LOGINFive years ago, Althea Greene vanished after a night she could not remember and a child she was never allowed to hold. She returns as the legendary surgeon Harriet Morgan, carrying two children, a broken past, and a single, desperate wish, to find the daughter stolen from her at birth. Her path crosses with Griffin Monreal, a man of power and pride who is raising a fragile little girl who looks painfully like her own. Neither knows the truth yet, only that something about the other feels familiar… dangerous… impossible to ignore. As buried secrets rise and forbidden feelings grow, Althea and Griffin are pulled into a love born from loss and tested by betrayal. Between them stand stolen years, shattered trust, and a truth that could either reunite a family or tear it apart forever. She lost a child. He lost a woman. Fate is about to give them both back… at a terrible price.
View MoreThe presidential suite of Aurora Heights glittered like a jewel in the heart of the city, but Althea Greene hardly noticed. Her senses were consumed, her body trembling beneath the weight of a stranger’s hands. Every touch, every motion left her spinning, untethered from herself, as if the world had dissolved into the heat of that instant.
She tried to lift her eyes, to see who held her so completely, but pleasure clutched her like a storm, dragging her under again and again. Hours slipped by unnoticed, each one folding into the next until her body could bear no more.
When Althea finally sank onto the enormous bed, drained and trembling, a cool weight rested against her neck. Fingers had slipped an emerald necklace around her, a silent, deliberate gift, before vanishing into the shadows.
She slept, oblivious, until noon. When consciousness returned, it brought a chill. Standing at the edge of the bed was Luci Pearl Greene, arms crossed, eyes sharp with scorn.
Althea scrambled to cover herself, the bruises on her skin a shameful testament. Luci’s gaze met hers for a heartbeat, then Luci turned, retrieved a purse from the side table, and flung a check onto the bed like a declaration.
“Your part is done,” Luci said, her tone devoid of warmth. “Here, $10,000,000. Take it and leave Crimson Ridge immediately.”
She didn’t pause. “And last night? Keep it buried. Forget it ever happened. If you don’t…” Her voice dropped, low and lethal. “…I can erase you. Every inheritance, every connection, gone. Burned to nothing. Althea, consider yourself warned.”
One last glare, and Luci left, her heels clicking against the polished floors. Althea’s eyes fell on the faint stain of red on the sheets, a sharp reminder of what had been taken, what had been bought.
If she hadn’t lost her virginity already, why had Luci spent $10,000,000 to orchestrate this encounter? The answer hovered in the air, bitter and undeniable.
Fortunately, the drugs had masked the man’s identity. Althea would never know it had been Griffin Monreal, the tycoon whose mere name sent tremors through Crimson Ridge.
Althea sank back against the pillows, staring at the thick check. Ten million dollars. The cost of her innocence. The price of a night she could never reclaim. Enough, perhaps, to leave, to chase a life elsewhere, to study and rebuild if she dared.
If her mother hadn’t died so young, if her father hadn’t married Valentine Riva, how had she fallen so far? Forced to barter her own body just to secure an education, how bitter that reality tasted.
Althea gave a hollow smile, a flicker of dark comfort in the midst of shame. At least now, she owed nothing to the Greene family.
She pocketed the check, tugged on the slightly rumpled clothes she had worn the night before, and left the hotel behind without a backward glance.
Two days later, she was on a plane bound for overseas, leaving Crimson Ridge and the shadows of her past behind her.
A month later, in a foreign clinic, Althea froze as the doctor handed her the pregnancy test results. Her heart pounded. She had never imagined that a single night could result in life. She barely remembered the man, her mind retaining only fragments, a touch, a warmth, a glimmering emerald necklace he had left around her neck.
Nine months later, Althea lay on the operating table, exhausted and trembling, as the cries of triplets filled the room. But joy was tempered by horror: when she recovered enough to hold them, one of her children had vanished without explanation.
Five years later, at Crimson Ridge International Airport, Althea walked through the arrivals gate with her two nearly identical twins—a boy and a girl—holding their small hands, traveling light.
Returning stirred a storm of emotion she hadn’t anticipated.
Her son, Silas, looked up with wide eyes. “Mom, is this the city where you grew up?”
Althea ruffled his hair gently, her voice soft, almost reverent. “Yes, Silas. This is the city where I once lived.”
“But Mom, are you sure we can find our missing sister here?” her daughter, Lilith, asked, her small voice threaded with hope and worry.
Althea’s lips pressed together, her eyes wandering toward the horizon. After a pause, she whispered, “Your godmother uncovered some leads. If nothing goes wrong, we should find her soon.”
Just then, her phone vibrated. She glanced at the screen and saw a familiar name: Wade Falcon, her school alumni and old confidant.
“Althea, I’m so sorry,” Wade’s voice came through the phone, tinged with regret. “I planned to meet you at the airport, but an emergency surgery ran long. I couldn’t get away in time.”
Wade was vice president at Silverstone Medical Center, and his schedule, crammed with high-stakes operations, left little room for delays or personal errands.
Althea’s tone was calm, steady. “Don’t worry about it. We can take a taxi. We’ll see you at the hospital.”
