Selena's POVTears streamed down my face, blurring my vision. I couldn't make out the details of the scene, but the wail of sirens signaled help was on the way."Help! Someone help him!" I cried out. Some reporters were still snapping pictures. Didn't they have a shred of human decency? I wanted to smash their cameras – another exclusive for them: the return of Jake Marino's long-lost wife."Jake! Mrs. Marino!" A frantic voice called. It was Jake's mother, her glare cutting straight through me."Here, he's hurt!" I shouted, pointing. One of the paramedics rushed over and began examining Jake. Another EMT joined them, bringing a stretcher. They carefully lifted Jake onto it and carried him towards the ambulance."Who is his guardian?" a paramedic asked."I'm his mother," Jake's mother declared.The paramedics looked at me questioningly. "I'm his wife," I said defiantly, my voice leaving no room for argument."Get in with him," one of them instructed. I jumped into the ambulance, clutch
Jake's POVAs Selena left the room, Nancy whipped her head towards me, disbelief etched on her face."What the hell was that?" she demanded, her voice laced with anger. "She just disappeared for years and now shows up out of the blue?""Come on, Nancy," I croaked, wincing slightly. "Just got out of surgery. Do you have to yell?"I knew my words wouldn't appease her, but I didn't owe her any explanation right now. All my energy needed to be focused on healing quickly."Let him get some rest," my mother finally interjected, reaching over to pat Nancy's back."But Mom!" Nancy whined. "It's Selena we're talking about!""I'm not deaf, Nancy," my mother said firmly. "Go home and pack a change of clothes for Jake.""No need, Selena will handle that," I interjected, earning a pair of icy glares. Nancy stood up, her jaw set in determination."I'll bring you some fresh clothes," she declared before storming out of the room. That was definitely the quickest way to get her to leave.With the door
Selena's POVI had been avoiding my mother's calls, and even my aunt had called me several times. My mother must have seen the news, but what about my aunt? I had instructed that the culprit be taken to the station since he had confessed to who sent him.Diego—I was thankful to have been tipped off about his plan to eliminate Jake just in time. What could have happened if the assassin had aimed correctly?The thought still gave me chills. My work here was finished. I told the special forces to continue protecting my family, Jake, and me until everything was settled. I was waiting to see what punishment would be meted out to Diego for this international crime.Exhausted, I drove back to the hospital, carrying the ordered food. I noticed the guards lingering around the ward hallway and was glad my money was well-spent. I opened the door and walked in. The Marinos were seated around Jake, who was awake and sitting up in bed.“Selena,” Jake called out as he saw me approach.I waved, place
Jake's POVI overheard Selena’s conversation; she was speaking with her aunt. Her family was clearly worried, now that I thought about it.My mother shot me a questioning look, but I remained silent. She would find out soon enough—the media had likely dug deeper into Selena’s background. There would be news to read and learn from.One potential issue got me dejected, aside from discovering about the children, Selena’s prior marriage to Diego might complicate matters. We needed to align our stories.The more I observed her, the clearer my feelings became. Once Justin and Austin had left, I acknowledged the truth that had eluded me since high school—I loved her. I wasn't going to make the same mistakes again.When Selena ended her call, I inquired if everything was alright and suggested she reassure her family.At that moment, Nancy burst into the room, her expression one of shock.“Is it true?” she stammered, holding up her phone. She must have stumbled upon something startling. Selena
Selena's POVTwo days later, after Jake was discharged from the hospital, he inquired about the lack of news coverage regarding my time in New York. During his hospital stay, I had contacted my team to ensure that all articles about me were retracted.I maintain a robust PR team in New York dedicated to monitoring the media in Italy, ensuring no information is released without my consent. The advantages of having substantial financial resources are undeniable.Meanwhile, I was anxiously awaiting the trial of the shooting suspect. Despite my concerns about Diego, my lawyer reassured me there was nothing to worry about. Disappointment pervaded Diego’s family, primarily because he had bungled the assassination."Are you ready, Selena?" Jake called from the living room."Just a moment," I responded, applying red lipstick and running a comb through my hair. After slipping on my earrings, I faced a minor challenge with my dress's zipper—a recurring issue whenever I tried to zip up on my own
Jake's POVWas Selena right about this? My father was in a coma and wouldn’t wake up unless something changed immediately.She looked so certain as if she knew what she was talking about. What harm could there be in checking to ensure my father was receiving the correct treatment?Nodding, I exited the room with Selena following silently, giving me time to process her claims, which I appreciated.We made our way to the hospital's control room. A man in a suit approached us."Hello, how can I assist you?" he inquired."I'm Jake Marino. We need to access the surveillance footage," I introduced myself, assuming he was the manager or someone in charge.The man frowned. "Why do you need to see the footage?""We need to verify something concerning my father’s ward," I explained, glancing at Selena before continuing.The man scrutinized us for a moment but eventually led us to the monitors, where another employee was stationed. "Which ward?" the operator asked."Fifth floor, room 202," I pro
Kelvin's POVIn my office, I mulled over the unsettling shift in public sentiment that had started favoring Jake. Oddly enough, I had uncovered that Selena was no ordinary person; she was from a wealthy family. Yet, when I sought more information, I found no news articles about her—only a brief mention that she had two children and had once been married to someone named Diego Lorenzo.This Diego was the same individual who had contacted me months ago, offering information to undermine Jake when Mr. K mysteriously vanished.Clearly, something was amiss, and my instincts told me it wasn't good. I was about to stand up when my phone rang with a call from an unknown number.I answered, and Mr. K's voice came through. "Hello, I have something you desperately need," he said, his timing uncanny."Will it finish my brother?" I asked."Yes, but before that, you need to transfer €500 billion euros to the account I will send you.""What?" I exclaimed, incredulous. "For what information?" I deman
Jake's POVI still find it hard to believe Kelvin could do such a thing to his own family. He had embezzled a significant amount of money from the company and had been deceitful in his dealings.He had several accounts, estates, and properties in his name, yet he still craved more. Wasn't he satisfied with what he had already taken?The detectives were on the hunt for someone named Mr. K, who had been collaborating with Kelvin. Since Kelvin denied any involvement with the attacks on me and the kidnapping on my wedding day, they believed there was another conspirator out there. I hoped that with Mr. K's capture, the chain of attackers would end.Looking over at the bench, I saw Selena asleep in an awkward position. I wished we could wrap up here and leave so she could get some proper rest. She had been tirelessly working the phones, to the point where her phone had run out of battery.We hadn't been able to speak to the kids, and it was clearly affecting her mood."Who do you suspect m