Andera's pov. " The curse was broken and the beast transformed into a handsome prince. The prince and beauty got married in a grand ceremony, people gathered from far and wide to join their celebration, and they lived happily ever after the end." I closed the bedtime storybook with a soft thud, watching a small smile spread on Tiffany's lips. Her eyelids dropped, and she snuggled closer to me, her small body relaxing into mine." This is my favorite bedtime story, mommy. " She mumbled. " It's a great story," I whisper back. Timmy, my little caretaker, took the book from me, climbed down from the bed, and carefully placed it on the book rack. My heart swelled with pride as I watched him climb back onto the bed, his little face beaming with a sense of accomplishment. Timmy, my little man."Mommy, when daddy comes back, you'll get to live happily too, just like Beauty, and then Timmy and I can make new drawings of the four of us in our own happily ever after. " Her voice slurs.I clo
Andera's pov. It's been a week since that sneering text from Thane. He hadn't replied to me back, and since then, our communication has been between our P.As, but today, we're having a meeting, and my blood simmers at the thought of seeing him.The meeting is scheduled at Thane's company, and while that pisses me off, it is only customary that we have our meetings at his, I'm the one who asked for coloboration, after all.Since today's details would be concise, I'm only accompanied by my COO, Rosa.“ Ready to go slay your ex-husband?" Rosa questions with a smirk while she drove." As ready as one can be. " is my witty response.“ Great, and when we're done, we could go pick up my two munchkins from preschool. " Her onyx eyes glint with happiness." You mean the kids who are super excited they'll meet their daddy soon? Sure, we would go pick them up.“ A tense silence falls on us, my words may had come out harsher than I intended because she takes a glance at me, apology written all o
Andera's pov I walk slowly into the building, ignoring the trepidation crawling in my stomach. The talk with Rosa left me somewhat drained emotionally, it was like reopening an old wound.The meeting is going to be quick and short,that's a relief. I don't know how I would have made it an hour or two alone with Thane without loosing my wits.A sigh leaves my lips."Breathe in Andera. You can't flare up, you can not mess this up. you would get what you want soon enough. " I muttered.Stepping into the meeting room, I'm greeted by the scent of Thane's signature cologne. My eyes shut close impulsively as I drink in that all too familiar scent. The scent of sandalwood, of Thane.Memories start rushing into my mind, and my face heats up, memories I had long buried. I forced the unwanted thoughts away.When I open my eyes, Thane is watching me intently, his brooding gray eyes scanning over me, slowly, from my legs up to my face.I shudder involuntarily. When his gaze meets mine, he inhales
Melissa's pov.I flopped down on the plush couch, kicking my shoes off while letting out a satisfied sigh. It's been another day of my shopping spree and I feel like the queen that I am. I mean, who needs a man when you've got his black card with unlimited spending power? And let's be real, Thane's card was the perfect way to stick it to him after he so callously postponed our wedding without even bothering to tell me. Ten days had passed since I'd left Thane, and he hadn't even bothered to come back. But that is okay because I am doing just fine without him. In fact, I'm thriving.I pulled out my phone and dialed my flight attendant, instructing her to book me a first-class ticket to London. I wasn't bluffing when I said I have options, many of them would take me in a heartbeat. After all, I'm Melissa. I'm a catch. I'm gorgeous and intelligent, and I've got a closet full of designer clothes. I don't need Thane and his confusion in my life. Sebastian- one of Thane's competitors, has
Thanes pov. Andera's sudden reappearance has sent my life in disarray. My relationship with Melissa is strained, threatening to fall apart, and our wedding is on hold. Yet, despite all this commotion right now, my mind remains fixated on one person: Andera.I know I shouldn't, but I find myself staring at her pictures more often than I care to admit. I pick up my phone, and for the umpteenth time today, I'm going through Andera's photos, the ones I had managed to save before she blocked me. I have scrutinized them so much that I can tell every detail of it, from the brightness of her hazel eyes to the soft swell of her breasts. Feeling her slamming into me nearly made me lose my control. I can still feel that delicious softness coming in contact with me, that wasn't my intention, but I'm not sorry it happened; I was just too angry that she was walking out on me.God. This is madness!Everything with Andrea has me going ruckus. First, I want to make up for not taking proper care of h
Andera's pov.The chauffeur drives me to the kid's preschool. Rosa is still held up at the company with the health inspectors and while I want to join her there, I have to pick up Timmy and Tiffany.I'm already running late, and my kids would be waiting; I would have made it earlier on time if it hadn't been for Thane. My mind drifts back to minutes ago when he slammed me into his chest and also pinned me against the wall; my blood boils at the thought, and I want nothing more than to kick him in the balls.What is the next step to my revenge again? I check my notepad. Identify weak points. Right. I would have achieved that today if our meeting had played out right.God, Thane is such a piece of work.I step out of the car, and into the school; children run around, playing and laughing as I search for mine." Mommy! " I would recognize that voice anywhere. Timmy, my little man. He runs towards me, almost tripping in the process, and I bring my hand to my mouth in relief. I catch him
