•Juliet POV•"Juliet, why are you behaving this cruelly to me!" my mother shouted as the security escorted her out. "Is this your way of getting back at me?"I gulped down the unease crawling up my throat but didn’t offer a word. I stood at the entrance of my office, watching my mother being led away. The scene gave me déjà vu, a painful reminder of my high school days. I was sixteen then, and Raya was thirteen. She had always been the favored one. Even at school, I was constantly overshadowed by her.I remembered one particular day when I came home excited about a school creativity event. I needed support and had hoped for her encouragement, but she didn’t even acknowledge me. Moments later, Raya walked in talking about a party she wanted to host. My mother didn’t even let her finish before eagerly offering to help. Raya had always been her favorite.It wasn’t about comparison, I had never craved it, but her rejection of me as her own, only to show up now asking for money, threatened
•Edward's POV•I stared at my reflection in the mirror, adjusting the tie that fit perfectly with my brown suit. This was my moment, the day I would appear before everyone attending Juliet’s party, and before my son, to claim what’s rightfully mine.The look on Juliet’s face would be my golden ticket. And that little boy, his hand wrapped around mine as he called me father, that alone would light up my mood. With one final look in the mirror and a quick glance at the watch around my wrist, I stepped out of the room.The Jace Perfume March party, according to the theme, was set for the evening at the Jace Perfume Company, an evening of second chance. As I stepped into the living room, Josh walked in, dressed in a brown suit similar to mine. His tie wasn’t the same color, but that wasn’t my concern. My eyes drifted to his hand and locked onto the white envelope he was holding.“Did you get the DNA result?” I asked, just to be sure.He nodded with a bright smile. “Yes, bro. The ticket to
"Urgh... Edward... Arghh, please... fuck me harder... I'm all yours."Raya’s voice echoed through the walls, her moans blending with the rhythmic squeaking of the bed. My breath caught in my throat, my body locking in place as I stood at the doorway, unable to look away.The moment my mother called after three years of silence, pretending to care, I should have sensed there was an ulterior motive. When she mentioned my step-sister had an accident and urged me to check on her, I should have known it was a lie.But nothing could have prepared me for this.My body went numb, all the blood rushing to my feet, leaving me hollow. I stood just a few feet away from the room, with the door wide open enough for me to see my husband, the man I had given five years of my life loving and supporting holding onto my step-sister waist as he slammed into her harder.“Yes, fuck me,” Raya moaned louder, her voice slicing through my skull like a jagged arrow. A silent sob built in my chest, but when I op
"Raya," he scoffed, his gaze dropping to the divorce papers that had fallen at his feet. "So this is all about her?"He ran a frustrated hand through his raven-black hair before stepping closer to me, his presence suffocating. "I've told you several times, I had nothing to do with Raya. I haven't seen her since we got married."The world around me seemed to spin, my breath hitching in my throat. His words cut through me like a blade, not because they were unexpected, but because of how easily he lied. My legs felt weak, and for a brief moment, I thought I might collapse under the weight of it all.He had no idea.He didn’t know that I had seen him with Raya. He didn’t know that my mother had orchestrated the entire situation so flawlessly that he never suspected he would be caught.I clenched my fists, pressing them tightly against my chest in an attempt to hold myself together. "Then who is this?" I asked, my voice strained but firm.I lifted my phone, the screen glowing in the dim r
The next morning, I woke up early and packed my things, Edward hadn’t come home after last night’s events, I was sure he had gone straight to Raya. But I didn’t care anymore. She was the one he had loved from the beginning, and I had only ever been an obstacle in their way.As I dragged my suitcases down the stairs, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I stopped to check it, and my heart clenched when I saw the message from Raya.{I hope you liked what you saw yesterday. Edward is mine. He has always been mine. If you know what’s best for you, leave him.}I scoffed. The audacity of her telling me to leave Edward, as if she had the power to dictate my choices. If only she knew… I didn’t give her message a second thought before shoving my phone back into my pocket.My only hope was that Edward would show up at the courthouse. And I knew he would. He understood the consequences, if he didn’t, I would release the video of him and Raya. That would be enough to shatter both their reputations.Just
