POV: LAUREN
The hairs on my arms stood on end the instant I felt a gentle caress slide over my bare skin. I slowly opened my eyes, still drowsy, my body heavy and completely relaxed, as if every muscle had melted after the intense night we had spent together. I sighed, smiling as I found Henry sitting beside me, his eyes fixed on me. His fingers traced light circles on my skin, and there was something hypnotizing about the way he watched me.
“Were you watching me sleep?” I asked in a lazy tone as I stretched, feeling a slight, pleasurable soreness in my aching muscles. Our physical connection had been intense and intimate, and my body still carried the marks of it. “Or were you guarding me to make sure I didn’t run away?”
“A little of both,” he replied with a wide smile, his voice low and drawn out, making my stomach tighten. Then he handed me a cup of hot tea. I sat up slowly, yawning, and hi
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: LAURENStill lost in my confused thoughts, I was pulled back to reality by the insistent sound of a cellphone ringing next to the hospital bed. The name of my mother, Amelia, flashed on the screen. I answered quickly, still overwhelmed by conflicting emotions.“Mom?” My voice came out low, filled with uncertainty.“Thank God, I finally reached you! I’ve been calling for hours!” she exclaimed, the urgency in her tone impossible to ignore.“What happened? Are you okay?” I asked, feeling a growing tightness in my chest. “And Dad? Is he okay?”“Dear, we need you to speak to your husband,” my mother got straight to the point, her voice trembling with despair. “Your father’s company suffered a terrible blow. We’re on the verge of bankruptcy.”My heart began to race.“What? What do you mean, a blow?” I exclaimed, sitting up abruptly, the phone nearly slipping from my hand. “Mom, calm down! Explain exactly what’s happening!”On the other end of the line, I heard a sob.“I don’t understan
POV: LAURENOn the other end, he let out a dry laugh filled with contempt.“What kind of question is that?” he exclaimed impatiently, his irritation evident. “I spent three years by your side, and you were never able to get pregnant. It's time to face the truth, Lauren. You’re empty, incapable of having children. Accept it and stop wasting my time. Just tell me—do you accept my terms or not?”A sob escaped my throat, his words cutting into my heart cruelly, as he always knew how to do. My eyes dropped to my stomach, my hand lightly brushing against the fabric of the hospital gown. Silent tears streamed down my face, but my mind was racing.I lifted my chin, forcing myself to think about the future and everything at stake. My family was depending on me.“If you agree to my terms and sign the divorce papers, I’ll save your father’s company today,” Ethan added coldly, ignoring my sobs entirely. “So, do you accept or not?”I took a deep breath, fighting the lump in my throat.“I accept,”
POV: LAURENThe sun was setting on the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple as I stared at the coffin in front of me. My hands trembled, not just from the pain of loss, but from the guilt of not acting quickly enough. I hadn’t managed to fix the company in time. I let myself get consumed by the conflict with Ethan and took too long to save my father and his empire.His skin was pale, his lips a bluish hue. Flowers covered his body up to his neck. A tight knot formed in my chest, and the pain was overwhelming. Beside me, my mother sobbed uncontrollably, clutching the coffin and begging the man she loved to come back. But he wouldn’t. He would never again make us laugh with his nonsensical jokes, tell his stories, guide us with his wisdom, or protect us from the world.“Oh, Dad, why did you do this to us?” I murmured through tears, trying to swallow the lump in my throat. I leaned closer to the coffin and placed a kiss on his cold forehead. “Rest in peace. I promise
POV: LAURENMy breathing grew heavy, my body trembling with anger and humiliation. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.“Get out of here!” I shouted through clenched teeth, struggling to stand, my voice overflowing with fury. “Now!”Arthur shot me one last look of disdain before turning and walking away slowly, leaving behind the weight of his threats.I stood there for a few moments, staring at the ground as I watched Arthur disappear into the distance. When I finally turned around, my eyes met familiar faces—people I once called friends. But not a single hand was extended to help me. I took a deep breath and got up on my own, brushing the dust off my clothes as whispers and muffled laughter surrounded me.The same people who had once promised to stand by me no matter what were now whispering and casting judgmental looks.“Lauren, I heard your father left you… quite a bit of debt,” Claire, an old college friend, remarked in a sweet voice, though the smile on he
