Diana's POV "I need this baby to be born already, for God's sake," I sighed, exhausted, sprawled across the couch as I tried to find a comfortable position. Isaac smiled, gently stroking my enormous belly. "He's comfortable in there." "Well, he shouldn't be. I'm pretty damn uncomfortable out here," I complained. I could have scheduled a C-section, but I chose to wait for the signs of labor and try for a natural birth. The problem was, our son seemed to have absolutely no hurry to meet the world, while I could barely find a position that let me sleep. "We need to pick a name…" he said calmly. It was a subject we had discussed dozens of times without getting anywhere. No name seemed strong enough. I wanted something commanding. I knew my son would grow up to be a strong man, just like his father and me. "Octavius," I said firmly. The name had come to me naturally the day before, and ever since then, it had felt inevitable. "Octavius?" He made a dramatic face. "Baby, t

Isabelle's POV When August opened the door to the room, he tried to hide the panic on his face. He was always so immaculate, so completely in control. "Calm down. Everything is okay," I said, gripping his hand tightly the moment he stopped beside my bed. "The doctor talked to me. I'm going to have some tests done to make sure the babies are okay, but there's no way to delay the delivery. I'm having an emergency C-section." The calm words coming out of my mouth didn't match my trembling hand. August noticed and squeezed my fingers tighter, knowing I was scared. The pregnancy had been smooth sailing. No complications, no scares. Even the move to the mansion had happened without any stress. But now, in the final stretch, my belly felt heavy. By the end of the day, my feet felt like lead weights, and my blood pressure had to be checked every day. Deep down, I had been hoping the twins would arrive at the right time, even though I knew that would be difficult and my body was giv

Isabelle's POV I wanted revenge. That's how it all began, with an insane proposal driven by my need for justice and August's ambition for power. The path we took after that impulsive decision was unexpected, crazy, and dangerous. I thought that after two years, I'd collect the money and move on with my life. But when the deadline finally arrived, I had two children and was in love with August, with no doubt that he loved me too. Now I admired the backyard bathed in afternoon sunlight and filled with the sound that had become the soundtrack of my life: chaos. Victoria and Alexander were turning three, and their energy seemed capable of lighting up the entire city. They raced across the lawn, screaming and laughing, keeping me in a constant state of alert and filling my heart with a pride so intense it almost hurt. I watched them and sometimes still found myself amazed by how perfect every little detail was. Although we hadn't had any more children in those three years, I hadn't

Caesar's POV "You look good," Julia remarked quietly. I didn't know what to say. I thought it would be easier after all these years, but now that she was standing in front of me, I didn't even know what to say. Coming here had been a mistake. A waitress approached and asked if we'd like to order anything. Julia said no, but judging by the look in her eyes, she was hungry. Apparently, there was still some pride left in her. "The house special, please, and a pitcher of water," I ordered without consulting Julia. "You really don't have to. I'm not hungry." Of course, all of this could have been an act. Julia was good at that. At deceiving people, lying straight to their faces. "We're not friends. I came here to help you, so the best thing you can do is tell me what's going on. Exactly how did Kyle die?" She looked around, as though weighing how much she could tell me. "I don't know for sure. The police said the car went off the road and crashed down an embankment. I don'

Caesar's POV Julia woke up early, made coffee, and started getting the little restaurant ready to open while I borrowed a car and drove to the apartment I'd rented to pick up my things. I'd never done anything in my life beyond studying and sitting behind a desk while other people handled everything for me. But I knew I couldn't leave Julia to do everything alone. I offered to help, and she taught me how everything worked. Eight months pregnant, she cleaned the kitchen and served customers. She said a young woman came in occasionally to handle the heavier work. I learned how to clean, carry heavy things, and do whatever work I could to make things easier for Julia. I told her she could stay behind the counter while I worked outside, where there were only four tables. Julia usually made burgers, hot dogs, and fries. The customers were few but regular. And that was how my first day went. That night, right on schedule, the men came back in the same pickup, laughing the same