Emma "Mommy! Where were you?" I smile as Sam runs toward me with his arms wide open. I pick him up in my arms, laughing. "Did you miss me?" I ask, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Sam nods his head enthusiastically, burying his face in my shoulder. "Yes, mommy! I missed you so much!" he says, his voice muffled by my shirt. I hold him tight, feeling a surge of love for my little boy. "I missed you too, baby," I say, stroking his hair. "What did you do while I was gone?" "We played cars and watched cartoons!" he exclaims, his face lighting up. "That sounds like fun," I say, smiling. "Did you eat your lunch?" "Yes, I did!" Sam replies, grinning up at me. "Good job!" I say, giving him another kiss. "I'm so proud of you." Sam giggles, squirming in my arms. "Mommy put me down! I want to go get a snack. I'm hungry!" "Okay, okay," I say, lowering him to the ground. "Go get something to eat." I say, feeling my eyes well up with tears. I hope his happiness lasts forever. Sam looks be
Jonathan "Emma doesn't want the police involved," Sebastian says. "I see..." I say grimly, but I'm not surprised. "I don't blame her. They will ask her a lot of questions in court. It'll keep reminding her of her painful past." Sebastian nods. "There must be an alternative. I want that bastard Alaric to suffer, even if it's in an unconventional way." "Leave that to me. I'll take care of Alaric," I say with gritted teeth. Sebastian narrows his eyes. "Emma is my sister. I shouldn't put this all on you." I shake my head. "You don't understand, Sebastian. I'm taking this personally because I love Emma. She broke down in front of me and told me everything. I could see the pain in her eyes, and it broke me. I'll do anything for her, and I personally want to cause that piece of shit pain." "Alright. Just keep me updated. I have your back," Sebastian says. I nod, then head over to my meeting with someone really special who can help me with my plan. I know it's risky, but I'm willing t
JonathanHere I am at the abandoned building again, three days later. I kept my promise to Alaric and didn't show up until now, leaving him in the dark. I'm sure he is covered in his own piss and starving. The thought gives me comfort. "How was life in darkness, Alaric? It's not fun, is it?" I ask after taking the tape off of his mouth. There is no window down there, so Alaric wouldn't have known the difference between day and night. "Fuck you, asshole! What the fuck is wrong with you, man?" Alaric barks. "I couldn't begin to tell you. Are you ready to confess yet?" I laugh. "Confess what? I didn't do anything!" Alaric shouts. "Ah, so we are still playing the game. Say, Alaric, are you hungry?" I ask and shake the Mcdonald's bag in my hand. "I am fucking starving, man. You left me here tied up for three days!" he says as if I don't know what I did already. I take the burger out and take a big bite. "Mmm...you know I have all the money in the world, and I can afford expensive f
Jonathan I go back to the building to check on Alaric. I made sure to have Ray send someone to kill the wasps ahead of time and give Alaric medical attention if needed before my arrival. Alaric is sitting on the chair with his face and body swollen, but he appears to be breathing. "I see you survived the wasps," I comment. "Fuck you," Alaric mumbles. "I came here to give you good news and bad news," I say. He looks at me with confusion. "What?" "The good news is that Emma and I are getting married, and Sam will officially become my son," I say. "Samuel is my son," Alaric barks. "Not anymore, he isn't. You will be waiving all rights as his biological dad," I say, putting the adoption paper on his lap. Alaric glares at me as he looks at the adoption paper. He doesn't say anything for a few moments. I watch as his expression turns angrier. "I don't want to give up my rights," he says. "It's not up to you anymore," I reply. "I've already talked to my lawyer, and everything is
Emma It's my wedding day. I feel like I'm in a daze, floating in the cloud. I can't believe this is happening to me and I'm about to marry this amazing, gorgeous man of my dreams. Things can't get any better. I look at Sam, who is running around and giggling with some of the other kids in his house. He is wearing a tiny tuxedo and looks absolutely adorable. My heart swells with love and pride. I can't believe how fast he's grown up and how lucky I am to have him in my life. As I take a deep breath, I can feel the excitement and anticipation building up inside of me. I can't wait to walk down the aisle and see my husband-to-be waiting for me. "Sam, be careful! You will trip over the decorations!" Delilah scolded him, but he only giggled louder. Delilah couldn't help but crack a smile and look at me. "Ready for your big day?" she smirks. "I don't know," I giggle nervously. She raises an eyebrow. "You don't know? You're not getting cold feet, are you?" I shake my head frantically
SebastianI look outside the large window of my office and subconsciously furrow my brows. It is almost time for me to go home, and the street looks busy, as always. Maybe I should wait another hour or two until the traffic settles down. Nah, I'd rather stay here and get some more work done than sit in the middle of the road, wasting time. As the oldest son, I am first in line to run this company. I have too much on my plate to waste precious hours.Someone is knocking on my door, so I scrunch my nose in annoyance."Come in," I say gruffly. "Sorry to bother you, sir." My secretary Melanie pokes her head inside."What is it?" I ask with a scowl. I keep my expression stone cold as I don't feel like dealing with another client this late."Ms. Erickson called and asked for you. She said something about a dinner date later this evening?" Melanie said.Olivia Erickson.She looks like a plastic Barbie with her fake boobs and Botox lips. If her personality wasn't so shallow, I might have lo
