Chapter One – Bound by Blood
The morning sun spilled over the Auckland skyline, glinting off the Sinclair estate's sprawling windows. Shane Sinclair leaned against the balcony railing, espresso in hand, his thoughts drifting halfway across the globe to the sunlit terraces of Madrid, where Isla was chasing three-year-old Trevor through one of their villas.
It was a life they had carefully carved out — a life hidden in plain sight. To the world, they were cousins with a strong family bond, heirs to one of Auckland's wealthiest dynasties. But behind closed doors, Shane and Isla had built something forbidden, yet beautiful: a love that had begun in the hallways of high school and carried through the turbulence of college.
"Shane! Don't forget, Leslie's coming over for brunch," Leroy's voice called from the lounge, cutting through Shane's thoughts.
"Thanks, man. I wouldn't miss it," Shane replied with a faint smile. His best friends knew everything — the secret, the son, the villas abroad. They were his anchor, and with them, the weight of the Sinclair family's expectations felt just a little lighter.
Isla appeared at the top of the staircase, phone in hand, smiling at Shane like she held the whole world in her gaze. "Trevor's got paint in his hair again," she said, shaking her head with mock exasperation.
Shane chuckled. "We'll have to save the white sofa for the photo shoot, then."