MasukANNA'S POV “I’m sorry for everything I did to you Anna, I was wrong to do such things, I shouldn’t have pushed you away that night and I regret it now.” James said. I stood there listening to him, my arms folded tightly across my chest as his words hung in the air between us. I stopped myself from letting out a small scoff and rolling my eyes. Now he’s sorry. Now, after all these years, after everything that had happened, he stood in front of my gate talking about regret like it was something he had just discovered. He thinks saying sorry would just take away all the pain and everything that had happened. Like a few words could erase years of damage. Or does he believe that telling me sorry would bring back my child? Or wipe away all the embarrassment and tears of that day? I took a slow breath, forcing my expression to remain calm even though my insides were boiling. “Tell me something,” I said, my voice steady, controlled. “What’s your real goal in doing all this? I mean I ca
ANNA'S POV “James Reed? Isn’t he your ex?” Dan said, turning fully toward me now. His brows were drawn together, his expression sharp with disbelief. “What the hell would he be doing parked outside?” he added, his tone carrying clear irritation. “I am just as shocked as you are,” I replied calmly, my voice steady as I kept my gaze on him. That was a lie — at least partly. I wasn’t shocked that James was here. The moment he found out I was part of the Quinn family, the moment he realized I wasn’t some nobody he could dismiss anymore, it was only a matter of time before he came looking for me. James had always been like that. He never knew how to let go of anything he thought he once owned. What surprised me was the speed. I hadn’t expected him to show up this soon, not to talk of making a bold move to come directly to my house, I thought he would wait, think things through, maybe test the waters first. But desperation had a way of speeding people up, and James was clearly desperate
ANNA'S POV “Just heard Isabel just stormed off, guess like she’s really giving everyone the attitude.” Dan said, walking into my room, his steps deliberate and his expression a mix of amusement and exasperation. I took off my blue light filter glasses and set my laptop aside, letting it rest gently on the surface of my desk. I ran a hand through my hair, pushing it back from my face, feeling the slight stiffness from hours of work earlier in the lab. The strands resisted slightly, a reminder that I hadn’t had a proper break in a long time. “You know I don’t wanna sound somehow, but I am sure you know that what she’s doing is completely disrespectful to everyone,” I said, my voice calm but carrying a note of restrained irritation. “Isabel doesn’t know the word respect, but we’ve learned to live with her the way she is,” Dan said, shrugging as if her constant defiance was nothing new to him. “Even if she believes she’s right, it still doesn’t give her the right to treat Mom and Dad
JAMES’ POV There were a lot of things that my mom didn’t know. And now, because of this mess, because of one small crack that had turned into a full-blown disaster, she was going to find out everything. I sat there in silence for a few seconds longer than necessary, my eyes fixed on the floor as my mind raced, trying to find a way out, trying to find words that wouldn’t destroy everything I had worked for. How could I tell her the truth without sounding like a complete fraud? How could I admit that the formula everyone praised me for wasn’t entirely mine? That the foundation of it — the brilliance behind it belonged to Anna? That I had taken something I didn’t fully understand, rushed it, polished the surface just enough to make it look perfect, and then built my entire career on it. My throat felt dry. “You don’t understand the pressure,” I finally said, choosing the safer route, the one I had always used whenever things got uncomfortable. “The board, the investors, the timelin
JAMES’ POV The bathroom doors opened and Melissa stepped out, steam trailing behind her as she reached back to shut them. The faint scent of her expensive body wash filled the room almost immediately. I lay stretched across the bed, phone in hand, scrolling without really paying attention to anything on the screen. Something felt off. Melissa never took her bath this early unless she was planning to go somewhere. On days she stayed home, she usually waited until later, threw on something light, barely touched her makeup, and spent the rest of the day lounging around like the house itself was built for her comfort alone. Today was different. I watched her walk over to her makeup stand, wrap a towel tighter around her body, and sit down. She reached for her foundation, carefully dabbing it onto her face, blending it with slow, deliberate movements. That alone told me everything. This wasn’t casual. This wasn’t routine. So she was going out. The question was — where? And to who?
ISABEL'S POV “Isabel darling, where are you off to now?” my mom’s voice called out just as I reached the last step of the staircase. I was already irritated, and hearing her voice only made it worse. I didn’t want to answer. I didn’t want a conversation. I didn’t want questions. All I wanted was to leave this house before my mood got any uglier than it already was. Still, I forced myself to stop and turn around, pasting a small grin on my face. “To see a friend,” I said casually, like nothing was wrong. Without waiting for her reply, I turned back and continued toward the door. “Hold on, Isabel.” I rolled my eyes the moment she said my name again. Of course. I didn’t even need to look back to know she was already walking toward me. I paused, counted to two in my head, then turned around slowly. “Yes, mom?” I asked, keeping my voice polite even though my patience was wearing thin. “We haven’t really had the chance to talk as a family,” she began. “This wasn’t how I imagined thin







