LOGINAmelia covered her mouth.Kennedy looked away. His eyes were wet now.Shannon had never seen him cry, not once. "Dad..."He lifted a hand.She stopped.Kennedy looked back at Amelia. "Do you know what I did when they told me?"Amelia couldn't answer."I walked." His voice was almost empty. "I walked because I couldn't afford transportation."Amelia's face crumpled."I got to that hospital..." He swallowed. "...and they told me my wife and daughter were dead."A tear slipped down Amelia's face.Kennedy continued. "I had nothing." His voice became quieter. "No money, no family fortune, no wife, no daughter, no home worth returning to." He laughed once, bitterly. "And you were alive.""I'm sorry.""You were alive. For twenty seven years.""Kennedy...""You knew I thought you were dead."Amelia couldn't deny it. Her silence answered for her.Kennedy stared at her then shook his head slowly. "Selfish."Amelia closed her eyes. "Yes."Shannon looked at her.Amelia opened her eyes again. "Yes
The room went silent.Kennedy looked toward her again. "It felt so real."Shannon swallowed. "It wasn't a nightmare."Kennedy stared.She tightened her fingers around his. "She's outside."Nothing moved on Kennedy's face then slowly he shook his head. "No.""Dad.""No.""She's outside.""Shannon...""I saw her."Kennedy's breathing changed. "No."Shannon nodded. "She's sitting right outside this room."He stared at her. The color seemed to disappear from his face all over again. "How?""I don't know.""No." Kennedy looked toward the door then back at Shannon. "That's impossible.""I know.""Amelia died, I went to the hospital.""I know, Dad.""They told me..." His voice cracked. Kennedy stopped.Shannon's chest tightened. For the first time since discovering Kennedy was her father, she saw something in him she'd never really seen before. Fear.Kennedy looked toward the door again. "What if someone sent her?"Shannon frowned. "To mess with us?""Edward..." He stopped. His expression ch
The hospital corridor smelled painfully clean. Amelia hated it. She hadn't realized until she'd entered how deeply she hated hospitals.The lights, the disinfectant, the hurried footsteps. Twenty seven years ago, a hospital had taken everything from her or so she'd believed. Now she stood outside another hospital room waiting to find out whether she'd just harmed Kennedy simply by existing.Her arms were wrapped around herself. One of Kennedy's security men stood nearby. He hadn't spoken to her since they arrived.Amelia couldn't blame him. As far as he knew, some supposedly dead woman had appeared at his employer's house and caused him to collapse.The doors at the end of the corridor suddenly opened.Amelia looked over, Shannon. Her heart stopped. Seeing her through a screen had been overwhelming, seeing her in person, Amelia forgot how to breathe.Shannon hurried down the corridor with Aria beside her. Her face was pale, frightened, beautiful and alive.Amelia's eyes filled instant
Shannon stared, for several seconds, neither woman moved then Shannon laughed. Not because anything was funny but because the sentence was ridiculous. "What?""Shannon...""My mother is dead.""I know.""No." Shannon shook her head. "My mother died twenty seven years ago.""I know what your dad said.""Then what are you talking about?""I don't know!" Aria hurried toward her. "I swear, I don't know. That's just what happened."Shannon stood. Her phone remained forgotten in her hand. "What exactly did she say?""I didn't see her at first." Aria shook her head quickly. "I was coming toward the dining room when the maid walked up to your dad and said there was a woman outside asking for him."Shannon's heartbeat accelerated. "Then?""Your dad asked who." Aria swallowed. "And the maid said Amelia."Shannon froze. This time the name landed differently. Amelia, her father's wife, his supposedly dead wife, her mother. "No.""Shannon...""No." She shook her head again. "That's not possible.""
Evelyn's breathing became uneven. "You know nothing about what happened.""I know Mr. Vale does and I know he doesn't like you."Her lips parted."So if your plan is to use this partnership as some excuse to get personally close to him..." The assistant looked toward the elevator indicators. "...abandon it."Evelyn's eyes burned. "You are just an employee so don't test me.""No, Ms. Lewis." His voice became icy. "You shouldn't test me."She went silent."You'll be working directly with my office for the duration of this partnership. Which means I suggest you learn how to speak to me.""And if I don't?""I terminate discussions.""You can't terminate the contract.""No." He smiled. "But I can recommend that Mr. Vale does."Evelyn's confidence flickered."And between you and me..." He leaned back. "...who do you think 'Sean' is going to listen to?"That hit hard.Evelyn said nothing.The assistant continued. "And before you threaten Vale Group with withdrawal, read your contract." His sm
The tension inside the room became almost unbearable.Sean looked toward the board. "You want to remove me?"Nobody moved."Fine." He gestured toward the screen. "Then do it properly."The corporate secretary frowned. "Mr. Vale...""Vote."Edward looked at him.Sean didn't blink. "You called them here to remove me." He turned toward his father. "So remove me."A director immediately spoke. "I don't believe that's wise."Edward looked toward him. "Excuse me?"The man straightened. "Vale Group is already dealing with market instability. Removing the CEO hours after Miles Group's announcement could create further panic."Another director nodded. "I agree."Edward's expression hardened. "Sean caused part of that instability.""And replacing him this morning won't reverse Kennedy Miles' threat," another woman said.Sean remained standing.Edward looked around. "So we're simply going to ignore what he did?""No." Ms. Laurent finally spoke from halfway down the table. "But I think we're begi
The guest room was at the end of the hall.Shannon paused at the doorway, her fingers resting lightly against the frame before she stepped in.It used to be a storage room now it was neat, cleaned and prepared.A bed, fresh sheets and a wardrobe that looked barely used.Shannon exhaled slowly and s
The hospital discharged them the next day.Shannon didn’t know whether that was fate or cruelty.She stood just outside the building, her fingers gripping the thin discharge papers in her hand as the sunlight hit her face. Too bright. Like the world hadn’t just ended for her.A few steps ahead Rowa
Shannon’s knees weakened beneath her. Three months of silence. Three months of absence. Three months where she wasn’t there. Her breathing grew uneven. Three months where someone else was. Her gaze slowly shifted back to Rowan. And this time she understood. Rowan watched her, something sharp
Rowan sat on the bed, his arm wrapped loosely around Evelyn.Evelyn stood close, too close, and Rowan leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek like it was the most natural thing in the world.Like he had done it a hundred times.Like it belonged there.“Stop!”The word tore out of Shannon befor







