NORA'S POV Genevieve leaned in expectantly, her manicured nails drumming softly against the side of her champagne glass. “So?” she prompted, her voice low but eager. I opened my mouth, the words already forming at the back of my throat: I’m pregnant. But just as they reached the tip of my tongue, something tightened inside me. The weight of it, the reality—suddenly, it felt too big. Too terrifying. Not yet. Instead, I gave her a tight smile and shrugged, forcing a lighter tone. “I was just teasing you.”Gen twirled the stem of her glass between her fingers, her smile deepening. “Huh.” I could see it instantly—she didn’t believe me. Not fully. Genevieve knew me too well, could probably tell there was more I wasn’t saying. But to my relief, she played along. We made our way through the bustling streets of New York, the sharp autumn air nipping at our skin as we made our way to one of Gen’s dance classes.As we stepped inside, the warmth of the lobby hit us, along with the faint
SAM'S POV Daniel’s words still gnawed at the edges of my mind as I leaned back in my chair. Focus on your family.Just as my thoughts started spiraling out of control, and I was starting to think increasingly about calling Nora, my phone buzzed on the desk. Dad. I blew out a slow breath and answered. “Hey, Dad.” “Samuel,” came the steady, authoritative voice of William Bennett. He didn’t need to raise his voice to command attention. “I’m in town. On my way to the office.” The familiar weight of expectation settled on my shoulders, but I didn’t let it show. “Everything alright?” I asked, already knowing the answer. My father never just stopped by. “We’ll discuss it when I get there,” he replied shortly. “See you in twenty.” And just like that, he hung up. William Bennett didn’t waste words, and small talk was beneath him. He saw conversations the way he saw investments—efficient and to the point, with no room for excess. I loosened my tie, already bracing myself for w
NORA'S POV Isabella’s words hung in the air like a loaded gun. You shouldn’t be talking after what you did. A chill ran down my spine, and for a moment, I felt the ground shift beneath me. My breath hitched as dread coiled tightly in my chest. What did she mean by that? Could she know? I forced my features to remain neutral, but inside, panic surged. There were things—mistakes I had made—that no one was supposed to know about. I thought I’d buried them deep, locked them away where they couldn’t come back to haunt me. But now Isabella was looking at me with that same smug grin, like a cat who’d just cornered a mouse. No. She couldn’t know. I swallowed the lump in my throat and squared my shoulders. I couldn’t let her see the crack in my armor—not now, not ever. “What exactly do you think I did, Isabella?” I asked, tilting my head slightly, my voice light but edged with steel. Her smile deepened, but I saw a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. She had been bluffing—fishing
SAM'S POV Isabella’s voice slid through the phone like silk. “Sam,” she said, drawing out my name as if she’d been waiting for me. I wasn’t in the mood for games. “I thought you took care of it,” I snapped, frustration bleeding through my tone. She let out a soft laugh, the kind that said she wasn’t bothered by my temper. “Oh, come on. You know things like this don’t happen overnight.” “I’m done with excuses, Isabella,” I growled. “I need it finished.” I was about to hang up when her voice shifted, casual but with a sharp edge. “By the way, I ran into Nora today.” My heart kicked in my chest, but I kept my tone steady. “What?” “At the dance studio,” she said smoothly. “Genevieve dragged her along. You should have seen her face when I put her on the spot. Poor thing looked like she wanted to disappear.” My pulse quickened, anger bubbling beneath the surface. “What the hell is wrong with you, Isabella?” “Oh, don’t be dramatic,” she said with a light laugh. “I was just hav
NORA'S POV Evelyn’s words hit me like a slap. The Moretti deal. The air around me seemed to thicken, and for a moment, I couldn’t move. My heart thudded painfully in my chest, my palms turning clammy. Genevieve’s gaze snapped toward me, curiosity lighting her green eyes. “What’s she talking about, Nora?” I swallowed hard, forcing my breath to steady. “I... I think she’s confusing me with someone else.” My voice wavered slightly, and I hated how shaky I sounded. But Evelyn wasn’t convinced. She frowned, studying me with an intensity that made my skin prickle. “No, I swear. I saw you in the boardroom—at the meeting with Mr. Moretti.” My mind raced. How did she know about that? Before I could say anything more, Genevieve looped her arm through mine with a bright, easy laugh. “Oh, Evelyn, you must be mistaken. My girl Nora? Nora isn't involved in the family business. She can’t even read a balance sheet, let alone run a business deal.” Evelyn huffed, still looking suspicious
