تسجيل الدخولReed's point of view "That... belongs to Nova." I felt Elsa's voice against my ear before I even registered the words, only then did I realize how close she was standing.I jerked away instinctively, taking several hurried steps into the kitchen. Damn it! How had she even found it? My mind raced so fast my head started pounding, forget the earring, how had my mother gotten in here without my men alerting me? Had she been watching me all along?A cold knot twisted inside my stomach. If she found Nova here.. everything would explode."Reed Alexander Cole!” My mother's voice rang through the house again, her heels clicked confidently against the marble floor. "I know you're hiding." She said, already climbing the stairs. "If I have to search every single room in this mansion, I will."Before I could think, my phone vibrated, a message from Damon appeared. “Come out now. If you don't, she'll search upstairs. You know who's there.”I closed my eyes for one second, took one deep breath, a
Reed's point of view The Governor kept talking, I stood by the window with one hand in my pocket and the phone pressed against my ear, staring into the darkness beyond the glass."I understand your concern, Mr Alexander Cole, and I assure you, we are going to look into the matter personally.""Don't just look into it." My voice came out flat. "Investigate every officer involved."My jaw tightened. " And if I find out someone buried evidence, took a bribe, or helped whoever did this, I want them gone."The governor cleared his throat. "I'll do my best."I stared at my reflection. "You'll do more than your best Mr Governor, you do not want the Moretti and Cole family withdrawing their support…. would you?"The line went quiet, then eventually he answered, assuring me of a clean job….a few minutes later, the call ended. The moment the screen went dark, my mind went right back to Nova again. What if she really had been the one kidnapped? The thought slammed into me so hard my fingers ti
Nova's point of view "Elsa..." The name broke out of me like a sob. My arms wrapped around her so tightly I was afraid she would disappear if I loosened my grip.A sound tore from my throat, half laugh, half cry, I buried my face in her shoulder and broke apart. All the fear, panic, sleepless nights and terrible images my mind had created all poured out of me.Elsa cried too, her arms tightened around me as though she was afraid I would vanish too. "I'm sorry..." Her voice cracked. "I know you must have been scared."I shook my head violently."No ... .I'm the one sorry." My tears fell harder. I grabbed her face with shaking hands; I needed to see her, needed confirmation that it was really her. My fingers traced her face, God! It was really her.A faint smile trembled onto my lips, the first genuine smile I'd had in days. "You're really here."Elsa nodded. "I'm here."My knees nearly gave out from relief, I laughed through tears, then hugged her again and this time she laughed too
Nova's point of view When I was sure I didn't have the energy to cry anymore, I stumbled to my car, locked the door, then my phone began to ring. I scrabbled for it in my bag, the caller ID flashed Damon's name and I sighed loudly. My head hit the steering wheel, my finger roving around the end button. After the fourth ring, I eventually hit the receive button."Nova."His voice cut through the panic. "Where are you?"Words tumbled out, I wasn't even sure what I was saying. “Nova… calm the fuck down!” Damon yelled, and the shock really shut me up.Damon swore softly, then his voice suddenly hardened. "Get in your car and come to Reed's apartment… ..Now."Forty minutes later I stood outside Reed’s door. Damon took one look at me,then immediately pulled me into a hug."Damn."His voice softened. "You look awful."Fresh tears burned my eyes. "I need Elsa." My voice cracked. "I need to find her."Damon guided me inside, sat me down, handed me water, then finally spoke. "We know the polic
Nova's point of view My hand flew into my hair, I scratched at my scalp so hard it hurt."No. No. No." I sucked in a breath, my lungs burned."You don't understand." My voice came out shaking and I forced myself to calm down.I pointed toward the entrance."The officer came here, I saw him. I made called to make a report, he came to my house few minutes later, arrested my sister without any reasonable explanation and I followed the vehicle here. I watched him drive into this station."The woman exchanged a glance with another officer, that stupid look that said they didn't believe me. Heat rushed through my body. "I am not crazy."The woman immediately lifted her hands."I didn't say you were.""You don't have to."I laughed again."You people are looking at me like I've lost my mind."The woman sighed."You know what, describe him."I blinked."What?""Describe the officer that came to your house."I immediately began talking, I gave her his height, his face…everything. The woman listene
Nova's point of view The moment the door of my car slammed shut, my body broke. A sob ripped out of me so violently my chest folded inward and I hit the steering wheel repeatedly."Stupid." My voice cracked. "You are so stupid Nova." Tears blurred everything…God…what was I thinking? What exactly had I expected? That I would walk into Kael's office, demand Elsa's release, and he'd suddenly discover a conscience?A broken laugh escaped me and I pressed my forehead against the steering wheel. My shoulders shook. What if Margaret hadn't walked in? The thought alone made my stomach twist.I squeezed my eyes shut, refusing to think about it, but my mind kept dragging me back to the disgusting look in his eyes……and it made me sick.I grabbed a scarf from the back seat and wrapped it around myself with trembling fingers. My clothes felt wrong, everything felt wrong. I wanted to peel myself apart and start over, instead, I started the car and drove, not to the house, not to Reed aunt's mansi
Nova's point of view The moment the words senior tech team left Reed’s mouth, every functioning thought inside my head collapsed instantly. For one terrifying second, I honestly considered turning around and walking straight back out of the building before anybody noticed.Senior tech team? As in,
Reed's point of view Damon had been talking for almost fifteen minutes straight, and somehow every sentence still led back to one person.“Reed, I’m telling you, she’s different,” Damon insisted, leaning forward across the desk like his life depended on it. “That girl is a walking AI machine. Her
Nova's point of view For one humiliating moment, I stayed frozen against him, one hand gripping his shirt while the entire restaurant blurred around me. His hold was steady, warm, effortless, and my stupid heart reacted instantly.“You okay?” he asked quietly in that same deep voice that made my p
Nova's point of view Kael stepped forward like the world belonged to him, dressed in dark confidence and cold arrogance, his expensive watch catching the light as he adjusted the sleeve of his coat. Margaret followed beside him with her chin lifted proudly, like she was escorting royalty instead o







