Chapter: Chapter 170: EpilogueThree years later.The house no longer echoed. It breathed. Soft sounds lived in it now—small feet against polished floors, the uneven rhythm of laughter spilling from room to room, the faint clatter of something being dragged where it didn’t belong. Life, uncontained, moving through spaces that had once been too quiet. Mia stood at the kitchen counter, one hand resting against the edge while the other steadied a cup she hadn’t taken a sip from. “Careful—careful—” A burst of giggles cut her off. Too late. Something already toppled. She closed her eyes briefly, her shoulders lifting with a quiet inhale before she turned. Chris stood in the middle of the living room, one hand hovering uselessly in the air as if he could rewind the last two seconds if he just reached far enough. At his feet, wooden blocks lay scattered in all directions. Between them, two small bodies looked entirely pleased with the chaos they’d created. “That was not careful,” Mia said, though the edge never q
Last Updated: 2026-03-26
Chapter: Chapter 169: The WeddingFive months later.The morning arrived quietly. Just a slow unfolding of light through the curtains, pale and soft, settling over everything it touched. Mia sat at the edge of the bed, her hands resting in her lap, fingers loosely intertwined. The room carried the faint scent of pressed fabric and something floral—her grandmother’s doing, no doubt. The dress hung near the window, suspended as if it didn’t quite belong to the world yet. She hadn’t touched it. Not since last night. A knock came, gentle. “Iris?” Grandma Morris’s voice filtered through. Mia turned her head slightly. “I’m awake.” The door opened, carefully, like even the hinges understood what today meant. Grandma Morris stepped in first, her gaze finding Mia immediately, softening in a way that made something tighten behind Mia’s ribs. Grandpa Morris lingered just behind her, one hand resting against the doorframe before he stepped fully inside. For a moment, no one spoke. They just… looked at her. Mia let out a
Last Updated: 2026-03-26
Chapter: Chapter 168: The Proposalinto house was still awake when Mia pushed the door open. That, more than anything, made her pause. The lights in the living room spilled into the hallway in a warm, steady glow. The quiet wasn’t the usual end-of-day quiet either. Mia stepped inside slowly, easing the door shut behind her. Her heels clicked softly against the floor, the sound carrying further than it should have. “Grandma?” she called, her voice low, uncertain. No immediate answer. She took a few more steps forward, shrugging her bag higher on her shoulder, her fingers already loosening around the strap. Then she saw them. Both of them were seated side by side on the couch. Waiting for her. Grandma Morris turned first, her face lighting up in a way that made Mia’s steps falter. “Finally,” she said, her tone warm, threaded with something that felt almost like anticipation. “We were beginning to think you’d sleep at the office tonight.” Mia let out a small breath, though her brows pulled together
Last Updated: 2026-03-26
Chapter: Chapter 167: First DayAllen sat at his desk, the cursor blinking at him like it expected something he hadn’t yet decided to give. The document on his screen was open. Numbers aligned. Notes structured. Everything where it should be. His pen rested between his fingers, unmoving. The hum of the office drifted in from beyond the glass—phones ringing, low conversations threading through the corridors, footsteps passing in steady intervals. Work happening. He shifted slightly in his chair, drawing in a slow breath, then letting it out through his nose. Focus. The word settled, firm. He lowered his gaze back to the screen, scanning the figures again. Adjusting one. Cross-checking another. It held for a while. The memory slipped in without permission. He stilled. The elevator scene replayed in his head. The way her name had left his mouth before he could catch it. The way it had changed the air between them. Mr. Allen. The correction had been gentle. His grip on the pen tightened, the plastic pressing
Last Updated: 2026-03-26
Chapter: Chapter 166: Keep It ProfessionalMorning came with weight. Not the kind that pressed from the outside, but the sort that settled deep in her limbs, as though sleep had only skimmed the surface of her body and left everything underneath untouched. Mia lay still for a moment longer than she should have. The ceiling above her held steady, pale and indifferent, while her thoughts moved slower than usual—thick, reluctant, as if even they needed convincing to begin the day. A soft sound broke through. One of the twins was shifting. A small, restless whimper followed. Mia turned her head slightly, her gaze softening almost immediately. “Hey…” she murmured, her voice low, still rough at the edges. She pushed herself up, the movement slow, her body resisting before finally giving in. The floor met her feet, cool and grounding, and she walked over, lifting the baby with practiced ease. “Good morning,” she whispered, brushing her lips against soft skin. Noah stirred too, small hands stretching, searching. Mia exhaled
