Caitlin's POV:Before I could understand what was going on, the door swung open with a force I hadn’t expected, and there he was...Aiden. His presence filled the room like a storm breaking through the calm, and my heart slammed against my chest as I tried to steady myself.I had barely enough time to process what was happening before he was in front of me, his eyes burning with something primal, something desperate. I should’ve been scared. Yes!I told him to leave. But there was something about the way he looked at me, like he was seeing through all my defenses, all the years I’d spent running. It made me freeze, my breath catching in my throat.I opened my mouth to speak, to tell him to get out again, but the words caught, dying on my lips.“Caitlin,” he whispered, and his voice, deep and raw, sent a shiver down my spine.He took a step closer, his hand moving to my arm before I even knew what was happening. The skin where his fingers brushed felt like it was on fire. I pulled back
The two grown men.. adults ...full grown adults, were tearing into each other, their grunts and curses drowning out everything else. I could barely process the speed and force of their movements, fists slamming into flesh, bodies crashing against the walls. But no matter how hard I tried to focus, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the violence unfolding before me.Aiden’s face was a mask of fury, blood dripping from his split lip, but the fire in his eyes burned brighter than ever. Dylan, too, was relentless, his jaw clenched tight, his knuckles white from the force with which he struck. My heart was in my throat, my hands trembling, not knowing who to protect, not knowing how to stop this.But then, things went from bad to worse.Aiden broke free from Dylan’s grip and stormed toward the small dresser across the room. My breath caught as I saw him pull something out of the drawer. The metallic gleam of a gun.How did hell did a gun get into that fucking drawer?I froze, panic flood
Time seemed to slow, each heartbeat stretching out painfully as I watched the gun's muzzle flash. I heard the deafening sound of the shot, a sharp crack that echoed through the room like a thunderclap.Oh God! Everything went still, except for the frantic thumping of my own pulse in my ears.Dylan pushed me down, shielding me with his body, and I could feel the heat of his skin pressed against mine. His arm was around me, protectively, but it was the desperation in his grip that scared me more than anything.The world tilted on its axis as I tried to comprehend what had just happened.Aiden stood there, the gun still in his hand, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. His eyes flickered between Dylan and me, calculating, assessing, waiting for some sort of reaction.Dylan’s breathing was erratic, his hand pressed to his side, where I could already see the red stain spreading across his shirt. The bullet had grazed him, but that didn’t matter right now. What mattered was
My heart pounded so hard in my chest, I thought it might burst. The gun in Aiden's hand was still pointed at Dylan, and every second that passed felt like a thousand years of agony.I could hear my own voice in my head, begging for some kind of resolution, some way out of this nightmare. But everything seemed out of reach. My mind was spinning, trapped between the man I had once loved and the man who had risked everything to protect me.Aiden's eyes were locked on me, calculating, waiting, daring me to do something, anything, that would prove I was still his, that I still belonged to him.But I didn’t belong to him. I hadn’t belonged to him for a long time. And yet, here we were, teetering on the edge of something that could shatter all of us.The silence stretched, broken only by the rapid beat of my heart and Dylan’s labored breathing. I couldn’t keep looking at Aiden. I couldn’t.But I couldn’t look away either.“You think this is over, Caitlin?” Aiden's voice was quieter now, al
Caitlin's POV: My heart sprang and bolted in fear, with each step he took towards me. I thought I had more time to myself. I had hoped our anniversary would bring a reprieve from all the tension, thinking he would be gone for a week. But, Fuck it! He was home, and I was wrong. Anniversary or not, tonight would be just as dreadful like all the others.I stood frozen, my eyes fixed on the vibrant yellow parrot perched on the window sill. It's eyes a bright, piercing blue. It cocked it's head to one side, watching me with an unblinking gaze. As I reached out to touch the parrot's soft feathers, a strong hand grasps my waist, pulling my back against a hard, muscular chest. "Hey beautiful, I'm home." He whispered.Aiden's fingers caressed my skin, his touch a mixture of passion and possession. His lips trailed soft passionate kisses along my neck, and brushed against my ear. But I felt nothing; nothing at all. No spark, no flame, no desire."I miss you...miss your scent so fuck
I woke up the next morning, still lying in Aiden's bed, with bruises all over my body. It ached all over. My sex area, my b**bs, my ass, my nipples, they all were in so much pain, reeling from the events of last night..Damn it! This crazy maniac b**tard dealt seriously with me. Such a beast!As I slowly sat up in bed, I saw him standing by the light of the window with just his pants on. He was radiating in every way. His broad shoulders and toned abs were evident as ever, rippling beneath his skin as he moved. A valid testament of his rigorous workout routine. If only Aiden hadn't become like this, he would have been the true definition of a perfect man for any woman, giving his looks and all.They had once captivated me. But now, they only serve to mask the monster that lurked beneath.He turned to pick up his shirt from the bed, and I noticed the faintest glimmer of satisfaction in his eyes, a hint that he was pleased with himself for having asserted and worked his dominanc
