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.
SAM'S POV The hum of the elevator was the only sound as I rode up to Jacob’s floor, my mind a storm of frustration and suspicion. The conversation with Isabella was still fresh, her cryptic comments about loyalty and family spinning like a loop in my head. And now, the thought of Jacob’s nonchalance about everything—the shooting, the chaos within the family—was eating at me.When the elevator doors slid open, I strode down the hall toward his office, not bothering to knock. I pushed the door open, finding him seated at his desk, scrolling casually through his phone.Jacob looked up, his expression bored. &ldq
NORA'S POVThe penthouse was unusually quiet when I got back, the weight of the day pressing down on my shoulders like a heavy blanket. My mind raced with thoughts of the anonymous call, Daniel’s cryptic warnings, and my mother’s refusal to reveal who had sent her the note. Everything felt like it was spinning out of control, and I didn’t know who to trust anymore—not even myself.I dropped my bag on the couch and stood by the window, staring at the city below. The bright lights and bustling streets felt so distant, like a world I didn’t belong to anymore. Somewhere in the back of my mind, the caller’s words echoed, chilling and sharp: “You never belonged with the
SAM'S POV The sunlight streaming through my bedroom windows felt too bright, too harsh. Another night with no sleep. The blog post I’d seen still loomed over me like a dark cloud, refusing to leave my mind.I rubbed my face with both hands, trying to shake off the heavy weight pressing down on me. We were still sleeping in separate bedrooms, and I hated it. Hated the quiet, hated the empty space beside me. She was so close, just a few steps away, but it might as well have been miles. I missed her—missed waking up next to her, hearing her laugh over breakfast, feeling like we were on the same team.Last night had only mad
NORA'S POV The sunlight filtering through the curtains felt harsh against my skin as I opened my eyes. The first thing I noticed was the silence. Sam wasn’t in the room. Not that he would be—he’d been sleeping in his own bedroom for weeks now. But there was no sound of him anywhere in the penthouse, no clatter of dishes, no murmured phone calls.I sighed, sitting up and wrapping my arms around my knees. The note from last night was still fresh in my mind, every word etched into my thoughts like a brand. Return what’s ours.The fear hadn’t left, but I couldn’t let it control me. I hadn’t told
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 incubato
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
NORA'S POVMargot’s words echoed in my head, cold and unrelenting. “It was foolish of you to come here, Eleanora Sinclair.”The weight of her threat settled over me like a suffocating blanket, and my breath hitched. My vision blurred as tears filled my eyes. What had I done? How could I have been so reckless, so naive? I hadn’t just risked my own life, I’d risked Zoe’s, too.The enormity of my mistake crushed me, and I turned to leave, desperate to put as much distance as I could between myself and this place. But as I made for the door, a figure stepped in front of me, blocking my path.Milo Romano.I froze, my heart pounding so loudly I was sure he could hear it. My chest tightened as the memories came flooding back; the first time I met him, the way he charmed my mother, the way he convinced me that the Moretti deal was my chance to fix everything. He had turned my life upside down, destroyed my marriage, and shattered whatever trust Sam and I had had.And now, he was here.“You,”
SAM'S POV The boy who stepped into my office wasn’t what I’d imagined. He was young, maybe thirteen, with sandy hair that fell into his bright blue eyes, and he carried himself with a quiet kind of confidence. His features—especially the sharpness of his jawline—were unmistakably Bennett. For a moment, I felt as though I were looking at a ghost of the Jacob I once knew, the best friend who had stood by my side before greed and resentment tore us apart.“Charles,” I greeted, keeping my tone even.He hesitated just inside the doorway, then offered a faint smile. “You can call me Charlie,” he said, his voice soft but steady. “That’s what everyone calls me.”The name put me momentarily at ease, and I gestured to the chair in front of my desk. “Alright, Charlie. Have a seat.”He moved across the room with deliberate steps, his hands fidgeting at his sides as though he wasn’t entirely sure of his welcome. I waited until he settled into the chair before speaking again.“What brings you here
NORA'S POV The night air was colder than I expected as I slipped out of the hospital’s back entrance, my coat wrapped tightly around me. My body protested with every step, the strain of my recent surgery making itself known. But none of that mattered. The anger burning in my chest, the fear for my family and my daughter drove me forward. I wanted Zoe to grow up in a stable environment, in a safe and loving family and not in the midst of all this drama.Margot Moretti had gone too far. And I needed to confr
SAM'S POV The late afternoon breeze brushed against my face as I stepped onto the balcony. Genevieve was there, leaning against the wrought-iron railing, her sharp silhouette framed by the sprawling estate gardens below. She didn’t turn to acknowledge me, but the tension in her shoulders told me she knew I was there.“We need to talk,” I said, my voice hard as I closed the door behind me.She turned her head slightly, her red hair catching the sunlight. “About what? How the family is falling apart while you’re too busy loving
NORA'S POV The steady beeping of the monitors in my hospital room was strangely comforting, a reminder that everything—at least for now—was stable. My body ached in ways I hadn’t thought possible, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the heaviness in my chest.As I stared out the window at the city skyline, my thoughts drifted to my daughter. Zoe. Her name felt like a beacon in the darkness, a promise of something pure and untainted. She was so small, so fragile, but she was already the strongest person I knew.
SAM'S POV The fluorescent lights of the NICU cast a sterile glow, highlighting the rows of incubators lined up like tiny fortresses. The faint hum of machines filled the air, each beep and whir a reminder of the fragility of life.I stood at the glass partition, my heart pounding as I caught sight of her. My daughter. She was so small, a tiny figure swaddled in soft fabric, with wires and monitors attached to her fragile body. Her chest rose and fell in rapid, shallow breaths, and her fists curled tightly as if she were ready to fight the world already.“She’s stable,” a nurse said softly, approaching me with a kind smile. “She’s a strong little girl.”I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Can I go in?”The nurse glanced at the clipboard in her hands and then gave a small nod. “Just for a few minutes. We’re limiting visitors, but you’re her dad. I’ll help you get prepped.”Moments later, I sat beside the incubator, dressed in a sterile gown, gloves, and a mask. The sight of he