Amelia's POVI sat on my office chair behind my desk as I watched and listened attentively to the interview between Ryan and the press. Business just wasn't his career, it was his purpose. He was born for it. He was good at it. And if there was one thing he was good at, it was escaping. Ryan Anderson always had a way out. It was something I admired about him.I turned off the TV and packed my things from the table before leaving the office. I had a long week and thankfully, Ryan hadn't shown up so far. Hardly had I gotten to my car when I saw Tom, standing just a few steps away from my car."Tom?" I called out, surprised to see him there."Amelia, can we talk?" He asked, his voice holding a hint of vulnerability "Sure of course," I responded, feeling a surge of hope cut through me. After weeks of trying to get through to him, I was glad he finally ready to talk ....The ride to a nearby restaurant was not very long. We drove in my car since he didn't bring his."Tom _- I'm sor__.."
What are your plans for tomorrow?" Tom asked me."Uh, I don't know. I just want to spend quality time with the kids, that's all, "I answered, my eyes still fixated on the book I was reading."Since it's the weekend, how about we go sightseeing tomorrow? What do you think?" Tom proposed. My eyes shifted from the book I was reading to look at him."That sounds like a good idea. I think the kids would love it," I said before giving him a gentle peck on the lips."Thanks, babe. I really do appreciate it," I said, my voice filled with gratitude."Well..." He drawled. "If you really want to thank me, how about we go into the bedroom," he said with a playful grin. Tom's eyes were filled with longing and desire and although I didn't want to, I had to. Being sexually connected was the first step in making things right, plus, it's not like we haven't done it before."But if you don't want to it's _-"Shuuush!" I whispered as I placed my index finger on his lips. My hand slipped downward and I r
Amelia's POV"Mommy, where are we going next?" June asked with wide-eyed curiosity as she licked the vanilla ice cream cone. I turned to face Tom, expecting him to reveal our next destination since he was the planner of the outing.He grinned before saying, "First, we are going to the movies to watch the newly animated film. Then we’ll go sightseeing. How does that sound?" He said, his eyes fixed on me, waiting for my response."Wow," Danny squealed delightfully."I'm excited already," Joey chimed in."I love sightseeing," June exclaimed with a bright smile.....We settled in our seats at the cinema with the kids in front of us as they concentrated on the anime. I found it boring and dull since it was for kids and I knew Tom did as well but he had to put up a cheerful front since he was the host. We each had popcorn in our hands as we watched the characters playing on the wide screen. Finally, the cartoon ended and it was time to move to our next destination.We headed to the beach w
Amelia's POV The sermon ended and it was finally time to go home."I'll see you tomorrow?" Tom said, standing by the doorway. I put on a gloomy look as I didn't want him to go just yet."It's just 1:00 pm. Do you really have to leave so early?" I asked."Duty calls, babe. I need to catch up on the work I suspended," he said, as I nodded in understanding."Bye then," I said, before giving him a peck on the lips....."Mommy, Daddy said he's gonna pick us up by himself," Joey said, catching me off guard."What _- what did you say, baby?" I stuttered. The thought of Ryan always gave me goosebumps_ a mixture of emotions filled with fear and perhaps, hope."Mommy, he said he's gonna pick us up himself," June repeated."Why?" I asked, my tone laced with curiosity."No reason. He said it's been a while since we spent quality time as a family," Joey replied. What was Ryan cooking up this time around? For some reason, I was on edge. Ryan always has something up his sleeve.The day pressed for
Amelia's POV The sermon ended and it was finally time to go home."I'll see you tomorrow?" Tom said, standing by the doorway. I put on a gloomy look as I didn't want him to go just yet."It's just 1:00 pm. Do you really have to leave so early?" I asked."Duty calls, babe. I need to catch up on the work I suspended," he said, as I nodded in understanding."Bye then," I said, before giving him a peck on the lips....."Mommy, Daddy said he's gonna pick us up by himself," Joey said, catching me off guard."What _- what did you say, baby?" I stuttered. The thought of Ryan always gave me goosebumps_ a mixture of emotions filled with fear and perhaps, hope."Mommy, he said he's gonna pick us up himself," June repeated."Why?" I asked, my tone laced with curiosity."No reason. He said it's been a while since we spent quality time as a family," Joey replied. What was Ryan cooking up this time around? For some reason, I was on edge. Ryan always has something up his sleeve.The day pressed for
Amelia's POV "Attorney, what do you think I should do? Ryan is hellbent on taking my kids away for good this time around," I said, my voice tinged with sorrow as I looked hopefully at attorney San who sat across from me in my office."Babe, calm down. We'll get through with this," Tom said while rubbing my back in a comforting manner."Amelia, I'll be completely honest with you," she said, adjusting her sitting position. "Ryan is a man of affluence and influence. He has both the money and the connection, it won't be easy going up against someone like him. A businessman like Ryan is likely to bribe the judge to do his bidding." She said in utmost sincerity. "But I'll try my best to do everything I can. Even if they don't give us full custody of three of them, the judge should at least give us custody of one." Attorney San said."But Ryan's infidelity and the problems around his company should be enough reason to give Amelia custody," Tom stated. "I mean she has a stable relationship a
