Josh POVThe hotel ballroom in Chicago shimmered with crystal chandeliers and white floral arrangements that probably cost more than most guests’ cars. The soft strains of an orchestra filled the air, but they couldn’t drown out the emptiness gnawing at me. My tie felt like a noose around my neck, and the champagne in my hand—the third, maybe fourth—was the only thing keeping me upright. I was at my own wedding reception, but it felt more like a funeral. Bethany, now officially my wife, stood across the room, surrounded by her friends, flashing that practiced smile she’d mastered. But her eyes, sharp as knives, never left me. I knew she’d come for me. She always did.And there she was, gliding across the floor in a wedding dress that likely cost a fortune, the train trailing behind her like she was the queen of a kingdom I never wanted to join. “What do you want now, my dearest wife?” I asked, sarcasm dripping from my voice as I raised my glass in a mocking toast. The champagne burne
Spencer POVThe Chicago air was heavy that night, thick with the smell of wet asphalt and the neon glow of bars along Rush Street. My phone buzzed in my suit jacket pocket, and when I saw Josh’s name flashing on the screen, I knew it wasn’t good news. He was at a bar, his voice slurred from whiskey, begging me to pick him up. “Spencer, man, I… I can’t do this,” he mumbled before the call dropped. I sighed, tossing my cigarette to the ground and crushing it under my shoe. Josh was drowning on the eve of his own wedding, and I, as always, was the fool who’d go rescue him.It was no secret to anyone that Josh didn’t want to marry Bethany. Everyone saw it—friends, family, even coworkers who pretended not to notice. But the wedding was happening anyway, like a machine no one knew how to stop. Bethany came from an influential family, and the engagement felt more like a business deal than love. Josh, with his big heart and inability to say no, had let himself get trapped in that snare, esp
Reese POVThe train swayed gently as it cut through the English countryside, bringing us back from Bath to London. My head rested on Elliot’s shoulder, our hands intertwined, and the warmth of our weekend still seemed to pulse within me. Bath had been a dream—the thermal baths, the hand-in-hand walks, the candlelit dinner, the night in the bathtub, and the love we made, eyes locked, as if the world belonged only to us. Each moment reignited our love, sealing the promise that, this time, we’d get it right. But now, as London drew closer, my heart turned to Sammy and Avie. I missed my children, their laughter, their tight hugs, and I could hardly wait to see them.Elliot must have sensed my restlessness because he squeezed my hand and looked at me with a gentle smile. “Eager to see the kids?” he asked, his voice soft.“So much,” I admitted, smiling. “Bath was perfect, but… I miss them even being so close. Do you think they had fun with Alice and your mom?”He laughed, his green eyes sp
Reese POVThe soft glow of candles still danced in my mind as Elliot and I left the restaurant, hand in hand, the cool Bath air wrapping around us like a gentle embrace. Pulteney Bridge, lit by lanterns, reflected on the River Avon, and the sound of flowing water seemed to echo the calm we were finally finding together. Our dinner had been magical—the conversations, the glances, the taste of red wine mingling with the promise of a future that now felt within reach. My heart was full, overflowing with love, and each step we took back to the boutique inn seemed to draw us deeper into rediscovering each other.When we reached our room, the space was a haven of romance. The fireplace crackled, casting warm shadows on the walls, and the canopied bed seemed to beckon. But Elliot had other plans. He pulled me into the bathroom, where an antique clawfoot tub was already prepared, the warm water exuding a soft scent of lavender and jasmine. Candles flickered around, their flames reflected on
Reese POVThe soft morning light filtered into the Goodwin mansion’s dining room, where breakfast was a joyful mess of laughter and plates. Sammy and Avie bickered over the last pancake, while Elliot, sitting beside me, chuckled and ruffled Sammy’s hair with a smile that seemed to light up everything. It was still surreal to look at him—my husband, again—and feel that, after so much turmoil, we were finding our way back. The ring on my finger, placed with such urgency and love at the registry office, was a constant reminder that we’d chosen to start anew. But even with happiness bubbling in my heart, I knew we needed a moment just for us, to rekindle what fights and time had nearly extinguished.Alice, with her sharp intuition as always, seemed to read my mind. While wiping the sticky syrup from Avie’s little fingers, she shot a mischievous smile at me and Elliot. “You two need some time alone,” she said, her voice brimming with conviction. “Every newlywed couple deserves a honeymoon
Reese POVThe marble hallway of the courthouse seemed to melt away around us as I clung to Elliot, my face pressed against his chest, tears soaking his shirt. My heart still raced, the echo of the words he’d spoken in the courtroom—“Reese is the best mother they could have”—reverberating in my mind like a promise I never expected to hear. I trembled, not from cold, but from an emotion so overwhelming it felt like my body couldn’t contain it. “Elliot,” I whispered, my voice choked, “thank you. Thank you for this. You… you gave me everything today.”He hugged me tighter, his arms firm yet gentle, as if I were something precious he feared losing again. “No, Reese,” he murmured, his voice hoarse, almost breaking. “I’m the one who needs to apologize. I hurt you so much, made you suffer so much. Anger blinded me, made me act without thinking of the consequences, without considering what I was doing to you, to Sammy, to Avie.” He paused, his chest rising and falling with a heavy breath. “But