Devon's Pov "Didn't think you'd come along," I said as Liam walked into the office, his crew trailing behind him, already scattering to the areas that needed tending to.He chuckled, a low, almost smug sound that I knew all too well. "And miss a moment when Devon is vulnerable, at the tip of my finger? I couldn’t miss it for the world."I gave him a smile, one that was a little more strained than I’d intended. The smile was temporary and left my face as quickly as it came. It didn’t reach my eyes. I knew how to keep my emotions guarded, but the thing about Liam was that he always knew exactly which buttons to push. He’d always had that effect on me. I let the smile linger a moment longer, forcing it to stay before it slipped away just as quickly as it had appeared. "Enjoy the view, then," I replied coolly, my voice betraying nothing of the tension I could feel coiling inside. "Gladly, good sir," Liam said, his grin stretching across his face as he made his way further into the room
Karen's Pov Sunday mornings were already meant for tidying up the house especially as Devon didn't go to work on those days. He and Lauren would always use it as a day of hell and one worse than every other day. I hated it but I didn't have much of a choice or at least I didn't think I did.I sat at my window side stationed just inches away from my room. It was a typical Sunday morning but things were extremely different, I didn't have to work much and the new apartment was as good as well…new.I took up my phone scanning through my notifications, it had already been a week since I left Devon's estate and since I got that text from him. I sat on the couch close to the open window staring out at the city. Sunday mornings were always empty without activity but at night the city grew wild and alive. I walked over to my bed, sank back in it and buried my head in my hand. I'd grown this past week, I thought about Devon much less than I expected I would but nevertheless I still did.I co
Karen's Pov.Inhaling a deep breath trying to steady my nerves as I opened the door.A figure came into view, standing before me was a woman looking around my age with a smile and a friendly air around her. Her dark hair pulled into a loose ponytail and bright eyes that held a cool warmth. Her outfit was simple but put together, lazy sweatpants, a cozy sweater and a pair of sneakers that looked a little well-worn. For a moment. I just stood there unsure of how to respond. I hadn't planned on meeting anyone today, least of all, a stranger at my door.."Hello neighbor, " she said, waving, her voice light and friendly. "I’m Lena, your neighbor. I stay just down the hall. I saw you move in just last week and thought I'd stop by to say hello and maybe introduce myself. I hope I’m not interrupting anything."Her smile was genuine, and her easy-going presence made me feel... slightly less tense, though I still couldn’t shake the knot in my stomach. I hadn’t expected anyone to stop by so
Karen's Pov.“We'll be having a banquet by Monday evening and you'll be accompanying me.” Liam said, leaning back against his chair.” Meaning you Karen have to accompany me as my personal assistant.” I stood in front of his table, my gaze locking onto his as his face curled into a friendly smile. Liam had been more of a close friend than a boss to me and things were now well less…awkward.“Alright boss “ I said, lifting my arm to my head in an ‘aye captain’ manner, getting a chuckle from him.Even after being his personal assistant for a month, I'd never had to accompany him to any meetings with any companies but the fact that he needed me on this one meant I'd have to make a good impression for the safety of the company and his name.“It's kind of a fun masquerade banquet so be on your best fit.” He said, giving me a small wink. “Dress to kill the show but still please don't hug all the attention.” He shoulder went down like a kid pleading to have his ice cream all to himself. “Oh
Karen's POVSaturday evening, it was finally the day. I was staring at my closet, completely lost. I had spent the entire morning thinking about Liam's invitation to dinner last night and now what to wear.i didn't really know how all these worked it had been ages I last went on a date so it was…complicated I had been thinking about it non-stop since the moment I stepped out of his car and even before going to bed last night. Lena had noticed my distracted mood earlier this morning , and, as always, she had no problem calling me out. "You’re really thinking about this guy a lot, huh?" she asked, nudging my shoulder as I sat down at my desk.I nodded absentmindedly, then shook my head. "It's not like that Lena" I muttered, glancing at her. "I just... I don't know. I don't want to mess things up with him."After our first meeting Lema and I just well…clicked."Girl, you're overthinking this. Just relax and let whatever happens, happen. It’s not that deep I promise" she reassured bu
Karen's POV“I want to tell you something very important, Karen.”The casual air we had been sharing since arriving at the restaurant vanished in an instant. My heart fluttered, a nervous excitement sparking within me. I stopped mid-sentence, the wine glass just below my lips and my eyes locked into his piercing gaze. He looked at me in a way that made my breath pause in my chest and something fluttered in my stomach.The feeling was overwhelming but not new and that only made my nervousness creep in. The last time I felt this way was with him. Devon.I swallowed, pulling myself back to the reality that was unfolding. "What is it?"He hesitated. I watched his jaw tighten slightly, his fingers tapping nervously on the edge of his wine glass gripping it so tightly that I could almost see the glass crack. Was he nervous? “I just... I want to say—” Liam started again, but then, as if something inside him shifted, he stopped. His lips pressed together in a thin line, and his gaze flick
