Sophia’s POVThe next day, Emily and I arrived at my parents’ house, the tension between us increasing as we tried to make sense of Isabelle’s sudden interference. As we pulled up the driveway, Grandma Evelyn was already at the door, her face lighting up when she saw us.“Sophia! Emily! It’s so good to see you girls,” she greeted warmly, her arms stretched wide for a hug.“Hi, Grandma,” I said, embracing her tightly, grateful for the familiar comfort. Emily gave her a polite nod, smiling as Evelyn ushered us inside.As we entered, my mom appeared from the hallway, her face turning gentle the moment she saw me. She wrapped her arms around me in a warm embrace. “I’m so glad you’re here,” she said quietly before turning to Emily, giving her a simple nod of acknowledgment. The air between them was cordial but distant, and I could tell Emily felt slightly uneasy.“Dad and Chris aren’t here,” my mom explained as we settled in the living room. “They both had appointments today.”“That’s fine
Sophia’s POVChris’s eyes narrowed as he stepped closer, sensing that something was off. “What’s up? Why do you all look so serious?”Finally, I cleared my throat. “We were just... talking about some things that came up,” I said, glancing at Emily.Emily swallowed hard, then slowly handed Chris the envelope with the photos. His face grew serious as he opened it, flipping through the images of the two of them together. The confusion on his face deepened, and when he looked up, it was clear he didn’t understand why these seemingly innocuous pictures were causing so much trouble.“What are these?” he asked, his tone edged with uncertainty. “I don’t understand…”“They’re from last week, Chris,” Emily said quietly. “Isabelle gave them to your mom.” “I remember this,” Chris said slowly. “We were at that cool coffee shop near Sophia and Elijah’s place. But I don’t know why it’s such a big deal.” Then his eyes widened with mixed fear and anger. “But the real issue here is the fact that Isabe
Emily’s POVAs I spooned the warm chicken soup into my bowl, the rich, savory aroma filled the kitchen. Chris had been determined to make me feel better, which I truly appreciated. “This is really good,” I said after tasting it. Admittedly, the soup was greatly comforting. Chris settled on the stool across from me, looking concerned. “Emily,” he began, his voice tentative, “why did you suddenly come to my house without telling me? Is everything okay?”I chuckled softly, finding his nervousness both endearing and a bit amusing. “I just wanted to see if I could grab some of your famous chicken soup,” I joked. Chris grinned for a while, but then turned serious again. His eyes darted to the window and back to me. “You seemed pretty tense back there. I’m sorry Isabelle had to pop up like that again and cause problems.”I took another sip of the soup, savoring its warmth. Slowly I chose my words and explained, “The photos Isabelle gave to your mother were a bit of a shock, so Sophia and
Antoine’s POVI crouched behind the bushes outside the Bakers' house, my breath coming in shallow bursts as I peered through the windows. The quiet suburban street seemed too calm. My heart pounded against my ribs, not from the chill in the air but from the threats Isabelle had leveled at me. I scanned the area, half-expecting to see her lurking in the shadows, or one of her henchmen making their rounds. But the street remained eerily empty.The call from Isabelle a few days ago replayed in my head. Her voice had been dripping with malice and smugness as she flaunted her freedom. “The police can’t find me even if I’m standing right in front of them,” she’d said. “They’re too busy chasing their own tails.”I had tried to play it cool, but then she said some things that really got me. “Emily’s getting pretty cozy with Chris, don’t you think? If you’re not careful, you might just find yourself out of luck. You better do something soon, or she’ll be gone, and you’ll never get another cha
Antoine’s POVI tried to twist around, to plead my case, but I caught sight of Emily. She stared down at me, her eyes filled with confusion and something else—disgust, maybe. Bewilderment. This wasn’t how I wanted her to see me. I wasn’t the enemy here. I was trying to protect her.“Antoine?” Chris’s voice said furiously. “What the hell are you trying to do?!” His fists clenched at his sides, and his jaw was tight with anger.“I was trying to warn you all!” I protested again, squirming under the weight of the man still holding me down. “There was someone outside! I saw them raise a gun—”“There was no gunshot,” Chris interrupted coldly. He took another step closer, his face hard with disbelief. “You’re just causing trouble again, just like Isabelle. The two of you belong with each other. Stop bothering Emily, please.”“Enough!” The man who had me pinned finally spoke, his tone calm but firm. “I’m the bodyguard Mr. Sinclair sent. You’re not getting anywhere.”“Elijah.” The name slipped
Sophia’s POVI fumbled with my keys as I finally unlocked the door. My feet ached from the long day at the Bakers, and my head still buzzed with questions. I couldn’t shake the image of the hooded figure from earlier.Who was that person lurking around the house?It couldn’t have been Antoine. From what I remembered, it was really a woman. Is it Isabelle? Or maybe it could be Julia too. The thought made me shudder. I shook my head, trying to brush the eerie feeling away. There was no point obsessing over it now.All I wanted was to see Roxy, hold her, and forget about everything for a while. I dropped my bag by the door and headed straight for her nursery, eager to see my baby girl.As I walked down the hallway, a faint sound made me freeze in my tracks. I heard it again — definitely a giggle! “Oh, wow,” I whispered, rushing to the room to see if it was really her making that sound. I stepped into the nursery, and my breath caught in my throat. There, standing by the crib, was Elija
Elijah’s POVI stood on the green, the crisp autumn air brushing against my skin, golf club in hand. The course was nearly empty—off-peak season had its perks, especially at a place as exclusive as this. It gave me the privacy I needed, away from prying eyes. I tapped my club against the ground, scanning the area again. My guest was late, though I wasn’t too worried. He always had a way of showing up when you least expected him.Suddenly, I caught a glimpse of movement in the distance. There he was, walking toward me with that familiar confident stride—Joe, all the way from France. He hadn’t changed much since the last time I’d seen him. Still sharp, still as calculating as ever.As he approached, I met him halfway, and we exchanged a firm handshake. “Joe,” I said, a smile tugging at my lips. “Good to see you here in the U.S. And I'm glad to know you're not too busy these days.”Joe chuckled, his grip strong. “How can I say no to you, Elijah? After everything we’ve been through befor
Elijah’s POVI sat at the far end of the long table inside the conference room with its glass walls and polished surfaces, drumming my fingers impatiently on the armrest of the leather chair.My lawyer, Marcus Hendrix, sat to my right, calm as ever, flipping through his notes, as if this was just another routine meeting. But for me, nothing about this was routine.I didn’t want to be here. Not for some pathetic attempt at a settlement. I wanted Antoine Laurent behind bars, paying for what he’d done. Every punch, every sneer, every ounce of arrogance he had thrown my way—all of it. The entitled bastard thought he could beat me up and walk away without consequence.Marcus had insisted we say yes to their request for a meeting, though. "Let’s see what they have to say and offer," he had said earlier, cool and pragmatic as always. He knew I didn’t want to settle, but he’d convinced me that hearing them out wouldn’t hurt.I glanced at the clock, every tick making my blood simmer hotter. I