I stormed out of the penthouse, the sound of Zarina's pleading voice fading behind me as I raced down the hallway. After I reached the parking garage and practically threw myself into my car. The engine roared to life as I slammed my foot down on the accelerator, the car lurching forward as I sped out into the rainy night.
Rain pounded against the windshield, the wipers working overtime to clear the deluge. But I barely noticed. All I could think about was Anastasia, alone and waiting, somewhere out there in the storm.
“I told her not to wait” I grumbled.
For the first time, I pushed the speedometer beyond its limits. When I finally arrived at the restaurant, my heart sank. The doors were locked, the windows dark. Raindrops cascaded down the windows. With a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, I noticed Anastasia's car still parked in the lot—the red car.
I stepped out into the rain, the cold droplets soaking through my clothes. I checked my phone, h
As I skidded to a halt outside the towering building with a big sign Skyview Heights. I leaped out of the car and dashed towards the entrance. Then, I saw him—the man from the video—strolling casually inside as though he hadn't a care in the world.“Hey!” I shouted, storming inside the building. “Stop right there!”The man turned, his eyes narrowing in annoyance, but before he could respond, the two guards stationed at the entrance blocked my path.“Sir, you are not allowed to be here”“Let go! Do you not know who I am?!” I snapped, my frustration boiling over.“Sorry, Sir, but we cannot let you in,” the other guard insisted, crossing his arms in front of him.My jaw ticked with irritation. Pointing towards Anastasia, who lay unconscious in the man’s arms, I practically spat out my words. “She is my wife! And that asshole kidnapped her!”The guards exchanged a glance, but the man simply looked annoyed. “You don’t seem to be his husban
I undressed Anastasia and lowered her gently into the steaming bath. I had removed my shirt, not bothering to change my wet jeans. I was cleaning her arms and she was in the bath, eyes closed, and leaning on the bathtub when she suddenly sat upright.“Hey” I blurted out, holding her arms but to my surprise, she touched my cheek.“Hmm? Are Regan?” her words are slurred as she rakes her gaze in my face “My husband is really my husband even in my dreams”I removed her hand from my face, but she leaned forward, pecking a kiss on my cheeks, and smiled widely. “You’re frowning again, like always” and she closed her eyes before she fell backward.I quickly grabbed her, my gaze landing on her face.Anastasia Saavedra Del Valle. The youngest daughter of the owner of the Stellar Holdings. She was a famous woman in the conglomerate world. The fallen pianist prodigy. Everyone knows what happened to her mother—Alisha Saavedra. The chairwoman who killed herself after jumping on the balcony.The poli
Anastasia's POVThe morning light pierced through the curtains. My head felt like a melon that had been dropped from a ten-story building. With a groan, I pried open one eye, then the other, squinting at the harsh numbers glowing on the bedside clock: 10:00 am.“Ugh,” I croaked, squeezing my eyes shut again in a desperate attempt to escape the throbbing pain behind them.Just the thought of sitting up sent a fresh wave of nausea crashing over me. Ignoring the dull ache blooming in my lower back, I attempted to rise anyway, only to be met with a white-hot spike of pain in my head that had me flopping back down onto the pillows with a whimper.That’s when Susan materialized in the doorway, a tray laden with a steaming bowl of soup held carefully in her hands. “Good morning, Miss Anastasia,”“Ugh, Susan. I slept in so late. I can’t believe it’s already ten.”“You should drink this, Miss,” she said gently, plac
Confined to my room, I sought refuge in the cool, quiet space, the heavy drapes filtering the afternoon sun. Curled up on the chaise lounge, I reached for a book from the nightstand, hoping to kill time.The words on the page swam before my eyes, blurring together despite my best efforts to focus. Just as I was about to give up and succumb to a nap, a soft knock on the door startled me.“Come in.”The door creaked open, revealing one of the maids. “Mrs. Del Valle, you have guests outside.” “Guests?” I echoed, setting the book down on the nearby table. “I wasn’t expecting anyone today.”“Yes, Miss. They identified themselves as Mrs. Sales and Mr. Wright.” “Mrs. Sales?” I know Mrs. Sales as she is the owner of Skyview Heights but I don’t know someone that has Wright as a surname. I sighed.Letting out a defeated sigh, I straightened the folds of my dress and ran a hand through my hair, “Alright, show them in.”The maid bowed her head and retreated down the hallway. Taking a deep