POV: LAUREN“No! Don’t do that; it’s dangerous!” I shouted, running toward him as he started thrashing in the water, swallowing large gulps and sinking. “Hold on, I’m coming to save you!”Without thinking twice, I dove into the lake and swam with all my strength until I reached him. His small arms wrapped tightly around my neck, his sobs loud, his body trembling with fear.“Hey, it’s okay. I’ve got you. You’re safe now,” I murmured softly, trying to calm him as I held him firmly. “I’m going to get you back to dry land, alright? Just trust me.”Carefully, I swam back to the shore, keeping the boy close, feeling his desperation gradually ease. Once I reached the land, I gently laid him on the ground, making sure he was alright.“I’m scared,” he whimpered, clutching onto me even tighter, his voice trembling. “I don’t want to say goodbye.”“Oh, my sweet boy…” my eyes filled with tears, and I pulled him into a tight embrace, trying to offer him comfort. “Your parents need you to say goodby
POV: LAURENThe hairs on my arms stood on end the instant I felt a gentle caress slide over my bare skin. I slowly opened my eyes, still drowsy, my body heavy and completely relaxed, as if every muscle had melted after the intense night we had spent together. I sighed, smiling as I found Henry sitting beside me, his eyes fixed on me. His fingers traced light circles on my skin, and there was something hypnotizing about the way he watched me.“Were you watching me sleep?” I asked in a lazy tone as I stretched, feeling a slight, pleasurable soreness in my aching muscles. Our physical connection had been intense and intimate, and my body still carried the marks of it. “Or were you guarding me to make sure I didn’t run away?”“A little of both,” he replied with a wide smile, his voice low and drawn out, making my stomach tighten. Then he handed me a cup of hot tea. I sat up slowly, yawning, and hi
POV: VIOLETI froze for a second. My stomach twisted. A chill ran down my spine, followed by a hot, acidic wave rising to my face.“What?!” I screamed, my voice cracking, the shock unraveling me from the inside. “That’s a lie! That bitch is trying to fool everyone again!”“It’s not a lie.” Ravi kept chewing slowly, savoring every second of my reaction. “I saw the first ultrasound. I was around at the beginning of the pregnancy. And, by the timing, she and Henry weren’t together yet.” He let out a short, soulless laugh. “When I hinted that I knew the truth, Lauren freaked out. She cried, stuttered, and totally lost it.”My fingers started tingling. Rage blinded me. That filthy whore could destroy all our plans and ruin my comfortable life.“That damn bitch… pretending to be fragile, innocent, sweet&hellip
POV: VIOLET“Talk, Ravi… I heard you wanted to see me.” My voice came out impatient, forced, as I removed the damn cucumber slices from my eyes and kept my hands extended, fingers stiff, waiting for the manicurist to finish applying the polish.He walked in like he owned the place. That smug smile, his eyes scanning every corner of my living room with a kind of contempt so well-disguised it almost looked like charm. Almost.“You really moved up in life, cousin,” he muttered, his voice slow, dripping with sarcasm, like poison seeping through. “When you said you’d manage to rope in a billionaire, I thought it was just one of your delusions. But you pulled it off. What a pathetic show.”I rolled my eyes and scoffed.“Did you come here to be jealous?” I shot back, with a mocking smile I knew would trigger the same fury in him that he stirred in me. I
POV: LAUREN“Forget about it, Lauren,” Henry murmured in a low, husky voice, caressing my bare arms with firm fingers, sending immediate shivers all over my body. “Mia didn’t get what she wanted that night. And she’s going to pay for every damn second of it. I’ve already filed a lawsuit against her and James. The media may have bought that manipulative liar’s story, but I have enough evidence to destroy them both.”I closed my eyes for a second, feeling the weight of reality mix with everything I feared. I opened my mouth, hesitant, trying to find steadiness in my voice.“And you think she won’t fight back?” I asked, sitting up in bed, sliding my fingers across his bare chest. The touch felt natural yet full of tension. My fingers trembled slightly, and still, he shuddered under the contact, as if every gesture of mine still affected him deeply.“That doesn’t matter to me,” he replied firmly, and in one swift move