Karen's POV"I... I think I’m in love with you, Karen.”The words hung in the air like they could shatter at any moment. His gaze didn't leave mine and I could see a sparkle shimmering in his eyes. He wasn't lying. I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that he just made a confession to me under the moonlit night with stars shattered around the horizons. I felt my heart breaking as the disappointment creeped in, I wished I could reciprocate the sparkle and shimmer, to tell him the words he her just said back but I couldn't open my mouth. A word didn't leave my lips as I sat still, a lot of words. The world around us seemed to blue, the gentle sound of the river’s waves fading into the background. My breath caught in my throat as the shock of his words sank into like a stone that was thrown into the river.My breath hung in my throat as the wind suddenly felt like they were pinching at my skin and I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak.Liam’s hand was still gilding min
Karen's Pov The soft morning light seeped through the curtains, the sun light feeling the room and giving beauty the self made painting's on the wall. The sound of birds chirping outside and the few passing cars signified the beauty of Sunday mornings. I sat down at my couch just near the window with a warm blanket draped over my lap. The peace of the Sunday mornings felt oddly haunting as the memories of Liam and I continued appearing in my mind. I had barely slept, my mind still racing with everything that had happened.Liam’s confession still echoed in my head, a painful reminder of the vulnerability I hadn’t been able to return. The way he looked at me, the feeling I couldn't reciprocate.The doorbell rang, pulling me out of my spiral of thoughts. My heart jumped, half-expecting it to be Liam standing on the other side of the door. But when I opened it, it wasn’t Liam.It was Lena, holding two coffee cups, the unmistakable scent of fresh brew I knew so well wafting into the apa
Karen's Pov (18+)PRESENT TIME “If this is all true,” I said, my voice shaking as I tried to steady myself, “if Lauren isn’t the one after me, and you might have some kind of lead… why are you helping me? Why are you doing this? Why can’t you just wait for everything to change? Why can’t you just… wait for me to figure this out? Why must you help me?” The words came out more frantic than I intended, my emotions teetering on the edge. Devon’s eyes softened as he stepped closer, his expression unreadable but achingly familiar. “I’m helping you because I love you,” he said, his voice firm, but there was a vulnerability there too. I froze. “I always have,” he continued, his words deliberate, every syllable sinking into me. “Even in those five years I stayed away, Karen. Even when I tried to let you go. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I couldn’t stop loving you.” He moved even closer, the heat of his body radiating against mine. His hand brushed against my arm, a featherligh
Devon’s POVEARLIER…The harsh cold of the night air bit into my skin as I walked out of the hotel, my mind spinning with the conversation I had just had with Lauren. If she wasn’t the one after Karen, then who the hell was? I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was missing something—something crucial. There had to be a bigger picture here, something I wasn’t seeing.The more I thought about it, the tighter the knot in my stomach became. I couldn’t just ignore it. Karen was at risk, and somehow, I was tangled in this twisted game.I had to find out. I had to get answers before it was too late. But before I did anything rash, there was one person I had to talk to.O'Hara.My mind raced, and before I even realized it, my feet carried me to my cab. I had already betrayed Karen too many times, and this—this was no different. The constant lies, the manipulation—it had to stop. But if I didn’t act now, everything I cared about would come crashing down. I couldn’t continue working for O’Hara,
Karen's POV“He was caught visiting Lauren a few days ago,” He uttered, bracing himself for my reaction.I blinked, my heart skipping a beat. We're my ears playing games with me?“Devon?” I repeated and he nodded his head. He told me he wasn't with her anymore. He loved the kids, didn't he?“Are you sure? Devon? With Lauren?”He nodded again. “We have footage, Karen. It’s solid. If you want to see it, you can come down to the office tomorrow.”I was stunned. I didn’t even know what to say. Devon and Lauren? Again? He had promised me he was done with her, that he wanted to fix things for the sake of the kids. Was that all just a lie?“Unbelievable,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair. “He said he wasn’t involved with her anymore. That he was trying to move on.”His expression softened, but his tone remained serious. “Look, Karen, I know this is hard to hear, but you need to be careful. Whatever’s going on, don’t let him know you’re aware of this. Keep things normal around him
