LOGINFifteen minutes later, the kitchen was filled with the rich scent of butter and Grace’s excited giggles. Ivy poured the batter carefully while Grace stood on a chair, clutching a spatula far too big for her tiny hands.“Slowly, sweetheart,” Ivy said patiently. “If you rush, it’ll get messy.”Josh st
Ivy clicked her tongue and playfully smacked his arm. “That’s because you were the one who dragged me into that ridiculous plan to take back my house from Rico.”“And you agreed to it,” Josh shot back.“Because I thought you were just some crazy guy looking for entertainment,” Ivy said honestly.Jos
Ivy, who had been busy tossing salad at the dining table, could only laugh. “You two are like kids fighting over Grace’s attention.”Natasha chuckled softly. “She’s right, Ivy. At home, whenever Nathan sees a cute toy, the first thing he says isn’t about me—it’s always, ‘Grace would love this.’”Nat
FOUR YEARS LATER“Grace! Don’t run in the hallway!”Ivy’s voice echoed through the living room, which was now a battlefield of toys, stuffed animals, and a sticky spill of apple juice on the glass table.The little girl with golden-brown hair looked back for half a second before bursting into laught
Josh leaned back on the living room sofa, his gaze fixed on Alena, who was cradling the tiny baby in her arms with the gentlest smile he had ever seen. Grace looked utterly peaceful, occasionally letting out a small yawn and stretching like a kitten in her grandmother’s embrace.“Mom, it’s been almo
The first few days after Ivy came home from the hospital felt like the beginning of an entirely new chapter in their lives.The once-quiet house was now a world of baby cries, Ivy’s soft lullabies, and Josh’s panicked voice every time their little girl so much as twitched.“Josh, please… it’s only t
The officer let out a long, exhausted sigh. “I really don’t have time for theatrics. I suggest we resolve this calmly. There’s no need to escalate it.”“No,” Clara cut in quickly. “I am escalating it.”“Then go ahead,” Danny replied smoothly. “Because we’ll be filing a counterclaim for defamation.”
Clara buried her face in her hands, sobbing as dramatically as possible. The sound of her crying echoed through the stuffy police office, grating on everyone’s nerves. Her two friends, who’d tagged along from the beginning, weren’t any better—loud, obnoxious, and feeding the chaos like a bad sitcom
Her eyes narrowed at him with suspicion. Josh only grinned back with maddening amusement.“You’re still not going to tell me wh—”His phone rang, cutting her off.“Ah, got a call, Ivy,” he said lightly, like it was the most casual thing in the world. “You can go ahead and pay for everything. You’ve
Moments later, an assistant returned carrying a velvet box containing a delicate ruby pendant and a pair of glossy black heels.Josh reached for the necklace himself. “Sit,” he said gently, but it held the weight of a command.“I—I can put it on myself.”“Of course you can. But this time, let me.”W







