LOGINA year later.Liam opened the car door, and Emerald stepped out.The gravel crunched beneath their feet as they made their way toward the gigantic building that housed notorious criminals.She looked around. The walls were drab and gray, and the only sound she could hear was the sound of their footsteps.They walked down the long corridors, passing by the metal gates that separated them from the rest of the building.A tall man gestured for her to enter a long, spacious room that she knew was the visiting area for inmates. Inside were rows of chairs set up behind a glass partition. On the other side, she spotted a few inmates in their orange jumpsuits, sitting and waiting for their visitors.The officer guided her to a seat near the glass while Liam remained outside, talking to another officer about something. Looking through the glass, she saw a figure standing on the other side with a puzzled expression while the uniformed guards ushered her to a chair.Taking a deep breath, Emera
Liam woke up with a pounding headache. It felt like a drum was playing inside his head. He slowly opened his eyes and blinked at the bright sunlight coming through the window. He tried to remember why he felt so terrible and realized he had been drinking all night. It was a miracle that he woke up early today.Sighing, he checked the time on his phone. He had to move his ass or else he would be late for his flight to Aurora Aisle for an important business meeting.He rolled out of bed, feeling the throbbing in his temples intensified. He ignored it and staggered to the bathroom, splashing cold water on his face to wake him up. After freshening up, he felt slightly better. He emerged from the bathroom and got dressed quickly.After what felt like forever, he walked out of the door, dragging his suitcase behind him. He then started the car and drove to the airport. Thankfully, after arriving at the airport, he made it through security without too much trouble. He waited a bit until i
Liam walked out of his room while checking the time on his wrist watch.His best friend, Carter, was at the lobby.It had been a long time since they had last seen each other, and he wondered if his friend would still look the same or if time had changed him in any way.He grabbed his coat before rushing out the door of his hotel room.The hotel lobby was buzzing with activity: guests checked in and out, bellhops wheeled suitcases across the gleaming marble floor, and the sound of chatter filled the air.Liam weaved through the crowd until he spotted the couch where Carter said he would be waiting.At first, he couldn't see his old friend, but then he caught sight of a familiar figure wearing a sleek black suit entering the hotel. He recognized the confident posture all too well.Carter, as though sensing someone was watching him, turned around and his face broke into a wide smile.They smacked each other on the shoulder.“Liam! It's been too long. How have you been?”Liam couldn't be
A few days later, Emerald’s fingers trembled as she carefully peeled back the envelope seal.Was she ready to face the truth?She had spent countless nights envisioning this moment, but now that it was here, doubt gnawed at her resolve.The cool breeze from the slightly open window rustled her hair. She finally mustered the courage to pull the paper free from its confining envelope.The DNA test results were printed in black and white. Emerald’s eyes scanned the page, her breath catching as she found the section that would ultimately confirm or deny her suspicions."Probability of Paternity: 99.8%," the line read.The paper slipped from her trembling fingers, but she made no move to pick it up where it had fallen, even though it was within her reach. She just sat there, frozen in her chair, the world around her seeming to blur.There was no mistaking that number. It meant one thing—an undeniable truth she couldn't ignore. She had Ford blood in her veins. Beatrix was her twin sister.H
Emerald emerged from the shower after spending fifteen minutes drying her hair. With a bathrobe wrapped around her slender frame, she strode into the room.Lara sat cross-legged on the bed. She looked up when Emerald entered. “I managed to secure an invitation to a party tomorrow evening. I thought it would be great if you could attend.”“It’s the sixth anniversary celebration of Crawford Hotel,” her sister continued. “There will be a lot of visitors and prominent figures present.”“Why would I come? I barely know anyone who will be attending the party.”“It’s time for you to meet new people. You can't just hole up in your room while I'm at work. Who knows? Maybe you'll finally meet some friends you'll get along with.”Emerald was touched by Lara's thoughtfulness. She knew that attending the party would be a big step out of her comfort zone, but it was necessary to start living her life again.“Alright, you win. I'm going.”Lara smiled. “That's settled then.”—The next day, Emerald a
Liam stared up at the white ceiling.He had been in the hospital for weeks now, battling the pain and sadness that seemed to consume his every being.He couldn't remember the last time he felt truly happy and alive. Ever since he lost his son—and Emerald forever—he had been stuck in a never-ending cycle of grief and despair.If only he had been more careful maybe things would have turned out differently.Liam closed his eyes, trying to block out the memories of the accident, but they played in his mind anyway like a broken record.He heard the door creak open and opened his eyes to see a nurse in her mid-forties standing in the doorway. She crossed the room to check his vitals.“If you ever need something, please don't hesitate to call the staff. We will help in any way we can.”The nurse finished her rounds and left the room. Liam closed his eyes once more.A short while later, he heard the door open again. He didn't open his eyes until a voice spoke.“Liam, sweetheart, how are you f
I knew that if I didn't walk away now, I would end up hurting Carmina. I didn't want to do something I would later regret, so I turned on my heels, only to collide with the hard wall of Blaze's chest.When I looked up to meet his gaze, I realized he had been listening to the conversation. He didn't
When I returned to Queen's Courtyard, Samantha was already waiting in my office, seated on the plush couch. The moment I entered the room, she looked at me and asked, “How are your medical results? I hope everything's fine.” Feeling like my legs would collapse, I slumped onto the single couch oppo
Please leave. I wanted to say those words to him, but I couldn't speak.The door opened, and Crimson entered the room.“Let her go, Mark!”The man Crimson called Mark grabbed the gun from his hip holster and pointed it at me. “Give me your gun.”When Crimson didn’t even budge, Mark pressed the muzz
Opening my eyes, I tried to piece together what happened last night. The events of the night came rushing back to me in fragments, like a puzzle being assembled. The memory of his touch, his kisses, and his passion flooded back, sending a flush of heat to my cheeks.I turned my head to look at Crim







