로그인The late afternoon sun spilled golden light over the waterfront promenade, the ocean shimmering as seagulls called overhead. Lily skipped ahead, her hand clutching a small paper bag of warm, sugar-dusted doughnuts. Dante kept a steady watch on her, his arm loosely draped around Monica’s shoulders.
The rain had stopped by morning. Light streamed through the wide windows of Dante’s estate, spilling across the kitchen where Monica stood barefoot, hair loose, wearing one of his shirts. She was stirring Lily’s oatmeal, the steam curling into the air. She didn’t even realize she was humming—an ol
The breakfast had been a slow, simmering torture. Monica sat rigid in the high-backed chair, her fingers curled around the delicate porcelain cup as though it might shatter under the weight of her pulse. Across from her, Dante lounged like a king who’d already won the war, one hand lazily draped o
Her cottage could fit into this place twenty times over. At the end of the hall, a set of double doors swung open. The dining room stretched long and wide, sunlight spilling through tall windows. The smell of coffee and expensive leather filled the air. And there he was. Sitting at the head of
Monica’s eyes snapped open. For a second, she thought she was in one of those luxury hotel commercials — the kind she used to mute while eating instant noodles because they made her feel broke. The ceiling stretched high above her, painted with pale cream swirls and gold accents. The curtains, h
A man stepped in like he owned the place — dressed in black from boots to gloves, black tactical vest, mirrored sunglasses even though it was night. The faint squawk of radio static came from the earpiece buried in his ear. And the rifle in his hands… that spoke louder than words. Monica froze. He
When she finally did, her voice was husky and sweet. “Hey, what’s up?” Chase took a deep breath. “We need to talk, Ariel. It’s important.” There was a pause on the other end of the line before Ariel spoke up. “Now? I’m kind of in the middle of something at the office, Chase. What is it about
She sat in the car, frozen in thought, weighing her options. She could accept the offer and pursue her dream, but it would mean leaving Coles Group and her plans for it incomplete. Or she could decline, and finish her mission at Coles Group. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she made a d
Monica stormed into the Coles mansion, her anger and hurt evident on her face. She had just been left at the altar by Chase, and she demanded answers. “How could you do this to me, Chase? How could you just leave me like that?” Chase, who had also just returned home, stood his ground, his express
I walked into the house, exhausted from the long night at the hospital, but determined to freshen up and get some clean clothes for Monica and Austin. But before I could even take a step further, my grandfather’s voice stopped me in my tracks. “Chase, we need to talk.” I turned to face him, my eye







