Anastasia strutted into the conference room on the fourth floor, ignoring Sarah, who was trying to restrain her. The secretary was mad as a hatter and was glaring at her with obvious contempt. "Hey darling, you need to fire your secretary. She's insolent, arrogant, and has never liked me." She eyed Sarah, who turned on her heel to leave the room, having failed to stop Anastasia from barging into the office. Caesar was in a meeting with Bryan and the other heads of departments when Anastasia walked in. They all looked up at the sound of her voice, and Caesar swore under his breath. She ignored the people seated in front of Caesar and went around the table to drop a kiss on his lips. He scowled at her and stood up. She was dressed in a short red silk dress that showed lots of cleavage and left little to the imagination. She paired it with high heels that made her long legs seem even longer. "Please excuse me." He said to the others, held Anastasia firmly by her arm and pulled her o
Mark waited until the elevator doors slid shut before he started to talk excitedly. “Girl! Did you see the boss and his girlfriend in the throes of passion? She’s so damn sexy, I'm not surprised that he can’t resist taking her on the corridor, right outside the conference room! ” Mark bobbed up and down like a monkey. Amaliah merely smiled and said nothing. She was famished and had forgotten the lunch box that Sheila had packed for her. If it weren’t for that singular reason, she wouldn’t be going out for lunch with Mark, and she wouldn’t have seen that embarrassing scene between Caesar and his girlfriend. No doubt, Anastasia Knight was a goddess. She looked even better in person and her skin looked flawless. Amaliah had never encountered her in person, but she supposed it was going to be a normal thing to come across celebrities while she worked at Skyline Corp. “Come on! This is juicy news. Those product ladies will be so interested. I must give them the details during lunch. Th
Caesar sat in the living room and watched himself on TV as he shook the hands of well-wishers and smiled at everyone that came forward to congratulate him. He stared intently at Anastasia's beautiful face on the TV, raised a wineglass to his lips and drank deeply. He hoped he had not just made the biggest mistake of his life. Bryan and his two other best friends —Jacob (Jake) Kingsley, Everett (Evie) Rosenberg — had disappointed looks on their faces, but they congratulated him and smiled at him all the same. He wasn't sure why he did it. He still didn't know what had prompted him to get down on one knee to propose to Anastasia with the ring she had picked out herself. He could see the scene in his mind's eye even as it was being replayed on the entertainment news on TV. Apart from the pressure from his mother and hers, he and Anastasia had gotten along exceptionally well for the past two weeks since they got back together. She spent most of her time with him, and they had not had a
“Amaliah,” Sarah Lang smiled from the doorway of Amaliah’’s office. “The boss needs you." “Oh. Ms. Rodriguez just left here a short while ago. Thank you, I’ll be with her shortly.” Amaliah smiled back at Sarah and turned back to her computer. It was almost time to go home. “Not Ms. Rodriguez, silly. The boss-boss, Mr. Masterson,” Mark laughed and looked at Sarah for confirmation with a gleam in his eye. His interest had been piqued. Sarah nodded. “Thanks. Mark, right?” Mark bobbed his head up and down and stood up hurriedly from his seat. He extended his hand to Sarah for a shake. “Mark Robes, ma’am. A pleasure to meet you.” “Likewise, Mark. Please be there in five, Amaliah. He’s in the conference room down this hall.” Sarah said, and turned on her heel and left. “Omg, do you even know who that is?” Mark gushed, moving his chair close to Amaliah’s. Amaliah rolled her eyes. “She’s the boss’s secretary. And I'm not in for any gossip right now. Please, mark.” “Come on, you’ll l
The marketing department's office gossip, almost thirty-year-old Mark Robes, was ruthless in his pursuit of personal details. Amaliah often felt that the CIA had missed out by not signing Mark up for something. He might not have been able to speak Russian, or Iraqi, or even basic English — come to that — but his intelligence-gathering skills were second to none. Amaliah often wondered how he got into Skyline Corp, but she quickly found out from Mark himself that Miranda owed his mother a favour and the only way his mother wanted her to repay was by bringing Mark into Skyline Corp. He couldn’t create a single sales copy without hitting the computer spell check at least four times to see if he’d spelled everything right, but if you wanted to know why the new girl in accounts kept coming in with red eyes every morning, Mark Robes was the only man for the job. Except that Amaliah never wanted to know the gossip. It wasn’t her scene. Being raised by parents who disliked gossip instille
Amaliah let herself into the house. The hall was in darkness. Good. Sheila wasn’t home yet. She’d mentioned that she might go for a drink with Sarah after work. They'd invited her, but she declined. The twins were with her parents, and their absence gave her a chance to go to bed without talking to anyone, because she really didn't feel like talking. And if Sheila came in after a few drinks, she wouldn’t be intuitive enough to notice her downcast eyes. Amaliah left the hall light on and went upstairs to bed. She got as far as taking off her blouse when the wave of utter hopelessness hit her and she had to sit down on the edge of the bed and weep. Great gusts of sobs came from her, her chest heaved with each breath and she cried until her face was red and raw. Would she ever get over the pain of Rafael's death? All she wanted was for the pain of wanting to abate somewhat, so she could cope. Tears flowed down her face as she wept with grief. She’d been kidding herself during her the
