JamesI was standing in front of the office building, struggling to breathe.I had not seen Katniss for as long as I could remember and now all I wanted was to have it out with her. I knew I was too late. And, in fact, all was already different. But I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. I had to talk to her—I had to do something that would mend what was shattered.Entering the room, it was strange and rather chilly. All the other people in the office looked at me and stared, their eyes piercing me like needles. Some murmurs reached my ears, and I dismissed them all. My focus was on one person.Her.Katniss sat at her desk, poised and composed, but the tension in her face betrayed her.I knew she had been avoiding me. I knew that I’d done something that would be more painful for her than I could say. However, this time I was not willing to step down. I wanted answers – direct from her.Without any delay, I walked towards her. The whispers ceased immediately and the silence that ensu
Katniss James stood in front of me. But after a moment he stopped doing so and got tired. He then proceeded to walk away with sorrow weighing his every move. The sounds of his footsteps reverberated along the corridor that was eerily silent. Mr. Corleone’s employees who had been observing us, stared in disbelief, wondering how the ruthless boss like James would demean himself just for a woman. And I don't understant either.I remained silent, unable to argue. I couldn’t explain myself to James, even though that was what he wanted. No words could express the truth, because everything was already written in the contract that bound me. This marriage was just to fulfill an agreement made behind closed doors.Pain filled my chest as I watched James leave. I touched my chest. I couldn’t lie. I still loved James. And doing this—acting this way—felt like I was betraying him.***RenataI stared at my phone screen, burning with anger as Katniss's wedding flooded every media platform. I couldn
KatnissI parked the car farther from Scarlett’s house than usual. Not in my usual spot—this time, I deliberately stayed back. A knot tightened in my stomach, the kind of foreboding that signaled something significant was about to happen. This wasn’t my car; I had borrowed Mr. Corleone’s, hoping its anonymity might shield me somehow.Taking a deep breath, I opened the door, my feet feeling leaden as I stepped out. The weight of everything—the lies, the betrayal, the endless misunderstandings—pressed down on me. But I knew if I didn’t move now, I might never summon the courage again. After hearing about the wedding, even the thought of meeting her felt like walking into a storm.Yet, avoiding Scarlett forever wasn’t an option. I had to face her.Before I could take more than a step forward, I froze. A familiar figure emerged from Scarlett’s yard. Renata. My breath hitched, my heart momentarily stopping. What was she doing here? Scarlett despised her—or so I thought.Quickly, I ducked b
JamesBy now, I wasn’t quite sure how many glasses of the drink I had consumed. The world continued to rotate, only a whirl of darkness and glowing sources. It was a tumultuous hurricane inside me and no one can even predict when a storm will hit. Katniss… the marriage… or rather the destruction it brought with it. There was no escape. Nowhere to turn. I was a sinking ship and no one was coming to my rescue.“James?” The voice that came was as soft as the fog.I slowly moved my head around and my vision was becoming wavy and dim.She was dressed in a black dress that fitted her perfectly, and she stood still. Her hair was long and free falling in loose ringlets and they highlighted by the soft warm lighting of the bar. But it was not her looks that made me uncomfortable, it was the smell. It is the unmistakable, familiar, yet infuriating nice smell.Katniss.“Katniss?” The name blurted out of my mouth before I could even think to stop it. My voice cracked, uncertain.The woman smiled,
JamesI opened my eyes to a throbbing pain in my head, a headache that seemed to make breathing difficult. I felt tired, like the whole world had decided to fall on me at this time. I tried to open my eyes but the room was spinning and I had to shut them immediately.Everything was a blur. I began to see shapes and shadows and for a while I was unable to differentiate between real life and whatever hell I was placed in. I attempted to recall the events of the previous night and what I got were nothing but the blackness of the unknown-a blank which only served to increase my anxiety.I swallowed hard, and tried to steady my breathing before I could finally open them and sit up. My muscles rebelled and an aroma enveloped me, sugary, alluring, and rather disturbingly recognisable. Katniss?This idea came to me in a flash. The perfume, the atmosphere… it is somewhat like her… My chest was constricted as I turned my head, trying to clear the fog.And then, I saw her.Beneath the tangled sh
JamesSince that terrible night, it had been a month for me. What I really desired was to erase the memory of the largest blunder I have ever committed. Renata tried to reach out to me, but I turned her down each time we met. Today, however, was planned to be the last day of it all.I strode into the courthouse with my feet moving in a slow and steady rhythm, even though my mind and my heart were racing. I just wanted this to be over. No more Renata, no more drama in my life.But as soon as I was near the courtroom, I realized she was in the corner. She fidgeted a bit and seemed to be a woman with something to conceal. She glare at me with tears in her eyes. It was too quick for me to even open my mouth to say anything, she was on the move towards me and within a short distance, she was grabbing my arm with a tight but tender hold.“James,” she raised her voice but it was weak and shaky, “I’m not going to make it. Hey, let’s have a word first before we get in.”I scowled, hesitating f
