Lucas’s POVThe weight of Mandy’s words still lingered in the air, thick and suffocating. She wasn’t the only one who made mistakes, she said. And in that moment, I realized that maybe I had been too focused on my own guilt to see hers. Maybe, we had both been wrong. But there was more to the story, something I wasn’t seeing—something that had been hidden from me all these years.I leaned back against the couch, my mind racing. I needed to understand. I needed to know why Mandy had really walked away, why she had kept Emily from me for so long. There had to be more to it than just her shutting me out. There had to be a reason why she’d kept me in the dark about Emily’s existence. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized that maybe it wasn’t just her choice.The sound of my phone vibrating on the coffee table broke my thoughts. I glanced at the screen—an unknown number. Hesitantly, I picked it up."Hello?" I answered, trying to shake off the lingering tension in my chest.
Lucas’s POVThe letter still clutched in my hand, my heart raced as I paced the living room, the weight of the revelation pressing down on me. Mandy had written it. She had been pregnant, and I had no idea. All these years, I had blamed her for shutting me out, for keeping Emily from me. But now, I understand. I understood the fear, the hesitation, the uncertainty that had driven her decisions. And it hit me hard—too hard.I needed answers. There was no way I could keep going without knowing the full truth. I had to confront Grandma Claire. She was the one who had kept me from Emily, the one who had kept me in the dark for so long. She had to know something more. She had to.I grabbed my coat and stormed out of the apartment, my mind already racing through the possibilities. What had she known? Why hadn’t she told me about Emily? Why had she let me believe that everything was fine when it was anything but?Grandma Claire’s house was quiet when I arrived. The tall, ivy-covered house l
Emily’s POV I sat on the soft rug in our living room, my favorite stuffed bunny clutched tightly in my arms. Mommy was sitting on the couch, her eyes glued to the TV, but I wasn’t paying attention to the show. My mind was full of questions, and I had to ask her. I had been thinking about it for days, and now, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. "Mommy?" I said, my voice small but curious. She turned her head, giving me a soft smile. "Yes, sweetie?" I looked at her, trying to find the right words. "Who is Lucas?" Mommy’s smile faltered just for a second, and she shifted uncomfortably on the couch. I could tell she didn’t like it when I asked about him. But I didn’t understand why. I liked him. He was nice to me when we saw him, and I liked the way he talked to me, like I was important. But sometimes, when we were at his house, Mommy didn’t seem happy. She would look at him like she was mad, but also sad, like she wanted to cry. I didn’t understand why. "Lucas is... someone Mommy us
Writer’s POVHowever, the air in the room was thick with tension, each word that passed between Lucas and Mandy only adding to the weight. They stood on opposite sides of the living room, both frustrated, both unwilling to back down, yet neither truly understanding the other’s pain. The distance between them wasn’t just physical—it was emotional, and it seemed to grow with each passing day.Lucas’s jaw was clenched as he crossed his arms over his chest. His eyes, usually so calm and collected, now blazed with frustration. "You still don’t trust me, do you?" he asked, his voice low but sharp.Mandy stood near the kitchen counter, her hands gripping the edge as if it were the only thing keeping her grounded. She looked at him, her face a mixture of exhaustion and exasperation. "It’s not about trust, Lucas," she snapped. "It’s about reality. You think everything can be fixed with a smile and a nice gesture, but it’s not that simple. We’ve both made mistakes, and there’s no easy way to
Lucas’s POVThe tension in the air was palpable, the kind that settles in your chest and refuses to let go. It had been days since the argument with Mandy, and though the words had been said, the weight of them still lingered, heavy and unresolved. But there was something else now, something that gnawed at the back of my mind. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something bigger was at play, something that had been lurking in the shadows for far too long.I sat at my desk, the dim light of the office flickering in the late hours of the night. My fingers hovered over the keys of my laptop, but I couldn’t focus on the reports in front of me. My mind kept drifting back to Damian—my half-brother, the one person I could never fully trust. There had always been something about him, something off, but I’d never been able to put my finger on it. Until now.The phone rang, pulling me from my thoughts. I glanced at the caller ID, and my stomach dropped. It was an unknown number. My first instin
Lucas’s POVMeanwhile, on the next day, the weight of the files on my desk felt heavier than usual, and the air in my office seemed thicker as I sifted through the documents. Every page I turned revealed more lies, more betrayals. The deeper I dug into Damian’s involvement in my family’s business, the more it became clear: he had orchestrated so much of the chaos that had plagued my life.I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong—something bigger than just business deals or power struggles. Damian’s reach extended far beyond the boardrooms and into the very heart of my family. He had manipulated everyone, even me. I slammed the folder shut, frustration bubbling up inside me. I had to confront him. I couldn’t let this go any longer. I needed answers, and I needed them now. But I couldn’t do this alone. I had to be smart. Damian was dangerous, and if I was going to take him down, I had to be prepared.Picking up my phone, I dialed a number I had avoided for months. Grandma