SebastianI jolt awake as the sun hits me directly on the face. I squint my eyes, trying to remember where I am.Ah, that's right. After seeing that woman across the street, I thought about approaching her but never got the chance. She got into a taxi and drove away.So I went home.I slowly get out of bed and get dressed so I can get ready for the day.I grab my keys and call my driver, then walk out to the garage.Today, I'm supposed to meet with my best friend and advisor, Lewis Hernandez for lunch. I have known Lewis since childhood, and he is the only person I trust besides my brother. I can never be comfortable with anyone knowing they could be after my money.But Lewis never cared about material things and never asked me for monetary favors, so I feel safe around him.Lewis is five foot ten with slicked-back black hair and deep brown eyes. I often envied him because he was already married with kids while I was still searching for my one true love."Sebastian! What took you so l
SebastianI decide to put the plan in motion immediately. I called a meeting and announced to everyone that I would be out of the country for two months.I lied and told them it was for a hotel conference. Since I am a hotel tycoon, it is believable. I also make sure that everyone knows I'll be out of touch in case someone tries to contact me while I am undercover.I needed a fake ID, so I called Lewis. Back when we were in high school, Lewis somehow got in touch with a guy and made a fake ID to get into a club. I assumed Lewis would still remember how to get them."You really are doing this, huh?" Lewis sounds amused when I ask him."I don't play around. You know that," I said irritably."Alright, well, I do know this guy who can help you. His name is Chuck. But be careful going to his house because he lives in a sketchy area. With your expensive attire, you might get robbed," Lewis smirked."I'll make sure to dress casually. How do you know this guy again?" I asked."It's best not t
Emma It's my wedding day. I feel like I'm in a daze, floating in the cloud. I can't believe this is happening to me and I'm about to marry this amazing, gorgeous man of my dreams. Things can't get any better. I look at Sam, who is running around and giggling with some of the other kids in his house. He is wearing a tiny tuxedo and looks absolutely adorable. My heart swells with love and pride. I can't believe how fast he's grown up and how lucky I am to have him in my life. As I take a deep breath, I can feel the excitement and anticipation building up inside of me. I can't wait to walk down the aisle and see my husband-to-be waiting for me. "Sam, be careful! You will trip over the decorations!" Delilah scolded him, but he only giggled louder. Delilah couldn't help but crack a smile and look at me. "Ready for your big day?" she smirks. "I don't know," I giggle nervously. She raises an eyebrow. "You don't know? You're not getting cold feet, are you?" I shake my head frantically
Jonathan I go back to the building to check on Alaric. I made sure to have Ray send someone to kill the wasps ahead of time and give Alaric medical attention if needed before my arrival. Alaric is sitting on the chair with his face and body swollen, but he appears to be breathing. "I see you survived the wasps," I comment. "Fuck you," Alaric mumbles. "I came here to give you good news and bad news," I say. He looks at me with confusion. "What?" "The good news is that Emma and I are getting married, and Sam will officially become my son," I say. "Samuel is my son," Alaric barks. "Not anymore, he isn't. You will be waiving all rights as his biological dad," I say, putting the adoption paper on his lap. Alaric glares at me as he looks at the adoption paper. He doesn't say anything for a few moments. I watch as his expression turns angrier. "I don't want to give up my rights," he says. "It's not up to you anymore," I reply. "I've already talked to my lawyer, and everything is
JonathanHere I am at the abandoned building again, three days later. I kept my promise to Alaric and didn't show up until now, leaving him in the dark. I'm sure he is covered in his own piss and starving. The thought gives me comfort. "How was life in darkness, Alaric? It's not fun, is it?" I ask after taking the tape off of his mouth. There is no window down there, so Alaric wouldn't have known the difference between day and night. "Fuck you, asshole! What the fuck is wrong with you, man?" Alaric barks. "I couldn't begin to tell you. Are you ready to confess yet?" I laugh. "Confess what? I didn't do anything!" Alaric shouts. "Ah, so we are still playing the game. Say, Alaric, are you hungry?" I ask and shake the Mcdonald's bag in my hand. "I am fucking starving, man. You left me here tied up for three days!" he says as if I don't know what I did already. I take the burger out and take a big bite. "Mmm...you know I have all the money in the world, and I can afford expensive f
