Chapter 32: Turning PageLeilani Moore Jaxon was still standing too close, his eyes were on me and I shifted uncomfortably, wanting some space but knowing he wasn’t going to give it to me. “Jaxon,” I said, my voice firm but tinged with exhaustion. “I need you to move.”He didn’t immediately comply, his eyes studying me with a look I couldn’t quite decipher. For a moment, I thought he was going to argue, to push further for something he wanted. But then, after a beat of silence, he finally stepped back. His face softened, and he took a seat across from me, clearly willing to drop the tension. His tone shifted almost instantly to that of a business-minded professional.“I have reviewed the documents you sent over,” he began, “and everything you outlined has been considered. There are a few things we need to discuss, but more importantly, we will need to head to Paris.” He paused, his eyes briefly meeting mine. “There are investors there we need to meet, and we will also get a firsthand
Chapter 33: Just Business Leilani Moore I was sitting down in my car as the cool late afternoon air sank into my skin through the open windows, I was unconsciously humming a song and then I glanced at my phone, my fingers hovering over the screen as I debated checking the time one last time before leaving Jaxon’s office. I had signed the final documents for our new project, my first formal business venture with Jaxon, and there was a strange satisfaction in completing the deal.I let out a deep sigh as I finally ignited the car engine and drove to his office, I was welcomed in as soon as I stepped out of my car. His secretary led me to his office and I gave him a curt nod as I arrived at his office. Jaxon’s office had been everything I expected sleek, polished, and professional but also warm in its own way. It wasn’t cold or sterile, like so many corporate spaces. It had taken everything in me not to let my mind wander too much as I sat there, he finally joined me and I stood up im
Chapter 34: Unexpected Apology Jaxon WollfI sat at my desk, my eyes scanning the file in front of me, though my mind wasn’t on the documents at all. It was all on Leilani. I couldn’t help it as I kept on smiling, everything seemed to be better than it was before just because of her. She had agreed to come with me to Paris, and that fact consumed every part of me. The business was important, yes, but this… this was about us. About trying to fix everything I had messed up. It wasn’t just a trip to work. It was my chance to show her that I could be the man she needed. I would win her back, no matter what it took. I will let her know that she is the only woman I want and I want to worship. I glanced at the clock. The day had been dragging, and the long hours of work weren’t helping my mood. I hadn’t been able to focus on anything but the trip and the possibility of what could happen when we were finally away from all the distractions. I couldn’t help but smile at the city I had chose
Chapter 35: Needed OutJoel WollfI sat back on the edge of my bed while scrolling through my phone, Leilani’s picture stared back at me from the screen, and I found myself studying it once again, a slight smile tugging at the corners of my lips. I hadn’t expected to get so interested in her. I had made my investigations and I found out she was Jaxon’s ex, that was the first thing that got me interested in her but after we talked for a while, there was something more about her that piqued my curiosity. She wasn’t just some fragile woman but a strong, independent one who had been through hell but even with that, she strives so hard to be a better woman, she looks unbreakable. Not only that, there was depth to her. Beauty, brains, and strength. I couldn’t understand how Derek, her ex-husband, could have been so foolish and cheated on her. He had it all and threw it away for some shallow thing.I leaned forward, tapping my fingers on the edge of the phone case. I knew what I wanted. Lei
Chapter 36: Your Words Are Balm Leilani MooreI stared at my phone wondering what had gotten to me, I would normally have discharged Jaxon but I couldn’t but want to be there for him when he called him, it seems these days when he is going through something I was the first for him to call. I couldn’t help the smile that crept to my face, my heart fluttering feeling special, I quickly cleared my throat trying not to let that get to me, I let out a deep breath and looked around for what I needed before I left the house. I was halfway through packing when Ruth barged into my room, her usual energy filling the space before she even spoke."When are you leaving for Paris?" she asked, already knowing the answer, though she probably just wanted to hear it from me. I stopped what I was doing and turned to look at her, I wanted to complain about the way she barged into my room but I kept shut. "Three days," I answered, looking over at her with a raised brow. "Why do you ask?"She gave me a
Chapter 37: A part of me. Leilani MooreThe day had finally arrived for my flight to Paris. This was my first time visiting Paris, and even when I had several opportunities to do that I never did, my parents insisted on driving me to the airport, even though I am a full-grown woman who was married and now divorced, my parents still believe I am their little baby, o couldn’t help but smile at how protective they are sometimes. “Take care of yourself, sweetheart,” my mom said, pulling me into a tight hug. “Paris is beautiful, remember to go out, okay? You know how to reach us if you need anything and don’t just focus on business, enjoy the land before coming back.” I nodded, holding on a little longer, not wanting to let go. My father was standing a few feet away, his usual calm demeanor not betraying any emotion, but I could see the pride in his eyes as he gave me a smile.“Don’t forget to enjoy yourself while you’re there,” he added, his voice steady but warm. “And remember, you ha
