“You let her go!” Cassandra wailed, hitting Raymond with her balled fists as she sprang up. “What am I supposed to eat now? Is this what you call food?” she pointed at the eggs benedict with a sneer. “Calm down, babe,” Raymond said, cupping her face with one hand. “Why don’t you go make what you want for now? I’ll handle Eureka later. It’s too early for a fight.” “You’re taking her side!” Cassandra snapped, batting his hand away from her face. “Why are you suddenly on her side? You should’ve dragged her back, pushed her into the kitchen, and locked her there until she made what I want. Why didn’t you do that? Have you forgotten she locked us in the bathroom last night? If you hadn’t broken the door, we would’ve slept there,” she grumbled, disappointment lacing her tone. She had come to make Eureka pay for marrying her man, but if Raymond kept being lenient with her like this, her mission wouldn’t be accomplished. “Alright, you can have this,” he pushed the tray over to her. “I
Eureka sat opposite Raymond in a five-star restaurant, nestled in the bustling city of Paris. Her focus was fixed on the transparent glass, lost in thought. What if she had married the man who truly loved her? Would she have experienced the beauty of Paris to the fullest? Would she be among those who praise the remarkable city of romance? She sighed, overwhelmed by everything.“Eureka?” Raymond’s voice snapped her out of her reverie. She looked at him. “You seem lost. What would you like to eat?” he asked as the waiter waited on them.“Anything you’re eating,” she replied simply, returning her gaze to the glass. Raymond placed the order, and the waiter left.“Eureka,” Raymond called again, this time with frustration in his tone. “I thought you said we should act like a couple to avoid suspicion. Why are you lost in thought? Don’t you like it here?” he asked calmly.“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “The place is nice, I like it,” she added simply, keeping her attention on
“Let go of me!” Eureka yelled as Raymond dragged her into the house. She struggled to free her hand from his tight grip. He shoved her roughly onto the couch, making her cry out in pain.“What do you think you were doing with him?” Raymond snapped, his irritation boiling over. “How could you behave so shamelessly in public? You’re my wife!”His words ignited Eureka’s anger. She shot to her feet, shoving him back and causing him to stumble.“Don’t you dare try to manhandle me!” she fired back. “What gives you the right, Raymond? You flirt with Cassandra and then flare up when I talk to your cousin? What do you take me for? From now on, I’ll flirt with whoever I want, and you won’t do a thing about it. Watch me,” she declared, turning to walk away.Raymond grabbed her arm, forcing her to face him again.“You’re my wife!” he growled through gritted teeth. “I own you, and you will obey me. This is the last time I want to see you with Harvey. Do you understand?”“Pray you don’t find me in
From the day of the slap, Eureka avoided crossing paths with Cassandra and Raymond. She barely gave them a chance to complain, quickly fixing meals and cleaning the house. She had become a housekeeper on her own honeymoon. When she suggested staying in a hotel, her father-in-law insisted they use an apartment he had reserved for them. Now, here she was. On this particular day, she plugged in her headphones, listening to music while cleaning the living room, when her phone buzzed. It was Raymond’s father calling. She hesitated, her mind racing to conjure lies that could convince him the honeymoon was going perfectly well. “Good day, Uncle,” she answered, her tone filled with feigned excitement. “Good day, dear. How have you been? Sorry I haven’t called since the wedding. I hope everything is going well with you two,” Raymond’s father said, his voice full of concern. He had taken a liking to Eureka ever since the day she gave him a ride when his car broke down. He believed she wa
The ringing of Eureka’s phone pierced the room, jolting her awake. The soft glow of sunlight filtered through the light curtain, brightening her face. She yawned, sat up, and stretched, her body aching. She rubbed her eyes while feeling around the bed for her phone. A sharp soreness between her legs made her wince, and she realized she was naked, covered only by the duvet. Memories of last night flooded her mind, but as she scanned the room, she noticed Raymond was gone. He had left her. “Who the hell is it?” she groaned as her phone continued ringing nonstop in her handbag, still on the vanity table. She scrambled out of bed, wrapping the duvet tightly around herself. Taking out her phone, her eyes widened at over 50 missed calls from Harvey. She gasped, stumbling back as she remembered she was supposed to attend the Paris Fashion Week event with him. “Shit,” she cursed under her breath. As if on cue, Harvey’s call came through again. She didn’t know what excuse to give, but she a
"What the hell is going on, Eureka?" Harvey asked as she pulled him away from the house. “Who is in there?” Eureka didn’t answer until they were back in Harvey’s car. She tried to compose herself, searching for a believable lie, but her emotions betrayed her. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. “Talk to me, Eureka. What’s the problem?” Harvey’s voice was soft, almost comforting. She glanced at him. “It’s nothing… I’m fine,” she whispered, her heart pounding in her chest. Harvey reached out and held her hand, making her look at him. “You know you can always talk to me, right? What’s wrong? Who are the couple in the house, and where is Raymond?” His questions only deepened her despair, and she broke into sobs. The idea of having a husband who openly cheated on her was her greatest fear, and now it was her reality. “It’s okay,” Harvey said gently, wiping her tears. “Just remember, I’m here for you whenever you need someone to talk to.” She nodded. “Thank you,” she m
