Kaelia's POV I had just finished my shift at the coffee shop, exhaustion coating every muscle in my body but leaving behind this strange, buzzing pride I hadn’t felt in ages. My shirt still smelled faintly of espresso and burnt sugar, but I didn’t care. I had survived another day.I was locking the side door when my phone buzzed. For a moment, my stomach sank – I half-expected some new message meant to unsettle me. But when I saw the name, my heart skipped.Rachelle.I hadn’t heard from her in weeks.“Hey,” I answered quickly, trying not to sound too eager.Her voice came soft, fragile. “Kaelia… are you free? I – I really need to see you.”Something in her tone made me pause, made me forget how tired I was. “Of course. Where?”We settled on a small café not far from the shop.When I walked in, I spotted her instantly. Even though she sat tucked in a corner, sunglasses perched on her head like she wanted to disappear, I knew the slump of her shoulders wasn’t her usual posture. This
Jessica's Pov California, 1990The little restaurant was tucked away on a quiet corner of the city, dimly lit and intimate, with violins playing softly in the background. I sat across from George, in a little black dress he had gotten for me on a little trip to Italy. My palms were a little damp as she smoothed them down the fabric of her dress. He had insisted on this date night – something about “celebrating a milestone,” though he had been infuriatingly vague about what exactly he meant.George, as always, looked calm yet alive in a way that made her heart skip. His dark eyes never seemed to stray from her face for long, and now, as the waiter placed wine before them and retreated, George, in a three-piece suit, leaned across the table, grinning like a man who had just stumbled into a treasure.“You know,” he said, voice low and full of warmth, “you’re the most beautiful woman in this room. Actually, scratch that – you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”I blushed, laughi
Jessica’s Pov California, 1990The mirror was unforgiving under the bright bathroom lights. I leaned closer with my lipstick in hand and exhaled softly through my nose as I filled in the edges I had rushed through earlier at home. I had left the apartment late that morning – my father was sick and needed help with practically everything, and time had slipped through my fingers. There had been no moment for mascara, no time to double-check my blouse buttons, nothing but the frantic gathering of my files before I dashed out the door.Now, in the ladies’ restroom of the Montgomery Grand, I stood correcting all of it.“This is better,” I murmured to her as I smoothed her hair and dabbed at my eyeliner with the tip of a tissue.The door swung open, and my friend Janae bustled in, all energy and perfume. I had met Janae back in school. We were in the same class then. We had a group project, but somehow turned out to be the only ones who did any work in the group.After that, we easil
Demi's POV I didn’t sleep.Not a wink.After Freddy stormed out of my apartment last night, leaving the air heavy with his threat, I sat on the cold marble floor until the sun started bleeding through the curtains. My hands shook so badly I could barely hold the glass of wine. I poured myself at three in the morning. The glass trembled in my grip, the liquid sloshing dangerously close to the rim, staining my fingers like blood. My head replayed every word he said, the sharp crack of his hand against the wall beside me, the venom in his voice when he told me I was poison.He hated me.No – worse. He despised me.And still, some twisted part of me clung to the sound of my name on his lips. To the weight of his presence in my home. To the undeniable proof that, even if only in fury, Freddy Montgomery had come to me.But fear had its claws deep in me now. Every creak in the apartment made me jump. Every vibration of my phone sent panic shooting through my chest. I kept picturing him – F
Demi's POV The knock on the door startled me. “Come in,” I said. The door creaked open slightly, and Aid popped her head in. “There's someone here to see you, ma’am. It looks urgent,” I wasn’t expecting anyone. Not tonight. I had had a bad day, so I did not have any plans. Still, I smoothed my silk robe, tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, and made my way to the grand living room downstairs. I did not know who I was expecting to see, but one thing I knew was that it was definitely not the man I saw, pacing around, his face tight with anger. Freddy Montgomery. Even now, standing in the threshold, he looked as powerful and untouchable as ever. Broad shoulders filling his suit jacket, jaw sharp enough to cut glass, those piercing eyes locked straight on me. For a dizzying second, my heart skipped, my chest fluttering with giddy certainty. He was here for me.Well, well, well, I thought I'd never see the day. What brought him here? Had my prayers finally been answered? Ha
Freddy's Pov I shouldn’t have come here.That was the first thought in my head when I stepped out of the Mercedes and found myself staring at the small, modest coffee shop in the corner of the street.I knew about it only because my phone had buzzed with a message from one of my men. It was a quiet update, the kind of thing I should not have cared about. She's working again. Coffee shop downtown. Assistant manager, the message had said. Assistant manager.I could not understand that she had chosen to work despite the money I had given her. It could keep her comfortable for a long time. But she chose to work instead. To lower herself, to run around managing lattes and wiping counters like none of it mattered?I walked into the shop casually. The bell above the glass door jingled softly as I stepped inside. I chose a table tucked into the far corner, where I was sure no one would really see me. But from there, I had a clear view of her.She was standing behind the counter. She