ISLA’S POVThe morning sun flooded Titan Holdings headquarters with a golden glow, but beneath the polished marble floors and high-end furniture, there was a crackle of tension I couldn't ignore.We had just secured the biggest collaboration in years — a joint luxury collection with Maison Delacroix, one of the most prestigious European fashion houses. If this launch succeeded, it would cement Titan holdings For me, it was personal. I had fought tooth and nail to secure this deal, standing against internal competition, backhanded politics, and endless late nights.Today, we were scheduled to unveil the preliminary designs to the Maison team.Today, everything had to be perfect.But from the moment I stepped onto my floor, something felt... off.Andy, my brilliant but sometimes overly nervous assistant, sprinted toward me, her tablet clutched tightly in her hands, her face pale."Isla," she gasped. "You need to see this."I barely had time to set down my coffee before she shoved the t
ISLA’S POV When I woke up this morning, I didn’t expect to be plotting someone’s professional execution. But here we are. Lucas crossed a line — no, he leaped over it. And I wasn’t about to sit back and let him burn down everything I built. Still, I couldn’t afford to be reckless. This wasn’t just about firing someone. This was about making sure he couldn’t come back to bite us in the future — not through a lawsuit, not through gossip, and certainly not by sabotaging someone else again. So I did what I always do when the stakes are high. I dressed sharp, pulled my hair into a clean twist, and walked into the boardroom like a woman who already knew the ending of the story. Because I did. Andy was waiting for me inside, pacing nervously. She held a folder in her hands — a printout of every security log David from IT had sent me. “He’s not going to go down easy,” she whispered, handing it over. “He’s been bragging around the office all week. Acting like he has something on you.”
ISLA’S POVThe moment I walked out of Titan’s building, I knew I had to tell Nathan everything.about the sabotageI’d held back for too long, trying to protect him from the uglier sides of this world — my world. But the truth had a way of creeping through cracks. And after what happened today, I wasn’t willing to let any more shadows fester between us.So I went straight to the restaurant.Nathan was behind the counter, sleeves rolled up, working a simmering sauce with the kind of focus only a chef could manage. When he saw me, he smiled. But it faded the second he caught the look in my eyes.He wiped his hands and met me halfway.“What happened?” he asked.I sat at the corner stool and took a breath. “Lucas is gone. I had him fired this morning.”Nathan blinked. “Wait, what? Fired?”“He sabotaged a key project — replaced our design files right before the presentation to Delacroix. Almost tanked the whole deal.”Nathan’s brows furrowed. “You’re serious?”“As a heart attack,” I said.
ISLA's POV The office buzzed with tension the next morning, but nothing compared to the shock on my face when I walked into the building and saw him.Lucas.Striding through the front doors like he hadn't almost cost the company a major contract. Like he hadn’t been fired. Like he hadn’t been exposed. He wore that same smug grin that made my skin crawl, buttoned up in a tailored navy suit, looking like the hero of a story I knew was all lies.I stopped in my tracks, heart hammering in my chest. I had told Nathan. I had told HR. I had fought.And still, here he was.I took the stairs instead of the elevator. I needed the walk. I needed the burn in my legs to match the fire in my chest. Anger. Betrayal. Disgust.My office door slammed behind me. I paced. Five steps, turn. Five steps, turn.Lucas had returned.I should have known better. People like him always had someone in high places. I had underestimated just how high. But if they thought I was going to sit back and let him make a m
NATHAN'S POVI stood in the middle of the wreckage, heart sinking as I took in what was left of my place — my dream. The morning sun filtered through the broken glass of the front door, lighting up the mess like it was spotlighting my shame. Chairs overturned. Plates shattered. The bar stool legs had been snapped off like twigs. Spray paint on the walls spelled out “STAY IN YOUR LANE”.My fists clenched.Whoever did this wanted to make a statement — not just to destroy, but to humiliate.And they succeeded.The place smelled like a mix of alcohol, smoke, and betrayal. My staff, most of them stunned silent, were trying to pick up the pieces, whispering amongst themselves. A few customers had gathered outside, phones out, capturing videos of my downfall like it was some kind of sideshow. My throat tightened.I didn’t know what to do.I’d worked too hard for this. Poured every damn ounce of effort into this place. And now…? In one night, someone decided to burn it all down.I couldn’t th
NATHAN’S POV The silence in the restaurant was louder than ever. I stood in the center of what used to be the heart of Salt & Flame,” my pride and joy, and all I could feel was the dull ache in my chest. Not even rage—not yet. Just silence. Emptiness. Like someone had reached into my chest and ripped out everything I’d worked for with their bare hands. And maybe that’s exactly what had happened. The restaurant was a wreck. Shattered glass. Torn booths. Tables smashed beyond repair. It wasn’t just vandalism—it was personal. Every inch of the destruction screamed one name: Luca. Isla had already confirmed it. That snake had strolled into her office like he owned the world and confessed. Not directly, of course—men like him never do. But with his smug grin and backhanded threats, he made sure she knew. And by extension, so did I. But what he didn’t know… was that I wasn’t going to sit around and wait for someone else to fix this. No. I was done being passive. The police? Sure,
