LOGINIt had been over a week since the accident, a long, suffocating week since she had first woken up in the sterile hospital room, and almost a week since she and Eric had finalized their divorce, putting an end to her marriage.She had been stuck inside the hospital alone ever since that afternoon, with no one left by her side to comfort her. She spent her days either talking listlessly with the doctors or the nurses and other passing patients, or just lying flat in bed, thinking.Her mind had always been her biggest asset, but right now, it was also her biggest obstacle. It was constantly playing mind games with her, making her feel terrible for what had happened on that road, relentlessly tormenting her with the loss of her child(ren) and the dissolution of her marriage.No one had visited her ever since that day. She was sure Eric either hadn't told Chloe about her whereabouts at all, or he had forbidden her from coming. She was guessing the former scenario was true, since she vividl
They stood just as they had yesterday, but this time with a crisp divorce certificate resting between them on the bedside tray. Eric had sped up the entire procedure to a mere twenty-four hours, making well on his promise to divorce her without a moment's delay.Autumn just stared blankly at the ink on the page, her mind numb to everything around her. She looked at the unfolding scene like she was watching another person's life implode on itself, not her own.Just like yesterday, Nigel handled everything with a court-appointed clerk standing quietly by his side to authenticate the immediate decree.“We don't have all day,” Eric murmured coldly from where he stood by the glass window, his jaw tight, his posture rigid as he looked out into the city.Theresa leaned closer over the mattress, adjusting her glasses. “Ma'am, take a look at it and sign right here,” she pointed out, indicating a specific, dotted line left blank for Autumn.Gripping the plastic pen, Autumn's hand shook a bit as
True to his word, Eric started the divorce proceedings within twenty-four hours.While Autumn was still on strict bed rest, he contacted her lawyer, Theresa Tillsday, ordering her to meet at London Central Hospital, and got Nigel to draw up a new agreement.So that was exactly what happened, with the three of them standing right in her private hospital room. Autumn, bruised and physically broken, sat up in the bed as Nigel slid a thick document over the bedside table to Theresa to look through.Theresa's eyes rapidly read through the papers one after the other, widening in shock at what she saw on the pages. “Mr. Kingston, you are being quite generous with the financial payout, but the legal terms of this agreement are a bit unfair to my client.”Raising a single brow, Eric crossed his legs slowly as he spoke. “Which part?”“The part where my client would have to give up full custody of her son, as well as the clause stating the divorce should be recorded as you seeking the divorce fr
It had been two days since the tragic accident. The police investigation was still underway, the red tape keeping the precinct quiet. The people criminally responsible for ramming the vehicle were still unfounded, slipping away into the rainy night without a trace, but the precinct kept the file under close investigation.The exact details regarding the horrific crash were kept strictly under wraps through Eric’s immense influence. But even with that tight media blackout, speculation and wild rumors were still being made across the internet. Some tabloids blamed it on a reckless truck driver; others whispered about a lovers' spat gone wrong. But the core details of the night were kept a secret from the general public, as well as the identities of those involved in the wreckage.Gabriel oversaw every single moving part regarding the case in Eric’s stead, dealing with the authorities since Eric himself was still stuck inside the hospital walls. He hadn't left Autumn’s bedside for a frac
The sky had already turned a bruised purple outside, the thick storm clouds from the previous night slowly parting. The city was already waking up to begin the new day, life returning to the once dead streets of London as traffic began to hum in the distance.But inside the walls of London Central Hospital was a completely different case. The air was thick with the scent of antiseptic and collective anxiety. Multiple visitors sat frozen in the plastic chairs, waiting for the long-awaited news of whether their loved ones lived or died.Eric sat motionless, his back rigid and his bloodshot eyes forced unblinkingly on the double O.R. doors. He was waiting for an update on the news that would either make or break him.“Who is that man?” someone murmured in a low whisper from across the waiting room, staring openly at Eric’s side profile.“I know, right?” her companion hummed in quiet agreement. “He is so handsome, despite the fact that he looks terrible right now.” They both tracked his m
Emergency services swarmed the wreckage of the car accident, their red and blue lights flashing violently against the trees. Rain continued to pour over the scene as first responders scrambled down the muddy slope. Firefighters threw their weight into the rescue effort, trying to break open the mangled metal to reach the people stuck underneath. The heavy machinery whined as hydraulic jaws cut through the frame. The firefighters dove straight down toward where the crushed wreckage was resting against the brush to evacuate the people stuck inside. Working in unison, they managed to slice through the driver's side door first. They were able to remove the driver first, pulling his limp body carefully onto a spine board before immediately checking his vitals and any signs of life. “Vitals seem stable!” a paramedic yelled over the roaring wind and rain. “Mild concussion. Prepare for transportation!” Without a second's delay, they wheeled the injured driver directly into the back of an a
I had secluded myself in a shadowed corner of the grand ballroom, tucked away behind a decorative marble pillar where the light didn't hit quite so brightly. I didn't want to interact with anyone else tonight; my skin crawled just being in the same airspace as these people—lying, deceitful socialite
The chandeliers gleamed high up in the ceiling, casting a beautiful, intricate spiral of glass against the ornate plaster. Why was I so invested in a ceiling and a bunch of crystals? I didn't know. Maybe it was just the sheer weight of the stress, the kind that makes your neck stiff and your mind l
Chloe was still acting perfectly normal with me, laughing at the same jokes and leaning into our old rhythms, but I couldn't shake the feeling. It was like a splinter under my skin—tiny and impossible to ignore. I kept watching her, looking for a slip-up, a glance at her phone that lasted too long,
I asked a passing maid where Eric was, and she directed me toward the sunroom. I walked off, giving my thanks before she could even finish speaking. How dare he treat me in such a manner? I am not a child he can simply restrict from going out; I am a grown woman, and my son’s life is currently at r







