Nella's POV:The doors were suddenly pushed open and I shut my eyes instinctively. I could hear approaching footsteps, but I continued to feign sleep. “She is still asleep.” I heard a male voice say.“What could be wrong with her?” A familiar female voice asked. “She's pregnant.” The man replied, my eyes flung open when I heard his words.‘How? When?’It finally dawned on me, the night Caitlyn's divorce was announced in the news and she had contacted Oliver for emotional support. He came back home extremely happy and drunk, and that night we had sex for the very first time. The next morning when he woke up he hated me more, he claimed that I took advantage of his drunken state to have my way with him.How did that one night together result in pregnancy?‘Oliver needs to know about this, he will come for me the moment he finds out that I am pregnant with his child.’ I thought.“She is awake.” I heard a male voice announce. Tilting my head to the side, I saw a middle aged man, dresse
Nella's POV:He lets out a deep sigh, squeezed his hands, then relaxed them before saying, “I don’t have time for all this, Nella. Just sign this.” Then he tossed a brown envelope in front of me.I picked up the envelope and started to open it. "What is this? Is it some kind of petition or something?" I asked, still struggling with the seal.“Divorce papers!” He replied and my hands froze in the air.“Y-you are kidding right?”“Do I look like I came all the way here to joke?” He asked, sounding all serious.Tears filled my eyes as I looked at the man I called my husband. “Why are you doing this to me, Oliver? What have I ever done to you to deserve this?”“Honestly, I can’t believe you’re asking me this right now,” he began. “Caitlyn is stuck in a wheelchair for God knows how long, and she has a severe brain injury that I can only pray she recovers from. And you're asking me what you've done to deserve this when you actually deserve even more.”“So this is all because of Caitlyn huh.”
Nella's POV:FIVE YEARS LATER………“Damian!” I called out, tying my hair back with a band.Where could he be? Suddenly, I bumped into someone. Looking up, I saw it was the cook.Sighing deeply, I asked, “Where is he? Please tell me you found him.”“I couldn’t find him,” she replied, her head hung low. “This house is huge; he could be anywhere. I had the maids search everywhere for him. You’ll find him soon, I promise.”“I hope so, Lola. Michael is on his way back, and he hates it when his rest is disturbed.”“Don’t worry, ma'am. We’ll definitely find him before Sir returns, trust me…”“I found him!” someone called out, and we hurried toward the voice.We entered the library and saw a maid standing by the door.“Where is he?” I asked.“Behind the third shelf,” she replied.“You both can leave now,” I instructed. “And please shut the door behind you.”I moved behind the third shelf to find the little boy crouched down, his head hanging low.“What's wrong, baby?” I asked, gently lifting h
Nella's point of view The soft linen rubbed my skin with the scent of antiseptic filling the air.My eyelashes fluttered as the rays of the bulb hit my eyelids.The beeping of a heart monitor echoed from a distance which made me stretch my ears.I took a deep breath, the sterile air making my chest become tight, my eyelids becoming loose, then my vision cleared a dull ache hitting my head as my heart raced, hitting hard on my chest.I tried lifting myself but a sharp force pushed me back from my wrist, sending cold shivers down my spine.I looked to my right, there was a thick metal which chained me to the bedside rail.My eyes wandered around in the room trying to read the room as the hair at the nape of my neck stood, my breathing cutting through the room with my thoughts jolting me out from the world.My eyes trailing my body noting it was dusty from damp concrete, the irritating odour of sweat and urine oozing from my clothes.The cuff and the way it didn't allow me to escape got
Chapter 7Nella's point of view “ You will know soon.” He said, deciding not to tell me why he saved me, he turned his broad shoulders at me, his presence wanting me to talk but calling him would draw attention, unfortunately his actions kept me lost in thought, I had my freedom for a few days.Meanwhile, before he left he stood by the doorway with the doctor talking in low tone before he stared at me, leaving a smirk on his face, the doctor came in removing the cuffs from my hands.The rough hospital gown brushed slightly against my skin, I swinged my legs over the side of the bed, the cold tiles sending a jolt through my feet.My body ached with any slight movement, I insisted and pushed my body forward.Each step towards the door felt like sin, the air filled with bleach and drugs, the weight of the building fell on my shoulders.I stretched my hands for the door handle, my fingers brushing against the metal when a strong hand caught my arm, stopping me halfway gone.I tilted my
Nella's point of view I signed the contract with the memory of Oliver hitting my mind, a smile crept through my face, revenge through Micheal.“ Thank you!” I mouthed to no one at sight, I felt a burden fall from my shoulders, it has always been what I wanted and now I was happy.“ Anything to bring Oliver down was worth it.” I said to the nurse, she lifted her eyebrows in confusion.Michael drove me to one of his houses. The mansion was mind blowing. I have seen a lot of buildings but the one in front of was gigantic and intimidating.The house felt empty. I believe I can make peace with this place, but peace isn't something I was assured just by getting my life, at the cost of giving out a secret?It better be just a secret, I thought while trying to climb down the door.“ Wait, I will get that for you.” He said walking to the other side to open the door, my eyes flared in shock wasn't he the mean man I encountered hours ago?I stepped down from the car, he held my hands walking i
