catching genesis

I glared at him, my voice steady and cold. "Yes, I slept with your father. And guess what? We're married now, which makes me your stepmother. So get used to calling me mom." ””” After catching her boyfriend, Ethan, in bed with her best friend, Sophia is heartbroken and desperate to escape. A spontaneous trip to the Maldives with her sister seems like the perfect distraction. But when she runs into Nathaniel James, a successful billionaire she shared an unforgettable connection with, their chemistry is undeniable. One wild night leads to an impulsive wedding, but what seemed like a fresh start quickly turns complicated. Sophia discovers that Nathaniel is Ethan’s estranged father, and the past she’s been running from is suddenly inescapably tied to her present. To make matters worse, Sophia’s hidden daughter, Lily, unknowingly to her, is Nathaniel's child, the same man who rejected both of them years ago. As the truth comes out, secrets, lies, and betrayal threaten to tear everything apart. Can their love survive the truth, or will the past destroy everything they’ve built?

Living with my aunt and her family was meant to be a temporary, quiet arrangement just helping out and keeping to myself. On the first day of the new year, while everyone else was out celebrating, I stayed home, enjoying the rare silence and catching up on sleep. But when we ran out of water, I reluctantly stepped outside to fetch some, and that’s when I saw him. He stood by the gate of the house next door, effortlessly commanding attention with just a glance. A smirk played on his lips, and a flicker of amusement danced in his eyes behind his blue-ray glasses. At that moment, he was impossible to ignore. Meanwhile, I felt disheveled and barely awake, my hair was a mess and still shaking off sleep. But he didn’t seem to mind. There was something about him an air of mystery that made me wonder who he was and why he was there. Before I could look away, he spoke, “Hi.” Caught off guard, I managed a quick, “Hi,” while trying to pull myself together. “Can I know your name?” he asked. I hesitated but replied, “I’m Clara,” and kept walking. “Can I have your number?” he called after me. “Just as friends.” I almost refused but reluctantly agreed, entering my number into his phone. “There,” I said, handing it back. “I’ll call you,” he promised with a smile, as I turned to leave. What began as a chance encounter soon became an inexplicable connection. He had secrets, but there was something about him that saw through me, understanding things no one else did. The man I met next door wasn’t just a fleeting stranger,he became the reason I started questioning everything I thought I wanted.