Evelyn I had somehow managed to send Jacob to the office after an entire week of… well, do I even need to spell it out? Let’s just say we thoroughly tested every surface in the house—counters, the floor, the bed, the shower, the bathtub—nothing was spared.We’d been inseparable. And even now, sitting alone on the couch, I found myself missing his warmth. Usually, by this time of day, I’d be curled up in his arms, both of us pretending to watch cartoons on the TV. I liked them because they were silly and comforting; he liked them because he could watch me laugh.But today, the cartoons felt hollow. I sighed, flipping through channels, hoping to stumble upon something decent.And then, there it was.I paused mid-click as a familiar name from the news anchor pierced through my disinterest.“Tyler Ricci…”My hand froze, the remote slipping from my grasp as the screen showed him—Tyler Ricci, striding into a courthouse, his lawyers trailing behind like shadows.“Tyler Ricci, CEO and propri
Evelyn"You know, Evelyn... you're the only woman I've ever met who complains about shopping too much," Jacob chuckled, his deep voice resonating with amusement as we strolled down the pavement hand-in-hand.I rolled my eyes, but the smile tugging at my lips betrayed me. After a marathon of "extra shopping" we'd stuffed the car's backseat with bags and parked nearby for a walk—because I insisted, of course.As we wandered through the peaceful evening, enjoying the crisp air and easy conversation, my eyes suddenly caught sight of a street-side ice cream shop. I stopped mid-step, my gaze locking onto the neon-lit counter like a moth to a flame.Jacob noticed immediately. "You want ice cream?" he asked, already grinning."Yes, please!" I chirped, tugging him toward the shop.When we reached the counter, Jacob, knowing me better than anyone, placed the order without hesitation. "One cookies and cream, please.""And," I added, "a mint chocolate chip."He raised a brow at me. "Evelyn, I don
EvelynJacob's body froze at my question, his green eyes flickering with a strange realization. Slowly, his grip on me loosened, and he stepped away, leaving my skin cold and my heart sinking. The warmth that had just wrapped around me like a safety net faded, replaced by the icy tendrils of doubt.I couldn't read his expression. It was unreadable, distant, and yet somehow heavy, as though my words had triggered something deep within him.Had I crossed a line?Did I say it too soon?We had only just recovered from everything—every wound, every misunderstanding, every piece of shattered trust. Maybe he thought it was too soon for something this monumental.I opened my mouth to say something, but the words caught in my throat as he turned abruptly and walked into the room, leaving me standing there in silence.I followed, confusion and regret tangling in my chest.This was a mistake.But as I entered the room, I stopped. Jacob stood with his back to me, his broad frame illuminated by th
EvelynThe morning came but my excitement didn’t fade. Overjoyed, I called Clara.Sitting on the bed, I held my phone up for FaceTime, the ringing tone filling the room as I waited for her to pick up. My heart was still soaring, and I couldn't help but smile, practically glowing.I mean, come on! I was engaged.This was no less than a dream, and I clung to it with everything I had, even though I knew Jacob would never let anyone or anything take it away. He was here—right here, beside me, forever.“Why isn’t she picking up?” Jacob’s voice broke through my thoughts. His chin rested on my shoulder, his arms wrapped securely around me as he pulled me closer making me meet his body warmth. A frown creased his brow. “Do you think they’re, I don’t know...making babies?”I gasped, turning my head to gape at him. “What’s wrong with you?!”“What?” He shrugged, his smirk growing infuriatingly. “It’s a plausible reason. Your dad can’t be trusted, you know.”“Excuse me?” I jabbed my finger into h
EvelynTwo days had passed since the excitement of Jacob's proposal, but something else had been gnawing at me like a relentless leech. One nagging, soul-crushing question: Was I even on the pill?The fact that I couldn't remember was maddening. It felt like trying to grasp smoke. I needed to know—desperately. And worse, there was no one I could ask. Who else would know about my pregnancy precautions? That was my responsibility. Solely mine. And I had failed. Miserably.I bit the inside of my cheek, shutting my eyes tightly, trying to will the memory back. Nothing. Just a hazy void where clarity should have been.The only person who might help? Nancy.Jacob was still in the shower, so I had time to call her. My fingers fumbled over my phone as I pulled up her contact and hit FaceTime.The call rang. And rang. Anxiety surged like a tidal wave, crashing harder with each unanswered ring."Pick up, you stupid bitch," I muttered under my breath, pacing the room. "Come on, I need you! Pick
