LIV’S POVI pushed the door open and slammed it shut behind me, leaning heavily against it like I could somehow block out the world along with it. My legs gave way beneath me, and I slid to the floor, my back pressed to the wood, my heart shattering in my chest. My breath came in shallow, broken hiccups as the tears I held back poured freely now, soaking my cheeks.How had I let this happen? How had I allowed myself to fall so hard, so fast? I should've known better. I did know better. But Kaelon... Kaelon had made me forget the walls I’d spent years building. He’d looked at me like I was the only woman in the world. And now? Now I felt used and tossed aside. Humiliated.The video, which Viv had shoved in my face, burned into my memory. Kaelon was already kissing Martha."Liv?" a voice gasped. "Liv, what happened?"It was Lara. She and Rose had come out from the hallway, both of them rushing toward me. Lara knelt in front of me, grabbing my shoulders, while Rose crouched beside he
KAELON’S POVI slammed my office door shut behind me, the heavy oak rattling in its frame. My jaw was tight, my fists even tighter. Every step I took toward my desk echoed with barely contained fury. I needed to calm down before I did something I would regret like ripping apart the next person who dared to cross me today.Throwing my suit jacket across the back of the chair, I sat heavily behind my desk and immediately grabbed my phone. Fingers flying across the screen, I called one of my security teams.“Get me everything you have on the incident at the café earlier. I want every angle. Every second. No cuts.” My voice was low, controlled, but beneath it, the threat simmered.“Yes, President Blackwood. We’re already on it,” came the immediate, clipped reply.Good. They knew better than to drag their feet when I was like this.I had barely ended the call when a sharp knock came at my door.“What is it?” I barked, not in the mood for pleasantries.Louisa, my secretary, cautiously pushe
KAELON’S POVI glanced at Liv from the corner of my eye as I drove us away from the cafe, my hand tight around the steering wheel. She sat quietly in the passenger seat, staring out the window like I wasn't even there. Not a word. Not even a damn "thank you" for stepping in back there. I saved her from a scene that could have gotten a hell of a lot worse.Was she alright? I wanted to ask, but I held back for a beat, grinding my teeth. She needed space. Maybe. But after another minute of silence, I couldn’t take it anymore."Are you alright?" I asked, my voice rougher than I'd intended."Yeah," she said softly, without turning to look at me.Yeah? Just yeah? My jaw ticked. Fuck it.I yanked the steering wheel sharply to the right, cutting across two lanes and ignoring the honks blaring behind us. Liv yelped, grabbing the handle by her door."Kaelon!" she shouted, but I didn't stop until we were off the main road, tires screeching onto a narrower street.I drove us to a secluded park
VIV’S POVI watched through the large window as Liv stormed out of the café, her back stiff with fury, her hands clenched into trembling fists.Damn it! That was satisfying.A grin pulled at my lips as I reached for my cup of latte, the scent of roasted beans and vanilla cream filling my nose. I deserved a proper breakfast, damn it. After the miserable morning I'd had, burning the waffles I made, then throwing them up thanks to this parasite growing inside me. I needed something good.I lifted the cup halfway to my mouth, savoring the idea of finally tasting something that didn’t make me sick, when a flicker of movement caught my eye.I blinked.Liv. Again.Charging back into the café like a little storm wrapped up in designer jeans and entitlement.I barely had time to set my cup down before she was standing right in front of me, her face flushed, eyes wild. Her chest heaved as she glared at me like she wanted to rip my head clean off my shoulders."Care for some breakfast now?" I d
LIV’S POVAs I pulled out of the driveway, the soft purr of my car’s engine filled the quiet morning air. The sky was a muted blue, the kind that promised the day could either be a blessing or a disaster, depending on how fate was feeling. I adjusted the rearview mirror, catching a glimpse of myself. Fuck I looked nervous, curious, and maybe, just maybe, a little bit foolish. Very funny. I set off towards downtown, the streets still relatively empty. Saturday mornings had a strange, sleepy energy to them, and I welcomed the solitude. The café Vivienne had picked wasn’t far, just a few blocks away. It was called Maple & Sage, one of those trendy little places with too many succulents by the windows and way too much oat milk on the menu.As I pulled into the small parking lot, my phone buzzed against the center console. I leaned over and tapped the screen.What are you up to today, sweetheart? I smiled at Kaelon’s message. I had not seen him since I left his mansion that day. I miss
