LOGINArya's POVBy the time the rumors reached my floor, people had stopped looking at me.That was how I knew they were real.In an office this size, curiosity usually announced itself. Someone stared too long. A whisper followed you down the hall. A colleague found three excuses to pass your door. Tonight, the silence was colder. Conversations died when I walked by. Claire's assistant lowered her eyes.They knew.I shut myself in my office. Three missed calls waited on my phone: an unknown number, Leon, and Grant Holloway.I stared at Grant's name until the screen dimmed. Then a message appeared.Don't call me back.
Julian's POVThe moment Daniel said Mercer North had been asking about the Willy land, every part of me went cold.Anger made me loud. Cold made me useful.My hand tightened around Savannah's. She glanced down at our joined hands, then back at me. "Julian."I looked at Daniel. "What were they asking?""Ownership structure, development restrictions, and whether the original marriage agreement changed control rights," he replied.My jaw locked. "Who?"Daniel hesitated. "Grant Holloway."Of course. A senior partner at Mercer North, polished and cautious. Holloway was too smart to say anything careless enough to be
Savannah's POVPeople watched us as we entered the convention hall, but for once, it didn’t bother me.Julian guided me through the glittering crowd, his hand at my back. Warmth bloomed in my veins at the gesture.He looked down at me. “You’re quiet,” he said.“I’m looking,” I said. “And thinking.”His fingers pressed lightly against my back. “You okay?”“I’m fine,” I said, and touched the horseshoe bracelet on my wrist. The soft green dress had been my choice, not the safer black one Julian suggested. This one felt like me.The choice seemed small, but it mattered. A few mo
Julian's POVSavannah was still asleep when I woke. Instead of reaching for my phone and whatever problems waited there, I stayed still and watched her breathe.She was curled against me, one arm over my waist and her hair spread across my chest. She no longer slept near the edge of the bed as if she needed an escape. Now she held on to me without thinking, and that trust meant more than I could explain in words.I lowered my face and kissed the top of her head. She stirred and mumbled something. I smiled. “Good morning.”“No,” she answered, still half asleep.I almost laughed. “No?”“Too early,” she said.&ld
Savannah's POVI remembered the dinner preparations and quickly turned off the stove, then turned my attention back to Julian. I had waited all evening for him to come home, dinner could wait a minute longer.I smiled and kissed him slowly. He held me closer and I could feel his heartbeat through his shirt. His grip shifted from my hips to my backside and in one strong movement he lifted me off the floor. Instinctively I wrapped my legs around his waist. The suddenness of his actions made me laugh. “Julian.”His lips twitched against mine. “What?” he asked, then kissed me again.And he kissed me again before I could start an argument and I melted into it. My hands moved over his shoulders and his thumb brushed slowly along my thigh. Drawing circles in the same rhythm a
Savannah's POVBy seven I had checked the oven four times.Nothing was wrong with it. The food was fine. The chicken had finished right on time, the pasta was still warm, and the sauce had thickened nicely. The apartment smelled like garlic, butter, and herbs, comforting enough to feel familiar.Even so, I kept finding excuses to wander back into the kitchen. Waiting had become harder after everything that happened. Julian had been gone most of the day, but it wasn't like before, when hours passed without a message and I was left wondering whether he remembered I existed. This time, he texted. He let me know when meetings ran late, when Leon pulled him into yet another conversation, and whether he would be home for dinner. Around five, he even sent me a short message.I'm trying to leave
Savannah's povI had always imagined my wedding to be like a fairytale wedding, filled with love and happiness.The wedding I had was the complete opposite. There were no joyful tears, no happy toasts, and certainly no romance. All through the brief wedding, I tried not to snap at a super cold Julia
Savannah's povI smoothed down the skirt of my black dress for the hundredth time while keeping my posture perfectly rigid. I felt entirely out of my element in a gown and I would choose my pants and t-shirt over this any day, but for the sake of my parents, I had to attend this gala.We were in the
Julian’s POVI adjusted my collar and stepped into the commercial real estate office, heading straight for the broker's desk. I didn't care about the extra fees or the location costs because I really needed the space. I was a Montgomery by blood, but I wanted to make a name for myself. My startup wa
Savannah’s povGrowing up on a ranch had lots of advantages, as well as disadvantages.I wiped the sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand as I rested against the wooden fence. Around me, the ranch was alive with the familiar sounds of a multimillion-dollar agricultural empire. Cattle grunte