EvelynIt took time to calm my racing thoughts, but even now, I had no answers. Still nothing but a plain sheet of blank covering my whole mind. Every corner.I needed to hear it from Jacob—his opinion, his view. This wasn’t just my decision or a race alone. It was ours.We had to face this situation together…For….Our baby.“I’ve looked into a few venues,” Jacob murmured, brushing his thumb over my ring. The moonlight caught it, making it gleam. “I liked some, but a few need a closer look. You should come with me,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to the side of my head, “Well, you are coming with me.”His warmth lulled me for a moment, my eyes fluttering shut.“So, no more secrets like everything else?” I teased, a soft chuckle escaping as I leaned back against him. His chest met my back, his warmth hugging me and his nose grazed my neck as he inhaled deeply. “If I could keep it a secret, I would,” he deadpanned, making me laugh again. “But I want the venue to be your choice. Besides
EvelynI stepped out of the doctor's office, my heart heavy and light all at once. It thudded violently against my ribs, my breath coming in shallow bursts. My skin felt cold, and tears prickled at the corners of my eyes. The feelings surged, intensifying with every second, creeping into every cell of my body.I felt lost. Hopeless. Overwhelmed.Was I ready to be a mother?I didn't know.Was it too soon? Maybe.But not once, in the whirlwind of thoughts swirling in my mind, did the idea of harming the tiny soul growing inside me cross my mind. My decision had already been made before I even realized there was one to make. I knew what I was going to do.I just didn't know how.Two and a half months. Probably from our time in America. And yet, until two days ago, the thought hadn't even occurred to me.Lost in thought, I pushed open the door to our apartment. The evening light filtered through the large windows, casting a warm glow. I froze when I spotted Jacob. He stood facing the mirr
JacobI sat in my office, drenched in sweat, my breath shallow and quick. Dread crawled under my skin, seeping into my bones, invading every inch of me until I was cold. The air around me felt thick, suffocating, and each breath I managed to draw seemed to take all my strength. It was suddenly a chore to keep breathing and stay alive.I paced back and forth, running a hand through my hair, the dim light above the ceiling the only thing cutting through the darkness. I couldn’t bear to be in complete darkness right now. I needed to see something, anything, just to remind myself I was still here."Calm down," I muttered, trying to steady my shaking hands, clenching them into fists at my sides. "Fucking calm down."It had been years—years since I’d felt like this.The last time was when I was fifteen.I thought I'd outgrown it, that I had put all of it behind me. The fear. The pain. The panic. Why now? Why was it coming back?"He's dead," I breathed out, burying my face in my hands. The w
EvelynMy eyes blinked open to darkness. Well, a room barely deserving the name. Crumbling walls, shattered water pipes, and the constant drip of water hitting the damp floor surrounded me. The cold wetness had seeped through my boots, and sweat slicked my skin—not from heat, but from the suffocating gag biting into my mouth."Well, well." His voice slithered through the room, echoing off the broken walls and scraping against my nerves. "Someone's finally awake, huh?"Through the haze of drowsiness, I saw him. Tyler. He stood before me, a knife glinting in his hand, the blade catching what little light filtered through the cracks. The silence wrapped around us, broken only by the distant chirping of crickets. No passing cars, no sign of life—just isolation. Wherever I was, it was a place no one with good intentions would tread.He moved closer, his eyes as dark as his twisted heart. He crouched before me, his knife still in hand, his presence suffocating.I pressed back against the ch
EvelynHe had left after we had sex. Lots of sex. As always, I loved every part of it. Every moment. Every nip, every kiss, every thrust, every rub against skin to skin. And the way it left me smelling nothing but like him. The pure scent of Jacob Adriano, the smell of his presence, the scent of his breath and the beautiful smell of that shampoo he uses.Argh! I loved that man.I'd probably love him more tomorrow. A little more the next day. And then again more the following day.It'd go like this. Forever. But now, no matter how much I loved my man and how strictly he'd told me not to step out of the apartment alone, I couldn't help but feel the itch of the open breezes against my skin. I wanted to go out and pretend that I was safe and not scared even if I wasn't. But I also knew I'd be risking my baby's health and mine if I happened to be caught anywhere near that Tyler named monster whom I could feel everywhere these days. Worse, sometimes even in my dreams.So, I knew that I'd
JacobThe restraining order had been issued and I didn't know why, his family that was not at all concerned about him was suddenly helping that piece of shit get through things not be thrown under the bad eye of the media. They were fucking helping him cover up his shit.I was being around my two angels as much as I could, as much as it was fucking possibe and even now as I stared at her laying in my arms, peacefully asleep, I couldn't shake off the guilt that she felt unsafe. I knew it from her face even though she didn't say it.Even after a month....She felt him everywhere and that piece of shit was probably tracking our every movements.I didn't know what was I supposed to do.I'd thought about sending her back to America and then join her later after getting shit sorted but she'd not agree. She wanted me with her and I wanted her. Always around me. With her sweet scent, beautiful smile, silky hair and that beautiful litte baby bump. God, even her swollen feet looked adorable to m