Eureka shut the door behind her as she walked into the hotel room with Harvey.“Why do I feel like you’re stalking me?” she asked, leaning against the wall and folding her arms across her chest. “You seem to be everywhere I go all of a sudden. Why is that?”“Are we fighting? Why are you talking like that?” Harvey asked nonchalantly, pulling a stool to sit on and crossing his legs. “Is it my fault we keep meeting by coincidence?”“It’s not by coincidence, Harvey. I just left Paris two days ago, and now you’re here. You didn’t even tell me you were leaving Paris.”“I didn’t because you weren’t taking my calls,” he said, leaning against the vanity table. “I think I need a drink. Can you place an order?”His casual demeanor irritated Eureka, but he didn’t seem to care. “Can you leave, please?” She pointed at the door, clearly upset with him.“What’s with this attitude?” he asked, confused. “I left Paris the same day we went out. I tr
Raymond entered the room behind Eureka, pulling her suitcase along. As he placed the bag in the closet, he noticed Eureka standing frozen, staring at the photo frame. “What’s that?” he asked, moving closer to her. “Who is this, Raymond?” she asked, turning to face him. “My great-grandmother,” Raymond said dismissively, taking the frame from her and placing it back. He turned to leave, but Eureka stepped in front of him. “I’m serious. Who is the boy in the photo?” she pressed. Realizing she wouldn’t give up until he answered, he sighed. “Me,” he replied simply. “You…you’re Ray Black?” she whispered, her voice trembling as she cupped his face with her hand. Raymond swatted her hand away. “What has come over you?” “Yes or no?” she persisted. “What kind of dumb question is that, Eureka?” he snapped, pushing past her to sit on the bed and take off his shoes. “What’s the difference between Raymond Blackwood and Ray Black?” Eureka sat beside him, her excitement bubbling. “
Kaiden was in the principal’s office when Eureka rushed in. The principal had insisted that his mother be present before giving his verdict.“Son, what did you do?” Eureka asked.“You should have called me. You didn’t have to hurry,” Kaiden said nonchalantly, reclining on the visitor’s chair like he was the vice principal.“Good day, sir,” Eureka greeted the principal.“Good day, Miss Bennett. Please, have a seat,” the principal offered, and Eureka sat beside Kaiden, glancing at him to see if he was hurt.“Are you okay, son?” she asked, just to be sure.“I’m okay,” he replied.Aveline was sent for, and she returned with her arm strapped after visiting the school’s infirmary.“Look at what your son did to my daughter a couple of minutes ago,” the principal began, pointing at Aveline, who took a seat as her legs buckled.Eureka gasped. “What? Kaiden, why would you do that?”“He should be happy she’s not comatose,” Kaiden said as he glanced at Av
Kailani waited at her usual spot for Kaiden. He had promised to meet her there during lunchtime. As she was engrossed in her chemistry textbook, jotting down some compound names, Aveline and her two minions marched up to her, seized her book, and tossed it into a nearby trash can."What was that for?" Kailani snapped, though her soft voice didn’t make her sound irritated."How many times do I have to warn you to stay away from Kaiden?" Aveline groaned, arms akimbo. "You’re too daft to listen, aren’t you?""I don’t know what you’re talking about," Kailani denied, standing up to retrieve her book when Aveline yanked her hair, dragging her back in front of her."You don’t dare walk out while I’m still talking!" Aveline’s harsh voice echoed."Let go of me, you’re hurting me!" Kailani cried as Aveline’s grip tightened."Girls, take her to the female restroom," Aveline ordered her minions. "I need to teach this bitch a lesson.""I didn’t do anything to you. Let
Eureka sat behind her large office desk, her eyes fixed on her laptop as she reviewed the collections sent by her lead designer. The telephone rang, distracting her. As she picked up the call, her secretary’s voice came through.“I don’t need visitors, Ruth. What is it?” Eureka snapped. “When I give instructions, I expect you to follow them.”“I’m deeply sorry, Ma’am. He’s insisting on seeing you,” Ruth said.“And who the hell is that?”“Mr. Blackwood, Ma’am.”Eureka’s stomach twisted at the mention of the name. She sat in silence, pondering what to do.“Are you there, Ma’am?”“Send him in,” she finally said and ended the call. She took a deep breath, brushed her hair back with her hands, sat upright, and glanced at her reflection in the mirror. “Now you’re being self-conscious,” she muttered, recalling her words to Kaiden, prompting a small smile.“Come in,” she responded to the soft knock on the door.“Hello, Miss Bennett,” Raymond greeted, walk
