As I pulled up to the familiar school gates, I could already see them—Ruby and Rhett—standing by the gatepost with their little backpacks slung over their shoulders. Rhett was the first to spot me, his face lighting up like a beacon.“Mom’s here, Ruby!” he exclaimed, tugging at her arm and stealing her attention away from her classmates.I smiled as I saw the twin faces brighten. “Mommy!” they chorused, springing from their seats and waving goodbye to their friends. They dashed towards the car, their laughter filling the air as they climbed in, Ruby’s school bag swinging wildly as she slipped into the backseat.“Hey, Munchies,” I greeted them with a grin, using the nickname they had known since they were toddlers.“Hi, Mom!” Ruby beamed.“Hey, Mom,” Rhett added, his smile a little quieter, but no less sincere.They fastened their seatbelts, something I had taught them to do without needing a reminder. It always made me proud to see how much they’d grown, even in the small things.As w
‘Come on, Helen, you couldn't even wait?' I chuckled to myself as I made my way to the front door to usher Helen in.As I got to the door, ready to greet my friend with a teasing remark, my amusement however, turned to shock, as I swung the door open.I froze in shock at the sight before me. Standing on the doorstep with an unreadable expression on his face was no other than…Roman."Roman?" I blurted out after recovering from the shock, my voice barely above a whisper, disbelief etched across my features."Hello, Ruby..." he said with a cold tone, his eyes having a glint of amusement and something else I couldn't quite decipher. "Surprised to see me?" he asked in an arrogant tone."How did you...?" I began, wanting to ask how he knew my place, but the question got caught at the back of my throat, lost in the whirlwind of emotions swirling within me."How did I find you?" he completed my question, cocking his head slightly as if savoring the moment. "It was quite easy. I just needed
The weight of his words hung in the air between us, heavy and suffocating. I could feel the walls closing in, the safe world I had built for my children suddenly fragile, like glass about to shatter.I closed the door slowly, leaning against it for a moment as I tried to collect myself. I could hear the kids still playing, blissfully unaware of the turmoil swirling just outside their little world.But I knew it wouldn’t stay that way for long.The sharp, unmistakable smell of something burning snapped me back to reality.“Oh my God!” I yelped, dashing into the kitchen. A cloud of smoke hung in the air, curling out from the pot. My heart sank as I reached over to turn off the gas, mumbling, “No, no, no… this can’t be happening.”With a grimace, I lifted the pot lid, only to be met with the charred remains of what used to be noodles. The half-burnt mess at the bottom clung stubbornly to the pot, taunting me. I sighed, pressing my fingers to my forehead, feeling the frustration rise.“G
ROMAN'S POV "Just so you know, you aren't running away from me again... Not again," I said before walking out. Ruby's words felt weighty as I stepped outside, the cool evening air contrasting sharply with the intensity of our just concluded conversation. With each step away from her door, I felt a strange mix of frustration and determination coursing through me.I heard the door close behind me with a definitive click, signaling the end of our tumultuous exchange.Glancing over my shoulder, I took in the sight of Ruby's house, a quaint little abode tucked away in the suburban neighborhood.I grabbed my phone from my pocket and called Kai, hoping to get an update from him. After a few rings, he answered."Hey Roman, I was about to call you. I stopped by your office, but Drew said you weren't in," Kai's voice came through the line."Yeah, I dropped by Ruby's place," I replied, still processing the encounter."You went to her place? Why?” Kai sounded slightly miffed."You didn't tell
Helen and I were just finishing up the last bites of our pancakes, the ones she claimed were “the fluffiest yet,” when my phone buzzed on the table. A glance at the screen made my stomach twist—the principal of the kids’ school.“Oh no,” I murmured, grabbing the phone.Helen looked up, instantly sensing my tension. “Everything okay?”I forced a smile but could feel the worry tightening my throat. “It’s the school.”I picked up, keeping my voice as steady as I could. “Hello, this is Ruby.”“Mrs. Blackwood, this is Principal O’Neil,” the familiar voice on the other end said, warm but with a hint of urgency. “I need you to come to the school right away. There’s been… an incident.”My heart dropped. “Is everything alright? Are the kids okay?”“They’re fine,” she assured me, though her tone was careful. “It’s Rhett… He was involved in a… disagreement with another student.”“A disagreement?” My voice came out sharper than I intended.“Yes. I think it’s best if we discuss this in person. Ple
The doorbell rang a second time, the sound cutting through the silence. My heart raced, though I wasn’t sure why. I took a deep breath, brushing the worry from my face, and called out, “Coming!” I crossed the hall, bracing myself for a visitor, but hoping it wasn’t him.Instead, I opened the door to see Liam standing there, a warm smile lighting up his face. Relief washed over me.“Hey, Ruby,” he greeted.“Hi… good afternoon.” I stepped aside, opening the door wide enough for him to come through. “Come on in.”He held two brown paper bags, each filled to the brim. I reached out to take one, chuckling. “Are you moving in or just feeding an army?”“Only the finest snack selection for my favorite twins,” he replied with a grin, handing me a bag.Together, we made our way to the living room, where I set the bags down on the table. I cupped my hands and called out to the kids, who I knew were hovering just out of sight down the hall. “Alright, Munchies… someone’s here to see you!”I could
