Xavier's patience frayed, the leather of the steering wheel groaning under his tightening grip. Hours ticked by, each minute sharpening his anticipation to a keen edge. The Thompson mansion loomed, indifferent to his vigilance. Finally, the heavy oak door creaked open.Cathleen emerged, her stride faltering, exhaustion etched in the shadows beneath her eyes. "I'm sorry, Mr. Knight; my client was rather too energetic." Her voice carried a brittle cheer, a veneer over steel."Understandable," Xavier responded, his tone smooth as the silk of her blouse. "Men like Thompson—all bluster, no stamina. You might have done the fucking all by yourself." His lips curled into something that could pass for a smile. It didn't reach his eyes.She parted her lips, perhaps to argue, but he silenced her with a gesture, opening the door of the SUV with deliberate slowness. A wordless command—get in. She complied.With the engine purring, Xavier guided the vehicle onto the road, the night swallowing them
The car's engine hummed low, a soft growl in the stillness of the night. Xavier's hands gripped the wheel; his eyes lingered in the rearview mirror. There she was—Bella. Wrapped in the quiet cocoon of the back seat, her face is a ghostly echo of Cathleen’s, yet unmistakably his.“You just had to look like Daddy, huh, Bella?” He murmured, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smirk. The car eased into the driveway, tires crunching gravel beneath.Xavier killed the engine. He twisted in his seat, the leather creaking under him as he reached for Bella. His fingers were gentle as they unbuckled her from the baby chair, lifting her with a practiced ease that belied his rough exterior.The house swallowed them whole, its darkness a tangible thing against Xavier’s skin. He moved through it, a shadow among shadows until he reached the sanctum of their bedroom. There lay Cathleen, a pale form beneath the sheets, her chest rising and falling in the rhythm of deep sleep. Xavier watched her fo
Cathleen's gaze was ice, her form rigid as she confronted the impossible scene before her. The weight of her stare pinned Xavier down, even as he cradled the infant—allegedly theirs—in his arms. Her lips trembled, a single tear carving a path down her flushed cheek. Anguish and disbelief warred in her eyes."Xavier, I know I blamed you for her death, but this baby isn't our Bella," she asserted, her voice laced with a venomous mix of sorrow and accusation. She turned on her heel, desperate to escape the torment of his deception."Cathleen, stop!" Xavier's plea sliced through the thickening silence, raw and pleading."Xavier, I know you want to make it up to me," she spat out, halting but not turning to face him. "But bringing another baby can't change anything.""Look at her," he commanded, closing the gap between them, his voice a mix of steel and desperation. "You don't have to touch her; just look at her."She stood immobile as if her feet were cemented to the floor. Xavier edged c
"Cat," Xavier's voice sliced through the hush of the dim room. Cathleen jolted awake, her arms cradling Bella, the warmth of her daughter a stark contrast to the chill in his tone.Her eyes, wide and alert, flickered between the baby's serene face and the imposing figure of her husband. She brushed away sleep, the lullaby dying on her lips. "Oh, I didn't know I fell asleep," she murmured her voice a soft anchor in the tense air."Yeah, I can see." Xavier's words were edged with impatience as he loomed closer, his shadow swallowing the gentle glow of the nightlight. "But you are spending so much time with Bella that you can't put her down. You do know she's not going anywhere, right?"The nod was automatic—a simple bob of her head—but her mind raced. His presence commanded her attention; his frustration was palpable, filling the space like a thick fog."Then why are you not performing your wifely duties to me?" Xavier's question hung heavy, his gaze dropping pointedly to the bulge strai
The Jackson Group was hosting a grand bachelorette party in the picturesque garden of the Knight International Hotel. The elegant hotel sat nestled on the rolling slopes of the Yamhill Mountains, surrounded by tranquil countryside dotted with carefully tended vineyards and towering peaks. This particular hotel was just one gem in the vast collection of hotels owned by Knight Group International around the world. Excitement vanished in Avery, the bride-to-be. Avery dashed into the lobby of the hotel to make a quick call to her mother and share the news that they had caught the wrong man. Rich furnishings and sparkling chandeliers that glistened off the marble floors greeted Avery inside. The faint scent of freshly cut flowers lingered in the air, adding to the luxurious atmosphere.At first, Avery and her mother were happy to claim Finn as their ticket into the world of wealth and power. But as Avery delved deeper into Finn's background, she discovered that Finn was not actually the he
Cathleen's mocking smirk grew with each second as she realized that the person on the ground was her cruel stepsister, Avery. A wicked grin spreads across Cathleen's face as she tilts her head and gazes down at the woman who once tormented her, now reduced to a mere fallen subordinate. The look of shock and admiration on Avery's face only fuels Cathleen's sense of power and dominance. Cathleen flashed a grin and cocked her head as she looked at the woman, who was now seated on the ground. Avery was staring at her in awe.‘Avery, your rightful place is under me in this hierarchy.’ She appeared to be grinning as she whispered those words to herself in her brain. Avery, who was lying on the ground at the time, was awestruck by the beauty that was in front of her. Cathleen kneeled down to Avery’s height and helped her pick up her items after she had fallen. She did so with a grin on her face before picking up Avery's passport. Cathleen couldn’t stop smiling as it dawned on her that Avery
“I can give you 1.5 million. And you can try to raise the rest. I am not marrying that cretin.” Her voice dropped to a low, steady tone as she spoke. Her eyes narrowed with determination, and her mouth formed a thin line. Cathleen behaved more like William, but unlike Avery, she wasn’t a spoiled brat. Her unnerving composure sent shivers down William's spine as he braced himself for her to explode in anger. Instead, she spoke with cold precision, delivering her words like sharpened daggers that cut through the tension in the room.“Marrying Finn is our only option for Grandma’s survival. Baby girl, please. Grandma is counting on you.” Grandma's name triggered a range of emotions within her. She couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort and nostalgia, but at the same time, there was a tinge of guilt and regret. Her face betrayed these conflicting emotions as she let out a heavy sigh.“6 months. I will marry that jerk for only 6 months, and we will be done. Do not expect me to have chil
“How much?” Cathleen has grown colder over the years. The sweet girl everyone knew was gone. Not even a man could soften her heart. It was as if the girl didn’t have a heart at all; she was stone cold. The two looked at each other and couldn’t answer. Cathleen is where she is today, with no one’s help, not even her own father. She worked part-time to pay for her studies. The two didn’t answer as she continued to stare down at them. Cathleen arched an eyebrow at them, asking them to say how much they had spent on her, but no one spoke.Cathleen's once warm and kind demeanor has hardened into a chilling coldness over the years. Not even the presence of a man could thaw her frozen heart. It was as if she had no heart at all, made of stone and impenetrable. As the two faced each other in silence, neither able to answer nor understand this distant version of Cathleen, it became clear that she had clawed her way to where she was today on her own, without anyone's help or guidance—not even h