Vanessa POVMy workplace came alive with the hum of sewing machines, the rustling of fabrics and my harsh commands at my apprentices. I glanced at the time, 12 noon.My fashion house was growing, but my thoughts were far from the designs in front of me. I tapped my pen on my note book, attempting to focus.Daniel sent me more flowers, so the scent of pink roses lingered all around me. However, I had barely given them a second glance. My mind was elsewhere.Liam.My head replayed the conversation with his bodyguards this morning. No suspicious activity, not a sight of anything wierd. But I didn’t feel better. This morning I got an anonymous text that disappeared minutes after I read it.“You should watch your son more carefully. Accidents happen every day.”I swallowed hard, shaking the memory out of my head.No. I refuse to panic.I had increased security, and decided to keep this from Edward, but was that really enough?A sudden commotion outside my office door yanked me out of my t
Edward POVI just left that business exhibition, and Daniel really got on my nerves. He had so much confidence in winning Vanessa over, like was waiting for me to mess up so he can swoop in and play hero. But no.Not on my watch.The minute my phone buzzed, I thought of ignoring it. I was already at the company, energized for a full day. But something in my gut told me to check. The second I saw Vanessa’s name, a prickle of concern spread through me. She rarely called this early. I answered immediately. “Vanessa?” There was a lull, only her irregular breathing on the other end of the queue. My hold on the phone intensified. "What's wrong?" I demanded. "It's Liam," she whispered, her voice straining. "Something happened at his school." I was already on my feet before she had completed her statement. "What do you mean? Is he hurt?”A sharp inhale. Then, in a voice that was trembling, she whispered, “Yes.”The world tilted.“Where are you?” My voice came out deadly calm, but insi
Edward POVI drove like a man possessed.Liam’s sprained ankle and scraped elbow haunted me, his tiny voice trembling as he whispered, ‘The man pushed me.’ ‘He told me to be a good boy.’That wasn’t random. That was a message.And I was going to find out who sent it.The security footage was a disappointment—grainy, the stranger keeping his head down. But the car he got into… that was a lead.I stopped my car at one of the high-rise buildings downtown, my jaw clenched tight.“Welcome Mr. Silver,” a man in a dark suit greeted me as I stepped out. “We traced the vehicle’s plates. It was a rental—picked up yesterday under a fake ID. But we found something.”I followed him inside, tension coiling in my chest like a spring. In the dimly lit surveillance room, my investigator Jonathan, pointed at a screen.The footage showed the car pulling into a garage. Seconds later, the driver got out and entered a building.“Pause it.”He did. I leaned forward.The man was tall, wearing a baseball ca
Daniel POV My jaw clenched his as I swirled my wine glass, filled with an amber liquid, my grip tightening around the crystal tumbler. Edward. Again. No matter what I did, no matter how close I got to Vanessa, Edward was always there—lingering in the background like an unshakable shadow. But I played my cards right. I have been patient, careful. I even took a bullet for Vanessa, stood by her, made her feel safe. But Edward? That bastard just had to show up and ruin everything. And the worst part? Vanessa let him. I exhaled sharply and tossed the rest of my whiskey back, savoring the burn in my throat. The dark lit VIP lounge of the Velvet Orchid pulsed with soft red and gold lights, the air thick with perfume and smoke. A private haven away from the world—exactly what I needed. I leaned back into the plush leather seat as a curvy brunette moved towards me, her body moving in rhythm with the sultry jazz playing in the background. Her silk robe barely clung to her shoul
Daniel POVAs I drove, the strain in my jaw would not let go, and the city lights flickered by. With her arms encircling her body and her breathing still irregular, Wendy sat in the passenger seat. She had taken the damn pill, but it wouldn’t fix her. Not tonight.I should have left her at the club. I should have ignored her entirely. But here I was, playing the role of her reluctant savior.Again.“You still don’t believe me,” she whispered, her voice raw.I didn’t answer.Wendy turned toward me, her mascara-streaked face barely illuminated by the glow of the dashboard. “I know you think I did something to Liam. That I—” she swallowed, shaking her head. “Daniel, I would never hurt a child. You know that.”My grip on the steering wheel tightened. “Maybe you wouldn’t. But you’ve done plenty of other shit that makes it hard to trust you.”She flinched. “That’s not fair.”I let out a sharp breath. “Fair? You went to the media, Wendy. You dragged me into your circus, made me look like I
Saturday April 20thVanessa POVThe events that occurred this week were so overwhelming. I was so glad Mandi was around to support me, and when Bella returned from her trip, she did so in her own way too.This week reminded me of my responsibilities as a mother. Liam had to be put first above everything.Edward and Daniel could wait.These men came into my life with so much weight and drama.To make things even more complicated, Edward and I shared a steamy moment on the night of the Easter dinner.How could I forget the way his tongue pleasured me? The way he teased me, made me beg for his touch?I couldn’t help myself. Edward was a walking temptation, and that night he was vulnerable with me. But I can’t just let him in again. There are too many stakes.We have to face our fears and past issues if we want to thrive.Daniel is till trying to win me over, but I need to understand the whole thing between him and Wendy.My mind was all over the place, it was finally time for the launch
