MasukKira's POV"Where is she?" Marcus's voice came down the hallway before he even rounded the corner, urgency edged with something rawer underneath."Marcus." Kira stood, meeting him halfway. "You can't just show up like this, the doctor said—""I don't care what the doctor said. I've been sitting at home for hours wondering if my own sister thinks I hurt her daughter." His eyes were red rimmed, exhaustion carved into every line of his face. "Do you have any idea what that feels like?""I never said I thought that.""You didn't have to say it. You called me sounding like a detective, Kira. Not my sister." He stopped a few feet from her, chest rising and falling like he'd run the whole way in. "Do you know how many times I replayed that call? Trying to figure out what I could have possibly done for you to even think to ask?""I was scared.""So was I. I still am." His voice cracked slightly, and he ran a hand through his hair, pacing a tight step before turning back to her. "I love that
Kira's POVTwo hours had passed since the sedative wore off enough for Lily to stir again, and this time her eyes opened slower, calmer, none of the frantic edge from before."Mummy?" Lily's voice came out soft, clearer than it was the last time."I'm here, baby." Kira was at her side instantly, gripping her hand. "How are you feeling?""I’m tired and my head hurts." Lily's eyes drifted toward Adrian, then back to Kira. "What happened to me?""You were in an accident. Do you remember anything?"Lily's brow furrowed, her gaze unfocused for a moment, searching. "I remember... Uncle Marcus. We were at the pier.""The pier?" Kira leaned closer, careful to keep her voice gentle despite the pounding in her chest. "When, baby? Was that the day of the accident?""I think so." Lily's fingers tightened weakly around Kira's hand. "He was upset about something. He kept saying he needed to talk to me alone."Adrian shifted beside the bed, arms crossed, watching Lily's face carefully, saying nothin
Kira's POV"I need a favor." Kira ducked into the hospital's small courtyard, phone pressed to her ear, finally out of earshot of the waiting room."Anything," Alyssa said. "What's up?""Someone tipped off the press yesterday. They knew the exact hospital, the exact entrance. I want to know who.""You think it was staff here?""Maybe or maybe not. I just need eyes on it, and I can't exactly go digging myself right now.""Say no more. I've got a friend who used to work at entertainment desk at one of the tabloids before she quit. She still talks to people over there. Give me a few hours.""Thank you, Alyssa. I mean it.""Go be with your kid. I'll call you the second I have something."Kira hung up and pressed her back against the cool brick wall, closing her eyes for a moment, letting herself breathe before heading back inside.The hours dragged, longer than she expected, filled with quiet stretches beside Lily's bed, a brief visit from the doctor confirming her vitals had stabilized a
Kira's POV"Pick up, pick up, pick up." Kira paced the length of the hospital corridor, phone pressed to her ear, Adrian leaning against the wall watching her.It rang twice more before the line finally clicked open."Kira?" Marcus's voice came through groggy, confused. "It's early, is something wrong? Is it Lily?""She's stable. She's going to be okay." Kira stopped pacing, gripping the phone tighter. "Marcus, I need to ask you something, and I need you to just answer honestly.""Okay. You're scaring me a little.""Have you spoken to Lily recently? Seen her at all in the last week or two?"A pause. "Not since the birthday dinner. Why?""She said your name. While she was drifting in and out, she kept saying uncle Marcus, over and over, like she was afraid."Silence stretched on the other end of the line, long enough that Kira glanced at the screen to check the call hadn't dropped."Marcus?""I'm here." His voice had changed, tightened. "Kira, are you asking me if I did something to he
Kira's POV"No. No, I don't want to go." Lily's head turned weakly against the pillow, her voice thin and frightened."Lily?" Kira leaned closer, her hand tightening around her daughter's. "Baby, I'm here. Mummy's here.""Mummy, what's wrong? Is she okay?" Ethan had gone rigid beside the bed, his eyes wide with fear, still holding tight to Lily's other hand."She's dreaming, sweetheart. It's okay." Kira didn't fully believe her own words, but she kept her voice steady for his sake."Should we call the nurse?" Ethan asked, already looking toward the door."Not yet, baby. Let's see if she settles."Adrian pushed off the wall, moving closer, his eyes fixed on Lily's face with an intensity that hadn't been there a moment ago."No, no." Lily's brow furrowed deeper, her fingers twitching against the sheets. "Unc... uncle...""Uncle who, baby?" Kira's heart climbed into her throat. "Who are you talking about?""Uncle Marcus." The words came out slurred, half formed. "Uncle Marcus."Kira froz
Kira'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 POVKira was in her office at Phoenix going through reservation requests when Marcus burst through the door.“Have you seen the news?” he asked.Kira looked up from her laptop. “What news?”Marcus pulled out his phone and showed her the screen.Elite Gossip. A photo of Adrian and Vanessa. The
VANESSA POVAfter the dress fitting, Vanessa and Jenna decided to grab lunch at a small Italian restaurant downtown.It wasn’t one of those fancy places where paparazzi lurked outside or where everyone knew your name. Just a quiet spot with good food and private booths wher
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
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







