Damion grabbed his coat, his mind racing as he prepared to leave his office. The video replayed in his mind like a broken record—Carmela leaving his hotel room that night, the truth he had been too blind to see staring him in the face.He needed to see her. Now.Just as he reached for the door, Leonard stepped into his path, his expression tense. “Sir, where are you going?”“To Carmela’s house,” Damion said sharply, his voice leaving no room for negotiation.Leonard hesitated, shifting uncomfortably. “Have you forgotten, sir? We’re supposed to meet Mr. Cross tonight.”Damion froze, the name pulling him out of his thoughts. Lucas Cross. His best friend and the man he had been planning to partner with for months.“He just got back into the country,” Leonard continued, his tone gentle but firm. “You know how important this meeting is. If we cancel now, it’ll jeopardize the partnership.”Damion clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as he considered his options. He wanted nothing more tha
Damion sat behind his massive desk, a pen poised in his hand as he signed yet another contract. The weight of the night before lingered, heavy and unrelenting, as his thoughts wandered back to Carmela.The memory of her shattered expression haunted him. He had replayed their conversations countless times in his mind, his chest tightening with every detail he had missed. And now, with the truth finally out, he felt like a man standing on the edge of a precipice, unsure of how to fix what he had broken.The sudden sound of his office door slamming open snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked up sharply, his pen clattering onto the desk as his assistant, Leonard, rushed inside, clearly flustered.“Sir, I tried to stop her—” Leonard began, his words tumbling over each other.Behind him, Carmela stepped into the room, her face set in a mixture of defiance and bitterness.“It’s fine, Leonard,” Damion said curtly, his gaze locked on her. “You can leave.”Leonard hesitated, glancing betwee
Carmela’s heart raced as she faced Lucas, her high school sweetheart, standing in Damion’s office. The years had been kind to him; his chiseled features and confident demeanor were even more striking than she remembered.“What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice tinged with surprise and curiosity.Lucas smiled warmly, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “I’m back in town for a business deal,” he explained, glancing briefly at Damion. “Damion and I are discussing a potential partnership.”Carmela’s eyes widened. “You two know each other?”Damion, who had been silently observing the exchange, finally spoke. “Lucas and I have been in talks for a while. He’s considering investing in one of our new projects.”Lucas nodded, his gaze returning to Carmela. “It’s a small world, isn’t it? I never expected to run into you here.”“Neither did I,” she admitted, a soft smile playing on her lips.“We should catch up sometime,” Lucas suggested, his tone casual yet hopeful. “It’s been too long.”
Carmela’s heart pounded as Elena’s words echoed in her mind. “I’m pregnant.” She stood frozen for a moment, trying to comprehend the weight of what she had just heard.But the smug smile on Elena’s face was too much to bear. Without thinking, Carmela grabbed her arm, pulling her into a nearby empty meeting room.“What are you talking about?” Carmela demanded, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and disbelief. “What do you mean you’re pregnant?”Elena yanked her arm free, smoothing her blouse as she raised an eyebrow. “Exactly what I said,” she replied, her tone dripping with satisfaction. “I’m pregnant, and it’s Damion’s child.”Carmela’s jaw clenched as she stepped closer. “You’re lying.”Elena laughed softly, folding her arms across her chest. “Oh, sweet Carmela. Why would I lie about something like this?”“Because you’re desperate,” Carmela shot back, her voice rising. “You’re trying to push me away from him, but it’s not going to work.”Elena’s smirk widened. “Push you awa
The scent of freshly printed pages and old, well-worn books filled the bookstore as Carmela wandered through the aisles, her fingers lightly grazing the spines of various novels. The soft hum of classical music played in the background, and for a moment, she allowed herself to be distracted by the tranquility of the place.Lily trailed beside her, flipping through a book absentmindedly before glancing at Carmela. “Okay, spill it,” she said, breaking the silence.Carmela sighed, pulling a book from the shelf and pretending to read the back cover. “Spill what?”Lily rolled her eyes. “Don’t play dumb. I know something happened today. You’ve been in a daze since we left the office.”Carmela hesitated, then placed the book back on the shelf. “Elena came to see me,” she admitted, her voice quieter now.“Yeahhh…” Lily’s expression darkened instantly. “What did that witch want?”Carmela inhaled sharply. “She said she’s pregnant… and that it’s Damion’s child.”Lily’s mouth fell open, but no wo