Daniel POVI sat in my car, as my fingers drummed against my knee, my mind replaying to the moment I saw her. The lights in the city reflected everywhere, even past the tinted windows of the car, but I wasn’t focused on it. Vanessa.She was stunning tonight. Even from a far distance in the crowd where I had been watching, I could see how the dress molded to her body, how her confidence radiated as she stepped into her dream. And then—him.Edward.I had expected him to be there. Hell, I had expected him to make a show of it. He always did. But watching him pull Vanessa into that kiss? That had felt like a punch to the gut.I shouldn’t have cared.I shouldn’t have even been there, hidden like a coward, watching from afar. But something in me couldn’t stay away. I needed to see her—to remind myself of why I had to fight for her.Yet, I hadn’t stepped in.Because I knew.Tonight wasn’t about me.It was about her.And maybe that was why I stayed in the shadows, gripping the corner of the
Vanessa POVThe distant murmur of classical music coming from the ceiling speakers blended with the aroma of freshly made pastries and flowers. We sat in an exquisite restaurant, on a Sunday afternoon. The Sun made everywhere bright, as the windows reflected the light into the cool air conditioned space we sat it. Edward travelled to Rome for a business meeting last night, he promised to be back during the week but he didn’t give me a specific date.As I listened to Bella and Mandi argue over the most recent turmoil in my life, I groaned and distractedly swirling my mimosa. As she bit into her salmon, Mandi shook her head and remarked, "This whole situation is just… insane. Vanessa, you’ve got two incredibly powerful men obsessed with you, and here you are, acting like it’s a regular day.”Bella scoffed, setting her wine glass down. “Mandi, this isn’t some reality show. It’s her life.” She turned to me. “Though, to be fair, it’s been entertaining to watch from the sidelines.”I
Vanessa POVEven at night time, I couldn’t sleep. My eyes remained wide open.With the distant hum of the lively New York city and the occasional thuds from running up through staircases, it felt like the walls themselves were holding their breath. I lay in my king-sized bed, staring at the ceiling, the silk sheets tangled around my legs.Sleep wouldn’t come. It had been this way for days.I turned over and reached for my phone on the nightstand, half-hoping to find a message from Edward. Anything. Even a simple “Are you okay?” would have been enough.But my screen was empty.Nothing.Biting my lip, I opened my messages anyway and typed:You up?I hovered my thumb over the send button. Then, at the last second, I deleted the text.No.I wasn’t going to chase him.Not tonight. He was under pressure, a theft in his company, the weight of protecting Liam and I. It was a lot to handle.I could easily go to his room to check if he’s there but that could escalate things. But No.I rolled on
Edward’s POVThe glass in my hand was sweating. I hadn’t even touched the damn drink yet. Whiskey, neat. My old go-to when I wanted to forget, when I wanted to feel something burn before the numbness settled in. It was a little past midnight, everyone at home was asleep. But I was restless.I sat in the back of my sleek, black rolls Royce, fingers drumming against the leather seat as the city lights flickered past the tinted windows. New York was still buzzing, as always, pretending like nothing was falling apart. But for me, everything in my world was unraveling—and fast.Kaz was back. My company was compromised. Vanessa… she wasn’t mine the way I wanted her to be. And Daniel. Fucking Daniel, always a step closer to her heart than I was.“Sir?” My driver turned his head slightly. “We’re here.”I looked up. The red neon sign of Club Volta buzzed above the entrance, hazy in the misty night air. The place where I first laid eyes on Vanessa after 5 years. Where her fire and defiance sla
Vanessa’s POVThe ride back to the mansion was quiet, too quiet. Liam had drifted off to sleep in the backseat, clutching his buzz light year action figure to his chest, while Edward kept his eyes on the road, jaw clenched, knuckles white on the steering wheel. I could tell something was wrong. Not just the fatigue etched into his face, but the way his posture had shifted—like a man bracing himself for impact.I’d overheard part of his phone call earlier. Just a few clipped words. More updates about Kaz, he fled. not in custody—but it was enough to churn my stomach. I didn’t press him about it when we left Daniel’s penthouse. I didn’t need confirmation to know that the man who haunted my nightmares had once again slipped through the cracks.The mansion came into view, warm lights glowing through tall windows. It was supposed to feel like coming home, but all I felt was dread creeping into my chest. The moment the car stopped, Edward turned to me, eyes softening slightly.“I’ll carry h
