LOGINTwo days had passed since Noah and Miranda received their marriage certificate, and the newlyweds had settled into a rhythm that felt almost surreal in its happiness.That afternoon, they went together to the hospital for Miranda's antenatal care.The examination room was bright and warm, more so with the tenderness and love with which Miranda was being treated. Sunlight poured through the windows as Miranda lay back on the table, her rounded belly exposed and glistening with ultrasound gel. Noah sat close beside her, his hand wrapped tightly around hers, his eyes glued to the screen with an intensity that made Miranda's heart ache with tenderness."Everything looks wonderful," the doctor said, gliding the wand across Miranda's belly. "Strong heartbeat, healthy movement. Baby is developing beautifully."Noah let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "That's good, right? That's… everything's okay?"The doctor smiled. "Everything's perfect. And I must say I’m impressed ab
"Well, well," Isla said, sauntering closer, a playful smirk on her lips. "You look considerably less handsome today. Did someone piss in your coffee? Or did the whole world just decide to disappoint you at once?"Adrian exhaled sharply through his nose, already regretting his decision to come here. "I'm not taking you home today."Isla raised an eyebrow. "Did I ask? I'm not drunk.""Then you don't need me," Adrian said flatly, turning to head deeper into the bar."On the contrary." Isla stepped into his path, blocking him. "You're precisely the reason I'm here."Adrian stopped, his brow furrowing. "What? Why?""I've been coming to this bar every single night since our little… encounter," she admitted, her smirk softening into something more honest. "Hoping I'd run into you again. And finally, here you are."Adrian stared at her, incredulous. "What happened to never wanting to set eyes on me again? Wasn't that what you said?"“You said it first,” she exclaimed. “And you agreed,” Adria
Melissa took her time before she responded. She looked at Colin, weighing the weight of the moment, the tentative hope flickering in his eyes."If you want to be," she finally said, her voice soft but steady.Colin's breath caught. He opened his mouth, ready to say more, to finally close the distance that had lingered between them for days…"There you two are!" Clara's voice cut through the moment like a blade. She appeared out of nowhere, seizing both of their arms. "Come on, we're doing family pictures. No dawdling! Move!"And just like that, the moment shattered. Colin and Melissa were swept into the flurry of the celebration, pulled apart by the current of the crowd. The words that had almost been spoken dissolved into the air, unfinished.Curtains closed. For now.*****The news of Noah's and Miranda's marriage spread like wildfire.Within hours, Noah's post had gone viral, shared and reshared across every platform. The headlines wrote themselves: Vale Heir Marries Miranda Jones
Isla's heart slammed against her ribs, her whole body trembling as her father's furious roar echoed through the corridor. She was frozen against the wall, caught, her mind scrambling desperately for an excuse that refused to come. The shattered vase lay in glittering pieces at her feet, evidence of her presence, and she was certain that in the next moment her father would storm out and see everything written across her guilty face."I said, who's there?" Mr. Sterling bellowed again, and she heard the scrape of a chair."It's me."Isla nearly buckled with relief as her mother's serene voice drifted down the hall. Mrs. Sterling swept around the corner, elegant and unhurried, positioning herself neatly in front of her daughter, subtly shielding her from view."I knocked over that hideous vase," Mrs. Sterling continued smoothly, stepping toward the study door as though nothing at all was amiss. "You know how I've always despised it. I only came to ask whether your guest would be joinin
Adrian sat across from Mr. Sterling in the older man's private study, the room dim and heavy with the scent of aged leather and expensive cigars. A single lamp cast long shadows across the walls, and the silence between the two men was thick with calculation."Why did you bring me to your house?" Adrian asked, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the opulent surroundings. Mr. Sterling swirled a glass of brandy, unbothered. "It's not advisable to be seen together in public. Not for now."Adrian raised an eyebrow. "Since when did that become a problem?""Since you decided to take my offer," Sterling replied smoothly.Adrian's lips curled into a faint, dangerous smile. "I haven't said that yet."Mr. Sterling set his glass down and leaned back in his chair, studying his guest. "Then why are you here, Adrian Cole?"That silenced the younger man for a beat. He couldn't deny it. Adrian leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Before I sign anything," he said, "I want to understand t
The café was quiet, tucked away in a corner of the city where the wealthy could meet without being seen. Adrian arrived first, sitting alone at a table by the window, nursing a cup of coffee, not alcohol. He'd sworn off that. For now, at least.When Sabrina walked in, he rose to his feet immediately."Sabrina." His voice carried a rare note of gratitude. "Thank you. For agreeing to meet me. I wasn't sure you would."Sabrina slid into the seat across from him, studying her brother with a mixture of wariness and reluctant familiarity. "You're still my brother," she said flatly. "Blood doesn't just disappear because I'm angry with you." Her eyes swept over him, taking in the hollow cheeks, the shadows under his eyes, the way his once-immaculate appearance had frayed at the edges. "God, Adrian. You look like hell."Adrian gave a weak, humorless laugh. "I've heard that a lot lately." He hesitated, then asked the question that had been burning in him. "How is Mom?"Sabrina's expression s
Eight days.That was all that remained of the marriage Miranda Cole had once believed would last a lifetime. Eight days before the legal structure holding her to Adrian dissolved. Eight days before, she was no longer his wife in any sense that mattered.Just eight days.There had been a time when
“Where is it?” Miranda repeated, her voice carrying.The words cut clean through the polite murmur of conversation surrounding Adrian and the investor he was speaking to. Both men turned toward her. The investor’s brows lifted in mild surprise. Adrian’s expression tightened instantly. “What are yo
The silence that followed Adrian Cole’s last words was heavy enough to crush glass.My first love.No one was clapping anymore now. The phrase lingered in the air, obscene in its intimacy, poisonous in its timing. Miranda felt it break something inside her that she had spent three years protecting
The Center of the RoomEveryone was smiling except me.I was the only one who didn’t know my marriage was about to end.Today, Adrian Cole stood at the very peak of a story the country still whispered about in disbelief.At thirty-four, Adrian Cole was the youngest and richest businessman in the na







