Chapter: Do I Like Alex?Alex pulled up in front of my house, the car slowing to a stop.I sighed, knowing this was where we parted for the night.I turned to him. “So… you’re really not going to tell me what happened last night, are you?”He smirked. “Nope.”I groaned. “Alex, come on!”He just laughed. A real laugh, not his usual mocking one. Then, he opened his car door and stepped out.I raised a brow, watching as he walked around the car and stopped in front of me.Without saying a word, he pulled me into a soft hug.It wasn’t rushed. It wasn’t forced. Just… warm.“You should rest,” he murmured against my hair. “You have a big day tomorrow.”Then, just like that, he pulled away, got back into his car, and drove off.I screamed in excitement.Like actually screamed.Then, I spun around like a crazy person, hugging myself as a wide smile spread across my face.Alex hugged me. Alex hugged me.Why was I acting like a high school girl over a hug?I sighed dramatically.But then, as I t
Chapter: Old Feelings Never DieAlex stepped into his house and let out a deep sigh, running a hand through his damp hair. The air inside was still, quiet, and yet his mind was anything but.He walked over to the counter and pulled out his wallet, slipping out a small Polaroid photo.Josh had taken the picture with his camera, handing each of them a copy.Alex smiled as he looked at it. Josh stood between him and Mira, flashing his usual mischievous grin. But Alex’s attention wasn’t on Josh in the photo—it was on her.His eyes had been on Mira the whole time, even in a still image.He exhaled sharply and shook his head.Mira.She was always on his mind, no matter how hard he tried to push her out.Before he could dwell on it any further, the sound of his doorbell pulled him out of his thoughts.Alex frowned. He wasn’t expecting anyone.He walked over and opened the door to see his old friend, Daniel, standing there with a grin.“Hey, man.”Alex smirked and stepped aside. “Didn’t know
Chapter: The Big Day( Mira’s Pov)Today was the hotel reopening.Ahhh, what a good day.I stretched my arms and took a deep breath, excitement buzzing through me. Everything had led to this moment—every late night, every challenge, every decision. And now, the day was finally here.I turned to Josh, who was still fast asleep.“Wake up, sleepyhead,” I said, gently shaking him.Josh groaned, turning to the other side. “Five more minutes,” he mumbled.I laughed. “No way. Today is important, and it’s your first time attending an event with me. You need to look your best.”At the mention of that, Josh sat up, rubbing his eyes. “Wait… for real?”“Yes, for real,” I said, ruffling his hair. “Now get up and get ready.”After a bit of complaining, Josh finally got up, and we started getting dressed. I picked out a sharp little suit for him, something classy but comfortable. He looked at himself in the mirror, nodding in approval.“I look cool,” he said, grinning.I smiled. “You always do.”For
Chapter: The SpeechI stood at the edge of the stage, gripping the cue cards in my hand, but my eyes kept scanning the crowd.Where is Alex?My heart sank a little when I realized he still wasn’t here. I had texted him earlier, but there was no response. I tried to push away the disappointment, but it lingered like a shadow.Michael approached me, smiling as he handed me a bouquet of fresh white roses. “Congratulations, Mira,” he said, his voice warm.“Thank you, Michael,” I replied, offering a polite smile.He had come with some old friends, and they all gathered around, exchanging words of praise and support. I was grateful for their presence, but a part of me still felt incomplete.Then, the event coordinator approached me and whispered, “It’s time.”I nodded, took a deep breath, and stepped onto the stage.The crowd quieted as I reached the podium, adjusting the microphone. My heartbeat quickened, but I steadied myself.It’s now or never.“Good evening, everyone.First, I want to
Chapter: The Party Spoiler I sat at the elegantly decorated table, surrounded by Michael and a few of my parents’ old friends. It felt strange to be here with them, listening to their kind words after everything that had happened. Years ago, these same people had whispered behind my back when I left my family for Aaron. But I didn’t blame them—I had hated myself for it, too.“You’ve grown into a strong woman, Mira,” Lawson said, her soft smile filled with warmth. “Your parents would have been so proud of you.”I swallowed, forcing a polite smile. Would they?“They always knew you had potential,” Lawson added. “Back then, we were just… worried about the choices you made. But look at you now, running a successful business, standing on your own two feet.”Michael, who had been silently sipping his drink, finally spoke. “Mira’s always been capable. She just needed the right environment to prove it.”I turned to him, slightly surprised. He wasn’t wrong, but hearing him defend me felt une
I stood frozen, my hands trembling as my mind raced in panic. The party that had been filled with laughter, music, and celebration had now turned into chaos. People whispered, security guards rushed around, and the media had already caught wind of what happened. But none of that mattered.Josh was gone.I felt like my lungs couldn’t take in air properly. My body felt weak, but my emotions were raging. I wanted to scream, to tear the whole building apart until I found him. My sweet boy—where was he? How did this happen?“Breathe, Mira,” Alex whispered, his arms around me. “We’re going to find him.”I shook my head, gripping his shirt. My vision was blurry with tears, and I could barely stand. “Alex, I lost my son,” I choked out. “He’s out there, alone, probably scared… and I wasn’t there to protect him.”Alex held me tightly, his own expression grim. He wasn’t just saying empty words—he looked just as desperate as I felt.“We’ll find him,” he repeated firmly. “I promise.”The security
