Mag-log in[Sarah’s POV]I was nearly past the laundry house when a sharp, jagged sound broke the evening stillness. It wasn't the rhythmic thrum of the industrial washers; it was the unmistakable sound of a human voice raised in a pitch of desperation.I paused, my boots crunching on the gravel. The voice was high-pitched, brittle, and vibrating with an authority that was rapidly unraveling. It was Vivian.I pushed open the heavy wooden door of the laundry house, and the humid, steam-filled air hit me like a physical blow. The scene inside was one of chaotic tension. Two of my long-term cleaners, Maria and Elena, were backed against a folding table piled high with white linens. Their faces were pale, their eyes wide with fear.Standing in the center of the room, looking like a shattered porcelain doll, was Vivian. Her hair, usually pinned in a perfect, immovable chignon, was fraying at the edges. Her silk blouse was wrinkled, and her face was flushed a deep, unhealthy crimson."Give it back!" V
[Sarah’s POV] The weight of the medicine pack in my coat pocket seemed to grow heavier with every step I took, as I navigated the familiar route to Dr Aris's office. It was a cold, clinical weight that felt increasingly like a death warrant.Dr. Aris has always been a woman of sharp intellect and even sharper intuition. When I was ushered into her office, she didn't bother with the usual pleasantries. She saw the paleness of my skin and the way my hand hovered over my pocket."Sarah," she said, leaning back in her leather chair. "You look like you've seen a ghost. Or like you're about to become one. What's going on?"I didn't speak. I simply reached into my pocket and pulled out the blister pack I had stolen from Vivian’s bag. I slid it across the mahogany desk, watching as the doctor’s eyes adjusted to the technical labels.The silence that followed was suffocating. Dr. Aris picked up the pack, her brow furrowing as she examined the markings. She looked up at me, her expression shif
[Sarah’s POV]The headache started as a dull throb behind my eyes, a relentless reminder that the sun had risen long before my mind had found peace. I had spent the better part of the night tossing and turning, the silk sheets of my bed feeling like sandpaper against my skin. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Tyler’s silhouette in his study and the invisible presence of Skye. By the time the first cock crowed at daybreak, signaling the start of another day at the Hale Estate, I had finally succumbed to a shallow, restless sleep. When I eventually dragged myself out of bed, the house felt unusually quiet. I descended the stairs, my feet heavy, and headed straight for the kitchen. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and frying bacon usually acted as a balm for my soul, but today, it made my stomach churn. Rosa was at the stove, while Mae was busy polishing the silver at the breakfast nook. The moment I stepped into the room, the air seemed to shift. They didn't even have to look up t
[Sarah’s POV] Across from me, like a vulture in silk, sat Vivian. She was the only one who didn't seem bothered by the heavy silence that had settled over the meal we were all having. The staff spoke in hushed tones, their eyes flickering toward the empty seat where Skye usually sat. I could feel the weight of their curiosity. They knew that Skye had left earlier that evening in my ex husband's car and she's yet to be home. Suddenly, the sharp, melodic trill of a phone shattered the quiet. Vivian reached into her clutch and pulled out her device, a predatory smile touching her lips as she saw the caller ID. "Oh, it's Tyler," she announced, her voice ringing out with unnecessary clarity. I felt my heart skip a beat, but I kept my gaze fixed on my plate, methodically cutting a piece of roasted chicken as if it were the most important task in the world. Instead of putting the phone to her ear, Vivian tapped the screen and placed it face-up on the mahogany table. "Tyler, dear! Y
[Tyler’s POV] I had secured a corner table, positioned perfectly so the city lights acted as a backdrop to the setting. I reached across the linen tablecloth, my fingers brushing against the back of Skye’s hand as I poured her another glass of a vintage that cost more than most people made in a month. I moved with a slow, deliberate grace, playing the part of the smitten gentleman with a precision that would have made my father proud."You look breathtaking tonight, Skye," I said, my voice dropping into that low, resonant tone I knew women found impossible to ignore. "The emerald suits you. It brings out the... fire in your eyes."Skye glowed as my compliment hit her soft spot. She leaned forward, the neckline of her dress dipping dangerously low, her gaze fixed on mine with a hunger that was entirely devoid of subtlety. "I was worried I’d be too much for a first date," she purred, her fingers trailing up the stem of her wine glass. "But you seem like a man who can handle 'too much.
[Sarah’s POV]"Ms. Hale? Mr. Rider is outside. He’s... well, he’s waiting by his car."I hadn’t been expecting him. We hadn't spoken since the tense meeting in the city, and he hadn't sent so much as a text warning me of his arrival. I stood up, smoothing the wrinkles from my silk trousers, and headed toward the front doors. My mind was already racing through a list of potential emergencies. Was it Caleb? Had Vivian made another move?When I stepped onto the porch, the afternoon sun was slanting across the lawn, gilding everything in a deceptive, peaceful gold. Tyler was leaning against the driver’s side door, looking effortlessly sharp in a charcoal suit. When he saw me, he offered a casual wave and a smile that didn't quite reach the predatory intensity of his eyes.I started down the steps, my pace quick and purposeful. "Tyler? I didn't know you were coming. Is everything alright with—""He’s here for me, Sarah."The voice came from behind me, dripping with a new found, honeyed con
[Sarah’s POV]I woke up before him, my body feeling heavy and well-used in a way that made me want to purr. But the reality of the world outside, hit me the moment I opened my eyes.I slid out of bed, my feet hitting the cool hardwood floor. My clothes from the night before were draped over a chair
[Sarah’s POV] I knelt on the damp grass of the private cemetery, the cold seeping through the fabric of my suit pants, but I didn't care. I needed this. I needed to be somewhere where the titles of CEO and Vineyard Queen didn't matter."We did it, Mom," I whispered, my fingers tracing the carved l
[Sarah’s POV]The restaurant was a quiet, high-end far removed from the alleyway where I’d found Mandy. I watched her now, sitting across from me, her fingers trembling as she shoved pasta into her mouth. She ate with a desperate hunger that made my chest tighten."Slow down, Mandy," I said softly,
[Tyler’s POV]"Where is she? I demand to speak to the lead lead doctor immediately!"I slammed my palm against the white laminate of the nurse’s station. The sound echoed through the sterile, fluorescent-lit hallway of the VIP maternity wing, but it didn't get the reaction I wanted. The head nurse,







