Candice’s POVI shyly looked at Dorian, worried about what might happen.I carefully stood up, my legs still feeling a little weak, and walked toward the bathroom. Dorian offered to helped me get to the bathroom but I respectfully declined. He can’t help me wash my self and also help me to the bathroom. I need to do this one myself The sound of Dorian’s footsteps behind me made me even more nervous.I turned my head slightly, sneaking a glance at him. Dorian was staring straight at me. His intense gaze made my face heat up instantly.Didn’t he get the memo that he was supposed to turn around?I hesitated at the bathroom door before clearing my throat. “Turn around,” i mumbled, barely able to meet his eyes.Dorian raised an eyebrow, but without a word, he obeyed.I quickly undressed, my heart pounding, and slipped into the bathtub. The warm water wrapped around me like a comforting embrace, easing some of the lingering tension in her muscles.Taking a deep breath, I finally said, “
Candice’s POVDorian turned to me, his expression unreadable. “Follow me.”Something about his tone made my heart race.I hesitated. “Where are we going?”He didn’t answer, just started walking.I frowned, quickening my steps to keep up with him. “Dorian, you never answered me. I told you not to hurt Violet. If anyone is going to deal with her, it should be me.”Still, he didn’t respond.Frustration built up inside me. “Dorian—”“Do more listening and less talking,” he cut in sharply.I pressed my lips together, suddenly feeling nervous. I could tell he was serious—there was no room for argument.The silence between us felt heavy as we descended a set of cold, stone stairs. The deeper we went, the more my heartbeat quickened.Then, we reached the basement.The dim, flickering light barely illuminated the space, casting eerie shadows on the damp walls. A metallic scent filled the air—sharp, iron-like. Blood.My stomach twisted as my eyes adjusted to the gloom, and then I saw her.Viole
Candice POVDownhearted, I returned to my bedroom. I needed someone to talk to. Someone who would understand. So, I grabbed my phone and dialed Ruby’s number. She was the one person I could rely on to help me sort through my tangled emotions. It rang a few times before she answered, her voice warm but laced with concern.“Candice! You finally called! I’ve been worried about you. How are you? Are you okay?”I hesitated for a moment, then said softly, “Ruby, there’s something I need to tell you… It’s about Violet.”There was a brief silence on the other end. Then Ruby sighed. “I knew she wasn’t a good friend to you. What did she do this time?”My fingers tightened around my phone. “She—” my voice wavered, the weight of it all suddenly making her throat tight. “She claimed to be sorry for all she did to me and silly me accepted her apologies and agreed to meet up with her. Unknown to me that it was all a set up.” “What?!” Ruby’s sharp gasp was followed by a rustling sound, as if she h
Candice’s POVI was lounging in my room, flipping through a magazine absentmindedly when I heard a familiar, cheerful voice echo through the hallway.“Candice! I hope you’re not sulking in here!”Lily.Before I could even respond, the door swung open, and there she was, smiling as if she hadn’t a care in the world. She held a shopping bag in one hand and a mischievous glint in her eyes.“I brought you something,” she said, tossing the bag onto my lap before plopping down beside me.Curious, I pulled the package open, only to freeze when I saw what was inside—a revealing, undeniably sexy swimsuit. My face immediately burned.“Lily!” I gasped, holding it up like it was a piece of scandalous evidence.She laughed, clearly pleased with my reaction. “What? It’s perfect! Imagine this—you and my brother, all alone, out on a romantic swim date…” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Just picture it, Candice.”If my face wasn’t red before, it certainly was now. “A-A swim date? With Dorian?” My voice came
Candice’s POV“You’re pregnant, Candice.”For a second, I couldn’t breathe. Dr. Ruby’s words hit me like a train.Pregnant.I stared at her, my heart hammering wildly in my chest as she handed me a small sheet of black-and-white images. My fingers trembled as I took it, my eyes dropping to the blurry shapes on the screen.Two.Two tiny shapes. Side by side.“Twins,” Dr. Ruby added, her voice soft and almost reverent, as if she knew this moment would change my life forever.I blinked rapidly, my mouth opening and closing like a fool, trying to find my voice. “Twins?” I croaked, almost afraid I’d misheard her.She nodded, her brown eyes sparkling with something close to pride. “Yes, sweetheart. Two little miracles. And from everything we can see, they’re both healthy. Your numbers look good.”Healthy. Twins.The words swirled around me, too big, too beautiful to hold all at once. My throat tightened, and before I knew it, my vision blurred with tears. I clutched the ultrasound photos to
Candice’s POVPregnant?No. No, this couldn’t be real. Maybe I misheard her. Maybe she didn’t mean it like that. But as the seconds dragged on, her words replayed in my head, each repetition slicing into me like shards of glass.“And it’s yours,” she added, her voice brimming with smug satisfaction.I clamped a hand over my mouth to keep from gasping. My chest ached, and my breaths came in shallow, ragged bursts. I felt like someone had reached into my body and crushed my heart with their bare hands.There was a pause, and then Joshua’s voice came, warm and unguarded in a way I hadn’t heard in years. “You’re sure?” he asked, a tinge of excitement in his tone.“Yes, I’m sure,” Violet replied with a soft laugh, the sound twisting the knife deeper into my chest. “Who else would it be?”My legs shook as I backed away from the door, pressing myself against the cold wall. I couldn’t breathe. The man I’d built my life around, the man I had loved, was sitting in that room—our room—celebrating
