I sat on my bed, my back pressed against the headboard, staring blankly at the curtain swaying gently as the air flowed through. The soft rustling was oddly soothing, like a whisper of a world that kept moving while mine stood still.I heard the door creak open but didn’t bother to look. I already knew who it was.Uncle Sandro’s voice broke the silence. "Eloise, honey... I brought you some sliced fruits and vitamins."I kept my eyes on the curtain, my face expressionless. The sound of his footsteps grew closer as he placed the tray on the bedside table."You haven’t eaten all day," he continued, his tone soft but laced with worry. "You need to take care of yourself."Still, I didn’t respond. My fingers traced the hem of my blanket absently, my thoughts tangled in the same loop they’d been stuck in for days.Uncle Sandro sighed heavily, his footsteps growing louder as he walked closer. He crouched down beside my bed, his face soft but full of concern."Eloise," he said gently, his voic
After that chaos, I found myself sitting on the plush leather couch in Elijah's penthouse. The city lights twinkled through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a soft glow on the sleek and modern interior.It's been months since that last time I went here. Elijah paced back and forth near the window, his hands raking through his disheveled hair. He was still shaking, his movements stiff, as if the adrenaline from earlier hadn’t worn off. He hadn’t spoken much since we got here, just murmured something about needing me to stay with him tonight.I wanted to ask him why—why he was so adamant about not letting me go home, why he looked so broken, why his voice cracked every time he said my name—but I held back. Today wasn’t the right time. Not when he looked like this.“Elijah,” I finally said, my voice soft but steady. “You don’t have to keep pacing. I’m fine. I wasn’t in the car when it happened.”He froze mid-step, his back turned to me. For a moment, I thought he didn’t hear me, bu
To punch this asshole’s face is not enough to sate my rage right now. Every time I see Noel, it’s like my blood boils over, and tonight, he had the audacity to show up here, acting like he had every right to be near Eloise. He staggered back from my last punch, wiping blood from his split lip. Good. He deserved every hit. “You think you can just barge in here and act like you care about her?!” I spat, my fists still clenched. “You’re a joke, Noel!” His glare burned into me, but I didn’t care. He lunged at me again, his fist connecting with my jaw this time. It hurt, but the pain only fueled me. “Enough!” Eloise’s voice cut through the chaos like a knife. I froze, her sharp tone pulling me out of my haze. She stood there, anger radiating from her like a storm. Her eyes locked onto mine, and I felt a pang of guilt settle in my chest. “Both of you need to stop this!” she shouted, stepping between us. Her voice trembled, but her resolve didn’t waver. “I can’t believe you’re ac
I knew this was exactly how they’d react.With a heavy sigh, I slammed myself onto the sofa, crossing my arms as I watched the two of them bicker like kids fighting over a toy.“This is ridiculous,” Elijah snapped, his hands flying up in frustration. “How is living together even a solution?!”“Exactly! I don’t want to live with you either,” Noel fired back, pointing a finger at Elijah. “And I sure as hell don’t trust you to be around Eloise 24/7.”I rolled my eyes, my patience hanging by a thread. “Are you two done?” I said, my tone sharp enough to cut through their shouting.They both turned to me, momentarily stunned into silence.“Good,” I continued before either of them could start up again. “Because this isn’t about either of you. This is about the baby, and if you can’t set aside your egos, then maybe I’ll just raise this child on my own.”Elijah’s jaw tightened, his gaze flicking to the floor. Noel crossed his arms, but I noticed a flicker of guilt pass across his face.I leane
"You're telling me there's nothing? No backup, no traces, no footage at all?" I hissed into the phone, my voice low but sharp enough to cut through the silence of my office."Yes, Sir," the man on the other end of the line replied, his tone cautious. "The system was compromised. Just like what happened on Hart's company night. Whoever did this knew what they were doing—they wiped everything clean.”I ran a hand down my face, frustration boiling in my veins. One week. One goddamn week, and we still had nothing to go on. The footage from that night was gone, and with it, any hope of finding the bastard who tried to kill Eloise."Keep digging," I snapped, pacing back and forth in my room. "Find another angle. Look into nearby establishments, traffic cameras—anything. I don’t care how long it takes or how much it costs. I want answers.”"Understood, Sir," the man said before the line went dead.I tossed my phone onto the bed and leaned against the edge of the desk, my head pounding. It wa
Every morning for the past few weeks, my day started the same way—puking my guts out in the bathroom. It wasn’t exactly how I envisioned pregnancy would be, but here I was, head over the toilet bowl, with my hair tied messily, praying for it to be over.As I washed my face and looked at myself in the mirror, my eyes wandered to my stomach. The small bump was starting to show, barely noticeable to anyone else, but to me, it was glaringly obvious. I looked...bloated, as if I had one too many meals at a buffet.I sighed, pulling down my shirt and walking out of the bathroom. The sight of Noel and Elijah already in the living room greeted me—like they always were. This weird cohabitation arrangement still felt strange, but at least they weren’t trying to kill each other. Well, not openly.“You two,” I called out as I passed by. “What’s for breakfast? Your baby’s hungry.”His head snapped up from his laptop, his brow furrowing. “My baby,” he corrected, standing up quickly. “And don’t worry
