ROBERT *A FEW MINUTES EARLIER*"Please give me a minute, Mr. and Mrs. Charles. I need to check on someone." I spoke to the elderly couple before me, and my gaze was drawn to the Rolex on my wrist. "Certainly, Mr. Clarke. We'll be patient. The party is still going on, and we're not going anywhere." Mr. Charles smiled at me, then returned his attention to his wife and whispered in her ear. They moved toward the crowded dance floor, where several elites and socialites had gathered, sipping their cocktails and mingling. With a sigh, I glanced at my wristwatch for the umpteenth time and then back at the hall's entrance door, where Renee had vanished. Not just a few seconds ago, but nearly a half-hour, and I was becoming increasingly concerned about her whereabouts with each tick of my watch. She should’ve returned by now. It was unusual for her to spend so much time in the restroom, and as time passed, worry ate at my stomach like acid. Renee was never late. She was always on time a
RENEE “What a beautiful elite family reunion. Isn’t this lovely?” As she spoke, her words dripped with phoniness and venom. My heartbeat quickened as I watched her saunter casually toward where Robert and I were standing, whistling and clapping her hands maniacally, keeping the attention on her. My stomach churned with shock and anger, but I couldn't talk or move a muscle. I was stuck, frozen to the spot in Robert's arms, afraid to blink lest she noticed my fear. But I did blink. My tear-stained lashes fluttered as I looked at Robert, our gazes briefly meeting before he turned away. His grip on my shoulders tightened painfully. That expression on his face. He looked like someone forced to endure a painful and awkward situation—like a student caught doing something wrong and desperately wanting to flee. His lips were drawn into a thin line that showed no emotion. His eyes were lifeless, and his face had turned deathly pale. Terrified. He was terrified, I realized, and by God, ho
ROBERT Regret! That word lingered in my mind, biting at me until I was too sick and tired to think of anything else. It was eroding the edges of my sanity, making it difficult for me to breathe properly or think clearly. I felt a deep sadness as I watched Renee's silhouette fade into the darkness. That's when I realized how much of a jerk I'd been. She had vanished. My woman was gone, and the worst part was that I couldn't chase after her like I used to. Instead, I’d told one of the nearby security guards to follow her and ensure she got home safely. I would keep an eye out for her. After a while, perhaps days, I'd get through to her and... 'And then what?' My mind screamed at me. Despite my best efforts at being strong, tears prickled behind my eyelids. Back in the hall, I’d seen the pain swimming in her eyes and the look of utter disbelief, fear, and disgust as she saw me for who I truly was.She had every right to flee—to turn around and run away from me as fast as she coul
Forewarned, forearmed— to be prepared is half the victory. ~Miguel de Cervantes.~•~AMANDA Victory! This one word rang out in my head like a triumphant yell. I let the adrenaline wash over me like an orgasmic wave as I stared out the car window, watching the buildings flash by. The cool breeze whipped through my hair, and I could almost taste freedom in the air, but there was also something bittersweet about it, an intangible longing that made my heart ache. That sense of power—of finally accomplishing what I’d been planning for days, if not months—was gone, replaced by an unsettling sense of regret and... ‘Regret? 'What in the world was I thinking?' I pondered sharply, shaking my head slightly and smiling broadly. I closed my eyes briefly as I let the sense of victory wash over me again, replaying the previous hours’ events in my mind. Robert and Renee. The paparazzi and commotion I initiated. The press, the cameras, and the gossip. Damn! I’d done well. And to think I was o
RENEE Monday came too fast, as usual. Watery eyes fluttering open, I looked at the clock by my bedside with a frown as the numbers blurred together. It was seven in the morning. I should be getting ready for my morning shift at work. I told myself this but couldn't drag myself out of bed. I felt trapped, strewn atop the soft mattress, with swollen eyes and aching bones. It wasn't just the lack of sleep—my nights had been spent crying my eyes out—or the fatigue. No. It was much more. The fortified walls built within me were no longer there. The barriers between me and the emotions that flooded my heart were long gone. And now, since the night of the masked ball, the floodgates of guilt, anger, shame, and repulsion. These emotions spilled forth when I thought of him. Whenever I saw his name light up my phone screen as he barraged me with never-ending streams of messages. Or heard, “Please call me!” coming from my voicemail after I refused to pick up.Gosh! How could I have been
ROBERT "No fucking way!" I exclaimed loudly. "This has to be the dumbest joke in history! This cannot be true. Tell me this is a lie. Just some ploy by the media to sell a story, right? I mean, who made this up?" I spat, returning my gaze to my secretary, and flinging the magazine on the floor. "We can't say, Mr. Clarke, but we know the media will do anything for money. Aside from that, the allegations look too good to be true, and they have photos to back it up." Mr. Patrick, my lawyer, chimed in, his face concerned as he looked at me from his chair across the office desk. God, this was worse than I'd imagined. I closed my eyes and sighed deeply, thinking about the headline I'd just read. 'SCANDAL OF THE YEAR OR NOT? POPULAR BILLIONAIRE, ROBERT CLARKE, CAUGHT IN A ROMANTIC RUSE WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND & SON.' The article described and fabricated theories about Dylan being Renee's ex. They even had photos to prove it. My mind replayed the article's content as the words flashed before
ROBERT After deliberating for an hour, I parked my car in front of the restaurant where Renee worked, ready to talk to her. My stomach flipped, and before I could change my mind or even consider whether this was a good idea, my hands instinctively went to the door handle and pushed it open. As I stepped out of the vehicle, a gust of wind hit me square in the face. The air was crisp and cold, biting at my exposed skin and forcing itself painfully into my lungs. The sky had suddenly turned dark gray, and the air was chilly, making me a little nervous as I approached the building. I glanced at my wristwatch and saw that it was already four in the afternoon—two hours before she finished her shift if I recall correctly—and I quickened my pace. I looked inside the restaurant through the glass windows, hoping to see Renee, but there was no sign of her. As I approached the front door, I took deep breaths and tried to convince myself that she was probably somewhere else in the building
RENEE "It’d be in your best interests if you left, Robert. She isn't interested in seeing you." I pressed my ear to the bedroom door, my chest tightening as Nicole and Robert's spat grew louder with each word. The argument had begun a few minutes ago when Robert arrived and, luckily for me, Nicole answered the door. He’d demanded to see me, wanting to talk, and she’d flatly refused. Then he'd tried to explain that he was here to apologize and make amends, but Nicole wasn’t budging. She was hurt and angry on my behalf, and rightfully so."I won't. I'm not leaving until Renee tells me she doesn't want to see me herself.” Robert spoke up, his voice firm, persistent, and determined. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but she won't. Leave, Robert. I'm doing my best not to be impolite here." "Nicole, please stop making this so difficult." He begged, sounding so desperate that my heart ached for a split second. Nicole made a noise of disgust. "I shouldn't make this difficult. Says the ma