•Edward's POV•The ray of morning light slipped through the parted curtains, flickering across my eyelids. I stirred, blinking against the soft brightness as I pulled myself upright in bed. A cool breeze flowed into the room through the slightly open window, brushing against my skin. I stretched out my arms, inhaling deeply, the scent of fresh linen and a hint of pine drifting in the air.After freshening up, I threw on a plain black top and gray jogger pants, keeping it casual. Since it was weekend and I won't be going to the office. With quiet steps, I made my way down the hallway and gently pushed open the door to Jace's room. The soft creak of the door was barely audible, as I slowly walked in. There he was. Still curled up beneath the covers, his soft curls spread across his pillow. A peaceful look rested on his small face, his breathing even and slow. I moved closer and pressed a gentle kiss on his cheek.As I turned to leave, his sleepy voice stopped me. "Mommy, am I going to
•Juliet’s POV•The rest of the day passed in a blur of events and decisions. Thank goodness Vera was with me, her presence grounded me, just like in the early days when I was still fumbling through bottle designs and branding pitches for Jace Perfume. She had an eye for detail and a way of seeing beyond the surface. Together, we combed through dozens of design suggestions, narrowing it down to just three that truly represented the expansion of the brand.Once the selection was finalized, we headed into the conference room for a meeting with the team. The focus was the upcoming China project. Opening another flagship store there had always been part of my four-year plan, but now it was real, blueprints, timelines, shipping schedules, and marketing launches were already in motion. It was going to be just as grand as the first store in New York.Pride swelled in my chest as I spoke to the room of staff members who believed in the dream just as much as I did. When the meeting ended, a rou
•Edward's POV•“Wait, did you say James Grigs?” I repeated, the name slicing through my chest like a cold blade.Herald nodded, casually flipping open a file on the table. “Yes. James Grigs. He’s the one who reached out to me directly. Quite bold, if you ask me. He’s taken over most of his father’s dealings since Mr. Bean Grigs became ill. Ruthless, calculated, and overly cunning. Just like his old man.”I stared at him, my mind going blank for a second. James Grigs. That was the man Juliet introduced at the party… as her husband.Everything suddenly felt like it was spinning. I leaned back in my seat, blinking rapidly to keep the room from tipping. “And what exactly did he offer you?” I asked, my voice lower than before, almost distant.Herald hesitated, watching me cautiously now. “He wanted inside knowledge about the Jace perfume designers, and then the person in charge of the fragrance production. I’m sure if he’s able to get their identity, he’d bribe them just the way he tried t
•Edward POV•A knock on the door pulled me out of sleep as I opened my eyes, feeling the coldness of the marble-tiled floor against my skin.I stood up slowly, my hand reaching up to rest on my throbbing head as I pushed myself off the floor, a slight groan escaping my lips. Looking around, my gaze landed on my neatly arranged bed, and then back at the floor. I had slept there.The light filtering through the parted curtains allowed me a clear view of the bright sky, giving away that it was morning.I hadn’t even reached the door when it opened, leaving my hand mid-air. I brushed my fingers through my hair and made my way to the couch, collapsing into it as Josh walked in.“What happened to you, bro?” Josh asked, as if he didn’t already know how unfortunate last night had been.“Nothing. Can you leave my room?” I muttered with a groan. But Josh didn’t budge. Instead, he made himself comfortable on my bed.“I visited the hospital last night after the party,” Josh said.I raised my hand
•Juliet’s POV•"Eric, inform Mr. Allen from the accounts team that I need to see him urgently," I told Eric as I pushed the door to my office open and walked in.Settling my bag down, I sank into the chair and pressed the power button on my system. I pulled out the files on my desk and began skimming through them. One after the other, I flipped through the pages, but the soft creak of the door distracted me. I didn’t bother looking up, figuring it was either Eric or Mr. Allen.But when a flash of red caught my eye, I looked up, and froze.James stood at the entrance, a small smile on his lips, one hand in his pocket and the other holding a bouquet of red flowers."Good morning, Juliet," he said smoothly.I blinked, caught off guard, and gently set the file in my hand down. "Morning, Mr. Grigs," I mumbled.He stretched the bouquet toward me. "This is for you."I hesitated but accepted the flowers, my mind flashing back to yesterday party, the sudden kiss, the public introduction. A shi
