Elijah, I always thought we’d see the Eiffel Tower together… Without any warning, the thought just popped into my head — an idea that he and I had mentioned during our very first casual date. As I sat in front of my apartment window, I gazed up at the Eiffel Tower looming majestically in the distance, my mind wandering once again to memories of my ex-husband. “Is that your painting?” he’d asked me upon approaching me after class way back during our college days. His eyes were glimmering as he glanced at the Eiffel Tower artwork that peeked out from the folder I was holding. “Uh, yes.”“Have you been to Paris?” I shook my head. “Not yet, but I would love to visit someday. Or perhaps even study and work there.”“I know a coffee shop nearby that has a beautiful mural of Paris…” he’d said. And that afternoon, the two of us got to know each other for the first time. And that was when I first told him that I was allergic to coffee, so he bought a chocolate drink for me instead. I forc
Elijah’s POV“H-How did you know about Sabrina?” I asked, astonished. “It doesn’t matter, Elijah,” Sophia quickly answered. “But who told you about Sabrina?” “Let me tell you the truth,” she said with a sigh. “I never went missing as a child.”“Are you absolutely sure? Maybe you just forgot…”“I’m not Sabrina, okay?” she cut me off, anger flashing in her eyes. “And whoever she is, I don’t care. She’s not a part of my life and neither are you!” Her last words were so painful that I felt as if someone was literally squashing and twisting my heart. Sophia furiously pressed the elevator buttons, eager to move away from me. After a short while, she let out a cry of frustration and headed toward the stairs. I went to follow her.“Sophia, please let’s talk about this,” I cried. She didn’t bother to turn around. Instead, she went faster, almost running away from me. “I need to know the truth…”“I already told you!” she shouted when she finally reached her floor. She turned around to face
Elijah’s POVI arrived at the hospital that Kayla had told me about, my heart pounding in my chest. On the way, I had been so worried that I had almost run a red light and crashed my car. But now, as I rushed through the hospital doors, the only thought going through my head was that Sophia really didn’t want our baby.I hurried through the hallway of the maternity ward, passing by many pregnant mothers, each with a smile on their face. It only served to deepen the ache in my chest, knowing that Sophia was here too, but her situation was so different and she was feeling the opposite. Am I the one who drove her to do this?! How could she not want our baby?!As I arrived outside Sophia's room, I saw Daniel sitting there, looking at me forlornly. His expression was one of resignation, as if he had been expecting me.“I need to see her,” I quickly said, rushing forward. But Daniel stood up at once and positioned himself between me and the door. “You can’t. She specifically told me not to
Sophia’s POVI felt weak as I was discharged from the hospital, but also relieved to be leaving. “Before we go, I have a surprise for you…” Daniel said as he and a nurse helped me transfer to the waiting wheelchair. I looked at him in surprise. And before I could say anything, my best friend Kayla waltzed into the room with a huge smile. “I’m here!” she exclaimed, rushing forward to give me a quick hug. “Oh, I’ve missed you so much.”I stared at her in disbelief. “You didn’t tell me you were coming here! I thought you were super busy!”“Well, I worked double time to make it here earlier. And it turned out to be a good thing because look at you! You definitely need me here.”I gave her a faint smile, grateful for her friendship and concern. “The doctor said I was just stressed out, but I’m glad the baby’s okay.”“I’m glad too. Well, did your pretend pregnancy termination plan work?”“Yeah, I think so…” I felt a little guilty for lying and pretending, but it had to be done. I needed to
Sophia’s POV“Sophia, you look amazing!” Kayla exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise, as soon as I answered her video call. “I can’t wait to see you again when I go back to Paris.”Sitting at my desk in Urban Next, I smiled and thanked my best friend. “Gosh, it’s been three years!”“I know. Three years in Paris have made you confident, stylish, fashionable… I just love it!”Her words made me laugh. “Thanks, Kayla. Perhaps it’s the inner joy and peace. I’ve come a long way from that last time we saw each other, when I just got out of the hospital…”Mentioning the hospital suddenly reminded me of that day when I got discharged and had to be rushed back again because of abdominal pain. Luckily, it turned out to be nothing serious and I only needed more rest. “Gosh, I’m really glad that part of your life’s over now.” Kayla exclaimed. “But at least you drove him away. Look how everything turned out to be.”“I know. It was worth it.”I changed the subject then, showing her some of my re
Sophia’s POV“Can you tell me more about this project?” I asked Trevis, though I was greatly excited already. “You know that I have been traveling back and forth between here and the US and I’ve finally been able to establish a branch there,” Trevis began explaining. “Part of this business expansion is partnering with a strong and stable real estate developer there.”“Yes, that’s definitely a good move,” I agreed, nodding. “That could boost the company name faster.”“Of course.” He pulled up a chair and sat on it, giving me a serious look as he continued to discuss the new design case. “This is really big because the project will cater to a very high-end market, so we’ll need to combine the aesthetics and functionality very efficiently. We’ll have to ensure that this is a novel design, one that no one else has done before. It has to be of a high standard.”I was listening attentively, nodding as he spoke and getting even more excited. It sounded like a challenge, which I loved! I wo
