Tasha's POV The meeting had barely started when Venessa began to challenge every decision I proposed. It was almost as if she had come prepared to undermine me at every turn. Her posture was rigid, her gaze cold and calculating as she interrupted me during my presentation. “Hold on a second, Tasha,” Venessa said, raising her hand to stop me mid-sentence. The rest of the team shifted in their seats, sensing the tension between us. “I don’t quite understand the rationale behind that strategy. It seems a bit…rushed, don’t you think?” I looked up from my notes, locking eyes with her. There it was, the subtle yet condescending tone I remembered so well. But I wasn’t the same person I had been all those years ago. I wasn’t going to let her rattle me. “With all due respect, Venessa,” I began, keeping my voice steady and professional, “this strategy has been carefully planned and takes into account the current market conditions. The timeline is designed to capitalize on a unique window
Author's POV “Venessa’s older cousin sister,” Claire confirmed. Tasha’s eyes narrowed as she stared at Claire’s laptop screen, still absorbing the surprise from earlier. “Venessa Steele...” she muttered under her breath. “What are the odds she’s working on this project?” Claire, who was still seated beside her, shrugged casually. “Turns out she’s related to Vivienne Steele. Older cousin. That’s probably how she got looped into the Paris team. Small world, right?” Tasha shook her head, unable to hide the slight irritation at the coincidence. “Of course. That explains why she’s here.” Claire smirked. “Yeah, I think she’s got family connections. I thought you might find that interesting.” “I don’t find it interesting,” Tasha replied, a small, amused smile tugging at
Just as Tasha was about to answer Robbin’s question, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen, his face immediately growing serious. “I have to take this,” he muttered, stepping away for some privacy. Tasha exhaled slowly, grateful for the temporary reprieve. Her mind raced as she watched Robbin disappear into the room, his voice low as he answered the call. She hadn’t been ready to talk about Daniel. Five years of running, hiding, and keeping secrets couldn’t just unravel in a single conversation, especially not now, with Robbin. Moments later, Robbin returned, his expression unreadable. He tucked his phone into his pocket, glancing at her with a mix of concern and something else she couldn’t quite place. “I have to step out for a bit,” he said, his tone clipped. “Something came up.” Tasha frowned. “Is everything okay?” Robbin nodded, but his eyes betrayed him. “Yeah, just... business. I’ll be back soon.” He walked to the living room, leaned down to give Ethan a quick pat
Stanley. The man who had been Daniel’s best friend. The man she had last spoken to five years ago, the night before she left without a word. Tasha’s heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, she froze, her gaze locking with Stanley’s as he casually entered the room, his presence effortlessly commanding attention. He looked just the same, with that same air of confidence. Robbin, standing by the back of the room, immediately picked up on Tasha’s sudden hesitation. He discreetly edged closer, ready to step in if needed, but Tasha took a breath, steeling herself. She had to keep going. This was too important to let the past derail her. Stanley found a seat midway through the room, his eyes never leaving her. The last conversation they’d had echoed in Tasha’s mind, his worried voice asking her what was wrong, his confusion when she’d avoided telling him the truth about Daniel, and the guilt she carried for leaving behind without explanation. But now, in the middle of this impor
Author's POV Daniel was supposed to attend the presentation. It was a critical part of his role, a moment to show focus in the business world. But instead, he had chosen to pass the responsibility to Stanley. After all, Stanley could handle it, he always did. And something else had been pulling at Daniel’s mind ever since Venessa was part of the Paris team. The connection gnawed at him, and yet, there was another distraction, one he hadn’t fully acknowledged until now. He hadn't heard from the little boy. The thought was unsettling, and Daniel couldn’t shake it. Something about the kid drew him in, something familiar yet Implacable. As he made his way out the apartment, Daniel stopped at the fifteenth floor. He rang the doorbell, shifting slightly as he waited. A woman opened the door, and for a second, his heart raced with anticipation, hoping it was her Ethan’s mother. But no. "Are you Ethan’s mother?" Daniel asked, trying to mask the disappointment in his voice. The woma
Daniel walked into his office, his mind still replaying the brief encounter with Ethan and the mysterious Ms. Taylor. He couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to the story, but he had to push it aside for now. There were matters at the office that demanded his attention. As he stepped into the building, his assistant, Emma, was already waiting by his office door, a tablet in hand. She looked up and gave him a polite smile, though there was a hint of concern in her eyes. “Mr. Sterlings, good morning. You have a busy schedule today. The board meeting has been moved up to tomorrow, and there’s a stack of reports you need to review before then,” she said, handing him a list of his appointments. Daniel took the tablet and nodded, his expression thoughtful. “Thanks, Emma. I’ll go through these now. Is Stanley back yet?” “He’s on his way up, sir. He mentioned he’d be stopping by to give you a report on the presentation.” “Good,” Daniel replied absently, already flipping
Daniel shook his head, but the lightness he felt in his chest was undeniable. Stanley was right about one thing: he was curious. And that curiosity was going to drive him crazy. ********** Robbin’s smile was warm as they all entered the apartment. Ethan ran to him with excitement, eager to show off his gadgets. “Look, dad! I’ve been learning how to use the laptop you got me!” Ethan grinned, his little fingers moving across the keys. Tasha stood by the kitchen counter, watching the two of them bond. She couldn’t deny the warmth she felt seeing Ethan so happy. Robbin had been nothing but kind to her and Ethan, but every time he got a little too close, she felt the urge to pull back. The ghost of her past, Daniel hovered over her, casting a shadow on everything. As Robbin placed Ethan’s laptop on the table and turned toward her, she could feel his eyes lingering just a little too long. “Can we talk for a second?” Robbin asked, his voice soft, but there was an intensity behind it.
