LOGINBella's POVFive days had passed since I last saw Xander.Five days, drawn out long enough, since he'd walked out of our room without turning around. Five days since he had stared at me as though I were a complete stranger instead of the woman he once loved. Five days since everything I believed in had shattered around me, leaving nothing but heartbreak and unanswered questions behind.Standing beside the large bedroom window, I stared down at the gardens below. The afternoon sunlight bathed the colorful flowers in golden light, making the entire landscape look peaceful and beautiful. Somewhere outside, I could hear the twins laughing with one of the nannies. Their cheerful voices drifted through the open balcony doors, carried by the gentle breeze.Normally, hearing them laugh would have brought an immediate smile to my face but today, it only made my chest ache.Because every time I looked at them, I saw him. Our son had Xander's eyes while our daughter had his smile. Every little t
Asma's POVFor the first time in a very long time, I felt satisfied not happy. Not peaceful, but rather content.There was a difference. Happiness faded and peace never stayed but satisfaction?Satisfying to see a scheme executing exactly as was expected.I stood silently in front of the phone in my small rented living room.A slow smile spread across my face, everything had happened perfectly. Better than I could have hoped for.The call had ended several minutes ago, but Olivia's words continued echoing in my head."He saw them together.""Alpha Xander was furious.""He left immediately.""Bella kept crying."I leaned back against the couch and closed my eyes, a warm feeling spread through my chest.That was exactly what I wanted, not because I enjoyed seeing Bella cry. At least that wasn't what I told myself.I wanted her to understand, to feel him, to feel even a small part of what I felt.The rejection. The jealousy. The helplessness.For years I had watched Xander from a distanc
Bella's POVThe unspoken sound his footsteps had made fell harder than any thing he'd ever said.After the door shut, I spent a long time sitting on the edge of the bed, holding my tears in my eyes and staring at nothing.My hands were trembling and my heart hurt so badly I could barely breathe.I still couldn't understand what had just happened.One moment I had been excited because he was finally home.The next moment he was looking at me like I was a stranger.Like I had betrayed him. As if something priceless had been lost in between.A sob escaped my throat and I quickly covered my mouth.I didn't want the twins waking up, I didn't want them seeing me like this."What happened?" I spoke into the empty room and my words were cracked and fractured.I wiped my tears and forced myself to think, ut every time I tried, my memories stopped at the same place.I remembered bathing the twins. I remembered playing with them. I remembered waiting for Xander to come home. I remembered asking
Xander's POVThe night felt endless, I lay on the bed in the empty mansion, staring at the ceiling while darkness filled every corner of the room but sleep never came.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Bella, then I saw Andrew....hen I heard those words again, the twins are mine.My jaw tightened, even now, hours later, I wanted to punch something. Break something. Destroy something. Anything to stop the thoughts.The room felt suffocating, for the first time in a very long time, I felt completely lost.I had faced wars, I had buried warriors. I had fought the enemies that wanted my throne.None of those things shook me like this....because this wasn't an enemy attack, this was my heart and that was far more dangerous.Sometime before dawn, I gave up trying to sleep, I pushed the blanket away and sat up slowly.There was a digital clock on the bedside table that indicated 4:17 a.m.I dragged a hand down my face, my eyes burned and my head hurt. But staying in bed wasn't helping.I wa
Bella's POVMy head felt heavy, everything around me seemed blurry, as if I were looking through thick fog.I blinked several times, trying to clear my vision and then the room slowly came into focus.What happened that I slept much like that because the last thing I remembered was drinking tea.After that.... I couldn't remember anything else.A strange uneasiness settled in my chest and I slowly turned my head to the side.And got completely frozen in spot.Someone was sitting beside my bed, my heart nearly stopped staring at the person face. Andrew, xander's bodyguard. The sight confused me so much that for a second I couldn't even speak."Andrew?" I whispered hoarsely.His head immediately snapped toward me, relief flooded his face."Lady Bella," he said quickly as he stood from the chair beside the bed. "You're awake.""What happened?" I asked weakly, pushing myself up.Before he could answer, the bedroom door suddenly burst open.The loud sound made me jump it was xander standi
Bella's POVIt had been a whole week since the twins' birthday, and somehow the mansion felt much bigger without Xander. The living hallways were emptier, the nights were more quiet and every corner of the home felt as if he were there yet he was not.I never thought I would miss someone this much especially him.A time there was when my chest would ache and break for him to mention his name. At the time, he was a reflection of failure in my life. But now, an ache was in my belly quite different.Because he wasn't here. Because all the rooms were a reminder of him. Every night was too still without him by my side.I was standing by the nursery window kissing him while he was playing with the twins on the soft floor below. Afternoon sunlight filtered through the window-to-window opening and filled the room with gold light. My son was in the middle of trying to take one of his sister's favorite toys, and by the way she was looking, she was not about to let him have it.The little girl s
Alpha Lucian's POVI was in my study alone. There was silence in the room, and it stretched on like a vacuum. The silence that could hear things that a man didn't want to hear.I glanced at the stack of papers littering my desk but couldn't remember a single word. For the hundredth time that day, m
BellaEverything around me suddenly felt too loud, this is becoming crazy. My hands gripped the edge of a desk so white and cold my knuckles went white.Mr. Desmond said quietly, "I told you it was a command from the top of the table.A request from Alpha Xander Marco. What does this imply? Is it t
Bella's POVWhen I arrived home my body felt like it was stone.All the way up the stairs each step has been slow. Careful. My hand never left my stomach the entire way.When I finally pushed the door open, silence welcomed me because asma wasn't home yet.Only the hush of the fridge, the gentlest
Xander's POV I was frozen in place the second she advanced closer.Without waiting for me to step in properly, she walked toward me as it seemed she was meant to be there.Slow. Deliberate. Making an effort to appear confident.The smile split her face and her heels tapped softly against the groun







