Tasha's POV
I nodded, acknowledging his confidence in me. As I left Mr. Belvoir's office, my mind was already racing with plans and strategies for the upcoming fashion contest. Normally the New York fashion scene was notoriously competitive, and this event was crucial. It was more than just a chance to showcase our designs; it was an opportunity to cement Belvoir Couture's position as a leader in the industry. I made my way back to my office, where my assistant, Claire, was already waiting with a stack of papers and a look of concern. "Everything okay, Ms. Taylor?" she asked, handing me the documents. "Just a change of plans," I said, glancing through the papers. "Mr. Belvoir canceled my meeting with Vivienne Steele. We need to focus on the fashion contest in New York." Claire nodded, her fingers flying over her keyboard as she started organizing th"Okay, umm..." I began, glancing at Ethan and Aunt Linda before looking back at Robbin. "So, the company is sending me to New York for a fashion contest and also a project. It's a really big opportunity. The project could take almost a year to complete." "Really?" Robbin asked, his eyes wide with surprise. "That's... that's huge, Tash. I'm so proud of you." Aunt Linda beamed. "This is a wonderful opportunity for you, love. You’ve worked so hard for this." "Well," Robbin said, a hint of a smile on his lips, "I guess we'll be heading in the same direction, but at different times." I looked at him, curious. "What do you mean?" He took a breath. "I’ve got some news of my own. I've been offered a chance to expand my business to New York as well. It's not immediate, but it’s in the works."
Daniel's POV I stared out of the window of my office, watching as the city moved around me, a blur of motion that I couldn't quite bring myself to focus on. The skyline of New York City was supposed to represent everything I had worked so hard to achieve—power, success, the pinnacle of my career. But as the days passed, it felt more like a prison, a constant reminder of what I'd lost. I rubbed my temples, trying to push away the memories that threatened to overwhelm me. Memories of her. Tasha. Even thinking her name sent a wave of pain through me. It had been five years, but the wound felt as fresh as if it had happened yesterday. I never thought I would miss someone this much. Suddenly, my phone buzzed, pulling me back to the present. I glanced at the screen Vanessa's name flashed up, along with her message. "My love, don't forget the designer shoes I told you about. They're a must-have!"
Daniel's POV I sighed, leaning back in my chair. Stanley and I used to hang out all the time, grabbing drinks, catching a game, or just shooting the breeze about life. But ever since the divorce with Tasha, he had been angry with me, not that he'd ever say it outright. It was in the way he looked at me, the way his voice got tight whenever her name came up. He blamed me for it, I knew. Hell, I blamed myself too, most days. But none of us were prepared for what happened after. After Tasha left, it was like she vanished off the face of the earth. Every line of contact we had for her was disabled. No phone number, no email, nothing. I had my people try to track her down, but she was always... not found, leaving no trace behind. Stanley and I even tried some old friends, mutual acquaintances, but no one knew. It was like she didn’t want to be found. And maybe that was for the best. She deserved her freedom, her space
Tasha's POV As the plane began its descent, I couldn't help but feel a mixture of excitement and nervousness. The flight attendant's voice came over the intercom, a calming and professional tone that broke through my thoughts. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are now beginning our descent into New York City. We hope you’ve had a pleasant flight with us today. Please make sure your seatbelts are fastened and your seats are in the upright position as we prepare for landing. The local time is approximately 3 PM, and the weather in New York is clear and pleasant. We hope you’ve enjoyed your flight and have a great time in the city." I looked out of the window as the skyline of New York began to come into view. The city's iconic landmarks and bustling streets were spread out below. Ethan, sitting beside me, looked out the window with wide eyes. “Mum, is that New York?” he asked, his exciteme
Panic surged through me as i rushed to the elevator, my hands trembling as i pressed the button. The elevator seemed to take forever, each second stretching into an eternity. when the doors finally opened, i bolted out and ran to the building’s security desk. "Excuse me, please," i panted, barely able to catch my breath. "my son, he's missing. did you see a five-year-old boy come through here?" The security guard looked up, his face calm but serious. "no, ma'am. we haven't had any children come through today." My heart sank, and i fought to keep my voice steady. "are you sure? he’s only five, dark hair..." The guard nodded, checking the logs. "i’m sorry, but no one matching that description has been seen leaving or entering the building." My vision blurred with tears as i turned to leave, desperately trying to calm myself. i neede
Daniel's POVI woke up to the sound of my phone buzzing on the nightstand. My head throbbed from last night’s drinks, but it wasn’t the hangover that had me feeling uneasy. It was the fact that I’d completely forgotten to pick up the designer shoes Venessa had asked for. My eyes drifted over to her sleeping form beside me, her back turned toward me. “Shit,” I muttered under my breath. Venessa had been talking about those shoes for weeks, reminding me at every possible opportunity. And yet, here I was, waking up next to her with empty hands. I knew I was in for it. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I needed to fix this before she woke up and realized. Maybe I could get them first thing Monday morning, or maybe I could find a way to make it up to her right now. Carefully, I slid out of bed and made my way around to her side. She was still asleep, her hair fanned out over the pillow. I leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder. "V
