He had just turned to leave when he heard the door open behind him."Benedict, wait," Clara called soft but urgent.He stopped in his tracks, his brows drawing down slightly as he turned to face her. Clara stood in the doorway, the light from inside her apartment forming a golden glow around her. Her expression was unreadable, a mix of hesitation and something else—something more intense.Yes?" he asked, sounding unafraid even though he felt a riptide of unease.She took a step toward him and then held his gaze. Her green dress captured the faint breeze. There is something I need to tell you. she said, her voice trembling over the words.Benedict nodded, waiting, feeling his heart pound hard in his chest, eager for her words.But instead of saying anything, Clara stepped closer. Before he could fully register what she intended, she had reached up, resting hands lightly on his shoulders, and pressed her lips to his.The kiss was shocking, a collision of warmth and surprise. Benedict fr
She looked up at him, licking her lips, and smiled. His eyes were still closed in concentration, so she stood and grabbed his hand, pulling him to where their bed awaited. Finally, finally, they had arrived. No guests, no neighbours, no stairs.They undressed each other in a hurry, and she lay down, spread her knees, and pulled her legs back. He licked and lapped at her with more passion than he had on the stairs; and he had more room between her thighs now that she was lying back, able to open herself up more fully so that he could make sure no millimetre of her pussy was neglected. She grasped his hands with her own as they clasped her ass, squeezing him, and then pulling gently toward her chest.Benedict didn't need a more direct hint; he rose up and lined his cock up with her soaking entrance, then plunged in. She cried out, and he grunted; he slid into her and she raised her hips; he leaned forward to kiss one breast, and she squeezed and lifted it toward his eager mouth. His lip
The night between Clara and Benedict had been chaos—a collision of unspoken emotions, raw tension, and fleeting vulnerability. Benedict had given in to it all—exhaustion, desire, and the appeal of Clara's charm. The haze cleared, though, revealing just another moment to him, releasing him from the suffocating pressures of his life.But for Clara, it was much, much more. She sat on the edge of the bed, her window lit with golden sunlight the next morning. Her lips still tingled from Benedict's kisses, and her skin still thrummed with the imprint of his touch. But as the passion receded, the ache in her heart grew and she missed him so bad.She wanted more—more than stolen moments, more than a night of fleeting intimacy. She wanted Benedict's attention, his affection, and above all, his love. She wanted to replace Sabrina.Benedict, on the other hand, treated the day as if nothing had occurred. His cold, calculating nature was back in place as he walked into the office with his mind alr
She stood on the big stage, her heart beating in sync with the booming emcee voice throughout the hall. "And the winner of the Elite Fashion Design Competition of this year is… Sabrina Auburn!" The call echoed in the sophisticated auditorium, where it was then answered with an explosion of applause that almost rattled the chandeliers from the ceilings. Sabrina sat back for a split second, feeling the weight of the news. She stood up effortlessly, elegantly smiling, but her poise blazed much brighter than the chandeliers in the room. Her mother, Leila, grasped her grandmother Wendy's arm. Her tears streamed down her cheeks."She did it, Mom," Leila whispered with emotion. "She really did it." "I never doubted her," Wendy replied, her voice steady but her eyes brimming with pride. Sabrina walked towards the stage, her heart pounding with disbelief and triumph. Wearing one of her designs: a perfect harmony of power and femininity—a midnight-blue pantsuit with intricate embroidery, she mo
Sabrina smiled her heart, feeling grateful for the gesture. "I would not have managed without you. You're always there for me even when I did not know which way to go ahead, Mom," she went on as tears welled into her eyes in gratitude. And through the years, she realized her mother and her grandmother Wendy never made a decision in the house without praying and then asking for support in such matters.That night, as she laid Saben in his crib, she sat down beside him for a moment, her heart overflowing with love. She looked at his tiny chest as it rose and fell with peaceful breaths, and calm washed over her. "We've come a long way, haven't we, little one my Saben?" she whispered softly, stroking his cheek.She was lost, drifting in the thoughts of the past—to Benedict, to the pain she had been through and the woman she was before. And she didn't feel any bitterness anymore. She felt clear, and whatever she had passed through brought her into this moment and into this life she had wi
We want them to see not only the products but the journey," Sabrina said during the brainstorming session. "Our designs reflect resilience, empowerment, and the beauty of individuality. Let's make that shine."Her words revitalized the team, and they spent their creativity on this project. When the day of the meeting finally approached, Sabrina was ready and confident to present her brand to the global world.Maison d'Étoiles headquarters was elegance itself, with its grand marble entrance, towering glass walls, and artful displays of their iconic designs. Sabrina walked in, dressed in a tailored white suit that exuded sophistication, her signature bag slung gracefully over her shoulder.The creative director, Margaux Laurent, a charismatic woman, greeted her warmly. "Ms. Auburn, it's so great to finally meet you. Your work has taken the world of fashion by storm."The pleasure's mine, Sabrina replied, smiling with an expression that seemed altogether sincere. "Maison d'Étoiles has al
