PEACE OFFERING Rowan's POV Noah stared at the ball for a moment before his eyes shifted back to me. He didn’t reach for it, but I saw the hint of curiosity in his gaze. It wasn’t much, but it was something. “You really think I’ll just forgive you because you bring me a stupid ball?” he asked, his voice tinged with frustration. I shook my head, a small smile tugging at the corner of my lips. “No, I don’t. But I think it might be a step in the right direction.” Noah’s lips twitched, like he might have wanted to smile, but he held it back. “I’m not sure it’s that simple.” “I don’t expect it to be,” I said, my voice steady. “But I’m willing to try.” Noah finally stood up, crossing the room to take the ball from my hands. “Fine. We’ll start with this. But don’t expect me to suddenly act like everything’s okay.” “I don’t expect you to,” I said. “I just want a chance.” He looked at me for a long moment, as if deciding whether or not to trust me. Then, with a reluctant nod, he walke
DIVORCE ON SURPRISE IVY'S POV "I want a divorce." Rowan’s voice echoes through the sitting room as he throws what look like divorce papers onto the desk in front of me. Tonight is supposed to be our third anniversary, and I’ve prepared all his favorite dishes—only for him to come home and shatter my world with these documents. "I don’t understand. If this is a prank or some kind of test, you got me. Please, tell me this is just a joke," I plead, approaching him cautiously. Even in my distress, I can’t help but notice his intoxicating scent. His face is contorted with anger, and I’m at a complete loss. Rowan’s eyes bore into mine, cold and unforgiving. "Do I look like I’m joking?" Tears prick at the corners of my eyes as I reach for him. "Rowan, please don’t do this. I’m begging you." He steps back, his expression hardening further. "Name your price, sign the damn papers, and leave." I can hardly believe what I’m hearing. Does he really think I married him for his money? I
IVY'S POV I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN I still can't believe Bella is back, and to make matters worse, Rowan chose to bring her home at my lowest moment. "I think we should grab some coffee," Bella suggests, feigning innocence as if she weren't the catalyst for my world crumbling around me. As if this isn't exactly what she wanted; to replace me as Rowan's wife. I don't dignify her with a response. Instead, I toss my keys to Rowan, my voice cold and resolute. "You'll never see my face again." Grabbing my luggage, I turn my back on the life I've known for the past three years. I don't even glance at the car Rowan's grandfather gifted me. I want nothing tying me to the Douglas family any longer. I'm done with them all. As I walk away from the mansion, Rowan's voice stops me in my tracks. For a fleeting moment, I wonder if I've forgotten something. "You didn't include anything in the divorce papers about compensation," he calls out. I whirl around, my eyes blazing with
LEAVING EUROPE IVY'S POV "Mommy, I wanna see Daddy," Noah says, his big grey eyes looking up at me, so full of hope it breaks my heart. It's been seven long years since I left Los Angeles, since my life there fell to pieces. I swore I'd never go back, not when there's nothing left for me there. But here in Europe with my best friend Sarah, things are better. Easier. Today is Noah's seventh birthday, and I promised him he could make a wish. I thought for sure he'd ask for his favorite sandwich cake, or maybe a trip to Wonderland Park with Sarah. But no. He asks for something else entirely. "That's my wish," he says, his little voice so certain. "Oh honey, you gotta pick a different wish," I tell him, trying to keep my voice light. Noah's always asking about his daddy, wanting to meet him. But how can I explain what a monster his father was to me? How he threw me away like garbage? "But why can't I see Daddy? You said I got grandmas and grandpas. Why can't I meet them?"
