It was an autumn morning in Paris, the kind of day that carried the promise of something new with every cool breeze. I had started a small routine—waking up early, taking a walk around the neighborhood, and stopping by the café near my apartment for coffee before heading to Claire’s boutique. The city still affected me, the beautiful distraction I desperately needed. It was almost therapeutic, just being part of the hum of life here.I pushed open the café door, the soft chime of the bell welcoming me into the familiar warmth. The scent of freshly brewed coffee hit me instantly, comforting and grounding. I stepped up to the counter and ordered my usual—a cappuccino—before taking a seat by the window, watching the world outside.As I waited for my order, my thoughts drifted to the modeling offer. The agency followed up with me yesterday, wanting me to sign a contract. Claire was ecstatic, urging me to do it, but I was still hesitating. It felt like such a leap, like diving headfirst in
The sound of pen on paper felt strangely final. I sat in the sleek office of the modeling agency, my fingers trembling slightly as I signed the contract. I was officially a model now. It had all happened so quickly, from the chance meeting with the agency’s talent scout to the follow-up meetings that eventually led me here. As I glanced up, Victoria smiled at me, her red lips curving into a pleased expression. “Bienvenue dans le monde du mannequinat, Cassandra,” she said ‘welcome to the world of modeling’, her French accent as polished as her appearance. “I have no doubt you'll do very well here.” I managed a small smile, though my heart was pounding in my chest. This was it—a new chapter. Something completely out of my comfort zone, but maybe that’s exactly what I needed. “Thank you,” I said softly. “I’m ready.” Victoria handed me a sleek folder with details about my first few jobs. Fashion shoots, brand endorsements, and even a runway show. I’d be diving straight into the
Three years. It had been three long, turbulent years since I’d last seen Killian. A lifetime had stretched between then and now, each day pulling me further from the woman I used to be—the woman who clung to a broken marriage, who sent him meals to the office just to feel a part of his world, who refused to sign the divorce papers out of fear of losing him completely.But that woman was gone now.I took a deep breath as I stepped out of the sleek black car that had brought me to the meeting. My heels clicked on the polished marble floor of the high-rise building in the heart of New York City. The glass walls reflected the cityscape, the view breathtaking, but my focus remained sharp, my heart pounding with anticipation and a hint of dread.This meeting was crucial. Claire’s fashion brand, which I had become deeply involved in over the past few years, was at the center of an exciting new venture. A potential partnership with a major conglomerate. It would mean expansion into new market
The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, and I stepped out onto the street, my heart still racing from the encounter with Killian. Three years. I thought that time would heal everything, that I had buried the past deep enough to keep it from clawing its way back. But seeing him again, speaking to him—it had rattled me more than I cared to admit.I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm swirling in my chest. The meeting was done. The deal was moving forward. That was all that mattered. Claire had been ecstatic when I told her about the potential partnership with Lannister Enterprises, and I couldn’t let my personal history with Killian ruin that.But as the days passed, I couldn’t escape the feeling that the universe was pushing us back together.A week after the initial meeting, I found myself sitting in the sleek conference room once again, surrounded by executives from both companies. The negotiations were progressing well, but Killian was always present, always watchin
“No!” I shouted, my hands shaking. “You don’t get to act like you cared! Where were you, Killian? Where were you when I was bleeding on the floor, begging for someone to help me? Where were you when I lost our child? You weren’t there. You never were.”His face paled, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the steering wheel harder. “What are you talking about?” His voice was softer now, almost afraid of the answer.I took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to steady myself, but the tears were already brimming in my eyes. “The baby,” I whispered, the words heavy with grief. “I lost the baby, Killian. Seria pushed me, and I lost the baby.”Killian’s eyes widened in shock, his face going slack as the weight of my words sank in. For the first time again. I was seeing emotions on his face. “No...” he breathed, shaking his head as if refusing to believe it. “I—I didn’t know. I didn’t—”“Of course, you didn’t know,” I spat, cutting him off. “You didn’t care to know. You were too busy with
The feeling started subtly—just a slight discomfort at first, like someone was watching me. It was easy to dismiss at first. Paris was a bustling city, after all. People were always around, rushing past on the busy streets, tourists snapping pictures, locals darting in and out of shops. But as the days wore on, the feeling intensified.Every time I left my apartment, I couldn’t shake the sensation of eyes on my back. A chill would creep down my spine, and I found myself glancing over my shoulder more than usual. There was never anyone there, of course—just the usual crowd, strangers passing by without a second glance. Yet, the unease lingered.I tried to tell myself it was just paranoia. After everything that had happened—leaving Killian, losing the baby, moving to Paris, starting a new life—it was only natural that I’d feel vulnerable. The memories of Seria’s cruel words still gnawed at me, and I was dealing with my own demons. But this was different. This wasn’t just in my head.Cla
The soft murmur of waves and the distant cry of seagulls pulled me from sleep. The light filtering through the white curtains was warm, bathing the room in a golden glow. For a moment, I lay there, disoriented, the remnants of sleep still clinging to me.I wasn’t in the hospital anymore.Sitting up slowly, I looked around the unfamiliar room. The bed was large, covered in crisp, white sheets, and the wooden beams of the ceiling were high above me. The air was fresh, salty, with a gentle breeze rolling in from the open window. The room itself was simple yet elegant—polished wooden floors, a small seating area, and a door that likely led to a bathroom.Where am I?I swung my legs over the side of the bed, feeling the cool floor beneath my bare feet. My heart pounded in my chest as I walked toward the open window, my pulse quickening with each step. Pushing aside the gauzy curtains, I was greeted by a breathtaking view—a long stretch of white sand beach, crystal clear water, and the lush
The warm, salty breeze caressed my skin as I stepped out of the small house, my bare feet sinking into the soft sand. The sun was high in the sky, casting a golden hue over everything, and the rhythmic sound of the waves lapping at the shore provided a soothing backdrop to my thoughts.I still felt unsettled. Even though Killian had tried to explain his reasons for bringing me here, a nagging feeling lingered in the back of my mind. I couldn’t shake the sense of being trapped, of having no control over my own life.As I walked along the shoreline, letting the cool water kiss my ankles, I noticed a small boat anchored a little ways off the beach. A man stood beside it, pulling in a fishing net, his figure broad and lean, with tanned skin gleaming under the sun.Killian.He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and his muscles flexed with each pull of the net, droplets of water clinging to his skin. He was speaking with an older man, a fisherman by the looks of him, who appeared to be helping him hau