POV: HENRY“You don’t have to, Carter!” Lauren raised her voice, her tone thick with anger and pain. A sob escaped her throat, and she ran her hands through her hair, agitated, struggling to breathe. “We’re just a contract. It was foolish of me to think that a man like you would want something serious with a woman like me.”“Lauren…” I tried to cut in, but she didn’t let me.“No, Henry!” she shouted, stabbing her gaze into mine, her finger pointed at my chest like a blade. “I’m just the nanny who warmed your bed! The idiot who let herself be manipulated, who believed your words, who thought she actually meant something…”Her voice cracked. The air between us felt heavy. Tears streamed down her face, marking her pale skin. What I saw in her eyes wrecked me. Hurt. Disappointment. Love smothered by pain.
POV: LAUREN“What did you just say, Lauren?” Henry’s voice came out low, but it was laced with disbelief. His dark gaze pierced through me, and the tension in the air became suffocating.He ran a hand over his face, as if trying to process my words. His breathing was fast, his chest rising and falling heavily.“Are you telling me that this whole time, I’ve been walking around like a fool, believing that the child you're carrying is mine?”I swallowed hard, feeling a lump form in my throat.“I never said it was, Henry.” My voice came out hesitant, fully aware of the weight of my omission.His eyes lit up with a fury I had never seen before.“But you never denied it either!” he exploded, rage spilling from every word. His body was tense, fists clenched, and he shook his head, letting out a humor
POV: LAURENSilence swallowed us for a moment. My heart pounded desperately against my ribs, and my throat burned. I had to say it. He needed to know.“Because I love you!” I screamed. The force of it made Henry stop. He froze, his eyes locked on me with intensity. My body was shaking, and my breath came in ragged sobs. I had never said those words before. Never spoken them with so much truth.He didn’t move. He just stared at me, his eyes gleaming with something I couldn’t decipher.“And I was scared!” my voice cracked, a sob slipping out before I could stop it. “Scared of being rejected, scared that you’d hate me, scared that you wouldn’t want my baby… Scared, Henry. Scared of losing you.”What came next was a bitter laugh.“And look where all that fear got us,” he said, his tone dripping with
POV: HENRYWhen her body started to tremble and all the color drained from her skin, I found myself on the verge of giving in. I wanted to pull her into my arms, feel her warmth collapse against my chest, calm every sob, and wipe away every tear falling from those sweet, terrified eyes. I wanted to promise her that everything would be okay—even with chaos exploding inside me—because, damn it… I love her. Furthermore, I love her with a force that scares me. Like I’ve never loved anyone before.But the love I felt clashed violently with the bitter taste of disappointment.“In the end, Lauren.” I said, my voice lower and colder than I meant it to be, “The media was right about you.”I sat on the edge of the bed, elbows resting on my knees, hands clasped in front of my rigid body. She stood frozen by the door, sobbing, her shoulders shaking in silence. Her trembling fin
POV: HENRY“And worse… How is Theo going to handle all of this?” I murmured, shattered, rubbing my hands over my exhausted face. My body was trembling from fatigue, my mind throbbing with the avalanche of emotions crashing down on me. That’s when my phone vibrated on the table.I glanced at the caller ID. Lucian.I took a deep breath, trying to push back the weight of the frustration crushing me. Still lost in my thoughts, I answered.“Talk,” I said, my voice rough and broken.“She didn’t believe you?” Lucian picked up on my tone immediately.I swallowed hard, a wave of pain slicing through my chest. My eyes instinctively drifted toward the door—the same door Lauren had walked out of without looking back.“It doesn’t matter anymore,” I murmured, anger pulsing beneath my skin
POV: LAURENIt was a cold and rainy night. I had spent the entire day planning something special for Ethan and me. After so many days of him seeming distant and indifferent, I thought maybe a thoughtfully prepared dinner could help us reconnect. I made his favorite dish and set the table perfectly, with candles and flowers. The aroma of the roast still filled the house when I heard the front door open.“Ethan?” I called out excitedly as I walked out of the kitchen.He entered without even glancing at me. He took off his wet coat and threw it over the back of the sofa, heading straight for the stairs. Furthermore, he looked exhausted but also detached, as if being home was a burden.“You’re home earlier today. I made dinner. I thought we could eat together,” I said, my tone hopeful.Ethan stopped in the middle of the room, finally looking at me with his deep-set eyes and raised chin. His expression was filled with disinterest as he wrinkled his nose.“I already ate. I had a long meetin
