The scenic route intertwined with my thoughts, the vibrant colours of nature mirroring the whirlwind of emotions within me. Anticipation and a renewed sense of purpose buzzed through my mind as I pulled up to my grandfather's house.This was the moment I had been eagerly awaiting – the chance to share my newfound success with the man who had always believed in me.Stepping out of the car, my heart pounded with a mix of excitement and nerves. The front door stood before me and with a trembling hand, I reached out and pressed the doorbell, the sound resonating through the quiet air.One of the maids answered the door, welcoming me as she informed me of where my grandfather was.With everything that happened, I could not keep proper tabs on my grandfather but I was told he began showing improvement and decided to move back to his house with private nurses and doctors to tend to him.I heaved a deep sigh and as I pushed the door open, my gaze fell on my grandfather's face. The years had e
~Cristal POV~The weight of the situation hung heavy in the air as I watched Nicholas, deep in thought after Kiera hung up on him.“Nick?” I call out from where I was standing not far from the door in his study.There was no response. Perhaps he did not hear me, I thought and tried again. “Darling?” All I was met with was silence. “Nicholas?” This time I called out louder but nothing changed.I had called him several times, but still, he did not respond. I couldn't help but overhear the conversation, learning about Kiera's success in securing the Starblaze Group's investment.Damn it, that lady!Anger brewed within me, fueled by a mix of jealousy and frustration. Right now, Kiera was a dazzling and capable woman, and it only intensified my resentment.No, I cannot let things turn in her favour like this and let Nicholas see her as anything useful.Refusing to acknowledge Kiera's excellence, I deliberately planted a seed of doubt in Nicholas's mind."Perhaps Kiera sold herself to Jace
Nicholas was growing increasingly suspicious of Kiera's actions.Thanks to all Cristal voiced, he could not keep his mind from thinking so much about the issue.Did she really do it? Has she and Jace been having an affair? Did she know who he was the first time he crossed paths with Jce? Had she been playing him since?All these and more ran through his mind making it unable for him to relax.Feeling his frustration rising, he desired to confirm the truth about her investment and decided to inquire with her assistant.It did not take long for Nicholas to arrive at Campbell Group after leaving the house. Seeking answers, he approached Kiera's assistant, unaware of the instructions she had been given.“Good day. I would like to see Kiera. Is she in?” Nicholas asked.Lisa lifted her eyes to meet the person who had interrupted her work only to lay eyes on Nicholas.For a second there, Nicholas was sure he saw fear flash in her eyes before she masked it completely, keeping a professional o
As Kiera found herself trapped in the chilling confines of the storage room, her first instinct was to use her phone to call for help.There was no time to waste, she knew it. Getting out of there was the best option.However, to her dismay, the display on the phone became distorted due to the freezing temperatures.“What now? Oh no, no, no…!”Frustration welled up within her, realizing that communication through the device was impossible in its current state.Thinking quickly, Kiera realized that she needed to warm up the phone to restore its functionality.With no time to waste, Kiera resorted to an odd but sensible solution. She discreetly slipped the phone into her underwear, seeking the warmth of her body to expedite the thawing process.She understood that if she waited too long, her body heat would dissipate, rendering the phone useless for her escape.Once she successfully tucked her phone away, Kiera reached for the handle of the door and tried yanking it open. Minutes passed
On the other hand, Jace and Nicholas raced through the streets of the city independently, their minds teetered on the edge of panic and anxiety.The weight of the situation bore down heavily upon them, their expressions etched with worry and frustration. Each man had their own reasons for the urgency that fueled their hurried journey, a convergence of shared concern for the woman they both held dear.As Jace's car careened through the city streets, his grip on the steering wheel tightened, knuckles turning white. His eyes darted between the road ahead and his rearview mirror, anxiety fueling his drive but more so, the unsettling feeling of Kiera’s distress call nudged at his heart.“I need to be fast, faster, please. Kii, wait for me.”Kiera found herself swept away into the recesses of her mind, a vivid hallucination pulling her into a significant moment from her past. The time where it all began, one that rose from a love confession.It was as if time folded upon itself, carrying he
Kiera's heart raced as the sound of hurried footsteps filled the room. Her eyes widened in surprise as a familiar figure burst through the door. It was Jace, his face etched with concern.A rush of relief mixed with an inexplicable surge of desire overcame Kiera in her weary state. It was as if the presence of those men who had rushed in moments ago had unleashed something primal within her, stirring up emotions she did not think she would have in this situation.As Jace approached her, Kiera's gaze fixated on his strong, chiselled features. She noticed the way his muscles flexed beneath his shirt, and her mind played with the idea of how his touch might feel against her heated skin.Several thoughts of their time before came rushing into her mind like a wave, awakening her senses.There was an undeniable attraction that pulsed in her, amplified by the strange effects of the unknown medicine coursing through her veins.“Kiera, Kiera, oh my God,” Jace’s shaky deep voice rang out, his t