BACK HOME IVY'S POV The flight from Europe to Los Angeles took forever, almost a whole day. I didn't plan on staying long, so I only packed a few things for me and Noah. I didn't want to spend more time here than I had to. When we finally got off the plane, everything looked so different from how I remembered it seven years ago. Nicer, somehow. We grabbed our bags and Noah couldn't stop bouncing with excitement. He's always wanted to be a pilot, says they get to travel the world and see so many places. I never argue with him about it. I just want him to be happy. I got us a cab to the hotel I booked. I wasn't about to stay at my dad's house, not when I knew I wasn't welcome there. Plus, I figured some of my aunts and uncles would be around. I didn't need them looking down their noses at me. It took me two days to work up the nerve to see my mom. She kept calling, asking if I was coming, but I couldn't bring myself to pick up. When I finally got to the house, I rang the d
MEETING ROWAN'S POV The sun glaring through the windows when I wake up, Bella curled up next to me with her hand on my chest. She reminds me so much of Ivy sometimes. It's been seven years since Ivy left, seven years since I got Bella back, but I still feel this emptiness inside. Like Ivy's still here, haunting me. I know I messed up, treating her the way I did. But part of me just can't let it go, can't believe she didn't love me for my money. "You love her," a little voice in my head whispers. "Shut up," I growl back. "I could never love her." But even as I say it, I know it's a lie. Ivy got under my skin in a way no one else ever has. After I divorced her, I thought she'd come crawling back in a year, tops, begging me to take her back. But she didn't. Last I heard, she was in Europe, chasing that fashion designer dream of hers. I hate it, hate the thought of her out there, building a life without me. Even if she's not mine anymore, I don't want anyone else to have her. Sh
A FAMILIAR FACE Ivy’s POV The effect that Rowan’s presence had on me lingered long after I left the funeral. His voice, his eyes—everything about him ripped open wounds I thought had long since healed. I pressed my fingers to my temples as I walked, trying to push away the memories clawing at me. I shouldn’t have come. I should have stayed home, and kept my head down like I have done for the past seven years. Now, I was falling apart, and I hated it. The cemetery was mostly empty now, the last of the mourners leaving in small groups. My heels crunched against the gravel path as I made my way toward the exit, my heart still hammering from seeing Rowan again. But just as I reached the iron gates, a quick movement caught my eye. A black sedan stood a few yards away. The tinted windows made it impossible to see inside, but something about it made my stomach tighten with dread. I picked up my pace. Then, a sharp crack split the air. Gunfire. Instinct took over. I dropped to
The Unanswered Question Rowan’s POV I couldn’t get the image out of my head. Ivy, standing outside gripping that little boy’s hand like her life depended on it. The funeral had already been a disaster from the moment I laid eyes on her. Seeing her again after all these years had been enough of a punch to the gut, but the kid? That was something else. Something else I didn't expect. Could it be…? Because if my math was right—if the timeline made any damn sense at all— No. I couldn’t go there. Not yet. I slammed the car door shut and sat behind the wheel, gripping it tighter than necessary. My mind kept circling back, trying to fill in the blanks. Ivy had disappeared after our breakup, cutting all ties. I’d searched for her, reached out more times than I cared to admit, but she’d vanished like smoke. No trace. And now she was back. With a kid who looked— No. Focus. I needed answers, and I needed them now. If it's possible that, that kid is mine, there's a lot I ne
PEACE OFFERING Rowan's POV Noah stared at the ball for a moment before his eyes shifted back to me. He didn’t reach for it, but I saw the hint of curiosity in his gaze. It wasn’t much, but it was something. “You really think I’ll just forgive you because you bring me a stupid ball?” he asked, his voice tinged with frustration. I shook my head, a small smile tugging at the corner of my lips. “No, I don’t. But I think it might be a step in the right direction.” Noah’s lips twitched, like he might have wanted to smile, but he held it back. “I’m not sure it’s that simple.” “I don’t expect it to be,” I said, my voice steady. “But I’m willing to try.” Noah finally stood up, crossing the room to take the ball from my hands. “Fine. We’ll start with this. But don’t expect me to suddenly act like everything’s okay.” “I don’t expect you to,” I said. “I just want a chance.” He looked at me for a long moment, as if deciding whether or not to trust me. Then, with a reluctant nod, he walke
ROWAN'S RESOLVE (Rowan’s POV) I had heard everything. I had been sitting outside Ivy’s apartment, just a few feet away, my back pressed against the cold brick of the wall, listening to every word that passed between her and Noah. I hadn’t meant to eavesdrop. But the door was open just enough, and the sound of Noah’s voice, trembling with confusion and hurt, drew me in like a magnet. The words struck me harder than anything I had ever felt before. Ivy had been keeping the truth from him. The truth about me. About who I was—or rather, who I wasn’t. A father. I hadn’t meant to be this way. I didn’t want to be the kind of man who walked away, but life had a way of throwing curveballs that knocked you sideways. I didn’t know how to love Ivy, and I had convinced myself that kicking Ivy out was the best option. For Ivy and for me. But hearing it from Noah, hearing the pain in his voice, broke something inside me. He wasn’t a little boy anymore. He was growing up, becoming someone wh
THE TRUTH ABOUT NOAH Ivy’s POV The sound of Noah’s laughter echoed through the house, a sound that usually brought me comfort, but today it just felt like an intrusion. I needed quiet. I needed time to think, to prepare myself for the conversation I knew was coming. The conversation I had been avoiding for months. Noah was playing video games in the living room, as he always did when he needed to relax. I couldn’t blame him. I wanted to relax too. But today, escaping wasn’t an option. I had promised him that I would tell him the truth, and now, I had to keep that promise. I took a deep breath and walked toward the living room, my footsteps heavier than usual. Noah didn’t notice me at first. He was too absorbed in the screen, his fingers flying over the controller. But when I stood in the doorway, he looked up, his face lighting up with a smile. “Hey, Mom. You want to play?” His voice was full of excitement, but I saw the underlying weariness in his eyes. I smiled back, though
