She glanced up, her expression unteadable, but the flicker of imitation in her eyes was unmistakable.
“We need to talk,” I added, taking a step toward het. My voice was steady, but the urgency was impossible to bidde..
She didn’t even butlier to inask hier disdain. “Na, we don’t,” she said coldly, bet tone like loe water pouted over a flause.
she stood and turned on her heel, leading straight toi Dominic, who was waiting for her near the door.
Iclenched my jaw and followed. “Baina
usund, her eyes blazing with anger. “Fuckoff, Alexander.”
Her words hit harder iluan I expected, each one like a slap to the face. My mouth opened, but before could respond, Dominic stepped in, his presence towering, his expression dark
“ghesabd to leave her alone,” he said, his voice low and measured but carrying a clear wanting.
His eyes inet mise, daring me to challenge him. For a split second, I considered it. My fats tightened at my sides, the urge to argue, to pushback, surging through
1/3
- me. But I stopped myself.
1 looked past him, my gaze landing on her as she walked away without a backward glance. She didn’t falter, didn’t hesitate. She was leaving, just like she had years
gup had felt like a sign—a second chance, a lifeline. But how the hell was
I stood there, rooted to the spot, my chest heaving with frustration. Liam waking up supposed to fix things if she wouldn’t even give me the time of day?
My hands clenched tighter as I watched them disappear through the doors. I had no intention of giving up. Not this time. Not when I knew what was at stake, Thad Tet her walk away once, but I wasn’t about to make the same mistake again.
Back in my office, leaned back in my chair, the polished leathercreaking under my weight. I stared blankly at the stack of documents on my desk–contracts, reports, agendas–all demanding my attention. My assistant walked in, holding a clipboard and rattling oft details about the nest meeting Herwords faded into the background, a meaningless hum against the whirlwind in my infnd,
Everything about the morning had thrown me off balance. The sharp sting of Raina’s words, the venom in her eyes, the way she had walked away without a trace of hesitation–it all replayed in my head like a relentless loop
1 blinked and glanced at the agenda my assistant placed in front of me. The neatly typed bullet points blurred together, and I couldn’t summon the will to care.
*sir?” she prompted, her tone tentative, as it she could sense my distraction.
1 skimmed the document without really seeing it, the words a jumble of jargon and numbers. My chest tightened, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.
“Send me the minutes of the meeting,” said abruptly, cutting her off. I didn’t have the patience for this.
She paused, her eyes widening slightly, then gave a quick nod before retreating.
I glanced at my watch, the sleek hands ticking toward noon. Lunch.
Raina would be wrapping up her workday around this time, probably leaving the Graham Corporation. It buried, there was a chance I could catch her. A chance to -what? Apologize? Explain? Beg?
The thought onsettled me. I wasn’t the kind of man who begged. Hell, I couldn’t even remember the last time I apologized for anything. But Raina was different. She always had been
Without another thought, I grabbed my keys an
and jacket, leaving the stack of untouched documents behind. I didn’t care. All that mattered was getting to her.
Luck was on my side. I saw her stepping out of the building, her presence impossible to miss even in a sea of people.
“Raina,” I called, jogging to catch up to her.
she didn’t s
“Raina, wait, just lunch. That’s all I’m asking. We can talk about the ldds.”
That got her attention. She froze, tuning to face me with a look that could have melted steel.
“Don’t even start with me,” the hissed. “Ava la mine. Mine. You signed an agreement giving me je custody. As for Liam, If you want to talk about him, you’ll have to go through my lawyer”
Her words were like a punch to the gut, but I forced a smile. “We’re adults, Raina. We don’t need lawyers to have a conversation. It’s just bunch.”
“I said no,” she snapped, turning to leave.
I reached out, grabbing her wrist. “Raina, please”
She turned so fast I barely had time to react before her hand connected with my face. The sharp sting of her stap echoed in the air, but I didn’t let go
Before I could say another word, a man about my size stepped in, his posture protective.
“Respect the Lady,” he said, his voice tim
Iglared at him, unamused. “Mind your own business. Partalling to my wife.”
“Ex–wife,” Raina.corrected, her tone ley
The man turned to her, a sick playing on his lips. “Do you need help getting out of here?”
Balpa smiled–aral, genuine smile and nodded. “I’d appreciate that.”
stood there, frozen, as the man led her away. My hands clenched into fists at my sides, my jaw tightening with every step she took away from the
Iwasn’t giving up. Not now. Not ever.
RAINA
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The moment I stepped into my car, I tell a wave of reliet wash over ine. Whoever that man was, he’d done me a favor 1 hadn’t even realized I needed. Alexhad been unbearable, his presence suffocating
As I pulled into the driveway, the weight of everything that had happened that day settled onto my shoulders. I parked the car and made my way into the house. determined not to retum bo the office. My head wasn’t in the right place to deal with clients or meetings.
