The moment we stepped inside, it hit me: Lisa had really gone all out trying to impress...well, herself, mostly.The entire venue looked like someone had said, "Give me rich, but make it desperate."There were gold and silver balloons tied everywhere, champagne towers dangerously wobbling in every corner, and way too many fake smiles plastered across perfectly contoured faces.I took one look at the crowd—everyone dressed to the nines but with that bored, "please let something dramatic happen" gleam in their eyes—and whispered to Alaric, "Welcome to the Hunger Games, rich kid edition."He chuckled under his breath and tightened his hand around mine, like he already knew he'd need to keep a firm grip to survive the night.We barely had a chance to breathe before the main event herself appeared at the top of the stairs:Lisa.Wearing what could only be described as a very sparkly piece of dental floss masquerading as a dress.I blinked. Twice. I mean, I knew Lisa loved attention, but th
AlaricI watched Anna disappear up the stairs with Lisa hanging onto her like a second skin. Every instinct I had told me to follow them—yank Lisa off her and remind her what happens when people try to corner what's mine. But Anna had told me not to follow. She had that look in her eye—the one that said, trust me.So, I waited.And if there’s one thing I absolutely loathe, it’s waiting when I don’t know what’s happening to her.The minutes crawled by. First one. Then two. Then three. Somewhere around minute four, a woman in a red dress slinked over and gave me a smile I think she thought was seductive. I didn’t even look at her—just fixed her with my best “you’re wasting your time” glare until she shrank away like a scolded cat.Another tried a few minutes later. I didn’t even let her speak. Just raised an eyebrow. She muttered something about “rude men” and scampered off like the first.By minute eight, I was scaring people off with nothing but my aura. I was pretty sure someone from
I keep my distance, footsteps silent as I trail them down the hall. The girl walks quickly, glancing over her shoulder once to make sure Alaric’s following. He is—reluctantly, but still too polite or curious to brush her off entirely. Typical.They stop at a door. She gestures toward it with exaggerated sweetness, like she’s handing him a gift instead of a trap.Then she drops a little package by the door after he enters and rushes off like she’s being chased by her own conscience. Please.I wait a beat, then walk up, crouching by the bag.Inside: a sleek black robe. A delicate black lace mask.Oh.So this is the final act.I hear Alaric’s voice faintly from the room. “Anna? Are you in here?”Right. Lisa’s brilliant plan. While she thought I’d be in some room screaming for help, she’d slip in here masked like some seductive phantom, probably pretending to be me, and throw herself at Alaric.Wow. She really thought that was going to work?For a second, I’m too stunned by the sheer auda
“Strip,” he says, leaning back on the bed, his elbows propped behind him, watching me with that intense gaze that always makes my knees a little weak.“Alright,” I whisper, my voice a little shaky. I'm nervous—but I signed up for this. And I’m going to see it through.Taking a slow breath, I let my fingers trail up my back to unclasp my bra. As sexily as I can manage, I slide it off and bunch it in my hand before tossing it at him. He catches it without blinking, his eyes never leaving mine.“Everything,” he says, his voice thick with desire.My eyes flick down to the undeniable bulge in his trousers. The sight gives me a flicker of confidence. I hook my thumbs into the waistband of my panties and slide them down, stepping out of them slowly. Then, with a mischievous smirk I didn’t know I had in me, I throw those at him too.This time, he catches them and brings them to his face, breathing in deeply like I’m something rare and intoxicating. The raw hunger in his eyes makes my breath h
At some point, I must have drifted off.I wake up to the scent of soap and something warm, clean, and soft on my skin. I'm not sore, not cold, not in the uncomfortable mess I remember being in last. Instead, I’m in one of Alaric’s shirts, oversized and smelling faintly of him. My hair’s a little damp, skin moisturized.He cleaned me up?My heart does a weird little twist in my chest.Before I can linger in the softness of that thought, I hear it—a flurry of movement beyond the door. Hurried footsteps. Voices, and some soft clicking.I shuffle out into the living area, tugging the shirt down instinctively. The moment I step into the livivng area, the door opens and Alaric enters.His face is a storm and tight with controlled rage.“What’s going on?” I ask carefully, eyeing the way his shoulders are squared, fists clenched at his sides.He doesn’t answer right away. Just stares at me with a look that makes my skin prickle.Then, voice low and deadly calm, he says, “What exactly did Lisa
“That was wonderful, Miss Anna,” someone says as I step down from the podium, my heart still thrumming like a drumline after a final beat.I offer a composed smile, even though my palms are damp from nerves. My fingers tighten instinctively around the edge of my note cards—mostly untouched during the presentation, but clutched now like a security blanket. The room around me hums with quiet approval—warm smiles, murmured compliments, impressed nods exchanged between executives like secret handshakes. The air feels electric, like I just passed through a lightning storm and somehow came out glowing.Almost everyone is smiling.Almost.My gaze shifts and lands on Lisa’s superior—her direct manager and probably her biggest supporter until, well… now.His expression is nothing short of thunderous. Lips pressed into a line so thin it might disappear altogether, jaw clenched like he’s biting down on glass. He doesn’t clap. Doesn’t smile. Doesn’t blink. His eyes stay fixed on me with a look th