KatnissI was tidying up some documents when Mr. Corleone’s voice suddenly broke the silence of the room. “James and Renata are officially divorced today,” he said bluntly, sitting in the chair with an unreadable expression.I froze for a moment, my fingers pausing over the paper. I tried not to react, but my heart began to beat faster than usual. There was something inside me that felt unexpectedly light, as if a weight I hadn’t even realized was there had been lifted.However, I knew better than to show what I was feeling. I lifted my gaze, making sure my expression remained neutral. “Oh,” I murmured briefly, as if it were just another piece of news. “That’s their business. It has nothing to do with me.”Mr. Corleone raised an eyebrow, his gaze fixed on me as if it could pierce through my thoughts. “Really? Nothing at all, Katniss?”I sighed, lowering my head back to the documents. “I’m just your secretary, Mr. Corleone. James’s personal life has nothing to do with me.”He chuckled
JamesThis morning, the atmosphere felt more peaceful than usual. Sunlight filtered through the window, casting a soft glow on the breakfast table. I sat across from Mr. Corleone, while Giselle sat beside me, staring at her plate with a frown.I tried to focus on my breakfast, but my mind kept drifting back to the divorce between James and Renata. The decision, though relieving, left me with a mix of emotions I couldn’t easily ignore.“Aren’t you going to eat, Giselle?” Mr. Corleone’s deep voice broke the silence.Giselle looked up, her face clouded with a grim expression. “I’m not hungry,” she replied shortly.Mr. Corleone and I exchanged a glance. Usually, Giselle was a cheerful child, especially when her favorite foods were on the table. But today, something was different.“Is something bothering you?” I asked gently, trying to understand what was going on.She shook her head slightly, but her eyes didn’t meet mine. “Nothing.”“Giselle,” Mr. Corleone’s voice was firm, yet filled wi
JamesAnother period of months passed since that night until a new piece of information altered everything in our lives.Katniss was pregnant.The pregnancy test revealed itself to me as she held it while her hands shook and tears formed in her eyes. “James… I’m pregnant again.”I stood motionless while staring at the bright pink lines that clearly appeared on the test. Inside me a whirlwind of emotions boiled as joy, shock and fear combined. The thought of losing Katniss and our baby the way we lost our second baby consumed me.I instantly hugged her close while feeling her body tremor against me. “I’m here, Katniss. The pregnancy and both of you remain completely safe and protected. I whispered an oath while caressing her hair because she required my reassurance at that moment.“I’m scared, James…” Her voice cracked. “I’m scared of losing again… The fear of losing her again repeated itself in her mind as she said "I don't know if I can handle it…"I cupped her face with both hands,
KatnissAfter Scarlett departed I stood motionless staring at the doorway while my eyes desperately sought something which did not exist because I wished to reverse all the destruction that had occurred.At every heartbeat my heart experienced torn fragments that pierced my chest with intense pain.I had forgiven her before. I had chosen to believe in her. But now? Could I still do it?My hand instinctively went to my flat stomach, the emptiness there consuming me.I used to feel the tiny flutter of life inside me, the hope of something pure. Now, there was nothing. Just hollow, aching emptiness. The pain was unbearable. Tears blurred my vision, but I was too exhausted to cry anymore.James was still holding my hand tightly, his grip like a lifeline, as if he feared I would crumble if he let go. Maybe he was right. Maybe I would."Do I have to forgive her?" My voice was barely a whisper, more of a fragile confession to myself than a question to him.James lifted his gaze, his eyes ful
James Hours pass. I don’t know if it’s still the same day or if thousands of years have gone by since I made that decision. I stand here, staring at the white walls of the recovery room, unable to stop replaying every warning from the doctor over and over in my mind. Each word echoes like a broken record:If we save her, the baby won’t survive.If we save the baby, Katniss may not make it.Those words—those gut-wrenching words—keep pounding in my head. I want to escape this reality, but all I can think about is Katniss. Was I right? Was this the right thing to do?"Mr. Kent," the nurse whispers as she exits the room where I’ve been pacing for hours. My throat is dry, my chest tight with anxiety. I can barely bring myself to ask. But I have to.“How is she?” My voice is hoarse, fragile, heavy with the dread that suffocates me.Her eyes are filled with sorrow, too much sorrow to prepare me for what I’m about to hear. She speaks softly, like she knows each word will tear me apart.“Her
