LOGINThe moment I stepped into the kitchen, my steps stalled.Freshly used plates sat in the sink, smeared with sauce, half-eaten chicken bones left behind. Napkins and glasses were pushed to the side like they’d been dropped there without a second thought.They had already eaten. Not long ago, either. So dinner had never been the point.I stood there, staring at the mess in the sink, my hands going still at my sides. Heat rose fast, climbing up my chest. Lior was in the hospital, fighting for his life, and Ruben had me in here to cook a dinner they had no intention of eating.They were probably out there laughing, like this was some kind of joke. My fingers curled slowly, nails pressing into my palm.Just how far was he willing to go?Then my hand moved. I grabbed a plate and let it slip from my fingers. It hit the floor and shattered.The sound rang out, sharp and loud. I didn’t stop. Another plate. Then another. Then another. Ceramic broke under my hands, pieces scattering across the ti
“Mason… how did you even find—”The words barely left my mouth before he took my hand and led me straight to his car parked outside.“Mason…”“Get in.”The way he said it shut everything down. Whatever I wanted to ask stayed stuck in my throat.I got into the back seat. He slid in beside me, the door closing with more force than necessary. He said nothing, staring ahead, his grip tightening around his phone as the silence dragged on. I waited, my pulse loud enough to fill the stillness between us.Then he spoke, his voice low and controlled. “That boy in the hospital… he’s mine, isn’t he?”My fingers pressed into my palm as I swallowed, my throat dry, the words refusing to come out.He turned slightly, not fully facing me. “Let’s try this differently. The boy I saw in the hospital, is he your child? Did you give birth to him?”“Yes,” I said, barely above a whisper.He let out a breath through his nose. “Who’s the father?”I closed my eyes briefly. There was nothing left to hide. “You
MiaFrom the hotel, I drove straight home with only two things on my mind.First, I needed a shower. After that, I would go through everything I owned to see if there was anything worth selling. I couldn’t risk putting all my hope on Mason.The house lights were on when I walked in, and the sound of laughter drifted from the living room. Ruben was there with one of his women. I didn’t bother looking properly.I tried to walk past quietly toward the stairs, hoping to reach the bedroom without drawing attention, but Ruben’s voice stopped me before I could take more than a few steps.“Hey.”I paused.“Get more ice for the drinks.”I went into the kitchen, filled a bowl with ice, and brought it back to the living room. The woman sitting beside him barely moved, her leg resting on his thigh.I placed the ice on the table and turned toward the stairs again.“Wait.”I stopped once more.By then I knew better than to think it would end with the ice.He leaned back on the couch, swirling the d
Mason“Lawrence, I want everything about her.”My assistant looked up immediately. “Everything, boss?”“Yes. I want to know what her life has been like for the past six years and why she suddenly needs three hundred thousand dollars.”Lawrence gave a short nod. “Understood.”He turned and left the room without another word. That was why he had been working for me for years. When I gave an order, he didn’t waste time asking unnecessary questions.The door shut behind him, leaving the room in silence.I leaned back slightly and exhaled.The moment I heard her voice outside earlier, my heart reacted before logic had a chance to intervene. That alone told me something I had spent six years trying to deny.I was still in love with her.After she disappeared the way she did, leaving without a trace, I tried to find her. At first I assumed something had happened. I searched hotels, called contacts, even hired someone to look into it.But the more I searched, the clearer it became that nothin
As I stared at Mason’s picture on the billboard, my mind drifted back to the first time we met. That summer in LA, I had taken a hotel cleaning job while visiting my Aunt Mel.I was pushing the cleaning cart after finishing my rounds, my hands hurting like hell, when the elevator dinged. He stepped out and made a remark about my slow work pace. I snapped and told him he was probably just a rich brat living off his dad’s money who had never worked a day in his life.Mason had chuckled instead of getting offended.The next morning I arrived at work to find a small box of chocolates sitting on my cleaning cart with a note that simply said: Sorry for being an ass.That was the beginning of some of the most cherished moments of my life.Now, six years later, he was in the same city as me.A small spark of hope rose inside me. This could be the only real chance left to save Lior’s life.My hands trembled as I pulled out my phone and searched for information about the Hayes Hotel opening. I
I stood in front of my parents’ door, my hand hovering in the air.This was the last place I ever wanted to come back to. The last time I stood here, my father had made it very clear I was no longer his daughter.I drew in a slow breath and knocked, hoping it would be Nina who answered. If my father opened the door instead, he might not even let me finish a sentence.The door opened.Nina stood there in her nightwear, her hair loose around her shoulders. For a moment she simply stared at me, clearly not expecting to see me standing outside the door at this hour.“Nina.”My knees gave way and I dropped in front of her.“My son is in the hospital,” I rushed out before she could close the door. “He collapsed tonight. The doctors say he needs heart surgery immediately.”Her expression remained blank.“The surgery costs three hundred thousand dollars,” I continued, my voice shaking despite my effort to stay calm. “I know it’s a lot, but anything you can give will help. I swear I’ll pay you