“I knew she’d say something like that,” Alex suddenly blurted out.I turned to him. “Huh? Say what?”“The ‘good word’ part,”“Oh,” I mumbled, averting my gaze. Deciding it best to ignore his comment, I offered a weak smile. “Anyway, thank you for helping me last night.”He crossed his arms, leaning back against the cushions, a grin spreading across his face. “Hmm… can you remember everything that happened?”“Uh, yes, of course,” shit. I responded a touch too fast.“Really?” He leaned forward, his gaze turning serious. “Then tell me, what happened in Skyview Heights? Did you see your husband punch…?”My heart stuttered in my chest. “He did what?!”A burst of laughter erupted from him, the sound echoing through the room. I rolled my eyes as I realized I’d fallen for his trap.“You don’t remember,”Cheeks burning hot, I cleared my throat. “Well, um, honestly, yes. I… I don’t rememb
A nervous tremor ran through me as I reached for my teacup. “You seemed to know my name”Alex shrugged. "Well, let's just say powerful names tend to stick in your memory, especially at your status. Anastasia Saavedra Montreal – even before you married into the Del Valle family, that name carried a lot of weight. And now….well, let's just say marrying Regan Del Valle only amplified that power.""Are you a fan, then? You seem to know quite a bit about me.""A fan, you could say.” He chuckled a warm sound that filled the room. “I actually saw you perform once, way back when. You were 14, and I was 16. You were incredible on the piano, by the way."A soft gasp escaped my lips. "You saw that?" I breathed in disbelief."Yep. You were a prodigy, everyone knew it. But then, you just... disappeared. There were a few sightings here and there, but nothing substantial. Then, boom! The news of your wed
I busied myself in the kitchen, chopping vegetables and stirring pots. Cooking had always been a way to distract myself, and tonight was no different. As I set the table, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of loneliness. But I pushed it aside, focusing on making everything perfect.As I carefully arranged the roasted chicken on the platter, the front door creaked open, a sound so rare it made me jump. Regan stood there, framed by the evening light, looking more surprised than I felt. My heart skipped a beat. It was the first time he had come home this early in a long while."Regan?" I said, trying to keep the shock out of my voice. "You're home."He offered a curt nod, his gaze going to the laden table. "What's for dinner?"The question felt so foreign after so many evenings of empty chairs and silent meals. It was the first time he had shown interest in having dinner with me."Oh! I, uh, made roasted chicken with vegetables and mashed potatoes
Regan’s POVThe final remnants of my self-control fled when I felt her lips on mine and caressed her body. My entire body was mashed up against hers. She produced the most delicate noises as we were fucking, but when I placed my hardest section against her belly, that delicate sound changed into a startled gasp.I stuck my tongue inside her mouth while it was slightly open, and the flavor was just like always.Sweet. Addicting.I lost control of myself.She moaned, “Regan,” against my mouth, and I groaned at the sexy sound of my name coming from her sweet lips.I inserted my tongue further, forcing her to rely on me. She fought back and gave me an arousing tongue-suck. My body was constantly rubbing up against hers. Her fingers were digging into my arms. With a gasp as her head tilted back, she broke off the kiss. Her desire was so strong that she continued to gaze at me with hooded eyes. I leaned down and kissed her again,
Another short silence stretched between us, and I could almost picture him standing somewhere across the world, arms crossed, watching over me the way he always used to."Why did you call, Uncle? Is there a problem?"“No, no, dear," he said quickly, reassuringly. "There is no problem.”I slumped back slightly into the chair."Oh," I exhaled, allowing the smallest smile to pull at the corner of my mouth, "that’s good to hear."But there was a pause on his end—a pause that said there was more. Much more.“I know you heard from Don Alonso,” he said finally.I stiffened, heart picking up again. Moment of truth.I swallowed. "Um, yeah… is it about the promise? Is that why you called?"There was no hesitation in his answer."Yes, it is," he said simply. "I know it must be hard to believe something like that even existed. I understand it must be shocking."I laughed softly under my breath, a dry, breathless sound.
