The atmosphere inside the airplane cabin was comfortable. The soft glow of the cabin lights reflected off the windows, while the gentle hum of the engines filled the air. Selene sat in a business-class seat next to a young man named Garry, an old friend of hers.A luxurious getaway to LUX South Ari Atoll in the Maldives had been her dream for a long time. Selene no longer cared about Alaric. She had turned off her phone the moment she arrived at the airport, severing any connection that tied her to her fiancé.“To hell with Alaric,” Selene thought as she sipped the orange juice offered by the flight attendant.For her, maintaining her social status was far more important right now. All her friends were going to the Maldives, and she would rather not be the only one left behind.Garry turned to her, setting aside the travel magazine he had been reading. “You didn’t bring your fiancé?” he asked, his tone casual but clearly curious.Selene shrugged indifferently. “I invited him, but he r
Caspian and Cassandra had just changed clothes. Cassandra had swapped her white gown for a simple dress, while Caspian wore a casual shirt with rolled-up sleeves. They were chatting casually when Caspian’s secretary, Cedric, entered the room carrying a medium-sized box.“What’s this, Cedric?” Caspian asked, raising an eyebrow at the box.Cedric approached, holding out the box with both hands. “Mr. Damian asked me to deliver this to you, Mr. Caspian.”Caspian tilted his head, his expression puzzled. “Damian sent me something? What is it?”“I’m not sure. Mr. Damian mentioned you’d definitely like what’s inside,” Cedric replied matter-of-factly. Before leaving, he added, “Oh, I saw Mr. Alaric in the parking lot. He looked upset.”Caspian scoffed lightly, his voice laced with derision. “Leave the wild child alone. He still can’t accept that I’m marrying Cassandra.”He placed the box on the table and began opening it. Cassandra, standing beside him, leaned in curiously.As the lid came off
Alaric sat motionless in his car, his body a hollow shell of the man he once was. A single tear slipped from the corner of his eye, trailing down his cheek. In his lap, his phone—now the harbinger of his shattered world—slid onto the floor, ignored amidst the incessant chime of notifications.His vacant stare fixed on nothing ahead of him, the air inside the car thick with an unbearable weight that pressed against his already heaving chest.The emotional strain had already begun during the photoshoot with Caspian and Cassandra. The forced laughter and hollow smiles of the camera had drained him completely. Yet, all of that paled in comparison to the blow that had just struck him. The woman he had chosen to share his future with had betrayed him openly, shamelessly.Moments earlier, the phone in his lap had displayed a video Selene herself had uploaded to her social media account. There she was, naked and tangled with another man in a hotel room, engaging in an act that left no room fo
Caspian stared at Cassandra from head to toe, his eyes tracing every detail with an intensity he could barely disguise.The cheerleader uniform hugged her body perfectly, accentuating her curves in a way that was almost too tempting. Yet fear overshadowed his desire, a deep-rooted fear of what he knew about himself. Of what he was capable of.He knew his darker side. And Cassandra, with every teasing move she made, was playing with fire.“Are you sure you don’t want this?” Cassandra asked, her voice dripping with provocation, daring him to resist.Caspian shook his head slowly, trying to steady his heartbeat, which seemed to thunder in his chest. “I can’t,” he replied curtly, his voice low, strained with the effort of maintaining control.Cassandra sighed softly, crossing her arms as she looked at him in disbelief.“I thought you’d enjoy something like this,” she said, her eyes challenging him, full of certainty that he wouldn’t be able to say no.Caspian exhaled deeply, running his f
Selene clutched the crumpled plane ticket in her trembling hands, the paper wrinkling under the pressure of her grip. Her empty gaze fixed on the airport window, where the vast expanse of blue sky stretched endlessly. What once brought her peace now only served to magnify the suffocating weight in her chest. The world felt smaller, pressing down on her from every angle.She had to go home. There was no other option. They cut her Maldives vacation short, but she didn’t care. Her priority now was to salvage her relationship with Alaric before irreparable damage occurred.Yet, the thought of his cold, unrelenting reaction sent shivers down her spine. Selene had tried calling him countless times, leaving desperate texts and voicemails, but he hadn’t responded once. He had completely shut her out.Alaric’s silence was deafening, and the growing guilt in her heart felt like a lead weight, making even her phone feel unbearably heavy in her hand.“I have to see Alaric in person. It’s the only
