Novels by Beth

ZOE’S POV I woke up with my heart full and a soft smile on my face. My entire body could feel how important today is. It still feels surreal. I lay there for a moment, listening to the hum of the AC, the birds outside and the calm breathing beside me. Owen stirred and turned slightly toward me. “She’s one,” I whispered, almost afraid to say it out loud. “I can’t believe Ava is one today.” His eyes opened slowly, still heavy with sleep but when he smiled, it was warm. He leaned in and kissed my forehead. “After everything, the fear of losing the pregnancy, her arriving too early, the moment the doctors were trying to get her to breathe, the weeks she had to stay in the NICU.” “Now she is here. Growing stronger every day.” I said softly. “She’ll keep growing,” Owen said quietly, “Healthier. Even more perfect. She’s our little miracle.” “Yes,” I said, smiling as my chest filled. “She is.” He pulled me closer and kissed me softly, then loud knocking broke the moment. “Mom! Dad!

CHLOE'S POV Zoe’s voice came through the phone,“How’s school?” she asked.I smiled and rested on the kitchen counter. “Good. It's a lot of work, but good. I’m surviving.”She laughed softly. “How's Jamie and Ava? I asked. “They're fine,” Zoe said. “Jamie is at Austin's. He kept asking if you’re coming for Ava's birthday next weekend. He said he hasn’t seen you in a long time.”I paused.“Chloe,” she said gently, “are you still planning to come? Or… you’re not comfortable coming back yet?”I closed my eyes for a moment and breathed in. “I haven’t even held her yet,” I said. “I wouldn’t miss Ava’s first birthday for anything. I’ll be there.”Zoe sounded relieved. “I'm happy to hear that. I’ll tell Jamie. We’ll be expecting you.”Just then, Liam entered the room, he started to ask about dinner and I quickly motioned for him to be quiet.Zoe heard it anyway.“Are you with someone?” she asked.My throat felt that. “Just… a course mate,” I said quietly.She hesitated. “Okay,” Zoe said,

OWEN'S POV Zoe stayed quiet through most of the flight.Now she brushed Ava’s back again and again.I closed my laptop and turned to her. “Hey,” I said softly. “You can breathe, you know.”She smiled weakly. “I am breathing.”“Barely.”She exhaled slowly and looked at Ava sleeping in her arms. “I’m just… worried.”I already knew about what. Still, I asked, “About my father?”She nodded. “Owen, what if he won't accept me?” Her voice dropped. “He refused to come to our wedding. What if nothing’s changed?”I squeezed her hand lightly. “A lot has changed,” I said. “Time has passed. And Ava’s here now.”“That doesn’t make it certain.”“He hasn’t met you,” I said firmly. “That’s the problem. He made his decision without knowing you. But once he meets you, gets to know you, he’ll love you.”Zoe looked at me, clearly uncertain. “Are you sure?”I smiled and spoke softly. “Of course I’m sure. You’re beautiful. You’re smart. And you’re holding the most beautiful girl in the world.” I leaned clo

OWEN'S POV It was late in the morning, I sat on the couch with my laptop open, finishing some work but my mind wasn’t on it. It was on Zoe. She sat beside me with a book resting on her belly. She turned the pages slowly. She looked peaceful. Strong. Like the past months had finally been kind to her. Things had been going well for months. That should’ve been enough to calm me. But I kept watching her. She shifted, then stood up slowly. She paused halfway up. She touched her belly and closed her eyes. I got up at once. “Zoe,” I said, keeping my voice calm. “Are you okay?” She looked at me and smiled softly, “I’m fine,” she said. “Braxton Hicks. This happens now.” I nodded but my chest still felt tight. “You sure? Or should we go to the hospital? Just to be safe.” She shook her head softly. “It’s still early. The doctor said this could happen. I promise, I’m okay.” I wanted to insist. But I let it go, since she sounded sure and I didn’t want every moment to be full of fear.

OWEN'S POVComing back to Sydney should have felt like relief.The island was beautiful. The rest of our honeymoon was smooth and peaceful. The kind of peace that makes you forget everything else.But that kind of peace doesn't last. I’d learned that already. It shatters the moment you start believing it will last.Zoe moved more easily now. She walked through the house with steady steps, her shoulders relaxed and her face brighter than before.We were unpacking. I paused and stared at her.She smiled when she noticed I was staring.“I’m fine,” she looked at me and said.She seemed fine, so I wanted to believe that. But I couldn’t fully relax. Not until the baby is born.“I know.” I said softly.*******************Austin brought Jamie later in the day.As soon as Jamie saw Zoe, he ran to her and hugged her tightly.“I missed you so much,” Zoe whispered into his hair.“I missed you too, Mommy.” Jamie said.“Are you okay now?” he asked and moved back to look at her face. “You're not s

OWEN’S POVI felt the bed shift beside me. I thought it was just Zoe turning in her sleep. Then I heard my name, very softly.“Owen…”There was something in her voice that woke me up instantly.I sat up and faced her. She stood at the edge of the bed, holding the sheets with one hand and the other on her stomach.Her face was pale and she looked scared.“What is it?” I asked as I climbed out of bed.She didn’t respond immediately. She looked down.That’s when I saw it.Blood.Running down her leg.My heart seemed to stop for a moment.Fear hit me hard, but I didn’t show it. I couldn’t. Zoe was already panicking, I had to stay calm.“I’m here,” I said quickly as I moved toward her. I put my arms around her to keep her standing. “Hey. Look at me. Breathe.”She started crying, holding onto my shirt.“I don’t want to lose the baby,” she cried. “I can’t lose our baby, Owen.”“You won't,” I said firmly, even though my heart ached. “You won't lose anything. You're both going to be fine.”I

