LOGINSophia's POVI was still holding the lamp. A heavy, ridiculous object in my hands, nothing compared to the power Richard had with that gun pointed directly at me.He looked at Alexander, but the aim didn't waver from my chest."Alexander, you're a waste," Richard said, his voice too calm for a cornered man."You know, this story could have had a very different ending. You would have been someone important in this country, alongside my daughter. We would all be happy. But no."He spat out the next words. "You and this unfortunate habit of screwing everything up, choosing to chase after a skirt.""Richard, I won't repeat myself," Alexander replied, his voice icy, the gun still aimed. "Drop it. Now."Richard laughed. A dry sound. "And you know what's funniest? She traded you for your best friend. The worst part is that you're here, risking your life, for someone who never truly loved you."He paused, his eyes gleaming. "Learn from this, Alexander. Once a Morgan, always a Morgan. This fam
Sophia's POVRichard's hand was steady, the gun aimed at my husband, his eyes shining with a madness that chilled me to the bone.But the words he had just said wouldn't leave my head.My grandmother. Eleanor. Had my mother killed?I got up from the bed, pulling the sheet against my body, my bare feet on the cold floor. My shoulder hurt, but the physical pain was nothing compared to what was exploding inside my chest."What did you say, Richard!?" My voice came out strange, hoarse. "My grandmother paid you to kill my mother!?""Sophia, stay away from him!" Michael shouted, his hand raised, his body tense. He couldn't move forward. The gun was pointed at his chest.Richard laughed. A dry, humorless sound. "Ah, the little princess decided to speak up. You stay quiet there, let the adults talk."He turned slightly toward me, the gun still steady on Michael. "Do you really think your grandmother is this saint who appeared out of nowhere to save you? That manipulative old woman who came fr
Alexander's POV Upon seeing Richard free and accompanied, heading towards the wedding, my mind went blank. Instinct screamed at me to shout, to do anything. But reason, cold and clear, held me back. I hated myself at that moment. I hated my powerlessness. But I hated even more the idea that, even though Sophia would never be mine again, I couldn't bear to live in a world where she didn't exist. So, I did the only thing left to me. I slid behind the parked cars and began descending a different path, steeper and more hidden, keeping them always in my field of vision. My heart hammered in my ears, but my movements were as calm and discreet as possible. They reached the edge of the sand. Richard stopped, observing the couple. I saw his shoulders rise and fall with a deep breath. His hand with the gun tightened. He was going to do something. Now. But then, the woman touched his arm, pointing to something further left, along the tree line by the beach. A group of children from the w
Sophia's POV Michael's arms were around me, his hands resting on my waist, my face nestled against his chest. We weren't dancing anymore. Just swaying, caught in our own slow rhythm, listening to our own music: each other's breathing, the beating of our hearts synchronizing. "Are you tired?" he asked, his murmur warm against my temple. "I'm exhausted," I admitted, without opening my eyes. "But I don't want this day to end." "It won't end," he promised, holding me gently. "Tomorrow is just… a continuation. Without a dirt-stained dress, I hope." I laughed, a sound muffled against the fabric of his suit. He had changed his rumpled shirt for a clean one, but the wedding suit had been left behind, lost in the chaos. We were both a little undone, a little disheveled. Perfect. "I miss Liam," I whispered, the only shadow in this piece of heaven. The nurse had texted to say he had fallen asleep early, still very unsettled by the changes. My grandmother had sent a car and two security
Sophia's POVThe sound of the waves was the only sound that existed.A constant, soothing rhythm, erasing the echo of the car engine, the sweet, suffocating smell, from moments ago.Michael didn't ask. He just held on. His arms were the harbor after the storm, and I sank into them, letting his familiar scent – soap, clean cotton, and something that was just him – wash away the rest."He let me go," I whispered against his chest, my words muffled by the fabric of his shirt.I felt his chin rest on the top of my head. "I know. I saw.""How?""When you didn't show up… I knew. Only one person would do something like that. I ran outside, asked the guards. One saw a car heading towards the old beach road. I followed my instinct."He pulled me back just enough to look into my eyes. His hands framed my face, gentle, reverent. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?""No. Just… scared."He examined my face, my eyes, searching for any lie, any damage. Then, his lips found my forehead in a kiss that was
Alexander's POV The news in the magazine on my phone screen:Sophia Morgan & Michael Carter. Two days. In the Morgan mansion gardens.I had stared at those words until they lost their meaning, until only the fact remained: she was going to give up on me forever. She was going to pledge her love to another man. In front of our son.The plan hadn't emerged as a plan, but as a feverish dream. Take her away from there. Take her far away. To a place where we could talk, where she could see, without the pressure of Michael, of Eleanor, of everything. A place where she would remember what we had.But this… seeing her unconscious, her wedding dress a macabre parody of my despair… this was reality. And reality was a nightmare.A low moan escaped her lips.My heart raced. "Sophia?"Her eyelids fluttered, opened. They were cloudy, confused. It took a moment for them to focus on me, leaning over from the front seat. The confusion gave way to recognition, and then to pure terror.She recoiled, sh
Alexander's POVMy office at the Reed Group was silent, illuminated only by the light from my computer and a desk lamp. It was almost eleven at night. I was sitting in my leather chair, my white shirt unbuttoned at the collar and my tie loose. For some goddamn reason, the image of Sophia in that b
Sophia's POV It was 4:17 in the morning, according to the digital display on the TV box. The city outside, visible through the windows of her Gold Coast apartment, was dark and asleep. I, however, was wide awake. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Emma, pale and broken in that hospital bed, I he
Irina's POV The private jet landed smoothly on the private runway in Dubai. Through the window, I could see the golden lights of the Palm Jumeirah forming a perfect semicircle against the dark sea. Richard Pierce was beside me, adjusting his impeccable blazer."I never understood why she decided t
Sophia's POVMichael tried to calm her down. "Mrs. Wilson, please, let's talk outside the room.""Don't touch me!" she retorted, pushing his hand away. "I'm her mother! I have the right to be here! When she's discharged, she's coming with me to Florida. No more Chicago and no more bad company!"At







