LIZ POV. Sundays were supposed to be peaceful, but peace wasn’t what I felt. I’d slept through most of the morning with Hazel, both of us curled up in silence like two broken dolls. For me, sleep was the only way to run away from reality. From the pain I felt in my heart—this gaping hole Jake left in my chest. I kept telling myself it didn’t matter. That last night was just a dream. That maybe he didn’t mean it when he said I was just a maid. Maybe he was angry. Maybe he’d change his mind.But he didn’t. And he wouldn’t.****After lunch, we sat on our beds. Quiet. Heavy. Hazel was clutching that picture again—the one she always carried like it was special. She didn’t even notice me watching her. She just stared at it like it held the answers to everything she ever lost. Sometimes she’d smile at it. Other times, she’d look like she was about to cry. I hated that picture—she hardly even smiled at me. But that damn picture? Whoever was in it, they meant the world to her. I cleared
VICTORIA POV“Help! Someone help me, please…” I cried out, but no one seemed to hear me. Everyone had evacuated the building. The flames were burning hot. The heat clawed all over my skin. I was beginning to suffocate from the intense thick smoke. This wasn’t how I had thought I’d die, especially not on my 25th birthday. “Michael! Michael! Honey, where are you?” I cried out for my fiancé to help me but even he was out of sight. I managed to leave that spot. I was so weak, so I supported myself with the walls. I clutched my hands because even the walls were already hot. I didn’t know how, but I really wanted to survive.Soon, I began to feel dizzy, and every breath I took felt hotter than the former, burning through my heart and down to my lungs. My vision began to blur, causing me to collide with a falling wood. The pain caused me to vibrate like that of an electric shock. My knees hit the cold tiles hard, and my body fell flat to the hot tiles. I lost hope as I slowly took what
JAKE POV.It wasn’t my birthday, but I came dressed like the celebrant anyway, stealing the spotlight as usual. It’s something I don’t need to stress over; I could get any woman in that hall if I wanted her, with just a snap of my fingers. Let’s be realistic—what else do women want? I was handsome, tall, rich, a multi-billionaire, and, of all importance, a pro in bed. But tonight, it wasn’t just anyone’s birthday, it was HER birthday—Victoria Langston. It’s crazy how I was obsessed with my enemy and rival, maybe it was just how much she hated me that drove me crazy every time she moaned my name in my bed. She sat not too far from my table, gisting and laughing politely, but I could tell how distracted she was from her frequent side glances.“Jake?” One of the models sitting close to me called out. “You’ve been so quiet. I’ve been watching you since you got in.” She bit her lip in a sexy way. “If you want, I could take the boredom away, Daddy.” She slid two of her fingers from my
VIVIAN POV.I watched my mother’s every move from the balcony. She stood there, watching the night sky as if they held the solution to her problems. I joined her, clutching the glass of Champagne I held, and sipping little by little.“Don’t overthink yourself, mother. She’ll be fine.”Her head turned to me, her eyes red and soaked with tears. “Of course, I know she will. But, Vivian, what exactly were you thinking? Do you want people to start talking?”My breath seized for a while. How did she know? “I don’t know what you’re talking about, mother.” I took a sip of my champagne, feigning ignorance. Her voice became cold. “Don’t play dumb with me. I told you to stay away from him, but you just don’t listen!”A pang of relief clouded me. For a moment, I thought she caught me. “I said I don’t know what you’re talking about! Do you have proof that I was with him?” I shot back, now losing my cool.“Oh! Really? Then how come you were with Michael during the fire? He was so busy with you th
MRS. LANGSTON POV. “I won't be able to make it. Something came up.” The words hit me like a slap. I held my phone tightly. “David, today is your daughter's wedding. You can't keep running away from your fami…”“I'm not running away!” He cut me short. His tone was firm and full of anger. “I already called the hospital to check in, and they said she's doing fine. Didn't you say it was a minor scratch?” I paused for a while, swallowing hard. He mustn't know about her condition yet. “Ye—yes,” I lied. “But you haven't seen her since the accident. Don't you care how she feels?”There was a long pause between us, heavy and suffocating. “It's not as simple as you think,” he said, his voice softening.“Then make it simple! Do you want people to talk? She's still your daughter, David! She loves you…”“Stop! Just stop.” His voice cracked, a mixture of pain and frustration. “Does she know the truth yet? Will she still love me after finding out the truth?”The question hit me like a blow to my
VIVIAN POV.I couldn’t let my sister take everything away from me. Not this time. I had the perfect plan–flawless, no one saw it coming. I stayed close to the door, eavesdropping on my mother's conversation with her. As soon as my mother turned to leave, I hid in one of the adjacent rooms and waited till mom was completely gone. Immediately, I approached Victoria. She sat alone there, gazing at the window like a caged bird that wanted to fly away–a bride in distress. I almost pitied her–almost. But my own ambitions were darker. I knelt before her, holding her trembling hands. Her teary eyes met mine.“Sis, you’re the only one who sees my pain. No one here understands me.” She whispered. For a moment, I almost laughed at how easily she trusted me. “Shh,” I cooed, wiping the drop of tears from her eyes with my hand. “It’s okay, sis. I understand you, and that’s why I’ve come to help you today.” “Help–help me. How?” Her voice cracked.I stood and paced the room, feigning deep though