Daniel's POV Stanley left my office with that smug grin still plastered on his face. As the door clicked shut behind him, I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. Tasha. Here, in New York. Working on the very project I’ve invested into, Belvoir Couture. The irony was almost unbearable. I thought she was gone for good. When she walked out of my life, there was no looking back. I was sure of it. Yet, here she is. In my city. After all these years, she's back, and somehow, she managed to slip into my world again without even trying. The memories flooded back the arguments, the misunderstandings, the slap. I never cared. I should have. But I was too caught up in the lies and manipulations of my past, too blind to see the truth in front of me. And then... she was gone, leaving me in the wreckage of our life, unable to fix what I had destroyed. I picked up the desk phone, dialing my assistant. "Emma," I said, my voice steady but my heart racing. "Get me e
Tasha straightened, maintaining her composure as Venessa's gaze settled on her. Claire, sensing the tension, glanced between them, choosing her words carefully. “Good morning, Venessa,” Tasha said with a polite smile, her voice calm yet assertive. “Anything urgent on your desk today?” Venessa raised an eyebrow, her smile more of a smirk. “Just making sure all the loose ends are tied up. It’s easy for things to slip through when people are… away from the office.” Tasha noted the implication, but she remained unfazed. “Well, it’s good to know things stayed on track. Let’s keep up that momentum, shall we?” Claire stifled a laugh, caught between amusement and nervousness. Venessa’s expression hardened, as if looking for something in Tasha that would crack. But when nothing came, she finally turned on her heel. “By the way,” Venessa said, pausing, “I hope you’re aware of the upcoming presentation. There’s a lot riding on it. Wouldn’t want anyone underprepared.” With that, she st
"Ethan wants to hang out with you," Tasha said, glancing at Daniel with a gentle but hopeful expression, her eyes searching his. Daniel's face softened as he looked at Ethan, who was practically bouncing in anticipation. "Yes, Dad, can we?" Ethan asked eagerly, his face lighting up. Tasha, noticing the moment, quickly added, "But if you’re too busy, we can just..." "No, it's fine. I'm all free," Daniel cut in, giving Stanley a side-eye as he added, "Stanley was just leaving." Stanley raised his hands in a mock surrender, grinning. "Alright, alright. I can take a hint." He turned to Tasha with a warm smile. "Guess we’ll all head out together." As they walked toward the door, Stanley leaned closer to Tasha. "Oh, before I forget," he said, a hint of excitement in his voice, "I wanted to let you know... well, I’m getting married!" Tasha’s face lit up. “That’s amazing, Stanley! Congratulations!” “Thanks! And I expect you both to be there,” he added, nudging her playfully. “N
Tasha read Daniel's message one more time, feeling somewhat okay with it but choosing not to reply just yet. She slipped her phone into her bag and continued with her day, balancing meetings and planning sessions with Claire. The work felt steady and purposeful, grounding her as she set her sights on her future here. Later, back at her apartment, Tasha was setting dishes on the table for herself and Ethan. The warm aroma of the meal filled the cozy space as she plated the food and called Ethan over. He hopped up onto his chair with a big grin, digging in eagerly. As they ate, she looked at him with a soft smile. "Sweetheart, would you like to see your dad tomorrow?" Ethan's eyes lit up. “I get to see Dad?” he asked, a bit of surprise mixed with excitement in his voice. “Of course,” Tasha replied gently. “He misses you, and I thought it might be nice for the two of you to spend some time together.” Ethan nodded enthusiastically, “I miss him too, Mom! Can we go somewhere fun?”
