CHAPTER ONE Five Years Later The rain had started without warning. Methane Williams stood by the window of her small apartment, watching the drops race down the glass as she checked the time on her phone for what felt like the tenth time. 4:37 p.m. The twins should have been home by now. She frowned. Their school wasn't far from the apartment, and their usual bus arrived before four-thirty. Something wasn't right. Her phone suddenly rang. "Hello?" "Mrs. Williams?" Methane immediately straightened. "Yes. Who is this?" "This is Greenfield Academy. There has been a minor accident involving the school bus." Her heart stopped. "What?" "Please, don't panic. The children are safe, but-" Methane didn't wait to hear the rest. She grabbed her bag and rushed out of the apartment. Across town, Kendrick Blackwood had just finished a business meeting. He sat behind the wheel of his black car, his fingers tapping impatiently against the steering wheel as the rain continued to fall. His phone wouldn't stop ringing. He ignored it. He needed silence. Five years of building his company had taught him one thing: emotions were distractions. He had no time for them. As he approached an intersection, he suddenly noticed a crowd gathered ahead. Cars had stopped. People were standing in the rain. Kendrick slowed down. A school bus had collided with another vehicle. He immediately pulled over. "Damn." He stepped out of the car and walked toward the accident. A teacher was trying to calm several frightened children. Kendrick looked around. "Is everyone okay?" "Yes," the teacher replied quickly. "There are a few minor injuries, but we're handling it." Then Kendrick noticed two children sitting together on the pavement. A little boy and a little girl. They looked frightened, but neither was crying. Kendrick crouched in front of them. "Are you two okay?" The boy nodded. "My sister is scared." The little girl immediately grabbed her brother's hand. Kendrick gave them a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. Your mother will be here soon." The boy looked at him. "How do you know?" "Because mothers always come." The little girl smiled faintly. For some reason, Kendrick found himself staring at the children. There was something familiar about their faces. But he quickly dismissed the thought. He had never seen them before. At least, he didn't think he had. Several minutes later, a woman came running through the crowd. "Liam! Lily!" The twins immediately stood up. "Mommy!" Kendrick froze. That voice. His eyes slowly moved toward the woman. She stopped when she saw him. The color drained from her face. For several seconds, neither of them moved. Five years. Five long years. And yet Kendrick recognized her instantly. "Methane?" Methane's heart slammed against her chest. She hadn't expected to see him. Not here. Not today. Not ever. "Kendrick..." His eyes remained fixed on her. The woman he had met in a bar five years ago. The woman he had spent one unforgettable night with. The woman who had disappeared the next morning without leaving a number. He looked at the two children standing beside her. Then back at Methane. A strange thought crossed his mind. But he immediately pushed it away. Surely not. Methane had a life now. She had probably married someone else and had children of her own. He forced a small smile. "I can't believe it's you." Methane swallowed hard. "Neither can I." Lily tugged at her mother's dress. "Mommy, this is the man who helped us." Methane looked at Kendrick. "Thank you." Their eyes met again. And for the first time in five years, Methane realized something terrifying. The past she had worked so hard to bury had just found its way back into her life. Kendrick stepped aside to let her pass. "Take care of yourself." Methane nodded. She quickly took the twins' hands and walked away. Kendrick watched her disappear into the rain. He didn't know why he couldn't stop looking after her. He didn't know why seeing her again had stirred something he thought he'd forgotten. And most importantly... He had no idea that the two children he had just helped were his own.

