The soft clink of silverware against porcelain filled the intimate space of the restaurant. Candlelight flickered between them, casting a warm glow over their meal. For the first time in what felt like forever, Carmela felt a strange sense of normalcy—like they were just any other couple enjoying dinner together.But that illusion shattered when Damion’s phone buzzed against the table.His entire demeanor shifted.Carmela watched as he reached for the device, his expression unreadable as he glanced at the caller ID. Without a word, he answered, bringing the phone to his ear.“Speak.”The voice on the other end was muffled, but Carmela could hear the urgency in the tone. Damion’s jaw clenched slightly.“When?” he asked, his voice quieter now, but colder.A pause.“And he just left?”Carmela frowned, setting down her fork. The look on Damion’s face made it urgent. What was happening this time around?Another long silence stretched between them before Damion let out a slow breath, his fi
The tension still clung to Damion like a second skin as he stepped out of Adrian’s penthouse. The night air was crisp, but it did nothing to cool the simmering rage beneath his calm exterior. Adrian was playing a game—one he wasn’t fully revealing yet. And that unsettled Damion more than anything. Sliding into the backseat of his black Mercedes, he exhaled sharply before glancing at his driver. “Home,” he ordered. The car smoothly pulled away from the curb, the city lights casting fleeting reflections across the tinted windows. Damion loosened his tie slightly, his fingers brushing over his temple as he tried to piece together his brother’s true intentions. Adrian hadn’t denied anything. But he also hadn’t given him a straight answer. That meant he was waiting for something. And Damion had a feeling whatever it was—he wouldn’t like it. Meanwhile at a long distance in the night air, Carmela sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the untouched plate of food Lily had brought
The estate was quiet when Carmela stepped inside, the grand foyer dimly lit by the soft glow of the chandelier above. The silence was a stark contrast to the storm inside her mind.She had spent the entire car ride thinking about Damion—about the way his voice had sounded over the phone, about the way he had left the restaurant so abruptly.Even now, she wasn’t sure if she had made a mistake by returning back home and obeying Damion’s wishes when asked her to come home.But then her eyes landed on him.Damion stood by the bar in the living area, pouring himself a drink, his broad shoulders tense. He had already changed out of his suit jacket, his white shirt slightly unbuttoned at the collar, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms.The sight of him stole her breath for a moment.He turned when he heard her footsteps, his gaze locking onto hers instantly.“You’re back,” he said, setting the glass down.“You are too,” she countered, her voice softer than she intended.He watched her clos
Flashback – One Year AgoThe city skyline stretched endlessly in front of him, neon lights blinking against the dark canvas of the night. Lucas leaned against the balcony railing of the upscale lounge, his sharp eyes scanning the bustling crowd below.He had just returned to the city after years abroad, building his own fortune in silence, away from the suffocating expectations that came with his last name.He had no plans of getting tangled in old affairs.But then—“Elena.”She turned at the sound of her name, her red lips curling into a knowing smile the moment she saw him.“Well, well,” she purred, stepping closer. “Look who decided to crawl back.”Lucas chuckled, swirling the whiskey in his glass before taking a slow sip. “Miss me?”Elena tilted her head, her dark eyes glittering with mischief. “Should I have?”He smirked. “Depends.”She hummed, stepping beside him, resting her arms against the railing. “It’s been years, Lucas. I assumed you disappeared for good.”Lucas exhaled,
Lucas’s car screeched to a halt outside Elena’s house. Rushing quickly. His fingers tightened around the steering wheel as he exhaled sharply, trying to steady his thoughts.Elena had sounded frantic on the phone—terrified in a way he had never heard before. And that alone unsettled him.He had known Elena for years. She was cunning, manipulative, and never the type to lose her composure.For her to be this panicked… something had gone terribly wrong. Really wrong. Shoving open the door, he strode toward the entrance, barely knocking before pushing inside.The house was eerily silent.Then—“Lucas.”Her voice was barely a whisper.His gaze snapped to the living room, where she stood frozen, her face pale.And at her feet—Blood.His breath hitched for half a second before his eyes trailed to the man lying motionless on the shattered remains of the coffee table.He moved before his thoughts could catch up, kneeling beside the body and pressing two fingers to the man’s neck.Nothing.
