Distressed by the evidence of her husband’s unfaithfulness, Emily found herself fallen prey to her best friend Maya’s scheme. Between her husband Louis’ distrust and the intensifying strife within her family, Emily found help from Damian, the heir to a multinational conglomerate. This is a story of two people who are skeptical about love but ultimately discover genuine affection for one another.
View MoreEmily's POVThe ride home was quiet, but not uncomfortably so. The city lights flickered past the car window, casting shifting shadows over Damian’s face as he drove. My wrist throbbed dully, a reminder of the hours I had spent pouring drinks, shaking cocktails, and carrying trays with more flourish than necessary. I flexed my fingers absently, wincing slightly at the stiffness settling in.Damian noticed. Without a word, he reached over at a stoplight, taking my hand gently in his. His fingers, warm and sure, pressed against the tendons in my wrist, his touch featherlight yet precise. The tension melted almost instantly under his careful ministrations, the ache ebbing away as his thumb moved in slow, deliberate circles. A soft sigh escaped me before I could stop it.“You really are a jack-of-all-trades,” I teased, tilting my head to study him. “Did you pick this up while studying psychiatry?”He glanced at me, amusement flickering in his dark eyes. “Just basic medical knowledge. You’v
Emily's POVThe neon sign outside the bar flickered, casting a hazy glow over the empty street. The last of the patrons had gone, their laughter and lingering whispers fading into the night. I exhaled slowly, my breath curling in the cool air as I locked the register. My fingers ached, my wrist throbbing with every movement. I had lost count of how many drinks I had mixed tonight, how many bottles I had flipped and spun through the air to entertain the ever-demanding crowd. The exhaustion settled into my bones, but I ignored it.Tonight had drained me, but it wasn’t just from the labor. It was everything. Damian’s words, Maya’s venom, Louis’s possessiveness - all of it clashing together in a whirlwind that I hadn’t had time to process. I rubbed my wrist absentmindedly, rolling my shoulders as I prepared to head out. And then I saw him.Damian.He stood at the entrance, his figure illuminated by the dim light from the streetlamp. The sight of him hit me harder than I expected. He wasn’
Emily's POVThe glass in my hand trembled slightly as I set it down behind the bar. My fingers tightened into a fist for just a moment before I forced myself to release the tension. I couldn’t let them see me falter—not now, not after everything Damian had just said.His words still echoed in my mind, lingering like an unfinished melody. He had stood up for me. He had declared, in front of everyone, that he admired me, respected me, believed in me. I had known, deep down, that his feelings for me were real. And yet, hearing them spoken aloud, laid bare in front of a crowd of people who wanted nothing more than to see me humiliated; it was overwhelming.I should have been grateful. I should have felt vindicated. But instead, all I felt was the sharp edge of complication cutting through me.Because this was exactly what I had wanted to avoid.From across the room, I felt Maya’s venomous gaze searing into me. Though she had recovered her usual poised expression, her fingers were curled a
Damian's POVEmily, standing just beyond the table with a tray balanced effortlessly in her hands, froze. Her green eyes locked onto mine, and for a brief moment, I thought I saw something shift behind them. Surprise? Doubt? A flicker of emotion she didn’t want me to see? But just as quickly as it came, it was gone, buried beneath the same calm professionalism she always carried like armor.Across from me, Maya’s smile faltered, a thin crack forming in her carefully polished exterior. She hadn’t expected this. She had set the stage so beautifully, twisted the narrative just enough to make Emily seem like the fool, the desperate woman clinging to a man who had never truly belonged to her. And yet, I had just shattered it in one fell swoop.Louis sat rigid beside her, his fingers curled into a fist against the table. His expression darkened, his jaw tightening as if he were barely containing whatever rage had begun to simmer inside him.Someone cleared their throat awkwardly, breaking t
Damian's POVI never intended to come to this party.When Eloise extended the invitation, I had every intention of declining. I had been preparing excuses in my head, knowing that social gatherings hosted by Maya were never just friendly get-togethers. There was always an underlying motive, a scheme brewing beneath her carefully poised smile.But then Eloise mentioned the venue.Emily’s bar.I agreed before I had time to think about it.Now, as I stepped inside with Eloise on my arm, I was immediately reminded of why I had hesitated.Maya was already holding court, her voice lilting with amusement as she spun yet another version of the story she wanted the world to believe. The moment she noticed me, her eyes gleamed, and she turned her attention toward Emily, her tone growing deliberately louder.“Emily, you must know how we feel,” Maya purred, her voice honeyed with false concern. “After everything that’s happened, it’s just so unfortunate that people keep bringing up old wounds. I
