ALINA'S POV The cafe was awfully packed today. That only meant one thing for me. Taking orders after orders. “One cranberry juice and chocolate waffles,” I punched in the order of the last customer in my system before asking him. “Would you like anything else?” I asked, without lifting my eyes from the screen. “Yes, actually. Your number.” That had me snap my face to him with the deepest scowl I had. There was no doubt he was good looking, but still. This man just decided to go for the kill. “I have a kid,” I announced to him, hoping that would make him back off. “I love kids,” he gave me a heart melting smile. “Besides,” he rested his elbow on the counter leaning on it, “you only mentioned your kid. No husband? Which means you need to start looking around. Preferably, right in front of you.” I hated his smirk. Of course it was panty dropping, but he was a flirt. A big one on that. I had no time for all of this in my life. All I wanted was to stay undercover, and keep earning th
THEODORE'S POVMy head was parched on my hands, as my elbows rested on my office desk. A knock was heard on the door as I told the person to come in. “Mr. Maxwell, Mr.Summers would like to meet you.” I sighed before lifting my face up and nodded at my personal assistant, Kevin. “Send him in.” Mr.Summers entered after a few minutes, giving me a gentle smile. “How are you doing?” He asked, taking his place on the seat opposite to me. “I've been better.” This man became like a dad to me in the last few years. He had disowned Nathan after I uncovered his heinous acts. Mr and Mrs Summers were disappointed in him and couldn't believe he would stoop as low as he did. I would have killed him that day when I got to know the truth if his dad wouldn't have interfered. FLASHBACK4 years back. I had sent in the pictures and the videos for verification if they were real or not. I was in my office, not able to concentrate on anything after everything that had happened in my life, when my inves
THEODORE’S POVFLASHBACK CONTINUED“What do you think you are—” he didn't get to finish his sentence when my fist collided with his jaw. “What the fuck?” He bellowed, taking the blow and falling to the ground with the impact. My knuckles ached at the pressure, but it was nothing compared to the satisfaction I got when I saw his bleeding nose. “You fucking bastard. I will kill you!” Nathan had not recovered from the blow when I straddled him, and threw punch after punch, not giving him a second to recover. How dare he? This bastard! He thought he could just mess up with my life and get away with it. I won't let that happen. I'll show him who Theodore Maxwell is. People aren't scared of my name for no reason. His face started to turn red with the blood that seeped out of the cut that the ring on my finger caused. I liked this state of him. Completely busted. “You thought you could ruin me? Now see what I'll do to you!” I landed another punch on his face when I was being forcefully p
ALINA’S POV“Baby, are you ready? Uncle Eli will be waiting,” I glanced at my baby after applying my lipstick, to see him combing his hair. “Yes mummy, almost” he struggled to smoothen out the tangles in his hair. He had a little long hair than normal baby boys that suited him very well. I chuckled, bending down before him and helping him to smoothen out his hair. “There, all good.” “Thank you, mummy,” he kissed my cheek. “Your most welcome honey. You look adorable.” Asher is very fond of selecting his outfits himself, and today he chose to wear a blue checkered shirt with blue jeans. He quickly put on his shoes and I helped him tie his laces. “You look so handsome, baby!” I cooed and my son blushed. He literally blushed and I couldn't t help but melt at the sight. “Let's go.”We stepped downstairs to find Thea watching some romcom and stuffing her face with chips. Her eyes fell on Asher and I saw the hearts in them. “Oh my god! Now don't you just look like a charming prince!” Sh
ALINA'S POV“Uncle Eli, you looked like a prince in the suit!” Asher bounced excitedly in his seat as Elliot continued driving. He got free after thirty minutes of posing and then we decided to go to our usual Diners, to grab a quick snack. I couldn't be more happy to leave the set as soon as possible, as all the female staff there started seeing me as a threat to their chance of being with Eliot. I wanted to laugh honestly, and for a moment actually, I even wanted to pretend that I was seeing Elliot, but I wasn't sure of how they would react. And one thing that I didn't want was drama. However Elliot wasn't quite able to ignore it, with all the care he was showing me and Asher in between his tiny breaks, one of the girls went as far as tripping and falling on Elliot purposely before he could come to me. She even whined about twisting her ankle, insisting Elliot to carry her to the couch. The look on Elliot’s face was so funny, I swore I could have sprayed all the juice in my mouth o
