ARIANA'S POV I stood there, watching Robert and Detective James exchange tense words, my mind a whirl of confusion. Robert's agitation was written all over him, and it only served to heighten my anxiety. Detective James must have sensed the urgency in Robert's demeanor. He reached for a folder and laid a photograph on the table in front of us. My eyes were drawn to it almost involuntarily. As soon as I saw the face staring back at me, a wave of dizziness hit me like a tidal wave.Cold gray eyes. My body felt numb, and a cold sweat broke out on my forehead. It was like all the blood had rushed to my head, leaving me lightheaded and on the brink of collapse. I gasped, reaching out to steady myself on the table before sinking into a chair."Ariana?" Robert's voice was distant, as if coming from the other end of a tunnel. "Is this the same man you saw leaving the elevator?"I managed a weak nod, unable to find my voice. The room seemed to spin around me, and I focused on my breathing, tr
ROBERT'S POV The news hit me like a punch to the gut. Richard's fingerprints. It felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the room, leaving me gasping for breath. Since Richard’s death, life had been nothing short of a relentless whirlwind. First it was Odette trying to seduce me and get me to betray the Vanderbilts, then it was Ariana's disappearance and subsequent amnesia, learning of Richard’s blackmail, the gun, and then LaSalle. It was a roller coaster I couldn’t seem to get off. How do I solve all our problems? What do I do to make things right again?I steadied myself, forcing a calm façade. Ariana needed me to be strong. They all did. “I'm going
ARIANA'S POVI gasped, feeling as though the floor had been ripped out from beneath me. I had not been expecting this despite my mother's reactions."Murdered?" I whispered, barely able to get the word out. "How do you know it was murder?"Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. "Anita was gunned down in broad daylight," she said, her voice hollow and distant.Rob stood up abruptly, running a hand through his hair as he began to pace. "This only proves that Richard was involved in something big," he said, agitation clear in his voice. "And Anita was taken out because she knew too much."
ROBERT'S POVI was happy. Tonight was the best night of my life. Inside of me I was feeling happiness I had never imagined possible. Ariana and I had finally had one passionate night together without Flora's ghost looming over us.Her head lay on my chest, her breathing soft and rhythmic. I ran my fingers through her hair absentmindedly, lost in fantasies, my mind running wild with passion. The memories of the last time we had made love like this suddenly surged up in my mind, unbidden. I could still remember vividly had quickly everything had turned sour because of my silly mistake. I had whispered the wrong name—Flora. I shook my head now to clear that away from my mind, willing th
ARIANA'S POVJosh looked shocked at my question, his mouth opening and closing as if he couldn't quite find the words. He stammered, “Yes... yes, that's the number. How do you know that?”Rob was on his feet instantly, rushing to my side. “Ariana, how do you know it?” He demanded, his eyes filled with a mix of concern and excitement.Everyone in the room seemed to be holding their breath. I could feel sweat beginning to form on my forehead, my palms clammy. I swallowed hard, trying to gather my thoughts.“I... I remember driving down there,” I said slowly. “I got out of
ROBERT'S POVI stood frozen, Ariana's words echoing in my mind. “It was because of you, Rob… it was you… I drove to Maple Street because of you!” The room seemed to close in around me, the air thick with a mixture of shock and confusion. I couldn't move, couldn't speak. My heart pounded in my chest, a painful thud against my ribs. Finally, I managed to find my voice, though it came out as a whisper. “Ariana, what do you mean by that? Why did you drive there because of me?”She took a shaky breath, her eyes locking onto mine. “I remember it clearly now. I received a call from someone. They said if I didn't
ARIANA'S POV “Get down!” Rob yelled, pushing me behind a nearby car. I could feel his fear matching my own. My breathing was ragged, my heart pounding in my chest.“Rob, what’s happening? Why did this happen?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper, trembling with fear.He held me tightly, his own fear evident in his eyes. “I don’t know, but we need to stay hidden until I can figure it out.”We crouched behind the car, and I watched as Rob fumbled for his phone, his hands shaking. He dial