Chapter 38: Who Is She Leilani MooreIt was the sound of a knock that pulled me out of my deep slumber. I groggily opened my eyes, the soft morning light streaming through the curtains. My mind was foggy, my body felt a little stiff from the uncomfortable bed and the late-night thoughts that had kept me awake before I was able to fall asleep.The knock came again, more persistent this time. I threw the blanket off of me, trying to shake off the heaviness in my limbs, and walked to the door. I pulled it open and it was Jaxon. The first thing I noticed eyes were heavy with fatigue, dark circles under them, his usual confident posture drooping just a little. I felt a pang of annoyance, but I couldn’t place exactly why. Was I upset with him for leaving or upset with myself for feeling the way I felt, lonely and hoping he joined me. “Morning,” he muttered, his voice rough from lack of sleep.“Jaxon, you look awful.” The words came out before I could stop them, and I winced.He gave me
Chapter 39: Unexpected Jaxon Wolff I hadn't seen Natalie in two years, not since that gala in New York. I still remembered the elegance in the way she moved, the way she captivated every room she walked into, with her warm smile and infectious charisma. Natalie wasn't just beautiful, she had this aura around her, an energy that made you want to know her better. But life had its own plans, and I had lost track of her after the gala. "I can't believe it's really you," I said, stepping back to look at her properly. She hadn't changed at all, still the same, with her signature style and that effortless charm. She chuckled and widened up her hands, I gently pulled her into a shirt hug. "I could say the same," she replied, laughing lightly as she pulled away "How have you been?" "Good, busy," I said, shrugging. "Same old, same old." "You look great," she added with a smile. "I almost didn't recognize you." "You too," I said, my gaze lingering on her for a moment longer than necessar
Chapter 44: I am all yours. Leilani Moore“Answer me!”Jaxon demanded and I couldn’t look him in the eyes, I was so out of it that I had said what I wasn’t supposed to say. I felt my pulse quicken as Jaxon's hand held mine firmly, his grip a mix of concern and insistence. His eyes searched mine, trying to understand what was going on. I felt so open to his eyes, I felt naked and I wanted to move away from him, from the world, from everything. He asked again, his voice barely above a whisper as his gaze locked with mine, "Are you angry, Leilani?"I yanked my hand away, the feeling of his fingers slipping from mine sending a strange pang through my chest. Why did it hurt so much to let go?"I'm not angry," I snapped, forcing the words out as I turned my back on him, I was going to the bathroom, but just needed a moment to breathe, to steady myself before I said something I would regret.But before I could even take two steps, his hand shot out, grabbing my wrist, pulling me back toward
Chapter 43: Are You Jealous? Jaxon Wolff I sat on the edge of the bed, the soft vibration of my phone on the nightstand pulling me out of my restless thoughts. It was a message from Natalie, her name flashing on the screen. The message was simple, "Jaxon, I want to talk about yesterday. I feel awful about everything, and I just need to get it off my chest."Normally, I would have ignored it. It wasn't that I didn't care about Natalie. Because, honestly, I did. She had been a friend for years, and it wasn't easy for me to dismiss her feelings. But I knew that the situation between her and me was complicated, and I wasn't sure I was ready for any more emotional turmoil, I wanted to make it clear so that she would know that I have someone else at heart. This was a chance to keep things from getting awkward between us, I had to meet her. I let out a heavy sigh and texted back, “Okay. I will come over."I left the hotel an hour later, I was inside the car and I couldn’t help it as my mi
Chapter 42: Savior Of The Day Leilani MooreI was beyond furious. Furious with myself, furious with Jaxon, and furious with the entire world. Everything was spinning in my mind, crashing down like waves against jagged rocks, threatening to pull me under the bus. I couldn't stand being cooped up in the hotel anymore, not after what had happened earlier. I was still angry over the call I had with Derek and at the same time, I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about Jaxon and Natalie no matter how I tried not to, my mind still going back there and it was unhealthy for me. I needed to get out of this building and receive some air, maybe with that I would stop thinking about him. Without thinking, I threw on some clothes and stormed out of the hotel, I grabbed a cab without hesitation, “where are you going?” The driver asked “Uhm… take me to any fancy restaurant, anywhere that would distract me for a while,” I had no place in mind, I knew nothing about Paris so I couldn’t choose a loca
