SAM'S POVDaniel’s words echoed in the parking lot, slicing through the cold Parisian air like a jagged blade. “Stay away from her, Sam,” he had said, his voice hard with a finality that left no room for argument. He walked away, and I could do nothing but watch, frozen in place.Genevieve stood beside me, her face pale with shock, her mouth slightly agape. We were both trying to process what had just happened, but my mind felt numb, disconnected from reality. Pregnant. Nora was pregnant. And Daniel… he claimed the baby was his.The world spun, and I felt an ache so deep and primal it nearly brought me
NORA'S POVThe memories slipped away like sand through my fingers, leaving me hollow and aching. My mother. The lengths she had gone to “save” my marriage to Sam—the underhanded schemes, the secrets wrapped in love that had only succeeded in destroying everything. I thought back to the first day I had been led into that dim office, the rain pelting the windows as my mother whispered words of reassurance I hadn’t realized would haunt me for years.I drew in a shaky breath, feeling tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. My heart twisted painfully as I thought of Sam, the betrayal etched into his features when he’d thrown that photograph at me. He didn’t know, couldn’t understand, the desperation I&
SAM'S POV The scene of Daniel and Nora embracing on her balcony played over and over in my mind, searing like a brand into my thoughts. I stood in Adrian’s guest room, staring at the suitcase I had barely unpacked. My hands moved on autopilot, shoving clothes back into it. The tension coiled tight in my chest, and I couldn’t breathe right.Adrian appeared in the doorway, watching me with a mixture of concern and disbelief. “You’re really leaving?” he asked, his voice low but incredulous. “Just like that?”I didn’t look at him. I couldn’t. My hands clenched around a shirt, crumpli
NORA'S POV Genevieve’s entrance was like a storm tearing through my office, raw and uncontainable. The door slammed against the wall, rattling the picture frames, and Laurent nearly jumped out of his seat, his hands clutching his portfolio. I felt every muscle in my body go taut, my breath catching in my throat as Genevieve locked her blazing eyes on me.“So,” she said, her voice deceptively calm, but with an undercurrent of barely restrained fury. “You’re pregnant.”Her words hung in the air, heavy and damning. I forced myself to stand, trying to steady my racing heart and the wave of nausea that
SAM'S POVThe room felt like it was spinning, my mother’s words echoing in my head. The Moretti deal, the Moretti deal. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. The betrayal twisted through me, so sharp it was almost physical. Mom had helped Alice forge my signature. The words repeated, louder, deafening, until I was choking on disbelief.“Mom?” I rasped, running a trembling
NORA’S POVGenevieve’s mouth fell open, her eyes widening in disbelief. “What?” she whispered, the word barely leaving her lips.Tears stung my eyes, and I wrapped my arms around my waist as if trying to hold myself together. “It’s Sam’s,” I repeated, my voice cracking. “I found out the day you took me to the hospital to see Daniel.”The shock on Genevieve’s face shifted quickly into anger. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, and she stepped closer, her voice rising. “And you didn’t think to tell me?”I took a step back, feeling the pain of her accusation. “I didn’t know how to tell you,” I said, my voice quivering. “Sam and I had just divorced, Genevieve. I was scared, confused. I didn’t want to risk him finding out, not when everything was falling apart.”Genevieve’s shoulders slumped, her anger giving way to raw emotion. Tears filled her eyes, and she covered her mouth with her hand. “Nora…” she choked out, her voice breaking.I reached out, my hand trembling as I grabbed h
SAM'S POVThe betrayal twisted through me, thick and suffocating, I stood up from the couch and turned to face my mother who now had her arms wrapped around her. The reality of what she had confessed—that she and Alice had interfered, manipulated, and betrayed me—felt like a wound that wouldn’t stop bleeding.“Explain,” I demanded, my voice barely steady. I struggled to hold myself together, but anger pulsed through me, making my fists clench. “Why did you do this?” I searched Jacqueline’s face for a glimmer of the mother I’d trusted, but all I saw was guilt.Jacqueline’s face fell, and she reached for me, but I stepped back, creating a physical distance to match the emotional chasm opening between us. “Samuel, please,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “I can explain. Just let me—”Before she could finish, her phone rang, shattering the suffocating tension. She fumbled for it, her hands shaking, and when she saw the name flashing on the screen—Alice—she glanced up at me, panic in he
NORA’S POVStepping off the plane and into the bustling, chaotic energy of New York felt both familiar and disorienting. The city buzzed around me, a cacophony of car horns, loudspeakers, and the endless chatter of people on the move. Genevieve and I wheeled our luggage toward the exit, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the airport floor.We had barely made it to the baggage claim when a familiar voice called out, drawing both of us to a halt. “Nora? Genevieve?”I turned to see Evelyn, Daniel’s cousin, walking toward us. Her sharp, blue eyes were bright with recognition, though there was a sli
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