GraceWhen I wake up the next morning, Tristin is already gone. There is no trace of him left in my apartment, other than his lingering cologne.For some reason, it makes me sad. He could have stayed to say goodbye, or at least left a note but there is nothing.I sulk in the shower, in the kitchen as I prepare my coffee, and in the lounge as I flip through different channels. It’s the weekend and I don’t have anything to do. Maybe, I should call Celine and see what she is doing today.I ponder over it for a while before I pick up my phone and open the messaging app. But, my fingers freeze on my screen when I see a new message from an unknown number.—You look beautiful when you sleep, Little Butterfly.An unconscious smile touches my lips. An image is attached under the message.As the picture loads, my eyes narrow into slits. Asshole! I huff. It’s me, in bed, pouting, and my hair all over the place. Does this look beautiful to Tristin? As my fingers move across the keyboard typing
GraceSo many people have found out about me staying here somehow. It’s time I change this place too and find somewhere else to go.But then…How far can I run before they hunt me down again? How much time can I spend hiding only for someone to start threatening me again? I ponder, standing on the sidewalk and staring at the Cafe in front of me. The night has fallen and the streets have turned cold. The glass wall of the Cafe gives the perfect view of my parents sitting on the table. Like me, they are also staring back at me. The disdain in their eyes is so clear even here.Standing on the dark side, I heave a heavy breath and narrow my eyes. Now, how do I go about this? If I give them money and let them know I am scared of their threats, they will continue using my weaknesses against me.Maybe, I should use Lily as a bargaining chip. I can tell them that I know where she is and she will only be alright as long as they leave me alone.That will bring about two results.A—They wil
Grace“ What— ” I yelp, finding my lost voice. It’s scratchy and weak, but I can speak.“ Oh finally, Ms. Whitlock. It turns out you needed a little motivation before talking to me. ” The man on the other side laughs again.Tears well in my eyes but they don’t fall. I croak in a quivering voice, “ who…who…are you? ”“ That’s not the right question, Ms. Whitlock. ” He says, sounding all happy and calm. “ You should ask what do I want from you? ” The fist in my hair tightens, breaking a few of my strands. Tears leak out of my eyes at last, as the pain increases in my scalp.“ What…do you…want? ” My throat hurts. It’s like someone slammed a fist in it and now I can not talk without a pause or without feeling like my throat is bleeding.“ It’s simple, Ms. Whitlock. I just want you to convince your boyfriend to call off the shareholder meeting. ” His voice becomes sharp in the speaker.Boyfriend? I want to shake my head, but I can’t dare to.“ I…have…no… ”“ I am talking about Tristin Rob
TristinI stare at the people sitting around the conference table, all waiting for me to start talking or to give them a chance to talk.But I can’t do anything.I stare at the screen of my phone.It’s been three days—three days since I failed to protect Grace and she disappeared.One more failure. Another person I care about is gone. I know who did it, but I have been sitting here like a fool, instead of turning the world upside down to find her and bring her back to my side. Panic threatens to bubble in my throat but I push it down, hide it behind the facade of indifference. People stare at me, trying to gauge my emotions, but all they meet is ice. Yet, my heart is…Burning.Every second that passes brings me closer to losing my grip on my sanity.I tell myself that I just need a little time. And it sounds similar again. The phone on the table starts ringing, and my cold hand reaches for it. I pick it up and place it against my ear.Heavy breathing sounds from the speaker. My mu
GraceIn life…I always found myself surprised by little things.Any truth, any secret, any incident could make me go still or start panicking and shock would take over.But as the call disconnects and Carlos’ laughter filters through the speaker of the other phone…I struggle to feel surprised. It’s love, he said. He can’t forget about me because…He loves me.I should have been shocked and in denial at the confession that came so suddenly. But I am not. Instead, my heart is pounding inside my chest, trying to break out of my ribcages. It’s like I knew he loved me but couldn’t believe it before and now I do. Because he says he loves me. The masked men leave us to our state, and retreat into the corner, sitting on a table, playing poker.Tristin said he would come soon. And I believe him. That’s why…I sit still and watch Celine. The cold, damp air of the warehouse gnaws at my skin, making the sting of the cuts and bruises on my arms even worse. Tristin’s words have acted like a
GraceTristin’s arms tighten around me, pulling me close, his breath warm against my ear.I try to see what has happened, who was shot, but Tristin doesn’t let me. “ Stay still. ” He whispers. “ Just stay like this. ” I breathe in his masculine cologne and feel his heart beating in sync with mine. It feels like the chaos has ended. I am safe now. Nothing more will happen. I pant against his chest and close my eyes. The pain in my body is slowly starting to register in my head and…It hurts like hell. Running footsteps sound around me. I open my eyes and forcefully pull my head out of Tristin’s chest.The masked man is limping towards the other side of the warehouse, and Ethan is after him, his gun raised to aim for the man’s back.My heart drowns, as another gunshot sounds. The bullet lodges into the man’s back and he drops to the ground, blood pooling around his dead body.In a moment when Tristin has chosen to reach for me, Ethan decided that taking his anger out on that man an
