Brenda’s POVLucian held me so tightly that I could feel his heartbeat pounding against my own. His arms wrapped around me as though he were afraid to let go, as though doing so would make me disappear. His breathing was ragged, uneven, as if he had just run a marathon, and yet he refused to loosen his grip.I wasn’t sure who was holding on to whom more.I stood there, pressed against him, frozen in place, unable to decide what I was feeling. My mind was a tangled mess of emotions, colliding and crashing into each other like waves against jagged rocks.I was alive.I should be relieved.But was I?Or was I more devastated that surviving meant I had to keep enduring this endless nightmare?When I had seen the gun pointed at Lucian, something inside me had snapped. Despite everything—despite the danger, the chaos, the mess he had dragged me into—my heart couldn’t take it. The thought of him dying right in front of me had sent a visceral, gut-wrenching panic through my veins.Why?Why h
Lucian’s POVBrenda sat cross-legged on the other side of the bed, engrossed in the novel she was reading. Her fingers lightly grazed the pages as her eyes darted across the text with deep concentration. The dim glow from the bedside lamp cast a soft halo around her, making her look even more serene than usual. For a moment, I just watched her, letting the silence settle between us like an old friend.Then, in a low voice, I called her name.“Brenda.”She lifted her gaze from the book, her hazel eyes flickering with curiosity.“You shouldn’t forget that you’re resuming work at the charity division tomorrow,” I reminded her. “You might want to sleep early so you don’t wake up late.”She nodded. “I remember. I’m just trying to finish this chapter.”She returned her attention to the book, and I said nothing more. Instead, I let my thoughts drift.It had been a full week of peace since we moved into this mansion—a week without gunshots, threats, or unexpected attacks. That alone should h
Brenda's POV The moment Lucian stepped out of the car and strode toward the towering structure of Kingsley Enterprises, my stomach twisted into knots.The sight of it alone was enough to make my breath hitch.I had seen pictures of his company before, but nothing compared to standing before its magnificent presence. The glass-paneled facade reflected the morning sun, sending streaks of golden light dancing across the pavement. The sheer height of the building, the polished entrance, the marble floors gleaming from the inside—I had never stepped into a place this… grand.I swallowed hard, suddenly aware of how out of place I felt.I had never worked in a setting like this before.Even when my father was alive, back when he was still rich and powerful, I had never gotten involved in business affairs. I was just a carefree daddy’s girl, living comfortably in college, never worrying about responsibilities, never imagining a life where money would be scarce.But all of that changed.When
Brenda’s POVMrs. Elizabeth had been on my mind lately.It had been weeks since I last saw her, and I wanted to tell her how so much had changed.She was the only person I could truly confide in, the one who had been my support during my darkest times. I could already imagine the look on her face when I told her I had married Lucian Kingsley—the very man she had subtly warned me against.Her sharp, knowing gaze would pierce through me, and she would probably shake her head, muttering something about how life always took unexpected turns.But I would assure her that it was just a contract marriage—nothing real, nothing permanent.One year.That was all.She would be shocked to know that Lucian had bought me a car and that I was now working in his company.I had so much to tell her—and yet, I wasn’t ready to tell Lucian about her.Not because I was hiding anything.But because Lucian was cautious—too cautious. He would question my connection to her, wonder about my past, and I wasn’t in
Lucian’s POVThe office was nearly empty now, save for the soft hum of the air conditioning and the quiet shuffle of my movements as I straightened a few files on my desk. The day had been long, but productive. I had just finished signing off on a few last-minute approvals when my eyes landed on a particular file.I reached for it, flipping it open.The Charity Division Project.My gaze skimmed through the neatly typed reports and budget breakdowns, but what caught my attention wasn’t the numbers.It was Brenda’s name.A slow, thoughtful smirk tugged at my lips as I leaned back in my chair, letting the file rest on my lap.Brenda had been a force since she joined the company—far more than I had anticipated.At first, hiring her had been nothing more than a way to keep her occupied, a means to control the situation. I had assumed she would blend into the background, maybe help here and there, but nothing major.I had underestimated her.The first day she stepped into the Charity Divisi
Lucian’s POVThe moment I crushed my lips on Brenda's, time seemed to freeze Brenda’s lips were soft against mine, her breath warm, her pupils blown wide in shock. The way her lips parted in surprise was a testament to how the moment realization struck her, I knew what it must have looked like. That I had taken advantage of the moment, of the alcohol in our system, of the playful night we had just shared. But even if it was reckless, even if I knew I shouldn’t have done it—I couldn’t stop myself. I didn't even know where the compulsion to kiss her came from. Before she could say anything, before she could pull away, I deepened the kiss.My tongue slipped past her parted lips, and instead of resisting, she let out the softest gasp against my mouth.We finally pulled away to breath and just when I thought I had a lot of explanation to do for my action, she surprised me even more and she pressed her lips to mine and kissed me back.My breath hitched in my throat.She didn’t just reci
