LOGINEMILYI stood in the middle of the living room, one hand resting protectively over my stomach, the other clutching the edge of the table beside me as another dull ache rolled through my lower back. It wasn’t strong enough to be labor. Tomorrow.That was what the doctor had said.Tomorrow, you’ll likely go into labor.I let out a slow breath, trying to steady myself, trying not to let the fear claw its way up my throat again. Everything felt too close. Too fast. The sound of tires screeching outside cut through my thoughts.My head snapped toward the door.Before I could even move, the front door burst open with a force that made me flinch.And then Alessandro walked in.He didn’t rush. Didn’t raise his voice. Didn’t even look particularly angry. If anything, he looked calm. Controlled. Behind him, his men fanned out like shadows, filling every corner of the house with their presence.My stomach dropped.“What do you think you’re doing?” I demanded, my voice sharper than I felt. “Ge
JULIAN The moment I realized she wasn’t breathing, something inside me snapped so violently it felt physical—like a wire in my chest had been yanked loose and left sparking.“No… no, no, no—hey… hey!”My voice came out strained, unfamiliar, like it didn’t belong to me. I dropped to my knees in front of her, my hands hovering uselessly over her body before finally settling on her shoulders. I shook her gently at first, then harder when she didn’t respond.“Wake up,” I said, my tone sharpening with panic. “This isn’t funny. Get up.”Her head lolled to the side.The sound of it, echoed louder than it should have in the silence of my office.Blood had already begun to pool beneath her, seeping across the polished floor in slow, creeping lines that made my stomach churn. It was everywhere. On her hair. On the edge of my desk. On my hands.My hands.I stared at them, chest heaving, my breath coming in shallow, uneven bursts. “No…” I whispered, shaking my head as if that alone could undo w
JULIAN The first thing I remembered was the sound.Not the fire. Not the shouting. Not even Emily’s voice.It was the crack.A deep, violent crack that tore through the ceiling like the building itself was giving up, like everything holding it together had finally snapped.And in that moment, I didn’t think of anything else as I ran. “Emily!”My voice barely sounded like mine as I shoved through the smoke, my eyes burning, my lungs protesting with every breath I forced in. The air was thick and the heat was suffocating, wrapping around me like it was trying to drag me down with it.I found her near the center of the room, coughing, disoriented, one hand pressed against the wall like she was trying to steady herself but couldn’t quite find her balance.“Julian...”Her voice broke, and that was enough.I closed the distance between us in two strides, grabbing her arm, pulling her toward me before another piece of the ceiling came crashing down right where she had been standing seconds
EMILYThe silence Julian left behind was louder than anything.It pressed into my chest, heavy and suffocating, like the walls themselves were closing in on me.I stood in the middle of the room long after he had gone, my fingers still curled where his shirt had been moments ago. My heart hadn’t caught up with reality yet. It was still racing, still clinging to the heat of him, the way his voice had dropped when he said my name like it meant something.Like I meant something.I exhaled shakily and dragged a hand through my hair.“This is a mistake,” I muttered to myself. “Everything about this is a mistake.”But even as I said it, I knew I didn’t believe it.A knock sounded on the door.My heart leapt instantly.“Julian?” I called, already moving.I didn’t even think. I just opened the door and froze.It wasn’t him.Venida stood there, hands clasped neatly in front of her, her expression carefully neutral.Disappointment hit me harder than I expected.“What is it?” I asked, my tone sh
EMILYI went straight to the consulate the next morning, determined, almost restless with urgency, and asked Janice to have Julian contact me. I made it very clear that it was important, desperately so but even then, as the hours dragged on, he did not come. By midnight, I had worn a path into the rug of my bedroom from pacing, my nerves stretched thin with waiting.Convinced he would come the way he had the night before, through the gardens, up onto the terrace, I finally stepped outside myself. The balcony doors stood open behind me as I moved into the thick, waiting darkness.The night was utterly black, starless and still, yet heavy with a cloying sweetness, fragrant and warm against my skin. I leaned against the smooth mahogany railing, straining my eyes, trying to see through the dense shadows that swallowed the gardens and the pool below.And then, without warning he was there.He swung over the railing and landed beside me as silently as a jungle cat.I didn’t even have time t
EMILYA loud banging dragged me out of sleep.I groaned softly, every inch of my body heavy, as though I hadn’t rested at all. Rolling over, I reached blindly for a pillow and pressed it over my eyes, trying to shield myself from the flood of sunlight that had suddenly filled the room, as if someone had flung the shutters wide open.And then I remembered.Julian.A slow, warm smile spread across my lips, a deep, glowing happiness curling through me.“Jist ain’t right… good folks ought to know better. Now, if’n it was po’ trash, why, then I’d understand but good folks? Lady!”My eyes flew open.Venida.I gasped, bolting upright, my gaze darting wildly across the room. Relief crashed through me when I saw I was alone, Julian was gone.Thank goodness.“Such carryings-on I neveh did see! ’Bout time you opened them eyes!”“What time is it?” I demanded, still trying to steady myself.Venida set a tray down beside the bed with a decisive clatter. “Seven.”“Seven?” I repeated, startled.“You
JULIAN It had been thirteen days.Thirteen long, restless, suffocating days since I walked away from the estate telling myself I needed space.Space from Alessandro. Space from the mansion. Space from her.That was the lie I told myself.The truth? I couldn’t breathe without knowing she was somewh
ALESSANDRO It was blazing hot.The sun beat down mercilessly upon the parched plain.Trees that looked stunted dotted the landscape. The grass was a harsh yellow. And nestled amongst a cluster of surprisingly lush green cottonwoods that grew by a small creek, was a weathered, doorless shack.In th
EMILYNever had I seen such a welcome sight. We were finally back to the mansion and to my surprise Alessandro's grand parents were there with few of his cousins."Didn't expect this," Julian muttered.We were walking in a straight line, Julian in the lead, I and Ella walking double. The terrain ha
EMILY I hadn’t been the same since I saw that picture. Since I saw myself in a white wedding dress, standing beside Julian.Since I saw proof that my life had existed before this mansion. Before Alessandro.Something inside me cracked open that day, and it had not closed since.I walked differentl







