Mia's POVTime lost all meaning as I waited in the darkened house. Shadows crept across the walls, each hour stretching into eternity. Kyle would have to come back eventually. We could go to John's clinic together. One simple examination would prove I was telling the truth. The babies were his. He will believe me.The grandfather clock in the hallway chimed midnight, its deep resonance oddly threatening in the empty house. Each stroke felt like a hammer to my already pounding head.My eyes grew heavy as exhaustion crept in. The emotional toll of the day weighed on me like lead, pulling me toward unconsciousness. The babies needed rest. Just a few minutes...The sharp click of heels on hardwood jolted me awake.The foyer light snapped on, momentarily blinding me. When my vision cleared, I saw her standing there, a vision in red, perfectly coiffed even at this hour. "Look what we have here. The perfect little wife, caught in her own web of lies." Taylor's voice dripped honey-coated pois
Mia's POVThe world spun as I lay at the bottom of the stairs, pain radiating through my body in merciless waves. Taylor's performance began with a single, perfectly timed tear."Kyle!" Taylor's voice cracked with carefully crafted desperation. "You're here!" Her hands trembled as she wrapped her arms around herself, a picture of vulnerability.Kyle's eyes darted between us, taking in the scene—me on the floor, Taylor's apparent distress. The muscle in his jaw ticked, a sure sign of his rising anger.Taylor's lower lip quivered. "I—I just wanted to talk to her." Her voice hitched perfectly. "After everything that's happened, I thought maybe... maybe we could fix things. We're family, after all." She pressed a manicured hand to her mouth, suppressing a sob. "But she was so angry, Kyle. ""No," I gasped, "She's lying—""I told her about us," Taylor continued. "About how we've been trying to resist our feelings, trying to do the right thing. I thought if she understood... if she knew how
Mia's POVIn the haze between consciousness and darkness, memories floated like scattered photographs, each one more painful than the last. The sedatives coursing through my veins turned my mind into a kaleidoscope of moments I'd tried so hard to forget."Mr. Branson will see you now."The first time I saw Kyle in his office, tall and imposing behind that mahogany desk. I'd straightened my simple black dress, trying to look professional despite my racing heart. He hadn't recognized me from high school, of course. To him, I was just another candidate for the secretary position."Your references are impressive, Miss Williams."His voice had been cold even then, clinical. I should have known. Should have seen the signs.The scene shifted, blurred, reformed."The board needs me married." Kyle's voice echoed through my drug-induced dreams. "Someone quiet. Someone who won't cause problems." The contract had sat between us on his desk, stark black text on white paper. A business arrangement,
Mia's POVThe hospital room is too quiet. Too white. Too empty.Just like me now.The morning light hurts my eyes. I keep my hand on my stomach. There's nothing there anymore. No movement. No life. Just emptiness.When the door opens, I know it's Kyle. I always know. Even now, my heart still responds to his presence. I hate that it does."You should be resting," he says. His footsteps are measured, controlled. Everything about Kyle is always controlled.I turn my head slowly. He looks perfect. Not a hair out of place. Like nothing has happened. Like our babies aren't gone."How's Taylor?" I ask. I can't help it. I need to know if he spent the night with her while I was losing our children.His jaw tightens. "She's fine. Some bruising."Of course she is. Taylor always lands on her feet. While I lose everything."The doctors say you need rest," he continues, checking his phone. Always checking his phone. "I've arranged for the best specialists—""I want a divorce."The words hang in the
Kyle's POVThe scotch burns a path down my throat. Glass after glass. The bottle's nearly empty now, but the anger still burns hotter than the alcohol.Divorce.The word echoes in my mind, mocking my control. How dare she? After everything I've given her—the lifestyle, the security, the position—she dares to ask for a divorce?My office is too quiet. Too dark. The city lights spread out below my penthouse window, a sea of possibilities I've always controlled. Until now.I pour another glass. My hand is steady, even if my thoughts aren't."Is everything a game to you, Mia?" The words taste bitter in the empty room. "Didn't you say you loved me?"The memory of her in that hospital bed flashes unbidden. Pale. Broken. Different from the Mia I know. The Mia who always smiled, no matter how cold I was. The Mia who looked at me like I was worth something more than my bank account.My phone buzzes. Taylor. Again.I stare at her name on the screen until it goes dark. Strange. There was a time
Mia's POVMy palm stung from the force of the slap, but the pain was nothing compared to the turmoil in my chest. Kyle's kiss still burned on my lips, a ghost of passion that meant nothing. That had always meant nothing. The taste of expensive scotch lingered on my tongue, bitter like the memories we'd shared."Don't touch me again." My voice came out steadier than I felt, ice coating each word. Inside, my traitorous heart still raced from his proximity, from the familiar scent of his cologne, from the way his body had pressed against mine. Old habits die hard, it seems. "I'm not your toy anymore, Kyle."His fingers touched his reddened cheek, storm clouds gathering in those grey eyes I'd once found so captivating. The slight tick in his jaw betrayed his anger . I knew all his tells by now, every minute expression that revealed the emotions he tried so hard to hide."You're being ridiculous," he growled, taking a step toward me. "This tantrum needs to stop."I backed away, my legs hit