Kailani stood by the window of her room, staring up at the sky. Her expression was downcast, her eyes puffy from crying. She had just endured another beating from Delilah, who claimed the tea Kailani prepared wasn’t tasty. Her back was on fire, yet she managed to maintain a calm appearance. Since her father died, her life had spiraled into a nightmare, one she desperately wanted to wake up from. She thought leaving her deranged mother would make things easier, but now her life only seemed more complicated.She winced as her clothes brushed against the bruises on her back. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she blinked them away.“I wish you were here, Dad. The world is so cruel to me. Why didn’t you take me along? I would have been fine with you up there,” she sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks.“I’m here, Kay.”Raymond’s voice startled her, and she turned to look at him.“Good evening, sir,” she greeted, quickly wiping her tears.“Good evening, dear. Why are you crying?” Raymond a
It was lunchtime at school, and as always, Kaiden insisted on buying Kailani lunch. She hardly came to the cafeteria, but now she did, and she usually shared a table with him."You haven’t given me your number yet. I noticed you weren’t using your laptop like everyone else. What’s going on?" Kaiden asked.Kailani met his gaze briefly. "I don’t have one," she replied simply.Kaiden found the reply amusing and laughed. "Is that supposed to be a joke?""You don’t know there are people who don’t own electronic gadgets?" she tilted her head, wondering where in the world he was from.Kaiden shrugged. He was raised by a wealthy mother and attended a private high school in Gisborne with only rich kids. He wasn’t used to the other side of the world. "This is my first time," he admitted. "How come you don’t have a gadget? Everyone in our class does. Did you break yours?""It’s a complicated story, Kaiden. Can we not talk about it?""If you’re uncomfortable talking
Eureka sat on her bed, her back leaning against the headboard as she scrolled through her social media pages. She would have preferred her assistant to do it, but since she was on leave, she had to handle it herself. A faint knock landed on the door.“Miss Bennett?” she heard Mildred call.“Come in,” Eureka permitted. The doorknob turned, and the woman walked in, closing it gently behind her. Eureka stared at her until she settled down, clasping her hands behind her back.“Um, Miss Bennett, you have a visitor,” Mildred announced.“Who is it?”“He said his name is Raymond Blackwood.”The name rang a bell, but Eureka didn’t remember where she had heard it. Mildred waited patiently, unsure of Eureka’s silence.“Do I know him? What does he want?”“I’m not sure. Should I tell him to leave?” Mildred replied, lowering her gaze to the floor.“No, I’ll meet him. Tell him I’ll join him shortly.”Some minutes later, Eureka descended the stairs, dressed in a casual red short gown, her hair swept
“Mom, what kind of school is that?” Kaiden whined, dumping his backpack on the couch. Eureka was sketching in the living room when he returned. “It was so annoying. The students kept crowding around me, trying to be my friends. They don’t respect boundaries! I’m not going back to that school. Get me a home tutor instead,” he complained, dropping beside her.“You’ve only spent one day in your new school, Kaiden. You’ll get used to it in time. You’re an influencer. You don’t expect them to ignore you, do you?” Eureka said, turning her attention to him.“I don’t like that. Does being an influencer mean they can touch me? Who knows where those hands have been? I need to sanitize myself!”“I understand how you feel. I’ll talk to the principal about keeping some distance between you and your classmates. But you should also make it clear that you don’t like being touched. If they persist, report them or remind them you’re a Bennett,” she told him.“You’re right, Mom. Why di
The ballroom sparkled under the golden glow of chandeliers, buzzing with the voices of fashion elites, celebrities, and business tycoons. Glasses clinked, laughter rang out, and photographers darted through the crowd, capturing the grandeur of the night. At the far end of the hall, Kaiden stood near a floral backdrop, selfie stick in hand, adjusting the camera angle just right.“Yo, what’s up, guys! We’re live at my mom’s launch party!” he grinned, tilting his face to catch the best lighting. His Instagram flooded with comments almost immediately.“Looking sharp, Kaiden!”“Your mom is a legend!”“Show us the outfits!”Chuckling, he took a few selfies before refocusing on his audience. As he spoke, he didn’t notice the man approaching until a deep voice cut through the noise.“Excuse me.”Kaiden lowered his phone and turned. Standing before him was a tall man in an expensive, perfectly tailored suit. Golden-brown hair, piercing gray-blue eyes, a strong jawline. There was something oddl
The soft hum of a jazz playlist filled Raymond’s office, blending with the quiet tapping of his fingers against his desk. The floor-to-ceiling windows of his corporate tower overlooked the Los Angeles skyline, but his mind wasn’t on the view.His assistant, Logan, stood by the doorway, a tablet in his hand, shifting uneasily. Raymond barely glanced up. “If it’s about the board meeting, push it to tomorrow. I don’t have the patience for their nonsense today.”“It’s not about the meeting, sir,” Logan said, taking a step forward. “It’s about… Miss Bennett.”“And who the hell is Miss Bennett?” Raymond snapped. The past few days had been unbearable for him. He thought he had overcome his anger issues, but lately, everything was resurfacing. Small things irritated him, he snapped at everyone, and he preferred to be left alone. Coming to the office felt like a burden he had to endure daily. If the company weren’t his, he would have disappeared by now.“Have you lost yo