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Chapter 8
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2025-11-12 18:31:05Elena’s POV
I buckle Leo in the car , hands shaking. Drive home on autopilot. Burst through the door, lock it, slide down the wall .
My phone buzzes. Mila.
Me: Come over. Now.
She’s there in ten, letting herself in with the spare key.
“What happened?” She drops her bag, kneels.
“He’s back,” I sob. “Julian. He knows.”
Mila hugs me. “Slow down. Start from the top.”
I tell her — Family Day, the birthmark, the chase.
“He said coma,” I whisper. “Six months.”
Mila’s quiet. “You believe him?”
“I don’t know .” I hug my knees . “He’s engaged.”
Flashback slams me—that morning. Waking alone. Hotel empty. Days waiting. Weeks crying. Mila holding me while I puked from stress.
“I raised Leo alone,” I say. “Diapers at 3 a.m. No sleep. No help. He doesn’t get to waltz in now.”
Mila rubs my back. “You don’t owe him shit. But Leo… he might ask one day.”
“I’ll lie,” I say. “Say his dad’s dead.”
“That’s not fair,” Mila says softly. “To Leo. Or you.”
I cry harder. “I can’t lose him.”
“You won’t,” she says. “You’re his whole world.”
Mila leans back , thoughtful. “Do you want me to come with you next time you see him ?”
I shake my head . “No. I can’t. Not yet. He—he’ll see me as weak if I fall apart .”
Mila tilts her head. “You think showing fear is weakness?”
I laugh bitterly. “With him? Yes. He’s… Julian. The kind of man who looks at you and sees everything—strength, lies, the cracks you hide.”
Mila sighs. “Sounds familiar.”
I look at her. “It is. I remember that night. The one time we… I mean, before everything went to hell. I felt… safe. For a second. And now? He’s back. And I’m scared.”
Mila grabs my hands. “You survived everything before. You’ll survive him. But… maybe it’s time to talk. At least let him speak.”
I shake my head , burying my face in my knees. “He doesn’t get to speak . He left. He doesn’t know how it was .”
Mila softens. “Do you really think he doesn’t know? Maybe he’s carrying guilt too. Maybe he’s afraid.”
I glance up. “Afraid?”
“Yes,” Mila says, eyes steady. “Afraid you won’t forgive him. That Leo....he’s your world, yes? But he’s also the bridge. And he can’t ask questions if you never let anyone answer.”
I hug her tighter . “I don’t even know what to ask anymore .”
She laughs lightly, shaking her head . “Start with the basics . Why he left, why he didn’t reach out. And then… maybe, why he’s here now. Step by step.”
I nod slowly. “Step by step.”
The next morning, Leo crawls into bed. “Mommy, did the man come again?”
I stiffen. “No, baby. No one.”
He frowns. “He’s nice?”
I pause. “Yes. He’s… nice.”
Leo’s tiny hand wraps around mine. “I like nice.”
I kiss his forehead. “Me too, baby. Me too.”
Later, I pace the kitchen. “What do I do, Mila? He emailed me. Job. Triple pay. Or… legal. For Leo.”
Mila sips her coffee. “Think about it like chess. Every move counts. Don’t react. Respond. Protect yourself, and protect Leo. But… don’t shut him out completely. He might be different than you remember.”
I bite my lip. “Different or not, he has a claim. And I… I don’t know if I can let him in .”
“You don’t have to decide today ,” Mila says . “Just… breathe. And plan.”
I nod, staring at the ceiling . “Plan. Right.”
Leo stirs. “Mommy?”
“I’m here, baby,” I whisper. “Always.”
