"Is it positive? Is it positive yet?" Jenna's voice rang out from the phone, pulling my attention back to the camera."What's the rush?" I replied, feigning calmness. "The box says five minutes minimum—""Look at it now!" she demanded, barely able to contain herself.I didn't want to, but I did. I looked—and suddenly, I felt like the most clueless woman in the universe."I'm... pregnant," I murmured, shocked by the result in front of me."Me too!" Jenna screamed back, making me drop the phone from the double shock.Both of us. Pregnant. At the same time. There was only one reaction possible."Ahhh!" I screamed, half in excitement for her, half in pure panic for me."Ahhh!" Jenna screeched back, mostly in laughter."Are you okay, Marianne?" Lucius's alarmed voice cut in from the doorway.I froze and snapped the phone shut before he could see. "Uh, perfect. Totally fine. Shall we go?"-I knew I should have been savoring the beautiful surroundings. We were strolling through M
Lucius Brown's P.O.V.I could say, without exaggeration, that I had faced every kind of risk life could throw at me. Fistfights where I'd nearly had my neck snapped, bullets that left permanent scars, jumping out of moving cars, and let's not forget, running from a string of resentful women thanks to my reckless youth. I had walked away from all that, but this latest adventure—fatherhood? I wasn't sure I'd make it out alive.Every day, I wondered when the worry, the endless weight of it, would end. But seeing Marianne's round belly, I knew I had at least another eighteen years to go. Because, as it was, our little girl hadn't even been born yet. We had two weeks to go.For most women, two weeks would pass in blissful anticipation—relaxing, enjoying cravings, buying baby clothes online, and resting in bed. But no. I'd managed to fall for—and knock up—a woman who couldn't stay still for a second.After our honeymoon in Italy, I had hoped that Marianne would take it easy once we got h
Lucius Brown's P.O.V.Marianne's explanation didn't convince me, but since no one could beat Marianne when she was set on something, we ended up at Lennon's daughter's birthday party.-What should you expect from Selena's idea of a kid's birthday? This wasn't a party—it was a full-blown festival of every party supplier in the city showing off their products. They had converted one of the Brown mansion's halls into an undersea paradise, complete with a six-tiered cake, actors in merman and sea creature costumes, and every type of child-friendly entertainment station you could imagine. And to top it all off, Marianne had somehow volunteered herself as the unofficial babysitter for all of my cousins' children.There she sat on a shell-shaped sofa, surrounded by Louis (Lionel's son), Luke and Levi (Leonardo's twin boys), Louisa (also Leonardo's), and of course, Samantha, the birthday girl herself and Lionel's youngest."Aren't you gonna pop one of these days, Aunt Mary?" Louis asked,
"Here she comes," the doctor announced as she lifted our baby into the world.The sound of our daughter's first cry filled the delivery room. I watched in amazement as Marianne's face softened, her breathing finally steadying. Her relief, though, turned to awe the second they placed our baby on her chest."Hello, my little love. Everything's alright. Mommy's here," she murmured, her own tears flowing freely. The baby quieted instantly.As a nurse began cleaning our daughter right there against Marianne, the doctor asked if I wanted to cut the umbilical cord. I declined, feeling like I didn't belong here—like none of this made sense."Do you want to meet Daddy? Look, there he is," Marianne cooed as she glanced over at me.Before I could respond, the nurse lifted our daughter and handed her to me. Reluctantly, I took her, this little girl we had created on a long-forgotten drunken night. She looked up at me with wide, blinking eyes, as curious as I was."Why's she looking at me lik
Liam Brown's P.O.V.The Brown bloodline felt weak, cursed, and destined to fade away. That was what my brothers and I had believed for years. Unable to have more children beyond our firstborns, we had accepted that the family name would end with them. However, something had changed in this family after the passing of my mother, Leona. We had to hit rock bottom before we could begin climbing our way out. Over the years since her departure, we had emerged from sorrow into peace, from bitterness into love, and these days, I could understand love better than ever, thanks to my grandchildren—the youngest additions to the clan.Just a week ago, my little Leana had celebrated her sixth birthday, and no gift could truly express the gratitude I felt for being her grandfather. That was all the justification I needed to arrive at my son Lucius's door carrying a large gift box under one arm and five gift bags in the other, ready to shower her with everything she deserved.I pressed the doorbell
"What were you two fighting over?" I asked Luna and Layla. "Don't you each have one of those devices?""Layla's being mean!" Luna pouted. "It's mine! She broke hers!"At this, Layla stretched out her arms toward me, seeking refuge. I could never deny one of my granddaughters—each one held a special place in my heart. Ignoring the protest in my back, I put down the gifts, scooped her up, and settled her in my arms."Did you break yours, Layla?" I asked.She shook her head fervently, hiding her face in my shoulder. Meanwhile, Leana and Luna were already ripping open the gift bags I had brought. I tried to explain who each present was meant for, but over the constant cries of the baby, my words were mostly lost in the commotion. Once the girls were absorbed in their new toys, I turned my attention to Lucius, who sat nearby with our youngest still wailing in his arms."Is the boy sick?" I asked, settling myself next to him and balancing Layla on my lap.Lucius looked like he was on t
