Isla “I know you’re in there, Isla. Open up—let me help you.” Alex. Another knock. Louder this time. I looked up at Rolin, still floating in the aftermath of everything we’d just done. His whole vibe shifted—hard and cold, instantly on guard. Without saying a word, he pulled me closer, tucking my head against his chest like I was something breakable. I felt him tense as he reached past me and cracked the window open. Barely enough to see inside, but just enough for Alex to catch a glimpse of what we were doing— two bodies wrapped together. I heard him suck in a breath. “Uh…” Alex fumbled. “Sorry, I… thought you were someone else. Wrong car… you can continue… don’t mind me.” His nervous laugh died in the air—right as a low moan slipped from my lips. I didn’t plan it. Couldn’t stop it. My body was still burning, still chasing after every bit of Rolin, and the fact that Alex was standing right there? God help me, it only made it worse. Rolin didn’t miss a beat. Just hummed, slow
Isla “Father, what do you mean?” Rolin’s voice cut through the air, sharp with disbelief. I watched as he dropped his spoon, the clink of metal against ceramic echoing louder than it should have. “I meant exactly what I said,” his father replied, his tone cool and absolute. “Let’s go talk in the study.” He didn’t wait for a response—just stood and walked away like he owned the air in the room. I sighed under my breath, glancing down at the untouched food. Great. Dinner’s ruined and this mac and cheese is going straight to the trash. Rolin followed after him, his back tense, shoulders stiff. And just like that, I was left alone… with Abigail. Perfect. She slinked to the living room like a cat in someone else’s house—touching things she had no business touching, grazing her fingers across our coffee table, our artifacts like she belonged in them. I said nothing. Just gathered the plates, scraped the food into the bin, and cleaned up the kitchen in silence. Every scrub o
Isla I stepped out of my leisure room, brushing invisible dust off my fingers, ready to head back to our bedroom—when the study door creaked open. Rolin and his father emerged, both looking carved from stone. I offered his father a polite nod, swallowing the bitterness still coating my tongue from earlier. He didn’t even glance at me. Just walked past like I was air. No, less than air. At least air has presence. Rolin gave me a small smile, the kind that said I’m sorry. I turned my face away. I didn’t owe him softness tonight. I reached our room, closed the door gently, then let my back slide down against it like a broken hinge. My body folded into itself as my lungs tried to remember how to breathe. And then—quiet, painful sobs spilled out. They came in waves, crashing against the inside of my chest until I couldn’t tell where the ache ended and I began. I don’t know how long I sat there like that. Eventually, I dragged myself to the bathroom, splashing cold wat
Isla *BRAAAP-BOOM* The city pulses with celebration—fireworks cracking overhead, music bleeding through the frosty air, laughter spilling from the open doors of the Blackwood Hotel. I tighten the silk wrap around my shoulders, my pulse hammering as I step inside. Tonight was supposed to be different. A fresh start. Alex had been distant for months, but I’d chalked it up to stress. That’s why I’d spent hours getting ready—wearing the emerald dress he’d once called stunning, curling my hair the way he used to tug at it in bed. I still believed in us. God, I was an idiot. I spot him instantly. He’s at the center of the room, flawless in his tuxedo, champagne flute dangling from his fingers like he hasn’t a care in the world. Then I see her. Jane. She’s pressed against him, her blood-red dress leaving nothing to the imagination. Her nails drag down his lapel, her lips curved in a smirk. My breath stalls. Alex tilts his h
Isla The slap cracks across my cheek like a gunshot. "Isla." Another strike. My vision swims as I force my eyes open. Fluorescent lights stab into my skull. My mouth tastes like copper. Alex crouches over me, his fingers patting my face—fake concern dripping from every touch. His other hand holds a whiskey glass, the ice untouched. Waiting. Like he wanted me conscious for his victory toast. Jane's voice cuts through the buzzing in my ears: "Drama queen." I swallow bile. The nausea clings, but I shove it down. Focus. Marble floor cold against my bare legs. Nails digging half-moons into my palms. Alex finally takes that sip, savoring it. "Fainting? Really?" His thumb swipes my lower lip, smearing blood. "Pathetic." Good. Let him think I’m weak. I let my hands shake as I push upright. "Haven’t… been eating since—" My voice breaks just right. Jane rolls her eyes so hard I hear it. "Christ, you’re insufferable." My
Isla The glass of water was cool in my hands when Rolin passed it to me. His fingers lingered against mine a second too long - not quite an accident, not quite on purpose. I took a slow sip, the water doing nothing to wash away the taste of revenge on my tongue. Then I looked up and said the words that would change everything: "I'll marry you." For three heartbeats, he didn't move. Didn't blink. Then he reached for his phone with that terrifying efficiency of his. "Jamie. Bring the documents. Now." I nearly choked. "You can get a marriage license that fast?" The corner of his mouth twitched. "When you're me? Yes." Of course. Rolin McCarty didn't wait in lines or follow normal people's rules. The realization should have scared me. Instead, it sent an electric current down my spine. "Keep it quiet," I warned. "If Alex catches wind of this-" "Understood." Just like that. No arguments. No questions. As if he'd already considered every angle. Then he
