Chapter: A Familiar ReflectionElena’s POVThe moment the elderly man stepped toward Lucas, my entire body reacted on instinct.I immediately pulled my son gently behind me, my fingers tightening protectively around his small shoulders as my pulse quickened inside my chest.I did not know these people, I did not understand their family dynamics. And after spending years protecting Lucas from unnecessary attention, judgment, and cruel remarks, my first reaction had been to shield him immediately.Especially in a room filled with wealthy strangers staring at us. But to my surprise, the old man did not look irritated, or offended.If anything, his entire face softened with warmth the closer he got to Lucas.“Well now! Who do we have here?” he muttered slowly, his sharp eyes fixed completely on my son. Lucas peeked out from behind me curiously, his little fingers clutching the side of my dress, and Dominic stepped forward calmly beside us.“Grandfather, this is Lucas,” he explained.“Lucas?” the elderly man repeated
Última actualización: 2026-05-29
Chapter: The Family DinnerDominic’s POVI stood near the bottom of the staircase with one hand tucked into my pocket while checking the time on my wristwatch again.Grandfather had already called me twice within the last thirty minutes. That alone told me tonight was going to be exhausting.I already knew Mabel must have gone to complain to him again. There was no other reason he would suddenly insist on a family dinner with that much urgency.A quiet sigh escaped my lips as I loosened the cuff of my sleeve slightly.The mansion remained unusually peaceful tonight.Mrs. Clara and the maids moved quietly through the hallways preparing dinner trays for the staff while soft piano music drifted faintly from the speakers downstairs.But my attention was elsewhere entirely.Upstairs!More specifically inside Elena’s room.The realization alone irritated me slightly.I had spent the entire day at work trying unsuccessfully to stop thinking about her.The way she spoke calmly, the way Nora responded to her, and the wa
Última actualización: 2026-05-28
Chapter: Family PressureMabel’s POVThe following morning, I stood in front of the mirror adjusting the diamond earrings hanging from my ears while my mind replayed everything that happened the previous night over and over again.The humiliation still burned beneath my skin.Dominic had rejected me again. Not only that, he had done it so coldly, like my touch disgusted him. Like I was some stranger forcing myself into his space instead of the woman who had been engaged to him for the past five years.My fingers tightened around the edge of the vanity table as anger crawled through my chest.At first, I tolerated Dominic’s emotional distance because it did not matter much to me. I still had the mansion, the wealth, the influence, and the West family name attached to me. As long as I remained by Dominic’s side, everybody treated me like royalty, but now Elena had returned.And everything suddenly felt threatened.The way Dominic looked at her unsettled me deeply, and the way he defended her irritated me eve
Última actualización: 2026-05-28
Chapter: Rejected AgainMabel’s POVThe moment I stepped fully into the living room, my eyes immediately landed on Dominic and Elena standing far too close to each other again.The sight alone made my chest tighten painfully.Lucas stood beside Elena while Dominic still held Nora comfortably in his arms, and somehow the four of them looked disturbingly natural together like a family.My fingers curled tightly beside me as unease crept deeper into my chest.At first, I thought Elena’s return was nothing more than an inconvenience. A temporary problem I could easily control the same way I always controlled everything around me.But now…Things were beginning to change too quickly. Dominic was paying attention to her, and that very dangerous.The closer he got to Elena, the higher the chances of him eventually discovering the truth about that night five years ago.My breathing became uneven at the thought.For years, I had survived because Dominic lacked solid proof. He suspected things sometimes, but suspicion
Última actualización: 2026-05-27