Chef Francois really isn't the first to to think this way. The whole world thought so too.Aiden was such a candid manipulator.Nobody would believe my story even if I told it because, we acted all lovey dovey on the outside.He was the charming, successful husband who lavished me with expensive gifts and took me on exotic vacations. While I was the beautiful, devoted wife who adored her husband and supported his every endeavor.The picture-perfect couple, always holding hands and gazing into each other's eyes. People often saw our union as a fairytale, But behind close doors and all the facade, we were a ticking time bomb.I was trapped in a cycle of abuse and intimidation. Aiden bore an intent desire to dominate and possess me. He dictated every aspect of my life, from what I wore to who I spoke to.The smiles, the laughter, the romantic gestures, all of it was a carefully crafted illusion. It was designed to conceal the rot that lay at the heart of our relationship. How the hel
I walked into the hall, looking elegant and ravishing in my red, kinky new gown. That was his gift!Honestly , I purely wished my heart was half as cheerful as the image my dress portrayed.The party was in full swing, the music loud and the lights flashing. But I felt like I was walking through a nightmare, trapped in a world that was not my own.I walked round several tables, feeling like a doll on display, greeting guests. Everyone seemed to be staring at me, judging me."You look stunning." Someone whispered in my ears as he walked past me. I smiled sheepishly, atleast he said it to my face. Much better than side talks."Hi, Madam Helena." I greeted Aidan's stepmom."Hmmmph! So what if you wear such a beautiful dress?. Madam Helena responded in a cold voice, "that still doesn't make you a princess.""Come on over and cut out the steak for me." She ordered.Yeah! She was actually on her supposed act of belittling me, but, I wasn't even feeling it. This was nothing compared to h
My heart pounded so hard in my chest, I thought it might burst. The gun in Aiden's hand was still pointed at Dylan, and every second that passed felt like a thousand years of agony.I could hear my own voice in my head, begging for some kind of resolution, some way out of this nightmare. But everything seemed out of reach. My mind was spinning, trapped between the man I had once loved and the man who had risked everything to protect me.Aiden's eyes were locked on me, calculating, waiting, daring me to do something, anything, that would prove I was still his, that I still belonged to him.But I didn’t belong to him. I hadn’t belonged to him for a long time. And yet, here we were, teetering on the edge of something that could shatter all of us.The silence stretched, broken only by the rapid beat of my heart and Dylan’s labored breathing. I couldn’t keep looking at Aiden. I couldn’t.But I couldn’t look away either.“You think this is over, Caitlin?” Aiden's voice was quieter now, al
Time seemed to slow, each heartbeat stretching out painfully as I watched the gun's muzzle flash. I heard the deafening sound of the shot, a sharp crack that echoed through the room like a thunderclap.Oh God! Everything went still, except for the frantic thumping of my own pulse in my ears.Dylan pushed me down, shielding me with his body, and I could feel the heat of his skin pressed against mine. His arm was around me, protectively, but it was the desperation in his grip that scared me more than anything.The world tilted on its axis as I tried to comprehend what had just happened.Aiden stood there, the gun still in his hand, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. His eyes flickered between Dylan and me, calculating, assessing, waiting for some sort of reaction.Dylan’s breathing was erratic, his hand pressed to his side, where I could already see the red stain spreading across his shirt. The bullet had grazed him, but that didn’t matter right now. What mattered was
The two grown men.. adults ...full grown adults, were tearing into each other, their grunts and curses drowning out everything else. I could barely process the speed and force of their movements, fists slamming into flesh, bodies crashing against the walls. But no matter how hard I tried to focus, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the violence unfolding before me.Aiden’s face was a mask of fury, blood dripping from his split lip, but the fire in his eyes burned brighter than ever. Dylan, too, was relentless, his jaw clenched tight, his knuckles white from the force with which he struck. My heart was in my throat, my hands trembling, not knowing who to protect, not knowing how to stop this.But then, things went from bad to worse.Aiden broke free from Dylan’s grip and stormed toward the small dresser across the room. My breath caught as I saw him pull something out of the drawer. The metallic gleam of a gun.How did hell did a gun get into that fucking drawer?I froze, panic flood
