The morning sun filtered through the curtains of Ezra's penthouse, casting a warm glow on the chaos of the previous night. Celia stirred, her body sore but relaxed, wrapped in the heat of Ezra's embrace. It had been a whirlwind of emotions, but somehow, everything felt calmer now. Her heart still ached with the remnants of fear and uncertainty, but for the first time in a long time, she felt like she wasn't carrying the weight of it all alone.
She blinked slowly, waking up to the unfamiliar sensation of comfort. Ezra's arm was draped over her waist, his breathing steady. It was strange how normal this felt after everything they'd been through—after the divorce, the betrayal, and the danger that still loomed large in the background. For a fleeting moment, Celia let herself imagine that this was how things were meant to be, that they hadn't been torn apart by lies and violence.
But reality set in quickly. They were still in the middle of a storm, surrounded by enemies on all sides. Ferrara, the man her father had been indebted to, was still out there, waiting for his moment to strike. She knew last night had only been a brief escape from the chaos of their lives, and now, they had to face what was coming.
Ezra stirred beside her, his eyes fluttering open. He gave her a small, sleepy smile, and for a moment, Celia saw a glimpse of the man she had once fallen in love with—the man who had shielded her from the darkness of his world, even if he hadn't always done it perfectly.
"Morning," he murmured, his voice husky.
"Morning," she whispered back, feeling a rush of warmth spread through her chest.
Ezra's hand slipped to her stomach, his touch gentle and absentminded. Celia stiffened slightly, realizing that her pregnancy hormones were still wreaking havoc on her body. Her pulse quickened, a strange, sudden desire taking hold of her as his fingers brushed over her skin.
"You okay?" Ezra asked, sensing the tension in her body.
Celia shifted uncomfortably, biting her lip. "I'm fine… just… I think it's the hormones," she admitted, feeling her cheeks flush. It was embarrassing, how her body seemed to be reacting without her control.
Ezra raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile tugging at his lips. "Hormones, huh?"
Celia shot him a half-hearted glare, but the smile on his face was infectious. She couldn't help but laugh, the tension between them easing slightly. It was moments like these that made her wonder if they could actually make this work again—if there was a chance for them to rebuild what had been shattered.
Before she could respond, a loud, insistent knock echoed through the penthouse.
Ezra's body went rigid instantly. He shot up from the bed, his face darkening as the reality of their situation crashed back down around them. Celia followed suit, her heart pounding in her chest as the knocking grew louder, more frantic.
"Stay here," Ezra ordered, his voice low and deadly serious.
Celia nodded, her body tense as she watched him throw on a pair of pants and stride toward the door. Her instincts told her something was wrong—very wrong. She slipped out of bed, quickly pulling on a robe as she moved to the living room, staying just out of sight.
Ezra opened the door, and the last person Celia expected barged in, storming into the room like a tornado of fury.
Tessa.
Celia's former best friend, the woman who had betrayed her, stood in the middle of the penthouse, her face twisted with rage. Her dark eyes flared as they landed on Ezra, and then darted around the room, as if searching for something—or someone.
"What the hell is going on, Ezra?" Tessa snapped, her voice sharp and accusatory.
Ezra crossed his arms over his chest, his face impassive. "What are you doing here, Tessa?"
Tessa's eyes narrowed. "Don't play games with me. You're not answering my calls. You think I wouldn't notice what's happening?" She glanced around, her gaze landing on the bedroom door. Her eyes narrowed even further, suspicion darkening her expression. "She's here, isn't she? Celia."
Celia's stomach dropped. She knew this was going to be bad—Tessa's anger had always been unpredictable, especially when it came to Ezra. But this… this was worse than she had expected. She stayed frozen in place, not sure whether to reveal herself or stay hidden.
"Leave, Tessa," Ezra said, his voice icy. "This has nothing to do with you anymore."
Tessa's laugh was bitter, her eyes flashing with betrayal. "Nothing to do with me? I'm the one who's been by your side for the past year, Ezra! While she was gone, I was the one you turned to! I was the one who helped you pick up the pieces. And now you just throw me aside like I'm nothing?"
Ezra's jaw tightened, his expression hard. "You knew what this was. We were never—"
"Don't give me that!" Tessa shrieked, cutting him off. "You're still hung up on her, aren't you? After everything, after what she did, you're still running back to her!"
Ezra's face darkened further, but before he could respond, Tessa's gaze flickered to the side, and she spotted Celia standing just outside the bedroom doorway.
Celia's heart dropped as their eyes met, Tessa's face contorting with pure hatred.
"You," Tessa spat, stepping toward her. "You've ruined everything."
Celia felt the tension in the air shift dangerously. Her pulse quickened, but she stood her ground, unwilling to let Tessa intimidate her anymore. She had been through enough, and she wasn't about to let her ex-best friend tear her down again.
"Tessa, stop," Ezra warned, stepping between them.
But Tessa wasn't listening. Her eyes were locked on Celia, her hands trembling with rage. "You think you can just walk back into his life and everything will go back to the way it was? You think you can just take him from me?"
Celia's heart pounded, but she forced herself to speak, her voice calm but firm. "I never took him from you, Tessa. You betrayed me."
Tessa's eyes blazed with fury. "I was trying to protect him! From you. From all of this!" She gestured wildly around her, as if the penthouse itself was part of the mess she blamed Celia for.
Ezra stepped closer to Celia, his protective stance clear. "Tessa, leave. Now."
Tessa's eyes darted between them, realization dawning as she saw the way Ezra positioned himself beside Celia, the way he was defending her, shielding her.
Her expression shifted from rage to heartbreak, her voice cracking as she whispered, "You love her, don't you?"
Ezra didn't hesitate. "Yes."
Tessa let out a choked sound, backing away slowly, her face crumbling with betrayal. "You'll regret this," she hissed, her voice venomous. "Both of you."
With that, she spun on her heel and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
The silence that followed was deafening. Celia stood frozen, her heart racing as the weight of what had just happened sank in. Ezra turned to face her, his expression conflicted, but before either of them could say a word, the phone rang, breaking the silence.
Ezra answered it, his face growing grim as he listened. Celia's stomach twisted with dread.
"Trouble's coming," Ezra said, hanging up the phone. He met her gaze, his eyes dark with determination. "We need to be ready."
And just like that, the fragile peace they had found was shattered, and the storm was closing in once again.