•Juliet’s POV•"Are you sure you want to follow me to the office?" I asked Vera as I climbed down the stairs, holding onto Jace’s hand. "You just got back from London yesterday. I think you should take today and tomorrow off.""Come on," she said, flicking her ginger hair off her shoulder with dramatic flair. "What am I supposed to do here all day? You'll be at work, and Jace will be at school. I’ll die of boredom, and we can’t have that."I laughed. "Okay, it would be fun having you around the office anyway."As we reached the last step, Eric walked into the living room dressed in a sharp black suit, eyes glued to his tablet as always. He finally looked up, his expression calm and unreadable."Good morning, Miss Ryder. Miss Vera," he said with a slight nod.Vera waved at him with a shy flick of her fingers, her cheeks immediately flushing pink. That blush had a mind of its own whenever Eric was around. She hadn’t said anything about him, but I wasn’t blind, there was definitely more
•Edward POV• The music in the bar was solemn for once as I walked in and took a seat on the chair close to the marble-tiled counter, resting my hand on it. "Give me a cocktail, something with enough alcohol, and also, I need a bottle of Gordon’s," I muttered, rubbing my hand over my forehead as I stared at Jacob. At first, he didn’t notice it was me, and I was almost grateful for that, until he flicked open the cocktail shaker and poured the drink into a cup already filled with ice. “Woah... is it who I think it is?” he asked, glancing my way before grabbing a straw and dunking it into the cup. “Your order is ready, Jefferson,” he called out to the man sitting next to me as he handed him the drink. Turning back to me, he smiled warmly. “Now back to you, Mr. Miles. It’s been ages since you came here. Things must've be going the way you want them to.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m not in the mood for small talk, Jacob. Can I have my order now?” “You mean the weird combo you just ask
•Juliet POV•After Vera handed Jace the gift she brought for him, she leaned down and ruffled his soft curls, planting a gentle kiss on his cheek before rising with a satisfied smile. Jace, wide-eyed and buzzing with excitement, clutched the box like it held treasure and dashed toward the table where Mrs. Carl stood ready to help him unwrap it."Let me help you, birthday boy," Mrs. Carl said warmly, pulling at the tape while Jace jumped in place.Vera’s eyes followed him, her expression softening. But then her gaze flicked back to me. Though I wore a smile, I could feel the way it didn’t quite reach my eyes, and so could she."Can we talk about what's bothering you now?" she asked gently, her voice quiet and filled with concern.I inhaled deeply, nodding. "Yeah... let’s talk."We walked into the living room together, the clatter of wrapping paper and Jace’s happy squeals fading into the background. The plush couch welcomed us as we both sank into it, and for a second I let myself enjo
•Juliet's POV•The party continued with the cake-cutting and the much-anticipated fashion show. I sat near the stage, trying to keep my focus on the models gliding across the runway, each one elegantly holding a bottle of the newly launched perfume. The colors of their outfits matched the scent themes, bold reds, soft lilacs, deep blues, a beautiful blend of fashion and fragrance. But no matter how mesmerizing the scene was, my thoughts were elsewhere.My chest felt heavy with guilt, clinging to me like glue. I took a deep breath, trying to remind myself that Edward wasn't worth it. He had always chosen Raya. Just like everyone else did four years ago. They all made their choice, and it was never me.On my right sat James, silent and observant, and to my left was Eric. Jace, Lana, and Theo were seated a few feet ahead, giggling and munching on candies. The innocent laughter of my son should have brought me comfort, but it only intensified the ache in my heart.I inhaled slowly, trying