Isla Rolin's voice was too calm, the kind of calm that comes right before a storm. "Alex nearly pulled it off. Covered his tracks like a pro." He tapped the file. "But Nana's death never sat right with me." My hands clenched so tight my nails bit into my palms. "What did you find?" That calculating look in his eyes sharpened. "Nana's will stated the company and properties would only transfer to you after you and Alex had a child together." A pause that made my stomach drop. "If she died before that happened... everything went to both of you." The room tilted. Suddenly all those late-night "business meetings" where Alex had begged for a baby made sickening sense. Not love. Not family. Just cold, hard greed. Rolin stood abruptly, pacing like a caged panther. When he spoke again, each word landed like a hammer blow. "Every time that bastard visited Nana in the hospital, he was slipping mercury into her IV. Slow poisoning. Paid off the medical staff to
Isla The memories hit me like a sucker punch as I looked at Rolin. God, I hadn't thought about those days in forever. But here we were - in his stupidly expensive penthouse, married of all things - and suddenly it all came flooding back. I was just a kid when we met. Nineteen, full of piss and vinegar. He was twenty-one, all sharp angles and colder than a Siberian winter. Same platoon, but I might as well have been invisible to him at first. Every morning I'd throw him a "hey," trying to chip away at that ice. Never got so much as a grunt in return. So one day I stopped trying. That's when the bastard finally noticed me. Started finding him lurking nearby all the time after that. Close enough to watch, far enough to pretend he wasn't. Then came the snacks - chocolate bars, chips, all the contraband we weren't supposed to have. Thought he was messing with me at first. Tossed them right back. The day I finally took one? His face lit up like Christmas morning.
Isla I stepped out of my leisure room, brushing invisible dust off my fingers, ready to head back to our bedroom—when the study door creaked open. Rolin and his father emerged, both looking carved from stone. I offered his father a polite nod, swallowing the bitterness still coating my tongue from earlier. He didn’t even glance at me. Just walked past like I was air. No, less than air. At least air has presence. Rolin gave me a small smile, the kind that said I’m sorry. I turned my face away. I didn’t owe him softness tonight. I reached our room, closed the door gently, then let my back slide down against it like a broken hinge. My body folded into itself as my lungs tried to remember how to breathe. And then—quiet, painful sobs spilled out. They came in waves, crashing against the inside of my chest until I couldn’t tell where the ache ended and I began. I don’t know how long I sat there like that. Eventually, I dragged myself to the bathroom, splashing cold wat
Isla “Father, what do you mean?” Rolin’s voice cut through the air, sharp with disbelief. I watched as he dropped his spoon, the clink of metal against ceramic echoing louder than it should have. “I meant exactly what I said,” his father replied, his tone cool and absolute. “Let’s go talk in the study.” He didn’t wait for a response—just stood and walked away like he owned the air in the room. I sighed under my breath, glancing down at the untouched food. Great. Dinner’s ruined and this mac and cheese is going straight to the trash. Rolin followed after him, his back tense, shoulders stiff. And just like that, I was left alone… with Abigail. Perfect. She slinked to the living room like a cat in someone else’s house—touching things she had no business touching, grazing her fingers across our coffee table, our artifacts like she belonged in them. I said nothing. Just gathered the plates, scraped the food into the bin, and cleaned up the kitchen in silence. Every scrub o
Isla “I know you’re in there, Isla. Open up—let me help you.” Alex. Another knock. Louder this time. I looked up at Rolin, still floating in the aftermath of everything we’d just done. His whole vibe shifted—hard and cold, instantly on guard. Without saying a word, he pulled me closer, tucking my head against his chest like I was something breakable. I felt him tense as he reached past me and cracked the window open. Barely enough to see inside, but just enough for Alex to catch a glimpse of what we were doing— two bodies wrapped together. I heard him suck in a breath. “Uh…” Alex fumbled. “Sorry, I… thought you were someone else. Wrong car… you can continue… don’t mind me.” His nervous laugh died in the air—right as a low moan slipped from my lips. I didn’t plan it. Couldn’t stop it. My body was still burning, still chasing after every bit of Rolin, and the fact that Alex was standing right there? God help me, it only made it worse. Rolin didn’t miss a beat. Just hummed, slow