Last Updated: 2026-03-26
Chapter: Chapter 165: I Got The JobThe room couldn’t hold him. Allen moved from one end to the other, steps quick, uneven, like his body hadn’t quite decided what to do with the energy building under his skin. The phone pressed against his ear, then pulled away, then back again as if that might change the outcome. He dragged a hand through his hair, pacing again. “Come on, Zoe…” he muttered under his breath. The call ended. He stared at the screen for a second, thumb hovering, then tapped again. He let out a breath that came out half a laugh, half frustration. “She’s probably busy,” he said to the empty room, as someone had asked. The thought settled just enough to keep him from dialing a third time. He dropped the phone onto the bed, but didn’t move far from it—just in case. Just in case it lit up. For a moment, he stood there, staring at nothing in particular, the reality of it pressing in again, fresh and disorienting. The job. Morris Group. His chest tightened—not painfully, but enough to mak
Last Updated: 2026-03-26
Chapter: Chapter 123Matthew stared at the message on his screen again even after memorizing the address.His fingers tightened around the phone.For one suspended moment, he stood there in the middle of the apartment while everything Grace had said continued crashing into him in fragments.She collapsed and she’s bleeding. The baby is in distress.The word refused to settle normally inside his head. It moved through him violently, stirring memories and guilt and something dangerously close to grief.Ava had been carrying his child, while he ignored her.While he slept beside another woman.He convinced himself that he still had time to repair the damage later.Matthew inhaled sharply and unlocked his phone again.He needed a flight immediately.His thumb moved frantically across the screen, opening travel apps one after another.Every flight was full. And the available one is tomorrow morning.“No, no, no…”His knee bounced restlessly as he refreshed the page again.His breathing became uneven the longer
Last Updated: 2026-05-12
Chapter: Chapter 122Matthew stared at the screen for so long that the light dimmed against his hand. Unknown Number and two unread messages. His thumb hovered uncertainly before he opened the first one. Hi Matthew, this is Grace, Ava’s friend. I want to talk about Ava. Please pick up. The air in the apartment changed instantly. His back straightened. Every muscle in his body tightened at once the moment he saw the name, Ava. The second message sat directly beneath it. It’s urgent. Matthew was already pressing the call button before he could think properly. The line rang once. His knee bounced uncontrollably against the edge of the couch. Then the call connected. “Hello?” A woman’s voice strained beneath the surface. Matthew stood up immediately. “Hello. Good evening.” “Good evening.” “This is Matthew.” “I know.” There was a pause. As though both of them understood the weight of this conversation before either had fully stepped into it. Matthew swallowed hard. “You said you wanted to t
Last Updated: 2026-05-12
Chapter: Chapter 121The apartment was quiet in the kind of way that made every small sound feel intrusive.The ticking clock above the television.The hum of the refrigerator is somewhere behind the kitchen wall.The soft tapping of Matthew’s fingers against the keyboard resting on his lap.He sat slouched into the couch, laptop balanced carelessly over one knee while half-finished documents glowed against his tired face. Numbers blurred together on the screen. Emails remained unanswered. A spreadsheet sat open for nearly twenty minutes without a single adjustment.His eyes burned. Every few seconds, his attention drifted back toward the phone, lying face down beside him.He rubbed his hand over his jaw and forced himself to focus on the laptop again.A payment schedule and outstanding balances.Remaining debt after the partial loan settlement.He exhaled slowly and leaned back, staring at the ceiling for a moment.The apartment he had rented barely looked lived in. Two suitcases still sat unopened near
Last Updated: 2026-05-12