Daniel POVSunday, 29th AprilThe late morning light sliced through the penthouse windows, casting sharp lines over the hardwood floors. Vanessa was still upstairs with Liam, cocooned in a thin bubble of calm that I didn’t want to break. Edward had stepped out to prepare the mansion for their return, since Vanessa and Liam were going back today. Kaz had fled New York so it was safe for them again, but my senses told me otherwise. The past few days have been intense and overwhelming.The world outside didn’t stop spinning just because we needed peace.I grabbed my jacket, left a note by the coffee machine—just in case—and slipped out of the penthouse without a sound. The hallway was quiet. My security detail stood outside the door, nodding once as I passed. They knew the drill by now: stay close, stay alert, stay ready.Ten minutes later, I was buried behind my desk at Westborne inc’s satellite office on the East Side, trying to plow through enough paperwork that I had to clarify befor
Vanessa POV The clock on Daniel’s living room wall ticked too loudly.It was almost noon, but time felt suspended—caught between the silence of waiting and the heaviness of fear.I stood by the window, arms folded tightly across my chest, watching the clouds roll in over Manhattan like bruises. Rain threatened in the distance, but all I could feel was the chill of dread creeping up my spine. Edward left for a business meeting and hadn’t come back yet. I tried to tell myself that was okay—that he was probably stuck in traffic, or giving the police a statement, or just… breathing. But deep down, I knew something had happened.I had sensed it in his voice earlier.The call wasn’t long. I’d only caught the tail end when Daniel stepped out of the room, but I heard the tension. The clipped tone. The sharp inhale before he hung up.Kaz.He’d found him. I didn’t need confirmation—I just knew.“Mommy?”I turned. Liam stood behind me, clutching a stuffed bear to his chest. His curls were messy
Edward’s POVThe sun hadn’t risen yet, but the city was already beginning to stir beneath me. I sat behind the wheel of my car, parked a block away from the rundown building that Detective Slater had mentioned over the phone. A warehouse near the East River, supposedly condemned but still lingering with shadows. I tightened my grip around the steering wheel, knuckles white. My private investigator Jonathan, sat in the passengers seat.The moment Slater called Daniel, I was already slipping on my coat. The name Kaz had my blood running cold.“You sure this is the place?” I asked again into my Bluetooth headset.“I don’t joke about guys like him,” Slater responded, his voice crackling with static. “Anonymous tip came in. They said someone matching Kaz’s description has been hiding out here the last few nights. No security cams in the area, but the timing lines up.”I stared at the building, its brick walls crusted with grime, rusted metal doors barely holding onto their hinges. “What
Vanessa POV The room was dark, but the silence didn’t comfort me. It was the scream in my head that woke me—loud, raw, too real. My chest heaved as I sat up, drenched in cold sweat, heart thundering. For a second, I couldn’t breathe. Kaz. His voice echoed in my mind like a jagged replay, his hands pinning me down, his threats crackling like fire through my veins. Even the shadows around me seemed to shift like they belonged to him. I turned to check Liam. My darling son was fast asleep, curled in a blanket and unaware of the chaos around us. Safe. For now, I reached for my phone, then stopped. It was just after 4 a.m. I blinked into the dim light, my eyes adjusting slowly. My limbs trembled as I forced myself out of bed and tiptoed into the hallway, my body stiff and sore from the nightmare’s grip. Still, the unease in my chest didn’t lift. It was like a hand was clutching my heart. I didn’t want to go back to bed. My feet moved almost instinctively, padding across
Vanessa POV Wendy Hawthorne walked in like she owned the damn place. I blinked, stunned, as her heels clicked sharply against the hardwood floor of Daniel’s penthouse, her designer trench coat billowing like she’d just stepped off the set of a soap opera. She paused dramatically in the entryway, clearly expecting an audience. Her brunette hair styled in waves gleamed under the warm lights, and her lips curled into a half-smile when she saw me. “Well, this is a surprise,” she purred, setting her oversized sunglasses atop her head. “Didn’t expect company, Danny. Though I suppose you’ve always liked strays.” Daniel, who’d been clearing the table with a dishtowel still in hand, stiffened beside me. “What the hell are you doing here, Wendy?” he asked, voice sharp with irritation. Wendy swept into the dinning room like she hadn’t heard him, her gaze flitting between the dimmed lights, the warm plates on the dining table, and finally—me. “I see you’ve been entertaining.” “Ans
Daniel POV The soft chime of the elevator echoed through the penthouse as I opened the door, just in time to see Vanessa and Liam stepping out with Edward trailing behind them. My gut twisted a little—maybe it was the sight of Liam holding Vanessa’s hand, or maybe it was the way Edward’s gaze landed on me with that ever-present rivalry in his eyes. Vanessa looked exhausted, though still striking as always—her eyes guarded, her steps careful. Liam clutched a small suitcase in one hand and a toy car in the other, his eyes darting around the hallway like a curious little explorer. “Welcome,” I said, stepping forward. My voice came out smoother than I felt. “Liam, I got something for you.” The little boy tilted his head suspiciously, but I could already see the curiosity winning. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small treat bag—soft chewy caramels, the kind that didn’t stick to your teeth, thankfully. His eyes lit up. “Can I have one, Mommy?” Vanessa smiled faintly. “J