THE LINES WE DRAW Ivy’s POV The room was dark, lit only by the faint silver of moonlight peeking through the blinds. The sheets tangled around my bare legs, still warm from the heat we’d created. My breathing was finally steady, but my heart… my heart was a mess of contradictions. Gabe lay beside me, his arm draped across my waist. He traced slow circles against my skin, the silence between us soft and heavy. “I missed this,” he whispered, lips brushing the curve of my shoulder. “You. Us.” I closed my eyes. Trying to embrace this moment. To forget every other thing. I wanted to say it back. I wanted to mean it. But every time I tried, Rowan’s face pushed through my thoughts and messed everything up. “Tell me something real, Ivy,” Gabe murmured, lifting himself to lean over me, his fingers brushing a strand of hair from my face. “Now that all this mess with Ethan and Bella is over… what happens next?” I turned to look at him. His eyes were still that same soulful brown—earnes
A SPARK REKINDLED Rowan’s POV The gavel hit the bench with a sharp finality. “Case dismissed. Charges against Ms. Ivy Sharp and her company are hereby dropped, with prejudice. Furthermore, an investigation into Ms. Bella Kelly and Mr. Ethan Sharp will proceed under federal review.” Just like that—it was over. I didn’t even hear the murmurs in the courtroom. Everything around me blurred, tunneled, and narrowed in on the woman sitting two rows ahead of me. Ivy. She sat completely still, like she was afraid if she moved, it would all be a dream. I could see the rigid line of her shoulders, her fingers clenched around her purse so tight, her knuckles were white. Then, slowly, she turned her head. Our eyes met. I didn’t smile. I didn’t have to. She blinked once, like her brain needed a second to register the truth, and then, finally, her shoulders sagged. She exhaled. A long, trembling breath. And I saw it the a crack in her armor she used to protect herself. Finally. I rose
NOAH'S GROWING CURIOSITY Noah had been watching. I should have noticed sooner. The way his eyes tracked Rowan whenever he walked into the room. The way his little brows furrowed whenever I spoke to him in hushed tones. My son was sharp, too sharp for his age. But tonight, I couldn't avoid his questions. It was late, past his bedtime, but Noah wasn’t asleep. I found him curled up on the living room couch, a book resting open on his lap, though his eyes weren’t moving across the pages. Instead, they were locked on me. I tried to pretend like I didn't notice him staring but it was hard. I didn't want to indulge him. I wanted to order him to his. But I didn't have the heart to do that. I sighed and sat down next to him, brushing a hand over his unruly curls. "You should be in bed." He didn’t argue. I guess he too understood but obviously he was on to something. Instead, he closed the book and looked up at me. "Is Rowan going to be around forever?" The question was so direct, so c
A FAMILY'S FIGHT The boardroom was suffocating. I hadn't felt this way in a long time. Eleven investors sat in their high-backed chairs, their polished shoes tapping against the floor, their eyes filled with barely concealed doubt. The air smelled of coffee and tension. I sat at the head of the table, back straight, shoulders squared, refusing to let them see even a flicker of hesitation. Rowan sat to my left, Sarah to my right. Both of them were quiet, but their presence was my anchor. I don't know why I let Rowan into my life again. But in this moment, in this time, I was grateful. I took a slow breath, then spoke. “We’re moving forward with legal action against Ethan and Bella.” Murmurs erupted. Gregory Whitmore, the oldest and loudest investor, leaned forward. “Ivy, let’s be reasonable. A lawsuit will draw attention—bad attention. We have enough problems without dragging your personal matters into the public eye.” I clenched my jaw. “My personal matters? Ethan and Bell
CONFESSION Rowan's POV I found Ivy sitting in her office, her hands gripping the edge of the desk like it was the only thing holding her together. Her back was stiff, her shoulders taut with tension. She hadn't looked at me since I walked in. The air between us was thick, heavy with everything left unsaid. And there was so much to be said. After the kidnap of her son and her finding out that her brother was working against her, I figured this will be a lot to take for her. But she needed to hear this. I didn't know how she would react to my presence today. Yesterday, she almost hurt me with her ceramic cup. It's good thing she hasn't started hurling things at me. At least she was in control of her rage this time. I cleared my throat. “Ivy, I need to talk to you.” “Not now, Rowan.” Her voice was flat. Tired. She didn't even bother to look up at me. I ignored her dismissal and stepped closer. “It’s about Ethan.” That got her attention. Her head snapped up, eyes locking onto
THE PAIN OF TRUTH Ivy's POV As I stood in my office, staring at my phone, my pulse hammered in my ears. The article was right there, the words blurring together as I reread them for what felt like the hundredth time. What's going on? This can't be true. He will never do such a thing. Could it be Bella is trying to pull another one of her tricks? "A source confirms that the recent attacks on Ivy Sharp’s business were orchestrated by an insider—her own brother, Ethan Sharp." My stomach twisted. This had to be a mistake. Ethan wouldn’t—couldn’t—do something like this. I knew he never really wanted me around him, but going the extra mile to sabotage my business was unthinkable. Could he be working with Bella? That's not possible. He wouldn't stoop so low. But as I scrolled further, the article listed transaction records, emails, and phone logs. Evidence. Proof. I covered my mouth with my hand, trying to stop the sudden wave of nausea. This wasn't just a bad joke. It was real.