Chapter: A position to protectMabel’s POVThe moment I stepped into my room, I slammed the door shut so hard the loud sound echoed across the walls.My chest rose and fell violently as anger burned through me uncontrollably. I yanked my heels off carelessly and flung them across the room before pacing back and forth on the marble floor with trembling fingers curled into fists.I could still see it clearly.Dominic standing there defending Elena right in front of me like my feelings meant absolutely nothing.The humiliation replayed inside my head repeatedly, making my stomach twist painfully with rage.For years, I had looked down on Elena because she was beneath me in every possible way. She was the poor, miserable girl nobody chose while I was the woman who got everything she ever wanted.Or at least, that was how things were supposed to be.But now somehow, after all these years, Elena had returned and suddenly Dominic could not stop paying attention to her.The way he looked at her irritated me. The way he l
Última actualización: 2026-05-27
Chapter: Waiting For HimElena’s POVI spent the entire day trying not to think about Dominic West. Unfortunately, my mind refused to cooperate with me.No matter how many times I tried redirecting my attention somewhere else, his face kept appearing in my head. The way he looked at me, the way his voice softened whenever he spoke about Nora, and even the way he defended me against Mabel at the dining table continued replaying in my mind over and over again.It was frustrating…I had only been in this mansion for a short while, yet somehow, this man already occupied far too many of my thoughts.I adjusted the files in my hand and exhaled slowly as I stepped out of the children’s therapy room. I had spent most of the afternoon consulting Nora’s doctors, reviewing her medical records, emotional evaluations, educational reports, and previous therapy notes.The more I learned about the little girl, the heavier my heart became.Nora had been through years of emotional neglect masked as professional treatment. S
Última actualización: 2026-05-24
Chapter: Die erste VorstandssitzungSofias Sicht„Du siehst einfach umwerfend aus“, flüsterte meine Mutter mir ins Ohr, während sie meinen Rollstuhl in den Konferenzsaal schob.„Danke, Mom“, antwortete ich und achtete darauf, meine Fassung zu bewahren und weiter zu lächeln. Ich hatte darauf bestanden, allein hierherzukommen.Ich wollte nicht, dass mich jemand als verwöhnte Krüppelin ansah, die ständig auf die Hilfe anderer angewiesen ist. Doch meine Mutter hatte sich entschieden dagegen ausgesprochen.Sie sagte, sie wolle an meiner Seite sein, mich unterstützen und mir Mut machen, während ich meinen ersten großen Schritt wagte. Als ich sah, wie sehr sie sich für mich freute und wie viel sie seit meinem Erwachen aus dem Koma für mich getan hatte, …Ich hielt es für das Klügste, ihr diesen Wunsch zu erfüllen und nicht länger so stur zu sein. Drei Tage lang hatte ich mich ohne Unterbrechung auf dieses Treffen vorbereitet.Nach reiflicher Überlegung beschloss ich schließlich, eine Vorstandssitzung einzuberufen und meinen Pl
Última actualización: 2026-07-18
Chapter: Erinnerungsfragmente – Der HochzeitstagSofias SichtIch öffnete die Augen, und draußen war es bereits Nacht.„Oh nein!“, flüsterte ich enttäuscht und richtete mich hastig vom Schreibtisch auf, auf dem ich den Kopf abgelegt hatte. Ich blickte aus dem Fenster – der Himmel war längst dunkel geworden.Ich musste wohl eingenickt sein. Gähnend griff ich nach dem Dokument, das ich zuvor gelesen hatte. Seit die Kartons heute Morgen angekommen waren, habe ich die Bibliothek nicht ein einziges Mal verlassen.Die Hausmädchen haben mir immer wieder Kaffee gebracht, und meine Mutter hatte mich regelrecht anflehen müssen, wenigstens zu Mittag zu essen.Die Tür zur Bibliothek öffnete sich langsam, und meine Mutter steckte den Kopf herein. Es war vermutlich schon das hundertste Mal, dass sie nach mir sah.„Mom, mir geht es gut. "Du musst mich nicht wie ein kleines Kind behandeln“, beschwerte ich mich und gähnte.„Sieh dich doch nur an. "Man sieht dir die Erschöpfung förmlich an“, entgegnete meine Mutter besorgt.„Und du kommst ständig hie
