Henry’s POVThe weight of the night pressed heavily upon me as I paced the confines of my dimly lit room. The ticking clock on the wall seemed to mock me with every second that passed, each one a reminder of how precariously I was balancing on the edge of a razor-thin line. The authorities had cast their net wide across France, and I could feel the pressure closing in on me. The whole world seemed to be a trap, and escape was slipping through my fingers.My breath came in short, ragged bursts as I struggled to keep my nerves in check. The only solace was the knowledge that tomorrow morning, I would be on a private plane back to the US, thanks to my associate Vito Romano. He really did have plenty of helpful underground connections. The thought of finally being reunited with Julia was the only thing that kept me going, the only thing that made the fear and frustration bearable.I stepped over to the window and stared out into the darkness, the city lights below shimmering like distan
Sophia’s POVI sighed as I stared at Daniel's text on my phone, asking if I wanted to grab dinner on Saturday night. My fingers hovered over the keyboard for a moment before I typed out a polite refusal. Sorry, Daniel. I'm just not feeling up to going out this weekend. Maybe another time?I hit send and tossed my phone onto the couch, sinking back into the cushions. It buzzed almost immediately, and I groaned, half-expecting Daniel to try and convince me otherwise. But it wasn't Daniel—it was Elijah.Hey, Sophia. Any chance you're free this weekend? I'd love to catch up.I couldn't help but sigh. Two invitations in one day? I quickly typed out another refusal. Sorry, Elijah. I'm taking it easy this weekend. Maybe next week?With both invitations turned down, I felt a mixture of relief and guilt. I needed a break, some time to just unwind without the pressure of socializing or pretending everything was fine. And I especially needed time away from the two men who were causing my inter
Sophia’s POVI glanced at my watch, anxiety prickling at my fingertips. The seconds seemed to tick by with persistent urgency as I hurriedly wrapped up my conversation with Trevis. “Thank you for everything today, Trevis. I really appreciate it,” I said, my voice catching slightly. His reassuring smile did little to quell my growing unease.“I’m just glad I could help,” he replied. “Go on, get to the court. You don’t want to miss anything.”I nodded, giving him a quick hug before sprinting out of the building. The chilly air hit me like a splash of cold water, but I barely noticed as I dashed to the curb. My car was in the shop, so I needed a cab. I hailed the first one that came by, the yellow vehicle screeching to a halt in front of me.“Hall of Justice, please,” I told the driver, hopping into the back seat. I felt a jolt of relief as the cab pulled away from the curb, heading toward my destination. My thoughts raced ahead to the courtroom, where I hoped to find Elijah and Chris,
Elijah’s POVI sat in the courtroom, the air heavy with the murmur of spectators and the tension of the day’s proceedings. Chris was beside me, fidgeting nervously. He leaned in close, trying to whisper and yet be heard above the ambient noise.“Julia promised she’d tell the truth today,” he said, a faint note of hope in his tone.I nodded, though I couldn’t muster any optimism. My trust in Julia was long gone, eroded by countless betrayals. I expected nothing from her. The bitterness had set in so deep that even the prospect of justice couldn’t stir much excitement within me.She had betrayed me so damn hard. I was so stupid for believing her, and for almost marrying her. Twice. I couldn’t help but hate myself for this, for being fooled by her. And it made me despise her even more. As the court clerk began calling for order, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I discreetly pulled it out, glancing at the screen. The message was from Trevis: Sophia went to the office looking for you. She t
Julia’s POVI must tell the truth. This is my chance to start fresh, to get a lower sentence. I have no other choice. These were the thoughts swirling in my head as I took the witness stand. Henry has failed me, I thought, my chest feeling heavy. I glanced around the courtroom, trying to make sense of everything. The lawyer's voice cut through the din, demanding my attention.“Julia,” he asked sharply, “did you plan the kidnapping of Reese Sinclair? And did you hurt Reese’s mother, Sophia Bennett, at the beach?”His words felt distant, as if they were coming from underwater. My eyes were locked on Chris and Elijah, their expressions a mix of alarm and urgency. I couldn’t shake the sense that something was terribly wrong. My mind raced, my heart pounding in my chest.A sudden, jarring thought pierced through my confusion: What if Henry had done something? The hope that Henry was back and maybe orchestrating something to get me out of this situation surged within me. My emotions chur
Henry’s POVThe sunlight filtered through the gaps in the wooden slats of the hideout, reflecting uneven beams across the dusty floor. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and old timber, and the sounds of the forest outside seemed oddly muted in the confined space. Sophia was bound to a sturdy wooden chair in the middle of the room, her face streaked with tears and her eyes filled with fear. Her attempts to scream were muffled by the tape over her mouth, her struggles only serving to deepen the lines of exhaustion carved into her features.I grinned, happy to see her suffering. This is all for you, Julia, I thought with satisfaction. I grabbed a worn-out chair and dragged it across the floor, the scraping noise echoing sharply. As I sat down and lit a cigarette, the ember glowed brightly in the daylight. I took a long drag, savoring the feeling of control."You think you and Elijah are so smart, huh?" I said, my voice dripping with disdain. "Well, I'm smarter. I managed t
