NORA'S POV
The moment I flagged down the taxi outside the Harrington gala, tears began to blur my vision. My chest felt tight, constricted, as if the weight of everything—the fight with Isabella, the tension with Sam, and Daniel’s confession—had finally become too much. I leaned my head against the cool window as the cab sped through the city, my thoughts a chaotic tangle of frustration and heartbreak.
By the time I reached Genevieve’s loft, my tears had dried, but the ache in my chest remained. The familiar coziness of the loft greeted me as I unlocked the door and stepped inside, but instead of comfort, I felt a strange emptiness settle over me.
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SAM'S POV The sterile air of the hospital room felt heavier than usual as I stood beside my father’s bed. He was propped up, his face still pale from the ordeal, but his sharp eyes remained the same. For someone who had just narrowly escaped death, he looked remarkably composed.I, on the other hand, felt anything but.“Evelyn Caradelli,” I began, my voice firm but tinged with frustration. “She’s connected to the Caradellis
NORA'S POVSam had barely left to visit William when the thought struck me like a thunderclap: I can’t wait anymore.Pacing the living room wasn’t helping, and neither was Genevieve’s well-meaning attempt to distract me with talk of our growing security concerns. None of it mattered right now. There were too many unanswered questions, and they all pointed in one direction—my mother.“I’m going to see her,” I said aloud, surprising even myself.
SAM'S POV My heart was pounding in my chest rapidly. I wanted him to say something. To tell me I was wrong and that Jacob would never do anything to hurt me or him. Not Jacob that I had played with all through my childhood. Jacob, who had been my college roommate. My head was spinning like crazy and I was starting to feel dizzy. It couldn't be Jacob.My father was looking at me silently, his eyes studying me and gauging me.&n
NORA'S POV The air in the car felt suffocating, a stifling silence broken only by the soft hum of the engine. I stared out of the window, watching the city blur into a hazy mess of lights and shadows, but my mind was elsewhere—back in my mother’s living room, replaying every word of our heated conversation.Alice had always been one to hide things, but this time, her refusal to tell me who had sent her the note about the Moretti deal felt personal. Betrayal. That was the word that kept bouncing around my head, but it felt like too much and not enough all at once.
NORA'S POVSam’s words still echoed in my mind as we sat in the living room, the atmosphere heavy with unspoken thoughts. Jacqueline’s demand for a DNA test kept replaying in my head, twisting my emotions into a tangled knot of confusion and hurt. I hugged a throw pillow to my chest, feeling its softness contrast against the hardness in my heart.Sam sat across from me, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees, his hands placed under his chin. His face was tight with tension, but his eyes held an unmistakable resolve.
SAM'S POVThe memory of Daniel standing in my doorway, talking to mywife like he had a place here, like he belonged, gnawed at me. The more I thought about it, the angrier I became. Daniel wasn’t just some nuisance circling Nora because he felt sorry for her; he was circling because he knew she wasn’t mine anymore. Legally, at least.And that knowledge burned me in a way I couldn’t describe.I used to like Daniel. Hell, we’d been on good terms before all of this. He’d always been polite, un
SAM'S POV Isabella started to walk away, heading for her office and definitely avoiding my question. The office door shut behind us with a soft thud, but the tension between Isabella and me was deafening. She leaned against her desk, her arms crossed, her lips curled into a faint, mocking smile that set my teeth on edge.“Let’s make this quick,” I said, my voice sharp as a blade. “How did you know about Alice and Milo?”Isabella tilted her head, feigning innocence. “Grapevine.”&ldquo
NORA'S POV“Who is this?” I whispered, my voice trembling despite my best effort to sound calm.The man chuckled darkly, the sound hollow and unnerving. “You’ve forgotten already? Typical Bennett arrogance. But you, Eleanora… you never belonged with them. Don’t pretend you did.”“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I managed, though my voice betrayed my fear.“Don’t you?” he sneered. “The ring, Sinclair. The one you never returned.
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
NORA'S POV The hospital was a blur as I rushed through the corridors, my heart pounding in my chest. The fear I’d felt since leaving the Moretti’s castle hadn’t left me, clinging to me like a shadow. I had to see Zoe. I had to know she was okay.The NICU doors came into view, and I barely slowed down as I pushed through them. My breath caught as I spotted Sam and Genevieve, both bent over Zoe’s incubator.Sam’s large hand rested on the side of the incubator, his shoulders relaxed, a soft smile tugging at his lips. Beside him, Genevieve—stoic, guarded Genevieve—was smiling too, her fingers delicately tracing circles on the glass as if she were drawing strength from the sight of Zoe’s tiny, fragile form.Relief washed over me, so powerful that my knees buckled. I grabbed the edge of a nearby chair to steady myself before running toward them, tears streaming down my face. “Zoe!” I sobbed, my voice trembling.Sam looked up sharply, his smile vanishing as he stepped back from the incubator
GEN’S POVThe sound of the clock ticking on the wall filled the room as I slipped my phone back into my pocket. My hands were steady, but my chest felt tight, as if the weight of my decisions was finally starting to press down on me.The assassin had confirmed our rendezvous for later that night, and I was ready to hand over the first payment. Everything was in motion, just as I’d planned. Charles Bennett—the so-called heir—would soon be nothing more than a memory.For a brief moment, I allowed myself to think about Jacob. I could still see him as he was when we were children
SAM'S POV The words hung in the air like a stone waiting to fall.“Zoe’s in danger.”My chest tightened, and my hand instinctively moved toward my phone. “What do you mean she’s in danger?” I demanded, my voice sharp, rising with panic.Charlie shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his slight frame seeming even smaller under the weight of my glare. His gaze darted to the floor, h