Lucas’s POVNotwithstanding, the tension between Mandy and me was still palpable as we stood in the living room, both of us watching Emily play with her toys on the floor. The weight of the situation hung in the air, a silent understanding between us that things were escalating, and we had no choice but to put aside our differences for her sake. "Lucas, I don’t know what to do anymore," Mandy’s voice was strained, barely above a whisper, but I could hear the panic in it. I didn’t know what to say. There were no words that could make this easier. Emily’s safety was at risk, and that was all that mattered. "We’ll figure this out," I said, my voice steady, but inside, I was anything but calm. Damian’s presence loomed over us like a dark cloud, and every second felt like we were running out of time.Mandy’s eyes met mine, searching for some sign that I wasn’t as lost as I felt. "You don’t get it, do you? I’ve kept Emily safe from all of this for so long, and now… now I have to rely on
Lucas’s POVMy hands were shaking as I held the envelope, the weight of it pressing down on me like a heavy stone. The words on the paper still haunted me: "You can’t protect her forever. She’s mine now."But it wasn’t just the cryptic message that rattled me—it was what came next. As I unfolded the paper, a photograph fell out, slipping from between the folds. I bent down to pick it up, and the sight of it nearly made my heart stop.It was a picture of my elder brother, Thomas. His face was frozen in time, a younger version of him, full of life and promise. But there was something wrong about the picture. Behind him, barely visible in the background, was a figure I didn’t recognize. I stared at the image, my mind racing, as the pieces started to fall into place. My brother had died under mysterious circumstances, and I’d always suspected there was more to the story than what the police had told me. But this... this was something else entirely. I looked at the back of the photograph
Mandy’s POVThe house was quiet, save for the faint hum of the heater kicking in. Lucas sat on the couch, his phone gripped tightly in his hands, his face a mask of tension. My earlier question hung in the air like a storm cloud. “Who sent this?” I asked again, my voice firmer this time. He didn’t look up, but I saw the way his jaw tightened, the way his shoulders stiffened. Whatever he was holding back, it was big. My heart pounded as I crossed the room and sat beside him. “Lucas,” I pressed, my tone soft but unyielding. “Talk to me.” He exhaled sharply, finally setting his phone down on the coffee table. His hands raked through his hair, leaving it even messier than before. “It’s from....," He paused as a quick sigh escaped from him as he continued immediately. " It's from someone who knows Damian,” he said, his voice low. "Damian?" I quipped. "Is that why the message stated, “You can’t hide forever. The truth will come out.”"What are you hiding again, Lucas, what truth
Mandy’s POVThe morning sun sneaked through the blinds, putting long streaks of light on the bedroom. However, its warmth did not help the cold knot in my stomach. I’d barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes, Mary’s message caught my mind and was almost as luminous as a neon light, mocking me.Meanwhile, Lucas stirred beside me, his breathing steady and calm, as though he didn’t have a care in the world. How could he sleep so peacefully after last night? After that message? With that, I slipped out of bed, careful not to wake him, and padded to the kitchen. As the smell of coffee brewing filled the air, but even that couldn’t calm the storm raging inside me. I was halfway through my cup when I heard his footsteps. He entered the kitchen, his hair tousled, his face still marked with the exhaustion of the past few days. “Mandy,” he said softly, his voice breaking the silence. “We need to talk.” I set my mug down, folding my arms across my chest. “About Mary?” He nodded, pul
Mandy’s POVEmily’s question hung in the air like a thundercloud about to burst as my breath was suddenly caught in the middle.She was so young, too young to be burdened with the weight of my choices, but there was no escaping it now. So, I dropped to my knees in front of her, reaching out to take her tiny hands in mine. “Emily. Baby,” I began, my voice trembling, “what you heard… it’s true. Lucas is your daddy.” Her eyes widened, and she pulled her hands away, stepping back slightly. “Why didn’t you tell me?” I swallowed hard, trying to find the right words. “I didn’t tell you because I wanted to protect you. I thought it was the best way to keep you safe.” “From what?” she demanded, her voice rising. “From Lucas?” “No,” I said quickly, shaking my head. “Not from Lucas. Never from Lucas. I just… there were things happening that I didn’t understand, things I was afraid of. I thought keeping it a secret was the right thing to do.” Her lip quivered, and tears welled up in he