"I'm really sorry, bro... I mean, it just really slipped off right off my tongue..." Rafael's voice was laced with guilt, but I barely registered his words.My mind was elsewhere, spinning with worst-case scenarios as I thought of Noel and Eloise alone in the penthouse. I hated the idea—no, I despised it. The thought of him lingering around her, being too close, too comfortable... it was enough to make my blood boil. “Elijah? Are you even listening?” Rafael waved a hand in front of my face, his brows furrowed.I shook my head, forcing myself back to the present. “Yeah, I heard you,” I muttered, though it was far from the truth. “You slipped up. Fine. Whatever.”“Wait, ‘whatever’? That’s it?” Rafael looked at me, confused. “I just told Mom about Eloise’s pregnancy, and you’re acting like it’s not a big deal?”“It’s not that,” I snapped, rubbing the back of my neck. “I just have other things on my mind right now.”Rafael leaned back, crossing his arms. “Other things? Like what?”I did
As much as I loathe calculus, I hate family dinner.Isn't it hypocritical to call it family dinner if you all don't see each other as one? If you don't treat each other as one? As I sat there, staring at the neatly arranged plates and utensils, the air around me felt so fake. Every movement felt scripted, as if everyone was pretending we were this perfect family. But the truth? We were far from it. Why do we even need to keep up this weekly charade? We all just sit here, eating in silence, pretending we're closer than we actually are.And honestly, the silence was better than the fake conversations.Uncle Sandro broke the silence, flashing his usual polite smile. "So, Farah, how's school going?"Farah, who had been quietly picking at her food, perked up a little. “I’m actually running for valedictorian in 10th grade,” she said, a hint of pride in her voice.A small smirk tugged at the corners of my lips. At least someone in this family was achieving something. But before anyone else
"I'm really sorry, bro... I mean, it just really slipped off right off my tongue..." Rafael's voice was laced with guilt, but I barely registered his words.My mind was elsewhere, spinning with worst-case scenarios as I thought of Noel and Eloise alone in the penthouse. I hated the idea—no, I despised it. The thought of him lingering around her, being too close, too comfortable... it was enough to make my blood boil. “Elijah? Are you even listening?” Rafael waved a hand in front of my face, his brows furrowed.I shook my head, forcing myself back to the present. “Yeah, I heard you,” I muttered, though it was far from the truth. “You slipped up. Fine. Whatever.”“Wait, ‘whatever’? That’s it?” Rafael looked at me, confused. “I just told Mom about Eloise’s pregnancy, and you’re acting like it’s not a big deal?”“It’s not that,” I snapped, rubbing the back of my neck. “I just have other things on my mind right now.”Rafael leaned back, crossing his arms. “Other things? Like what?”I did
Every morning for the past few weeks, my day started the same way—puking my guts out in the bathroom. It wasn’t exactly how I envisioned pregnancy would be, but here I was, head over the toilet bowl, with my hair tied messily, praying for it to be over.As I washed my face and looked at myself in the mirror, my eyes wandered to my stomach. The small bump was starting to show, barely noticeable to anyone else, but to me, it was glaringly obvious. I looked...bloated, as if I had one too many meals at a buffet.I sighed, pulling down my shirt and walking out of the bathroom. The sight of Noel and Elijah already in the living room greeted me—like they always were. This weird cohabitation arrangement still felt strange, but at least they weren’t trying to kill each other. Well, not openly.“You two,” I called out as I passed by. “What’s for breakfast? Your baby’s hungry.”His head snapped up from his laptop, his brow furrowing. “My baby,” he corrected, standing up quickly. “And don’t worry
"You're telling me there's nothing? No backup, no traces, no footage at all?" I hissed into the phone, my voice low but sharp enough to cut through the silence of my office."Yes, Sir," the man on the other end of the line replied, his tone cautious. "The system was compromised. Just like what happened on Hart's company night. Whoever did this knew what they were doing—they wiped everything clean.”I ran a hand down my face, frustration boiling in my veins. One week. One goddamn week, and we still had nothing to go on. The footage from that night was gone, and with it, any hope of finding the bastard who tried to kill Eloise."Keep digging," I snapped, pacing back and forth in my room. "Find another angle. Look into nearby establishments, traffic cameras—anything. I don’t care how long it takes or how much it costs. I want answers.”"Understood, Sir," the man said before the line went dead.I tossed my phone onto the bed and leaned against the edge of the desk, my head pounding. It wa
