(Winona)Cass’s face fills my phone screen, her hair messy and there are definite dark circles under her eyes.“God, you look wrecked,” I tease gently as I check out the kitchen of the home I’m about to close on. Anne has the kids for the afternoon, so I’m going to show-off this place to Cass. Cass groans. “Tell me about it. I just got done with prep for the estate’s first formal dinner since Jayden left. I’m in charge of a canape, Winona. A canape!” I raise an eyebrow. “That’s a really big deal. You should be proud of yourself.” “Oh I am. I’m so excited. These chefs are relentless but I’m learning so much. I love it here, even if Viktor’s constant hovering is killing my vibe a little.” “Hovering?” I ask, confused. “He’s not here physically—he’s too busy running Nexus Global—but the calls, the emails, the random texts asking if I’ve checked the locks or need anything… it’s constant. Can you tell Jayden to call him off please?” I lean forward, frowning. “Cass, I don’t think Jayde
(Cass)“Winona!” I scream into the phone again, but there’s only silence. The screen is dark, it’s silent. She isn’t answering. “Goddammit, Winona!” I shout, “answer me! Be okay. Answer me…”I don’t want to end the call, she could be… But I have to. I need to call Jayden.My breath is ragged gasps as I stumble to the kitchen counter, gripping the edge for support. My shaking fingers scroll to Jayden’s number. “Pick up, pick up!” My voice cracks as I pace in a tight circle, clutching the phone to my ear. It rings, and then—voicemail. “Are you fucking kidding me?” I scream, slamming the phone onto the counter so hard it bounces off and hits the floor. Fuck! It’s totaled now.My chest tightens, panic squeezing my throat. How can I call him, how can I contact Jayden? I grab my jacket and bolt out the door, running as fast as my legs will carry me to the estate. Viktor. He has a another number, one that always gets answered.My lungs are bursting as I run full tilt for the estate, but
(Jayden)I burst through the front door, taking the stairs two at a time to the second floor. I pray I’m in time. I stop at the bottom of the attic stairs.Then I see her.Winona lies crumpled halfway down the attic stairs, her body twisted awkwardly. Her head jammed up against the wall, her hand rests on a spindle. Blood pools beneath her head on the stair, dark and horrifying, and for a second, I’m frozen.My mind blanks out, every thought swept away by raw panic.But then I snap back. She needs me. She needs me to be fully present, not panicking.I force myself forward, the first aid kit from the car clutched in my shaking hands. Every instinct screams at me to scoop her up, to hold her, but I stop myself. If she’s hurt her neck or spine… I could make it worse. My knees hit the stair below her, and I reach for her wrist with trembling fingers.A faint pulse. Relief crashes over me so hard I almost collapse, but it’s short-lived. She’s alive, but for how long?I tear open the first
(Jayden)Winona lies motionless in the Brennan Wing’s family suite medical bedroom, surrounded by machines that hum and beep softly in the background. This room was designed to keep families together during the most terrifying moments of their lives.This wing is my initiative, but I never thought I’d need it personally so much. I’m bending the guidelines a little having Winona here now but I know her best chance is having the ones she loves the most around her.Right now, I’d give anything for a sign—any sign—that she’ll wake up. I don’t have that yet but what I am going to do is create a positive environment around Winona. I called Barnaby and he reminded me of many coping mechanisms I’d learned from his sessions.I’m going to only speak of the future and what’s happening now. I’m not mentioning the past. Winona deserves to hear and believe the wonderful future ahead of us. No matter what has happened or what may happen.Dr. Harris and Dr. Reeves stand at the foot of the bed, revie