The red velvet was rich beneath my fingertips, almost too luxurious for something that made my heart hammer with dread. The gold ribbon gleamed under the sunlight, tied so precisely it made my chest tighten.I stared at it for a moment—Just stared.As if the box itself was waiting, breathing, daring me to open it. Then, with a trembling breath, I pulled the ribbon loose and lifted the lid.Inside—Photographs. Dozens of them. Hundreds, maybe.My heart slammed into my ribs so hard it hurt. Picture after picture spilled before me, sharp and glossy and mercilessly real.Regan. Zarina.Laughing together. Hands brushing. Leaning into each other like lovers in secret. Whispering in corners. Clinging to each other in dark rooms. Moments I was never meant to see.Moments hidden from me while I played the fool. Dates were marked neatly in red ink in the corners of each photo.Some of them were recent.But
A flood of emails greeted me first—formal messages from the foundation, updates on business reports I hadn't had the energy to care about. Then, a few news articles—headlines about society events, political scandals—none of them touching my world anymore.I swiped idly through them, my mind elsewhere, my body still fighting the lingering nausea.Then I saw it.One message stood out among the floods.A simple text, from a name I hadn’t seen in months but had been waiting for without even realizing it.Ava Ramos.My assistant. My friend.She had taken a six-month leave to care for her mother abroad, but even from halfway across the world, Ava had still managed to handle the details of my business life better than anyone else could. She didn’t just work for me—she stood by me. Without judgment. Without condition.I opened the message with trembling fingers.Ava:Miss A, Just wanted to let you know my l
The morning light spilled into the room in soft, golden streaks, coaxing me awake. I stirred beneath the light linen sheets; my body slow to move. The nausea hit me almost immediately. A wave of dizziness and discomfort churned in my stomach, forcing me to squeeze my eyes shut for a moment before carefully sitting up.The clock on the nightstand blinked back at me—7:08 AM.“Ugh” I groaned, swinging my legs over the side of the bed, my bare feet touching the cool marble floor. I sat there for a moment, breathing through the nausea, pressing a hand gently against my still-flat stomach.Almost six weeks of being two people instead of one.And somehow, it already felt like my entire body had shifted. My chest tightened at the thought, and I forced myself to sit up straighter, blinking against the dizzying morning light streaming through the tall windows. I reached for the robe hanging loosely over the nearby armchair—a light ivory silk robe with delicate lace
“After Alisha died, the bond between our families… frayed. Your uncles—especially Alvaro—blamed Gregory. Maybe not for her death directly, but for the way she lived before it. For the silence. For the sadness that started showing behind her eyes.”I drew a sharp breath. I’d always known something was… strained between the Montreals and the Saavedras. Even as a child, I could feel the tension, though no one ever spoke of it.Don Alonso’s voice dropped lower, his tone thickening with something heavy. Not just memory—guilt.“After Alisha died, the bond between our families… frayed. Your uncles—especially Alvaro—blamed your father—Gregory. For her death directly, for the way she lived before it. For the silence. For the sadness that started showing behind her eyes.”His words struck something sharp and cold inside me. My hands freezing in place on my lap. I had always known, deep down, that there was a quiet rift between the Montreals and the Saavedras. It wa
There was a long pause between us.The kind that didn’t feel uncomfortable—just… heavy with things unsaid.We sat quietly, staring out at the garden bathed in the warm light of late afternoon. The hedges rustled softly as the breeze moved through them, carrying the scent of blooming roses and sun-warmed grass. A few loose petals floated gently across the stones. Birds chirped high in the trees.I reached for my teacup, the porcelain smooth and cool against my fingertips. I brought it to my lips and took a slow sip. The taste was soft—chamomile and lemon—meant to be calming. But instead of comfort, all I felt was the bitter knot in my chest, untouched by warmth.I set the cup down carefully, the clink of porcelain against porcelain sounding too loud in the stillness.Then, finally, Don Alonso spoke.“Have any of the Saavedras contacted you?”I blinked, confused.The Saavedras. My mother’s family.I frowned, turning toward
Morgan paused—and then, to my surprise, he bowed. Low.“Don Alonso.”My breath caught, and I instinctively stood up from my seat. Through the ivy-laced arch, a tall figure emerged, walking with the quiet dignity of age and command. He wore a dark coat despite the mild weather, his silver hair swept back neatly, and a cane tapping softly with every step he took.My grandfather.“Mr. Morgan. Always a pleasure.”“Likewise, sir.” Morgan’s voice held deep respect.And then he passed by him, leaving us.My eyes locked with my grandfather’s. He stopped a few feet away from me. It felt like I hadn’t seen him in so long.“Grandpa,” I breathed, my voice catching as I stepped forward.And without thinking, I stepped forward—arms wrapping around him, carefully but tightly.He didn’t hesitate. He held me back.Not just a pat on
The sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden glow over the sprawling garden. A gentle breeze rustled through the leaves, carrying the scent of fresh blooms and damp earth. Birds chirped softly in the distance. I sat at the elegant wrought-iron table in the heart of the garden, my hands resting lightly in my lap. Sunlight filtered through the treetops, dappling the white tablecloth with shifting patches of light and shadow. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of jasmine, one of the many flowers my mother had once loved.I hadn’t stepped out into the garden for a long time, not like this. Not dressed in anything but red, that reflected the armor I had carried for so long. But today… today was different.I wore pink. Baby pink.It felt strange, almost foreign against my skin—soft, light, alive. I wasn’t sure why I had chosen it. Maybe because Susan had left it out for me, or maybe because I wanted to see if I could still feel something.Across from
I lowered my teacup slowly, setting it back on the saucer. My eyes dropped to my lap, where the soft pink fabric of my dress pooled gently, but all I could feel was the rising pressure in my chest.I need to say it.I need to say it.I had practiced the words. Over and over in my mind. But now, with him sitting across from me, waiting, I found myself choking on them.Still, I had to say it.I raised my gaze, meeting his eyes.“Mr. Morgan…” I began, and my voice cracked almost instantly. I cleared my throat, forcing steadiness I didn’t feel. “I need your advice.”He leaned in slightly, the air shifting around us, his expression attentive and calm. “Of course, Miss Anastasia.”“I need to know the legal consequences...” I paused, drawing in a shaky breath, “...of filing for divorce.”The words landed between us like a stone dropped into still water. Morgan blinked, his composure briefly slipping. His brows