SAM’S POVThe tie refused to cooperate.I tugged at it again, the silk knot slipping loose for the third time. My fingers fumbled, and I let out a frustrated sigh, staring at myself in the mirror. The reflection staring back wasn’t the man my father had raised to lead the Bennett empire. It was someone broken, someone lost.Adrian’s absence gnawed at me more than I’d expected. He was the calm to my storm, the voice of reason when my thoughts ran wild. Now, I was alone, trying to prepare for a meeting that felt more like a funeral.
NORA'S POV The room felt impossibly small as I stepped through the heavy doors, my heels clicking against the polished marble floor. All eyes snapped toward me, and I felt the weight of their gazes—curiosity, annoyance, and surprise—but I didn’t falter. Zoe was perched on my hip, her tiny hands gripping my dress as if anchoring me to the moment.I paused just inside the doorway, letting the silence stretch. Sam was at the head of the table, his hand clutching a pen, hovering over the papers in front of him. His expression shifted from shock to something else—hope, maybe. But it was Jacob who broke the silence.
SAM’S POV The meeting ended with Jacob's threat still ringing in my ears.“You'll regret this, Samuel,” Jacob spat, his voice dripping with venom. “We’ll meet in court. And when I'm done, there won't be a Bennett empire to save. I’ll take every last dollar, every share, every legacy. You'll be left with nothing.”He stormed out, Charlie trailing behind him, his head down, avoiding my gaze. For a moment, I felt a pang of sadness for the boy. He didn't deserve to be a pawn in Jacob's bitter game.
NORA'S POV “We need an ally,” I told Sam for the umpteenth time, pacing the length of the study. “Someone strong enough to challenge the Morettis but far removed from Jacob’s influence.”Lately, he'd been more concerned with worshipping my body than he was with the threat that loomed over us but I knew that we could win the Morettis, Jacob and the Caradellis.
SAM'S POV The mansion felt colder than usual, a weight pressing down on me as Nora and I walked through the front doors. The cryptic words from Alaric Laurent haunted me, each syllable twisting in my mind like a knife.“A Bennett working with Jacob,” I muttered under my breath, my fists clenching at the thought.Nora touched my arm gently. “We’ll figure this out, Sam. We always do.”Her voice was calm, soothing, but even she couldn’t hide the unease in her eyes. I nodded but said nothing, a
NORA'S POV The sky was overcast, a dull gray that seemed fitting for the day we were laying William Bennett to rest. Rain threatened but held off, leaving a heavy, humid stillness in its place. The Bennett estate was unusually quiet, the air filled with an uneasy tension as family members shuffled in for the private ceremony.Even in death, William’s presence loomed large. His photograph, framed in black, sat at the head of the small gathering, his sharp eyes and strong jawline a reminder of the patriarch he’d been. The man who had expanded an empire that now seemed to be crumbling around us.
NORA'S POV “That’s why they call it a war, Lisa. And in war, only the strong survive.”Lisa stumbled back, her composure slipping further with each step. The room remained silent, every pair of eyes locked on the two women at the center of the storm.Finally, with one last venomous look, Lisa spat, “This isn’t over, Jacqueline. I promise you that.”She turned and stormed out, her heels echoing down the hallway.Back at the mansion, the atmosphere was subdued, the usually warm sitting room weighed down by the tension that seemed to seep into the walls. The crackle of the fire did little to dispel the chill hanging over the room. The family had gathered here after the funeral, their faces drawn and weary, but the undercurrent of frustration was impossible to ignore.Michael, the head of technology division, leaned against the mantel, his glass of whiskey half-empty. He swirled the liquid absently, his eyes narrowed in thought. “So, Alaric Laurent,” he said, his tone dripping with skept
SAM'S POV The morning sunlight sliced through the blinds of my office, illuminating the tension that hung thick in the room. My legal team sat across from me, their faces etched with grim determination. The betrayal felt suffocating, wrapping around my chest like a vice.“So let me get this straight,” I said, my voice icy as I leaned back in my chair, gripping the armrests to steady my simmering rage. “Jacob and Jonathan are claiming I mismanaged funds?”“Yes,” replied Linda, our lead attorney, her tone cautious but firm. “They’re focusing on two key examples: the
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