Julia’s POVThe judge announced a recess, and I slumped back into my seat, feeling the heavy burden of the trial hanging over me.But soon, it’ll be over, I reminded myself as I returned to my seat beside my lawyer. The attorney who had been assigned to me by the government nodded to me. “We can head to the room at the back for a while, Miss Stanford.”Just as I began to rise, eager to escape the courtroom for a moment, a shadow fell over me. I turned to see a man leaning in, his face partially obscured by a wide-brimmed hat. His breath was warm against my ear as he whispered, “Henry's back. Be ready to escape today.”This was the same man who had been signaling to me earlier. My heart leaped. I knew it! Henry would never leave me!A grin spread across my face, my anxiety momentarily forgotten. I looked around desperately, scanning the sea of faces in the courtroom for any sign of Henry, perhaps disguised among the crowd. But he was nowhere to be found.Suddenly, a deafening explosio
Kayla’s POVI paced back and forth on the sandy beach, my feet digging into the grains with each anxious step. The sun was beginning to set now. I tried to call Sophia again, clutching the phone tightly in my hand as I failed another time. It just kept going straight to voicemail. “Come on, Sophia, pick up,” I muttered under my breath desperately.Lila was in the middle of her shoot, laughing and posing for the cameras, but I couldn’t focus. The breeze carried her laughter to me, a massive contrast to the riot in my mind. I took a deep breath and dialed Elijah’s number again. This time, to my relief, he picked up.“Elijah?” I said in a quivering voice.“Kayla,” he replied, his voice just as distressed. “There's been a fire at the courthouse.”“What?!!”“It was most likely a distraction to help Julia escape,” Elijah explained.I felt my heart drop. “Julia? Oh, my gosh! Henry must have planned this, along with Sophia’s kidnapping! He must be back, Elijah!”“Don’t worry. Some men I hire
Sophia’s POVThe warm scent of baked rosemary chicken and freshly baked bread greeted me as I stepped into Phoebe’s cozy apartment, immediately putting me at ease. Roxy and Jared scurried ahead, their laughter bouncing off the walls. Reese was the first to greet them, her face lighting up as she jumped up from the playmat in the corner.“Mommy!” Reese ran over, wrapping her arms around me in a quick hug before joining her siblings. “We’re playing house! Jared is the baby!”I laughed, kissing the top of her head. “You all behave, alright? And no bossing Jared around too much, Reese.”Kayla emerged from the small kitchen, balancing baby Asha on her hip. Her warm smile widened when she saw me. “Sophia! Finally. I was starting to think you’d gotten stuck in another snowstorm.”“Trust me, I almost did,” I said, exhaling as I set down my bag. “Thanks for picking up Reese. You’re a lifesaver.”“No problem,” Kayla replied, adjusting Asha in her arms. “You know I love spending time with your l
Sophia’s POVAs I stepped into my car, the cold leather seats sent a sharp chill through me. The afternoon sun, shy but persistent, peeked through scattered clouds, bathing the pristine snow in a gentle radiance. Thankfully, the blizzard had blown over quickly, and the roads were clear enough to navigate. It was the kind of crisp day that made the world feel brand new, but my thoughts were far from fresh.Lucas stood near the entrance of the ski resort, his hands shoved into his coat pockets. He waved, a warm smile on his face as I rolled down my window.“Thanks for coming, Sabrina,” he called, his voice carrying easily in the still air. I forced a polite smile, not knowing how to feel about him still calling me Sabrina up to now, especially after what I'd just discovered about my childhood. “Thanks, Lucas. The resort has so much potential. I’ll send over the updated designs soon.”“I’m looking forward to it,” he said, stepping back. “Drive safe. Roads might still be icy in some spot
Emily’s POVThe biting cold wrapped around me like a vice as the forest settled into an eerie stillness. The sounds of the chase from the night before had faded, but they seemed to continue echoing in my head. My legs ached, my hands were raw, and my breath fogged in the frigid air as I stumbled forward, searching for something—anything—that could serve as a refuge.It’s getting late. I have to find shelter first. The darkness was suffocating, but then, faintly, through the trees, I saw a glimmer of light. My heart leaped as I cautiously approached, praying it wasn’t a trap. What I found instead was a small, dilapidated hunting shack, nearly swallowed by the forest. Its wooden walls were warped, the roof sagging in places, but it was shelter. For now, it was enough.Inside, the air was stale and cold, but at least it shielded me from the howling wind. I found a dusty lantern and managed to light it with trembling hands, its soft glow pushing back the shadows. There was an old cot in
