FAITH
I felt my stomach drop the moment recognition dawned on me.
Marcus Weston.
Blaze’s grandfather.
The Weston patriarch. The man who practically built the empire Blaze now ruled.
The man I had heard so much about—powerful, ruthless, and impossible to impress.
I instinctively glanced back toward the bed where Blaze was still sleeping, his face relaxed, unaware of the storm brewing just outside his door. Then, forcing myself to breathe, I turned back to Marcus.
His expression hadn’t changed—sharp and displeased.
"Wh
FAITHThe dining room was grand, but somehow, the atmosphere around the breakfast table felt tense.Maybe it was Marcus’s looming presence, his strict posture as he sat at the head of the table like a king overseeing his kingdom. Or maybe it was the fact that Blaze, still unusually quiet, was eating his food with the composure of a soldier in a disciplinary camp.I tried to focus on my own plate, but my stomach was still a little unsettled from earlier.Jessica, Blaze’s mother, sat gracefully across from us, sipping her tea. Elegant and poised as always, she placed her cup down and looked at both of us with an expression that m
FAITHThe car ride was quiet at first, the soft hum of the engine filling the silence between us. I stared out the window, watching the buildings blur past, but my thoughts were too loud to focus on anything outside.I bit my lip, hesitating, but finally, I turned to Blaze. “What if the baby is a girl?”He looked at me, slightly confused. “What do you mean?”I shifted in my seat, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “I mean… I’d love to have a daughter,” I admitted. “But… I don’t want the baby to be a girl at this point.”Blaze frowned. “Why?”I sighe
FAITHI held my breath, bracing myself as the doctor studied the ultrasound images with a careful gaze. The room felt too still, too charged with anticipation.My fingers curled tightly over the thin sheet covering my stomach, my heart pounding so loud I could barely hear anything else.Blaze sat beside me, unnervingly silent, his piercing gaze fixed on the monitor as if willing it to reveal the answer he wanted.The doctor finally turned to us, offering a small smile. “Well, from what we can see at this stage… it looks like you’re expecting a boy and a girl.”I exhaled sharply, a rush of relief crashing over me like a tidal wave.
FAITHA moment of silence settled between us before Blaze suddenly shifted beside me. His fingers tapped against his knee, a small, restless movement.“There was something else I wanted to ask,” he said, his voice steady but firm.The doctor tilted her head. “Of course.”Blaze inhaled, his fingers now laced together as he leaned slightly forward. “Yesterday… something happened. Faith was exposed to chloroform.”I turned to him sharply, caught off guard by how bluntly he said it.The doctor’s entire demeanor changed. She straightened immediately, her expression turning serious. “Chloro
FAITHAustin’s gaze flickered between the two of us, confusion etched across his face as he took in the situation—the clinic, the ultrasound photo still in Blaze’s hand, the way I instinctively moved half a step back, caught completely off guard."Um…" Austin’s brows furrowed. "Why are you coming out of here?"My throat went dry.I forced a tight smile. "Austin. What are you doing here?"His eyes lingered on me for a moment before he crossed his arms, his stance slightly wary. "I’m here for my sister. My older sister—she’s pregnant. Just had a check-up, so I came with her."He studied me ca
FAITHBlaze Weston—the man who prided himself on being indifferent, the man who acted like nothing could touch him—had just admitted, even in the smallest way, that he might actually be jealous?I didn’t even know how to react.A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he watched me, clearly enjoying my stunned silence.Then, just as I was about to say something—anything—he let out a low chuckle and shook his head.“I am joking,” he said, amusement lacing his voice. “Relax, Faith.”And just like that, the moment was gone.M
FAITHThe moment the words left my lips, I felt the air in the hallway shift.Austin stiffened beside me, his brows pulling together in sharp confusion. His expression flickered between shock, disbelief, and something I couldn't quite place.I sucked in a breath, my mind racing, scrambling to fix what I'd just said. Shit. Shit. Shit.Austin stared at me. “What did you just say?”“N-nothing,” I blurted, shaking my head. “Forget I said anything.”His eyes narrowed. “No. No way.” He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “You just said you’re a surrogate. What the hell does that mean, Faith?”I forced a laugh, waving him off like it was nothing. “Oh, you—you heard wrong. I was just saying that, you know, pregnancy is just a temporary thing, and I’m just… carrying a baby, but it’s not—”Austin’s eyes darkened. “Faith.” His voice was sharper this time. “Don’t even try to lie your way out of this.”I swallowed, looking away. My fingers clenched into my sleeves as I tried to come up with some e
FAITHI stormed back through the hallways, my heart pounding, my grip tightening around my phone as if it were the only thing keeping me steady.Austin.I had to shut him up.Blaze had been clear—nobody could know about the surrogacy. And if Austin had even the slightest thought of running his mouth, I had to make sure he knew exactly what kind of mistake that would be.I found him near the courtyard, leaning against a pillar with his arms crossed, his eyes already on me like he’d been expecting this.Good. Because I had a few things to say.I didn’t slow down as I approached, stopping right in front of him, my voice low and
BLAZEI strode through the hallways of the estate, my mind still burning with the conversation I had just left behind. The tension in my body hadn't eased, and every step I took only fueled the frustration simmering in my chest.But right now, none of that mattered.I needed to see Faith.I stopped in front of her room, my fingers curling into a fist as I knocked against the wooden door. “Faith?” My voice was firm but not demanding.Silence.I frowned, waiting a few more seconds before knocking again, this time a little louder. “Faith, are you awake?”
