“Daisy, you have the full report almost finished,” Shane said the next morning. We were working at the kitchen counter in Victor’s apartment.Victor had sent me a single text since he left for work, telling me the police now had the video I had taken. They promised to keep Victor updated on the case.“I put in a lot of hours working on it,” I said. “It has been a passion project.”“It shows. You should get full credit for this story,” Shane declared. “With this much of the work already done, there’s no reason to share the byline with me.”“It’s too long for newspapers. I need a shorter version,” I said. “But online platforms and magazines may run the entire report.”Shane sipped the coffee I made for us. “Condensing it will be tricky, but I’m confident you can do it with very little help from me. You are a natural reporter and a fine investigator.”I blushed. “Thanks. I enjoy doing both, so my career is moving in the right direction.”He patted my hand. “Definitely. Now let me advise
While Victor and I went to his apartment and packed, Findlay made us all the reservations we would need to have a magical long weekend together.Then we traveled two hours north to the city of New Ripon. Even though Denhurst was older and our capital, New Ripon was larger and flourished on tourist dollars.It had everything from some of the world’s best restaurants, museums, and art galleries to an amusement park and zoo.The city was bustling on this warm Thursday evening. I was fascinated by all the activity and people as we drove to its center, and Victor pulled in front of The Covington, New Ripon’s most exclusive five-star hotel and restaurant.A valet took care of the car while a team of hotel staff promised to have our luggage in our room when we arrived.It was exciting to look around the opulent lobby while Victor checked in at the front desk. The white carpets were plush, the walls covered with red silk, and the ceiling dripped with sparkling crystal chandeliers.Then we wer
Why would a stranger follow and take photos of Victor and me? It didn’t make sense. Besides Findlay, who knew we were in New Ripon?I had to know.Trying to keep my eyes on the man with the buzz cut, I followed him away from the dining room and through the lobby.It looked like he was heading for the main entrance, but when I got there, he was gone. I went outside onto the sidewalk and saw no sign of him.The sidewalk wasn’t crowded. I could see a block away in both directions. How did he disappear so quickly?The hotel doorman was talking to the valet in front of the entrance. Maybe they saw the man or knew who he was.“Excuse me,” I said to them. “Did you see a man a little shorter than me with a buzz cut come out of the hotel?”“No, ma’am,” the doorman said without looking at me.“I saw him.” The valet pointed down the street. “He jumped into a car that was waiting down there. Another man was driving when it took off in the other direction.”“Have you ever seen either of them befor
I had to listen to Shane’s message again. I couldn’t have heard what I thought I did.“Hey, Daisy, my publishers are eager to publish, distribute, and promote your article and report. Call me. There’s a lot you need to do before it goes to print.”I slipped into the bathroom to call, but before I could dial Shane’s number, Victor appeared in the doorway. He was awake and had heard the message.“Congratulations, sweetheart.” He kissed my cheek, and I returned to the bedroom to dress before returning Shane’s call.Shane answered on the first ring, and his excitement was contagious.“They want you to pose for a photo shoot and have someone do your bio,” Shane said. “They are excited by the project, Daisy. I’ve never known them to want to promote a story or a writer this much before.”“That’s great,” I said. But a photo shoot? And a bio? What could I say about my life that would be interesting?“Are you coming back to Denhurst today?” he asked.“Yeah, we’ll be home this afternoon.” I had
I was listening to the police talk to Victor. They were saying things like, “He was shot point blank with a nine millimeter,” and “Do you own a handgun, Mr. Klein?”“Yes, I do,” Victor replied. “It’s locked in a special hidden safe in my bedroom.”“What is it?” a cop asked.“It’s a nine millimeter,” Victor admitted. “But I haven't fired it since the last time I visited a range months ago.”“We will need to borrow it for tests,” another cop said.This couldn’t be happening. Did they think Victor shot the buzz-cut guy?One cop studied his notes. “And Mr. Klein, you admit you were looking for the dead man, a Mr. Phillip Harter?”“Yes, I hired a friend of mine who’s a Private Investigator to find him,” Victor explained. “Phil Harter was following Daisy and me while we were on vacation. I wanted to know who hired him.”“And now he’s dead outside your apartment,” another cop said and rolled his eyes.It did look bad, and it was about to get worse.“Miss Wilson, you found the body, right?”“
I slept a few hours that night, but I sprang out of bed at dawn and ran out for a copy of the Denhurst Gazette.I forced myself not to look for the story until I returned to the apartment. My hands were shaking when I sat at the counter and spread the newspaper in front of me.It was on the front page above the fold!Then I looked at the photo below it, and my head spun. It was a photo of me coming down the main staircase at Alex’s mansion.The caption read: Daisy Wilson, coming down the grand staircase at her father’s mansion. I looked good, but the headline made me cringe.I made coffee and sat down to read the article. The editor had made no changes to my copy. Every word of the article was there, precisely as I had written it.Except for my photo and the caption, I was pleased. I poured myself a cup of coffee and waited for Victor to wake up. I couldn’t wait to show it to him.He beamed with pride when he saw the newspaper. “You are amazing. I’m glad you insisted on doing the stor