Mia's POV"I brought your favorite flowers today, Mom." My voice echoed in the sterile hospital room as I arranged fresh lilies in the vase. "The florist said they just got them in this morning. Remember how you used to grow them in our garden? Before..."I trailed off, settling into the chair beside her bed. The monitors beeped steadily, their rhythm a poor substitute for her voice."The doctors say you can hear me," I continued, taking her hand. "I hope that's true because I need to tell you something. I need to tell you how sorry I am."My thumb traced patterns on her palm, the way she used to do when I was little. "I failed you, Mom. Everything you warned me about, everything you tried to protect me from – I walked right into it anyway.""I know I have told you a lot of times. Mom, you're the only one I can talk to about this. I married him, Mom. I married a man who doesn't love me. Just like you and Dad." My voice cracked. "I thought I could change him. Isn't that ridiculous? I w
Mia's POVMy hands trembled as I reached for my bag, fingers brushing against the manila envelope inside. The divorce papers felt heavy, weighted with more than just legal terms and conditions. They represented freedom – or at least, they should have."I've made my decision," I said quietly, pulling out the envelope. The hospital room seemed to shrink around us, the air growing thick with tension.Kyle's eyes fixed on the envelope, his jaw tightening. "What is that?""You know what it is." I held the papers out, my voice steadier than I felt. "I've already signed them."His laugh was harsh, echoing off the sterile walls. "You can't be serious.""I've never been more serious." I stepped closer, forcing him to take the envelope. "It's over, Kyle. Whatever this was between us – the contract, the pretense, all of it. It's done."Kyle's fingers closed around the envelope, but instead of opening it, he moved to the window. The setting sun cast his profile in sharp relief, highlighting the t
Mia's POVThe house felt like a mausoleum when I returned, empty rooms echoing with all I'd lost. I couldn't eat, couldn't think. The glass of water I managed to drink sat heavy in my stomach as I curled up on the living room couch, too exhausted to make it upstairs.Sleep dragged me under like a dark tide, plunging me into a nightmare that felt more real than reality. I was back in the hospital corridor, but it stretched endlessly, distorting with each step I took toward Mom's room. The fluorescent lights flickered overhead, casting strange shadows that seemed to reach for me with grasping fingers."Mom?" My voice echoed strangely, bouncing back to me in broken fragments. "Mom, where are you?"The beeping of monitors filled my ears, growing faster, more urgent. I started running, but the corridor kept stretching, the door to her room always just out of reach. The air felt thick, heavy with the scent of antiseptic and something darker – the metallic tang of blood that had haunted me s
Kyle's POVI pushed Mia away, but the trembling of her body beneath my hands lingered like an accusation. The hospital room's fluorescent lights cast harsh shadows across her face, highlighting the dark circles under her eyes, the hollow cheeks that spoke of too many sleepless nights. The sight of her – this woman who had always faced me with quiet strength now reduced to desperate bargaining – stirred something painful in my chest.She swayed slightly as I released her, vulnerable in a way that made my throat tight. Where was the fire that usually sparked in those green eyes when she challenged me? The subtle defiance in her chin when she disagreed with my decisions? This wasn't my Mia. Not the woman who'd always greeted me with soft smiles, whose love had been a constant I'd taken for granted."What are you doing?" The words came out harsher than I intended, laced with an anger I didn't fully understand. Seeing her debase herself like this – it felt wrong. Fundamentally wrong."Isn'
Mia's POVThe surgery seemed endless. Each tick of the hospital clock echoed through my bones, marking hours that felt like centuries. I'd been here since morning, pacing the sterile hallways, my prayers growing more desperate with each passing hour."Please," I whispered, my fingers wrapped tight around the small cross pendant Mom had given me years ago. "I'll do anything. Just let her live."The fluorescent lights cast everything in a harsh, unforgiving glare. Or maybe that was just my exhaustion. I couldn't remember the last time I'd truly slept. Not since losing the babies. Not since everything fell apart."Mrs. Branson?"The doctor's voice made my heart stop. I searched his face for any hint of hope, but his expression remained carefully neutral."How is she?" The words barely made it past my dry throat."The surgery is complete," he began, his tone measured. "We've managed to stabilize your mother's condition... temporarily."That last word hit like a physical blow."Her current