Chapter 41: We Are DoneLeilani MooreI woke up to the sound of Jaxon's phone ringing. The loud sound of the phone had cut through my phone, pulling me out of the depths of sleep. I glanced at the bedside table, where his phone lay face up, flashing brightly. The name on the screen stood out and it was Natalie. I felt a jolt in my stomach, that familiar feeling of jealousy whenever I heard or saw her name riding within me. I swallowed hard, refusing to acknowledge it, trying to remind myself that I had no right to feel any kind of way regarding their relationship. I stared at the phone for a moment longer, watching as the call rang through, before I turned my gaze to the window, trying to push back the intrusive thoughts.The phone had stopped ringing at some point, and I heard Jaxon stir beside me. He groggily reached for it, mumbling something under his breath. I didn't move. I didn't want to be caught in the middle of whatever conversation was about to take place between them. So,
Chapter 40: Better not come any closer Leilani MooreI paced back and forth in the hotel room, my bare feet making quiet taps against the plush carpet. My mind was racing, too many thoughts tangled together in a chaotic mess. I checked the clock again. 9:14 PM. Jaxon had left this afternoon. around 2 PM, to have lunch with Natalie and it was almost nine now. Almost seven hours had passed. The longer I waited, the more my thoughts began to go uncontrollable. Why hadn’t he come back yet? Where was he?My fingers hovered over my phone, itching to call him. But I stopped myself each time. I didn’t want to seem clingy or overbearing. That’s what I kept telling myself. He was just having lunch, right? It’s not like I had any right to get upset. I wasn’t his girlfriend, I wasn’t anything to him, really.But then why did the feeling of betrayal stir inside me? I couldn’t deny that my patience was running thin. Natalie. That name kept ringing in my head like an annoying echo. She was so… char
Chapter 39: Unexpected Jaxon Wolff I hadn't seen Natalie in two years, not since that gala in New York. I still remembered the elegance in the way she moved, the way she captivated every room she walked into, with her warm smile and infectious charisma. Natalie wasn't just beautiful, she had this aura around her, an energy that made you want to know her better. But life had its own plans, and I had lost track of her after the gala. "I can't believe it's really you," I said, stepping back to look at her properly. She hadn't changed at all, still the same, with her signature style and that effortless charm. She chuckled and widened up her hands, I gently pulled her into a shirt hug. "I could say the same," she replied, laughing lightly as she pulled away "How have you been?" "Good, busy," I said, shrugging. "Same old, same old." "You look great," she added with a smile. "I almost didn't recognize you." "You too," I said, my gaze lingering on her for a moment longer than necessar
Chapter 38: Who Is She Leilani MooreIt was the sound of a knock that pulled me out of my deep slumber. I groggily opened my eyes, the soft morning light streaming through the curtains. My mind was foggy, my body felt a little stiff from the uncomfortable bed and the late-night thoughts that had kept me awake before I was able to fall asleep.The knock came again, more persistent this time. I threw the blanket off of me, trying to shake off the heaviness in my limbs, and walked to the door. I pulled it open and it was Jaxon. The first thing I noticed eyes were heavy with fatigue, dark circles under them, his usual confident posture drooping just a little. I felt a pang of annoyance, but I couldn’t place exactly why. Was I upset with him for leaving or upset with myself for feeling the way I felt, lonely and hoping he joined me. “Morning,” he muttered, his voice rough from lack of sleep.“Jaxon, you look awful.” The words came out before I could stop them, and I winced.He gave me
Chapter 37: A part of me. Leilani MooreThe day had finally arrived for my flight to Paris. This was my first time visiting Paris, and even when I had several opportunities to do that I never did, my parents insisted on driving me to the airport, even though I am a full-grown woman who was married and now divorced, my parents still believe I am their little baby, o couldn’t help but smile at how protective they are sometimes. “Take care of yourself, sweetheart,” my mom said, pulling me into a tight hug. “Paris is beautiful, remember to go out, okay? You know how to reach us if you need anything and don’t just focus on business, enjoy the land before coming back.” I nodded, holding on a little longer, not wanting to let go. My father was standing a few feet away, his usual calm demeanor not betraying any emotion, but I could see the pride in his eyes as he gave me a smile.“Don’t forget to enjoy yourself while you’re there,” he added, his voice steady but warm. “And remember, you ha
Chapter 36: Your Words Are Balm Leilani MooreI stared at my phone wondering what had gotten to me, I would normally have discharged Jaxon but I couldn’t but want to be there for him when he called him, it seems these days when he is going through something I was the first for him to call. I couldn’t help the smile that crept to my face, my heart fluttering feeling special, I quickly cleared my throat trying not to let that get to me, I let out a deep breath and looked around for what I needed before I left the house. I was halfway through packing when Ruth barged into my room, her usual energy filling the space before she even spoke."When are you leaving for Paris?" she asked, already knowing the answer, though she probably just wanted to hear it from me. I stopped what I was doing and turned to look at her, I wanted to complain about the way she barged into my room but I kept shut. "Three days," I answered, looking over at her with a raised brow. "Why do you ask?"She gave me a