[SASHA] "I don't like this, Sasha. What if everything you're doing backfires?" Mom says over the phone as I stand in the parking lot of our company, sifting through my purse, trying to find the keys to my car. I roll my eyes, frustration bubbling as the key remains elusive. "Please, Mom. Do you think I’d ever do something without thinking it through? Don’t worry about the Richardsons. If they know what’s good for them, they’ll figure out what to do if they want to keep me quiet.” And that is to pay me more than they’ve offered. Did they really think a meager amount would be enough? Did they really think my family was a charity case? Huh. I’ll show them what real charity looks like. Sure, we might not have any other choice right now—selling the company and all—but I’ll make damn sure this deal doesn’t leave us empty-handed. If the Richardson Group wants a piece of us, they’ll have to pay a hefty price. "But still," Mom says hesitantly, "they’re powerful people. You need to remember
[Sasha]“What the hell do you want from me? I owe you nothing!” I yelp out, afraid he would do literally anything to me. The last time one of his men came to see my brother, they beat him up terribly. Me, on the other hand, don’t look forward to any such treatments.The man laughs, whose name I’m still unaware of. But maybe it’s better that way. I have nothing to do with such low lives.“Oh, but you do,” he says, so sweetly one would think he means no ill will. But if one could just ignore the sweetness and focus on that ugly yet dangerous face, they would know this man is anything but sweet. “Your brother owes me big time, darling. Big time. Especially, after his little piece of ass reported us to the authorities. You think I take kindly to such things, huh?”I don’t think so at all. But I’m not the one who would do something so stupid, and neither is my brother. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I said nothing to no one. I’m not that stupid.”“Maybe not, but your brother?
[Sasha]“Come on, Caden. Answer your damn phone!” I mutter to myself, but he doesn’t pick up no matter how many times I call.The call disconnects after yet another unanswered attempt.“Fuck you, Caden!”I want to scream. I want to yell at this ignorant bastard. It’s glaringly obvious to me now that he’s ignoring me. Why? I don’t know. But I sure as hell will find out once I get out of here.I try Mrs. Lawrence this time. She’ll definitely answer. She always does.But the phone just keeps ringing until the call finally disconnects.“What the hell? Are you serious?”I stare at the phone, frustration bubbling inside me. Just when I need these jerks to help me, they’re nowhere to be found.“Ugh!” I groan, dialing Mr. Lawrence, Caden’s dad. But the response is the same—nothing.Out of sheer desperation, I try calling Caden’s nerdy assistant. Not once, but at least a dozen times. Yet that good-for-nothing woman doesn’t answer either.“What the hell is even going on here? Are they all ignori
[Sasha]“You know what? If I’m so stupid for you then you wouldn’t mind handling this situation on your own, would you?”“What?”“Exactly!”“Don’t you dare—” but before I can say anything more, the asshole brother of mine disconnects the call, leaving me seething with rage.“You fuck-pig! I can’t believe I wasted my time on you.” Speaking of time, I glance at the clock on my phone and realize I’ve already wasted twenty minutes on him.Wait. Does that mean I only have forty minutes left now?Shit. What am I gonna do? How will I arrange all this money before time runs out?I shake my head and scroll through my contacts again. Someone has to help me. I have plenty of friends. Surely, someone will remember my kindness and help me out of this mess.I make more calls—two to my childhood friends and at least a dozen to my college friends. I even call those I barely ever talked to, but they all give me the same answer: they don’t have that kind of money. One of them even cuts the call before
[Vivienne]“Alright. Here we are,” Theo says, adjusting his diamond cufflinks.I nod and take a deep breath. “You sure you can handle this?”“Are you kidding?” He looks at me, one eyebrow raised. “I want to do this, even if it’s the last thing I do.”I want to laugh, but I end up just smiling at his theatrics. “You make it sound like you’re going to war.”“Well, this is war,” he says casually, as if he doesn’t regret it one bit, as if he knows he’s already on the winning side. “The one these assholes started, but you’re the one who’s going to end it.”That’s right. I owe this to myself—to my unborn child. I promised to eliminate every possible threat from our lives so that, in the future, my child wouldn’t have to endure what I did. My child won’t suffer the way I did. My child will live a peaceful, happy life.Besides, this woman has done enough for my whole family to be done with her.They want her to be taken care of. Once and for all.Theo gives me a last bid of his cocky smile be
[Vivienne]I don’t see the need to either lie or speak the truth to a stranger, so I simply ignore it.“You did a great job,” I say, and he perks up with a smug grin, as if trying to remind me that he shouldn’t have expected anything less.I ignore that, too.A low chuckle rumbles from his chest. “There’s nothing sweeter than getting paid to collect my own damn money. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy screwing with that worthless woman. Your idea of jamming her calls so she couldn’t reach a single soul from the Lawrence family? Genius. My men and I couldn’t stop laughing while she kept trying, over and over, only to end up screaming her lungs out, wondering why nobody gave a damn when she needed them most.” He leans back, savoring the memory, a smirk tugging at his lips. “I’ll be honest, today feels like the best day of my life.”He pauses, a sly grin spreading across his face. “Tell you what—if you ever need another favor down the line, I’ll do you one back, free of charge. C
[Vivienne]When the car pulls back at the hospital, Theo helps me out and walks me to the entrance.However, we hardly even cross the reception when his phone rings and he excuses himself for a minute.I let him be and asked him to meet me upstairs instead.I still need to see my doctor before he finally agrees to release me. I feel much better now and want nothing more than to return home. Besides, if bed rest is all I have to do, I would rather do it where I feel safe and at home. I won’t shy away from hiring a nursing aid if I have to. The only thing I was—and all I can think of—is home.I take a deep breath and head towards the bank of elevators. Wait for an empty one to arrive while checking my phone for any update from Rosita. At my request—and reassurance—she finally took the flight back to Paris last night. Her show is coming up soon enough and I would hate for it to miss it for something so unnecessary.Unnecessary because I have enough people here to take care of me. And for
[Caden]I don’t know what I’m doing, only that it needs to be done.Bumping into Vivienne and asking her to lunch wasn’t part of the plan—not the reason I came to the hospital in the first place. But I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been looking forward to seeing her again.And trust me when I say this: talking about our unborn child wasn’t my only motivation.I came to the hospital to visit Mr. and Mrs. Clarkson. They’ve been close family friends for years, and after what my parents told me about breaking off all ties with Sasha—their daughter—I figured visiting them during tough times was the least I could do.Don’t get me wrong. I’m not interested in pleasing anyone in this world. Well, except for my parents. But that’s only because I owe them more than my entire life. They came into my life when my real family—my whole world—turned their backs on me. Left me at the door of an orphanage because they didn’t think I was worth saving—or worth wasting their time on.The good thing, how
[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