Sophie’s POVI hated him.No. Scratch that. I despised him.Leo Carter was the most annoying, persistent, and frustrating man I had ever met.Yet, here he was. Sitting across from me at a high-end restaurant, swirling his glass of whiskey like he owned the damn place. His stupidly handsome face had a cocky smirk that made me want to throw my drink at him.“I can feel you glaring at me, sweetheart,” he said smoothly, not even looking up. “You know, most women would kill for a dinner date with me.”“This isn’t a date.” I snapped, stabbing my steak harder than necessary. “I’m here because I lost a bet.”“And whose fault is that?” He lifted a brow, amusement dancing in his hazel eyes.Mine.It was my damn fault.I never should have accepted his ridiculous challenge. But he knew exactly how to get under my skin."You're scared," he had said that day, his voice full of mocking confidence. "You'r
Victor’s POVI sat in the dimly lit room, watching the flickering flame of my cigar as it burned slowly. The past few months had been nothing but setbacks. Every plan I made was ruined before it could come to fruition.Adrian had been a thorn in my side for too long, and I was done playing games.I turned my gaze to the men gathered before me fighters, assassins, and ex-convicts who had nothing to lose. They were the kind of men willing to spill blood for the right price.A slow smirk stretched across my lips. “Gentlemen, it’s time we stop waiting and start acting.”The room fell silent as they leaned forward.“We’ve been patient. We’ve been careful. And what has it gotten us? Nothing. Adrian Knight still breathes. Isla is still untouched. And Lucian still holds power in his absence.” I exhaled sharply. “I’m done waiting. We strike. And this time, we don’t stop until they are on their knees, begging.”One of my men, a burly brute named Rico, his my right hand man, he cracked his knuck
Isla’s POVPregnancy had officially turned me into a lunatic.I knew it. Adrian knew it. The entire house knew it.And honestly? I didn’t care.“Adrian!” I wailed from the bed, hugging my oversized pillow as tears streamed down my face. “I need it now! If I don’t get it, I swear, I’m going to…”Adrian burst into the room, out of breath, looking half-panicked and entirely exhausted.“What? What happened?” he demanded, scanning the room like we were under attack.I glared at him through my tears. “I want to eat the moon.”Adrian blinked. Then exhaled sharply.“The moon?” he repeated, rubbing his temple.“Yes!” I sniffled dramatically. “I was watching a documentary about space, and now I need to eat the moon. It looks so soft, like marshmallows. Why can’t I have it?”Adrian just stared at me.Lucian, who had been standing at the door, choked on his laughter. “Good luck with that one, man.”Adrian shot him a glare before turning back to me. “Isla, monkey, I….”I sobbed harder. “You don’t
Lily’s POV He snubbed me, he didn't come as promised Desperation was an ugly thing.It twisted inside me like a venomous snake, filling me with anger, jealousy, and something much darker.Adrian was mine.Or at least, he should have been.I saved him. I took care of him. I loved him.And yet, he threw it all away for her.For that pathetic woman carrying his child.My fingers trembled as I stared at the pictures spread across my desk photos of Isla. Isla at the hospital. Isla at home. Isla shopping for baby clothes.She was glowing. Happy. Untouchable.I clenched my jaw. That needed to change.If I couldn’t have Adrian… then neither could she.I picked up my phone and dialed a number. The man on the other end answered immediately.“Everything is set?” I asked, my voice steady.“Yes, ma’am,” he confirmed. “We’re just waiting for your signal.”I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply.There was no turning back now.“Do it.”Isla’s POVThe sharp, violent sound of glass shattering jolted me
Adrian’s POVI stepped outside the cabin, my bare feet pressing against the wet grass. The air was cold and thick And then I saw them.Three men. Dressed in dark clothes, their faces strange and a bit dark. They stood a few feet away, watching me.Something about them felt… familiar.One of them, the tallest, took a step forward. “We’ve been looking for you.”I stiffened. “Who are you?”The man exchanged glances with the others. “You don’t remember us?”I shook my head.A flicker of something crossed his face, relief? No… something else.“I don’t even know who I am,” I admitted.The men seemed to hesitate. Then, another one stepped forward. “You’re important,” he said carefully. “More important than you realize.” “How do you know that?”The first man, the leader I guessed, spoke again. “Because we’ve been searching for you for months.”Lily’s fingers tightened around my arm. “He doesn’t need to go anywhere,” she snapped. “He’s fine here.”The leader’s gaze flicked to her, then back
Isla’s POVPain.That was the first thing I felt.A sharp, searing pain that spread through my back and stomach like wildfire. My head pounded, and my limbs felt heavy as if I had been asleep for too long.The beeping of machines filled my ears, rhythmic and steady, but it only made my anxiety worse.Something was wrong.My eyes fluttered open, the bright hospital lights making me wince. It took me a moment to adjust, to process where I was.The hospital.I tried to move, but a stabbing pain shot through my abdomen, making me gasp.Then I remembered.The stairs.The argument.The gut-wrenching fall.And my baby.My breath caught in my throat as panic set in. My hands flew to my stomach, desperate to feel something, anything.Was my baby okay?Before I could spiral further, a warm hand grabbed mine.“Hey, hey, don’t move too much,” Sophie’s voice soothed, though I could hear the strain in her tone.I turned my head to see her sitting beside my bed, her face pale, dark circles under he