Benedict sat at the top of the headboard table, his attention was acut, keen as his staff presented their latest financial reports. He's fully immersed in the numbers, the figures, and the strategies. He does not have time for distractions and space for anything but the work that needs to be done.In the meantime, Andrea was quietly surfing on her phone under the table; she was one of the junior staff members. She had always been a fashion enthusiast, and today she could not resist checking the news—especially with the recent buzz about Sabrina Auburn. Andrea saw her name everywhere recently; from the launch of Sabrina Ultra bags to announcing her collaboration with Maison d'Étoiles. She was becoming a bright star in the fashion world, and Andrea was eager to know more about her.She didn't know the full backstory—she didn't even know that Sabrina was Benedict's ex-wife. To Andrea, Sabrina was just an inspiring designer who was making waves in a completely different world from the cor
He nodded, acknowledging her view. "Okay, let it be short. We cannot lose much time. Now let us go back to project timelines and what needs to be done this week.""Yeah, I am on that now," Andrea replied, feeling much lighter. The tension between them had lightened up, and she was set to move forward with work.As they turned their attention to the project plans, he couldn't help but wonder whether keeping abreast of what was happening could indeed prove useful. It was a sensitive balance, but with Andrea's passion and knowledge, perhaps they could find a way to blend both worlds successfully.She stepped into Benedict's office, her heels clicking softly on the polished floor, poise as usual. She scanned the room, eyes finally settling on him with intent and focus.Benedict, still engrossed in his thoughts from the earlier conversation with Andrea, hadn't noticed her. He was bent over a heap of papers, his brow furrowed in concentration as he made some notes on a report. He tried to m
Nathaniel parked himself back in his leather chair, riding the whiskey that was swirling in his glass while the Manhattan lights gleamed off the floor-to-ceiling windows of his penthouse office. The ringing of his phone on the desk brought with it the name on the screen—William Harper.He smiled. On time.Engaging the answering button, he brought the phone to his ear. "Father."A deep, commanding voice rang over the line. "I hope you've made progress."Nathaniel chuckled, drinking slowly from his glass. "Headway? Oh, you mean getting infuriating Eliana Thompson so worked up she'll burn alive? Well, I'd say I'm doing superbly."There was a pause before William went on. "Don't get too cocky, Nathaniel. This is not a joke son. The Thompsons have been in our hair longer than anyone can remember. If you don't take them down, they'll be taking us down."Nathaniel's smile faltered. His father was always a tough businessman, but there was something different in his voice tonight—desperation.
Saben reclined against the soft couch, arms crossed. He wore an unreadable face, but a characteristic tension in his jaws betrayed his irritation. Next to him sat Eliana with her hands in her lap, her fingers quivering with indignation. She was angry. No, worse!Nathaniel Harper had crossed the line—once again.Their parents, Benedict Thompson and Sabrina Auburn, flanked them on either side, their expressions a mix of concern and chilly anger. But the true powers to be had in the room were their grandmothers: Wendy Taylor, the tough-as-nails businesswoman who had built her own empire from scratch; Teresa Thompson, whose lightning-fast thinking and strategic brilliance had taken their family businesses to dizzying new heights; and Leila Auburn, the elegant and calculating matriarch who had seen and survived every kind of business rivalry under the sun.They had all just returned from a month's yacht cruise, anticipating a serene homecoming—only to find themselves welcomed back by yet a
"And you wasted precious time!" Eliana lost it. "You don't make executive choices without me!" Nathaniel shrugged. "You were too slow. I acted."Eliana's face turned red. "Too slow? Do you even listen to yourself? This isn't all about you, Harper! This is about an entire company, employees, deadlines, distributors! You think you can just waltz in here and play God?"Nathaniel's jaw tightened very slightly. "I don't play, Eliana. I win.""Fine. At what cost?" Saben snapped. "Because from my point of view, you're nothing but a self-centered, manipulative—""Enough," Eliana interrupted him, holding up a hand. She turned to look at Nathaniel again, her voice cold now. "Fix it. Whatever you did, fix it. Now."Nathaniel relaxed once more, looking at her. "No."Eliana's eyes grew wide. "Excuse me?"Nathaniel's smile returned, his voice infuriatingly serene. "I told you no. The changes are already implemented, and believe me, they're better. You'll thank me later."Eliana let out a laugh tha
