Juniper’s words hit me like a punch to the gut. I never realized how much Caspian’s father’s absence affected her, how much it still affects her. "He doesn’t know why I keep my distance sometimes," Juniper continues, her voice breaking. "He probably thinks I’m mad at him or something, but it’s not that. I just… I miss Dad. And every time I look at Caspian, it’s like I’m reminded of all the things we never got to have."I wrap my arms around her, pulling her into a hug as she finally lets herself cry. Her shoulders shake as she buries her face in my shoulder, and I hold her tight, trying to give her whatever comfort I can."I’m so sorry, Juniper," I whisper, feeling tears prick at my own eyes. "I didn’t know."She pulls back slightly, wiping her eyes again, her face flushed with emotion. "He doesn’t either. I never told him. I don’t want him to feel like he’s responsible for making up for what we lost. He already carries enough weight on his shoulders."We sit there for a while, talki
Juniper is standing in the middle of the room, grinning like she’s just won the lottery. Around her, movers are busy taking out furniture—antique furniture, no less—and replacing it with sleek, modern pieces. Our living room, which has always been a mix of Caspian’s family’s history and our own touch, is now turning into something completely different.“What the hell is going on?” Caspian asks, his voice sharp.Juniper turns to face us, her smile bright and unapologetic. “Oh, good morning! I figured since I’m going to be staying here for a while, I might as well make some changes.”Caspian stares at her, completely dumbfounded. “What changes? Why are you getting rid of our furniture?”“Well,” Juniper says, hands on her hips as she surveys the room, “I called a moving company to take your old stuff down to the basement. It’s nice and all, but let’s be honest, it’s not very functional. I’m replacing it with some modern pieces from my place.”“From your place?”Juniper nods, as if this i
Juniper's tone is icy, and Caspian and I exchange glances. This isn’t going to be a pleasant conversation.Juniper stands and walks toward the window, phone pressed to her ear. “What did you think was going to happen when you stormed out last week? You think I’m just going to sit around and wait for you to get your head out of your ass?”Caspian leans toward me, lowering his voice. “All this chaos? It’s your fault. If you’d just stayed in the master bedroom with her, none of this would’ve happened.”I nudge him playfully, still amused by the whole situation. “Oh, come on. You seriously think me sleeping in the guest room is what caused her to redecorate the entire house?”He grumbles something under his breath, but I can tell he’s trying not to smile.Before we can continue, Juniper raises her. “Oh, now you care about the furniture?” she snaps, pacing the room. “Maybe if you hadn’t stormed off like a child, I wouldn’t have had to move everything out.”Caspian arches an eyebrow. “Isaac
Caspian is standing at the closet door, arms folded, eyes narrowed as he watches me sift through my clothes. He looks like he’s about to give a lecture. “I think it’s a terrible idea for two pregnant women to go out partying at night,” he says. I don’t even glance back at him as I pull out a dress. “Why? You think we need a chaperone?” “If that’s what it takes, yes.” I can feel his eyes burning a hole into the back of my head. He’s annoyed—no, worried—but he’s doing that thing where he tries to hide it under sarcasm and logic. Classic Caspian. “We’re not teenagers sneaking out to a rave,” I say, tossing the dress onto the bed before rummaging for shoes. “It’s a girls' night. And by girls’ night, I mean me and your sister having dinner and maybe going to a club.” Caspian snorts. “A club? And that’s supposed to make me feel better?” I turn to face him, one eyebrow raised. “We’re not exactly hitting up the hottest spots in town. We’re pregnant, remember? There’ll be no shots, no w
We pull out of the driveway, and Caspian stands by the door, watching us. I can almost sniff his disapproval from here.The drive is mostly quiet, save for Juniper occasionally barking directions at me. She’s leaning back in the passenger seat, one hand resting on her belly while the other taps on the door. I sneak a glance at her, wondering how she stays so relaxed, so carefree, even with everything going on. I mean, her husband is furious at her, she’s halfway through a pregnancy with twins, and she’s acting like we’re heading to a casual brunch.As if reading my mind, Juniper says, “You know, Caspian was always like this.”“Like what?”“Overprotective. Annoying. Like, I get it—he’s worried. But seriously? A club is not a death sentence.”I laugh. “He means well. He’s just...”“Paranoid?” Juniper finishes for me. “Yeah, I know. He’s been like that since we were kids. Always trying to tell me what to do. Like he’s the big brother or something.” She rolls her eyes, but I can tell ther
We weave through the crowd, making our way to the bathroom at the back of the club. The hallway is quieter, the sound of the music muted as we step into the restroom. It’s surprisingly clean, with bright fluorescent lights. We both slip into stalls, taking a moment to catch our breath.Once we’re done, we meet at the mirrors, reapplying lipstick and fixing our hair, laughing at how flushed we look. Juniper, still full of energy, pulls out her phone from her purse and holds it up to her face.“I’m calling the kids,” she says casually, like it’s the most normal thing in the world to FaceTime your children from a club bathroom.I laugh. “Of course you are.”She taps the screen, and soon the excited chatter of her kids fills the room. I watch as their little faces light up the screen, their high-pitched voices competing to tell her about their day. “Mama! Mama, guess what?” one of them says, their face close to the camera.“What? Tell me,” Juniper replies, smiling wide.“We built the bi
Sure enough, as soon as we open the door, there he is. Caspian is sitting on the couch, staring at the TV but clearly not watching it. His eyes snap to us the second we step inside, and I can see the relief and exasperation mix on his face.“You’re late,” he says.Juniper, unbothered, flops onto the couch beside him. “Relax, Dad. We’re home in one piece.”Caspian’s eyes narrow. “Why do I get the feeling there’s more to the story than that?”I glance at Juniper, silently begging her to keep her mouth shut, but she’s never been one to hold back. “Oh, nothing major,” she says with mock innocence. “Just a little gunfire at the club.”“What?!” Caspian’s voice jumps, his whole body going rigid. He stands abruptly, his eyes wide with panic as he turns to me. “What gunfire?”I sigh, knowing there’s no stopping this now. “Juniper, why do you—”But she interrupts, enjoying herself far too much. “Yeah, just a little shootout. You know, the usual club scene. Nothing we couldn’t handle.”Caspian’s
Caspian's POV Jesus. Can today get anymore worse? First, my pregnant wife and pregnant sister decided to go to a club at night where they got shot at. And now, Mabel’s the new CEO of my company. I feel myself tense, my entire body stiffening as the words sink in. The reporter continues, completely oblivious to the emotional bombshell she’s dropping on our living room. “While no official statement has been given on the reasons for Mr. Hart’s retirement, sources close to the matter speculate that the decision was influenced by his desire to focus on starting a family.” Oh, that’s rich. My jaw clenches so tight I’m half-worried I’ll crack a tooth. My eyes are glued to the screen. “Turn it off,” I say. Desiree hesitates for a second, glancing between me and the TV. I reach for the remote myself and slam my thumb down on the power button. The screen goes black. Juniper’s voice echoes from the kitchen, still in full-blown argument mode with Isaac. “No, you’re not coming over here!