Isabelle’s POV Walter Ryder was a man whose presence lingered long after he left a room. Even now, as I sat in my office staring blankly at the door he had walked through, I could feel his cold, calculating gaze bearing down on me. His warning replayed in my mind, his words like shards of ice cutting through my resolve. “Take your son and disappear before Damion gets too close.” It wasn’t a suggestion—it was a threat. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. Walter Ryder had always been a puppet master, pulling strings from the shadows, and I wasn’t naïve enough to think his visit was just a courtesy call. He wanted me gone. He always had. But this time, I wasn’t running. Later that afternoon, I sat in my living room with Nathan, his laughter filling the space as he played with his toy cars. Watching him, I felt a pang of guilt. His innocence was a stark contrast to the storm brewing around us, and I hated that he was caught in the middle of it. “Mommy,” he
Isabelle’s POV The morning came with a sense of foreboding I couldn’t shake. I’d barely slept, my thoughts consumed by Walter Ryder’s warning and the weight of his veiled threat. It wasn’t just his words that unsettled me—it was the way he delivered them. Calm. Cold. Unrelenting. Nathan’s laughter floated from the living room as I sipped my coffee, his innocent joy a stark contrast to the storm brewing in my mind. I glanced at my phone, the unread messages from Brian a reminder that my life wasn’t just a mess—it was a tangled web, and I was caught in the center of it. Stephanie’s call came just as I was about to head to the office. Her voice was rushed, almost panicked. “Miss Everett, we have a situation.” I gripped the phone tighter. “What is it?” “Three of our major clients have pulled out of their contracts this morning,” she said, her voice trembling. “No explanation. Just… gone.” The room tilted slightly, but I forced myself to stay calm. “All at once?” “Yes,” s
Isabelle’s POV I stared at the message on my phone, the cold words burning into my mind. “You’re running out of time. Leave, or face the consequences.” Walter. I didn’t need proof. His fingerprints were all over this. The sudden sabotage of my contracts, the threatening text—it was his way of reminding me that I was nothing to him. That I was a problem he needed to erase. But the part that rattled me most wasn’t the threat itself. It was the fact that Walter knew I wouldn’t leave. Not this time. I set my phone down, inhaling deeply, fighting to steady my pulse. I wouldn’t be bullied. I wouldn’t let this man, or anyone else, push me out of my life. I had built everything from scratch. My business. My reputation. My home. But as I sat there, staring into the dimly lit living room, the ache in my chest was undeniable. Because I hadn’t just built this life for myself. I had built it for Nathan. The sound of his soft footsteps broke my spiral. “Mommy?” His sleep
Isabelle’s POV The sound of shattering glass ripped through the house like a gunshot. “Nathan!” My heart seized, and without thinking, I bolted toward the kitchen. Damion was right behind me, his voice sharp. “Stay behind me, Isabelle!” I didn’t listen. All I could think about was my son—my baby. The kitchen window was broken, shards of glass glittering across the floor, but it was the open back door that made my blood run cold. The wind howled through it, carrying the sound of tires screeching in the distance. He was gone. Nathan. I stumbled forward, my breath catching painfully in my chest. “Nathan! Nathan, where are you?!” Silence. The kind of silence that leaves a void, the kind that makes you realize something precious has been stolen from you. Damion’s hands caught my shoulders, pulling me back as I shook uncontrollably. “Isabelle—stop! Stop! He’s not here!” His voice was rough but controlled, his grip anchoring me as I felt like I was falling apart.
Isabelle’s POV The photograph trembled in my hands. Nathan—my sweet boy—blindfolded, vulnerable, and so far out of reach. The handwritten message beneath his image echoed in my mind. “You were warned. Now listen.” A cold knot twisted in my stomach. Walter. This was him. It had to be. I felt Damion’s presence behind me before I heard him speak. His voice was low, dangerous. “Let me see it.” I handed him the photograph with shaky fingers, my breath shallow. The moment his eyes scanned the image, his entire body stiffened. His jaw clenched so tightly I could hear his teeth grinding. The hand holding the photo curled into a fist, crumpling the paper slightly as his gaze darkened with rage. “Damion,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “What do we do? He’s my son. Our son—” “What?!” He turned sharply, his eyes burning with something unreadable. “Nathan is my son?!” I nodded nervously. I couldn’t lie to him anymore. It was for the best. He had to know the truth. If he’s