VICTORIA POV.I ran without looking back, my breath heavy, my heart pounding as if it was about to leap out of my chest. The scarf I’d wrapped around my head barely cooperated with my escape. It barely stayed in place as I stumbled down the narrow stairs. My legs trembled under the weight of what Vivian had said, making my heart scream for more answers, but there was no time. Fear gripped me as I reached the gates. “Just walk,” I whispered. “Don’t panic, don’t think or look back now, just go.”I was unsure of which direction to take. From my side view, I saw a muscular man with matching black shirt and black pants leaning against a car. I wondered if he was the stranger waiting to help me escape, but I was unsure and couldn’t trust anyone at that point. I pretended to walk past him, sure that he would approach me if he was the one. Suddenly, he stepped forward. “Miss. Miss!” He called out. “I’m over here.” “Who are you?” I managed to whisper. “I’m Mike. Vivian sent me here to wa
VICTORIA POV.“Mike, you’re joking right?” My voice wavered as I stared at him. He stood tall by the door with his arms crossed, as if preventing me from running away from this harsh reality he’d just revealed. “What sort of games are you playing with me?” “Games?” He tilted his head. “You think this—all this is a joke?” His voice echoed disbelief. “I just helped you escape your wedding. I got you out so you could flee to your real family. Wasn’t that what you asked for?” His brows furrowed. “Yes—but…” “But what?” He cut me short. “You should be thanking me instead, not stand there acting all high and mighty.” His lips curled into a sneer. His words sliced through me sharp like a blade. My heart sank from the seriousness on his face, making me realize that he meant his words. “You forgot so much, sister.” Hazel’s trembling voice broke my focus. She stood a few feet from me with red rimmed eyes locked on me. “I’d have never thought that day would come when you’d reject your own fa
LIZ POV. Sundays were supposed to be peaceful, but peace wasn’t what I felt. I’d slept through most of the morning with Hazel, both of us curled up in silence like two broken dolls. For me, sleep was the only way to run away from reality. From the pain I felt in my heart—this gaping hole Jake left in my chest. I kept telling myself it didn’t matter. That last night was just a dream. That maybe he didn’t mean it when he said I was just a maid. Maybe he was angry. Maybe he’d change his mind.But he didn’t. And he wouldn’t.****After lunch, we sat on our beds. Quiet. Heavy. Hazel was clutching that picture again—the one she always carried like it was special. She didn’t even notice me watching her. She just stared at it like it held the answers to everything she ever lost. Sometimes she’d smile at it. Other times, she’d look like she was about to cry. I hated that picture—she hardly even smiled at me. But that damn picture? Whoever was in it, they meant the world to her. I cleared
LIZ POV.It was just another day. Another day for him to walk past me like I was invisible—like I meant absolutely nothing to him.That morning, I’d just finished cleaning the living room—dusted every damn shelf like I was fine, like my heart didn’t ache. I was rounding the corner when I almost bumped into him. “Oh—I… I’m sorry sir,” I murmured, stepping back.If he had scolded me, or even raised his voice at me—told me to look where I was going, maybe it would’ve hurt less.But he didn’t. He didn’t even look at me; he just walked past me like I was insignificant. No glance. No sound. No emotion.I stood there, frozen, my heart clenching. It felt like something inside me was about to collapse.I had regrets. Like maybe… I was the fool. I should’ve never let him touch me at all. I should’ve known better. I was probably just a fling—something for his boredom. ****I cried alone at night—quiet sobs into my pillow, muffled so no one would hear. Hazel had been acting distant lately. I d
JAKE POV“Brother, please, I don’t want you to do something reckless. He’s not worth—”“I said give me his fucking address, Audrina!” I snapped. “Don’t make me repeat myself again.”My voice cracked from the weight of it. Pain. Rage. Guilt. It poured out of me like a flood I couldn’t stop.She flinched. Her eyes were red and puffy, her hand still wrapped tightly in mine. I saw the tremble in her lips as she finally gave in.“Okay… I’ll give it to you.”“Fast,” I growled. My chest was on fire. My hand trembled as I gripped hers. Not too hard. But I needed something to hold onto before I exploded.“But only if you promise me, brother. Promise you won’t do anything reckless. Please.” Her voice cracked. “I don’t wanna lose you.”That I won’t do something reckless? What the hell does that even mean? Was I supposed to go there and hand that bastard a bouquet of flowers?“I’ll try.”She grabbed my hand tighter. “If anything happens to you, Jake… I promise I’ll kill myself.”I froze.“It’s ok
