"Mom," I said, practically bouncing in my seat, "do you remember how she used to act all high and mighty? Like she was better than us? Look at her now!"The TV kept showing that clip of Eva being led to the police car, mascara running down her face like black tears. God, it was delicious. Each time
A smile spreads across my face as I get what she's saying. "And I'll be right there, won't I? The supportive friend who's always been around...""Exactly." Mom's smile is like a shark's now. "Men hate being alone. Especially men like Max who come from good families. He'll need someone to help him ma
# Chapter 31 Eva's Point of ViewI never thought I'd end up here.The guard pushed me into the cell without saying a word. The metal door made a loud bang as it closed behind me. I jumped at the sound, and my whole body started shaking. The cell was small, maybe eight feet by six feet, with gray w
"Well, isn't this interesting?" Sara said, walking right up to my cell. She smelled like expensive perfume the kind she always wore to make sure everyone knew how rich she was. "The perfect Eva Brown Graves, locked up like a common criminal.""What do you want, Sara?" I asked. I tried to make my voi
I heard the whispers start right away."There she is.""Look at her, acting all innocent.""I heard she did it for the money.""Poor Max..."I kept my eyes on the floor as I walked to my seat. The carpet was dark blue with little swirly patterns. I counted my steps. Anything to avoid looking at all
Sara was practically glowing from her seat. She watched Max yell at me with this little smile on her face, like she was watching her favorite TV show.The judge banged his gavel. The sound made me flinch."Mr. Graves," he said sharply. "That's enough."Max straightened his tie and took a deep breath
Chapter 32 The TrialEva's point of view I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror of the courthouse. My face looked pale and tired. Dark circles sat under my eyes from not sleeping for days. The orange jumpsuit they made me wear made me look even worse. My hands shook as I splashed cold wa
I wanted to look away, but I couldn't. It was like watching a car crash in slow motion."My grandfather took you in," Max continued. His voice got louder with each word. "He gave you everything. A home. A family. His trust." He paused, and I saw real pain flash across his face. "And how did you repa
Max’s Point of View It was the first time in weeks that we had something close to peace. Eva actually smiled, really smiled, as the kids worked on their fort, a chaotic masterpiece of pillows, sheets, and blankets piled high in the living room. It was the kind of moment I had been desperate for, t
Chapter 254 Sara’s Point of View I spread the financial documents across my desk, my gut twisting with unease. Something wasn’t right. Something about Martha Taylor’s spending habits gnawed at me, like an itch just beneath the surface of my skin. "Look at this," I said, pushing the credit card st
*** *** *** ***** I woke at dawn, Josh's words from last night echoing in my head. Time to prove to my family they came first. Starting with breakfast, real breakfast, like we used to have before everything fell apart. The kitchen was quiet as I pulled out ingredients. Pancake batter mixed with ch
Max point of view The bar was quiet at midnight, just me, Josh, and a bottle of scotch between us. The same drink that had started this whole mess five years ago. "Eva's right," I said, staring into my glass. "I'm destroying everything. My kids asked about divorce today, Josh. Divorce. They're fi
"Daddy?" Mia's voice trembled. "Are you leaving us?" And in that moment, looking between my wife's tears and my children's fear, I realized exactly what my one night's mistake had cost. Because sometimes the hardest wounds come from the ones we love most. And sometimes there are no right choices,
Max point of view I found Eva in our bedroom, packing my remaining clothes into a suitcase with violent movements. "Martha told me what you said," I started, anger boiling beneath my calm. "Threatening her, calling Nathan illegitimate, acting like some queen on her throne." "Oh, did your mistres
Eva's Point of View The walls of my office at Brown Tower were made of glass and steel, but right now, they felt as unyielding as iron. Outside, the city stretched endlessly beneath me, a kingdom that belonged to my children. A kingdom I would protect with everything I had. The soft knock on the d
**** ***** I sat alone in my darkened office at midnight, a glass of scotch untouched before me. The same drink that had created this mess five years ago. Eva's words echoed in my head, mixing with memories of Nathan's hopeful face. "A bastard son," Eva had called him. The words made me sick. On
Max point of view I found Eva in our home office, papers spread across her desk. The look she gave me was colder than I'd ever seen. "The lawyers sent everything," she said, her voice arctic. "Their demands. The trust fund. The visitation schedules." "Eva..." "Fifty thousand dollars a month." S