Chapter 23 – The Fear of the UnknownAlex sat behind his desk, flipping through documents, but his mind wasn’t on work. He could feel it—something was shifting. The wedding was in two days, and suddenly, everyone was scrambling to keep him in check. First Clara, now his stepmother. He knew Aaron would be next.He sighed and leaned back in his chair when his office door creaked open. His secretary hadn’t announced anyone, which meant this visitor had walked in like they owned the place.And indeed, she did act like she did.Standing in the doorway, dressed in an elegant beige suit, was his stepmother. Her presence alone filled the room with tension.“Alex,” she greeted, her voice smooth but firm.“To what do I owe this visit?” Alex asked, barely glancing up from his desk.She walked in, her heels clicking against the marble floor. “It’s been a while since we spoke.”“We don’t speak,” Alex corrected. “And we never had much to say to each other.”His stepmother sighed, acting like his wo
Chapter 24 – Perfect Timing As Alex was getting ready to leave his office after a long day, his phone buzzed. He checked the screen and smirked when he saw Aaron’s name flashing.“Hello,” Alex answered casually, already knowing what this call was about.“I want to have a drink with you,” Aaron’s voice came through the phone. It wasn’t a request—it was a statement.Alex raised an eyebrow, amused. They had barely spoken to each other outside of family events, yet suddenly, Aaron wanted to share a drink? How predictable.“Alright,” Alex agreed.The moment he hung up, he let out a small chuckle. It was almost too easy. They were all following the same pattern—Clara, their mother , and now Aaron. One by one, they were trying to keep him in check. If only they knew they were fueling his amusement.When Alex arrived at the bar, Aaron was already seated in a private booth, a glass of whiskey in his hand. The place was dimly lit, filled with the low hum of conversations and soft jazz music pl
Mira’s POVThe day had finally come. I was leaving.For months, I had been trapped in this isolated hospital hidden deep within the woods, a place that had become both my prison and my sanctuary. The air was thick with the scent of antiseptic, and the walls, though painted in dull colors, held the whispers of my pain, my recovery, and my rebirth.I stood by the window, staring at the unfamiliar world outside. The trees swayed with the wind, their rustling leaves reminding me that life continued beyond these walls. I clutched the bag in my hands, the only belongings I had in this place, and exhaled deeply. Today was the day I would reclaim my life.A soft knock on the door broke my thoughts, and when I turned, the doctors and nurses were gathered at the entrance. My heart clenched. These people had saved me, healed me, and comforted me when I had been at my weakest. Seeing them now, ready to say goodbye, filled my chest with something heavy and bittersweet.Dr. Harrison, the surgeon wh
Mira’s POVI sat quietly in the car, my hands resting on my lap as I stared out the window. The city lights flickered as we drove past, illuminating the roads and casting a glow inside the tinted glass. My disguise—a black mask, black hat, and oversized sunglasses—felt suffocating, but it was necessary.My face was everywhere.I was a ghost that had come back to life, and if anyone recognized me, it would cause chaos.Alex glanced at me from the driver’s seat. “You can take it off now.”I turned to him, hesitating.“The windows are tinted,” he continued. “No one can see you, and besides…” His lips twitched slightly. “You’re practically unrecognizable with this new look.”I let out a breath and slowly removed the sunglasses first, then the mask, and finally the hat, letting my hair fall over my shoulders.I caught a glimpse of myself in the side mirror. It was still me, but not entirely. My once soft features had hardened, my eyes carried a weight they didn’t before, and my lips no lon
MIRA’S POVJosh plopped down beside me on the couch, his legs swinging as he sipped from the juice box Alex had given him earlier. His eyes sparkled with excitement, but there was also something else—something deeper. I had missed so much, and I could tell my son had a lot to say.“So,” I said, brushing my fingers through his hair. “Tell me everything. What have you been up to while I was gone?”Josh took a deep breath and puffed out his chest dramatically. “A lot, Mummy. So many things happened! You won’t believe it.”I smiled. “Try me.”“Well,” he started, tapping his chin thoughtfully, “first of all, I’m in a new football academy now. Daddy said it was better for me, but I don’t like it. The coaches are okay, but the other kids are kinda mean sometimes.”I frowned. “Mean? What do you mean, sweetheart?”Josh shrugged, looking down at his juice box. “They say stuff. Like… weird stuff about Daddy and Uncle Alex. And about you.”I stiffened, my grip on his hand tightening slightly. “Wh
MIRA’S POVJosh kept talking and talking, telling me every little detail about his days without me. I wasn’t tired at all. If anything, I wanted to hear more. Every word he spoke made me realize how much I had missed. How much time had been stolen from me.Then, suddenly, a loud knock echoed through the house.Josh stopped mid-sentence, his eyes darting toward the door. He frowned and got up quickly, peeking through the window. Then, he gasped.“Who is it?” I whispered, already feeling a strange sense of dread.Josh turned to me, his voice barely above a whisper. “Daddy.”My heart stopped. My breath caught in my throat. I felt weak all over, my hands turning ice-cold. Aaron. He’s here.Before I could even think, Josh grabbed my hand tightly. “Listen to me, Mummy. Don’t be scared, okay? I won’t say a word. Come, let’s hide you.”I was too frozen to move at first, but my son didn’t hesitate. He dragged me toward the stairs, his small hands gripping mine with surprising strength. He led
MIRA’S POVThe water was cold. It filled my ears, my nose, my mouth. I felt weightless, floating in the silence beneath the surface.I kept my eyes shut, squeezing them tight. But the memories wouldn’t stop.Gunshots.Pain.His voice. You should have never come into my life.The sound of my own screams.I opened my mouth to breathe, but the water rushed in. It burned my throat, but I didn’t care. Maybe if I just stayed here, everything would stop.Then, suddenly—A strong grip yanked me out of the water.I gasped, coughing violently as air filled my lungs again. My chest ached, my body trembling. Strong arms held me, pulling me close.“Mira!”I blinked, water dripping from my eyelashes. Alex. His face was pale, his eyes wide with panic. His hands gripped my shoulders tightly.“What the hell are you doing?” he shouted, shaking me slightly.I shivered, unable to form words. I was soaked, my clothes heavy with water. My body felt numb, but my mind was spinning.“He came here,” I whispere
JOSH AT HOMEAaron dragged Josh into the house with a firm grip on his wrist. The moment they stepped inside, the atmosphere felt heavy, suffocating even. The grand living room was dimly lit, the air thick with tension. Clara, Aaron’s fiancée, sat on the couch with a fake, sweet smile plastered on her face, and beside her was his grandmother-the woman Josh never really liked.Josh crossed his arms, glaring up at his father. “I told you I wanted to stay at Uncle Alex’s,” he muttered under his breath.Aaron shot him a sharp look. “You are my son, and this is your home. You will stay here.”Josh bit his tongue, knowing that arguing would only make things worse. Instead, he shifted his gaze to the floor, trying to push away the anger bubbling inside him.Aaron sighed and walked toward the bar, pouring himself a drink. He took a slow sip before turning back to Josh. “Tomorrow is my wedding day, and I expect you to be on your best behavior.”Josh didn’t respond, his small fingers tightening
(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