Maya's POV“Oh, Damian has always been the noblest of men,” I cooed, swirling my untouched champagne as I leaned forward, my smile delicate yet sharp. “It’s no wonder he has such a dedicated following. Isn’t that right, Emily?”Emily barely spared me a glance as she set down another tray of drinks with practiced ease. Her expression was composed, unreadable, and it infuriated me.“I wouldn’t know,” she said lightly, her tone void of any emotion that would suggest familiarity. “I was never his patient.”The table let out an exaggerated collective gasp, ever the dramatists when a bit of juicy gossip was at play.“Oh?” I feigned a surprised blink. “I thought… well, with everything I’ve heard…” I trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air like perfume.Emily smiled at me then, and I despised how calm she looked. “Damian is a wonderful doctor, but we’ve never had that kind of relationship.”I tapped my chin as if deep in thought. “Interesting. But tell me, Emily, how is your fami
Maya's POVEmily moved through the bar ready to take their order, her face perfectly neutral, her posture stiff.A slow smile curved my lips. The moment was too perfect.Seizing my opportunity, I gestured toward her with syrupy sweetness. “Oh, everyone, you must meet Emily.” I let my voice rise just enough to ensure I had the group’s full attention. “This is Damian’s ex-girlfriend.”The reaction was instant. Heads snapped toward her, eyes widening with interest. The conversation that had been focused on me—on my flawless life—shifted, their curiosity now directed at the woman who had, once upon a time, held Louis’ heart.Emily’s steps faltered for just a fraction of a second, her fingers tightening around the tablet in her hand. She recovered quickly, but I had seen it. The weakness. The sting.I tilted my head, feigning innocence. “Oh, you don’t mind the introduction, do you, Emily?” My voice was light, pleasant, perfectly polite, but the underlying message was clear.She met my gaze
Maya's POVThe glow of the dim overhead lights reflected beautifully off the rim of my glass as I lifted it, savoring the expensive cocktail in my hand. Around me, my friends laughed and chatted, their voices a gentle hum of admiration and indulgence. The air was thick with the scent of expensive perfume and fine whiskey, a mix of sophistication and luxury—everything I had always deserved.Louis sat beside me, his dark, smoldering gaze locked onto me with that slow, knowing smile that made every other woman in the room seethe with jealousy. I could feel it, the way they watched us, the way they whispered. They wanted what I had. They wanted to be me. And who could blame them? I had it all—wealth, beauty, power, and a fiancé who worshipped the ground I walked on.“This place is… quaint,” one of my friends, Ava, mused, running a manicured finger along the rim of her glass. Her usual taste ran more toward exclusive members-only lounges with imported champagne and name recognition.I smil
Emily's POVThe morning air was cool against my skin as I made my way to the restaurant, the scent of fresh bread and roasted coffee drifting through the streets. My head still ached from last night’s disaster, but the worst part wasn’t the hangover. It was the mortifying memory of how I had fallen apart in front of everyone—my family, Damian… Damian.I groaned, rubbing my temples as I quickened my pace. The sooner I got to work, the sooner I could drown myself in tasks and forget that last night ever happened.But, of course, the universe had other plans."Emily."I froze mid-step, my heart lurching violently against my ribs.Damian stood just a few feet away, hands in his pockets, his dark eyes fixed on me with quiet intensity. He looked impossibly calm, as if he hadn’t spent the night witnessing my complete unraveling."You’re up early," he observed, his gaze scanning me as if assessing whether I would collapse at any moment. "How are you feeling?"“Fine,” I said sharply. The tense
Emily’s POVI was packing my husband's suitcase and found a box of used condoms in the pocket.I open the box and find only four condoms even though the box says it's a pack of six. A wave of nausea washes over me as I sink onto the floor in disbelief - I'm afraid of what this means. Ten years of good, solid marriage. We’d gotten comfortable, perhaps too comfortable, but still, I thought we had true love. Louis wouldn’t throw it all away on some random business trip, right?“Babe? I’m home!” Louis’ voice rang through the house, smooth and confident, like it always did. I shoved the box back into the suitcase pocket with shaking hands, snapped the zipper shut, and forced myself to stand.I met him in the foyer, where he dropped his briefcase and smiled, that wide, boyish grin that once made me weak in the knees. “Hey, there’s my girl.” He pulled me into his arms, and I stiffened before I could stop myself. His cologne, the one I’d picked for him years ago, smelled cloying now—familiar...
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