Daniel's POVI stared at the text, my heart pounding in my chest. I got up quickly, throwing on a shirt and a pair of shorts before dialing Mike's number. I slipped out of the bedroom and quietly made my way to the main door, hoping not to wake Venessa. As the call connected, I couldn't keep the urgency out of my voice. "What's the news, Mike?" I demanded. Mike had been the only one still actively searching for Tasha, even after all this time. I'd instructed him to keep looking, but so far, every lead had turned up empty. "Sir," he began hesitantly, "she left the country." I froze, my mind racing. "What do you mean she left the country? You said you found her!" My voice rose, anger and frustration bubbling up. I was on the verge of losing it, ready to unleash my fury on him for giving me false hope. But just then, the elevator chimed open, pulling my attention away. I was caught off guard by the sight of a small figure stepping out of the elevator. My initial frustrat
Tasha's POV I rushed out of the elevator, headed for the door Just when I opened the door, my eyes met Ethan playing with his toys, I dropped to my knees and pulled Ethan into my arms, holding him tight as relief washed over me. "Ethan, you scared me so much," I said, my voice trembling. "Where did you go? I was so worried." "I'm sorry, Mommy," he murmured into my shoulder. "I got lost. I know I should have stayed put, but the man on the upper floor brought me home." He pulled back just enough to look up at me, his eyes wide and earnest. "He'll be my new friend." I felt a mix of emotions relief, frustration, and a twinge of curiosity. "What man, sweetheart?" I asked, brushing a stray lock of hair from his forehead. "The man on the up floor," Ethan repeated. "He found me and helped me get back here." My heart skipped a beat. Who was this man? And why was he helping Ethan? I hadn't seen anyone in the hallway when I rushed out, but then again, I was too panicked to notice muc
The hours dragged by, each minute stretching into what felt like eternity. Daniel lay there on the floor, his mind a jumbled mess of regret, anger, and sorrow. The apartment felt colder now, the silence almost suffocating, pressing down on him from all sides. He didn’t want to move, didn’t want to face the reality of it all. The world outside could go on, but he was stuck, paralyzed by his own thoughts, unable to find a way out. The sound of the doorbell rang through the stillness, but Daniel didn’t even flinch. His eyes were heavy, his body unmoving, as if he had become a part of the room itself. The ringing continued, insistent, but he ignored it. Let them come. He wasn’t in the mood for company. He didn’t want to see anyone—especially not now. But the door clicked open, and soon enough, the sound of footsteps approached. Stanley’s voice broke through the fog in Daniel’s mind. “What the hell? Daniel?” The words were sharp, filled with concern, but Daniel didn’t react. He didn’t
Tasha’s words hung heavily in the air, slicing through the tense silence. "I see no one is going to tell me," Tasha continued, her voice firm despite the exhaustion in her frame. She took a step back, the IV stand rattling slightly as she steadied herself. Her eyes were sharp, filled with a mixture of confusion and coldness that hurt Daniel to the core. Daniel’s chest tightened as he opened his mouth to speak, but Tasha held up a hand to stop him. “I don’t want you coming here like you have the rights,” she said, her tone cold and final. It wasn’t the tone of the woman he once knew weeks ago. This was a stranger, a woman who, for the moment, couldn’t remember the sincerity they had shared for the past weeks. Daniel wanted to argue, wanted to explain everything, but when she cut him off again, the words stuck in his throat. “I don’
Outside the Room… Robbin stepped into the hallway, exhaling sharply as he ran a hand through his hair. His mind was still spinning from everything that had happened, Tasha waking up, her memory loss, the way she had looked at Daniel like he was a stranger. He should have felt relief that she was alive, but all he could focus on was the uncertainty of what came next. The sound of measured footsteps drew his attention, and when he turned, Mr. Belvoir was standing a few feet away, his expression unreadable. The older man regarded him in silence for a moment before finally speaking. “I see how much you care for my daughter.” Robbin straightened, swallowing the emotions that had been simmering inside him. “I do,” he said simply. “Everyone knows that.” Mr. Belvoir gave a slow nod. “And you’ve been there for her, protected her, even when I couldn’t.” Robbi
Tasha’s confusion deepened, but her instincts told her that there was more to the story. She tried to piece together the fragments of memory. “A truck? But I don’t... I don’t remember it.” Claire gave her a reassuring smile, though her own expression was tinged with concern. “Don’t worry, Tasha. It’s normal not to remember everything right away. The shock, the trauma, it can make things hard to recall. But you’ll get there. You just need time.” Tasha’s heart ached with the gaps in her memory. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something or someone was missing from the story. “Ethan... he was in the car with me, wasn’t he?” she asked, her voice soft, almost fearful of what she might hear next. Claire nodded, her expression softening. “Yes, sweetheart, Ethan was with you and he’s safe now. You don’t have to worry about him.” But as Claire spoke, Tasha couldn’t ignore the nagging se
The drive to the precinct was tense, every second ticking by like a countdown to something bigger. Daniel’s mind raced, replaying every detail of the accident, the threats, the calculated attack. When Daniel arrived at the station, the officer led him through to the interrogation room. Behind the glass, a man sat hunched over, his face hidden beneath his hands. The officer motioned toward him. “This is the guy,” the officer said. Daniel nodded but said nothing, studying the man carefully. He didn’t recognize him. There was no familiar face. Just another man who had been caught up in whatever game Vanessa was playing. The officer turned to Daniel. “We’ve traced everything back to this guy. He was hired to take Ms Belvoir, but his story’s all over the place.” Daniel stepped forward as the officer unlocked the door and en
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