Mag-log inMom 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
Emily's POV“The whole thing was unbelievable,” a woman at table four murmured, her voice carrying just enough for me to hear.“I know,” her friend replied, barely bothering to lower her tone. “Imagine—him of all people. And right here, in her restaurant? Poor thing, she must be humiliated.”I didn’
Maya's POVThe glow of the dim overhead lights reflected beautifully off the rim of my glass as I lifted it, savoring the expensive cocktail in my hand. Around me, my friends laughed and chatted, their voices a gentle hum of admiration and indulgence. The air was thick with the scent of expensive pe
Damian's POVLouis stood too close to Emily, his presence a vile intrusion, his gaze dark and taunting. He had no right. Not after what he had done to her. Not after he shattered her heart and left her to pick up the pieces alone.I stepped in front of her, blocking his path. “Back off, Louis,” I wa
I bit my lip. "That’s what I’m afraid of, honestly. Staying comfortable.""Then don’t," he said simply. "Take the risk. When I was building my brand, there were countless times I had the option to stick with what I loved, what felt safe and familiar. But if I had never pushed myself, I wouldn’t be w







