The sun had just begun to dip below the horizon, casting a soft, golden glow through the massive windows of the mansion. The living room, with its towering ceilings and expensive furniture, seemed even more imposing as Bella stood in the middle of it, directing the house staff with the kind of authority that made it clear she was in control. Her posture was perfect—straight, composed, and unwavering—and it was evident to anyone who looked at her that Bella wasn’t just a part of this household; she owned her place in it.The mansion, with all its grandeur, had become a second home to Bella. She wasn’t like the others—she wasn’t treated as an outsider or a mere employee. Neither the children nor Xavier had ever made her feel as if she didn’t belong. In fact, the house staff had come to rely on Bella for guidance.They had grown used to seeking her out for everything, from decisions big to small. Over time, Bella had adapted seamlessly, learning the ropes of managing the mansion's day-to
The heavy wooden door to the mansion creaked shut with a resounding thud as Xavier entered the foyer. His broad shoulders were tense, his posture rigid, and his brow furrowed in frustration. He had just returned from a long, draining day at the office, expecting a peaceful evening at home to unwind. Instead, he found himself walking straight into yet another storm, his life and his home once again shrouded in turmoil.As he made his way into the living room, Xavier’s eyes immediately landed on Zane, who was sitting on the couch with his arms crossed, his body language stiff and clearly displaying his displeasure with the situation. Bella had already slipped away, retreating to her room, her face a mask of calm, though anyone who looked closely would see the strain hidden beneath the surface. She had been through so much, and today was no different—her composure was a fragile shield against the emotional weight of the day.Xavier stood in front of Zane, his voice sharp as he demanded,
Bella pushed the door to Thomas’s room open with a quiet sense of duty, the heavy wood groaning on its hinges as it closed softly behind her. She had been here so many times before, so many days in a row now, that the routine was starting to feel more like a burden than a duty. Changing his bandages again.She had grown used to it—despite Thomas’s constant complaints and his unrelenting grumbling. Xavier still hadn’t managed to find a male nurse for his father, and Bella knew that, for the time being, she would have to take care of him. It wasn’t like she had much of a choice, anyway.With a soft sigh, Bella dragged a chair closer to the side of Thomas’s bed. She positioned it just right, making sure it was close enough so she could get to work on his leg without any unnecessary strain. She glanced over at Thomas, who lay there, as grumpy and restless as ever. His thick blanket was pulled up tightly over him, his leg still heavily bandaged from the accident that had put him here in th
Bella stepped into Thomas’s room with a quiet sense of duty, the heavy door creaking shut behind her as she entered. It was time to change his bandages—again. It had become a routine, one she had grown used to despite Thomas’s constant complaints. Xavier still hadn’t found a male nurse for his father, and Bella knew, as usual, she would have to take care of things for the time being.Dragging a chair closer to Thomas’s bed, she adjusted it just right, so she could get to work. She glanced at Thomas, who was lying there looking grumpier than ever, the blanket pulled tight over his body. His leg was still heavily bandaged from the accident, and his temper was just as sharp as ever.Sighing, Bella began to peel back the bandages with practiced hands, but Thomas wasn’t making it easy. He groaned, shifted uncomfortably, and muttered under his breath in frustration.“Can’t you do anything right?” he snapped, wincing as she touched his injured leg.Bella held back the irritation rising insid
The halls of the mansion were eerily quiet, save for the soft echo of Calla’s footsteps as she made her way quickly toward her father’s room. The weight of the news—the accident, the injury—had hit her just moments ago, and with it came an overwhelming rush of worry. She couldn’t push away the nagging thought that she had been too consumed by everything else—her own life, her own mistakes—to check in on him. Now, here he was, lying hurt, and possibly in worse shape than he had let on. The guilt gnawed at her as she walked faster, the knot in her chest growing tighter with each step. She could feel the years of regret pressing on her shoulders, but now was not the time to dwell on that. Her father needed her.As she neared the door to his room, Calla froze in place. There, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, was Xavier. His posture was relaxed, but the unreadable expression on his face made her stomach twist. Her heart sank, but a surge of anger quickly followed. Her b
Xavier stepped into the mansion after a long, draining day at the office, his mind still wrapped around the details of a high-pressure project he had been working on. His thoughts were a tangle of meetings, deadlines, and strategies, but there was a familiar, soothing quiet in the house that seemed to calm his racing thoughts.He could always count on the house to provide some level of peace after a hectic day. Still, he had a task to complete—he needed to find a file he had left on his side table last night. It was crucial for an upcoming meeting, and the idea of wasting time looking for it only made his nerves more frayed.He walked down the hall, heading toward his room with a purposeful stride, but as he got closer, the sounds of arguing reached his ears. Zane and Alana. Again. It wasn’t unusual for the twins to get into squabbles, but the noise was louder than usual. Xavier exhaled sharply and turned toward the kitchen. It seemed like Bella was trying to keep the peace, but Zane
