The tension in the room evaporated the moment Daniel answered his phone. His face, moments ago contorted with rage, smoothed into a mask of politeness. "Grandfather," he said, his voice suddenly warm. "How are you?" I lay there, heart still racing, as I listened to Daniel's side of the conversation. His brow furrowed, lips pressing into a thin line. "Tonight? But-" Daniel paused, clearly cut off. "Yes, of course. We'll be there." He hung up, turning to me with a scowl. "Get up. We're going to dinner at the old mansion." I blinked, struggling to process the sudden shift. "What?" "Grandfather wants to see you," Daniel spat, as if the words tasted foul. "He misses you, apparently." --- The leather seats of Daniel's luxury sedan creaked as he shifted gears, his cologne almost suffocating in the enclosed space. We'd been driving in tense silence for nearly twenty minutes, the city lights giving way to the manicured lawns of the suburbs. "Remember," Daniel said, his voice l
The dining room was a study in opulence. A massive mahogany table dominated the space, its polished surface reflecting the warm glow of the chandelier overhead. Fine china and gleaming silverware awaited us at each place setting. As we took our seats, I couldn't help but feel like a fraud in this world of old money and more uncomfortable secrets. Grandfather sat at the head of the table, his presence commanding even in the act of unfolding his napkin. "Alex, my boy," he said, his voice warm. "It's been too long. Tell me, how was your time abroad?" Alex smiled, and I was struck again by how at ease he seemed in this setting. "Enlightening, Mr. Russo. The techniques I learned in Italy have been invaluable to my work." "Italy?" I blurted out before I could stop myself. All eyes turned to me, and I felt my cheeks warm. Grandfather chuckled. "Ah, I forget my manners. Maya, dear, Alex was a student of mine before he went abroad to study jewelry design. One of my most promising pupils
I stood there, caught between Alex's piercing gaze and the echo of Daniel's words still ringing in my ears. The hallway suddenly felt too small, too confining. I needed air, space, anything to clear my head. "I didn't realize you were so concerned about other people's personal lives," I said, aiming for nonchalance but hearing the brittleness in my voice. Alex blinked, taken aback by my sudden sharpness. He recovered quickly, his expression softening. "I just came out for some air," he said lightly. "The atmosphere in there is... rather intense." I let out a humorless laugh. "You don't know the half of it." I glanced back towards the dining room. "I should go. Grandfather will be waiting." "Maya," Alex's voice stopped me. "A woman like you... you shouldn't be trapped in a broken marriage." The words hit me like a physical blow. Broken marriage. Such a simple phrase to describe the wreckage of my life. I felt a tidal wave of emotions crashing over me – anger, hurt, fear, and s
Fiona’s POVThe door slammed behind us, the sound echoing through the empty house. Daniel's hands were on me instantly, rough and demanding. His mouth crashed mine, tasting of whiskey and barely contained rage. I knew this mood - he needed an outlet, and I was more than willing to provide it."Fuck, Fiona," he growled, pushing me against the wall. His hand sliding up my thigh, bunching my dress around my waist. "I need you. Now."I moaned as his fingers found my aching pussy, already wet and wanting. "Then take me," I challenged, nipping at his lower lip.Daniel didn't need to be told twice. In one fluid motion, he lifted me, as I grabbed his strong arms for support, my legs wrapping around his waist. I felt his cock, hard and ready, pressing against me. With a grunt, he thrust inside, filling me completely, and instant."God, yes," I screamed, my head falling back against the wall. Daniel set a punishing pace, each thrust driving me higher. The picture frames rattled fiercely with th
Maya's POVThe days blurred together in my gilded prison. I spread my design sketches across the bed, red pen marking adjustments here and there. The competition deadline loomed, but at least being locked up gave me plenty of time to work.My phone buzzed. Olivia."The divorce papers are almost ready," she said without preamble. "We just need to figure out how to serve them to Daniel since he's keeping you isolated."I smiled, grateful I'd demanded my phone back after the dinner at Grandfather's. "He can't keep me locked up forever. We'll find a way.""Are you eating? Taking care of yourself?""Yes, mom," I teased. Though honestly, I had been feeling off lately. Probably from being cooped up all day.The house felt different with all the new staff. The old chef, Maria, who'd been with us for years - gone. The familiar maids - replaced. Daniel's watchdogs, all of them. But it meant I didn't have to see him and Fiona flaunting their relationship, so I counted it as a win.I returned to
