Sarah POVWhen I reach the bedroom, I find Alessandro sitting by the window, his back partially turned to me, his gaze fixed on the world beyond the glass. The soft afternoon light catches in his dark hair, casting faint shadows over the sharp angles of his face. He doesnโt notice me at first, and I hesitate, my fingers tightening slightly around the edges of the tray Iโm holding. This moment feels unbearably fragile, as if one wrong move could shatter the delicate balance between us.I take a step forward, my breath catching as I study himโthe strong, familiar lines of his jaw, the slight furrow in his brow that deepens when heโs lost in thought. He looks exhausted, as if carrying the weight of something far too heavy. The sight makes my chest tighten with guilt and longing. I want to reach out and smooth away his worries, to touch him, to remind him that he doesnโt have to go through this alone. But I donโt know if heโd let me anymore."Alessandro," I say softly, my voice barely mor
Sarah POVHe doesnโt respond, and I donโt expect him to. As I close the door behind me, the sting of rejection burns hot behind my eyes. I release a shaky breath, blinking rapidly to keep the tears from falling. I thought the cake might be a small step toward reconciliation, a way to remind him that Iโm still here, still trying. But itโs clear that the road ahead is longer and more difficult than I had hoped.But I canโt give up.Back downstairs, I find myself pacing the living room, my mind racing with ways to reach him. Iโm determined to show Alessandro that Iโm still the woman he fell in love with and that our love is worth fighting for. But with every passing hour, the doubt grows stronger. What if Iโve already lost him? What if no amount of apologies or gestures can fix the damage Iโve done? What if my presence only reminds him of the pain I caused?I shake the thought away, refusing to let it take root. I have to stay positive to keep trying. My gaze flickers to the clock, and I
Sarah POVSuddenly, a soft knock at the nursery door startles me. My heart stutters for a brief second, my breath catching in my throat as I look up, half-expecting Alessandro. But instead, it's Adrian. He lingers at the threshold, his expression a storm of emotionsโconcern, hesitation, and guilt all tangled together. The dim light from the hallway cast long shadows over his face, emphasizing the weariness in his eyes.I tense instinctively, my grip tightening around Gabriel, feeling his small body warm and safe against mine. The last thing I need right now is another conversation that unravels the delicate threads barely holding my life together. My pulse thrums in my ears, an anxious rhythm that matches the chaos in my mind. But even as my body protests, I know I can't avoid this forever.I force a slow breath through my nose, steadying myself. "Come in," I say quietly, barely above a whisper, careful not to disturb Gabriel's peaceful sleep.Adrian hesitates for a moment longer befo
Sarah POV"I know," he says, his voice hoarse. "I just... I care about you, Sarah. And I never wanted to make things worse between you and Alessandro."My chest tightens at his admission, a bittersweet ache blooming in my ribs. "I care about you too," I admit, my voice trembling slightly. "But not like that. Not in a way that makes any of this right."Adrian looks down, his hands clenching into fists before he exhales and relaxes them. The slump of his shoulders, the downward tilt of his headโitโs as though my words have knocked the wind out of him."I understand," he murmurs, his gaze fixed on the floor. "I'll keep my distance if that's what you need. I just... I want you to be happy, Sarah. And I know that's with Alessandro."I inhale sharply at the certainty in his voice, at the unwavering belief he has in a relationship that currently feels so fractured. My throat tightens, a lump forming that I struggle to swallow past. "I donโt know if I can fix this," I confess, my voice barely
Sarah POVLater that evening, as the house falls into a hushed stillness, I gather the courage to talk to Alessandro. The weight of everything between us presses against my chest, making it hard to breathe. He's in the study, the soft glow of the lamp casting elongated shadows over his sharp features as he reads. The sight of him, so absorbed, so distant, sends a wave of uncertainty through me. I hesitate at the doorway, my pulse pounding in my ears, but I know this conversation can't wait any longer."Alessandro?" I call softly, my voice barely above a whisper as I step inside.He looks up from his book, his expression guarded, unreadable. His eyes flicker with somethingโhesitation, maybe, or quiet resignation. "Yes?"I move slowly, deliberately, taking a seat across from him. The air between us feels thick with unsaid words, unspoken wounds that neither of us has dared to touch. "Can we talk? Really talk?"He sets the book aside, his movements measured, careful. He nods, folding his
Sarah POVThe next few days are tense, filled with cautious interactions and careful words. Alessandro is still distant, still holding me at armโs length, but he doesnโt flinch when I touch his hand or sit beside him in the evenings. Small moments, barely noticeable to anyone else, but to me, they feel monumental. Like the slow, careful dismantling of a wall thatโs been built between us, brick by brick.But just as I start to believe that things might be getting better, a new storm begins to brew.It starts with a phone call. Iโm in the kitchen, chopping vegetables for dinner when the phone rings. The sharp trill cuts through the quiet, making me jump. I wipe my hands on a towel and glance at the caller ID.Adrian.My stomach tightens with unease. My fingers hover over the decline button, but something stops me. I donโt want to answer. I know I shouldnโt. But I do."Adrian?" I say cautiously."Sarah," he breathes, his voice low, urgent. "I need to talk to you. Itโs important."A fresh
