EMILY’S POVInstead of looking all miserable in the living room, I decide to go to the guest room to get some sleep.I manage to let sleep claim me for a while. Then, the pain strikes.I feel a sharp ache in my stomach, tearing through me so suddenly that I jolt upright with a gasp. My breath comes in short bursts. Another wave of pain rips through me, sharper this time, sending me doubling over. I clench my abdomen as a strangled cry escapes my lips.i cry out.Something feels terribly wrong.I throw the covers back, and my stomach drops at the sight before me. I see a red stain on the white sheets.Blood.No, no, no.A wave of panic crashes over me, and my hands tremble as I fumble for my phone. I swallow down the lump rising in my throat. I dial the only person I can think of—Helen.The line barely rings twice before she picks up."Emily? What's wrong?" Her voice is laced with sleep, but the moment she hears my uneven breathing, she’s wide awake."I..." My voice shakes, "I’m bleedin
EMILY’S POVI sit up in bed, adjusting the thin blanket over my lap as Alexander walks in, carrying a tray of food. His presence fills the space effortlessly. His look alone is commanding, dark, and masculine in a way that makes my breath hitch.“I figured you’d be starving,” he says, setting the tray down on the table beside me. “Hospital food is terrible, but this should be better.”I glance at the takeout container and feel my stomach growl. “You didn’t have to do this.”“I wanted to.” His voice is low but there’s an intensity in his eyes that makes it clear he means it.As I take a bite, he leans back in the chair beside my bed, watching me.“Did I ever tell you about the time I got stranded in the mountains for three days?” he asks suddenly.I blink, surprised. “No, you didn’t. we just met, remember?”He smirks, “I know. I’m trying to lighten up the place”I chuckle “I’m listening”“It was a business trip gone wrong. One wrong turn, a busted tire, and suddenly I was miles away fr
EMILY’S POVThe steady beeping of the heart monitor is the only sound in the room. My fingers trace the blanket wrapped around me. I shift slightly, wincing at the dull ache in my stomach . I couldn’t help but think about something.Carlos stayed.That realization alone tugs at something deep inside me, something I’ve been trying to suppress. He had been here all night. Even when I drifted in and out of sleep, every time I opened my eyes, he was there. Sitting in that chair. His blue eyes watched me with an unreadable expression.It’s foolish, really, to think that it means something. To let myself believe, even for a second, that maybe he still cares. That maybe there’s still something between us.And then, he took a call.From her.Lina.I don’t even know what she said. I only heard her voice and his voice too, responding to her in a way he never does with me anymore. A sharp feeling of jealousy and pain cuts through me, twisting deeper with each passing second of their conversation
HELEN’S POV (CARLOS’ MOTHER)I am furious. The kind of fury that boils my blood and makes my hands tremble with the need to lash out, to scream, to demand answers that I know will only disappoint me.Carlos—my son—has the audacity to even consider leaving Emily for Lina. Emily, who has stood by him, who has given him everything. And yet, he chooses another woman. Just like his father did.My jaw tightens as I remember my past. This situation drags me backward to a time I have tried so hard to forget. A time when I was young, naïve, and in love with a man who had no regard for the vows he made.*flashback*Henry had been charming, handsome, the kind of man who turned heads in any room. I had fallen for him the way all foolish young women do—completely, blindly, and with my entire heart. Our wedding had been grand. It was a dream come true.I remember the first time I suspected something was wrong. Henry had started coming home late. If I asked where he was, he would tell me he was at b
EMILY’S POVThe doctor’s voice is calm as she lists the precautions I need to take. “You need to avoid stress, Emily. Your body is already under a lot of strain. Make sure you get plenty of rest and avoid any sudden emotional shocks. Stress isn’t good for the baby”Avoid stress. If only it were that simple.I nod and force a small smile, though inside, my heart is pounding. As soon as the doctor leaves, I exhale shakily, placing a protective hand over my stomach. I’m determined to do whatever it takes to keep my baby safe.But then a voice from the doorway shatters my moment.“What did the doctor mean by ‘the baby’?”My blood turns cold. My head snaps up, and my breath catches in my throat as I see Lady Helen standing at the door. She walks in with a shocked expression.My heart stops working for a moment. What is she doing here? She heard everything…oh no.“You were supposed to be here for a stomach issue,” she continues “Yet the doctor was talking about a baby. How far along are you
EMILY’S POVAs soon as Helen tells me Carlos had an accident, I can’t help but worry about him. I’m not strong enough yet I don’t care about that. All I care about is him.I have to go see him.“I want to see Carlos” I say.Helen’s expression darkens the moment I tell her I want to visit Carlos.“You can’t be serious, Emily,” she says “You’re still recovering, and after everything he’s done—”“I have to see him,” I cut in “I need to see with my own eyes that he’s alright.”Lady Helen sighs “This is madness. He doesn’t deserve your concern. Not after—”“I don’t care,” I say, gripping the edge of my seat. “I just need to go. Please, ma’amLady Helen looks at me for a long moment before sighing in resignation. “Fine. But if he upsets you, we leave immediately.”I nod. “Agreed.”-When we arrive at the hospital, my heart pounds so hard that I feel faint. Lady Helen steadies me with a firm hand on my arm, but it isn’t her touch that makes my breath hitch—it’s the sight before us.Through t
