I met Olivia at the entrance of my office, "are you okay?" "Yes, I am going to need you to cancel that meeting.""But...""Cancel it." I entered my office and shut the door.My chest tightened with anger, I can't believe my grandmother would go to this extent to prove a point.A knock sounded on my door, "Olivia, I told you to cancel my meetings."I looked up in time to watch my grandmother approach me with a smile."Let me explain,""There is nothing to explain, Grans.""I am just trying to look out for you.""No, what you are trying to do is blindside me and bend me to your will. What is it about this girl that you want me to marry her so much?"My grandmother's smile slipped but she put it back."You are a good match.""The days of arranged marriage are over,"There was no way in hell I was going to marry someone I didn't know."I know but..."“No,”“Please, I promise you will like her,” she pleaded with me.“I don’t care if she saved you. I don’t want to get married because she i
“I can’t believe we did this,” I said with a grin.Marcelle stared at me unfazed, “we sure did, Mrs. Kessner.”“That will take some time to get used to it,”“Octavia, I would like to discuss this some more tomorrow. I need to go break the news to my grandmother.”“That’s okay. I need to head home.”I didn’t wait for him to say anything. I turned and walked to my car. The whole ride home, I wondered if I had made a mistake.It wasn’t like me to jump headfirst into a decision without thinking it through. It was like he charmed me into saying yes. The whole time I looked at him as we got our marriage certificate, all I could think of was how comfortable I felt with him.I don’t know anything about him, yet it felt like I have known him my whole life. It was nice.I parked my car in front of my sister’s house. I bent my head over the steering wheel, I didn’t want to go in there, but I wanted to talk to her about this.I let myself in with the key, going straight to my room. I didn’t want
I sit alone at the bar, nursing a glass of wine on the counter. The red liquid is strong down my throat but not strong enough to fill me with the courage to embark on this cold, lonely journey. It isn't enough to fill me with the comfort I need to survive this nightmare.I have been in New York for a week and have run out of time and money. I haven't eaten proper food since I didn't want to leave a paper trail. I take my drink in one gulp. If I had more money, I would have spent it on more drinks, but I have to stop here now.I stare at the piece of paper in front of me, with three simple words scribbled in black ink. You are next.Three simple words drove me out of my home into the streets like some beggar. These words divided my family and left me in this world all alone to run and hide like an animal. But these words also made me determined to live and forget all this was happening.I have carried it with me ever since that day. It was a constant reminder of the nightmare that I wa
Elysia's povI check my phone – it’s just 1 a.m. I yawn; it’s way too early to be awake. I had just two hours of sleep. I feel tired. I try to play games on my phone while away time, but I’m not interested in any of the games. They usually help when I am down, but now my body is alert and filled with fear and anxiety from the dream and my life.I was scrolling through my phone when the thought occurred: How did he find me so fast? It felt like he knew every city I was in, and he waited long enough to make me forget that he was here before moving in for the kill. I checked my phone – maybe there is a tracking device he used?I don’t want to go through the torture again. Antonio might already be in New York waiting for me. I nod as I figure out what to do this time. I will not act in fear anymore, and I will be intelligent and alert. He won’t be taking me unaware again.He doesn’t get to drive me from this city, a city that was once my dream. I will not allow him to win this round when
I still feel like a poor cat, even with more than a thousand bucks in my possession. I feel like a street beggar.It wasn't my finest moment, but it's better than being a beggar. I had a roof under my head and was on my way for a job interview. But life can't get any more accessible right now. At first, I had looked over my shoulder every other minute, expecting to see him watching me, but three days had come and gone before I could confirm that my plan had worked perfectly. He knew I was no longer here and followed my phone wherever that lady went. There's no doubt in my mind that he has tracked me to where the phone is, but I'm safe here for some time. I wanted to try out the job on the flyer. I wanted to work for a powerful man, so it would be difficult for Antonio to touch me. That would be the last thing he expects me to do.I don't have a false sense of my appearance. I understand I'm pretty enough, but I'm certainly not a deal, so I can apply for an assistant job or a stylist
Elysia's povI feel his presence from where I’m standing, he fills the air with his full authority, and I feel it with every breath I take.A petite woman runs quietly behind him, a clipboard in her hands. She stays just a few feet behind him and looks like a model. Once his face is away from the spotlight, his features are finally visible. His chin is chiseled and smooth, and his hands rest in his pocket as he stands like he’s modeling himself.He holds himself with more grace than all of us combined, and all eyes are on him. He knows it, but he doesn’t seem affected by it.He takes a special seat reserved for him. Everyone is set in motion and ready to walk, but my eyes are stuck on him for a reason.He is handsome.He looks like the man who will make you do anything just by looking at you.The woman in charge addresses us again; I snap my eyes away from him to focus on her.“Now that Mr. Black is here, we can begin,” she says.She rattles off instructions about numbers, but I can’
Elysia's pov"If you say so, sir, am I done and free to go?""Go? I'm not done yet; I still have various questions to ask you.""I'm sorry, but I don't think I can put up with these questions of yours. I believe they should be work-based, but you have not asked me a thing like this. I have to leave now. Thank you for allowing me to be here.""Okay, let's play it the hard way. If you want to leave, go, but you miss out on a huge job opportunity. Considering your situation, you might want to rethink your decision if you walk out of here."What do you say, should we go ahead and talk about business?" he asked with a simple flick of his wrist.I can feel my throat dry and my eyes dim for a minute. Nothing is audible enough to hear, nor can I see clearly. This wasn't what I imagined would happen when I came to audition.I didn't know I would catch the eye of the hot billionaire.No matter how much I heard it, it didn't make the voice in my head go away. I blinked to make sure I didn't hear
Elysia's povI ended up getting turned down, breaking the shit out of me.I'm not just hurt, but I'm also pissed. He offered me a job to be his whore. A personal whore? What does he take me for?But maybe it's better. Perhaps I'm mad at myself for throwing such an opportunity away? Maybe I should have thought harder, faster, and better about it rather than walking away from him.Now I am back to square one: either I take up his offer or die of hunger.No.There has to be something I can do.I should have just stuck with the deal he offered. It makes sense when I think about it now, although it's not what I expected. I bet I'll be paid better. After all, I would be fucking with one man, not different ones who neither respect women nor care about anything.I slam the door to my apartment, pissed at everything."Damn!!!" I exclaimed, trying to stuff in my anger. I kick against the bed furiously, hating my life the more.How the hell am I supposed to begin all over? Where would I turn to?