Aaliyah’s POV “Aaliyah is not only my wife but also the co-host of this event. And, more importantly, allow me introduce to you all, the CEO of ELEVATIONS, the firm some of you have been so eager to partner with.” The statement had just ripped the ground out from under Aurora and Henry, and the look on their faces was worth every second of the months I spent clawing my way to this moment. Aurora’s mouth was a thin line and her eyes were wide with shock, the red of her gown suddenly garish against her paling skin. Henry looked like he’d been punched. His eyes darted between me and Orrin. Regret and humiliation—it was all there, written across their faces, and I drank it all in, satisfyingly. I stepped forward and spoke with icy precision. “You’ve made quite the spectacle tonight. Throwing wine, hurling insults—it’s classy, really. Now you owe me an apology. Or would you prefer to be escorted out? I’m sure my security would be happy to assist.” The room went deathly quiet, e
Aurora's POVAll I could see was her. Aaliyah. Standing there like she’d been born to rule this world, her emerald gown shimmering as she raised her paddle with that infuriating, serene confidence. Two million dollars. The number burned in my mind like a slap across my face. My heart hammered with a rage so fierce it felt like it might split me open. Her face twisted into something bolder as her eyes met mine. The whispers started immediately, slithering through the crowd like snakes.“Are they related?” a woman in a sequined gown muttered, her voice low but clear enough to cut through.“My God, they look identical,” another voice chimed in, a man with a glass of scotch craning his neck to gawk at us.Identical. The word was a blade, slicing through the perfect facade I’d spent years crafting. Aaliyah was no twin of mine—the only thing tying us was blood and our faces. She was a fraud, a parasite who’d somehow wormed her way into this room, tossing around millions like she’d e
Henry’s POVThe day of the event came as fast as the speed of light. The gala was a glittering spectacle held in a grand hall in New York’s most opulent hotel. Crystal flutes clinked, laughter rose and fell like a symphony, and the air buzzed with the kind of power only money and influence could buy. I adjusted my cufflinks, scanning the room for the hundredth time, my jaw tight with frustration. Orrin Hayes was nowhere to be seen which means the mysterious CEO of ELEVATIONS wasn't here either.I needed this partnership, needed their innovation to pull Smith Innovations out of the nosedive it had been in for months. But every face I met was just another elite, another handshake, another empty smile.Aurora, of course, was in her element. She glided through the crowd, her red gown catching the light like a flame, her laughter bright and calculated as she charmed a tech mogul from Singapore. She was also playing the role of perfect wife to perfection, but I knew better. .“Henry,
Henry’s POV“I'm sorry, Smith. It just can't work.”Another client had pulled out. Their polite smiles and vague excuses did little to soften the blow. Smith Innovations was hemorrhaging, and I could feel the cracks widening beneath my feet. The conference room still smelled of stale coffee and desperation, the kind that clung to the air after a deal went south. I leaned back in my chair, my tie loosened and my head throbbing.“Mr. Smith?” My secretary, Sarah, poked her head through the door then spoke cautiously, like she knew I was one bad word away from snapping. “Your wife is here. She’s asking to see you.”I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose. Aurora. The last thing I needed was her breezing in with her pretentious smile.“Tell her I’m busy. I’ll see her at home.”Sarah hesitated, her lips parting as if to argue, but before she could say anything, the door swung open, and there was Aurora, all radiant energy and calculated charm. She held a sleek lunch box in her hands
Lisa’s POVI gripped my phone, the screen dim and unyielding as I checked. No new notifications from Jace still.I’ve called him a number of times, sent a handful of texts, each one more concerned than the last. “Hey, I’m okay. I just got caught up.” “Jace, I’m so sorry about missing our meetup. Please call me back.” Nothing. Not a single reply. My thumb hovered over a contact, the urge to reach out through his company’s line tugging at me, but I shook my head. Mixing business with personal stuff felt wrong, like crossing a line I couldn’t uncross. Maybe he was done with me. Maybe he didn’t want to get tangled in the mess I'm in.I sighed, tucking my phone into my purse as the driver pulled up to a penthouse. My phone buzzed, and Kaito’s name lit up the screen. A flutter of warmth spread through my chest. Since that day at his place, when we’d crossed a line we couldn’t take back, he’d been a constant in my life—calls, dates and I ended up in his place a couple of times.We wer
Aaliyah’s POV“We're home, honey” I whispered to Elias who was snuggled in his carrier against my chest.His tiny breaths puffed against my collarbone. Orrin trailed behind, juggling the diaper bag and a stuffed giraffe that Orrin got despite telling him Elias wasn't old enough to play with it yet.The bell above the door chimed as I stepped into the penthouse and before I could take another step, Mary was barreling toward us, her apron dusted with flour and her smile wide enough to light up the whole damn place.Mary’s voice was a mix of joy and disbelief as she circled me, taking a good look at Elias.“He’s such a little angel! Congratulations, Ma'am! You’re back, and you brought the most precious cargo in the world!”I laughed, the sound bubbling up despite the exhaustion clinging to my bones from carrying Elias.“Mary, you’re gonna make me cry, and I’ve already used up my tear quota for the week.” I adjusted Elias’s carrier, his tiny hand curling around my finger. “Say hi to Aunt