Jonathan "Emma doesn't want the police involved," Sebastian says. "I see..." I say grimly, but I'm not surprised. "I don't blame her. They will ask her a lot of questions in court. It'll keep reminding her of her painful past." Sebastian nods. "There must be an alternative. I want that bastard Alaric to suffer, even if it's in an unconventional way." "Leave that to me. I'll take care of Alaric," I say with gritted teeth. Sebastian narrows his eyes. "Emma is my sister. I shouldn't put this all on you." I shake my head. "You don't understand, Sebastian. I'm taking this personally because I love Emma. She broke down in front of me and told me everything. I could see the pain in her eyes, and it broke me. I'll do anything for her, and I personally want to cause that piece of shit pain." "Alright. Just keep me updated. I have your back," Sebastian says. I nod, then head over to my meeting with someone really special who can help me with my plan. I know it's risky, but I'm willing t
Emma "Mommy! Where were you?" I smile as Sam runs toward me with his arms wide open. I pick him up in my arms, laughing. "Did you miss me?" I ask, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Sam nods his head enthusiastically, burying his face in my shoulder. "Yes, mommy! I missed you so much!" he says, his voice muffled by my shirt. I hold him tight, feeling a surge of love for my little boy. "I missed you too, baby," I say, stroking his hair. "What did you do while I was gone?" "We played cars and watched cartoons!" he exclaims, his face lighting up. "That sounds like fun," I say, smiling. "Did you eat your lunch?" "Yes, I did!" Sam replies, grinning up at me. "Good job!" I say, giving him another kiss. "I'm so proud of you." Sam giggles, squirming in my arms. "Mommy put me down! I want to go get a snack. I'm hungry!" "Okay, okay," I say, lowering him to the ground. "Go get something to eat." I say, feeling my eyes well up with tears. I hope his happiness lasts forever. Sam looks be
Jonathan I feel anger surging through me, but I keep calm for Emma's sake. I need to keep my head clear so I can think of a plan to find that bastard Alaric. And when I do, I will rip both of his arms off. "What happened to him?" I had asked her, and she shook her head. "I don't know. He broke up with my mom after I got pregnant. Maybe he got scared," Emma told me. "And your mom? Did you ever tell her any of this?" I ask. Emma looks down at her hand. "I tried once, but she got mad and beat me. She said I was just making up lies to hide the fact that I got pregnant by some loser." I take a deep breath and try to push down the rage that's boiling inside me. Emma has been through enough already, and I need to stay focused on helping her. I gently put my hand on her shoulder and give her a reassuring squeeze. "Listen, Emma. You did nothing wrong. Alaric is the one who should be ashamed of himself for what he did to you. And your mom... well, she clearly didn't handle the situati
Emma I wake up in his arms in the middle of the night, engulfed by his warmth. I feel his steady breath against my neck as I snuggle closer to him, appreciating the way his arms feel wrapped around me. It is as if I am cocooned in a bubble of safety. I trace my fingers over his chest, feeling the rise and fall of his breathing under my touch. It is a comforting rhythm. Why am I like this? Everything was perfect last night, he did everything right. He didn't push me into anything and showered me with warmth. And yet, I had my stupid panic attack and messed everything up. I touch his lips softly, careful not to wake him up. I can't believe I let my past get the best of me. I ruined the moment even though I wanted him to make love to me. I have to make things right, I think to myself, then climb on top of him to kiss him all over his body. And now he is awake, staring at me with those blue eyes, making me feel even more guilty about rejecting him last night. "Emma. You don't ha
Jonathan Fuck...maybe I am going too fast. The last thing I want is to scare her again by acting like a horny teenager. But she is not pushing me away. Instead, she took my hand in hers, still staring into my eyes. I take a deep breath, trying to calm the racing thoughts in my head. I don't want to mess this up. I don't want to push her away or make her feel uncomfortable. The cool breeze hit us both, and I felt her shudder against my arms. "Shit, you're cold. Let's get you inside," I say. "Maybe you can give me a tour of your house." She smiles. "Sure," I say, smiling at her. "I'd be happy to show you around." I start with the living room, then the kitchen. Then we move upstairs. "The upstairs has three bedrooms and a small terrace," I tell her. Emma looks around in amazement. "It's such a beautiful house." she pauses before speaking again. "Where do you sleep?" "Usually in the master bedroom," I say, gesturing towards the door at the end of the hallway. "Can I see it?" sh
Emma I run my fingers over the delicate silk of the dress. I've never seen any dress so beautiful, let alone wearing it. "Go ahead and try it on," Delilah says and smiles encouragingly. But as I hold it in front of me in front of the mirror, I feel weird. "I don't know if this will suit me," I say. "Of course, it will. Put it on immediately," Delilah orders. I laugh at her enthusiasm and then go inside the bathroom to change. I slip into the dress, and I can feel the smooth, silky fabric slide against my skin. It's like nothing I've ever worn before, and I can't help but feel a bit nervous. Will I be able to pull it off? I take a deep breath and step out of the bathroom and into the dressing room. Delilah's eyes light up when she sees me. "Oh my goodness, you look stunning!" she exclaims. "That dress was made for you." I turn to the mirror and can hardly believe what I see. The dress fits me perfectly, hugging my curves in all the right places. The color brings out the warm