Max had toured his father's company early in the morning, which was now under his control after the merger. He was a whiz in all financial matters and knew he could take the company to new heights of recognition.A tall, robust woman named Katharina, with black hair, had come from Germany to be part of Max's direct staff. At that moment, she was arranging all the finance books and other books on various topics that her boss liked to read."Is my office ready?" Max asked the woman. She finished listing all the books that had arrived in the moving boxes from Germany in alphabetical order. She stood up and nodded."It's almost done. We just need to stock up the minibar, and then it'll be completely ready. The personnel in charge of purchasing the items from the list will be here shortly."Max walked over to the large floor-to-ceiling bookcase that covered one wall of his new office, which had previously belonged to his father. He discreetly checked to ensure everything was properly arran
Jamie widened his eyes when he heard the elegantly dressed man say he was his boss. "What kind of joke is this?" he wondered. He knew that after the merger, there would only be one boss, but he thought it would be Mr. Müller as always, not someone so imposing, tall like a major league wrestler, but dressed in designer suits."My boss?" he stammered. If only he had arrived on time for the meeting, he would know who this man really was."Yes, so I ask for more respect towards the lady," the man replied, his tone firm, emphasizing the need for respect towards Jamie."Are you really the boss?" Jamie couldn't believe it. Max approached and briefly showed him the ID card he had inside his jacket."I didn't know Mr. Müller had a son, only a daughter and..." Jamie stopped his words. "Please, on this occasion, let it pass. I promise it won't happen again. I let my frustration get the best of me," Jamie said with concern. He couldn't afford to lose his job now, especially after calling off his
Emma stood at the entrance of her apartment, contemplating whether to let her mother in. It had been years since they last saw each other, and the memories of her mother's manipulative behavior haunted her. Yet, there she was, frail and desperate, begging for help."Please, Emma, let me in," her mother pleaded, tears streaming down her face. "I'm cold, haven't eaten since yesterday, and I haven't slept. I'm just asking for help one last time."Emma wasn't cruel, but her mother had ruined her childhood and adolescence, leaving her with lifelong trauma. Why would she help her now?"It will be temporary. At the first sign of trouble, you'll go to a shelter," Emma warned."Thank you," her mother said, wiping her tears.Deep down, Emma knew she would regret offering help to the woman who had used and abused her for years. While she scolded herself, urging to be more determined and tough, a part of her reluctantly agreed, but with conditions.As they entered the apartment, her mother grew i
Max fired the locksmith who had changed the lock on his apartment door. He didn't want any more surprises from Irina while he was away. He didn't want her to find anything suspicious and ruin his revenge. He loosened his tie and walked to his bedroom closet, opened one of the drawers, and carefully rolled up and tucked the tie into a small empty cubicle. He had perfectly arranged several ties by color, and a smile appeared on his lips as he remembered what he had seen in that suite closet in Hawaii. Emma had something similar with him, and that had surprised him because with Irina, everything was chaos—she was messy and undisciplined.Max's phone rang once he stepped out of the shower, and when he realized who it was, he pursed his lips. He sat on the edge of the bed and returned the call. On the second ring, the other person answered."Do you remember that you have a fiancée?" Irina's voice came through the line."I'm sorry, it's been a busy day.," Max replied, letting himself fall b
In the morning, Emma went through her morning routine before heading to work. As she stepped out of her room, she found the living room neatly arranged, with nothing out of place. She was surprised to see that Elaine had made her bed and folded the blankets. The smell of bacon made her hungry, but she denied herself. She had to leave now if she wanted to finish her day on time. She didn't want to be late again like the previous day."Sit down, breakfast is ready," Elaine announced, looking at Emma, who was gathering her laptop bag and purse."I have to go now, you have breakfast," Emma replied, about to cross the room to reach the door when Elaine blocked her path."I did it from the heart, come on, have something in your stomach," Elaine insisted, already dressed except for a few strands of hair escaping her. She didn't allow any room for a reply and pulled Emma's arm to bring her closer to the table. It was set with food, fewer dishes than Max had cooked the previous morning, but it
Max was looking at the latest photos the private investigator had delivered a couple of minutes ago. There were many pictures of Irina and Horacio, and he discovered that Irina was constantly going to a house on the outskirts of the city. Mr. Jones informed him that it was Horacio's family vacation home. He threw the photos onto the surface of his desk and then sighed, letting himself fall back against the chair's backrest."So, that house is where they have their encounters," he confirmed something very obvious. Mr. Jones nodded."I've discreetly spoken to the staff and gathered some information," the investigator paused. "Apparently, they don't leave the room. They say Horacio dismisses them once his fiancée arrives, but occasionally, kitchen staff have been asked to deliver food to the room. One of the maids saw his fiancée naked in the room, and another person saw them having sex in the pool, which resulted in immediate termination."Max's stomach churned. Imagining all that bothe
