LOGINKira's POV "Ethan." Kira crossed the corridor in a few quick strides, kneeling in front of him. "Baby, what are you doing here? I told Alyssa to make sure you stay at home." "I wanted to see her." His voice wobbled as his chin trembled despite how hard he was clearly trying to hold himself together. "Nobody would tell me anything, mummy. Is she okay? Is Lily okay?" "I'm sorry, Kira." Alyssa hovered a step behind him, phone still clutched in one hand. "He wouldn't stop asking, even when I went to pick up your clothes that you asked me to get for you, he kept saying he wanted to come and your parent said I should take him.” “I’ve tried calling you to ask first but your number wasn’t connecting, really sorry I just thought it might be worse to keep him in the dark." "Ohh, it’s fine." Kira cupped Ethan's face in both hands, forcing her own voice to stay steady. "She's going to be okay. I promise you, baby." Ethan's arms wrapped around her neck before she'd finished the sentence, hold
Kira's POV "Are you Lily's mother?" The woman shifted her weight, fingers twisting the strap of her bag. "Yes." Kira stood, crossing to the doorway. "I'm Kira. This is Adrian, Lily's father." "I'm Ms. Patterson. I'm her group guide at the academy." She glanced between them, her composure faltering, eyes darting toward the closed door behind Kira as if she could sense whose room it was. "I'm so sorry about what happened to her. I should have known sooner that she wasn't on the bus." "How does a school lose track of a student for that long?" Kira's voice came out sharper than she intended, exhaustion bleeding through every word. "I know it sounds unforgivable. The bus manifest gets checked at departure, but with forty students and three chaperones, if someone tells a friend they're staying behind, it doesn't always get flagged in time." "What do you know?" Adrian's voice cut through gently but firmly, no patience left for pleasantries. "Her roommate came to me this morning. She sa
Kira's POV"Ma'am, can you confirm you and Mr. Westbrook are back together?" A microphone shot very close towards her face in a split second."Is it true your daughter's accident is connected to your divorce?" Another voice, another camera shoving in from the opposite side.Kira froze, blinking against the flashbulbs still going off in rapid bursts, her mind still tangled around the words the doctor had just used, gap, memory, time and patience, and now this, cameras and questions crowding in like her daughter's condition was entertainment."Please." Her voice came out strained. "Please, our family needs space, can you give us that?""Just one comment, Ms. Ashford, is it true—""Are you and Mr. Westbrook back together, is that why—""I said please." She stepped back, colliding with Adrian's chest, and his arm came around her immediately, pulling her into him, angling his own body between her and the nearest camera."Back up," Adrian said, low and hard. "All of you. Now."They didn't b
Kira's POV"Get in the car." Adrian was already moving with his keys dangling in his hands, jacket abandoned on the back of his chair."What did they say? Did they say anything else?" He asked, trying to confirm the situation."No they didn’t, just that it's urgent.” Kira answered. “Alright, get in."Kira ran beside him through the lobby, her tiny kitten heels clicking softly against the marble floor of the hotel, staff turning to watch as they passed, and she barely had the door shut before Adrian gunned the engine, tires screeching against the driveway as he pulled out onto the main road."Adrian, slow down—""I've got it, don’t worry."He wove between two slower cars, cutting across a lane change that drew a horn blast from somewhere behind them, his hands steady on the wheel despite the speed climbing on the dashboard. Seventy. Eighty. The city blurred past the windows, storefronts and pedestrians reduced to smears of color."Adrian, slow down—""I've got it."He blew through a
Kira's POV "Elijah." Kira set her cup down, genuinely startled. "Hi. It's been a minute. What are you doing here?" He didn't answer right away, his eyes moving from her to Adrian and back again, something cold settling as his face looked like life had been physically drained out of it. "Business meeting," he said finally. "Didn't expect to run into you. Either of you." "Small world," Adrian said, standing, his tone easy. "Elijah, come join us, there’s plenty of food." "Ohhh, no thanks." "You sure? There's more than enough." "I said no." The bluntness of it landed harder than it needed to, and Kira felt her spine straighten instinctively, an old defensiveness kicking in even though nothing about this should have surprised her. "How have you been?" she asked anyway, trying to ease the awkwardness. "Fine." He glanced at her plate, then back at her face, the look on his face unreadable in the look. "Didn't take you long." "Didn't take me long for what?" "This." He g
Kira's POVKira stepped out of the elevator and into the private dining area where the breakfast is being served, the smell of fresh coffee and warm bread hitting her before she'd even reached the table. The room was quiet and literally empty this early, probably it’s just because it was private for just the both of them.It was just a few staff moving discreetly near the far wall, the morning light spilling rays of gold across white linens. Adrian stood as she approached, pulling out her chair before she could reach for it herself."I ordered a few things," he said. "Wasn't sure what you were in the mood for.""A few things meaning the entire menu?" Kira said as she turned her head around to see the entire table."Close enough."She sat, smoothing the gown beneath her, still faintly unsettled by how perfectly it fit, how the kitten heels hadn't pinched once on the walk down. He pushed her chair in gently before returning to his own seat across from her. The table was already crowded
KIRA POVKira locked herself in her office and tried not to scream.The opening was going perfectly. Every table was full. The reviews from the food critics were glowing. The kitchen was running smoothly. Her staff was executing flawlessly.And then Vanessa walked
KIRA POVIt’s finally the D-day of the event. Kira stood in the middle of Phoenix and tried to remember how to actually breathe finally.The restaurant looked perfect. Every table was set with crisp white linens and gold-rimmed plates. The bar shone under soft lighting. Fresh flowers sat in crysta
ADRIAN POVAdrian couldn’t sleep back at home, the entire thought was driving him mad. He made it back to Phoenix just that the entire place was empty now. He sat in his car across the street and for what felt like forever, the restaurant lights were still off, they were turne
VANESSA POVVanessa sat on Jenna’s couch, she crossed her leg, smiling like she’d just won the lottery. Literally she just did.“Thank you,” she said. “Seriously, Jenna. Thank you for this genius idea. If not for you, I’d still be here sobbing into a pillow. Now look at me. Abou