ISLA’S POVI was in the middle of reviewing a client report when my phone buzzed with a message from Judith.“Are you seeing what’s trending?”Confused, I clicked the link she sent. My heart dropped.There, in full color and cruel clarity, was a video of Nathan and Lucas—outside Titan Holdings, fists flying, voices raised, with the company’s name glowing like a witness behind them. My breath caught in my throat as I watched Nathan punch Lucas. Again.My hands trembled as I lowered the phone.He never told me.Nathan had never told me he came to the office. Never told me he confronted Lucas. Never told me he hit him—again.After all our talks. After we agreed that I’d handle it… he still went behind my back.And Lucas—God, that snake—he had been waiting for it. He had filmed everything. Or worse, he’d let it be filmed. Public assault, outside the office, with security present. Lucas knew the power of narrative. He didn’t need fists. He had the law.The very next message I got confirmed
ISLA’S POVI hadn’t slept.The morning came far too quickly, but I didn’t care. I’d spent the night going through every possible legal route, calling lawyers, pulling every string I could think of to get Nathan out.But nothing had worked.Lucas made sure of that.Nathan had been denied bail. The charges included assault and trespassing, and with video evidence and Lucas playing the victim perfectly, the court had refused to release him early.I visited him first thing that morning. The station was cold and smelled like rusted metal and misery. As they led me through the short corridor, my heels clicked against the floor like gunshots.He was sitting on the other side of the glass partition, dressed in the same clothes from the day before. His face looked tired, and his eyes—usually full of sharp wit and charm—were dull, bloodshot.“Nathan,” I whispered as I took the seat across from him.He looked up, and his expression shifted—relief, guilt, frustration, all tangled into one broken
VICTOR'S POVI leaned back in the chair, staring out the window as the city stretched endlessly before me. My mind was cluttered, not with the chaos of the world outside but with thoughts of Sienna. The woman who had unexpectedly come into my life and made me see things from a perspective I never thought possible. She was beautiful, strong, and confident, and I couldn’t have been more grateful for her presence. But lately, I couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of unease—a feeling that things were shifting, and I needed to make sure we were both on the same page.Our relationship had been growing steadily, and we’d reached a point where we were living together. It felt like the natural next step for us. But as much as I loved her, there was something about the future that I hadn’t yet confronted. I had spent so much time building my career in the fashion industry, creating a name for myself, and handling the endless demands of clients, but I was starting to see that I couldn’t do it
NATHAN'S POVThe morning light broke through the glass windows of my restaurant, casting long shadows across the polished floors. The atmosphere was different now—calmer, more refined. I couldn’t help but stare at the space with a sense of pride. This was it—the culmination of everything I’d worked for, everything I’d fought to rebuild after the fire that nearly destroyed me. The grand opening had been a success beyond my expectations, and the momentum was building.New customers were coming in, the buzz around the restaurant was palpable, and I had a growing list of people eager to invest in the business. It was a far cry from the old days, when I could barely keep the place running. Now, I had international clients showing interest, and local influencers were raving about the food. It was almost surreal. If you had told me a year ago that I’d be in this position, I wouldn’t have believed it. But here I was, standing at the helm of a thriving restaurant, ready to take it to the next
NATHAN'S POVThere are few moments in life when everything feels exactly right—when every ounce of pain, sweat, and late nights comes together into something that makes you believe in yourself all over again. That was what my grand opening felt like.My new restaurant wasn’t just bigger. It wasn’t just more luxurious. It was me, reborn.The space gleamed with copper accents, ambient lights, and marble counters that caught the reflection of every glass raised in celebration. The open kitchen concept allowed guests to watch us in action, the aroma of seared herbs, sizzling garlic, and glazed duck drifting across the room. There were private dining rooms now, soundproofed for VIP guests, with curated wine lists and personal chefs. We even had a rooftop lounge with a skyline view that made you forget you were still in the city.I had poured my heart into every detail—from the hand-carved wooden sign that bore my name to the recipe cards we handed out like pieces of art. I hired a stronger
