LOGINAaron’s POV
I let out a short, flat laugh. “Don’t start.”
She opened her mouth, but I cut her off. “If you don’t have anything else to say, get out.” My voice was cold, final. “I have work to finish.”
Angela didn’t move.
Either stubborn… or stupid.
“I said get out,” I repeated, sharper. “I don’t need an audience.”
Instead of leaving, she walked past my des
Angela's POVMy eyelids felt impossibly heavy.It took several tries before I finally managed to open them.A white ceiling slowly came into focus above me.For a few seconds, I simply stared at it, unable to figure out where I was.Warm sunlight filtered through the gap in the curtains, bathing the unfamiliar room in a soft glow.I blinked several times until my vision finally cleared.Then everything came rushing back.Ian had kidnapped me.We'd escaped in the car.The crash.My baby.My heart dropped.Instinctively, I reached for my stomach.But the moment I moved, a sharp pain shot from my shoulder down to my ribs.A gasp escaped my lips.Only then did I realize there was an IV taped to the back of my hand. A bandage pulled at my temple, and every inch of my body ached from the impact.The door slowly opened."Angela..."The familiar voice made me
Angela's POVTears threatened to spill, but I forced myself to hold them back.Just then, the bedroom door flew open.One of the tall men rushed inside, breathing hard, his face tense.Ian shot him an irritated look."What?"His voice was sharp."Did you get the food?""No, sir."The man glanced at me before turning back to Ian."We got word the police are on the move. They found this place."My chest tightened.The police...The hope that had almost died flickered back to life. Please... find me."We need to leave. Now," the man continued.Ian didn't look surprised. He simply gave a short nod before turning his attention back to me."Looks like we're relocating," he said calmly.I shook my head."I'm not going with you."Ian's jaw tightened instantly."What did you just say?"His voice was almost a growl."I said I'm not going."In two long strides, he was standing right in front of me.His hand clamped around my jaw so hard it hurt."Don't push me again, Angela."I met his gaze wit
Angela's POVI had no idea how long I'd been unconscious.Consciousness slowly returned as the faint voices drifted into my ears."Sir... if Mrs. Bennett finds out about this, she won't approve."Another voice answered."I don't need her approval."A few seconds of silence followed."Now leave. And don't ever question my orders again.""Yes, sir."I heard footsteps retreating.A door opened, then quietly shut.I forced my eyes open.My vision was still blurry.The first thing I saw once everything came into focus was Ian Bennett.He sat in a chair a few feet away, watching me in silence.My heart nearly stopped.I tried to move, but I couldn't.Panic slammed into me as I realized both my wrists and ankles were tied down."What did you do to me?" I shouted, my voice shaking. "Where am I?"My eyes darted around the room.It was small and almost em
Angela's POVIt had been over a month since I left Los Angeles.When I left that city, I also left behind the life I'd been building as an actress.The hate never really stopped.Every now and then, I'd open my social media, only to find another wave of cruel comments flooding my screen.Somewhere along the way, though, it stopped hurting.Then one morning, a headline froze me in place.Evelyn Found Dead. Ian Bennett Named Prime Suspect.According to the report, Ian had disappeared before the police could arrest him. He was now a wanted fugitive."Angela."Beth's voice pulled me out of my thoughts.I quickly locked my phone and set it on the coffee table.For the past month, Beth had stayed with me.I'd lost count of how many times I'd told her she didn't have to, but she always refused to leave me alone.We were living in a small town outside Eureka, tucked away in Northern California.Our rental house wasn't anything fancy, but it was quiet."I'm heading to the grocery store," Beth
Aaron's POVThe clock in the corner of my study read 12:47 a.m.I was finishing the last page of a report when my phone, lying on the desk, vibrated.A text message.Can we meet?I stared at the sender's name for a few seconds.Finally.I replied with a single message.Tomorrow morning. Same place.***The next morning, my black sedan rolled to a stop on a deserted street.The sun had barely risen. A thin layer of fog drifted between rows of industrial buildings that had yet to come to life.I glanced at my watch.Right on time.A few seconds later, a man dressed entirely in black, his face hidden beneath a baseball cap, approached the car.He opened the passenger door and climbed in.The door clicked shut behind him.He reached into his pocket, pulled out a USB flash drive, and placed it on the center console."I hope you keep your promise."I picked
Ian's POVSeveral days passed.Every morning, headlines about Evelyn still dominated the front pages. The police issued statement after statement to the press, but no one had any real answers yet.I read every single article.They were all just guessing.Not one of them came close to the truth.For now, Evelyn's death was still being treated as a possible accident while the investigation remained ongoing.Good.I leaned back in my chair.As long as they kept looking in the wrong direction, I had nothing to worry about.I'd also instructed Ashton to erase every trace that could connect me to the case.Tonight, my grandfather would announce the new leader of the company.Once everything was finally in my hands, no one would be bold enough to stand in my way.Especially anyone still trying to dig into Evelyn's death.That evening, I arrived at the venue.The building's grand lobby had been transformed into an extravagant ballroom for Bennett Corporation's seventy-fifth anniversary celebr
Aaron's POVMy mind kept circling back to last night.I shouldn’t have kissed her.It had happened in a split second, my hand gripping her jaw, the look in her eyes throwing me completely off balance.Just for a moment.But that had been enough to crack ev
Angela's POVThe moment I got into the car, I locked the doors. Only then did I finally let out the breath I’d been holding. My hands were shaking as I started the engine.The drive home felt longer than usual. Every red light made my chest tighten. Every car that slowed down
Aaron's POVI shut the bathroom door with my shoulder.I’d taken the arm sling off earlier and left it on the bed. My arm felt heavier without it. The pain lingered, dull and persistent.I turned on the shower with one hand.Water hit the tile, cold at first, the
Angela's POVOur eyes met for a split second. His cold hazel gaze pierced me, and my feet froze on the last step. I quickly turned my face, pretending not to see him, and walked straight past the table.“Breakfast is ready, Miss Angela,” Lana’s voice cut through my







