Hanna POVI dreaded after office hours because I knew Rowan would fetch me. I did not understand what his game was. Was it not enough to keep me under duress that he had to create havoc in my professional life, too?Besides, he has a girlfriend. What would Linda think when news about Rowan’s stunts reached her ears? Was Linda’s feelings immaterial for his revenge plan against me?Until now, I was smarting from what happened earlier. All my efforts at anonymity went down the drain when Rowan publicized our nonexistent relationship to everyone. I looked up from my computer when I heard the notification on my phone. Without checking, I was not sure who it was from. Rowan. A quick glance at my desk clock confirmed my guess. It’s four in the afternoon. Rowan told me that he would pick me up around this time. Not wanting to make him wait for fear that he might pull another stunt to embarrass me at the Hotel, I decided to leave and gather my things. I took some folders, intending
Hanna POVAll through our ride, Rowan was silent. There was too much tension surrounding us that I kept to myself and stared out the window.Rowan did not make any effort to initiate a conversation between us, and it was fine by me. I was still bristling with his action at the hotel but did not want to start another fight. Besides, Rowan’s silence felt ominous. It was like he was a ticking time bomb ready to explode at the merest provocation. “We’re here, sir.” His driver announced after we stopped outside his mansion. My head lifted to take on the house’s exterior. Until now, I still can’t get over the fact that Rowan owns a mansion in Vegas. Curiosity abounds in my head. My tongue itched to ask, but I remembered I hated him and clamped my mouth shut.I did not wait for the driver to open my door. I clambered out of the car without turning back to see if Rowan did the same. I marched inside the house and hurriedly climbed the stairs to my room.“Hanna.” The warning in Rowa
Hanna POV“Shut up!” I hissed.I looked at Rowan in skepticism, trying to gauge the sincerity of his words, but however hard I tried to weigh the pros and the cons, it did not add up.The only explanation I could think of was that it was part of his plan. Rowan wanted to hurt me in the most despicable way and was using my attraction to his advantage.I wanted to blame myself for being transparent. I should have upped my guard against him, but I couldn’t.I wanted to blame him, too.I already put hundreds of miles between us to avoid contact, but he pursued me here. He found me to make me suffer.The thought made me sick to my stomach. How could I love someone so ruthless?So many times in the past, I wanted to seek medical help to know if there was something wrong with my head because what other plausible reason is there for me to keep loving someone who does not treat me
Hanna POV“No.” The refusal was out of my lips even before I was able to process it in my head. The vehemence in my reaction startled Rowan. His face shifted. He looked at me ominously, and I shrank back in fear. “I don’t take no for an answer, Hanna.” His voice sounded low and dangerous. Despite that, I quelled the raging emotions inside me. Even though my hands itched to slap him, I refused to give in to my feelings. Rowan and I needed to thresh this through like two adults. I shook my head. I won’t let some man use my body for his pleasure, even if my body craves his touch. “This is manipulation and coercion. I won’t be manipulated and coerced.” I told him fiercely.“I am giving you a way out. Would that be so hard when we both know how much your body wants me?” His voice became sultry.The hands-on my waist tightened until the valley between my br*asts cradled his head. He sniffed through my clothes, sending shivers down my spine. “Rowan!” I pushed him away, afraid o
Hanna POVAwkward. That is how I felt when I woke up nestled protectively in Rowan’s arms.A smile laced my face when I realized I liked the feeling of being held like this. Not by just any man, but Rowan Ford whom I like very much.Yes, I am finally admitting it. I do like Rowan.I probably love him, I said to myself while I ran my eyes over his sleeping face.He grunted.The sound alerted me and made me scramble to look elsewhere. My eyes landed on the bedside clock.For a while, I stared at it blankly, but when I realized what time it was, urgency filled me.I am going to be so late!In panic, I sat up when I realized it was past my waking hour. I can't afford to be late. Not only because I was new to the branch. I can't have Hailey throw shade on me now that I am aware she covets my job.In my rush, I had forgotten the man sleepi
Hanna POV“I am so late.” I cried, frantic as I got dressed.Rowan, on the other hand, looks chill. He sat on my bed with a fluffy towel wrapped around his waist.His eyes followed my movement, and it unnerved me. I didn’t have anyone watching me while I got dressed in the past.“Rowan! Go back to your room. I am in a hurry, remember? I am a mere member of the working class. I can’t be late.” I whined.Rowan chuckled. “One night, and you are becoming bossy with me. I wonder what will happen after three months.” He said, sounding amused, but it made me falter.
Hanna POVI ditched my intention to leave after hearing my secretary confront Hailey.This should have been my fight, not hers.I turned around, saw Hailey smirking, and felt anger boiling inside me.She initiated this to provoke me.“Sara.” I gently shoved Sara, and I came face to face with Hailey.“I thought you were a coward.” She spat.I smirked and put my hands on my hips for the confrontation. This time, I won’t be letting Hailey get her way.
Hanna POVMy face contorted.“Why do you keep asking me about him?” I replied snarkily, vexed that I had to explain everything.“Let’s go,” Rowan said and pulled at my hand to drag me outside,I pulled my hand back, and he looked back inquiringly.“I still have a meeting at the restaurant. You may go ahead.” I told him, sounding bored because my mind was already in the meeting I was about to attend.Rowan ignored my suggestion for him to go home.Instead, he foll
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