Se connecter{SEVEN YEARS LATER}The house was alive again.Laughter filled the marble hallway, the kind that comes from lots of balloons, too much icing, and a whole day of celebrating two kids who thought the world was all about them.Lina and Liam turned seven today. Seven.Celine still couldn't believe how quickly the years had gone—as if she'd only blinked and the tiny newborns she'd once cradled against her chest had become whirlwinds of energy and mischief.The living room was filled with ribbons and half-eaten cake. Fumi had sent gifts all the way from Lagos—colorful handcrafted toys that instantly became the twins' favorites. Blake and Vincent arrived late (as usual), Vincent carrying an enormous teddy bear that was almost as tall as he was, while Blake, with her baby bump already showing, scolded him for spoiling the kids. Caroline came with her husband and Hailey, their little girl, who was now taller than Lina by an inch and made sure to remind her of it every five minutes.It was cha
~CELINE POV~The night of Clancey's company launch was perfect. The weather, the mood, and the music in the car all matched well. London was quiet, with the streets shining in the light spring rain. Hunter looked really good in a black tux, and Caesar said, "Dad looks like a superhero."I was already glowing....quite literally, if you asked Hunter, who insisted I was "radiant" in my emerald dress every five minutes. I told him it was the pregnancy heat. He said it was love. We agreed to disagree.Clancey had gone all out for the opening of his design firm. The moment we stepped inside the gallery-like building, we were greeted with champagne trays, sleek jazz music, and a large banner that read "Clancey & Co—Redefining Modern Spaces."It looked like success itself had thrown a party.Vincent and Blake were already there, of course. He was in a deep navy suit, all smug smiles, while Blake, radiant in gold silk, looked every inch the woman who could keep him in check with one raised ey
~HUNTER POV~There's something oddly satisfying about walking into a place that bears your name.....not because of ego, but because of legacy.The London office of Reid Enterprises shone in the morning light, made of glass, marble, and shiny metal. It had a light smell of coffee and dreams that stayed even after everyone went home for the day.Caesar's little hand fit snugly into mine as we stepped out of the elevator onto the top floor. His eyes went wide the way they always did when he saw something grand. "Papa," he whispered, as if we were standing in a museum, "it's so big!"I smiled, ruffling his hair. "It is. And one day, you're going to be the one in charge here."He turned to look up at me, eyes round with disbelief. "Me? Even bigger than you?""Bigger," I said, crouching so we were at eye level. "But not just because you'll run things. You'll have to learn how to take care of people, too. That's what real leadership means."He frowned in concentration, the way Celine always
~HUNTER POV~Mornings in London had a way of sneaking up on you.Not loudly, not with the blinding arrogance of New York light that demanded you wake and start conquering something. London mornings eased in....gray, soft-edged, polite in the way only the English could manage.I woke to the sound of rain tapping gently against the windowpanes and the even softer tempo of Celine's breathing. She was curled against me, her hair a messy halo across my chest, her hand resting lightly over the small curve of her belly.It was the kind of peace I used to think people invented for storybooks.Now, I was living inside it.I didn't move for a while. I just watched her sleep. The peaceful rise and fall of her chest, the faint crease between her brows she always had even in rest, as if some part of her never stopped thinking, never stopped worrying.The woman never did anything halfway.She loved like it was her job, mothered like it was a calling, and somehow still found time to remind me that m
~CELINE POV~(SIX MONTHS LATER)London had the kind of sunlight that pretended to be kind until you stepped outside.It looked golden through the window of the townhouse Hunter rented in Kensington....soft, filtered through lace curtains......but the moment you walked out, the chill found its way beneath every layer.I pulled my coat tighter as I watched Hunter chase Caesar across the cobblestone courtyard. Our son's laughter echoed against the brick walls, a clear, high sound that always managed to make my heart swell and ache at the same time.Six months.It had been six months since Paris, three since my graduation. Sometimes it still felt unreal, the ceremony, the applause, the way Hunter's eyes shone when I walked across that stage. Fumi had come too, brilliant in her gele and laughter, already married and glowing with that new-life excitement. She'd returned to Nigeria with promises of long voice notes and wedding pictures, She delivered it with such excitement that it could ou
~CELINE POV~Sunlight spilled through the half-open curtains, the kind that doesn't ask for permission but settles gently on everything it touches. The house smelled faintly of coffee and cedar; Hunter must have been awake for a while. His side of the bed was warm but empty, the sheets caught up in that careless way he always left them.I slid into his shirt.....the crisp white one he'd worn last night, the collar smelling faintly of his cologne.....and padded barefoot to the kitchen. The sound of clinking dishes led me there, and I paused in the doorway for a moment, smiling.Hunter stood by the stove, hair still damp from his shower, sleeves rolled up. Caesar sat on the counter beside him, swinging his legs, holding a whisk as if it were a lightsaber."Good morning, my sleepy angel," Caesar said the second he noticed me, far too pleased with himself for a child covered in flour."Good morning, my messy chef," I teased, kissing his cheek before wrapping my arms around Hunter's waist