(Cass) I pace the estate office, Viktor’s phone pressed tightly to my ear. Viktor leans against the desk, his arms crossed, the picture of calm professionalism. Good. I want to ignore the way he held me earlier, like I actually mattered to him.He’s trained to say the right things to defuse situations. That’s all it was.Jayden picks up, his voice tense but steady. “Cass. She’s okay. I mean, she’s in an induced coma for a few days but she’s okay.” “Thank God!” I say, my voice cracking. I can’t stop the tremble in my hands. “Are you with her still?” “Yes,” he says, and I let out a shaky breath. “The head wound is under control, the coma is to wait for the swelling and her blood pressure to go down. But she is going to get through this.”“What about the baby?” “No,” he cuts me off sharply. “Just positive talk. She’s strong. They both are.” His voice softens, and I realize how much he’s struggling to hold it together. It’s so unlike him to sound vulnerable. “I’m coming home…”“Wai
(Jayden)The door opens, and Lisa steps in, carrying a fresh change of clothes and some toiletries I had her swing by the penthouse and grab.“Jayden,” she says quietly, setting the bag down near the chair. “You look like shit.”I don’t even glance at her. “Thanks for the compliment.”She pulls up a chair beside me. “I mean it. You’re running on fumes. Go shower, get something to eat, and grab a couple of hours of sleep. I’ll stay with Winona. You need to be human when the kids get here tomorrow morning.”“I’m fine,” I lie, tightening my grip on Winona’s hand. “I don’t want to leave her.” I mean I can actually smell myself at this point.“Jayden.” Lisa’s voice takes on that tone she uses when she’s not going to back down. “I’m serious. You’re no good to anyone in this state. Winona will kick your ass if she sees you like this—smelling like death warmed over and looking worse.”She’s so right. I really need to get my shit together and show Winona I can lead our family when needed. Not
(Jayden)I stand at the door the next morning as Anne steps in with the kids, managing the chaos with her usual calm authority. Abby clings to her arm, eyes darting nervously around the suite. “You remember this place, don’t you, sweetheart?” Anne asks gently. Abby nods but doesn’t let go. “It’s where the doctors made my heart better,” she whispers, glancing at me for reassurance. “It is,” I say, crouching to her level. “But this time, we’re here for Mom. She’s going to need all of us to help her get better. You up for the job?” Abby hesitates, then nods firmly. “Yes!” Then she opens her eyes wide. “Am I supposed to be really quiet?”“No darling. You can just be yourself. But we’ll try for no arguing and shouting with your brothers and sister, okay?”“Okay. Can I go see Mom now?”“Mom is having special medicine to keep her asleep for now, but I think she can still hear us. Go tell her about your day and we’ll join you soon. Keep her company for me. You know how she loves all your
(Jayden)“Gabriel.” I say as Henry tries to grab my cell out of my hand.I manage to dodge his lightning-fast hand, holding the phone just out of his reach. He laughs, thinking it’s a game.His little giggles make me grin.“Jayden. I wanted to let you know I’m flying in to finalize the shares. Everything looks good on my end. I land at six.”“Great. Let me know your hotel room; I’ll come see you there.”“Sorry to hear about Lance and Judy. I’ve read over everything you sent. Are you sure?”“Yes,” I reply coolly. “You’ll be in charge now unless you make other arrangements with your family. I'm out.”There’s a pause on the other end, but I don’t care to fill it. Gabriel’s voice is measured when he continues, “How’s Winona? I heard she had a fall.”“She’s in recovery. We’ll know more tomorrow.”“I heard Cass was in Europe. Is she coming back to see her?”“She is. And I don’t want any trouble for her, Gabriel. She’s been through enough. I’m still pissed that Mia provided her with drugs an
(Lisa)Staring at my bedroom ceiling won’t change anything. But I don’t know what else to do.Arms crossed over my stomach, pressing down like I can stop this from happening. Like I can physically hold it all in—this pregnancy, this entire fucking disaster.This isn’t happening. It can’t happen.But it is.The numbers keep running through my head. Twelve weeks. Three months. That’s a whole damn trimester. This is real, and there’s no taking it back.How the hell can this be happening?I squeeze my eyes shut, jaw clenched. I know exactly how. The last night with Lance. The one where he let himself feel what we had. The one where I thought—stupidly, so fucking stupidly—that we might actually get it right.That night we weren’t as careful as we could’ve been. But I have contraception, I thought it would be fine.Now he’s gone, and I’m stuck holding the last piece of him.The phone buzzes on my nightstand. Winona.I hesitate, then grab it.“How’d your day go? You okay?”“Fine. Just tired.
