Damian's POV The police station smelled like coffee and old paper. I was seated across from two detectives, recounting what had happened, but my mind was running on a parallel track, trying to piece everything together. They took quick notes, exchanged looks like they were waiting for me to add something more significant, but I had nothing beyond the facts. Or rather, almost nothing. What I didn't say was that the entire scene had felt… staged. A gunshot to the shoulder, at a perfect angle. No witnesses. And the shooter managed to cross the property, bypass every guard, and escape without being caught by the external cameras. I spent a fortune on surveillance, and still the guy slipped through like a ghost? Something didn't add up. Either he had help… or he was someone on the inside. And for the first time, a far more unlikely thought crossed my mind. Sophie could have planned this. I dismissed it almost immediately. No, it was impossible. As manipulative as she was, sh

Damian's POV "Who is Stella?" I turned slowly, and there was Lizzy, standing in the doorway of the dining room, wearing that familiar mischievous smile and curious look that always followed her. "Hey, little sister," I said calmly, a faint smile tugging at my lips. "You don't announce yourself anymore when you show up at other people's houses?" She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "Other people's?" she shot back. "This is my favorite brother's house, not 'other people's.'" I resisted the obvious comment that I was her only brother. It wasn't worth fueling the teasing. Meanwhile, Daniel had already jumped out of his chair and run over to her. "Aunt Lizzy!" She crouched down and hugged him tightly. "I brought you a present," she said, handing him a colorful bag. My son's eyes lit up, maybe the first genuine spark I'd seen since yesterday. He pulled out a toy car and looked at me, smiling. "And what do you say?" "Thank you, Aunt Lizzy!" "That's right," I

Stella's POV "Dad… is Stella going to be my mom too?" "Son, that's—" "If you want, Daniel… I can be," I said gently, using the same soft tone I always used with the boys. "You can have two moms, if that's what you want." The boys stared at me in shock. Damian was watching too, serious, but there was something steady in his gaze, something that said this will be okay. Daniel took a deep breath, still processing, then lowered his head. "But… my other mom doesn't like me," he said quietly, his voice trembling. "Do you like me?" "I do, Daniel," I answered, brushing my hand through his hair. "Very much. It's impossible not to like you." He lifted his tear-filled eyes and leaned into me, wrapping his arms around my waist. My heart melted instantly. Damian placed a hand on my shoulder but stepped back, giving us that moment, letting the emotion exist without interruption. After dinner, Daniel didn't want to leave the boys' side. "Can I sleep here tonight?" he asked, his eyes

Stella's POV I woke up slowly, with the strange feeling that something was off. I reached for the space beside me and felt only cold sheets. My heart jumped for a second. After last night, I had expected to find Damian there, still asleep, maybe with his arm draped over me. But he wasn't. I reminded myself that he didn't live here. Maybe he'd gone to check on Sophie. We hadn't even talked about her last night. Did that make me a terrible person? I sighed and forced myself out of bed. I brushed my teeth and twisted my hair into a loose bun before heading downstairs. The smell coming from the kitchen made me frown. When I walked in, I froze in the doorway. Daniel, Apollo, and Orion were sitting at the table. The twins were already dressed for school, eating like it was the most important breakfast of their lives. Each of them had a carefully prepared plate in front of him. And behind the counter, sleeves rolled up, coffee mug in hand, stood Damian. "You…" My voice

Damian's POV I dropped Daniel off at home with the nanny before heading to the office. He wanted me to come back for lunch later, but I made it clear I didn't know what time I'd be free. Even so, the disappointed look on his face when I closed the door sat heavy on my chest. The first hours of the morning were normal. Meetings ran on schedule. Reports on ongoing contracts were waiting on my desk. I started reviewing last quarter's numbers. Profits were steady, and internally there was nothing that suggested any kind of problem. It was shortly after lunch when my phone vibrated hard. The alert came from internal communications: Financial newspaper has just published a note about alleged tax fraud at Winter Enterprises. Stock down 3% in less than thirty minutes. The impact was immediate. I dropped my pen and looked up just in time to see the market monitors in the conference room flash red. The graph that had been climbing steadily was now plunging. "What the hell is this?" I m