NORA'S POV The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them. “I’ve found someone else.” Sam’s face stilled, his expression unreadable. For a moment, it looked like I had punched the air out of him. He blinked, as if trying to understand what I had just said. I didn’t dare move, every nerve in my body on edge. He opened his mouth, then closed it again. His hand dropped from mine slowly, reluctantly, like he was forcing himself to let go. “Okay,” he whispered, his voice rough. He looked down for a second, brushing a hand over his mouth. When he glanced back up, the sadness in his eyes hit me square in the chest. “Okay,” he repeated quietly, his lips pressing into a thin line. Without another word, he turned and left, the soft click of the door louder than it should’ve been. The moment the door shut, my knees buckled, and I crumbled to the floor, burying my face in my hands. Tears welled up, hot and fast, spilling down my cheeks before I could stop them. I hadn’t re
SAM'S POV The bottle of whiskey on the coffee table was half-empty, but I still felt as sober as ever. My thumb hovered over the screen of my phone, itching to call Nora but I knew it was pointless. It's been three days since I’d seen her at Gen’s place, and every second since then had felt like drowning. I thought I could convince her, thought if she saw how much I missed her, she’d change her mind. But instead, she’d said the one thing that had gutted me more than anything else.I’ve found someone else.Liar. I knew she hadn’t. At that moment, I resolved that I was going to Gen’s house.I stood outside Genevieve’s loft with a large bouquet of roses in my hand replaying Nora’s words in my head. I felt ridiculous but I knew I had to do this. I pushed the door open and found Gen sprawled on the couch, scrolling through her phone like she didn’t have a care in the world. Her hair was still damp from her shower, and she wore a hoodie several sizes too big for her. When she looked u
NORA'S POV The moment I landed in Paris, fatigue hit me hard. The elevator doors opened, and I dragged myself to the hotel room. As soon as I shut the door behind me, I kicked off my shoes and sank onto the bed. I closed my eyes, willing the nausea to pass. After a few minutes, I pulled out my phone to FaceTime Gen. It was late in Paris—time zones were still messing with my head—but back in New York, it would be early evening.Gen picked up almost immediately. “Finally! I was wondering when you’d call.” Her voice was bright, and her wild curls bounced as she adjusted her camera.I gave her a tired smile. “Yeah, well, the flight wasn’t exactly smooth. And thanks for letting Sam know where I was.”Gen winced, guilt flashing across her face. “I didn’t want to, but you know how he is. The guy blackmailed me, Nora! I swear, it wasn’t my fault.”“Yeah, yeah”, I said, rolling my eyes and she chuckled.Then she tilted her head, narrowing her eyes. “Hey… Is that the Eiffel Tower behind you?”
NORA'S POV The cab’s engine hummed softly, a thin veil of city noise seeping in through the windows. I sat in the back seat, gripping my bag tightly, my thoughts racing. My heart hammered against my ribs as we neared the towering gates of the Caradelli estate.I had lied to Sam. To Genevieve. Told them I needed rest, that the chaos had finally caught up to me. It wasn’t entirely untrue—I did need rest. But how could I rest when Zoe was out there, alone and vulnerable?The estate loomed ahead, dark and foreboding. Wrought-iron gates slowly creaked open, revealing the sprawling grounds bathed in dim, golden light. My palms were damp with sweat as I stepped out of the car and approached the grand entrance.A butler opened the door, his expression impassive as he gestured for me to enter. “Ms. Bennett, this way.”I followed him silently, my shoes clicking against the polished marble floors. The opulence of the Caradelli estate was stifling. Every corner was adorned with gold trim, heavy
NORA'S POV He looked different now—more tired, more worn—but the intensity in his eyes was unchanged. It was the same look he’d always had, the one that made it hard to tell if he was about to kiss you or ruin your life.For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. Seeing him here, after everything that had happened, felt like the ground beneath me had shifted. Memories surged forward, unbidden, a tidal wave of emotions that I couldn’t stop.The first time we had reconnected flashed vividly in my mind—the sterile smell of the hospital room where he'd told me I was pregnant.
