MasukROOSEVELT’S POVI woke up feeling a hand resting gently on my bare waist.I slowly opened my eyes, the morning sun peeked through the bedroom curtains. I turned my head.Zyran was wide awake, he lay on his side, propped up on his hand.He watched me breathe. His eyes were incredibly soft."Good morning," Zyran whispered, his voice deep and raspy."Good morning," I smiled, pulling the blanket up to my chest. "Did you sleep at all?""No," Zyran admitted softly. He reached out to brush a messy curl away from my face. "I was too afraid to close my eyes. I thought if I fell asleep, I would wake up in my empty mansion, and this would all be a dream.""It is not a dream, Zyran," I said, resting my hand over his heart. I could feel it beating strong and steady. "You are really here.""I am never leaving this bed," Zyran murmured, leaning in to kiss my shoulder. "I will lock the door and keep you here forever."Before I could laugh, the bedroom door suddenly clicked open."Mama!" Lorna’s brigh
ROOSEVELT’S POVLorna blinked, she looked at me, then at Zyran kneeling.She tilted her head, her dark eyebrows furrowing in a frown."Mommy, I'm confused," Lorna said quietly. "What do you mean by Mr. Zyran is my daddy?"Zyran held his breath. His hands shook so badly that he pressed them flat against his thighs. He looked at me, terrified that he might scare her.I reached out and gently brushed a curl behind Lorna’s ear."You know how your friends at school have daddies who pick them up?" I asked softly."Yes," Lorna nodded. "Like Sofia's daddy, he brings her juice.""Exactly," I smiled, my voice shaking with emotion. "Well, a long time ago, before you were born, Mr. Zyran and I were married. We loved each other very much. And he is the one who gave you those beautiful dark eyes."Lorna looked at Zyran, she studied his face carefully."But you said he was the boss from your work," Lorna pointed out."He is," I explained gently. "But he is also your father. He just got lost for a li
ROOSEVELT’S POV"Zyran, I can't breathe," I gasped, holding onto his shirt. "My chest hurts.""Look at me," Zyran said softly. He cradled my face in his hands. "Breathe with me, Roosevelt. In and out. I won't let him keep her. I promise.""He is crazy," I sobbed, shaking my head. "He thinks he is saving me.""He is a dead man," Zyran hissed. "I will tear his entire company down. I will—"My phone rang again, startling us.I stared at the screen, this time, it wasn't an unknown number. It was Nixie.My hands shook so much I almost dropped the phone. I hit the green button and put it on speaker."Nixie?" I cried out. "Did the police find anything?""Rose!" Nixie screamed. She wasn't crying in fear anymore. She sobbed with joy. "Rose, she is here! She is right here!"The world stopped."What?" I whispered, feeling lightheaded. "Nixie, what are you saying?""She is back!" Nixie laughed and cried at the same time. "I was standing by the police cars, and I just looked over at the swings. Sh
ROOSEVELT’S POV"Somebody took her."The words echoed through the phone. Time seemed to freeze, the sun suddenly felt freezing cold."Nixie, what are you saying?!" I yelled. My legs gave out beneath me. I hit the concrete driveway hard, scraping my knees. "Who took her?!""I don't know!" Nixie cried. Police sirens blared loudly in the background. "We were at the park! She was right next to me on the swings! I turned to throw away a juice box, and when I looked back... she was gone, Rose! A woman said she saw a man put her in a black car!"I struggled to breathe. Black spots danced in my vision. I dropped the phone onto the ground. I grabbed my hair, pulling it, trying to wake up from this nightmare."My baby," I choked out, lungs burning. "My baby!"Zyran didn’t panic.He dropped to his knees beside me and snatched the phone off the ground and pressed it to his ear."Nixie. It’s Zyran," he commanded. His voice was a deep, terrifying rumble of authority. "Stop crying. Tell me exactly w
ROOSEVELT’S POV"And tomorrow, I am starting with her."Zyran’s words were cold, hard, and full of vengeance. He looked out the window of the jet with his jaw clenched tight. I studied his face and gently placed my hand on his cheek.He turned his head quickly, leaning into my touch. His dark eyes softened just for me."No, Zyran," I whispered softly.Zyran frowned. "What do you mean, no? She threatened to take Lorna. She brought that DNA test to your door to hurt you. I have to punish her.""You don't have to do that," I said, keeping my voice calm and steady. "You don’t have to strip her of her name or her rights.""Roosevelt, she abused you for four years," Zyran argued, his voice rising with anger. He grabbed my hand and kissed my palm. "She slapped you, she called you terrible names. I cannot let her get away with that. I have to make her pay.""Why?" I asked, looking directly into his eyes."Because she caused you pain!" Zyran said fiercely. "She hurt my family!""And because t
ROOSEVELT POV "I am not going to New York," I said, dropping the envelope onto his desk. "You cannot force me to leave my daughter."Zyran didn’t even glance at the envelope. His eyes stayed glued to his computer screen."It’s forty-eight hours, Ms. Evans," Zyran replied. His voice sounded empty. "Nixie will watch her.""You don’t control Nixie!" I shot back, my hands curling into fists."I do now," Zyran said flatly. He finally looked up, his dark eyes icy. "I approved her hiring this morning. She is my new project manager. If you want your best friend to keep her job, you will get on that plane."I gasped, the air leaving my lungs. "You’re blackmailing me?""I am conducting business," Zyran said smoothly as he closed his laptop. "The private jet leaves at eight o’clock tonight. Be on it.""What is this meeting, Zyran?" I demanded, my voice trembling with frustration. "Why do I have to be there?""You will find out when we land," he said coldly. "Dismissed."I stared at him, wanting
ROOSEVELT’S POVI sat in the back of the SUV, pulling Zyran’s suit jacket tighter around my shoulders as I shivered.I watched him through the tinted glass staring at his phone screen.Suddenly, his whole body went rigid.The phone slipped from his fingers and he didn't even try to catch it. He jus
ROOSEVELT’S POVMy head snapped to the side. A sharp, burning pain shot across my face. I stumbled back, hitting my hip against the table. I tasted warm copper in my mouth.For a moment, the room was silent."What the hell are you doing?!" Zyran roared.His deep voice shook the crystal glasses on t
The ride back to the mansion were moments of tears and exhaustion.When my cab finally pulled up to the iron gates, the house was dark except for the bright light coming from the living room window.I took a deep breath and placed my hand over my flat stomach, drawing strength from the tiny heartbe
ROOSEVELT’S POVThe cold night air hit my face, but I struggled to breathe.The pain in my stomach felt like a hot knife twisting inside me. I grabbed the rough brick wall of the building, my fingers scraping against the stomach as I shut my eyes tight.Please, no, I begged silently. Not my baby. P







