VICTORâS POVA text from Emma lit up my phone that afternoon, asking me to meet her at the cafÃĐ. I frowned at the screen, wondering what this was about. What more shocking news could she possibly have for me now? It had barely been two weeks since she dropped the bombshell of her pregnancy, and I was still struggling to process it.Was she about to say something even more life-changing?The thought unsettled me, but I pushed it aside. After wrapping up work for the day, I made my way to the cafÃĐ. As I stepped inside, I spotted Emma sitting at a corner table, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the rim of her cup. She looked up the moment I approached, her face unreadable.I pulled out the chair across from her and sat down. âWhatâs this about?âEmma hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath, placing a hand on her stomach. âVictor, Iâve had a lot of time to think about this pregnancy,â she started. Her voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. âAnd I donât think Iâm going to ke
VICTOR'S POVI had no intention of going to the office today. My plan was simpleâvisit my grandfather in prison. It had been a while since I last saw him, and there were questions I needed answers to. However, just as I was about to leave, my secretary called, informing me that someone from Titan Holdings had scheduled a last-minute appointment.The moment I heard that name, my interest was piqued. Titan Holdings was a mysterious entity, a company that had remained in the shadows for years, silently expanding its influence. No one knew much about the people behind it, only that they were powerful and ruthless in business.Curiosity got the best of me. I told my secretary to confirm the meeting.When I arrived at the office, I tried to focus on some paperwork, but my mind kept drifting. What did Titan Holdings want with me? And why now?A sharp knock on my door snapped me back to reality."Sir, your guests are here," my secretary announced."Send them in."The door opened, and two men
ISLAâS POVI was running late to the office this morning, but for a good reason. My mother had finally been discharged from the hospital, and she was now living with me. She was doing greatâgetting stronger each dayâbut I still wanted to make sure she was comfortable before I left for work.I prepared breakfast, set everything she might need within reach, and even made sure the TV remote was right beside her so she wouldnât have to search for it. She teased me about acting like a full-time nurse, but I knew she appreciated it.By the time I finally got out the door, I was already behind schedule. I hurried into the company building, mentally preparing for whatever awaited me today.That was when I saw him.Damian.He was walking out of the building alongside another man, who was dressed sharply in a suit. At first, I thought I was imagining things, but then our eyes met.For a brief moment, surprise flickered across his faceâmirroring my own. But then his lips curved into a familiar,
VICTORâS POVI sat in my office, gripping the edge of my desk. My mind wasnât on the paperwork in front of meâit was on the conversation Iâd just had with Damian Lannister.Titan Holdings had made their intentions clear. They werenât just trying to buy my companyâthey were trying to silence me. âSpeaking of your grandfatherâs legacy, the only way your company will remain standing is if you stop digging into how he ended up in prison. Let the case sleep, and we will leave you, your company, and your loved ones alone.âThe moment those words left Damianâs mouth, I knew this wasnât just business. This was a warning.A threat.And I didnât take threats lightly.Instead of heading home, I drove straight back to my office. The streets of New York were alive as usual, but I barely noticed. My mind was racing, piecing things together.Inside the office, most of the staff had left for the day. The silence was almost suffocating, but I welcomed it. I needed space to think.I sat at my desk, fl
ISLAâS POVThe night was calm, the kind of peaceful silence that felt rare these days. I sat on the couch, curled up with a blanket, watching a romantic comedy with my mom. She had been getting better every day, and seeing her smile again made all the stress worth it. She turned to me suddenly, her eyes soft but filled with emotions."Isla, I donât say this enough, but I appreciate everything youâve done for me since your father passed."I smiled, squeezing her hand. "Mom, you donât have toâ""No, let me finish," she said gently. "Losing your father was the hardest thing for both of us, but you stepped up in ways I never expected. You took care of me when I was sick, worked hard to keep things running, and never once complained. I know I havenât made it easy for you, but you stayed. And I just want you to know how proud I am of you."A lump formed in my throat. I tried to brush it off with a small laugh. "Well, youâre stuck with me, so you donât really have a choice."She chuckled, wi
VICTOR'S POVEver since Damian walked into my office and threatened me, I had been extra careful. I could sense the danger in the air, lingering like a shadow. Strange vehicles had been tailing me. Sometimes it was a black SUV parked across the street from my company, other times, headlights followed me for too long before disappearing. I told Daniel about it, and he took my concerns seriously. He assigned two undercover cops to follow me discreetly, ensuring my safety. I considered hiring private security, but I didnât want to draw unnecessary attention. I had to play smart.That evening, I was driving back from a meeting with a high-profile investor at one of the cityâs luxury hotels. The meeting had gone well, but my mind was elsewhere. Damianâs threats had been echoing in my head, and I couldnât shake the feeling that something was about to happen. As I drove through the quiet road leading back to my penthouse, I noticed a black SUV in my rearview mirror. It had been behind me for