Adrian's POVThe cold air bites at my skin as I step out of the cafรฉ, the sharp wind cutting through my coat like a blade. I barely register the chill, too fixated on the way Sarah's figure disappears into the hazy glow of the streetlights. My breath fogs in the night air, my chest tight with something I donโt want to name. Guilt? Maybe. But itโs quickly drowned out by something darker, something more consumingโa grim sense of determination.I knew telling her about Alessandro would hurt her. I saw it in the way her lips parted in shock, how her fingers trembled slightly as she grasped the edge of the table, holding on as if Iโd physically shaken her. But it had to be done. She deserves the truth, no matter how painful. I did what I had to do.Still, I canโt shake the echo of her voice, the hesitant way she whispered, "Are you sure?" as if she wantedโneededโme to be wrong. The doubt in her eyes was fleeting, but it was there. A seed planted. A fracture is forming. Exactly what I neede
Adrian POVThe cold air bites at my skin as I step out of the cafรฉ, the sharp wind cutting through my coat like a blade. I barely register the chill, too fixated on the way Sarah's figure disappears into the hazy glow of the streetlights. My breath fogs in the night air, my chest tight with something I donโt want to name. Guilt? Maybe. But itโs quickly drowned out by something darker, something more consumingโa grim sense of determination.I knew telling her about Alessandro would hurt her. I saw it in the way her lips parted in shock, how her fingers trembled slightly as she grasped the edge of the table, holding on as if Iโd physically shaken her. But it had to be done. She deserves the truth, no matter how painful. I did what I had to do.Still, I canโt shake the echo of her voice, the hesitant way she whispered, "Are you sure?" as if she wantedโneededโme to be wrong. The doubt in her eyes was fleeting, but it was there. A seed planted. A fracture forming. Exactly what I needed. Ex
Sarah POVI gazed at my reflection in the mirror, wrapped in my robe, with Alessandro's text shining like a ray of hope in my hand."I understand we've had a rough patch. But if you can spare one night, I'd like to attempt to fix things.No expectations. Just you, me, and a little honesty. Iโll be waiting.โMy heart ached. The sincerity in those words hit something raw inside me. I missed him, missed us. Missed the warmth of our mornings, the soft laughter that once filled our home. But pain changes things. Doubt makes strangers of the people you love most.Just then, there was a knock.โCome in,โ I called, not looking up.I recognised the perfume before the door fully opened. Chanel No. 5. Chloe's signature. Of course.She stepped inside like a queen visiting a kingdom she meant to burn down.Silk robe fastened with precision, wine glass clutched like a villain in a sad drama. She always loved to put on a show."Going out tonight?" she inquired, her eyes sparkling as they darted to th
Alessandroโs POVIt had been ten days since we returned from the farmhouse. Ten days since everything unraveled.I sensed Sarah drifting further away from me, bit by bit, like sand slipping through an hourglass.She hadnโt raised her voice. She hadnโt lashed out. But her silence said more than any screaming match could. The way she avoided eye contact. The way her footsteps always trailed toward the guest room instead of ours. The way she smiled politely, but not warmly, when I handed her coffee in the mornings.Iโd made a mistake. A big one.Not because of Mira, not entirely. That chapter of my life had been over years ago. And Miraโs accusations had never made sense to begin with. But I shouldโve told Sarah everything the moment we got serious. I shouldโve trusted her with my truth before someone like Adrian could twist it.God, Adrian.Even now, the thought of his smug face as he dropped that bomb still made my jaw clench. Heโd timed it perfectly right when we were finding peace. W
Adrianโs POVThe city still felt cold, but the chill in my bones had shifted not from warmth, but from purpose. I finally had a plan.I sat at my desk, eyes fixed on Alessandroโs digital trail. His online presence lit up like a roadmapโthreads of the past just waiting to be pulled. But I knew better now. Whispers and half-truths wouldnโt be enough. If I wanted to break them, I needed more than suspicion. I needed leverage. Misdirection.And I needed someone on the inside.Thatโs when it clicked.Chloe.Sarahโs perfect little world had always been cracked at the edges, and Chloe was one of those cracks. They were step-sisters in name, but anyone who spent five minutes with them knew there was no love lost. I remembered the subtle digs Chloe made at family dinners, the way Sarah would force a smile and pretend not to hear. But I heard them. I felt the tension.Chloe didnโt just dislike Sarah, she resented her.That kind of bitterness? It could be moulded. Turned into something useful.I