Methane's heart pounded as she stared at the man standing before her. Kendrick Blackwood. Five years had passed, but she recognized him instantly. The man she had spent years trying to forget was standing in the same hospital corridor as her children. "Methane?" Hearing her name from his lips sent a chill through her. "Kendrick." His eyes moved from her face to the two children beside her. "They're okay?" he asked. Methane nodded. "Yes. They're fine." Before Kendrick could say anything else, hurried footsteps came from down the hallway. "Methane!" She turned around. Daniel rushed toward them, his face filled with worry. "I heard about the accident. Are Liam and Lily okay?" "They're fine," Methane assured him. Daniel immediately went to the twins and pulled them into his arms. "My babies, you scared me." Kendrick watched the scene quietly. His expression became unreadable. Then his eyes settled on Daniel. The man's closeness to Methane. The way he comforted the children. The familiarity between them. Kendrick drew his own conclusion. "Your husband?" he asked. Methane's eyes widened. "No, Daniel is-" "My brother," she wanted to say. But before she could finish, a nurse called her name from inside the room. "Mrs. Williams, we need to speak with you about the children's condition." Methane glanced at Kendrick. "I have to go." Kendrick gave a small nod. His gaze remained on Daniel. "Take care of them." Daniel frowned slightly, unsure what he meant. But Kendrick had already turned away. Methane watched him walk down the hallway. Her heart sank. He thought Daniel was her husband. And somehow, she knew correcting him would only create more questions. So she let him believe it. Outside the hospital, Kendrick got into his car. He leaned back against the seat and closed his eyes. He couldn't understand why seeing Methane again had affected him so much. Five years ago, she had been nothing more than a beautiful stranger he'd shared one unforgettable night with. He had never expected to see her again. And now she had two children. With another man. Kendrick shook his head. "She's married." He said the words as though trying to convince himself. Then why did it bother him? His driver started the engine. As the car pulled away from the hospital, Kendrick glanced through the window one last time. That was when he saw her. Lily. She was standing near the hospital entrance with Methane and Daniel. The little girl lifted her hand to wave at someone. Kendrick's eyes suddenly fell on her wrist. A small silver bracelet. His entire body went still. The bracelet. He knew that bracelet. Five years ago, Methane had worn one exactly like it. His eyes narrowed as he stared through the car window. But before he could get a better look, the car moved past the hospital entrance. Kendrick turned around. "Stop the car." The driver immediately slowed down. "Sir?" Kendrick continued staring at the hospital behind them. Something wasn't right. He didn't know what it was. Not yet. But that bracelet had awakened a memory he had buried for five years. "Never mind," he finally said. The driver continued driving. Kendrick looked down at his hands, deep in thought. He had no idea why a little girl's bracelet had suddenly made his past feel so close. But one thing was certain. He needed to find out where he had seen it before. And this time, he wasn't going to ignore the feeling in his gut.

Chapter Three The Woman His Father Chose Kendrick Blackwood stared through the tinted window of his car as the hospital disappeared behind him. He should have been thinking about the accident. He should have been thinking about the damaged car, the injured children, the reports waiting on his desk, or the countless phone calls his lawyers would soon be making. Instead, there was only one thing occupying his mind. Methane Williams. Five years. Five years since he had last seen her. And yet, the moment their eyes had met in that hospital corridor, it had felt as though those five years had never existed. Her face was different. There was a tiredness in her eyes that hadn't been there before. But she was still Methane. The same woman who had walked into his life unexpectedly five years ago and disappeared just as quickly. Kendrick loosened his tie. "Sir?" His driver's voice interrupted his thoughts. "What?" "Should I take you to the office?" Kendrick stared ahead. "No. Home." The driver nodded. Kendrick leaned back and closed his eyes. He needed to forget her. That was what he had done for five years. He had buried that night so deeply that he had convinced himself it had never mattered. It was one night. One mistake. One woman. Nothing more. So why was his chest tightening every time he remembered her face? Then his mind drifted to the children. The twins. He had barely paid attention to them during the chaos at the hospital. But there was something about them. Something