LOGINRyderI refused the glass of whiskey. The fire crackled between us while the hidden video still burned in my mind. Grandfather sat in his usual chair, calm as ever, watching me with those sharp old eyes that had guided me for years.“Sit down, Ryder,” he said again.I stayed standing. “What are you hiding from me?”Grandfather set the glass down carefully. “Ethan’s father once destroyed a major deal that belonged to our family. He nearly ruined us. He spread lies, bought off board members, and left us fighting for survival. I never forgot. When the chance came to take everything back, I took it.”I paced once across the thick carpet. “And the rest? The ‘more than this’ you mentioned?”He looked at the fire for a long moment. “Ethan’s parents were involved in covering up Brigit’s true parentage. They helped arrange the adoption and later made sure the orphanage records disappeared. The car accident that killed her adoptive parents was not an accident. Brake failure was only the story o
RYDERI sat in my office with the lights low, staring at the city lights through the tall windows. My mind should have been on the next board meeting or the latest numbers coming in, but it kept drifting back to Scarlett, Brigit, and the growing mess around Ethan. The silence felt heavy tonight.A new email popped up on my screen. The sender name was blank, just a string of numbers. I almost ignored it.Junk mail came in all the time. But something made me pause. I clicked it open.The attachment was a video file.I hit play.My grandfather’s face filled the screen. He sat in his favorite chair in the old study, the one with the dark wood panels and heavy curtains.He looked tired but sharp, the way he always did when making big moves. Someone off-camera was talking to him. The voice was distorted, but I could hear every word.“…the shares are already moving in our favor,” the voice said. “Ethan’s company will collapse from the inside. We push the infertility rumors, leak the affair r
RYDER I sat in my office with the lights low, staring at the city lights through the tall windows. My mind should have been on the next board meeting or the latest numbers coming in, but it kept drifting back to Scarlett, Brigit, and the growing mess around Ethan. The silence felt heavy tonight. A new email popped up on my screen. The sender name was blank, just a string of numbers. I almost ignored it. Junk mail came in all the time. But something made me pause. I clicked it open. The attachment was a video file. I hit play. My grandfather’s face filled the screen. He sat in his favorite chair in the old study, the one with the dark wood panels and heavy curtains. He looked tired but sharp, the way he always did when making big moves. Someone off-camera was talking to him. The voice was distorted, but I could hear every word. “…the shares are already moving in our favor,” the voice said. “Ethan’s company will collapse from the inside. We push the infertility rumors, leak t
SCARLETTThe house felt strangely quiet the next morning. I woke up to the soft sound of the front door closing. Brigit had left early for some personal matters. She didn’t say much, just a short message that she needed time to think. I should have felt relieved to have some space after everything that happened yesterday. Instead, I felt oddly empty, like a piece of me was missing even though we were still awkward around each other.I touched my belly gently and whispered, “It’s just you and me for now, little one.”Ryder had arranged a private check-up for me at a quiet clinic. He drove me there himself, his hand resting lightly on my knee the whole way. I didn’t say much. My mind kept drifting between Brigit, Ethan, and this baby growing inside me.At the clinic, the doctor smiled warmly as she moved the ultrasound wand over my belly. The screen lit up, and there it was — my baby. Tiny, but clear. The heartbeat filled the room, strong and steady. Tears filled my eyes instantly.
SCARLETTI woke up the next morning with a heavy feeling in my chest, like the weight of yesterday still pressed down on me. Sunlight slipped through the curtains, but it didn’t bring any comfort. I walked down the hallway toward the guest room and stopped at the half-open door. Brigit sat on the edge of the bed, staring at old photos on her phone. Her shoulders were hunched, and she looked lost. When she noticed me, she quickly turned off the screen. We both avoided each other’s eyes.Neither of us spoke at first. The silence felt loud.I cleared my throat. “Breakfast is ready. Ryder asked the maid to make something simple.”Brigit nodded without looking up. “Okay.”We sat across from each other at the dining table. The smell of fresh coffee and toast filled the room, but it did nothing to ease the tension. I pushed a plate toward her. She took a small bite, then put the fork down.“I grew up in an orphanage,” she said suddenly, her voice flat. “I have the documents. Birth certi
SCARLETT Ryder’s question cut through the quiet living room like a sudden storm. “Brigit, tell me about your family.” Brigit blinked, clearly caught off guard. She shifted on the sofa, glancing at me before looking back at him. Why was he asking this now, right after everything that had happened at the café? “Why are you asking that all of a sudden?” I said, my voice sharper than I meant it to be. Ryder didn’t answer right away. He just sat there, calm and steady, watching us both. Brigit gave a small, tired smile and leaned back. “It’s okay, Scarlett,” she said softly. “I’m actually an orphan. I was adopted by a wealthy family when I was little. They gave me everything — a good education, a nice home. But they died in a car accident a few months ago. They left me their fortune. That’s when I met Ethan. He came into my life right after I was trying to figure out what to do with the money and the business they left behind.” I reached over and touched her arm gently. “I’m sorry