EMILY’S POV I sit up in bed, stretching my arms and rolling my shoulders. A few days have passed since I first came to the hospital, and now, I’m finally being discharged. I feel relieved that I can finally go home. No more sterile white walls. No more endless beeping of machines. No more nurses coming in every few hours to check my vitals. A gentle knock at the door interrupts my thoughts. Helen steps inside. Her face lights up when she sees me. “You look like you’re ready to escape,” she teases. I chuckle. “More than ready.” Helen sits down on the chair beside my bed, studying me with a thoughtful expression. “How are you feeling? And don’t just say ‘fine.’ I want the real answer.” I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “I feel... better. Physically, at least. My body doesn’t ache as much, and I don’t feel like collapsing every time I stand up. Mentally?” I pause, searching for the right words. “That’s a little harder to explain.” Helen nods, understanding. “It’ll take time,
EMILY’S POVI take a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm.Lina stands before me, arms crossed with that infuriatingly smug smile plastered across her face. She knows she’s won—or at least, she thinks she has. I can feel the satisfaction radiating off her, as if she’s relishing every second of this moment.I don’t want to argue with her.I don’t want to give her the satisfaction of seeing how much this is breaking me.Instead, I turn to Carlos. I keep my voice steady, even though my heart is unraveling. “Fine. I’ll agree to your request.”Carlos exhales. His shoulders visibly relax “Thank you, Emily.”“But—” I add sharply, looking at Lina “She has to move out by tomorrow.”The smile slips from Lina’s face, but only for a moment. She quickly regains her composure, letting out a soft chuckle as if my demand is amusing to her. I don’t care.Carlos nods “I promise, Emily. She’ll be gone by tomorrow.”That should be enough to ease my pain, to give me some small sense of victory. But it
CARLOS' POVThe screen behind me lights up with the final slide of my presentation. It's a clean detailed graph that shows our revenue climbing steadily over the past two quarters. I let the room fall into silence for a few seconds, savoring their anticipation before I speak again."—and if we follow this trend, introducing the Phoenix Expansion Project next month as outlined," I say, "we're projected to increase profits by an additional eighteen percent before the end of the quarter."I click the remote once more. Another graph appears. This one highlights our competitor’s sluggish growth in comparison. Quiet murmurs spread through the boardroom.I glance at the long table, where the board members sit in their dark suits. Some are leaning forward, some sit back with their arms crossed — but all with their eyes glued to me. And then, my gaze drifts to the man at the head of the table — my father.He isn’t leaning forward or sitting stiffly; he is relaxed with a small rare smile tuggin
EMILY’S POVThe air in the room thins until it feels like I’m breathing through a straw.I stare at Lina in shock. For a moment, I think I’m seeing things.What the hell is she doing here?My mouth is dry and my heart is hammering so loud I can barely hear anything else. She stands there in the doorway like she owns the place, hips cocked to the side, perfectly manicured nails tapping against her tablet. Her red dress clings to her body like it’s painted on. Her hair falls down her shoulders in perfect, glossy waves.I force my voice to work. "Lina? What... what are you doing here?"“Lina?” Bridget echoes in confusion.Lina smiles. That smug, superior smile she’s perfected so well. It’s like she’s drinking in the chaos she’s just unleashed, savoring it. She catwalks into the room as if she belongs there.Around me, the board members shift uncomfortably. I hear low whispers.Bridget, from the side of the room, mutters under her breath, "Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me."Victori
EMILY’S POVThe trip to Paris was great. Alexander’s driver drops me off at home. I didn’t have anything to drink but for some reason, I feel hungover.I’m barely through the front door when my phone buzzes again. A maid opens the door for me.“Good day, Miss Emily” she greets.“Hi” I say to her with a smile “How are you?”I go in, slipping out of my shoes, and glance at the screen. It’s an email.I tap it open, expecting another promotional message or maybe something from the clinic — but when I see the subject line, my heart leaps into my throat.Partnership Proposal: Maison de Lune Fashion House.I blink once. Twice. Just to make sure I’m not seeing things. No, I’m not imagining it.My fingers fumble a little as I click it open, reading the words over and over again. They’re inviting me — me — to a meeting. They want to talk about bringing my designs to life. They’re interested in opening a studio. With me.A squeal rips out of me before I can stop it. I spin around in the middle o
