[Vivienne]The man is gone before I can do anything.I rush back inside and wake Rosita up. She rubs her eyes, clearly not in the mood to be roused like there’s some disaster coming up. “What’s up? I thought Marcus was dropping me home?”“He will. But I need you to get up and listen.”She blinks rapidly at that, probably because I sound like I’m either about to pass out or burn something down. “What’s happening? Why are you so worked up?”“I don’t even know,” I say, pacing in front of her. “But I’m pretty sure I just caught someone taking pictures of me on the balcony.”“What?” Her eyes widen. “The hell?” And just like that, she’s fully awake. “Are you sure? How do you know it was you? Maybe it was—”“He drove away as soon as I caught him.”“Oh,” she nods slowly. “Well, that’s definitely suspicious. What do we do about it?”“I have an idea,” I stop, turning to face her. “But I’m not sure if it’ll work.”“Oh, babe, I’m in.”“You don’t even know what I’m about to say.”“Hey, I trust you
[Vivienne]Inside, the place is dimly lit, with groups of people scattered around. The air is thick with smoke and the scent of cheap alcohol.I scan the room, spotting the bartender wiping down the counter, and a few rough-looking men in the back corner, laughing too loudly.Rosita tugs on my sleeve. “Are you sure about this?”“Not really, but we don’t have much choice. Something tells me if we straight-up went to them and asked for the feeds, they’ll throw us out before we get to make our case.”“Point,” she nods. “Fine then. Here I go. If I don’t make it back in one piece, please tell everyone I went down heroically.I roll my eyes. “You just need to chat them up, silly. You’re not going into a war.”“Yeah, keep saying that to yourself.”Then, she takes a deep breath, straightens her jacket, and strides toward the bar with the kind of confidence that makes me question her whole reaction outside.I hang back, my eyes still scanning the room, trying to keep a low profile.She leans o
[Vivienne]Shit. I stand quickly and turn, preparing to tell whatever lie comes to mind. But then I stop.It’s the same bartender Rosita was chatting with.In fact, now that I see behind him, Rosita is standing there, mouthing “sorry” and making a sad face.I hold back the urge to groan.The man continues to stare me down. Now that he’s no longer behind the counter, I can see he’s only a few inches shy of touching the ceiling in this small room. His shoulders are broad, and when he crosses his arms—probably to intimidate me further—his muscles seem to bulge out even more.I swallow. “Look. I can explain—” I start, but he cuts me off.“Save it for the boss,” he says, grabbing my arm and dragging me out.Rosita and I finally come face to face, and she gets her chance to apologize more audibly. “Sorry. I tried my best. But it’s like he could see right through me. Nothing I said worked.”“It’s alright. I knew this could happen.”“Really?” She tries to catch up. “So, what do we do now? Did
[Vivienne]Rosita and I follow the woman obediently.I mean, we could’ve tried to escape, but the idea seemed ridiculous. Where would we even run to? The bar was full of people who looked every bit as dangerous as you’d expect. Thinking they’d let us walk out without stopping us was laughable.Anyway, the woman leads us back to the bar, gestures for us to sit on the stools, and rounds the counter to stand across from us.Rosita and I exchange a glance, both of us clueless about what’s going on.The woman grabs two bottles of beer and slides them across the counter in front of us.Rosita is quick to take a sip, probably thirsty after that intense conversation she had with the bartender. Or maybe she’s just scared.I don’t touch mine. Instead, I look around the bar, watching people go about their day. Looks like they haven’t announced our little “crime” yet.“What’s wrong with her?” I hear the woman ask Rosita as she opens another beer.“Oh!” Rosita wipes her mouth with the back of her h
[Vivienne]I’m not sure I heard that right. “What?”The woman, who just introduced herself as Ruby, turns her gaze to Rosita. “Can you translate that for her, darling?”Rosita, who seems to be working on her third beer, nearly spits it right back into the bottle—something I’ve never seen her do before—and nods. “Yeah. Sure. What she’s trying to tell you, Viv, is that…”“I know what she’s saying.” God, what’s wrong with these people? Is this seriously how two strangers talk to each other? Or am I stuck in some weird dream I don’t even remember slipping into? Maybe they drugged me. Or worse.I turn to face Ruby. “What I don’t get is why you’re trying to help me. What’s in it for you?” There’s gotta be something. No one in this world does anything for free. Especially not something like this.“Joy. Satisfaction. You want more?”“So, you’re telling me you’re willing to help and don’t want anything in return?”Her eyes light up. “Exactly. It’s more like a public service. We help those who
[Vivienne]“Oh my God, this is going to be so much fun!” Rosita giggles, cupping her hands over her mouth to stifle the sound, but it’s a failed attempt.I’m already regretting this. “I don’t feel like it’s going to be fun at all.”“Oh, come on, are you kidding me? We’re going to raid a man’s house and tape him to a chair. This is as fun as it gets! Man, I always wanted to do that to Micah. You remember that bastard who broke up with me for that slutty Victoria, right? Shit. I wish I’d met Ruby before. I could’ve used some sweet revenge myself. I would’ve loved to glue him to the toilet seat, ‘cause that’s what he fucking deserves.” She spits it all out in one breath, huffing afterward.I turn to look at this new version of Rosita I’ve never seen before. “Are you okay? What happened to ‘moving on is the best payback to your haters’ and all that?”Rosita waves a hand dismissively, her eyes gleaming with that drunken enthusiasm that’s starting to worry me. “Oh, come on, Viv. That was th
