Hanna POVThe party became livelier right after the Ford siblings’ arrival.People started flocking to their side. It seemed like everyone wanted to get to know them, especially the women.The four brothers were all attractive males, but my eyes kept shifting to Rowan, probably because I knew he was mad at me. Chris and I were a few good distance from the stars of the party, yet I could still feel his glare.“You are shivering. Are you cold?” Christ tapped my arm, and I noticed goosebumps forming on my skin when I looked at his hand that touched my skin.I pulled back as if torched.“Hey, why are you jumpy?” Chris said when he noticed my unusual behavior.I shook my head. “Nothing. I was just surprised, that was all.”I winced because my excuse sounded lame.It was not the first time Chris touched my arm.My reaction must have been confusing to him.Due to our working relationship, Chris and I would accidentally brush each other’s skin, or sometimes we tend to be tactile – part of
Hanna POV“Why didn’t you answer my calls?”Rowan lashed out in the aftermath of Briana and the Bossman’s escape.I don’t want to argue with him because this is a party, and I do not want to ruin my night. So, instead of responding, I decided to walk out and get as far away from Rowan as possible.But before I could take a step, Rowan snagged my wrist to pull me back.The movement caught me off-guard. I lost my balance, and my back landed on his chest.Rowan held me by the waist to steady me. The heat of his palms caused a burning sensation on my skin.“Rowan,” I warned when I tried to pull away, but he held me back.I don’t know where I got my inner mettle to fight, but the way he was trying to dominate me, curtailing my freedom and such, had taken its toll on me.What I did not count on was how close our faces were when I lifted my chin to confront him. Our nearness caught me by surprise.It made me fully aware that Rowan is a man, and his responses were all male.Rowan’s eyebrows
Hanna POVMy eyes widened when I saw who stopped Britney from hurting me.“Rowan.”Without warning, my heart began to beat fast while Britney tried to loosen his hold on her.She struggled, but Rowan had a firm grip. She could not shake his hand off even when she used her weight.“Let me go, b*stard! You and your sister are the thorns to my side. If you didn’t come to Woodside, Noah wouldn’t meet Briana again and he wouldn’t leave me.” Britney lashed out.She was so angry.I watched my sister’s tirade with dead eyes.Britney had always been a spoiled b*tch. She grew up always getting what she wanted, and when denied, she would knock everyone and everything out of her path.Despite her daring attitude, I saw tears brimming her eyes. My sister was hurting.A part of me wanted to help her, but the other half wanted to turn a blind eye. Britney deserves Rowan's anger.Britney had it coming.She continued to struggle, but she was no match for Rowan.“Hurt Hanna again, and you will answer t
Hanna POVMy heart beat fast as I paced the four corners of my room, thinking about how to avoid the feelings I was developing toward Briana’s brother.I can’t be feeling anything for my captor. The idea is insane.I should hate him, not fall for him.Not a moment later, I heard footsteps. They stopped outside my door.My heart started to beat faster than before. It felt so much like there were galloping wild horses in there.I placed my palm to my chest to quell the wild beating of my heart in time to the sounds of Rowan’s knocks on the door.“Hanna! Open the door!”Gone was the gentle Rowan from before as I sensed a tinge of impatience in his voice.Fear and an insane sense of self-preservation froze me on the spot.My feet stayed footed, unable to move.The silence from my end must have caused Rowan to lose the last shred of his patience, and he started pounding on the door hard.“Hanna! Are you alright?”It surprised me to note a hint of concern in his voice, adding to my growin
Rowan POV“What is the likelihood of Noah Hunter suffering from amnesia when he divorced Briana?” I asked my brothers.I called an impromptu late-night meeting with my three brothers after I left Hanna in my apartment.Marcus, Flint, and I started discussing the possibility.We thought about what happened five years ago – how Noah Hunter changed his mind right after waking up from a coma due to the accident.“And where did you get this incredible idea?” Marcus asked.Of all our brothers, he was the most protective of Briana. It may be because they were closer in age.Marcus took her under his wing and made life easier when she transitioned as the missing Ford heiress.I shook my head. “It does not matter where I get that. Do you think it’s plausible?” I asked.Marcus had a doubtful expression.“Remember the report we got? Noah disliked Briana the first time the Hunters brought her into their home as a child.“What about the report that says they were inseparable when Noah came back t