Última actualización: 2026-07-17
Chapter: „Im Geschäftschaos versinken“Sofias Sicht"Was hast du gesagt?"“ Ich schluckte das große Stück Obst hinunter, das ich gerade im Mund hatte, räusperte mich und sah zu einem der Hausmädchen zurück, das mit gesenktem Kopf hinter mir stand.„Ja, Miss Sofia. "Der Mann ist gerade angekommen und hat darum gebeten, Sie zu sprechen“, informierte sie mich.Ich nickte.„In Ordnung“, sagte ich, legte die Gabel aus der Hand, drehte meinen Rollstuhl und fuhr in Richtung des Hauseingangs. Meine Mutter und die Hausmädchen folgten mir in einigem Abstand, ohne zu wagen, mir ihre Hilfe anzubieten.Ich hatte ihnen allen unmissverständlich klargemacht, dass sie mir nur helfen durften, wenn ich ausdrücklich darum bat.„Guten Morgen, Miss Estaban“, begrüßte mich ein Mann im Anzug mit einem höflichen Lächeln und einer leichten Verbeugung. Ich hatte sofort das Gefühl, dass er einer der Führungskräfte des Unternehmens war und sich bereits meine Gunst sichern wollte.Als ich gestern Morgen die Geschäftsleitung gebeten hatte, mir sämtliche
Última actualización: 2026-07-14
Chapter: Santoros Unglückliche EheSantoros SichtIch lehnte meinen Kopf gegen die Kopfstütze des Autositzes und stieß einen tiefen Seufzer aus, während ich versuchte, wieder zu Atem zu kommen.Ich blickte aus dem Fenster auf die Villa, die mir einst nichts als Frieden geschenkt hatte. Doch inzwischen fürchtete ich mich sogar davor, das Wohnzimmer zu betreten.Heute war ein elender Tag und das Einzige, wonach ich mich jetzt sehnte, war ein warmes Bad, etwas Heißes zu essen und die Geborgenheit im Arm meiner Frau.„Oh, Sofia …“ Ihr Name glitt mir über die Lippen, und ich schloss frustriert die Augen, während ich die Fäuste fest zusammengeballte.Sicher, ich habe Sofia nie geliebt. Aber sie war wenigstens liebevoller. Sie hätte mich niemals angeschrien oder mir das Gefühl gegeben, wertlos zu sein. Und sie hat mir ihre Hilfe nie unter die Nase gerieben.Zu Hause stand immer etwas zu essen auf dem Tisch, und ich freute mich jeden Abend darauf, nach Hause zu kommen. Damals habe ich das nicht zu schätzen gewusst – heute scho
Última actualización: 2026-07-11
Chapter: Wieder laufen lernenSofias SichtMarcus' Stimme hallte in mir nach, während ich mich an den Parallelbarren festklammerte und versuchte, mich aus dem Rollstuhl auf die Beine zu stellen.„Du wirst nie wieder laufen lernen, wenn du es dir zu bequem machst, eine Krüppel Frau zu sein. Und ich bin sicher, du hast schon von mir gehört. Ich dulde weder Faulheit noch habe ich Verständnis dafür“, knurrte Marcus.„Faule Menschen bringen mein Blut zum Kochen“, sagte er mit einem spöttischen Grinsen. Seine Worte waren höhnisch, doch zugleich trafen sie einen wunden Punkt und lösten Wut in mir aus.„Steh auf und lauf, Sofia!“, brüllte er mich an, und mit jeder Sekunde, der ich seiner Stimme ausgesetzt war, wurde mein Atem schwerer.Meine Mutter hatte vorgeschlagen, einige Ausbilder aus dem Militär zu engagieren. Sie erzählte mir, einer der Ärzte habe ihr diese Idee empfohlen. Sie fragte mich nach meiner Meinung, und ich stimmte sofort zu.Obwohl meine Mutter bereit war, jede Möglichkeit auszuprobieren, damit ich wiede
Última actualización: 2026-07-06
Chapter: Julians GrollSofias SichtDie Hausmädchen zuckten erschrocken zusammen und wichen ängstlich zurück. Vor Wut ballte ich die Fäuste, während mir Schweiß über den Körper lief. Eine von ihnen trat langsam wieder auf mich zu und legte vorsichtig eine Hand auf meinen Arm.„Miss Sofia, brauchen Sie etwas? "Wenn Ihnen das Essen nicht schmeckt, kann ich den Koch bitten, Ihnen etwas anderes zuzubereiten“, fragte sie behutsam. Doch gerade diese vorsichtige Art machte mich nur noch wütender.„Ich habe gesagt: Genug! Hört auf! "Hört endlich auf!“, schrie ich sie an, während sich mein Blick vor Zorn verdunkelte. Mein Blick fiel auf eine Vase, die auf der Kommode neben mir stand. Ich griff danach und schleuderte sie gegen die Wand, wo sie mit lautem Krachen in tausend Scherben zerbarst.Die Hausmädchen wichen sofort noch weiter zurück und wagten es nicht einmal mehr, mir in die Augen zu sehen.„Hört auf, mich wie ein verdammtes Kind zu behandeln! Nur weil ich mein Gedächtnis verloren habe? Und weil ich nicht lau