he couldn't explain. He remembered the little girl's eyes. And then- The bracelet. Kendrick's eyes opened. He remembered seeing it on her wrist. A small bracelet with a name engraved on it. Lily. He frowned. Why did that bother him? "Stop." The driver immediately slowed down. Kendrick looked out the window. For a moment, he considered returning to the hospital. Then he shook his head. No. He couldn't do that. He wasn't going back because of a bracelet. He wasn't going back because of Methane. He had a life now. A complicated one. A life his father had made sure he could never forget. Kendrick Blackwood had inherited more than money. He had inherited an empire. After his father's health began deteriorating, Kendrick had been handed control of Blackwood Enterprises, one of the most powerful business empires in the country. It was supposed to have been his greatest achievement. Instead, it often felt like a cage. His father had given him the company with one condition. Kendrick was expected to secure the family's future. And in his father's mind, that meant marriage. To one particular woman. Lillian Winifred. Kendrick had known Lillian for years. She came from a wealthy family whose influence stretched across several industries. She was beautiful, educated, elegant, and exactly the kind of woman his father believed belonged beside him. The perfect Blackwood wife. At least, according to his father. Kendrick didn't feel the same way. But he had never completely pushed Lillian away either. And that was his mistake. Because Lillian had interpreted his silence as permission. When Kendrick entered his penthouse that evening, he immediately noticed the familiar pair of heels beside the door. He stopped. "Lillian." A soft voice came from the living room. "You're finally home." Kendrick walked inside. Lillian Winifred stood near the window. She looked effortlessly elegant in a fitted cream dress, her long hair falling neatly over her shoulders. She smiled when she saw him. "I was beginning to think you had forgotten you promised to have dinner with me." "I didn't promise." Her smile faded slightly. "You said you'd try." "There's a difference." Lillian walked toward him. "I heard about the accident." Kendrick's expression hardened. "Who told you?" "Your father." Of course. Kendrick sighed. His father never missed an opportunity to interfere in his life. "Are you hurt?" "No." "And the children?" "They're alive." Lillian nodded. "Good." Her eyes studied him. "But you look distracted." "I'm tired." "Is that all?" Kendrick walked past her. "Lillian, I don't want to do this tonight." She followed him. "Do what?" "Whatever this is." Her expression changed. "You mean us?" Kendrick stopped. There it was again. The word he hated. Us. "There is no us, Lillian." Her jaw tightened. "You've been saying that for years." "Because it's true." She stared at him. "Then why does your father keep telling me that we'll eventually get married?" Kendrick turned around. "Because that's what my father wants." "And what do you want?" Kendrick didn't answer. For some reason, Methane's face appeared in his mind. He quickly pushed the thought away. "I want peace." Lillian gave a small laugh. "You won't get that while you're running a company like Blackwood Enterprises." She stepped closer. "And you certainly won't get it if you keep fighting your father." Kendrick looked at her. "You should go home." Lillian's eyes narrowed. "You didn't even ask me to stay." "I didn't need to." She stared at him for a few seconds before picking up her handbag. As she walked toward the door, she stopped. "My father and yours are meeting next week." Kendrick said nothing. "They're discussing the merger." "I know." "And apparently, your father wants us to attend together." Kendrick's expression darkened. "Lillian." She smiled. "Don't worry. I'll be there." Then she walked out. Kendrick watched the door close behind her. He exhaled slowly. Lillian Winifred. Always there. Always waiting. Always standing in the place his father had reserved for her. But tonight, for the first time, Kendrick wondered if there was someone else who had already occupied that place without him realizing it. The next morning, Kendrick sat behind his enormous desk at Blackwood Enterprises. A file lay open in front of him. He had been staring at the same page for almost ten minutes. "Methane Williams." His assistant, David, stood across from him. "You asked me to find information about her." Kendrick nodded. "What did you find?" David placed another folder on the desk. "She's unmarried." Kendrick's eyes immediately lifted. "Unmarried?" "Yes." Kendrick leaned back. "Are you certain?" "According to the information I found, yes." Kendrick said nothing. David continued. "She has two children." Kendrick looked down at the file. "Twins." "Yes." "What are their ages?" "Five." Silence. Kendrick's fingers slowly