LITTLE RUBY'S POV Today was the day—the day Uncle Liam was taking us out! He had told us yesterday he was going to, and I was so excited, I could barely sleep. When morning came, I hurried out of bed, took my bath and put on my best outfit. But I had a little problem, I couldn’t find my favorite shoes.“Mom, where’s my shoe?” I called, hopping down the hall with one shoe on and my other foot bare.“Have you checked under your bed, Ruby?” she said, smiling at me from the kitchen.“Not there, Mom.”“Try Rhett’s room then.”Just as I was about to head to Rhett’s room, the doorbell rang. I was so excited I didn’t even care that I was wearing just one shoe. I hopped all the way to the door, wobbly but fast.I opened the door, and there was Uncle Liam, smiling down at me. “Hey, Ruby. How are you?”“Good, Uncle Liam! How are you?” I said, feeling very grown-up.He chuckled, patting my shoulder. “I’m good too, thank you.”“Are you just going to keep him there in the doorway, Ruby?” Mom’s vo
LIAM’S POVThe sky was painted in shades of orange and purple as the sun dipped lower. We were almost home, and the quiet drive felt like a welcome relief after such a long day. I kept my focus on the road, enjoying the peaceful silence that had settled over the car.It didn’t last long, though. Rhett stirred in the backseat, rubbing his eyes and blinking slowly. I glanced at him in the mirror, a small smile tugging at my lips. “You awake?” I asked softly.“Yeah… I am, Uncle Liam,” he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep as he scratched his eyes and yawned.We turned onto Ruby’s street, and that’s when I saw something that caught my eyes. A man was standing right in front of the house, and from the look of things, it wasn’t good. Ruby was with him, and whatever peaceful moment we had instantly shattered.“Who’s that?” Rhett asked in a curious voice, leaning forward as if to get a clearer view. His tired little face turned toward the window, and I felt a knot form in my chest. He didn’t
RUBY'S POV The cab pulled into the city, and as the familiar skyline came into view, a tightness crept into my chest. I clutched my bag a little closer, staring out the window as the streets passed by in a blur of muted colors and ghosted memories.I was back.The place where everything began, where everything fell apart. The city that held every piece of me—the good, the bad, the broken. Each corner seemed to echo with memories of smiles, laughter, and heartbreak. It felt as though the air itself weighed heavier here, thick with the past.I blinked away the feeling and reached for my phone, dialing Liam’s number.“Ruby,” he answered almost immediately. His voice was warm, like a balm to my frayed nerves.“Hey. I’m here,” I said in a steady voice despite the emotions bubbling beneath the surface. “Is it still the hotel I told you about?”“Yeah, same place,” he confirmed. “I’m already here waiting for you.”I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. “Alright. I’ll be there
ROMAN’S POV I stepped into my apartment, the city lights bleeding in through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, the last thing I expected was Kai lounging on the couch. ]He had his feet kicked up on my coffee table, a glass of whiskey in hand, looking entirely too comfortable for someone about to deliver bad news.“Kai,” I said flatly, tossing my keys onto the counter.“You’re late,” he replied, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. His tone was light, but the tight set of his jaw betrayed his usual bravado.“What is it?” I asked, already sensing something was off.“You asked me to be here in an hour… remember?”Kai reached for a tablet sitting on the table and handed it to me without a word. The screen came to life under my touch, displaying grainy security footage from the airport. My stomach twisted the moment I saw her—Ruby—walking through the terminal. She was holding Rhett’s hand while Little Ruby clutched Helen’s. They were laughing, bags and boxes trailing behind them
“Stay where you are. Watch them, but don’t let her see you. Text me the flight details as soon as you can.”“Alright,” Kai said before the line went dead.I set the phone down, my hand shaking a bit from trying to control my feelings.I slammed my hand against the desk, the sound echoing in the quiet room. Ruby wasn’t going to do this. She wasn’t going to take my children and disappear.I took a moment to collect my thoughts. Ruby had made her decision, and realizing that she was leaving with the children filled me with an unexpected sense of urgency. I pushed my chair back and stood up, pacing to and fro. The walls felt like they were closing in on me, and I needed to breathe. I glanced at the clock on the wall; it was nearly 7 PM. If they had already checked in, they could be boarding any minute. I had no time to waste… PING!The sound of my phone drew my attention back to the device laying on the desk. It was a text from Kai, short and to the point: “Flight 237 to Howling Heights
