The inside of the jet was elegant and opulent, featuring plush leather seating and glossy wood details. Jason had settled in comfortably, bouncing in a chair and pushing every button he could access. Ethan, as always, remained entirely unfazed, reclining in his chair as if this were merely another ordinary day in his bizarre existence. I believed I was the voice of reason amid this chaos—or at least I hoped so. “Hold on a moment,” I replied, looking over the cockpit through the ajar door. “We're lacking something.” “Missing what?” Ethan asked, raising an eyebrow. “The pilot!” I exclaimed, pointing toward the empty seat in the cockpit. Ethan shrugged nonchalantly, standing and making his way toward the controls. “No problem.” “No problem?” I repeated, my voice rising. “What are you doing?” “What does it look like?” he said over his shoulder. “I’m flying us there.” I froze, watching in stunned disbelief as he slid into the pilot’s seat and began flipping switches. “You can’
The park sparkled beneath the evening lights, the brilliance of vibrant bulbs lighting up each ride and walkway. Jason and Ethan were in front of me, sprinting towards a carousel, their laughter mixing with the joyful music playing in the background. I followed behind, my pace lagging as I allowed them their time. Then my phone vibrated, snapping me back to reality. I looked at the display—Stella. “Hi?” I replied quietly while moving to the side to steer clear of the crowd. "Natalie," Stella's voice chimed in, sharp and a bit annoyed. "Where are you located?" And where is Jason? "It's late now, and you still haven't come back." I looked at my watch, understanding just how much time we’d spent here. “I reluctantly confessed, ‘We’re at Disneyland.’” “Disneyland?” Stella's voice was filled with disbelief. "What are you up to over there?" "It's... complex," I replied, massaging my temples. "Let’s just say Ethan came up with a plan, and Jason is enjoying every moment." “Ethan Sterli
Lucas led the way, his strides purposeful as we exited the café. The cool night air did little to ease the lingering frustration from our conversation. I was still trying to process what had just happened when I spotted two familiar figures heading our way. Jason and Ethan. Jason, still buzzing with excitement, was practically skipping beside Ethan as they made their way toward us. But the moment Ethan spotted Lucas and me together, something flickered in his eyes—mischief, challenge, and something far more irritating. Before I could react, Ethan’s expression shifted dramatically. He rushed toward me, arms wide as if he had just found a long-lost lover. “Natalie! *There* you are,” he exclaimed, wrapping me in an exaggerated hug before I could step away. “I was so *worried* about you. I’ve been searching *everywhere!*” I stiffened. “Ethan, you were literally—” “Hush,” he whispered dramatically, tightening his hold, his voice just loud enough for Lucas to hear. “I don’t know
Breakfast at the West estate was usually a quiet affair—except when Jason was involved. This morning, he was in full energy mode, bouncing in his seat as he recounted every single detail of last night’s outing. “And then! Then Uncle Ethan let me be the *captain* of the pirate ride! And Lucas—*I mean, Uncle Lucas*—he won me this giant stuffed tiger! And Mommy screamed so loud on the roller coaster, you should’ve heard her, Granny!” I nearly choked on my coffee. “Jason.” Granny West, seated at the head of the long dining table, didn’t even glance at him. No, her sharp, dagger-like gaze was entirely *focused on me*. Mrs. Pat, ever the quiet observer, simply refilled Jason’s glass of orange juice, nodding along to his endless chatter. “Oh, oh! And then the fireworks! They were *so cool*! And—and Uncle Lucas and Uncle Ethan kept fighting! They kept trying to impress Mommy—” I shot up, clamping a hand over his mouth. “Okay, Jason, that’s enough. Finish your breakf
The quiet hum of the mansion was interrupted by a soft knock on his study door. Lucas barely looked up from his laptop when a maid stepped inside, bowing slightly. “Sir, dinner is ready.” Lucas grunted in recognition, massaging his temples before ultimately closing his laptop. He had devoted the past few hours engulfed in tasks, partly to occupy his mind, partly because there was always additional work awaiting. As he descended the stairs, he sighed as soon as he spotted his mother sitting at the dining table. *Damn it.* If Elizabeth Knight ever sat at the dinner table instead of having her meals brought to her study, it meant *one thing*—she was here to grill him. He barely had time to brace himself before another voice filled the room. “Oh my God, Lucas!” Miranda gasped dramatically, placing a manicured hand over her chest as she looked at him in mock surprise. “When did you get home?” Without looking up, Lucas muttered, “Late last night.” Then, with a pointed glance
I gazed at my image in the mirror, my fingers clutching the chilled marble of the vanity. The face looking back at me was calm, inscrutable—but underneath, I sensed the tempest brewing. The inquiries. The uncertainty. The truth struggling to emerge, insisting on being recognized. Stella sat behind me with one leg crossed over the other, observing me through the reflection in the mirror. Her fingers tapped on the chair's armrest, her irritation barely held back. "This is completely nonsensical," she whispered, looking disapprovingly. “If you’re the daughter of James West, why doesn’t Granny West just say that?” I exhaled deeply, running my fingers through my hair. “I don't know.” Stella leaned in, placing her elbows on her thighs. "You ought to have the right to inherit the business if he is your father." Honestly, you shouldn't need to act like his widow at all.” I let out a humorless laugh. “And yet, here we are.” She huffed. “Maybe it’s Gregory? Maybe they’re afraid if he fin
