Chapter 111: There Is Nothing To Fight For Here

Daniel’s POV I had expected my father to be gone by morning, but when I got down to the downstairs lounge, his face was the first thing that greeted me. He was wearing that wild, annoying smile that somehow managed to crawl under my skin and settle there like an old wound refusing to heal. Annabel walked beside me, too calm, or maybe too ashamed to meet anyone’s eyes. I’d managed to drag her out of bed after she’d insisted she wasn’t ready to face my mother yet. She didn’t know how to look at her, not after everything that had happened. But what she didn’t know was that there was a bigger issue at hand, one that would make Mom forget about us for now. Richard’s eyes found us first, and his voice echoed excitedly in the hall, dragging everyone’s attention. “Look who’s here.” He clapped a light hand in the air. “My son, in whom I’m well pleased.” My jaw clenched, my heart twisted, aching so badly I thought it might burst out of my chest. Annabel’s fingers slid into my fist, her

Chapter 112: Two Loved Wrong

Annabel’s POV I always thought the day my mom walked out on us was the worst Christmas of my life. I thought nothing could bruise me the way that day did. But I was wrong, because this one…. this one carved its own scar. It’s been two days. Two fucking days since I walked out on Daniel, half-expecting him to run after me like every delusional girl in every cliché romance movie. I thought he would come to his senses. I thought he would show up at my door, breathless, angry, desperate to fix us. But Daniel never came. Not even once. And honestly…. I can’t blame him. Not completely. I was the selfish one. I wanted to destroy the one fragile thing keeping my father sane. And that realization kept me quiet, kept me still, kept me from fighting back. At some point, you stop begging life for miracles. You just take the hit and keep moving. New York has been a thorn in my flesh since graduation. I keep trying to hold on, but the city keeps pushing back. Nothing works out here. My ha

Chapter 113: The One Goodbye I Wasn’t Prepared For

Annabel’s POV Packing shouldn’t be this hard. It’s just clothes. Just shoes. Just books I barely read. Just memories I should’ve outgrown. Yet every shirt I folded felt like it had Daniel’s hands somewhere on it, his ghost. His scent. His presence. My suitcase lay open on the bed, waiting. I was going to Miami again, but this time not with Daniel. Just me. A fresh start. A clean slate Somewhere I believe maybe I might get a better life that I deserve. I stuffed another hoodie inside my bag, pressing down on it like I could suffocate the ache rising in my throat. My eyes burned. My chest was tight. Every second felt like I was ripping myself out of a place I wasn’t ready to leave. This is for the best, I told myself. This is what you chose. New life. No men. No Daniel. Then why did my hands keep shaking? I tried breathing normally, but the room felt small as if it was mocking me. After I walked out of Daniel’s office, I headed straight home. And now I was here, s

Chapter 114: Two Pink Lines

Annabel’s POV I exhaled, shaky and tight. Then, slowly, I flipped the tube, eyes still closed, muttering my last prayers before opening them. I stared frozen, I didn’t scream, didn’t cry, didn’t move. Two sharp, undeniable pink lines stared back at me. Solid. Bold. Loud. My knees weakened instantly, and I lowered myself slowly onto the cold bathroom floor, my back pressing against the bathtub. The air suddenly felt too thick. My breath too thin. It was like my whole body forgot how to function. The tube looked at me, judging. You are pregnant! You are fucking pregnant, Annabel. For your father’s son. My fingers shook so badly I dropped the test. It clattered against the tiles, the sound heavy through the silence. I pressed both hands to my face. “No…. no….. no… not now…..” I whispered into my palms, every word cracking. At this point, I just wanted to throw myself off any cliff, punch my stomach, or scream to the heavens for one miracle, just one. This was not how I pictured

Chapter 115: Marry me

Daniel’s POV I was still in my office staring in an open window without looking at anything in particular, the thought of finally losing Annabel still clustered in my head, tormenting me. God. After everything we have been through. My phone vibrated from the table the third time, loud and taunting that I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I cursed under my breath and walked over to get it. With my hand still tucked inside my pocket I picked up my phone and it was an unknown number. “Hello, who is this?” The end line was silent at first and I got annoyed, but was about to cut it off when his voice rang out. “Is me Daniel, Annabel’s father” he added desperately. I didn’t even know how I felt at the moment, because he was the last person I expected to call me and I wondered what it could be. “Mr.Green.” I called out in a low voice. “How may I be of help?” Silence. Then, his rough breath came out from the phone before he spoke. “We need to talk. I’m at Annabel’s place.” My

Chapter 116: Fiancée

Annabel’s POV Moving into Daniel’s house should have felt like a dream. It should have felt like safety, like finally breathing after months of chaos. But the instant I crossed the threshold, I realized I was walking into a battlefield I didn’t even know existed. Daniel’s arm slid around my waist as I stepped inside, warm and familiar, and for a split second, I almost allowed myself to relax. “Welcome home, baby,” he whispered, pressing his lips to my temple. Home? The word sounded sweet on his lips, but in the pit of my stomach, a cold knot had already formed. “Don’t let your bags hit the floor. Someone might trip,” a soft voice said behind me. I froze and turned. Fiona stood in the hallway, perfectly poised, a smile so bright it could’ve blinded someone. But the glint in her eyes was sharp. I could sense the anger written all over her face. I never expected her to have moved in with Daniel so easily and so quickly. Daniel, oblivious, was already talking on his phone in th