Kiera's eyes fluttered open, her surroundings a blur of sterile white. As her vision cleared, she realized she was in a hospital room, enveloped in an air of luxury.The pristine ward seemed incongruous with the tumultuous events that had led her here. She turned her head and caught a glimpse of her own pale reflection in the dressing mirror beside the bed, her appearance mirroring the fragility she felt inside.“Hmm…” Slowly she stirred awake, her eyes remained unblinking as her gaze remained locked on herself when suddenly, she heard Iris, voice from beside her.“Kiera?”Turning her head from her previous position, Kiera’s gaze locked on Iris who sat by her side, her eyes filled with relief and tears.At once she threw herself onto Kiera, clutching her tightly, her voice trembling with emotion. "Oh, Kiera, if anything had truly happened to you this time, I don't know how I could bear it. I've never been so terrified in my life."Kiera mustered a reassuring smile, her voice was soft
As the voices grew louder, Jace's eyes flickered with a mix of worry and protectiveness. "I'll be right back," he reassured.Leaving Kiera's side momentarily, he ventured outside, ready to confront whatever challenge awaited him.Left alone in the room, Kiera's mind swirled with unanswered questions, her pulse quickening with anticipation.The more noise she heard from outside, the more she felt as though the hospital walls seemed to close in around her, amplifying her need for understanding.The hospital ward buzzed with anticipation as the scandalous video of Jace and Kiera erupted into the public eye leaving Iris overwhelmed by a sea of reporters.She was on her way out when she found herself thrust into the spotlight, facing a barrage of probing questions from the reporters about Jace and Kiera.“Ms. Iris, is it true that Ms. Kiera Campbell gave herself away to Jace Dalton in exchange for saving the Campbell family?”“Iris, what can you say about your friend’s behaviour?”“Based o
The Island was a paradise in the truest sense. Something Kiera did not think she would have the pleasure of enjoying.Each moment spent, every second, minute, hour—was like a lifetime compensation for the pain and sad times she experienced in life, both past and present.By the time they returned to the island, the day was already far gone and Kiera wanted nothing more than a good sleep.At dawn, they walked hand in hand along the shore, their footprints getting washed away by the gentle caress of the waves.White sand beaches stretched along the coastline, contrasting the deep blue of the ocean.During their stay, they discovered a hidden lagoon nestled behind the lush green canopy on the island.Slowly, they made their way towards the place while inspecting their surroundings. Once it felt safe enough, Kiera gasped now being in the centre of nature’s beauty."Oh my goodness," she uttered in disbelief.Every place they had been to was different in its way, stealing her breath away an
Taking her by her words, Jace inserted a finger into her wetness. Kiera threw her head back, a loud moan escaping her mouth as she shut her eyes, welcoming the invading feeling of his finger.“Aah, Jace.” Her body trembled underneath him, feeling his dick poke her stomach.“Yes love?”“Faster, please,” Kiera pleaded while stoking his dick faster.Jace obliged but he ignored his need and tried his best to delay his release just so he could bring Kiera over the edge, making her extremely wet and ready to accept his dick.He was painfully erect and knew she might not be ready.He added a finger back in, keeping up the pace and watched as she bucked against his finger, before lowering his body and adding his mouth to bite and suck on her clit then went back down to lap at her entrance.In no time he felt that familiar feeling of her walls tightening again and knew she was ready to come.Rather than stopping, Jace attacked Kiera with punishing speed till he felt her thrash wildly on the be
The pristine beach stretched for miles, but the sight that captivated Kiera the most was the luxurious white yacht anchored a little distance away.Its majestic form cast a striking silhouette against the orange-hued horizon. Up till that moment, her experience at the beach had been nothing short of a surreal time.And now, staring at the yacht face to face, Kiera could only wonder what Jace had planned for her."You know," Jace uttered, drawing her out of her reverie, his hand finding hers, "when I first bought the island, this yacht was the first thing I got. It was the place where I'd imagined sharing some of our most intimate memories,” he hinted.Curious, Kiera gazed up at him, her sapphire eyes shining as she awaited more explanations. "Why the yacht when you have the entire island?"Jace shrugged, the mischievous glint in his eyes revealing more than his words."There’s something incredibly freeing about being out on the open sea. No land in sight, just the two of us and the va
