LOGINA gentle knock sounded at the bridal suite door.“May I come in?” Shawn asked, his voice calm but tight with emotion.“Come in,” Selene said softly.The door opened, and Shawn stepped inside. Every word he had rehearsed vanished the moment he saw his daughter.Alessia, Beatrice, and Wilma quietly stepped aside to give them privacy.Aria turned toward him.For a long moment, Shawn could only stare.His daughter. The daughter he had only recently found stood before him as a bride.His eyes filled at once. “You are so beautiful.”Aria smiled through her tears. “Thank you, Dad.”The word landed with quiet force.Dad.Still new, still unfamiliar, yet already the greatest title he had ever carried.He stepped forward and hugged her carefully. Aria hugged him back just as tightly.Behind them, Selene quietly wiped her eyes.After a moment,
Morning sunlight washed over Wolfe Estate, brightening the gardens and softening the stone paths, white gazebo, and rows of flowers along the lawn.The estate had hosted galas, fundraisers, and formal events before, but today felt different. There were no dignitaries, no business deals, no cameras waiting for a statement.Today, the house was preparing for family.Inside the bridal suite, the usual wedding-day rush had given way to a quiet that felt almost sacred.Aria stood before the mirror in an ivory gown with a fitted bodice and a flowing skirt that moved like water when she breathed. Her dark hair had been swept into a low bun, with a few soft curls left to frame her face.Behind her, Selene adjusted the veil with careful hands. She wore a deep sapphire gown that suited her beautifully, elegant without trying too hard.For a moment, neither of them spoke.Selene stepped back and looked at her daughter with a tenderness that stil
Isla arrived just after ten on Caelum’s birthday, before midnight could steal the day. By the time the nurses placed her in Beatrice’s arms, everyone was already laughing at the coincidence.Caelum, who had spent the evening waiting for his cake, took the news seriously and declared that sharing a birthday was fine as long as Isla would not steal his dessert.In the weeks after Isla’s birth, the mansion finally settled into a rare peace. For once, the loudest topic in the house was not business or bloodlines.It was the wedding.Around the same time, Shawn invited Aria to Kingsley Estate in Stonebridge and formally introduced her to the Kingsley Conglomerate as his heir.The room fell silent.Whispers spread immediately. Some looked surprised, others skeptical. A few assumed she was a hidden daughter Shawn had only just acknowledged. Some of the older staff, especially those once loyal to Cressida, looked openly displeased.
The drive to Ashbourne Medical Center felt longer than it was.Beatrice leaned back, one hand over her belly as another contraction hit. Aria stayed calm beside her, while Marcus sat on the other side, tense and ready to bolt.“You’re doing well,” Aria said softly. “Just keep breathing.”Beatrice gave her a strained smile and nodded, drawing in a slow breath.Marcus gripped the seat tightly, his knuckles white.Nolan caught his expression in the rearview mirror. “You look worse than the patient.”Marcus barely looked up. “I’m trying not to panic.”Nolan snorted. “You’ve negotiated billion-dollar contracts without blinking.”Marcus gave a short breath that was almost a laugh. “Contracts don’t come with contractions.”That earned him a glance from Nolan and a faint smile from Aria, though Beatrice was too busy riding out the pai
As the afternoon wore on, the celebration slowly softened into something quieter.Children still ran through the gardens, their laughter drifting across the lawn, but many of the guests had already begun to say their goodbyes. Staff moved between the tables, clearing plates and folding linens, while others packed away the robotics exhibits and science displays that had kept the children busy for hours.From a short distance away, Selene watched it all with a calm, thoughtful expression.Shawn was bent over with Caelum, patiently answering one of the boy’s endless questions with the kind of amused patience only a grandfather could manage.Under the old oak tree, Orion sat beside Augustus, the two men talking easily now, as if years of pride and misunderstanding had finally given way to peace.Not far from them, Solen sat with Alessia, both of them smiling as they watched the children play. Months ago, Selene would never have imagined seeing he
A few months had passed since Richard Vale’s arrest, and life had grown quieter, though not quite the same as before. Too much had changed for that. The shock had faded, but everyone was still finding a new rhythm.Marcus and Beatrice had married a few months after the arrest in a ceremony that was intimate by their standards, though still elegant enough that most people would have called it grand. They had wanted something simple and warm, without the kind of spectacle their families could easily create. Of course, with the Sterlings and the Volkovs in attendance, even a modest gathering had turned into an impressive affair.Now another celebration had brought everyone together again.The Wolfe Estate had been transformed for Caelum’s sixth birthday and his formal introduction as the young Wolfe heir.The gardens were filled with tents, banners, and science exhibits instead of formal billionaire party decorations. Caelum had asked for science
The Grand Kingsley Hotel hosted the signing between Kingsley Conglomerate and Volkov Global Logistics, one of the year's most anticipated business events.Security was tight. Guards watched every entrance while cameras flashed beyond the barricades, where reporters waited for a glimpse of
The next morning, Alessia sat across from Richard at the breakfast table, scrolling through her phone while stirring her coffee. Richard reviewed a financial report beside his untouched breakfast.Then his phone rang.Something shifted when he saw the caller ID. His hand paused brie
The next morning, Nolan wasted no time.After Alessia left his suite, he contacted one of the few investigators he trusted completely. The man wasn't connected to Volkov Global Logistics and had no ties to any of the powerful families involved. More importantly, nothing could be traced back to Ales
Nolan remained silent for several seconds after Alessia spoke."I need you to help me investigate my father."The request was so unexpected that he almost thought he had heard her wrong."Richard?" he asked.Alessia nodded.Nolan studied her for a moment, then c







