FAZER LOGINAuthor’s POVKhalid kept quiet.He could still feel Leeyah's eyes on him, and although she had stopped questioning him for the moment, he knew her well enough to understand that her silence did not mean she had stopped thinking about his answer. He looked at her injured hands and felt another wave of guilt settle heavily in his chest.He was particularly worried about her finding out about Darbie.It was not only the forty-seven thousand dollars he had given her. It was everything that had happened between them in that room. He had crossed a line he knew he should never have crossed, and the thought of Leeyah discovering it made his stomach tighten. She had sacrificed her business and so much of her own life for him and their family. She had given up opportunities and adjusted her plans because she believed in the life they were building together. He did not want to be the man who repaid that sacrifice by breaking her heart.Leeyah looked at him again and asked quietly, “Where were yo
Author’s POVDarbie had spent the past several days trying to repair what she had destroyed with her own hands.It was not easy.Every plan she made seemed to collapse before it could even begin, and every person she approached seemed to want something from her before offering anything useful in return. She had once believed she was clever enough to control every situation, but lately, she was beginning to understand that there were people who could see through her much faster than she expected.She had even planned to meet a man who had been openly interested in her for some time. Darbie had thought he would be easy. She had expected him to fall for her without asking too many questions.She was wrong.The moment they met, he had made his own intentions clear. He wanted sex before anything else, and there was nothing about him that suggested he was interested in becoming the useful connection she had imagined. Darbie had left that meeting irritated. She did not need another man who w
Maverick’s POVI slowly stepped back. “I am sorry,” I said again, my voice quieter this time. “I did not mean to make you uncomfortable.”Patricia held my gaze for a moment before she took a step away from me as well. She did not say anything. She simply turned and walked back toward Jimmy.I watched her reach him. Jimmy immediately looked at her, and she said something to him that I could not hear. He nodded, then took her hand. They walked toward the exit together. I remained where I was, watching them until they disappeared completely from the party room. Only then did I turn away.I had spent the entire evening trying to convince myself that finding Patricia was the beginning of getting my life back. Instead, I had discovered that she had already built another life without me. I walked out of the party room and headed straight to my car. I did not stop to speak to anyone. I did not even look around to see whether Pierce or Melody was still there.I just wanted to leave.The drive
Maverick’s POVI had already made up my mind that I would stay an inch away from Patricia. Not literally, but close enough to be there without making her feel like I was forcing myself into her space. After everything that had happened between us, I knew better than to rush toward her just because I had finally found her. I had made that mistake once, and it had cost me more than I could have imagined.I was not going to make it again.Still, I was glad Jimmy had accepted the temporary offer to help our designing team in the architecture section. After hearing him speak about the work, I knew he was good at what he did. I could already see why Patricia trusted him enough to work beside her.But there was something else that kept bothering me.The children. I had been told that Jimmy was already married to Patricia, but what about the kids? The ones I had seen mentioned in that report years ago. Had she been pregnant? Did something happen to the babies? Had she lost them?Or had I misu
Patricia’s POVI quickly turned my phone away from Melody, hiding the screen so she would not see who was calling. The name on the screen was Ethan, and I did not want to explain why one of my children was calling me in the middle of the night while I was sitting in a car with Melody.I let the call ring for another second before ending it.Melody's eyes immediately moved to my face. “Everything okay?”“Yes,” I said, slipping the phone into my handbag. “It is nothing.”She did not look convinced, but I smiled at her. “You should go back to the party. At least enjoy the rest of the night. I will meet you there.”Melody hesitated, her hand still resting on the steering wheel. “Are you sure?”I nodded. “Yes. Go. I will be there shortly.”She studied me for another moment before finally reaching for the door handle. “Do not disappear on me again.”A small smile pulled at my lips. “I will not.”She stepped out of the car and closed the door behind her. I watched her walk toward the buildin
Patricia's POVI nodded solemnly, unable to find the right words to answer Melody’s request. There was something about the way she had looked at me that made refusing her feel impossible, even though every sensible part of me was warning me to keep my distance from everything connected to Maverick.I squeezed her hand once before letting go. “Okay,” I said quietly.Melody gave me a small smile, then turned toward the door.I followed her out of the office, leaving Maverick, Jimmy, and Pierce behind. I did not look back. I knew if I did, my eyes might meet Maverick’s, and I did not trust myself enough to deal with whatever expression I might find there.We walked through the corridor and down the stairs toward the party. The music grew louder with every step, and the chatter of the guests swallowed the silence that had followed us from the office. People moved around us with drinks in their hands, laughing and talking as though the world had not changed for anyone.Melody led me throug