Chapter: A Mother’s Worse fear The hotel was quiet, a stark contrast to the chaos from earlier. The guests were gone, the music had long faded, and the only sounds left were the occasional whispers of the police officers still stationed outside.I sat in the dimly lit lounge area, staring blankly at my phone. My body felt numb, but my mind was racing. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Josh’s face, his bright smile, the way he laughed when he told me silly jokes.Now, he was out there. Alone. Afraid.Alex sat beside me, his presence the only thing keeping me from falling apart completely. “You should rest, Mira,” he said softly, his voice laced with concern. “I know you won’t sleep, but at least close your eyes for a while.”I shook my head. “I can’t. What if they call? What if there’s news?” My voice cracked, and I swallowed hard to keep the sobs from escaping.He reached out and gently took my hand in his. “I promise you, we’ll find him. I won’t stop until we do.”I nodded, but be
Chapter: A Dangerous GameJosh was finally home.After everything that had happened, after all the fear, the desperation, the chaos, he was finally back where he belonged. I tucked him into bed, running my fingers gently through his soft hair as he slept. His breathing was calm now, but every now and then, his tiny fingers twitched, and he whimpered in his sleep.Even in his dreams, he was still scared.Tears burned the back of my eyes, but I refused to cry. I had to be strong—for him.Alex stood by the doorway, watching silently. The dim light in the room cast a shadow over his face, but I could still see the tension in his jaw, the storm in his eyes.Once I was sure Josh was deep asleep, I slowly stood up and walked toward the door, motioning for Alex to follow me.We stepped into the hallway, and I crossed my arms, turning to face him.“Do you think Aaron did this?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.Alex sighed, rubbing his temple. “I doubt it.”I scoffed. “Are you forgetti
(Mira’s POV)It was time for Alex to leave, and as much as I wanted to avoid the awkwardness, I wasn’t sure how to act around him now. But before I could overthink it, he gave me a small smile and said, “Don’t make this weird, Mira.”I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding.“I just want to make things right for you,” he continued. “And I don’t want to rush things. Let’s just… keep it cool.”I nodded. That was probably the best thing to do. Everything felt so overwhelming already, and I didn’t need to complicate it even more.As he reached for the door, he turned back to me. “You don’t have to worry about Aaron,” he said, his voice firm. “I’ll keep you safe.”I believed him.We stood there for a while, talking about random things—jokes, childhood memories, and silly arguments about whether pineapple belonged on pizza. It felt natural, effortless, like we hadn’t just gone through a night filled with chaos.When it was finally time for him to leave, he walked to his car, and I
The Confession(Mira’s POV)Cynthia drove me home in silence, the only sound in the car was the hum of the engine. My head was still spinning from everything that had happened. Tonight was supposed to be fun, but instead, it had turned into another night of chaos.When we pulled into the driveway, I let out a tired sigh. “Thanks for the ride,” I mumbled, unbuckling my seatbelt.But the moment I stepped out of the car, my stomach twisted painfully.Alex was standing there.Under the dim glow of the streetlight, I could see his knuckles—bloody and bruised. His jaw was clenched, his face unreadable, but I could see the exhaustion in his eyes. The way he held his injured hand told me he was in pain, but he wasn’t even acknowledging it.Before I even thought about what I was doing, my feet moved on their own.I ran to him.The ache in my chest grew stronger with each step, and the moment I reached him, my emotions exploded.I hit his chest—softly at first, then harder.“Why?” I shouted, my
A Night Gone Wrong(Mira’s POV)Sitting in the VIP lounge with Cynthia, I sipped on my drink while we watched the dance floor. The music was loud, the bass vibrating through my body, but I was having a good time. It felt nice to unwind, to just sit back and not think about work, responsibilities, or the mess Aaron had made of my life.But, of course, peace never lasted long for me.“Come on!” Cynthia suddenly grabbed my hand, pulling me up. “You didn’t come all the way here just to sit and watch. Let’s dance!”I laughed, trying to resist. “Cynthia, I’m not really—”“No excuses, Mira. Let’s go.”Before I could argue further, I was already being dragged onto the dance floor. The lights flashed, people moved in sync with the beat, and for a brief moment, I let myself enjoy it.Then, I felt someone behind me.I turned around, expecting a stranger, but my heart dropped when I saw who it was.Aaron.Drunk, stumbling, and looking at me with the same arrogance he always had.“Mira,” he slurre
