Mr. Belvoir: "Tasha, just wanted to personally commend you on your incredible work so far. The designs are bold, innovative everything I expected and more. Looking forward to seeing them shine at the upcoming contest. We’re in for something spectacular." Tasha’s heart skipped a beat, a mix of pride and pressure swirling inside her. Mr. Belvoir rarely sent personal messages, and his praise meant a lot. It also meant that the stakes were even higher for the upcoming fashion contest, her biggest opportunity yet. Claire returned from the kitchen with a cup of coffee, noticing the look on Tasha’s face. “Good news?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. Tasha held up her phone. “Mr. Belvoir... He’s impressed with everything so far.” Claire grinned. “See? I told you. You’re killing it.” Tasha set the phone down, though her mind was already racing with everything left to do. “Yeah, but the contest... It’s still coming up fast. This could either make my career or sink it. Everything has to be
The ride to the atelier was a blur, her mind running through everything that needed to be done. The fashion contest was looming closer, and the pressure was mounting. But this wasn’t just any competition, it was her chance to make a mark, to solidify her place back in New York’s elite fashion world. When she arrived at the atelier, the familiar hum of activity greeted her. The team was already at work, mannequins stood draped in half-finished gowns, bolts of fabric lay across worktables, and the sound of sewing machines filled the air. This was where Tasha felt most alive, where her creativity could flow freely. “Good morning, everyone,” Tasha called out as she stepped inside. The team greeted her with nods and smiles, eager to hear her next instructions. She walked straight to the design board, studying the sketches she had been working on for weeks. The evening gown was almost complete, but something about the design still felt... off. One of her seamstresses approached, holdi
Tasha didn’t hesitate. She rushed forward, her hands pulling Ethan away from Venessa’s tight grip. "Mom!" Ethan cried, his face streaked with tears, clinging to her as if he was terrified of letting go. Tasha’s heart pounded, her breath shallow with anger as she faced Venessa. "Get your hands off my son!" she snapped, her voice sharp and filled with protective fury. Venessa blinked, clearly taken aback at first, but then a wicked smile spread across her lips. "Your son?" she echoed, her tone dripping with malice. Her eyes gleamed with amusement, as if she had found a weakness to exploit. "This bastard?" Before Venessa could utter another vile word, Tasha’s hand flew across her face with a loud, resounding slap. The force of it caused Venessa to stagger back, her hand instinctively reaching for her reddened cheek, shock and humiliation in her eyes. "You will not speak about my child like that," Tasha hissed, her voice low but filled with such intensity that it could cut throug
Later that evening, Tasha went to Ethan's room. The light in the hallway cast a soft glow into the space, revealing Ethan sitting cross-legged on his bed, his small face etched with confusion. Tasha could see he was still bothered by what had happened earlier with Venessa. She tried to steady herself as she approached him, determined to offer comfort and clarity. “Hey, sweetheart,” she said softly, sitting on the edge of his bed. “You doing okay?” Ethan looked up at her, his eyes big and filled with questions. “Mom, why did that lady call me that? What's a ‘basta...?’” Before he could finish, Tasha cut him off gently, “Don't say that word, honey. It's not a good word, and you don't ever need to repeat it.” “But why did she say it?” Ethan pressed, his voice filled with the innocent curiosity only a child could have. “Is it because I don't have a real dad?” Tasha's heart clenched at his words. She hadn’t anticipated this moment—having to explain such harsh realities to him. Sh
Daniel hesitated for a fraction of a second before taking her hand. His touch was familiar, but the circumstances couldn’t have been more different. “Tasha,” he replied, his voice low, his eyes searching hers for something she wasn’t ready to give. Venessa, standing beside Daniel with a smug expression, wasted no time inserting herself into the conversation. “Oh, Tasha, how lovely to see you again,” she said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. “I didn’t realize you’d be here tonight.” Tasha returned the smile, though hers was far more genuine. “Likewise, Venessa. It’s been... a while.” The tension between the four of them was palpable. Venessa squeezed Daniel’s arm tighter, as if staking her claim, while Daniel remained silent, his gaze flickering between Tasha and Venessa. “Well,” Mr. Belvoir continued, oblivious to the undercurrents, “I’m sure the two of you will have plenty to discuss over the course of the evening. I’ll leave you to it. There are some other guests I need
