로그인KARL
I was announced as I walked into the grand hall, greeting a few business leaders I had met during past quarterly reviews, and immediately spotted George standing near the front of the room. I took a seat on the opposite side of the VIP tier without acknowledging his presence.
The presentations were already under way, the white track lights cutting across the main display screen as an engineer from the city took his seat.
<KARLLeila's face filled the television screen.I sat on my couch, a glass of wine in my hand, watching an interview about the museum she had spent the past two years working on.She looked beautiful in her fitted cream dress, her hair falling neatly over her shoulders. There was a confidence in her voice that hadn't been there when we were married. She spoke about the museum's design, the challenges she had overcome, and what the completed project meant to her.And I was proud of her.The interviewer asked her what she hoped people would remember about the project.Leila smiled. “I want people to walk through the museum and feel that every detail has a purpose. I want them to see the work behind it and understand that something meaningful can be built even when the process isn't easy.”I lowered my glass.For a moment, I forgot about the room around me. I was back in the days when I could have sat across from her at dinner and listened to her talk about her work. Back when she would
GEORGETwo Years Later........Leila had been busy preparing for the museum’s grand opening, leaving me in charge of Mila for most of the day.If anything, I enjoyed having my daughter all to myself. She had kept me busy since morning, demanding my attention every few minutes and refusing to let me out of her sight. By the time she finally fell asleep, I felt as though I had just survived a battle.I carried her into the bedroom and lowered her carefully onto the bed. She stirred, her tiny fingers curling around the edge of her blanket, but she didn’t wake. I smiled and brushed a strand of hair away from her forehead.“Finally,” I whispered. I had barely straightened when someone knocked at the door. I frowned as I stepped out of the bedroom, closed the door quietly behind me, and went to answer it.Theodore’s lawyer stood outside. For a second, neither of us spoke. I hadn’t seen him since the day Theodore was laid to rest, and I certainly hadn’t expected him to show up at my house.
Emmanuel Okeme (Author)❤️ A BIG THANK YOU, MY AMAZING READERS! ❤️We’ve reached the end of Part One, but the biggest secrets, the deepest regrets, and the most difficult choices are still ahead!First, I want to take a moment to thank every single person who has read this story and stayed with me up to this point. Every read, every comment, every vote, every gem, and every bit of encouragement means more to me than you know. You are the reason this journey has been worth it, and I’m truly grateful to have you here.To the amazing reader who sent me gifts, thank you so, so much! ❤️ I may not know who you are, but please know that I appreciate your kindness from the bottom of my heart. You made me smile, and I don't take your support for granted.To everyone who has voted for my book and sent me gems, THANK YOU! Your support means the world to me. And to those who have been reading silently, I see you, too! 🥹❤️If you've been enjoying the story but haven't left a comment or review yet,
LEILA“You’re in the hospital, Leila.” His fingers tightened gently around mine. “You’re safe. The baby is safe, too.”The baby.My eyes widened as everything came rushing back. The pain in my stomach. The office. The terrifying ride to the hospital. Then nothing.“Where is my baby?” I tried to sit up, but a wave of weakness forced me back against the pillow.“Easy.” George moved closer, his hand hovering near my shoulder. “I’ll get someone to bring her to you.”He pressed the call button beside the bed. A nurse arrived a few minutes later, checked my condition, and smiled.“She’s doing well,” she assured me. “She’s been checked over, and there’s nothing to worry about at the moment. We’ll bring her in for you.”I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.Tears slipped down my
GEORGEI never answered calls during meetings, but the name on my screen stopped me. Leila. I didn’t think twice before answering.“George?” A different voice came through. “I’m calling from Miss Stonne’s office. She’s in pain, and she asked me to call you.”My grip tightened around the phone. “What do you mean, she’s in pain?”Before the woman could answer, I heard Leila groan faintly in the background. It sent a jolt of fear through me.“Leila?” I said sharply. “Let me speak to her.”“She can barely talk, sir and I don’t know what to do.”I was already pushing back my chair. “Don’t waste another second in the office. Take her to the hospital immediately. I’m coming.” I ended the call and grabbed my keys.“Sir, is there a problem?” My secretary called behind me.“George, the board is still waiting for your decision.”Their voices followed me as I strode toward the door, but I didn't stop. I reached the parking garage and got into my car, barely registering the security guard wavin
LEILASEVEN WEEKS LATER...The room tilted before I could get out of bed. I caught the edge of the mattress, my fingers tightening against the sheet as the wardrobe blurred in front of me. For a few seconds, I stayed bent forward, waiting for the room to settle.Then a sharp ache pulled low across my stomach. My hand went there at once. “Not today,” I whispered. I remembered the dates correctly. I still had two weeks before my estimated due date, and there were things I wanted to put in order before then. I wanted to finish the work waiting on my desk, make sure the current project was moving in the right direction, and know that the office could manage without me when I finally had to step away.I knew I couldn't plan everything. The baby would come when she was ready, and no amount of preparation could change that. Still, having things under control gave me some peace of mind.I sat still until the ache eased, then reached for the glass of water on my bedside stool. I drank slowly
EVELINA The corridor felt different when I stepped out of Dr. Yuen’s office.People were moving faster. Reception staff straightened behind their desks. Nurses glanced toward the entrance like they were expecting someone important.A name passed quietly through the hallway. “Aria Vance.”I kept wa
EVELINA The notification was still on my screen when I woke up.CONGRATULATIONS. YOU HAVE QUALIFIED FOR THE APEX URBAN PRIZE. Final submission window: 7 days.I stared at it through a few hours of broken sleep and the dull ache climbing up the back of my neck.Outside the studio windows, the sky h
EVELINA “Sign them whenever you’re ready.”A white envelope landed on my keyboard. For a second, I thought it was another batch of revisions from Sterling Group. Then I saw the words on the front.Divorce Agreement.Julian Sterling stood across from me in his charcoal suit, still buttoned up. His
EVELINA Dominic.For a second, I thought it would be Julian. Or Theodore. Or nobody.Hotel hallways were always full of people coming and going. Most of the time, nobody looked twice at you.But Dominic was walking toward me. His hands were in his pockets, his expression flat and unreadable. He st