SAM'S POV The cold wind bit at my face as I walked down the shadowed street, the world around me a blur. The city was alive—horns blaring, people shouting, lights flashing in every direction—but none of it registered. My mind was somewhere else, trapped in an endless loop of pain and disbelief.My father was gone. The man who had built the Bennett empire, who had raised me to take the helm, had been taken in the cruelest way imaginable. Acid in his tea. I couldn’t stop picturing the agony he must have endured in those final moments, his throat burning, his life slipping away.And now Zoe was gone too. Stolen right
NORA'S POV The Bennett mansion felt impossibly large and unbearably empty. No matter how grand the chandeliers glowed or how pristine the marble floors shone, the house seemed cloaked in darkness. Every corner whispered reminders of what was missing; Zoe and William. There was just so much grief in the walls of the mansion. I couldn’t sit still anymore. The silence pressed down on me, my thoughts swirling endlessly as guilt, anger, and fear battled for control. I had failed my daughter, failed to protect her when she needed me most. And now, she was out there, with strangers who might mean her harm.I pushed open the door to
SAM'S POV The phone slipped from my trembling hand, clattering onto the floor. My legs felt unsteady, like they might give way beneath me, but the flood of emotions surging through my chest refused to let me collapse.Your father is dead, Samuel…The words repeated in my mind like a cruel echo, each time cutting deeper. My chest felt tight, my throat raw as I struggled to breathe. My father couldn’t be dead. William Bennett was larger than life…indestructible, unyielding. This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be.
NORA'S POV The first thing I noticed was the unusual quiet.I shifted in my hospital bed, wincing at the dull throb in my head from the attack. The sterile walls of the room offered no comfort, and I tried to shake off the unease that had settled over me. Normally, there was a nurse bustling in to check my vitals or update me on Zoe, but this time, there was only silence.The door creaked open, and I sat up a little straighter, relief flooding me as I saw a nurse enter followed closely by a doctor. But their faces… they were pale, drawn, and tight with worry.
SAM'S POV Charles’s words hung in the air, heavy and sharp as a blade.“I don’t want it,” he said, his voice cracking with a mix of defiance and despair. “I don’t want to be the heir.”Jacob froze, his eyes narrowing in disbelief before they blazed with fury. “What did you just say?” he demanded, his voice low and trembling.“You heard me,” Charles shot back, his fists clenched at his sides. “I don’t want it. I never did.”
NORA'S POV The quiet of the hospital room was both a blessing and a curse. The soft hum of machines and the distant chatter of nurses offered some comfort, but it also left me alone with my thoughts.I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, my body still aching from the surgery. The nurses had reassured me that Zoe was doing well, her breathing steady and strong. They said she was a fighter, but that didn’t stop the worry from gnawing at me.I worried about Zoe, about the future. About Sam.He’d called to tell me he was with Jacob, and though he’d assured me it was just a conversation, I couldn’t shake the dread pooling in my stomach. Jacob was dangerous, and the thought of Sam walking into a trap made me restless.I sighed, closing my eyes, trying to will myself to sleep. But just as the edges of slumber began to creep in, the sound of the door opening jolted me awake.At first, I thought it was a nurse or Sam returning, but when I turned my head, my breath caught in my throat.Elias R
SAM'S POV The room was unbearably still, the rhythmic beep of Zoe’s monitor the only sound. I turned toward the doorway, expecting a nurse, but instead, it was someone I hadn’t expected to see so soon.Charles.He hesitated in the doorway, his sandy hair falling messily over his forehead, his suit jacket slightly too large for his thin frame. His blue eyes—uncertain and conflicted—darted around the room before settling on Zoe’s bassinet.Nora stood from her chair, her protective instincts immediately kicking in as she moved slightly in front of Zoe. “Who are you?” she asked, her tone firm but puzzled.“Charles,” I said again, my voice drawing Nora’s startled gaze. “This is Jacob’s son.”Nora’s expression shifted from confusion to shock as she looked at him. “You’re… Jacob’s…”His voice cracked, and he glanced down at his shoes before looking back at Zoe. “I’m sorry for intruding,” he said quickly. “I just…I wanted to make sure she’s okay.”Genevieve turned sharply from the window, he