(Lisa)I stare at my phone, half-considering throwing it out the window.Logan Bennett.The text sits there, taunting me. Of course he’d have my number on record. But I still wasn’t expecting him to flick me a text anytime soon.Can I stop by? We need to talk.I want to say no. But it has to be dealt with. I know I have to make a decision.I’m free tomorrow.No reply after a few minutes. Whatever. I’m easy either way, buddy.I sigh, slumping back on my couch. Thanks for reminding me just before bedtime that my entire life is a tangled mess of secrets, unanswered questions, and morning sickness.I think about the USB. Still untouched in the back of my cupboard. Still part of shit I don’t want to deal with. I don’t need to deal with whatever is on there. It won’t change one thing I’m dealing with now.It can stay in the cupboard.A sharp knock at the door pulls me out of my spiral. I drag myself up and swing it open.And there he is.Same damn face. Same damn eyes.But different.“Oh… y
(Winona)“You built an entire house in a day?” I call as I approach this fully-fledged construction site.Jayden turns showing his sexy grin. “Not a house. A self-contained unit. Well, two put together, actually.”I stare at him, then at the building. “Jayden, this isn’t a unit. This is definitely a house.”He shrugs. “Semantics. Just the services need connecting by the contractors and it’s livable. We got lucky hooking in the plumbing and running the power in.”I plant my hands on my hips. “Fast-tracking like this must have cost a fortune.”“It’s an investment,” he says easily. “It adds value to the property, it gives Kit and River privacy, and it makes sure we don’t lose good nannies because they don’t have their own space.”I exhale, running a hand through my hair. “You didn’t have to go this hard, Jayden.”He steps closer, cupping my cheek. “You know me, babe, I always go hard.” He gives me a cheeky wink.“Lord, can you not, right now.” I laugh.“Anyway, it’s done. For my family.
(Winona)Today isn’t just any meeting—it’s the meeting. The one where the board either gets behind my vision for the app’s future or decides I’m just a placeholder CEO with a famous name.I step out of the bedroom, grabbing my portfolio from the dresser. Jayden is in the kitchen like he doesn’t have a million things to do before he leaves for Brussels.He looks up as I walk in, his gaze sweeping over me in that slow, assessing way.“Wow! Stunning. You look like you could fire everyone before they’ve even said hello,” he says, smirking.I huff, placing my portfolio into my leather briefcase. “I’m considering it.”“Nervous?”I scoff. “No.”He raises an eyebrow. “Winona.”“Fine, I’m nervous. Only a lot,” I quip.Jayden folds his arms. “They’d be idiots not to get behind you. You’ve already proven it’s your priority.”“That doesn’t mean they’re going to just hand me the budget I need,” I counter. “The marketing strategy is aggressive. The rebrand isn’t cheap. The amount of money I’m askin
(Jayden)The sun’s barely up, but the construction crew is already on-site, working like a well-oiled machine.The new unit will go up fast—modular design, pre-fabricated, delivered on a truck, and put together in a day. Efficiency at its finest.I must admit the sheer thrill of bringing a massive project to completion like this is something I’ve missed since I left Nexus Global in Viktor’s hands. Bobby is already there, sleeves rolled up, soaking up everything he can from the tradesmen.That kid is going places. He’s never afraid to do the work.I sip my coffee, watching as the walls come together like a giant LEGO set. Inside, Kit and River are sitting with Anne, going over the final details of their contract.They arrived at 6am—Kit in a hoodie with some obscure gaming logo, River in ripped jeans and a paint-stained sweater. It should look unprofessional, but somehow, it just works for them.Winona steps out onto the porch, Henry on her hip, rubbing her eyes like she’s still half-a