The tamil
sound of baby ces greeted me as I stepped inside, Dominic was in the living room, cradling his newbom son in his arms. His face lit up with a smile when he saw me.
Decided on a name yet? Lasked, plopping down onto the couch and letting the warmth of the moment ease some of my tension.
Dominic glanced down at the baby, a soft smile playing on his lips, “Not yet. I’m leaving that to Ealth. She deserves to choose.”
Inødded, touched by his thoughtfulness. 11 wasn’t sumprising, though. Dominic had always herm this way, even as a kid. A pang of bittemess crept into my chest as i thought back to how Alex had unilaterally named our kids without even consulting me. I hadn’t pushed back then–1 just went along with it, too worn down to
Dominic continued, his tone light but sincere. “It feels selfish to name the baby myself when Faith did all the hard work. The least I can do is let her decide *
“That’s thoughtful of you,” said with a small smile, though my heart clenched at the contrast. Dominic had always been selfless, even back at the orphanage. I vividly remembered the nights when the portions of food were too small, and he’d go hungry just to make sure I had enough
“Hey,” Dominie’s
broke into me thoughts, his brow furrowed with concem. “What’s going on? You’ve got that look.
Thesitated. I didn’t want to drag him into my problems, but he’d find out soon enough, Sighing, I told him about my encounter with Alex and my intention to lea restraining order.
Dominic’s expression hardened. “A restraining order might not be necessary,” he said firmly. “I’ll talk to Alex. Our lawyers can handle it if it gets out of hand. You still have to see him for work and for Lim “–
Toursed under my breath. How could I have forgotten that we worked together?
“Fine,” I said reluctantly, “But Thope he listens.”
“He will,” Dominic assured me, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
Changing the subject, 1 asked about Faith. Dominic explained that he was taking care of the baby to give her a chance to rest after a long night of nursing.
She deserves the break,” 1 said, smiling.
After chatting a little longer, I excused myself and headed to my room. My phone pinged as I locked off my shoes, and I grabbed it from the bedside table. Two messages. One from Vanessa, the other from Alex.
Perfect timing, I thought sarcastically. Neither of them could leave me alone for a moment.
Lopened Vanessa’s message first. As expected, it was dripping with venom. She accused me of not telling her Dominic was married and declared that it didn’t matter. She’s become a Gratum one way or another. After all, she claimed, I’d ruined my marriage to Alex, so she’d do the same to Dominic.
I colled my eyes, calling her crazy in my mind. Dominic wouldn’t tolerate Vanessa’s antics for a second, especially if she targeted Faith or the baby. Faith had Dominic’s unwavering support–something I’d never had from Alex.
Topened Alex’s message ne
next, bracing myself. He wanted to talk. Claimed it was important
ortant and about Li
Bull
I ignored it, tossing my phone onto the bed. The rest of the day was spent working from home, any focus shitting between emails and planning for upcoming projects.
The next moming started on a tense note, the land of tension that wraps itself around the alrand clings to you like an unwelcome shadow. As I descended the stairs, the sharp murmur of voices filtered through the hallway. I followed the sound to the living room, where Dominke stood towering over Adelaide, out housekeeper.
Her face was ashen, her hands twisting nervously in front of her apron. Tears brimmed in her eyes, threatening to spill at any moment.
“What’s going onliere?” I asked, my voice calim but diens as I stepped into the room.
Domine turned to me, his jaw clenched tightly, his usual gentle demeanor replaced with frustration “er disrespect has gone too far,” he said, his tone clipped. overheard her on the phone. She was talking about you.”
frowned, my curiosity laced with dread. “What i
hat did she say?u
Dominic hesitated for a moment, as if weighing whether or not to tell me. Then, with a heavy sigh, lie continued, “She called you an orphan who deserved to be
The words stack like a blow to the chest, the weight of the settling uncomfortably in the pit of my stomach. I felt the sting of old wounds, memories of
whispered taunts and cruel remarks from years ago. That refused to let it show.
e’s been with the family for years,” I said quietly, my voice insured. “Maybe we should give her one last chance.”
Adelaide’s knees hit the floor with a dull thud as she folded herself in a pleading position, tears streaming freely down her face now. “Thank you, ma’am. I’m se sony. I promise it won’t happen again.”
Dominic’s expression was a storm of emotions–anger, reluctance, and a hint of resignation. He crossed his arms, his stance still firm despite my Intervention Baina, this isn’t the first time. She’s crossed the line before.”
n’t be another discussion.
“I know,” 1 said, holding his gaze steadily. “But people deserve a chance to change. Let’s give her this nose. If it happens again, there won
Dominic exhaled sharply, his frustration evident, but he nodded. “rine,” he said, his voice laced with reluctance. “But this is her last chance.”
“Understood,” I replied, turning my attention to Adelaide, “Don’t make me regret this.”