Última actualización: 2026-07-06
Chapter: Forever BeginsSofia’s POVThe morning sunlight poured through the stained-glass windows of the chapel, painting the marble floors in soft gold and rose. Outside, the gardens were full of white flowers swaying gently in the breeze. Music floated through the open doors, tender and elegant, wrapping itself around every heartbeat in the room.I stood at the entrance with my mother beside me.My hands trembled around the bouquet of ivory roses. My dress flowed around me in layers of satin and lace, fitted close at the waist before spilling into a long train.Tiny crystals had been sewn into the veil, catching the light like stars. My mother adjusted the veil with careful fingers.Her eyes were wet.“You are the most beautiful bride I have ever seen,” she whispered.“You have to say that. You’re my mother.” I laughed shakily. “No,” she said, brushing a tear from her cheek. “I say it because after everything... you are still standing here.”Emotion rushed into my throat so fast I could barely breathe.
Última actualización: 2026-04-29
Chapter: Life after the GunshotMatteo’s POVThe anonymous call came while I stood alone in the ruined garden where our wedding should have happened.Half-filled champagne glasses sat abandoned beside melting candles. The band had packed up in silence an hour earlier. Reporters still waited beyond the gates, and my guests had become witnesses to a disaster.Sofia was gone!!“Where is she?” I barked.There was shuffling, panic, then a loud scream somewhere in the background. A gunshot exploded through the speaker, the line crackled.Then silence…“Hello? Hello!” My blood froze.Nothing.“Julian!” I turned and shouted across the garden.“What happened?” He sprinted toward me immediately, tie hanging loose, face white with exhaustion and rage.“I had a call. Someone had Sofia, but there was a gunshot.” I explained.Julian did not waste a second. He pulled out his phone and dialed the private investigator we had hired earlier that afternoon.“Track this number now,” he snapped the moment the man answered. “I don’t car
Última actualización: 2026-04-29
Chapter: The madwoman’s VictorySofia’s POVThe moment Lucia pressed the gun into my ribs and forced me through the servants’ corridor, I understood one thing with terrifying clarity.This was never about escape, or even money. This was about hatred so deep it had rotted her mind from the inside out.She shoved me forward with one hand twisted in my veil and the other gripping the gun. My heels had already come off somewhere behind us, so my bare feet slapped against cold tile as she dragged me through the back hallways of the estate. Staff had been kept away by the wedding preparations. Music from the garden drifted faintly through the walls, cheerful and beautiful and completely disconnected from the nightmare happening only meters away.“Move,” Lucia hissed into my ear.“You’ll never get away with this,” I whispered.She struck the back of my shoulder with the gun hard enough to make me stumble. “Today is not the day to threaten me, bride.” She laughed. We reached the service gate where delivery vehicles enter
Última actualización: 2026-04-29
Chapter: The Vanishing BrideMatteo’s POVThe garden was ready for forever.The aisle had been lined with petals so soft and thick it looked like clouds had been cut into pieces and laid across the stone path.Guests filled the seats in bright colors and polished jewels, whispering with excited smiles while cameras from invited media stations captured every elegant detail.Everything was prepared, except the bride. I stood near the floral altar with my hands clasped in front of me, pretending calm I did not feel. My suit had been tailored to perfection. My cufflinks were engraved with Sofia’s initials. My heartbeat had not slowed since sunrise.“If she changes her mind now, I’ll kill her myself.” Julian leaned close beside me and muttered.“She wouldn’t.” I glanced at him. “Good! Because I already like you.” He grinned.The guests laughed softly at something one of the ushers said, music rose and faded. Phones came out, heads turned again toward the mansion doors, but still nothing.I checked my watch for the f
