Mandy’s POVI sat at the kitchen table, my fingers running over the edges of the letter, the words blurring together in front of me. It was a letter from the club’s manager, something about my canceled performances and some backdoor deal that had been made to cover my financial losses. The numbers were high, too high for someone who had been in my shoes for the past few months. It was generous, but it felt wrong.I hadn’t asked for this. I hadn’t wanted it. It felt like someone had swept in and fixed things for me without asking if I needed them fixed at all.The realization hit me like a cold wave, one that I couldn’t ignore Lucas. He had done this. He had found a way to fix my mess, just like he always tried to do—whether I wanted him to or not. Part of me wanted to be grateful. Hell, it was hard not to be, considering how close I’d been to losing everything. But the other part of me felt suffocated by his actions, trapped in this constant cycle where I was always the one needin
Lucas’s POVIt had been weeks since that conversation with Mandy. I’d spent most of those weeks walking on eggshells, trying not to overstep, trying to be more patient, more understanding. But what I’d learned in all that time was that patience wasn’t something I was particularly good at. I was used to getting what I wanted, to making things happen with a push, with influence, with money. But none of that worked with Mandy despite knowing her all my life. She wasn’t like everyone else. She was stubborn, but not in the way I was. She wasn’t built to rely on anyone, not even me.I leaned back in the chair in my office, staring out the window. The view was the same—tall buildings, busy streets—but today, it felt different. More distant.Maybe because I wasn’t feeling as in control as I usually did. The business, my life, everything had always been about control. But Mandy, she wasn’t someone I could control, and that had been a hard lesson for me to learn.I picked up the phone, about
Mandy’s POV Standing at the top of the stairs, I watched in horror as Mary, my husband’s older brother’s pregnant fiancée, tumbled down the stairs, screaming in pain. She was my husband’s older brother’s pregnant fiancée We were both heading downstairs to join the family party when she suddenly fell and began to roll down the stairs. I panicked and froze, not knowing what to do. This whole scene looked like I pushed her down the stairs. Before I could do anything, some guests from the party saw the scene and drew more attention. “Someone, call an ambulance!” one of the guests yelled. Today was supposed to be a special day. My husband's family, which was one of the richest in the city, was hosting a grand party. A lot of celebrities and business people attended. But now it had turned into a nightmare as everyone turned to look at me with anger in their eyes as if I was the devil himself. My heart began to race. “You did this. You’re a monster. You’re the devil himself
Mandy’s POV“I want a divorce, grandma. I can’t stand this any longer,” I heard Lucas’s voice echo again.“You don’t mean that, Lucas. You are just upset about what happened,” Grandma Claire said.“No, I’m not Grandma. I know exactly what I’m saying. I don’t want to be married to her anymore,” Lucas said. My heart ached at that instant.If this is a joke,Lucas , stop it now,”Grandma Claire said with a firm voice.“I’m not joking,Grandma. I’m done with this whole marriage.“We wouldn’t be in this situation if you hadn’t bribed me with your power and company shares,” he said. “Lucas, calm down-” Grandma said, though interrupted by Lucas who seemed to be hot-heated. “Grandma, don't ask me to calm down!After all she’s done to Mary and her unborn child- your great- grandchild you still defend her?Lucas's anger boiled over as he continued.“That child was my brother's and now he's gone because of her. She killed the heir to your legacy . Yet you take her side?”I froze. Mary’s ch
Mandy’s POV“What?” I asked in shock.“You’re pregnant, Mrs. Vanderbilt,” the doctor repeated.Panic set in as the doctor’s word sunk in.My heart was racing and my palms were sweating.I couldn’t believe I was pregnant.My thoughts got tangled in a mix of emotions.The divorce, Lucas’s disdain and now, a baby.How am I going to cope? I thought anxiously.I was only 18 years old and last week I was struggling about college admissions; I’m practically a child myself.The weight of responsibility almost crushed me. How will I pull through all of these? “Mrs. Vanderbilt, are you okay?” The doctor asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.“Yea…yeah, I am,” I stammered.There was a brief moment of silence before I spoke again.“Please can I ask a question, doc?” I said.“Of course Mrs Vanderbilt. Go ahead,” the doctor said.“Is the diagnosis correct? “Are there chances that I could have been misdiagnosed?” “Well, misdiagnosis occurs most of the time in this line of work,” the doctor answe
Mandy’s POV“Lucas?” I called out in surprise.“Are you done packing?” He asked with a harsh tone in his voice, “Have you forgotten your flight leaves in 5 hours?”“I know. I’m sorry. It’s just that I feel a bit sick. I think I’m coming down with a fever,” I said and he scoffed in response.“And you expect me to believe that? I know the only reason you are pretending to be sick is because not only are you lazy you do not want to leave,” he said arrogantly.I tried to speak again but he cut me short.“You are leaving this afternoon. I’ll personally drive you to the airport.” he said. I smiled bitterly at his last words, surprised that he offered to drive me to the airport by himself. Maybe he…Then I met his glare again. “Fine. Don’t fool yourself, Mandy Vanderbilt. He is not doing it out of care but to ensure you really leave the country for good,” I said to myself.Immediately he left, I dragged my tired body back to my box and continued packing. But the more I packed, the we