Ryan's POV I stepped into the bathroom, the cool water cascading down my body as my mind drifted back to Amelia. Why was she so determined to stay with that swine, Tom?! I knew she wasn't in love with him so why did she keep on choosing him?!From everything that had happened so far, I could see Amelia yearned to be with her kids but was compelled to hold back out of her loyalty to Tom. Just thinking about him made my blood boil. I turned off the shower and strode out of the bathroom but not without wrapping a black robe around my body. I changed into black trousers and paired it with a green shirt. Although I wasn't going anywhere except for my study which was just at the corner of my room, I still needed to look good.I sank into my king-sized bed, searched around my phone and dialed a very familiar number. The phone buzzed once before the person on the other end answered "My man!" Will's cheerful voice cut through the silent bedroom. Will has been my Attorney and friend for as l
Amelia POVThe courtroom was a large and spacious room, too large for five people_ myself, Ryan, our lawyers, and the judge. There was a table and a chair on either side of the courtroom where myself and Ryan sat with our lawyers by our side. I rubbed my sweaty palms together, my nervousness palpable as we awaited the arrival of the judge."Amelia, you need to calm down," Attorney San said, her voice barely above a whisper. "You don't want the judge to see the fear in you more importantly, you cannot give Ryan the satisfaction of seeing you this way," she added, and my gaze shifted to Ryan who sat a few paces away with his lawyer seated next to him. He was dressed in a sharp grey suit with a black shirt tucked underneath it. His black shoes sparkled brightly as he rested confidently against the chair. His whole demeanor exuded elegance and power, a businessman one wouldn't want to offend. Perhaps this was why I was afraid. Ryan had the means to take my children away from me. What wou
Ryan's POVThe safe house was eerily quiet, a contrast of the chaos and fear that had engulfed us just hours earlier. Amelia was resting on the couch, her exhaustion evident in the way her body sank into the couch. Her eyes were closed, but I could tell she wasn't sleeping. Her breathing was too shallow, and her body too tense. I wished I could take away her fear, but the truth was, I was just as scared. Not of what had happened, but of what was yet to come.I walked over to the small window and looked out into the dark night. The city was distant from us, it's light glowing from afar, far enough away that we were relatively safe, but close enough that we could feel it's pulse. My thoughts were racing, my mind kept replaying every detail of the last few hours, searching for any mistake, any sign we might have missed. We had to be ready for McQueen's next move. He wouldn't take Amelia's rescue lightly. If anything, it would make him more dangerous.I heard Amelia stir behind me and
Ryan's POV I stood in the middle of Amelia's wrecked room, my heart pounding loudly in my chest. The room that was once filled with her scent now felt cold and alien. Every detail before me screamed of the violence that had taken place_ her missing presence, the overturned sofa, the shattered lamp on the floor. But it was the torn curtain, hanging limply by the window, that sent shivers down my spine.I forced myself to focus, pulling out my phone from my pocket. My hands trembled as I dialed Jeffrey's number. The phone rang twice before he picked up."Jeffrey," I said, my voice sharp. "I need every resource we have in order to find Amelia. Now."Understood”Boss. We have already pulled traffic footage. A black SUV left the area about ten minutes before you arrived. We are tracing it now."My breath hitched. "Send me the coordinates. I'm going after them.""Boss," Jeffrey's voice carried a note of caution, "you need to be careful. This could be a setup.""I don't care," I snapped. "J
Ryan's POV Pushing back from the desk, I stood up, the chair scraping against the marble floor. My mind was already moving to the next step, trying to figure out how to salvage something from this mess.There had to be a way to regroup, to strike back before McQueen could tighten his grip. But first, I needed to know what had gone wrong. I needed to find out how he had known we were coming.My thoughts wandered to Amelia, the promise I had made to myself to protect her, to keep her safe from the dangers that surrounded my world. But how could I even do that when I couldn't even protect my team? The image of her face, the concern in her eyes as she told me to be careful, flashed through my mind. I had assured her that everything would be fine, that I had everything under control. Now that assurance felt like a cruel joke.As I paced up and down the room, the walls of the office seemed to close around me, the luxury and power that I had once comforted me now felt suffocating. My thoug