BLAZEThe drive home was long, and my mind never settled. My fingers tapped against my thigh, my thoughts shifting between the past hour and what lay ahead.Faith.I needed to see her. To check on her. To remind myself that she was okay, that she was safe.But as soon as I stepped inside the house, a servant approached me, bowing his head slightly before speaking. “Sir, your grandfather has requested to see you.”I exhaled slowly, my jaw tightening.Of course.I wanted to go to Faith first. I wanted to see her face, to hear her voice, to know that she was doin
BLAZEI stopped in my tracks, my jaw tightening. Slowly, I turned to look at Jared, my frown deepening.“Of course, it was him,” I said, my voice clipped, cold. “Who else would it be?”Jared raised an eyebrow, tilting his head slightly. “Well… you have a long list of enemies, so you never know. It could be anyone.”I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair. He wasn’t wrong. Over the years, I had built up a solid list of people who would love nothing more than to see me suffer. Competitors in business, people I
BLAZEThe hallway was dark, the dim glow of the overhead lights barely casting enough illumination to cut through the shadows.My footsteps echoed against the cold, tiled floor, steady and unhurried. The air was thick, heavy, humming with tension, each step pulling me deeper into the darkness.I didn’t rush.I wanted to savor this moment.Jared was already waiting for me at the end of the corridor, his expression blank, his stance rigid. His hands were clasped behind his back, his jaw set, but I knew him well enough to catch the slight stiffness in his shoulders—the barely perceptible sign that he was on edge.Good.He should
FAITHJessica’s heels clicked sharply against the hospital floor as she marched toward me, her arms crossed, her face set in a deep scowl. Her usual pristine elegance was overshadowed by anger, her piercing gaze burning into me.I barely had time to process her words before she continued, her tone sharp, cutting.“You put yourself in danger—worse, you put the baby in danger! What kind of reckless, thoughtless behavior is that?” she snapped, her eyes blazing.I blinked, still dizzy, my mind struggling to keep up. “I… I didn’t—”“And for what?” she cut me off. “To go to some unknown restaurant? Without security? Without even
FAITHI woke up to the steady beeping of a monitor and the feeling of something cool pressed against my face. My body felt heavy, my limbs weak, my head pounding as though a thousand hammers were striking against it.I blinked against the harsh fluorescent light, my vision blurry, my throat raw and burning.Where was I?I tried to move, but something was strapped to my face—an oxygen mask. Panic stirred in my chest as I took a shallow, raspy breath, the memory of thick smoke and unbearable heat flashing in my mind.The fire.I inhaled too fast, coughing violently, my ribs aching with each sharp motion. A sharp pain shot through my chest, making me wince.A soft, familiar voice broke through the haze.“Take it easy, Miss. You’re in the hospital.”I turned my head slightly to see a doctor standing beside my bed, his expression calm but serious. He was flipping through a chart, his glasses slightly askew.Hospital.I was alive.I tried to speak, but my throat was too dry, too raw.The do
BLAZEThis was a setup. A fucking trap.For her.My chair scraped against the marble floors as I shot up, my heartbeat slamming against my ribs.Jared, who was still standing nearby, frowned. “Blaze? What’s wrong?”I didn’t answer. I was already moving.Jared cursed under his breath and followed. “Damn it, what’s going on?”I stormed out of the office, my mind spinning, panic clawing up my throat. “Faith—she’s in danger. Someone tricked her into going to La Vigna.”Jared’s face paled. &l
BLAZEI walked through the office halls, my shoes tapping against the polished marble floors. The buzz of employees surrounded me—keyboards clacking, hushed conversations, phones ringing.Everything was running as it should be. Efficient. Smooth. Controlled. Just the way I liked it.I nodded in acknowledgment as I passed by different departments, checking in on progress reports, offering a few words of encouragement where needed. It was a routine I had done countless times before, yet today, my mind was elsewhere.Faith.I had plans for tonight. Something simple, nothing extravagant—just something to make her happy. She had been through too much, and if I could bring he
FAITHI stood by the kitchen counter, absentmindedly stirring my tea as my mind replayed last night’s events. My chest felt warm, my heart fluttering, my lips still tingling from his kiss.Blaze.Just the thought of his name sent my pulse racing, my cheeks heating up. I closed my eyes, my fingers curling around the mug, the memory of his touch, his lips, his voice echoing in my mind. I could still feel his warmth, his strength, his presence…“Good morning!”I jolted, nearly spilling my tea as Kristen’s voice echoed through the kitchen. I looked up, my heart pounding, my face flushing as I met her curious gaze.