Chapter: Chapter 120Rain pressed gently against the windowpanes. The sound came in uneven taps, quiet enough to disappear beneath the sharp beeping of the monitor beside Ava’s bed. She shifted again. A strained breath escaped her mouth before she could stop it, her fingers curling tighter around the edge of the blanket stretched across her stomach. Sweat clung to the side of her neck despite the cold air in the room. Every few minutes, another wave came, twisting through her abdomen so violently it left her jaw trembling afterward. Grace stood beside the bed holding the clipboard the doctor had handed her moments ago. The paper shook slightly in her hands. “Ava…” she whispered. Ava closed her eyes briefly, breathing through another stab of pain. Her lashes pressed against damp skin before she looked up again. “Please don’t start crying.” “I am trying not to.” Grace pulled the chair closer and sat beside her, the unsigned form resting on her lap. Her eyes moved helplessly between Ava’s f
Last Updated: 2026-05-11
Chapter: Chapter 119The afternoon had gone strangely quiet. Rain tapped softly against the windows of Grace’s house while the television murmured faintly in the background, forgotten beneath the weight of paperwork spread across the dining table. Ava sat hunched over her laptop, one hand pressed against the side of her stomach as she stared at the numbers on the screen without truly seeing them. Grace walked in carrying two cups of tea and paused when she noticed the tension locked across Ava’s shoulders. “You have been sitting there for nearly three hours,” she said gently, setting the mugs down. “At least drink something.” Ava blinked slowly and rubbed her forehead. “I will.” “You always say that.” Grace pulled out the chair beside her and sat down carefully. “What did Mr. Cole say this morning?” Ava swallowed. “He said the remaining balance still has to be cleared before the extension closes.” “And?” “And the interest keeps increasing.” Grace sighed quietly. “We already expected that.”
Last Updated: 2026-05-11
Chapter: Chapter 118The apartment was quiet except for the low hum of the refrigerator and the rain tapping softly against the windowpanes. Matthew sat at the edge of the narrow couch, elbows resting on his knees, his phone loose in his hand. The lamp beside him cast a dull amber glow across the room, catching the sharp exhaustion carved beneath his eyes. An untouched takeout container sat on the coffee table. He couldn't remember when he had bought it. Or when he last ate. His phone vibrated again. The screen lit up with Sophie’s name for several seconds before fading dark again. Then it rang immediately after. Matthew leaned back slowly, dragging a hand over his face. His jaw tightened. For a moment, he considered turning the phone off entirely. The ringing continued. He closed his eyes briefly before answering. “What?” Sophie inhaled sharply on the other end, as though she had been bracing herself for him to reject the call again. “Matthew.” Her voice trembled with frustration
Last Updated: 2026-05-10
Chapter: Chapter 42: Secret Uncovered*Alex's POV* My hands gripped the steering wheel tighter than usual, knuckles whitening as the city lights smeared past the windshield. The engine hummed beneath me, steady, predictable—everything I wished life could be right now. But it wasn’t. Not when my chest felt like it had been carved open, and every nerve screamed with anticipation and dread. I hadn’t planned to follow her, not really. It had been a moment—an instinct, raw and unthinking. I’d left my office late, the night air sticky with the residue of the city’s heat, and there she was. Her car, sleek and silver, rolling past the estate gate like a silent invitation I shouldn’t have taken. But I had. And now, the streets stretched ahead like veins, leading me straight into a truth I wasn’t sure I wanted to see. My mind raced, rewinding every interaction, every conversation, every laugh that had once been mine. Had I been blind? Foolish? Had the castle we’d built together been nothing but a façade, the foundation secre
Last Updated: 2026-05-12
Chapter: Chapter 41: A Crumbling Castle*Alex's POV*I sat at the edge of the sleek, polished conference table, the hum of fluorescent lights above making the silence feel louder than it should.Files were stacked neatly in front of me—projects, contracts, architectural plans—but my fingers drummed against the wood like restless thoughts.My suit was immaculate, cufflinks catching the sterile light, but inside, I felt frayed, unraveling.Evelyn hadn’t come home in days. She didn’t send a text, not even a call. The apartment—our apartment—was quiet, like a coffin without even the memory of laughter to soften it.And somehow, the absence wasn’t just the empty space in the bedroom; it was everywhere, lingering in the scent of her perfume that still clung faintly to the pillow, in the untouched wine glass sitting by the counter.I rubbed my temple and exhaled slowly. I needed to work. Anything to drown the ache of knowing that while I poured myself into plans for towers, complexes, property developments… she was out there, brea