“No, Daisy, you need to stay in the apartment with the doors locked,” Victor insisted.“I’m not waiting here and letting you face that mob alone,” I said. “I’ll help you talk to them. Together, we may be able to calm them.”Victor put his hands on his hips and shook his head.“I mean it.” I wasn’t letting him go down there alone. “I’m going with you.”Victor tossed his hands in the air. “Stay beside me. Don’t wander away.”We went downstairs and out onto the sidewalk together. But the police had arrived, and the crowd was broken up and leaving.“Thank you,” Victor told the sergeant in charge of the group of police officers. “Your quick response is appreciated.”“Thank you, Mr. Klein,” the sergeant replied and smiled at me. “Thanks to you and Miss Wilson, my children have a chance to get a good education.”“We’re glad to hear that,” I said. “It’s past time for everyone to be judged on their merits and not by what class they were born into.”Victor suddenly pushed me behind him as an an
I didn’t understand. “Talk about what? I just want to read the paper while I drink my coffee.”“That’s the thing, sweetheart.” Victor stood and crouched next to me. “You need to be prepared for something in the morning papers.”“You’ve got me worried,” I said. “Tell me what you’re talking about before I make it worse in my mind.”Victor sighed and took my hand. “There are several letters to the editor in both The Denhurst Chronicle and The Denhurst Gazette. The authors of the letters are twisting events to make you look bad.”My heart leaped in my chest. “Let me read these letters.” How bad could it be?Victor handed me a copy of The Denhurst Chronicle. I started to open it to look for the letters to the editor, but they were splashed across the front page.“Why would they print letters to the editor on the front page? I mumbled. But the letters were there, exactly where my article had been published a few days ago.Bracing myself, I began to read.“This is outright slander!” I cried.
I woke to the enticing scent of dark roast coffee. I stretched and realized I had slept more than I thought I would that previous night. The smell of coffee grew stronger, and I felt steam on my nose.Opening my eyes, I saw Amy standing over me, waving a mug under my nose. “Wakey wakey,” she crooned. “It’s your wedding day. Victor expects to see you at the chapel in two hours.”I reached for the mug and took a sip. The coffee was laced with dark chocolate almond milk and a touch of steamed heavy cream.“Mmm, thanks, Amy. It’s just the way I like it,” I said. “This is such a treat.” I stretched again and took another sip.“Enjoy it, but don’t dawdle in bed,” Amy put her makeup bag on the nightstand. “You need to get in the shower and wash your hair. Anna will be here to help us soon.”After waiting for this day to come for so long, I was both ecstatic and a little nervous that something would go wrong.“Is it really going to happen?” I asked my best friend. “Am I really going to be his
Kayla kept her word. The estate that we named Juniper Acres because of the dozens of Juniper trees on the grounds became ours a few days after my talk with her.I liked the small trees. They had a pleasant, fresh, and woodsy scent, and the blue/ green berries were pretty and had many uses.Besides making arrangements for our wedding, Victor and I spent the last three weeks getting our mansion ready for us to move in. It was a labor of love, knowing it was all ours.We painted some of the rooms in different colors that we preferred. I especially liked the shade of yellow that we painted our breakfast room.Like Alex’s mansion, our breakfast room had many windows facing east for plenty of natural sunlight. We would enjoy our mornings together, enjoying our first cup of coffee in the room.The living room now had comfy, overstuffed furniture in light blue and walnut. The carpets and drapes were neutral colors that set off the polished wooden floors.It was an inviting room. I looked forw
Victor called the realtor while I stood beside him with my fingers crossed. There had to be a way to fix the snag, whatever it was. The estate was perfect for us. We couldn’t lose it.I heard the realtor’s voice when she answered his call. “Victor, I’m sorry for giving you bad news.”“What’s the problem?” Victor asked. His voice was calm, but I saw the tension on his face.“The current owners of the Juniper Lane estate are two granddaughters of previous deceased owners. One of the young women refuses to sell to Miss Wilson.”Puzzled, Victor and I looked at each other.“Why?” Victor asked.“She claims Miss Wilson did something to cause her problems in the past,” the realtor responded. “I can’t change her mind. She refuses to sign the papers to finalize the sale.“Does she know the size of the offer we made?” Victor asked as I searched my memory for the identity of the granddaughter.But I couldn’t think of who I had angered that much. I shrugged at Victor and did a palms up.“Who is sh
