RolinJamie walked in like he always did—efficient, unbothered, a little too stiff for a guy in his twenties. “Chairman, do you need anything?”I didn’t answer him. I was too busy watching her.I moved toward the window, one slow step at a time, drawn by instinct more than curiosity. And there she was—Isla. My Butterfly. Slipping into Raymond’s car like she had a mission to complete and a war to win.Of course she did.Jamie joined me by the glass, brows pulling together in confusion. “Chairman?”“Prepare to leak the tax evasion files,” I said, voice even, cold. “Let’s give Alex our wedding gift.”Jamie blinked. “Chairman, I thought you— I mean… your memories of Madam Isla—weren’t they still… gone?”I turned to him slowly, a hint of a smirk playing at the corners of my mouth. “Keep that between us.”He straightened. “Yes, sir.”“She’s out delivering the first gift,” I continued. “The real explosion’s tomorrow.”He nodded, and I knew he wouldn’t ask further. That’s what I liked about J
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 Rolin's mouth curves into that infuriating smirk. "Why?" he asks, voice dripping with amusement. "You wanna dance with me?" I don't grace that with a response. Instead, I move to the vintage record player in the corner, fingers skipping through vinyl sleeves until I find the one I want. The familiar crackle fills the room as the needle drops, and then it starts - that slow, aching waltz we both know too well. When I turn back, my hand is already extended toward him. He doesn't make me wait. Rolin's palm meets mine, but instead of a polite hold, he yanks me forward until I'm pressed against him. My breath hitches. That stupid cologne of his - all bergamot and something darker - wraps around me like a trap. His lips brush my ear, sending shivers down my spine. "Still living up to your name, Butterfly?" I don't answer. Just let the music take over. Our bodies remember this dance better than our minds do. We move together like we never stopped, like no
Isla I must have dozed off at some point. Rolin's hands on my shoulders - steady, warm - worked out knots I didn't even know I had. His fingers pressed into the tension until I stopped thinking altogether. Just... let go. Next thing I knew, I was blinking up at an unfamiliar ceiling. Dark room. Soft bed. Single lamp casting long shadows. I bolted upright so fast my head spun. Where the hell-? Then I saw him. Rolin, lounging in an armchair by the bed like some kind of damn panther. "Ciao Bella," he drawled. That voice of his could melt butter. I scowled, but my racing pulse slowed the second I recognized him. Of course it was him. Who else would it be? "Dream about me?" That smirk of his should be illegal. I flipped him off and reached for my phone on the nightstand. 9:37 PM. Shit, I'd been out for hours. The second I turned my data back on, my phone exploded with notifications. All from Alex. I skimmed the messages - rage, manipulative degrading messages, the us
RolinJamie walked in like he always did—efficient, unbothered, a little too stiff for a guy in his twenties. “Chairman, do you need anything?”I didn’t answer him. I was too busy watching her.I moved toward the window, one slow step at a time, drawn by instinct more than curiosity. And there she was—Isla. My Butterfly. Slipping into Raymond’s car like she had a mission to complete and a war to win.Of course she did.Jamie joined me by the glass, brows pulling together in confusion. “Chairman?”“Prepare to leak the tax evasion files,” I said, voice even, cold. “Let’s give Alex our wedding gift.”Jamie blinked. “Chairman, I thought you— I mean… your memories of Madam Isla—weren’t they still… gone?”I turned to him slowly, a hint of a smirk playing at the corners of my mouth. “Keep that between us.”He straightened. “Yes, sir.”“She’s out delivering the first gift,” I continued. “The real explosion’s tomorrow.”He nodded, and I knew he wouldn’t ask further. That’s what I liked about J
Isla I jerked back like I’d been slapped. My lips still tingled from the kiss.“Are your memories back?” I asked, voice barely above a whisper, my pulse clawing at my throat.He blinked at me with those soft, utterly confused eyes and shrugged. “No… it just felt right to call you that.”Butterfly.He said it like a secret he didn’t know he’d kept.Then he leaned back against the pillows like a guilty child who’d just pocketed candy from a store. My racing heart finally slowed, but the ache lingered. I offered a tight-lipped smile like it was all okay.It’s not.My phone buzzed in my hand.Raymond: The package has been delivered. I’m outside the hospital waiting.God, I love that man’s efficiency. I mentally gave him a fist bump. Mission phase one—complete.I turned back to Rolin, who was casually chewing on another apple slice like he hadn’t just cracked my soul open with a single word.“I’ll be back soon,” I told him. “Sending Jamie in to keep you company.”He nodded, already distra
Isla I stood outside the hospital room, watching him through the glass like a ghost stuck between realities. Inside, Lydia was peeling fruit for him, her silver hair catching the light as she smiled softly. Carlotta sat by the corner, laughing at something Rolin had said, the sound muffled through the glass. I couldn’t hear them, but I could feel the warmth in the room… warmth I wasn’t part of. The doctor’s words echoed in my head like a curse. He’s blocking you out. I took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and stepped in with a smile that barely clung to my face. The laughter died down the moment I entered, like someone had pressed mute on a remote. Then his eyes found mine. Those piercing eyes, curious and blank and too unfamiliar. He motioned for me to come closer, and I obeyed like gravity had chosen him as my anchor. He picked up a slice of apple and without a word, placed it between my lips. My breath hitched. My cheeks flushed. And Lydia—of course—snickered. Carlo