Vanessa’s POVI paced back and forth in my bedroom, my heart hammering in my chest as I wrapped my arms around myself.The police had been frequenting our house for weeks now, just as my father had predicted.Each time they arrived, I felt my stomach twist in knots, my palms growing clammy as I strained to hear their conversations with my father.They were still here yesterday.Still asking questions.Still sniffing around like hungry wolves.They mentioned that their senior officer’s daughter was still in a coma.Her father was still at the hospital, refusing to leave her side.And worst of all?Inspector Smith was pressing them relentlessly to find the person responsible.The person who had done this to his daughter.I felt sick.The walls of this house were closing in on me and the painful thing there is that I had nowhere to run to. Even if I were to leave this house, Lucian would have been my go to person but I still could not bring myself to go to him.Although I've called Luci
Vanessa’s POVI remained frozen in place for a moment and the world around me seemed to fade into silence as my gaze darted between the masked costume in my mother’s hands and her cold, unreadable expression.I knew this moment was coming the second I realized the costume was missing.But nothing—not even my worst fears—could have prepared me for this.The weight of the situation sank deep into my bones, my heart pounding so loudly it felt like it was going to burst.I swallowed hard, my mouth dry, and forced myself to meet her stare again.She wasn’t just holding that costume.She was holding my biggest mistake.My darkest secret.And she was waiting for an answer.Her fingers twitched impatiently against the fabric.She was never a woman of much patience, but she had never looked at me like this before.Like a stranger.Like I was someone she didn’t recognize anymore.I tried to speak, to say something—anything—but all that came out was a strangled sound.Panic coiled around my thro
Brenda's POV “I have evidence that could exonerate you, Brenda”I gasped, my heart pounding in my chest as Ralph's words sank in. Evidence that could exonerate me?I felt my breath hitch as a powerful wave of relief and disbelief washed over me. Could this be real? Could I finally clear my name?"Ralph," I whispered, my voice trembling, "what do you mean? What kind of evidence?"He exhaled, running a hand through his hair, his expression serious. "I found a private investigator," he said. "The same one Vivian hired."That caught me off guard. Vivian? My brows furrowed. "Vivian? What does she have to do with this?""She was already looking into Vanessa," Ralph explained. "I don't know all the details, but I know she had suspicions about her. The investigator had already started gathering proof, but I needed something solid, something undeniable. So I paid him—almost all the money Vanessa gave me—so he could finish the job and get the real evidence we needed. Evidence that proves you'r
Brenda’s POVMy entire body tensed as Ralph's words echoed in my mind."It might interest you to know that Vanessa was the one who tried to murder Inspector Smith's daughter and framed you for the attempted murder instead."I felt my breath hitch, my stomach knotting as if I'd been punched. My lips parted, but no words came out. My brain struggled to process what I'd just heard.Vanessa.She had been the one behind it all.I should have known. I should have realized that her cruelty had no limits. But this? This was beyond anything I could have imagined.Before I could fully grasp the weight of that revelation, Ralph delivered another blow."That same Inspector Smith… is my biological father. And the girl Vanessa put in a coma… she's my junior sister."I gawked at him, completely blindsided. A thousand questions stormed my mind, but none of them could take shape."Your—what?" My voice was barely above a whisper.Ralph exhaled heavily, rubbing his face as if bracing himself for somethi
Brenda’s POVThe moment my eyes locked onto Ralph’s, every muscle in my body tensed.I stood frozen, my breath coming in shallow bursts as a whirlwind of emotions crashed over me—anger, confusion, disbelief.He was the anonymous caller?The man who had warned me, saved me from being arrested?I wanted to turn around and walk away, but my feet refused to move.His expression was unreadable at first, but then his lips parted, and he took a cautious step forward."Brenda—""Stay the hell away from me," I spat, my hands clenching into fists at my sides.I couldn’t believe this.The man who had hurt me in more ways than I could count. The man who had shattered my trust, humiliated me, and set me up with that scandalous kiss—he was the one who had been watching over me?"Listen, I know you’re angry—""Angry?" A bitter laugh bubbled out of me. "I loathe you, Ralph. After everything you did, you still have the nerve to show up and act like some kind of savior?"He flinched, guilt flickering a