"Wait, what? How? When? What did he say?" Sheila was as confused as Amaliah was. "I don't know. He simply said my loan has been paid off." Sheila grabbed Amaliah's phone and called the number back but the call didn't go through. "This is bonkers. Are you sure he's not just playing with you? Maybe he wants you to lose guard so they'll hurt you." "I don't think so. He sounded cheerful, sincere. I think the loan has really been paid off. I'm stunned." "Wow. But . . ." "I know what you're thinking. Who could've paid it off? Why did they pay it off? Do you think it was one of our friends?" "I'm sorry, Amaliah, our friends love you but that's quite a sum." Sheila rubbed her friend's shoulder. "Yeah, I thought so too. I'm torn in between celebrating and being wary. What if that person paid it off because he or she has bad intentions? Like you said, that's quite a sum, no matter how much a person has." "I agree. We need some information, although I don't think Ted Williams will be kee
Three weeks and four days later. Caesar lay on his bed, simply staring at the ceiling, trying to think. Anastasia had changed within a few weeks. She was a lot more considerate, even if she still tried to drag him along with her to her late night parties that exhausted him to no end. She was a lot more polite to his friends and staff, tried her best to be with him as often as possible, had stopped throwing tantrums when she didn't get what she wanted, had stopped trying to gaslight him every chance she got. But Caesar concluded that he couldn't go through with the wedding. He didn't want to. Anastasia might've changed, but he wasn't sure he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, living a mundane life that only consisted of parties, sex and glamour. He loved kids and wanted one as soon as possible but she had told him that she never wanted kids—at least not from her own body—and if he wanted kids, he could adopt a grown kid and hire several nannies. She hated things like nap
Caesar pulled into an empty spot in the hospital's underground parking lot and switched off the ignition. Reaching into the back seat, he grabbed a small bag and retrieved a baseball cap from inside. He knew Amaliah would likely laugh at his attempt to disguise himself, but this was for her safety as much as his.As a well-known figure, he despised being in the spotlight, and a visit to the hospital would spark headlines within the hour. If anyone spotted him and Amaliah leaving together, the situation would escalate even further.Sliding the cap onto his head and adjusting a nose mask over his face, Caesar stepped out of the car, shut the door, and locked it before heading toward the sliding doors that led to the elevator. He pressed the call button, and once the elevator arrived, he stepped inside and selected the fifth floor, where Amaliah had texted she would be.A smile tugged at his lips as he thought about her message asking if he was sure about coming to her appointment. He ha
Willowridge Manor stood as a testament to timeless elegance, nestled amidst the rolling hills of Fairfield’s idyllic countryside. Spanning two acres of lush, meticulously maintained land, the estate exuded a quiet grandeur that was impossible to ignore.A long cobblestone driveway, lined with ancient willow trees, led to the stately manor. The house itself was a masterpiece of colonial architecture, its whitewashed facade accented with ivy creeping up its stone columns. Large bay windows reflected the golden rays of the sun, while a pair of wrought-iron lanterns flanked the grand oak door, offering a warm, inviting glow at night.The gardens surrounding the manor were a botanical paradise. Vibrant roses in every hue imaginable spilled over trellises, their fragrance carried on the gentle breeze. Lavender bushes bordered the winding stone pathways, which meandered through clusters of hydrangeas and peonies. In the center of the garden stood a marble fountain, its cascading water a so
"Why have you been ignoring my calls, Caesar?" Anastasia demanded, frustration evident in her tone. "You never used to do that.""Past tense. I do it now," Caesar shot back coldly. His voice was sharp, laced with finality. "And before you ask why—it's because you mean nothing to me anymore.""That's not true!" she retorted, her voice rising. "I'm your fiancée." Lifting her hand, she showed him the ring glinting on her finger. "Remember this? You put it on my finger on national television. The whole world knows we're engaged."Caesar raked his fingers through his hair, his jaw tightening as he struggled to hold back the anger bubbling inside him. His gaze flicked to Sarah, who sat at her desk, feigning disinterest as she worked on her computer. Taking Anastasia into his office to continue this conversation was an option, but he knew better. She’d likely attempt to manipulate him again."Sarah," he said, his voice strained but controlled, "can you give us some privacy? If you have work