Candice’s POVThe sound of my heartbeat pounded in my ears as I stormed into the hospital. My feet carried me almost on autopilot, through the familiar hallways and up the stairs to Dr. Ruby’s office. The world around me blurred—a mix of sterile smells, distant voices, and fluorescent lights—but I wasn’t focused on any of it.I needed answers.I flung the office door open without knocking. Dr. Ruby sat behind her desk, startled by my sudden entrance. Her face was pale, her usually composed demeanor replaced with visible anxiety. She looked exactly how I felt: trapped.“Candice,” she said softly, as though her voice could soften the chaos swirling in my head. “Please, sit down.”“Don’t,” I snapped, my voice trembling. “Don’t ask me to sit down. Just tell me what’s going on.”Her shoulders sagged, and she motioned toward the chair again. “Candice, this is… complicated.”“Complicated?” I repeated, my voice rising. “You called me earlier and said there was a mistake. You told me it wasn’t
Candice’s POVAs Dr. Ruby opened her mouth to speak, I cut her off, my voice steady despite the storm raging in my chest. “The conception was successful,” I said with a smile, stepping forward. “I’m the surrogate.”Ruby’s head whipped toward me, her eyes wide in shock, but I ignored her. My focus was on Dorian Anderson, who stood before me like a living statue, his icy blue gaze piercing right through me.I extended my hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Anderson and I am Miss Channing. I look forward to working with you.”He didn’t move.Instead, his gaze dropped to my outstretched hand, lingering there for a moment before sliding back up to my face. His expression didn’t change. If anything, he looked like I’d just offered him something offensive.The humiliation stung, but I quickly dropped my hand, hoping to salvage what little dignity I had left. “Right,” I muttered. “Guess we’re not doing that.”Finally, he glanced over at the man beside him—his assistant, I assumed.“Derek,” D
Candice’s POVI was lounging in my room, flipping through a magazine absentmindedly when I heard a familiar, cheerful voice echo through the hallway.“Candice! I hope you’re not sulking in here!”Lily.Before I could even respond, the door swung open, and there she was, smiling as if she hadn’t a care in the world. She held a shopping bag in one hand and a mischievous glint in her eyes.“I brought you something,” she said, tossing the bag onto my lap before plopping down beside me.Curious, I pulled the package open, only to freeze when I saw what was inside—a revealing, undeniably sexy swimsuit. My face immediately burned.“Lily!” I gasped, holding it up like it was a piece of scandalous evidence.She laughed, clearly pleased with my reaction. “What? It’s perfect! Imagine this—you and my brother, all alone, out on a romantic swim date…” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Just picture it, Candice.”If my face wasn’t red before, it certainly was now. “A-A swim date? With Dorian?” My voice came
Candice POVDownhearted, I returned to my bedroom. I needed someone to talk to. Someone who would understand. So, I grabbed my phone and dialed Ruby’s number. She was the one person I could rely on to help me sort through my tangled emotions. It rang a few times before she answered, her voice warm but laced with concern.“Candice! You finally called! I’ve been worried about you. How are you? Are you okay?”I hesitated for a moment, then said softly, “Ruby, there’s something I need to tell you… It’s about Violet.”There was a brief silence on the other end. Then Ruby sighed. “I knew she wasn’t a good friend to you. What did she do this time?”My fingers tightened around my phone. “She—” my voice wavered, the weight of it all suddenly making her throat tight. “She claimed to be sorry for all she did to me and silly me accepted her apologies and agreed to meet up with her. Unknown to me that it was all a set up.” “What?!” Ruby’s sharp gasp was followed by a rustling sound, as if she h
Candice’s POVDorian turned to me, his expression unreadable. “Follow me.”Something about his tone made my heart race.I hesitated. “Where are we going?”He didn’t answer, just started walking.I frowned, quickening my steps to keep up with him. “Dorian, you never answered me. I told you not to hurt Violet. If anyone is going to deal with her, it should be me.”Still, he didn’t respond.Frustration built up inside me. “Dorian—”“Do more listening and less talking,” he cut in sharply.I pressed my lips together, suddenly feeling nervous. I could tell he was serious—there was no room for argument.The silence between us felt heavy as we descended a set of cold, stone stairs. The deeper we went, the more my heartbeat quickened.Then, we reached the basement.The dim, flickering light barely illuminated the space, casting eerie shadows on the damp walls. A metallic scent filled the air—sharp, iron-like. Blood.My stomach twisted as my eyes adjusted to the gloom, and then I saw her.Viole
