Mia's POVAlexander was pulling on my skirt, his little hands clutching the fabric tightly. "Mama," he whispered, "I didn't mean to bump into her."I didn't look away from Ketty's sneering face as I reached down to touch Alexander's head gently. "I know, sweetheart. You didn't do anything wrong."I was a volcano waiting to erupt. Ketty straightened her shoulders. "Your two precious little darlings," Ketty continued, "they're just mistakes their father didn't want."Every protective instinct I possessed roared to life simultaneously. Bring my children into this? That's enough."Take back what you said," I said, my voice calm to the point of being unnerving.The conversations around us had stopped completely."Why should I take back the truth?" Ketty clearly enjoyed this.She didn't get to finish her sentence.I took a step forward and slapped her across the face, the sound echoing.The crack seemed to reverberate in the air, cutting through the soft jazz music and the gentle murmur
Mia's POVThomas led me onto the dance floor, his hand warm and steady against my lower back. The music was soft and romantic, something classical.Around us, other couples moved in elegant circles. I caught glimpses of expensive jewelry catching the light, designer gowns swirling across the polished floor.But all I could focus on was the weight of Thomas's hand in mine."Look at me," Thomas said quietly.I lifted my eyes to meet his."Not at them," he continued, his thumb brushing across my knuckles. "At me.""Better?" he asked, spinning me gently."Better," I confirmed."You know," Thomas said, his voice taking on a lighter tone, "I've never slow danced on a cruise ship before.""First time for everything," I replied, managing a small smile."How am I doing?""You're not stepping on my feet, so that's a good start."Thomas laughed softly. "High praise indeed."The music shifted slightly, becoming more upbeat. "Mama! Uncle Thomas!"Alexander and Ethan came running toward us, their
Mia's POVThomas said nothing during my breakdown.After what felt like hours but was probably only minutes, when I finally looked up at him, he simply said, "I'm sorry, Mia."I could only look at him, confusion.He touched my hair gently, his fingers trailing through the strands that had come loose from my carefully arranged chignon. "I don't know how Taylor got out of prison, but we can't fight the Field family now."I forced myself to speak through the tightness in my throat. "It's not your fault, Thomas."The way the world worked had never been logical. Money and power could rewrite history, erase inconvenient truths, transform criminals into philanthropists. I should have known better than to think Taylor would stay buried in the past."Let's go back," I said, straightening my shoulders with effort. "Kids must be worried about why we've been gone so long."Thomas nodded and pulled me into another hug, this one longer and more protective than the last.As we held each other, I ma
Mia's POVFor a few seconds, my mind went blank.I didn't know how to make sense of it all.I thought I was good at understanding people's good and bad sides, but it seemed I could never truly figure out what Kyle was really after.I just stared at him, trying to figure out why he was doing this to me.My throat felt like it was choking.There was still a voice in my head reminding me to ask him about all this. I still hoped Kyle's conscience was clear.On stage, Taylor continued her confident speech, as if she had prepared for this her entire life."Thank you all for such a warm welcome," she said into the microphone, her voice carrying that practiced confidence I remembered from high school."My biological father is Marcus Field. I only recently discovered this truth through DNA testing and legal verification."The crowd murmured with fascination. I could hear whispered conversations around me as people processed this revelation. Some seemed genuinely surprised, while others nodded
Mia's POVPerhaps I should call her Sophie Field now.Your day is completely ruined. This bitch is like a haunting ghost. Just when you think she's gone for good, she shows up again.Her smile has become incredibly venomous as she stands on that stage, basking in the applause and attention. Taylor deliberately looks directly at me, as if to provoke me. Her eyes find mine in the crowd with laser precision, and that familiar cruel satisfaction spreads across her face."Thank you all so much for this warm welcome," Sophie—Taylor—says into the microphone, her voice carrying that same honey-sweet tone that used to make my skin crawl in high school. "But I have another announcement to make tonight."The crowd erupted into excited whispers. People were leaning forward in their seats, phones coming out to capture whatever bombshell was about to drop.Everyone was excited. Victoria was looking at me with that knowing smile, the one that said she'd been waiting for this moment."I'm thrilled to
Mia's POVMadison lifted her head from her seat and her eyes lit up when she saw the twins."Alexander! Ethan!" she whispered."Hello, Madison," Alexander said."Are you feeling better?" Ethan asked. "Mom said you had an allergy."Madison's eyes darted toward her mother before returning to the two boys. "I'm fine."Thomas helped me sit down, his hand lingering on my shoulder for a moment.The salon was getting more crowded by the minute.Waiters moved through the rows of chairs, offering champagne and canapés to the seated guests. The lighting had been dimmed to create a more theatrical atmosphere.I didn't want to ruin the dinner party, but if I saw Morton or Maxwell again, I thought I might lose control and confront them.But I didn't see those two damn men anywhere in the crowd.Victoria had an odd smile on her face.It was the kind of smile that suggested something I didn't know.I didn't bother to analyze it. She had chosen to sit next to me instead of Thomas, which struck me as