“Lily, stop joking. The guy I had a one-night stand with, can’t possibly be my groom.” Carmela Blake paced her bedroom, the soft fabric of her wedding dress swishing with each nervous step. Her phone was pressed to her ear, and her best friend’s panicked tone did little to soothe her nerves. “Carmela, I’m fucking serious!” Lily’s voice was sharp. “You, think about it for me; tall, gray eyes, ridiculously rich and insanely hot. That’s Damion Blackwood from head to bottom. How many men like that do you think exist?” Carmela’s stomach flipped, knowing what her best friend was saying was true. “It’s just a coincidence,” she said weakly, though her voice wavered. “I mean, I didn’t even get his name that night, so…” “Exactly! You didn’t get his name, and now you’re marrying a guy who fits perfectly to the description. Now, tell me if that’s not suspicious.” Carmela stopped pacing, her fingers in between her teeth’s, she sank onto the edge of her bed, her gaze drifting to the glitterin
Carmela froze, her body stiffening. Own her? He didn’t just say that. Did he? She pulled away, her gaze scanning his expression for any trace of amusement, a clue that he could be joking, yet there was none. His demeanor was serene, deliberate, and completely resolute. This must be a form of a joke, she considered, or perhaps she was imagining it. Yes that was it. She was going to wake up now and everything was going to be fine but when she looked to his face once more, Damion smirk told her otherwise. The drive to the Blackwood estate was silent, the tension in the air was so thick that Carmela could barely breathe in her wedding gown. When they arrived, the sprawling mansion loomed before her like a palace - cold, grand, and intimidating. As they stepped inside, Damion didn’t bother with pleasantries. He turned to her, his gray eyes sharp and commanding. “There are rules you’ll follow in this house.” Carmela blinked. “Rules?” “Yes, rules.” His tone was clipped, as th
Carmela’s heart pounded as she stood frozen at the door of Damion’s office. His sharp gray eyes fixed on hers, enigmatic yet powerful. Her thoughts raced to find a reason, anything that could clarify why she was present and what she had just listened to.“I… I apologize,” she faltered, stepping back slightly. "I was simply... about to come call you for dinner, but you looked occupied with a lot of things." She turned quickly, desperate to escape the suffocating tension that filled the room.“How long were you standing there?” Damion’s voice cut through the air like a blade, stopping her in her tracks.Carmela swallowed hard, keeping her back to him. “Not long,” she said weakly, her tone unconvincing even to herself.Damion’s chair creaked as he leaned forward, his gray eyes narrowing in suspicion. “Did you hear anything?”She paused, her shoulders tensing. She tilted her head a bit and looked at him. “I heard something about the Blake family and not knowing what will hit them,” she sa
Isabelle’s POV The photograph trembled in my hands. Nathan—my sweet boy—blindfolded, vulnerable, and so far out of reach. The handwritten message beneath his image echoed in my mind. “You were warned. Now listen.” A cold knot twisted in my stomach. Walter. This was him. It had to be. I felt Damion’s presence behind me before I heard him speak. His voice was low, dangerous. “Let me see it.” I handed him the photograph with shaky fingers, my breath shallow. The moment his eyes scanned the image, his entire body stiffened. His jaw clenched so tightly I could hear his teeth grinding. The hand holding the photo curled into a fist, crumpling the paper slightly as his gaze darkened with rage. “Damion,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “What do we do? He’s my son. Our son—” “What?!” He turned sharply, his eyes burning with something unreadable. “Nathan is my son?!” I nodded nervously. I couldn’t lie to him anymore. It was for the best. He had to know the truth. If he’s
Isabelle’s POV The sound of shattering glass ripped through the house like a gunshot. “Nathan!” My heart seized, and without thinking, I bolted toward the kitchen. Damion was right behind me, his voice sharp. “Stay behind me, Isabelle!” I didn’t listen. All I could think about was my son—my baby. The kitchen window was broken, shards of glass glittering across the floor, but it was the open back door that made my blood run cold. The wind howled through it, carrying the sound of tires screeching in the distance. He was gone. Nathan. I stumbled forward, my breath catching painfully in my chest. “Nathan! Nathan, where are you?!” Silence. The kind of silence that leaves a void, the kind that makes you realize something precious has been stolen from you. Damion’s hands caught my shoulders, pulling me back as I shook uncontrollably. “Isabelle—stop! Stop! He’s not here!” His voice was rough but controlled, his grip anchoring me as I felt like I was falling apart.
