LOGINGRACE'S POV We got married on a Saturday in my backyard with thirty people watching. Small and intimate and nothing like our first wedding that had been all performance. This time everything was real. August and James were ring bearers, five years old and serious about their responsibilities. Li
CARTER'S POV Hope went to the NICU for observation because she was early. Standard protocol for thirty-five weekers the doctors said. Grace was exhausted but stable and I sat with her while nurses worked on our daughter in the next room. "I want to see her." Grace was trying to sit up. "Carter,
GRACE'S POV I called Carter Sunday morning with my conditions. "I read your letter five times. I believe you know me. But Carter, knowing someone and staying with someone are different things." I was sitting on my porch while the twins played inside with my mom. "I need you to prove you'll stay
CARTER'S POV I spent three days writing the letter. Not because I couldn't think of things to say but because I kept deleting what I wrote. Kept falling into old patterns of what sounded good instead of what was true. Dr. Chen told me to stop performing and just write honestly about why I loved Gr
CARTER'S POV The full reality hit me about thirty seconds after Grace told me. I was going to be a father again. Was going to have another chance at the beginning I'd missed with August and James. Was going to be there from the first moment if Grace let me. I sat down hard in her office chair be
GRACE'S POV I'd been nauseous for a week. Blamed it on stress from the press conferences and therapy and trying to figure out if Carter and I were actually doing this. My mom noticed first. "Grace, you look green. When did you last eat?" She was watching me push food around my plate at Sunday di
"You already did that." His voice was bitter. "You exposed the bet. Destroyed my reputation. Turned me into a villain in every article and interview. I've lost clients, lost friends, lost everything that mattered because you decided the world needed to know what I did. So what else can you take from
GRACE'S POV I was in the middle of a video call with our Tokyo distributor when my assistant Meredith burst into my office without knocking. Her face was white, eyes wide, and she was doing that thing where she tried to talk but couldn't quite get the words out fast enough. "Grace, I'm so sorry, h
"Tell me you didn't talk to him. Tell me you called security immediately." Naomi's voice was sharp, already going into lawyer mode. "I talked to him for maybe five minutes. He has DNA results. Says he can prove they're his. Threatened to file for custody if I don't let him see them." I was gripping
Mom was quiet for a long moment. "You're their grandmother too. Does she even know they exist?" "I don't care if she knows. I don't care what she wants. The Vaughns lost any right to my sons when Carter made that bet." I was breathing hard again, panic rising. "Promise me you won't talk to her. Pro







