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
Emily’s POVWhen Charlotte texted me, it was just after the lunch rush. I was elbows-deep in a crate of blood oranges, dreaming up a new marmalade to pair with tea biscuits for Barrett's birthday. Her message came through like a flash of lightning on a cloudless day.“Emily, I need a favor. Can I co
Emily’s POVThe scent of rosemary and roasted garlic lingered thick in the air as I stood beside Jayden, who was wiping his hands on his apron, brow furrowed in concentration. We were deep in discussion over the pumpkin and butternut squash gratin I’d been obsessing over for the fall menu. It needed
Louis’ POVI had just finished buttoning my shirt when I caught sight of Maya in the doorway, her silhouette framed in morning light, hair cascading down in waves like a goddess wrapped in velvet. She wore that silky robe she loved, the one that barely touched her thighs, and she smiled at me like s
Louis’ POVWhen I arrived, everything felt too still. The receptionist smiled at me politely, but there was a tension beneath her lipstick-red grin. I rode the elevator up with that uneasy gut feeling that I’d missed something. And when I walked into my office, I found out exactly what.A board meet







