SAM'S POV
The ballroom lights glimmered off crystal chandeliers, and the hum of conversation filled the space. My focus, however, was fixed on the masked stranger standing beside Nora. His mask covered half his face, adding a theatrical flair, but something about him felt off. The way he stood, the tilt of his head as he spoke—it was familiar in a way that made my stomach churn. It was the stranger who had been with Milo Romano outside!
I moved quickly, weaving through the crowd until I was standing beside them. Nora noticed me first, her eyes widening slightly.
“Sam,” she said, her tone uncertain. I could tell fr
NORA'S POV The soft hum of murmurs in the ballroom fell silent as Sam stepped onto the small stage. A crystal glass in his hand caught the light, sending shards of brilliance across the room. His presence commanded attention effortlessly, and I couldn’t help but feel a mixture of pride and apprehension.“To family,” he began, his voice calm but strong. “And to unity.”Scattered applause followed, but it was the pause after that made my heart race. Sam turned slightly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd before landing squarely on me.
SAM'S POV The masked man was still on my mind. His cryptic demeanor and familiarity had set my nerves on edge. The way he’d spoken to Nora, how he moved through the crowd with calculated ease, he wasn’t just a guest. He didn’t belong here. I was sure if I checked the guest list, I wouldn't find his name. But I didn't even know his name. That vermin, Milo, had brought him here.I stood near the bar, nursing a whiskey I barely tasted as my eyes scanned the ballroom. The opulence of the evening was a stark contrast to the growing sense of unease gnawing at me. My family’s galas had always been about power plays, alliances, and keeping enemies close, but tonight felt different. The stakes were higher, the shadows deeper
NORA'S POV The whispers in the room seemed to grow louder, their hum crawling under my skin as Evelyn’s words echoed in my mind: “It all begins. I can’t wait anymore for his go-ahead.”I pushed up from my chair, determined to find Genevieve. She always knew how to make sense of chaos, and right now, I needed her calm logic more than ever. But as I scanned the ballroom, Genevieve was nowhere to be seen.Evelyn had disappeared, and Jacob was gone from his earlier spot near the corner. My unease gr
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 POVHer question hung in the air. Where was I going to go?Genevieve stood by the window, her back to me. She turned around with a soft smile. “What’s the plan, Nora?”I sighed. “Honestly? I’ve been thinking about what I used to love before... before Sam, before this life. Remember how I used to paint?”Her eyes lit up. “Of course! You doodled everywhere, even on my notebooks!” She laughed, and we both smiled at the memory. "Don’t tell me you’ve started painting again?"I nodded. “Yeah. It’s been keeping me sane. Actually, I applied to an art company abroad.”Genevieve’s eyes widened. “Nora! That’s amazing! Where? When?”“Paris. I got the offer a few weeks ago,” I said quietly.Gen hugged me happily shouting for glee that I couldn’t help but laugh too.“You’re going to crush me Gen”, I shouted, laughing hard, forgetting I had been sad few minutes ago.“Paris! Tell me everything.”Just as I was about to respond, a wave of dizziness hit me. The room spun, and I clutched the edge o
SAM’S POVI stared at the divorce papers in front of me, the black ink practically screaming off the page. Final Decree of Divorce. My heart pounded in my chest, but I didn’t let it show. Lily stood by my desk, shifting her weight nervously as if she didn’t want to be the one delivering the news.“Mr. Bennett,” she said gently. “Your wife... um, Ms. Bennett, had these sent over this morning.”I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced a nod. “Thanks, Lily.”She hovered by the door, uncertain, like she wanted to say more.“If there’s anything I can—”“There’s nothing,” I cut her off, harsher than I intended. Lily flinched, and I immediately regretted it.She gave me a tight smile. “Understood. Just let me know if you need anything.”I nodded again, already tuning her out. Once she left the room, I leaned back in my chair and let out a long, shaky breath. The papers were still there—staring back at me, cold and final. This is what she wanted, I reminded myself. She had made up her mind
NORA'S POV The whispers in the room seemed to grow louder, their hum crawling under my skin as Evelyn’s words echoed in my mind: “It all begins. I can’t wait anymore for his go-ahead.”I pushed up from my chair, determined to find Genevieve. She always knew how to make sense of chaos, and right now, I needed her calm logic more than ever. But as I scanned the ballroom, Genevieve was nowhere to be seen.Evelyn had disappeared, and Jacob was gone from his earlier spot near the corner. My unease gr
SAM'S POV The masked man was still on my mind. His cryptic demeanor and familiarity had set my nerves on edge. The way he’d spoken to Nora, how he moved through the crowd with calculated ease, he wasn’t just a guest. He didn’t belong here. I was sure if I checked the guest list, I wouldn't find his name. But I didn't even know his name. That vermin, Milo, had brought him here.I stood near the bar, nursing a whiskey I barely tasted as my eyes scanned the ballroom. The opulence of the evening was a stark contrast to the growing sense of unease gnawing at me. My family’s galas had always been about power plays, alliances, and keeping enemies close, but tonight felt different. The stakes were higher, the shadows deeper
NORA'S POV The soft hum of murmurs in the ballroom fell silent as Sam stepped onto the small stage. A crystal glass in his hand caught the light, sending shards of brilliance across the room. His presence commanded attention effortlessly, and I couldn’t help but feel a mixture of pride and apprehension.“To family,” he began, his voice calm but strong. “And to unity.”Scattered applause followed, but it was the pause after that made my heart race. Sam turned slightly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd before landing squarely on me.