Grace—5 Days Later…Alma didn’t come inside that day. She left after hearing what I said and it satisfied her—I just knew it. Tristin, however, went silent. He didn’t say anything to me, but he didn’t leave me alone either.The doctors said that I had to stay for a week in the hospital and during that time, Tristin refused to spend any night at home. He would go to his office, get the work done, sometimes Luca would even bring his clothes and files to the hospital room and he would work from here. I was annoyed at him most of the time, but I didn’t break the silence between us.I told him all that and he didn’t say anything at all. His silence felt like a challenge that stated ‘Get me away from you if you can’ and it made me frustrated. At night, Tristin slept on the couch and haunted me all the time. I didn’t know how to get him off my back anymore. “ How are you doing today, Grace? ” The doctor enters the room and breaks me out of the trance. “ As usual, Doctor. ” I whisper, t
GraceAnticipation makes me restless. The tension wraps around us, holding us together in this strange, charged moment. Tristin’s arms are tight around me, making sure that I feel every crevice of his hard muscle in my soft curves. His warmth seeps into me, making it impossible to ignore the growing desire simmering just beneath the surface.For a while, we just lie there, drowning in the heavy silence. The night we spent together plays in my mind like a haunting reel. The way his hands traced my skin. Passionate, intense, wild.The intensity in his eyes. Smoldering, hot, electric.The overwhelming, silent connection between us. It felt like our bodies fit together, and I was pulled under the surface, forgetting about everything in the world but him.I had never felt something like that before—sensations so intoxicating they steal your breath and leave you wanting for more. I shift slightly in his hold. The small movement feels like a wrong move, but I am burning.Tristin’s grip t
Grace“ Wait— ” I hiss quickly, stepping closer to Tristin to squeeze some space for myself. “ Tell Mom to come here and—”Before I can finish, the door slams shut. I let out a scream of frustration just as Tristin’s arm wraps around my waist. A startled gasp escapes me as he lifts me off the floor and carries me to the bed easily. “ Tristin, put me down! ” I thrash against him, but his grip is unyielding.He presses me down onto the mattress and hoves above me, leaving me no room for escape. “ Do not act like I am holding you hostage… ” He mutters, his voice returning to the soft note he has reserved for me. “ We are just having a couple’s fight. ”Is he being serious?!I laugh bitterly. “ This is not a couple’s fight, Tristin. When Mom comes, I am leaving, and you will never see my face again. I will make sure of that. Never! ”His jaw tightens as I smirk. I think I have won. But then, in one swift motion, Tristin flips me onto my stomach and yanks my zipper down. My breath cat
GraceI sit stiffly in the wing chair, my arms crossed across my chest and my glare fixed on Tristin. He stands by the locked door, his back against the wall, looking calm—too calm. He has lost his mind. That is the only explanation for this whole thing. I scoff. He cannot stay here forever. That bitch is in the house, and sooner or later, he will have to leave. I tell myself that is why I am so composed right now—because I want to see how long he can keep this up. But deep down, I know the real reason.When I saw Serena here, a dark thought crept into my mind. Maybe another woman had given him a family. Maybe he did not need me anymore. And that thought nearly shattered my heart into pieces.Before I can dwell on it, my phone rings. I glance down, and a frown etches between my brows.Why didn’t I think about calling someone? I reach for my phone and see Talia’s name shining on the screen. Before I can answer the call, Tristin’s shadow looms over me. Not even giving me the chanc
TristinI watch as Grace pushes against my chest, forcing distance between us. The fire in her eyes is like nothing I have ever seen before—not directed at me. Not like this.Her words echo through my head. ‘ We are done here. I am leaving. And you can't stop me. ’I can’t breathe.She turns away from me and grabs her packed suitcase. I want to say so much more, but no words come out of my mouth.She leaves me standing there and moves toward the door without hesitation. I should let her go. I should step back and give her space. I should fix this in a way that doesn’t involve desperate measures.But right now…This doesn’t feel like something that can be handled by giving her space. She looks like if she leaves, she won’t return and will never talk to me again. Panic surges through me like wildfire. My body moves on its own, faster than my mind can process, and before she can even reach the handle, I slam the door shut.Click.The sound of the lock twisting into place is deafening.