An Unexpected Reunion(Mira’s POV)I tried my best not to make it obvious, but I was definitely waiting for Alex to say something.His words from earlier kept replaying in my mind. When the time is right, I need to tell you something.What was it?Did it have to do with our almost kiss? Did he feel the same way I did? Or was I reading too much into it?I stole a glance at him as we stepped into the club, but his expression was unreadable. The music was loud, the flashing lights making everything feel more alive. People were already dancing, the atmosphere filled with energy.Just as I was about to say something, I heard someone call Alex’s name.A guy approached us, grinning. it was daniel’s friend . Alex recognized him instantly and gave him a handshake.“Daniel,” Alex greeted. “Didn’t know you’d be here tonight.”“Man, you know me. Always around,” Daniel said, then turned to me. “Mira so good to see you here , you look hot”Alex threw him a look.I nodded politely, offering a small
(Mira’s POV)I had been staring at the clock endlessly, tapping my fingers against my dresser, waiting for time to pass. Every minute felt like an hour. I was already dressed, and I looked hot.The deep black dress hugged my curves perfectly, stopping just above my knees, classy yet daring. My makeup was light but flawless, highlighting my best features. My hair? Perfect waves that framed my face just right.I picked up my phone and took a few pictures for Instagram. It had been a while since I posted something for myself and not business-related. I smiled at the photos, satisfied.“Mom, you actually look hot,” Josh teased from my doorway, arms crossed with a smug grin.I rolled my eyes, laughing. “Oh, so I never look hot?”He shook his head dramatically. “Not this hot. Are you sure you’re going to the club and not a red-carpet event?”I threw a pillow at him, and he dodged it easily, laughing. But deep down, his words made me wonder.Would Alex bail on me tonight after what happened
“Let’s Pretend That Didn’t Happen” i said to myself. The second I stepped into my house, I rushed straight to my room and shut the door behind me, pressing my back against it. Josh was sitting on my bed, playing a game on his tablet, but as soon as he saw me, he smirked. “What was that about?” he asked, his voice filled with amusement. I groaned and covered my face. “Nothing. Nothing at all.” Josh chuckled. “You and Uncle Alex were about to kiss.” I gasped. “Excuse me?” I dropped my hands and looked at him. “We were not.” He rolled his eyes. “Mom, I’m not a kid. I saw it.” I grabbed a pillow and threw it at him, but he dodged it, laughing. “Go to sleep, Josh.” He snickered. “Whatever you say, Mom.” Before I could throw another pillow at him, I heard a knock on my door. I froze. Josh raised an eyebrow. “You gonna get that, or should I?” I slowly walked to the door and peeped through the peephole. My stomach did a little flip when I saw Alex standing there, wavi
Stepping out of her comfort zone I stared at my closet, arms crossed, lips pressed into a thin line.All I had were work clothes.Blazers. Pencil skirts. Crisp white shirts. A few modest dresses that screamed corporate boss rather than night out.I sighed. “Well, this is a disaster.”Josh, sitting on my bed with his legs crossed, let out a loud laugh. “Mom, you’re so funny right now.”I turned to him with a playful glare. “Oh? And what exactly is funny about this?”He grinned, eyes twinkling. “You, freaking out over what to wear to a club.”I scoffed. “I am not freaking out.”Josh raised a brow, clearly not convinced.I groaned and grabbed my phone, dialing Alex. He picked up immediately.“Yo,” he answered. “You ready for tonight?”“No,” I huffed, flipping through the clothes in my wardrobe again. “I have nothing to wear.”There was silence for half a second before he burst into laughter.“Oh no,” he said, his voice dripping with amusement. “The great Mira doesn’t have the perfect o
Taking Back ControlThe office was finally peaceful. No more chaos, no more betrayals—just me, my work, and the steady hum of productivity. I focused on my new project, checking every little detail carefully. Things were falling into place, and for the first time in a long while, I felt like I was back in control.Just as I was about to take a sip of my coffee, my manager walked in with a smirk on his face, holding a document in his hand.“You wouldn’t believe this,” he said.I raised an eyebrow, curious. “What is it?”“A direct mail from Aaron’s company,” he said, waving the paper slightly. “Do you want to read it?”Aaron? The name alone made my mood sour. There was no way he would have the guts to contact me himself. If anything, he’d use someone else to do his dirty work.“Let me see,” I said, taking the document from him.I skimmed through the contents, and before I could stop myself, I let out a loud laugh.Co-CEO?They really thought I would agree to that? After everything I had
Aaron’s Office ShowdownAaron sat at his desk, flipping through a stack of files while trying to ignore the growing headache pressing against his temples. The past few weeks had been stressful. His company was struggling, facing unexpected financial hits and internal instability. Just when he thought things couldn’t get any worse, his assistant walked in.“Sir, the Chief Director is here to see you,” she announced cautiously.Aaron frowned. The Chief Director rarely showed up unannounced. Something was off.“Let him in,” he said, closing the file in front of him and leaning back in his chair.A few moments later, the Chief Director, an older man with silver-streaked hair and a sharp gaze, walked in. His expression was unreadable, but Aaron could sense the weight of his presence. He gestured toward the chair in front of him.“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Aaron asked, trying to sound casual.The Chief Director sat down, placing a folder on the desk. He adjusted his suit jacket and ex