Warren’s POVI couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. No matter how hard I tried to focus on the reports stacked in front of me. Vienna had drunk-texted me last night, basically admitting she was still attracted to me. It was bold, unexpected. And honestly, it sent my confidence soaring.I shook my head in disbelief at my own luck. First, I’d run into her completely by chance, and now this message? My love life had been a mess for years. Maybe—just maybe—the scales were finally tipping in my favor.The wedding was only two weeks away. I could hardly wait to see her again, to tease her about that text, to catch those tiny glimmers of warmth in her eyes. With the haze of alcohol and a few well-timed jokes and compliments… maybe I could finally break down the walls she’d built around herself. This was my shot, and I wasn’t about to let it slip away.Suddenly, a frantic knock rattled my office door."Come in," I called, straightening in my chair and forcing the smug smile off my face.My
Vienna’s POV"V? What’s wrong?" Bella shouted over the music.I forced a smile. "It’s nothing."She frowned, leaning closer. "Nothing? You look like you’ve seen a ghost."I hesitated. "I thought I saw… Desiree.""What? That’s impossible," she said, her eyes widening. "She’s in jail, remember?"I nodded slowly, trying to convince myself. "Yeah… you’re right. Probably just a lookalike."But even as I said it, the words felt hollow. A gnawing unease clung to me.I tried to drown it in champagne and tequila shots—far too many tequila shots—until my memory of the strange, fleeting vision began to fade. But in its place, something else crept in.A strange longing.Part of me ached for protection… strong, steady arms around me. Arms I trusted. Arms that could make me feel safe. And try as I might to redirect my thoughts, the image that surfaced wasn’t of some faceless man—it was of Warren. Our meeting had stirred something deep inside me. Those muscles rippling beneath his suit, the renewed
Vienna’s POVThe next morning, I’d decided to take a break from renovations to visit Bella at Saffron & Silk. The scent of cinnamon and coffee, the familiar squeak of the back door—this place still felt like home."I still can’t believe Célestine just showed up like that," I sighed, leaning against the counter. "And then, yesterday… I bumped into Warren of all people."Bella nearly dropped the tray of croissants she was sliding into the display case. "Wait, what?!""I even… had coffee with him," I admitted.Her head snapped toward me so fast I thought she might get whiplash. "You did?! Woah, that’s huge, V.""I know." I took a deep breath. "He seemed so… different. Calm. Grounded. Mature. He didn’t pressure me at all. If anything, he almost made me feel… safe."Bella raised her brows. "Noah’s told me he’s changed a lot over the past few years. Apparently he got really ripped too," she added with a mischievous wink.I rolled my eyes, but the heat in my cheeks betrayed me. "Yeah… I may h
Vienna’s POVI stared at Warren. The man I used to love. The father of my child. I couldn’t help but see some of Oliver’s features in him. Somehow, that made my heart soften—just a little.And I had to admit… he looked way better than he had when I last saw him. His shoulders, arms and chest seemed to have doubled in size, muscles straining beneath his suit. His hazel eyes looked brighter, clearer somehow. His jaw had sharpened, his skin glowed. But it wasn’t just his looks. There was something… steadier in him now. Less impulsive. As if the storm I used to know had finally found its center.His gaze lingered on mine, unreadable but intense. It took everything in me not to let my confusion show.His words had moved me more than I liked to admit. The walls I’d spent so long stacking, brick by stubborn brick, were starting to show cracks.Part of me hated how he still got to me. But another part—quieter, lonelier—was curious about this supposedly changed man."I honestly don’t know wh
Warren’s POVI couldn’t believe my eyes. The woman I’d spent two years chasing across the globe… was standing right in front of me.Vienna… My Vienna…Her soft skin glowed in the morning light streaming through the window. God, she was breathtaking.Her mahogany hair had been cut into a long bob, the thick waves framing her delicate features. Her deep blue eyes had a few faint laugh lines, making her look more mature, more untouchable."It’s really you," I breathed, my voice catching somewhere between awe and disbelief.Her initial flash of shock quickly narrowed into suspicion. "How did you find me?"A hearty laugh escaped me before I could stop it. "Vienna, I didn’t ‘find’ you," I said warmly. "I just got back from Paris—spent years trying to track you down there—and now, on a random work errand in our hometown, I run into you. You can’t make this stuff up."Her gaze sharpened. "A work errand? Here?"I nodded toward the office behind me. "My favorite interior designer in the city. I
Vienna’s POVHarold and Célestine jumped up like two teenagers caught red-handed."Vienna!" Harold said, his face flushed. "Oh dear, we lost track of time."Célestine stood frozen beside him, eyes wide and brimming with tears. "Oh, Vienna," she whispered. "You look beautiful. I’ve missed you."I stared at her, stunned, barely able to process what I was seeing. Her hair had grown back since the last time I saw her. It curled softly at her jawline. A deep brown—like mine—with streaks of silver that glinted under the chandelier light. The resemblance between us was undeniable now.But I couldn’t let myself soften. The pain still ran too deep."What the hell are you doing here?" I asked, my voice sharp.Her expression didn’t change. If anything, she looked relieved to hear my anger instead of silence. "I felt it was time to come home," she said quietly. "Back to my roots. I left Kingsford to run away from my mistakes. But I’ve come back to face them. To own what I did."I opened my mout