The stretch of the elevator ride to the underground parking was completely silent. From his spot, Max looked at Emma, who was staring at the elevator doors in front of her. He had noticed how her face had relaxed moments after they had started moving. He really wanted to ask her how she felt, maybe pat her back as a sign of understanding, or even take her right there and make her forget the world for a couple of times.But neither of those things happened once the elevator doors opened. Emma walked out, saying thank you, but without looking at him. Max stood there for a moment, watching her walk away. He gathered the courage and walked after her, just to make sure she was okay to drive.Then Emma stopped next to a pillar marked with a capital letter A in dark blue. Max did the same, and there he was, a couple of meters away from her, silent, waiting for her to turn around and look at him, to demand to know what the hell he was doing following her. But what came next was unexpected."H
The warm grip of Max's hand intensified as they walked towards the men's restroom. He stopped Emma at a certain distance while he entered to check how many people were inside. Upon inspection, he found only two individuals with long hair discussing the upcoming rock concert in the city while washing their hands. When they left, he lightly tapped on the four cubicle doors, but there was no response. Not wanting to take any chances, he peeked over the doors, risking the possibility of someone not answering and finding him sitting there. After confirming that no one was inside, he went back to Emma, who was clearly euphoric and excited about what was to come. They closed the door, and Max made sure that no one would catch them. Being tall, his head could easily be seen. They entered the last stall and hurriedly shut the door."Are you sure you want to do this?" Emma asked, looking at Max's face."Yes, I also want to fulfill that fantasy for myself," he smiled to show that he desired it t
Max had reached the floor where Emma was working, intending to investigate about the client, Jack Bradford, and find out his decision. He also planned to seize the opportunity to talk to Mrs. Byrne about the upcoming meeting. As he stepped out of the elevator, he noticed a gathering of employees near Emma's office. Upon arriving, he witnessed a heated argument between Emma and Jamie, the HR representative. His eyes widened when Emma delivered a punch to Jamie's face, causing him to fall. Emma walked towards him, sat on her heels, and exchanged some words. Everyone around was attentive, and to Max's surprise, he saw Mrs. Byrne with a discreetly concealed smile."What is going on here?" Max asked, and everyone turned to look at him before dispersing. Mrs. Byrne cleared her throat and approached Emma's office. Emma stood up and waited beside Jamie for him to enter."I saw everything," Mrs. Byrne said. "Mr. insulted Miss Spencer, and she defended herself." Max was in the doorway, with Emm
Monday morning, and Emma was in such a good mood that she couldn't believe it herself. She thought, "When was the last time I felt this way?" She couldn't recall a day like this. Seated, her gaze fixed on her computer screen, she efficiently tackled all the work she wanted to get ahead of, ensuring the rest of the afternoon was free of pending tasks. She sorted through all the memories of what had happened on Saturday with Max—the way he kissed every inch of her body and how he pinned her against the bathroom tiles to reclaim her. This morning, she noticed a love bite near one of her breasts and briefly smiled. However, it didn't end there. She grabbed her phone, snapped a photo, and sent it to Max with the caption: "First and last, Mr. Müller" accompanied by a smiling emoji. She received an immediate response, as if Max had been eagerly awaiting a message from her, "So it shall be, Miss Spencer," along with a military-style salute emoji (hand to the forehead). Throughout Sunday, Emma
Adler glanced at the doctor's face once he had finished examining his heart. He sighed and pressed his lips together, sensing that this could be bad news. He settled into the vintage wooden chair beside the large bed."Do you know you need to go for regular check-ups, Adler?" the elderly man asked. Adler nodded and looked away. Since Friday, he hadn't been feeling well, and discovering that his beloved daughter-in-law, whom he had cherished as his own, had betrayed not only Max but him as well. "Why didn't you call earlier? You know, I could have treated you here at your home if you didn't want to stay in the hospital." Adler returned his gaze to the doctor, his longtime friend."I hate hospitals," he paused, "Is my blood pressure stable now?" The man nodded, got up to pack his things into his briefcase by the bed, and then looked at Adler."You need to be very careful. You can't get upset or angry; it would raise your blood pressure.""Alright. Just give me the medication, and I'll b