Mandy's POV I bit my lips, hesitant to reveal my struggles to Lucas.Finally, I decided to do it for the sake of the baby. This was the only way.“I've not received any living expenses like Grandma promised,” I said, feeling ashamed.He scoffed.“You called me after such a long time and that’s all you want to say? You’re such a parasite, always asking for money,” he said.His voice was cold.“But I need help, Lucas. Please,” I pleaded out of desperation.“I’ll send you some money but not right now,” he cut me off.“But I…….”“Also, don't bother me with trivial matters like this again. I have a company to run,” he said.Before I could reply, he ended the call. His words stung. Tears pricked at the corner of my eyes.I laughed bitterly, ruminating over my actions.Maybe I shouldn't have called him, I thought.Hugging my pregnant bump, silent sobs shook my body.Indeed, I was all alone in this world.**********************Eight months Later**********************I was coming out o
Mandy's POV I open my eyes to find myself staring at the ceiling. “Oh you're awake!” I heard a voice say.I turned my head to see a nurse, cradling a baby in her arms.“Is that my baby?” I asked the nurse.“Yes ,” she answered with a smile on her face. “Can I see her?” I asked.“Sure,” she then bent a little so I could see the baby's face. I gasped.“She’s Beautiful,”And she's all mine. Finally, I have a family in this world now,”Suddenly, my world went dark out of pain once again. ********************The persistent knocking on my door woke me up. “Come in,” I said weakly.The door opened and the nurse from earlier stuck her head through the open door.“I came to discuss your hospital expenses,” she said hesitantly.My face fell immediately when she said that.My mind went back to the fire that happened at the ghetto home. I remembered how all I had was lost in that fire.Tears welled up in my eyes.“I wish there was something I could do to help but my hands are tied…” I bi
Lucas’s POVIt had been weeks since that conversation with Mandy. I’d spent most of those weeks walking on eggshells, trying not to overstep, trying to be more patient, more understanding. But what I’d learned in all that time was that patience wasn’t something I was particularly good at. I was used to getting what I wanted, to making things happen with a push, with influence, with money. But none of that worked with Mandy despite knowing her all my life. She wasn’t like everyone else. She was stubborn, but not in the way I was. She wasn’t built to rely on anyone, not even me.I leaned back in the chair in my office, staring out the window. The view was the same—tall buildings, busy streets—but today, it felt different. More distant.Maybe because I wasn’t feeling as in control as I usually did. The business, my life, everything had always been about control. But Mandy, she wasn’t someone I could control, and that had been a hard lesson for me to learn.I picked up the phone, about
Mandy’s POVI sat at the kitchen table, my fingers running over the edges of the letter, the words blurring together in front of me. It was a letter from the club’s manager, something about my canceled performances and some backdoor deal that had been made to cover my financial losses. The numbers were high, too high for someone who had been in my shoes for the past few months. It was generous, but it felt wrong.I hadn’t asked for this. I hadn’t wanted it. It felt like someone had swept in and fixed things for me without asking if I needed them fixed at all.The realization hit me like a cold wave, one that I couldn’t ignore Lucas. He had done this. He had found a way to fix my mess, just like he always tried to do—whether I wanted him to or not. Part of me wanted to be grateful. Hell, it was hard not to be, considering how close I’d been to losing everything. But the other part of me felt suffocated by his actions, trapped in this constant cycle where I was always the one needin
Mandy’s POVI sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the phone in my hand. The screen was lit up, but I didn’t touch it. I hadn’t called Emily in what felt like weeks. I missed her voice—her laughter, her little jokes, the way she’d say “I love you” before hanging up, like it was the most natural thing in the world. I knew I should call her, but something inside me held me back. There were too many things I was hiding from her. Too many things I didn’t want her to worry about. But today, I couldn’t ignore it any longer. I needed to hear her. I needed to feel that connection, that bond I’d built with her over the years. So, I finally tapped my phone screen and selected Wendy's name from my contacts, waiting for the call to connect. I didn’t know what I’d say once Emily answered, but the thought of hearing her voice was enough to push past the hesitation.When Wendy picked up, it was as if a weight I hadn’t realized I’d been carrying lifted off my chest."Hi Wendy, sorry for disturb
Lucas’s POVThe truth was, I hadn’t expected the last few weeks to be this hard. I had hoped—naively, maybe—that all the damage I’d done would somehow fade away, that time and a few apologies would be enough to rebuild what I’d broken. But Mandy wasn’t something that could just be fixed with a few words. She was complicated, layered with history and pain, and a part of me had always known I’d have to dig deeper if I wanted to truly understand her.I had made up my mind a while ago that I was going to make things right, not just for the sake of getting back together, but for her—for her peace of mind. She’d let me in, little by little, but there were still pieces of her that I hadn’t touched, parts of her past that she kept hidden. However, one night, as I sat at my desk at home, sorting through a mix of emails, paperwork, and random thoughts, a thought crossed my mind. Grandma Claire. Maybe Grandma Claire held the key to understanding Mandy better despite her being my grandmother.
