Ch. 31 Taking the Reins

Emily’s POVThe remainder of the drive was like a tide I couldn’t fight. My head lolled against the cool window, Reed’s silhouette blurred at the edge of my vision. One mile. Two. The ache in my body softened into something heavy and warm. Sleep took me without permission, dragging me down into darkness where no cameras watched and no choices waited.I woke to soft sheets and the low glow of a red light coming from his luxurious spa bathroom. Not the car. This room swallowed sound and the clock read 11:58. I actually slept most of the day away. My clothes were gone, replaced by one of Reeds soft button-downs, unbuttoned just enough to brush my thighs. I turned over where Reed laid beside me on his back. His bare chest rising slow and even with one arm flung above his head. Moonlight peaked through the window casting silver lights along the lines of muscle.Something shifted inside me. Not regret this time. Not the heavy shell I’d worn for years. A spark. Small. Tentative. But mine. My

Last Updated : 2026-02-23

32. Receipts that sting

I didn’t wait for morning. The second Reid fell asleep, I moved. Bag in hand, shoes on, out the door before I could second-guess myself. It wouldn’t take long for him to know I was gone. Reid watched everything. He always had. Cameras, security, control wrapped up in the illusion of protection. But that wasn’t my problem anymore. I just had to keep moving. Every step away from that house felt wrong, like walking deeper into a forest without a map. But wrong didn’t mean stop. Wrong meant escape. The garage was lined with Reid’s polished trophies. Cars worth more than most people’s homes. I pressed the key fob, waiting for the answering chirp, and a sleek black car blinked back at me. Good enough. He’d notice it missing eventually, but by then I’d be gone. Dump it. Disappear. Figure out the rest later. My hands locked around the steering wheel as I shifted into gear, the engine growling beneath me. Manual. One thing my ex-fiancé had taught me that turned out useful. Funny.

Last Updated : 2026-05-06

Ch. 33 3:17am

The breeze from the window hit my skin before my eyes opened. I reached across the sheets for warmth and found nothing but empty space where Emily should have been. My pulse rose hard in my throat. The clock read three seventeen. I bolted upright and shouted for my housekeeper. Within seconds, lights flared throughout the house and an alarm began pulsing. She rushed in moments later, eyes wide with alarm, already tying her robe. “Sir, what is it? Is everything alright?” “Emily is gone. Check the entire house now and kill the alarm.” She moved fast, calling out Emily’s name as she checked the main floor while I pulled on clothes. I went straight to the security room. The monitors flickered to life under my fingers. There she was, slipping out just after three. She walked with purpose straight to the garage. My car was also missing from its spot. Part of me panicked wondering if Alex had gotten to her. I replayed the garage footage. Watched her slide into the driver’s seat, adj

Last Updated : 2026-05-13

Ch. 34 All is well & good

Victors POV I storm into the private boardroom at the back of the Willow Ridge Golf Estate still wearing my golf shoes with my cigar case in hand. The moment I step through the doors, the tension in the room becomes thick and heavy. Everyone is already waiting for me. Great. Alex sits with his parents while my youngest daughter Sophie sits quietly in the corner looking completely out of place and uncomfortable. I dont waste any time. I cut the end of my cigar, light it carefully, and take a long angry drag as I drop heavily into the chair at the head of the table. “It has been days,” I growl, slamming my fist onto the mahogany table with force. “Days since my daughter ran off from her own wedding like a coward. Why the hell do we not have a location on her yet?” One of my security men steps forward right away. “Sir, the last confirmed sighting was when she left Reed’s estate. She dropped the car off at a rental place shortly after that, and after that she has gone comp

Last Updated : 2026-05-25

Chapter 35. Truth Hurts

Emily’s POV I follow the coordinates Zach sent me, ditching my car a few blocks back so no one can trace it. Even though it’s the middle of the night bleeding into early morning, Detroit is still wide awake. Neon lights flicker all around me as I weave between groups of partiers, loud bachelorette parties, and a street drummer pounding away on the corner. The city pulses with energy, but I slip through it all feeling like a ghost. I reach the building and the buzzer lets me in without a word. The freight elevator rattles up to the third floor. When the doors open, I step into Zach’s loft and pause. It’s nothing like I expected. The place is surprisingly modern and clean, with contemporary art on the walls and big windows letting in the city glow. It feels like a man’s space. The strong smell of coffee hits me immediately. Curious, I walk over and open the fridge. Takeout containers. Nothing but takeout. I shake my head and smile. Typical dude. My stomach growls. I did not real

Last Updated : 2026-06-29

Chapter 36. Dead men tell no tales?

Emily’s POV After our laughter dies down, Zach leans back against the couch and looks at me. “So… you’re engaged, huh?” “Yeah.” “Who to?” I roll my eyes and switch into my best over-the-top posh English voice. “Oh, Mr. Alexander Malcolm. Mr. Perfect. Mr. Right. Mr. Trust Fund. Wealthy. Cheating. Blithering idiot.” Zach bursts out laughing. “I see you still got those quirky voices. Never lost your touch.” I smile, but it fades quickly when he asks, “And this Reed guy?” “Oh yeah, his cousin Reed,” I say, shaking my head. “The guy who wanted to seduce me and dick me down to where I couldn’t even think straight for days. He’s very possessive and extremely bossy.” Zach’s eyebrows shoot up. “Oh, so Reed was his cousin, Em? Dang, you really leveled up your game on being spiteful. Sleeping with the groom’s cousin? I’m sure he loved that.” “Oh, I’m sure all the Malcolms are getting a huge laugh out of this,” I reply, heavy on the sarcasm. Zach suddenly squints at me. “The Malcolms?”