Adelaide nodded fervently, gratitude and relet etched into her tear–streaked face, “I won’t, ma’am. I swear!
Toffered her a tight, almost reluctant smile before stepping out of the room, the tension clinging to me like a second skin. The heated exchange had stolen any semblance of appetite I might have had.
Instead, I decided to stop for coffee on the way to the office. It was a small ritual, one that always seemed to ground me when the world felt too heavy.
The thought of a quiet moment with a warm cup in hand was the only thing pulling me forward as I left the house, trying to shake off the moming’s events.
The cat was a welcome escape, a pocket of calm amidst the chaos of the moming. The soft murmur of voices mingled with the rhythmic hissing of the espresso maching, and the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee wrapped around me like a warm blanket. I stepped up to the counter, ordered my usual, and moved aside to wait, my eyes glued to my phone.
Emails, a few messages from raith, and a news alert about something I didn’t care enough to read–I scrolled through them aimlessly, letting the monotony of the routine distract me from the morning’s events.
“Latte, extra foam,” the barista called out.
I reached for the cup without thinking, still scrolling, when a voice cut through my distraction.
“That’s actually mine.”
Startled, 1 looked up and locked eyes with the man standing next to me. He was the man from yesterday,
“Oh,” Istammered, my cheeks flushing as realized my mistake. “Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.”
He gave me a warm, easy on that instantly softened the awkwardness of the moment. “No worries,” he said, his voice calm and friendly. “You can keep it.”
Thesitated, glancing down at the cup in my hand. “Are you sure? I can wait for mine. It’s not a big deal.”
He waved me off casually, a flicker of amusement in his expression. “Really, it’s fine Consider it my good deed for the day.”
“Well… thanks, and thanks for yesterday.” I e
I replied, offering a small smile.
Nathan lingered for a moment, studying me as though he were trying to place me. Then, his face brightened slightly. “I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself pisperly yesterday,” he said, “Nathan”
“Raina,” I replied, slipping my phone into my pocket and shaking his outstretched hand. His grip was tim yet gentle, his touch warn against my skin.
“Well, Raina, nice to officially meet you,” he said, a playful edge to his tone.
I nodded, about to fum and leave when he spoke again.
“Wait,” he said, taking a small step forward. “Can I give you my number? You know, in case you ever need help again.”
The suggestion caught me off guard. It was undeniably cheesy, but there was something about the way he said it–lighthearted yet sincere that made me chuckle softly.
“Sure,” I said, unable to suppress a smile.
He reached for my band, and I extended it without thinking. His fingers were deft as he took a pen from his pocket and began writing on my palm, his focus entirely
on the task
There,” he said, stepping back to adinize is work as though it were a masterpiece. “All set.”
I glanced at the numbers scrawled across my side, the faint tickle of the instillingering. My checks grew wann, and from the amused glint in his eyes, I knew he’d
“Got it,” I said, pulling my hand back and curling my fingers over the writing
Nathan grinned, his diam effortless and disarming. “dood. Don’t be a stranger, Raina.”
Inodded, clutching my coffee as I made my way toward the edt. But even as I stepped outside and the crisp morning air hit my flutter in my chest.
couldn’t shake the faint
Nathan’s presence lingered like the scent of fresh coffee, stirring something inside me I wasn’t mady–or willing to name
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ELIZA
The cold air sipped at my skin as i stood in the shadows, watching Raina from a distance. Her laugh rang out faintly, carried by the breeze, and it felt like a knite slicing through my chest. She thought she had won, didn’t she? She thought she had taken everything–Alex, the spotlight, the life I deserved. But she was wrong.
This was only the beginning.
tightened my coat around me, biting back a shiver as I replayed the past few days In my mind. Every painstaking moment of stalking her, every fragment of information I’d gleaned, had led me here. The truth about Dominic being her brother had been a revelation, but it wasn’t enough. Nor yet. And then there was Liam
the child Alex and Raina had fought so hard to protect. If only I could get my hands on that little bastard, to finish what I started.
But Alex had to niin everything by teaming up with that stupid bitch to keep him safe.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling me from my thoughts, Vanessa’s me flashed on the screen. Finally, Teursed under my breath and answered, “Where the hell have you been?”
Vanessa’s voice was chipper, as if she hadn’t just ignored my calls. “Relax, Eliza. What’s the rush?”
I wasn’t in the mand for her games. “Moet me at outspot Now
air that made my t
y blood boil.
The coffee shop was warm, a stark contrast to the chill outside. Vanessa aived late, as usual, striding in with a carefree art
into the seat across from me. “I thought you were going to stand meup.‘
“About time,” I snapped as she slid into
Vanessa smirked, brashing imaginary lint off her sleeve. “You know I’d never do that, darling, I just got held up.”
I don’t care about your excuses,” I said, waving off her attempt at small talk. “What’s going on with Alex?”