Maya's POVWhite light stabbed my eyes as consciousness slowly returned. The antiseptic smell hit me first, then the steady beep of machines. A hospital. My head felt like it was stuffed with cotton, every thought sluggish and heavy. An IV line snaked from my arm, the clear liquid dripping steadily. My tongue felt like sandpaper."Hey there." Alex's voice, soft and warm. "Take it easy."I blinked, trying to focus. He sat beside my bed, his usually immaculate suit slightly rumpled, tie loosened. Despite my fuzzy brain, I noticed the concern etched in the lines around his eyes. A folded newspaper lay abandoned on his lap, as if he'd been there a while."What happened?" My voice came out raspy, my throat raw. The words tasted like metal in my mouth."The driver found you unconscious." Alex leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. "Lucky timing, really. I'd been having wine with your grandfather at the old house, and he insisted his driver take me back to the city. Thomas had to drop some
Maya's POVGrandfather's presence seemed to shrink the hospital room. He stood there, radiating cold fury, his eyes fixed on the marks around Fiona's neck with an almost clinical detachment. The silence stretched, broken only by the steady beep of my heart monitor."Thomas called me," he finally said, his voice deceptively calm. "Told me my grandson locked his wife in a room and left her to faint alone. And now I find you here, Daniel, berating a sick woman in her hospital bed?""Grandfather, you don't understand." Daniel's tone shifted, that familiar oily smoothness creeping in. "Maya attacked Fiona. Look at her neck—""Oh, yes." Fiona touched her throat delicately, batting tear-filled eyes at Daniel. "I was so scared..."Grandfather's laugh was sharp enough to cut. "Scared? Those barely-there marks that look suspiciously like makeup? Did you think I wouldn't notice?"I watched Fiona's face flush, her perfect mask slipping for just a moment."Probably bumped into something and saw an
Maya's POVI sat in Olivia's pristine office, my fingers tracing the edge of her mahogany desk. The morning sunlight streamed through the windows, catching on the fresh flowers she always kept. Everything about the space spoke of new beginnings – so different from the suffocating opulence of my prison."He locked you up and you fainted?" Olivia's voice was tight with controlled anger. Her normally perfect composure cracked as she paced behind her desk. "Maya, this is beyond divorce territory. We could press charges.""No charges," I said firmly, watching her heels click against the hardwood. "I just want out."She paused her pacing, pulled open her drawer, and withdrew a thick manila envelope. The weight of it felt significant as she placed it in my hands. "Final version. I've triple-checked everything."My fingers trembled slightly as I opened it. Fiona's smirking confession about the food flashed through my mind, followed by the metallic taste in my mouth, the world going black. Eve
AlexI made it to my car before my composure cracked. Sitting behind the wheel, I slammed my palm against it hard enough to hurt, cursing under my breath. I'd handled that all wrong. Again.The look on Maya's face when I admitted hiring a PI—pure betrayal. Rage. Fear. All justified.I started the engine but didn't move, just sat there staring up at the lights of her apartment building. She'd tried to slap me. Again. I couldn't blame her."Not investigating you anymore." Christ. As if stopping was some kind of favor I'd done her. No wonder she'd exploded.The envelope of evidence sat on the passenger seat where I'd placed a second copy before heading up to her apartment. I'd known she might destroy the first one. Might not believe me. Might throw me out.I'd been right about all of it, and still managed to fuck up the execution completely.The dashboard clock read 8:47 PM. Not even nine, but I felt as if I'd aged a decade in the last forty minutes. I pulled away from the curb, forcing
I slept poorly that night, dreams shifting between the peaceful cabin workshop and nightmarish scenarios where faceless figures stood watching through windows, calculating, waiting.By dawn, I'd made my decision. I would go to the mountains, to the cabin where I'd been truly happy. I would seek answers on my own terms, without Alex's theories coloring my perceptions or Daniel's threats hanging over me.I finished packing quickly, loaded my car, and left a message for Grandfather explaining my need for a brief leave of absence. He'd understand—might even approve of the strategic retreat while Daniel's legal situation developed.As I drove toward the mountains the next morning, I kept checking my rearview mirror, unsure if I was afraid of being followed or being alone with these new thoughts.
