Semua Bab Traded For His First Love : Bab 201 - Bab 206

Reese POVThe crackle of the fireplace filled the living room with a cozy warmth, its golden light dancing across the faces of my closest friends, their laughter a fragile tether to joy after months of pain. Alice Davies, her short black hair gleaming, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief, was mid-story about a Chicago gallery fiasco, while Connor, Ernest, Vivian, and Josh traded playful barbs. Elliot’s arm draped over my shoulders, his soft chuckle a quiet anchor, reminding me of the family we’d fought to keep whole. The air was rich with the scent of wine and the ease of old bonds, a fleeting reprieve from the scars left by Jennifer’s conviction and Florence’s death, but the Goodwin mansion’s walls seemed to whisper memories I couldn’t escape.Alice caught my gaze, her smile softening, and leaned closer, her voice barely above a whisper. “Reese, can we talk? Just us, for a minute?”I nodded, intrigued, and stood, gesturing toward the stairs. “Sure, let’s go.” As we moved, Josh gri

Reese POV New York, Months Later It was a beautiful spring afternoon, and Reese Hudson-Goodwin decided to prepare a brunch and invite her closest friends for the occasion. Life in New York was better than expected. Despite moving with apprehensions, the Goodwins quickly settled into the city with the help of their friends. Although Elliot had to return to London from time to time to manage his family’s business, when he was in New York, he worked remotely, giving him more time to be present in the lives of his beloved wife and adored children. He was loving it, even taking up gardening in the backyard of their new home. Avie was his best companion, as the little girl loved playing in the dirt and, above all, her father’s company. Reese, who had returned to using her pseudonym Venus and recently opened her new atelier, was celebrating the opening’s great success. The local media couldn’t stop talking about it; everyone wanted to see her work, and she finally felt truly welcomed.

Vivian POVThe morning light slipped through the gauzy curtains of our bedroom, casting a soft, dappled glow across the quilt where Ernest and I lingered, tangled in the warmth of each other’s arms. His breath was steady against my neck, his arm a comforting weight across my waist, and I pressed closer, reluctant to let the day pull us from this quiet haven. The world outside—New York’s restless hum, the demands of Williams Jewels, the shadow of Brian’s venom seeping into Graham’s heart—felt distant here, in the cocoon of our bed. Ernest’s fingers traced lazy circles on my back, his voice a low, teasing murmur. “Can we just skip the day, Viv? Stay right here, just you and me?”I smiled, brushing a kiss along his jaw, his familiar cedar scent grounding me like an anchor. “You’re gonna get us both fired, Mr. Williams. Some CEO you are.”He chuckled, his eyes crinkling with the boyish charm that had stolen my heart when we were kids, sneaking glances in the schoolyard before his family’