Isabelle’s POV I stared at the message on my phone, the cold words burning into my mind. “You’re running out of time. Leave, or face the consequences.” Walter. I didn’t need proof. His fingerprints were all over this. The sudden sabotage of my contracts, the threatening text—it was his way of reminding me that I was nothing to him. That I was a problem he needed to erase. But the part that rattled me most wasn’t the threat itself. It was the fact that Walter knew I wouldn’t leave. Not this time. I set my phone down, inhaling deeply, fighting to steady my pulse. I wouldn’t be bullied. I wouldn’t let this man, or anyone else, push me out of my life. I had built everything from scratch. My business. My reputation. My home. But as I sat there, staring into the dimly lit living room, the ache in my chest was undeniable. Because I hadn’t just built this life for myself. I had built it for Nathan. The sound of his soft footsteps broke my spiral. “Mommy?” His sleep
Isabelle’s POV The morning came with a sense of foreboding I couldn’t shake. I’d barely slept, my thoughts consumed by Walter Ryder’s warning and the weight of his veiled threat. It wasn’t just his words that unsettled me—it was the way he delivered them. Calm. Cold. Unrelenting. Nathan’s laughter floated from the living room as I sipped my coffee, his innocent joy a stark contrast to the storm brewing in my mind. I glanced at my phone, the unread messages from Brian a reminder that my life wasn’t just a mess—it was a tangled web, and I was caught in the center of it. Stephanie’s call came just as I was about to head to the office. Her voice was rushed, almost panicked. “Miss Everett, we have a situation.” I gripped the phone tighter. “What is it?” “Three of our major clients have pulled out of their contracts this morning,” she said, her voice trembling. “No explanation. Just… gone.” The room tilted slightly, but I forced myself to stay calm. “All at once?” “Yes,” s
Isabelle’s POV Walter Ryder was a man whose presence lingered long after he left a room. Even now, as I sat in my office staring blankly at the door he had walked through, I could feel his cold, calculating gaze bearing down on me. His warning replayed in my mind, his words like shards of ice cutting through my resolve. “Take your son and disappear before Damion gets too close.” It wasn’t a suggestion—it was a threat. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. Walter Ryder had always been a puppet master, pulling strings from the shadows, and I wasn’t naïve enough to think his visit was just a courtesy call. He wanted me gone. He always had. But this time, I wasn’t running. Later that afternoon, I sat in my living room with Nathan, his laughter filling the space as he played with his toy cars. Watching him, I felt a pang of guilt. His innocence was a stark contrast to the storm brewing around us, and I hated that he was caught in the middle of it. “Mommy,” he
Damion’s POV I stormed out of Isabelle’s house, her last words echoing in my mind. “He’s not yours. That’s all you need to know.” But I didn’t believe her. I couldn’t. The way she avoided my gaze, the tremor in her voice—it all screamed of something she was hiding. And I wasn’t about to let this go. My car sat idling on the curb, but I didn’t get in. Instead, I leaned against the hood, the cool night air doing little to calm the fire burning inside me. Nathan’s face lingered in my thoughts. The resemblance, the timing—it all fit. If Isabelle was lying, I’d find out. My phone buzzed in my pocket, breaking my train of thought. When I pulled it out, the name on the screen sent a chill down my spine. Walter Ryder. My father. I hesitated before answering, my grip on the phone tightening. “What do you want?” His voice was as cold and commanding as ever. “Damion. We need to talk.” “I don’t have time for this,” I snapped. “Whatever it is, I’m not interested.” “Oh, but yo
Damion’s POV The sound of Kaia’s heels clicking away echoed in my head long after she was gone. Her words, her accusations, and the sharp tension between her and Isabelle still clung to me like smoke after a fire. Isabelle’s glare before she walked back into her office cut deeper than I’d expected. She’d blamed me, of course, and maybe she was right. But it wasn’t that simple. It never had been. I stood outside the building, staring at the glass doors she’d disappeared through. My heart ached, a feeling I’d thought I’d long buried. Isabelle Everett was under my skin in a way no one else ever could be. But then there was Nathan. Kaia’s pointed remarks about Isabelle’s son wouldn’t leave my mind. Every instinct in me screamed that there was more to this story than Isabelle was letting on. And if I wanted answers, I’d have to find them myself. I pulled out my phone and dialed Kaia. Kaia’s POV I was still seething by the time I reached my car, slamming the door shut with
Isabelle’s POV Stephanie’s words hung in the air like a bomb waiting to detonate. Kaia was outside. Causing a scene. Of course, she was. My hands tightened into fists, and I turned to glance at Damion. He looked as surprised as I felt, his brows furrowing, but there was something else in his expression—annoyance, perhaps? Or dread? “I’ll handle it,” I said coldly, moving toward the door. “I’m coming with you,” Damion said, stepping forward. I spun to face him, my glare sharp. “You’ve done enough already. Stay here.” “No,” he said firmly. “Kaia is my problem.” I opened my mouth to argue but stopped. A part of me wanted to see him face the chaos he’d brought into my life. Maybe he needed to deal with her to understand the kind of destruction he left in his wake. “Fine,” I said through gritted teeth. “Let’s go.” As we stepped out of the office building, I immediately spotted Kaia near the entrance, her voice carrying over the murmurs of passersby. She was dressed impecc
Isabelle’s POV The morning sun spilled through the curtains, filling my bedroom with warmth. It should have been comforting, but instead, it felt like a spotlight, exposing the chaos of my thoughts. After the storm Damion had stirred last night, I couldn’t shake the unease clinging to me. His words, his presence—they lingered like smoke in the air, impossible to ignore. I sat at the breakfast table with Nathan, his cheerful humming a stark contrast to the turmoil in my chest. He munched on a piece of toast, oblivious to the storm brewing inside me. “Mommy,” he said between bites, “can we go to the park today?” I forced a smile, brushing his curls back affectionately. “We’ll see, sweetheart. Mommy has some work to do first, okay?” He nodded, happily returning to his breakfast. Watching him, I felt a pang of guilt. I’d dragged him back to this city, thinking I could keep my past buried, but it was all unraveling. And now Damion was here, threatening to uncover secrets that c