Thanes pov.I know she's back the moment my eyes land on her parked car. My first response is to groan out loud; I didn't expect her so soon, actually, I wasn't hoping to see Melissa at all, and if I were to be honest with myself, I am fine with that.Walking into my mansion, I could feel the tension in the air; the staff exchanged hushed whispers and glances between themselves, stopping to greet me when they realized my presence. I climb the stairs and towards my room; the ten days Melissa had been away have been peaceful and quiet, a stark contrast to the unsettling atmosphere that she emanates. I find her in our bedroom, unpacking her bags and humming to a song. The urge to be anywhere else but here wrapped around me tightly, sinking deep into my skin, but I forced myself to stay just so I could know what Melissa was up to when she made it clear she had other 'options'" What are you doing? " I asked, poker-faced.Okay, I know what she's doing; what I want to ask her is, what the
Andera's pov." Timmy, Tiffany, you both better come downstairs now! We're running late! " My voice rings out from the living room. I'm dropping them both at pre-school before heading to the company, and time is not on my side. " I'm ready mommy. " Timmy trots down the stairs, looking smart and handsome in his well ironed school uniform; Navy blue short sleeve shirt and black shorts, paired with his black sneakers, white stockings and a small clip on black tie. " My little man looks all grown up " I smile sweetly at my son, His backpack dangles as he gallops towards me." Thank you mommy, you look amazing too, this colour really suits you. " He gushes" Oh, thank you, son. " I take a swirl in my burgundy knee-length body con dress, with a charcoal gray suit jacket over it. He giggles and raises his palm for a high-five." I'll go call Tiffany, Timmy rushes up the stairs again, making me wonder what Tiffany is still doing. I took another look at my watch and mumbled." We're going
[Wipes my teary eye with a tissue]How does an author begin to say thank you to so many people? ~To every reader who has made it this far with my book. I want to say, from the bottom of my heart, a big thank you. For taking your time to read my first book, your efforts, time, and money 🤭, all played a big role in Thane's and Andera's story. Thank you for reading through my errors, be they grammatical, wrong spelling, or typos. Thank you for making me a proud author, and I couldn't be happier. I love you all dearly. I hope you enjoyed reading it, as much as I loved writing it.If you did, please leave a review. Your feedback matters to me.Once again, Thank you ❤️_____Stay tuned for my second book coming soon🎉 I look forward to sharing more stories with you all.
ANDERA. TEN YEARS LATER.It all started with our divorce.Lies. Betrayals. Regrets. Revenge.And somehow—redemption.It led us here.Ten years later, to where we’re supposed to be. Together.Timmy and I are curled under a wide umbrella, tucked into two folding chairs with a cooler between us. The shade casts long shadows across the sand.“Daddy, stop it,” Tiffany whined.She stood not too far from the shoreline in a sundress, her hair in a ponytail; Thane continued leveling a death glare at the teenage boy who approached Tiffany. Timmy and I shook with silent laughter. The poor boy fled before he could say Hi to Tiffany.“I don’t like him,” Thane said flatly. His face softened when Tiffany pouted.“You don't like any boy who tries to talk to me,” she grumbled. Thane shrugged, utterly unapologetic. He tickled Amelia, our youngest.“All these boys aren't deserving of my princesses.”Amelia giggled, her gray eyes shining with mirth. “Yes, Daddy. Tiffany and I are princesses.” she squea
THANEI have watched the sunset over the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the golden light shining on iron and stone.I have stood at the edge of the Grand Canyon in Arizona, wind roaring in my ears.I have walked the ancient corridors of the Colosseum in Rome and touched the walls with centuries of history.I have traveled to places many dream of being, and seeing the beauty of the earth. Lakes, mountains, islands, the seven wonders of the world.I have seen it all, but nothing, none of that, took my breath away; none of it brought this burning sting to my eyes the way she did.Andera.My Andera. The eight wonder of the world, in a dazzling white dress, glassy eyes, and a smile that could melt down diamond. And she's mine. Mine to Love, mine to protect, for as long as we both live.My world had beauty before, my world had power and all that money could buy.Now it has meaning.The pastor cleared his throat, bringing our attention back to his. "Do you, Thane Malone Reinhardt, take Andera Cam
