Phil and Jodie stood at the altar, holding hands as they exchanged vows."I, Phil, take you, Jodie, to be my lawfully wedded wife," Phil said, looking deeply into Jodie's eyes. "I promise to love, cherish, and support you in all you do. I promise to be there for you in good times and in bad, and to always be your partner and best friend."Jodie's eyes filled with tears as she repeated the same words back to him. They exchanged rings and sealed their love with a kiss, surrounded by their family and friends.After the ceremony, they walked hand in hand to the reception, where a live band was playing and everyone was dancing and having a good time. Jodie's vision for the décor had come to life, with elegant white and gold accents throughout the room.As they sat down for dinner, Jodie leaned over to Phil and whispered, "I can't believe we're actually married.""I know," Phil said, beaming at her. "I'm already regretting my decision," he joked.Jodie playfully punched his arm. "Too late n
"OH MY GOD!" Jodie screamed as soon as Phil carried her inside his loft."What?" Phil scowled and put her down."This is the ugliest place I've ever seen! No wonder you wanted to hire me as your interior decorator."Phil groaned. "Jodie, I was joking when I said that and this place isn't the bad.""Oh no? Then why does it look like a dungeon?" Jodie gestured to the dark walls and minimal furniture. "And what is with that couch?""It's comfortable," Phil defended."Comfortable? It looks like a block of ice!" Jodie shook her head. "We need to start from scratch. New paint, new furniture, new everything."Phil sighed. "Fine, but we are not making the place look like a unicorn threw up on it."Jodie grinned. "I was joking about that too. Trust me, Phil. I'll make this place look like a palace." "Alright, my queen. You can do all that later. Now can we get on with our wedding night?" He smirked.Jodie rolled her eyes playfully. "Patience, my king. Let me just light some candles and put on
Two years later,Phil nearly groaned as Jodie presented yet another ridiculous home decor in front of him."What the heck is this?"He demanded.Jodie smiled proudly. "It's a wall hanging made entirely out of recycled bottle caps! Isn't it amazing?"Phil rolled his eyes. "It's a bunch of garbage glued together. How is that amazing?"Jodie's pouted. "You just don't understand art."Phil laughed. "Oh really? Is that what it is?"Jodie narrowed her eyes, sensing Phil's sarcasm. "Yes, it is. And it's also environmentally friendly. I think it's a great addition to our home."Phil shook his head. "I'm all for being eco-friendly, but that doesn't mean we have to sacrifice style and taste.""Stop being so grouchy all the time," Jodie snapped."I'm not grouchy.""Yes, you are!" Jodie argued."No, I'm not." Phil shook his head."Yes, you are."Phil sighed. He could never win an argument against Jodie. "Fine, maybe I am a little grouchy. But can you blame me when you keep bringing home these...u
Phil squeezed Jodie's hand reassuringly as they walked into the adoption agency, both of their hearts beating fast with anticipation.The receptionist smiled at them. "Ah, you must be Lisa's two o' clock. Please have a seat."Jodie and Phil sat down, their eyes scanning the room, taking in the various brochure and adoption pamphlets.After a few minutes, a woman appeared from a door at the back of the room "Mr. and Mrs. DeMarco? Please follow me. I'm your adoption specialist." She led them into a private room.Jodie and Phil were nervous, but they answered all her questions as honestly as possible, telling Lisa about their backgrounds, jobs, and home life. Lisa listened carefully, taking notes as they spoke."It sounds like you two would make excellent parents," she said. "I think we can find a child who would be a great fit for your family.""Really?" Jodie's eyes lit up."Yes, there's an orphanage I'd like you both to visit. I'm sure they'd be thrilled to have you there," Lisa said.
