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.
NORA'S POVThe rain was pouring hard, soaking me as I rushed into Sam’s company building. I had not taken my car because it was a trekkable distance, and I had not anticipated the rain.My heels clicked against the marble floor, and my clothes were sticking to my skin, but none of that mattered. I held the watch tight under my coat, protecting it from the rain.It was Sam's watch—a leather-strapped heirloom passed down from his father. He always wore it during important meetings, like a good luck charm. This morning, I saw it lying on the nightstand. He left in such a hurry, barely saying goodbye, that I knew he would need it today.Genevieve had encouraged me to go to him. To show him this act of kindness. She believed it would touch her brother's heart.He had been distant lately, colder, like the man I married was fading away. We used to be best friends, but now? Now, it felt like he barely knew me.I knew it was pathetic to get my husband’s attention like this, but that’s what it
NORA'S POVMy chest felt tight, as I walked down the brightly lit hallway, and I had to fight back the tears. The sight of Isabella sitting with Sam, laughing, had torn me apart. They looked like they shared something private, something I would never be a part of. I clutched my coat tighter, trying to pull myself together.When I got close to the elevator, I spotted Jacob leaning against the wall, arms crossed, looking smug. The same look he always had when he saw me. We had grown up in the same neighbourhood, the same big sprawling mansions, the same schools. Sam, Jacob, Genevieve and I all used to be friends,but things had changed over the years. Jacob had always had a way of making me feel small.“Leaving already?” Jacob sneered, his eyes narrowing. “You’re not fooling anyone, Nora. You’re just holding Sam back, and everyone knows it.”I froze. His words stung harder than usual. Maybe it was because of what happened earlier—Jacob was Sam's best friend. Maybe he knew something I did
NORA'S POVSam walked out without looking back, leaving behind the thick silence of our bedroom. I sat frozen for a moment, the words I had just said ringing in my ears. I had expected some form of reaction from Sam. Anything but coldness. Why wouldn't he fight for us?In the middle of the night, I went downstairs to find him sleeping on the couch. I sighed and went back up with a broken heart.Divorce. The word still hung in the air, heavy and impossible to take back. I sat down at the computer and sent an email to my lawyer to get the papers ready. I had toyed with the idea for months but now, it was reality.I stood up and went to the window, staring out into the night. The cold air from the river about a mile away wafted into the room bringing with it the scent of water and the shouts of seamen. I looked at the garden below that extended to the dock that we never used. I let out a shaky breath, trying to collect myself. I’d done it. There was no undoing it now. The marriage was ov
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 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 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
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
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 POVHe looked at me like I’d just stumbled upon a terrible secret I wasn’t meant to know. “Forget I said that,” he muttered, his tone evasive.“No,” I said firmly, my voice rising. “You don’t get to do that, Daniel. You’ve been dragging me through this nightmare, claiming you’re protecting me, but you’ve been lying the entire time. Start talking. Now.”He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. For a moment, I thought he might shut me out again but his expression clouded with something between frustration and guilt.“You’re right,” he said finally, his voice low. “Jacob does have a child. With Evelyn.”I stared at him, the weight of his words settling over me like a stone.Daniel leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “Evelyn was always an outsider to your circle, Nora. You know that. The Bennetts didn’t make it easy for her, and Jacob… he was her only tether. But their relationship wasn’t just some fling. It was real. And it produced a child, a child Jacob i
SAM'S POV The past has a way of creeping back in when you least expect it.I hadn’t thought about Elias Roosevelt in years, but the moment his scarred face emerged from behind that mask at the gala, memories came rushing back. His voice, sharp and mocking, still haunted me as I prepared to meet him now, hoping against hope he’d have answers about Jacob—and Nora.Genevieve had arranged the meeting, insisting it was our best lead. I wasn’t sure if I trusted her judgment or if I was just desperate enough to cling to anything.
NORA'S POV The silence of the cabin pressed against me, broken only by the soft creaks of old wood and the distant rustling of trees outside. I sat cross-legged on the floor of my room, the loose floorboard before me like a crack in the fortress Daniel had built around me. My fingers traced the jagged edges of the rusted nail I’d pried free days ago, my heart racing with the knowledge that this could be my only way out.The baby moved suddenly, a sharp, insistent kick that pulled my focus to my swollen belly. I placed a hand over the spot, whispering, “Just hold on a little longer, sweetheart. We’ll get out of here. I promise.”
SAM'S POV Genevieve stood in front of me, her eyes burning with determination as she thrust the folder into my hands again. The tension between us was thick, suffocating.“Open it,” she said, her voice sharp.I shook my head, placing the folder down on the desk without even looking at it. “I can’t do this right now, Gen.”Her scoff was loud and full of frustration. “Can’t? Or won’t?”