Mandy’s POVSilence settled over the house and it was deafening. It was the kind of silence that came after a storm had passed, leaving nothing but destruction in its wake. I sat in the living room, my gaze fixed on the floor, lost in the whirlwind of emotions that had taken over me.The chaos, the fear, the uncertainty. it all felt like it had happened in a blur, and now, in the aftermath, it was hard to know what to hold on to.Lucas sat across from me, his face etched with exhaustion. His usual confident demeanor had been replaced with a weariness that spoke volumes. We had just survived the worst of it, but the reality of what we had faced, and what was still to come, weighed heavily on both of us.He ran a hand through his hair, his eyes dark with the burden of the choices he had made. “I never thought it would come to this,” he muttered, more to himself than to me. “I never imagined that it would get this far.”I nodded, unable to find the words to comfort him. The truth was,
Lucas’s POVHowever, the air was thick with tension as I stood in the dimly lit warehouse, the sound of my own breathing the only thing keeping me grounded. My heart pounded in my chest, adrenaline surging through my veins. I had set the trap, and now, the moment of reckoning had arrived.I glanced around, the cold concrete walls of the abandoned building pressing in on me. The place was empty—save for the figure standing at the far end, his silhouette barely visible in the shadows. Damian.He had taken the bait. He had come, just as I knew he would. But I wasn’t sure if I was ready for what this moment would bring. What I had learned about him, about his connections, his twisted motivations—none of it had prepared me for the confrontation that was about to unfold.Damian stepped forward, his face emerging from the shadows, his expression unreadable. There was no warmth in his eyes, just cold, calculating fury. He knew exactly what this was. He knew I had set him up, and he wasn’t
Lucas’s POVThe weight of the plan settled heavily on my shoulders as I sat in the dimly lit office, the stack of files in front of me a constant reminder of everything that was at stake. Damian had made it clear—he wouldn’t stop until he had everything he wanted. He’d crossed a line, one that could never be uncrossed. And now, it was time to turn the tables.I ran a hand through my hair, my eyes flicking over the information I had painstakingly gathered. Damian’s network was vast, complex, and deadly. Every step I took felt like walking on a razor’s edge, and one wrong move could cost us everything. But it was the only move left.I leaned back in the chair, staring at the map of connections and safe houses spread across the table. The walls felt like they were closing in, but I knew I couldn’t afford to hesitate. Damian was playing a dangerous game, and if I didn’t play it better, I’d lose everything—Mandy, Emily, and even my own life.The plan was simple, in theory. I would feed
Mandy’s POVThe front door creaked open, and my heart skipped a beat. I rushed to my feet, my breath catching in my throat as I saw Lucas standing there, Emily in his arms, her small face pale and her eyes wide with fear. My heart ached at the sight of her, but relief flooded me all the same. They were home. They were safe.“Thank God,” I whispered, rushing to meet them. Lucas’s eyes met mine, a silent message passing between us—one of exhaustion, relief, and something else I couldn’t quite place. He gently placed Emily down on the couch, where she curled up, her little body trembling despite the warmth of the house. I knelt beside her, brushing a strand of hair from her face, my fingers trembling as I tried to comfort her. “Hey, baby,” I murmured softly. “You’re safe now. You’re okay.”But Emily didn’t respond. She just clung to me, her small arms wrapped tightly around my waist. I could feel her fear, her confusion, and it broke me inside. I wanted to shield her from all of this,
Lucas’s POVEmily’s soft sobs tugged at my heart, but I kept her behind me, shielding her small body with my own. The men blocking the doorway were like wolves, circling their prey. I could see it in their eyes—the malice, the hunger for violence. Damian had chosen them well. “You think you can just walk out of here?” one of them taunted, his voice a low growl. I didn’t respond. Words wouldn’t save us. Action would. Emily’s trembling hand clutched at the back of my shirt. “lucas?” she whispered, her voice so faint it nearly broke me. I glanced back at her, her tear-streaked face lit by the faint glow from the hallway. My heart shattered, but I forced myself to focus. “Stay close to me, sweetheart,” I said, my voice steady despite the chaos. “I won’t let anything happen to you.” Her trust in me was absolute, and that trust gave me strength. I turned back to the men, my grip tightening on the gun in my hand. “Step aside,” I said, my voice low and cold. “This is between me an
Lucas’s POVThe clock was ticking. Each second that passed felt like a lifetime, the weight of the situation pressing down on me with increasing force. Emily was out there, and I had no idea where. Damian had her, and I couldn’t let him get away with it. Not this time. I stood in the middle of my office, the room filled with the tense energy of the small team I’d assembled. The investigator, whose calm demeanor had been a constant through this ordeal, sat at the desk, his laptop open in front of him. Across from him was the former associate of Damian’s, a man who had his own reasons for wanting to see Damian fall. His eyes were sharp, his face hardened by years of dealing with people like Damian, but there was something else there—something that told me he was just as determined as I was to bring this to an end.“Where do we stand?” I asked, my voice low, my patience wearing thin.The investigator looked up, his face tense. “We’ve got a lead. It’s not much, but it’s something. Damia