Elijah’s POVThree years that I haven’t seen her, that I have tried my hardest not to find out anything about her while she was in France and I was here in the US. I stared at the pile of documents on my desk, unable to concentrate. I kept thinking about what Connor had informed me about a few days earlier. “She’s graduating next Friday,” he’d told me. I felt like he’d just dropped a bomb and it had exploded in front of my face, leaving me helpless and confused. I know I’d asked him to keep tabs at her school, but it’s been a long time since he’d given me an update. And now, suddenly, here it is. Graduation. I tried to pretend I didn’t care. I tried not to think about it too. But deep inside, I wanted to see her, to be there for her during this very important moment of her life. One day, I simply told Connor, “I have a trip to Italy next week, right? I’m leaving earlier. Book me a flight to Paris first. I’m dropping by there before my business meeting in Italy.”“Yes, sir. Right a
Sophia’s POVWhen Julia mentioned the name Sabrina, my heart skipped a beat. Even though there could be plenty of other people with the same name, I couldn't shake the feeling that it was significant. I glanced over at the man she was arguing with and immediately recognized him as the same Chris who’d been bothering here before. Is he a stalker? What does he really want and why did Julia mention Sabrina?I could feel a migraine forming as the unanswered questions swam in my mind. I wanted to help out Julia and talk to her, but she’d already moved away. Luckily, Trevis called me and distracted me from the weird situation. I forced myself to brush off the odd feeling that there was more to this thing.Shut up, Sophia, I told myself silently. But on the surface, I was smiling and nodding as Trevis congratulated me. Don’t even go there anymore. You’ve lived your life to the fullest for the last three years and things are going great. You’ve already moved on from everything that had oc
Sophia’s POVElijah’s silence pressed down on me like a physical force, heavier than the comforter I was clutching. I lay on my side, my back turned to him, staring into the darkness. My heart felt raw, aching with the knowledge that I’d hurt the one person who meant everything to me.He wasn’t asleep—I knew him well enough to sense that. And knowing he was lying there, just as restless as I was, made the ache in my chest even worse.I couldn’t take it anymore.“Elijah,” I whispered. Turning slowly, I faced him, my eyes adjusting to the faint light filtering through the curtains. His back was still to me, but I reached out tentatively, my fingers brushing against his shoulder. “Please,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “I can’t stand this distance between us.”For a moment, he didn’t move, and I thought he might ignore me. But then, he rolled over, his face etched with both exhaustion and pain. His eyes met mine, and the sight of his hurt broke me.“I’m sorry,” I said, tears pooling i
Sophia’s POVAs I stepped out of the bathroom, the cool silk of my nightgown brushing against my legs, I immediately noticed Elijah standing near the bed, his back to me. His posture was rigid, his head slightly tilted as he studied something in his hands. My breath caught when I realized what it was.The chocolate wrapper.My heart sank as I recognized it instantly. I’d completely forgotten about it after stashing it away. How had it ended up here?“Elijah?” I said hesitantly, my voice quieter than I intended.He turned, his face calm but his eyes sharp, like he was holding back a storm. He held up the wrapper. “Where did this come from?”I froze, my mind racing. “I—”“I found it in Reese’s bag,” he said evenly, cutting me off. His tone wasn’t accusatory, but there was an edge to it that made my stomach churn.For a split second, I considered lying, brushing it off as something our daughter must have gotten from a classmate or a friend. But the look in Elijah’s eyes stopped me. He d
Elijah’s POVI sank into the couch, remote still in hand, as the credits of some late-night documentary rolled across the screen. The faint hum of the television was lulling me into that in-between state of wakefulness and sleep when my phone buzzed on the coffee table. The name Camille lit up the screen.Frowning, I picked it up. “Hello?”“Elijah,” came her voice, slightly slurred, accompanied by background noise—music, chatter, the unmistakable din of a party still in full swing. “Hey... I’m sorry, am I interrupting something?”“No,” I said cautiously, sitting up straighter. “Are you okay? You sound... off.”She let out a soft laugh that sent warning bells ringing in my head. “Just had a little too much fun tonight, that’s all. I’m about to leave the party.”“You shouldn’t drive,” I said immediately. “Find someone sober to take you home or call a ride. Seriously.”“Oh, so protective,” she teased, her words laced with flirtation. “I’m so flattered you care.”“Camille,” I said firmly,