The gentle scrape of a crayon on paper resonated in the stillness of my office. Jason sat with his legs crossed on the floor, bent over his newest creation, his tongue just peeking out as he focused. I attempted to concentrate on the figures before me, my fingers moving smoothly over financial statements, yet my thoughts felt sluggish. The dinner that occurred two days prior. Gregory's arrogant expression. The dangers loom over me like a dark storm. “Mommy?” Jason’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. “Hmm?” I murmured, still scanning the documents. “Why do people keep trying to take your things?” My pen froze mid-stroke. Slowly, I looked up, my heart skipping a beat. Jason wasn’t looking at me—he was still coloring, his small hands carefully shading in the outline of a house. The innocence in his voice made the question hit harder. I swallowed. “What do you mean, sweetheart?” Jason shrugged, still focused on his drawing. “Like Uncle Gregory. And those men who say bad th
When I got home, fatigue enveloped me as if it were a second layer of skin. The day had dragged on, packed with lies, control, and a headache that had taken residence behind my eyes like a bothersome visitor. However, as soon as I entered the room, Jason rushed over to me."Mother!" He threw himself into my embrace, holding me closely. I embraced him in return, pressing my face into his gentle hair. "Hello, darling." “Did you act well today?” Jason pulled back and nodded eagerly. “I practiced my handwriting! Granny helped.” I glanced toward the sitting room, where Granny West was seated in her usual chair, a cup of tea in hand. Her sharp eyes were already on me, studying me like she always did—assessing, calculating. I sighed, giving Jason a soft pat on the back. “Go grab your notebook. I want to see your hard work.” Jason beamed and scurried off. I walked over and sank into the chair across from Granny West. The warmth of home did little to ease the tension coiling in my s
“I swear to God, these vultures never sleep,” Ethan muttered, peeking through the curtains. Outside, the front gates were swarming with reporters, their cameras flashing like tiny, desperate explosions in the dark. The murmur of frantic voices and shouting news anchors filled the air. A drone hovered overhead, circling like a mechanical hawk. I exhaled sharply, arms wrapped around myself. “It’s like I’m some kind of fugitive.” Lucas, standing beside Ethan, looked unimpressed. “Well, considering half the country thinks you bullied your assistant into attempted suicide and orchestrated corporate fraud, it tracks.” I shot him a death glare.Ethan snorted. “Jesus, Knight. You have the emotional intelligence of a brick.” Lucas didn’t even look up from his phone. “I’m just saying, walking out of here isn’t an option.” He wasn’t wrong. I clenched my fists, feeling my freedom slipping further away with each passing second. If we wanted to get out unnoticed— We needed a di
The house was silent. Until it wasn’t. I had been lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, my mind too wired to even think about sleep when I heard it— A thud. Then the softest creak of a floorboard. My breath hitched.I sat up immediately, heart pounding, listening as the faintest sound of movement came from downstairs. Reporters? No. They wouldn’t be stupid enough to break in.Then who? A kidnapper?The very idea froze my blood. I grabbed the first solid object I could find— which, unfortunately, was a decorative metal candle holder—and crept toward the bedroom door. I pushed it open carefully, slowly, moving down the stairs on silent feet.My grip tightened around the candle holder.Then, just as I reached the living room, a dark figure moved. I swung. “What the hell—?” A strong grip caught my wrist mid-air, stopping my attack effortlessly. The familiar scent of woodsy cologne hit me a second before I recognized the voice. Lucas.“What the fuck, Natalie?” H
After days, the house was still for the first time. No arguing. No tension is dense enough to slice with a knife. No urgent gatherings regarding abductions, controversies, or corporate treachery. Lucas departed early to visit his mother, while Ethan answered a call and went upstairs. That resulted in me being isolated in the living room, sitting with my legs crossed on the floor, gazing at an unfinished chess match. I glared at the chessboard. "Bishop takes knight… but then the rook moves, and I’m trapped." Fitting. I sighed, running a hand through my hair. It didn’t matter anyway. My mind wasn’t on the game—it was on everything else. The kidnapping. The threats. The scandal. My career—my entire life—falling apart. I exhaled sharply, leaning back against the couch. How the hell had it come to this? Footsteps echoed down the hallway. A moment later, Ethan strode in, stretching as he flopped onto the couch beside me. "God, I needed that call," he groaned, rubbin