Tasha slowly stood, her heart thudding in her chest. She had prepared herself for this moment, Daniel being reintroduced into her professional life, but nothing could quite compare to the reality of standing in front of him once again. Robbin, sensing the shift in energy, stood beside her but remained silent. His eyes flicked between Tasha and Daniel, though he was unaware of the deeper history between them. "Daniel," Mr. Belvoir continued, motioning toward him, "this is Tasha, the creative genius behind the designs we’ve been so excited about. Tasha, Daniel is one of our biggest investors for the project." Daniel’s expression was composed, his eyes flickering with something Tasha couldn’t quite place. His hand extended toward her, and she hesitated only briefly before taking it. "Nice to meet you," Daniel said, his voice deep and steady. Tasha met his gaze evenly. "Likewise," she responded, her voice calm though her thoughts were racing. Their handshake lingered a momen
As they entered the apartment, the soft hum of the elevator still lingered in the background. Claire offered a quiet goodnight before retreating to her room, leaving Tasha and Robbin alone in the living room.Tasha stood by the window, gazing out at the city lights, her mind replaying the events from the evening. She didn’t want to talk about it, not now, not yet. The weight of everything with Venessa, and even Daniel, felt too heavy to carry at this moment.Robbin approached her gently, his presence calm and reassuring. He placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch warm. “You don’t have to say anything,” he murmured softly, as if sensing her need for silence. Tasha turned to face him, her eyes meeting his with a soft vulnerability. “Thank you, Robbin,” she whispered. “For always being there. For Ethan, for me…”Before he could respond, she leaned in, kissing him. What began as a soft kiss quickly turned more intense, her hands finding their way to his chest, pulling him closer. He res
“Not that serious?” Daniel's voice came out low, cold, almost dangerous. His fists clenched at his sides, the weight of Venessa’s words sinking into him like a knife. “She saved your life, Venessa. And you... you trashed it like it meant nothing?” Venessa rolled her eyes, that infuriating smirk playing at the corner of her lips. She had always been this way careless, selfish, and utterly incapable of seeing beyond her own needs. Daniel couldn’t help but think how wrong he had been about her all those years ago. "Spare me the lecture, Daniel," she shot back, her voice dripping with disdain. "You think you're some kind of hero, don't you? Running to her defense like she’s some martyr? She came between us, She’s not innocent. None of us are." His jaw tightened as he took a step closer, anger coursing through him. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Tasha had given up her blood to save Venessa’s life, and this was how she repaid her? With mockery and disdain? But before he could
Daniel stood at the back of the room, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. He didn’t say a word. Tasha frowned, her brows knitting together as she tried to piece together the fragments of her memory. “I remember meeting Mr. Belvoir… Dad,” she corrected, looking up at him. “I was in his house. With Ethan.” She hesitated, her fingers tightening around the blanket. “Then I went back home.” Claire shifted uncomfortably, glancing at the others before asking cautiously, “You mean… in London?” Tasha nodded slowly. “Yes.” The room went still. Robbin’s gaze flickered toward Daniel, but Daniel didn’t react. His jaw was set, his eyes locked onto Tasha, but he remained silent. Mr. Belvoir, standing near the door, exhaled softly. “That was nearly two years ago.” Tasha’s eyes widened. “What?” Claire sat beside her, gently taking her hand. “Tasha… you’ve been here for a while. You left London.” Tasha shook her head, confusion flashing across her face. “No. I— I would remember
Daniel felt his stomach tighten at the way she looked at him, like he was a stranger. Tasha’s breathing grew uneven as her gaze flickered around the room, taking in the medical equipment, the soft beeping of the monitors, the IV in her arm. Her fingers curled into the bedsheets as if grounding herself. "Why are you here, Daniel?" she asked again, sharper this time, her voice laced with confusion and something else, something distant. "Where I'm I?" Claire and Robbin exchanged uneasy glances, but neither spoke. Ethan, sensing the shift in his mother’s demeanor, clung to her arm. “Mom?” he whispered. “You’re home now.” Her head snapped toward him, eyes wide, panic creeping into her expression. "Home?" she echoed. Ethan nodded eagerly, trying to reassure her. "Right, Dad?" Tasha froze. Her gaze snapped back to Daniel, and for the first time since waking up, there was something else in her eyes, uncertainty. “Dad?” she repeated slowly, as if the word itself didn’t make s
Claire, who had gone back to check on Tasha, suddenly let out a startled gasp. “Tasha? Tasha… Oh my God!” Her voice rang through the quiet estate, filled with shock and relief. Daniel and Robbin barely had time to process her words before she came running out of the room, her expression frantic but hopeful. “She’s awake! Tasha’s awake!” Robbin reacted first. “Call the doctor,” he ordered, already moving toward the room. Daniel didn’t wait, he rushed past them, pushing open the door to Tasha’s room. His heart pounded as he stepped inside. Tasha was lying in bed, her eyes fluttering open, blinking as if trying to adjust to the light. Her breathing was uneven, her body weak from days of being unconscious. But she was awake. She was awake. Daniel exhaled a shaky breath, stepping closer, almost afraid that if he blinked, she would disappear. “Tasha…” Her eyes moved slowly, searching, until they landed on him. Confusion flickered across her face, followed by exhaustion. He