IslaI woke up to a feeling—that strange, creeping sense of being watched. My eyelids were heavy, my body sore, but something tugged at my consciousness.And then I saw him.His eyes.Open.Confused.Alive.Rolin was staring at me.My breath caught in my throat. For a heartbeat, I thought I was dreaming. But then he looked down at our hands—mine still wrapped around his—and then back at my face like I was a stranger who somehow ended up in his bed.I shot up, my fingers reaching for his face, gently cupping his cheek. “Rolin,” I whispered, voice trembling. “Are you okay?”He blinked. Confusion twisted his brow. “Who are you?”The world tilted.Those three words cracked something open inside me.I froze. Air thinned. Then I remembered what the doctor had said—partial memory loss. It was possible. It was expected.I steadied myself, forcing my heart to stop panicking.“I’m your wife,” I said softly. “Hold on, okay? I’ll get the doctor.”I sprinted out of the room, nearly colliding with
IslaThe doctor’s mouth moved, but for a second, I couldn’t hear a thing.Then the words hit me.“There was damage—close to the frontal lobe. His brain… shut down momentarily. He’s in a coma.”The floor might as well have collapsed under me.“But that’s not all,” he added, like the universe hadn’t already taken enough. “If he wakes up—there’s a chance he might suffer partial memory loss.”I gasped. A soundless, sharp inhale like my lungs were too scared to function.Still, I nodded. “Okay,” I whispered, rising to my feet. My knees buckled, swaying under the weight of the truth, and the doctor stood to steady me, concern etched into every line on his face.“I’m fine,” I lied.I gave him a stiff, polite nod and walked out, feeling like I was moving through water. My heartbeat pounded in my ears as I followed the fluorescent-lit hallways to the VIP ward.When I stepped into the room, there he was—Rolin.Pale. Still. Like death was flirting with him but hadn’t yet kissed him.I sat down b
Isla I walked out of the room with my fists clenched, heart thundering like a war drum in my chest. A part of me—the stupid, soft part—screamed at me to turn around. To run back to him. To grab his face and say I didn’t mean any of it. That I was just angry. Hurt. Scared. But I didn’t. I couldn’t. I wouldn’t. Instead, I took my fury somewhere it wouldn’t hurt anyone but myself—the gym. I stormed downstairs, not bothering with the elevator when I saw the red “Under Maintenance” sign glowing like a warning. Fitting. By the time I got to the gym, I was already boiling. I didn’t stretch. Didn’t breathe. I just slipped on the gloves and went straight for the bag. Thud. Thud. Thud. Each punch landed harder than the last. His voice. My voice. The things we said. The things we didn’t. My knuckles throbbed, sweat dripped down my spine, and I welcomed the burn. I wanted to hit until I felt nothing. But eventually, exhaustion crept in. I let the gloves fall to the floor, grabbed my wat
RolinI stood there for a while—just breathing.Or trying to.The room felt like it was closing in on me, every second louder than the last, every breath heavier. Her words still echoed in my skull like gunshots. I didn’t know what kind of pain this was—it didn’t have a name. It wasn’t rage. It wasn’t heartbreak. It was something darker.And then I moved.I didn’t even remember walking over to the shelf where I kept my keys, but there I was—grabbing one of the fobs without checking which car it belonged to. My hands moved on their own, like they were running from the rest of me.Seconds later, I was behind the wheel of my Ferrari, the engine screaming as I tore down the street like a man with no brakes and no reason to stop.I didn’t know where I was going.But I knew where I couldn’t be—not in that house. Not under the same roof as her. Not after what she said.The roads blurred under me until I found myself in front of my usual place—private club, no press, no noise. Just cold drink
Rolin“I want you to take Abigail in as a mistress.”The words dropped like a bomb, and I froze.My spoon clattered against the ceramic plate, the sound louder than thunder in the stunned silence that followed.I looked up at him slowly. “Father… what do you mean?”He didn’t flinch. “I meant exactly what I said.” Cool. Unbothered. Like he’d just asked me to pass the salt.“Let’s go talk in the study.”He stood before I could reply, acting like he owned the goddamn air we breathed.My jaw clenched. I glanced at Isla. She wasn’t looking at me—she was staring at the untouched food with that unreadable expression she wore when she was trying not to feel anything.God. I ruined dinner.Again.I followed my father out of the dining room, back stiff, teeth grinding. The storm inside me was starting to spill over, and I knew if I didn’t calm down, I’d blow.The second we entered the study, the air shifted—thick with old resentments and cold authority.He made himself comfortable in my chair.
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