LIV’S POVThere was something about Saturday mornings that always made the world feel a little softer, a little slower, like it was trying to apologize for all the madness of the week. I sat back into the plush cushions of the booth, nursing a warm cup of caramel latte between my palms while the familiar chatter of my friends buzzed around me like a comforting symphony.Lara, predictably animated, waved her hands dramatically in the air as she launched into yet another story about that same poor soul at her firm who had apparently committed the cardinal sin of trying to buy her lunch."You guys, you should have seen his face," Lara said, tossing her sleek black hair over her shoulder with a flourish. "The audacity! He just assumed that because he’s Mr. Big-Shot-Lawyer, I'd be swooning over a soggy sub sandwich he brought over like it was the crown jewels."Rose chuckled, swirling her mimosa lazily. "What did you do? Tell me you did something savage."Lara’s lips curled into a mischiev
AARON’S POVThe wheels of the last suitcase thudded dully against the marble floors of the Blackwood mansion as the butler and two other servants hustled to load it into my car. I stood there for a moment, hands shoved deep into the pockets of my jacket, watching the home I had grown up in with a detached sort of emptiness.It didn’t feel like home anymore.Not with the ghosts hanging in the air. Not with betrayal thick enough to choke on.I glanced toward the grand staircase. My eyes lingered for a beat, then I turned and headed down the east wing. One last thing to do before I left this place for good.Kaelon's study.The heavy oak door loomed ahead, polished to a shine that could blind a man if the light hit it just right. I knocked once, sharp and deliberate, then pushed it open without waiting for an answer.Inside, Kaelon sat behind his massive mahogany desk, the soft clicking of keys filling the air. His back was straight, his face impassive, the faint blue glow of his computer
VIV’S POVI stirred awake to the shrill ringing of my phone vibrating on the nightstand. Blinking against the dim light filtering through the heavy hotel curtains, I reached for it blindly, my fingers fumbling against the smooth glass screen.Martha’s name flashed across it.Groaning, I sat up, feeling the heavy weight of my belly shift uncomfortably. My hand instinctively cradled the mound under my loose nightshirt. It was day two since I left home and already, the loneliness, the discomfort, and the sheer irritation were gnawing at me.I swiped to answer. "Hello?" My voice was groggy but laced with urgency."Vivienne," Martha’s prim voice came through, laced with triumph. "I have it."I sat straighter. "You have it?""Yes. I made a brief recording when I tried to kiss Kaelon," she said breathlessly. "He pushed me away before I could, but it’s clear in the video. Clear enough."I pressed my palm hard against my chest, feeling my heart thudding. "That’s enough, ma'am," I said quickly,
KAELON’S POVI turned to face Aaron slowly, the weight of his footsteps pounding against the marble floor echoing louder than my thoughts. The coldness in my stare wasn’t deliberate, but it settled in like an old friend, familiar and protective."It’s none of your business," I said flatly, my voice like gravel dragged across steel.Aaron stopped mid-stride, his jaw tightening. “What the fuck are you saying?” he snapped. “She is my mother, for fuck's sake. That makes it my goddamn business.”Martha shifted uncomfortably beside him, her hand brushing against his arm as if to anchor him.“Don’t worry, Aaron,” she said softly. “I’ll leave.”He turned to her, frustration radiating off him in waves. Still, he guided her out with an arm gently around her back. I watched the door close behind them, tension rippling through me like a storm just barely contained beneath my skin.Minutes passed. Each second felt like a jagged blade dragging across my spine.Then the door burst open again.Aaron