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
Emma White's P.O.V.I struggled to move under the weight of my wedding gown, but I didn't stop. I had to catch Jason before he disappeared."Wait! Please, just talk to me!" I called out, my voice heavy with desperation.He halted and turned to face me, his expression unreadable—an icy wall of indifference."There's nothing for us to discuss, Miss Emma," he replied, his tone cold and formal. "Return to your fitting. I'll step out for a moment."He turned to leave, but I grabbed his arm. His jaw tightened as he glanced around, clearly uncomfortable with the stares of the boutique staff, who were now trying yet failing to pretend they weren't watching."They're looking at us," he hissed through clenched teeth."Let them look," I countered, ignoring the tremor in my voice. "We need to talk."Jason looked away, refusing to meet my eyes. It was as if looking at me caused him pain."What is there left to say?" he asked, his voice quieter but no less strained. "You and I—we're finishe
"Let me help you, otherwise, you'll end up falling in that dress," Sara said with a smirk as we walked back toward the fitting area."If I fell, you'd love it," I replied, my tone dripping with bitterness."Maybe. I won't lie—pushing you sounds tempting," she chuckled, her smile sharp. "But seriously, Emma, is this why you're marrying Ren? To chase after another man who isn't him?""You think you're so clever, don't you?" I shot back, mirroring her fake smile."I do try," she said lightly, her gaze drifting toward Jason. "But I didn't know about your history with him... interesting. For what it's worth, he was just desperate for a job. He's the cousin of one of my most trusted employees. That's it. To me, Jason is an employee I respect."Her words hit harder than I'd expected, especially the last part. I didn't anticipate her to sound so honest—or to leave me standing there while she walked back to her seat, her presence as commanding as ever.I watched her settle in with the oth
My mother was a master at handling emergencies. She always had been. With practiced ease, she flushed the toilet, grabbed some tissues, and helped me up from the cold bathroom floor. Her hands were steady as she wiped my mouth clean."You can do this, Emma. You have to do this. Have we not discussed this before?" Her voice was soft, almost gentle, but there was a firm undercurrent to her words."I saw him again..." I admitted, my voice trembling. "He hates me. He wants nothing to do with me."Her gaze softened, tinged with sadness as she finished cleaning me up."My darling girl, your relationship with that boy ended a long time ago. It was a youthful romance. You've put him on a pedestal. Let him go. It's what's best for everyone.""For everyone or for Dad?" My voice cracked as I challenged her. "Because even if Jason hadn't reappeared, I still wouldn't want to get married. I feel like I'm suffocating. I just... I just want it all to stop. Should I throw myself in front of a car?
I couldn't help but feel that Emma's plan had backfired spectacularly. There she was, retreating with her entourage of friends, while I had my own tasks to handle. It was time to head back to my car where Jason was waiting for me.Only, something was different this time.Usually, Jason would wait for me to approach, open the door for me, and then get into the driver's seat himself. It wasn't something I ever asked him to do, but he was just... Jason. Thoughtful and considerate. But today wasn't like every other day.Today, Jason was sitting inside the car with the doors locked, looking like he wanted to be anywhere else. I knocked gently on the window, and after a moment, he unlocked the door. I climbed into the passenger seat, noting the crumpled tissue in his hand and the faint redness around his nose."Sorry for not noticing you were here, Miss Sara," he said, his voice unusually soft. "It's my allergies acting up."I didn't believe him for a second. He had been crying."Aller
Jason's expression hardened, a flicker of frustration crossing his face. He kept his composure, but I could tell he wasn't pleased."What kind of future or protection could I possibly offer Emma if she chose me?" he asked, his voice firm. "Have you thought about that? I'm nobody right now."I felt a pang of helplessness in my chest. Leaning my head back against the car seat, I stared at the roof before turning to him."Working for that tyrant Mark messed with your head," I said firmly. "Of course, you're someone. Everyone is someone, no matter how much or how little they have in the bank."That struck a nerve. Jason looked away, his lips pressed into a tight line, clearly unwilling to continue the conversation. For now, I let it drop, understanding his need for silence.We arrived at our destination not long after—none other than the Brown mansion. It was as timeless and enchanting as ever, an estate brimming with history. Once the home of my grandmother Leona, it now belonged to
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,