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
Damian’s POVI came home earlier than usual, my tie already loosened and my jacket slung over one shoulder. The air outside still held the warmth of the afternoon sun, and I felt good, satisfied even. The dinner last night had gone better than I anticipated. The CEOs were sharp, inquisitive, and mor
I waved without looking at him. “Good luck with your schemes.”The door clicked shut behind him, and I bolted to my feet. This wasn’t going to wait. I needed to know what he was doing.His private rooms were as garish as ever, the decor an absurd mix of leather, mahogany, and tacky oil paintings he
Damian’s POVMadelin tilted her head. Her eyes shimmered like glass just before it shatters. "They were right," she said. "I was not well, Damian. I know that now. I thought keeping my distance would protect you, but all I did was vanish from your life. And you needed me. I know that too."I leaned
Louis’ POVI scribbled notes furiously on a legal pad, underlining phrases, adding arrows, exclamation points, little ideas sparked like matches in my brain. I had always had a flair for tech, for sleek modern solutions. It was why I’d once thought I could leap ahead in France, among the polished el







