Elliot POVVenus’s suggestion had been damn awkward. Spencer and I, going out together? We had nothing in common—hell, what were we even going to talk about? I hugged Sammy tightly, promising I’d pick him up later, my chest aching with the need to stay, to be part of this moment with Venus and the kids. But I forced myself to step away, descending the elevator with my rival in a silence so thick it felt suffocating. There was nothing to say between us, nothing but the weight of our shared history and Venus’s shadow looming over it all.When we reached the parking lot, I pointed to my car, my voice gruff but steady. “We’ll take my car, right?”Spencer rolled his eyes, letting out an unnecessary, mocking chuckle. “The city’s mine, so I’m driving,” he said, striding toward his sleek black sedan, his movements sharp and confident.I sighed, shoving my hands into my pants pockets, already knowing this day would be a bloody challenge. But I couldn’t disrespect Venus—I could see she was ben
Elliot POVSpencer Davies dragged me to a luxury club in the heart of the city, a place where only gentlemen with six zeros in their bank accounts could even dream of entering. The air was thick with wealth and arrogance as we stepped inside, the dim lighting casting a golden glow over polished wood and leather.A group of guys was sprawled out on plush sofas, their eyes glued to a massive screen blaring some sport, drinks in hand and smoke from exotic herbs swirling around them. At least there weren’t any obscenities or naked women around—small mercies, I suppose.“Hey, lads!” Spencer greeted them with firm handshakes as he approached, his voice booming with that smug confidence I’d come to despise.I recognized Josh Carter among them, hunched over a glass bong, inhaling the herb smoke with a glazed look in his eyes.“Bloody hell, you lot started early today, huh?” I commented, sinking into a chair beside them, my tone dry as I tried to mask the unease gnawing at me. Being here with
Elliot POVThe lads were still holed up in the club, drinking and yapping away as the hours dragged on. The place reeked of bourbon and weed, the air thick with the haze of their excess. Josh, Andrew, Ernest, and Spencer were tossing back drinks like water, their laughter growing louder and sloppier with each round. I nursed a single glass, the amber liquid barely touched—my mind was too tangled with other things to let loose. Venus kept creeping into my thoughts, her smile from this morning with Sammy and Avie haunting me, and the sting of Spencer’s taunts from the car ride still burned. I couldn’t shake the image of her in that red lace he’d bragged about, and it twisted my gut with a mix of jealousy and longing.By the time night fell, the club’s buzz had dulled into a drunken hum. I slipped out to the balcony, the cool air hitting my face as I lit a cigarette, the ember glowing against the city skyline. My heart ached, a dull throb of missing Reese—Venus—settling in. I wondered w
Reese POVToday was Valentine's Day, and as usual, I was preparing something special for my husband. Four long years of marriage had passed, and our son, Sammy, was the fruit of our love. At least that's what I liked to think, since with each passing year, Elliot Goodwin's love for me only seemed to grow colder.I married him on a day like this; it snowed all night, as if God were blessing our union. Elliot Goodwin and I loved each other more than anything; he was the man of my life; for him, I left my old life in New York and accepted to go with him to another city, expecting to live wild love adventures by his side, expecting that I would finally be happy with him.But everything crumbled when his family looked down on me with disdain and disapproved of me. "What is this, Elliot?" Florence, my mother-in-law, asked haughtily as she looked at me as if I were dust."This is Reese Hudson, Mom," Elliot said, introducing me to his family. "Actually, she's Reese Goodwin now. She's my wife.
