Nathaniel Caution is my only friend now. I move slowly and carefully, every step deliberate, as I walk through the darkened streets toward the docks. The weight of what lies ahead presses down on my shoulders, making my every breath feel heavy. My mind replays the events of the past two years—a vicious loop of mistakes, betrayals, and unexpected turns. I can't afford another misstep, not now. I know that this might be a trap, but I am desperate. Two years ago, everything seemed so clear. Megra and I had just signed the contract—a bizarre, desperate arrangement that would make her my wife. It was supposed to be a fresh start, a way to secure our future and stabilize the family. But then the intruder came. Megra was almost killed, her life hanging by a thread after that vicious attack. I remember her lying in a hospital bed, her face pale, her body bruised. That was the beginning of everything falling apart. And then Anna appeared, like a storm that swept through my life, leaving noth
Megra The hospital doors swing open with a rush of cold air, and I push my way through, my heart pounding like a drum in my chest. I can't breathe, can't think straight. All I know is that I need to see him. Nathaniel. I heard what happened—Archer was shot, but what if it wasn’t Archer they were after? What if Nathaniel was the target all along and Archer just got in the way? The thought sends a shiver down my spine. I can’t lose him. Not now, not ever. The smell of antiseptics and bleach fills my nose, making me gag. My shoes squeak against the polished floor as I race down the corridor, my eyes darting around, searching for him. Fear grips me tight, and anger simmers beneath the surface. How many times are we going to have to look over our shoulders? How many more times will we be forced to watch our backs, never knowing who might come after us next? And then I see him. Nathaniel is pacing up and down the ER corridor, his face pale, his eyes wide with fear. He looks like he’s been
MegraI walk back inside the waiting room, my legs feeling like they’re made of lead. The bright, sterile lights overhead buzz like a swarm of angry bees, making my head throb even more. I slump into one of the hard plastic chairs, feeling the weight of the world pressing down on my shoulders. Every muscle in my body aches, not from physical exhaustion but from the emotional toll that’s been dragging me down since Nathaniel was arrested.My mind spins, replaying the events of the last few days over and over, like a nightmare I can’t wake up from. Nathaniel being dragged away in handcuffs. The cold, unfeeling words of the police officer, who couldn’t care less about the truth. And now, Archer is fighting for his life. This was never supposed to happen. How did everything spiral out of control so quickly? How did we end up here?I have to help Nathaniel. I have to help myself. And I have to help Mia, our sweet, innocent daughter, who has no idea what’s happening around her. I have to pro
MegraThe fluorescent lights above flicker as I pace back and forth across the cold, tiled floor of the police station. My heart races, and my mind spins, tangled in knots of confusion and fear. Nathaniel has been arrested. The words echo in my head, but they don’t make any sense. I haven’t been able to speak to him, and nobody has given me any information on what’s happening. All I know is that he’s being held in connection with Archer’s shooting, but I don’t understand how. How could this be happening? How could they suspect Nathaniel?The waiting area is sterile, almost lifeless—the kind of place where time seems to drag endlessly. I glance at the clock on the wall; it’s been hours, but it feels like days. The uncertainty bites at me. I haven’t even told Nathaniel that Conor is out of prison. Conor. His name brings a shiver down my spine. Everything has felt suspicious since I heard the news. Could Conor be involved in all of this? My mind races with possibilities, but none of them
MegraA few days later, I find myself walking toward the courthouse for Nathaniel’s bail hearing. My heart feels like it’s caught in a vice, each step heavier than the last. As I approach the grand stone steps, my eyes catch on a newspaper headline blaring from a nearby stand:**“Disgraced Billionaire, Adulterer, and Now Murder Suspect: Nathaniel Coven’s Fall from Grace.” **The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I stop dead in my tracks, staring at the headline as it burns itself into my brain. Each word is like a dagger, twisting deeper and deeper. **Adulterer.** How did they find out? Who’s been feeding the press these lies, working so hard to paint Nathaniel as the villain, to make him look guilty before he even has a chance to prove his innocence?I swallow hard, my stomach churning. This will destroy him. Nathaniel would see this. He would read those words and spiral into despair, believing that everyone has already turned against him and that there’s no point in fighting. But
NathanielThe jail cell is cold and unforgiving. I sit on the narrow bench, staring at the cracked concrete floor beneath my feet. The air smells of sweat and stale cigarettes, and the distant sound of a guard’s boots is heard through the corridors. I close my eyes, trying to block it all out, but I can’t. It's getting bad. Whoever framed me for this is getting too close for my own comfort. My mind is a storm of thoughts, each one darker than the last. Why is it that Megra and I have to fight this hard?Anna’s face flashes before me, her expression unreadable. I still don’t understand why she would turn on me like this, why she’d feed the papers the story of an adulterer when she knows damn well she was the one who ran a game on me from the start. She’s the one who manipulated me, who set this whole thing in motion. And now, here I am, the one being dragged through the mud, the one being crucified in the court of public opinion. How quickly people turn on you, how fast they forget who
Megra Nathaniel and I step into the hospital room, and immediately, the sterile smell of antiseptic fills my lungs. The lights are dim, casting long shadows that stretch across the floor, making the place feel colder than it is. I glance at Nathaniel, watching as his expression shifts from determination to something far more vulnerable. His eyes fall on Archer, lying motionless on the bed, hooked up to machines that beep steadily, keeping time with his fragile heartbeat. My own heart breaks as I see the weight of everything settle onto Nathaniel’s shoulders, his normally strong posture slumping as if the burden is too much to bear. Nathaniel hesitates, standing in the doorway like he's rooted there, unable to take another step. The sight of his brother, so still and helpless, seems to freeze him in place. I feel a pang of sorrow, a tightness in my chest that makes it hard to breathe. I want to pull him back, to take him away from all this pain, but I know he needs to face it. We both
MegraA few days have passed since the hospital visit, and I find myself nestled on the edge of the couch, watching Nathaniel play with Mia in the living room. It’s a rare sight, a beautiful sight, seeing him so relaxed, so present in the moment. He’s crouched down on the floor, his face just inches from hers, making the silliest faces. Mia giggles so hard she’s nearly tipping over, her red curls bouncing wildly with each peal of laughter. Her tiny face is alight with pure joy, and those freckles across her nose and cheeks—oh, those freckles. I swear they get cuter every day. Her green eyes, a perfect match to mine, sparkle like emeralds in the morning light.Mia lets out a squeal and takes off running, her little feet padding against the hardwood floor. Nathaniel gives chase, his arms outstretched, a grin plastered across his face. He’s playing the part of a clumsy monster, pretending to trip over his own feet as he follows her around the room. I can’t help but laugh watching him. He’