Sarahโs POV New York Cityโs noise had always been oddly comforting, the honking cabs, distant sirens, and hurried footsteps on pavement. But today, it felt too loud, too sharp, like it was echoing the storm still raging inside me. It had been a week since weโd returned from the farmhouse. Seven days of strained silences, clipped conversations, and the kind of emotional distance I never thought Iโd feel between Alessandro and me. I still hadnโt fully processed everything. I had hardly gotten any sleep. Whenever I shut my eyes, I envisioned the expression on his face as I turned to leave.But how was I meant to simply act as if it never occurred? He had kept something huge from me. Not just about Mira, but about how little he must have trusted meโto think I couldnโt handle the truth, to let someone like Adrian be the one to reveal it. After everything weโd fought for, the secrets still found a way to wedge themselves between us. And it hurt. Today marked my return to the office aft
Alessandroโs POVI stood there, watching the woman I loved crumble in front of me, her eyes scanning that godforsaken document Adrian had handed her like it was a grenade. AAnd maybe it was due to my awareness of the explosion the moment her face shifted from confusion to disbelief to something that scared me more than any anger. Proximity. Although she was merely a few feet distant, it felt as if she stood across a canyon, unreachable. God, I wanted to fix it. But how do you fix something you didnโt even know was still broken?In the past, I thought Iโd buried it. That nightmare with Mira... it had happened years ago, in a life that felt a million miles away from who I am now. I had been young, foolish, and too trusting. I never touched her. I never crossed any line. But when things ended, Mira spiralled. I tried to reason with her, but she twisted everything. She wanted revenge. And she got it in the worst way.I never expected it to follow me here, to this life. This future Iโd bee
Sarah POVA few steps back, I noticed a captain whose face was completely devoid of colour. Words seemed to want to escape from his lips, but they were nowhere to be found.His still figure, rigid and motionless, also changed his hands into fists, which revealed the stress he was holding.This was simply too much to handle. My thoughts were fragmented, unable to reach a coherent conclusion. โDo tell me this isnโt the case,โ I spoke in my flat voice. โPlease tell me this is some unexpected blunder that someone made. That thisโฆ this woman is lying. Alessandro took a slow step toward me, but stopped when he saw me flinch not in fear, but in raw emotional recoil. That hurt in a way I couldnโt describe.The reflection of his features contorted with agony. "Sarah," a soft admission escaped as his throat felt like it was choked with raw feelings. โThat's not the case.โWe were close once, back in college. Yes, we dated for a few months, but when things didnโt work out, she didnโt take
Sarahโs POVThe paper trembled a little in my hands as if it knew what it held was too much for me to handle, and I stood motionless. My breath became trapped in my chest, in that agonising space where heartbreak and incredulity collide. I read it again, slower this time, praying Iโd misunderstood. But every word sank deeper, each one a blow I hadnโt been ready for.Mira Solanki. Sexual harassment complaint. Alessandroโs nameโฆ tied to it.I looked up at himโthe man I had let into every part of my life. My heart, my home, Gabrielโs world. The man whoโd been my safe place after everything fell apartโฆ was Alessandro. The person I trusted with my son, my recovery, and dreams I was hardly brave enough to share aloud.His gaze was directed towards the ground, pale, and his lips parted open like he was contemplating speech, but the words were not forthcoming. The tension was evident as he held up his arms and kept his fists in place, trying to conceal the strain. I couldn't take it in. Non
Sarahโs POV As I packed the last of Gabriel's small sweaters into his duffel bag, the late afternoon sun spilled gentle light into the room. I smiled as the fresh laundry's lavender scent clung to the fabric. Heโd had such a beautiful time here. We all had. For the first time in weeks, things had feltโฆ steady. Like the ground beneath my feet wasnโt constantly shifting. I glanced over my shoulder at Alessandro and Gabriel outside. Before we left the farmhouse, Alessandro had Gabriel sitting on his shoulders as they took a final stroll around the garden. The pure and contagious sound of Gabriel's laughter filled the air. A reminder that love wasnโt always about fireworks and chaos. Sometimes, it was about the way Alessandro always remembered how I took my coffee, or how he brushed Gabrielโs hair back before bed like it was second nature. It was safe. It was deep. Seeing them together made my heart feel full. It reminded me of the life I've always dreamed ofโsomething genuine, cozy,
Adrianโs POVThe sun was slipping from the sky, casting a mellow light across the land; it felt like a reprieve. I stood in the hallway in my guest-sisterโs room, peering through a silken curtain at them. Sarah, Alessandro and Gabriel had gone into the garden for a final evening together. To an outsider, it must have seemed like bliss โ that scene of a perfect family.I couldnโt bear it.Alessandro was chasing Gabriel around the wildflower patch while he was laughing loudly and freely. He then effortlessly caught him again after swooping him into his arms and throwing him into the air. Gabriel's laughter reached me exactly where I was standing, resonating through the silence of the area. And then I saw itโthe way Gabriel looked at Alessandro. Eyes wide with trust, with adoration. As if he were the safest place in the world.As if he were the father.Not me.A pain that was a mix of heartbreak, rage, and jealousy twisted sharply in my chest. I was descended from Gabriel. My son. Nevert