Sophia’s POVThe memory hung in my mind like a shadow, vivid and unsettling. Lucas’s voice—the one I had heard in my dream, the one calling for Sabrina—now felt too real to dismiss as just a fragment of my imagination.I tried to focus on the snow, its mesmerizing dance beyond the glass, but my mind wouldn’t stop racing.And then Lucas stepped closer, his presence pulling me from my turmoil. His eyes searched mine. “What are you remembering?” he asked carefully. I turned to face him fully, my heart thundering in my chest. “It’s… hard to explain,” I began, forcing the words out through the lump in my throat. “I had a dream—a nightmare, really—about when I got lost in the snowstorm as a child. I mean, I already know that it was Morgana who actually left me behind because she’d met with her lover then. But now…”Lucas’s eyes narrowed. “Now what?”“Well, in my dream, I thought I heard Elijah calling my name. He’d been there with his family too, so…”Lucas’s expression tightened, but he s
Sophia’s POVThe view outside the window was breathtaking—snow-dusted hills stretching endlessly under a pale blue sky. The cozy lounge, with its crackling fire and soft golden lighting, felt like the perfect setting for a romantic moment. It should have been calming, but my mind was anything but calm.That photo of Elijah and Victoria burned in my memory. Her sitting so close to him, their laughter captured at just the right moment. It made my chest tighten with anger and something I didn’t want to name—jealousy. The thought alone made me queasy, but it also left me vulnerable. Vulnerable to Lucas.I glanced at him. He stood just a few feet away, his expression soft but intent, watching me like I was the only person in the world. His confession still echoed in my ears, and I couldn’t deny the pull of the moment. It was too perfect, too charged. For a brief, fleeting second, I let myself wonder what it would feel like to bask in his affection, to let myself be swept up in something s
Elijah’s POVThe silence in my office was deafening. I leaned back in my chair, staring at the half-empty coffee cup on my desk. The bitterness clung to my tongue, a reminder of the recent situation in my marriage. Oh, Sophia. What’s happening to us?She’d been consuming my every thought lately. And not in the way she used to. Not with warmth or laughter, but with cold uncertainty. We hadn’t spoken properly since I sent her those flowers. It was my way of saying: I still care about you. She’d thanked me, of course, but there was no follow-up. No deep conversation. I really miss her. God knows how much I miss my wife. We used to talk about everything. The kids. Work. The stupid little things that made up our days. Now? She was busy. Always busy. Late nights at the office. Early mornings. And when she was home, she was either buried in her laptop or tiptoeing around me like I was made of glass. And it wasn’t just work. It was that damn Lucas who found a way to be with her more. Just
Sophia’s POVThe image of Elijah and Victoria stayed with me, eating away at my thoughts like an unyielding tempest. They looked so comfortable together, so... familiar. It wasn’t just Victoria’s presence that unnerved me—it was the way Elijah seemed to let her get close. Is he falling for her? No. No, it’s impossible. But the seed of doubt had been planted, and it was growing faster than I could contain it.We need to talk. Soon. Heart to heart, I resolved, my chest tightening as I fought back a surge of emotion. The silence of the room around me only made the ache sharper, more vivid.Just then, Lucas’s footsteps broke through the quiet, and I quickly pushed my phone back into my pocket. He entered the lounge with a tray balanced in his hands, two mugs of steaming hot chocolate sending up tendrils of inviting warmth.The image of Elijah and Victoria lingered in my mind, gnawing at my thoughts like a relentless storm. They looked so comfortable together, so... familiar. It wasn’t j
Sophia’s POV“Lucas,” I called out, stepping onto the cobblestone path that led to the resort’s grand, albeit faded, entrance. “You’ve got a prime location here.”He emerged from the double doors, his familiar grin warm against the chilly mountain air. “Sophia, welcome. How was the drive up?”“Long,” I admitted, adjusting my scarf as the wind tugged at it. I was bundled up in a navy wool coat, a pair of tan ankle boots, and a thick cream-colored knit scarf. The frosty air bit at my cheeks, and I shoved my gloved hands into my coat pockets for warmth. “But worth it. This place…” I gestured to the sprawling ski resort behind him, its old-world charm dulled by time and neglect. “It’s stunning. Or at least, it has the bones to be.”Lucas chuckled, his gaze lingering on me. “That’s why you’re here. To make it amazing again.”As I stepped closer, I caught the faint scent of pine and woodsmoke clinging to the air, mingling with the crispness of the snow-dusted ground. For a brief moment, the
Sophia’s POVThe sight of Phoebe standing in the doorway took my breath away. She looked so different from the last time I’d seen her—thinner, her cheekbones more pronounced, her posture subdued. But her eyes, wide and shimmering with unshed tears, carried a familiar depth of emotion that struck me instantly. Before I could speak, she stepped forward and wrapped both Kayla and me in a tight embrace.“Phoebe,” I murmured, still stunned. “You’re here.”Her hug felt prolonged, as if she were drawing strength from it. When she pulled back, her hands rested firmly on my arms, her smile wavering slightly. “I couldn’t stay away any longer,” she said, her voice soft but laden with feeling. “I needed to see you.”“We’ve missed you so much,” Kayla said, adjusting Asha on her hip. Asha reached out with a tiny hand, patting Phoebe’s cheek, as if sensing the tension in the air. Kayla smiled gently, her tone as soothing as always. “How have you been?”Phoebe hesitated, brushing a tear from her chee