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One spilled drink, one fired server, one unexpected second chance. Emery Knight is broke, desperate, and just a tiny bit chaotic. After a spectacular disaster at a high-society gala, she loses her job and her last shred of hope,until a twist of fate has her bonding with two mischievous twins in a billionaire's parking lot. Their father, Alexander Lancaster, cold, powerful, untouchable billionaire and the man whose thousand-dollar suit she ruined. He's not impressed but his kids adore her, and when Emery's sass meets Xander's ice, sparks fly in the most unexpected ways. She only wanted a job. He wasn't looking for a nanny. But the twins aren't the only ones falling fast. They weren't supposed to collide. But love, trust, and everything in between are about to be tested. Because when two completely different worlds crash into each other and secrets resurface, pasts return, and hearts begin to open, the real question is.....Can they hold on to what they've found, or will everything unravel before it truly begins?
Hospitals are weird, too quiet, too cold, and they smell like... lemon-scented despair. You'd think with all the money they make from sick people, they could at least get a decent air freshener.
I sighed, adjusting my hoodie as I sat beside mom's bed, gently rubbing her hand. She looked so small. Not just physically, like she was somehow folding inward from the weight of being unconscious for too long. The machines beeped around us like impatient little gremlins, reminding me that time was ticking.
"Hey, Mom," I said softly, leaning forward so only she could hear. "So, I burnt my toast again this morning. Set off the fire alarm, think it hates me. Or maybe it's just mad that I keep using it as a toaster-slash-heating device-slash-bread-crisper-slash-life-failure."
Nothing, not even a twitch of her eyelids, not that I expected anything, but... a girl can dream, right?
I swallowed and looked around the room, plain walls, scratchy curtains, a water jug I was too scared to drink from. My gaze settled back on her face, pale, peaceful, too peaceful.
"I miss you." My voice cracked on the last word. "I really, really miss you. I keep trying to act like I've got it all under control, but..."
I paused, biting my lip. No, I wasn't gonna cry today, I promised myself I wouldn't. "It's hard, Mom. The bills are stacking up, my job is...ugh, don't get me started and the only thing I haven't ruined this week is... okay, no, I've ruined everything."
I sniffled. "Except your favorite hoodie. Still wearing it. Smells like lavender and too much laundry softener."
The door creaked open, and I straightened. Dr. Harper entered with his usual neutral expression that always made me feel like he was about to announce either hope or heartbreak.
"Emery," he said, nodding politely. "How are you holding up?"
I gave him my best 'I'm fine but definitely not fine' smile. "Still breathing, that counts, right?"
He nodded, stepping closer to check the monitors. "Your mother's vitals remain stable. That's a good sign, no changes, but no decline either."
"So we're in a waiting game?"
He glanced at me. "Yes. The brain's a complicated thing. Recovery from this kind of trauma takes time, and every patient's path is different. But... don't lose hope."
I nodded slowly. "Hope's kind of the only thing keeping me from pulling my hair out and applying for a job as a professional blanket burrito."
Dr. Harper chuckled, patted my shoulder, and left. I returned to Mom's side, taking her hand again.
"You hear that, Mom? You're stable. Which is great because I'm not. Mentally, emotionally, financially....I'm basically a walking disaster with a semi-decent Spotify playlist."
I leaned my forehead gently against her arm. "I'm trying, okay? I'm doing my best. So, if you could just... wake up sometime soon, that would be awesome. No pressure."
I stood to grab my bag when something stopped me.
A flicker.
I turned sharply, staring at her hand.
Was that a twitch?
I stepped closer, my heart in my throat. I leaned in, staring like a lunatic. "Mom?"
And then...then her eyelids fluttered.
Once
Twice
My breath caught.
"Mom?"
No answer, no movement again, just stillness.
I backed up slowly, hand over my mouth. Was that real? Was it just my brain messing with me from all the lack of sleep and cheap vending machine coffee?
I wasn't sure. But my heart was beating like I'd just run a marathon. And suddenly, for the first time in weeks, I felt something warm in my chest.
Hope.
