Collins, wrapping his arms around him in a comforting hug. The embrace was silent, but the emotion in the room was palpable. My own eyes stung with tears, but this was different. I had cried countless times in the privacy of my room, but seeing Collins break down like this… it shattered me in ways I couldn’t describe.I couldn’t deny it—Col
Lucas’s POV“I exchanged contacts with Sofia. She was the one who insisted, and it would’ve been rude to turn her down. She was all over me last night. She didn’t want to let me go; she was grinding and whining her waist on me. I won’t lie to you, bro! I felt really uncomfortable. What if Bella saw us together? It would’ve been disastrous. I couldn’t even hold hands with her. My eyes were busy scanning the whole environment, trying to make sure no one saw us,” I said into the phone, narrating the events of the previous night to James. He already knew who Sofia was—he’d been there with me back in high school. He knew how much trouble she used to cause.“Dude, you need to avoid Sofia like the plague!” James’s voice came through clearly, a mix of frustration and disbelief. “You know that girl is trouble! You always got into trouble because of her back then in school. You never did your assignments because you were always focusing on her, helping her with hers. You were always late to sch
Lyla’s POVI knocked lightly on the door, holding my arm across my chest. My heart was racing, and every instinct inside me screamed to turn around and leave. But something kept me rooted in place. When no answer came, I hesitated for a moment before pushing the door open. It was unlocked, just slightly ajar.Stepping inside, I was met with an unsettling silence. I’d hoped Sasha wouldn’t be there—she wasn’t—but the tension I carried with me still lingered. It wasn’t that I was scared of Sasha, but more of the potential conflict that seemed to always swirl around her. I wasn’t in the mood for a confrontation. Not now, not when Bailey was still missing, and I had no idea where she was or what might be happening to her.As I entered the room, my eyes scanned the familiar space. I moved slowly, my body almost on autopilot, but my mind was racing. The memories came flooding back in waves, each one crashing into me with surprising force. I hadn’t been in this room in so long, and it felt li
Lyla’s POV“Now is not the time, Chad. How did you even get my number in the first place?” I asked, my voice sharp and tinged with frustration. My head was pounding, and we had been stuck on Bailey’s situation for days. There hadn’t been any substantial updates in what felt like forever, and the silence was starting to get to me. The anxiety, the not knowing—it was wearing me thin. I had no idea how Chad had gotten my contact information. I never used the complimentary card he gave me when we met, and the fact that he had my number felt… suspicious.“Look, Lyla, I just care about you. That’s all,” Chad’s voice came through the phone, softer than usual, almost gentle. “I heard about Bailey’s kidnapping, and I just want you to know that I’ll be here if you need me.”His words caught me off guard. Chad had never sounded so genuine in my life. There was something in the way he spoke, a sincerity I hadn’t heard before. It brought a strange sense of peace to my troubled mind, but it also ma
Lyla's POVI tried calling the number again, my fingers shaking as I dialed. But once more, it wasn’t connecting. My heart skipped a beat. The officer had been right all along—Bailey had been kidnapped, and I knew she was in grave danger. The message had been so brief, so cold. No details, no demands. Just a simple, chilling sentence: “We have your sister.”I stared at my phone, my mind racing. "Oh my God! They just messaged me! They just messaged me!" I shouted, almost in disbelief, as I clutched the phone tighter. My voice echoed in the empty room, and for a moment, I couldn’t even process the enormity of the situation. The message was unsettlingly simple, and now that I tried calling the number back, I realized it wasn’t connecting. Whoever sent it had used a burner phone, making it impossible to trace.My loud cry didn’t go unnoticed. From upstairs, Mrs. Maddy hurried down, followed closely by Sasha. Sasha came rushing down the stairs with a look of annoyance, clearly startled by
Lyla’s POV“Kidnapped?” the words echoed around the room, each person’s voice a mixture of disbelief and confusion. The room seemed to freeze for a moment, the reality of what had been said hanging in the air like a dark cloud. The officer who had just spoken seemed certain, but I couldn't bring myself to accept it.“But who would want to do that?” I asked, my voice shaking with the weight of the question. “Bailey is my kid sister, and she’s so calm. I can’t think of anyone who would want to harm her, let alone kidnap her.” My words faltered, the gravity of the situation slowly sinking in. I wasn’t ready to believe that my younger sister, my baby sister, was in the hands of someone who wanted to do her harm. I wasn’t ready for that reality to be true.The officer gave me a solemn look, his gaze hard but not unkind. “Well, I’ve handled cases like this before, and I can tell you that most kidnappers don’t have any personal connection to their victims. Often, they’re just opportunists, o