[Caden]“Did we hear anything from Foxx Enterprise?”“No, sir. Not yet. But I communicated via email that we won’t be waiting for long. What we offer stands only until Saturday.”I nod, skimming the legal papers in my hand. “Good. And what about the Andersen project? Where are we on that?”“Our team is still working on the bid, sir. They haven’t finalized anything yet.”I close the file and drop it on the table. “Tell them to pick up the damn pace. We don’t have all week. I want the bid ready by the end of the day.”“Sure, sir!” Betty leaves the office, and I lean back in my chair, rolling my shoulders to dispel the exhaustion that’s been building up. That’s what happens when you’re running on less than three hours of sleep every night, I guess.I turn to my laptop, trying to focus on the next task at hand. I’m searching for a file I saved last night when the door to my office opens again. The click of heels against the floor and a familiar scent hit me harder than they should.No. Sh
[Caden]I kiss her.I kiss her until I grab her by the hips and heave her on the table.I guide her long legs to wrap around me while I bend her backward, kissing her until we both can’t breathe.By the time I pull away, we both are panting, hard. She glares at me as if she has reached a new level of hatred for me, and I gaze into her eyes, trying to understand why is it so hard to resist her.This is insane. I have always practiced a great amount of patience around her. I have resisted her even when it killed me to stay away. But now, when I don’t have any right on her, when she says she feels nothing for me, it feels like something inside me has changed. I can’t seem to imagine her with someone else. I can’t seem to entertain even the thought of her being with someone else.I frown.But before she raises her hand to slap me—again—I grab her wrist and pin her behind her back.She squirms. “Let go of me, Caden. Right this second. Or I swear to God—”I kiss her one more time, stealing
[Vivienne]The nurse leads me to the operating theater first but asks me to wait outside.My hands shake as I stare at the door, wondering how Harvey must be doing.How the hell did he get into an accident? Who was the woman with him? Why did he skip work? And what the hell was he doing on the west side of the city? We don’t even have any offices there.That area is basically filled with schools, colleges, and other educational institutes."If you need anything else, I’ll be at the reception," the nurse says, ready to leave and get back to her work.I don’t let her, though.I speak before she can even turn. "How long is it going to take?"She understands what I mean by it—she must face situations like this every day. "Nothing can be said for sure right now. And I understand that waiting feels difficult, especially when your brother is in there. But trust me, the best thing you can do right now is let the doctors do their job. They will tell you everything once they’re done treating yo
I decide to pick up my things from Harvey’s place and head back to our grandparents’ house.It’s the only place where I can think clearly and have some peace to myself.God knows I need a moment to just breathe.So much has happened in a single day—my body and brain both need a well-earned break.When I arrive at his place, Mimi still hasn’t returned from school.Good. Because if she had tried to stop me one more time with those big, adorable eyes, I probably would have changed my mind. That girl has some serious charm. No wonder Harvey can’t resist any of her demands—same goes for my parents.Dad once told me that when he took her to his office—back before he retired—she demanded to play loud pony-themed music and made everyone dance, as if the entire company had thrown a party just for her.Easy to say, the employees couldn’t have asked for a better break—or a better boss.Anyway, I grab my stuff and get back into the car, making sure to leave a text for Harvey so he knows my unexpec
[Vivienne]Once I’m far enough that Avery’s screaming fades into the background, I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself.God knows what’s up with these Lawrences lately. Have they all sworn to make my life hell? To never let me have a moment of peace?I shake my head and push some loose dark curls out of my face.When I return to the table, I find Theo sitting alone.And my anger flares all over again.How could he do this to me? Out of all the women he could have dated, he chose her—the sister of my ex-husband? Did he have no respect for me? Did I not tell him what that family did to me?How could he ignore all of that and fall for a girl who is neither right for him nor anything like him?She’s just like her mother. Like Sasha. Evil. Pure evil.I still remember the day she threw that scorching coffee in my face at the café…Anyway, I take a deep breath and make my way to the table.Theo sees me approaching, and before I can say a word, he stands up, hands braced against the tab