Brenda’s POVTwo days now.It had been two days since my life flipped completely upside down.Two days since I had run from my past—again.Two days of solitude, fear, and endless thoughts gnawing at my sanity.I sat on the edge of the hotel bed, my arms wrapped tightly around my knees, staring blankly at the beige-colored walls. The room was nothing special—just another generic hotel suite with an uncomfortable bed, dull wallpaper, and a television that I had barely glanced at.But it was safe.At least, for now.I exhaled shakily and rubbed my temples, my head throbbing from exhaustion. Sleep had been a stranger to me these past two nights. How could I sleep when my world was crumbling beneath my feet?I had some cash on me when I fled the company—enough to check into this hotel under a false name. But I knew it wouldn’t last forever.And I had nowhere else to go.Mrs. Elizabeth had always been my safe haven, but I couldn't risk going to her now. If the police were truly after me, th
Lucian’s POVI was still seething as I stared at Brenda Anger coursed through my veins like fire, burning hotter with every second.I had defended Brenda. Trusted her. Opened myself up to love her.And yet. The headlines. The pictures. The proximity and the kiss with that guy. Damn it!The betrayal hit harder than I ever could have imagined.I didn’t know if I was angrier at her or at myself for believing in her in the first place.But then, something changed.Right in front of me, Brenda’s entire demeanor shifted.She had been trying to plead her case—trying to get me to listen—but when her phone buzzed, she glanced at it, and suddenly…She wasn’t crying anymore.She wasn’t defensive anymore.She wasn’t saying anything anymore.Instead, her face drained of color, her fingers clutching her phone so tightly that her knuckles turned white.And then, she ran.Again.Just like she had the other day.She bolted past me so fast I barely had time to react.For a moment, I just stood there,
Brenda's POVThe entire house was silent, wrapped in a darkness so thick it felt suffocating. The only sound was the soft rhythm of Lucian’s steady breathing beside me.He was asleep. Peaceful. Unbothered.Unlike me.I lay there, staring into space, my body exhausted but my mind unwilling to rest.Sleep had abandoned me the moment I closed my eyes. Too much had happened today. Too much to process, too much to forget.Vanessa’s unexpected arrival.Chairman Kingsley’s blatant favoritism.The argument between father and son, a battle of power and authority that I found myself stuck in the middle of.The accountant.Mrs. Vivian.Their dirty hands siphoning the charity funds meant for the less privileged.And then—Ralph.The audacity of him. The way he had forced himself back into my life as if he had a right. The way he had—My fingers curled into the sheets at the memory of how he kissed me.It was overwhelming.This family was drowning in secrets.Dangerous, destructive secrets.And Luc
Brenda's POV By the time closing hour finally rolled around, I felt like I had been wrung dry.Chairman Kingsley hadn’t lingered long after his spat with Lucian that morning, but Vanessa had made it her mission to remind me exactly who held the power at work today.All. Damn. Day.She had me running back and forth, calling me into her office for the most trivial, pointless tasks—reviewing reports that had already been approved, fetching documents that weren’t even necessary, nitpicking over work I had already done perfectly. It was all a show. A game.And I let it slide.I answered her every time, didn’t argue, didn’t give her the satisfaction of a reaction.She wanted me to break. She wanted to see cracks.But I refused to let her win.Still, as I sat at my desk, gathering my things, I could feel the exhaustion pressing down on me, not just physically but mentally.It was almost exactly like before, back when I lived under her roof—back when she controlled every aspect of my life, t
Brenda's POV The moment I laid eyes on Vanessa standing in my office doorway, a surge of disbelief shot through me.Lucian had made it very clear that she was no longer welcome here, and yet, here she was, standing in front of me like she owned the place.She was smiling. Not a friendly smile, but one filled with arrogance, as if she wanted me to know she was untouchable, that she could do whatever she wanted, no matter what Lucian said.I felt my fingers curl into fists at my sides."You shouldn’t be here," I said, keeping my voice steady.Vanessa chuckled, tilting her head. "Oh, Brenda," she murmured. "You didn’t really think I’d just disappear, did you?"I opened my mouth to reply, but before I could, a deep, furious voice thundered from behind me."What the hell are you doing here?"Lucian.His voice was thick with rage, and my entire body tensed.I turned just in time to see him storming toward us, his movements sharp, his expression deadly. His icy blue eyes were locked onto Va
Lucian's POV The murmurs swelled, a storm of whispers and gasps rippling through the hall, but I had no patience for them."Enough," I said, my voice sharp, cutting through the noise like a whip. The room stilled instantly, every pair of eyes locking onto me with wary anticipation. "There's been a mix-up." I didn't elaborate, nor did I feel the need to explain myself to my employees. They worked for me—I didn’t owe them anything beyond their paychecks."Go back to your duties." My tone left no room for argument. "Now."The exodus began, people slowly dispersing, though their curious gazes lingered on Brenda and me longer than I liked. I was about to walk Brenda out, eager to remove her from their scrutiny, when a voice sliced through the thinning crowd."Excuse me!"My eyes snapped up, a sigh already building in my chest before I even saw her. Vanessa.She stepped forward, cutting through the dispersing employees with an air of authority that made it clear she wasn’t about to be ign