LOGINI tried not to look too disappointed and just focused on buttering Nora’s pancakes.“Good morning,” Sophia chirped brightly, sliding into the seat beside me with a cup of coffee.“Morning,” I muttered.Kieran nodded at her but didn’t say anything. He took a sip of his coffee and flicked his newspape
Charlotte’s POVThe next morning, I felt marginally better about everything—or maybe it was just the way I woke to Nora jumping on the bed, making me smile, that made everything feel a little easier.“Mommy!” Nora landed on her knees, nearly slamming me in the head in the process. “You’re finally aw
“You’re sorry?” I repeated.There was a pause. He drew in a breath as if steeling himself before he muttered, “I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that. It’s just… I saw you in her dress and it made me snap.”I glanced at him sideways. He was staring at his glass again, a forlorn look on his face. I
Charlotte’s POVAfter a very long and very quiet dinner, the server came with the check. Kieran paid, and we all got up to leave.“I want to take Nora for ice cream,” Sophia announced, holding out her hand to Nora. “There’s a gelato place down by the boardwalk that’s supposed to be amazing.”Nora lo
Kieran frowned. “What do you mean?”“I gave her the dress,” Nora hiccuped. “I went into that closet you always say not to go into and I found it and I thought Mommy would look pretty in it. So I put it in her suitcase.”My heart stopped.No. No, she was lying. Nora was lying for me because she could
Charlotte’s POVI froze, looking down at the burgundy silk dress. “What’s wrong with it?” I asked.Kieran’s voice was low and dangerous. “Where did you get it?”“Sophia gave it to me. She said you bought it—”“I didn’t buy you anything.” His eyes were cold. “That dress belonged to my wife.”The word
Charlotte’s POVI found the note when I woke up.“Charlotte: You may take Nora to one training session today. Stay with her the entire time. If anything happens, you must bring her back immediately. —Kieran”He was letting us go.I sat there for a moment, staring at the note.After last night, I had
Charlotte’s POVBy the time Kieran came home that day, it seemed he had already gotten wind of Nora’s good performance at training—likely through William. He wasn’t smiling—he never did—but he also didn’t look disappointed.“I heard you had a good day,” he said as we sat down for dinner.Nora nodded
“Trust me when I say this, Kieran.” I took a step forward and tucked my chin, looking up at him through my brows. “I would never be interested in a man like you. Not in a million years. In fact, you repulse me with your arrogance, cruelty, and selfish pride.”“Oh, please. I saw the way you looked at
She was gone before I could say anything, but the look in her eyes softened me somewhat. I didn’t even get a chance to ask her name, and yet, looking at her, I felt a strange connection to her, like we understood each other in a way no one else could.My stomach churned then, gurgling as if in remin







