The faint glow of streetlights flickered across the empty road as the hum of the city echoed in the distance, softened by the gentle lapping of the water nearby. For some reason, this quiet little spot felt perfect a space away from distractions, just for us.Sarah had always struck me as someone who appreciated simplicity. I still remembered her stories from our university days, how she’d practically lived in cosy little cafés around Boston. She used to say they were her escape — places filled with warmth, laughter, and the aroma of fresh coffee.Watching her now, sitting in the passenger seat, I couldn’t help but admire how effortlessly beautiful she looked. Her hair had come loose from her ponytail, framing her face in soft waves. She was busy rummaging through the paper bag, her brows furrowing slightly in concentration.God, she was adorable.She pulled out the burgers and handed one to me without looking up. "Here," she said casually."Thanks," I murmured, brushing her fingers s
Sarah's POVThe night had gone far better than I had expected.Alessandro surprised me — in a good way. Sitting in his car, sharing simple burgers and fries while discussing architectural trends and business strategies, I found myself genuinely enjoying his company.He was thoughtful, insightful, and respectful, far from the slick charmer I’d initially assumed. I'd even brought pepper spray in my bag, just in case. But tonight proved that Alessandro wasn’t someone I needed to guard myself against.Time flew by unnoticed until it was nearly 11 p.m. when he pulled up in front of my house. The neighbourhood was quiet, the streetlights casting soft pools of light on the pavement.I stepped out of the car, and to my surprise, Alessandro did the same."Thanks for dinner, Alessandro. I really had a good time," I said sincerely."Thanks to you for joining me. I hope we can have more dinners like this in the future," he said, rubbing the back of his neck with a shy smile that made him look une
Sarah's POV"I never said I was here to take you back to the mansion," Adrian said smoothly, his tone a maddening mix of arrogance and something disturbingly close to care. "I'm here so that we can live together in this house from now on."His grey eyes gleamed with conviction as he leaned closer. "I can't let my beautiful wife live here alone."The words hung in the air like smoke, suffocating me. A wave of exhaustion washed over me, heavier than any burden I'd carried in a long time. It seemed that whenever I tried to piece my life back together, Adrian had a way of showing up and unraveling it all.Why couldn't he just let me be? What had I done to deserve this relentless torment? All I wanted was a simple life, free from the chaos he embodied but peace seemed like a luxury I could never afford around Adrian Parker.My jaw tightened as I forced myself to stay calm. Taking a deep breath, I pushed his hands off my waist with more force than necessary and took a step back, creating sp
Sarah's POVThe revelation that Adrian and Jessica had broken up caught me off guard. Just yesterday, they'd looked inseparable, as though planning a future together. Now, suddenly, they were no more.But frankly, that was none of my concern."You can use the guest room next to my bedroom," I said curtly, turning on my heel to walk away.I barely made it two steps before Adrian's hand shot out, gripping my arm firmly but not painfully. The heat of his touch sent an unwelcome shiver down my spine.I spun around, glaring at him. "Let go," I demanded.His grip loosened, but he didn’t release me entirely. "Don’t you want to know why we broke up?" he asked, his voice low but steady, pulling me just a fraction closer."Why would I care about your personal affairs, Parker?" I spat, yanking my arm free. "I don’t know what games you and Jessica are playing, but I’m not your pawn anymore. You can’t hurt me again.""This isn’t a game, Sarah," he said earnestly, his grey eyes darkening with emoti
Sarah POVBirdsong filtered through the open window, mingling with the golden rays of sunlight streaming through the curtains. I stretched, my body heavy from the previous night’s emotional turmoil.After a quick shower, I dressed in my work clothes a fitted blouse and sleek trousers. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I gathered my hair into a messy bun, preparing to face the day.The quiet creak of the door opening drew my attention. My gaze snapped up, and I blinked in surprise as Adrian walked in.He wore an apron over a simple black T-shirt and jeans, carrying a tray laden with breakfast. The sight was so absurd I almost laughed."Good morning, wife," he greeted with a smile that was far too charming for this early hour.I raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?""I made breakfast for you," he announced, placing the tray on the bedside table.I stared at the neatly arranged food toast, scrambled eggs, a small bowl of fruit, and freshly squeezed orange juice. The presentation was impe
Sarah POVThe atmosphere in the car was thick with unspoken tension, as if the very air between us had weight. Adrian’s fingers gripped the steering wheel with casual confidence as we cruised along the road, the low hum of the engine filling the silence. I kept my gaze trained on the scenery rushing past, determined not to let his presence rattle me, but that was easier said than done.The sudden warmth of his hand resting on my thigh shattered my resolve. The touch was brazen, casual, as though it belonged there — as though he had every right.A jolt shot through me, not just of surprise but of something more dangerous, something I didn’t want to name. My instinct kicked in, and I immediately pushed his hand away."Adrian," I warned, my voice low but firm, barely concealing my irritation.He glanced at me with a smirk that was both infuriating and disarming, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Relax, Sarah," he said smoothly as if I was overreacting to a perfectly innocent gesture.My