After spending some time outside, Jace led Kiera back into the house for breakfast.Quickly Kiera excused herself to brush her teeth and get prepared for breakfast.By the time she was done, she met Jace in the kitchen and headed over to assist him in carrying their meal to the dining table.“There you go.” She smiled softly. Her gaze locked with his, sharing a moment before they burst into laughter and took their seats.“I made three different types of eggs. Classic French Omelette, fried eggs with veggies, hotdog, foolproof poached eggs and soft-scrambled eggs.”“Huh…” Kiera counted with her fingers. She looked at him, her confusion slowly morphing into a smile. “I think that’s four different kinds of eggs. That is excluding the boiled eggs of course.”Jace let out a laugh at being caught. “I’m sorry love. I did not know which you would want,” Jace explained.“You should know, anything is cool with me. It’s the thought that counts mostly, Jace.” She swept her gaze across the dishes
Carlos and Iris's engagement party was in full swing, a celebration of love that radiated throughout the room. Glistening champagne flutes clinked, laughter and animated conversations filled the air, and the dance floor beckoned to those who wanted to lose themselves in the music.Kiera had bid Cristal a quiet goodbye, their brief encounter filled with unspoken emotions.She knew that healing was a journey that Cristal needed to embark on alone, and as much as she wished to be a source of solace, Kiera understood that some wounds needed to be tended to in solitude.It was time the latter accepted it and moved on just like Nicholas did.Returning to the party, Kiera scanned the room for Jace, her heart buoyed by the love and happiness that enveloped the guests.The swirl of emotions from her earlier conversation with Cristal still lingered, but Kiera was determined to immerse herself in the joy of the evening.Finally, she spotted Jace engaged in a lively conversation with a business p
After the initial shock, Iris and Carlos's parents began to show their support and love.Unlike her father, Maria could not say she did not suspect something was up between the two of them. Before when they were much younger, they’d spend so much time together, even down to sleeping on the same bed in some days, acting all caring and loving but suddenly that union and closeness stopped.She had believed it was a phase in their life and decided to let them be thinking they had outgrown such because of adolescence.Turns out they were struggling with their feelings for each other instead. She was both proud and happy that Carlos was the one Iris chose.Whether or not they had taken things further and became intimate, she did not know but as protective as she should be as a parent, she found it giddy and cute that they would be intimate with each other.In all, her support was massively sensed and appreciated.It was a heartwarming moment, and the tension that had filled the room dissipa
~Iris’ Family House~Standing hand in hand outside the living room, Carlos and Iris’ hearts pounded with a mix of excitement and trepidation.Ever since that day on the street when they shared their feelings, they had taken their relationship to heart.Iris felt they did not need to spend more time getting to know each other considering they have known each other all their lives and practically lived together.Although Carlos tried to make her understand that living as siblings was much different now that they were seeing each other as romantic couples, Iris dissed it.To her, it was one and the same and she loved him equally. There was no need to wait.And when he proposed to her, she eagerly accepted his proposal. Now, their parent's blessings was all they needed.The warm hues of the setting sun streamed into the living room, casting a golden glow over the room.Iris took a deep breath, her fingers intertwined with Carlos's. "Are you ready for this?" she whispered with a soft smile
By the time Kiera managed to resolve all the issues in the company concerning the new eco-park, she realized how wrong she had been and needed to reach out to Nicholas and tender her promised apology.Walking towards his office from hers, Kiera took in a deep breath, trying her best to keep her head up as she prepared her mind for the whole experience.‘Deep breaths, Kiera. It is going to be alright.’ She assured herself inwardly.With that, she placed her hand on the doorknob and opened it.To her surprise, rather than meeting Nicholas in his office, it was empty and cleared out, leaving nothing of his belongings nor work documents behind save for a white envelope sitting on his desk with her name on it.“You have got to be…”She shut her eyes, unclenching her fists as her mind raced to find the right words to use at that moment.When she couldn’t get the best of it, she closed the gap between her and his desk, picking up the letter.“To Kiera,” she read out before scanning around as
In the grand boardroom of Campbell Group, the atmosphere was charged. Massive windows gave a view of the cityscape while the sleek, wooden table reflected the state-of-the-art design of the room.Ever since Nicholas joined the board meeting, Kiera could not hide the fact that she had always been on edge one way or another.Staring at her intently, Nicholas as well as the other members watched as she kick-started the meeting.As Kiera presented her new eco-park idea, murmurs of approval echoed. She had decided to build an eco-park on the land they acquired last time. The concept was groundbreaking—an immersive experience where customers could witness the entire production process of Campbell's products.Several board members were in sync with the whole idea and saw it as an opportunity to do something greater and better.However, Nicholas remained silent all through and when the murmuring had died down, he leaned back in his chair with a sceptical arch to his brow.“Ahem!”Several head