Karen's POVTroy turned to me with a smile. "How about one last treat before the day ends?" he asked.I raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on my lips despite myself. "Another treat? You’ve already done enough, Troy. I think I’ve taken up enough of your time today."He shook his head, dismissing my protest with a wave of his hand. "Nonsense. You deserve this, Karen. Trust me, you’ll enjoy it."There was something about the way he said it that made it hard to argue. Reluctantly, I nodded. "Fine, but just this once. Don’t make a habit of spoiling me."He chuckled softly, leading me to the car. Once again, he opened the door for me. I slid into the seat, trying not to let the gesture affect me too much, but it was hard to ignore the small flutter in my chest.As we drove, I glanced at him curiously. "So, where exactly are we going this time?""You’ll see," he replied, eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief.We drove through the city streets until we reached a quaint corner that l
Karen's POVThe throbbing in my head was relentless. I pressed my fingertips to my temples, trying to ease the ache, but nothing worked. It had been one of those mornings—exhausting, emotional, and everything in between. The kids were at the park with Jordie, and for the first time in days, I was alone, which should’ve been a relief, but all I felt was the weight of everything crashing down on me.I sank deeper into the couch, hoping for some peace, but the silence of the house felt deafening. The walls seemed to close in, and I found it hard to breathe with the pressure that had built up inside me. The events of the past few days were replaying in my mind—my argument with Devon, the overwhelming stress of trying to keep everything together for my kids, and the loneliness that had become so familiar.The quiet was interrupted by a knock at the door, and I froze. Who could that be? I wasn’t expecting anyone.I forced myself to stand, my head spinning as I made my way to the door. When
My grip on the seat tightened as the car pulled into Karen’s driveway. The house loomed in the dim light of the streetlamp, but it wasn’t the familiar structure that caught my attention—it was Karen.She was leaning over the hood of her car, a bottle of something amber-colored clutched in her trembling hand. Her hair was disheveled, and even from this distance, I could see her shoulders shaking.My heart dropped. Karen wasn’t the type to let herself unravel like this.The car came to a stop, and I stepped out, my boots crunching on the gravel. She didn’t even look up as I approached, too consumed by her own tears and whatever thoughts had driven her to this state.“Karen,” I said softly.Her head snapped up, and her glassy eyes met mine. “You came,” she slurred, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. “Of course, you came. Always the hero, huh?”“What the hell is going on?” I asked, my tone gentle but firm as I took the bottle from her hand.She didn’t resist, just waved vaguely at the air.
Devon's pov He hesitated, his instincts screaming at him to leave, but her words cut through his resolve. “Come on, Devon,” Lauren said, her voice low and inviting. “Don’t you want to know? Aren’t you curious about what I have to say?”Her eyes locked onto his, a smirk tugging at her lips as she patted the space beside her on the bed. Against his better judgment, he moved forward, his jaw clenched as he lowered himself onto the edge of the mattress, keeping a careful distance between them.Lauren shifted, her posture relaxed yet calculated, her knee brushing against his. “You look tense,” she purred, her voice dripping with false concern. “You’ve always carried the weight of the world on your shoulders, haven’t you?”“Lauren, if you’ve called me here to waste my time—”“I called you here because I care, Devon,” she interrupted smoothly, her hand sliding onto his thigh. “I’ve missed you.”Her fingers trailed upward, and he stiffened, his gaze snapping to hers. Lauren leaned in, her pe
Devon's POVThe phone buzzed on the corner of my desk. O’Hara’s name lit up the screen for what felt like the hundredth time in the past two days. I’d ignored it, silenced it, even turned the damn thing face down in the hopes it would stop. But now, as I sat in the dim light of my office, the soft hum of activity from the floor below echoing faintly, I knew I couldn’t avoid it any longer.My hand hovered over the phone, the weight of the decision pressing down on me. Finally, with a resigned sigh, I picked it up and swiped to answer.“O’Hara,” I said flatly, my voice betraying none of the turmoil swirling within me.“Devon,” came the familiar oily tone on the other end. “I was beginning to think you’d forgotten all about me.”“Been busy,” I replied curtly, leaning back in my chair.“Well, I hope you’ve been busy getting me something useful. Any updates?”I hesitated, staring at the papers strewn across my desk. My fingers drummed a restless rhythm on the wood as I considered my respon
Karen's POVI picked up the phone, my fingers trembling slightly as I dialed Troy's number. The seconds felt like hours as I waited for him to pick up. When he did, his voice was a welcome comfort, steady and reassuring."Karen?" he asked, his tone instantly alert. "What's going on?"I hesitated for a moment, weighing my words carefully. "I just got a call from the police. They want me to come down to the station. Something urgent about my case," I said, my voice tight with a mix of concern and frustration.There was a pause on the other end before Troy responded, his voice low and serious. "Do they say what it's about?""No, they wouldn’t tell me over the phone," I replied, glancing at the clock again. "I’m heading over as soon as I can. I just... I don't know what’s going on, but it doesn't feel good."Troy let out a quiet sigh. "Alright. Keep me posted. Be smart about your movements. Don't do anything rash. We don't know if this is just about your case or if it’s something more."I