Sarah POVAs Adrian drove off, his parting words echoed in my mind. "Take care, Sarah."I stood there, watching the car disappear down the street, my heart racing. What just happened? Why didn’t I push him away? Worse, why did part of me wonder what it would have been like if he had kissed me?I shook my head, forcing the intrusive thoughts aside. Get a grip, Sarah.Trying to bury my confusion, I headed inside the office and threw myself into work. Meetings piled up one after the other, leaving no time for lunch. I welcomed the distraction, grateful for anything that kept Adrian's behavior off my mind.By the time the day ended, exhaustion weighed heavily on me. My body ached, and my mind was foggy from the relentless pace. I called a cab and leaned back into the seat, allowing the hum of the city to fade into the background as my thoughts wandered.Adrian’s apology, his chivalrous behaviour, and those small gestures everything about his sudden niceness was unsettling. He hadn’t been
Sarah's POVI leaned back against the bathtub, warm water lapping against my skin as I stared at the ceiling. The soothing scent of lavender filled the bathroom, but my thoughts were anything but calm.Two weeks.Two weeks since Jessica had stormed into my house, wild with accusations and heartbreak. Two weeks since Adrian had stood by my side, his arm around my waist, declaring that I was the one he chose. The memory lingered in my mind, sharp and surreal.Adrian’s transformation baffled me. How was this the same man who once despised my very existence? And yet here he was, behaving like the perfect husband—attentive, considerate, and persistent.He’d made it clear he wasn’t going anywhere, despite my repeated attempts to remind him that his efforts wouldn’t change my decision. We had no future together, but Adrian, stubborn as ever, seemed convinced that time and persistence might sway my feelings.I sighed, running my fingers through the water.The only bright spot lately had been
Sarah’s POVThe days began to blur again, not in the same dull ache that followed Alessandro’s departure, but in the quiet, strange rhythm of something new, unfamiliar. Or perhaps something I’d tried to avoid naming.Adrian was around more often now. Not in a way that felt suffocating, not overt or insistent. Just there. Like a lamp quietly turned on in the corner of a dim room, steady, unremarkable at first, but always present, always warming some small patch of your shadow.He had started picking up on our routines, filling in the silences Alessandro had left behind. Gabriel laughed more when he was around. That squealing, hiccup-laced giggle spilt from his tiny chest when Adrian made ridiculous faces or sang off-key versions of nursery rhymes.I watched them one afternoon. Adrian gently bounced him on one knee while Gabriel reached for his nose with sticky hands.“You’re a menace,” Adrian chuckled, catching his hands midair and kissing his forehead. “Tiny, adorable menace.”I smile
Adrian’s POVIt was all starting to fall into place.I could see it every hesitant smile Sarah offered, every time her shoulders relaxed just a little when I walked into the room. The way Gabriel cooed when he saw me, his tiny arms stretching out like he knew exactly where he wanted to be. He was still calling Alessandro “Da-da,” but even that was fading. Soon, that name would mean nothing to him. Soon, he’d forget the man who walked away.And then, it would be me. Just me.I hadn’t needed to lift a finger to break them apart. Alessandro did that all on his own. All I had to do was wait watch him get sloppy, arrogant, careless. And Mira? She was the perfect tool. A beautiful, broken mess with just enough resentment left in her to be useful.He thought he could run with her, escape the mess, and start fresh.But I had plans of my own.Tonight, I was meeting Mira again. Same hotel, same room. She liked the sense of secrecy—liked the way I fed her ego, told her she was “powerful,” “dange
Sarah's POVThree days had already passed since Alessandro requested space, and every hour seemed like an eternity.I made an effort to keep myself occupied. I plunged myself in work as the sole thing keeping me grounded in reality—emails, meetings, tasks that I used to outsource once occupied my focus. None of them filled the void in my chest. None of them filled the hollowness in my chest.Because when nighttime came, when the world outside hushed and vanished, when the babe finally slept in his crib, Alessandro's words rang louder than anything else:"I believe that we should take a pause."He hadn't given an explanation. He didn't have to, not after what I'd witnessed that night—him, dashing out of the building, with Mira. No explanation, no defense, just silence and that bomb he'd dropped in three in the morning, as I sat waiting on the couch for the candles to burn down.I'd not heard from him since.He hadn't even inquired after Gabriel.And that… that's the bit that used to ke