“I knew Raya was a witch, but Edward?” Vera groaned, shaking her head as we settled onto her couch. “I’m totally disappointed.”I sighed deeply, running my fingers through my tangled hair. The exhaustion in my body felt like it had seeped into my bones. I rested my head against the armrest, staring blankly at the ceiling. “I gave them the satisfaction of hurting me before, but not anymore,” I said, trying to sound strong. But my body betrayed me—I felt hollow, drained.Vera’s expression softened with sympathy. “I’m glad you divorced him.”I let out a bitter chuckle. “Me too. But why does it still feel like I lost?”Vera shifted closer and took my hand in hers. “Because you invested everything into that marriage, Juliet. You loved him. You trusted him. And they broke you in the worst way possible.” Her voice was gentle, yet firm. “But you’re not lost. You’re free.”I nodded slowly, but the tight knot in my stomach wouldn’t ease. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Edward’s cold expressi
~Three Years Later~"Mommy, do we have to leave now?" The little boy beside me whined, his bottom lip protruding in a pout, his blue eyes shimmering with unshed tears. He turned to look back at our apartment one last time, his gaze heavy with the weight of his sadness.I crouched to his level, brushing a soft curl from his forehead. “Jace, sweetheart,” I murmured, cupping his small face in my hands. “We’re not leaving forever. We’re just going on a trip, okay? Mommy has something important to do in New York.”His tiny fingers clutched the hem of my coat. “But I don’t want to go. I like it here.”I sighed, my heart squeezing. “I know, baby. But I promise, we’ll come back soon.”He sniffled, but nodded reluctantly. I pressed a kiss to his forehead before standing and taking his hand. “Come on, our flight won’t wait for us.”As we climbed into the sleek black car waiting outside, my phone rang. The name flashing on the screen made me smile. “Hey, Vera.”“Hey, boss lady,” she teased, the
The sea of guests parted like the Red Sea, making way for two women who strode toward us with a regal air. My pulse quickened, my breath catching the moment I saw her.My mother.Her familiar high cheekbones and sharp eyes scanned the scene before landing on me. A flicker of shock flashed across her face before it quickly morphed into something colder."Juliet?" Her voice held the slightest edge of disbelief, as if she hadn't expected to ever lay eyes on me again.Raya wasted no time. She stepped forward, flipping her hair dramatically. "Can you believe this?" she said, gesturing toward me with a scoff. "After years of silence, she just waltzes in here, pretending to be someone she’s not. I guess some habits never die."My mother’s expression twisted into something unreadable. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice clipped. "Were you even invited?"A fresh wave of whispers surged through the crowd. My nails dug into my palm."Do I need an invitation to attend my party?" I cou
•Edward's POV•I stared at my reflection in the mirror, adjusting the tie that fit perfectly with my brown suit. This was my moment, the day I would appear before everyone attending Juliet’s party, and before my son, to claim what’s rightfully mine.The look on Juliet’s face would be my golden ticket. And that little boy, his hand wrapped around mine as he called me father, that alone would light up my mood. With one final look in the mirror and a quick glance at the watch around my wrist, I stepped out of the room.The Jace Perfume March party, according to the theme, was set for the evening at the Jace Perfume Company, an evening of second chance. As I stepped into the living room, Josh walked in, dressed in a brown suit similar to mine. His tie wasn’t the same color, but that wasn’t my concern. My eyes drifted to his hand and locked onto the white envelope he was holding.“Did you get the DNA result?” I asked, just to be sure.He nodded with a bright smile. “Yes, bro. The ticket to
•Juliet POV•"Juliet, why are you behaving this cruelly to me!" my mother shouted as the security escorted her out. "Is this your way of getting back at me?"I gulped down the unease crawling up my throat but didn’t offer a word. I stood at the entrance of my office, watching my mother being led away. The scene gave me déjà vu, a painful reminder of my high school days. I was sixteen then, and Raya was thirteen. She had always been the favored one. Even at school, I was constantly overshadowed by her.I remembered one particular day when I came home excited about a school creativity event. I needed support and had hoped for her encouragement, but she didn’t even acknowledge me. Moments later, Raya walked in talking about a party she wanted to host. My mother didn’t even let her finish before eagerly offering to help. Raya had always been her favorite.It wasn’t about comparison, I had never craved it, but her rejection of me as her own, only to show up now asking for money, threatened
•Juliet’s POV•"I love you, Mommy," Jace said as he happily skipped forward to meet Mrs. Bianca, who stood by the entrance of his school with her arms spread wide to welcome him.I stood by the car, resting my back against it. "I love you so much, baby," I shouted after him, watching my son with my heart blooming with happiness.Eric followed closely behind him, making sure Jace reached Mrs. Bianca safely before returning to the car. He opened the door for me, and I got in. He then got into the driver's seat and started the engine."Eric, what's the schedule for today?" I asked, glancing at my phone screen as I read the messages James had sent me."The schedule for today isn't much," Eric replied, his hand on the steering wheel. "Because of the upcoming March party, we're just going to check on the venue, the theme, and the design. After that, there's the meeting with Mr. Carson."I nodded softly. "Okay." I quickly typed a reply to James, who seemed to be trying hard to show concern.