"So this is what it came down to?" Anthony remarked and looked at Faith with disgust. As if she was a piece of trash. I guess I deserve it, Faith thought. It was never meant to be like this. She was never meant to stoop so low as to offer her body to this well-respected and powerful man that was standing in front of her. She was supposed to come to the office, work hard, and leave. The only interaction she was supposed to have with him was at the office when she occasionally brought him coffee and paperwork for him to sign. But that's not how things turned out to be. Here she was, standing in front of him, asking him to spare her life. She felt beaten and humiliated by her boss, but she couldn't blame anyone but herself if she hadn't done what she did. If she hadn't stolen, things would've been much different. Faith was the oldest of her two sisters and the breadwinner. Her middle sister Jody went out of state for an internship, and her younger sister was still in high school. In a
"OH MY GOD, Mr. DeMarco! I'm so sorry!" Faith looked at him wide-eyed. She was horrified. She was already making a terrible impression on him. What if she had just ruined something important? Anthony stood up abruptly and walked to the other side of the desk while Faith frantically attempted to save the papers and wipe down the desk. "What is the matter with you?" Anthony barked. "I'm really sorry. It was an accident. I will clean this up immediately!" "I'm talking about your hand. Why aren't you taking care of it? Are you dumb?" he said gruffly, grabbed her arm, and pulled her toward the bathroom. His touch gave her goosebumps. Is he worried about me? Faith thought to herself. Anthony turned the faucet on and held her hand under cold water. He was still not looking at her. A tiny vein was visible on his forehead. Oh great, he is definitely annoyed at me. Faith sighed. "Have it treated as soon as you leave this room; otherwise, it'll scar," Anthony said. "Yes sir," Faith whisp
Faith got adjusted to her new position within two weeks. To her relief, she didn't have to interact with Anthony as much. Most of the time, their meeting lasted only ten minutes or less. They were small tasks. The coffee here, sign documents there, nothing she couldn't handle. And the pay was good. At least enough to cover bills and medicines for her impatient father. Things were going well until one day. One Sunday afternoon, she heard the dreadful news about her father. She was making coffee for Anthony as usual when the receptionist Lana entered the break room. "Um...Faith, you have a phone call," she said. "What's the matter?" Faith looked at Lana, whose face was pale as a ghost. "Um...you better take this call," Lana quickly said and left. Faith felt nauseous. She had a bad feeling about the phone call. "Hello?" she picked up the phone and waited for the other person to speak. "Faith, this is your uncle Rudy." Uncle Rudy? She hadn't spoken to that guy since two years ag
Anthony couldn't believe his ears. This timid, seemingly modest woman was offering her body to save herself from going to prison. He had never realized she could be this shameless. This wasn't the first time he had received an offer like this. But it was under a different circumstance by someone stark opposite of Faith. And they all seemed like women who had done something like that before to get what they wanted. Anthony never accepted their offer. He didn't have time for such a trifling matter. He didn't like to date or mess around like some spoiled billionaire playboy. Time was money, and he didn't like to waste it by chasing after women. He agreed to be engaged to his business partner's daughter, Malcolm Sevirno, simply because he wanted to strengthen their business relationship. There was no love between them, and he was okay with that. But Faith's sudden boldness piqued his interest. Anthony was seeing her in a different light. This mousy woman stood her ground and agreed to
Phil squeezed Jodie's hand reassuringly as they walked into the adoption agency, both of their hearts beating fast with anticipation.The receptionist smiled at them. "Ah, you must be Lisa's two o' clock. Please have a seat."Jodie and Phil sat down, their eyes scanning the room, taking in the various brochure and adoption pamphlets.After a few minutes, a woman appeared from a door at the back of the room "Mr. and Mrs. DeMarco? Please follow me. I'm your adoption specialist." She led them into a private room.Jodie and Phil were nervous, but they answered all her questions as honestly as possible, telling Lisa about their backgrounds, jobs, and home life. Lisa listened carefully, taking notes as they spoke."It sounds like you two would make excellent parents," she said. "I think we can find a child who would be a great fit for your family.""Really?" Jodie's eyes lit up."Yes, there's an orphanage I'd like you both to visit. I'm sure they'd be thrilled to have you there," Lisa said.
Two years later,Phil nearly groaned as Jodie presented yet another ridiculous home decor in front of him."What the heck is this?"He demanded.Jodie smiled proudly. "It's a wall hanging made entirely out of recycled bottle caps! Isn't it amazing?"Phil rolled his eyes. "It's a bunch of garbage glued together. How is that amazing?"Jodie's pouted. "You just don't understand art."Phil laughed. "Oh really? Is that what it is?"Jodie narrowed her eyes, sensing Phil's sarcasm. "Yes, it is. And it's also environmentally friendly. I think it's a great addition to our home."Phil shook his head. "I'm all for being eco-friendly, but that doesn't mean we have to sacrifice style and taste.""Stop being so grouchy all the time," Jodie snapped."I'm not grouchy.""Yes, you are!" Jodie argued."No, I'm not." Phil shook his head."Yes, you are."Phil sighed. He could never win an argument against Jodie. "Fine, maybe I am a little grouchy. But can you blame me when you keep bringing home these...u
"OH MY GOD!" Jodie screamed as soon as Phil carried her inside his loft."What?" Phil scowled and put her down."This is the ugliest place I've ever seen! No wonder you wanted to hire me as your interior decorator."Phil groaned. "Jodie, I was joking when I said that and this place isn't the bad.""Oh no? Then why does it look like a dungeon?" Jodie gestured to the dark walls and minimal furniture. "And what is with that couch?""It's comfortable," Phil defended."Comfortable? It looks like a block of ice!" Jodie shook her head. "We need to start from scratch. New paint, new furniture, new everything."Phil sighed. "Fine, but we are not making the place look like a unicorn threw up on it."Jodie grinned. "I was joking about that too. Trust me, Phil. I'll make this place look like a palace." "Alright, my queen. You can do all that later. Now can we get on with our wedding night?" He smirked.Jodie rolled her eyes playfully. "Patience, my king. Let me just light some candles and put on
