Chapter 70 The restaurant Raymond chose to meet with Helena wasn’t crowded, not at this hour of the evening. The dim lights pooled in golden rings across the polished wood of the tables, and the low hum of background music provided just enough privacy for two people intent on speaking
Chapter 69 The evening air was cool, and the streets glowed with streetlights, their yellow warmth flickering across the windshield as Jake drove Bella and little Timothy home. The hum of the engine was steady, rhythmic, and inside the car it was peaceful, so peaceful that little Timothy had dozed
Chapter 68 The silence that followed was thick. Sandra’s hands curled into fists at her sides, her nostrils flaring. For a moment, Rachel thought she might argue again, but then Sandra exhaled sharply, snapping her gaze toward Rachel with a glare that could have cut glass. “Fine,” Sandra said through
Chapter 67 In the Camden mansion, Rachel hovered nearby, wringing her hands until she forced herself to be still. She didn’t want to look as panicked as she felt. Mr. Camden lay propped against pillows, his once commanding frame now unnervingly frail. The rise and fall of his chest was
Chapter 66 Raymond watched them from afar and decided that it was time he actually did something to stop whatever it was between Bella, his brother and whoever that child was. He had just before Monday to actually do something, and he wouldn’t miss it. Waiting was dangerous. Raymond’s hand
Chapter 65 “I guess it’s magic seeing as he stopped crying when you did it,” she said,watching Timothy, who was busy trying to finish his ice scream. Bella then raised her gaze to Jake. She stared at him for a long moment, and then, unexpectedly, a laugh slipped past her
Chapter 64 The morning at the Camden estate had been… eventful for Rachel, to say the least. Rachel had arrived early, just as the sun broke through the thick curtains of the manor, her bag slung over her shoulder and her usual determined expression fixed firmly in place. It was
Chapter 63 Timothy skipped between Bella and Jake, his small hand clutching Jake’s like he’d known him forever. Bella tried not to stare at the way Jake held onto Timothy’s hand so naturally, like he’d done it a hundred times before as they headed to the car. She walked on
Chapter 62 Bella’s pulse hadn’t slowed even after Rachel left. The silence that followed seemed deafening. Jake still stood there, hands stuffed into his pockets, his brows faintly drawn as though trying to make sense of the tangled scene he’d just witnessed. And Timothy, oblivious to the heavy thoughts going
Chapter 61 Timothy’s little face scrunched stubbornly, his lips jutting forward in that way Bella knew meant he wouldn’t back down easily. “But Mama,” he whined softly, “I just want to know his name. Please p> Bella opened her mouth, ready to snap at him again, when Jake crouched down
Chapter 60 Jake smiled, shaking his head with amusement. “So tell me—” he tilted his head, still crouched before the boy—”what are you doing here? And is Bella your mommy? Is she the prettiest woman you talked about?” he asked, curiously. Bella’s heart lurched violently in her chest. That was
Chapter 59 “Does it bring back memories? The one of that night, five years ago? Now that I think of it, you look even hotter than you did that night,” he said, gazing into her eyes. The air between them thickened. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. She could feel
Chapter 58 Bella had just stepped out of the bathroom, steam still clinging to her skin as water droplets slid down her shoulders. She tugged her towel tighter around herself, the soft fabric barely covering her curves. Her hair was damp, sticking to her neck, but she didn’t mind. For
Chapter 57 Chloe hadn’t slept more than three hours the night before. After the review session that ended in no decision and plenty of verbal sparring, she had marched home with a fire in her chest and a stubborn gleam in her eyes. Damian Cross would not win. Not this
Chapter 56 The next morning dawned brighter than Bella’s heart felt. She hadn’t slept well; her mind had circled endlessly around Chloe’s words, Rachel’s quiet insistence, and Timothy’s innocent declaration about finally having a daddy. The weight of it pressed heavy on her chest as she dressed for work, tugging
Chapter 55 The evening sun spilled soft amber light across the little living room when Chloe pushed the front door open. She tossed her handbag onto the couch with a dramatic sigh, the day’s stress clinging to her like a second skin. “Bella?” she called, kicking off her heels. “Where’s
Chapter 54 Bella nearly stumbled as she rushed through the school’s gates, her breath ragged from both fear and the hurried cab ride. The receptionist directed her down the hall to the infirmary, and with every step, her chest tightened. When she finally pushed the door open, her eyes landed
Chapter 53 The clock on Bella’s desk ticked too loudly in the silence of her small office. Her fingers hovered uselessly over the keyboard as she tried to concentrate on the latest report Jake had asked her to finalize. Numbers swam before her eyes, black lines blurring against white. She
Chapter 52 The next morning at StoneTech, Chloe strutted into the design floor, hiding her sleepless night behind a coat of flawless makeup and her brightest red lipstick. Her heels clicked defiantly as if daring anyone to notice the slight drag in her step. Damian was already there. Of course
Chapter 51 Chloe had just returned from her lunch break, her heels clicking against the polished tiles of StoneTech’s design floor. She tossed her bag onto her desk with a dramatic sigh, flipping through a stack of fabric swatches she had abandoned that morning. The vibrant silks and soft satins