Reese POVI was completely absorbed in my own pain after the words my husband used to attack me. I stood there, speechless, holding my son's hand, as I watched Elliot ignore my pain and head towards the dinner table for a convivial meal, the beautiful dinner I had prepared for our family, to celebrate Valentine's Day, but everything was turning into a ruin.Since his father's death, right after our wedding, Elliot had used that truth to attack me and express how much he hated me. Since that day, the tender look he always gave me had turned into one of resentment and regret.The truth was, I had indeed killed his father. I was totally emotional after being humiliated by my mother-in-law, after she had rejected me as her son's wife. "I will never accept you as my daughter-in-law, girl," she had said four years ago with words as harsh and sharp as daggers. "I won't accept my son joining with a commoner like you and staining our bourgeois status!"I was bleeding inside, seeing that I was
Reese POV"Today I prepared a beautiful dinner and a lovely surprise for you, but you came home demanding a divorce. What a pitiful situation, I must say," I commented gloomily, the divorce papers still in my hands. "So this is how our story ends?""Our story ended when you killed my father, Reese. All of this is your fault," he continued with that speech, but I knew it was just a way to use that against me to get me out of his life.I wiped my face, feeling too small. "Do you know what your father's last words were before the accident? He begged me not to give up on you, Elliot. He said he believed in our love and that I shouldn't give up on you despite everything. So how do you expect me to give up on you now?""What are you getting at?" he asked, already showing irritation. "Are you planning not to give me the divorce? I'm a fucking billionaire, Reese. I'll find a way to take this from you." That was clearly a threat. It hurt to think that the man I loved so much treated me like an
Reese's POVThings happened too fast.Elliot still had Jennifer Durham's unconscious body in his arms while he hurriedly called for an ambulance. My mother-in-law was screaming at me, accusing me of being a murderer."Isn't your husband enough? Now you wanted to kill poor Jennifer, you murderer?" She was screaming at me while crying in horror.The household staff looked at me as if I were a monster. Elliot didn't even dare to look at me."But I didn't do anything! She threw herself down the stairs on her own," I said, trying to defend myself, feeling that if I didn't, no one else would."Sure, you didn't, did you, Reese?" Florence's sarcasm was heavy, directed at me. "First, my husband threw himself in front of that car to save you, and now this poor woman threw herself to certain death of her own free will. And you really expect us to believe that?""Florence, I know you've never liked me, but you have to believe me. I didn't do this; I'm innocent!" I said, crying. Likewise, I was so
Reese POVThe day had barely begun, and I was already enveloped by a sense of desolation. The sunlight, which weakly filtered through the windows, made the world outside luminous, but within me, there was a growing darkness. The mansion, with its familiar scent of flowers, felt like the set of a movie where I didn't want to be. I was anxiously at the window, watching the gate, waiting for Elliot, but each second was a painful reminder of what had happened the night before.Yesterday had been a whirlwind of events that starkly contrasted with the calm and monotonous days I spent in this house since marrying Elliot. It was an onslaught of discoveries and twists, and I simply spent the entire night thinking about it. I couldn't sleep because there was a fear growing in my chest.After all, my husband had come home with another woman and was demanding a divorce, not to mention that Jennifer Durham had thrown herself down the stairs as a way to incriminate and accuse me. Just thinking abou
Elliot POVThe lads were still holed up in the club, drinking and yapping away as the hours dragged on. The place reeked of bourbon and weed, the air thick with the haze of their excess. Josh, Andrew, Ernest, and Spencer were tossing back drinks like water, their laughter growing louder and sloppier with each round. I nursed a single glass, the amber liquid barely touched—my mind was too tangled with other things to let loose. Venus kept creeping into my thoughts, her smile from this morning with Sammy and Avie haunting me, and the sting of Spencer’s taunts from the car ride still burned. I couldn’t shake the image of her in that red lace he’d bragged about, and it twisted my gut with a mix of jealousy and longing.By the time night fell, the club’s buzz had dulled into a drunken hum. I slipped out to the balcony, the cool air hitting my face as I lit a cigarette, the ember glowing against the city skyline. My heart ached, a dull throb of missing Reese—Venus—settling in. I wondered w
Elliot POVSpencer Davies dragged me to a luxury club in the heart of the city, a place where only gentlemen with six zeros in their bank accounts could even dream of entering. The air was thick with wealth and arrogance as we stepped inside, the dim lighting casting a golden glow over polished wood and leather.A group of guys was sprawled out on plush sofas, their eyes glued to a massive screen blaring some sport, drinks in hand and smoke from exotic herbs swirling around them. At least there weren’t any obscenities or naked women around—small mercies, I suppose.“Hey, lads!” Spencer greeted them with firm handshakes as he approached, his voice booming with that smug confidence I’d come to despise.I recognized Josh Carter among them, hunched over a glass bong, inhaling the herb smoke with a glazed look in his eyes.“Bloody hell, you lot started early today, huh?” I commented, sinking into a chair beside them, my tone dry as I tried to mask the unease gnawing at me. Being here with