Phil and Jodie stood at the altar, holding hands as they exchanged vows."I, Phil, take you, Jodie, to be my lawfully wedded wife," Phil said, looking deeply into Jodie's eyes. "I promise to love, cherish, and support you in all you do. I promise to be there for you in good times and in bad, and to always be your partner and best friend."Jodie's eyes filled with tears as she repeated the same words back to him. They exchanged rings and sealed their love with a kiss, surrounded by their family and friends.After the ceremony, they walked hand in hand to the reception, where a live band was playing and everyone was dancing and having a good time. Jodie's vision for the décor had come to life, with elegant white and gold accents throughout the room.As they sat down for dinner, Jodie leaned over to Phil and whispered, "I can't believe we're actually married.""I know," Phil said, beaming at her. "I'm already regretting my decision," he joked.Jodie playfully punched his arm. "Too late n
"So, what did Phil say?" Faith asked Jodie later that day. "He said he would be my sugar daddy," Jodie said in a daze. Faith's eyes turned wide, but then she laughed. "What? I meant, what did he say about your illness?" Jodie blushed. "Oh, right. He was really sweet and understanding about it. He said he wanted to be there for me and that we'll face it together if it came to that. It was actually really nice to hear," Jodie said, a small smile appearing on her face. Faith smiled back. "I'm glad he's being supportive. You deserve someone who will be there for you, no matter what." Jodie nodded. "Yeah, I know. And I'm starting to think that maybe Phil could be that person." Faith raised an eyebrow. "Really? You're considering him as a serious option?" Jodie shrugged. "I don't know. It's just...he always pushed me away before but..." "But now he's showing a different side of himself," Faith finished for her. "I get it. Just be careful, okay? Don't let yourself get too swept up at
Phil's heart jumped when he saw it was Jodie calling him. Fucking finally."What's going on, Jodie? Why are you avoiding me?" He demanded."I'm not!" Jodie whined."Yes, you are."Jodie sighed. "Alright, yes. But I have a good reason for it.""And what would that be?"He could hear her taking a deep breath as if to brace herself."Phil...I'm sick," she said.Phil's heart dropped as he heard Jodie's words. "What do you mean, sick? What's wrong?" he asked, his voice filled with concern."I went for a check-up the other day, and they found a small tumor in my brain," Jodie said, her voice trembling.Phil was stunned. He didn't know what to say. "I...I don't even know what to say, Jodie. I'm so sorry," he finally managed to get out.Jodie sniffled. "It's okay, Phil. I just wanted you to know. I don't want to hold back anything from you, especially if we're going to be together. I don't want to waste any time pretending things are okay when they're not. I just needed some time to process e
Phil paced back and forth in his room the next day."Lisa!" he yelled."Yes, sir?" Lisa poked her head in."Did you send the flowers?" he growled."Yes, sir, and they sent me a confirmation email saying that the flowers were received.""I see," Phil said grimly. Jodie hadn't said anything about it. Not even a simple text saying thank you. Was she really going to make him work this hard?Phil paced back and forth in his room the next day."Lisa!" he yelled."Yes, sir?" Lisa poked her head in."Did you send the flowers?" he growled."Yes, sir, and they sent me a confirmation email saying that the flowers were received.""I see," Phil said grimly. Jodie hadn't said anything about it. Not even a simple text saying thank you. Was she really going to make him work this hard?Phil thought for a moment before turning to Lisa. "Send her a dozen chocolate-covered strawberries." "Right away, sir," Lisa replied, taking note of the request before leaving the room.Phil couldn't help but feel frus
Jodie knew she couldn't keep her cancer a secret. She had to tell Faith, so she decided to book a flight to visit her again.Jodie spent the next few days making arrangements for her trip to see Faith. She didn't want to tell anyone else about her cancer yet, not even Phil. She was still trying to come to terms with the news herself and didn't want to burden anyone else with it.Finally, the day of her flight arrived, and Jodie made her way to the airport. She felt nervous and scared but also relieved to be getting away for a while. She needed time to think and process everything that was happening.She took a taxi to Faith's home. But as she arrived at the front door, she was scared to knock on the door.Jodie took a deep breath and raised her hand to knock on the door. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She could feel sweat beading on her forehead as she waited for someone to answer.After a few moments, the door opened, and Faith stood before her with a surprised expression on he
Phil surveyed his loft carefully.He had hired an interior decorator to decorate the entire place because he didn't have the time or desire to do it himself.The decorator had chosen a modern, minimalist style with sleek furniture and clean lines. Everything looked nice and expensive. But for the first time since he moved in here, Phil realized it didn't feel like home at all.It didn't have the same feeling as Anthony's house. Anthony's house had the kind of warmth Phil had never felt in his own home, and now he knew why. It was because of Faith. Anthony had Faith, and Phil had no one.Phil had been so focused on his career that he had neglected his personal life. He had always thought that material possessions would bring him happiness. But they never did. And when he saw how happy Anthony was with Mayra, he decided to steal her from him, thinking she'd make him feel loved. And when that fell apart, he gave up on love altogether.But now, standing in his loft, he realized that love