Chapter 52 Morning light filtered in through the half-drawn curtains of her study. The six-week break Franz had finally ended. However, it was more than enough for him and Arianne to stabilize their new routines and living arrangements. Arianne had expected this day would come, and that their schedules would
Chapter 51 Noah Hart arrived at the set one hour before the call time. The car slowed to a stop, and security rushed to greet him. They cleared the pathways without a word, and before Noah could step out, staff appeared in a hurry as he exited the car. Dark
Chapter 51 Noah Hart arrived at the set one hour before the call time. The car slowed to a stop, and security rushed to greet him. They cleared the pathways without a word, and before Noah could step out, staff appeared in a hurry as he exited the car. Dark
Chapter 50 The following morning was filled with silence. Not the uneasy kind—just the rare quiet that arrived before obligations. Arianne woke up at the usual time, while the twins overslept—too excited, too energized after visiting their old home. Sleep, when it came, had taken them all at once. It
Chapter 50 The following morning was filled with silence. Not the uneasy kind—just the rare quiet that arrived before obligations. Arianne woke up at the usual time, while the twins overslept—too excited, too energized after visiting their old home. Sleep, when it came, had taken them all at once. It
Chapter 49 Arianne continued checking the displays in Alex’s study. She looked at the photo a moment longer than necessary before setting it back down. The earliest photo of the twins was dated years after she’d moved away. Nothing in the study appeared disturbed. The shelves and desk remained arranged
Chapter 49 Arianne continued checking the displays in Alex’s study. She looked at the photo a moment longer than necessary before setting it back down. The earliest photo of the twins was dated years after she’d moved away. Nothing in the study appeared disturbed. The shelves and desk remained arranged
Chapter 48 Compared to the rest of the villa, Alex’s study was a bit dusty. The windows were tightly shut. Lily had to push the curtains aside to let the sunlight flood into the room, while Leo sneezed as dust flew through the air. Arianne hesitated to enter. It felt
Chapter 48 Compared to the rest of the villa, Alex’s study was a bit dusty. The windows were tightly shut. Lily had to push the curtains aside to let the sunlight flood into the room, while Leo sneezed as dust flew through the air. Arianne hesitated to enter. It felt
Chapter 47 The car stopped in front of the façade of a medium-sized two-storey villa with a massive garden on one side. Arianne alighted from the vehicle and helped the twins remove the straps of their car seats. They were dressed up today: Lily wore a white dress with pink
Chapter 46 Arianne pulled the car to a stop and glanced at the dashboard mirror, looking at the twins who were safely strapped into their car seats. It was one of the things she and Franz had agreed to add to their vehicles. Even their driving speed had been set
Chapter 45 Arianne listened to Daryll’s briefing on the issues Franz was expected to face upon his return to the showbiz industry. Franz had been away from the public’s view for almost half a year now. It only made sense that Bluegate Entertainment, where he was signed, wanted him to
Chapter 44 Franz had just finished the final touches on his recording studio at the western wing of the estate. It took them a few days to complete the assembly of the equipment, as most of it had been picked up from his old place. He wiped the sweat from
Chapter 43 Arianne barely had a wink of sleep last night. She woke up later than usual. Her body resisted the morning, heavy with interrupted sleep. It took her great effort to leave the twins’ bed without waking them. Looking at the clock in the twins’ room, it read eight
Chapter 42 Arianne waited for the twins to finish their dinner and their bedtime routine before discussing it with Franz. The twins were now tucked into their bed and had fallen asleep. The house felt unusually large in the absence of the children’s noise. Since neither she nor Franz knew
Chapter 41 “That ended earlier than expected,” Gio commented as he turned the steering wheel of the car they were in. Arianne glanced at him before turning her attention back to the renewal proposal Mr. Ward had handed her. “It was never meant to last longer,” she replied, pausing, “You
Chapter 40 When Arianne arrived at the designated meeting place to meet some of the partners of the Rochefort Group, she had already received a briefing from Gio earlier and reviewed the reports herself. None of the information was new, but that was enough to set her expectations. Lucas offered
Chapter 39 Arianne woke up before her alarm rang. She rolled onto her side and turned it off before slipping out of bed and stretching her arms above her head. The clock on her nightstand read four in the morning, too early for her usual waking time. Picking up her
Chapter 38 Despite their initial reservations, the board had come to a decision. Marriage preparations began soon after. Contracts were drafted and reviewed by the legal department. Nothing was announced or clarified. Not even the reception or honeymoon was prepared and planned. In the early hours of Saturday morning, a
Chapter 37 The lights in Arianne’s office were dimmed, the only illumination coming from the lamp on her desk. She lifted her head when she heard Franz’s arrival. She glanced at the time at the corner of her laptop, seeing that it was already 8 in the evening. She pulled