The jury deliberated for three days. Finally, the phone call came that they had come to a decision, and we hurried to the courthouse.Taking seats behind the DA, we waited for the judge to enter the courtroom. I watched the jury file into the room first and take their seats. There was no sign of the verdict on their faces.“Why am I nervous?” I whispered to Victor.John had an odd look of confidence on his face. The word smug came to my mind.“Don’t worry,” Victor whispered back. “There’s no way John will be found innocent.”I tried to let Victor’s words calm me, yet I knew it was still possible for John to walk away from these charges. He had the devil's own luck.The bailiff entered the room and had everyone stand. When we took our seats again, my stomach fluttered, and my heart raced.I wanted John to be somewhere he would never bother us or hurt anybody else again. He couldn’t get away with his evil schemes ever again.The jury foreman passed the verdict to the judge via the baili
“We’re at the lake, but we’ll get to the hospital as fast as we can,” I told Justin. “Give Amy a kiss for me, and tell her I’m on my way.”“The doctors said first babies can take a while, so don’t break the speed limit and drive safe,” Justin replied. “See you when you get here.”I hung up and leaped out of the boat. “Amy ‘s baby is coming!”“Is she and the baby okay?” Victor asked.“They should be,” I replied. “The baby is coming a little early, but the doctor told her at her last check-up that everything would be fine if it were born soon.”“Let’s go,” Victor led the way back to my truck. He tossed the cooler into the back and climbed behind the wheel. He knew I was too excited about the baby to drive.Victor drove as quickly as he could without jeopardizing any lives, but it felt like hours before we arrived at the hospital.I could barely contain my excitement while we waited for the elevator to take us to the fourth floor. Resisting the urge to run, I clutched Victor‘s hand as w
“Marry you? Hmm, let me think about it.” Victor's eyes shone in a way that told me he was teasing. “I mean, marriage is a big commitment. I need to be sure.”“Let you think about it!” I huffed and started to walk away.Victor chuckled and grabbed my arm. He pulled me close and dropped to his knees.Then he took my left hand and in his as he looked up into my eyes. “Daisy Alberta Wilson, I love you with all my heart and soul. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”“Yes!” I cried, just as excited as I was the first time he proposed. “Becoming your wife would make me the happiest person alive.”Victor stood. He picked me up and twirled me around. “Nope, it would make you the second happiest. I’d be the first.”He set me on my feet and kissed me deeply and thoroughly before asking, “When?”“Two months,” I replied. “I’ll have my degree soon, and two months will give me plenty of time to plan the wedding I’ve always wanted.”“Two months sound great,” Victor agreed. “What do you need
I had to get away from Lana and the crowd. I ran out the side door and hurried to the pond pagoda.Sitting on the bench, I wiped my eyes and looked out at the water. Moonlight was flickering in the tiny ripples from the warm night breeze.I was sorry for what I’d said to Lana the second the words popped out of my mouth. She was only trying to help and deserved my respect.But it seemed like all my friends and family had their own ideas of what my wedding should be like. It was making me crazy.Like William and Penny. They knew I loved the lake, and I knew they meant well. Yet, the thought of getting married in shorts on the dock wasn’t what I wanted.However, neither was a reception at the priciest country club in Denhurst, with food by the most expensive and traditional caterer in the area.It was supposed to be my day. Why couldn’t I have it the way I wanted?“Daisy,” Victor said as he appeared on the bridge to the pagoda. “I knew I’d find you here.”His tone was kind. It made me cr
I didn’t know or care where I was going. I drove while my mind replayed all the voices with ideas of what my wedding should be over and over.Didn’t they care what I wanted? Why didn’t they ask me before pressing their ideas on me? I would never do that to another bride.To make it worse, they were friends and family, people who were supposed to care about me. Did they have no respect for my feelings?After an hour of driving over the nearby rural roads, I turned onto the highway, where I could urge the truck to go faster. It calmed the voices in my head and their suggestions for my wedding.Finally, I could think.I guess they all meant well. They probably thought they were helping me. But would any of them have liked me doing that to them?Lana and Lily were thinking similarly, and in a way, they were right. Victor’s wedding should be a serious and dignified ceremony.That’s why I wanted it held in the ancient chapel where the priestess led the ceremony to make him the leader. The
Victor’s POVDaisy burst into tears and ran down the deck stairs to the beach. Her anguish brought forth deep regret for my harsh words, and I followed her.I called her name. But instead of stopping, she ran away from me even faster. When I ran after her, she dashed into the surf.My beloved was already upset. That’s why she came here. So what did I do? I made her feel worse. How could I be such a cad?I taught Daisy how to swim, but the ocean was much different from the pagoda pond on Alex’s estate. And the beach was flagged. I had to reach her before she got into the deep waters.There were warnings against swimming today. The waves were higher than usual, and there were strong, dangerous currents in the waves.I ran as fast as I could to catch up to her. Yet, Daisy was already in water up to her waist, and the waves were pushing her around like a rag doll when they crashed into her.Fear of losing her made me freeze for a moment, and I called her name again.She didn’t respond. In
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
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
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