“I’m sorry,” I said and knelt down to pick up the pieces of broken glass.“That’s alright, Miss Wilson,” Benson said. “Thomas will take care of the mess.” He motioned to a footman. “Let me get you another glass of tea.”“Are you okay, Daisy?” Cassidy asked. “We shouldn’t have shocked you with the news in front of guests.”I shook my head and tried to smile. “No, I’m fine. I was just surprised. Congratulations. I’m happy for both of you.” But was I? I had been an only child since Alex found me.Even though I knew Alex would continue to love me, my only experience with having a sibling wasn’t a positive one. Andrea enjoyed making my life miserable.So, I wasn’t sure how I felt about having a half-sister or brother. However, I was sure Alex and Cassidy wouldn’t treat me like the Smiths, and I’m optimistic the baby wouldn’t be like Andrea.But what would change in my life?“Are you sure, sweetheart?” Alex asked. He looked concerned, and even though I had been shocked, I didn’t want to spo
Victor’s POVDaisy was terrified. I could tell she was afraid her stutter would return. If she was scared enough, it could happen. She needed my love and support.I stepped forward to kiss her cheek and whispered in her ear, “No matter what, I love you. But you can do this. I’m right here with you. Pick one person in the crowd and talk to them.”Daisy gave me a weak smile, and I saw her take a deep, trembling breath. She looked out at the crowd of strange faces, and I knew the instant she saw someone she recognized.It was Amy, standing with Justin, William, and Penny among the sea of reporters. They must have heard about the press conference and come to support us. They were true friends.I sensed Daisy was relaxing, and she began to speak.“When I was seventeen, I worked in a restaurant owned by my best friend’s father. While waiting on customers and bussing tables, I dreamed of going to college and getting my law degree.“I wanted to use that degree to help the werewolf classes who
Victor and I freshened up while trying to think about what we wanted to say. Then we went back downstairs and watched the reporters and news anchors arrive outside the mansion.“There are so many,” I said. “I’ve never seen this many reporters at once before.”“They are coming from other cities to be here,” Shane said. “Your and Victor’s vision for the future is big news. There are rumors that Victor is going to quit the leadership, and you’re moving away from Denhurst.”Findlay snorted. “I heard that rumor, along with several crazier ones. I think the people need to be reassured of your good intentions for everyone.”“I can understand that,” Victor said. “How about you, Daisy?”All I could do was nod. I understood, but I was growing nervous about going out there in front of such a large crowd of reporters and photographers. There were so many. It was like a sea of people forming over the vast front lawn.My hands began to tremble when the estate staff began moving the temporary stage
I cried all the way back to the mansion. Amy remained silent, patting my arm occasionally and handing me tissues when I needed them.She pulled into the driveway and to the front entrance before she spoke.“It looks like Alex has company,” she said. “Who’s limos are they?”I punched the seat. “That one is Lana’s, and the one pulling in next to us is Lily James’s. The nerve of that pushy woman. She followed us!”“But look, Daisy,” Amy pointed toward the front doors. “Victor is here.”I wiped my eyes and saw Victor coming toward me. He opened the car door and took me into his arms.“Don’t cry, sweetheart,” he crooned. “Gisele called and told me what happened. So I had Findlay call everyone here for a quick meeting to set them all straight.”I stopped crying and nodded even though I wasn’t sure it would help.“This nonsense will stop now,” Victor took my hand and helped me from the car.We waited for Amy to put the baby in the stroller before going inside.I looked around the foyer, unab
Victor’s mouth opened, but no words came out at first. Then he shook off his surprise.“Are you serious?” he asked.“Yes, I’ve been thinking about it for weeks,” I replied.Why did Victor look so shocked? During the few times we had spoken about kids, he said he wanted a family.Tears stung my eyes, and I turned away from him. “Maybe I shouldn’t have brought it up.”Victor gently turned me around. “I know you’ve been upset since Amy had the baby, but I didn’t know it was because you want one too.”“When I first held Brendre, I felt such a rush of love that it was all I could think about for days,” I explained. “I never thought much of babies before. I think it's because my adoptive parents rejected me when they had their own baby.”“That makes sense.” Victor took my hand and started walking down the beach again. “Anyone would feel that way.”“Holding Amy’s baby made me realize I very much want to be a mother,” I said. “And I don’t want to wait a long time to start our family.”“What a
Daisy’s POVI couldn't believe Victor was leaving. Couldn’t he stay with me at the beach house for just one day?An emptiness in the pit of my stomach started when he turned to leave. It grew after he went out the door. Through our bond, I felt his painful, churning emotions and wondered if he was finished with me.I couldn’t lose him! I’d return to Denhurst this minute and marry him in any ceremony his mother wanted. The only thing that really mattered about my wedding was Victor must be the groom.I had to stop him from leaving. I needed to know what was on his mind and in his heart.Running out the door after him, I saw him climb into his car and start the engine.“No!” I cried as I jumped in front of the Lamborghini. “Don’t leave me, Victor. I love you!”The Lamborghini’s engine stopped, and Victor leaped out of the driver’s seat. He hurried to my side.“Why won’t you stay with me?” I asked.“I thought you wanted to be here alone,” Victor replied. His body was trembling with emoti