ROSALIE'S POV~I scrambled across the cold floor, my knees burning from the friction, but I didn’t care. My hands trembled as I picked up the baby onesie, shoving it back into the box like it was cursed. My breath hitched when my fingers brushed the ultrasound photo, and I blinked rapidly to push back the flood of tears that was about to fall again.Ezra couldn’t see this. He couldn’t know.He would force the truth out of me. He always did—there was no hiding from Ezra Montgomery when his suspicions were piqued. I’d seen it firsthand. Like the time he shattered an old man’s arm just for touching a watch that wasn’t his. Or when he smiled while wiping out two of his own men for losing something important.He didn’t tolerate betrayal. And he definitely didn’t tolerate secrets.“Boss is almost here,” one of his guards murmured from outside, and my heart practically stopped.Shit.I whipped my head around, desperate. My eyes landed on the glass vase by my window—the beautiful one with the
ROSALIE'S POV~One of the assistants stepped forward just as I adjusted the files on my desk. She was petite, maybe a little younger than me, with a sharp bob and thick glasses that made her look smarter than most. She stepped confidently but stopped just short of my desk before giving a respectful bow.“Ma’am,” she began, her voice crisp. “I’m Stacy. One of your main PAs now. I was asked to personally hand you this file. It’s from Mr. Montgomery. He said you'd want to review the list of companies interested in new partnership deals.”I nodded, taking the file from her fingers without a word. My nails clicked softly against the seal as I opened the folder.My eyes scanned the first page—and froze.Dead cold.My breath caught somewhere between my ribs and my throat. Because the first name on the list was all too familiar.Chloe’s Cosmetics. One I've been stalking her up for For a moment, I forgot to breathe. My pulse roared in my ears, rage creeping into my limbs like acid. I snapped
ROSALIE'S POV~Chloe’s shriek tore through the store, making everyone flinch. Everyone but me. I didn’t even blink.“You stupid bitch!” she screeched, stomping closer, heels clacking madly on the floor. “Is this your best shot, Rosalie? Huh? I thought you were done with Damien! I thought you were over him and everything that has to do with him! What the hell are you doing now—throwing a tantrum? Trying to prove a silly point?” Her voice cracked as her eyes blazed. “You’ll always be a trophy wife! That’s all you were ever good for!”My eyes met hers coldly, my lips curling into the softest, most infuriating smile. I turned on my heels slowly. I tilted my head slightly, almost in pity.“Chloe, darling,” I purred, “I think you’re confused. You’re no longer in my class. And if you’d like to speak to me, I suggest you find someone in your league first—maybe then your blabbering might make sense.”Her face twisted in rage, and in a flash, she yanked one of her heels off and hurled it at me.
ROSALIE'S POV~The door clicked shut behind me with a soft thud. I barely had the energy to move, let alone think. My body ached, my feet were sore, and there was a faint, dry sting pulsing at my temple where Chloe’s damn heel had connected. I should’ve gone straight to bed. I should’ve ignored the lights and music and headed straight for a hot shower and sleep.But there he was.Ezra.Seated on the edge of the couch like he’d been waiting hours, one elbow on the armrest, long fingers curled around a glass of whiskey. The shadows softened the sharp edges of his jawline, but the darkness in his eyes—they were sharp. Alert. Watching me.Tracking me.He stood the second he saw me, setting his glass down with a quiet clink. His eyes dipped to my face, narrowing, darkening like a storm cloud gathering over still water.“What the fuck happened to you?”His voice was low. Controlled. But it rippled with something dangerous underneath.I opened my mouth to brush it off, but I didn’t get the c
ROSALIE'S POV~Ezra pressed against me, his large frame dwarfing mine. His powerful body crushed me into the wall as he lowered himself onto my exposed neck, breathing hotly on my pulse point.His tongue darted out, lapping gently across my throat before nipping at the tender skin. My breath caught as I felt his teeth sink in, biting hard enough to leave a mark.Ezra took my lobe between his teeth, pulling sharply and sending jolts of pleasure-pain through me. I moaned out loud, unable to hide my need any longer.His large hands ran down my arms, making goosebumps rise in their wake. He grasped my wrists tighter, holding them firmly behind my back as he ground his cock into me from behind."I've wanted this for too fucking long," he growled against my ear, biting down harder. I bucked wildly against him, feeling a wetness pool between my thighs. "Submit to me, Rosalie." I said nothing. My mind was in a total mess. I just couldn't mutter a word!"I like knowing I make you feel alive,"
DAMIEN'S POV~I stood behind my desk, jaw clenched, my fists curled at my sides. The thick silence of my office was broken only by the faint hum of the news from the flat screen on the wall.And then I saw it.BREAKING NEWS: Heiress Rosalie STONE, Ex-wife Of Damien Wyatt Attacked Inside Chloe’s Cosmetics. Public Outrage Ensues.There she was—Rosalie.Head held high. Confident. Unbothered.Until the moment Chloe, launched her heel across the room like a feral banshee.And it struck Rosalie in the forehead.The camera caught it all. The gasp that left her lips. The stumble backward. The blood.I felt it like a punch in my own gut.The screen lit up with public reactions. Comments, clips, hashtags already going viral.> "Rosalie didn’t deserve that. Chloe’s unhinged.">> "She was right to take Chloe's company. Karma hit fast and hard.">> "This is what happens when side chicks overstep."The rage that swelled inside me was instantaneous and unforgiving. My vision blurred at the edges,
