LOGINRiver’s POV “Please, Matilda.” I pleaded for the umpteenth time as I got ready to leave for the party. “Please look after her.” It was hard for me to leave my sick daughter for a party. I could have simply bailed out, but deep down I knew that I couldn't do that. My company counted on me, else they wouldn't have sent me down to Los Angeles. “I promise, ma'am. I'll look after her this time.” The nanny responded. That should have made me feel better but it didn't. I mean how could I feel better when I was leaving my sick daughter in the hands of the same woman that had abandoned her that day? “Relax, Riv, I trust Matilda to look after our daughter. She'll be fine.”“She has always looked after her. You know this right?” Killian croaked out and I nodded slowly. I just didn't think that I could trust my daughter around Matilda anymore. But deep down, I knew that I'd rather keep my daughter with her, than someone else. “Fine.” I muttered under my breath. “Let's go.” I said to Killi
River’s POVThe nurse led us down a long white hallway that smelled faintly of antiseptic. My legs felt heavy with each step, but I forced them to keep moving. I wanted answers.But the way the nurse kept her face blank made my stomach twist even more.Finally, we reached the doctor’s office. She pushed the door open, and inside sat a young-looking man behind a desk piled with files and papers. He had a calm expression, too calm for what I was feeling inside. His head was bent low, a pen scratching steadily across the page.“You’re Alora’s parents, right?” he asked without looking up.“Yes, we are,” Killian and I answered at the same time. The sound of our voices together made me glance at him for the briefest moment, but I had no room inside me for anything except the rising panic that tightened my chest.“Well…” The doctor trailed off, his pen still moving, his eyes fixed on the paper as if it mattered more than my little girl. Heat rushed to my face, and I clenched my fists by
River’s POVThe first thing I felt was the light. Soft rays of sunlight pushed through the curtains and spread across my skin, warm and gentle like they wanted to pull me out of sleep. My eyes fluttered open, and for the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel heavy. No dreams dragging me down, no fear clinging to my chest. Just light. I stretched slowly across the bed, breathing in the quiet morning air. There was a strange energy inside me, like I could run for miles if I wanted to. Today was the day we were leaving for LA. Today was also the day of my coronation party. A part of me wanted to stay here in this peace forever, but another part was already moving ahead, racing toward the night, toward the moment I would walk into that hall and face everyone.I didn’t want to let any dark thoughts in, not this morning. No fear, no anger, no Rowan. I wanted to keep my heart steady, at least for a few hours. My body pulled me straight to the kitchen. The smell of fresh coffee fil
River’s POVThe world tilted when his face came into view. My uncle. The man I thought I would never see again, the man whose name had been erased from my lips because speaking it felt like summoning a ghost. He was supposed to be gone forever, locked away for what he tried to do to me. But there he was, standing with a gun in his hand, a mask dangling from his fingers, staring at me with a look that made my blood freeze.I held Alora tighter against my chest. My breathing turned shallow, and fear burned in my veins so fiercely that I felt my knees threaten to give out. He smirked, as if he knew I was still that same girl who once trembled under his shadow. My heart slammed so loudly against my ribs that I thought he might hear it. Then, just as quickly as he had shown himself, he turned. He covered his face with the mask and vanished into the chaos, disappearing with the rest of his men as if he had only come to remind me he still existed.Killian grabbed my arm. “River, move,”
Chapter 16:River’s POVThe sun had been kind that afternoon, soft and warm against my skin, as if it wanted to make this last day in Canada memorable. I had almost convinced myself that things were normal. Killian and I had been laughing more, speaking without all the sharp edges that once cut into every word. A month had passed since Rowan last bothered me, aside from that one cruel message he sent. I had ignored it like Killian told me to, though part of me still wondered if he had truly handled it or if Rowan was just waiting for the right time to strike. But today, I forced those thoughts aside. Today was about Alora.She sat in her stroller, her little finger pointing eagerly at the teddy bear she wanted from the game stand. It was bigger than her, with round brown eyes and a soft pink ribbon tied around its neck. I laughed every time I missed, and she made a tiny frown like the world was ending. Killian stepped up, steady and focused, and with one clean shot he won it.
Chapter 15:River’s POVThe air felt heavy after he caught me, so heavy I could barely breathe. My skin still burned with shame, but what came next was not anger. It was his smile. Slow, steady, and so chilling it sent a shiver down my spine.“It’s all good, River,” he said, his tone light but the grin on his face making it sound like anything but good. “I didn’t mean to interfere. I kept knocking and you weren’t responding, so I entered. Sorry for that, by the way.” He stepped forward, each movement careful, almost like he didn’t want to spook me, yet his presence filled the whole room. “Uhmm…” his voice trailed for a moment before he spoke again, softer now. “I came to say sorry about yesterday. I shouldn’t have said the things I said. I shouldn’t have held you like that, and I shouldn’t have scared you. It wasn’t my intention. I just… I’m genuinely sorry, River.”I couldn’t speak. My chest rose and fell fast, my heart thudding against my ribs as if trying to break free. The w
Diamond’s POVMy heart sank, and I felt a surge of panic. The moment I heard my dad, I knew I had to get home as soon as possible. I quickly put on my clothes, not bothering to look back at the stranger. "You're leaving without getting paid?" he called out. I ignored him. I had to get out of there
Diamond’s POV“You’re late again,” Mrs. Morgan's voice made me stop in my tracks as she frowned at me. She was the club's manager and responsible for keeping everything intact. “I’m sorry, ma'am. I was busy with some important stuff,” I replied. "Well, that’s up to you because your tip would be de
Adylne's POV"Crystal, are you okay? What happened to you?" I ran quickly to my daughter...she changed her position to face me. "Why did you come in again?""But you don't look okay, I just thought I should check on you." I saw her sniff a bit, then dabbed her eyes, "I'm okay, you didn't have to,
Diamond’s POVI quickly punched the combination into the safe lock, praying my luck in life hadn't run dry yet. It clicked, and I almost screamed in joy. Finally, something good was happening to me. I opened the lock and saw some papers here and there, but nothing of interest to me. While going t