Mandy’s POVI shouldn’t have been surprised, but I was. It was a quiet Monday morning when I walked into the club and saw the look on Dan’s face. He didn’t even have to say anything—his expression said it all. I knew the moment I’d been informed about my canceled performances, the ripple effects were inevitable. I hadn’t expected it to be this bad, but there it was. “Mandy,” Dan started, his voice cold, even though I’d worked for him for over two years. “Can you explain to me why you’re not following through on your contract? The club needs you. You know that.” Hearing this, I stood there for a moment, trying to steady my nerves. My hands had started shaking, and I hated that. I hated feeling so out of control. The last thing I wanted to do was disappoint anyone—especially not Dan, who had always been fair with me. But the truth was, I couldn’t go on like this. “I know,” I said, my voice quieter than I intended. “It’s just... I need a break. Things have been rough lately. I’m
Lucas’s POVI’d spent hours in my office today, looking over everything I could find on Mandy’s financial situation. It wasn’t just the bills or the debts that haunted her. No, it was something deeper—something that clung to her even when she smiled, even when she pretended everything was fine. The weight of it all had been too much for her, and I’d been too blind to see it. I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my face. How the hell had I not seen it before? Mandy had been living like she was carrying the weight of the world, all while I’d been focused on my own damn problems. Her pride, her independence—they had always been part of who she was, but I never stopped to think about what those things might cost her. I thought about the way she’d looked at me the night before—unsure, guarded, but still willing to listen. There was hope in her eyes, but it was fragile, like glass. And I didn’t want to break it. I knew I had a lot of work to do to make up for everything I’d done. But
Mandy’s POVSitting at the edge of my bed, I stared at the chipped mug in my hands. It was one of those small, stupid things that you don’t realize holds meaning until it’s too late. The faded lettering on it—Queen of Everything—mocked me in the dim light of my room. Grandma Claire had given it to me when I was still in high school, a little reminder to never let anyone make me feel less than I was worth. Back then, it was a joke. Now, it felt like a taunt. Lucas had apologized last night. A real apology, the kind where he didn’t just say the words but looked me in the eye, laid himself bare, and admitted he’d screwed up. It wasn’t something Lucas did often—admit fault, I mean. He was the man who had everything figured out, the one with the answers, the solutions, the damn checklist for how the world should work. But last night, he’d been different. Raw. Real. Vulnerable, even. And I... I didn’t know how to feel about it. I turned the mug over in my hands, my thoughts circ
Lucas’s POVThe house felt emptier than usual that evening and the silence seemed to stretch on endlessly, filling up the space where her laughter, her voice, her very presence used to be. It was hard to remember what it felt like to have Mandy here. Even harder was the reality that, no matter how much I tried to fix things, I still hadn’t figured out how to fix us.I tossed my keys on the kitchen counter and dragged my fingers through my hair, staring at the table where we’d shared meals, arguing, and laughing. That damn mug she always used, the one with the chipped handle, still sat there like a cruel reminder that I’d screwed everything up. I’d spent the entire day digging into her financial situation. The club, the debt, the medical bills—none of it had surprised me, but it stung to see how much she’d been hiding. Mandy had always carried her burdens alone, even when I was right there, a damn fool, too stubborn and too proud to see what was happening right under my nose.Howeve
Lucas's POVI sat on the edge of the couch, elbows on my knees, head in my hands, as Ethan’s voice rang out over the phone, blunt as always. “So let me get this straight,” he said. “You stormed into the club, dragged her out, and then lost your damn mind at her?” “Yeah,” I muttered, already regretting my decision to call him. “That about covers it.” “You’re an idiot.” “Thanks, Ethan. Super helpful.” “No, seriously. What were you thinking? Mandy’s not one of your employees, Lucas. She doesn’t need a boss—she needs a partner, don't be a fool,"That word hit like a sucker punch partner. How had I missed that? Ethan sighed. “Look, man, I get it. You’re used to fixing problems, keeping things under control, making sure nothing spirals out of hand. But Mandy isn’t some situation to manage. She’s a person, Lucas. And instead of trying to understand her, you bulldozed right over her, same way you did to her three years ago,"I leaned back and stared at the ceiling. Damn it. He w