Uncomfortable car rides were the absolute worst. This one, with Lionel driving me to the doctor, was the perfect example. Being practically blind didn't help matters either. Darkness was unbearable. To make it worse, I couldn't even remember the layout of Dad's car well enough to find the stereo and put on some music to lighten the mood.So, I did the opposite—I filled the silence with small talk. Anything to avoid dwelling in the shadows."Uh... so, what's Mom up to?" I asked, trying to start a conversation."She's busy with next month's event. Thankfully. If she wasn't, she might've been coddling you and that boy," Lionel said bluntly with no hesitation."Dad..." I replied, already uneasy."Why did he even bother visiting you after your accident? The least he could've done was show up sooner, don't you think?""Right, because if he had come to your house, you'd have welcomed him with open arms.""No, and you shouldn't have let him into your apartment either."If Dad knew that
"But we were so close. What happened? How did we lose them?" I asked, disheartened."They countered with a better offer," Peter explained. "Not just medical insurance but a discounted apartment outside the city—it sealed the deal.""We couldn't compete with that, not without you," Fiona added, sounding frustrated."Why didn't you tell me, Elliot?" I demanded, turning to him."You were recovering, and we didn't have the budget to increase our offer. We tried securing additional funding, but the banks wouldn't budge. They wanted you to negotiate," he admitted, guilt heavy in his voice.I bit my thumb nail, mulling over our delicate situation. Without private investors stepping in—investors I could've persuaded personally—our hands had been tied. The timing and circumstances had conspired against us."It's a shame that accident happened in the middle of negotiations," Fiona muttered bitterly."A shame for us, maybe. But for the Lewis family? It was a gift from the heavens," Peter g
"She almost collapsed at the door! We thought she was having a heart attack!" exclaimed the woman I recognized as the frantic voice from the earlier call.Jason cast her a stern look, which she promptly ignored. As the nurse announced Melanie's blood pressure results—low but not critical—the tension in the room began to ease, and the curious neighbors started filtering out. Meanwhile, the woman, Lucy, recounted how she'd found Melanie and brought the nurse over. I took a seat quietly in a corner, content to observe. Everyone seemed too focused on Melanie to notice me, and Jason had clearly forgotten I was there.Eventually, Melanie's eyes landed on me."Is that little Sara?" she asked, her voice warmer than before."I think it's me," I replied with a smile, moving closer to her."My dear girl! How are you?" She stretched out her arms toward me.I leaned in to hug her. "Better now, knowing it was just a scare and you're okay," I said, straightening up."Oh, I'm fine, better than
At one point, I was just a mischievous child. Then, I had become a troublesome teenager who loved sticking my nose where it didn't belong. And now? Now I was an adult who seemed to attract trouble like a magnet. Jason's confession had left me completely stunned.But as I let it sink in, Emma's behavior started making a strange kind of sense. That hostility she'd been radiating toward me since the day I hired Jason—it all clicked. Before that, I almost felt like I had her in the palm of my hand.Now, I understood why I didn't anymore. She must think I orchestrated this entire situation deliberately."I'll hand in my resignation at the end of the day," Jason said, his voice low and full of regret. "I apologize for my dishonesty."His words jolted me back to reality."You think I'm letting you walk out after dropping a bombshell like that without giving me the full story?" I shot back."It's not as significant or dramatic as you're imagining," he muttered unconvincingly."Oh, reall
"Sara! How are you? Lawrence told me about your accident... It sounded awful. Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Emma's voice poured out of the phone, syrupy and sweet.Oh, great. So Lawrence had told her about my accident. Of course, he had. A part of me bristled, but another part—one I hated to acknowledge—felt oddly warm. Ridiculous."I was resting and avoiding screens, doctor's orders," I replied, forcing a polite tone."That must've been so hard for you. I'm really sorry you had to go through that...""Yeah, well...""Listen, since you're back now, I'd really like to make amends. I know I've been... rather insufferable, but this time, I promise I'll make it up to you."I raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "When exactly were you thinking of doing that?""Right now, of course! I'll send you my location in a moment. It's a little surprise for you and my other bridesmaids. You'll love it! See you soon!" She hung up before I could respond.I stared at the phone, processing her sudden e
Emma White's P.O.V.As a child, I dreamt that my first love would also be my last. I yearned for that fairy-tale romance, believing it would find its way to me. Yet, love had never come easily. Back then, I had adored my father. In my eyes, Mark White was perfect—a tireless man who worked selflessly for others without expecting anything in return.I believed in him with the same devotion as one of his followers, almost as though I were just another citizen captivated by his promises. But I was not just anyone—I was his daughter, his most cherished possession. I trusted, with an almost blind conviction, that my father would do anything for me.Until I learned that he wouldn't.Love finally arrived when I met Jason. It was love at first sight. I still remember that day clearly, the moment I saw his smile—the kindest, warmest smile I had ever seen. Jason, who had worked for my father since he was young, was different. Gentle, steady, and kind. From the first moment, my heart was set o
I didn't want to believe it was him either when he dragged me to a gynecologist that night—a trusted friend of his. Mark stood there, watching the monitor like a hawk, searching for proof that my womb was empty. He talked about arranging an abortion right then and there, though it made no sense. Jason and I had always been careful. He was meticulous, and I loved him for it. Every time we made love, it was beautiful, sacred, and perfect.But in that cold, sterile office, with my father looming over me, it all felt filthy.Maybe I should have protested, fought, or tried to escape, but I wasn't me anymore. My brain couldn't process what was happening. And as Mark manhandled me through the house, dragging me past the other employees, no one said a word. Not a single person came to my aid. Even the doctor, who must have seen the bruises on my body, didn't so much as flinch. He just went through the motions of the examination.It was... traumatic.The next day, Mark spoke to me as if not
Instead of forgetting Jason, I found myself digging deeper, uncovering fragments of his life that only confirmed my fears—something terrible had happened to him. I discovered he was still living in the same small house he shared with his mother, the one he had once told me he dreamed of replacing with something bigger and better for her.I shouldn't have gone there. I knew Mark would be furious if he found out, but I had to know. I had to tell Jason that I was getting married.And when I did, he treated me coldly, worse than before.That's when I realized—I hadn't let go of him. I hadn't stopped loving him.I couldn't go through with the wedding. I needed time. Time to explain my actions to Jason, to make him understand. But the fear of Mark kept me from being direct. I approached Jason like a shadow, in secret, through surprise visits.Canceling the wedding wasn't an option. Mark had been planning this union for years. If I dared to break it off, I didn't know what he'd do—to me
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,