ARIANA'S POV Odette.It was Odette. My head was swooning and I almost lost my balance. I tightened my hold on Rob and let my gaze rest on the face of the woman walking towards me. She seemed to be a reporter as she was wielding a microphone. My breathing was ragged. It was Odette. Odette had abducted me. I remembered, the two of us had had a conversation. It was foggy but I could still feel the suffocating feeling I had felt that day when I raised my head up and found Odette looking down at me. I remembered the shock that reverberated through me. The question in my voice. The unbelief. The skepticism.The pres
ROBERT'S POVAriana's words hung in the air, their weight sinking into me. Pregnant. She was pregnant. I couldn't help it; I pulled her into my arms, holding her tightly as joy bubbled up inside me.“I can't believe it,” I whispered, kissing the top of her head. “I'm so happy, Ari.”As I held her, memories of the past rushed back. The day we lost our baby still haunted me. It was my fault. I had been reckless, and she had paid the price. I had never been able to forgive myself for what happened that day.The pain and guilt I felt back then came flooding back, but I pushed them aside. This was a new chance. I had to focus on the future, not the past. I had another chance to do it right now and I was going to seize it.“I promise I’ll do everything to protect you and our baby,” I said, my voice thick with emotion. “You won't go through that pain again.”Ariana pulled back slightly, looking up at me with those beautiful eyes of hers. “I know, Rob,” she said softly. “I believe you.”Her t
ARIANA'S POVAs the reception wound down, Josh's words echoed in my mind. My mother was here. I felt a mix of surprise and anxiety. Robert, sensing my unease, offered to come with me.“I'll go with you, Ari,” he said, his hand warm on my shoulder.I shook my head gently. “No, Rob. I need to do this on my own.”He nodded, his eyes full of understanding. “I'll be right here if you need me.”I took a deep breath and walked outside, my heart pounding in my chest. My mother stood by a water fountain, looking as elegant as ever. She wore a stunning dress that shimmered in the evening light, her hair perfectly styled. She turned as I approached, a hint of a smile on her face.“Ariana,” she said, her voice cool but not unkind. “Why wasn't I invited to your wedding? Or did my invitation get lost?”I swallowed hard, trying to find the right words. “I didn't think you would want to come after everything.”She sighed softly, her eyes studying me. “I was only trying to honor my husband's will, Ari
ARIANA'S POV Rob knelt before me, holding out his grandmother’s ring. It sparkled in the light, reflecting the warmth in his eyes. My heart pounded in my chest as the reality of the moment hit me. Rob was asking me to marry him, not out of necessity or convenience, but out of love.“Ariana,” he said, his voice steady and filled with emotion, “I never formally asked you to marry me. Our marriage was one of convenience. But now, I want to ask you properly. This ring belonged to my grandmother. Will you marry me, this time in the right way?”For a moment, I was too stunned to speak. Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision. It felt like the universe was finally looking upon me with kindness. How long had I longed for Rob to want me, to love me? Now, here he was, making my dreams come true. Overwhelmed, I started to sob, unable to contain the avalanche of emotions.“Yes,” I whispered, my voice choking with tears. “Yes, Rob, I will marry you.”I stretched out my hand, and he gently
ROBERT'S POV The judge’s words echoed through the courtroom, but the specifics blurred in my mind. All I heard was the end result: Nate would be ours. A rush of joy surged through me, and it took every ounce of my self-control not to jump up and shout with happiness. I squeezed Ariana's hand, feeling her warmth and strength beside me. This victory was beyond anything I had dared to hope for. Josh’s character witness had been the tipping point. His words had painted a picture of me that even I hadn’t fully seen. We left the courtroom, the heavy doors closing behind us with a finality that signaled the end of a long, hard journey. Outside, Sylvia and Josh were waiting. Ariana and I exchanged a glance, and she broke the news.“Nate's ours,” she said, her voice choked with emotion. Nate’s reaction was instantaneous. He ran toward us, his little face lighting up with pure joy.“Dad!” he shouted, launching himself into my arms. I caught him, hugging him tightly. His small arms around my