TylerI stepped back into the penthouse.No—not a penthouse. A fucking shithole. Sure, most people would kill to be here, surrounded by functioning luxuries, calling it a dream. But for me? This was nothing. A joke compared to what I had. What that piece of shit, Jacob, stole from me. And there was only one way to take it all back. I had to take everything from him. And in this world, if there was anything Jacob Adriano cared about more than his own life, it was her.Evelyn Fernandez.The one thing I could never have. The one fucking desire that had ruined me. I didn't regret what I did—not for a second. One taste of her would've been worth losing everything. But I couldn't have her. And that's why she had to die.There were two reasons Evelyn had to die.One—I couldn't have her.Two—Her death would be Jacob's down
EvelynMy breath hitched. I staggered back, my pulse a wild, erratic thing in my chest. No. He couldn’t be here.My gaze darted to the security camera, and there he was.The same black hoodie. The same soulless eyes. Standing closer than before. At our doorstep.“Well,” his voice slithered through the speaker, smooth, taunting, “stepping away from the door won’t do much. If I wanted to hurt you, I fucking would.” He paused, the weight of his words pressing against my ribs. “But here’s the thing—I’m not here to hurt you. Not today.” A beat of silence. Then, a soft chuckle. “Can’t say the narrative won’t change next time we meet.”My stomach twisted violently. I could see it—that sick grin. The one he wore when he watched people crumble.“A
EvelynJacob paced the room like a caged animal, phone pressed to his ear as he spoke with different people—lawyers, Tyler’s representatives, anyone who could do something to help fix this mess. His jaw was clenched so tightly, I thought it might snap, and the veins on his neck bulged with barely contained anger. He looked like he was ready to tear through anything in his path, except for me. How did I know? Because….Every time our eyes locked, his softened.I knew what was eating at him. It wasn’t just that Tyler had walked past me, silent but leaving everything under his dark shadow. It was that Jacob hadn’t been there. He’d been away, and Tyler could have done anything. He could’ve harmed me. Or worse—hurt our little Sienna.I pressed my hand against my belly, trying to steady my breath, to hold myself together. One of us had to remain calm, and Jacob had already lost i
EvelynClara had given me a bunch of tips as she came downstairs, whilst I was still blushing from the moment Jacob had fed me fruit salad. Within the hour, both she and Dad left, and suddenly, the house felt too quiet.The silence had been comforting when they were around. Even though Jacob worked from home most days now, we both craved the presence of familiar company—especially me. I loved when Bianca visited, or when Rosaline and Enzo surprised us with bags full of pastries and endless stories.But now, it was just me and Jacob. And the quiet felt... hollow.Jacob glanced up from his laptop, noticing the bored expression I wore as I absentmindedly picked at the snacks in my lap. Without hesitation, he closed his laptop and made his way over to me.“Done already?” I asked, surprised as he plopped down beside me and effortlessly pulled me onto his lap. These days, I wouldn’t be surprised when he did that—he’d been doing it that fucking often.“Not exactly,” he murmured, brushing his
EvelynI hadn’t told Jacob about the incident at the mall. As days turned into weeks, I started convincing myself it had been a hallucination—just my paranoia playing tricks on me. I’d been on edge ever since Tyler's release, after all. Maybe it was just fear messing with my head.Days blurred into months. Three, to be exact. And now, my baby bump was unmistakable. My body had softened, my feet were slightly swollen, and I'd gained the kind of weight that made me look exactly like a pregnant woman should. Loose, comfy clothes became my everyday style, but I didn’t mind the changes.In fact, I loved them.I found myself smiling in the mirror, running my hands over the curve of my belly, fascinated that I was growing a little life inside me. Jacob loved it even more. He couldn't stop staring at me—his eyes filled with awe and something deeper every time he sa
EvelynJacob's brows rose slightly, and he hurriedly stepped closer, slipping his arm around my waist as if afraid I might collapse. His hand cupped my face, his thumb brushing gently against my cheek as he met my eyes. He already looked dead worried."Hey, it's okay," he whispered, trying to calm me down, “Breathe, baby. Just breathe."It was only then that I realized I wasn't breathing. I'd been holding it in—along with the panic, the fear, the overwhelming dread. My hands trembled, my knees threatened to give out, and my breaths came in shallow, broken gasps. I didn't feel like myself. I didn't feel human.Tyler was out of jail.The memory hit me like a slap. The text he'd sent me the day I left Italy surged through my mind, dragging me deeper into panic."It might be over for now, but not forever. One way or another, you will be mine, Evelyn.