I stare at her, unsure whether to laugh in her face or take her seriously.“End me?” I tip my head to the side, pushing her off me at the same time. “Do you hear yourself? You sound unhinged.”“You think I’m joking?”“Nah, more like you’re trying to be something you’re not.”“You think I can’t hurt you?”I roll my eyes. “Oh, please. You? Hurt me? Avery, you’re a spoiled little brat from a family of professional liars and melodramatic wannabe royals. The only thing you’ve ever ‘ended’ is a shopping spree when Daddy cut you off. So, forgive me if I find it absolutely hilarious that you think you’re some kind of threat.”Avery’s mouth drops open.She probably didn’t expect me to say something like that.I’m not surprised. I was never this sassy in front of Caden’s family. I was good, loyal, and completely dedicated. But instead of appreciating any of it, they always assumed the worst of me.And—shockingly—they still do.Anyway, now that she has nothing to say, I turn to finally get the h
[Vivienne]Avery looks just as surprised to see me.Her eyes widen, and she jolts to her feet, her face slowly turning pale.Theo probably notices her odd reaction, but before he can say anything, Avery quickly grabs my arm and giggles over her shoulder.“You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for someone to arrive. I desperately need a lady’s help. Be right back!”And with that bizarre excuse, she drags me to the bathroom, shuts the door, and spins to face me—a crown of sweat already glistening on her forehead.“What the fuck are you doing here?” she snaps, glaring at me with those little brown eyes of hers.I raise a brow. “I could ask you the same question, couldn’t I?”“Oh, shut up!”“If that’s what you want.” I turn to leave. If she wants me to shut up, then I’d rather spend my time elsewhere.But of course, she doesn’t let me.She grabs my arm and yanks me back around—hard this time.I hiss and wrench myself free. “Are you crazy? You’re hurting me.”Instead of looking guilt
[Vivienne]When I reach the office building—invited by none other than Theo—I take the elevator to his office.His assistant meets me halfway and leads me inside.Surprisingly, the room is empty.“Sir is stuck in a meeting, but he assured me he’ll be joining you soon. Can I get you anything in the meantime? Juice, coffee, or something to eat?” the assistant asks courteously, a gentle smile on her pretty face.“Just water. Thanks.”She nods and steps out, leaving me alone.I take a deep breath and sink onto the sofa across the room—the only spot where my aching back might find some relief.Just then, I feel a small kick against the side of my swollen belly—a gentle reminder that my little one has started to move.I smile.It’s a feeling I can’t quite put into words.The baby kicks started a few days ago, and God knows I’ve been dying to talk to someone about it. Maybe that’s why I wanted to invite Rosita over or visit Mom—just to share this beautiful news with her.But then Caden showe
[Rosita]I don’t like surprises.Not when they keep me this on edge.Ever since we left my office, Harvey has been as silent as ever. He insisted on driving himself, and when I asked where he was taking me, he told me to have some patience.Well, it seems I don’t have the energy for patience either.“Are you sure you’re not about to push me off a cliff or something?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest and gazing at the scenery passing by outside the window.I hear him scoff out a small chuckle, the corner of his lips curving ever so slightly. “You have a bizarre sense of humor, you know that?”“You say that like it’s news to you,” I steal a glance at him—his hands gripping the wheel, his gaze steady on the road ahead. He’s always so composed, so frustratingly unreadable.I huff and lean back in my seat. “Are you planning to keep me in suspense forever, or are you actually going to tell me where the hell we’re going?”“Relax, Rosita. We’re almost there.”I don’t like that answer. I
[Caden]I walk out of the mansion and reach my car, already parked in the driveway.But I don’t get inside and move on with my day.No. I stop just before getting in and slam my fist against the roof of the car.Damn it! So close. I was so damn close to telling her everything. If only she had given me a chance.But can I really blame her? Is it really her fault for not giving me a chance now?The answer is no. I can’t blame her, and she isn’t at fault. I’ve wronged her in too many ways for her to believe that this time, when I speak to her, it comes straight from my heart. My words. My effort. My care.But does that mean I should just… give up?Absolutely not.I turn to face the mansion I just walked out of and mumble to myself,“You think I don’t want the child. But you couldn’t be more wrong. I have never wanted anything more in my life. But I have my reasons for holding back. I have a reason for not wanting to pass on my disabilities to our child—to keep them from suffering the sam
[Vivienne]For the next five minutes, neither of us says anything.Caden keeps his gaze locked on me while I continue to pretend that nothing he said has affected me in any way.But I’d be lying if I said his version of that night doesn’t make sense.It does. I just don’t know if it changes anything.Even if I admit that Sasha might have played me—made a fool out of me—that doesn’t explain his indifference toward me during our entire marriage. It doesn’t explain why he chose to stay away not just for days but for weeks, sometimes even months. Or why he spent the majority of his time with his family and assistant but not a single meaningful moment with his own damn wife.And it certainly doesn’t explain all the media buzz about him and Sasha—rumors of them being secretly engaged, enjoying vacations on exotic islands, and so on.“You should leave,” I tell him after a while, unsure if there’s anything left between us to discuss.No matter how innocent he claims to be, it doesn’t change t