Robert was in his home. And then came the phone call. The one that shattered the quiet despair of his days. Kendra was alive.At first, he had refused to believe it. He thought it was some kind of cruel joke, a mistake, a misunderstanding. But the sound of clicking heels surprised him. And the woman in front of him made his heart soar. She was alive. The woman he loved, the woman he had lost, was standing before him.But as the shock wore off, the reality began to set in. This was not the woman he had lost.Kendra stood in front of him, her arms crossed over her chest, her expression distant, cold. Her once warm eyes—eyes that had always looked at him with affection—now seemed to look through him, as if he were no more significant than a stranger in the room. She had changed. And as Robert tried to make sense of it all, the man standing beside her became impossible to ignore.Charles Wyatt.The name echoed in Robert’s mind with a bitter sting. His mind flashed back to when Charles ch

Kendra and Charles sat in the large, leather chairs of his study, the room dimly lit by the golden glow of the desk lamp. The news of Dalia’s escape from prison had left them both uneasy, but it also ignited a fire of determination in Kendra. The fear she had once felt was now mingled with a thirst for answers, answers that could put an end to Dalia’s reign of terror. And in the wealth and resources of Charles, the most powerful man in San Diego, Kendra had the means to find those answers."Where do we start?" Kendra asked, her voice quiet, yet tinged with a hard edge. "How do we even begin to figure out where she’s gone?"Charles leaned forward, his fingers interlaced as he thought. He wasn't just wealthy he was influential, a figure in business and the underworld. His connections reached far and wide, and if there was one thing Charles knew, it was how to dig up secrets."We start by looking into her past." Charles said. "We’ve got the means, Kendra. I’ve made the calls already. W

Albert’s heart beat in a steady rhythm, each thump feeling like a drumbeat in his chest as he stood there in the heart of his grandfather’s empire. Rowan Dante's mansion was a monument to power. Dark, opulent, and intimidating. Every inch of the vast estate, from the towering marble columns to the polished hardwood floors, reeked of authority and dominance. It was a world Albert had always dreamed of inhabiting, and now that he was finally a part of it, a wave of satisfaction washed over him.Dalia stood by his side, her posture regal, her eyes gleaming with cold satisfaction. Albert has heard stories of his grandfather, not from Dalia but from the public. He had heard about the man who had built an empire, whose name struck fear into the hearts of the powerful and influential. She had never fully explained why he had been absent from their lives, but Albert didn't care. He didn't need the details. All that mattered was that his grandfather was here now, and with him came the promise

Nathalie Spencer sat at her desk, the soft hum of her computer filling the quiet lull of the office. She had just finished a long meeting and was focused on an overdue report when her boss, Miles Tyler, sauntered over, leaning against the edge of her desk with his usual air of confidence.She barely looked up at first, assuming he was there to discuss work. "Something I can help you with?" she asked, tapping away at her keyboard.Miles’s voice was calm, almost teasing. "Actually, I think it’s time to call in that favor you owe me."Her fingers froze mid-typing, her breath catching slightly. That favor. The one she'd half-forgotten. Months ago, when she asked him for a leave even when she knew the company was at a tight schedule, Miles had generously granted her request. She’d thanked him profusely at the time, but he told her he was doing it for a favor and one day he'd come to collect. But she never imagined he’d actually hold her to it.She leaned back in her chair, crossing her a

Derrick adjusted his glasses for the tenth time in as many minutes, staring at the dining table he’d painstakingly set up. His apartment looked nothing like the lavish spaces Karina was used to, but he’d done his best to create something special. Candles flickered on the table, casting a warm glow over the dishes he’d spent hours preparing. A bouquet of roses sat in the center, and soft jazz played from his the speakers in the background.Still, doubt gnawed at him. Would it be enough?Karina wasn't just beautiful, she was dazzling. She came from wealth and elegance, with a life full of high-end restaurants, designer clothes, and trips to exotic places. Derrick, on the other hand, was the guy who spent his days in a front of computers and his evenings immersed in obscure coding projects. When Karina started dating him, he’d been equal parts thrilled and terrified.Tonight, though, felt like a test. She’d insisted on a simple, quiet dinner, saying she wanted to spend time with him, not