Rowan POVI looked at my three brothers’ grinning faces, and my body turned cold at the way they were grilling me.Finally, Charles intervened, making me heave a huge sigh of relief when he shifted the topic back to Noah’s amnesia.Charles brought us back to the purpose of this meeting.“If he has amnesia, why didn’t the media catch up on what had happened? He is a known figure. I am sure someone must have gotten wind of it.”That got all of us thinking.“He has a company to run. Maybe he thought it would be in the best interest of Hunter Enterprises.”Marcus had a point.“Why did he keep it a secret from Briana? I am sure if Briana knew about it, he wouldn’t have a hard time winning her back, and they could concentrate on doing what’s best for their family.”Flint made another point, which I think could be best answered by Noah Hunter himself.Marcus shrugged. “Beats me.”“Why not talk to him?” I suggested.“Okay. Ask Hanna to call him for a meeting.” Charles declared.It seemed to s
Briana POVI left my brothers in the study because they were drinking, and I didn’t want to join them.“How are the kids?” I asked Noah when I saw him emerge from the triplets’ room.“They’re fine. Don’t worry.” He assured me before pulling me for a hug.I let him.Noah does not want to let me go. I feel the same way.This night was unforgettable.After the unplanned trip to the cemetery to visit the grave of his dead parents, I felt as if a warm hand touched my heart.It had been years since I saw their graveyard, not because I didn’t want to see them, but because I felt guilty every time. I failed them.All they wanted was the best for their son, but when Noah and I divorced, I didn’t feel like the best person there was.I felt like a failure.Tonight, Noah talked to his parents about us, the triplets, and his plans for the future.If I still doubted him before we visited her parents’ grave, now I only felt gratitude.“I love Briana, Mom, Dad. I will take care of her and our three
Briana POVPer usual, Noah drowned me with his kisses.He sucked my lower lip like he could not get enough of me.I responded with equal ferocity.Noah pulled me closer to his body. He rubbed his palms up and down my back while he continued to assault my lips with his kisses.I heard a moan and very nearly died in shame when I heard the sound of someone clearing his throat.Noah pulled back his face, but his arms hung loosely on my waist.“The room was just at your back. Why don’t you take it there?” Charles suggested, looking embarrassed.My face grew warm as I glared at my brother.“Woah! Did we miss something?” Flint asked flippantly.He screeched to a stop, staring at Charles, and then at me.“You don’t want to know,” Charles replied before walking along the hallway toward the room he shared with his wife, Jenna.Marcus had this knowing look on his face that added to my growing embarrassment.Then, Rowan passed by.He snagged my attention when he did not continue to his room but
Speechless! This word best describes what I was feeling right now. Do you know that you were amazing readers? Yes, you who stayed with me until this page. When I first started writing this story, I had so many trepidations. I did not think I would be able to pull this through. First, it has a little similarity to my previous novel, Billionaire Ex Wants Me Back, but my editor believed so much in my draft that she encouraged me to consider doing this. (My heartfelt thanks to Lyra Pinter, who had been a constant source of support.)My feeling of uncertainty magnified when I received so many attacks when the story was first published. Too many detractors lashed out at my characters that I had a hard time concentrating.I know what I wanted to do, but the first people who were vocal about the story did not give me enough encouragement. They did not give my characters a chance to redeem themselves as the story progresses. Fear grips me everytime I face the blank screen of my computer.
