LOGINHannah’s POV:The first thing I felt was the sterile cold of the hospital sheets beneath me, followed by a dull ache creeping through my body. When I finally opened my eyes, the bright hospital lights nearly blinded me. Slowly, my vision adjusted, and the blurry shapes around me became clearer. Adam was sitting by my side, his hand tightly clasping mine. His eyes were red-rimmed, but the moment he saw me awake, relief washed over his face like a wave breaking against the shore.“Hey,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “You’re awake.”I tried to speak, but my throat was dry, so I squeezed his hand instead. My gaze drifted to the other faces gathered around the room—Josh, my mother, Bryce, Michael, even Mom, all of them watching me with hopeful eyes. They had been here all night, waiting for me to open them.After a few moments, the door swung open, and the doctor stepped in, his face serious but kind. Adam stood immediately, worry etched into every line on his face.“Is she
Hannah’s POVThe ocean had never looked so blue.Even from where I stood behind the curtain of white chiffon at the entrance of the beach aisle, I could see the waves stretching endlessly, shimmering under the afternoon sun like the surface of a dream. The breeze was soft, warm, scented with salt and jasmine from the flowers woven into the décor. Palm trees swayed gently in the distance, as if they too were celebrating with us.This was it.My wedding day.I looked down at my hands, trembling slightly despite the calm in my heart. The lace sleeves of my gown hugged my arms perfectly, the beaded neckline catching the light with every tiny movement I made. Selena stood beside me, adjusting my veil for the tenth time even though it was already perfect.“You’re shaking,” she whispered with a soft laugh, trying to lighten the mood.“I’m not shaking,” I lied. “I’m vibrating with happiness.”She smiled, her eyes glossy. “I still can’t believe this is real. From co-workers to Maid of honor at
Hannah’s POVThe first thing I noticed was the light.It wasn’t the warm glow of chandeliers or the soft gleam of sunlight through silk curtains like in the bridal shop. This light was harsh, blinding, sterile. It pressed against my eyelids like a command.Wake up.I tried to turn my head, but even that small movement made the world tilt violently. My eyes fluttered open and all I saw was white—white ceiling, white walls, the blurred outline of machines humming somewhere close by.Hospital.The realization came slowly, like my brain was wading through thick mud.I inhaled, the scent of antiseptic filling my lungs, and then I heard a familiar voice.“Hannah?”I turned my head to the side, and there he was.Adam sat beside the bed, his eyes rimmed red, his fingers wrapped tightly around mine as if he was afraid I might disappear if he let go. His hair was slightly disheveled, like he had run his hands through it one too many times, and his jaw was clenched in that way he got when he was
Hannah’s POVA year has passed now.I stood alone in my office, the morning light pouring in through the floor-to-ceiling glass walls, painting the polished marble floor in shades of gold. The Blacken Empire logo glinted proudly on the far wall, a reminder of the name I now carried not just in blood, but in responsibility.On the shelf behind my desk sat the award.I hadn’t meant to place it there so prominently. It was supposed to be temporary—just somewhere to keep it safe until I found the right display cabinet—but days had turned into weeks, and I still hadn’t moved it. The crystal plaque reflected the sunlight in tiny rainbows across the room.“CEO of the Year – Hannah Blacken.”Beneath it, framed in sleek black wood, was the certificate appointing me as the official Chief Executive Officer of Blacken Empire. My signature at the bottom looked strange every time I saw it, as if it belonged to someone else—someone braver, more confident, someone who didn’t still feel like she was p
Hannah’s POVThe hospital corridor felt colder than any place I had ever been.It wasn’t just the air-conditioning—it was the kind of cold that seeped into your bones and refused to leave. The white walls were too bright, the lights too harsh, as if the building itself was indifferent to the storm tearing us apart inside. The smell of antiseptic burned my nostrils, making my head ache, my stomach churn.Dad was in surgery.Those words kept replaying in my mind like a broken recording. Dad is in surgery. Dad is in surgery. Dad is in surgery.Adam sat beside me, his arm wrapped tightly around my shoulders. I don’t even remember when I started crying. All I know is that I couldn’t stop. My chest felt like it was collapsing in on itself, my breaths coming out in short, painful gasps that didn’t feel like enough oxygen to keep me alive.Mom paced the length of the waiting room, wringing her hands until her fingers turned pale. Bryce sat with his elbows on his knees, staring at the floor as
Hannah’s POVEverything around me blurred into noise and chaos.The fairy lights that had looked so beautiful minutes earlier now swayed wildly above our heads, trembling as if even they were afraid. Guests lay flat on the grass, some crying, some whispering prayers, others too stunned to make a sound. My family was huddled together in the middle of the lawn, nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.Uncle Chen stood in front of us like a demon pulled straight out of my nightmares.His face was flushed, veins standing out on his neck, eyes burning with something that went far beyond anger. It was obsession. Hunger. The desperate need to cling to power no matter the cost.Maria stood beside him, her smile gone, her lips curled into something cruel and sharp. The waiter’s uniform she wore looked like a mockery of the innocence she had once pretended to have.“You see this?” Uncle Chen said, waving the gun lazily in the air, his voice echoing through the stunned silence. “This is what happens whe







