LOGINOn Jackson’s end, he had just stepped out of the hospital building, the automatic glass doors sliding shut behind him with a soft hiss. The late afternoon sun hit his face, but he barely noticed the warmth. His mind was still replaying Conrad’s words over and over again, as though his brain refused to accept the truth so easily. He had only come to the hospital to confirm what Conrad told him earlier, thinking there was a slim chance the results might prove otherwise. Yet here he was, standing in the open parking lot, gripping the folded test report in his hand like it might suddenly vanish.He was still surprised by the result, but more than that, he was overwhelmingly happy. A laugh escaped his lips before he even realized it. For years, he had always carried a tiny hint of doubt in his heart that Aria might be his daughter. It had never been strong enough to voice out loud, yet it lingered quietly in the back of his mind, especially whenever he looked into her eyes or heard her
After Claire finally settled down in her small apartment, dropping her handbag on the chair and slipping off her shoes, a strange heaviness lingered in her chest. The quiet of the room felt louder than usual, and the events of the day kept replaying in her mind like a stubborn echo. The image of Edward standing in the amusement park, so close yet so distant, refused to fade. Her heart still beat faster whenever she remembered his confused gaze, the unfamiliar calmness in his eyes, and how he had simply walked away without his usual possessiveness.She moved toward the window and stared outside for a few seconds, watching the streetlights glow softly against the darkening sky. A deep sigh escaped her lips. She needed to talk to someone, someone who understood the past she had tried so hard to bury. Without thinking too much, she reached for her phone and dialed Cleo’s number.The phone rang twice before Cleo answered.“Hey Cleo,” Claire said immediately as the call connected.“Hey Clai
On Claire’s end, she looked around the amusement park with a mixture of excitement and slight hesitation. The sun shone brightly overhead, casting warm, golden light across the colorful stalls, rides, and scattered patches of grass. The smell of popcorn, churros, and cotton candy mingled with the faint scent of freshly cut grass and the occasional whiff of sunscreen. Laughter, music, and the hum of conversation floated through the air, creating a lively, almost magical atmosphere that seemed to wrap the entire park in a bubble of carefree joy.Claire adjusted her small backpack and glanced down at Duchene, whose eyes were wide with wonder, scanning the park with the kind of curiosity only a child could carry. Every ride, every sound, every color seemed to capture his attention simultaneously. She couldn’t help but smile at the way his little hands fidgeted with excitement, his tiny feet tapping impatiently on the pavement.“I think we should go for the carousel first. Or what d
It was a gentle Sunday morning, the kind that wrapped itself softly around the city like a warm blanket laid over a half-asleep child. The skies were pale blue, brushed with thin stretches of clouds that looked as though they had been painted lazily with a feather. Sunlight filtered through Claire’s curtains, spilling inside in diffuse rays that made her small apartment glow faintly with tender warmth.Her bedroom smelled faintly of lavender—something from her pillow spray—and the quiet song of birds outside drifted in, weaving itself into the silence of the morning. The rain from last night had left the air perfectly crisp, with that comforting damp scent rising from the earth. Even the city, usually restless and loud, seemed to be in no hurry to wake up.Claire stirred under her light blanket, her eyes fluttering before fully opening. For a moment, she simply lay there, letting the soft sunlight kiss her face. Then she reached instinctively for her phone on the bedside table.
Four years later.Emerald City shimmered beneath the early morning sun, its skyline rising like polished silver spears cutting through the pale-blue horizon. The air carried the crisp scent of dew mixed with the familiar tang of traffic, and the entire airport runway glowed faintly gold as the powerful engines of a private jet wound down.Edward descended the metallic steps of the jet with the kind of effortless grace that made people forget to breathe for a moment. His tall figure was wrapped in a perfectly tailored charcoal suit, sharp enough to slice through the breeze. The black sunglasses shielding his eyes only enhanced the cold aura that had become his trademark—an aura built over years of pain, power, and growth.Behind him, two bodyguards followed closely, their movements coordinated like shadows trained to remain invisible unless needed. A sleek black car waited at a short distance, its engine already idling, as if the city itself had anticipated his return.Mr.
The dimly lit interior of the warehouse felt colder than usual, as though the very air sensed the fear swirling within its walls. Claire sat rigidly on the wooden chair, her wrists tied tightly behind her back, the rough rope biting into her skin each time she shifted. Her breathing was uneven—part fear, part exhaustion, part the heavy weight of worry pressing on her chest because of her unborn child.For a moment, silence lingered, broken only by the faint hum of machinery somewhere deep within the warehouse and the distant sound of muffled footsteps approaching. Claire parted her lips, wanting to speak, to plead again, or maybe to ask why this was happening to her, but before she could utter a word, the metal door swung open violently.Just when Claire wanted to talk, one of the bandits came rushing in. His face was pale, and sweat gathered at his brow despite the cool temperature.“Sir, seems like they've arrived,” he reported, his voice shaking noticeably. It wasn’t just