ALINA'S POV “What?” I was baffled, hearing that name. “I swear I didn't know, Alina. I had applied at a few places. I was just so desperate to change my line of career, that I gave an interview at every place I got a chance at. I knew Theodore was a CEO but I had only heard of his other businesses. I didn't know that T.M business and Co. Was literally his main construction business. I swear I didn't know until I got an email this morning that mentioned the full name of the building, not just the abbreviation.” She explained I knew she wasn't lying. It was true Theodore had multiple businesses under different names that even I couldn't keep up with. But I was aware of this one. Only this one. Because my father was a partner with him. Until life happened. “But don't worry. I’ll decline the offer. I don't want to remind you of anything about your bitter life with him and especially I can't risk anything, now that Asher is also in the picture,” she said solemnly and I knew she would dec
ALINA'S POVMy throat clogged as air struggled to pass to my lungs. I froze in my position as I recognized the same midnight black hair, the striking jaw line. There, standing before me, was my ex-husband, the man I had been hiding from for years, hoping to escape the pain of our past. My heart pounded fiercely against my chest, its rhythm erratic and deafening in my ears.I was enveloped in shock, the air around me thick with disbelief. How could fate be so cruel as to bring him back into my life at this moment? I prayed fervently, desperately, that he wouldn't recognize me, not with my altered hair color and eye shade. I couldn't risk the memories, the hurt, resurfacing, tearing open wounds I had painstakingly tried to heal.I stood there, lost for words, my mind a whirlwind of emotions and memories crashing against the barriers I had erected to shield myself from the pain of our failed marriage. His eyes scanned the room, and for a moment, I held my breath, willing myself to become
THEODORE'S POV“Tell Fabio to postpone my meetings until tomorrow. I need to do some site visits today,” I told Anders while leaving the house. “Yes Mr. Maxwell,” I had not gone to the office today. I didn't feel like it. Again, a first for me, but then, a lot of things have been a first after her. I had to take care of the site visit Mr. Summers had placed on my shoulders. I need to wrap it as soon as possible before going to the office today. The location he had sent me for the next project seemed a little off. I mean it was very far from the city area. But then, he explained it had potential in the future. And who was I to say anything when the client wants it. The client gets what he wants. Therefore, I was off with Anders in the driving seat. As I sat back in the car, she crossed my mind. Again. Everytime my thoughts are empty, she seeps into them. Where would she be right now? Had she eaten? Was she in some kind of problem? Did she have enough financial resources? My mood dimm
Alina's Pov 2 years later “Are you crazy?” Thea yells barging into my office. “I can't believe you are doing this today out of all days!” I ignored her, continuing to type furiously on my laptop. I got used to her barging into the publishing house every second day and complaining about something or the other. It's what made her Thea. Yes I had taken over the publishing house and now became a successful Author and owner of this business. Theodore was utterly proud of all the hard work and my achievements and finally after a year, I got my reward of becoming the bestseller. I had only ever imagined it in my dreams, so living it felt surreal. “Bruh! We are going to be late for the signing!” Thea shut my laptop, making me sigh. Why did I hire her as my manager once again? Yeah, to keep me on track. And she was just doing her job, I reminded myself and killed the urge to slap her. She loved her job by the way. She said it was thrilling. “I was in the middle of a very important sc
Alina's Pov I did it. I signed the last contract. Was it selfish of me to do that? Maybe. So I regret it? No. Because I wasn't going to take another chance in my life because at first, it was just me. But now, my son is also involved. No one in the world would I allow anyone to be unjust to him. So I did it for his sake. Call me a gold digger or whatever, but I had to protect my son's future before anything. As I stood in the kitchen, absently stirring my coffee, the events of last night replayed in my mind with startling clarity. Theodore and I had been lying on the cool garden grass, the stars glittering like diamonds above us. It was one of those rare, serene moments where the world seemed to pause just for us.I remember the hesitation in Theodore's voice as he turned to me, his eyes reflecting the night sky. "Alina," he began slowly, "I don't want you to feel pressured into answering this, but I've been wondering... If I hadn't done the things I did in the past, do you think yo