•Edward POV•"Look at me, saving your ass again, deadbeat big brother," Josh drawled playfully as he slid into the driver’s seat and turned on the ignition."Does it really matter?" I said softly, resting my body against the seat. My mind drifted to when Juliet left me, stirring up the same haunting feelings I had years ago when she filed for divorce.Josh paused, his gaze flicking in my direction as he read my expression. After explaining everything to the police, which didn’t go well, and the angry man whose car I’d bashed demanding money for repairs, the police had let me off with a warning. But they made it clear, if I was ever caught driving drunk again, not even my money would save me. It would be written in ink.The last thing I wanted right then was to go home. I just wanted to crash on my bed and drown in the day’s mess. I closed my eyes and let out a sharp breath."Of course it matters. I was in the middle of my favorite TV series when you called me to come pick you up," Jos
•Juliet POV•After putting Jace to bed, I walked down the stairs, brushing my hand through my hair as I reflected on the day's events. The thoughts triggered a throbbing pain that wrapped tightly around my skull, each step dragging with the weight of it. I stepped into the living room and found Eric seated on the couch, his attention glued to his tablet. At the sound of my footsteps, he glanced up and immediately set the device aside."Eric," I began, lowering myself onto the couch, my voice laced with unease. I rested one hand on the armrest, turning slightly to face him. "Did you confirm the identity of Mr. Dante before setting up that date?"His brows furrowed in confusion, though his tone remained steady. "Of course, Miss Ryder. Why? Did something happen? How did the meeting go? Did he not meet your expectations?"I lifted my hand from the cushion and dragged it across my face in frustration. "It was a disaster, Eric." My voice cracked slightly. "Mr. Dante isn’t some stranger...
•Juliet POV•"Is that a yes?" James asked, his tone more serious than I'd heard all evening. The gravel crunched beneath our feet as we walked side by side toward his car, parked at the edge of the woods. Moonlight filtered through the trees, casting flickers of silver over his face.I bit my lower lip, still reeling from the kiss we had shared, from the way his hands had made me feel, from the intensity that lingered between us. My thoughts spiraled, caught in a loop of confusion. How had I gone from dodging his calls and cold-shouldering him, to surrendering in a kiss that unraveled something inside me?"Yes to what?" I deflected, forcing myself to look ahead.James smirked, his hands tucked casually into the pockets of his pants, but his eyes were watching me even when I didn’t look at him. "I want to know if you've decided to give me a chance. To be part of your life."I gave a light scoff, the kind that masked more than it revealed. "If I gave you the answer you're hoping for, wo
•Juliet POV•I slowly placed my hand in his and stood up, my gaze drifting over his muscular chest and the tattoos that stretched across it.“I... I don’t have anything to change into. I can’t wear this gown into the water,” I stammered, my eyes meeting his.“Then take it off,” he said, his voice low and seductive, softer than I’d ever heard it. It felt like a whisper that clung to the space between us. His gaze dropped to my chest, but as if realizing his mistake, he turned his head toward the shirt lying on the sand. “You can wear my shirt.”“Okay,” I mumbled. As he released my hand, I bent to pick up the shirt. Glancing in his direction to ask for privacy, I saw he was already looking away.“I’m not looking,” he said quickly.I smiled softly at the sight of his back, his broad shoulders framed by moonlight. Even without an embrace, they looked inviting, strong. I could already imagine his arms wrapped around me. Reaching behind me to pull down the zipper of my dress, I realized it
•Juliet POV•I sat in the car, staring out the window, watching the streetlamps blur into streaks as night began to claim the city. My heart felt heavier than before, and Eric still hadn’t arrived. The longer I waited, the more awkward I felt. Sitting next to James in the dimly lit interior of his convertible didn’t help. He kept glancing at me, and his silence spoke volumes, loud, curious volumes.“Will you permit me to take you somewhere else, Juliet?” James’s voice broke the silence. It was soft, almost a whisper, yet carried an intensity that sent a flutter down my spine.I turned toward him sharply, my eyes widening slightly when they met his. The streetlight bounced off his face just enough to highlight the firm line of his jaw and the sincerity hidden behind those deep-set eyes.“Eric will be here soon,” I replied, my voice more unsure than I intended. “Maybe... maybe some other time.”James didn’t retreat. Instead, he leaned a little closer, resting one arm on the steering whe
•Juliet's POV•Why didn’t I know that Edward would go to such extreme lengths to prove his claim? First, he pretended to be someone else, and now he’s secretly undergoing a DNA test to prove Jace is his son.I felt my heart pounding in my chest as I walked out of the lounge hastily, anger and fear seeping into my bones. When I left New York years ago, I thought I’d never get involved in any drama relating to Edward or my family. I thought I was finally free to live my life and take care of my child. I never considered the consequences of coming back, and now everything I’ve spent four years nursing is on the brink of breaking, and Edward just might be the one to destroy it all.Once I was outside the lounge, I reached for my phone to call Eric. If only I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have asked him to leave or even encouraged this date.I bit my lower lip angrily as I brought the phone to my ear. “Eric, can you come pick me up now?” I said, my voice laced with anger. I was s