“You know what happened to Alaric?” Cassandra asked, her voice filled with curiosity as her eyes fixed on Caspian, who had just finished a phone call.Caspian stood by the table, rubbing his temples with his fingers. His face showed hesitation, as though he was debating whether to tell the truth or not. He knew Cassandra wouldn’t stop asking until she got an answer, but something about the situation made him reluctant to speak.“Cassandra…” he started, but his voice trailed off. He took a deep breath, meeting her gaze. “Selene cheated,” he finally said, his tone flat. “The news is all over the internet. If you would like to know more, you can look it up yourself.”Cassandra’s eyes widened. “Selene?” she murmured in disbelief.“Yes,” Caspian replied curtly. He averted his gaze, avoiding showing any emotion.Caspian knew the risks of explaining this. He worried Cassandra might feel sympathy for Alaric. While it was natural, he couldn’t ignore the possibility that sympathy could turn int
Alaric stared at his phone, which vibrated incessantly. The name flashing on the screen made his brow furrow—Selene, again. He didn’t need to answer to know what she would say.Another fake apology?More manipulative excuses?Enough. Selene had exhausted every chance she had.Alaric placed the phone face down on the table, switching it to silent mode before returning to the document in his hands. Images of Selene crying in front of the media flashed through his mind. Tears that once softened his heart now seemed nothing more than a poorly acted performance.“To hell with your tears, Selene,” he muttered quietly, glancing at his phone as it vibrated again.He exhaled deeply and rose from his chair. There was a file he needed to deliver to his father—something to distract him, at least for a while. Ignoring Selene’s calls, Alaric left his phone behind and headed to Caspian’s study.When he reached the room, the door was slightly ajar, and he could hear Caspian on the phone. Alaric pause
An overcast morning sky mirrored Alaric’s somber mood. In his quiet office, he sat in front of his laptop, attempting to focus on the mountain of documents piling up on his desk. But his mind felt burdened, as if an invisible force was pulling him away from his work.A notification sound broke the silence—a new email with no subject line from an unknown sender. At first, Alaric assumed it might be a last-minute work document.With a slight hesitation, he moved his mouse and clicked the email. The body of the message was empty, containing only a single attachment: a video file. Alaric froze for a moment, sensing something was wrong. Yet curiosity got the better of him.The file loaded in seconds.The first frame that appeared on the screen sent a surge of anger coursing through his veins. A video. Selene. And another man.Alaric couldn't look away. His fists clenched atop the desk, the veins in his neck taut with rage. The video was painfully explicit, every detail sharp and undeniable
Alaric's POVI never thought this moment would come so soon.Three years ago, I watched Freya fill out her university application form with trembling hands, her eyes filled with a mix of hope and fear.I remember the long nights she spent with books scattered across the table, working on essays and projects with unwavering determination.And now, here I stand in the grand hall of New York University, dressed in a crisp black suit, watching her name appear on the big screen as the valedictorian.Freya Verity, Bachelor of Communication—Top Graduate of the Year.I look up at the stage where she stands, clad in a black graduation gown and a gold sash signifying her achievements. The spotlight casts a soft glow on her face, and for a brief moment, time seems to stop.She did it.She made it.And I have never felt prouder in my entire life.Beside me, Hero sits in his small chair, wearing the miniature suit Freya picked out for him, complete with a slightly crooked bow tie. He tries to sit
Alaric's POVI never imagined my life would turn out like this.I used to think I would always be the kind of man who only knew how to survive—content with cooking in a small restaurant kitchen, satisfied with a modest paycheck, and avoiding anything remotely connected to the Verity name. Furthermore, I thought I would remain the man who rejected his past, carving out his own path without ever looking back.But three years later, my life had thoroughly changed.Now, I stood in the penthouse suite of Verity Hotel, wearing a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, my tie discarded hours ago. The city lights of New York shimmered beyond the massive windows, casting a golden glow into the room.On the sofa, a small two-year-old boy slept soundly, his tiny arms wrapped around a stuffed bear. His breathing was soft, his face peaceful, as if the world around him wasn’t full of chaos.Hero Verity. My son.I still remembered when Freya chose that name. “Because he's our hero, Alaric. H
Freya's POVI had never felt happiness quite as terrifying as this before.There was still a part of me trying to process all the changes happening so fast—going back to college, finding a new rhythm in life, and now carrying another life inside me.But if there was one thing I knew for sure, it was that I wasn’t doing any of it alone.I watched Alaric from across the room as he stood in the kitchen, his back straight as he cooked over the stove. The scent of eggs and toast filled the air, wrapping the space in a warmth that was oddly comforting.Leaning against the doorway, I crossed my arms and observed him.Who would’ve thought that the same man who once lived in darkness could look so at home in a kitchen like this?“I still can’t believe you’re actually making me breakfast,” I finally said, breaking the morning silence.Alaric glanced over his shoulder, a smirk tugging at his lips. “I’m not letting you skip breakfast again. Especially now, since you’re eating for two.”I pouted.