Elliot POVVenus’s suggestion had been damn awkward. Spencer and I, going out together? We had nothing in common—hell, what were we even going to talk about? I hugged Sammy tightly, promising I’d pick him up later, my chest aching with the need to stay, to be part of this moment with Venus and the kids. But I forced myself to step away, descending the elevator with my rival in a silence so thick it felt suffocating. There was nothing to say between us, nothing but the weight of our shared history and Venus’s shadow looming over it all.When we reached the parking lot, I pointed to my car, my voice gruff but steady. “We’ll take my car, right?”Spencer rolled his eyes, letting out an unnecessary, mocking chuckle. “The city’s mine, so I’m driving,” he said, striding toward his sleek black sedan, his movements sharp and confident.I sighed, shoving my hands into my pants pockets, already knowing this day would be a bloody challenge. But I couldn’t disrespect Venus—I could see she was ben
Venus POVThis felt like a dream—watching my two children, Sammy and Avie, communicating for the first time, their small voices filling the living room with chatter about dinosaurs. Sammy’s excitement over his T-Rex book, Avie’s timid but growing curiosity about the big, scary ones—I could barely breathe, my heart swelling with a joy I’d held onto for years, buried under the pain of loss and Jennifer’s lies. It was as if the fractured pieces of my family were finally stitching together, and I stood there, frozen, soaking in the miracle of it all.Sammy sat cross-legged on the carpet, his dinosaur-themed sneakers glowing against the soft rug, holding up a plastic T-Rex figurine for Avie to see. “This one’s the strongest, but I think the Velociraptor’s smarter,” he said, his voice bubbling with enthusiasm, the uncertainty left by Jennifer’s manipulations melting away.Avie, still clutching her favorite stuffed bunny, peeked from behind the couch, her blonde curls bouncing as she edged
Elliot POVI stood on Venus’s doorstep, clearly anxious, Sammy’s hand gripped tightly in mine, my heart pounding like a drum against my ribs. It was Saturday, and the crisp, quiet morning stretched before us, the promise of a whole day with her pulsing through my veins.I’d barely slept, my mind racing with anticipation—not just for Sammy’s sake, but for mine. I wanted to be near Venus again, to feel the spark of connection we’d once shared, to see if we could start understanding each other after all this time. Who knows… maybe this could be the start of something new.Sammy shifted beside me, his dinosaur-themed sneakers scuffing the stone step, his wide, curious eyes darting between me and the polished wooden door. “Dad, is Lady Venus really here?” he asked, his voice small but hopeful, the uncertainty left by years of Jennifer’s lies still echoing in his tone.“She is, buddy,” I replied, squeezing his hand, my voice steady despite the nerves churning in my stomach. “She’s excited t
Bethany POV“Lady Venus is a beautiful and very interesting woman, but she really isn’t my type,” Josh said, “so stop hating her to ease your frustration over me not responding to you, okay? Besides, you’re so pretty—stop being so bitter, it doesn’t suit you.” He pinched my cheek in a gesture that was anything but romantic, then reached for my door handle. “Now get out of the car, come on. It’s getting late.”But I pulled the door shut, closing it firmly, and looked at him with my nose tilted upward. “What?” He was confused by my defiance.“I already said, I’m not getting out of here unless you’re with me,” I repeated. “Or would you rather take me to your place? I’ll take any place as long as we’re together.”“You’re not seriously doing this, Bethany, are you? You’re not challenging me like this, are you?” he raged, his brow furrowed. There was danger in his green eyes, but I wasn’t afraid. What more could happen? I was already in deep trouble anyway.“If Lady Venus isn’t your type,
Bethany POVThe sound of Josh’s car crunching over the gravel of my parents’ mansion driveway jolted me out of my reverie. Josh sat beside me, and since we’d left the restaurant, a morbid silence had hung between us. Every time I spoke, he’d huff, grumble, or roll his eyes as if the sound of my voice alone irritated him. I considered myself pretty, but Joshua Carter’s disdain made me feel like the ugliest, most uninteresting woman in the world.“Alright,” he said after pulling up in front of my house, his voice flat, not even glancing at me. “You’re safely delivered. You can go now.”I looked toward the house through his car window and sighed. So that was it? I’d just get out of the car, and this would end here? For heaven’s sake, things were only getting worse… “Or better yet, why don’t you come in? My parents won’t mind if you sleep with me tonight. It’s kind of fitting, since we’re engaged,” I invited, flashing a seductive smile.He frowned at me as if I’d just said something outr
Reese POVI stood at the window of my bedroom, holding a glass of red wine, the deep crimson liquid glinting under the moonlight filtering through the curtains. The distant hum of the city was a faint murmur, but my thoughts were fixed on the path that had brought me here. The battles, the losses, the victories—I was close to winning.A soft creak made me turn, and Avie, my daughter, ran in, dressed in a pastel nightgown, her blonde curls bouncing. She climbed into my lap, hugging my neck, instantly bringing peace.“Mommy, can we read a story?” she asked, her voice sleepy.“Of course, sweetheart,” I replied, smiling as I carried her to the bed, grabbing a book about dinosaurs—Sammy’s favorite. I imagined the day he and Avie would meet, laughing together in this room.Flashback on: Three Years AgoThree years ago, pregnant, I stepped into a new apartment in the city, the empty space echoing my loneliness. I stood at the window, looking out, my heart heavy after divorcing Elliot and los
Elliot POVI tucked Sammy into bed, pulling the dinosaur-patterned blanket up to his chin, his small frame settling into the mattress with a sleepy sigh. The soft glow of his nightlight cast shadows across the room, illuminating his face—peaceful, innocent, and so much like Reese’s it hurt. “Goodnight, buddy,” I murmured, brushing a lock of hair from his forehead.“Night, Dad,” he mumbled, his voice drowsy but content, his eyelids fluttering shut. I lingered for a moment, watching his chest rise and fall, the quiet rhythm easing some of the tension in my shoulders. But the peace didn’t last long.My phone buzzed on the nightstand, the sharp vibration cutting through the stillness. I glanced at the screen—Jennifer. My stomach tightened, a familiar dread creeping in, but I answered, stepping out into the hallway to keep my voice low.“What do you want, Jennifer?” I said, my tone clipped, already bracing for the storm.Her voice exploded through the line, furious and shrill. “I’m going t