GraceI finish packing Sebastian’s things and glance at the bed, my chest tightening when I see him curled up. He fell asleep when he saw me packing for too long. His tiny fingers clutch the edge of the blanket, his breathing soft and even. He looks so peaceful. For a moment, my heart wavers. He loves his Daddy so much. How will he live away from him? I walk towards him and press a gentle kiss to his forehead, lingering for a second longer than intended.If we stay, my son will get more hurt when he realizes he has a brother who shares the same name with him.I straighten up and call the nanny over. She comes rushing and stands by my side. “ Stay with him… ” I say, my voice quieter than usual. “ Don’t leave him alone until I come back. ”She nods, and I force myself to walk away.When I reach my room, I head straight to the walk-in closet and pull out my suitcases. This time, I pack my own things. My fingers move automatically, folding clothes and stuffing them into the bag. I fe
Grace“ Whose child is that? ” I question.An eerie silence falls in the space. Looks are exchanged. Heavy breaths are released.The question must be too hard to answer even if it is so clear. I look into the child’s blue eyes and don’t look away. He stays rigid on his spot, never wavering, even under my penetrating gaze. “ What is your name? ” I find myself asking when the silence stretches for too long.A frown forms between the child’s brows, and he replies without hesitation. “ Sebastian. ”My breath hitches, my chest tightening as if the air has thickened around me. My fingers tremble slightly at my sides, and I curl them into fists to stop the shaking.Sebastian. My son’s name. A dizzying wave of nausea rolls over me, tightening its grip on my lungs. I can barely breathe.I swallow hard, my throat dry, and my heart pounding in my chest.“ Sebastian… ” I whisper, the name foreign on my tongue even though I have said it a thousand times before.The boy tilts his head slightly,
GraceTristin underestimates my understanding of him.I know when he is lying. And when he said that ‘no’, he was clearly, desperately trying to make me believe that there is nothing he is hiding from me. But everything I wanted to know was written right on his face.The question is…Will I ask him that question again? No. I gave him a chance. He didn’t take it.Now, I need to find out everything in my own way. As he tells me that we will go home together and that he just has one meeting to attend, I nod and tell him that I will wait for him.After he leaves, I take out my phone and see the contact information Talia has sent to me—the private detective.Her Aunt has already told the detective about me. So, I click a picture of Serena from the photographs and sent it to him with her name.A message appears on the screen, asking me about what kind of information I seek.I stare at the screen for a moment. What do I want to know? Her connection with Ethan or why Tristin looks so uncomfo
Tristin“ Leave, Luca. Do what I said. I want them gone. Tonight. ” I tell Luca while keeping my eyes on her.“ Yes, Boss. ” Luca hurries out and moves past her.Grace walks inside once he has left and closes the door behind her. I straighten up, my gaze flickering to her fingers that are turning white around the envelope she is gripping too tight.“ What is this? ” Grace’s voice stays low as she comes to stand on the spot where Luca sat moments ago.“ What? ” I blink calmly.Her hands shake as she rips the envelope open and takes out some pictures. Before I can open my mouth, she throws the pictures towards me.They fly across the space and hit my chest before dropping on the desk. Instinctively, my hands clench into fists, and my jaw grits. She is rightfully angry—I reason with myself. But a voice inside me keeps whispering…I have seen her in a more compromising position. But I have not reacted this way. I look down at the pictures. Just like I thought…That bitch kneeled between
TristinHe must have sent her something by now. I rotate the phone in my hand, watching the blank screen. Luca sits on the other side of the desk, watching me closely.“ Boss, you should have explained everything to her. ” He suggests.I lean back and drop the phone on the desk. I have been waiting for her to call me and ask if I have slept with Serena.But Grace has not done that. Now I think she will come here personally, to confront me. In about an hour or so. Luca is right. I should have explained everything to her. But what do I tell? Do I say…Oh Grace, you know what? We have a new family now and you can just accept them. Or maybe she will readily accept everything even if I do not want to.I am…a selfish bastard, and the only people I care about in this world are my mother, sister, my wife, son, and my friend sitting from across me.The rest of the people…They can burn for all I care.It has always been this way.That’s why…I don’t know how to handle this sudden slap in th
GraceA woman should never ignore her intuitions.When something feels wrong…She should believe that something is wrong instead of trying to find reasons to prove that nothing is wrong.Because when you try so hard to prove nothing is wrong, and it turns out to be a mistake, it hurts more.I stare at the three pictures on my desk. In the first one, Serena is kneeling between Tristin’s legs, holding onto his knees In the second, she is hugging him from behind.In the third, she is on her toes, her hands over his coat, and her lips so close to his. Why did he smell like her so thoroughly? It was because she was all over him. It was because…he was doing things he shouldn’t have done with her. I grip the edge of the desk, my fingers digging into the wood, the unease in my chest tightening with every second I spend staring at those pictures. I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t be looking at these images, shouldn’t be letting my mind spiral like this.But I can’t help it. Every inch of