POV: HENRY
Lauren chewed slowly, studying me with that suspicious look she always gave me whenever I acted more considerate than I should.
“If the doctor said you need to rest, then rest.” I kept my expression firm, leaving no room for arguments. “The maids can take care of Theodor; they’ve done it before.”
She looked at me for a few seconds, and then something flashed in her eyes. A challenge. A hint of emotion I still couldn’t completely decipher.
“Do you always have to be in control of everything?” Lauren sighed hesitantly, almost frustrated.
I smirked, enjoying the subtle provocation behind her question.
“I like when things go at my pace,” I replied huskily, with honesty.
Lauren averted her gaze for a brief moment, fidgeting with her hands on her lap, clearly debating what to say next.
POV: HENRYI adjusted myself on the bed, pulling her closer until her head rested against my chest.Lauren gently slid her hand across my torso. The touch was light, but enough to make me shudder. I bit the inside of my cheek, controlling my reaction.“Becker?” I called her name, my voice rougher than I intended.“Yes?” she answered softly, with a lazy yawn, as if exhaustion was finally taking over.I glanced down at her hand, which continued tracing slow patterns on my skin.“If you keep touching me like that, you’re going to have to give me a lot more than just sweet kisses,” I murmured, my voice deep and husky.Lauren froze for a moment before looking up at me, surprised. Her hand stopped instantly, hesitating.A low chuckle rumbled in my chest.I caught her hand bef
POV: HENRYThe nightgown was still provocative, but much more modest than the last one I had seen.Her eyes landed on my hands.Her expression changed instantly.“Seriously? You're smoking?” She crossed her arms, her gaze fixed on the cigarette between my fingers.A smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth.“I would’ve preferred whiskey, but I doubt my doctor would approve alcohol with my meds.” I lifted the cigarette to my lips, but before I could take a drag, Lauren stepped forward, snatching it from my hand. Without hesitation, she threw it to the ground and stomped on it, crushing it with force.“Hey, I wasn’t done with that,” I grumbled, raising an eyebrow.“What the hell is wrong with you, Carter?” She turned to me, eyes blazing with anger. “You were stabbed, almost died, and
POV: LAURENHenry remained silent, staring at me. His dark eyes studied me intensely, as if searching for something within me. He cleared his throat and let out a long sigh before finally turning fully toward me.“I’ve been in this position before.” Henry’s voice came out low and cold, carrying something I couldn’t immediately identify.Chills ran down my spine. I lifted my eyes, frowning at his closed-off expression.“With Mia?” My own voice sounded hesitant. An uncomfortable feeling settled in my chest, like a tightness that was hard to ignore.“No.” He denied without hurry, his hand lifting to touch my hair.The gesture was deliberate. His fingers brushed a strand away from my face, gliding smoothly along my cheek until they reached my jawline. The warm contact made my heart race. When his fingers held my chin, a surge of electricity ran through my body, leaving my breath unsteady.“It was for a girl in college.” He murmured, his voice weighed down by something that rooted me in pl
POV: LAUREN“I thought life was paying me back for what she did, but it seems fate has a cruel sense of humor.”My throat tightened.“Henry, I didn’t.” I started, but he cut me off with a small shake of his head, his expression hard.“What hurt me the most was believing that she saw me as more than just status and money.” He wrinkled his nose, letting out a heavy sigh. Then he groaned softly, pressing the area around his stitches.My chest tightened.“You’re right, Mrs. Becker. I need to maintain my reputation, so the contract will not be revoked. That was already specified.”My stomach twisted.“W-what?” My voice came out as a whisper, my hands trembling.Henry showed no hesitation.“You will fulfill one year of our fake marriage. We will be the perfect couple in front of everyone until the agreement ends.” His tone was cold, controlled, like a CEO laying down unbreakable rules. “But don’t worry about the kisses.”My body tensed as he closed the small distance between us.His presenc
POV: HENRYShe held her breath.I liked that.“Sleep,” I whispered, burying my face in her hair, inhaling her scent, letting my touch linger at the curve of her waist before pulling back slightly. But not completely.It took her a while to relax, to let her body fully sink into the mattress. But eventually, it happened. Her breathing became more steady, though I knew she wasn’t asleep.Neither of us was truly resting.I felt the slight tremor in her body, the way her fingers clutched the sheets, and how her breath faltered every time my chest brushed against her back.And then I did the unforgivable.My fingers traced slowly along her arm, exploring her skin in a deliberate, firm stroke. When I reached her wrist, I pressed gently, feeling the rapid pulse beneath my fingertips.She let out a quiet, shaky sigh, as if trying to swallow any reaction.“You’re tense,” I murmured against her neck, my mouth close enough to catch the sweet scent of her skin. “Do you want me to move away?”Laur
POV: HENRYI asked Charlotte, my secretary and right hand, to bring the company’s documents and proposals. My laptop came along with them. She knocked on the door before stepping in, a broad smile spreading across her face as she saw me.“Boss, I see you're doing better.” She smiled, her voice sweet and slightly suggestive. “How are you feeling? I was so worried when I heard what happened.”I adjusted myself against the pillows, pulling the table closer to start working.“I'm fine; it was just a scare,” I replied, not paying much attention. “Give me an update.”Charlotte nodded, shifting to a more professional tone.“The contracts you sent are in their final stages. The negotiation team has kept up with your agenda, and I rescheduled the most important meetings for next month so you can fully recover.” She p
POV: HENRYI didn’t see Lauren for the rest of the day. I preferred to keep my distance—or at least, that’s what I told myself. The truth was, I needed to push her away. I was getting too involved.Time passed without me noticing. A soft knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. The housekeeper entered, carrying a dinner tray, and Theodor followed close behind, holding my medication with a displeased expression.“Thank you,” I said, taking the pills.The housekeeper hesitated, wringing her hands as if she wanted to say something. I sighed and tilted my head.“What is it?”“Forgive me, Mr. Carter. I don’t usually interfere, but.” She glanced quickly at Theo before looking back at me, uncertain.My mood was already sour.“Just say it,” I muttered, swallowing
POV: LAURENI woke up feeling awful. My body was exhausted, my head throbbed, and my stomach still felt unsettled from the night before. I could barely process why Henry had come to my room. Yesterday had been a nightmare—I spent hours throwing up, and now the dizziness made it a battle just to get out of bed.But what worried me the most were the cramps in my lower abdomen. They had intensified, and my stomach kept tightening from time to time. I bit the corner of my lip, nervous. Was my baby okay?I grabbed my phone and dialed Dr. Ravi’s number.“Hello, Dr. Ravi?” I whispered, afraid someone in the house might hear me. “It’s me, Lauren Becker. Do you have a minute?”“Mrs. Becker, it’s always a pleasure to hear from you,” his voice came through, cheerful. “Are you alright? You sound a bit off.”I sigh
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
POV: LAURENI watched him grab two towels and one of his oversized shirts—the kind that always wrapped around my whole body.“Go dry off and warm up, please. I don’t want you getting sick, especially now… it wouldn’t be good for you or the baby,” Henry said, his voice softer and more careful than usual.I felt my stomach tighten when I heard him mention the baby. Furthermore, I was speechless for a few seconds.“You don’t have to, Carter,” I murmured with a weak smile. “I… I’ll go back home.”Even as I said that, my body was lightly trembling, my feet still damp, clothes clinging to my skin. I was tired, emotionally drained—but what hurt the most was the way he made me feel, just by the way he looked at me. As if he was saying everything he couldn’t put into words.“It’s