KellyI kept walking, quickening my step just enough to put a little distance between Adrian and I. I didn’t want him to notice the anger in my chest, the knot that had grown with every thought of Francesca. It had nothing to do with Adrian, really, I knew that. But there was something about her that made my jealousy burn harder, like a fire that wouldn’t go stop, no matter how much I tried to ignore it.Adrian was talking to me, but I couldn’t focus on what he was saying. He asked if I was fine, his voice low and steady, but I brushed him off. Ofcourse, I'm fine.I kept my voice flat as I pushed my way through the crowd. I wasn’t fine. But I didn’t want to show him that. I wasn’t ready for him to see how hard this was on me.Still, I could feel him right behind me, close enough to catch every breath I took. His presence was comforting, but it also reminded me of everything I was trying to bury. And then, in the middle of my thoughts, I slowed down, forcing a softer tone when I fin
EvelynI couldn’t breathe. The words cut through the air, sharp as glass. Kelly was already married. How was that even possible? And to him. That man.The man I had never seen, the one who had somehow slipped under my monitoring. Of course, I had known about her daughter, there was no doubt about that. Anderson’s daughter, the little girl Kelly had kept hidden from everyone for so long. But Kelly... she had always been such a mystery, even when she was married to Anderson.She showed up, married and flaunting that particular Birkin bag as if she was some queen. The one bag I had been wanting for months, the one that had been sold out everywhere. It was limited edition, exclusive, and yet here she was wearing it. My fingers twitched at the thought of it. She was wearing it, and I wanted it badly.But I couldn’t let her see the anger in my face. Instead, I walked away too, not sparing her a single glance. My breath came in ragged bursts as I processed the amount of emotions she had jus
KateI couldn’t believe my eyes. Kelly had children for Anderson and I couldn’t even give him one. Two precious children, his blood running through their veins, and they were already taking the place I had fought so hard to secure. Fear gripped me as the thought crossed my mind: One day, if things went wrong, Kelly’s children could inherit everything, Anderson’s wealth, his empire, everything I had hoped for. What would I be left with? Nothing. I had failed him. I had failed to give him what he wanted most.My stomach churned with jealousy, a bitter taste I couldn’t shake. I had tried, tried so hard to give Anderson a child, to fulfill the dream we once shared. I even went through painful procedures, hoping, praying, but nothing ever came of it. And then Kelly….Kelly, who seemed to have it all gave him two beautiful children. I couldn’t let this go. I couldn’t let her children become the heirs to his fortune while my own attempts had been in vain. No. That wasn’t going to happen.I s
KellyWhen we got back to the hotel, the space felt heavy and suffocated. The kind of tension that clings to your skin and makes every breath harder to take. I couldn’t shake the feeling of something off in the air, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Maybe it was the conversation earlier. I’d had said Adrian was my husband, blatantly telling everyone when we’d both agreed that our marriage should stay under wraps. Why did I say that? I thought to myself. What was wrong with me? Adrian and I had made it clear, secret or not, that’s how it had to stay. But what choice did I have?There had been no way around it. Not with Evelyn and Kate showing up out of nowhere, their presence amplifying the already uncomfortable atmosphere. It made everything worse. The mess was getting messier, and I was at the center of it, holding a tangled thread I didn’t know how to unravel.I paced around my room. My thumb traced the edge of my phone, the screen still lighting up with unanswered texts. Harper h
AdrianI watched Kelly from a distance as she sat by the shore, her laughter rising above the gentle crash of the waves. It was the kind of laugh I hadn’t heard from her in a long time, genuine, carefree, and full of life. I could feel my chest tighten, the sight of her so open and unguarded made something dark stir within me. She looked so... happy. I hadn’t seen her genuinely laugh like that in months, maybe longer. I wondered who she was with, who had made her laugh like that, and if they were close.I had to admit, the man beside her had an easy familiarity, like they’d known each other for years. I didn’t like it. A part of me felt irrationally jealous. But why? He was just a guy, just someone she might’ve met during her time here. But something about the way she laughed, something about how she didn’t seem to have a care in the world, unsettled me.I wasn’t sure why it bothered me so much. Maybe because I never thought of Kelly as someone who had close friends, at least, not the