As soon as I step through the front door of the house, still buzzing from the adrenaline of the pitch and the whirlwind of reactions, I barely pause to take off my shoes before heading straight for the kitchen.“Mum?” I call out, already hearing the familiar clatter of pots and the hum of the radio playing softly in the background.She looks up from where she’s chopping vegetables, eyes lighting up the moment she sees me. “Anna! You’re home early.” Then, noting the expression on my face, she sets the knife down and wipes her hands on a towel. “Wait… did something happen? Is everything alright?”I grin and nod, unable to keep it in another second. “More than alright. It went amazing. The board loved the proposal. One of them literally said it’s ‘looking very positive.’”My mum lets out a delighted gasp. “Oh, sweetheart!” She throws her arms around me in a tight hug, practically squeezing the air out of me. “I knew you’d blow them away. You’ve been working so hard—this is incredible.”I
The next evening, I step into the house, expecting the usual scent of dinner and the sound of Mum humming along to the radio. But instead, the air feels heavy and quietquietVoices drift from the living room, low and solemn. As I round the corner, I stop short.Mr. and Mrs. Ashford are sitting on the couch, deep in conversation with my parents. My mum looks like she’s been crying, her eyes a little red and puffy, and Dad’s hands are clasped tightly in his lap. Mr. Ashford’s face is drawn and serious, while Mrs. Ashford’s lips are trembling as if she’s holding back something she’s dying to say.When they see me, Mrs. Ashford immediately rises to her feet.“Anna,” she says, voice soft and wobbly, and the next second she’s across the room, wrapping her arms around me in a tight embrace. Her perfume is familiar, floral, comforting, and yet the hug is filled with something I can’t name. A desperation that makes my stomach twist.I freeze. “Is… is everything okay?”My voice comes out unsure
Biological Mother - MotherAdoptive Mother - Mum-----------------The charity ball was only a few days away, and naturally, Mum, Ellie, and Mother declared it a fashion emergency. “We’re going to Lux,” Ellie had said with the kind of gleam in her eye that made me feel like I was about to walk into a makeover montage. “And no, you don’t get a say.”So, here I was, barefoot on a velvet pedestal in the middle of Lux’s elite fitting suite, trying on what had to be my hundredth dress. I was fairly certain I’d tried on every shade of gold known to man and possibly one that hadn't been invented yet.“Nope,” Ellie said for the eighth time in a row, waving her hand like a disapproving judge on a reality show. “Too much sparkle. You look like a sentient disco ball.”I groaned and flopped onto the chaise lounge dramatically. “I’m pretty sure I’ve aged ten years in this fitting room.”Mum chuckled. “Oh hush, you look beautiful in everything.”“Which would be helpful if we were shopping for every
As dessert was served—rich chocolate cake with a generous swirl of whipped cream—I leaned back in my seat, letting the warmth of the evening settle into my chest. The conversation had flowed so easily all night, filled with laughter and sharing memories.It still felt surreal—sitting here with my biological parents, with Damian and Ellie, like it was the most natural thing in the world. A week ago, they were strangers. Now? They were mine. And I was theirs.I was mid-bite when my mum set down her wine glass and tilted her head at me, her eyes shining with something suspiciously close to mischief.“So,” she said casually, though I wasn’t fooled for a second. “What about Alaric?”I blinked. “What about him?”Her grin only widened. “Are you two serious?”I nearly choked on my cake. “Mum!”She raised her hands in mock innocence. “What? I’ve always wanted the son of my best friend to marry into the family. I gave up hope, of course, but now…” She gave me the most satisfied smile I’d ever s
The office was quiet, the usual morning hum of keyboards and clinking mugs a strangely comforting background to the storm of thoughts in her head. She stared at her screen, a spreadsheet open but untouched, and found her eyes drifting to the photo frame next to her monitor. It was a picture of her and Brian at her last birthday, smiling in the kitchen with a cake that had sunk in the middle.They’d laughed so hard that night. That used to be her whole world—her job, Brian, the quiet comfort of routine.Brian had missed the whole thing as he was away on a business trip in Singapore, but the moment he found out, he called her. She’d barely gotten two words in before he started gushing, saying he always knew she was special, that it all somehow made sense now. His voice cracked when he told her how proud he was, how happy he was that she’d found where she belonged. “You’ve always had a big family, Anna,” he said gently. “We were just waiting for the rest of them to find you.”And then th