POV: LAURENI grabbed the keys with determination, ready to confront Ethan. The photos on my phone clearly showed that woman sitting on his lap, laughing and drinking with him as if they were a couple. Was it because of her that he had changed so much?Ethan's cruel words echoed in my mind, each syllable a blow to my heart:“You will never be enough for any man. Your infertile womb makes you incomplete. You're incapable of making anyone happy.”My anger exploded, and I screamed into the emptiness of the car:“I made you happy for three years, Ethan! This isn’t fair!”I pounded on the steering wheel, feeling the pain throbbing in my wrists, but it was nothing compared to the pain in my chest. My eyes burned from the tears welling up, but I refused to let them fall.I looked at the photos on my phone again, my lips trembling, and my heart crushed with pain. The words escaped in a desperate whisper:“Please tell me this is a misunderstanding. Tell me you're not destroying our marriage li
POV: LAURENBefore the worst could happen, I felt strong arms quickly pull me away. My body spun, and I landed on something solid. I kept my eyes closed, my body trembling as I tried to process what had just happened.“Are you okay?” a deep and firm male voice asked near my ear.I slowly opened my eyes and found a strikingly handsome man in front of me. He had dark hair and intense blue eyes, and his serious gaze seemed to examine every detail of my face. His presence was as commanding as the sense of security he exuded.“Take your time,” he said, his expression serious as he watched me.It was only then that I realized I was lying on his firm, muscular chest. My face flushed with embarrassment, and I abruptly stood up, trying to regain my composure.“I'm sorry… thank you for saving me,” I murmured quickly, but before I could take another step, a wave of intense dizziness overwhelmed me. My legs gave out, my body grew heavy, and my vision began to blur.I felt his strong arms catch me
POV: HENRY“And worse… How is Theo going to handle all of this?” I murmured, shattered, rubbing my hands over my exhausted face. My body was trembling from fatigue, my mind throbbing with the avalanche of emotions crashing down on me. That’s when my phone vibrated on the table.I glanced at the caller ID. Lucian.I took a deep breath, trying to push back the weight of the frustration crushing me. Still lost in my thoughts, I answered.“Talk,” I said, my voice rough and broken.“She didn’t believe you?” Lucian picked up on my tone immediately.I swallowed hard, a wave of pain slicing through my chest. My eyes instinctively drifted toward the door—the same door Lauren had walked out of without looking back.“It doesn’t matter anymore,” I murmured, anger pulsing beneath my skin
POV: HENRYWhen her body started to tremble and all the color drained from her skin, I found myself on the verge of giving in. I wanted to pull her into my arms, feel her warmth collapse against my chest, calm every sob, and wipe away every tear falling from those sweet, terrified eyes. I wanted to promise her that everything would be okay—even with chaos exploding inside me—because, damn it… I love her. Furthermore, I love her with a force that scares me. Like I’ve never loved anyone before.But the love I felt clashed violently with the bitter taste of disappointment.“In the end, Lauren.” I said, my voice lower and colder than I meant it to be, “The media was right about you.”I sat on the edge of the bed, elbows resting on my knees, hands clasped in front of my rigid body. She stood frozen by the door, sobbing, her shoulders shaking in silence. Her trembling fin
POV: LAURENSilence swallowed us for a moment. My heart pounded desperately against my ribs, and my throat burned. I had to say it. He needed to know.“Because I love you!” I screamed. The force of it made Henry stop. He froze, his eyes locked on me with intensity. My body was shaking, and my breath came in ragged sobs. I had never said those words before. Never spoken them with so much truth.He didn’t move. He just stared at me, his eyes gleaming with something I couldn’t decipher.“And I was scared!” my voice cracked, a sob slipping out before I could stop it. “Scared of being rejected, scared that you’d hate me, scared that you wouldn’t want my baby… Scared, Henry. Scared of losing you.”What came next was a bitter laugh.“And look where all that fear got us,” he said, his tone dripping with
POV: LAUREN“What did you just say, Lauren?” Henry’s voice came out low, but it was laced with disbelief. His dark gaze pierced through me, and the tension in the air became suffocating.He ran a hand over his face, as if trying to process my words. His breathing was fast, his chest rising and falling heavily.“Are you telling me that this whole time, I’ve been walking around like a fool, believing that the child you're carrying is mine?”I swallowed hard, feeling a lump form in my throat.“I never said it was, Henry.” My voice came out hesitant, fully aware of the weight of my omission.His eyes lit up with a fury I had never seen before.“But you never denied it either!” he exploded, rage spilling from every word. His body was tense, fists clenched, and he shook his head, letting out a humor
POV: HENRY“You don’t have to, Carter!” Lauren raised her voice, her tone thick with anger and pain. A sob escaped her throat, and she ran her hands through her hair, agitated, struggling to breathe. “We’re just a contract. It was foolish of me to think that a man like you would want something serious with a woman like me.”“Lauren…” I tried to cut in, but she didn’t let me.“No, Henry!” she shouted, stabbing her gaze into mine, her finger pointed at my chest like a blade. “I’m just the nanny who warmed your bed! The idiot who let herself be manipulated, who believed your words, who thought she actually meant something…”Her voice cracked. The air between us felt heavy. Tears streamed down her face, marking her pale skin. What I saw in her eyes wrecked me. Hurt. Disappointment. Love smothered by pain.
