Albert’s POVMy blood was boiling.The moment I stepped into that warehouse and saw Brielle standing barefoot in front of shattered glass, holding Sophia tightly in her arms with fear in her eyes, something inside me snapped.I didn’t care about who was watching.I didn’t care that it was my own mother standing there like a queen giving orders.I only saw red."Let her go!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the warehouse like thunder.Everyone froze.Brielle turned slowly, her eyes locking with mine. I could see the pain, the fear, the confusion. My heart shattered into pieces.My mother raised her chin, looking at me like I was the one causing trouble.“Albert,” she said sweetly. “You’re here. How nice of you to show up for your beloved wife.”I didn’t answer her.I walked straight to Brielle, wrapped my arm around her, and pulled her tightly against my chest.“You don’t have any right to touch my wife,” I said coldly, staring straight into my mother’s eyes.“She’s my wife. And I w
BRIELLE’S POV This wasn’t a rescue. These were new kidnappers.Before I could speak, one of the men walked over and started untying me, but not to free me,he just wanted to move me.“Let go of me!” I shouted. “Where are you taking us?”“Shut up!” one of them snapped. “The people who brought you here owe us a lot of money. Since they can’t pay, we’ll take you instead. That way, we can use you to get our payment. Consider it a trade.”I held Sophia tightly. She was crying again, and so was I. I couldn’t believe what was happening.I had been kidnapped twice in one day.The men didn’t care. They dragged us out of that dirty room and into another van. This one was even scarier. It was armored, with no windows in the back.I didn’t know who these men were. I didn’t even know what they wanted exactly. But they were angry, and they weren’t going to listen to anything I said.As the van drove off, I looked out through the small space in the front.The warehouse was burning.There was smoke a
Brielle’s POVI was tied to a chair. My hands hurt. My legs were shaking. I looked around the dark, dirty room. The windows were locked, and the only light came from a single bulb hanging from the ceiling. My daughter, Sophia, was tied beside me. Her little head rested on my side, and she was crying softly.Everything had happened so fast.That morning, after Albert dropped Diana at the hospital, my phone rang. It was my mother. She said she wasn’t feeling well, so I quickly got Sophia dressed, and we left the house. I didn’t tell anyone I was going out. I thought I would come back soon.But I never reached my mom’s place.On the road, a black van stopped beside us. Two men jumped out. One of them pressed a cloth over my nose. The smell was strong. I couldn’t fight. I couldn’t scream. The last thing I saw before I passed out was Sophia crying and calling my name.Now, here I was… trapped.I didn’t know who took us or why. I didn’t even know the time. Everything felt like a nightmare.
ALBERT’S POVThe day at the office dragged longer than I expected.Meetings, reports, endless handshakes. But the whole time, I wasn’t focused. My mind kept drifting to Brielle,how quiet she had been since Diana came back. After work, I told the driver to take me to the hospital.I needed to make a quick appearance. Diana was still the woman carrying my child at least, that’s what she claimed.When I walked into her hospital room, she was sitting upright, touching her belly and pretending to look weak.I stepped in and stood near the door."I came to check on you," I said. My voice was flat. Cold. No emotion."Are you sure you can stay? Because I’m leaving right away."Diana’s eyes widened, like she didn’t expect me to say that.She quickly turned to the nurse who had just walked in with a tray."Please, nurse… can I go home with my husband? I’m really feeling better now."The nurse blinked, confused."Oh? Well, if you’re feeling better, I’ll go get the doctor to confirm."She walked
