As Candice watched the chaos unfold, she suddenly saw the opportunity she had been waiting for. She smiled to herself, moving towards the fighting women, pretending to act as a peacemaker. "Stop it, both of you!" Candice cried, trying to pull them apart. But in the struggle, one of them shoved Candice aside. She fell to the floor, gasping, clutching her stomach dramatically. Within moments, store employees rushed over, trying to separate Mia and Blair. When their attempts failed, security was called, and soon after, the police arrived, arresting both of them. As they were led out in handcuffs, Candice lay on the floor, pretending to be unconscious. Paramedics arrived and rushed her to the hospital. ~~~~ Back at the office, Mason was reviewing some documents when his phone buzzed. It was a call from the hospital. He frowned as he answered, and his face paled as he heard the nurse's words. "Mr. Barrett, Candice has been rushed to the hospital. She was injured during a fight at th
Lenora’s POV I paced around my office, my mind was racing with thoughts that had been plaguing me for a couple of weeks now. I’ve been receiving letters. Threatening letters. I have no idea who has been sending them, but one thing was sure: whoever it was, that person knows everything about me… every single secret, everything I can’t afford to get out. The person had promised to expose me, and the mere thought of everything being exposed made my stomach churn painfully. I have been trying to stay calm, but the letter I just received only a moment ago made me paranoid. The only person I could think of who could know these things and could have a motive to harass me was Mr Clinton. He was threatening me already, angry that he hadn’t gotten hold of Raven, but he didn’t know everything. But what if he did? What if he found out somehow? If he was the one, then I would have to find a way to calm and coax him. Since he couldn’t have Raven, the only other option was Blair, but I couldn’t
I felt like I had been slapped in the face. I blinked, trying to get my mind to catch up with his words, stunned by his rejection. Too old? Me? I expected him to be eager to take what I was offering, prepared for the old, sweaty brute of a man to throw me down on the bed and do whatever it was he wanted to do with my body. Instead, he humiliated me by calling me old! Who was he to call me old??? He was a dirty, disgusting old man! “How dare you call me old? I may not be what I once was, but have you looked in the mirror lately? You’re hardly model material!” Mr Clinton shook his head, clearly unimpressed. "Yes, but I’m not the one throwing myself at someone, begging them for sex because I can’t get any other way! You've wasted my time." Without another word, he turned and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. I stood frozen in place as I stared at the door. I could hardly believe what had just happened. I was rejected? By that wrinkled old man? An old man like hi
The sound of the sewing machines filled the room as Raven and Brian worked side by side, finalizing the new designs for their clothing brand. Music filled the room quietly enough to not be intrusive or make conversation difficult. Rather, it seemed to help their concentration. Brian had been used to working in silence but this was just another way he had changed his life for the better, He had heard people around the office talking about them, saying they had been spending more time together lately, and everyone seemed to think that their chemistry was undeniable. He felt it, too, but he had sensed Raven’s hesitation to go further. Raven was focused on a new fabric sample when Brian leaned closer – he was close enough that he could feel the warmth of her skin, the scent that he would always remember as uniquely Raven; he glanced at the sketchbook that was on her thighs. "You always make work look so much more fun than it is," he teased, brushing a strand of hair away from her face
Later that evening, Candice kept bugging him about taking her somewhere so she could clear her head. Mason didn’t have the energy to refuse. She had been clinging to him since the miscarriage, and he couldn’t bring himself to push her away... not yet. Candice chose one of the most expensive restaurants in the city. As they sat down at the table, the waiter immediately brought out a bottle of champagne that she had pre-ordered. "To us," Candice said with a smile, raising her glass. Mason clinked his glass against hers but remained silent. He couldn’t stop comparing Candice and Raven. Raven. She had an easy smile with a gleam in her eyes. She wore her emotions across her face, and when she had found out about his night with Candice, the look she wore was still beautiful. Achingly beautiful. Hurt. Pain. Disappointment. All of it shattered him the way he imagined he had shattered her heart. He wondered if she had moved on from him, was she happy without him? "Mason, are you even list
Julie’s POV The soft glow of the television filled the room as I lay stretched out on the couch, my legs draped over Emily's lap. Emily's fingers moved in slow, soothing circles over my calves. We've spent most nights this way, watching movies, talking, and enjoying each other's company. "You have magic hands, Em." I sighed contentedly. Emily chuckled softly, her thumb pressing into a tender spot. "I try." She paused, her gaze drifting away from the TV to focus on me. After a moment she bit her lip and then said, "Jules, when are you going to introduce me to your family?" I tensed, shifting uncomfortably, sitting up slightly. "I... I'm not sure yet." Emily's hand stilled, uncertainty flickering in her eyes. "Do you not like being with me? I don't like that we're keeping our relationship a secret." I looked away, feeling guilty. Emily wasn’t wrong. We've been together for a while now, and I still haven't officially come out to my family. Mason knew, but we've never really talke
I didn't think Mason would let go of Raven so easily. And I never expected to see my brother look so broken. To know I helped break him. He was wrong, he hurt Raven but I hurt him in return. I didn't have to agree with what he did, but I didn't have to be so harsh. Clearing my throat, I shifted in my seat, unsure of how to approach the next topic but desperate to move on from the conversation. "I have something to tell you," I began hesitantly. Mason raised an eyebrow, relieved at the attention moving from him. "Go on." I swallowed hard, my heart kept pounding inside my chest. "I'm... I'm in a relationship. With a girl." There was a moment of silence, and then Mason smiled. "I'm happy for you, Julie. So when are you bringing her home? This is great, now I get to bug you about your relationship." I blinked in both surprise and relief. "Wait, you’re not freaked out?" Mason chuckled. "Why would I be? It's not like I didn't know you like women." I frowned. "Yes, but you never
Mason stood inside Damon’s living room, glancing at the suitcases packed near the doorway. He raised an eyebrow, wondering what was going on. He knew that Damon had originally intended to leave for Australia if things didn’t work out with Julie, but leaving like this was not a good idea. He couldn’t leave when he was so upset when things between him and Julie were so… damaged. Julie was already devastated that she thought Damon, who she had known almost all her life, was disgusted by her. He couldn’t leave without talking to her, it wasn’t right, and Mason was determined to protect both his sister and his friend. Damon would regret leaving Julie behind like this. When Damon came downstairs, his expression hardened when he saw Mason. "What are you doing here, Mason?" Mason glanced at the luggage. "Going somewhere?" "I'm leaving for Australia tomorrow." Damon sighed as he sat down. "And you weren't going to tell me?" Mason frowned. Damon shrugged. "It's not like you've been kee