Moments before...Max had gone out for a run to calm the anxiety that had been triggered by learning that Irina was pregnant. He had been on the verge of going to find Horacio and confront him, but now everything had changed. The temporary pain of what they had done, the trust they had both betrayed, would never be forgiven. The only thing keeping him sane were the memories of his recent experiences with Emma. Every detail of her was etched into his skin; there was something about her that had completely enchanted him. Not even Irina, who had been his first and only serious relationship, made him feel this way."It's not just carnal desire, it's something more, Max," he thought. How could it be possible to feel something so deep in such a short time of knowing each other? He kept running, distancing himself several kilometers from his apartment and the area where he usually jogged in the mornings. He crossed traffic lights, went through a couple of parks, and almost an hour passed bef
Moments before...Max had gone for a jog to calm the anxiety that had been triggered by the news of Irina's pregnancy. He had been tempted to go and confront Horacio, to give him a piece of his mind, but now everything had changed. The temporary pain of their betrayal still lingered, and he knew he could never forgive the breach of trust. The only thing that kept him sane was the memories of his recent experiences with Emma. Every detail of her was etched into his mind, and there was something about her that had completely enchanted him. Even Irina, his first and only serious relationship, hadn't made him feel this way."It's not just physical desire, it's something more, Max," he thought to himself. How could that be possible after such a short time of knowing each other? He continued jogging for several kilometers, completely distancing himself from his apartment and the usual jogging route he took in the mornings. He crossed traffic lights, passed through a couple of parks, and alm
The smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the bedroom as Jack picked up the newspaper and began his routine—reading about the dollar and the euro, then the social section, before ending with the obituaries. Many of his friends had passed away in the last five years, and it was through this medium that he learned who had departed."Mr. Bradford," announced one of his trusted men, Mr. Min, his personal secretary. Jack looked up from the newspaper and met his gaze."Give me some good news, Min," Jack said. Mr. Min bowed out of courtesy."The DNA results have arrived," Mr. Min said. Jack's heart raced, but he tried not to get too excited."Good. Let's officially confirm what I already know..." Jack handed him a white envelope with the logo of his hospital, and Mr. Min opened it, reading the contents carefully until he reached the percentage: "99.97% highly probable paternity." Jack closed his eyes and smiled. "Of course she's my daughter." When he opened his eyes, he saw the excitement in
Emma was waiting in that expensive and famous restaurant on Fifth Avenue. It was located inside one of the most elegant buildings in the area and, of course, offered the best view of the city at night."Would you like something to drink, miss?" asked the waiter assigned to her table. Emma shook her head with a half-smile. "I'm fine, thank you," she replied. The waiter nodded politely and left, while Emma returned her gaze to the city, occasionally catching her reflection in the mirror. Classical music played softly in the background as the voices of other diners gradually faded away, unaware that the place had become completely empty."Good evening," a deep and somewhat familiar voice said. Emma furrowed her brow and turned her face towards the person who had just spoken, her eyebrows raised in surprise. Immediately, almost clumsily, she stood up and extended her hand to greet him."Good evening, Mr. Bradford. Have you come for dinner?" she asked, then realized that beyond him, the ta
Emma was left speechless when Elaine showed her what she would give to the man she was meeting in an hour. With the tips of her fingers, she gently caressed the surface. The diamond was truly beautiful, and when she looked up at her mother, Elaine smiled."How does it look?" she asked."How is it that you have a necklace with such a stunning and extravagant diamond? Are you sure the old lady gave it to you years ago?" Emma nodded."It was a gift she gave me," her expression changed. "Well, now I'll give it back to her, but she should remember that no one gives and then takes back, especially if it was a gift from..." Elaine stopped her sentence and pressed her lips together. "Well," she let out a scoff. "She'll give me the money, and I'll give you a million dollars for yourself.""I don't want money, Elaine," Emma said confidently. "I want you, if you manage to get the money, to start a new life far away, where you can find peace and stop getting yourself into trouble. That includes n
Max found the conversation among his father's guests trivial and uninteresting. He had no interest in talking about business or anything else. His gaze shifted to Irina's nearly empty glass of water, something he had never seen during a family dinner with her. He couldn't recall a single moment when there had been a glass of water next to her plate, not even when they were just friends."What's wrong?" Irina whispered to Max, nudging his arm slightly. He subtly averted his gaze from her glass to look at the other guests."Max?" she called, this time with a small touch on his arm. He looked at Irina."Yes?" Max replied, pretending he hadn't heard her first call."Why are you staring at my glass of water?" Max knew why she was asking."You know why," Max replied, looking at her. "Right?" She tensed up and averted her gaze."I must have a stomach virus, and I don't feel like having wine. But there's no need to worry," Irina said, her eyes fixed on him. "How have you been these past few d