Claire, holding back a smirk, shrugged. “I guess you’ll find out soon enough.” Venessa rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. “I just hope they don’t waste everyone’s time with the whole pomp and circumstance thing. Anyway,” she added, turning her gaze toward Tasha, “Well Tasha. Try to keep up, The current Belvoir Couture, it’s not for everyone.” Tasha nodded politely. “Thanks Venessa. I’ll do my best.” Venessa gave a brief nod and continued on, entirely unaware. Tasha exchanged an amused glance with Claire, who gave a subtle thumbs-up. Once Venessa was out of earshot, Tasha chuckled. “Looks like it’s going to be an interesting first day.” Claire laughed. “You don’t even know the half of it. Let’s get you settled in.” As they settled into the
The next evening, Tasha dressed simply yet elegantly for the dinner with Vivienne. She was both curious and cautious about meeting Vivienne, woman who had such close ties to Mr. Belvoir and, as she recently learned, to Venessa as well. Would this dinner bring an ally or another layer of complexity? “Mom, do you think Aunt Vivienne will like me?” Ethan asked, adjusting his small tie in the mirror. Tasha knelt beside him, smiling. “She’s going to love you sweetheart. Just be good, okay?” Ethan nodded, but there was a little sign of nervousness in his eyes. He was still adjusting to all these new faces and places, and the dinner added a layer of importance that even he could sense. As they arrived at the upscale restaurant, Vivienne was already waiting at a cozy corner table. Her presence was commanding, and she gave Tasha and Ethan a warm smil
“Hey, Claire, I need you to set up an apartment for me,” Tasha said, her tone low. There was a pause on the other end before Claire replied, “Alright, but… you really don’t want to be here?” Tasha sighed, glancing at Ethan, who was happily playing with his toy. “No, I don’t want to be there, Claire.” “Is it because of…?” “He owns the building,” Tasha replied, her voice barely above a whisper. Claire took a breath, choosing her words carefully. “Well, why not stay in one of the Belvoir estates here? It’d be private, and there are plenty of security options.” But Tasha shook her head, even though Claire couldn’t see her. “I don’t need attention, not yet. I need everything off the media in the best way I can. It’s what’s best for Ethan,” she said firmly. “I don’t want his life disrupted more than it already has been.” Claire was quiet for a moment. “Alright. I’ll set something up. A nice, quiet place. Low profile.” “Thank you, Claire,” Tasha replied, relief flooding her v
After the Visit to Mr Belvoir's house, Tasha relaxed in her room as her phone buzzed, and she glanced down to see Claire’s name flashing on the screen. She smiled, picking up as she walked back inside. “Hey, Tasha!” Claire greeted, her face filling the screen with a warm smile. “I’ve missed you! How are things over there in London?” Tasha relaxed, her smile widening. “It’s been a lot, Claire. But good, I think. Mr. Belvoir, 'Daddd' wants me to step into this big role in his company. Can you believe it?” Claire's eyebrows shot up. “Belvoir Couture’s queen in the making, makes total sense to me! You’ll handle it beautifully.” Tasha laughed softly, shaking her head. “I don’t know, Claire. It’s a lot. But hey, how’s New York treating you?” “Oh, New York is... well, it’s never dull, that’s for sure.” Claire hesitated, her tone shifting. “There’s actually something I wanted to talk to you about. It’s… odd.” “Odd?” Tasha’s curiosity piqued. “Go on.” Claire leaned closer to the
Tasha's phone buzzed, and she glanced down to see Robbin’s name on the screen. She hadn’t heard from him in so long especially with everything that had happened lately, his absence had been puzzling. She stepped aside, answering with a cautious “Hello?” “Tasha, hey… it’s been a while.” “Robbin,” she replied, her tone mixed with relief and curiosity. “Where are you? I thought you’d be in London by now, you said you’d be here last week.” A slight hesitation filled the line before he spoke. “I know, and I’m sorry. I’ve been tied up with some… kinda family issues in Paris. Something came up last minute, and I couldn’t get away like I’d planned.” “Family?” Tasha questioned, surprised. “You’ve never mentioned any family in Paris.” Robbin’s voice s
Tasha stepped onto the balcony of her London apartment, dialing Claire’s number. She needed to hear her friend’s voice, to process everything that had happened with Mr. Belvoir. After a couple of rings, Claire’s familiar voice answered on the other end. “Tasha! How’s it going over there?” Claire asked cheerfully. Tasha sighed, her eyes drifting to the bustling city below. “Well… it’s been a whirlwind. I met him... I met Mr. Belvoir, Claire. Turns out his my father. He’s—” She hesitated, struggling to find the words. “He’s not what I expected.” There was a pause, and then Claire’s gentle tone filled the silence. “Tasha, that’s huge. I can’t imagine what that must feel like. Woah, Mr Belvoir? How are you holding up?” “It’s surreal. He’s saying all the right things, you know? That he wants to know me, that he regrets not being in my life. I mean, maybe I've been searching for this my entire life, and now he’s here,” Tasha admi