"And then he went wham! Right in the face, Grandpa!" Leana mimicked a powerful punch with enthusiasm."And he screamed 'Ahhh!'!" Luna added, acting out the yell with exaggerated flair.I glanced over at my son, who, after the brief calm from finally getting his little ones fed, was looking like himself again. He chuckled at his daughters' antics, seeming to truly enjoy the moment."You call this raising quiet little girls? Why do you let them watch so many violent movies?" I asked him."What else can they watch? I'm preparing them for the world," he said with a proud grin. "I signed Leana up for karate—she's got a real knack for it. When they're a bit older, I'll put Layla and Luna in Taekwondo. They have way too much energy to burn.""More, please, Grandpa," Layla chimed in, holding out her plate. I served her a bit more food and then turned back to Lucius. "You do realize actions have consequences, right? Maybe you should consider painting or swimming instead.""Why would I sig
Marianne's P.O.V.Life had rewarded me in ways far beyond my expectations. After years of anxiety, loneliness, and heartbreak, I truly felt blessed with the family Lucius and I had built. When I had interrupted my boss in his office and proposed to him, I never imagined that he would take that proposal seriously.Very seriously, in fact. More than six years of marriage and four children later, I felt more fulfilled than ever. Each of my children was my entire world, each of them special in their own way. My eldest, Leana, was smart and mischievous—a natural trickster who somehow always managed to cover her tracks. Her physical prowess never failed to amaze me. Between gymnastics and karate, she had even roped her father into supporting her latest venture into martial arts. Her instructor swore she had real talent.Then came Luna. A long-planned and anticipated pregnancy, Luna came into our lives just when we wanted, and perhaps I overdid it with my enthusiasm because Luna was an abs
Sara Brown's P.O.V."Didn't we agree you wouldn't come, Mom?" Richard asked, his voice low and disappointed."Richard, you too?" Victoria exclaimed, her voice trembling with a mix of hurt and indignation."What else did you expect, Victoria?" Julian interjected, crossing his arms. "We practically had to beg Sara for permission just to see Matthew. Meanwhile, you've done nothing to make amends yet here you are, demanding things. That's not how this works.""Do you want me to apologize to Sara?" Victoria's voice cracked as she looked at me, her emotions on full display.I would never trust Victoria, and I certainly would never leave my son alone with her unsupervised. But in this moment, her vulnerability chipped away at some of my hardened resolve. Life had been so good lately, so full of joy and love, that my heart no longer had room for resentment."You don't need to apologize to me," I said calmly. "The people you owe an apology to are your sons."Victoria's eyes widened, her
Sara Brown's P.O.V.Six months later.Becoming a mother was one of those adventures I never knew I needed, but I'd never been more grateful for taking the leap—especially with Lawrence by my side. Now, here we were, standing in front of a flower-draped altar nestled in the woods of the Brown family estate.Getting married in this spot felt symbolic. It had been our sanctuary as kids, the place where we'd escaped from the grown-ups and shared secrets. It was fitting that my best friend, the boy who'd been by my side through thick and thin, was now becoming my husband.Behind us was a small gathering of family and close friends. The Browns—ever-expanding with a small army of kids—were all present, as were a handful of Lawrence's relatives, including his brothers, Richard and Julian. We'd kept the guest list to just sixty people, making this a more intimate celebration than anyone would've expected from a Brown-Lewis wedding.Still, it was perfect. Everyone we loved was here. And the
I looked at our baby's tiny face, and the urge to cry overwhelmed me again. He was absolutely perfect."Are you going to keep crying?" Sara teased with a mischievous grin. "If you don't stop, I won't give you another one."I wiped my tears immediately, not wanting to take any chances. She burst out laughing, her radiant energy filling the room."So," quickly shifting topics, she leaned forward slightly, "what are we naming him? We agreed we'd know when we saw him. I've got a name from the shortlist in mind. Do you?""I do," I replied, smiling."Okay, let's say it together," she suggested, and I nodded. "On three. One, two, three—""Matthew!" we both exclaimed in unison.We stared at each other before breaking into matching grins. Sara started clapping in excitement over our perfect sync. I laughed at her enthusiasm, but something on the hospital TV caught my attention—a news report about yesterday's gubernatorial election. Images of Isabelle, the winner, flashed across the scree
