Novel-novel oleh ellemmy2005

Harriet's point of view “What?”one of them stood, moving toward me. My vision blurred as I lifted my head slightly, forcing my lips to move again.“I’m…” Warm and familiar arms wrapped around me. “Hey….it's okay.”I froze for half a second. The hug tightened, and more arms surrounded me. “You’re home now.”My fingers curled into someone’s shirt, I didn’t even know whose.“Alright, that’s it,” Jade, my race partner said, pulling back slightly. “This calls for a celebration.”“I can wipe your entire digital footprint,” Allen, my genius hacker added immediately. “Randy won’t be able to track you, not even if he tries.”“Welcome home!” Larry, my designer announced dramatically, sweeping his arm toward the room like I was royalty returning from exile. A small, wet laugh escaped me.“The tech world had been in chaos for the past three years,” Larry continued. “Everyone’s trying to find the Cipher Empress.”He grinned. “Everyone, including Provost's group. They’ve been sending request after

Harriet's point of view The world came back in pieces. My lashes felt heavy when I forced them open. “How is she?”My fingers curled slightly against the sheets when I heard Randy's voice.“She’s out of danger,” the doctor replied calmly.“Out of danger?” Elena scoffed, her voice sharp with disdain. “Of course she is, always the drama queen. I bet no one pushed her. She probably threw herself down those stairs just to gain sympathy.”My chest tightened.“To make my son take her back,” she added. “Pathetic.”I said nothing, did nothing, even breathing felt like too much effort.“There’s something else,” the doctor continued, her tone shifting to something softer.“We… couldn’t save the baby.”Heavy silence passed for a second.“What baby?”Randy’s voice snapped through the room.“She wasn’t pregnant.”A broken laugh slipped out of me. His head turned toward me so fast I felt it without looking.“You were pregnant?” he demanded, his face forming a deep frown.“And you didn’t tell me?”

Harriet's point of view I didn't rush when turning. Elena’s eyes met mine, something in her expression changed and she took a step back.“Mom, stop. It’s just a ring,” Randy's voice came out, filled with irritation, then his gaze snapped to me. “If you liked it, you could have asked me directly,” he said. “Why go through the trouble of stealing it?”“I didn’t take it,” my voice came out so controlled it didn’t even sound like me.“Oh yea, you didn’t, you shameless thief,” Elena scoffed. Before I could react, her hand shoved against my shoulder. “Then you won’t mind if I check your closet,” she turned, already moving.My hand shot out, I grabbed her wrist firmly, her skin shifted under my grip, but I didn’t loosen it, not even slightly. Elena stiffened instantly, her eyes widening after she tried pulling away but couldn't.“You have no right to touch my things,” I said in a low but firm voice.“Get your filthy hands off mother this minute,” Randy yelled, his chest rising heavily.Bef

Harriet's point of view Randy didn’t say anything else, he just slipped his hand into the inner pocket of his suit and pulled out a document like this was something he had done a hundred times before. My eyes followed the movement without meaning to. He placed the paper on the table and pushed it toward me. “Everything is prepared already.”His words echoed faintly in my head, like it didn’t quite belong there. “I’m sure you know by now,” he continued, his tone even. “Sienna is heavily pregnant.” My fingers twitched slightly at my sides. “The death of her husband affected her deeply, she hasn’t been stable since then… physically or emotionally.” I didn’t move, didn’t even blink. “The doctor says she needs a male figure in her life. If not, the delivery might be risky. So I'm stepping in, it's the least I can do, I have to give her and the child a proper name and a place where they belong.” His eyes met mine, there was nothing in them, no hesitation, no guilt. “If you have any dem

Harriet's point of view All I wanted was to feel one thing at a time, to cry, or laugh, or scream until my voice gave out, anything but this tight, overwhelming pressure in my chest. My fingers dug into my purse, gripping it like I might lose what was inside if I let go. Five years of quiet disappointment, swallowed pain, smiling through questions that cut deeper than they should. And now… this miracle I had almost stopped believing in.“Lastly, my heart goes to a very special someone.” My husband's voice pulled me back into the ballroom, which smelled like expensive perfume and flowers. I looked up at him, a wide smile appearing on my face as I took him in. Randy Provost stood tall on stage, confident and composed in that charcoal suit that made him look untouchable, completely unaware that tonight, I was about to change his world with a single sentence.A light touch brushed my arm, I flinched slightly. “Linda,” I exhaled. She leaned closer from behind, her voice warm with certain