Freya's POVI’ve realized something over the past few days.Love alone isn’t enough.Love is the foundation, but what keeps it standing is commitment—the courage to choose each other every single day, through the good and the bad.And now, I’m at a point where I need to make sure that Alaric and I aren’t just in love, but that we’re also moving in the same direction.I sat on the couch, holding the ultrasound results we’d just gotten yesterday. Our baby. Still so tiny, but its presence was real. Its existence changed everything—not just for me, but for Alaric too.I heard the sound of the door opening, followed by familiar footsteps. Alaric had just returned from a meeting with his father. He’d mentioned it was about the inheritance he was set to receive.As soon as he saw me, he walked over, kissed the top of my head, and then dropped onto the couch beside me.“How are you feeling?” he asked, his voice soft.I turned to him, offering a small smile. “A little nauseous this morning, bu
Freya’s POVI sat at the edge of the bed, one hand resting on my stomach. My fingers traced over the still-flat surface of my skin, as if trying to grasp the reality of what I had just learned.I was pregnant with Alaric’s child.I repeated it in my head, trying to let the words sink in. This was real. It wasn’t just a possibility or a joke from a faulty test.The doctor had confirmed it—I was carrying Alaric’s baby. And somehow, ever since that moment, the world felt like it was moving in slow motion.I lifted my head, my gaze falling on Alaric, who stood by the bedroom door, arms crossed over his chest. He was watching me with an unreadable expression—a mixture of awe, relief, and something deeper that I couldn’t quite define.“Are you still in shock?” His voice was low, almost gentle.I let out a breath and nodded slowly. “Of course. I just found out a few hours ago that there’s a tiny human growing inside me.”A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he stepped closer and
Alaric's POVI’ve faced a lot in my life.Life in prison, betrayal, losing people I considered family. Even surviving the criminal underworld that nearly swallowed me whole.I’ve been on the brink of destruction, standing between life and death more times than I can count.But none of that could have prepared me for what I just heard.“Congratulations, Mr. Verity. Your partner is pregnant. She’s about eight weeks along.”I froze in place like an idiot.The doctor’s voice echoed in the room, but my brain seemed to stop functioning. I stared at the blood test results in my hand. The numbers should have made sense, but right now, they just felt like a jumble of meaningless symbols.I had to lean on the desk because, for the first time in my life, my knees almost gave out.Freya… pregnant?I took a deep breath, trying to regain my focus. “Are you sure?” My voice came out hoarser than I expected.The doctor smiled, unfazed by my reaction. “We ran the test twice to confirm. All signs point
Freya's POVI’ve always loved the atmosphere of classes at NYU. The lecture halls are spacious, modern, and filled with students who are just as passionate as I am.Professor Callahan, who teaches Media, Culture, and Society, is the kind of academic who’s both brilliant and insightful. His voice is confident as he explains how media shapes social perceptions. Popular culture isn’t just entertainment—it’s a social phenomenon with a profound impact on everyday life.I listened intently, jotting down key points in my notebook. But today felt different.Since this morning, my body had been feeling a little off.I woke up with an uncomfortable sensation in my stomach. It wasn’t exactly pain, but more like waves of nausea that came and went.At first, I thought it was just the usual nervousness I feel before heading to class. I’m the type of person who’s always excited, and sporadically that excitement turns into a bit of anxiety.But this time was different.I swallowed hard, trying to ign
Freya’s POVI stood on the balcony of our apartment, letting the cool night breeze brush against my skin. Below me, New York pulsed with life—city lights scattered like stars, distant honks and the faint hum of the city still audible despite the late hour.Leaning against the railing, I hugged myself and gazed at the skyline.I should be in bed, but my mind was too restless.Today, I had finalized all my administrative paperwork for college. I had my class schedule, my student ID, and had even spent the last few hours reading through reference materials for my first course.I should be proud of myself. But there was an unsettling feeling in my chest: a quiet anxiety I couldn’t fully understand.The sound of the sliding door opening behind me pulled me from my thoughts, followed by familiar footsteps. I didn’t have to turn around to know it was Alaric.He didn’t say anything, just stood beside me, resting his hands on the railing, his sharp green eyes focused on the city.I glanced at
Freya’s POVI stared at my reflection in the mirror, letting out a slow, deep breath.This morning, I wore a peach blouse, paired with loose white pants that draped comfortably around my legs. On my feet were white flats adorned with delicate floral accents— a gift from Alaric. I completed the look with a cross-body bag filled with books and pens.Today marked the beginning of something new.I had officially enrolled at New York University (NYU), choosing to major in Communication Studies with a Bachelor of Science in Media, Culture.I was rebuilding my life, choosing not just to be someone who had survived her past but someone who was actively shaping her own future.Alaric had never tried to change me. Instead, he always made sure I had the freedom to be myself.I checked my natural-looking makeup, ran my fingers through my shoulder-length hair to fix it, and then stepped out of the bedroom, finding Alaric already waiting for me.He was standing in the kitchen, pouring himself a cup