Andera's PovI pressed the heels of my palm into my burning eyes; sleep had eluded me; each day, I sat here, waiting for him to come back.My father came by yesterday. He tried telling me to leave and go home for a break, but I didn't agree to it. I'm not leaving this hospital without Thane. I took his hand in mine, his skin getting paler by the day. Five days, that's how long it's been since he entered into this coma.“Come back to me Love, please,” I whispered against the constant heaviness in my heart. “I need you, our children need you.”Five soul-crushing days of sitting by Thane’s bedside, listening to the beep of the heart monitor, praying for something to change.After Imogen stabbed him, Thane passed out. When we arrived here, the doctors told us that he was stable. That the blade missed anything vital. That he would wake up ‘soon,’ But their ‘soon’ wasn’t soon enough.Five days was way too long to use that word.My father was paranoid about the Imogen situation, it turns
Andera's PovThane stared at me with those eyes, eyes full of apology, pain, and a kind of helplessness that pierced deeper than a blade could. His hands trembled around the gun like it weighed a thousand pounds.“Andera.” my name left his lips in a soft whisper, I let his voice wrap around me; this would be the last time I hear him say my name like that. My heart didn't believe it-she refused to accept it.Behind him, Imogen smirked, She was enjoying seeing Thane break. All I could do was watch the man I love reduced to this, to choose between my life or our children.A tear slid down his face, and my heart tightened more, it was difficult to breathe.I gave him a bittersweet smile, “It’s okay,”My lips trembled when Thane shook his head. There was no way out of this. Either I die, or both my children die. “It's okay,” I whispered again.But it wasn’t. God, it wasn’t.So this is how my life ends? I was never going to walk down our garden aisle with my biological father, I was neve
Thane's pov.My emotions skidded to a halt. “Imogen”Her name left my mouth in a whisper. The one behind the threats is my sister? My blood?“It can't be” The word scrapped against my throat, barely louder than a breath.Imogen stepped out of the shadow and in front of Andera. Outside, the clouds shifted casting the moonlight on her bored expression.I opened my mouth to speak, nothing came out but a sound that was half denial, half despair.“It's not possible.” I shook my head, I refused to believe that my sister would do this to me “Tell me someone put you up to this, Imogen.”She scoffed, folding her arm across her chest. “You seem surprised Thane. Did you not see this coming?” “What?! You're family, Imogen. You are my sister. How?” She laughed, a sound that was full-on vicious with zero mirth “How come everyone thinks you're so smart when in reality, you're stupid and foolish.”Imogen flickered her lighter again and then extinguished the flame with her fingers.My eyes dart
Thane’s Pov11: 48 pmI stared at my watch, my eyes burning from the effort not to blink. I tapped my finger impatiently against the dashboard, Two more minutes till midnight.I couldn’t sit still. I couldn’t breathe properly. Knowing that Andera, Timmy, and Tiffany were in there sliced through me like a blade Nine hours.Nine goddamn hours since that text turned my world inside out.Come on, come on, come onMidnight.I shoved out of my car and sprinted towards the half-finished construction site, every muscle in my body screaming at me to go faster.All I wanted was to bring in the whole goddamn Seattle Police Department, storm into this building, tear it apart with my bare hands if I had to, and save my family,But one wrong move...All it would take is a wrong move, and this fúcker could kill them.The thought hit me so hard I nearly dry-heaved. Knots twisted in my stomach; I couldn’t even bear to picture it in my mind.I couldn’t lose them.I wouldn’t.The last nine hours have b
Andera's Pov The first thing I felt was the cold.My eyelids were heavy; it was an effort to open them; even when I did, I couldn't see past the darkness that wrapped me like a dark curtain. My head throbbed, heavy like lead. The harsh cold hit me again, racking my body with shivers.Reality hit my hazy mind like a brutal wave.The accident and kidnap.My kids.“Timmy! Tiffany!” I screamed past the burning parchedness in my throat. My voice echoed off the walls, bouncing back to me.“Atlas! Timmy!! Tiffan..”A cough so violent wrenched free from me, squeezing my organs, clogging my throat.Water, I needed water.I coughed again, and blood spluttered to my thighs; the dull ache in the side of my head returned, but it wasn't bleeding anymore; the wound must have coated.I reached out to touch it, but my hand didn't move; I tried again, but nothing; it was then I regained consciousness of my body enough to know I was tied down to a chair, my ankles were bound, and my hands tied behind m
Thane's Pov. The meeting dragged longer than it should have. Much to my Asian client's disdain, I kept glancing at my watch, thinking of Andera, Timmy, and Tiffany at the bakery and all the family time I was missing out on. Thankfully, the wedding was a stone's throw away, after which we'd go on our honeymoon - the twins included, to a place far removed, deep in the mountains. I heaved out a sigh of relief when we rounded things up. Something had been gnawing at me the entire meeting. I brushed it off as the feeling of missing out, but now that the meeting is over, I realize it's because Atlas didn't check in with me. He was supposed to give me information once they reached the bakery, and departed too. Andrea had also said she'd call me on her way back. I haven't received her call, and she should have been back by now. I called once. No answer. Twice. Nothing. By the third ring, my gut twisted sharply. I stood from my chair when the call ended and reached out to Paul “Postpon