Sophia’s POVI sipped from my glass of champagne, the bubbles fizzing on my tongue and giving me a fleeting sense of lightness. Kayla’s concerned voice cut through the haze.“Are you okay? That’s your third glass already,” she said, a shadow of worry crossing her face as she moved closer.I waved her off with a forced smile. “I’m fine. Really. I’m just so... happy. The event was a huge success. We deserve this, don’t you think?”Kayla hesitated, her gaze scanning my face. “Yeah, but don’t go overboard. You’ve got a family waiting for you at home.”“Elijah went ahead,” I said quickly, my tone dismissive. “He’s tired.”Her eyes narrowed slightly, like she wanted to press further, but Connor appeared beside her, sliding an arm around her waist. The moment passed as she turned her attention to him, and I took the opportunity to slip away into the crowd.The bass thumped through the speakers, reverberating in my chest as I joined a group of familiar faces on the dance floor. The alcohol co
Sophia’s POVThe energy of the fashion show was electric. The applause was thunderous as the models made their final walk down the runway in Emily’s stunning tribute collection. Kayla and I stood near the stage, watching as the curtains closed on months of hard work.“We did it,” Kayla whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. She squeezed my hand tightly, her smile brighter than the spotlights above.I nodded, unable to suppress the overwhelming joy bubbling inside me. “We really did. It’s perfect, Kayla.”The after-party was in full swing now, a celebration of what we had pulled off. Everyone seemed to be riding the high of the evening. Elijah had surprised me earlier with a bouquet of my favorite flowers, a sweet and thoughtful gesture that made my heart swell. His warm kiss on my cheek and whispered, “I’m so proud of you,” had been the cherry on top of a perfect night.But now, as I moved through the crowd, my excitement dulled slightly. I couldn’t find him.“Elijah?” I called
Sophia’s POV"Kayla, can you double-check the lighting cues for the finale?" I asked, glancing at the stage where models were gliding down the runway, their movements rehearsed to perfection.Kayla, clipboard in hand, barely glanced up. "Already done. Now spill. How was the night with Lucas?"My heart jumped, the question catching me off guard. I kept my tone breezy as I adjusted a hemline on one of the dresses. "Oh, it was fine. We caught a movie and grabbed dinner. Nothing special."Kayla lowered the clipboard and arched a brow. "Uh-huh. And where was Luana during all of this?"I busied myself with the dress, my hands suddenly fidgety. "She... got caught up with something at home. A repair, I think. She couldn’t make it."Kayla’s lips parted in mock surprise as she leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Wait. Are you telling me you and Lucas—alone—watched a movie and had dinner together? No Luana? Just the two of you?""Shh!" I hissed, glancing nervously around the backsta
Elijah’s POV“All the permits and licenses are in order,” Victoria began, her tone suddenly professional again as her eyes scanned the screen. I felt relieved. “But I’ll double-check the fire safety certifications and food handling records to make sure we’re fully covered.”“Good,” I replied, keeping my tone brisk. “I’ll work on connecting with a few experts to get additional certifications if necessary. It won’t hurt to go above and beyond for now.”She nodded, typing something into her device. “That’s a smart move. It’ll help to counter any claims before they gain traction.”As she spoke, she reached across the desk to grab her pen, her fingers brushing mine. I pulled my hand back instinctively, but she barely seemed to notice—or pretended not to.“Sorry,” she murmured with a faint smile, her eyes briefly flicking to mine before returning to her tablet.I shifted in my seat, brushing it off as an accident until, moments later, she reached up to unclip her hair. The cascading strands
Elijah’s POVI walked into Bella Sera, happy to see that it was packed with guests at this time in the afternoon. Fresh from closing a successful business deal, I was in a good mood, but there was a nagging concern for Morgana at the back of my mind. It was why I’d decided to stop by the cafe—to check in and see how she was holding up after she’d left me a series of frantic voicemails.Since I didn’t see her in the dining area, I went straight to her office. The door was ajar, and I could already feel the tension and anger leaking through it. I found Morgana pacing like a caged lioness, her hands gesturing wildly as she muttered to herself. The sight reminded me of the old Morgana— my stepmother who never minced her words or held back when someone crossed her.“I cannot believe this! The audacity, the gall!” she ranted, slamming a folder onto the desk. “This is a targeted attack, Elijah. It has to be. Who else would stoop this low?”“Morgana,” I greeted cautiously, stepping inside. “
Adrian’s POVThe Roosevelt mansion came into view as the car eased into the circular driveway, its stately facade bathed in the setting sun. Growing up here, I’d long since grown accustomed to its grandeur—the towering columns, the meticulously trimmed hedges, the way it seemed to command attention. Yet tonight, I barely noticed it. My thoughts were entirely on the woman sitting beside me, her fingers absently toying with her bracelet. “Relax,” I said, throwing her a reassuring smile. “My father’s not as intimidating as he looks. He’s actually… well, decent these days.”Lila gave me a skeptical glance. “Decent? I’ve read about your family, Adrian. You’re practically royalty in this country.”I laughed at her dramatic tone. “You’ll be fine. Trust me.”“Tell me again why you’re bringing me to see him?” she asked as we both stepped out of the car. Laughing, I simply answered, “You’ll find out soon enough.” One of the staff greeted us and led us inside. The interior was just as imposin