Isabelle’s POV I didn’t expect to see him again. Not after everything. I didn’t even want him to show his face to me. Not after he made his choice. Yet, as I stood in the quiet of my office, flipping through the stack of legal documents I had spent the entire day reviewing, a familiar presence filled the air. Heavy. Unyielding. I didn’t have to look up to know who it was. Damion. He was standing right behind me with that look in his face. It was that his look that I hated because it always made feel in the bad and that I had done something wrong. The man who had once consumed every thought, every breath, every moment of my life. I should have felt something seeing him standing there. Anger. Pain. Regret. But instead— There was nothing. Just the realization that whatever we had, whatever connection had once tethered us together, was gone. Burned. Destroyed. I slowly placed the papers down, exhaling as I leaned back against my desk. “If you’re here to a
Isabelle’s POV War was no longer a distant threat. It was here. And I was walking straight into it. I had spent years rebuilding myself. I had spent years surviving, learning, waiting. Now, I had one goal. To end this. To end them. I sat in my office, the city lights glowing behind me, the weight of my past and my present pressing down on my shoulders. My fingers tapped rhythmically against the wooden desk, my mind calculating every possible outcome. Kaia wasn’t going to stop. Walter wasn’t going to stop. And Damion? I didn’t know where he stood anymore. But I didn’t have time to care. Not when I was this close to getting my revenge. My phone buzzed. I reached for it, my stomach tightening when I saw the name flashing across the screen. Unknown Number. I hesitated. It should be Brian, I think. Then answered. A slow, distorted voice came through. “You don’t have much time, Isabelle.” I straightened, my grip tightening on the phone. “Who is thi
Kaia’s POV The drive back to my mansion was silent. Not the peaceful kind. The kind that felt like the world was holding its breath, waiting for something terrible to happen. I knew what was waiting for me. Who else could it be except than the man who had asked me to kidnap the child since he turned not to be his grand child and the son of Damion. Walter. He was waiting right there for me. The moment I stepped inside, I barely had time to take off my coat before his voice cut through the air. “You failed.” I exhaled sharply, closing my eyes for a second before turning to face him. Who would have thought he would wait for my arrival and not sleep yet? Walter Ryder stood near the grand fireplace, his usual mask of cold indifference replaced by something darker. Disappointment. Rage. Contempt. Who cares anyways? Isabelle almost killed me and I came back alive. He should be happy to see me than to remind me of my failures. But when I met his eye, The look
Isabelle’s POV The moment the door slammed shut behind Damion, I felt like the air had been sucked from my lungs. I staggered back, my body trembling with an ache I hadn’t felt in years. A shiver running down my spine and my whole body in fear of the past. My mind was spinning, replaying every single second of our conversation. The way his eyes had darkened. The way his voice had softened just before I pushed him away. I hated him. So much! I hated that he still had the power to make me feel anything. To make me remember Christopher even after I didn’t want to remember what we had together. I stumbled toward my bedroom, barely making it before my knees gave out. Falling down to the floor, my body still shivering in fear. And then I cried. Hard. So hard that I have never did before. I buried my face into my pillow, my shoulders shaking, my fingers gripping the sheets as I let the pain consume me. Damion had brought back the ghosts I had fought so hard to bury.
Isabelle’s POV The past had sharp teeth. It never truly let go. It only lingered in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to sink its fangs into your skin and drag you back under. Not like the past would remain in the past anyway. Tonight, it had found me again. I had just finished tucking Nathan into bed, pressing a lingering kiss to his forehead, when I heard it—a knock at the door. Not a soft, uncertain tap. But- A firm, relentless pounding. I knew who it was before I even checked. Who else could it be if not for the stalker who kept on preying on my life even when I was over with him? Damion. My pulse quickened, but I forced my shoulders back, exhaling slowly before walking to the door. I swung it open, and there he stood. His dark hair was slightly disheveled, his suit jacket unbuttoned, but it was his eyes that made my stomach twist. Sharp. Searching. Demanding. “What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice steady despite the storm inside me. He
Damion’s POV The truth had a way of revealing itself in pieces—never all at once, never in a way that allowed you to prepare. And now, standing in my office, staring at the pages scattered across my desk, I felt like someone had just cracked my ribs open and left me gasping for breath. Christopher Bane’s death wasn’t an accident. There was no way the police could believe it was all an accident and he had just miraculously had an accident if it was not intentional planned. I had already suspected that much. But now? Now I had proof. I had the evidence that showed who Isabelle really was. But could I do it? I love her. I want her. I picked up the latest report from my investigator, my fingers gripping the edges so tightly the paper nearly crumpled. Bank Transfers from Isabelle Everett – Five Days Before Christopher’s Death. Recipient: Unknown Third Party – Offshore Account. That alone wasn’t enough to damn her. But the next page? Anonymous Witness Testimony: Isabel
Isabelle’s POV Something was wrong. I felt it before I even stepped out of the car. The moment I pulled into my driveway, my stomach twisted. The lights in my house were off, even though I always left the porch light on for Nathan. A chill ran down my spine. I reached for my phone, gripping it tightly as I opened my car door. The quietness around me was too unnatural, too deliberate. My fingers trembled as I dialed Nathan’s nanny. The phone rang once. Twice. Then— “The number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable.” My heart dropped. No. I rushed toward the front door, my keys slipping in my sweaty palm. The moment I shoved the key into the lock and turned it, I felt the resistance. The door was already unlocked. A surge of fear shot through me, but I pushed forward, forcing the door open. And then my world collapsed. My house was destroyed. The living room—ransacked. Cushions slashed open, papers thrown across the floor, furniture overturne
Isabelle’s POV Trust. Such a simple word, yet it had become the hardest thing for me to give. I sat in my office, my hands resting on the polished mahogany desk, staring at Brian across from me. His confession earlier still rang in my ears. “I was an enforcer for Walter Ryder. I watched you rebuild yourself. I fell in love with you. I want to help you bring them down.” I wanted to believe him. I wanted to believe that after all these years, I wasn’t fighting this battle alone anymore. But how could I trust the man who had once been sent to watch me break? I exhaled sharply. “If I say yes, if I let you help me—what guarantees do I have that you won’t turn on me?” Brian leaned forward, his gaze unwavering. “If I wanted to betray you, I would’ve done it a long time ago.” I studied him, searching for any crack in his mask. “That’s not an answer.” His jaw tightened. “I’ve risked everything coming here, Isabelle. Walter wouldn’t just ruin me if he found out—I’d
Isabelle’s POV The cold night air pressed against my skin, but I barely noticed. My heart pounded as I stood frozen on the front porch, staring at the man in front of me. I knew him. Even in the dim light, the sharp angles of his face, the piercing gaze, the confidence in his posture—it all clicked into place. Brian. A thousand questions ran through my mind, but none of them made it past my lips. I had trusted Brian once. He had been kind to me when I needed someone, offered stability when my world was falling apart. But now, here he was—standing in the shadows like a ghost from my past, claiming to be the only key to taking Kaia and Walter down. The weight of his words still echoed in my mind. I took a slow step forward, keeping my voice steady. “What the hell are you doing here?” Brian exhaled, tilting his head slightly, his expression unreadable. “I was waiting for the right moment.” His voice was calm, measured. Like he had expected this. I crossed my