The moment I hung up on Stella, my fingers were already dialing Granny West. She answered on the first ring. "Natalie." Her voice was as sharp as a blade, sending both relief and dread through me. I didn’t bother with pleasantries. “Did you see the news?” "I did," she said, clipped, controlled. Too controlled. There was no outrage, no shock—just an eerie, calculating stillness. My fingers tightened around the phone. “The board,” I exhaled. “They voted me out, Granny. Suspended me.” A pause. Then—"I’ll get to the bottom of it." I closed my eyes, exhaling shakily. “And Jason?” "He’s safe," she assured. "And he will stay that way." A weight lifted—but only slightly. Because Jason might have been protected. But I wasn’t.The second I lowered my phone, I turned to face Lucas and Ethan. Both men stood like statues, unreadable, waiting for me to speak. “What do we do?” My voice was sharp and straight to the point. Lucas exhaled, crossing his arms. “First, we cont
The moment I hung up, I knew Ethan wouldn’t let this go.And I was right.Less than twenty minutes later, the sound of screeching tires echoed outside. I barely had time to brace myself before a familiar voice boomed through the house. “West!” Lucas and I both turned toward the front door at the same time. I barely had time to process before Ethan stormed in, looking like he was ready to murder someone. His eyes landed on me first, scanning me for injuries, like he still didn’t believe I was unharmed. Then, slowly, his gaze snapped to Lucas. And just like that, the temperature in the room dropped. Ethan’s jaw was tight, rigid with restrained fury. “You really stayed here,” he said, his voice lower now—but no less dangerous. I crossed my arms. “Yes, Ethan.” His gaze hardened. “You should’ve called me.” Lucas, standing casually beside the counter, smirked over his coffee cup. “She did,” he said smoothly. “Just… after me.” Ethan’s eyes darkened.“You think this is
I woke up peacefully for the first time in a long time. No threats. No masked figures whispering cryptic warnings. No paparazzi flashing cameras in my face. Just… silence.For a moment, I let myself pretend. That I wasn’t caught in a corporate war. That I wasn’t being hunted by shadows. That I wasn’t a woman who had lost everything. For a fleeting second, I was just Natalie.But then reality crept in.I exhaled, pushing the covers off. I didn’t belong here. Lucas’s house was too familiar, too foreign. Every corner of it whispered of a past I had tried to bury. In the past where I wasn’t Natalie West, CEO. The past where I was Natalie Knight—his wife. As I walked down the hallway, my fingers brushed against the walls. I used to live like this. In a house too big for two people. With floors too polished and rooms too pristine. But back then, I didn’t feel out of place. Back then, this was my home. I used to wake up before him, slipping out of bed quietly to m
The car slowed to a stop in front of my house, the quiet hum of the engine the only sound filling the tense space. For a moment, I didn’t move. I could still sense the heaviness of that voice, how it crept into my thoughts as if it had embedded something within me—something I couldn’t remove. I wet my lips, looking at the driver, my heart racing. He didn't even glance my way. Just reached across the console and unlocked the door.“You’re home,” he said, voice eerily neutral. I hesitated. Like nothing had happened. Like I hadn’t been kidnapped. Like I hadn’t been warned. Like I hadn’t just been pulled into a game I didn’t understand. My fingers trembled as I pushed open the door and stepped out. The night air felt too cold, too sharp against my skin. I turned back, my lips parting—to say what, I wasn’t sure. But before I could blink— The car was gone. No screeching tires. No roaring engine. Just… gone. Like it had never been there at all. I stood frozen in plac
The car took a sharp turn, veering off the familiar road to my home and into a secluded area of the city. I stiffened. “This isn’t my house,” I blurted. “No, it isn’t,” he said flatly. Another turn—we entered a covered parking lot. My stomach plummeted. Panic clawed at my throat as the car rolled to a stop. My last chance.I grabbed the door handle and yanked.Locked. I tried again, harder. Still locked. Oh, hell no.Before I could start screaming, the driver stepped out, rounded the car, and yanked my door open. "Out," he ordered. I stared at him. “What if I say no?” His jaw twitched. "Then I'll carry you." I gasped. “That’s rude! That’s—God, *do you even know who I am? There are rules about this kind of thing! This isn’t how kidnapping works—” He exhaled sharply, clearly running out of patience. Before I could talk my way into more trouble, he grabbed my wrist— firm, but not brutal— "Don't make this harder than it has to be," he muttered. My pulse po
The door swung open moments later, and Amanda strutted in—head held high, completely unaware she was walking into a trap.She barely spared me a glance before flipping her hair over her shoulder and plopping down in the chair across from me. “You called?” she said, her voice bored. I folded my hands on the desk, studying her. “Tell me, Amanda… do you like working here?” She blinked, clearly not expecting that. “Excuse me?” “It’s a simple question,” I said smoothly. “Do you enjoy your job?” Amanda scoffed. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.” I hummed, tilting my head. “That’s interesting. Because lately, it seems like you’ve been more focused on certain extracurricular activities rather than your actual responsibilities.” Her smirk wavered. “What are you talking about?” I picked up my tablet and turned the screen toward her.The policy handbook glowed under the office lights. Specifically, the section on workplace relationships. Amanda’s face palmed instantly. I leane