Xavier and Bella sat in the dimly lit, confined space of the walk-in closet, the silence between them thick and weighted with unspoken words. The air was stifling, and the walls seemed to close in on them with each passing moment. It felt like they had been waiting forever, trapped together in this ridiculously small room with no clear way out. The initial rush of emotions—the awe, the thrill, the electric charge lingering from their earlier kiss—had long since faded, leaving behind an awkward tension that neither of them knew how to break.Now, they were simply waiting. Waiting for someone to find them, to set them free from this ridiculous predicament.Xavier leaned back against the cold wall, his arms folded tightly across his broad chest. He exhaled sharply through his nose, his frustration bubbling dangerously close to the surface. He could already feel his patience fraying at the edges, a tight coil of irritation twisting in his gut. He knew exactly who was responsible for this
The house was eerily silent, save for the soft rustling of the night air creeping through the half-open window. The familiar scent of the cool evening breeze drifted into the room, carrying with it the distant hum of the city—muted sirens, the occasional rev of an engine, the quiet rustle of leaves against the siding of the house.Calla lay in bed, her body curled beneath the heavy comforter, her mind drifting in that hazy in-between space where sleep hovered just out of reach. The darkness stretched around her, wrapping her in its quiet embrace, yet something unsettled her. It was a feeling she couldn’t quite place, a sense of unease slithering through her subconscious like a warning.She had always been a light sleeper, trained by years of instinct to wake at the slightest shift in her surroundings. The creak of old floorboards, the wind shifting through the trees—these were sounds she had grown accustomed to, the familiar lull of her home settling in for the night. But tonight, the
The evening sky was painted in breathtaking hues of orange, pink, and soft gold as the sun dipped lower toward the horizon, casting a warm glow across the tranquil beach. The vast canvas above them looked like something out of a dream—streaks of color melting into each other as if the heavens themselves were sighing in contentment. The ocean responded with grace, its waves dancing rhythmically to the quiet lullaby of the wind, their foam-tipped crests glowing beneath the fading light.A gentle, salty breeze rolled off the water, brushing against Bella’s skin like a whispered caress, tousling her hair and kissing her cheeks. She stood barefoot, toes curled slightly into the cool, soft sand, her heart full and yet still not quite ready to believe the peace that now wrapped itself around her like a blanket. It felt surreal—like standing inside a moment suspended in time, one she never wanted to end.She glanced to her side and found Xavier there, his tall frame motionless yet somehow anc
The journey back home from the hospital felt surreal for Bella. Everything she’d been through—the pain, the fear, the moments when hope felt like a fragile thread—lingered in her chest like shadows. But now, as she stepped through the familiar doorway of her home, the scent of lavender and vanilla greeted her like a long-lost friend. A wave of warmth and safety wrapped around her like a soft blanket, and for the first time in weeks, her shoulders relaxed.She was finally home.Before she could take another step, two small bodies rushed toward her, wrapping her in tight, desperate embraces."Mommy!" Zane cried, his voice trembling with joy as he buried his face against her stomach. His little arms clung to her as though he was afraid she might disappear again."We missed you so much!" Alana added, her voice catching with emotion as she clung to Bella’s arm, her cheek pressed tightly against her mother's sleeve.Tears spilled freely from Bella’s eyes. She knelt slowly, her body still te
A soft beeping echoed in the hospital room. The first thing Bella felt was warmth—her body felt light, her mind hazy as if she had been floating in darkness for a long time. She blinked slowly, her eyelashes fluttering as the world came back into focus. The sterile white walls, the dim glow of the bedside lamp, the faint scent of antiseptic… she was still in the hospital.Her throat was dry, and her body ached, but when she shifted slightly, she realized—she was awake.A soft gasp escaped her lips as she registered the sound of footsteps rushing toward her. The next second, she felt a warm, strong hand grasping hers.“Bella…?”She turned her head toward the familiar voice, and her gaze met Xavier’s. He was standing beside her bed, his dark eyes filled with a storm of emotions—relief, joy, pain, and something deeper, something raw and unguarded.Tears welled in Bella’s eyes as she whispered, “Xavier…?”He exhaled a shaky breath, his hand squeezing hers tightly as if afraid she would di