POV: HENRY“I'm going to take a shower, write down everything I remember, and call Lauren,” I said, trying to organize my thoughts.The truth was, I needed to act fast. Downstairs, the paparazzi were probably already gathering, ready to turn this story into an even bigger spectacle. On top of that, if I had really been drugged, the substance could leave my system at any moment. I needed to get my blood drawn as soon as possible.And above all, I needed to protect Lauren. I would fix this. I would make her believe me, because I would never betray her. Furthermore, I loved her. I loved the child she was carrying. I loved Theodor. Likewise, I would never destroy that. I would never destroy the family we were building.I stepped into the shower, feeling the hot water run over my tense body. My chest rose and fell unevenly. The weight of the situation made my breathing heavy. As I ran my hand over my chest, I felt deep scratches. The corner of my mouth stung, as if I had been bitten. But w
POV: HENRYMy head throbbed with a persistent pain. My mouth was dry; a bitter taste spread across my tongue. I blinked a few times, slowly opening my eyes, feeling the crushing weight of my own body. The light pierced through the curtains—aggressive—forcing me to frown.I tried to sit up, but everything spun immediately. My stomach twisted, and a suffocating nausea rose up my throat. I pressed my fingers against my throbbing temples, searching for any trace of control over my body.“Where am I?” My voice came out hoarse, almost inaudible. My throat felt raw. “What happened?”My eyes scanned the room. An unfamiliar bedroom. A hotel? The beige, personality-less walls, the perfectly arranged furniture, a strong scent of sweet perfume lingering in the air.My gaze dropped to my own body. My breath caught. I yanked the blanket up in a sharp motion, and my mind froze. Naked. Completely naked.My chest rose and fell rapidly. A shiver ran down my spine as my eyes swept the floor. Clothes sca
POV: HENRYI rolled my eyes but didn’t press the issue. I walked straight into the nightclub, heading for the VIP area, feeling the discomfort growing in my chest. The loud music pounded through me, the scent of alcohol mixed with cheap perfume clung to the air, and the flashing lights made the place feel even more suffocating. Half-naked women moved between the guests, offering rehearsed smiles and opportunistic touches, trying to grab attention.The clients were already waiting for us, surrounded by expensive drinks and escorts rubbing against them like they were part of the furniture. I didn’t waste time with distractions, going straight to the point. After a few rounds of conversation, the deal was sealed without complications. I was gathering the documents when Lucian’s phone buzzed on the table. He hesitated for a second before answering. The moment he heard the voice on the other end, his expression changed. Worry hit his face lik
POV: HENRYIn the past few days, work has been chaotic. Ethan’s pathetic excuse about a cyberattack and the theft of financial data didn’t convince me for even a second. The same thing had happened at Lauren’s father’s company. Coincidence? I seriously doubted it. I knew this dirty game, and he wasn’t going to fool me.On top of that, without Becker’s formal report about the harassment Ethan committed, we couldn’t use it as part of the case against him. And now the bastard had simply vanished. His absence at PharmaCare Industries was already being felt. No one knew where he was—not even at his own house. Like a plague, he had disappeared without a trace.“Damn sneaky rat!” I cursed, slamming my fist on the table so hard the papers on it shook. Blood pounded in my temples; my jaw locked in pure frustration. “Does anyone know where his wife is?”