LOGINMia's POVBeing in Eric's house didn't feel like home to me, no matter how much I tried convincing myself that this was where I belonged now that I knew the truth, it just wasn't. Home wasn't determined by blood. It was where I'd laughed, where I'd cried, where I'd grown up, where Bella had tucked me into bed when I was sick, where Cole had taught me how to ride a bicycle, where Miles had spent years making my life miserable. And somehow... I missed all of it.By the time morning arrived, my decision had already been made.I was going home.After getting dressed, packing the few things I'd brought with me, which were my party dress and shoes, and fixing my hair, I headed downstairs. Eric had already left for work most mornings, so I decided to wait for him outside. His official car was parked near the front entrance so I stood beside it quietly.A few minutes later, the front door opened and Dave stepped out. The moment he saw me standing there with my bag, his face immediately fell.
Bella's POVI lay quietly against Cole's chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat as we've just finished having s*x.The room was dimly lit.Cole had his arm around my waist while absent-mindedly planting kisses along my cheek and neck.I laughed softly. "Cole, baby.""Mmm?"Another kiss."Baby... C—Cole.""What?"I smiled. "I have something to tell you.""Mmm?"He was clearly distracted, giving me kiss after kiss and after kiss."Okay, Cole. Stop, that's clearly enough, now. I want to say something.""What, baby?""Nikolas wants to propose to Mia."Everything stopped literally. The kisses, the hand on my waist, even his breathing.I looked up, and his eyes were wide."What?"I burst out laughing."What?""What?!"He sat up immediately. "What do you mean propose?"I laughed harder. "Exactly what I said.""Our daughter?""Yes.""Mia?""Yes.""Our little girl?"I couldn't help smiling."Yes, darling."He stared at me in horror. "No."I laughed. "She's an adult, Cole. Someo
Bella's POVThe only thing I could do was stare at Nikolas as he spoke about marriage to my little girl. Even for a second there, I thought I had misheard him, but no. The young man sitting in front of me looked serious, nervous, and hopeful.I blinked."Nikolas…"He immediately sat straighter. "Yes ma?""And how long have you and Mia even been together?"His cheeks reddened slightly. "Not very long."I raised an eyebrow. "And you're already talking about spending the rest of your life with her?"He smiled softly. "I know how crazy that sounds.""It does." He laughed. "It does."Then his smile disappeared, and was replaced by something serious."But if there's one thing I've never been uncertain about in my entire life, Bella…" he said as he looked directly at me. "It's Mia."I didn't speak."I don't see anyone else," he said softly. "I don't want anyone else."He smiled softly."And honestly… I don't think I can imagine a future where she's not there."My heart softened.God, this bo
Bella's POVI stood in front of the mirror in Eric's office private bathroom, silently fastening the last button of my blouse. Neither of us had spoken for several minutes, and it wasn't because there wasn't anything to say. It was actually quite the opposite.There were too many emotions and somewhere in the middle of all that... guilt. I avoided my own reflection, avoided looking at the woman staring back at me because I knew exactly what she had done, and I knew exactly whose face would come to mind if I looked at myself for too long.Behind me, Eric adjusted his tie and watched me through the mirror. Unlike me, he didn't seem interested in pretending that what had happened hadn't happened, as there was a softness in his eyes."Bella," he called softly.I blinked. "Hm?"He walked closer."If Mia keeps avoiding your calls or doesn't want to speak to you..." He hesitated. "You can always come over."I looked up. "What?"He smiled. "You don't need permission to see your daughter."Emo
Bella's POVWe both failed to realize how time was going by fast, as we kept kissing the entire time, but then I broke the kiss first. Neither of us seemed to know what to do next, so I walked a few feet away from him and turned my back to catch my breath.Then, after a few seconds of breathing, I turned to him and stepped very close to him.“We shouldn't have done what we just did. But it's done now, and I'd like for us to never speak of this to anyone... at all.”Eric nodded. He might have been holding his breath. “Would you … would you like for us to go out for drinks sometime? I know this is stupid of me to ask, but we really need to take advantage of this opportunity that we have.”He put his index finger to my lips. It felt so intimate, but it was only a finger."I don't think we should capitalize on this," I muttered.He looked at me intensely, and I shivered.“So we're just going to keep pretending?” he smirked.I stayed silent."Okay then," he shrugged. "But before we go back
Bella's POVI hadn't stepped foot inside Eric's company in years, yet here I was. As my car pulled up in front of the towering glass building, my fingers tightened around the steering wheel.I exhaled shakily, then stepped out. And the moment I entered the lobby, the atmosphere shifted as heads turned and whispers spread. Some people recognized me, especially the older employees, the ones who had been here back when I was Mrs. Bella Damon.I ignored every single one of them because I had bigger problems.So, without acknowledging anyone, I headed toward the elevators. By the time the doors opened onto Eric's private floor, my nerves were stretched thin, and I marched toward his office. His secretary wasn't at her desk.I didn't bother knocking, I pushed the doors open."...and as I was saying, gentlemen—" Eric stopped speaking.Two older businessmen seated across from him looked startled by my sudden entrance, but I wasn't paying attention to them, I was staring at Eric.He stood froz
Mia's POVI hugged Alan a little tighter than usual once the workshop manager finally handed me my keys back. My car sat just outside looking absolutely perfect. There were no dents, no scratches, no reminder that someone had slammed into it days ago and derailed my entire week. It looked like noth
Mia's POVI arrived home just as the late afternoon sun was beginning to soften, the sky washed into quiet gold. My arms ached slightly as I carried the grocery bags inside. But Zara appeared almost immediately, as if she’d been waiting by the door.“Finally,” she said, taking the bags from my hand
Mia's POVThe taxi slowed as it turned onto my street while I leaned back against the leather seat, phone pressed to my ear, my mother’s voice warm on the other end.“I can’t believe you got to school this early,” Mum was saying. “I was hoping you'd stay a little bit longer. I know you didn't want
Mia's POVThe next morning, I woke up to soft light filtering through my curtains and the faint, distant hum of the city already awake. For a few seconds, I lay still, staring at the ceiling. Then everything came rushing back, the fact that my car was still sitting in a workshop because a reckless