“There’s something else.”“What?” I asked almost immediately.“You asked for updates on the other business contracts,” he said in a neutral tone, careful not to overstep.I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the polished wood of the desk. “Go on.”Drew’s eyes flicked down to his tablet. He scrolled briefly before meeting my gaze. “Three of the contracts were declined—two in Paris and one in New York. Seven were approved, and the rest are still pending, awaiting signatures or further negotiations.”The numbers rolled over in my mind like a slow wave, and I nodded thoughtfully. “Not bad,” I said finally, though the rejections nagged at me. “Looks promising.”Drew’s shoulders eased, a subtle but telling shift in his normally rigid posture. He wasn’t the kind of assistant to show cracks, but I could read him better than most.“Anything else?” I asked, leaning back in my chair. The leather creaked softly under the shift of my weight.“Nothing else for now,” Drew said with a slight shake o
ROMAN'S POVThe weight of the day's reflections hit me as I leaned back in my chair. The shadows from the large windows stretched across the glass table in front of me, mimicking the tangled mess of emotions swirling in my head.I couldn’t stop thinking about the kids—Rhett and Ruby. Their warm, unguarded smiles, the way they talked with such enthusiasm, their innocent eyes brimming with curiosity—it all struck me in a way I hadn’t expected. When they held my hand or threw their arms around me in a hug, something inside me shifted. For a few fleeting moments, I felt connected—truly connected—in a way I hadn’t in years. As I watched them play and laugh, their happiness was so pure that it made me face the huge gap I had let form between us.I’d failed them. Not as a provider or protector, but as their father. How had I let myself drift so far from something so vital? "Dad" was a heavy title to carry, one I had not done right in years… I hadn’t done at all. I’d missed too much—birt
“You're traveling alone… right?” Rhett asked, staring at the packed bags, his protective instincts kicking in.“Yeah… I sure am,” I replied, my voice firm but gentle.“But you also packed our bags,” Rhett said, his eyes narrowing slightly as he pieced together the puzzle.“Umm…” I paused, looking back at the bags, my heart heavy with the weight of my words. “Yeah I did. While I’m gone, you two will be staying with Aunt Helen,” I added, glancing at Helen, who smiled reassuringly, her presence a comforting shield against the storm.The kids’ faces brightened slightly at that, the thought of spending time with Helen lifted their spirits. “Aunt Helen is the best!” little Ruby declared, her small voice filled with genuine enthusiasm.Helen laughed, her eyes sparkling with warmth. “You bet I am! We’re going to have so much fun!”“But you’ll come back soon, right?” Rhett asked, his voice quieter now, a hint of worry creeping back into his eyes.I reached out, placing a hand on his. “Of cours
Helen and I sat back on the couch, exhausted but relieved to have the packing nearly done. A small mountain of boxes and travel bags stood stacked neatly on one side of the living room."Thank you so much for doing this," I said, putting my hands on my hips as I looked over the pile, the upcoming trip was weighing heavily on me.Helen waved it off, falling back dramatically onto the couch as if the effort of packing had drained her completely. “It’s all good, Ruby. That’s why I’m here. Besides, you know I can’t resist a good packing challenge.”I chuckled and joined her, collapsing into the chair beside her with a grateful sigh. We both looked at the pile of luggage quietly for a moment, the room filled with the unspoken tension that hung between us like a thick fog.“It’s a lot,” Helen finally said, shaking her head as she gestured toward the mountain of bags. “I mean… it’s just a week trip, right?”“Yep,” I muttered, the worry creeping into my voice despite my best efforts to sound
We had just pulled into the driveway, and the kids were already bouncing with energy despite the long day at school. As soon as we stepped inside, I handed Rhett and Ruby their bags and gave them a stern but playful look.“Straight to the bathroom, you two. No detours, no distractions.”“Yes, ma’am,” Rhett said with mock seriousness, and Ruby giggled as they raced up the stairs.Helen and I stood there for a moment, listening to their chatter fade into the distance. Then I turned to her. “Alright, let’s get everything unloaded.”We headed back to the car, opening the trunk to reveal the chaotic mess of shopping bags, toys, and goodies from the previous day. Helen grabbed a couple of bags, and I went for the bigger items, including Rhett’s oversized red remote-control car and little Ruby’s dollhouse.“I still can’t believe how much Roman spoiled them,” Helen said, shaking her head with a faint smile as she hefted the bags.“Neither can I,” I muttered, though my tone was less amused.A
DANE'S POVThe damp air of the abandoned warehouse clung to my skin like a second layer, the bitter tang of blood and rust heavy in my nostrils. My body sagged against the pole, the rough ropes biting into my wrists as they stretched high above me. Pain throbbed through my swollen mouth, and blood trickled down my temple, salty and warm as it pooled into my cracked lips."Haven't you had enough, Dane?" Alpha Damien's voice broke the heavy silence, filled with a rage that sent a chill down my spine.I lifted my head slowly, feeling sharp pain shoot through my neck with the movement. "I swear on my life, Alpha Damien," I rasped in a trembling voice, desperate to be heard, "I didn't steal the money."His eyes narrowed, glowing faintly in the dim light. He hissed in frustration, turning away from me with a flick of his wrist. "You didn't steal the money?" He turned around, his face very close to mine, his words cutting sharply. "Then who did, Dane? Who?”"I’m telling the truth, Alpha Da