LOGINISABELLE'S POV:"I know so." She grinned. "He looks at you like you hung the moon. It is actually kind of disgusting."I laughed again. "You are terrible.""I am honest here, which is a difference."My grandmother arrived next.Isabelle Valancourt, elegant and dignified, her silver hair pulled back in a neat bun, her blue eyes bright with love. She hugged me tight and told me she was so proud of me."You have found a good man," she said. "I can see it in the way he looks at you. I can see it in the way he treats you. He loves you, Isabelle. Truly loves you.""I know, Grandmother," I said. "I know."She held my hands. Her eyes were wet."I remember when you were born," she said. "You were so small. So fragile. I held you in my arms and I promised you that I would always protect you. That I would always love you. That I would always be there for you.""Grandmother—""And now here you are. All grown up. About to get married. About to start your own family." She paused. "I could not be pr
ISABELLE'S POV:The morning of my wedding dawned bright and clear.I woke up in my childhood bedroom at Valancourt House, the same room I had slept in since I was a little girl. The walls were pale pink, the curtains white, the furniture elegant and familiar. It was the room where I had dreamed about my future, where I had written my first stories, where I had cried over broken hearts and celebrated small victories.And now it was the room where I would prepare to become a wife.I lay in bed for a long moment, staring at the ceiling, my heart pounding in my chest. I was getting married today. I was marrying Damon Varek. The boy who had promised to marry me when he was six years old. The man who had loved me through everything.I was going to be his wife.The thought was terrifying and exhilarating all at once. I had spent so many years alone, so many years building walls around my heart, so many years convincing myself that love was not for me. And now, here I was, about to make the b
ISABELLE'S POV:"I know, Grandmother," I answered, feeling a gentle warmth settle in my chest. "I feel very fortunate.""Love is a wonderful gift," she said with a nod. "Hold on to it and nurture it every day."My mother arrived last, checking over the final arrangements with the hotel staff before finally coming over to join us.Athena Valancourt was a strong, protective woman who had stood by me through every difficulty in my life. Seeing her walk toward me with a gift package in her hands and tears shimmering in her eyes made my own chest feel tight with emotion."My sweet girl," she murmured, wrapping her arms around me and holding me close. "My beautiful daughter.""Mum," I whispered into her shoulder, swallowing against the sudden lump in my throat. "If you start crying right now, you are going to make me start crying too.""Then we will both cry," she answered softly, brushing a stray strand of hair behind my ear. "That is allowed on days like this."The shower turned ou
ISABELLE'S POV:The bridal shower was held in a private function room at a beautiful garden hotel in the center of the city.It was a charming venue whicb was very welcoming the second you stepped inside. Sunlight poured in through wide glass doors that opened out to a green courtyard. The long tables were set with clean white linens, delicate porcelain cups, and small glass vases filled with fresh white roses and light pink peonies and looking around at all the thoughtful details, my heart felt completely full.My mother had organized the entire event from start to finish. Athena Valancourt never did anything halfway. She had spent weeks coordinating with the hotel staff, selecting the menu, testing the desserts, and making sure every single chair and place setting was arranged just right. She wanted the afternoon to be special for everyone, but especially for me.Standing near the entrance and watching the room fill with familiar faces, I had to admit she had succeeded complete
DAMON'S POV:"You have worked through so many challenges to get to this point," he continued quietly. "You deserve a peaceful home, you deserve to stand beside Isabelle, and you deserve complete happiness."I looked over at him, feeling a deep appreciation for his friendship."Thank you, Alistair," I replied, keeping my tone steady and sincere. "I care about her with everything I have. I plan to spend every single day making sure she feels completely safe, valued, and happy."He smiled warmly, nodding his head in complete agreement."I have no doubt about that," Alistair said. "I have seen the way you watch out for her, the way you prioritize her safety, and the steady respect you show her every single day. You are a solid man, Damon, and you have earned a wonderful life together."I felt a quiet sense of relief settle in my chest, a feeling of complete acceptance that made me realize just how far I had come from my isolated past."I appreciate you saying that," I told him quie
DAMON'S POV:I did not want a bachelor party.I had explained that to Isabelle quite clearly early on. I told her that I had zero interest in a wild night out, that I did not care for noisy crowds, heavy drinking games, or any of the usual outrageous traditions that people usually attach to a man's final days before getting married. I told her that my ideal evening was far more simple. I just wanted to spend a quiet night with her in our home, enjoying a relaxed meal and resting comfortably without any extra fuss.She had laughed gently at my serious tone, shaking her head with a playful smile. She told me I was being far too rigid about the whole thing. She insisted that I deserved to celebrate this milestone with the men in my life, and that having a gathering was just a fun way to mark the start of an important new chapter.I looked at her and replied that I did not need a night out to feel ready. I told her I had spent years living on my own, moving from place to place withou
Kier Thornwell looked like he belonged on a magazine cover even when he was just standing in an elevator. Thirty eight years old. Strong jaw and sharp cheekbones. Eyes so dark brown they looked black. A mouth that rarely smiled, but when it did, women forgot their own names. Six foot two. Carried h
The forgotten anniversaries. There had been three of those. Three times she had dressed up nice and made dinner and waited and waited and waited until finally getting a text that said "working late sorry" with no exclamation points, no emojis, no nothing.The cruel comments. Those were worse."You
Celestine Valancourt stood in the bathroom of her penthouse apartment, her bare feet cold against the imported marble floor, staring at a little plastic stick that had just completely and utterly rearranged her entire universe. There were two little pink lines staring back at her. Two little lines
KIER'S POV:I pour myself a drink and I sit in the dark and I wait for her to come back.She always comes back.But she does not come back.A week passes. Then another. The penthouse stays empty. My calls go straight to voicemail. My texts go unanswered. I send messages through her email, through s