LYNETTE'S POVI stood up from the dressing table after I'd finished applying my light make-up, and walked to stand in front of the mirror. I removed the rollers from my hair, allowing the soft waves to fall on my shoulders freely, which complimented my sleeveless floral dress so well.I found myself turning from side to side, looking myself over from head to down, and my lips curved into a small satisfied smile.‘Perfect.’When I received Bradford's unexpected breakfast invitation last night, I'd told myself I wasn't going to spend too much time thinking of what to wear this morning. I mean, since it's just a business meeting and not…a date.Well I didn’t, and that's because I already did all the thinking and deciding last night before I fell asleep.My heart raced a little as last night flashed in my mind again.I blinked it away. ‘This is still not a date, Lynette.’But if only the butterflies in my stomach would understand that and stop acting out of place too.I exhaled quietly

LYNETTE'S POVHis hands were warm on my face and his lips felt so soft against mine. He kissed me so calmly yet hungrily, as though he had been wanting this too.He slowly let one of his hands go down to my waist, and pulled me closer carefully, like he was still giving me the chance to stop this.Maybe I would've…if my body hadn't already betrayed me by leaning into him before my mind could catch up.Good lord.Even the way he kissed me felt controlled. But somehow, it felt deep enough to make my pulse lose rhythm, and restrained enough to make me want more.My fingers curled lightly against the front of his shirt as his other hand brushed along my jaw again, but slower this time, almost like he was memorizing me.And somehow that simple move affected me even more. Because…Bradford King didn't seem like a man who lingered. Yet, he was lingering with me.That single thought made something dangerous bloom in my chest.This man would be the end of me…and I wouldn't mind letting him.T

LYNETTE'S POV“You practically attacked me with your eyes at dinner,” Gabrielle stated as we walked into the suite, slamming the door shut behind her.I turned around to face her. “I did not,” I lied, trying to avoid an argument. I've had enough drama and tension for tonight.Gabrielle stared at me in disbelief from across the suite. “The hell you did,” she countered. “Lynette, you almost gave me cardiac arrest.”I sighed softly and set my clutch down on the bed. “I panicked okay? You were about to expose me.”“I wasn’t trying to,” she corrected,” I only said that because I was worried about you.”“And I know that,” I said, forcing calmness into my voice. “But you should’ve been more careful with your words since you know we weren't alone.”Gabrielle folded her arms tightly over her chest. “And you couldn't have just stopped me quietly in another way? You had to snap at me, and then glare at me like you were trying to murder me with your eyes?”“I did not glare at you like that.”“Yo

NICHOLAS’S POV“I think I might be pregnant.”For a moment there, I genuinely thought I heard her wrong. Or maybe I had hoped she was just teasing, but the look on her face told me she wasn't.The words hung heavily between us, almost unreal against the silence in the room.“What?” My voice came out low but with a hint of disbelief.Maya shifted slightly beside me, studying my face carefully before she responded, “My period is late.”I stared at her for a long moment, my thoughts slowing down on its own.Pregnant? No. That can't happen.I mean…shouldn't…happen.I closed my eyes, rubbing my temple as the realization hit me.Yeah, that could totally happen.I might’ve forgotten to use protection a few times with her, due to the time and… place.And now there's a chance I've been caught up in the very mess I'd been carefully trying to avoid all this time.Shit, what am I going to do?A faint tension settled low in my chest as I sat up properly, running a hand over my jaw.“But you haven'

LYNETTE'S POV“Is there something I should know?” Bradford asked very calmly, too calmly that it made the hairs on my neck rise.For a moment, I just stared at him dumbfounded, but my brain was working fast in an attempt to come up with something.Gabrielle had gone quiet beside me.I knew it was up to me to get myself out of the mess she made.“What?” I asked, as though I hadn’t heard him the first time. While in truth, I was actually trying to buy myself sometime.He hesitated. “I asked if there's a problem,” he replied softly, but his questioning eyes didn't leave mine. “Ms Jones just said something about you…”“Oh, that,” I chuckled nervously, cutting him off with a wave of my hand. “No, It's…it's nothing at all. Just something I ate before we left New York that didn't sit quite well with my stomach.”“She just wouldn't stop worrying about me even after I told her I'll be fine,” I added lightly though my inside was the opposite. “It's nothing really.”I glanced at Gabrielle still

LYNETTE'S POVThe cool evening air hit my skin as soon as we stepped outside. The air was now softer and calmer, compared to the daytime's, but it wasn’t able to calm my nerves.We saw the restaurant as we got closer. It was set along the edge of the cliff, glowing softly under warm lights. The sea stretched endlessly beyond it as the last traces of sunlight dipped beneath the horizon.It looked dreamy and…breathtaking. Just like everything else in this place. I took in the view as we continued walking.As soon as we got to the restaurant a staff member approached us almost immediately, like he had been waiting for us.“Ms Evans, Ms Jones,” he said politely with a welcoming smile. “This way, please.”Gabrielle and I looked at each other, a little surprised and at the same… impressed. Though I tried to keep mine subtle, Gabrielle on the other hand, was basking in the moment and she had no problem making it noticeable.We followed him through the space, walked past other tables, until