LOGINTabitha's POV
Early in the morning, I woke up from a nightmare.The awful dream was still fresh in my mind, and I could feel the sweat dripping down my back.These days, I had been having a peaceful mind. This was the first time I had such a horrifying dream.After taking a few deep breaths, I got out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash myself.Standing under the shower, I placed my hand on my bulging belly, feeling my pups kicking me. I guessed they both loved shListening to the cold, automated notice that the phone had been turned off, Austin stood frozen in the empty hallway, his fingers tightening around his cell.Outside the window, the wind whipped freezing flurries against the glass, giving off a faint, rhythmic rattling.The storm in his heart had broken loose, and there was absolutely no going back to normal now.The next morning.Tabitha slowly blinked her eyes open inside a warm embrace, running straight into a pair of dark gold pupils.There was no telling how long Derek had been awake. He was propped up on one elbow, quietly staring down at her, his predatory eyes swimming with a rare, heavy tenderness."You're not busy today?" Tabitha asked lazily, rolling over with a voice still husky from sleep."I knew you had the day off, so I cleared my schedule early," Derek said, leaning down to plant a soft kiss on her brow, his nose brushing against her messy hair. "You awake?""M
The heavy snow that had been weighing down the branches finally gave way, coming down with a soft swoosh and dumping freezing chunks of slush all over his shoulders and hair.Austin snapped out of it, only to realize he had been standing frozen on the curb for God knows how long.He couldn't even remember how he walked back inside.The lights in the hallway were a blinding, clinical white. Looking into the elevator's mirror, the reflection of his eyes swam with a chaotic storm of emotions that even he couldn't begin to unpack.Meanwhile, the exact second Tabitha stepped through her front door, she was pulled into a burning embrace.Derek wrapped his arms around her from behind, his hot breath brushing against the shell of her ear, his voice dropping into a low, gravelly whisper. "Out playing with your food again?"Tabitha reached up to unclip her earrings, turning around in his arms to loop them around his neck. She tipped up on her toes to
Tabitha watched the crushing disappointment flash across her face, the corner of her mouth twitching imperceptibly.After a beat, she spoke in a measured, casual tone. "But then again... I've been traveling the world for years. A while back, I got hurt while passing through a remote area and stumbled upon a custom scar-removal ointment. The results were honestly unreal.""Really?!" Rosemary snapped her head back around, a manic light reigniting in her dull eyes.Tabitha didn't rush to answer. She smoothly rolled up her left sleeve, exposing her inner wrist. Under the light, the skin looked smooth, porcelain, and completely flawless. "Look. I used to have a pretty nasty scar from a bullet wound right here."She lightly tapped a spot on her wrist. "Take a close look. Can you even tell it was there now?"Rosemary squinted, leaning in close. She had to strain her eyes under the light just to catch a glimpse of a faint, microscopic trace.The heart that had been dead for years instantly st
She knew that down in his core, Austin loved his mother.It was a love buried deep under layers of frozen hatred, like a seed locked beneath the permafrost—never quite able to break through the soil, yet never truly dying.As for Rosemary's clockwork routine, Tabitha had tracked it down to the exact minute. Every single evening, rain or shine, the older woman would walk alone to the coffee shop on the corner to buy two cups of Americano.One was for herself; the other was placed right across from her at the empty seat, as if someone who had walked out of her life a lifetime ago were still sitting right there.Making her "take a fall" was child's play.Back when Austin had used Joanna to pull his dirty tricks on her, he probably never imagined in his wildest dreams that the exact same tactics would one day bounce right back onto his own mother.Karma really was a mirror.The elevator made a steady, mechanical hum as it climbed. Tabitha followed Austin into the luxury apartment, which s
"My mom just took a fall in the snow. She has a heart condition, I need to get her to the hospital right now." Austin's voice shook with an anxiety he couldn't keep down."I'm a doctor. I'm coming with you." Tabitha stood up without a split second of hesitation, grabbing her coat to follow him out.Her movements were clean and decisive, striking every single vulnerable chord in Austin's chest—she was gentle, reliable, and completely defenseless.Meanwhile, on the other side of the restaurant.Cyrus was systematically cutting into his steak, his silver fork and knife gleaming like ice under the warm lighting.He suddenly broke the silence, his tone as casual as if he were checking the weather. "The perfume you women wear... what kind of scents do they usually come in?"Tamara's eyes lit up across the table. She assumed the usually detached Holmes heir was finally pulling his head out of his ass to buy her a gift.She immediately
Tabitha had no idea if he recognized her as Derek's ex-wife.Under her current identity, she had never officially crossed paths with Cyrus.Forcing her racing pulse under control, she tucked all her panic beneath a calm exterior, smoothly breaking eye contact to turn and walk away."Hold on."Cyrus's voice came from behind her—deep, steady, carrying the absolute, non-negotiable authority of a predator barking an order right before its prey bolts.The air in the hallway frozen solid the exact second those words left his mouth.Tabitha stopped dead in her tracks, took a deep breath, and slowly turned back around.By the time she faced Cyrus, she had buried every trace of panic deep in her eyes, replacing it with a poised, dignified expression. She spoke in her natural voice."Can I help you, sir?"Cyrus didn't answer right away.He walked toward her, his steps deliberate and slow. Every footprint hitting the m
Derek's POV"Please rest assured, Alpha. We've slipped a tracker and a bug inside his luggage before sending him off."I nodded before commanding, "Once he gets off the ship, keep an eye on him. And make sure you don't expose yourselves."I had a hunch that Jasper came prepared, an
Tabitha's POVUpon hearing Noah's words, I followed his gaze and looked over.When I saw the painting hanging on the wall, I was stunned.Noah's excited voice still echoed in my ears: "Tabitha, do you know who painted this? The painter must have a broad vision and a beautiful mind.
Tabitha's POVI was so unlucky these days. Nothing went smoothly.I went to the Secretary Department, and when I came back, my colleagues mobbed me. They accused me with particularly harsh words.Trying my best to remain calm, I said, "I didn't even see Mr. Greenwood in person. All
Tabitha's POVI took a deep breath, swallowing the blood that surged up my throat again."Mrs. Sutton, from now on, we're done. Just take me as a stranger when you meet me again," I announced word by word.After I finished speaking, Holly slapped me across the face."Tabitha,







