MasukAria’s POV When I get back from lunch, I head straight to my office, barely setting my laptop up before my phone starts ringing. I glance at the screen and smile.“What’s up, Jay?”He chuckles on the other end. “She got the papers.”I stop mid step. “Oh shit. Really?”He laughs. “Yeah. And when I tell you she got them, she got them. She was not happy. Like… not even a little.”I shake my head and sink into my chair. “So what happened?”“She called me screaming, asking how I could send her divorce papers, acting shocked like she hasn’t been living a whole double life. Same old shit.”I sigh. “Jalen, that’s just the beginning. That’s the calm before the storm. Did you get the restraining order? You know, keeping her away from the house?”“Yeah. Michael went today and handled that.”“Oh, good,” I say, relieved. “That’s smart. What else?”He exhales. “She blasted me online. Said I’m a cheating piece of shit, said I don’t want the baby, said I cheated on her, and that I knew she went to a
Jalen’s POVI wake up in my own bed, the quiet of Tuesday morning settling around me. No Aria beside me this time. I didn’t stay over her house last night, because I came straight home. I don't wanna crowd her, figuring that she needed the space. Or maybe she didn't.My phone lights up almost on cue. I have three missed calls, and a few texts. All from her.I call her back as I push myself up against the headboard, rubbing my face. She answers immediately.“Did the process server serve Talia yet?” she asks, straight to the point.I sigh. “No. I haven’t heard anything yet, but it should be soon.”There’s a pause on the line, like she’s bracing herself. “Just be ready,” she says quietly. “Anything can happen.”I chuckle, trying to shake the tension. “Yeah, whatever. I’m not waiting on her anymore. I’m not procrastinating to see what she does. I’m handling my shit. Running the company. Getting our money back from that thief we call Talia.”She exhales. “Did Michael say anything? Did he t
Talia’s POVTuesday MorningI wake up gasping from a fucked up dream, the kind that sticks to you even after your eyes open. One of those dreams where you wake up and realize… damn, this isn’t even that far off from real life. In my dream, Jalen had bankrupted me.Left me living in some tiny two bedroom apartment with, like, fifteen kids. My worst nightmare.And then I wake up to this actual mess of a life... pregnant by Tony Arroyo, stuck in a situation I can’t control, and married to a man who clearly hates my guts. The stupid ass Jalen still thinks this baby is his. He really does. He has no common sense. Just dumb. And I know one thing for sure, Jalen would never make me broke on purpose. He’d ruin me, yes, but not like that. Not publicly.And me getting fat on top of it all? Absolutely not. That thought alone pisses me off so bad.I’m still laying there spiraling when there’s a loud knock on my door.Not a polite knock. Not a neighbor knock. A knock, knock, knock that makes my ch
Explicit Scenes Ahead Jalen’s POVI wake up this morning with a smile already on my face.Not because I slept well, though I barely slept, but because I hear the alarm going off on her phone, and I know without even opening my eyes that it’s gotta be around five-thirty a.m. Maybe earlier. She’s disciplined like that. Always has been.I try to reach for the phone, but I can’t move.Not even a little.Because I’ve got this naked, warm, perfect woman tucked into me like she belongs there with her head resting on my shoulder, her leg draped across my waist, her hand splayed out on my chest like it’s claiming me as her territory, and my body is already awake, my cock is already responding, already remembering that we damn near went at it half the night.I inhale slowly.I want to move. I really do. But she’s got me pinned in the best way possible, and my body is very aware of her in ways that aren’t exactly helpful this early in the morning.I sigh to myself and make the executive decisi
Aria’s POVThe moment Jalen walks in, he does what he always does and beelines straight for my kitchen like he pays rent here.I laugh under my breath as I start pulling the food out of the bag, paper crinkling against the counter. “You only got salads?” I ask, already offended just on principle.He chuckles, dropping his keys into the bowl by the door. “Relax. I got us cheesecake too.”I roll my eyes dramatically. “I really don’t have the taste for a salad.”He scoffs, popping open a container. “Well, this is what Amara told me to get.”I stop mid-unbag and look at him deadpan. “Get us?”“Yes,” he says, nodding like this is the most logical thing in the world. “Amara said we need to eat light since we had a heavy breakfast and a heavy lunch, thanks to you.”I narrow my eyes. “Oh, that’s the last time I’m cooking for your asses.”He laughs. “Come on. You know I love your food.”“Whatever,” I mutter, peeking into the container. “What else is on this salad?”“Wildfire chopped salad,” he
Jalen’s POVI pace Parker’s living room like a caged animal.Back and forth. Back and forth.Parker and Sybil sit on the couch, both pretending to scroll their phones but really just waiting and watching me, listening to the sound of my shoes against hardwood like it might tell them something about how bad this is eating me alive.The doorbell rings.I don’t even think.I beat Parker to the door and yank it open.Patrick stands there with Amara beside him, her hand instinctively resting on her stomach. Relief floods my chest so fast it almost knocks the air out of me.“Come in,” I say immediately, pulling my brother into a hug. I wrap Amara up too, careful but tight.Patrick laughs. “Yeah, yeah. Walking into my brother’s house like you own it.”Sybil chuckles from the couch and stands to hug them both. “Hey, you two.”I exhale hard, rubbing a hand over my face. “Sorry, bro. I’m just...” I stop myself. “I’m anxious.”Patrick helps Amara sit before dropping onto the couch across from Pa







