LOGINNadia's POVThe doorbell rang at ten in the morning and my stomach dropped before I even saw who it was. I knew. Somehow I knew before Dylan opened the door and Cassandra stood there with red swollen eyes and a manila envelope clutched in her trembling hands.Two weeks had passed since bringing Ethan home and I thought we were done with her. I thought the signed custody papers meant she was finally out of our lives. But here she stood on our doorstep wearing jeans and a worn jacket with her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail and looking nothing like the polished woman who had drugged my husband and tried to destroy my marriage."I signed everything." Her voice shook as she held up the envelope. "Final custody papers and termination of parental rights. It is all done. Legal and binding."Dylan took the envelope without speaking and I saw his jaw clench. I stood in the hallway holding a basket of lau
Nadia's POVI stood in the bathroom at three in the morning staring at my reflection and wondered if I would ever sleep again. Dark circles shadowed my eyes and my hair stuck up in directions that defied gravity. Ethan had woken four times since midnight and my body felt like it was held together by coffee and my willpower. I had experienced this same thing sleepless night with Elena, Aiden, and Lyra but Ethan was different because he was a preemie.The first week home with four kids was absolute chaos, I had never imagined it would be this hard. Between Ethan's constant feeding schedule every two hours, the twins’ demanding attention they felt they were missing, and Elena trying desperately to help but sometimes making situations worse, I felt like I was drowning in a sea of diapers, meltdowns, and needs I could not possibly meet all at once.Dylan tried to be present for everyone but the pack business kept pullin
Dylan's POVA few days later…I watched the nurse disconnect the last monitor from Ethan's tiny body and my hands would not stop shaking. One week ago, he had nearly died and now we were taking him home. He weighed barely four pounds and looked too fragile in the oversized baby seat."He is still so small." Nadia stood beside me with worry etched across her face. "What if something goes wrong at home? What if we miss something?"The nurse smiled reassuringly while tucking a blanket around Ethan. "He is breathing on his own now and his eating has improved significantly.
Nadia's POVI sat in the leather chair across from my lawyer and the words felt surreal coming out of my mouth. "I want to withdraw the divorce petition."Sarah looked up from her desk with surprise written across her face. "Nadia, are you very sure? You have been through hell with this man. The affair, the secret baby, the lies. Most women would not even consider going back.""I know." I twisted my wedding ring around my finger. "But something changed. Ethan almost died last night and Dylan was there with me. He chose me over staying at Roman's wedding. He has been showing up every single day for two weeks, and I realized I don't want to walk away."Sarah leaned back in her chair studying my face carefully. "I have represented you through one of the most painful experiences a wife can endure. I have seen you broken and humiliated. I just want to make sure you are not making this decision out of fear
Dylan's POVThe phone rang in my hand and the world tilted sideways. NICU flashed across the screen and my blood turned to ice in my veins. Around us, couples danced and laughed but I could not hear any of it over the roaring in my ears."Mr. Winters, this is Nurse Rose from the NICU." Her voice was professionally calm but I heard the urgency underneath. "Ethan had a sudden breathing crisis about ten minutes ago. His underdeveloped lungs collapsed and we had to intubate him immediately. He is back on full life support.""No." The word came out strangled. "He was stable. You said he was improving.""Preemie lungs can be unpredictable. You need to get here as soon as possible." She paused. "He is fighting hard but the next few hours are critical."The call ended and I stood frozen on the dance floor. My son was dying. My baby whom I had just kissed goodbye hours ago was fighting for his life and I was here at a party.Nadia grabbed my arm. "What happened? Is it Ethan?"I could not form
Nadia's POVI looked at Dylan across the café table and my heart pounded against my ribs. He had been working so hard for the past eight days. Present, communicating, showing up for the kids and for me. But I needed one more thing and it was the hardest thing I could ask."I need you to choose me over Ethan." The words came out steady even though my hands shook in my lap. "Once. Just once. To prove you can."Dylan's face went pale. "What?""Cassandra wanted me to choose between you and my hatred of her." I kept my voice calm. "Now I am asking you to choose between me and Ethan. Not permanently. Not forever. Just once in a symbolic way to prove I am your priority."Dylan looked like I had slapped him. "I don’t understand what you are asking."I took a breath and explained the thought that had kept me awake for nights. "Roman's wedding is in three days. You agreed to come with me months ago. Ethan will still be in the NICU. You will want to stay with him and I understand that instinct.