Eliana stormed into Nathaniel's office, her heels snapping ungentlely on the marble floor. She was hot with blood, anger radiating off of her in waves. She slapped a folder onto his desk, making him glance up from behind his papers with an infuriatingly calm face.Nathaniel raised a brow. "Good morning to you, too, Princess."Eliana pointed a finger at the folder. "Explain. Now."Nathaniel reclined in his seat, looking disinterestedly at the folder and then at her glare. "You'll have to be clearer, sweetheart. I ruin plenty of things on purpose or accidentally."Her face tightened. "Don't try to act dumb with me, Harper. You specifically held back the shipment of our primary material, and now the production has fallen behind. Do you understand what that is?!Nathaniel smiled. "That you'll need to count on me even more?"Eliana growled almost. "That we're going to miss deadlines, lose credibility, and cost a small fortune in penalties!"Nathaniel let out a dramatic sigh. "Oh, Eliana. S
Eliana's phone beeped on her desk, and she checked the message. Her heart beat rapidly as she read it: Nathaniel Harper had negotiated a exclusive contract with one of their providers for Sabrina Ultra. She felt her anger rising."Are you serious Nathaniel?" she snarled, slamming her hand against the desk. "This is not possible!She stormed into the factory office, her heels clicking in the silence. Nathaniel looked up, surprised. Fury raged inside her, contained almost as she left a thick folder on the desk before Nathaniel Harper.Nathaniel did not even flinch. Nathaniel had not even flinched it rather his back relaxed against his chair. Neatly coiled arms over his chest and still wore that damn same irritating smile on his face. "Well, well. You look disturbed, Princess."Eliana's nails dug into her palms. "You signed an exclusive agreement with our vendors?"Nathaniel nodded his head, playing dumb. "Oh, that? It's business, sweetheart."Her blood pressure came racing up. "Don't yo
Eliana had managed crises for years. Delays in the supply chain, faulty products, high-pressure investor meetings—she'd mastered them all with cold efficiency.Nothing, however, pushed her patience to its limits like Nathaniel Harper.She stood in the middle of the factory floor, arms folded, as employees scrambled around her, checking the five hundred faulty units that had brought the whole schedule into disarray.Nathaniel, naturally, by her side with his telltale smirk, observing everything as if this was his own soap opera."Gotta say, Princess," Nathaniel said, leaning in with a tilt of his head. "I didn't think your business had such a huge screw-up. I thought you had a tight ship."Eliana gritted her teeth. "I do have a tight ship. But even the best operations have hiccups."Nathaniel whistled. "Interesting. Because if this occurred in my firm, heads would already be rolling by now."She glared at him. "We don't fix things by firing people willy-nilly. Unlike some companies, we
He nodded at Nathaniel as he left and then ran for the door. "Good luck getting along with her, Harper."Nathaniel chuckled. "Oh, I don't need luck. I like it."Eliana tossed a napkin in his direction. "Get back to work!"Nathaniel snatched it out of the air. "Yes, boss."As Saben walked through the doors, Nathaniel leaned on the table and observed as Eliana tore into her food."So… gonna thank me for making your day interesting?"Eliana glared at him, face as flat as a board. "I'm going to throw this hot soup at you."Nathaniel grinned, hands up in defeat. "I'll assume that's a no Eliana."Despite her disdain for saying it, Eliana couldn't help but let the tiniest curl of her lips.Because, despite everything—despite the mess, the fights, and the ever-present arguing—she knew something.This war between them?It was hardly over.And maybe, maybe she didn't care at all.Inside the factory, the workers were busy sorting the merchandise for bulk shipment. Cartons of designer handbags we
The next morning, Eliana drove to the Sabrina Ultra plant in front of her car in an ill-temper. She didn't feel like she was up for handling him.After last night's nightmare of the missing shipments—and the horror of having to work alongside Nathaniel Harper—she barely slept at all. Not out of fear. No. But from the smirking man's face and obnoxious voice going round and round in her head like a broken record.She shook her head. Forget it. Concentrate, Eliana.Taking a big breath, Eliana stepped across the factory doors, her shoes clicking on the gleaming concrete floor.And there Nathaniel was.Nathaniel Harper, standing against the loading docks, looking infuriatingly serene with his arms crossed, wearing a sleek navy blue suit that was too handsome for a man so infuriating.The instant he saw her, his signature smirk appeared."Good morning, Princess. Sleep well?"Eliana shook her head. "Not that it's any of yours, but yeah, I did. You know, unlike you, I have a job to get to."
Early the following morning, Eliana drove up to the factory in a crisp navy-blue business suit, her heels clicking against the ground as she got out of the car. Nathaniel was already present, resting against his brand new black sports car, the smile on his face enraging."You're late, Princess," Nathaniel slurred when she got near.Eliana snorted, adjusting her blazer. "I'm on time. Perhaps you're just too early because you have nothing better to do."Nathaniel grinned, jamming his hands into his pockets. "Or perhaps I just enjoy seeing you hurry about like a madwoman."She shot him a look. "I wasn't panicking.""Refresh your memory, of course," he announced, pushing open the factory door with a flourish and bowing courtly. "After you, Your Grumpiness Royal."Eliana raised an eyebrow but trailed behind, surrounded by the smell of leather and whine of machinery whirring. Laborers scurried to prepare the newest shipping line out into the world.She strolled along the assembly line, taki