MasukEmily POVIsabella sat three rows ahead.Nathan beside me, careful not to touch.Four hours until New York."Emily, about the terrace"Not now.""When?""When I'm ready."Fifteen minutes of silence.Then Isabella stood and walked toward us. Stopped at our row."Emily, can we talk?""No.""Please, just five minutes""Don't talk to him. Don't look at him. Don't acknowledge his existence." I didn't raise myvoice. I didn't need to. "You want to avoid prison? Stay away from my husband."Isabella returned to her seat.Nathan exhaled. "That was harsh."That was necessary. Nathan, don't defend her. That's test one and you just failed."His face fell. "I wasn't""Just four hours and you couldn't go four hours without defending her."My phone buzzed.Isabella: “Emily, there's something about Nathan you should know. Something Clara told meabout his past that explains everything. When we land we'd talk privately.I looked at Nathan. "Is there something about your past I don't know?"He went sti
Nathan POV"Someone killed her," I said."Probably. The question is who.""Linda." Isabella said immediately."Clara was a liability. She knew too much. Lindacouldn't risk her talking if this plan failed."Emily looked at me. "We need to leave Monaco. Now. If Linda is killing people to protect her schemes"The penthouse door opened.An elegant woman in her late fifties entered."I'm afraid you're not going anywhere," she said pleasantly. "Hello, Isabella. Surprised to seeyour stepmother?"Linda Sinclair followed by two men with guns."What the hell is this?" Isabella demanded."This is the part where I tie up loose ends." Linda smiled. "Clara served her purpose and nowshe's gone. You're all witnesses to a conspiracy that would destroy me if exposed. So" shegestured to the armed men,"you're all going to have a terrible and tragic accident.And by the way, Clara was never my daughter from my past relationship before I married your Father Isabella Nathan Zhou, grief-stricken over his
Nathan POVThe Casino de Monte-Carlo glittered at 3 AM. I stood outside staring at my phone.Isabella's message: I'm at the penthouse suite, come alone. There's something about that payment you need to know. Something Vanessa and Emily got wrong.What payment?The one Vanessa claimed to prove Isabella was hired to seduce me.The one that supposedly came from Catherine.I should've ignored it.I was still trying to spiral my thoughts around the development that was unfolding but if Vanessa was wrong, if there was an explanation I need to know.I entered the casino. Rode the elevator to the penthouse.Isabella answered immediately. "Nathan. Thank God you came.""I'm not staying long.""I know." She stepped aside. "But you need to see this before you make any decisions about us.""There is no us"Just look." She handed me a tablet. "This is my company's financial records. The paymentVanessa showed Emily, it exists. Seven million dollars wired to my business account six months ago.""So
Emily POV"Where are you going?"Nathan blocked the bedroom door as I threw clothes into a suitcase."Monaco.""Emily""Move.""We need to talk "I spun around. "You had eight months to talk. You chose Isabella's hotel room instead.""That's not fair.""Fair?"I laughed. "You held her until morning and I'm being unfair?""Nothing happened""Stop saying that!" I zipped the suitcase violently. "You went back Nathan, after leaving.After you supposedly chose me. You went back to her.""She was crying""And I'm supposed to believe you just held her? For eight hours? In her bed?Silence."That's what I thought." I grabbed my bag."Move or I'll have security move you."Nathan stepped aside. His hand caught my wrist as I passed. "Emily, pleaseI yanked free. "Don't touch me."Marcus waited downstairs. One look at my face and he took the suitcase without speaking."The twins?" I asked."They're asleep. Emily, are you sure"I'm sure." My voice cracked. "I can't look at him right now, Dad. I just
Emily POVThe elevator doors closed.Nathan stood beside me in silence.Twenty floors down.Neither of us spoke.The tension between us felt alive.The champagne buzz from the gala was gone. All I could hear was the sound of my own breathing and the memory of Isabella saying:*I think I'm in love with your husband.*Nathan shoved his hands into his pockets.“Emily”“Don’t,” I said immediately.His jaw tightened.The elevator dinged open into the private underground garage.Marcus was already waiting beside the car.One look at our faces and his expression changed.“What happened?”“Nothing,” Nathan said too fast.I looked at him.“That’s interesting,” I said coldly. “Because apparently something happened in Singapore.”Marcus looked between us carefully. “Okay. I’m guessing this is not the place for this conversation.”“No,” I said. “It really is.”Nathan exhaled sharply. “Emily.”“You let me stand beside that woman for months.”Marcus frowned slowly. “What woman?”“Isabella Sinclair.
Emily POVI walked toward Isabella with my face completely approachable."Isabella," I said. "Can I steal you for a moment? There's a view from the east terrace I wantto show you. The circuit is still lit."She smiled. "I'd love that."We walked out together.The terrace was empty. I stood at the railing.Isabella stood beside me.We looked at the city for a moment."It's beautiful," she said."Yes,"I said.Then I turned to her."Tell me about the Raffles Hotel." I said.A smile stayed on her face for exactly two seconds after I said it.Then it changed into something more honest. kind of recognition."Blake," she said."Blake," I confirmed.She looked at the city. "What do you want to know?""Everything you think I don't already know," I said.She was quiet for a moment and Isabella Sinclair did the thing I had not prepared for.She told me the truth.She told me about the preliminary meetings. The way she had positioned herself asNathan's business contact. The dinner was all her
Jason POVMy name is Jason Blackwell, and two years ago, I was sentenced to twenty years in afederal prison for fraud, embezzlement, and tax evasion. The charges stemmed from myuse of Emily's family connections to build Blackwell Industries connections I'd obtainedthrough marriage under false pr
Blake POVMy phone buzzed with an urgent alert. "Richard's transport is moving now. Theydetected our surveillance. We have less than ten minutes to intercept.""Go!" Emily shouted.We raced down the mountain road at breakneck speed. Ahead, the medical van's taillights appeared, our only chance to
Nathan POV Petra monitored their progress via body cameras Blake and Emily wore. "They're movingtoward the medical wing. Two guards in the hallway. They'll need to-”My word cutted short after seeing on screen, Blake efficiently disabled both guards with techniques from hismilitary training. Not
Nathan POVEmily collapsed in the street of Prague when Richard's video ended, her body shaking withrage and grief before collapsing. I held her while she broke into tears after she was revived. "They survived 20 weeks premature," she sobbed. "They fought infections, lung collapses,everything bi







