The knock echoed across the quiet room, Ryan wasn’t expecting anyone. He stood, grabbing his bottle of whiskey, dusting crumbs of snacks off his shirt.He opened the door—and time stopped.There stood Marcel. His father.Alive, free and unannounced.“Hello, son.” Marcel smiled.Ryan’s fingers loosened against the doorknob. He didn’t move, he couldn’t.Marcel tilted his head. “You gonna invite me in or keep gawking like you’ve seen a ghost?”Ryan still didn’t speak.His father gave a tired chuckle. “Seriously, what is it with people today? That’s the third wide-eyed stare I’ve gotten.”He brushed past Ryan and stepped inside like he owned the place.“Nice place,” he said, glancing around. “Could use some music, though. Or a dog.”Ryan turned slowly. “How... How is this possible?”“Oh!, Your uncle Sebastian dropped me off. He’s outside in the car. I told him we needed a moment alone.” Marcel wandered further in. “Besides… Sebastian’s got that ‘disciplinary headmaster’ vibe. Kinda kills
The silence was thick as Damien and Sebastian stood at the entrance of the suite, staring at the last person they'd hoped to see.Neither of them moved. Neither of them blinked.Marcel sat like a ghost resurrected. Then took another slow sip of scotch, before setting the glass down and looking up with a smirk."Is that any way to welcome your little brother?"For a moment, silence fell across the room.Then Damien broke first, he surged forward, pulling Marcel into a hug so tight it felt desperate. "You bastard," he muttered. "You actually made it out."Sebastian joined them, his hand clapping Marcel's back. "You look like hell.""And you two look like you've been living in it," Marcel said, his lips twitching into a grin.Their grip around him tightened even more."Oh, okay guys," Marcel choked. "Can I breathe?" He said.When they finally pulled back, it was like none of them quite knew what to say.Damien's voice was the first to cut the silence again. "How? Richard Payne said it ha
The elevator was as silent as a graveyard.Amani held the ropes of her robe tightly, her breath ragged — but she steadied it. The last thing she could afford was to let the Cross brothers see fear. Weakness was something they fed on, and she’d starve them before giving them the satisfaction.Sebastian leaned against the mirrored wall, arms crossed, his gaze flicking between his brother and Amani. The tension between them could’ve cracked the metal in the walls. And if there was one thing Sebastian hated, it was awkward silences.Damien tapped his fingers against his thigh, his jaw clenched, his face a storm of rage, confusion — and something else he couldn’t name.“Well,” Sebastian muttered. “This isn’t awkward at all.”In an instant, something snapped in Damien. He turned to Amani, eyes dark, voice sharp.“What the fuck are you doing here?” he snarled, closing the space between them.“Whoa, easy.” Sebastian pushed off the wall, catching Damien by the coat. “Calm down.”Amani didn’t f
The soft glow of her laptop was the only light in the room. Everything else—lamps, curtains, the giant flat-screen—was drowned in darkness, just how Amani liked it when she was thinking.Or in this case…..stalking.Her manicured fingers danced over the trackpad, zooming in on the grainy photo of her. Chloe.There she was again. Smiling up at Damien like he'd given her the moon. Her hair curled over one shoulder, her laugh caught mid-frame, hand pressed to his chest like she belonged there.Amani tilted her head, with a soft click she saved the image.Then another—Damien's arm around Chloe's waist at some gala. The caption beneath read:"A power couple in business — if we've ever seen one."She scoffed. Power couple?She zoomed in on Damien's face. He looked... happy. That familiar grin. That damn dimple. She hadn't seen it in years—hadn't been allowed to see it.She leaned back against the couch, glass of red wine untouched on the table. On the far wall, a black-and-white portrait of
Sienna opened her mouth to speak but Sebastian stepped in.“It’s nothing.” He said.“We just—” Sienna began, then stopped, glancing at Sebastian.They both looked like they were caught in a moment, but only one of them cared.Damien raised an eyebrow, slowly crossing his arms. “You just what?”The silence stretched thin.Sienna rubbed the back of her neck, her usual sharp tongue nowhere to be found. “We didn’t plan to come here together, it just… happened.”Sebastian avoided everyone’s eyes, his jaw tight. “We were in the same area. I picked her up. She looked a mess.” He squinted his eyes. Chloe narrowed her eyes. “The same area? Really?”Sebastian nodded. “Is there something else you want to hear?”“No,” Damien said. “Whatever it is, you’re both here now and there’s something we want to tell you.”Sienna caught a glimpse of someone in the living room.“Is that…Mom? Oh my God, who’s dying?” She asked shocked.Sebastian stifled a chuckle.“It’s not funny.” She said, nudging his shoul
The ride to Chloe's new home felt like forever. She stared out the window, her hand unconsciously going to her stomach."I can't believe this is real." She said. "Damien asking me to move in. And now, I'm pregnant.""That's life sweetheart, sometimes things just work out for our good."Chloe took in a deep breath."I don't want Damien to know," Chloe said."But honey, we talked about this." Miranda raised her brow. "I mean about you helping with Marcel. Chloe cut in lightly. "It's not a favour Damien would take lightly.""I understand that, but if it works out with Marcel, you must tell him the truth. Or how else do you want to explain his brother getting out?" Miranda questioned."I would…as soon as it's done. Just not now." "Alright then." Her mother nodded.As they pulled up to the penthouse. Chloe stepped out of the car, taking a deep breath.She still couldn't believe this was her home. And soon, it would be her child's. With one deep breath, Chloe pushed open the doors, as she