SAM'S POV The ballroom lights glimmered off crystal chandeliers, and the hum of conversation filled the space. My focus, however, was fixed on the masked stranger standing beside Nora. His mask covered half his face, adding a theatrical flair, but something about him felt off. The way he stood, the tilt of his head as he spoke—it was familiar in a way that made my stomach churn. It was the stranger who had been with Milo Romano outside! I moved quickly, weaving through the crowd until I was standing beside them. Nora noticed me first, her eyes widening slightly.“Sam,” she said, her tone uncertain. I could tell fr
NORA'S POV The day of the gala started on a sour note. I had spent the previous night with Gen because she had insisted she was going to dress me up and Sam would come pick me up from her house then we would head to the gala together. I sat in her loft, clutching a steaming cup of tea, my nerves fraying with each passing second. Across from me, Genevieve scrolled through her phone, her sharp eyes darting over the screen. She hadn’t said much since I’d arrived, and her silence only made me more anxious.“Gen, what’s going on?” I asked, my voice tight. It was starting to seem like everyone knew something I didn't. She hesitated, her fingers pausing mid-scroll before she looked up at me. “You don’t check Pictory anymore, do you?”I stiffened, shaking my head. “No. I deleted it weeks ago. Why?”Gen sighed, her lips pressing into a thin line. “Nora… it’s all over the news. Photos of you at the Marquee. Speculations about your pregnancy. And, of course, the bloggers are having a field da
SAM'S POV The morning of the gala was a mess, and I couldn’t think straight. Sleep had been a joke the night before, and now my mind was stuck on a loop, replaying the conversation I’d overheard on the balcony weeks ago.“If he’s willing to kill his uncle...”The words kept circling back, but the faces of the voices that had spoken them remained blank. My fists clenched as I thought about it, anger bubbling just beneath the surface. Someone in my family—or someone close to it—had tried to take out my father.And I still didn’t know who.My phone buzzed on the desk, dragging me back to the present. Genevieve had sent over the final list of attendees for the gala. It was long, and it would take hours to sift through. I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my temples when the sound of heels clicking against the floor pulled my attention.The door to my office swung open, and Isabella walked in, shutting it behind her.“What do you want?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.She gave m
NORA'S POV The morning light filtered through the curtains, but its warmth did little to soothe the chill that had settled over me. I sat at the breakfast table, absently stirring a spoon through my tea. My thoughts churned as I replayed the events of the last few days—the threatening note, Isabella’s venomous comments, and the distant look Sam had been wearing like armor.He moved around the kitchen quietly, his movements precise and deliberate, but there was a tension in his shoulders that he couldn’t hide. I wanted to say something, to ask him what was wrong, but the knot in my throat refused to loosen.Sam turn
SAM'S POV The photo lay on my desk, taunting me with its damning clarity. Nora and Daniel, together in Paris. The city blurred in the background while she smiled softly—intimately—at him. Daniel looked back at her with an expression I couldn’t stomach, a mix of protectiveness and something else I didn’t want to name.And the note.Trust is your weakness.I leaned back in my chair, my pulse pounding in my temples. Who had sent it? Someone close enough to know how to twist the knife yet distant enough to hide in the shadows. The wor
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