Nolan POV
I had lived with rumors my entire life.
They were usually sharp-edged things—whispered curses, muttered warnings, the old stories dragged out whenever I stepped out of line. I had learned early not to listen, not to let them touch me.
I knew what people thought of me. I knew that I was considered a violent, cold-hearted, manipulative man who cared only for power and control at the expense of everything else.
I embraced that reputation because it was better than letting people think that I was a pushover. It was safer.
This was different.
These rumors followed me like a tide, warm and relentless, and I didn’t know what to do with them.
After the press conference about the twins I had expected backlash. I had expected to be called out for lying, for hiding things from the