ARIANA'S POV The judge’s voice echoed in the courtroom as she read out Josh's character witness statement. My heart swelled with gratitude for Josh. I had never known he thought so highly of Rob or that Rob had been so tormented when I had gone missing. Our relationship had seen many ups and downs, and there were times I could hardly believe we had arrived here, together and happy.As the judge adjourned the case, Rob and I walked out of the courtroom. Outside, Sylvia and Josh were waiting for us. Without warning, Rob enveloped Josh in an embrace, thanking him profusely. I stood there watching, admiration shining in my eyes.Sylvia rolled her eyes and said, “Alright, break it off, you two. How did it go?” she asked.“The judge will give her decision tomorrow,” I replied.Sylvia then turned to Rob. “It seems you have a chance of winning. With so much against you, it was supposed to be an open and shut case. But if the judge is taking time to make a decision, she’s surely considering e
ROBERT'S POV As we stepped out of the courtroom, I felt like I could finally breathe again. The whole process had been suffocating. My life, with all its mistakes and regrets, laid bare for everyone to see. The fact that I had been about to marry one sister but ended up sleeping with the other still made me cringe.Jason caught up with us, looking serious. “Rob, we need to talk. The judge will need that character witness now more than ever. You also need to decide if you’re willing to share custody with Margaret or if you want to go for full custody. With your history, it might be wise to accept partial custody if it’s offered.”Jason’s words hung heavy in the air as he left us alone. Sylvia, ever pragmatic, sighed. “I hate to agree with Jason, but he’s right.”Ariana stepped closer to me, her eyes filled with regret. “I wish I could write the character witness, Rob. I should be the one doing it, but given everything that’s happened…”Before she could finish, Josh spoke up quietly. “
ARIANA'S POV Seeing everyone smiling again, my heart swelled with happiness. A year ago, I never would have believed that life could turn out this way. I never would have imagined myself as friends with someone like Sylvia. I sighed contentedly, not at all unhappy about the change. I was happy.Rob filled Sylvia in on the custody case, explaining the complexities of the situation. Sylvia, her fierce determination back in full force, insisted she needed to meet Rob’s lawyer, Jason. She scoffed, “He sounds like a sorry excuse for a lawyer. We need someone who can actually fight for you.”As the night wore on, fatigue eventually took over. I woke up the next morning to find myself lying on Rob's chest. His steady breathing was soothing, and I could hear the soft snores of Sylvia and Josh nearby. Sitting up carefully, I looked around and smiled. Despite everything, we were together.The next two days passed in a blur of preparation and anxiety. Sylvia grilled Jason over the phone, deman
ROBERT'S POV As Ariana's words sank in, a wave of relief washed over me. She might know where Josh was. But another emotion tugged at my gut, something more unsettling. Ariana had been sitting beside me, her mind clearly elsewhere—thinking about Josh. That was the only explanation.For a heartbeat, I thought back to the time when Ariana had no memories. When I had made her fall in love with me all over again. Things had been better between us then, without the shadows of Flora and Josh hanging over us. It was like starting on a clean slate. But as soon as the thought crossed my mind, I shook it off. Ariana loved me. That was all that mattered.“Ari,” I said, keeping my vo
ARIANA'S POV A sickening feeling gnawed at my stomach. I didn’t know why, but the sense of dread was overwhelming. The memory of Josh grabbing hold of me and then letting go as he drunkenly declared he didn’t love me flashed through my mind. He had been drunk and unstable. Where could he have gone? Sylvia's round eyes looked up at me, filled with anticipation, as if she believed I had the solution. She seemed to think I knew Josh better than anyone else. I didn’t want to disappoint her. Desperately, I glanced at Rob for help, but his expression was unreadable.“Everyone, calm down,” Rob said firmly. “Josh is probably not in any danger. All our known enemies are behind bars. Reginald and Detective James are serving time, and Odette i