Sophia’s POVAs soon as I stepped into the familiar office of Urban Next Design Studio, I immediately spotted Trevis at the lobby, his face lit up with a broad grin, already waiting for me. It wasn’t unusual to see him in a good mood, but today there was something different. The energy in the room felt more charged than usual. He stood up the moment he saw me. “Sophia! Just the person I needed!” Trevis walked over, practically bouncing on his heels. “I’ve been waiting for you to arrive. I've got some incredible news.”I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “This new client’s got you all excited like this, huh? You look like you’re about to burst.”He laughed, clearly not able to contain himself any longer. “Okay, okay. So, get this—I've just been contacted by this huge restaurant company—Delmare Hospitality Group. They’re expanding their portfolio in the city, and they want us to design their new line of restaurants.”I blinked, taking a second to process the name. Delmare Hospitality? I kn
Sophia’s POVTrevis cleared his throat, breaking the tense silence that lingered after Morgana’s last remark. “Why don’t we move into my office so we can discuss the project in more detail?” He gestured toward the glass-walled room behind him.I nodded, trying to keep my expression neutral as I followed them. Inside, the tension eased only slightly, though Morgana’s presence still felt suffocating. Trevis motioned for us to sit around the table, and I chose the chair furthest from her, needing the distance to collect myself.“Sophia here,” Trevis began, with his trademark enthusiasm, “is our best designer. She’ll be the one working closely with you on this, Morg—uh, Mrs. Delmare.” He corrected himself quickly, throwing an apologetic glance her way.Morgana smiled, the same practiced expression she’d worn since she entered. “Of course she is. That’s why I specifically requested her for this project. I wouldn’t trust anyone else to bring our vision to life.” Her words, while flattering,
Sophia’s POV“That's not the color I wanted, Sophia,” Morgana said, her voice sharp and dismissive as she pointed to the color swatch on the table. “How many times do I have to repeat myself?”I clenched my jaw and forced a smile, doing everything I could to remain calm. “You mentioned you wanted a muted earth tone, Morgana. This shade matches what we discussed earlier—”“Well, now I want something bolder. This is too bland, too safe. I need something that pops,” she interrupted, her manicured fingers tapping impatiently on the conference table.I nodded, pulling out a few alternative swatches. “Of course. Let’s look at some more vibrant options. How about this one? It’s a deep terracotta, and it could bring warmth to the space without being overwhelming.”Morgana barely glanced at it, her lips tightening into a thin line. “No, no, no. You’re not listening, Sophia. I need something with character, something that screams luxury and style. I don’t want my restaurants to look like every
Sophia's POVToday was no different. I walked into the office and saw the latest email from her, blinking in my inbox like a cruel taunt. She wanted a full redesign of the flagship restaurant. Again. Only this time, she wanted it done in a completely different theme. By the end of the week.I sighed, rubbing my temples as I tried to digest her latest demand. We had already gone through multiple iterations of the design—each one painstakingly crafted to meet her ever-changing vision. And now she wanted to scrap all of it and start over.I forwarded the email to the rest of the team and called a quick meeting. They arrived in the conference room, each of them looking as worn out as I felt. We had all been running ourselves ragged trying to keep up with Morgana’s impossible standards.“This is what she wants now,” I said, gesturing to the screen where her email was projected. “A full redesign. And she wants it done in three days.”Groans and frustrated sighs filled the room.“This is ins
Sophia’s POVIt was well past 10 p.m., and the office was eerily quiet. Everyone had gone home hours ago. My eyes stung from staring at the design for too long, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave. I was determined to perfect the revisions Morgana had demanded. She’d torn apart the last iteration, claiming it lacked “soul” — whatever that meant. I wasn’t going to give her any more reason to complain.My fingers hovered over the keyboard as I tweaked the placement of the lighting fixtures in the restaurant’s new blueprint. Every detail had to be flawless. Maybe if I nailed this, Morgana would finally be satisfied. Maybe I could stop feeling like the failure of a wife she deemed me to be before. Just as I leaned in to make another adjustment, my phone buzzed on the desk. I glanced at the screen, expecting to see another email or message from someone on the team, but it was Elijah.“Hey,” I answered, my voice coming out tired but relieved to hear from him.“Sophia,” he said, his voice
Emily’s POVI spotted Elijah and Sophia down the corridor, panic flooding through me. My heart raced as I rushed toward them, tears spilling down my cheeks the moment I reached Sophia.“Sophia! I can’t believe this happened to Chris!” I sobbed, throwing my arms around her. “He was coming to see me! I told him I wanted to talk about us—what if this is my fault?”I felt her pull back slightly, concern apparent on her face. “Emily, no! This isn’t your fault,” she insisted, her voice steady and soothing. “You couldn’t have known.”Elijah stepped closer, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “You need to breathe, Em. We’re going to figure this out, but you can’t blame yourself for what happened. Chris is strong; he’s going to get through this.”I took a shaky breath, but the guilt clung to me heavily. “Tell me the truth,” I said desperately. “Do you think Isabelle had something to do with this? Did you find out anything about the accident?”I looked from Sophia to Elijah, my heart poun
Emily’s POVChris grinned, a flicker of his usual humor shining through despite the hospital setting. “I didn’t know there was a party going on in here or I wouldn’t have slept so long,” he quipped, his voice still raspy but infused with that familiar charm that made my heart flutter.Relief washed over me, and without thinking, I rushed forward and enveloped him in a hug. “Thank God you’re alright,” I whispered, feeling the warmth of his body against mine. I held him tightly, soaking in the moment, the scent of his cologne and the beat of his heart beneath my ear. For those few seconds, it felt like everything would be okay.But as I pulled back, I suddenly remembered that Elijah and Sophia were still in the room. I stepped back, my face burning with embarrassment. “I—uh, I’m so glad you’re awake,” I stammered. Elijah moved forward, concern showing on his features. “How are you feeling, Chris?” he asked, studying him carefully.“Real bad,” Chris replied, attempting to chuckle despit
Elijah’s POV“Looks like I’m going to need a few more days of pampering in this hospital bed,” Chris quipped, his trademark grin lighting up his face despite the bruises and scratches that marred his skin.The doctor chuckled lightly, adjusting his glasses. “You’re lucky to be in here just for a couple of scrapes and bruises. No broken bones, and your brain scans came back clean. Just keep resting, and we’ll have you back on your feet in no time.”“Yeah, well, I didn’t want to ruin your perfect record, Doc,” Chris shot back, his humor infectious, easing the tension in the room. “But seriously, sorry for scaring you, Emily. I didn’t mean to make you panic like that.”Emily smiled, but the unease in her eyes lingered. “It’s just... I wasn’t expecting to see you like this. I’m so relieved you’re okay.”Sophia glanced at Emily, then back at Chris. “You really gave us all quite the scare. But I’m glad you’re here and recovering. We’re all just happy to see you awake and talking.”“Yeah,” I
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