"Your nephew's about to be born," my cousin said when she called me one morning at eight. When I was younger, I'd imagined that one day I'd have children, nieces and nephews, and my parents would be those doting grandparents who spoiled their grandkids rotten. None of that ever came true. I didn't speak to my sister anymore. The one who had betrayed me and stabbed me in the back. After our last conversation, she'd disappeared for a while. Every now and then she'd send me a message, which I simply ignored. The baby, however, wasn't to blame for any of it. He was an innocent little life, coming into the world in the middle of a mess that had nothing to do with him. I couldn't picture my sister as a devoted mother, but people always said having a child changed your life. I sincerely hoped that was true. "Did Aunt Maria go to the hospital?" I asked. "No. Karen called to let her know, but said there was no need. That jerk's whole family is there. She said it's a high-risk delivery

"Hello, my dear. We came to have dinner with you two and discuss a few things while we're here," Ursula said, getting to her feet and kissing me on the cheek. Even though I'd spent a few days at their house, we'd never exchanged more than basic pleasantries. I'd actually grown much closer to August's grandmother than to his mother. Still, Ursula wore a strange smile now, one I couldn't quite read. This dinner was a complete surprise. August hadn't mentioned anything about it, and judging by the look on his face, he wasn't happy about it either. "It's so nice to see you. It's a shame I don't have anything prepared. I make a lasagna that brings August to his knees," I said, trying to sound friendly. "Don't worry about it. We've already ordered dinner, and the restaurant is delivering a full meal. But now you've made me curious. I'll definitely have to come back another day and try your lasagna," Ursula replied. I sat down on the couch, and August came over to sit beside me. "

Camille's POV No. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Caesar Salvatore was standing at the bar, staring right at me. What the hell was he doing here? At my job? For a second, I considered pretending he wasn't looking at me. But he was persistent. His eyes followed me wherever I moved, making it obvious he'd come because of me. It was better to find out what he wanted before people started noticing. "Are you planning to order something, or are you just going to keep staring at me?" I asked bluntly. Being stared at while you were working was uncomfortable, especially in a nightclub. "Sorry. I didn't mean to bother you. Can I just get a bottle of water, please?" he replied, looking embarrassed. "So you're back to a hundred percent?" I asked, handing him a bottle of water. "Not quite. I'm still not supposed to overdo it, but I had to come. I needed to see it with my own eyes. I thought you were a dream, but my brother confirmed you're real." 'He still thinks I'm some ki

August's POV My day had been a disaster. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Isabelle's face. She'd never been very good at hiding her emotions, and when I'd told her how I viewed our relationship, I knew I'd disappointed her. Sleeping with Isabelle had been even better than I'd imagined. The desire between us was mutual. She responded so naturally to my touch, and the chemistry between us was undeniable. Most days, we couldn't keep our hands off each other, making out all over the house. It was good. It felt incredible. But I couldn't let her believe our marriage would somehow turn into a lifelong love story. I liked Isabelle. I liked what we had. I liked talking to her, eating the lasagna she made, sharing those quiet moments together. But that was all it was. A passing passion. Fortunately, my thoughts were interrupted when Dylan finally walked in with the results of his investigation into Isabelle's ex-husband, Carl. "It took longer than usual," Dylan e

"You need to go see your sister. Your nephew is so beautiful, and the poor child hasn't done anything wrong. He deserves a family that's together, sweetheart," my aunt said as she poured me a cup of coffee. "Mom, for the love of God! Karen stole Isa's husband, and she left her homeless..." Camille protested. "Your mother would never want to see her daughters fighting," my aunt continued, completely ignoring what Camille had said. My cousin let out a frustrated sigh. From the very beginning, my aunt had made excuses for everything that had happened. She insisted I should sit down with my sister and make peace. "These invitations are absolutely gorgeous," Camille said, changing the subject as she admired the invitations I'd brought over for my wedding. "You're going to be my maid of honor. I'll send you the color palette, but I'm warning you now, you'll be wearing red." I hadn't gone all out with special invitations for the wedding party. After all, Camille was my only br