ROSALIE'S POV~The world outside was still drenched in that eerie kind of silence that only existed at dawn — before the city stirred, before the lies and chaos of the day began.It was just a few minutes past five in the morning, and the streets were still wet from the faint drizzle that had fallen sometime during the night.Ezra had left late last night for a business meeting in another state. His absence felt heavier than I wanted to admit.But maybe that was for the best. He didn’t need to know what I was doing. Not yet.I pulled the hood of my black sweatshirt tighter over my head, keeping my face low as I slipped out of the car. Sebastian, who Ezra had tasked to keep an eye on me, stayed behind the wheel, pretending not to notice the questionable address I had asked him to drive to.Smart man.The building was tucked between two rundown shops. You wouldn’t even notice it if you weren’t looking. The only sign was a tiny brass plate beside the heavy oak door that simply read: "Liu
ROSALIE'S POV~The moment we pulled into Ezra’s estate, Naomi practically squealed in my ear.“Oh my God, Rosalie, is this seriously where you’re living now?” she gasped, sticking her head out the window like a damn puppy. “Girl, this looks like something out of Architectural Digest. Is that marble? That’s marble, right? Wait—is that a freaking indoor fountain?!”I stifled a smile as the maids came out to help with her luggage, clearly overwhelmed by the number of designer suitcases she had. Naomi never traveled light. She waved at one of the maids like she was the queen of England and stepped down in her pink Dior slides, sighing dramatically as her feet touched the driveway.“My soles are crying. Who knew first-class still had a way of breaking your damn heels?”I held the door open for her, and once we were inside the grand sitting room, she flopped onto the couch like she owned the place. “Okay, I need a foot rub, a mimosa, and someone’s rich husband to stare at me for the next te
ROSALIE'S POV ~I swallowed hard when our eyes met. Ezra was standing at the door, his gaze hard, a cocktail of rage and worry fighting for dominance. He didn’t even hesitate—his boots thudded on the floor as he walked straight to my bed, and Dr. Asher stepped back, giving him the space he clearly needed.I couldn’t look at him for too long. But I didn’t miss how his eyes roamed over me, lingering on my bruised arms and the pale face that reflected nothing but exhaustion.“She okay?” His voice was low, rough with the worry he didn’t know how to mask.Dr. Asher nodded. “She just needs rest. She’ll be alright tomorrow.”Ezra didn’t seem convinced, but he nodded along anyway. “If you say so.”“Rest, Risalie. Please.” The doctor offered a tight, polite smile before excusing himself, leaving me alone with Ezra. I didn’t want him here. I didn’t want to hear his voice, feel his concern—it was too much. So, I leaned back into the pillow, keeping my face averted.Ezra’s sigh was loud, like he
ROSALIE'S POV~The room smelled too clean.Sterile, like the hospital room I’d once woken up in, empty arms and a hollow body. The walls were soft beige, the light dimmed to be gentle, as if that would ease the chaos inside my head. Nothing would. Not anymore.I sat on the couch, rigid, unmoving. My coat was still on. I hadn’t spoken a word since they brought me here. Not to the driver. Not to the guards. Not to the therapist who was now sitting across from me with a too-soft voice and patient eyes.She crossed her legs, flipping through her notepad gently. “Rosalie… I understand today must have been a lot. Would you like to talk about what triggered the reaction at the site?”I blinked slowly. My jaw clenched. I said nothing.She tilted her head slightly, like I was a wounded bird she was trying not to scare off. “Sometimes trauma shows up in ways we least expect. It’s okay to feel angry. It’s okay to feel confused—”“Do you have a child?” I asked suddenly, my voice brittle.She froz
DAMIEN'S POV~I sighed, the kind that came from deep inside my chest—tired, annoyed, fucking done.I was already fighting hell behind the scenes. Ezra Montgomery was pushing through my shares like a vulture pecking at a corpse. Half my investors were jumping ship, the media was circling like rabid dogs, and now this—this disaster.Chloe had gone out without guards, without a second thought. She’d rushed out into the damn public like some stray looking for scraps. She was all over the blogs already—hair disheveled, pale as chalk, and vomiting in broad daylight. Filmed. Tagged. Mocked. All because Rosalie had fucking meddled, drawing Chloe out when I’d explicitly told her to keep her ass hidden until I got this mess under control.And now I had another mess to clean up. Another headline. Another screw-up dragging my name down while I was barely keeping my own head above water.The sound of Chloe retching again made my eye twitch. I didn’t move. Just sat there, eyes blank, jaw ticking.D