POV: LAURENI closed my eyes, biting my lips, trying to catch my breath, but the words slipped out in a trembling whisper, full of emotion:“I accept...” I managed to say in a breathy, needy murmur.I rested my head on his shoulder, searching for his face. Our eyes met for a brief second before his lips crashed into mine with raw hunger. The kiss was wet, deep, desperate. We moaned at the same time, and in that moment, he thrust into me all at once, filling me completely. I let out a long, drawn-out moan, pushing my hips back, wanting more, wanting everything.“I love you, Henry Carter,” I confessed without fear, between heavy breaths, feeling my body open entirely for him.He turned me to face him with ease, lifted me off the floor like I weighed nothing, and I wrapped my legs around his waist. Our bodies were pressed together—skin to skin, sweat to sweat. When h
POV: LAURENI took a step back, but he moved forward too, until he pinned me against the cold wall of the room. The contrast between his warm touch and the hard plaster behind me sent a shiver through my entire body.His eyes were dark, intense, almost wild. Lust, desire, passion, anger, pain—all mixed in a stare that pierced right through me.“Do you love me?” the question came out dry, direct.“Henry, that doesn’t matter right now. This is crazy.” I tried to argue, but my voice came out weak, hesitant.“Do you love me?” he repeated, even more firmly. The tone was commanding, impossible to ignore. I felt a tremor run through my body. The wall behind me seemed to vanish under the weight of his presence.I closed my eyes for a second. The knot in my throat tightened even more. I couldn’t lie anymore. Not to myself. Not t
POV: LAUREN“What I should have done on the night of our date… when everything went wrong,” Henry replied, his voice heavy with intensity.I frowned, confused, watching as he opened a small box. Inside, there was a ring with a brilliant blue stone that reflected the light in the room. It was mesmerizing. Beside it, a folded note with my handwriting.“What is this?” I exclaimed, a lump forming in my throat. My hands visibly trembled as I brought them to my lips, in shock.“Our marriage was forged through a contract,” he began, his voice now lower but steady. “But I want it to be real, Lauren. I had this ring made especially for you. These stones are rare and unique, just like you.”My tears started falling uncontrollably, burning my eyes. There was so much about him that confused me: the provocative touch, the almost cruel desire, the domin
POV: LAURENHis hands slowly slid up my bare thigh, firm and commanding. The shirt I was wearing—his shirt—lifted gradually, revealing my skin as his fingers pressed with intention, claiming territory. The loose fabric, which looked more like a dress on me, rose along with the tension spreading through my body. And he didn’t stop kissing me. Henry’s mouth was locked on mine—hot, demanding, hungry. His tongue explored mine with such urgency, like he wanted to erase every boundary between us and take everything I was.A shiver ran up my spine when I felt his fingers slide into the crease between my thighs, teasing with soft, circular strokes over my most sensitive spot. My body arched, trembling beneath him, and my lip caught between my teeth to hold back a moan. My lungs gasped for air between one sigh and the next.“Henry…” I whispered, my voice weak, shaking, fighting against the storm
POV: LAUREN“Henry, please… you’re exhausted. Today was a hard day.” I tried to stay calm, but my voice cracked. I just wanted to stop him. Furthermore, I wanted to silence him before his words shattered me completely.“It’s been hard since we broke up!” he burst out, his voice firm and full of pain, throwing the truth at me without any filter. My body frozen. My eyes widened, and I felt the blood drain from my face. “Theodor ran away because he couldn’t handle the pain of not seeing us together anymore. And I know exactly how much that hurts. Every single day, Lauren. I hate coming home and not finding you here. I hate the silence. Furthermore, I hate not hearing Theo’s laughter echoing through the rooms while you two played. Furthermore, I hate this empty, cold bed—where you used to throw yourselves into my arms, barely leaving me space but filling me with so much more love. I hate prete