Nella's point of view The velvet of my dress clung to my skin, the fabric heavy with the weight of the night. The moment Michael led me through the grand entrance, the air changed, thick with whispers, camera flashes igniting the space like lightning. The scent of champagne, expensive cologne, and polished marble mixed with the tension pressing against my ribs. They were all looking at me.Every step forward felt like walking through fire, the heat of their gazes burning into my skin. The glittering hall stretched endlessly, filled with men in crisp suits and women draped in silk, their eyes flickering between Michael and me with silent speculation. Who was she? Their hushed voices coiled around me, their curiosity sharp, invasive.A swarm of reporters surged forward, their microphones extending like weapons. Questions flew like daggers. "Mr. Hills, is this your wife?" "Mrs. Hills, where have you been all these years?" "Is it true you faked your death?" Their voices overlapped, the
Nella's point of view Coming up the stage the moments I had earlier replayed in my head, the towering glass walls of Hills Inc. reflected the sky, casting sharp, fractured images of the world outside. My heels clicked against the polished marble floors, echoing in the vast, open space. The air inside carried the scent of fresh coffee, printer ink, and something colder, my shoulders high as my aura dripping with resentment. The moment I stretched my legs into the entrance, the atmosphere shifted, tightening like a noose, as it became hard to take in.A ripple of whispers spread across the lobby, hushed but sharp, my ears collected the sounds.“She really showed up.” A voice, low and filled with amusement with their straight face slightly lifted.“I thought he would’ve been done with her by now.” Another voice came from the end, filled with quiet disdain.My spine remained straight, my expression blank, but under the surface, something inside me curled—not with shame, but with qu
Danielle's Point of ViewThe night had softened into a heavy silence, the kind that made your thoughts louder. We were holed up in a safehouse Michael must have used before—clean, cold, and stripped of comfort. The furniture was minimal, the walls concrete, and the air smelled faintly of antiseptic and something older, like time sealed behind closed doors.Michael sat on the couch, his shirt half unbuttoned, the makeshift bandage soaked in crimson. His posture was tight, not from pride, but pain. He didn’t complain. He never did. But the tremor in his fingers and the sharp edge in his breath gave him away.I moved closer with the first-aid kit. He didn’t look at me. Just stared at the floor, jaw clenched. I knelt beside him and unwrapped the soaked fabric, the blood sticky and warm on my hands. The cut was worse than I remembered—deep and angry, red pulsing around the edges."Hold still," I whispered, even though he hadn’t moved.He nodded once, barely.I cleaned the wound, each swipe
Danielle’s Point of ViewThe house felt different after Michael’s promise.Not safer.Just... sharper.Like the walls themselves were waiting for the first crack to splinter wide open.I stood by the fire, the low flames casting long, distorted shadows across the library walls. My arms were wrapped tight across my chest, as if holding myself together would stop the unraveling happening inside.Michael leaned against the doorway, silent, watching.Always watching.I didn’t ask if he meant it—that vow of no more lies.Some part of me already knew he did.But trust wasn’t a switch I could flip.It had to be earned.And tonight, something inside me braced for the test.He pushed off the wall and crossed the room in a few easy strides, the movement casual, but his jaw set hard enough to crack stone."They’re moving," he said.My hands tightened around my arms. "Who?"He stopped just short of me, the firelight flickering in his eyes. "Oliver’s people. They made contact with someone inside H
Danielle’s Point of ViewThe moon was high when we finally left the abandoned studio, our footsteps silent on the cobblestone paths that led back to the estate. The night air clung to my skin, thick with the scent of rain that hadn’t yet fallen, heavy with promises that hadn't yet broken.Michael walked beside me, close enough that the back of his hand brushed mine with every step, but neither of us rushed the space between us. We didn’t need to. The silence now was different—no longer a battlefield, but a quiet surrender.When we reached the house, he opened the door and waited for me to step inside first. His small gestures—so easy to miss, so heavy with meaning—tightened something in my chest.I kicked off my heels in the entryway, the cool marble stealing the heat from my soles. He watched me, a faint smirk ghosting over his lips like he couldn’t believe I was really there, like he didn’t dare.Neither of us said a word as we made our way upstairs.The bedroom was dim, lit only by
