LOGINMicheal’s POV I had checked the flowers three times, the decorations twice, the seating arrangement at least five times and I was pretty sure I had asked the maids whether everything was ready so many times that they were beginning to regret ever taking the job. “Michael.” I turned around to see Ashley standing behind me, staring at me with an amused smile. Her baby bump was already starting to be more obvious. “Everything is perfect” she reassured me. I looked around the room again. “It could still go wrong” I said. Nick laughed from where he was sitting. “You have said that about twenty times today” he pointed out. “Because something could happen” I replied. “Nothing is going to happen,” Ashley assured me. I exhaled slowly. This was supposed to be one of the happiest days of my life, and it was, but I couldn't stop worrying. My first wedding with Fernando had been complicated, painful, and filled with things I never wanted to remember. This time, I wanted everything to
Fernando’s POVThe taste of Michael’s lips flooded mine with such force that I had to tighten my grip on his waist. His breath caught slightly when my hands settled against him, his legs shivering while fixed on me.“Fuck,” I murmured, “You’re ready for me tonight.”His smile widened.“What do you mean?”I leaned closer.“This” I answered and then kissed him again.Michael immediately responded. His hands came up to my shoulders, gripping me as I pulled him closer.The kiss started slowly, almost gently but it didn't stay that way. There was too much history between us, too much we had survived, too many nights when I had wondered if I would ever be allowed to hold him like this again.I deepened the kiss then Michael made a soft sound against my lips, and my hands tightened around his waist.I pulled back only long enough to look at him. His cheeks were slightly flushed, his breathing had changed and god, he was beautiful.“You have no idea what you do to me,” I whispered.Michael sm
Michael’s POVI stared at the pile of wedding magazines on Fernando's desk and wondered if I was already regretting this decision.There were at least twelve of them and somehow, after spending the better part of the afternoon flipping through them, I still hadn't found a single thing I actually wanted.I pushed one of the magazines aside and rubbed my forehead."This is impossible."Fernando glanced up from the documents on his desk."What is?" He asked."Everything” I answered.He smiled faintly."That's a little dramatic."I gave him a look."You're not the one planning a wedding” I shot at him.He chuckled while I leaned back in the chair and stared at the ceiling.It had been months since Fernando had proposed to me and somehow, we had managed to push the actual wedding planning further and further away.At first, there had been good reasons.Henry had needed time to settle back into school, Fernando had returned to managing his businesses and I had finally started building my ow
Theo’s POVI glanced at my watch for what had to be the fifth time in ten minutes.Andriel was late.Not terribly late, but late enough for me to start wondering if something had happened.I sat back in my chair and looked around the restaurant.It was one of those quiet, expensive places in Manhattan where the lighting was warm, the tables were spaced far enough apart to give everyone privacy, and the soft music playing in the background made conversations feel more intimate than they probably were.Normally, I would have been irritated because I hated waiting. But with Andriel, somehow, I had learned to be patient.Or at least I was trying.Over the past couple of months, everything between us had changed.What started as a few casual dinners had slowly turned into something neither of us could pretend was casual anymore.We had gone on a lot of dates, late-night walks, movie nights, long conversations that somehow lasted until the restaurant staff started giving us subtle hints tha
Fernando’s POVWalking into one of my largest companies again felt strangely satisfying.I stood inside the main lobby, looking around at the familiar marble floors, towering glass walls, and employees moving around with the kind of nervous excitement that only appeared when the man at the top suddenly returned after disappearing for years.It was my company after all, my name was still on the building, my office was still waiting for me and after everything that had happened, I finally had control over it again.I adjusted my suit jacket and walked toward the elevators. Mortis followed closely behind me."I still can't believe how quickly everything was restored," he said."Neither can I” I admitted when I stepped into the elevator. "But I suppose people move quickly when they are afraid of losing their lives.”Mortis chuckled."That's one way to look at it” he said then the elevator doors closed.I should have been happy, and I was, don’t get me wrong, but there was one thing that k
Michael’s POVThe moment I stepped into the restaurant, I knew I had made the right decision.The place was bright and elegant without feeling pretentious, with large windows allowing the late-morning sunlight to spill across the polished wooden floors. The soft clatter of plates and silverware mixed with the low murmur of conversations, creating the kind of atmosphere that made it easy to forget the chaos that had followed me for what felt like half my life.For once, I wasn't looking over my shoulder, I was simply meeting my friend for brunch and that felt strangely wonderful.I spotted Ashley. She was sitting near the window, already waving excitedly the moment she saw me."Michael!"I couldn't help smiling."Ashley!"She stood so quickly that the chair scraped against the floor. We both laughed as I walked toward her, and the moment I reached the table, she pulled me into a tight hug."Oh my God," she whispered. "You're actually here."I laughed against her shoulder."I'm here."
Fernando’s POV I leaned back in my leather chair, the room cloaked in light from the chandelier above, the smell of cigar smoke faint in the air. My jacket hung loosely on the armrest, my shirt collar undone. Marlo stood by the fireplace, his hands clasped behind his back, his frame stiff. His
Michael’s POV The first thing I noticed when I stepped into Fernando’s study wasn’t the smell of smoke, or the dim golden hue of the desk lamp, or even the polished oak shelves that carried a hundred books I knew he never read. It was the way he looked at me. Calm, composed and regal, almost, bu
Marlo’s POV I never thought betrayal could smell so thick that even the air refused to carry it away. But standing there, just a few feet from Fernando’s black car, I saw it happen with my own eyes. His lips pressed against Dominique’s lips, desperate, hungry, a kiss that lasted long enough for
Fernando’s POVThe sound of the front doors closing behind Ashley echoed through the hall like a gunshot then silence followed.I stood in front of the window, the weight of the glass in my hand cooling my palm, the whiskey swirling amber in the light. I took a slow sip, watching the liquid burn i