Lawrence Lewis's P.O.V.Three months later...Just when I thought I couldn't be any happier with Sara loving me, life proved me wrong. Every day felt like a new peak of joy. A few months ago, I believed I had reached the ultimate high when she accepted my proposal during our trip to Finland. I'd asked her under the northern lights in a private and intimate moment, just the two of us—just like our entire relationship had been.The fallout from canceling my engagement to Emma had been relatively manageable for me. There were no financial or legal repercussions, and I narrowly escaped the disgrace of almost becoming the son-in-law of a criminal like Mark. But to say I avoided all drama would be a lie. The rumors and gossip surrounding how Sara and I had gotten together were relentless.I was usually a calm man, but any criticism aimed at Sara, accusing her of "breaking up" my previous engagement, turned me into a beast. Sara would always tell me to ignore the noise, that only we knew
I stood there frozen, feeling every gaze lock onto me. It was as if time had stopped. No one spoke, no one moved—they just stared. Sweat started trickling down places I didn’t even know could sweat.“Hi… how’s everyone doing?” I asked, my voice hesitant.I braced myself for the shouting, the dramatic exclamations, the scolding even. Instead, the extroverted ones in the room simply smiled at me while the quieter ones went back to what they were doing, almost as if nothing had happened. The initial wave of attention just… evaporated.“As I was saying,” Uncle Lucius continued, picking up right where he’d left off, “if you don’t finish your vegetables, we’ll give them to the lion in the forest.”My jaw dropped. This table—the entire Brown family—was completely unfazed. Even Lawrence had that knowing smile on his face, almost as if he’d expected this exact reaction. Before I could recover, Aunt Lucia and Aunt Marianne came over and pulled me into tight hugs.“You look gorgeous, Sara. A
Richard's voice broke the silence as he gathered his courage. "We'd like to add Duke and Monarch for me, and the boat for Julian. With that, we'll be ready to sign the agreement."I rubbed my ears, almost certain I had misheard."The horses and the boat? That's all you want?" Lawrence asked, his tone tinged with disbelief."Yes," Julian confirmed, his voice hesitant. "We believe... they're of great sentimental value to us. And they were gifts. They just... weren't officially transferred to us."Lawrence's eyes darted between them as if trying to confirm whether these were the same brothers he'd been fighting with."That's it?" he repeated, his suspicion evident."That's it," Richard said, though his discomfort was plain to see."What are you two plotting?" Lawrence asked, narrowing his eyes.The twins exchanged confused glances."Nothing?" Julian said, his tone growing defensive. "What are you plotting? You told us you wouldn't give us anything but then sent this offer out of
I couldn't help but notice the sadness etched onto Lawrence's face. He'd always said he wouldn't give his brothers anything. Yet here he was, not only offering them a portion of the inheritance but also bracing himself for their inevitable demands and negotiating with them."Wouldn't it have been easier to just offer them exactly what you were willing to give from the start?" I asked as I leaned against his shoulder, wrapping my arms around him. His sadness was palpable, and it was breaking my heart. Just moments ago, he'd been so happy. "Just say 'Take it or leave it' and then forget about them."Lawrence sighed, his gaze distant. "I know them. And I know myself. I can't lay the blame for all my hardships on them like I do with Victoria. Despite what I said during the will reading, I know they deserve more than what my father left them.""You have a heart of gold, Ren," I murmured, kissing his cheek. "Don't let those brats melt it down, okay?"He chuckled softly, though his sadnes
I swayed my hips rhythmically against his body, the two of us joined in that intimate connection we'd rediscovered nearly every night since the chaos with a certain corrupt official had come to an end.As Lawrence neared his release, he called my name, his voice rough with passion. I teased him by sucking on the thumb he'd slipped into my mouth, which was all it took for him to shut his eyes tightly as the force of his climax overtook him. I followed him into that blissful release just a moment later.Utterly satisfied, I collapsed beside him on the bed, both of us completely naked, basking in the warmth of each other's bodies. My breathing was still ragged as Lawrence shifted closer, his hands roaming gently over my hair, my chest, and finally, my stomach. The way his hand lingered there told me exactly what he was about to ask—again."Are you sure you're comfortable with this?" he asked."No. It was terrible. I never want to have another orgasm for the rest of my life," I replied
"What's going on here?" I asked Sara suspiciously."Just go with the flow," she replied, opening my car door with a grin.I hesitated but decided to follow her advice—or at least try. After exchanging cheek kisses, I walked over to where Jason was waiting. I tucked the envelope with my test results into my pocket. As I reached him, he took my hand, and we started walking up a hill in the park."When did you ask Sara to bring me here?" I asked, curious."That's a secret," he said with a chuckle. "And since you two are such close friends now—""Close friends?" I interrupted, raising a brow. "You think we're really friends?""That's how it seems. You smile a lot when you're with her," he replied."Do I?" I considered it for a moment, warmth spreading through my chest. "Maybe we are."Jason smiled but kept silent. As we climbed one of the hills, I was taken aback by the breathtaking view of the city spread before us. But even more surprising was the blanket laid out on the ground,