ISLA'S POVI had always known Lucas wouldn't go down without a fight. But I never expected him to fight this dirty. Every morning I walked into the office now, I braced myself for the newest headline, whisper, or suspicious glance. My name had been dragged through boardroom gossip, backchannel emails, and anonymous memos. All fingers pointed at one person: Lucas.Ever since I helped Nathan, Lucas had made it his mission to tear me down. He couldn’t touch me directly—at least not in a way that would be obvious—but his games were relentless. Strategic leaks to the media. Internal rumors that I forged financial reports. Claims that I was emotionally compromised and prioritizing personal relationships over the company’s future. It was all carefully designed to paint me as a liability.But I wasn’t about to back down.At work, I held my head high, keeping my focus razor-sharp. If Lucas wanted a war, he’d get one. Only, I wouldn’t fight him the way he expected. He’d try to rattle me, make m
NATHAN'S POV hadn’t planned on stopping by Isla’s apartment, but after another late night of overseeing the renovation of my new restaurant, something in me craved the familiarity of her presence. It had been a long few months since the fire. A long few months since everything blew up—literally and emotionally.She opened the door with a blanket over her shoulders, her eyes slightly puffy, like she hadn’t been sleeping well either. We didn’t say much at first. Sometimes silence was our safe space.The new restaurant was finally coming together.I stood in the middle of the main floor, tools still scattered, the scent of fresh paint still clinging to the air. It wasn't just a rebuild. This was something better—a new version of everything I wanted to be. A statement. A fresh start.But even as I stood there, admiring the polished countertops and the ambient lighting we tested last night, my mind wandered.Victor.Sienna.I didn’t hate him. I couldn’t. Victor was a good man, even if his
SIENNA'S POVI don’t know when exactly it happened—when Victor stopped being just the man Isla used to love and started becoming the man I couldn't stop thinking about.Maybe it was in the little moments—like our late-night phone calls, or how he’d drive across town just to bring me food when I had a long day. Maybe it was in the way he looked at me, as though I was the only thing in his world that made sense. Love didn’t hit me like a train. It came slowly, gently, until suddenly I couldn’t imagine my life without Victor in it.I still remember the way he asked me to move in with him. We were sitting on his couch, legs tangled together under a throw blanket, watching an old rom-com. I had just made a snarky comment about how unrealistic the couple in the movie was, when he turned to me, his voice calm but deliberate."What if we tried it?"I looked at him, confused. "Tried what?""Living together. You and me."My heart skipped a beat.He smiled when he saw the look on my face. "I kn
SIENNA'S POVWhen Nathan told me about the fire in his restaurant, my heart dropped. The words came out casually—like it was just another rough day—but I could feel the weight behind them. I stared at him, waiting for him to say it was a joke or maybe an exaggeration. He didn’t.“Wait—what?” I asked, almost breathless. “Your restaurant… it burned down?”He gave me a quiet nod, eyes slightly distant, as if replaying the moment in his head. “Last night. Caught me off guard.”I stood frozen in his living room, my fingers tightening around the edge of my phone. “Oh my God, Nathan. Are you okay?”“I’m fine. Just… pissed.” He rubbed his hand through his hair. “Everything was gone. Tables. Kitchen. Décor. Even the cash register melted.”I moved to sit beside him on the couch. “Do you know what caused it?”Nathan’s jaw clenched. “I’m sure it was Lucas.”The name sent a wave of anger through meeven though I don't even know who he hisNathan then told me how he had been making him and Isla liv
SIENNA’S POVI’ve always liked having things figured out. Plans. Boundaries. No room for surprises.But lately, Victor has been nothing but a surprise.He asked me out yesterday.And the strange part? I wasn’t shocked.Not because I saw it coming, but because deep down—if I’m being completely honest with myself—I’d been waiting for it. Hoping for it, maybe. Even if I didn’t want to admit it.There’s been this… spark between us. A silent pull. We dance around it every time we talk. We laugh too much, our conversations last too long, and we look at each other just a second too slowly.There were never any secret feelings. No big, buried truth. Just a growing, electric sort of chemistry I kept ignoring.Until I couldn’t.Until he asked me out.And I should’ve told him before he did. I should’ve said, Hey, this thing between us? It’s not just you. I feel it too.But I didn’t.And now he’s launched the idea of us, and I’m floating somewhere between giddy and terrified.Because I like him.
VICTOR’S POVThere were exactly three things I was good at: solving problems, handling pressure, and pretending like I wasn’t slowly falling for Sienna Collins.The last one? Not going so well lately.She had this habit of showing up in my head at random times—during meetings, workouts, even while I brushed my teeth. I’d hear something funny and instantly think, Sienna would laugh at this, or smell something that reminded me of the cinnamon scent she always carried, like she rolled in fresh bakery air every morning.It was annoying.And addictive.We hadn’t called it anything—whatever this was between us. We hadn’t kissed. We hadn’t confessed anything. But the tension? It was there. Palpable. Thick enough to stir with a spoon.So I did the only reasonable thing a grown man with mildly obsessive thoughts could do.I planned a date.A real one. With no interruptions, Just her. And me.And possibly a small romantic ambush.---I picked the spot carefully. A rooftop garden restaurant in