tightened around the edge of the desk. Five. Five years old. He looked away. Coincidence. It had to be. "Names?" David turned the page. "The boy is-" "Lily." Kendrick interrupted. David paused. "The girl's name is Lily." Kendrick's eyes narrowed. He remembered the bracelet. The little girl. The name. Lily. He stood. "Do you have photographs?" "Yes." David handed him a folder. Kendrick opened it. The first photograph showed the boy. He stared at him. There was something unsettling about the child's face. Then he looked at the girl. His breathing stopped. Her eyes. That expression. He couldn't explain it. But something inside him shifted. He picked up the photograph and stared at it longer. Then he saw the bracelet. The same bracelet. Kendrick's heart pounded. "Where did you get this?" "Public information and some hospital records." Kendrick looked at him sharply. "Hospital records?" "Nothing confidential, sir. Just information connected to the accident." Kendrick lowered his gaze again. His mind raced. Methane had two five-year-old twins. She wasn't married. He had met her five years ago. And now there was a little girl named Lily wearing a bracelet that Kendrick distinctly remembered seeing. He didn't want to believe it. But for the first time, the possibility entered his mind. Could those children- No. He shook his head. Impossible. He had to know. Across the city, Methane sat beside Lily's hospital bed. Her daughter was awake now, playing quietly with a toy Daniel had brought. Methane watched her. Her heart felt heavy. She hadn't slept properly since the accident. Not because of the accident itself. Because Kendrick was back. And Kendrick Blackwood was not a man who ignored questions. She knew him. If something caught his attention, he wouldn't rest until he understood it. "Mummy?" Methane looked at Lily. "Yes, baby?" "Who was that man yesterday?" Methane froze. "What man?" "The one who was looking at me." Her heart skipped. "Kendrick?" Lily nodded. "He looked sad." Methane forced a smile. "He was just worried because of the accident." Lily touched her bracelet. "He looked at my bracelet." Methane's smile disappeared. Daniel, who was sitting nearby, immediately looked up. "Methane." She shook her head slightly. "I know." Daniel stood. "We need to be careful." "I know." "What if he finds out?" Methane looked at the twins. Her eyes became wet. "I don't know." Daniel walked closer. "You can't keep running forever." "I've been running for five years." "And now he's found you." Methane closed her eyes. That was the part she was afraid of. Kendrick had found her. And this time, she couldn't simply disappear. That evening, Kendrick returned home later than usual. His father was waiting for him. The moment Kendrick entered the room, he knew exactly what was coming. "You've been avoiding Lillian." Kendrick removed his jacket. "I'm busy." "You're always busy." His father stood. "I gave you control of this company because I believed you were capable of protecting everything our family built." "I am." "Then act like it." Kendrick stared at him. His father continued. "Lillian's family is important to this company." "So that's what this is about." "It's always been about the company." Kendrick laughed bitterly. "Of course." "You need stability." "I don't need a wife to run a company." "You need an alliance." Kendrick's expression hardened. "And if I refuse?" His father looked at him. "Then you may discover that being the owner of Blackwood Enterprises comes with conditions." Kendrick went silent. His father had always known exactly where to strike. Before walking away, his father added, "Lillian will be at the company tomorrow." Kendrick frowned. "Why?" "She'll be working with you on the merger." Kendrick's jaw tightened. Of course. Lillian wasn't going anywhere. She was going to be there. Standing beside him. Waiting. The woman his father had chosen. And somehow, Kendrick knew that her presence was about to become much more complicated. Because there was another woman now. A woman his father knew nothing about. A woman Kendrick himself had never been able to forget. Methane. That night, Kendrick stood alone in his bedroom. He looked at the photograph David had given him. Lily. He stared at her face. Then he looked at the boy. The twins. Five years old. His mind returned to that night. Methane's voice. Her smile. The way she had looked at him before they parted. He had never asked questions. He had never called. He had never searched for her. Maybe that had been the biggest mistake of his life. His phone rang. David. Kendrick answered. "Yes?" "Sir, there's something else." Kendrick straightened. "What?" "I found a record concerning the twins." "What kind of record?" David hesitated. "It's about their birth." Kendrick's heart began pounding. "What does it say?" "I think you should see it yourself." Kendrick's eyes narrowed.