The hospital room was shrouded in a heavy silence, broken only by the steady, rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor that echoed like a soft heartbeat in the otherwise lifeless space. The sterile scent of antiseptic clung to the air, mixing with the sterile chill that only hospitals seemed to possess. Outside the window, the city lights flickered like distant stars, indifferent to the quiet war of emotions unfolding inside.Xavier sat slumped in the chair beside the bed, his broad frame hunched forward as if the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. His fingers trembled slightly as they traced slow, tender circles on the back of Bella’s hand, which felt cold and fragile in his grasp. Her skin, once warm and full of life, now looked ghostly against the clinical white sheets. Her chest rose and fell in small, barely noticeable breaths—each one a silent thread tethering her to life.He stared at her face for a long time, memorizing every detail—the gentle curve of her cheek, the wa
Calla lay in the hospital bed, her body still sore from the wounds Drake had inflicted upon her. The sterile scent of antiseptics filled the air, and the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor echoed softly in the quiet room. Though her body ached, her heart felt lighter. She was safe now.Harold admitted her here. She knew he saved her—not out of love or guilt, but to prevent yet another crime from being added to Drake’s list. Although he wanted to take her to Xavier, Calla's rough condition and rotting wounds forced him to take her to a hospital for first aid.After getting admitted in hospital, Harold asked her where she wanted to go and to whom he should call. As he had to leave. Then Calla called Xavier and the staff at the mansion told her that he was already in the hospital.The staff also told her that Bella underwent a cesarean and she was in a coma.She knew it wasn't the right time to Calla Xavier. So, she called Logan instead and asked Harold to leave and let Logan take car
The cold hospital walls closed in on Xavier as he stood outside the operation theater, his heart pounding violently in his chest. The long, agonizing wait made every second stretch endlessly, filling the air with suffocating dread. His fists clenched as he paced the hallway, his mind racing with prayers and fears.Finally, the door swung open, and Bella’s gynecologist stepped out, her expression heavy with exhaustion and concern. She removed her surgical mask and exhaled before speaking.“Mr. Xavier, the surgery was complicated.” Her voice was calm yet filled with an underlying gravity that made Xavier’s stomach drop.He swallowed hard. “Is Bella…?” His voice cracked, unable to finish the question.The doctor gave him a reassuring yet solemn look. “She has given birth to a baby boy.”For a moment, the world stood still. A son. His son. The weight of those words pressed down on his chest like an invisible force.But before relief could settle, the doctor continued.“However, there were
The heavy sound of boots stomping across the marble floor sent a chill down Jessica’s spine. She turned around sharply, her breath catching in her throat as she saw him—Drake.He stood in the doorway, his clothes disheveled, his hair a mess, and his face twisted with rage. His eyes were bloodshot, and his grip on the gun in his hand was firm.Jessica felt the blood drain from her face. "Drake, what are you doing here? The police are looking for you!"Drake ignored her. His furious gaze was locked on Harold. His father stood in the center of the living room, his expression tense but composed."You let her go!" Drake snarled, stepping closer, his hands trembling around the gun. "You betrayed me, Dad! You helped that traitor escape!"Harold exhaled slowly, his heart pounding. "I did what I had to do, Drake."Drake let out a bitter laugh. "You HAD to do it? You HAD to betray your own son?" His voice cracked with hysteria. "Do you even realize what you've done? That woman ruined everything
The apartment reeked of stale alcohol and the acrid sting of cigarette smoke, a suffocating blend that clung to the peeling wallpaper and worn carpet. Dim, flickering light from the streetlamp outside seeped in through the dusty blinds, casting long, distorted shadows across the cramped room like silent ghosts. The air was thick—heavy with despair.Harold stepped in cautiously, the floorboards creaking beneath his weight. His chest tightened, every breath catching like a stone lodged in his throat. A gnawing dread coiled in his stomach.There, sprawled out on the tattered, sweat-stained sofa, lay Drake—motionless but alive. His chest rose and fell in shallow, erratic breaths. One arm dangled limply over the edge, fingers barely touching the half-empty bottle of whiskey resting against the floor. His eyes were open but glazed over, pupils dilated like black holes, and his pale face was slick with sweat. The stench of vomit and intoxication clung to him like a second skin.Harold’s eyes
Xavier burst into the hospital, shouting for a doctor, his voice hoarse with desperation and fear. His heart pounded like a war drum in his chest, his breath coming in sharp, ragged gasps as he clutched Bella tightly in his arms.A team of nurses immediately rushed to them, urgency etched into every movement. They swiftly guided him toward a gurney, gently easing Bella from his arms. The moment his hands let go of her, a hollow ache opened in his chest. He hated the distance, even if it was just a few feet.“Please—please help her,” he whispered, but the nurses were already at work, checking her vitals, lifting her limp body with clinical precision. Her face was pale as snow, lips tinged with blue, blood staining her nightgown like a warning.He stood frozen as they wheeled her away, the sound of squeaking wheels echoing in the sterile corridor like gunshots. The air around him felt too bright, too white, too loud. Everything blurred at the edges.The gynecologist, Dr. Hayes, arrived