Albert’s POVI didn’t say a word the whole ride to the hospital.Diana sat beside me, holding her stomach and pretending to wince every now and then. I knew her type. Drama queens who’d use a scratch to get attention.When we reached the hospital, the driver stopped.Diana looked at me with hopeful eyes, waiting for me to help her out.But I didn’t move.I stared straight ahead and spoke coldly.“Get down. The nurses will assist you.”“Albert…” she whispered.“Driver, let’s go,” I said sharply.The driver didn’t wait. As soon as Diana stepped one foot out, he drove off.I leaned back in the seat and loosened my tie. I had more important things to think about—like work… and how to make Brielle's life more difficult.She wanted to play the good wife now? Fine. But I wasn’t forgetting what she did. I wasn’t forgetting how she lied… and made me feel like a fool in my own home.Now, it was my turn.I pulled out my phone and looked at the hidden camera footage from the house, the one she di
Albert’s POVBrielle walked into the room slowly, like a woman whose whole world had fallen apart. Her face looked pale. Her eyes were dull. She wasn’t crying, but the sadness in her was louder than any tears.I didn’t care. Or at least, I told myself that I didn’t.I watched her walk past me like a ghost. That necklace used to shine on her neck like a promise. Now it was gone, just like the trust I once had in her.“Get yourself a blanket,” I said coldly. “You’re sleeping on the floor. I can’t share my bed with a betrayal.”She stopped, looked at me for a second, then nodded weakly and turned to get the blanket.But as she took a step, I noticed her body sway. She was about to fall.Without thinking, I moved fast and caught her in my arms before she hit the ground.For a moment, everything went still.Her face was inches from mine.Our eyes locked.Her lips trembled, but she didn’t say a word.My heart skipped for a reason I didn’t understand or didn’t want to understand. I leaned in
Albert's POVThe moment I walked through the front door, I was tired. Tired of work, tired of thinking, tired of everything.But what I wasn’t ready for… was seeing Brielle standing in the living room, waiting.Her eyes lit up when she saw me, but behind that light, I could see something else—fear.“You left,” she said quietly. “You didn’t even wait for me.”I dropped my keys on the table and said nothing.“I know I was wrong, Albert. But I’m sorry. I really am. Please… what can I do for you to forgive me?”She took a step closer, eyes shining with tears.But before she could finish her sentence, a small voice broke the silence."Mom! Is that Daddy? Daddy is back!"I froze.I looked up and saw her.Sophie.The little girl I saw at Brielle’s family house. Jason’s child. The one Brielle hid from me.She ran down the stairs like she belonged in my house.And maybe she did now.Because Brielle had already brought her in.I leaned close to Brielle’s ear and whispered, my voice sharp and co
Albert’s POVI felt completely betrayed.Brielle looked me in the eye so many times and told me she loved me. But all along, she was hiding something so big… something I should’ve known from the beginning.That night, after what I found out at her family’s house, we didn’t say a single word to each other. I couldn’t look at her. I was angry. Hurt. Disappointed.She tried to explain, but I didn’t want to hear it. My heart was already in pieces.I didn’t sleep much that night. I just laid there, staring at the ceiling, thinking about everything, how I trusted her, how I defended her, and how she still lied to me.The next morning, I got up early and left without saying anything. I didn’t want to argue. I didn’t want more lies. I just needed to get away from her. I went straight to my estate, then to the office.But even at work, I couldn’t focus.I kept thinking about what she did.She didn’t trust me with the truth.What made it worse was remembering her birthday, the day Jason showed
Brielle’s POVI stared at Jason as he walked into my family’s house like nothing had happened, like he hadn’t abandoned me when I needed him the most.“What are you doing here?” I snapped, stepping in front of him. “Why did you come?”He smirked, clearly enjoying the tension he was creating. “Why can’t I be here?” he said, walking further inside without permission. “I saw you going into the house earlier, so I thought I’d stop by. Or… did I interrupt something?”His eyes flicked to Albert, who was standing to the side, completely still.Jason pulled out a small box and held it out toward me. “As a good lover, I brought you something. I thought maybe—”Before he could finish, my father’s voice cut through the air like a knife.“Jason, that’s enough,” he said firmly, rising from his seat. “You’re not welcome in this house. You were never welcome. Leave.”Jason glanced at my father, clearly not expecting to be thrown out so directly. “Mr. Julie, I just came to—”“You came to stir trouble