Danielle’s Point of ViewThe day slipped by in a blur of muted colors and restless thoughts. I stood by the windowsill, the city breathing beneath me, alive and unconcerned, while inside my chest everything churned.Michael's words from the morning clung to me like a second skin. "Maybe it's time we stopped running." Easy to say when you’ve always known how to win. Harder when every step forward felt like walking blindfolded through a minefield.Behind me, the low rumble of his voice drifted through the crack in the study door. He was on another call, his tone clipped, dangerous. Whatever he was plotting, it bore the weight of finality.I leaned my forehead against the glass, the cold biting into my skin. How did we get here? Two people who once needed each other for survival now needing each other for something much messier. Something without rules or contracts to guide us.The door creaked open. His footsteps were unhurried, but there was tension in the air, coiling tighter with eve
Danielle's Point of ViewThe silence stretched between us, thick and unspoken, the kind that settles after truths are revealed but not yet accepted. I stood at the edge of the terrace, the wind pulling at my dress like it, too, wanted me to leave. The city below shimmered, indifferent to my unraveling.Behind me, I could feel Michael's presence before he spoke. He hadn’t moved since I’d walked away from him. His restraint was unsettling, like a lion choosing not to pounce."You're not going to say anything?" I asked, my voice low, carrying a tremble I couldn't hide."What would you like me to say?" he replied, and even in its softness, his voice scraped against me.I turned slowly. The glow from inside the house cast shadows across his face, sculpting the hardness of his jaw, the fatigue around his eyes."That it wasn’t real. That you didn’t mean it. That it was just strategy again."He exhaled through his nose, a slow drag of breath. "If I said that, would it make it easier for you t
Danielle's Point of ViewThe rain had not stopped for hours. It bled against the windows in thick sheets, streaking down the glass like the sky itself was grieving. I stood by the tall window of Michael's study, my arms folded tightly, pulse ticking in my throat. The storm outside couldn’t rival the one inside me.Behind me, I heard the soft click of the door opening. His footsteps were slow, deliberate. I didn’t turn."It was never supposed to go this far," Michael said. His voice carried the weight of something unspoken—regret, maybe. Or resignation.I kept my gaze on the rain. "But it did. And now we're standing in the ashes."He moved closer, but not enough to touch me. Just near enough that I could feel the warmth of his presence creep up my spine."You knew what this was from the beginning," he said, voice low.I turned, finally, and met his eyes. There was no hatred in mine. Only exhaustion. "Did I? Or did you make me believe I could stay in control? That I wouldn’t fall into t
Michael's Point of ViewThe rain started before I could find her.It came down in sheets, loud and wild against the hood of the car, the kind of storm that made the city blur at the edges. I didn't care. My knuckles tightened around the wheel, the leather biting into my palms, my chest wound tight with something I hadn’t felt in years—dread. Real dread. Not the kind you can measure in losses or risk margins. The kind that comes when someone gets too close, and you can't protect them.Danielle had left the estate in silence. No note. No message. Just the echo of her perfume lingering in the hallway. I should’ve known something had shifted the moment she looked me in the eye this morning and didn’t flinch. Something had broken free in her, and I let it happen because I wanted her strong.But this—this silence was different.The wipers couldn’t keep up with the rain. I could barely see the road, but I wasn’t heading anywhere random. I knew her patterns, her ghosts. And when you know a pe
Danielle's Point of ViewThe evening light bled through the tall windows, casting golden streaks across the study. The silence was thick, filled with the weight of everything left unsaid. I stood near the bookshelf, fingers brushing against the spines of leather-bound volumes I hadn't dared to touch since I arrived. My reflection in the glass stared back at me, hollow-eyed and regal, cloaked in the armor Michael had taught me to wear.He entered without a word. His footsteps were slower than usual, deliberate. I didn’t turn. Not yet."You canceled the board meeting," I said, watching the window."They didn’t need me there today."I turned slowly, finding his eyes already on mine. There was something different about the way he looked at me now—like he was seeing a version of me he hadn't planned for."You left without saying anything this morning.""I needed to think."His jaw tensed, the lines of his face sharp under the fading light. "And did you? Think?""Too much."He moved closer,
Danielle's Point of ViewThe walls of the Hills estate loomed higher tonight, dressed in silence. The wind whispered against the glass panes like it carried secrets meant only for me. I stood by the tall windows in the drawing room, barefoot, the silk of my robe brushing against my skin with every slow breath.Michael hadn’t come home.That truth curled in the pit of my stomach like smoke, heavy and unshakable. He never mentioned where he was going. No message. No call. Only silence.I hated that it bothered me.The fire crackled behind me, casting long shadows that danced across the marble floor. My reflection in the window was ghostly, half-formed—a reminder that somewhere between vengeance and survival, I had become someone else. Someone colder. Someone lonelier.Footsteps echoed behind me.Not Michael’s.Lucien.He moved with his usual stillness, always watching before he spoke. He stopped at the threshold of the room, not daring to step in fully."He's still not back," he said."