AndersonI stared at the screen of my laptop, my eyes fixed on the email I had sent to Mr. Davis nearly a week ago. No response. Not even a polite acknowledgment. My fingers tapped rhythmically on the desk as frustration struck in my chest. How could someone ignore an offer like mine?The demand for my latest collection was already faltering, and the clock was ticking. I couldn't afford to lose momentum now, not when so much was riding on this deal.My phone buzzed on the desk beside me, snapping me out of my thoughts. I glanced at the screen: Mom.The frustration in me spiked. I let the call ring out, ignoring it completely. She called again, her name flashing insistently."Not now," I muttered, shoving the phone into my pocket as I grabbed my keys and stormed out of the house.The drive to the office was frustrating. Every second of silence in the car seemed to echo the ticking time bomb that was my business. When I finally reached the building, I made way to my office, the space of
AndersonAiden was stubborn, yes. But in all his stubbornness, he had never broken the rule about being home before 7 PM. Now it was nearing 9 PM, and there was no sign of him. My flight was in 40 minutes, and the weight of uncertainty pressed down on my chest like a vice.Ava stood in the living room, pacing nervously. “Anderson, I think we should call the police. He’s just a kid. What if something happened to him?”I rubbed my temple, trying to keep my composure. The last thing I wanted was to start an investigation with all the problem and back-and-forths. But Ava was right. Aiden missing called for immediate action.“Let’s hold off on that for now,” I said, grabbing my car keys. “He has one friend, Theo, who lives at the end of the estate. I’ll drive there and check first. Maybe Aiden’s there and just lost track of time.”Ava hesitated but nodded, her face etched with worry.I walked out the door, the cold night air hitting me as I climbed into my car and sped off toward Theo’s h
AidenFor the past few days, the house felt quieter than usual. The kind of silence that made my skin crawl and my chest tighten. Grandma and Aunt Kate or should I say my stepmother were gone, off to Italy for some event I didn’t care about. At first, I thought their absence might be a relief, but it wasn’t. It made everything worse.The silence wasn’t peaceful; it was oppressive. There was no one around to cook a fresh meal, no comforting smells coming from the kitchen. Instead, I had to heat up leftovers from the fridge and eat alone at the table. I tried to pretend it didn’t bother me, but it did.I missed Mom.Not that I hadn’t always missed her, I did. But today, the weight of her absence pressed harder on my chest. Why didn’t she care? Why did she leave me behind? Maybe she was happy wherever she was, living her life while I was stuck here, miserable and forgotten.Or was it Dad’s fault?Dad wasn’t cruel, not really. He didn’t yell about my grades, always saying it didn’t matter
Lucian’s POV The rain had started hours ago, turning the streets slick with reflections of city lights. It wasn’t a violent storm, just a medium, persistent downpour, the kind that made people hurry indoors, seeking shelter in cafés and rushing in Mart to get umbrellas. I hadn’t expected to see her tonight. In fact, I had convinced myself I wouldn’t. For weeks, Olivia had avoided me. No calls, no accidental run-ins, she didn’t pick my call either. And yet, here she was. Standing under the awning of a small café, arms crossed over her chest, watching the rain with an expression I couldn’t quite read. She didn’t see me at first. I could have turned back. I could have kept walking and pretended I hadn’t noticed her. But I didn’t. Because avoiding each other had done nothing to change what was between us. And I was tired of pretending otherwise. She noticed me as I approached, her shoulders stiffening just slightly. Then, her gaze met mine. She didn’t move, nor acknowledge me. She
Olivia’s POV The night was supposed to be uneventful. I had attended dozens of these high-class architectural gala’s before, polished affairs where people with too much money came to flaunt their wealth under the guise of charity. Normally, I could navigate them without a second thought. But then I saw him. Lucian. I hadn’t known he would be here, but the moment I spotted him across the grand ballroom, I felt my pulse shift into something irritatingly unstable. He stood near the entrance, dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, scanning the crowd with the trained ease of someone who could see everything without looking like he was paying attention to anything. Because, of course, he was working security tonight. It made sense, an event like this required the best. And Lucian, with his quiet authority and sharp focus, fit that description effortlessly. I should have been fine. I should have been able to ignore him. Except, that I couldn’t. And it got worse when I saw her.