Mr. and Mrs. Ashford, my biological parents, step forward. I see the uncertainty in their eyes, like they’re holding their breath. I swallow and look at them, still overwhelmed, still unsure."I know this is a lot," Mrs. Ashford begins gently. "And we’re not trying to take anything from you. We’re just… so grateful to have found you again. We lost you once. We don’t want to lose you again."Mr. Ashford clears his throat, his voice gruff but steady. "We never stopped looking. When the adoption records were sealed and the orphanage shut down… we thought—"He doesn’t finish, but I see it in his eyes. They thought I was gone. And somehow, through a mess of fate and timing, I still ended up in their lives."You don’t have to decide anything now," Mrs. Ashford says, stepping closer. "But if you’re okay with it, we’d like to be part of your life again. And… we’d like you to call us Mum and Dad. If you’re ready. When you’re ready."The words settle over me like a warm, heavy blanket. Familiar
After I’ve washed my face and curled up again beside Alaric on his stupidly comfortable couch, I shoot my mum a text with shaking fingers.Me: Hey, I’m staying at Alaric’s tonight. I just need a bit of time. I’ll come back tomorrow.The reply comes almost immediately.Mum: Okay, sweetheart. Take all the time you need. The Ashfords are staying over too—if that’s okay with you?I stare at the message for a second before typing.Me: That’s okay. Tell them goodnight for me.Mum: We love you. Sleep well.I exhale a breath I didn’t realize I was holding and tuck my phone away. Alaric shifts beside me, his arm still around my shoulders like he’s trying to hold the pieces of me together.“Will you stay with me?” I ask quietly, my voice barely more than a whisper.He looks down at me like it’s the easiest question in the world. “Always.”I don’t say anything after that, just press my face into his chest and let his heartbeat lull me into something that feels like peace. Right before I drift of
“I just… need to clear my head,” I tell Mum as I reach for my coat. My voice is too even, too controlled, and that alone worries her.She places a gentle hand on my arm. “Anna, be careful, please.”I nod, not trusting myself to speak again. I head to the back door, quietly slipping my keys into my pocket. I can’t go through the living room. I can’t face Mr. and Mrs. Ashford—not right now. Are they really my parents? Were they always? My mind recoils at the thought, twisting it around until I don’t know how to feel, only that I feel too much.The air outside is cool against my skin. It should help. It doesn’t.I get in the car and drive.I don’t even remember choosing a direction. My hands move on instinct while my thoughts spiral deeper, tangling in memories I thought I had filed away and sealed shut. My foot presses the gas harder than necessary. At some point, familiar streets start showing up through my windshield, and when I finally pull to a stop, I realize where I am.Alaric’s h
The next evening, I step into the house, expecting the usual scent of dinner and the sound of Mum humming along to the radio. But instead, the air feels heavy and quietquietVoices drift from the living room, low and solemn. As I round the corner, I stop short.Mr. and Mrs. Ashford are sitting on the couch, deep in conversation with my parents. My mum looks like she’s been crying, her eyes a little red and puffy, and Dad’s hands are clasped tightly in his lap. Mr. Ashford’s face is drawn and serious, while Mrs. Ashford’s lips are trembling as if she’s holding back something she’s dying to say.When they see me, Mrs. Ashford immediately rises to her feet.“Anna,” she says, voice soft and wobbly, and the next second she’s across the room, wrapping her arms around me in a tight embrace. Her perfume is familiar, floral, comforting, and yet the hug is filled with something I can’t name. A desperation that makes my stomach twist.I freeze. “Is… is everything okay?”My voice comes out unsure
As soon as I step through the front door of the house, still buzzing from the adrenaline of the pitch and the whirlwind of reactions, I barely pause to take off my shoes before heading straight for the kitchen.“Mum?” I call out, already hearing the familiar clatter of pots and the hum of the radio playing softly in the background.She looks up from where she’s chopping vegetables, eyes lighting up the moment she sees me. “Anna! You’re home early.” Then, noting the expression on my face, she sets the knife down and wipes her hands on a towel. “Wait… did something happen? Is everything alright?”I grin and nod, unable to keep it in another second. “More than alright. It went amazing. The board loved the proposal. One of them literally said it’s ‘looking very positive.’”My mum lets out a delighted gasp. “Oh, sweetheart!” She throws her arms around me in a tight hug, practically squeezing the air out of me. “I knew you’d blow them away. You’ve been working so hard—this is incredible.”I
“That was wonderful, Miss Anna,” someone says as I step down from the podium, my heart still thrumming like a drumline after a final beat.I offer a composed smile, even though my palms are damp from nerves. My fingers tighten instinctively around the edge of my note cards—mostly untouched during the presentation, but clutched now like a security blanket. The room around me hums with quiet approval—warm smiles, murmured compliments, impressed nods exchanged between executives like secret handshakes. The air feels electric, like I just passed through a lightning storm and somehow came out glowing.Almost everyone is smiling.Almost.My gaze shifts and lands on Lisa’s superior—her direct manager and probably her biggest supporter until, well… now.His expression is nothing short of thunderous. Lips pressed into a line so thin it might disappear altogether, jaw clenched like he’s biting down on glass. He doesn’t clap. Doesn’t smile. Doesn’t blink. His eyes stay fixed on me with a look th