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
Selena's POVThe morning light flooded the room when I opened my eyes, a reminder that we'd left the windows open again. I yawned and stretched, feeling the protest of my bones. The hard night at the station hadn't done me any favors. Feeling the empty space beside me, I realized Jake wasn't there. I missed waking up in his arms, but lately, our mornings had shifted; either he rose before me or vice versa.When would we find the peace we so desperately sought? As I lay there, my mind wandered back to the phone call from last night. I hadn't caught any of the conversation, only the ringing that had pierced the late silence.Was it something important? I got out of bed, went through my morning routine in the bathroom, and dressed for the day, hoping it wouldn't be spent at the police station.With Kelvin in custody, the assassin apprehended, and Diego held by New York police pending cooperation with the investigation, the immediate threats seemed contained. He would be released after th
Jake's POVWe had planned to spend the day just to ourselves, and I was thrilled with the idea. Selena walked around the house, filling the picnic basket she found in the kitchen. Eventually, we found ourselves in the bedroom, Selena rifling through her packed bag in search of something suitable to wear.Although it wasn't particularly sunny outside, we were eager to enjoy the day together, hoping for a bit of sunshine as we forecast while we were at the beach.Just then, her phone began to ring. I hoped it wouldn't be a call that might dampen our spirits. She dived into her pile of clothes, searching for the phone, and resurfaced with a frown. "It's my mom," she said, her tone a mix of resignation and concern. I knew how deeply she missed the kids, avoiding calls to stave off their tears and pleas for her return.I felt a pang of guilt, aware that my needs had kept her away. My own phone started ringing, and I glanced at the caller ID before showing it to her. She sighed and gestured
Jeff's POVThe fury within me was seething; I felt an overwhelming urge to lash out at something, or better yet, someone—specifically, the person right in front of me.I might have managed a clean getaway if Kelvin hadn't botched things by getting caught. Perhaps if I'd demanded the money sooner, I would have gained a crucial head start in my escape plan. It was Kelvin’s blunder that had left me trapped in this forsaken country.If only I had expedited my fake passport, I might have made a successful escape by sea, but the relentless police were already on my trail. They had effectively banned me from leaving the country, but I was aware of other, illicit means of escape.I refused to let anyone revel in seeing me rot in jail. And why on earth was Jake Marino here? My only recourse was to taunt him with everything I had managed right under his nose.“How did my father cause the death of your father?” Jake inquired.He seemed genuinely clueless about the connection to my father, but th