Candice’s POVI shyly looked at Dorian, worried about what might happen.I carefully stood up, my legs still feeling a little weak, and walked toward the bathroom. Dorian offered to helped me get to the bathroom but I respectfully declined. He can’t help me wash my self and also help me to the bathroom. I need to do this one myself The sound of Dorian’s footsteps behind me made me even more nervous.I turned my head slightly, sneaking a glance at him. Dorian was staring straight at me. His intense gaze made my face heat up instantly.Didn’t he get the memo that he was supposed to turn around?I hesitated at the bathroom door before clearing my throat. “Turn around,” i mumbled, barely able to meet his eyes.Dorian raised an eyebrow, but without a word, he obeyed.I quickly undressed, my heart pounding, and slipped into the bathtub. The warm water wrapped around me like a comforting embrace, easing some of the lingering tension in her muscles.Taking a deep breath, I finally said, “
Dorian’s POV“Not just our baby” I thought to myself, the words burning on the tip of my tongue, almost rolling off. But I hesitated, unsure of how to express the emotions swirling inside me. I guess it was better I kept mute, so I did just that. Now wasn’t the time for this conversation. Candice had been through enough, and I could see the exhaustion in her eyes. She needed rest, not more confusion.I took a deep breath and turned to Ana. “Take good care of her.”“Yes, Sir Dorian,” Ana replied, bowing her head.Candice lay on the bed, her expression unreadable. Even after all that had happened, she wasn’t blaming me. That hurt more than if she had.I hesitated for a moment longer, watching her as she pulled the blanket tighter around herself. Her body was healing, but what about her mind? What about her heart?Anger started building up inside of me but I forced myself to turn away.As I stepped out of the room, I found Derek waiting for me. He was standing by the door, his hands beh
Candice’s POVThe moment my eyes met Dorian’s, everything else faded away. My heart clenched as relief, fear, and shame crashed over me all at once.“Dorian…” My voice came out in a broken whisper, but I couldn’t bring myself to say more.My body trembled violently. The ropes had left angry red marks on my wrists, and my clothes were torn and wrinkled. I felt exposed, vulnerable. But the moment Dorian stepped inside, the air in the room shifted. The two men who had tormented me moments ago froze in sheer terror.One of them, the shorter one, stumbled back. His eyes darted toward the exit, but he was too afraid to move. The other, the one with the scar, swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing as if trying to find the courage to speak—but he couldn’t.Dorian didn’t spare them a glance. He walked toward me in silence. His coat was in his hands before I could even process it, and he draped it gently over my shoulders. The warmth of the fabric sent a shiver down my spine, but not becaus
Dorian POVThe moment I stepped into the house, I knew The house felt too quiet. Something was wrong.I walked in, looking around, expecting to see Candice. But she wasn’t there.“Where is Candice?” I asked, my voice calm. Ana, the maid, hesitated before answering. “She… she went out, sir.”I stopped in my tracks, turning slowly to face her. My pulse pounded in my ears. “What did you just say?” My tone dropped dangerously low.Ana’s hands shook. “Madam Candice left a while ago. I… I thought you knew…”My heart started beating faster.“You let her go out alone?” I demanded. My fists clenched at my sides, my entire body tense with frustration.Ana swallowed hard. “I—I didn’t think—”“Exactly! You didn’t think!” I snarled. “You should have stopped her. You should have told me immediately!”Ana’s eyes filled with fear. “I’m sorry, sir! I didn’t mean to—”Her apologies only fueled my anger. “Your sorry is making me want to cut off your head,” I snapped, my voice cold Ana gasped, stepping
Candice’s POVThe shrill ringing of my phone pulled me from my thoughts. An unknown number.I almost ignored it.Lately, my peace had become more important than entertaining random calls, but something—curiosity, instinct, fate?—made me swipe the screen and answer.“Hello?”The moment I heard the voice on the other end, a chill ran down my spine.Even if I were half-asleep, I would recognize that voice.Violet.My breath caught in my throat. For a second, I wondered if I had misheard, if my mind was playing tricks on me. Violet? Calling me? After everything she had done?If it wasn’t for the pure hatred I held for her, I would have thought I was hallucinating.But what shocked me even more was her tone.Gone was the usual arrogance, the condescending sneer that dripped from her every word. Instead, she sounded… hesitant. Soft. Almost humble.“Candice… it’s me. Violet.”As if I needed an introduction.I didn’t say anything, waiting for the inevitable venom I was used to. But instead, h
Violet’s POVI have always hated Candice.Oh, we were friends—or at least, that’s what she thought. But deep down, I despised her. She was always the pretty one, the smart one, the one everyone seemed to admire without even trying. No matter what I did, I was always in her shadow, overlooked, underestimated. It made my blood boil.At first, I tolerated it. I smiled, played the role of a supportive friend, and pretended it didn’t bother me when people complimented her perfect grades, her perfect face, her perfect life. But the moment she married Joshua, I knew I couldn’t stand by and watch her have it all.Joshua was everything a woman could want—handsome, successful, rich. And yet, Candice had the audacity to waste him, letting years pass without even giving him a child. How selfish. How unworthy. She didn’t deserve him.So I did what had to be done.I wormed my way into Joshua’s life, playing the part of the sweet, understanding friend, always there when Candice was too “busy” or too