VICTOR'S POVPain. That was the first thing I felt. A deep, throbbing ache radiated through my body, making every breath a struggle. My face was swollen, my ribs felt like they had been cracked, and my arms were too weak to push myself up from the cold concrete floor.Damian had let me go after the brutal beating, but not before making sure I understood the message. He had ordered his men to clean up the messâthe two dead cops who had been assigned to protect me. âNo body, no case,â he had said casually, as if disposing of two lives was just another part of his daily routine.I had underestimated him. I thought he was just another power-hungry businessman, someone who played within the boundaries of the law when necessary. But I had been wrong. Damian was ruthless, precise, and terrifyingly efficient. He didnât just send messagesâhe erased obstacles.I tried to move, but my limbs refused to cooperate. The warehouse was eerily silent now, the only sound was my own ragged breathing. Eve
ISLAâS POVI had been receiving a lot of text messages from Damian lately. If he wasnât texting, he was calling, and when we talked, the conversations lasted longer than I expected. At first, I thought it was just friendly interest, but the more we spoke, the more I realized how fascinated he was with me. It wasnât just casual curiosityâhe seemed determined to know everything about me, from my childhood to my job, my habits, my dreams, and even the intricate details of the company I worked for.Sometimes, I brushed it off as harmless. Maybe he was just intrigued because of his love for haute couture and luxury goodsâafter all, fashion and jewelry were part of his business world. But at other times, something about his curiosity feltâĶ off. It was flattering, yes, but also unsettling. There were moments when his interest in my job and the inner workings of the company felt too intense, almost calculated. Still, I convinced myself it was just my paranoia.We started meeting more frequent
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 couldnât have been more grateful for her presence. But lately, I couldnât help but feel a strange sense of uneaseâa 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 weâd 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 hadnât 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 couldnât 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 nowâcalmer, more refined. I couldnât help but stare at the space with a sense of pride. This was itâthe culmination of everything Iâd worked for, everything Iâd 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 Iâd be in this position, I wouldnât 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 rightâwhen 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 wasnât just bigger. It wasnât 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 detailâfrom 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 couldnât touch me directlyâat least not in a way that would be obviousâbut 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 companyâs future. It was all carefully designed to paint me as a liability.But I wasnât about to back down.At work, I held my head high, keeping my focus razor-sharp. If Lucas wanted a war, heâd get one. Only, I wouldnât fight him the way he expected. Heâd try to rattle me, make m
NATHAN'S POV hadnât planned on stopping by Islaâs 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 upâliterally and emotionally.She opened the door with a blanket over her shoulders, her eyes slightly puffy, like she hadnât been sleeping well either. We didnât 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 betterâa 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 didnât hate him. I couldnât. Victor was a good man, even if his
SIENNA'S POVI donât know when exactly it happenedâwhen 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 momentsâlike our late-night phone calls, or how heâd 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 didnât hit me like a train. It came slowly, gently, until suddenly I couldnât 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 casuallyâlike it was just another rough dayâbut 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 didnât.âWaitâwhat?â I asked, almost breathless. âYour restaurantâĶ it burned down?âHe gave me a quiet nod, eyes slightly distant, as if replaying the moment in his head. âLast night. Caught me off guard.âI stood frozen in his living room, my fingers tightening around the edge of my phone. âOh my God, Nathan. Are you okay?ââIâm fine. JustâĶ pissed.â He rubbed his hand through his hair. âEverything was gone. Tables. Kitchen. DÃĐcor. Even the cash register melted.âI moved to sit beside him on the couch. âDo you know what caused it?âNathanâs jaw clenched. âIâm sure it was Lucas.âThe 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
SIENNAâS POVIâve 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 wasnât shocked.Not because I saw it coming, but because deep downâif Iâm being completely honest with myselfâIâd been waiting for it. Hoping for it, maybe. Even if I didnât want to admit it.Thereâs been thisâĶ 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 couldnât.Until he asked me out.And I shouldâve told him before he did. I shouldâve said, Hey, this thing between us? Itâs not just you. I feel it too.But I didnât.And now heâs launched the idea of us, and Iâm floating somewhere between giddy and terrified.Because I like him.
VICTORâS POVThere were exactly three things I was good at: solving problems, handling pressure, and pretending like I wasnât 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 timesâduring meetings, workouts, even while I brushed my teeth. Iâd 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 hadnât called it anythingâwhatever this was between us. We hadnât kissed. We hadnât 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