Amaliah set her iced tea down, her gaze fixed on Caesar. “Was it because of you that Ms. Rodriguez called Mark to her office?” she asked.“No,” Caesar replied firmly. “She heard the rumors and assured me she’d handle it herself. I had nothing to do with it.”Amaliah tilted her head thoughtfully. “He seemed very upset when he came back. I wonder what she said to him.” she mused.“Whatever it was, it should stop him from spreading more lies about you,” Caesar said with a reassuring tone. “But honestly, out of a thousand employees in the company, why did he choose to target you?”Amaliah shrugged, muttering under her breath, “He thinks I’m a snob. He doesn’t like that I won’t answer his million questions about my personal life.” “He should spend less time gossiping and more time focusing on his work,” Caesar said sharply, only to pause as his phone vibrated in his jacket pocket. He ignored it at first, unwilling to let anything interrupt the moment with Amaliah. But when the buzzing pe
Amaliah stood at the lectern, double-checking her slides on her laptop one last time before starting her presentation. Nerves churned inside her, but she trusted herself enough not to let them get the best of her. Caesar had even reassured her, confident she'd do well, and she was determined not to let him down.Her heart pounded as the double doors to the conference room opened, and the board members filed in with expressions that gave nothing away. These were the same people who had watched her stumble through her previous presentation’s opening minutes, and she could almost feel their silent doubts, wondering if today would be a repeat—and if Caesar might consider giving her presentation to someone else.But she had other plans. That wasn’t going to happen; she was set on making sure everyone left this room impressed. Caesar and Francine entered last, and as the doors closed behind them, she watched them take their seats before she took a steadying breath and dimmed the lights with
As they tidied up the apartment after the party, Sheila glanced at Amaliah with a knowing smile. "So, am I allowed to assume you've finally decided to give Caesar Masterson a chance to woo you?" she asked.Caesar had left just five minutes earlier after Sheila playfully pushed him out the door. It was late, and he’d mentioned having a breakfast meeting with his father's friends the next morning. Though he’d wanted to stay and help clean up, Sheila insisted he go, even threatening to ban him from any future birthday parties if he didn’t. He finally relented, giving each of them a hug. Before he left, he reminded Amaliah of her promise to let him accompany her to her next hospital appointment.Amaliah chuckled, glancing over her shoulder. "Woo me? What are you talking about?"Sheila huffed. "Oh, you know exactly what I'm talking about. I watched you two all night. You were practically glued to each other, talking and laughing. I think I saw you laugh more tonight than you have all year
As the car pulled up to the curb across the road, Caesar gazed up at the apartment building and sighed. The building had aged gracefully, showing signs of wear but still retaining the charm of being one of the oldest structures in New Ashford—a city roughly an hour's drive from HavenHill Central."Pick me up in a few hours, Ashton," Caesar instructed the chauffeur, grabbing his bags from the floor and opening the door. "I'll give you a call.""Alright, sir. Enjoy your visit," Ashton replied with a nod.Caesar returned the nod with a smile, stepped out, and closed the door. As Ashton drove off, Caesar ran a hand through his hair, exhaled deeply, and crossed the street. He caught his reflection in the building's glass doors, hoping he hadn’t overdone it for the party. Black jeans, a black shirt, and a brown bomber jacket paired with black shoes gave him a relaxed yet polished look. His only accessory was his father’s Rolex, adding a subtle touch of sophistication.He pushed open the do
Caesar applied the brakes, bringing the car to a stop in front of Amaliah's house before turning off the ignition. He stepped out when she did, quickly moving to open the back door to retrieve her bag and laptop before she had a chance. Shutting the door, he walked around the car to meet her."Thanks for the ride," she said, accepting the bags from him."I'm sorry again…for everything," he replied."It's okay." She gave him a warm smile, waved, and headed up the steps to the front door."Take care of yourself," he called after her as she unlocked the door."You too," she replied. "Drive carefully.""I'm always careful," he grinned.With that, Amaliah stepped inside, shutting and locking the door behind her. She set her things on the hallway table, then cautiously walked to the window. Pulling the curtains back just a little, she watched as Caesar climbed back into his car, started it up, and drove away.Sighing, she collected her bags from the table, made her way to the living room, a
Caesar felt like a complete failure as he watched Amaliah sleep. It was his fault she was lying there, and the weight of guilt pressed heavily on him. He doubted he could ever forgive himself for hurting her so deeply. He had to admit, she had been right all along. He had convinced himself that he could handle her rejection, but the reality had hit him far harder than he expected. Even Anastasia's indifference, the way she treated him like he wasn’t worth her time, hadn’t stung as much as this. He reminded himself that Amaliah still belonged to someone else—her late husband. Despite the man being gone, her love for him lingered, and Caesar knew he could never force her to feel the same way about him. She was carrying her husband’s babies, a constant reminder that Caesar had no place in her heart or her future. He paced the room, his eyes never leaving her face as he anxiously waited for the doctor. The pain etched on her face when he’d first brought her in had disappeared, replaced