Caitlin's POV:Before I could understand what was going on, the door swung open with a force I hadn’t expected, and there he was...Aiden. His presence filled the room like a storm breaking through the calm, and my heart slammed against my chest as I tried to steady myself.I had barely enough time to process what was happening before he was in front of me, his eyes burning with something primal, something desperate. I should’ve been scared. Yes!I told him to leave. But there was something about the way he looked at me, like he was seeing through all my defenses, all the years I’d spent running. It made me freeze, my breath catching in my throat.I opened my mouth to speak, to tell him to get out again, but the words caught, dying on my lips.“Caitlin,” he whispered, and his voice, deep and raw, sent a shiver down my spine.He took a step closer, his hand moving to my arm before I even knew what was happening. The skin where his fingers brushed felt like it was on fire. I pulled back
Aiden's POV:I couldn’t shake the feeling. It had been gnawing at me all day, like a low hum I couldn’t ignore. Something about Emily, something in the way she held herself, the way she moved, reminded me so much of Caitlin. It was unsettling. I’d tried to push the thought away, to convince myself I was imagining things, but I couldn’t. The more I thought about it, the more the connections between them began to form in my mind.There had been something this morning, something small. A mark on Caitlin’s arm. I hadn’t thought much of it at first, just a brief glimpse of her skin as she moved her sleeve up, a faint, jagged scar just below her elbow. But it wasn’t the scar itself that had caught my attention, it was how familiar it felt. It was identical to one Caitlin had, just a few inches lower on her arm. The mark I’d tried to forget. The mark I’d seen on Caitlin countless times. A scar from an accident four years ago.It was her.I couldn’t breathe as the realization hit me, as
**The next morning came too soon, the sun creeping through the blinds with a dull, unforgiving light. My body felt heavy as I dragged myself out of bed, my mind still spinning from the events of the day before. Every second I had spent awake had been spent replaying Aiden’s voice, the heat of his gaze, and the strange pull in my chest every time he came near.I dressed quickly, trying not to think about the nightmare that still lingered behind my eyelids. Dylan was still asleep when I left, his deep, rhythmic breaths a reminder of the life I had been trying to bury. I was awake in a world I didn’t belong in.By the time I arrived at the office, it felt like the air itself was thick with the tension I had been carrying since the day I walked back into Aiden’s life. I could feel his presence even before I entered the building, like an invisible thread connecting me to him. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that, today, something would change. Something would slip.I entered my office
I didn’t sleep a wink that night.Every time I closed my eyes, Aiden’s words replayed in my mind. His presence in that office, the weight of his gaze, the sharpness in his tone, it all felt like a constant echo, like something was winding tighter inside me, suffocating me slowly.“You used to look at me like I was your whole world. Now you look at me like I’m your executioner.”I couldn’t shake the feeling that Aiden was onto me. Not just onto the fact that I wasn’t Emily, but that I was someone else, someone hiding something. And that something was enough to make my skin crawl every time I thought about it.How could he be so sure of his power over me? How could he stand there, cool as ever, like he had every right to question me? I wasn’t the same person I had been back then. I didn’t belong to him anymore.But it didn’t matter. He still had control.Why did he even call me Emily? Well, of course, I had her face. Everyone called me Emily.Aiden’s relationship with Emily wasn’t a mys
The car ride back felt endless. I kept replaying my encounter with Aiden over and over in my head, each word, each movement, each breath he took like it had etched itself into my bones. And the worst part? The fear still lingered, clinging to me like a second skin.By the time we reached the apartment, I was barely able to drag myself out of the car. My legs felt like jelly, but somehow, I managed to get inside.Dylan was already there, waiting, probably expecting me to be just as calm and collected as I had been when I left. But inside, I was anything but calm. I was unraveling, every thread of me pulled taut, threatening to snap.I didn’t even try to hide it as soon as I walked through the door. The moment he saw me, he could tell something was wrong. His eyes narrowed in concern, and before I knew it, I was in his arms, my face buried in his chest, tears coming without warning.“Caitlin,” he murmured, his voice soft, but with a sharpness that told me he was already on edge. “Wh
The weight of his words sank into the room, and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. I didn’t know what to make of this sudden shift. Aiden taking control, offering me a reprieve, but there was something about the way he stood there, unwavering, that made me feel a strange sense of relief.Lily’s face went pale with rage, her fingers curling into fists. “You don’t scare me, Aiden. You know that. My father...”“Your father’s company will be shut down before midnight if you even think about crossing me again,” Aiden interrupted, his words cutting through her like a blade. “So, you’re leaving now. Don’t make me repeat myself.”Lily stared at him for a long moment, her breath shallow, her face flushed with frustration.“You can’t do this,” she spat, her voice trembling with anger.“I already have,” Aiden said, his voice sharp as a knife. “Now, get out.”With a final, seething look at me, Lily grabbed her purse and stormed out, the door slamming shut behind her with a force that sh