JamesI couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Katniss was dying, barely holding on, and she was still thinking about someone else."Don’t think about her," I said, my voice sharper than I intended. But I needed her focused—she needed to fight. She had to pull through.But she was insistent. "Save… Scarlett… please, James."I didn’t fully understand it—Scarlett was tangled up in all of this. She was with Emma and Renata. But still… Katniss was asking me to save Scarlett.I stepped back, my eyes frantic as they scanned the smoke-filled chaos. My heart pounded so loudly, it felt like it might tear through my chest. Panic spread like wildfire as I realized Scarlett was missing. Nowhere in sight. “Where is she?” I asked, my voice cracking, barely audible over the madness. Before anyone could respond, I saw her.Ethan, his face tight with tension, emerged from the thick fog of smoke. In his arms, Scarlett hung limply, almost lifeless. It was like the smoke had drained her very soul. Her face
Renata"You think you'll win? That all of you will win?" Katniss glares at us, defiant as ever. Damn it! Even in this situation, she refuses to be afraid. Instead, she’s getting cockier.SLAAP!"Ah!" Katniss cries out as my palm smashes against her cheek.She bites her lip, holding back her tears, trying to keep control. But I know she wants to cry. She’s just too stubborn to let it show."Tch! I hate that arrogance of yours. Do you even realize that you're about to die?" I sneer.Katniss stays silent. I assume she’s finally scared—until she opens her mouth, and her response makes both Emma and me freeze."I won’t. You’ll see. I won’t.""Tch! Damn brat!""Emma, I need to talk to you. Alone."Emma nods, and we step aside to discuss Katniss—how to break her. Fear. That’s what I want to see in her eyes. That’s what will truly satisfy me. But before we can continue, my phone rings.It’s from one of my men stationed at a distance outside."Yeah? What is it?""Boss, we’ve got trouble! A con
Katniss: I stood by the hotel window, gazing at the city skyline that never seemed to rest. The world outside continued moving as if nothing had changed, yet for us, everything was different.We had chosen this hotel for a reason—it directly faced Renata’s company.From here, we could witness the empire she built crumble in real-time.My fingertips brushed against the cold glass. Below, chaos unfolded. Employees flooded the building’s lobby, confusion etched onto their faces as the news spread like wildfire.I could already picture Renata’s expression—panic, disbelief, rage.She would be scrambling for a way out, searching for an escape route. But this time, there was none.She was trapped.The image of Renata behind bars played vividly in my mind. The realization that she was nothing more than a pawn in a much bigger game would soon hit her like a tidal wave.It was satisfying—deliciously so. Yet beneath that satisfaction lurked something bitter. The road to this moment had been lon
KatnissThe waves at Malibu gently swept the shore as I stood on the balcony of Charles’s bungalow, staring out at the horizon. The soft breeze carried the scent of salt and the promise of a new day. After everything that had happened, we could finally breathe easy.The sound of James' voice broke through the air as he addressed me from behind. I exchanged a gentle smile in his direction when I faced him. His determination was present while his eyes showed he still carried affection.“What’s up?” I rested against the balcony rail while I asked the question. James drew near as he disclosed that their meeting with their dad had recently finished. "Our decision is to get back everything that belongs to us." The fighting spirit of James which I admired so much emerged during this moment because he refused to surrender despite mounting challenges. “And what’s the plan?” I asked the question with a mixture of curiosity combined with a slight sense of apprehension. He sighed. "I understa
JamesThe cold Malibu breeze brushed against my face as Katniss and I drove along the quiet coastal road. My chest felt tight—a mix of anticipation and fear so overwhelming that I could barely breathe.My father was here.Multiple people claimed this to be the truth.What condition would we discover him in? Did his condition match the image I retained from the past? My brother Liam was nowhere to be seen in the midst of this turmoil.An emotional tempest controlled the last couple of days between anger and betrayal and fear ruled everything. A single feeling took control of my mindset when we approached the isolated resort that my father claimed as his destination.Hope.***We reached the beachfront resort at sunset as the sky turned gold. It didn’t look like the kind of place where a man who once ruled the business world would hide.Yet, here I was.Desperately hoping for a miracle.Katniss placed a reassuring hand on my arm as we stepped out of the car.She answered with absolute c
James:I focused on my phone's screen which displayed rapidly-changing headlines that raced through corporate networks. The words burned into my mind: Charles Kent, Founder of Kent Industries, Overthrown. Emma Kent and Henry Take Control.My pulse thundered in my ears, a mixture of shock and disbelief flooding me. How could something this massive happen overnight? How had Henry—my stepbrother—pulled off such an audacious coup? And my step mother… she…I should have known! This was bound to happen sooner or later!Damn it, Father really has no idea how dangerous it is to let Emma and Henry get involved in the family's business affairs.Damn it!The betrayal hit me like a freight train.I glanced up at Katniss, who sat on the couch across from me, her own phone gripped tightly in her hands. Her sharp eyes flicked toward me, and I could see the same anger brewing in her expression."James," she said evenly, though I could tell her temper was barely in check, "have you talked to your fath