MasukJason’s POVDiane usually doesn’t take hours to respond to my texts. She most definitely never ignores my calls.Which leaves me wondering what has her so caught up… or worse, if she’s safe.I pull out my phone and dial the head of house security. Marcus answers almost immediately.“Sir?”“I’ve been trying to reach my wife. Any idea where she could be?”There’s a short pause. “Uhm… yes, sir. She’s at the art gallery on 5th Avenue. She went with Miss Nancy and Miss Scarlett.”I exhale, tension easing slightly, but not completely. “Thank you.”I end the call and immediately press the intercom on my desk. “Sofia, postpone my next two meetings. Something urgent came up.”“Yes, sir.”I grab my jacket and head out, my driver already waiting. The entire ride to the gallery, my mind keeps replaying the last message I sent her thirty minutes ago that she still hasn’t replied to.When I step into the elegant space filled with soft lighting and expensive art, my eyes scan the crowd until they lo
Diane’s POVI can’t stop reading.Even after Jason leaves for work, I remain curled up in bed with Mom’s diaries scattered around me like fragile pieces of a puzzle I’m desperate to solve. My fingers tremble slightly as I turn another page, eyes devouring the elegant but hurried handwriting.---June 3, 1998I don’t know how to explain it, but something shifted today.Richard took me to dinner at that beautiful restaurant downtown. The one with the crystal chandeliers and soft piano music. He was charming as always, pulling out my chair, ordering my favorite wine without asking. On the surface, everything looked perfect.But when I disagreed with him about something small like just a silly opinion about a movie, his smile faltered for a second. His hand tightened around his glass until his knuckles turned white. He didn’t raise his voice or call me names. But the way he looked at me… it made my stomach twist with unease.Later, when he walked me to my door, he held my wrist a little t
Jason’s POVI’m pacing the living room back and forth like a caged lion. My footsteps echo sharply against the marble floors.My hand keeps dragging through my hair, tugging at the strands until my scalp stings. Richard Walker. My stepfather. Sitting across from me in my own boardroom like he already owned the table as Co-CEO. The word burns like acid in my throat.He just couldn’t bear to see me happy and be good on my own, could he? He just had to come into my life and make it a living hell once again just so he can smile at my pain. Well, I’m a man now, I’m not going to allow that happen.The elevator dings.I turn just as Diane steps into the penthouse. She looks softer today, like the visit to her mother’s house yesterday gave her a little peace. The moment she sees me pacing like this, her expression shifts from relief to concern in a heartbeat.“Jason?” She drops her bag and walks toward me quickly. “What’s going on? You look like you’re about to wear a hole in the floor.”I st
Jason’s POVI’m pacing the living room back and forth like a caged lion. My footsteps echo sharply against the marble floors.My hand keeps dragging through my hair, tugging at the strands until my scalp stings. Richard Walker. My stepfather. Sitting across from me in my own boardroom like he already owned the table as Co-CEO. The word burns like acid in my throat.He just couldn’t bear to see me happy and be good on my own, could he? He just had to come into my life and make it a living hell once again just so he can smile at my pain. Well, I’m a man now, I’m not going to allow that happen.The elevator dings.I turn just as Diane steps into the penthouse. She looks softer today, like the visit to her mother’s house yesterday gave her a little peace. The moment she sees me pacing like this, her expression shifts from relief to concern in a heartbeat.“Jason?” She drops her bag and walks toward me quickly. “What’s going on? You look like you’re about to wear a hole in the floor.”I st
Jason’s POVI wake up slowly, the kind of lazy morning where sunlight filters through the curtains and the world feels momentarily soft. My arm reaches across the bed instinctively, searching for the warmth of my wife.She isn’t there.I open my eyes and find Diane sitting up against the headboard, knees drawn to her chest, completely absorbed in one of her mother’s old diaries. Her eyes are wide, flicking rapidly across the page, and there’s a flush of excitement mixed with disbelief on her face.“Babygirl?” I murmur, voice still husky from sleep.She looks up, and the brightest smile breaks across her lips. It’s the kind that lights up her entire being. “Jason, you won’t believe this.”I sit up, leaning against the headboard beside her. “What is it?”She turns the diary toward me slightly, her voice bubbling with urgency. “I was reading Mom’s old entries… and she met someone. A charming man at a party back in 1998. They talked for hours. He made her feel seen. She gave him her numbe
Diane’s POVMy eyes flutter open to the most beautiful sight in the world.Jason is leaning over me, propped up on one elbow, wearing that charming, slightly crooked smile that has always had the power to make my heart skip like it’s the very first time. Soft morning light spills through the curtains, painting golden strokes across his sharp jawline and turning his dark hair into something almost ethereal. He looks like a dream I’m afraid I’ll wake up from.“Hey beautiful,” he murmurs, his voice still deliciously rough with sleep. His fingers gently brush a stray lock of hair away from my face. The touch is so tender it sends warmth blooming through my chest.A sleepy smile curves my lips. “Hey.”“How are you feeling this morning?” he asks, his hazel eyes searching mine with that quiet intensity that always makes me feel truly seen.“Pretty good,” I whisper, stretching lazily beneath the silk sheets. “You watched me sleep without waking me up?”“You looked so peaceful,” he says softly