JAKE POV. My phone wouldn’t shut the hell up. I rolled over to the empty space beside me. No Liz. The bedsheets were still warm, so I knew she’d left early. Silly girl. She had me wrapped around her finger, and I couldn’t even fight it.I buried my face into the pillow and smiled like an idiot. God—was I really falling for the maid?But then the ringtone blasted again. Same damn unknown number. I hissed and dragged myself up, groaning as I reached for my phone across the nightstand.“Hello?” I answered, voice rough.“Sir, we have a patient who was just rushed in. Your contact was saved as ‘Big Brother’ on her phone. That’s why we called. Please… come immediately.”I froze. “Wait—what?! What happened? Who is this?”“We’ve emailed the hospital address. You need to come now.”Just like that, the line cut. And just like that, my whole world shattered.I stood there, stiff, numb. I didn’t even realize I wasn’t breathing until the burn hit my lungs. Audrina. It was Audrina. I mean, I had j
LIZ POV. The mansion didn’t feel the same anymore. Something about the air had shifted—it was heavier, more tense. Everyone looked like they were walking on glass, even the ones who used to laugh too loud in the hallways. Mrs. Blackwell’s mood had been unpredictable. She had been a storm cloud all week, snapping at the maids, firing people for breathing wrong, and hiring new ones almost immediately. Mr. Blackwell was worse—he didn’t yell, but the silence around him was terrifying.And Hazel… she was quieter now. She barely talked, and when she did, it wasn’t really her. She’d been in and out of the mansion lately, always claiming she was fine. I asked her a hundred times to take me to Mom. She just kept repeating, “When the time’s right.”Right time? What the hell did that even mean? I needed a right time to go see my own mother?And as for Jake, he’s been buried in work ever since he resumed. I barely even see him these days. I missed him. More than I cared to admit. Most nights, I
AUDRINA POV.Just like that… she walked away. My own mother. I knew it was going to turn out bad. I expected nothing, but I didn’t expect the worst—this was worse than I expected. I stayed frozen, not even blinking. The silence that followed was loud—louder than the yelling had been.Jake reached across the table and pulled me into his arms, like he knew I’d fall apart without him. And maybe I really would’ve. More tears fell. They wouldn’t stop. I felt my heart crack open and everything was spilling out.“Shhhh… it’s okay, Princess. I’m here with you.” His voice was soft but strong. I pulled back just slightly, my words slurring through the sobs. “How come you don’t hate me, brother? I brought shame home… I’m a disgrace.”He held my cheeks gently, forcing me to look at him. “Hate you? No, Princess. Never.” His eyes were glassy. “I’m gonna be an uncle soon. Isn’t that great?”And then, he smiled. A real smile. “Damn, I’m gonna finally be a cool uncle. Wow… thank you, Princess.”Some
AUDRINA POV. I stood by the window in my robe, heart heavy, staring out at the back garden, watching the roses sway with the morning breeze. They looked beautiful—perfect even. But one of them caught my eye. A pale pink bud, separated from the rest, a little bent like it didn’t belong. That one? That was me. Alone. Quiet. Out of place.My palm pressed lightly to the glass. “Funny how even flowers have company,” I whispered.I didn’t have friends in the States. The few I had back in the UK? Barely texted anymore. But could I blame them? I wasn’t exactly good at maintaining friendships. Always the one who didn’t call back, who missed birthdays, who pushed people away when they tried to get close. I didn’t know how to be a good friend growing up.This was the period where I needed someone by my side. More than ever. And there was no one.I placed my hand on my stomach, gently. A small tear slid down my cheek as I rubbed in slow circle. Three days ago, the doctor confirmed it. One month
JAKE POV.I didn’t sleep much. The light cutting through the blinds hit me in the face and I groaned. Morning, already?I pulled myself up with a grunt, rubbing my neck. My body still buzzed from last night—like the chaos hadn’t drained out yet. I used to be out the door by seven sharp, pressed and perfect in a suit. But since I resumed, I didn’t feel the need to rush. I was the boss. I could walk in at ten and no one would say a damn word.But I still believed in showing up early. I hated when people slacked off. Especially those women who strolled in like they were models on a runway. “Oh, there was a lot of traffic, sir.” Save it.I walked into the bathroom, flipped on the faucet, and grabbed my toothbrush. As I brushed, everything that happened yesterday flashed through my mind. From work, to the boutique, to the files I forwarded to the blogger. I rinsed my mouth, wiped my face with a towel, and grabbed my phone off the counter. One glance at the screen, and my lips stretched in
JAKE POV. “Well, well, if it isn’t our superhero,” Vivian said with a wicked smirk, her arms folded like she had something to prove.I groaned, voice low and angry. “And what does that make you? A hoe? While your sister was burning, you were cuddling with her fiancé.”Vivian’s smile never wavered. “Oh, you mean… my husband?”I shook my head in disgust. No shame at all. None. How the hell was that even legal? Why would she marry her sister’s fiancé, pretending to have saved the day. And where the hell did Victoria even run to that day?I was about to throw that question at her when a loud laugh broke behind me.The hell?I turned—and there he was. Michael Sterling—bending slightly, hands on his knees, laughing his ass off like we were in a comedy show. The sound grated my nerves instantly.“What the hell’s funny?” I asked.He didn’t answer at first. He just kept laughing until it turned into a wheeze. Then he straightened up, pointed right at me.“You—cousin brother,” he said, grinnin