Claire was already there, sitting beside Tasha’s bed, adjusting the blanket carefully. The room was dimly lit, the soft hum of medical equipment filling the space. When she looked up and saw Daniel standing in the doorway, she let out a quiet sigh. “Daniel, I’m sorry…” she said, standing up. Daniel’s gaze moved from Claire to Tasha, who lay still, her breathing steady but weak. His chest tightened at the sight of her like this. He swallowed hard before looking back at Claire. “You should’ve called me,” he said, his voice rough with frustration. Claire nodded, guilt written all over her face. “I wanted to, but I had to settle Ethan in first. He was already upset, and Mr. Belvoir made it clear that he didn’t want any more chaos.” Daniel let out a slow, controlled breath, running a hand through his hair. “And you just went along with it?” Claire frowned. “I didn’t have a choice, Daniel. Mr. Belvoir arranged everything before anyone could tell what was going on. She’s being mo
The next morning, Daniel gripped his phone so tightly his knuckles turned white. His pulse pounded in his ears as he stalked through the hospital hallway, barely keeping his composure. He had only been gone for a few hours. How the hell had they moved her without his knowledge? He reached the nurses’ station, his voice dangerously low. “Where is Tasha?” The nurse hesitated, glancing nervously at his tense posture. “She was discharged early this morning under private medical care. Arrangements were made by her family.” Daniel clenched his jaw, his mind spinning. He barely heard the rest of what she said before he stormed outside, dialing Claire. She picked up after a few rings, her voice cautious. “Daniel—” “Where the hell is Tasha?” he demanded. Claire sighed. “Daniel, calm down.”
Daniel’s phone buzzed in his pocket, the caller ID displaying Stanley’s name. He answered quickly, his voice tight with exhaustion. “Stanley,” Daniel began, his tone calm but heavy, “I'm glad you called back.” “I’m sorry about the accident,” Stanley’s voice came through, filled with concern. “Is everyone okay?” Daniel leaned back against the wall, his eyes closing for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. “We lost Mike,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “He didn’t make it. Tasha’s in a coma, but the doctors are hopeful. Ethan… he’s okay. Just shaken up.” There was a pause on the other end of the line, then Stanley’s voice spoke again, softer. “I’m sorry, Daniel. Mike was a good man. His wife and kid… they’ll be well taken care of, won’t they?” Daniel’s expression hardened as he replied, his words
The doctor raised a hand to calm them. "If Mr. Sterling agrees, we can temporarily assign guardianship to Mr. Robbin while Ms. Tasha is recovering. But this has to be a joint decision." Daniel looked away, clenching his jaw. After a long pause, he finally spoke. "Fine. But I’m not stepping back. I’m still his father." Robbin nodded. "I never said you weren’t." The doctor scribbled something on the file. "Alright. We’ll get the paperwork started." Daniel ran a hand down his face, exhausted but resigned. "Can we see her now?" The doctor nodded. "I’ll have a nurse take you in." Robbin exhaled, glancing toward the door. As they stepped out of the doctor’s office, the tension between Daniel and Robbin was thick. The
The car skidded to a halt, smoke rising from the hood. For a moment, there was only silence, the world eerily still. Tasha’s head spun. She tried to focus, but everything was blurred around her. Ethan’s small, trembling hand was still in hers, but she couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. Darkness threatened to take over her senses as her body felt weightless, and her mind began to slip away. “Mom? Mom?” Ethan’s voice, faint but full of panic, echoed in the distance. But it was fading, the edges of his voice muffled as everything slipped into blackness. The sterile white lights were too bright, the machines too loud. The sound of beeping filled Tasha’s ears, the rhythm a constant reminder that she was still here, still alive. But she wasn’t truly awake. Not yet.
Tasha’s grip on her phone tightened as Vanessa’s words echoed in her ears. “I’m outside. Don’t keep me waiting.” Her breath came in short gasps, but she forced herself to stay calm. She turned back, scanning the aisles for Mike, but he was nowhere to be seen. “Mike?” she called out sharply, but there was no response. Panic threatened to overwhelm her, but she knew she didn’t have time to lose. Her fingers trembled as she quickly dialed Daniel’s number. Daniel answered almost immediately, his voice laced with concern. “Tasha? What’s wrong?” “It’s Vanessa,” she whispered, stepping out of the toy store and onto the busy mall walkway. “She has Ethan.” “What?” Daniel’s voice rose in alarm. “Where are you? Where’s Mike?” “I don’t know,