LOGINVivian's POVI woke to pale sunlight filtering through the curtains, the soft glow doing nothing to chase away the weight pressing down on my chest. For a moment, I lay still, my mind foggy, the events of the previous night hovering at the edges of my consciousness like a half-remembered nightmare.I sat up abruptly, my heart hammering against my ribs. The sheet fell away, and I looked down at my wrists. Red marks circled them, the skin raw and tender where the rope had bitten into me. I touched one gently, wincing at the sting.I swung my legs over the side of the bed, my body aching from the tension of the previous day. Every muscle felt tight, every joint stiff. I sat there for a long moment, staring at the floor, trying to piece together the fragments of my thoughts.I could report it to the police. I could tell Ethan everything and let him handle it. But what good would that do? Megan and Sandra would deny everything. They had connections, resources, lawyers who could make any a
Vivian's POVThe figure stepped fully into the dim light, and my breath caught in my throat.Daniel.His name echoed in my mind. The shock of seeing him here sent a jolt through my entire body. I blinked, certain my eyes were playing tricks on me.He pressed his finger against his lips, a sign for me to be quiet. I stared at him, my heart pounding so loudly I was certain it would give us away. His eyes were sharp, scanning the room behind me before returning to my face. He crossed the room in three swift strides, crouching down beside the cot. His hand found mine."What are you doing here?" I whispered, my voice barely audible even to my own ears.He shook his head, his expression urgent. "I'll explain everything once we're outside. Stay close to me. Don't make a sound."I nodded, my legs shaky as I rose from the cot. The rope burns on my wrists throbbed. He kept a firm grip on my hand, leading me toward the door.The corridor beyond was empty, the dim bulbs casting long shadows acro
Vivian's POVI stared at the documents Megan was holding out to me, my eyes scanning the dense legal text. I could make out phrases like "relinquishment of all claims" and "full and final settlement" and "irrevocable transfer of assets."My stomach turned as I read the words, each one feeling like a knife twisting in my gut. "You must be insane," I said, my voice low and dangerous. "You and your mother, you all must be completely out of your minds. You faked a call from my father just to kidnap me? You staged a roadblock, drugged me, dragged me to some godforsaken basement… all for this?"The words tumbled out of me, each one laced with a fury. My hands trembled, not from fear, but from the sheer audacity of what they had done. The call from my father, the concern in his voice, the urgency… it had all been a lie. A carefully crafted performance designed to lure me into their trap.Megan tilted her head, her smile never wavering. "You make it sound so dramatic, Vivian. We simply want
Vivian's POVThe call lingered in my mind long after I set the phone down. My father had never cared whether I lived or died. He had made it painfully clear that I was nothing more than an inconvenience, a reminder of a marriage he had long since regretted.And yet, he had called. He had demanded I come to the house. He had said there were things we needed to talk about.Something felt wrong.I tossed and turned through the night, sleep refusing to come. By the time the first rays of dawn crept through the curtains, I had made my decision.I pushed myself out of bed, my body heavy with exhaustion. I walked to the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face, trying to wake myself up.I dressed carefully, choosing a simple white blouse and tailored navy trousers. I added a pair of pearl earrings. When I made my way downstairs, I found Ethan in the dining room, a cup of coffee in his hand. He looked up as I entered, his eyes scanning my outfit."You're dressed early," he observed, his vo
Vivian's POVThe question hung in the air like a grenade, its pin already pulled. I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out. My mind had gone completely blank. I felt Ethan's grip on my hand tighten, his fingers almost painfully hard against mine.Eleanor watched us both, her sharp eyes missing nothing. She let the silence linger for a moment, before she continued."I want grandkids," she said, her voice serious. "The Blackwell lineage needs to move on. It's been long enough, don't you think?"Ethan cleared his throat, his voice carefully controlled. "We're working towards that, Mother."I blinked, surprised by his response.Eleanor raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical. "Working towards it? How long have you two been married and you're still working towards it?”Ethan's jaw tightened, but his voice remained measured. "These things take time, Mother. We want to make sure we're ready before we bring a child into the world."Eleanor snorted, a sound that was surprisingly
Vivian's POVI froze, my hand still clutching the worn file folder, my heart slamming against my ribs. The voice was unmistakable. I turned slowly, my mind racing, searching for any excuse, any explanation that might save me from this moment.Ethan stood in the doorway, silhouetted against the dim light of the hallway. He was still wearing his charcoal suit, though the jacket was draped over his arm and his tie was loosened. His eyes were fixed on me."I asked you a question," he said, his voice low and even. "What are you doing here?"I swallowed hard, my fingers tightening around the folder. Think, Vivian. Think. "I... I was looking for a book," I said, the lie tumbling out before I could stop it. "I couldn't sleep, and I thought you might have something in here I could read."Ethan's eyes narrowed. He didn't believe me. I could see it in the way his gaze flickered to the folder in my hand, then back to my face. But he didn't call me out on it. Instead, he stepped further into the r







