MasukGRACE'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
GRACE'S POV The article went live at six in the morning. I knew because my phone started buzzing before my alarm went off, texts and calls coming in so fast the vibrations blended into one continuous hum. I grabbed it off the nightstand, saw Naomi's name on the screen along with fifteen missed call
It was a hit piece. I knew it was a hit piece. But Grace had done the same thing to us with the bet. Had exposed our private business, framed it in the worst possible light, used it to destroy our reputations and build her empire. This was just evening the score. Giving her a taste of what she'd don
"You can't undo it. The articles are published. Stella went on record. My stock price is in free fall and my IPO is about to collapse. Marcus won." I heard how defeated I sounded. Hated it. "Whatever help you think you can offer, it's too late." "It's not too late. Grace, Marcus is sloppy when he's
"People who know hit pieces when they see them. People who've followed your story and know this is retaliation." David turned his laptop toward me, showed me social media. "Grace, look. For every person sharing the article, there are three defending you. Pointing out the anonymous sources. Questioni







