Alina's Pov As I opened the letter, I watched carefully as my heart was pounding in my chest. I unfold the paper with trembling hands and began to read. The silence in the car feeling heavy, each second stretching out as my eyes take in what was written. My Dearest Alina,If you are reading this, then my time has come, and I have departed from this world. There are no words that can truly express the remorse I feel for the pain and suffering I caused you. I know I was never the father you deserved. I was selfish, cruel, and neglectful, and I let my ambitions and grudges take precedence over my duties to you as a parent.Signing you away to Theodore was the most disgraceful thing I ever did. I justified it as a business decision, but deep down, I knew it was wrong. It was not until I was imprisoned that I began to see the full extent of my failures and the hurt I had inflicted on you. I asked you to visit, hoping to have the chance to make amends, to explain myself, and to beg for
Alina’s PovThe sun was shining brilliantly, casting a golden hue over the park as I spread out the picnic blanket. Asher was already dashing off to join the other kids, his laughter filling the air. It was one of those perfect days that made you forget all your troubles, even if just for a moment.I unpacked the picnic basket, laying out sandwiches, fruits, and snacks. I watched Asher play, a smile tugging at my lips. Life had changed so much in the span of a few days. From grappling with the loss of my estranged father to deciding to take over the publishing house, it felt like I was finally stepping into my own.Theodore had been my rock through it all. His support, his unwavering belief in me, had given me the strength to face everything. And now, here I was, planning to start a new chapter, determined to make the most of the opportunities before me."Mommy, look!" Asher called out, holding up a flower he'd picked."It's beautiful, sweetie," I called back, waving at him.As the af
Alina "Aren't you excited?" Millie decided to speak after observing me for a couple of minutes. She was careful in phrasing her sentence, knowing that I don't really like people disturbing me at my little corner table situated on the balcony connected to my room. I was drafting out a chapter for my upcoming book with my feet tucked under my hips, on the comfy bean bag. The evening was quiet, yet enchanting, as I took some sips from the coffee mug resting beside me on the table. My glasses were hanging a little low on my nose as I continued pressing the keys on my laptop, earning little clicking sounds. "Excited about what?" I didn't bother looking up from the screen. Millie and I were cousins. She was the daughter of my only uncle. She was two years younger than me and I could say we were a little close. Or maybe that's what I made her believe, because I never got close to anyone. Not even family. Mom was out of the picture when she died in an accident and I was only three. After th
Theodore That motherfucker actually had the audacity to think he would get anything out of this deal? How fucking foolish! I'll make sure to bring him to the lowest pit of hell after giving him a taste of what it feels like to mess with me. I was Theodore Maxwell! How in the hell could he think even for a second that he could escape my wrath for trying to cheat me! Of course, he couldn't even achieve his goal to begin with. His team is just like him. Sloppy and inefficient. So one call was all it took for all the investors in his company to take their money out. That's what power is and I like to make good use of it. I like to flaunt it. I like to make sure people know what it can do to them. And that call was all it took that pussy to come running to me, begging for help. I scoffed at the fact he was trying to sell me the benefits of investing in his company. What a bloody fool he was; he did not even know I was the one who brought him to meet his fate in the first place. So I ag
Theodore "Don't fucking bullshit with me, Mark! How are you even capable of being a lawyer if you can't give correct information to your client!" I threw the papers in the face of the thirty-five-year-old-man who stood in front of me in my office. "Mr. Maxwell, first, I worked for your father, which makes him my client, not you. Secondly, I am doing exactly what he asked me to do after his death. I have to follow his instructions. Moreover, these clauses are written in the will. I gave you a copy to read. Didn't you go over them?" Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Why in the fuck did I not read the details in the will and only hear the important points from his mouth? "That's not the point! You should have told me that I had to stay married to her for at least three months before I inherited the complete business! Not just state that I need a wife!" I don't know why my father even believed a woman could make me fall in love with her in three months? Like seriously? What was that old fool on? No o
Alina "Dad?" I saw him sitting with one leg propped over his other, like he owned the house. "Mia," he stood up once I entered the living room. "Sit." I followed and joined him, taking a place opposite from his position. "Theodore isn't here if you came to meet him." "I'm not here to see him. I'm here to see you." Why would he want to see me? He never really paid any visits to my room when we lived in the same house. Now he has traveled all the way up here, to see me. What does he want now? "How are you both getting along?" Why did he care? "Um. I'm not sure. I never talked to him." Why did he think that I would get along with the man who I literally met for like a total of fifteen minutes, exclusive of the time spent at our own wedding? "Well, I have to inform you that we cannot have that." What had gotten into him all of a sudden? "You need to make sure he takes a liking to you. It would be even better if you were carrying his heir by the next month or so." Was he seriou
Theodore I was fucking exhausted. My blood boiled thinking I was still not the sole owner of the company I had invested my blood and sweat in. Just thinking that it would take three more fucking months was enough to send me over the edge all over again. I took deep breaths after firing a few orders to the gate staff. I really need to calm myself down before I kill someone. "Mr, Maxwell," one of the guards bowed down before me as I slumped on the couch in the living room. "I just wanted to inform you that Mr. Roosevelt visited earlier." What the fucking was that lousy rat doing here? Did I not make it clear that I didn't want his presence in my place? Was it not enough that I already had one of his offspring strolling in my house like she is the fucking queen here? "Why?" My mood was already sour, I didn't need that fucker to make it worse. But curious is what my mind is. And the urge to keep my eyes open and know everything happening in my vicinity was hard to ignore. "He came t
Alina The next day, I was surprised to see Millie in my room, shaking me brutally out of my sleep. "Wake up Alina! It's 2pm!" I heard her piercing voice as I rolled on my bed. "What the heck?" I groaned quietly, before clamping a pillow on top of my ears to cover them and block her shrilling voice. "Come on, Alina! It's the first time I came to meet you after your wedding, and this is how you welcome me?" "Well you should have called and given me a warning then," I mumbled to myself in my groggy voice, before sitting up on the bed. "What did you say?" She asked, holding her waist. "Nothing," I moved the comforter to get out of my bed before heading to the bathroom to freshen up. After quickly brushing my teeth and washing my face, I headed out to see her sprawled on the couch in my room, like she owned it. "I've got to say, this is one freaking comfortable couch. I could spend the rest of my life lying on it." I rolled my eyes at her comment. "But Alina?" God, when wil