Chapter 26Lily returned just as Carmela exhaled, trying to push down the whirlwind of emotions Lucas had left behind. She stopped in front of her, eyes gleaming with curiosity.“What was that?” Lily asked, crossing her arms with a teasing smirk.Carmela sighed, shaking her head. “Nothing.”Lily raised an eyebrow. “Nothing? You and your handsome high school sweetheart just had a moment, and you’re telling me it was nothing?”Carmela rolled her eyes, turning back to the bookshelf. “It wasn’t a moment, Lily. We were just catching up.”Lily scoffed. “Uh-huh. Catching up? That man was looking at you like you were the last piece of chocolate on Earth.”Carmela groaned. “You’re being dramatic.”Lily grinned. “And you’re avoiding the topic.”Carmela glanced at her friend, hesitating for a moment before finally admitting, “He asked me out.”Lily gasped, clutching her chest like she was about to faint. “And? What did you say?”“I told him no,” Carmela said simply.Lily’s mouth dropped open. “Y
A tense silence filled the room after Carmela’s shocking refusal to return with Damion. Her mother, who had been beaming just moments ago, chuckled awkwardly, trying to dispel the thick, suffocating air.“Oh, she’s just upset,” her mother said with a forced laugh. “You know how stubborn she can be.”Then, without another word, she turned on her heel and followed Carmela upstairs, her expression darkening with each step.Meanwhile, Carmela’s father motioned for Damion to sit. “Don’t worry about her,” he assured, waving a hand dismissively. “She’ll come around. Just wait.”Damion sat, but his eyes remained on the staircase, his fingers curling into fists. Something about this didn’t feel right.UpstairsCarmela threw open her bedroom door, her chest rising and falling rapidly. She had barely stepped inside when her mother followed, slamming the door shut behind her.“What do you think you’re doing?” her mother snapped, her voice low but sharp.Carmela turned to face her, eyes blazing. “
Carmela had barely taken a step toward Lucas’s car when her mother’s voice sliced through the night air.“Are you out of your mind?!”Carmela turned slowly, already expecting the fury on her mother’s face. The woman stood on the porch, hands on her hips, eyes blazing.“You’re just going to move in with some random man?” her mother demanded. “Are you even listening to yourself?”Carmela let out a dry laugh. “Oh, so now you care where I go? Didn’t you just throw me out of this house?”Her mother’s face reddened. “That was different! I expected you to come to your senses and follow your husband home. Not go running off to some stranger!”“I’m not running anywhere,” Carmela shot back, gripping the handle of her suitcase tighter. “And Lucas is not a stranger.”“He might as well be! What do you even know about him anymore?” Her mother’s voice rose. “You haven’t seen him in years, and now you want to move into his home? What kind of woman does that?”Carmela’s chest tightened, but she forced
Isabelle’s POV The house felt unbearably quiet without Nathan. Every tick of the clock on the wall seemed louder, each second pressing down on me with suffocating weight. The walls felt closer, the air heavier, the silence almost mocking. I sat curled on the couch, staring blankly at the framed picture of Nathan on the mantel. His bright smile, the way his eyes sparkled with innocence and trust—it was too much. Tears blurred my vision, but I didn’t cry. I couldn’t. Crying meant giving in to the fear clawing at my chest. It meant accepting the nightmare Walter had pulled me into. And I couldn’t break. Not when my son was out there, scared and alone. The sharp knock on the door jolted me out of my daze. My pulse spiked. I shot to my feet, half stumbling as I rushed toward the door. Please. Let it be the police. Let it be news. Let it be— I swung the door open, and my heart stopped. Damion stood there. And in his arms, cradled carefully, was Nathan. I couldn’t
Kaia’s POV It had all started with a whisper. The first time Damion had mentioned the child, I knew something was wrong. The way his voice caught when he asked about Nathan, the way his eyes lingered on the boy as if searching for a reflection of himself—it was like watching a man unravel in slow motion. And I couldn’t let that happen. Not again. Because I knew, deep down, that if Nathan was Damion’s son, everything I had worked for—the life I’d carefully built with him—would fall apart. So I did what I always did. I found a way to control the narrative. It hadn’t been difficult. Manipulation never was when you understood a man’s vulnerabilities. And Damion’s greatest vulnerability was his desperate need for closure. I hadn’t even needed to convince him. “It’s the only way,” I had whispered to him weeks ago, the night we’d sat in his study, the tension thick between us. “If she won’t tell you the truth, we have to find it ourselves.” And he’d agreed. But now, a
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