The silence in Elena’s house was suffocating.She sat on the edge of her bed, her hands clasped so tightly in her lap that her knuckles turned white. The events of the night replayed in her head like a broken record—the sickening thud of his body hitting the glass table, the pool of blood spreading across her floor, Lucas’s firm grip on her wrist as he told her to calm the hell down.Her stomach twisted.It was done.The body was buried.And yet, the feeling of dread hadn’t left her.She reached for the wine glass on her bedside table, her fingers trembling as she brought it to her lips. The alcohol burned her throat, but it did little to soothe the panic clawing at her insides.A sudden vibration jolted her, making her nearly drop the glass.Her phone.She grabbed it quickly, her heart racing when she saw the name on the screen.Lucas.Her thumb hovered over the answer button for a second before she finally swiped. “Hello?”“You still panicking?”His voice was calm, smooth—as if they
Elena adjusted the silk robe around her as she made her way down the stairs, still groggy from barely sleeping the night before. The moment she reached the bottom, a knock sounded at the door.Her heart skipped.She hadn’t been expecting anyone.Swallowing the nerves threatening to creep in, she smoothed a hand over her hair before unlocking the door.And there he was.Damion Blackwood.Dressed in a crisp black coat, hands shoved into his pockets, his cold gray eyes locked onto her with that unreadable expression she had always hated.“Damion,” she greeted, quickly masking her unease with a smile. “What a surprise.”His gaze flickered over her appearance before meeting her eyes again. “Heard the news. Thought I’d check in.”Elena blinked. “News?”Damion studied her reaction for a moment. “Didn’t you hear? A man went missing last night.”Elena’s blood ran cold.Damion tilted his head. “Turns out, he was last seen here.”Her breath caught. She wasn’t going to show any sign of weakness.
Damion barely made it back to his car before his phone vibrated in his pocket.Leonard.He answered immediately. “Tell me you have something.”“Still digging,” Leonard’s voice came through, calm and professional. “But the account is heavily encrypted. Whoever set it up knew what they were doing.”Damion clenched his jaw. “How long?”“Give me a few hours.”“Make it quick.”He ended the call, tossing his phone onto the passenger seat.His mind was already calculating the next step.Elena had been stealing from him.And if she had the nerve to do it so openly, it meant she either thought she was untouchable… or she had someone powerful backing her.Lucas.His fingers tightened around the steering wheel.He didn’t believe for a second that Lucas had just coincidentally shown up at Elena’s house. There was something between them, something he hadn’t figured out yet. Something that had linked them together that he was yet to discover. He just needed a little amount of time to do so. But he
Kaia’s POV Walter Ryder’s office was as intimidating as the man himself. The rich mahogany desk, the cold steel accents, the sharp angles of the furniture—it all screamed power and control. It was a room designed to make you feel small. But I wouldn’t let him see me flinch. I walked in, heels clicking against the polished floor, my head held high. Walter stood by the window, his back to me, staring out at the sprawling city skyline. “Kaia,” he said, his voice cold and measured. “I hope you have better news this time.” I took a breath, steadying myself. “The situation is under control.” He turned, his sharp eyes locking onto mine. “Is it? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like Damion is unraveling, Isabelle is still in the picture, and your little stunt with the boy has only made things worse.” I swallowed hard, refusing to let his words rattle me. “It was a temporary misstep. Damion will come back to me. He always does.” Walter’s laugh was dry, almost mocki
Isabelle’s POV The kiss was a mistake. I knew it the moment it happened. But it didn’t stop me from leaning into it, from letting Damion’s hands cradle my face, from feeling that dangerous, magnetic pull he’d always had over me. It was reckless. Uncontrolled. Desperate. And then— “Isabelle?” The sound of Brian’s voice sliced through the air like a blade. I wrenched back from Damion, my breath catching as the heat between us shattered into a thousand pieces of cold, hard reality. Brian stood frozen in the doorway, his face pale, his eyes wide with shock and hurt. The papers he’d been holding slipped slightly in his hand, as if he’d forgotten he was even holding them. No. No, no, no. “Brian—” I started, scrambling to fix this, to explain— But he was already backing away, his expression hardening as he swallowed, forcing some calm into his voice. “I— I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’ll, uh…I’ll wait outside.” And just like that, he turned and disappeared from
Isabelle’s POV The flashing blue and red lights outside my home were almost blinding, their glow casting distorted shadows across the walls. The tension that had held me captive for days still lingered, but Nathan was finally safe. He was asleep upstairs, his tiny body curled up under the blankets where he belonged. Yet, the weight in my chest refused to lift. A uniformed officer stood in front of me, his expression calm but probing. I knew they wanted answers—real ones—but I wasn’t ready to give them. I had my answers. I just couldn’t say them out loud. Damion. “Ms. Everett,” the officer began gently, flipping through his notepad. “I understand this has been an overwhelming situation, but we need to be sure we’re closing this case properly. Are you certain there’s nothing else you’d like to report? No new suspicions about who took your son?” I felt Damion’s presence behind me, lingering by the doorway, tense and silent. I swallowed hard, my heart pounding so loud it
Kaia’s POV The plan was unraveling faster than I had anticipated. When Damion stormed out after returning the boy, I knew things had shifted. I felt it in the way his voice trembled when he’d confronted me. The guilt. The hesitation. He was slipping away. And it was her fault. Isabelle. Always so righteous, so defiant, making him question everything I had carefully constructed. I paced the length of my penthouse, the sound of my heels echoing off the marble floors. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the city glittered beneath the night sky, a perfect illusion of peace. But inside? Everything felt like it was closing in. Damion was supposed to be mine. I had done everything. Stood by him when his life crumbled. Cleaned up the mess after Isabelle abandoned him. I had been patient, understanding, even when he had made it clear she was still haunting him. And now? She was back, unraveling him piece by piece. And Walter—Walter was only making it worse. The call
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