ROSALIE'S POVI leaned away from Diana’s mic slowly, a smile still painted on my lips. The moment my heels clicked back onto the pavement, Isla was already there, holding out the blueprint with both hands like an offering.I took it.“Ladies and gentlemen,” I said, my voice calm, laced with that careful syrupy sweetness that people never know to fear until it’s too late. I held the rolled blueprint high in one hand and uncurled it with the other, turning to face the crowd with a quiet grace that made the flashing cameras fall still. “I believe it’s time the city knew the truth.”A hush swept over the paparazzi.“This—” I tapped the large, faded layout in front of me, “—is the original structural blueprint of this building. Chloe Lancaster’s cosmetics hub. An illegally constructed property… built on stolen permits, funded through ghost investors, and unfit for human habitation.”Gasps. Murmurs. Eyebrows raised behind camera lenses.“And more importantly,” I went on, voice soft now, the
ROSALIE'S POV~I still remembered that night like it was yesterday.I had just gotten back from one of those endless meetings Damien liked to drag me to. My mind was clouded with his accusations, his insults—more of his slow, silent push to make me feel like I was losing grip on everything. He’d been distant, colder than usual, but I’d convinced myself it was just stress.Then I found Chloe.She was sitting on the couch in the living room when I walked in. Her eyes flickered up at me, those sad, sweet eyes. She knew I was upset. But she always knew how to comfort me.“Rosalie, you’re just overwhelmed. Damien’s under a lot of pressure right now, you know that,” she said, brushing her hand over mine with that fake warmth of hers. Her voice, soft and soothing, felt like silk against my skin.But I wasn’t fool enough to miss the undercurrent in her tone—the way her words just didn’t sit right. She’d been my friend, my sister in this hell, or so I thought. But I could hear the lies hidden
ROSALIE'S POV~The weight of the world felt like it was pressing down on me, but it's nothing compared to the emptiness that gnawed at my chest. I sat alone, staring at the ground beneath me, the place where my baby should have been. The silence in the room was deafening, and yet all I heard was the echo of what was taken from me—what was stolen. The tiny heartbeat I would never hear again. The small hands I would never hold.I didn’t think I’d survive it—honestly, I still don’t know how I am. I moved, I breathed, I spoke... but nothing felt real anymore. All of it—everything I’ve done to build myself up, to reclaim what was lost—felt meaningless.Chloe’s empire was crumbling, piece by piece, and I felt no satisfaction in it. I should be relishing this victory. I should be smiling, should be celebrating. But the only thing I felt was the hollow ache of a mother who would never see her child grow up. Never hear them laugh, never hold their hand while they walk to school, never have th
EZRA'S POV~*PRESENT DAY– MEETING HALL*The noise was a headache. The air was saturated with fake laughter, the sound of over-polished shoes pacing on marble, and investors who thought name-dropping billion-dollar partnerships would be the secret code to winning my attention.It wasn’t.I stood still in the center of it all—stone-faced, unreadable, hands in my pockets—watching them clamor for favor like starved wolves circling a fresh kill.Some fat bastard in an overpriced checkered suit was practically sweating through his pitch, waving a tablet in front of me. “Mr. Montgomery, if I may—our logistics software is fully AI-integrated, your branches will never experience a delay again and—”“Ezra,” another man chimed in, interrupting, smug and silver-haired, “our portfolio saw a 200% increase in green energy returns last quarter. You want us on your side before the government rolls out the next climate bill.”Another chimed in. “I’ve personally worked with the Prime Minister’s—”God.I
CHLOE'S POV~I didn’t even realize I’d been pacing until I saw my own reflection in the hallway mirror—hair disheveled, mascara smudged like war paint down my cheeks. I looked unhinged.The envelope still lay on the floor, but my phone buzzed again. And again. The vibrations were relentless, like a warning drum.I snatched it from the coffee table with trembling fingers and finally flipped it over.24 Missed Calls.14 New Messages.News Alerts: “Emergency Recall on Chloe Lancaster’s New Cosmetic Line After Reports of Skin Burns.”My chest tightened.I clicked one of the notifications. The screen filled with a video—news anchor, grave-faced, reading off a statement.“Several users across New York have reported second-degree burns after using the recently launched Chloe Cosmetics skin serum. The company has yet to release a public statement, but an emergency recall has been issued. This comes just days after Chloe Lancaster was filmed physically assaulting Rosalie Stone at a charity gal
ROSALIE'S POV~The moment we pulled into Ezra’s estate, Naomi practically squealed in my ear.“Oh my God, Rosalie, is this seriously where you’re living now?” she gasped, sticking her head out the window like a damn puppy. “Girl, this looks like something out of Architectural Digest. Is that marble? That’s marble, right? Wait—is that a freaking indoor fountain?!”I stifled a smile as the maids came out to help with her luggage, clearly overwhelmed by the number of designer suitcases she had. Naomi never traveled light. She waved at one of the maids like she was the queen of England and stepped down in her pink Dior slides, sighing dramatically as her feet touched the driveway.“My soles are crying. Who knew first-class still had a way of breaking your damn heels?”I held the door open for her, and once we were inside the grand sitting room, she flopped onto the couch like she owned the place. “Okay, I need a foot rub, a mimosa, and someone’s rich husband to stare at me for the next te