Isabelle's POV The drive to August's house was far too quiet. Tension crackled in the air, trapped inside the car. Neither of us turned on the radio. The hum of the engine filled the space between us, along with something unspoken, heavy, almost tangible. I watched his hands on the steering wheel, too steady, his fingers tense. I couldn't stop my thoughts from drifting back to those hands on my body. The kiss in the elevator still burned on my lips. The heat of his body beside mine, the way he'd held my hand during the drive as if we were something simple, an ordinary couple. Now he was right there beside me. I watched the strong muscles beneath his T-shirt, his handsome face, far too familiar. I crossed my legs, then uncrossed them, fidgeting with my hands. Nothing felt comfortable. Coming back to his house wasn't a good idea. Being alone with him wasn't a good idea either. When we arrived, he parked without saying a word. He got out first, walked around the car, and opened

Isabelle's POV Marcus Aurelius didn't like being caught off guard. I knew that before I even walked through the office door. Men like him built empires on control and predictability. Nothing unsettled them more than something that didn't go according to plan. The element of surprise was my best weapon. The secretary announced me, giving me a curious look before making the call. I declined the chair and waited standing. That was part of the plan too. August didn't know I was in the building, and once he found out, it wouldn't take long for the news to reach the right ears. News traveled far too quickly through those halls. I had very little time. "She can come in," came the voice from the other end of the line. I walked in. Marcus Aurelius was behind his desk, as always. Impeccable suit. Rigid posture. A face trained to reveal nothing. He slowly lifted his eyes and looked at me with calculated composure. I didn't look away. "Isabelle," he said without smiling. "I wasn't ex

Diana's POV I was getting more and more anxious to go home. I had never liked hospitals, and at the same time, the idea of being discharged made me uneasy too. I had already expected my father to refuse to let me come home, but the confirmation came when my mother sent me a message asking if I was sure about what I was doing and telling me that, if I was, there was no need for me to come back. Since then, she hadn't even come to visit me or ask how I was doing. That distance hurt a little, even though I knew it was a possibility. The truth was, I was injured, pregnant, and vulnerable, and even though I was happy to have Isaac by my side, deep down, I still wanted some affection from my mother. Sometimes I tried to pretend everything was fine, but Isaac was there, paying attention to every little detail and refusing to let me get discouraged. When the time for my discharge finally came, he signed everything, thanked the staff, and asked questions I wouldn't even have thought to

August's POV After John left, I still had two meetings. Both were a complete waste of time, especially since my mind was elsewhere. When the day finally ended, I went straight to Isaac's house. I would deal with my father another day and find out whether he had any idea that Oliver was responsible for the accident. I couldn't vouch for him, but I hoped he wasn't covering for the man who had nearly killed his own daughter. I told Isabelle where I was going, and she said she'd meet me there. The more I thought about it on the way, the more I came to the conclusion that Diana needed protection, at least until we knew for certain that Oliver had given up. When I arrived, Isabelle was waiting for me at the entrance to the office and led me upstairs to the house. I didn't want to be the kind of person who noticed things like that, especially in a situation like this, but I couldn't help it. As soon as I stepped inside and saw Diana reclining against the cushions on the living room sofa

Isabelle's POV If I told August what I was planning to do, he would never agree. But this was a move I needed to make. After the latest developments and learning that Oliver had been responsible for Diana's accident, there was no room for hesitation anymore. August tried to hide his stress, but I could see right through him. His return to the company had been far from what he'd expected and, from what he'd told me, his father knew about Oliver's involvement... and simply didn't care. I had to suppress my anger and outrage at the realization. How could his parents cover for the man who had hurt Diana? Money. Power. I'd use the same currency. The first time I'd gone to see my father-in-law, I'd intended to try to turn the tables. But things had gotten out of control. This time, however, my thoughts were clearer. After August left for work, I stayed behind, reviewing my notes. The matter involving my sister and Carl was temporarily on hold. I'd deal with that later. For now,