MasukDerek Cross never forgot the wife who destroyed him. When he finds Vanessa dancing at an exclusive club, their reunion ignites a fire neither can control. One explosive night leads to another, until her boyfriend's fists and buried secrets tear them apart all over again. But Vanessa's hiding more than just a new relationship. A lost pregnancy Derek never knew about. A dangerous stalker. And even corporate enemies are also using her as a weapon to destroy him. And now, a new pregnancy that could belong to either man in her life was just discovered. As betrayals stack up and bullets start flying, Derek faces an impossible choice: his billion-dollar empire or the woman he never stopped loving. Some exes should stay gone because their love never had a chance.
Lihat lebih banyakDerek's POV - One Year LaterEmily's first birthday party is chaos in the best possible way. Our backyard is filled with friends and family, a bouncy castle that Jake insisted we needed, and enough presents to stock a small toy store. My daughter is currently smashing cake into her face with a grin that lights up my entire world."She's going to be on a sugar high for days," Vanessa says, appearing at my side with a glass of wine. "And you're dealing with bedtime.""Worth it." I wrap my arm around her waist, pulling her close. "Look how happy she is."Emily squeals and throws a handful of cake, hitting Marcus's girlfriend Jessica square in the chest. Marcus apologizes profusely while Jessica just laughs and wipes it off."I can't believe we're doing this," Vanessa says quietly. "Getting married again in two hours.""Having second thoughts?" I'm teasing but there's a kernel of genuine concern."About marrying you? Never. About doing it in front of all these people while wearing a white
Vanessa's POVThree months later, I'm standing in the living room of our new house, surrounded by moving boxes and feeling the baby kick for the first time. It's a strange flutter, like butterflies but stronger, and I call out for Derek before I can stop myself."She's moving," I say when he appears from the kitchen where he's been unpacking dishes. "Derek, she's really moving."He drops what he's doing and rushes over, placing his hand on my bump. We stand there frozen for a minute, waiting, and then it happens again—a definite kick right against his palm."Holy shit," he breathes, his eyes wide with wonder. "She kicked me.""Language," I scold automatically, though I'm grinning. "We need to start being careful about what we say around her.""She's still in the womb, I think we're safe for a few more months." But he's looking at my stomach like it contains the secret to the universe. "Do it again, Emily. Kick for daddy."Nothing happens and I laugh. "I don't think she takes requests
Derek's POVThe police station is exactly as depressing as I remember from the one time I got arrested in college for public intoxication. Detective Morrison leads us to an interrogation room and I feel Vanessa's hand tighten in mine."This is just preliminary questions," Morrison assures us. "You're not under arrest. But Mr. Crane is making serious allegations and we need to investigate.""We haven't been anywhere near Crane's house," I say firmly. "And we certainly didn't break in or steal anything.""Can you account for your whereabouts on Tuesday night between eight PM and midnight?" Morrison pulls out a notepad.I look at Vanessa. "We were at home. At my penthouse. With a witness.""Marcus Hayes," Vanessa adds. "He was staying with us while he recovered from his injuries. He can confirm we were there all night."Morrison writes this down. "And the harassment allegations? Mr. Crane claims you've been calling him, showing up at his office, threatening him and his business.""I visi
Vanessa's POVDerek leaves for the emergency board meeting at six AM, exhausted and tense. I watch him go and feel completely helpless, like everything we've built is crumbling again and there's nothing I can do to stop it.Marcus finds me in the kitchen an hour later, making tea with shaking hands. "You okay?""No. Crane leaked documents that make Derek look guilty of covering up the embezzlement. The board meeting this morning could end with him losing the company." I set down the kettle before I drop it. "And it's my fault.""How is this your fault?""I'm the one who suggested compassion. I'm the one who convinced Derek to trust Crane, to believe he could change." I sink into a chair. "I was so naive."Marcus sits across from me. "You were hopeful. There's a difference. And for what it's worth, I think Crane did mean it in that moment. Something just changed.""Claire's warning. She said Crane was planning something.""Yeah, and I've been thinking about that." Marcus pulls out his


















Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.