DANIEL’S POVI sit at my desk. My fingers are tapping on the table as the monitor in front of me flashes search results. Lina. Lina. Lina. Dozens of articles. Hundreds of names. None of them her.Each time I think I've found a lead, it slips through my fingers like smoke. A "Lina Morales" in Boston — no match. A "Lina M." in Los Angeles — wrong face. Wrong age. I close each tab one after another. With each second, I get more frustrated."She's a ghost," I mutter under my breath. Not even a damn traffic ticket. Not a whisper of scandal. Nothing. And that, in itself, is the biggest red flag of all.Nobody's that clean. Not unless they have a reason to scrub their past.I know nothing about her apart from the fact that she was married which I find absurd.I lean back in my chair, running a hand through my hair.Why are you hiding, Lina? What the hell are you so desperate to erase?I can't shake the feeling — that itching intuition that something big is sitting just beneath the surface, h
CARLOS’ POVThe sun is too damn bright.I squint as I step out of the car, watching Lina prance ahead of me toward the massive baby boutique like she’s heading into a candy store. Her heels click confidently on the pavement and her hand waves behind her as if to say come on, slowpoke. I catch up because I have to—not because I want to.Truth is, I feel like I’ve been dragged here. Like a leash has been tied around my neck, pulling me along with every smile, every “Carlos, this’ll be fun,” As the glass doors slide open, I hear the sound of lullabies inside the store. Everything is shiny. Expensive. The kind of place where cashmere blankets are folded like art and cribs cost more than some people’s rent.“Isn’t it beautiful?” Lina’s voice is sugar. She spins on her heel and takes my hand, tugging me forward. “I’ve been dying to come here.”I give her a faint smile. “Isn’t it a little early to be shopping?”She waves me off. “It’s never too early. We’re gonna be parents, Carlos! We nee
CARLOS’ POVIt’s nearly midnight by the time I pull into the driveway.I don’t move.My hand rests on the steering wheel. My fingers are clenched around it like I’m hanging on to something that isn’t there anymore. I stare at the door. The light above it is on—of course it is. Lina always waits up. Whether it’s out of care, obligation, or suspicion, I still haven’t figured out.I lean back into the seat and close my eyes, trying to breathe through the weight that presses down on my chest.Emily.Her name slips into my thoughts. No matter how hard I try to shove her into some corner of the past, she always finds a way to creep back in. Her laugh. The way she used to greet me at the door in those big, fuzzy slippers with her hair pulled back and a smile that felt like home.God, I’m such a damn idiot.I divorced her. Why?Because it started as a contract. That’s what I keep telling myself. It was supposed to be transactional. Practical. We were never meant to feel anything.Except we do
Emily’s POVThe silk of the green dress shimmers under my fingertips as I smooth it down over my hips. I stare at my reflection one last time. The sweetheart neckline is modest yet elegant.The dress is perfect. Absolutely perfect.I snap a few pictures, biting my lip as I angle my phone just right. Then I hit send—to Bridget and Helen, because of course I have to. Almost immediately, my phone buzzes.Bridget: Girl, are you trying to end him? 😍🔥Helen: You’re a goddess. If he doesn’t faint on sight, I will.I laugh out loud. With one last spritz of perfume and a shaky deep breath, I step into the hallway and make my way down the elevator.Alexander is waiting in the lobby.The moment his eyes land on me, his eyes widen in surprise. He straightens to his full height. His eyes are locked on me like I’m the only woman in the world. Slowly, he walks to me with his lips partly open.He stops just in front of me, reaching for my hand as though it’s sacred. Then he lifts it to his lips.“Y
EMILY’S POVBack at the hotel, I slip off my shoes and finally exhale. After a quick shower, I pull on an oversized t-shirt Alexander gave me and crawl into the ridiculously soft hotel bed. I grab my phone and snap a couple of photos—the city skyline glowing from the window, the luxurious bathroom, the impossibly fluffy robe hanging on the door.I send them to Bridget and Helen.Bridget replies almost immediately: You’re one kiss away from falling for this man.I snort. Not gonna happen. He’s just… being sweet.Helen sends three heart-eyes emojis. Sweet is a slippery slope.I toss my phone aside and lie back, staring up at the ceiling. The room is quiet. I should feel relaxed, but instead, my mind won’t shut off. I’m grateful, absolutely. This whole surprise trip is thoughtful and generous. But not romantic. Not for me. And yet…I wonder if I’m being unfair. Am I giving Alexander the wrong idea? Should I have drawn a clearer line? He’s sleeping in the next room, probably thinking thi
EMILY’S POVThe jet touches down in Paris, and even though I’m tired to the bone, I press my face to the window like a kid. The city lights sparkle below us, and off in the distance, the Eiffel Tower glows like something out of a dream.I’m here.I’m actually in Paris.I can hardly believe it.Sure, I’ve traveled to a lot of places. But the fact that Alexander brought me here is still surprising to me. I mean, what guy takes you on his private jet to Paris all because you were having a stressful time? It says a lot about him and I don’t know how to process it.I rub my belly, smiling down at my child.“Hey baby” I whisper “We’re in Paris”As we step off the plane, the cool night air hits me. I shiver a little, and Alexander places a hand lightly on my back.“Welcome to the City of Lights,” he says with a smile in his voice.I smile back, trying to hide how overwhelmed I feel. “I still can’t believe you brought me here.”He gives me that look—like he’s proud of himself. “Just wait unti