Theodore's PovI was buried in paperwork, the soft hum of my office providing a soothing backdrop as I reviewed a critical document. The numbers were lining up, and for once, it seemed like the day might end without any surprises. Just as I was about to finish, my phone rang, jolting me from my concentration.I glanced at the screen. It was Daniel. Strange, I thought, answering the call. "Hey, Daniel. What's up?""Where are you!?" Daniel’s voice was urgent, almost frantic."I'm at the office. Why?" I responded, my confusion growing."And Alina? Where is she? And Asher?" "They're supposed to be at home. Why? What's wrong?" "Nathan has gotten bail! Last according to my sources, he's going towards your penthouse!" Daniel's words sent a chill down my spine. I didn't waste a second. Slamming the phone down, I bolted from my office, my heart pounding in my chest. The drive to the penthouse was a blur. All I could think about was getting to Alina and Asher before Nathan did.As I neared t
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'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 Pov "How... when?"Theodore takes a step closer, his expression softening as he reaches for my hand again. "Earlier today," he says gently. "I'm so sorry, Alina."I feel a strange numbness wash over me, a mix of shock and disbelief. "I... I don't know what to say," I stammer, my voice breaking."It's okay," Theodore murmurs, pulling me into a comforting embrace. "Take your time."I cling to him, the weight of the news pressing down on me. The room fades into the background as I try to process the reality of my father's death, feeling Theodore's steady presence grounding me in the midst of my turmoil.I stand there, wrapped in Theodore's embrace, but all I feel is a strange, unsettling numbness. No sadness, no remorse, just a void where my emotions should be. The news echoes in my mind, but it feels distant, as if it's happening to someone else.I pull back slightly, looking up at Theodore. "I don't... I don't feel anything," I confess, my voice barely above a whisper. "I tho
Alina's PovAs I opened the door to the penthouse, Thea stood there with a huge grin, her arms loaded with bags of snacks and a couple of DVDs. It had been way too long since we'd had one of our legendary sleepovers."Thea! You made it!" I exclaimed, giving her a tight hug."Of course I did! Wouldn't miss it for the world," she replied, squeezing me back. "Where's my little man?""Asher! Aunt Thea's here!" I called out.Within seconds, a blur of curly hair and infectious energy came barreling towards us. Asher threw himself into Thea's arms, giggling wildly as she lifted him off the ground."I've missed you so much, buddy!" Thea said, spinning him around. Asher squealed with delight, his laughter filling the room."We've missed you too," I said softly, watching them with a smile.After settling in and catching up a bit, we gathered on the couch with a mountain of popcorn between us. Asher sat between Thea and me, his eyes wide with excitement as he looked at the stack of movies on the
Alina's Pov Cooking with Asher was always a delightful, messy adventure. This morning, he had insisted on helping me make pasta. At just four years old, he had a fiery determination and an eagerness to be involved in whatever I was doing. How could I say no to his bright eyes and infectious enthusiasm?“Okay, sweetheart, you can help Mommy,” I said, lifting him up to sit on the kitchen counter. His eyes sparkled with joy, and he clapped his tiny hands in excitement."Yay! I help Mama," he declared proudly.I set the ingredients out on the counter: a packet of pasta, a variety of spices, fresh tomatoes, garlic, and onions. Asher leaned forward, eyes wide, surveying the array of items before him. He reached for the spice jars, his small hands struggling a bit with the lids.“Let me help you with that, love,” I said, gently twisting off the cap of the oregano for him. “This is oregano. Smell it. Isn’t it wonderful?”Asher took a big whiff and scrunched up his nose, making a face that m
Alina's Pov Without breaking the kiss and having his hand wrapped around me, he effortlessly walked to the other side of the decoration and it was only then I noticed a beautiful pastel tent decorated with fairy lights waiting for us. “What are you—” my words were silenced as his lips captured mine in a fervent kiss. The world around us disappeared. His hands slid up my sides, pulling me closer as I deepened the kiss, our tongues tangling in a dance of raw need. My soft lips yielded to his, and I clutched his shoulders, pulling him even closer. The intensity of the moment consumed us, our breaths mingling, my gasps fueling his desire. He cupped my face with one hand, his thumb brushing against my cheek as I tilted my head, exploring his mouth with a hunger I couldn’t contain. My fingers threaded through his hair, tugging gently. Every touch, every caress was electric, igniting a fire that burned hotter with each passing second. I could feel my heart pounding against his chest,