Dahlia's life has always been about survival. After the tragic car accident that stole her parents, leaving her to raise her younger brother Delijah alone, she's built a quiet life focused on protecting him and keeping her independence intact. A devoted sister, Dahlia has sacrificed everything to make sure Delijah has the future he deserves. Her world is simple, predictable, until one night, when everything changes. A night out with her best friend Stacy leads Dahlia into the arms of a mysterious man Alessio, an enigmatic figure with a dark, commanding presence. Their connection is instant, an undeniable pull that neither of them can resist. Alessio is a ruthless mafia boss, a man whose world is filled with power, danger, and bloodshed. And yet, despite the warning bells ringing in her head, Dahlia can't seem to break free from him. When she finds out she's pregnant with his child, everything changes. Now, she's bound to him in a way she never anticipated, tied to a man who runs a criminal empire, a world where love and loyalty are often twisted by violence and betrayal. But Dahlia's world is about to unravel in ways she never expected. As she becomes more entwined in Alessio's life, she begins to discover truths about her own past, truths that will change everything she thought she knew. As Alessio's world becomes hers, Dahlia must navigate the dangerous terrain of mafia politics, betrayal, and power. As the tension builds and the stakes grow higher, Dahlia must choose between love and survival, loyalty and betrayal, family and the man who now controls her heart. The deeper she gets into Alessio's world, the more dangerous it becomes, and the harder it is to know who to trust. There are enemies around every corner, and Dahlia's life and the life of her unborn child, hangs in the balance. Will she find a way to navigate the treacherous underworld Alessio has dragged her into, or will the lies and betrayals that surround her tear everything apart? In a world where power, passion, and bloodshed collide, Dahlia must decide if she's strong enough to survive or if the world she's been thrust into will swallow her whole.
For ten years, Daniela showered her ex-husband with unwavering devotion, only to discover she was just his biggest joke. Feeling humiliated yet determined, she finally divorced him. Three months later, Daniela returned in grand style. She was now the hidden CEO of a leading brand, a sought-after designer, and a wealthy mining mogul—her success unveiled at her triumphant comeback. Her ex-husband’s entire family rushed over, desperate to beg for forgiveness and plead for another chance. Yet Daniela, now cherished by the famed Mr. Phillips, regarded them with icy disdain. "I’m out of your league."
In their three years of marriage, Chelsea had been a dutiful wife to Edmund. She used to think that her love and care would someday melt Edmund's cold heart, but she was wrong. Finally, she couldn't take the disappointment any longer and chose to end the marriage. Edmund had always thought that his wife was just boring and dull. So it was shocking when Chelsea suddenly threw divorce papers at his face in front of everyone at the Nelson Group's anniversary party. How humiliating! After that, everyone thought that the formerly-married couple would never see each other again, even Chelsea. Once again, she thought wrong. Sometime later, at an award ceremony, Chelsea went onstage to accept the award for best screenplay. Her ex-husband, Edmund, was the one presenting the award to her. As he handed her the trophy, he suddenly reached for her hand and pleaded humbly in front of the audience, "Chelsea, I'm sorry I didn't cherish you before. Could you please give me another chance?" Chelsea looked at him indifferently. "I'm sorry, Mr. Nelson. My only concern now is my business." Edmund's heart was shattered into a million pieces. "Chelsea, I really can't live without you." But his ex-wife just walked away. Wasn't it better for her to just concentrate on her career? Men would only distract her—especially her ex-husband.
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town's richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. "Way to go, honey!"
Maia grew up a pampered heiress-until the real daughter returned and framed her, sending Maia to prison with help from her fiancé and family. Four years later, free and married to Chris, a notorious outcast, everyone assumed Maia was finished. They soon discovered she was secretly a famed jeweler, elite hacker, celebrity chef, and top game designer. As her former family begged for help, Chris smiled calmly. "Honey, let's go home." Only then did Maia realize her "useless" husband was a legendary tycoon who'd adored her from the start.
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
"I heard you're going to marry Marcelo. Is this perhaps your revenge against me? It's very laughable, Renee. That man can barely function." Her foster family, her cheating ex, everyone thought Renee was going to live in pure hell after getting married to a disabled and cruel man. She didn't know if anything good would ever come out of it after all, she had always thought it would be hard for anyone to love her but this cruel man with dark secrets is never going to grant her a divorce because she makes him forget how to breathe.