Sophia’s POVThe article was full of pictures of Adrian and Kayla together at various events, looking every bit the glamorous couple. They were both smiling, radiating happiness.It seemed they were officially in a relationship, and the news had taken the media by storm.I stared at the screen, a mix of emotions churning inside me. Kayla had always been there for me, a constant support through all the ups and downs.Seeing her with Adrian, who’d recently been pestering me to start a relationship with him and even to marry him, felt strange. Is this even real? I thought, knowing very well that celebrity news was usually exaggerated. Kayla hadn’t even mentioned anything to me. Or maybe she’s hesitant to share about it because Adrian had recently declared his love for me publicly? Well, she knows for certain that he’s just a friend to me. There was also a video interview embedded in the article. I hesitated for a moment before pressing play.The screen showed Adrian, looking dapper in
Sophia’s POVI nearly screamed into the phone, “You didn’t tell me about Connor, and I find out from the internet?! What kind of best friend are you?!”Kayla's laughter rang out on the other end. “Sorry, sorry!” she said between giggles. “I’m coming over. We have a lot to talk about.”“I’ll hold you to that,” I replied, a wide grin spreading across my face. I was eager to see her. She sounded happy, so I was happy for her and excited to hear the story of how it happened between her and Connor. Not long after, Kayla arrived, joining us for dinner. Reese, our nanny, and I were already at the table when she walked in, her usual energetic self lighting up the room.“Where’s Connor?” I asked, my grin widening.Kayla chuckled as she took a seat and helped herself to some salad. “He’s home. We were together earlier because he was helping me shop for some stuff for my office.”I raised an eyebrow and gave her a teasing look. “Sounds serious.”We both laughed, and even Reese joined in, her ey
Elijah’s POVTwo weeks had passed since I’d last seen Reese. I’d taken her to the park, but Sophia had not wanted to join us. And when I went to pick up Reese and drop her off at the apartment, Sophia had also not been there. It was only Reese’s nanny. Sophia is clearly avoiding me, I thought with worry and sadness. Even when I tried dropping by the Urban Next office, Trevis informed me that Sophia was doing mostly fieldwork now, something she had insisted on.At present, I stood in the spacious living room of our home as the couturier measured and adjusted the suit that would supposedly mark the happiest day of my life. So why do I feel so gloomy?My stepmother and Julia’s mom flitted around like excited hummingbirds, their chatter a fusion of wedding plans and exclamations over every minute detail. They were in their element, fussing over the wedding gown, debating lace patterns and veil lengths with great enthusiasm. “Make sure the lace detail is just perfect,” Julia said, her
Serena’s POVThe hospital corridor stretched into shadowed uncertainty as I hurried past closed doors and muted lights. It was late, well past visiting hours, but urgency propelled me forward.Julia Stanford. The name echoed in my mind, wrapped in layers of resentment and anger and even fear. I approached the nurse's station, my heart pounding against the facade of calm I tried to maintain.“Excuse me,” I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside. The nurse behind the counter looked up, fatigue etched into her features.“Yes, how can I help you?” Her tone was polite but tinged with weariness.“I'm looking for Julia Stanford,” I began, my pulse quickening. “I'm her sister, and I just arrived from abroad. I tried reaching her but couldn't get through. I heard there was an accident like two months ago maybe…”The nurse consulted her computer screen, fingers tapping softly on the keyboard. “Julia Stanford... Yes, she was discharged a few weeks ago. But she recently came in for a c
Sophia’s POVThe lobby of Raven Media buzzed with energy as I stepped through the glass doors. I took a deep breath, savoring the sense of purpose and excitement that filled the air.Today was a welcome change of scenery, a chance to immerse myself in something different than my usual routine. I was here to help Kayla with a magazine shoot design for Adrian's new album, and I couldn't wait to dive in.Though I had done this for a time here, it felt like so long ago. And besides, we’re doing a different concept this time so I was very excited. “Sophia!” Kayla's voice rang out as she rushed over to greet me, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. Even though she was the creative department director and Adrian's manager, she was still as hands-on as ever. Her parents owned Raven Media, but she had earned her place here through sheer talent and hard work.“Kayla, it's so good to see you again!” I hugged her tightly, feeling a surge of joy even though it’s only been a few days since she’d co
Julia’s POVAs I flexed my fingers, I marveled at the subtle yet distinct improvement in their movement. The tendons stretched and contracted smoothly, a testament to my dedication to physical therapy and, more importantly, to the meticulous execution of my plan. I couldn't help but smile, a wide, self-satisfied grin spreading across my face. Everything was falling into place perfectly.I sat in the living room, sunlight streaming through the sheer curtains. This house, this life, it’s everything I had ever wanted. And now, with Elijah agreeing to marry me, it was all within my grasp. I picked up the stress ball beside me, squeezing it firmly and then releasing. Each successful repetition was a victory, a reminder of how far I'd come.“Almost there,” I whispered to myself, my voice filled with a mixture of determination and elation. “Just a little more and everything will be perfect.”Henry had played his part brilliantly, altering my test results to show brain trauma. It was the fi
Sophia’s POVI paced back and forth in my living room, feeling like I wanted to throw up. Today was Elijah and Julia's wedding day. I still couldn't believe it was really happening. It felt like a cruel joke, a nightmare I couldn't wake up from.I remembered overhearing my colleagues gossiping about the wedding when they thought I wasn't around. They were passing around the invitation, chattering excitedly.“Can you believe it?” Lisa had said, her voice dripping with envy. “Julia's so lucky. She's marrying the owner of Sinclair Realty. And Elijah also has shares in Urban Next, so she might become our boss soon, too.”The idea had never occurred to me before, and it suddenly made me anxious. What if Julia did become our boss? What if she kicked me out? The thought sent a chill down my spine.A knock on the door jolted me back to the present moment. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, and went to answer it. It was Trevis, standing there with a gentle smile.“Hey,” he said sof
Sophia’s POVI caught sight of Elijah at the front of the room, looking incredibly handsome and dashing in his tailored suit. He stood with his parents, Morgana and Anderson, both of whom wore proud smiles. Chris, Elijah's best man, stood beside him, adjusting his tie nervously. When Elijah looked in my direction, I quickly avoided his gaze, turning back to laugh with Kayla and Connor.The host of the event stepped up to the microphone, a broad smile on his face. “Ladies and gentlemen, please settle down as the ceremony is about to begin.”The room quieted, and the pastor took his place at the front. Meanwhile, a mini orchestra on the side began to play beautiful, romantic music, setting the tone for the ceremony. Soon all eyes were on the entourage as they started to march down the makeshift aisle, a red carpet rolled out elegantly on the floor. The ring bearer, flower girls, bridesmaids, and groomsmen all proceeded down the aisle, their faces solemn and filled with anticipation.E