MasukEpilogue III Rachel ❦ Slade ♡ RACHEL’S POINT OF VIEW ♡ I smoothed my gown, checking my reflection one last time. I was finally ready, and the twins were vibrating with excitement. They headed out with Aunt Rose for the Children’s Gala, a special charity event that started before the main party. We were already running late, and I knew Aunt Rose hated being kept waiting. The triplets, however, were staying behind. At only a few months old, they were far too young for the noise and lights of a city-wide event, so they were tucked away in the nursery with Emilia, safe in the heart of our home. I made my way to Slade’s office. He was sitting at his desk, his eyes tracking a holographic architectural map — a digital blueprint of the city’s infrastructure hovering above his desk. Every building we owned glowed in a steady, triumphant red, while the pending acquisitions and new constructions pulsed in hopeful blue. He looked like a king surveying his kingdom. “You know, yo
Epilogue II Abbie ❦ Cale ~ ABBIE'S POINT OF VIEW ~ I smoothed down the front of my dress and marched toward Cale’s home office. The gala was only minutes away, and knowing my husband, he’d get buried in paperwork and forget that the rest of the world existed. When I pushed open the heavy oak doors, I found him hunched over his desk, the lamplight casting sharp shadows across his face. Orrick stood beside him, the two of them working through a stack of files. “Hubby,” I called out, leaning against the doorframe. “Wifey,” he replied. He didn’t even lift his head, his brow furrowed in that intense concentration that used to intimidate me but now just made me want to kiss him. I walked toward them, my heels clicking softly against the polished floor. “I’m here to remind you that the gala is tonight. We cannot be late — Barbie will never let me hear the end of it,” I teased. “I haven’t forgotten, sweetheart. I’ll be up the second we finish this last set of logistics.” I turned
Epilogue I Barbie ❦ Aaron ~ BARBIE'S POINT OF VIEW ~ I stood by the window, my eyes drifting to the vintage music box Aaron had given me. It was the first gift he had ever given me with unconditional love — a far cry from the cold transactions of my past. It was a symbol of the moment everything changed. When we married and moved into our new apartment — a home so massive and grand it made my old apartment look like a shoebox — I made sure that box had a place of honor. I kept it on my nightstand so it was the first thing I saw every morning. It was my daily reminder that he had kept his promise: he never left, and he never let go. A strong hand slid around my waist, drawing me back against the heat of his chest. I leaned back into him, a soft sigh escaping me as he buried his face in the crook of my neck, his stubble grazing my skin before he pressed a lingering, possessive kiss to my pulse point. “You know we’re supposed to be getting ready for the gala, right?” he
I’ve reached the end of Barbie and Aaron’s story… and I think I need to cry. This may be the end of their story, but not the end of my love for them I didn’t expect to fall this deeply in love with them, but here I am, completely undone by their story I didn’t think I would be writing an author’s note for them, but I couldn’t just let them go without one. I truly hope you enjoyed their journey — the highs, the lows, and every moment in between. I’m already in tears because I never planned to write about them… yet somehow, they found me. And somewhere along the way, I ended up loving them more than I ever imagined. If Barbie’s journey taught us anything, it’s that being a miracle for everyone else is exhausting, sometimes, you have to save yourself first She spent years being drained by the people who were supposed to love her, only to learn that blood doesn’t make a family — loyalty, trust, and the people who choose you every single day do. And never be afraid to run towa
* BARBIE'S POINT OF VIEW * Calling Maggie had been the best decision I’d made all week. She’d handled everything — from the secrecy to the outfits — and walking into that lounge dressed like a high-end heartbreaker was the most fun I’d had in ages. Seeing the shock on the men’s faces was hilarious, but the way Aaron looked at me — like he wanted to devour me right there on the leather sofa — made my entire body hum with a slow, coiling pull low in my stomach that tightened with every second he kept looking at me He didn't wait long. He dragged me into the VIP Billiards Room at the back of the bar, the click of the lock echoing sharply in the quiet space. “Why did you bring me here, Mr. King?” I asked, leaning back against the door with a playful smirk. “Remember when you told me you wanted to play strip poker?” he asked, his voice a low, gravelly rumble. I giggled, feeling a sudden, unexpected wave of shyness wash over me. I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, my cheeks wa
* AARON'S POINT OF VIEW * We were draped across the leather sofas in the private lounge room of The Royal Crown, the air thick with the scent of expensive whiskey and gourmet bites. Cale, Slade, and I were finally catching a breath while our women were out having their own night. The lounge was quiet, the neon lights reflecting off the amber liquid in my glass, but my mind was miles away. I took a slow sip of my whiskey, letting it burn down my throat as I watched Cale lean back, completely at ease, while Slade scrolled through something on his phone. The low hum of music and the faint buzz of neon lights filled the silence, grounding me in the room — even as my mind kept drifting back to her. I can’t even describe the fucking feeling that claws at my chest every morning. I wake up, and the first thing I see is Barbara. Knowing she’s going to be mine for the rest of my life? It’s a rush better than any drug I’ve ever tasted. There’s no peace quite like falling asleep with her a
|| Rachel || The next morning, as I headed toward my office, I noticed a pile of boxes stacked outside the door. When I stepped inside, two workers were arranging stark-white furniture and installing glass partitions. A massive painting—one that had to be worth millions—already hung on the wall be
|| Slade ||I stopped the car and got out, opening the door for Samantha as she stepped out, holding the urn that contained Clarissa’s ashes—the last physical reminder of her mother.We walked down toward the ocean and paused at the shoreline. Samantha opened the urn, scooped a handful of ashes int
Rachel I spent the entire day thinking about Slade and everything Barbara said. She was right… every single word was right. I cut the call yesterday because I knew exactly who Samantha was to Slade, and I also knew I couldn’t risk her finding out who I am. I’m the hidden past, and she’s the legiti
|| Rachel ||He leaned down to my ear, his breath hot against my skin. “You deserve to come, and I would love to make you come. I want to hear you shatter beneath my mouth, Rachel, just like old times,” he whispered.I held his neck as I tried to hide my moan, tears sliding down my cheek. He pulled







