LOGINMom claps. “See? Good sense.”Dad groans, drops into a chair, and rubs his forehead. “Fine. Sparklers. But I get to choose the color.”“Deal,” I say, leaning over to kiss his temple. He pretends not to smile but I see it anyway.I never thought I would have this again—a father who tries, really trie
Maya’s POVFrance changed me. I did not expect it to. I thought all I wanted was revenge, a reckoning, a balancing of the scales that would make everything feel right again. But standing at the kitchen window of our townhouse with the late-morning sun warming the old stone, watching Oscar toddle aft
After a few minutes, Emma sits beside me, nudging my shoulder. “How are you really,” she asks, her voice softening.I smile. “Good. Really good. For the first time, everything feels... quiet.”“You deserve quiet.”I nod, my eyes warming. “He is different now. Softer. Present. You should see him read
Emily’s POVSix Months LaterI wake before the alarm, before the morning light even filters through the curtains, to a soft flutter beneath my ribs. A tiny kick, gentle but unmistakably there. I smile into the pillow, pressing my palm over the swell of my stomach. The baby is awake, stretching, gree
Damian’s POVI do not think I exhaled until the plane door shut behind us.No reporters.No blinking notifications.No family emergencies.No corporate disasters waiting like open jaws behind every email.Just Emily beside me, fingers loosely threaded with mine, her head resting on my shoulder as if
Emily’s POVThe morning light over the farm looks unreal, soft as milk, drifting across the grass in wide strokes that make everything glow. It is the kind of light you only see on days you remember forever. A gentle breeze carries the smell of lilac and fresh earth, the decorations swaying slightly
Then came the words that struck me like a blow.“Emily and I have a private relationship. She has nothing to do with this.”My stomach dropped. My pulse quickened. I wanted to burst through the door, to demand answers, to confront him about what he had just said. But I stood frozen in place, my thou
Emily's POVThe neon sign outside the bar flickered, casting a hazy glow over the empty street. The last of the patrons had gone, their laughter and lingering whispers fading into the night. I exhaled slowly, my breath curling in the cool air as I locked the register. My fingers ached, my wrist thro
Maya's POVEmily moved through the bar ready to take their order, her face perfectly neutral, her posture stiff.A slow smile curved my lips. The moment was too perfect.Seizing my opportunity, I gestured toward her with syrupy sweetness. “Oh, everyone, you must meet Emily.” I let my voice rise just
Emily's POVThe morning light spilled through the kitchen window, casting a soft glow across the countertops as I stood by the stove, preparing the day’s breakfast. My mind was preoccupied, a flurry of thoughts about the meals I’d been researching ever since Damian’s suggestion to focus on healthier