Last Updated: 2026-05-12
Chapter: Chapter 40: Between Laughter And Silence*Bella’s POV*The apartment was alive with the sound of little feet pounding across the hardwood floor. Caleb squealed as Evie crawled after him, Lily’s tiny hands reaching for the colorful stacking cups, and Noah—ever the quiet observer—sat contentedly on the rug, chewing on a soft rattle. I sank onto the sofa with a sigh, massaging my temples, trying to summon patience from somewhere deep. Clara was sprawled on the floor, one of the babies perched on her hip, the other three in various states of chaos around her. “You look like you’re about to combust,” Clara said, her voice teasing, eyes twinkling. “I feel like I’m one meltdown away from spontaneously combusting,” I muttered, reaching for Evie’s pacifier. Evie promptly spit it out. Clara grinned. “So, tell me. Now that Daniel is apparently stalking your mornings—what do you feel?” She waggled her eyebrows, carefully balancing Noah on her lap. I froze mid-stretch, glancing at her through the curtain of my hair. “What do I feel
Last Updated: 2026-05-11
Chapter: Chapter 39: The Red Tie*Alex's POV*The silence had its own heartbeat. Every night for a week, I felt it pulsing between us — in the clink of cutlery, the soft slam of a door, the way her perfume lingered longer than her presence ever did. We moved like ghosts inside the same house. I’d catch her in the kitchen and step aside before our shoulders brushed. She’d pass me in the hallway, eyes sliding through me like I was just another piece of furniture that used to matter. Once, we would’ve fought over this. Once, we would’ve said too much and regretted half of it. Now we just… didn’t. Saturday morning came heavy with sleepless residue. Evelyn was in the shower. I could hear the muted splash, the faint rise and fall of her humming something unfamiliar. I sat on the edge of the bed, trying to remember the last time I’d heard her sound like that. Her bag lay on the floor, half-zipped, careless in a way she used to hate. I told myself not to look. But then the smell reached. The expensive smell of a man’s c
Last Updated: 2026-05-11
Chapter: Chapter 38: Unfamiliar Scent*Alex's POV* Morning came too bright for how little sleep I’d gotten. The curtains were drawn, but light still leaked through. I lay awake, eyes open, watching the ceiling shift from gray to gold. I’d heard her come to bed sometime past three with quiet steps. I hadn’t said a word. I couldn’t trust what might come out if I did. Now, the space beside me was empty. The sheets were cool where she’d lain. I pushed myself up slowly. My head ached — not from the whiskey, but from everything else. The kind of ache that sits behind your ribs and refuses to move, no matter how deeply you breathe. Downstairs, the house smelled faintly of coffee and something else. I frowned as I reached the hallway. It was subtle, almost elusive — floral, sweet, but not the scent I knew. Not the one I’d bought her last spring in Paris, the one that used to cling to her neck and my shirts. This was sharper, it was new and foreign. The kind of fragrance that didn’t belong in our home. I followed i
Last Updated: 2026-05-11
Chapter: Chapter 37: Whispers In The Dark*Alex’s POV*I walked through the wide hallway of King Enterprises with measured steps, shoulders squared, expression blank enough to pass for calm. But my presence still stirred something uneasy wherever I went.Conversations died the moment I appeared.Papers shuffled too quickly.People suddenly found reasons to stare at computer screens.I noticed. Of course, I noticed.You don’t build an empire from nothing without learning how to read people. The tremor hides beneath a steady voice. The forced smile stretched a little too thin. The glance exchanged when they think you aren’t paying attention.Lately, though, I didn’t have the energy to call any of it out.Not when my own home had started feeling colder than the glass walls around me.I reached my office door. Lydia straightened so fast her pen slipped from her hand and clattered against the desk.“Good morning, sir,” she said brightly. My eyes flicked toward her. “Morning.”I opened the door, then paused with my hand still on t
Last Updated: 2026-05-08
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