I knew this was exactly how they’d react.With a heavy sigh, I slammed myself onto the sofa, crossing my arms as I watched the two of them bicker like kids fighting over a toy.“This is ridiculous,” Elijah snapped, his hands flying up in frustration. “How is living together even a solution?!”“Exactly! I don’t want to live with you either,” Noel fired back, pointing a finger at Elijah. “And I sure as hell don’t trust you to be around Eloise 24/7.”I rolled my eyes, my patience hanging by a thread. “Are you two done?” I said, my tone sharp enough to cut through their shouting.They both turned to me, momentarily stunned into silence.“Good,” I continued before either of them could start up again. “Because this isn’t about either of you. This is about the baby, and if you can’t set aside your egos, then maybe I’ll just raise this child on my own.”Elijah’s jaw tightened, his gaze flicking to the floor. Noel crossed his arms, but I noticed a flicker of guilt pass across his face.I leane
To punch this asshole’s face is not enough to sate my rage right now. Every time I see Noel, it’s like my blood boils over, and tonight, he had the audacity to show up here, acting like he had every right to be near Eloise. He staggered back from my last punch, wiping blood from his split lip. Good. He deserved every hit. “You think you can just barge in here and act like you care about her?!” I spat, my fists still clenched. “You’re a joke, Noel!” His glare burned into me, but I didn’t care. He lunged at me again, his fist connecting with my jaw this time. It hurt, but the pain only fueled me. “Enough!” Eloise’s voice cut through the chaos like a knife. I froze, her sharp tone pulling me out of my haze. She stood there, anger radiating from her like a storm. Her eyes locked onto mine, and I felt a pang of guilt settle in my chest. “Both of you need to stop this!” she shouted, stepping between us. Her voice trembled, but her resolve didn’t waver. “I can’t believe you’re ac
After that chaos, I found myself sitting on the plush leather couch in Elijah's penthouse. The city lights twinkled through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a soft glow on the sleek and modern interior.It's been months since that last time I went here. Elijah paced back and forth near the window, his hands raking through his disheveled hair. He was still shaking, his movements stiff, as if the adrenaline from earlier hadn’t worn off. He hadn’t spoken much since we got here, just murmured something about needing me to stay with him tonight.I wanted to ask him why—why he was so adamant about not letting me go home, why he looked so broken, why his voice cracked every time he said my name—but I held back. Today wasn’t the right time. Not when he looked like this.“Elijah,” I finally said, my voice soft but steady. “You don’t have to keep pacing. I’m fine. I wasn’t in the car when it happened.”He froze mid-step, his back turned to me. For a moment, I thought he didn’t hear me, bu
I sat on my bed, my back pressed against the headboard, staring blankly at the curtain swaying gently as the air flowed through. The soft rustling was oddly soothing, like a whisper of a world that kept moving while mine stood still.I heard the door creak open but didn’t bother to look. I already knew who it was.Uncle Sandro’s voice broke the silence. "Eloise, honey... I brought you some sliced fruits and vitamins."I kept my eyes on the curtain, my face expressionless. The sound of his footsteps grew closer as he placed the tray on the bedside table."You haven’t eaten all day," he continued, his tone soft but laced with worry. "You need to take care of yourself."Still, I didn’t respond. My fingers traced the hem of my blanket absently, my thoughts tangled in the same loop they’d been stuck in for days.Uncle Sandro sighed heavily, his footsteps growing louder as he walked closer. He crouched down beside my bed, his face soft but full of concern."Eloise," he said gently, his voic
I sat across from the CEO of the hotel, the air between us heavy with tension. He was trying to maintain composure, but I could see the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Good. He should be nervous. "I’ll ask you one last time," I said, my voice cold and deliberate. "Where is the CCTV footage from that night?" The man fidgeted in his seat, his hands clasped tightly together. "Mr. Dawson, as I explained before, the footage from that evening was corrupted. Our team tried to recover it, but it was—" "Spare me the excuses." I leaned forward, my glare cutting through him. "You expect me to believe that the CCTV conveniently stopped working on the night of the company’s event? Do you think I’m stupid?" "Of course not, Mr. Dawson," he stammered, his voice trembling. "But I assure you, we did everything we could—" "You didn’t do enough." My tone was sharp, each word slicing through his weak defenses. "Either someone tampered with it, or you’re covering something up. Which is it
How I hate morning sickness!This is insane. This is driving me insane!I leaned over the sink, gripping the edges tightly as another wave of nausea hit me. My stomach twisted and churned, emptying what little it had left. Gasping for air, I rinsed my mouth and splashed cold water on my face, trying to steady myself."Pull yourself together, Eloise," I muttered, staring at my pale reflection in the mirror. But how could I? I wrapped my arms around myself as I stepped out of the bathroom, my knees shaky from the exertion. The scent of the room hit me immediately—a mix of my perfume and something else. Something unfamiliar.And then I saw him.Elijah.He was sitting on my vanity chair, his posture stiff, his jaw tight, and his eyes locked on the box of pills in his hand. His grip on it was so tight I thought it might crumble under the pressure.My breath caught in my throat. "What... What are you doing here?”He didn’t respond right away. His eyes slowly lifted from the box to meet mi