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After The Night In Miami Chapter 8
Elena’s POV I buckle Leo in the car , hands shaking. Drive home on autopilot. Burst through the door, lock it, slide down the wall .My phone buzzes. Mila.Me: Come over. Now.She’s there in ten, letting herself in with the spare key.“What happened?” She drops her bag, kneels.“He’s back,” I sob. “Julian. He knows.”Mila hugs me. “Slow down. Start from the top.”I tell her — Family Day, the birthmark, the chase.“He said coma,” I whisper. “Six months.”Mila’s quiet. “You believe him?”“I don’t know .” I hug my knees . “He’s engaged.”Flashback slams me—that morning. Waking alone. Hotel empty. Days waiting. Weeks crying. Mila holding me while I puked from stress.“I raised Leo alone,” I say. “Diapers at 3 a.m. No sleep. No help. He doesn’t get to waltz in now.”Mila rubs my back. “You don’t owe him shit. But Leo… he might ask one day.”“I’ll lie,” I say. “Say his dad’s dead.”“That’s not fair,” Mila says softly. “To Leo. Or you.”I cry harder. “I can’t lose him.”“You won’t,” she sa
After The Night In Miami Chapter 7
Julian’s POV The plane touches down with a jolt that rattles my teeth . Miami heat slams the window the second the door opens . I step onto the tarmac, tie loose , shirt sticking to my back already. Thirty-three feels older when you’ve spent six months of it in a coma, when everything you thought mattered is suddenly fragile, fleeting .“Mr. Hayes!” A driver waves from a black SUV. “Welcome back !”I nod, sliding into the back seat . The AC blasts cold, a sharp contrast to the oppressive heat. My phone buzzes ; Giselle.Giselle: Landed safe? Miss you already. Dinner tonight?I thumb a quick Busy with audits and pocket it. Eight months of pretending, eight months of holding her at arm’s length . Cassandra’s idea ; merge families , merge money. I said yes to shut them up. Haven’t touched her in weeks, and I don’t want to .The city blurs past ; palm trees, neon, ocean glinting like a knife. My chest tightens . Her face flashes . My fox. Dark hair spilling over my pillow. That gasp , t
After The Night In Miami Chapter 6
Elena’s POV The smell of scrambled eggs and toast fills my tiny kitchen . Sunlight sneaks through the half-open blinds, painting stripes across the chipped counter . Leo sits on his booster seat , legs swinging, humming something he learned at preschool . His dark curls bounce every time he nods at the cartoon on my phone .“Mommy, more juice ?” he asks, holding out his plastic cup with both hands .I pour orange juice , careful not to spill. “Only half, little man. You still have to eat your eggs.”He scrunches his nose but takes a big bite anyway . I smile. At four, he’s already stubborn about breakfast, just like me.Four years. That’s how long it’s been since the hospital scare. Four years since I carried him in here screaming, red welts covering his arms from that stupid ceviche the preschool served. Four years since Victoria Hayes—some rich stranger—paid for the VIP room and asked me to bring him to her villa every weekend.I flip the eggs , the sizzle loud in the quiet mornin
After The Night In Miami Chapter 5
Elena’s POV When Leo turned a year old, I went back to school . Balancing motherhood , part-time classes , and my cleaning work wasn’t easy, but it was something I owed myself ; and him. I freelanced here and there , took whatever small cleaning gigs I could find , and slowly started building a name for reliability . It wasn’t glamorous , but it was honest work .By the time I finally graduated , I thought the world would open up to me . Instead , I found myself staring at closed doors . Job after job turned me down , each rejection letter another reminder that I wasn’t the kind of woman they pictured in their office . Still , I refused to stop moving . If I couldn’t find an opportunity , I would build my own . Leo was four now — my sweet , curious little boy . He had a smile that could melt the hardest heart and a laugh that could brighten even my worst day . Since I didn’t have a car , I leased a tiny office space near his preschool so I could walk him there each morning and pick
After The Night In Miami Chapter 4
Julian’s POV Sleep wouldn’t come. My body was restless, my skin still humming from the way that woman felt beneath me. Elena.She’d been fire in my hands — soft, wild, and completely unguarded. For once, I didn’t want to move on. I didn’t want another body. I wanted her.I ran a hand through my hair and pushed off the sheets , the room too hot , too quiet . The moment I was about to step into the shower , my phone buzzed ; my grandmother’s personal assistant . Her voice was trembling . Another health scare .“ Damn it ,” I muttered under my breath .Elena’s face flashed in my mind . I didn’t want to leave her there alone , but there was no choice . My grandmother was the only family I had left who mattered . I threw on my clothes and sprinted downstairs . My driver wasn’t around ; I’d dismissed him earlier . Of course . “ Shit ,” I hissed , grabbing the keys off the counter . The Dom Pérignon Champagne was still registered to me ; I’d take it . The streets were half-empty , but my
After The Night In Miami Chapter 3
Elena’s POV “Yeah, babe, burst for me, hand me your first climax, flood my mouth.” Is he for real? Does he want me to gush right there? Is it urine? God, does he want to swallow my pee? No way, no way. I tried to twist away, but his palms pinned me flat ; he was the predator, I was the catch. I quit struggling.“Julian!” I cried, helpless against the surge.“Yes, my fox, come for me.”“Julian…” I wailed, liquid spilled from my core, and I was utterly gone. What just happened? I panted. He only laughed low. Stared at me ; damn, every drop my body released coated his lips and he drank it down.“Your first orgasm, baby! Sharp, I love it.”Heaven help me, what have I stepped into? This man is danger. He’s dragging me straight to ruin.He set a finger at my entrance. I yelped.With his hand he plunged in and out. I was climbing again.“It’s coming again, Julian.”“Yes, baby, come for me.” I was starting to crave it. When I shattered once more, I screamed his name.He flicked the TV on wh
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