(Winona)“To be fair,” River says, “we didn’t know why we were coming. Gus just said to meet some cool people.”“And hang out with some kids,” Kit adds. “Mission accomplished.”I stiffen and I’m not sure whether to yell at Gus or just accept defeat.“They’re great!” Bobby exclaimed, looking up from the Switch. “Kit knows all the cool games. He’s way better than you, Dad.”“Thanks, son,” Jayden mutters dryly.“And River’s an artist!” Abbey adds, holding up the sketch—a surprisingly detailed picture of Abbey wearing a glittery crown.“It’s beautiful!” I say, surprised.“Thanks,” River answers. “Your kids are pretty inspiring.”“They’ve been telling us all about their adventures in Europe,” Kit looks genuinely amazed. “They’ve seen more of the world than we have. We love to travel. But funds are an issue. We find private gigs more profitable than formal teaching jobs. And less… regimented.”“With all due respect, you might not be ready for the chaos these four cause.”River nods. “I come
(Jayden)I’m trying not to feel like we’re auditioning for the next season of Who Wants to Join the Brennan Circus. And I’ve already taken two calls from our afternoon shortlist saying they’ve taken other positions.That leaves two for this afternoon’s session.The first is Eric, a fresh-faced twenty-something with dreadlocks, wearing a tie-dye hoodie and Birkenstocks. He walks in like he’s about to lead a yoga retreat, and I immediately have doubts.“Thanks for coming in, Eric,” I say, extending a hand.Eric gives me a two-handed shake and beams. “Namaste, Mr. Brennan. Your aura is very welcoming.”Winona shoots me a look, her eyebrow practically climbing into her hairline.“I’ve worked as a live-in nanny for two families,” Eric says, his voice calm and measured. “I focus on mindfulness practices for children—teaching them to ground themselves, manage their emotions, and find inner peace.”Anne furrows her brow. “And how do you handle structure? Rules? Boundaries?”Eric tilts his hea
(Winona)The dining table feels more like a boardroom today. Jayden’s laptop is open, his notes meticulously organized. Anne sits beside him, her ever-calm presence keeping us in check.I’m across from them, sipping coffee like it’s a lifeline. I’m nervous and nowhere near as organized as Jayden looks.“Anyone think you’re vetting the CEO of Nexus Global,” I say, glancing at Jayden’s neatly printed spreadsheets. “Just as important,” he counters, tapping his pen against the table. “This person is going to live here, help raise our kids, and be part of our lives. I’m not leaving this to chance.” “Fair,” I admit, “but this can’t be about just what’s on paper. It has to feel like the right match.” Anne brings some crackers over. “We’ll find someone and I’m quite happy to keep doing it until we do. Don’t feel pressured to choose today.”“Anne, you need a life. You’ll always be a part of this family, the kid’s Nanny Anne. But I want you to be able to have a grandmother role, not a primar
(Lisa)The sound of kids laughing and fighting all at once is a special kind of chaos. Not loud enough to make me need earplugs but constant enough to make me question why anyone willingly signs up for this parenting gig. I’m sitting at the farmhouse kitchen table, nursing a mug of herbal tea—because Winona says it’s for relaxation, apparently—while Winona navigates the madness with calm efficiency. Tastes like I’m drinking fresh-cut grass. Eww.“Sarah, put the scissors down before someone loses an eyebrow!” Winona shouts from the stove, where she’s flipping breakfast pancakes with one hand and holding Henry on her hip with the other. Jayden strolls in, looking half-asleep but still managing to make kissing her cheek seem like the most romantic move in the world. He grabs Henry and tosses him in the air, making the toddler squeal with laughter. “Morning,” Jayden says to me, his voice a deep rumble that doesn’t match the little boy giggling in his arms. “You sleep okay?” “Like the