Annalyn’s POVMy body felt so light as my senses came to life..I could feel my head resting on a rock-hard chest. The warmth, the rise and fall of steady breathing, the faint beat beneath my ear was a rhythm I could get used to for the rest of my life.I know who owns that sweet scent..AlexMy AlexThe man who had swept me off my feet beyond what I had ever imagined.My eyes opened to the classy demure environment of his room. My fingers traced along his chest, caressing gently, and my eyes wandered to his face. Even in sleep, Alex radiated power and calm. My lips curved into a smile, my heart full as I leaned in and placed a soft peck on his lips.I tried to slip out of bed, careful not to wake him, but before I could move far, a strong hand shot out and gripped my arm.With one tug, I slammed back into Alex’s chest. He groaned softly, his voice hoarse with sleep. “Where are you sneaking off to?”I laughed quietly. “I was just going to check on Nolan.”Alex pouted, his lips curling
Annalyn’s POVI froze. My lips still tingled from his kiss, my body still pressed to his chest, when Alex’s words crashed over me.“Then marry me.”For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. Did he really just…? My heart skipped, then raced wildly like it wanted to break free from my chest.I stared at him, my mouth opening but no sound coming out. Alex’s eyes didn’t waver. They burned into mine, dark, steady, raw.Before I could gather my thoughts, he spoke again, voice low but urgent. “I may not have the ring now, but I promise I’ll get it by morning. Just say yes, Anna. Just say yes to me.”Tears prickled at my eyes. Not the tears of fear I had cried these past weeks, but the kind that came from something overwhelming… something so beautiful it hurt. A smile tugged at my lips even as my vision blurred.I quickly wiped at my eyes with my index finger, pretending it was nothing. “You know you shouldn’t propose without a ring,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “It’s bad luck.”I placed my hand o
Alex’s POV“Anna??”The name slipped from my mouth like a ghost, almost unbelieving. I stood halfway up the stairs, staring down at her silhouette in the dim light of the hallway. My heart lurched, but my head spun too much from the alcohol. She didn’t move. She didn’t say a word.I exhaled sharply, rubbed my forehead with one hand, and whispered under my breath, “Am I that drunk now? Hallucinating her face? Seeing her everywhere?”I turned, trying to force my legs to climb the rest of the stairs, but her voice followed me.“Who says you’re hallucinating?”My feet froze. Slowly, I turned back around, and this time she had moved. She was walking toward me, her small steps echoing off the marble, her eyes sharp and unreadable. When she stopped right in front of me, she wrinkled her nose and pinched it between two fingers.“Really?” she said, her voice laced with irritation. “You went drinking? You didn’t even bother to look for me?”For a brief moment, the corner of my lips curved up. A
Alex’s POVMy hands gripped the steering wheel so hard that the leather cut into my palms. Sweat dampened the back of my neck even though the AC blasted at full power. I’d been driving around Kancun for hours, like a madman chasing ghosts.Anna.Her face kept flashing in my mind. Her tears. Her silence. The way she looked at me last night before I stormed out.I had gone to Rissa’s place earlier. She stood at her doorway, arms folded across her chest, her brows furrowed.“Don’t look at me like that, Alex,” she said in a clipped tone. “If Anna was here, I’d tell you. But she isn’t. If she comes to me, I’ll call you.”Her words gave me nothing, only tightened the noose of panic around my throat.Now I am back to driving aimlessly through the city with no idea where to look. My chest hurt with every breath, and my head felt like it was splitting apart.I couldn’t go to her mother. She’d freak out. She’d find out everything that’s happened so far and would never forgive me. She’d never le
Annalyn’s POV The bus rattled and swayed as it sped down the highway, its engine humming like a tired lullaby. My head leaned against the window, but sleep wouldn’t come. My chest felt hollow, my thoughts messy and restless. I pulled out my phone, hoping to distract myself, and the screen lit up with my home wallpaper.It was a photo of Nolan and me, his little arms wrapped tight around my neck, his smile big and bright.A sharp ache pierced my chest. Guilt swallowed me whole. What would happen when he realized I was gone? Would he cry and call for me until his little voice broke? Would he think I abandoned him, just like he once thought his late mother did?Tears blurred my vision, and for a fleeting moment I almost shouted for the driver to turn around.But then Mrs. Quinn’s cold voice echoed in my mind.“If Alex doesn’t marry Lana, he will lose everything. Do you think Nolan can survive a day without the luxury he’s accustomed to?”Her words sank like stones into my chest. I hated
Alex’s POVI stormed into the mansion, my shoes striking the marble floor hard enough to echo like thunder. My chest burned with frustration and panic.The first thing I saw was Nanny Flora seated in the living room, her old vintage shawl loosely draped over her shoulders, while Nolan seemed to be scribbling colors across his sketchbook. The innocent hum coming from my son’s lips made the rage boiling inside me feel even sharper.How could she abandon Nolan.. to think I was considering forgiving her over what she did.“Where the hell did Anna go?” I barked. My voice cracked through the room like a whip.Nolan’s head snapped up, his wide eyes blinking in confusion. “Is Mummy missing?” he asked in his small, innocent voice.I froze. Shit. He didn’t know? I’d just spilled the truth. But before I could react, Nanny Flora cut in quickly, smoothing Nolan’s hair with her palm.“Oh, no, dear,” she said with practiced calm. “Mummy just went to see her mummy. You know how you need mummy?” Nolan