Ryan's POV The morning light filtered through the company's windows. Everywhere was quiet and still, the air thick with tension, almost like the calm before the storm. My arrival was met with the usual greetings, but today I was in no mood to answer them. My mind was somewhere else, caught between Tom and Amelia and the battle I had to face. I shook my head a little and pushed the thought of Amelia to the back of my head. I would deal with Tom later but for now, I needed to focus on McQueen and how to end his terror.As I made my way to the elevator, the familiar ding of it, I couldn't shake the feeling that today was going to be a turning point _ a day that could either mark my control or destroy everything I had worked for. The doors slid open, and I stepped inside, the space closing around me as I ascended to my office. Each floor that I passed reminded me of what laid ahead.With the doors opened again, I was greeted by the sleek, modern interior of my office. A haven of power d
Amelia's POV As the door slammed shut, the silence that followed was deafening. I stood frozen for a moment, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I tried to process what had just happened. The intensity of the confrontation left me shaken, my body trembling with a mix of fear, anger, and disbelief.I stumbled back to the window, my legs weak beneath mr. The room around me felt like it was closing in, the walls too close, and the air too thick. I pressed my forehead against the cool glass window, trying to calm myself, as I struggled to steady my breaths.Tears welled up in my eyes, but I blinked them back, refusing to let them fall. I had cried too much in the past and I wouldn't let myself break down again. Not after everything I had been through.But as I stood there alone, in the dimly lit room, the reality of my situation began to sink in. I had just thrown out the man who had been my partner for the last few years, the man I had thought would be my future. But now, in the stillne
AmeliaI stood by the window in my living room. My thoughts were all over the place. The room was silent with the wall clock bearing as the only means of sound. I hadn't intended to make any promises to Ryan, especially not when I was still in a relationship with Tom. But that night, when Ryan looked at me with those intense, pleading eyes and asked if I still loved him, all the careful strings of reason and caution I had built crumbled away. In that moment, all I wanted was to be wrapped in his arms again, to feel the comfort of his familiar embrace. I tried convincing myself it was merely a moment of weakness, but deep down, I knew it was much more.The last few weeks had been an emotional whirlwind. Tom, my understanding and reliable partner, had been away on a business trip. The space between us had given me too much time to think, to question the choices I had made and the life I had built with Tom. And then, there was Ryan, my ex-husband, who had showed up at my door at the mos
Ryan's POV The moments with Amelia had given me clarity I hadn't felt in weeks, but it also added another layer of responsibility. If anything went wrong, it wasn't just my life on the line_ it was hers too. The thought gnawed at me, almost shaking my resolve.I stepped out of the car, the cool night air biting into my skin as I made my way inside. The house was quiet, except for the faint ticking of the clock in the hallway. I moved through the dimly lit hallway, each step I took echoing in the emptiness, until I found myself in the children's room. They were all sound asleep,their breathing a sweet tune to my ears. I hadn't seen them much this week and I missed them very much. After tucking them in very well, I gave them light kisses on the forehead before leaving and making my way back to my study. The documents of Alexander McQueen lay spread out on the desk, a constant reminder of the battle I was about to wage on him. I stared at them, at the damning evidence that would brin
Ryan I sat in my study, the fading light now turned into darkness. The adrenaline from earlier had slowly started to subside, leaving behind a hollow ache in my chest. As much as I was focused on bringing Alexander McQueen down, my thoughts kept drifting to Amelia. I hadn't seen her in weeks until today, and now, in this moment of calm before the storm, I missed her more than ever.Amelia had always been my source of strength, the one person who always managed to pull me from the edge. Her warmth, her laughter, the way she could make me forget the weight of the world with just a simple look_ all of it felt so distant now. I wondered what she would think is she knew the lengths I was willing to go just to protect everything I had built. Would she understand, or would she see me as just another player in a dangerous game?I reached for my phone that was on the study table, my thumb punching in the familiar digits. But I stopped myself. What would I say? That I was about to mercilessly
Ryan Lydia's revelation left me reeling, but I knew I couldn't afford to show it. I kept my face expressionless, nodding slowly as I processed each information she revealed. "If Alexander is feeding Smith information, it means we are up against more than just a rogue detective. This is a calculated move."Lydia's expression hardened. "Exactly. McQueen has been playing the long game. I suspect he's not working alone. Someone with more resources might be backing him up."Amelia leaned in, her eyes wide with concern. "Ryan,this could mean the stakes are higher than we thought. If McQueen and Smith are working together, they could be building a case that could bring everything down."I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. "We'll need to figure out who's backing McQueen and why. Lydia, can you dig deeper into his recent activities, see if he has had any unusual contacts or transactions?"Lydia nodded, already making notes. "I'll get on it immediately. But Ryan, be careful. If