LOGINGAVIN“What is this I’m hearing about shifting the focus from the Rossis to Dalton Wealth?” Director Flint thundered.He had called me in after I briefed the other agents on the new direction. I straightened in my seat as he stared at me from behind his desk, the morning sun filtering through the window behind him.“I trust you, Thorne, but things have been moving too slowly in this case. I need action. I need results.”I nodded. “Dalton is hiding things, sir. I believe he’s the key that will help us wrap this up.”He just stared out the window for a long moment. “It’s obvious he’s going to win the election. The gap between Wealth and his opponent is widening, Thorne. The final vote is in exactly two months.” Flint snapped his gaze back to me, his eyes hard. “So whatever unorthodox angle you’re chasing, you have sixty days to deliver a smoking gun. Don’t make me pull you off this case. I have faith in you, Gavin. Do not let me down.”“Yes, sir.” I got up from the seat and made my way
MELANIEI just stared at the paper in my hands, and the only thing I could do was burst into laughter. It started deep in my belly and built up until tears were rolling down my face. Those loud, slightly hysterical laughs that make people think you’ve lost your mind.My father and Vivian just looked at me, then at each other, like a screw had come loose in my head.Dalton didn't say anything, which was so unlike him. He just waited until I was done with my laughter. Then he raised one eyebrow, “Are you done?”I shook my head, wiping the tears from my eyes and trying to stop the small hiccups that came from laughing too hard.“What is this?” I asked him, still catching my breath. “What sort of prank is this?”He stared at me like I had poured cold water on him. “Prank?!”“Look, Dad, I was busy before you called me. I can't believe I came here for something like this.”I turned to leave, but his voice rooted me to the ground. “Melanie Wealth, are you out of your mind?!”I frowned at him
MELANIEI blinked, staring at the doctor because I was sure I had heard her wrong. I knew with all of Eva’s symptoms that this was coming, but I still didn’t want to actually hear the words. No. She couldn’t be.The doctor cleared her throat again. The gentle smile on her face faded into a slight frown. She leaned forward and looked from me to Eva and back.“Did you hear me?” she asked, raising her voice slightly as she repeated herself. We were both sitting there like we had gone deaf, without any reaction. Because obviously, the reality of it all hadn't sunk in yet. “You are six weeks pregnant.”I couldn’t look at Eva. I didn’t want to see the broken expression on her face.“How do I get rid of it?” Eva blurted out.I snapped my head toward her. “Eva!”“What?” she asked, her face hardening even though her eyes were still watery.“You can’t just decide that right here and now. You need to think it through—”“Will you carry it for me?” she asked, her voice cracking. My heart broke f
MELANIEThis couldn’t be happening. I paced back and forth across the bathroom floor, my hands opening and closing at my sides. I couldn’t stand still. My thoughts kept racing, jumping from one impossible question to the next.How on earth could this have happened?“Melanie, you’re making me more anxious. Please stop pacing,” Eva cried out, her voice shaky.I tried to stop, but the movement was the only thing keeping me from completely falling apart.“I can’t, E… I’m losing my mind right now.”“If you’re losing your mind, what do you think is happening to me?”That stopped me. She was right. I needed to pull myself together. I took a slow breath, let it out, and walked over to stand in front of her.“First of all… how?” I looked at her tear-streaked face. “Like, how did this even happen?”Her lips kept quivering as she opened her mouth to speak and shut it again, closed her eyes, and then forced them open again. “It was on the day after we met him.”“Hmm?” That didn’t make sense. I t
MELANIE“Hey, where are you taking her?” Derek tried to step in as Eva dragged me out of the classroom, but she wasn’t having it. “It’s an emergency, Derek.” She gave him a sharp look, and he stepped aside, letting her pull me away.“What the hell, Eva?” I yanked my arm free from her grip. Her nails had left marks on my skin. I rubbed the sore spot while glaring at her. We were now standing in the busy hallway surrounded by other students.“What’s going on?” I asked, frowning at how panicked she looked. Then it hit me. My eyes widened, and I stepped closer. “Are you in danger? Is Silvio threatening you?”She stared at me like I had lost my mind. “Come on, it’s more serious than that.” She reached for my wrist again, but her grip was gentler this time.I let her pull me along, but my mind was racing. What could be more serious than threats? Had he tried to kidnap her? Or hurt her and she barely got away?“Mel, I know your brain is making up some really crazy shit right now,” she said,
MELANIEI sat in the middle of class. I was physically present, but my mind was miles away, still inside the car with Reynold the night before when he mentioned helping me find my mom.It had always crossed my mind for years. In fact, I started searching when I turned eighteen. I spent months looking online, calling numbers, checking old records. But without any solid lead on where she might be, it felt like I was just turning in circles. After almost a year of dead ends and disappointment, I gave up.Now Reynold had brought that hope back, and it scared me. Hope had a way of hurting you when things didn’t work out.“Miss Wealth?”I refused to let myself get excited just to be let down again. I would let him try if he wanted, but I wasn’t going to pin my hopes on it. Which I already knew would be impossible—“Miss Wealth?”Someone shoved my shoulder. I glanced angrily at Rebecca, who sat next to me. She nudged me again and pointed to the front of the room. I looked up to see my profes
GAVINThe talk with Cassandra had gone to hell.I can't tell when we lost the ability to sit down and have adult conversations. There used to be a time when we could be cordial, even loving. Now every conversation felt like walking through a battlefield. And I knew exactly when it all changed.The
MELANIE“You…” My voice cracked, but I forced it to remain steady as I lifted the journal. “You had this the whole time? You’ve been reading my most private, pathetic thoughts about you for years?”Gavin swallowed hard. His jaw clenched tight. Those hazel eyes I used to get lost in were now dark wi
MELANIEMy legs went weak, and I almost fell to the ground. I quickly grabbed the edge of the couch to steady myself. Gavin had a fiancée? Like an actual woman, he planned to marry?And last night... last night I had begged him to fuck me. I came so hard on his cock while he filled me up, stupidly
MELANIE“Fuck!” Gavin swore under his breath. I sat up fast, the sheet slipping down to my waist, exposing my bare breasts. My heart pounded against my ribs as he put a finger to his lips, mouthing “Shh,” and answered the call on speaker.“Dalton,” Gavin said, voice still rough from fucking me.“H