That night in my apartment, unable to sleep again, I opened my laptop and did something I'd been avoiding—I searched for our old address in the mountains. The cabin wasn't technically ours; Mami Lulu had rented it for years from an elderly couple who'd never bothered to raise the price or ask questions about the woman raising a child in the remote location.To my shock, the property appeared in current real estate listings. FOR SALE: Rustic 2BR Mountain Cabin with Workshop. The photos showed a structure slightly more weathered than in my memories but essentially unchanged—the wooden porch, the stone chimney, the clearing surrounded by tall pines.The coincidence felt significant, almost supernatural. I'd been dreaming of the cabin for weeks, and now it was available, as if waiting for me to return.Witho
The glass rod glowed orange-red under the flame, softening until it drooped like honey. I twisted it carefully around the metal mandrel, just as Mami Lulu had taught me."Steady hands," her voice came from behind me. "Let the glass tell you what it wants to be."The small workshop smelled of propane and hot glass, with undertones of the pine forest surrounding our cabin. Sunlight streamed through the windows, catching dust motes and turning them golden. The rough-hewn wooden walls felt solid and permanent around me."There," I said, holding up the mandrel to show her the perfect round bead I'd formed. Blue glass with swirls of green, like the deep pools in the creek behind our cabin.Mami Lulu smiled, the corners of her eyes crinkling. "Beautiful, mija. Now let it cool slowly."I placed the mandrel in the cooling rack, satisfaction warming my chest. Through the open window, I could hear the creek bubbling over rocks, the rustling of pine needles in the breeze, the distant call of a ha
I spent the rest of Sunday at Mami Lulu's bedside, reading to her unresponsive form from design magazines, describing the gala and its aftermath. The nurses said talking to unresponsive patients could help, that they might hear even if they couldn't respond. I chose to believe it, needing some connection to the woman who had truly raised me.Evening found me back at my apartment, reviewing the briefing materials Grandfather's assistant had sent over. Board member profiles, financial summaries, pending contracts—hundreds of pages of information I needed to absorb before Thursday.My phone buzzed with a text from Troy: Dinner? I have gossip about the industry fallout.I agreed, grateful for the break and the company. Troy arrived with Thai food and a bottle of wine, settling cross-legged on my couch as he unpacked containers."It's deliciously messy out there," he reported gleefully. "The industry is completely split. Old-guard designers are clutching their pearls over your 'violent out
I sank back into the chair, adrenaline leaving my body in a rush. Grandfather returned to his seat more slowly, his composure unchanged but his breathing slightly labored."Are you alright?" I asked him."Perfectly fine. Are you?"I nodded, though my hands were shaking. Daniel had never attempted to physically harm me in front of witnesses before. Always in private, always deniable."He'll challenge the transfer," I said."He'll try." Grandfather straightened the folder Daniel had knocked askew. "He won't succeed."Martha appeared in the doorway. "Mr. Giuseppe, security confirms Mr. Daniel has left the premises.""Thank you, Martha. Tea, please."After she left, Grandfather regarded me thoughtfully. "I apologize for my grandson's behavior.""You're not responsible for him.""In some ways, I am. I raised him after my son died. Perhaps too indulgently." He sighed. "I knew he was controlling, temperamental. I didn't know the extent of his abuse toward you."I said nothing. What was there
I stepped into the room, keeping my distance from Daniel, whose body radiated tension like heat."What matters?" I asked, though I already knew."The scene at the gala last night," Grandfather replied. "And its aftermath."Daniel made a sound somewhere between a laugh and a snort. "The scene? You mean her assault on Fiona in front of the entire industry?""I mean Fiona's drunken disruption of an official announcement, followed by Maya's admittedly dramatic response," Grandfather corrected. "Which has resulted in quite the media situation.""She slapped her sister across the face," Daniel said through clenched teeth. "After you ambushed me with this ridiculous 'transfer of power' stunt. The board will never—""The board has already approved the transfer," Grandfather interrupted. "The paperwork was completed yesterday afternoon. The announcement was merely a formality."Daniel's face went pale, then red again. "You did this behind my back.""I did this through proper corporate channels
I woke to the insistent buzz of my phone vibrating against the nightstand. Squinting at the screen, I saw twenty-seven missed calls, forty-two text messages, and over a hundred social media notifications. It was 7:18 AM."What the fuck," I mumbled, scrolling through the texts. Troy had sent eighteen of them, each more dramatic than the last:WAKE UPTHE VIDEO IS EVERYWHEREYOU'RE TRENDING #TeamMaya vs #TeamFionaINDUSTRY CIVIL WARCALL ME IMMEDIATELY YOU GLORIOUS VIOLENT QUEENI opened Instagram to find my feed flooded with clips of last night's confrontation. Someone had recorded Fiona's drunken accusations, Alex's defense, and my slap—the moment captured in high definition, my silver dress catching the light as my hand connected with Fiona's cheek. The most popular version had over 200,000 views already.Comments ranged from supportive to vicious:This is the energy I'm bringing to my next design review meetingRich people fighting over jewelry. Eat the rich.Russo family drama is b
Fiona stood swaying in the center of a cleared space, her designer dress rumpled, her makeup smeared. She was gesturing wildly as she spoke, voice too loud, words slurred."—just sits there, accepting awards for designs she stole! Ask anyone who really knows her work!" She spotted me and pointed dramatically. "There she is! The fraud herself!"Silence fell as every head turned toward me. I froze in the doorway, unprepared for Fiona's sudden appearance after weeks of her complete absence from my life."Maya," she called, lurching forward. "Tell them! Tell them how we worked on those designs together! Tell them how you took all the credit!"Grandfather appeared at my side. "Security is on the way," he murmured. "Say nothing."But Fiona was advancing through the crowd, her intoxication evident in her unsteady gait. "You're all being fooled! She's not a genius—she's an opportunist! First Daniel, then Alex Thorne, now Giuseppe. She sleeps her way into every opportunity!"A few uncomfortabl