Briana’s POVThe soul always knows how to heal itself. I had often heard that phrase before but it was never more gratingly obvious til now. After I volunteered to be Charles and Jenna’s surrogate, I had not counted on the pain the act would invariably inflict on me. At the start, it was all too easy. For 40 weeks, I would be carrying their baby in my womb, and that was it. Jenna and Charles will have that baby they desperately wanted. Of course, Noah and I submitted to counseling before I did this, but I never expected that when the time came that I had to turn over baby Amira to her parents, it would hit me so hard. I had not counted on how my self-sacrifice would backfire on me. It hurts so much. I was so heartbroken when I realized that Amira would no longer be a part of my life. Noah took me to several sessions of counseling, and with his support, I was able to get past the hurt and accept that Amira was not mine.The rest of the family helped. My brothers hovered over me
Hello my loves, Jenna and Charles’ story was one of the most painful stories I had written so far. It was because I had to dig up long-forgotten events in my life.But I had to do it for you to be able to understand the motives behind Jenna and Charles’ actions and the pain they invariably inflicted on each other. Jenna and Charles were both non confrontational. They keep things in stride and hope for the best, but sometimes even with the best intentions, our pain could not lay hidden for too long. It needed to be addressed and voiced out, not because you wanted to lash out at your partner or give them the same pain they were giving you.Sometimes, our silence is our cry for help. Or it was a way to protect ourselves. We retreated into the inner recesses of our soul to find solace and comfort because the people we expected to comfort and provide solace for us could not hear our cry for help.But all’s well that ends well. Am glad for those people who had requested me to do a story
Charles POVOne year later…I was standing behind the french windows of the room I was occupying at the Rosewood Hotel, eyes looking outside toward my wife.This past year was a crazy one.Just as Briana predicted, Jenna and I barely had time for ourselves. The kids were growing, and they were beautiful to watch.Jenna’s laugh made its way to where I was.As I watched Jenna play with our children, I could not help comparing her to a rose in bloom.I could not help feeling proud of the changes in her.&nb
Charles POVWe placed our babies in a customized baby carrier that could fit the four of them, and Jenna and I walked out of the suite that had been our temporary home for the past month.At the lobby, we looked like we were on a parade with our nannies in tow and bodyguards, but that’s a small price to pay for the security and safety of my family.“Jenna! Charles!” Beth called out to us.We stopped when we neared her.“Where are your kids?” I asked after she and Jenna hugged each other.I learned this past month that Beth chose to be a stay-at-home m
Charles POVThe next day, our other two babies were born one after the other.Jenna and I were also there to witness everything and become part of our children’s birth.Jenna’s eyes were puffy when she held our two other newborns in her arms. She had been crying nonstop since yesterday because it still had not sunk in that she was a mom of four babies.When we visited Briana, she and Jenna had a long talk.Briana was smiling, but I could see that she was at a loss when it was time to take the baby away from her.I realized that this ordeal put a lot of strain on
Charles POVThe phone in the delivery room rang, and a nurse went to answer it.“Dr. Martin, it’s delivery room 2.” She said from across the room, allowing us to hear.Dr. Martin went to answer it. Her face was serious when she placed the phone back in its cradle.Then, she turned her head back to her medical team.“Are you still up for another delivery?” She asked her team.Their high spirits rubbed off on Jenna and me. We were smiling when they shouted, of course.
Charles POVIt was a crazy day.We were having a meeting when I heard that Briana had been rushed to the hospital.“Brie is having our baby,” I told my brothers and friend after I dropped the call.It was Jenna. She, Noah, and Biana were already in the hospital because Briana's water broke.My face contorted as emotions I could not name assailed.A mix of fear, excitement, nervousness, worry, and happiness barraged me.Briana, my baby sister, was going to deliver my and Jenna's baby right now. 
Jenna POVThe days quickly passed by.Though we did not talk about it, it seemed as if Charles and I were in tacit agreement to take things slow concerning our careers and concentrate more on each other.We go out of town and do things we had never done before as a couple.It was marvelous.“It’s good that you spend more time with each other because I tell you, once the four babies arrive, you won’t get even a wink of sleep,” Briana told me when I came to her house that afternoon to catch up and to check on her.It’s the baby’s