Última actualización: 2026-04-29
Chapter: Wedding DaySofia’s POVI woke before sunrise. Not because anyone called me, or alarms rang, or the house was noisy. I woke because my heart knew what day it was.For a moment I lay still in the white blankets staring at the ceiling while dawn painted pale gold across the room. The mansion was quiet, suspended in silence before celebration begins. Somewhere below, I could already hear distant movement, staff arranging flowers, doors opening, footsteps hurrying, and voices trying to whisperMy wedding day!The words felt even more unbelievable even now. Even though I had done this before, last time was nothing compared to this in such a way I can't even explain. After everything that had happened, after funerals and trials and betrayals and nights I thought life had ended for me, I was here. Alive, loved, safe, and about to marry the man who had held me together when I was falling apart.I covered my face and laughed softly into my hands. Then the bedroom doors burst open.“She's awake!” Julia
Última actualización: 2026-04-29
Chapter: Wedding PreparationsSofia’s POVThe week after the engagement party, I woke to three things.Sunlight through the curtains, Matteo asleep with one arm around my waist, and my phone vibrating itself off the bedside table.I groaned and reached for it. Seventy-three missed calls, one hundred and nineteen unread messages, and three thousand notifications.“Absolutely not.” I stared at the screen.“What crisis requires that face before coffee?” Matteo’s voice came rough with sleep behind me. “The nation has decided our engagement belongs to them.” My eyes widened.I scrolled through messages from friends, executives, distant relatives who suddenly remembered my birthday.Media houses requesting interviews, luxury brands offering gifts, wedding planners introducing themselves like they had been summoned.Then there were the comments online.“He looked at her like she invented happiness.”“This wedding better be televised.”“If Matteo Aldana has one fan, it is me.”“If Sofia’s dress isn’t historic, I riot.”I
Última actualización: 2026-04-29
Chapter: Missing IsabellaDamien's POV The glass of whiskey burned down my throat, but it did absolutely nothing to calm the rage boiling inside me.I sat alone at the private section of the club with my jacket beside me while loud music echoed around the room. Several women had attempted approaching me since I arrived, but one glare from me was enough to send every single one of them running away.My mind remained occupied with the disaster from earlier.Zachary, the stolen project, Celeste's involvement, and the possibility of betrayal inside my own home.Everything was becoming messy too quickly, and I hated losing control over situations.I grabbed the bottle again and poured myself another drink before leaning back against the couch tiredly.I exhaled heavily and swallowed another mouthful of whiskey.Suddenly, my phone suddenly rang loudly against the table, interrupting my thoughts. I frowned immediately after noticing the caller ID.It was Isabella’s driver.At that hour?Something instantly felt wro
Última actualización: 2026-06-22
Chapter: The Kidnap.Isabella’s POVMy heart nearly stopped the moment Zachary opened his mouth and mentioned having an accomplice close to Damien. The entire conference hall instantly became silent, and I could hear nothing except the violent pounding of my heartbeat inside my chest.I sat frozen beside Damien while fear crawled slowly through my body. My fingers tightened beneath the table, and I struggled to stop my expression from changing. The last thing I needed was for Damien to notice that I was panicking.The atmosphere inside the hall became suffocating almost immediately. Everyone was staring at Zachary, waiting for him to say more, while reporters adjusted themselves eagerly in anticipation of a bigger scandal.I slowly turned my eyes toward Zachary, silently begging him not to be stupid enough to drag me into this publicly. But the desperate look on his face only made my fear worse. He looked cornered already, and cornered people were dangerous.My throat went dry as Damien slowly stood
Última actualización: 2026-06-15