Sarah’s POVI didn’t sleep.Not even close.I sat curled up on the couch for hours, the meal Marta had purchased crumpled beside me like an abandoned dream.Every sound outside—the wind striking the windows, a distant siren, the quiet buzz of passing cars—made my heart race with eagerness.I kept thinking I’d imagined it. Mira. The way he left. The way my name never seemed to matter in that moment.I had tried not to check the time.But by 2:57 a.m., it was impossible not to notice the cold space beside me on the couch.I hadn’t moved from that spot. Didn’t bother to change. Then I heard the sound.The front door creaked open with the quiet care of someone attempting not to be heard. Footsteps followed, slow and deliberate, as if he were entering a chamber full of ghosts.I stood up before I even thought about it.And there he was.Alessandro.He looked exhausted eyes hollow, jaw tight, the jacket he’d rushed out in now draped over one shoulder. The top two buttons of his shirt were
Sarah’s POV I sat in the office long after Chloe had gone, staring at the open closet, the dress I’d pulled out earlier still hanging limply from the hook.I hated that she got to me. I hated that her words had slithered into my thoughts, muddying everything Alessandro and I had built.But I hated even more how uncertain I felt. How easily the doubt crept in, no matter how hard I tried to shove it away.Still, Alessandro’s message echoed louder than Chloe’s venom.“No expectations. Just you, me, and a little honesty.”Honesty. That was what I wanted more than anything else. If there was truth left between us, I wanted to see it in his eyes, not through whispered accusations or cryptic proofs.I got up to return home, I quickly packed up my things and called the driver. The driver pulled up outside our building just as the streetlights began to glow amber in the dusk. My fingers fidgeted in my lap. I imagined him lighting the candles, smoothing his hair, maybe even practising what he
Sarah POVI gazed at my reflection in the mirror, wrapped in my robe, with Alessandro's text shining like a ray of hope in my hand."I understand we've had a rough patch. But if you can spare one night, I'd like to attempt to fix things.No expectations. Just you, me, and a little honesty. I’ll be waiting.”My heart ached. The sincerity in those words hit something raw inside me. I missed him, missed us. Missed the warmth of our mornings, the soft laughter that once filled our home. But pain changes things. Doubt makes strangers of the people you love most.Just then, there was a knock.“Come in,” I called, not looking up.I recognised the perfume before the door fully opened. Chanel No. 5. Chloe's signature. Of course.She stepped inside like a queen visiting a kingdom she meant to burn down.Silk robe fastened with precision, wine glass clutched like a villain in a sad drama. She always loved to put on a show."Going out tonight?" she inquired, her eyes sparkling as they darted to th
Alessandro’s POVIt had been ten days since we returned from the farmhouse. Ten days since everything unraveled.I sensed Sarah drifting further away from me, bit by bit, like sand slipping through an hourglass.She hadn’t raised her voice. She hadn’t lashed out. But her silence said more than any screaming match could. The way she avoided eye contact. The way her footsteps always trailed toward the guest room instead of ours. The way she smiled politely, but not warmly, when I handed her coffee in the mornings.I’d made a mistake. A big one.Not because of Mira, not entirely. That chapter of my life had been over years ago. And Mira’s accusations had never made sense to begin with. But I should’ve told Sarah everything the moment we got serious. I should’ve trusted her with my truth before someone like Adrian could twist it.God, Adrian.Even now, the thought of his smug face as he dropped that bomb still made my jaw clench. He’d timed it perfectly right when we were finding peace. W
Adrian’s POVThe city still felt cold, but the chill in my bones had shifted not from warmth, but from purpose. I finally had a plan.I sat at my desk, eyes fixed on Alessandro’s digital trail. His online presence lit up like a roadmap—threads of the past just waiting to be pulled. But I knew better now. Whispers and half-truths wouldn’t be enough. If I wanted to break them, I needed more than suspicion. I needed leverage. Misdirection.And I needed someone on the inside.That’s when it clicked.Chloe.Sarah’s perfect little world had always been cracked at the edges, and Chloe was one of those cracks. They were step-sisters in name, but anyone who spent five minutes with them knew there was no love lost. I remembered the subtle digs Chloe made at family dinners, the way Sarah would force a smile and pretend not to hear. But I heard them. I felt the tension.Chloe didn’t just dislike Sarah, she resented her.That kind of bitterness? It could be moulded. Turned into something useful.I
Sarah’s POV New York City’s noise had always been oddly comforting, the honking cabs, distant sirens, and hurried footsteps on pavement. But today, it felt too loud, too sharp, like it was echoing the storm still raging inside me. It had been a week since we’d returned from the farmhouse. Seven days of strained silences, clipped conversations, and the kind of emotional distance I never thought I’d feel between Alessandro and me. I still hadn’t fully processed everything. I had hardly gotten any sleep. Whenever I shut my eyes, I envisioned the expression on his face as I turned to leave.But how was I meant to simply act as if it never occurred? He had kept something huge from me. Not just about Mira, but about how little he must have trusted me—to think I couldn’t handle the truth, to let someone like Adrian be the one to reveal it. After everything we’d fought for, the secrets still found a way to wedge themselves between us. And it hurt. Today marked my return to the office aft