Lucian’s POVI was halfway through a late-night report when my phone buzzed. I almost ignored it, expecting it to be one of my officers checking in on an old case. But when I saw the name on the screen, I straightened immediately. Olivia?She had never called me before. I answered without hesitation. “Olivia?” There was a pause, just long enough for me to hear the light sound of wind in the background. Then her voice came through, tight and controlled, but there was something off about it. “Lucian… I need a favor.” I was already grabbing my keys. …….The street was empty when I pulled up, just bushes, and the dim glow of a single flickering streetlight. Olivia stood beside her car, arms crossed, looking unimpressed. I parked behind her, stepping out into the cool night air. “This is a first,” I said, approaching with a smirk. “I didn’t think you believed in asking for help.” Olivia shot me a glare. “I don’t. But my car apparently does.” I glanced at the vehicle. “
Olivia’s POV I shouldn’t be here. That thought had been running through my mind from the moment I stepped into the police station, the cool night air still clinging to my skin. But here I was, standing outside Lucian’s office at nearly eleven at night, hesitating. The building was almost empty, except a few officers finishing up paperwork. The hum of the vending machine down the hall was the only sound breaking the silence. I knew I should have gone home hours ago, but after what happened earlier tonight, home didn’t feel safe. Someone had been following me. At first, I thought I was imagining things. The paranoia of a long day, the residual nerves from the Davis case. But by the time I left work, I knew it wasn’t just in my head. Whoever it was, they were patient. Very careful. Keeping their distance just enough to make me doubt myself, but never so far that I couldn’t feel them lurking. I wasn’t the kind of person to panic easily. But tonight? I wasn’t taking chances. I t
Lucian’s POV The invitation had been unexpected. Kelly invited me to Harper’s 6th birthday. I stared at the message from Kelly longer than I should have, reading and rereading the last line: "You can stay if you don’t want to come."It was the kind of thing someone wrote when they weren’t sure if you would honor they invitation. And truth be told, I wasn’t sure either. But after everything that had happened, I knew one thing for certain. I owed it to Harper to show up. So I did. I arrived at the venue, a cozy event space filled with pastel decorations and clusters of kids running around, their laughter echoing off the walls. The air smelled like cake and candy, and despite the cheerful energy, I felt… out of place. Am I considered family at this point? Uncle? That sounded ridiculous, I don’t have the right to claim that title. I didn’t know what I was expecting when I walked in. Maybe some polite hellos, maybe a few awkward glances. But what I wasn’t expecting was Olivia. I
Lucian’s POV I had no intention of thinking about Olivia ever again. At least, that’s what I told myself. She had a way of getting under my skin, a way of making me question things I never questioned before. And yet, even after all the chaos with Kelly, Clara, and Davis, it was her name that kept creeping into my mind. So when I got to the police station, following up on the final closure of Davis’s case, I wasn’t expecting to hear her name linked to Adrian. "Yeah, Adrian’s sister was the one who gave us the last piece we needed to take him down." I almost didn’t process it at first. "His what?"The officer looked at me like I was slow. "His sister. Olivia Lewis. You know, the one who—" But I didn’t hear the rest. My mind had already locked onto those two words. Olivia Lewis. The realization hit like a punch to the gut. She never told me, not even once. I wasn’t sure what pissed me off more, that she hid it from me, or that I gave a damn in the first place. It wasn’t
KellyFor the first time in what felt like forever, I could finally breathe. Lucian had finally taken responsibility for his actions, and Olivia had laid her true intentions bare. There was no more uncertainty, no more unnecessary weight pressing down on my chest. It didn’t mean everything was magically okay, but at least now, I wasn’t carrying those burdens alone. I felt… lighter. Susan was sitting at the dining table, her brows furrowed as she flipped through a stack of papers. A steaming cup of tea sat beside her, untouched. I took the seat across from her, sighing. “You look stressed.” She glanced up, rubbing her temple. “You would be too if you were trying to figure out how to confront someone as careful as Mrs. Kim.” I frowned, leaning forward. “We have the proof. What’s the problem?” “The problem,” she said, placing a document in front of me, “is that we can’t afford to make her suspicious before we make our move. Have you forgotten? If she senses something’s off, s
Kelly The smell of coffee and maple syrup drifted through the air as I made my way downstairs, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. It was supposed to be a quiet morning. One where I could sit in peace, drink my coffee, and maybe pretend for a moment that my life wasn’t a constant cycle of chaos. But as soon as I stepped into the living room, I stopped short. There, sitting on the floor with Harper, was Olivia. I was shocked, I shouldn’t be, Olivia was Adrian’s sister after all. She wasn’t scrolling through her phone with a face of disinterest, nor did she have that distant, unreadable look she’d worn so often lately. Instead, she was smiling, actually smiling as Harper excitedly showed her something on her tablet. I watched them for a second, my stomach twisting with uncertainty. The Olivia I’d seen over the past few months had been… different. Colder. Calculated. Someone who had distanced herself from me, from Adrian, from all of us. I’d convinced myself that she’d changed for
KellyThe apology should have been the end of it. Lucian had said his piece. I had listened. That was it. And yet, hours later, as I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, my mind wouldn’t shut off. I didn’t hate him anymore. That realization should have brought relief, but instead, it left an unfamiliar hollowness instead. For so long, my anger had been a reason to keep him at arm’s length. A way to remind myself that what he did to me wasn’t okay. But now that shield was cracking, and I wasn’t sure how to feel about that. He wasn’t family anymore or so I thought. That much was clear. But did I need to forgive him? Did forgiveness mean letting go of everything? Or was simply moving on enough? The thoughts tangled in my head like an impossible knot, tightening until I sighed and turned onto my side. Adrian stirred beside me. Even in sleep, he always seemed to be aware of me, his arm draped protectively over my waist, his body warm against mine. I wanted to stay like this. I want