LOGINDaniel’s POV The manager’s office felt too small for the kind of tension sitting inside it. Everything about the space was polished, controlled, designed to give off a sense of order and luxury, yet none of that mattered now because the air itself felt heavy, thick with the kind of silence that comes before something breaks. I sat in the chair across from the desk, my elbows resting on my knees, my hands clasped tightly together as I stared at nothing in particular, my mind replaying the same moment over and over again. Annabel falling to the ground and how my hand caught her before she could reach. Her face as she lay unconscious on that hospital stretcher. It wouldn’t stop. “Play it again,” James said, his voice sharp as he paced back and forth like a man who couldn’t stand still even if his life depended on it. Cassian stood near the window, his arms folded, his jaw tight, his usual calm replaced with something far more rigid, something that barely held together. The man
Daniel’s POV The drive to the hospital felt endless. Every second stretched, dragged into something unbearable as I held her in the back seat, her body limping against me, her head resting weakly on my arm while my other hand pressed against her stomach like that alone could keep everything together. “Stay with me,” I kept saying, over and over again, my voice rough, breaking in ways I didn’t even try to hide. “Annabel… open your eyes. Baby, look at me.” But she didn’t. Her breathing was shallow. And the fear that gripped my chest tightened with every passing second, squeezing the air out of me until it felt like I was the one suffocating. “Drive faster!” I barked, my voice snapping through the car so sharply it startled even me. “We’re almost there, sir!” Leo responded, his voice tense and urgent. By the time we reached the hospital, I was already moving before the car fully stopped. “Help!” I shouted, my voice echoing through the entrance as I carried her out, not caring
Annabel’s POV “D….. Dan….” I started softly. “What is he doing here?” he muttered, his voice laced with anger that he wasn’t even trying to hide. I turned in his arms, placing my hands against his chest. “I invited him.” His expression darkened. “You what?” “I wanted….” I hesitated briefly, searching his eyes. “I wanted our baby to have a complete family. At least for this moment.” His jaw clenched. “Do you even know what he did?” He paced a bit. “How he broke the trust my mom had in him. We suffered!” A strand of tears dropped from his eyelid. I didn’t bother to stop him, because I believed that was what he needed. “I watched my mother cry herself to sleep every night… I was ridiculed at school, turned into a laughing stock because I had no father figure in my life.” He tried to hold back his sobs, but I was sure everyone heard him, his voice was completely broken. “I know,” I cut in gently. “I know, Daniel. I’m not asking you to forget…. just to let go. Not for him. For
Annabel’s POV The air outside felt different from the quiet intimacy of our room, alive with anticipation and wrapped in a kind of beauty that made everything seem unreal, as though we had stepped into a carefully painted dream that someone refused to let fade. I stood near the center of the open resort space, my back resting lightly against Daniel’s chest while his hands coiled securely around my waist, holding me in place as if he needed that constant reminder that I was right there with him, that this moment was not something he would wake up from. Everything around us was white. White drapes swayed gently in the breeze, surrounded with white chairs that lined the area in perfect rows which were filled with guests dressed in matching tones, their laughter blending with the faint sound of music playing somewhere in the background. Even the tables were decorated with white roses, carefully arranged beside clusters of pink and blue petals that hinted at what today was about. “It
Annabel’s POV “For everything,” he replied, his voice steady but filled with something deeper. “For the hard times… for every moment you had to go through something you didn’t deserve.” My heart tightened slightly, but not in pain anymore. His hand crossed gently around mine as he continued, “I can’t change the past, Annabel… but I promise you, from now on, I’ll make your life easier. I’ll do everything I can to make sure you’re happy. That you feel safe. That you never have to doubt where you stand again.” I didn’t say anything right away. I just looked at him, taking in every word, every emotion behind it. Then I smiled. “You already do,” I said quietly. Before he could respond, I leaned in, closing the distance between us, and kissed him. It wasn’t rushed. It was slow, soft, filled with everything we didn’t need to say out loud. His lips moved against mine in the same gentle rhythm, his hand coming up to cup my face as he deepened the kiss just slightly. When we
Annabel’s POV I lifted the bouquet slowly, like it was something fragile, something meant to be held with care and not rushed. The soft petals brushed against my fingers, and I brought it closer to my face, breathing in the delicate scent. It was a mix of roses and something sweeter, something softer. My lips curved into a smile before I even realized it, and I closed my eyes for a second, letting the moment settle into me. This was real. Everything about this felt real. When I opened my eyes again, I turned slowly, taking in the room around me. It was like walking into a dream I never knew I deserved. My eyes caught the soft glow from the candle next, then the bright rose petals that were spread across the floor and the bed, not carelessly, but in a way that felt thoughtful. I stepped further into the room, my bare feet brushing against the petals, feeling their softness beneath me. My fingers trailed lightly over the edge of the bed, then over the smooth fabric, and the small
Annabel’s POV My knees wobbled, growing weaker as I watched him turn away. Daniel went back to the counter where he had been drinking before I came in. This has been my biggest fear since the day I discovered that he is my stepbrother. I knew he was never going to take it lightly. I have always
Annabel’s POV It’s been weeks since I was discharged from the hospital. Thanks to Fiona, who’s taken such good care of me, my recovery has been smooth and fast. Just a few scratches remain already fading, but I still feel a stab of pain whenever I sit for too long and try to stand up. Dad has
Annabel’s POV I was not supposed to be seen with him again, but I did. Maybe for my dad, or maybe because I cannot actually stay away from him no matter how hard I tried. The message clearly stated, “Stay away from Daniel, unless they will leak my nude.” But Daniel offered me the one thing th
Daniel’s POV I couldn’t stop pacing since I got back home. How could the one woman I believed would finally complete my life turn out to be everything I’ve spent years trying to avoid? The thought of how innocent she looked the day we first bumped into each other—her swollen eyes, her trembling







