Nathaniel's POVShe didn’t even glance back. Just stormed out like she couldn’t bear to be in the same room with me and her best friend another second.I didn’t go after her this time.Not because I didn’t want to.But because my attention shifted the moment I looked at Diana.She stood frozen in place, her shoulders stiff, her face turned toward the empty doorway where Lillian had just disappeared. But she wasn’t looking at the exit.She was looking at the hurt her choice had just caused.And she too was hurting.I stepped toward her slowly, not wanting to crowd her. “Diana…”She blinked rapidly, like she hadn’t realized I was still here.“I didn’t mean for that to happen,” she said quietly, shaking her head. “God, I didn’t want to hurt her.”“You didn’t choose wrong,” I said gently. “You chose survival. You chose your business. That doesn’t make you the villain.”“But I still lost her,” she whispered, voice cracking. “She thinks I betrayed her.”I exhaled, feeling the guilt settle d
Lillian's POVThe club was quieter than usual. The hum of music had been turned low, the lights dimmer than they should be. It was like the building itself had already accepted its fate and was mourning its own end.Diana and I sat in the lounge, our drinks untouched between us. We hadn’t spoken for a while, there was nothing left to say that hadn’t already been said in sighs and silence.“This place feels like a ghost town,” she finally muttered, staring at the floor. “Like it already knows it’s not mine anymore.”I swallowed the lump in my throat.I hated that she felt that way.I hated that there was nothing I could say to fix it. But even more than that, I hated myself, for not telling her sooner. For keeping everything bottled up like it was my burden alone to carry.She turned her head toward me slowly. Her voice wasn’t angry when she spoke, just... tired. “Why didn’t you tell me, Lillian?”I blinked. “Tell you what?”“About Isabelle. The threats. The messages. The photo she too
Nathaniel's POVI grabbed my keys from the console table near the door, heart pounding like I had just run a marathon. The audacity, the cruelty… Isabelle had crossed a line. Buying the club? Targeting Diana? Hurting Lillian again?No. Not this time.“Where do you think you’re going?” my father’s voice cut through the hallway like a blade.I didn’t even turn. “Out. Something I need to handle.”“You invited scandal into our lives and now you’re running off in the middle of the night to chase after it?” he scoffed. “You still think this isn’t going to come back to burn you?”“You’re welcome to stay the night,” I said without looking back. “There are three guest rooms. Pick whichever one gives you the most peace.”“That girl…” he started, but my mother put a hand on his arm, a silent warning.Still, my father wasn’t done. “If you had any sense, you’d go back to Isabelle and fix this. Apologize. Do whatever it takes. Because if you don’t, there will be more consequences, Nathaniel.”I pau
Nathaniel's POVThe second I stepped off the stage and out of the blinding studio lights, my phone started vibrating like it had a personal vendetta against me.Call after call.Message after message.I didn’t need to look to know who they were from… my parents. Probably calling to ask if I had lost my damn mind.They had spent years cultivating the perfect narrative. Isabelle Laurent and I were supposed to be the crown jewel of every high society headline. Now I had gone and shattered it in front of the world, no PR cleanup, no warning, no family consultation.But I didn’t want to talk to them.Not now.I silenced the fifth call from my father and scrolled until I saw Luca’s name. His call had come in during the broadcast.I hit redial.“Holy hell,” he answered almost immediately. “You actually did it?”“I did.” I exhaled, loosening my tie. “It’s done.”There was a long pause on the other end. “Nate… I told you to do something big, but I didn’t mean detonate-the-whole-situation big.”
Isabelle's POV.I was halfway to my car when I heard someone call out."Isabelle?"I turned sharply, eyes narrowing behind my designer sunglasses.The man crossing the street toward me looked familiar… irritatingly so. He wasn’t dressed like someone who belonged in my world. His blazer was too tight, shirt slightly rumpled, but the confidence in his smirk hadn't changed.And then I placed him.Julian.Of course.I nearly laughed.He was the one mistake I thought I had buried beneath fine wine and silk sheets, the man Nathaniel had walked in on, sprawled beside me on a bed I was never supposed to share with anyone else.Julian grinned wider when he saw that I recognized him. “Still as breathtaking as ever.”“You have nerve showing your face,” I said flatly, folding my arms.“I saw the broadcast. You and Nathaniel, over?” he asked, a glint of mischief in his eyes. “Didn’t think you would let him go so easily.”I tilted my chin. “I don’t ‘let’ men do anything. They fall apart all on thei
Isabelle's POVThe scent of eucalyptus oil filled the room, curling through the quiet like a whispered promise of serenity.I exhaled slowly, arms lifted in a practiced stretch, the morning light spilling through the windows of my penthouse apartment. Soft instrumental music played from my speakers. Peaceful. Intentional.This was my moment.My calm.My control.Until my phone rang.I ignored it at first, anyone worth knowing knew not to disturb me during my morning yoga.But it rang again.And again.With an irritated sigh, I stepped out of my pose and grabbed the device off the table.Clarisse.I rolled my eyes and answered. “This better be good.”“Turn on the TV. Now. Channel six. Now, Isabelle.”Her tone wasn’t panicked. It was worse, it was gleeful. Like she was watching something burn and couldn’t wait for me to see it, too.My stomach twisted.Remote in hand, I turned on the channel. And there he was.Nathaniel.Looking perfectly composed in one of his tailored suits, standing