Chapter: Unbelievable TruthDamien’s POVThe entire conference hall fell into absolute silence after Zachary’s words.I have an accomplice close to you.Those words echoed repeatedly in my head like a curse I could not shake off.My jaw tightened violently as I stared at him standing before the cameras with sweat gathered around his forehead. The confidence he walked in with earlier had completely vanished, replaced by fear and desperation.The executives seated around me began whispering among themselves while reporters exchanged glances, eager for the next scandalous development.I could already see the headlines forming.Blackwood Corporation betrayed from within.I slowly rose from my seat without taking my eyes off Zachary.“You should be very careful about your next words,” I said coldly.Zachary swallowed hard, but there was still that annoying smirk threatening to appear on his lips.“You think I could pull this off alone? Someone close to you handed me everything.” he asked, and my fingers curled into
Última actualización: 2026-06-15
Chapter: The Price of SilenceDamien's POV The conference hall was already full when I arrived.Executives sat in neat rows, investors filled the front section, and senior staff crowded the back. Every seat in the room was occupied with people who believed they were about to witness a victory. Zachary had built the entire atmosphere around confidence, and the illusion that what was about to be unveiled belonged to him.I sat at the center table with Isabella beside me.She said nothing, but I could feel her tension. It wasn’t loud or obvious, but it was there in the way she kept her hands folded too tightly.And in the way her gaze stayed fixed on the stage longer than necessary, I could tell she's as worried as I am. Or rather still, she was hiding something from me. The lights dimmed, and the presentation began.I didn’t move, or blink.I watched the screen come alive with every detail of a project I had personally overseen from its earliest framework. Every structure, every model, every visual alignment ap
Última actualización: 2026-06-01
Chapter: The betrayalIsabella's POV The conference hall felt heavier than usual, and I could barely focus on the voices around the table as the meeting dragged on. Papers were being shuffled, reports were being read, and strategies were being discussed, but none of it was registering properly in my head.My eyes kept drifting to Damien.He sat at the head of the table, sharp, composed, and dangerously calm in a way that always made everyone else adjust their behavior without even realizing it. But today was different. There was something strained in his expression, something subtle but visible enough for me to notice if I paid attention.I did not want to care, I kept telling myself I did not. But every time he spoke, there was a tightness in his voice that made it impossible to ignore.It reminded me of something I did not want to think about.It reminded me that whatever I was doing, it was slowly starting to leave marks on him too. And that alone should have made me feel satisfied.Instead, it made
Última actualización: 2026-06-01
Chapter: The LeakDamien’s POVThe shrill sound of my phone vibrating against the bedside table dragged me out of sleep violently.I groaned irritably and reached for it without opening my eyes properly. The moment I saw my assistant’s name flashing across the screen at barely six in the morning, irritation settled in my chest immediately.Nobody called me this early unless something had gone terribly wrong.“What is it?” I answered coldly.“Sir… there’s a problem.” He stammered, and my eyes snapped open instantly.“What kind of problem?” I asked sharply.There was hesitation on the other end, and I hated it immediately.“Zachary Corporation just launched the new project into the market.” He revealed, and for a second, my mind went blank.“What?” I asked slowly.“The project, sir. The same one your team has been working on for the last seven months, they launched it this morning.” He explained, and I sat upright immediately.“That’s impossible,” I growled.“I thought so too, sir, but the entire market
Última actualización: 2026-05-30
INICIAR SESIÓN