“Thank you for understanding, Althea. Theron’s father’s surgery is waiting for your guidance,” Wade added before hanging up.
With that, Althea gathered her twins, Silas and Lilith, and stepped into a waiting taxi, leaving the airport behind.
Meanwhile, a convoy of sleek, black vehicles glided up to the terminal entrance.
Luci Pearl leapt from one of the cars, flanked by assistants, and hurried toward the arrival gates. She directed the staff to hold the welcome signs and scan the crowd, anticipation etched on her face.
Suddenly, her sharp eyes caught sight of a taxi speeding past, carrying Althea and her children. Her heart skipped, a jolt of disbelief and excitement mingling in her chest. Althea had returned.
Luci stepped forward instinctively, trying to get a clearer view. And then, a commanding figure appeared beside her—Griffin Monreal, holding a pale four-year-old girl in his arms. Even with the child, his towering frame and intense presence made him the focus of every gaze.
Seeing him, Luci forced a warm, welcoming smile and approached.
“Griffin,” she said, her voice syrupy with practiced sweetness.
Griffin’s cold eyes met hers, unflinching. After a moment, his thin lips moved, his voice smooth but icy.
“Are you certain Dr. Harriet Morgan arrived on this flight?” he asked, every word measured.
Luci nodded promptly. “Yes, I confirmed it through my contacts. Dr. Morgan was on this flight. She’s a remarkable physician. Once we locate her, Solenn will be perfectly fine.”
Her gaze softened as she looked at the little girl in Griffin’s arms.
But Solenn noticed the attention and recoiled, a sudden, instinctive tension coiling through her tiny body. She curled against her father, seeking the security of his strong embrace.
Griffin’s words sent a chill straight down Luci Pearl’s spine.She knew better than anyone that Griffin’s mother, Victoria Monreal, was the most formidable presence in the entire Monreal family. Victoria’s affection for Solenn even surpassed Griffin’s own.For years, Luci Pearl had done everything she could to marry into the Monreal family, going to great lengths to win Victoria’s approval.Unfortunately, the proud and commanding matriarch barely acknowledged her existence.Trying to please Victoria had been like pouring water into a basket—utterly pointless.Victoria had once said bluntly, “Solenn carries Monreal blood, and we recognize that. But the days when a woman could sec
However, until Silas could confirm that Solenn was truly their long-lost sister, the “identity swap” between Lilith and Solenn had to remain strictly confidential.Suddenly, an idea struck him. He quickly opened his laptop and messaged Lilith—who was currently at the Monreal estate—through a chat app.At that moment, Lilith was sitting on the floor with Solenn’s basic tablet, trying to play a game. She had downloaded it, but the tablet didn’t have enough storage to run it.“What kind of rich family is this?” she muttered under her breath. “The Monreals are supposed to be loaded, and they give Solenn this cheap tablet that can’t even run a game. So lame.”Just as she was complaining, Silas’s message p
“Griffin, let’s go. We’ll find another doctor for Solenn.”“With her on the team, their so-called expertise is already questionable,” Luci Pearl added coldly. “And this Dr. Morgan? She’s probably just overhyped.”With that, Luci Pearl grabbed Griffin’s arm, trying to pull him toward the door.She was certain that given Althea’s position—and with her own insistence—Griffin would leave with her.But someone who had stolen another woman’s child could never truly understand how real parents love their children.Griffin firmly shook off Luci Pearl’s hand and said resolutely, “For Solenn’s sake, I’m not willing to give up any
Althea asked Wade for Griffin’s background information, and that alone gave him a flicker of hope. He immediately forwarded every file he had on Griffin.When Althea opened the document and saw the handsome face in the profile photo, she froze. It was the same man who had confronted her at the Greene villa the day before.At the time, she had already suspected there was something unusual about his relationship with Luci Pearl, especially given how quickly he had stepped in to defend her.Now she learned he was Luci Pearl’s fiancé—and that they even had a daughter together.Althea couldn’t understand it. If Griffin and Luci Pearl had a child, why hadn’t they gotten married? Questions piled up in her mind.
Luci Pearl’s argument about family traditions seemed reasonable, but Griffin interrupted. “The Monreal family has customs, yes, but Solenn is just a child. Her heart condition could flare up anytime. The doctors said her health comes first.”“Even my grandfather exempted her from any Monreal rules,
Silas’s skills weren’t enough to pinpoint Solenn’s exact heart condition, but he sensed its seriousness. Her illness was far from trivial.Before he could investigate further, Althea pushed open the door. Solenn, who had looked drained moments ago, suddenly brightened, a flicker of recognition in h
Eliseo’s expression only fueled Althea’s anger further.Her mind drifted back to fifteen years ago. He had worn that exact same look while speaking to her mother, Ruby.Althea had been only ten years old. By then, Eliseo had already been involved with Valentine for years. When Ruby discovered their
“Daddy, I want salmon. I want the tasty, buttery kind,” Lilith murmured, curling comfortably into Griffin’s arms as she spoke, her voice soft but filled with longing for a proper meal.Griffin didn’t even pause to consider it. “If you’re craving salmon, sweetheart, just tell your mother or the hous






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