Mia's POVMy hands trembled as I reached for my bag, fingers brushing against the manila envelope inside. The divorce papers felt heavy, weighted with more than just legal terms and conditions. They represented freedom – or at least, they should have."I've made my decision," I said quietly, pulling out the envelope. The hospital room seemed to shrink around us, the air growing thick with tension.Kyle's eyes fixed on the envelope, his jaw tightening. "What is that?""You know what it is." I held the papers out, my voice steadier than I felt. "I've already signed them."His laugh was harsh, echoing off the sterile walls. "You can't be serious.""I've never been more serious." I stepped closer, forcing him to take the envelope. "It's over, Kyle. Whatever this was between us – the contract, the pretense, all of it. It's done."Kyle's fingers closed around the envelope, but instead of opening it, he moved to the window. The setting sun cast his profile in sharp relief, highlighting the t
Mia's POV"I brought your favorite flowers today, Mom." My voice echoed in the sterile hospital room as I arranged fresh lilies in the vase. "The florist said they just got them in this morning. Remember how you used to grow them in our garden? Before..."I trailed off, settling into the chair beside her bed. The monitors beeped steadily, their rhythm a poor substitute for her voice."The doctors say you can hear me," I continued, taking her hand. "I hope that's true because I need to tell you something. I need to tell you how sorry I am."My thumb traced patterns on her palm, the way she used to do when I was little. "I failed you, Mom. Everything you warned me about, everything you tried to protect me from – I walked right into it anyway.""I know I have told you a lot of times. Mom, you're the only one I can talk to about this. I married him, Mom. I married a man who doesn't love me. Just like you and Dad." My voice cracked. "I thought I could change him. Isn't that ridiculous? I w
Mia's POVMy palm stung from the force of the slap, but the pain was nothing compared to the turmoil in my chest. Kyle's kiss still burned on my lips, a ghost of passion that meant nothing. That had always meant nothing. The taste of expensive scotch lingered on my tongue, bitter like the memories we'd shared."Don't touch me again." My voice came out steadier than I felt, ice coating each word. Inside, my traitorous heart still raced from his proximity, from the familiar scent of his cologne, from the way his body had pressed against mine. Old habits die hard, it seems. "I'm not your toy anymore, Kyle."His fingers touched his reddened cheek, storm clouds gathering in those grey eyes I'd once found so captivating. The slight tick in his jaw betrayed his anger . I knew all his tells by now, every minute expression that revealed the emotions he tried so hard to hide."You're being ridiculous," he growled, taking a step toward me. "This tantrum needs to stop."I backed away, my legs hit
Kyle's POVThe scotch burns a path down my throat. Glass after glass. The bottle's nearly empty now, but the anger still burns hotter than the alcohol.Divorce.The word echoes in my mind, mocking my control. How dare she? After everything I've given her—the lifestyle, the security, the position—she dares to ask for a divorce?My office is too quiet. Too dark. The city lights spread out below my penthouse window, a sea of possibilities I've always controlled. Until now.I pour another glass. My hand is steady, even if my thoughts aren't."Is everything a game to you, Mia?" The words taste bitter in the empty room. "Didn't you say you loved me?"The memory of her in that hospital bed flashes unbidden. Pale. Broken. Different from the Mia I know. The Mia who always smiled, no matter how cold I was. The Mia who looked at me like I was worth something more than my bank account.My phone buzzes. Taylor. Again.I stare at her name on the screen until it goes dark. Strange. There was a time
Mia's POVThe hospital room is too quiet. Too white. Too empty.Just like me now.The morning light hurts my eyes. I keep my hand on my stomach. There's nothing there anymore. No movement. No life. Just emptiness.When the door opens, I know it's Kyle. I always know. Even now, my heart still responds to his presence. I hate that it does."You should be resting," he says. His footsteps are measured, controlled. Everything about Kyle is always controlled.I turn my head slowly. He looks perfect. Not a hair out of place. Like nothing has happened. Like our babies aren't gone."How's Taylor?" I ask. I can't help it. I need to know if he spent the night with her while I was losing our children.His jaw tightens. "She's fine. Some bruising."Of course she is. Taylor always lands on her feet. While I lose everything."The doctors say you need rest," he continues, checking his phone. Always checking his phone. "I've arranged for the best specialists—""I want a divorce."The words hang in the
Mia's POVIn the haze between consciousness and darkness, memories floated like scattered photographs, each one more painful than the last. The sedatives coursing through my veins turned my mind into a kaleidoscope of moments I'd tried so hard to forget."Mr. Branson will see you now."The first time I saw Kyle in his office, tall and imposing behind that mahogany desk. I'd straightened my simple black dress, trying to look professional despite my racing heart. He hadn't recognized me from high school, of course. To him, I was just another candidate for the secretary position."Your references are impressive, Miss Williams."His voice had been cold even then, clinical. I should have known. Should have seen the signs.The scene shifted, blurred, reformed."The board needs me married." Kyle's voice echoed through my drug-induced dreams. "Someone quiet. Someone who won't cause problems." The contract had sat between us on his desk, stark black text on white paper. A business arrangement,