AmeliaI smiled, watching Emma, my cashier slip on her jacket and grab her purse. "You're not leaving now?" "Don't worry, go ahead. I'll take care of everything and lock up.""Are you sure you don't need me to wait? I can lock up." "No, no. It's fine. Have a wonderful night.""Thanks, Amelia. See you tomorrow," she replied, her voice cheerful as she pushed open the door and walked out.We'd sold out for the day and the display cases were empty. I turned off the ovens and switched off the lights. I moved through the bakery checking to make sure I wasn't missing anything. The bell above the door rang out. I called out, my voice ringing through the empty bakery, "Did you forget something?" I assumed it was Emma, returning for something she'd left behind.But the silence was palpable.I waited for a response, my ears straining to pick up the slightest sound. But there was nothing.My curiosity piqued, I turned my head, my eyes scanning the dimly lit doorway. Then I saw a figure stand
Selene I stood outside my father's house, fidgeting with frustration as I rang the doorbell multiple times.Why the fuck was he taking so long to answer the door? The minutes ticked by at a glacial pace.Finally, the door creaked open, revealing my father's stern expression."For fuck's sake, Dad! It took you hours to answer the door," I exclaimed, exasperation etched in my voice.His eyes narrowed. "Don't speak to me that way, Selene."I sighed inwardly.His gaze dropped to the luggage beside me, then snapped back to meet my eyes. "Whose bags are these?" he asked."Mine," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.His eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean yours?"I hesitated for a few seconds before answering. "Alex threw me out.""He threw you out!" He exclaimed, his voice laced with outrage. "And Martins let him do that?"I shook my head, feeling a mix of frustration and desperation. "Martins didn't know.""Why didn't you go to him?"I sighed, my exhaustion boiling over. "C
Amelia I sat beside Hayley at the park, watching Alexander laugh and play with Misty. Her words cut through the serene atmosphere."I still can't believe you just forgave him and let him back into your life," Hayley said, her tone laced with scepticism.I shifted uncomfortably, defending my decision. "I didn't just forgive him, Hay. We're friends now."Hayley raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, keep trying to convince yourself, Amelia. A man and a woman can't be friends."I bristled at her doubt. "Says who?""If you two had no history, maybe it would've been possible. But come on, Amelia, I thought you wanted to move on from him."Her words struck a chord, echoing my own uncertainties."I've come to realize that instead of trying to hate Alexander, maybe I should try forgiving him," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "That way, moving on would be easier."Hayley's eyes narrowed. "You could have told him to leave."I bit back a bitter laugh. As if Alexander would have listened. Besides I
Amelia "I once locked a man up for six months," Alexander revealed.My eyes widened, and I struggled to contain my shock. "Six months!" I exclaimed into the recorder. I moved closer, making sure my phone was close enough to Alexander.Alexander's gaze snapped to mine, his eyes flashing a warning. "Keep your voice down."I nodded, my voice dropping to a whisper. "Six months is a lot. What did he do to you?"Alexander's expression turned grim. "He worked for me. He poked his nose into something he shouldn't have."My curiosity piqued, I leaned in closer. "What was that?"Alexander glanced over his shoulders, his eyes darting around the room before focusing on me. He leaned in. "Tax evasion."My heart skipped a beat. "You don't pay taxes?" I asked in a hushed tone. "Do you know how much trouble that could put you in?""I do. I just underpay. I have my records falsified, hide most of my assets, and use offshore accounts. Sometimes I underreport my income."My eyes widened in shock. "That
Alexander "Thank you for dinner, Mrs Fray," I said to Amelia's mom. She responded with a warm smile. Amelia stood up to clear the plates."I'll help you with that." Charlie and I spoke in unison.I glanced at Charlie, slightly annoyed. Was he trying to one-up me?I turned back to Amelia, my expression softening. "Let me help."Amelia's eyes flickered between Charlie and me. "It's fine, guys. I'll take care of it."Charlie and I exchanged a brief, tense glance.How desperate can one person be? I thought, exasperated. Charlie seemed to have anticipated my every move, mirroring my offer to help Amelia. His eagerness to play the hero, to be the Prince Charming, was palpable."No." Charlie and I said again. Our responses overlapped in a ridiculous chorus.My irritation simmered, and I cleared my throat, forcing a strained smile onto my face. "I'll help you.""No, Alexander. You're a guest. We don't make our guests work." Amelia rebuffed gently.I could almost see Charlie's wide grin, h
Alexander The room was dimly lit, with only a sliver of sunlight peeking through the blinds. I wandered over to the bookshelf, my fingers trailing over the books.I pulled out a worn leather-bound copy of Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea". The pages yellowed, the words dog-eared.The door creaked open. "Alex."I turned to face Henry, his eyes scanning the room with a hint of unease."Hi," he said, his voice laced with surprise.I held up the book, my grip tightening around it. "Henry."He shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting around the room. "I didn't know you were coming. You didn't tell me."I shrugged, my tone curt. "Yeah, I just arrived."Henry's gaze lingered on me, his expression nervous. "My assistant just informed me. Have you been here long?""No, just got here," I replied, my eyes locked on his.Henry's brow furrowed. "I didn't know you were in New York. Is everything okay?"His concern seemed genuine, but I sensed an undercurrent of tension. I raised an eyebrow, int
Amelia Agreeing to hang out with the person I was about to incriminate wasn't a good idea. I walked to my closet and picked out a simple outfit. A white shirt and a tight Jean. Before leaving, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My eyes roamed over my reflection, admiring the way the jeans hugged my curves. I thought of Alexander not being able to take his eyes off me when he saw me. A warm blush spread across my cheeks. Stop blushing, Amelia. You're not aiming for that. He'll be out of your life soon. I told myself. I wondered what the surprise was. My phone rang out. It wasn't even up to an hour yet, why was he being so impatient? I grabbed my phone and answered it without looking at the screen, thinking it was Alexander. "Alexander, you should learn how to be patient. I'll be there soon," I said, expecting to hear his voice. Instead, a different voice responded. "Hmmm. I hope when you see him, you get what I asked for." My instincts prickled. That w
Amelia "Why is Paul calling you?" "Huh?" I was confused. I stared blankly at Alexander. Did he say, Paul?Alexander's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing. He held up my phone, the screen showing Paul's name in bold letters.I let out a slow breath. A wave of relief washed over me. He hadn't seen the recording. Thank God.Fucking Paul. I had explicitly told him not to call me.I moved closer, my fingers brushing against Alexander's as I gently took the phone from his hand."Paul and I are not strangers," I explained. "We've worked together in the past. He's probably calling about something related to his company. I helped them out, so maybe he wants to ask me about something..."But as the words spilt out, I realized I was rambling. Giving unnecessary explanations. I bit back the rest of my sentence.I forced a casual smile, hoping to deflect any further questions. "Anyway...""You work for Paul?" he asked cutting me off.I shook my head. "No, I don't. That was a long time ago."Alexa