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Anna's POV "You didn't notice yesterday?" I countered, amused by his theatrics. He shrugged dramatically. "Why would I be staring at your stomach? Are you really pregnant or just putting on weight?" His hand reached out toward my belly. I slapped it away immediately. "Don't touch." Despite my stern tone, I felt a rush of affection for Oscar. At least he still treated me like a friend, not a fragile porcelain doll. He grinned, giving me a thumbs up. "You're incredible. No wonder my brother came home yesterday acting like he'd lost his mind." Once we were seated in the living room, I turned to Doris with genuine concern. "Mrs. Porter, please talk some sense into Logan. He says he doesn't mind being the father of my children." Shock flashed across Doris's face. Though she'd always been fond of me, I knew accepting me as the mother of her supposed grandchildren was completely different. "Don't worry, Anna. I'll beat some sense into that foolish son of mine when I get h

Anna's POV "Mine." The word left my lips with more confidence than I felt. I met Logan's gaze directly, desperately trying to appear unfazed while my heart pounded a thunderous rhythm against my ribcage. His expression shifted from shock to suspicion, eyes narrowing behind his frames. "Marcus Murphy? Or Samuel Griffin?" His voice carried an edge that sent an involuntary chill crawling up my spine. 'That's none of your business." I kept my tone even, but a flicker of unease sparked in my chest. Logan had always been unpredictable when it came to me. I caught Clayton's eye across the room, subtly signaling him to approach. Logan stepped closer, his cologne suddenly overwhelming. "I'm willing to be the children's father." "What?" The question escaped before I could compose myself. Had I heard him correctly? "Your children need a father. I'm willing to take that responsibility." His voice was steady, confident, as if he'd just offered to pick up coffee rather than commit to a

Anna's POV On the ride home, Marcus's warnings echoed in my head. That man-why was he fussing so much when he wouldn't even be around? Who did he think he was to me? Yet in that moment, 1 could have sworn he wanted to kiss me. That familiar yet foreign feeling had my heart racing in a way I wasn't prepared for. I woke the next morning to Catherine's text-Marcus had left. Sitting up in bed, I found myself glancing out the window, an inexplicable emptiness settling in my chest. From the Phoenix project onward, he'd been my unexpected ally. Without him, I wouldn't have secured Skylake District, and this project wouldn't be launching so quickly. It hit me suddenly that Id grown dependent on him. Now that he was gone, I felt unsettled, almost lost. _This isn't good. Get it together._ I ran fingers through my hair, irritated at my own weakness. _I'm Anna Shaw. I don't need Marcus Murphy to thrive in Skyview City._ I'd barely made it downstairs when Elizabeth waved me over to liste

Anna's POV Marcus's arms felt like steel bands around me as he carried me toward the elevator. My heart beat so hard I was certain he could feel it through my blouse. The warmth radiating from his chest made it difficult to maintain my composure, and I hated that my body betrayed me this way. "Put me down," I said, my voice edged with irritation. Marcus acted as if he hadn't heard me, striding directly into the elevator without breaking his pace. From the corner of my eye, I caught Joseph deliberately blocking Rachel and Clayton from following us. Rachel's expression hardened, her protective instincts clearly kicking into overdrive. She'd be furious about this—my safety was her top priority, after all. The moment the elevator doors closed, I tried again. "Uncle Marcus, please put me down. I'm perfectly fine now." After that bland rice porridge, strength had returned to my limbs. There was absolutely no reason for him to continue carrying me like this. "I'm not tired," he

Anna's POV I barely made it to the restroom before my stomach emptied itself violently. The cigarette smoke had triggered something primal and unstoppable. I gripped the cold porcelain, my knuckles white as I heaved until there was nothing left but bitter bile. Pregnancy had transformed my body into a foreign landscape. Before, Id merely disliked cigarette smoke; now, the mere whiff sent me spiraling into nausea so intense it made my vision blur. I slumped against the wall, sweat beading along my hairline. Rachel hovered nearby, concern etched across her face, but there was little she could do. My mouth tasted like acid, and my legs felt like they'd been replaced with wet noodles. The bathroom door suddenly burst open. Through my watery vision, I made out Marcus Murphy's tall figure, his expression twisted with concern. Before I could process what was happening, strong arms scooped me up like I weighed nothing. "I've got you," he murmured, his voice a low rumble I could

Anna's POV The dining room hummed with possibility. I surveyed the faces around me: Catherine with her characteristic intensity, Jasmine Butler's shrewd business acumen, Nora's newfound confidence, and Mason's barely contained excitement. "Ms. Shaw, the livestream numbers for Nora's tea presentations have exceeded all projections," Mason leaned forward, tablet in hand, eyes bright with success. "In just one month, we've reached nearly a million followers, and revenue projections suggest we'll double our previous estimates by quarter's end." I caught Nora sitting straighter, a quiet pride transforming her features. Gone was the fragile woman who'd once believed herself worthless; in her place sat a poised professional. The satisfaction of witnessing her transformation warmed my chest more than I cared to admit. "I have a colleague who specializes in heritage embroidery," Jasmine said, her tone direct as always. "An artform passed down through generations. She's looking for th