SABOTAGE AND SECRETS Ivy’s POV The footage of Bella sneaking into my showroom chilled me, her sabotage threatening to destroy everything I’d built. In the hospital room, Cole’s phone screen glowed with Bella’s shadow moving through Ivy’s Atelier, her hands planting something sinister. My heart pounded, my body still weak from the stress-induced collapse, my arm throbbing from Bella’s shot. Rowan’s gray eyes blazed with fury, his side bandaged from the forest ambush, but his hand gripped mine, his ring on my finger anchoring me. Noah and Ethan were safe, but Bella’s plan to ruin my reputation and the Kelly documents we’d fought for burned in my mind. “We’re going to the Atelier,” Rowan said, his voice rough, standing, his gun tucked close. “She’s not winning this.” His protectiveness ignited me, but fear for my health made him hesitate, his eyes searching mine. “You’re not going,” he said, his voice low, grabbing my arm. “You’re still weak.” My jaw clenched, defiance fla
A RACE AGAINST FATE ROWAN’S POV Ivy’s collapse stopped my heart, her limp form in my arms driving me to the edge of despair. Her green eyes had fluttered shut, her blonde hair spilling across my chest as I caught her, the safe house silent after our tender night together. My side throbbed from the forest ambush, blood seeping through the bandage, but fear for Ivy—weak from Ethan’s birth, her arm scarred from Bella’s shot—burned hotter. Noah and Ethan were safe, but Bella’s plan to sabotage Ivy’s Atelier and Maddox’s lies against my company loomed, Gabe’s warning of her final strike echoing. I clutched her, my ring on her finger glinting, her love my anchor in the chaos. Despite that, it seemed like everything I do is in a way, wasted efforts. Because why was Ivy always getting into problems like this. “Ivy, stay with me!” I shouted, my voice cracking, carrying her to the car, my heart pounding. Cole sped us to the hospital, my hand gripping hers, her pulse faint. “You’r
THE NIGHT BEFORE EVERYTHING CHANGES Ivy’s POV Rowan didn’t let go of my hand after the kiss. His thumb traced over my knuckles, like he was afraid I might vanish if he stopped touching me. We were still standing in the middle of the safe house living room. The board meeting had ended hours ago, but his energy hadn’t dropped. Mine hadn’t either, but for different reasons. Bella. Maddox. The war waiting for us tomorrow. It was a war that was totally unpredictable and everything was at stake. “You’re thinking too much again,” Rowan said softly. “Habit,” I admitted. “Especially when people want to ruin my life.” His mouth curved, just barely. “Let me fix that.” Before I could ask how, he tugged me toward the bedroom. No rush, no urgency—just a quiet determination. The door clicked shut behind us, muting the hum of the security system. I exhaled slowly. “We should be sleeping. Tomorrow—” “Tomorrow can wait.” He brushed a strand of hair from my cheek. “Tonight is ours.” The a
A FRAGILE PEACE IVY’S POV Gabe’s call shattered the quiet moment with Rowan, his words about Bella’s survival and her final strike stirring dread in my heart. The safe house was dim, the Kelly documents clutched in my hands, their weight heavy with my parents’ legacy. My body ached, still weak from Ethan’s birth, my arm throbbing from Bella’s shot, but Rowan’s gray eyes, fierce despite his own wounds from the estate’s collapse, anchored me. The thought of Bella targeting my Atelier, my life’s work, burned, and fear for Noah and Ethan gnawed at me. I gripped Rowan’s hand, my ring glinting, his love a peace in the chaos. “We need to see Gabe,” I said, my voice sharp, brushing my blonde hair back. “If he’s got proof, we use it.” My heart raced, Bella’s threat looming, and Rowan nodded, his jaw clenched, his side bandaged but his resolve steel. “He’s a risk,” he said, his voice low, grabbing his gun. “But we’ll hear him out.” His eyes met mine, sparking heat despite the tension
EXPLOSIVE REVELATIONS ROWAN’S POV The estate shook as Bella’s detonator clicked, her manic smile promising destruction as I shielded Ivy. The walls groaned, dust falling, and Ivy clutched the Kelly documents, her green eyes wide with terror, as she shook in my arms. What's with this crazy bitch? I can't believe I dated and almost married someone volatile and dangerous as Bella. What the hell was I thinking? My arm bled from the forest ambush, pain searing, and for a moment, all I wanted to do was lie still, but fear for Noah and Ethan’s safety, and Ivy’s weakening state drove me. Bella’s alliance with Maddox and her relentless pursuit of the Kelly inheritance burned in my mind. I grabbed Ivy’s hand, her ring glinting, her love anchoring me as I pulled her to her feet. “You’re done, Bella!” I roared, lunging at her, wresting the detonator away. It slipped from her grasp, but a red light blinked—explosives already armed. Bella laughed, her eyes wild, as I pushed her away an
THE KELLY ESTATE IVY’S POV We were at the outskirts of LA after the way we got lost in the forest. Luckily, the Kelly mansion wasn't deep within the city. I felt Rowan's eyes on me as we sped toward the estate. “Are you okay?” “I'm fine Rowan. Don't worry about me.” “You know I can't do that.” I reached out for his hand that was on the steering wheel. “For real, I'm okay.” “You know if anything should happen to you, I will never forgive myself. I promised to protect you but here you are, with me, going for a dangerous mission.” “Don't say that. I was the one that asked to come, you didn't force me to.” I stated. “So relax, I ain't going nowhere.” He smiled, amusement flashing in his eyes as he nodded and focused on the road. *** The Kelly estate loomed like a ghost from my past, Bella’s plan to claim my heritage pulling me toward danger. The night was cold, the sprawling mansion dark and eerie, reminding of haunted houses. I shivered at the thought of entering the house