SAM'S POVThe door slammed behind me, the sound barely registering as I stormed out of the meeting with Elias. My fists clenched, knuckles white, I could still hear his words echoing in my head: “We don’t have her. Good luck, Bennett.”Good luck? I didn’t need luck. I needed answers. I needed my wife back.The crisp evening air did little to cool the frustration boiling in my veins. My car was parked nearby, but instead of getting in, I turned and started walking. My thoughts were a whirlwind, one that wouldn’t settle no matter how hard I tried to focus.Jacob. Evelyn. Isabella. Nora.I rubbed my temples, the weight of everything pressing down on me. Genevieve’s words earlier in the week clawed at my mind. “You can’t see what’s right in front of you, Sam. Isabella isn’t innocent.”And the folder. God, why couldn’t I open the damn folder? Why did I freeze every time I thought about it?Was it guilt? Loyalty? Or was there still a part of me—a twisted, broken part—that liked Isabella?Th
NORA'S POVIt was Genevieve. “Sam,” Genevieve’s voice was sharp, cutting through the fog in my head. “Adrian Blackwell is here. He wants to see you.” Adrian. Of course, Genevieve would call him. My jaw clenched. “I’m on my way,” I mumbled, hanging up before she could say more. I called the chauffeur, barely managing to give him coherent instructions to pick me up. When he arrived, I slumped into the back seat, my head leaning against the cool glass. The city lights blurred together, mirroring the mess in my mind. When we pulled up to the estate, I knew something was off. The lights in the drawing room were blazing, and silhouettes of people crowded together were visible through the windows. I stepped out, wobbling slightly as I straightened my jacket. Inside, the tension was suffocating. Everyone was there—my father, Jacqueline, Genevieve, Isabella, Alice, and Adrian. Their faces turned to me as I staggered in, the heavy scent of
NORA'S POVThe cold night air bit into my skin as I stumbled along the desolate road, the darkness stretching endlessly ahead of me. My breaths came in sharp, uneven gasps, each one clouding the air in front of me before dissolving into the night. The ache in my belly was a relentless reminder of my vulnerability, the baby’s movements faint but insistent, as if urging me to keep going. Each step felt heavier than the last, my legs trembling beneath me like they might give out at any moment. The forest around me was alive with sounds—the rustle of leaves, the distant hoot of an owl, the snapping of twigs—but every noise sent a shiver down my spine. Was someone following me? Or was my mind playing cruel tricks? I had no idea where I was. Daniel’s cabin had been isolated, tucked away in some forgotten corner of nowhere. The road I’d found felt like it hadn’t been used in years, the gravel uneven and overgrown. My bare feet ached, the rough stones cutting into my
SAM'S POVThe tension in the study was suffocating. Evelyn sat across from me, a picture of cold poise, her legs crossed, her lips curved into a faint smirk. Her words stung like barbs, each one dragging me closer to an edge I didn’t want to cross. “I told you, Sam,” Evelyn said smoothly, her voice as calm as ever. “If you want Nora back, you’ll have to agree to my terms.” “Why the hell would I trust you?” I snapped, pacing the room. My hands clenched into fists at my sides. “You’ve been lying since the moment you showed up. Jacob, the Morettis and everything you’ve done has been to destroy us!” Evelyn raised an eyebrow, unfazed. “And yet, here I am, offering you a way to end this. Doesn’t that say something?” “It says you’re desperate,” I shot back. She leaned forward, her voice dropping. “I’m offering you the chance to get Nora back and stop this madness. All you have to do is listen.” Before I could respond, the door
NORA'S POV The Bennet mansion felt oppressively quiet, as if the entire house held its breath in anticipation. I sat on a plush chair in William’s private study, my legs trembling beneath the weight of exhaustion. Sam stood by the window, his jaw tight as he stared out into the rain, while Genevieve perched on the arm of a chair, her sharp gaze never leaving me. William sat behind his large oak desk, his face almost unreadable.The silence stretched unbearably.
SAM'S POV The black SUV screeched to a halt, gravel spraying beneath the tires as Adrian cut the engine. The private airfield stretched out ahead of us, dim lights illuminating the small jet stationed on the tarmac. The roar of its engines filled the air, signaling an imminent departure.Adrian glanced at me, his expression hard and unreadable. “We’ve got minutes, maybe seconds,” he said.I threw open the car door, my pulse hammering. Genevieve was right behind me, her sharp eyes scanning the airfield for any sign of Jacob or Evelyn. The security team fanned out, their movements precise as they approached the plane
NORA'S POV The house was quiet, save for the faint sound of the television coming from the den where Jackie sat. The stillness was unnerving. For the first time since returning, I wasn’t consumed by the memories of my captivity. Instead, an inexplicable chill crept over me, settling heavily in my chest.Something was wrong.The feeling gnawed at me as I paced the room, my arms wrapped protectively around my baby bump. I could hear Jackie’s voice echo in my mind from earlier, insisting that I rest and stop worrying. “You’ve been through enough, Nora,” she’d said. “Focus on the baby. Everythin
NORA'S POV Adrian hesitated, the weight of unspoken words thick in the air. He glanced at Genevieve, his lips pressed into a tight line, as though unsure if he should continue.I stepped closer, my arms instinctively wrapping around my belly, a protective barrier against the tension crackling between us. “What aren’t you saying?” I asked, my voice quieter than I intended.Genevieve arched a brow, cutting a sharp look at Adrian. “Go on,” she said, her tone edged with irritation. “You may as well tell her. You’re stalling, Adrian.”
