All Chapters of The Wife He Forgot: Ashes to Empire: Chapter 121 - Chapter 130

POV: JAXONDerek Hayes arrived at the prosecutor's office the next morning.This was the man who'd fathered the child I'd thought was mine. Who'd been Vivian's secret all along.But now he was here. To help."Mr. Romano," he said, extending his hand.I shook it. Awkwardly. "Derek.""I have everything," he said, pulling out a folder. "Bank records. Text messages. Emails. All of it."The prosecutor took the folder, started reviewing.His eyes widened. "This is... substantial.""What is it?" I asked."Proof that Vivian was paid to testify against you. Two hundred thousand dollars. Deposited into her account three days before she took the stand."My blood went cold. "Who paid her?""A Romano family lawyer. Mr. Donovan. He's not one of the defendants, but he's been representing several of them."Derek pulled out more documents. "Vivian was stupid enough to tell me about it. Bragged that she was finally getting real money from the Romanos. I recorded the conversation."He played it. Vivian'

POV: JAXONThe drive to the compound took three hours.Three hours of hell.FBI tactical team in armored vehicles. Helicopters overhead. Full mobilization.Isla and I sat in the back of an SUV. Silent. Holding hands so tight our fingers went numb.Agent Drew briefed us on the plan."We've got thermal imaging from the helicopter. Six heat signatures in the main building. Three small ones, likely the children. Three adult-sized, the kidnappers.""Only three guards?" I asked."Looks like it. They weren't expecting us to find them this fast.""How are we approaching?""Two teams. One from the front, creating a distraction. One from the back, breaching the basement where the children appear to be held."The basement.Of course they'd put them in the basement.The same basement where my father had locked me.Dark. Cold. Terrifying.My children were down there right now.Scared. Crying. Wondering where we were."I'm going in with the breach team," I said."Mr. Romano!""I know that basement.

POV: JAXONOne year after the verdict.Life had become beautifully, wonderfully normal.The kind of normal I'd never thought I'd have. The kind I'd spent my whole life craving without knowing it.The twins were seven now. Thriving in school. Happy. Healthy. Mostly recovered from the trauma of the kidnapping.They still had nightmares sometimes. Still clung to us on bad days.But they were healing. Growing. Becoming the incredible kids they were always meant to be.Asher was walking. Running, actually. Talking in full sentences. "Dada!" "Mama!" "No!" (his favorite word).He had no memory of any of it. The safe houses. The danger. The kidnapping.To him, this was all there'd ever been. Safety. Love. Family.And we intended to keep it that way.Isla was pregnant again.Surprise baby number four.We found out two months ago. Hadn't planned it. Hadn't been trying.But there it was. A positive test. A tiny heartbeat on the ultrasound.Due in five months."Are we crazy?" she'd asked when we

POV: JAXONI loved my life.I really did.Stay-at-home dad. Primary parent. The one who packed lunches and scheduled dentist appointments and knew which teacher taught which subject.It was my choice. And I was good at it.But some days were harder than others.Today was one of those days.Morning started well enough.Got the twins off to school. Dropped Asher at his half-day preschool program. Took Grace to the playground.She loved the swings. Squealed every time I pushed her higher."More, Dada! More!""Higher?""Yes! More!"I pushed. She laughed. Life was simple.Perfect.Then I heard a voice behind me."Jaxon Romano? Is that really you?"I turned.Sebastian Hartley. Old colleague from my Romano days. Investment banker. Shark in a suit."It's Winters now," I said. "And yes. Hi, Sebastian."He looked me up and down. Taking in my jeans, my t-shirt with spit-up stains, the diaper bag on my shoulder."Wow. The rumors are true. You really are... what do they call it? A stay-at-home dad

POV: JAXONOne year agoI stood in the hospital room, watching them prep Isla for surgery.Scheduled C-section. We knew what to expect this time.No emergency. No panic. No fear.Just... anticipation.Baby number four. Grace Olivia Winters."You ready?" the doctor asked Isla."As ready as I'll ever be," she said, smiling at me.So different from Asher's birth. No alarms. No premature delivery. No terror.Just normal routine."You okay?" I asked Isla, squeezing her hand."Nervous. But good nervous.""Me too."The anesthesiologist started the epidural. I held Isla's hand through it."Remember when you fainted during my first C-section?" she teased."I didn't faint. I got lightheaded.""You went pale and had to sit down.""Details."She laughed. And I loved that sound. After everything we'd been through, she could still laugh.The surgery was quick, efficient and smooth.I stood by Isla's head, holding her hand, watching the doctors work.And then I heard it.A cry."It's a girl!" the do