Isla Or at least, that’s what I wanted to do. In my head, I hit him. Over and over again. Blood. Bruises. Confusion in his eyes. But in reality? My hands stayed glued to my sides, trembling. I clenched my jaw and screamed in my mind. Instead, I did the next best thing—I tapped my power button five times. Emergency alert sent. Rolin would come running soon. “Get the hell off me,” I said, shoving Alex so hard he lost balance and stumbled backward. His shock amused me for a split second. Jane rushed to his side like some dollar-store nurse. “Isla, just breathe, okay? Sit down for a minute—” “Don’t touch me.” I shoved past her, storming out like the floor was lava beneath my feet. My vision blurred, my chest tightened. Stay focused, Isla. Don’t fall. Don’t faint. Just walk. Each step felt like a war. The air was hot, too thick. My head throbbed, and my body ached like pins were sewing themselves into my skin. By the time I reached my car, my hands were shaking. I collapsed int
IslaI told Rolin I was heading to see Jane.He didn’t ask questions—just nodded with that unreadable look of his. We told Grandma we were stepping out, and as we walked toward the driveway, he glanced at my car and smirked.“Your car taste hasn’t changed,” he said, like it was some inside joke.“It’s called loyalty,” I replied, sliding into the seat like I owned the world.When I pulled up outside Alex’s house, I rolled my eyes. The place looked smaller—uglier—now that I wasn’t trapped in it. I stared at the driveway and made a silent promise: I’m taking it all back.I bought this house. And like a fool, I signed it over to him. That ends today.I walked in with the confidence of a woman who knew her worth—and the weight of the potted plant I’d grabbed randomly from a roadside shop, just for cover.Jane opened the door like she’d been waiting to smile her way out of a scandal. I didn’t even glance at her. Inside, Alex sat on the couch like a smug prince, champagne glasses already wai
IslaI turned off my phone without a second thought and let the weight of the day drag me into sleep.When I opened my eyes again, it was to soft kisses fluttering against my cheeks. I blinked up, half-dazed, and found Rolin’s smirking face hovering above me like the trouble he was.“Good evening, butterfly,” he murmured, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “Or should I say… wife? How was your day?”I squinted at him. “What time is it?”“7:32 p.m.”I hummed and sank deeper into the sheets. “Have you eaten anything?”He stretched beside me and shrugged. “Not really. Grandma’s cooking.”That made me shoot up. “And you didn’t wake me?” I smacked his chest lightly. “You just let me sleep while food was being made?”He grinned. “Didn’t want to disturb my wife.”Then he leaned in close, lowering his voice. “you were just being sweet in front of Abigail today. Was someone feeling a little jealous?”I rolled my eyes so hard it could’ve been audible and dodged him, making him lose balance
IslaI pulled on a pair of black pants—sleek, tailored—then the silver silk top. Yeah, silver again. At this point, it was basically my signature. Was it even a real color? Didn’t matter. It caught the light, made my skin glow, and gave me that don’t mess with me edge. Good enough. A few silver hoops, a thin bracelet, and my Louboutins clicked into place like armor locking into position. The mirror didn’t sugarcoat it—I looked expensive.Gran-Gran whistled when I stepped out, like I was some K-drama lead strutting off a runway. “Gran-Gran,” I groaned, my face heating up. “Seriously?” She cackled—the kind of laugh that meant trouble—and hooked her arm through mine. I could already feel the chaos brewing. Her cane tapped against the pavement as we walked, sharp and unyielding, just like her. The car was waiting. I helped her in, and with a quiet nod from the driver, we were off. The McCatty mall was all polished floors and overpriced serenity, the kind of place where the air
Isla Carlotta's gentle tap snapped me out of it. "Drew your bath, mi hija," she murmured, that warm smile of hers smoothing my edges. I managed a weak smile back. "Thanks." My body moved toward the bathroom on autopilot while my brain stayed stuck on one name: Abigail. The same Abigail from his past. The one his father kept shoving into his life. The hot bath did nothing to wash away the acid churning in my gut. I scrubbed my skin raw anyway. When I stepped out, Rolin was waiting like a damn statue in our room. "Same Abigail?" I asked, toweling my hair. "The one you—" "Yeah." His jaw flexed. "I'll handle it." "Mm." I yanked a sweater over my head. "Where's Gran?" "Carlotta's entertaining her in the lounge." The intercom buzzed before I could respond. Rolin answered, then turned with that infuriating calm. "They're here." My stomach dropped. And there she was. Abigail strutted in like she owned the place, wrapped in a red dress that left zero to
Isla Sleep didn't come easy that night. Rolin took his time in the bathroom, giving me space to curl up on my side and fake sleep. The lights dimmed. Water ran. Then the soft click of the door. I felt more than heard his quiet chuckle—that knowing sound that said he wasn't fooled. The mattress dipped as he slid in behind me. I stiffened. Didn't matter. His arm slipped around my waist, pulling me back against his bare chest like I was something precious. Something worth holding gently. I stopped breathing. His nose brushed my damp hair. "You smell like milk and almonds," he murmured. My stomach did something complicated. What even was this feeling? Before I could figure it out, exhaustion dragged me under. — The nightmare hit like a sucker punch. Concrete biting my knees. Shadows with glowing eyes. Hands everywhere, tearing at my clothes. My screams bouncing back at me, useless. Then the hospital. White walls. That nurse's pitying face. "The baby didn't make it