NORA’S POVThe sun bathed the Bennett estate in a golden glow, filtering through the canopy of white roses and twinkling fairy lights. It was the perfect day, the kind of day that had once seemed impossible. But here we were. I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the delicate lace sleeve of my gown. It was nothing like the dress I had once imagined wearing for my first wedding to Sam. No, this was something entirely different—something that felt more like me. The gown hugged my frame, elegant and timeless. Soft ivory fabric cascaded down in delicate layers, embroidered with tiny pearls that shimmered when I moved. My hair, styled in loose waves, was pinned back with a single white rose, and a sheer veil trailed behind me like something out of a dream. But it was Sam’s face I longed to see the most. "Are you ready?" Genevieve appeared in the doorway, looking radiant in a soft emerald gown. Her usual sharpness was softened by the emotion in her eyes. I turned, feeling my he
NORA’S POVThe moment the plane touched down in New York, a flood of emotions surged through me. Relief. Exhaustion. Gratitude. I was alive. I was going home. Sam held my hand the entire drive from the airport, his grip firm yet tender, like he was afraid that if he let go, I’d disappear. My heart ached with anticipation; my mind consumed by a single thought—Zoe. I had spent weeks away from my daughter, missing the warmth of her tiny body against mine, the sweet scent of her skin, the sound of her giggles. The separation had been unbearable, and now, every second that kept me from holding her felt like
SAM’S POVThe fluorescent hospital lights hummed softly above me as I lay in the hospital bed, the sharp scent of antiseptic lingering in the air. I had never been afraid of pain—I had endured beatings, betrayals, and the weight of an entire empire on my shoulders. But this? This was different. Because this time, it wasn’t about me. It was about her. Nora. She lay in the bed
NORA’S POVThe beeping of machines was a constant rhythm, a reminder of the fragile line I was walking. The Parisian hospital room was bathed in soft golden light from the setting sun, but I felt cold. Not the kind of cold that came from the air conditioning or the evening breeze slipping through the cracks in the window—this was deeper, bone-deep, a chilling awareness that my body was failing me. Every breath felt like a borrowed one, shallow and effortful. The weight of exhaustion pressed down on me, heavier than it had ever been. My fingers tingled, my limbs felt distant, like they didn’t belong to me anymore. A part of me wondered if this was it—if I was already standing on the precipice between life and d
SAM'S POV The jet sliced through the cloud cover with the precision of a predator on a hunt, its hum a constant in the background as my thoughts drifted. Paris was just hours away, but I was already a prisoner of the distance—caught between two worlds, neither of which felt truly mine anymore.I had fought wars before, faced battles in boardrooms and beneath the weight of expectations. But none of those had ever felt so personal, so destructive. This fight had torn apart the very fabric of my family, shattered everything I had worked for, and left scars on my soul that would never fully heal. And the worst part? It had nearly cost me Nora—the one person I couldn’t afford to lose.
JACOB'S POVThe courtroom had emptied, but I remained frozen in my seat. The sound of the gavel still echoed in my ears. Life in prison. Isabella was gone.I watched as the guards led her away. She didn’t cry. She didn’t beg. She didn’t even look at me.She only turned once, just before disappearing through the doors, and for a fleeting moment, I saw it—regret. But it wasn’t for what she had done. It was for losing.I exhaled slowly, rubbing a hand over my face. Was this how it was all supposed to
SAM'S POV The boardroom was suffocating, thick with tension and the scent of expensive cologne and polished wood. New York’s most powerful investors sat around the long mahogany table, their sharp eyes locked on me. Margot Moretti sat at the far end, composed as ever, but I could see the cracks beginning to show.For the past two hours, I had been fighting for control of what was left of my father’s empire. The Morettis had leveraged Aunt Marion’s shares and were dangerously close to tipping th
NORA'S POVThe hospital room was eerily silent except for the rhythmic beeping of the monitors and the quiet hum of the machines keeping me tethered to this world. The walls were painted in soft, sterile white, and the air smelled faintly of antiseptic. I had spent countless hours in this bed, staring at the ceiling, counting the tiles, trying to ignore the way my body felt weaker with each passing day.But today was different. Today, the doctors would begin the experimental treatment—the last chance I had.Sam was pacing. He had been pacing for the last twenty minutes,
SAM'S POV The Paris clinic was quiet, almost unnervingly so. The soft hum of machines filled the room as Nora slept peacefully, her breathing steady but shallow. I sat in the corner of her room, the faint glow of my laptop illuminating the stack of documents Alaric had sent over that morning.Balancing the weight of the Bennett empire and being here for Nora felt impossible, but I had no choice.The reports from New York weren’t promising. Despite the rise in stock prices following Alaric’s press conference, the Morettis