“Kristen.” Her name brings a bitter taste to my mouth. “It’s been a few years since we last saw each other.”
She gives a cocky smile and approaches me, leaning on the counter and giving me a view of her breasts. The way her gaze lingers on my body makes me uncomfortable and brings back not-so-pleasant memories.“How’s Mike?” Her soft voice hides her true intentions very well. Kristen has always been one to put on masks to disguise what she really wants to say... no wonder Michael’s parents wanted her in the family.“He’s fine.”“I hear business is doing great.” She runs her open hand across the counter glass, looking at the jewels displayed under her palm. “So well that even Mr. O’Neil can’t keep ignoring it.”I frown, and her smile widens even more, now satisfied.“They’re still hoping that Mike will regret the stupid decision he madThe meeting went off without a hitch, except for the anxiety that was bubbling fast through my veins. My discomfort was so visible that every time I loosened my tie a little more and adjusted my collar, Amelie, Mike’s secretary, offered me a glass of water.When it’s finally over and everyone gets up, I feel weak. Sweat drips below my shirt even though the AC is on. I pinch the top of my nose, trying to relieve the pressure in my head, the threat of pain that crossed it and made me clench my teeth.Mike stands up, saying something to Amelie, but I don’t pay attention; I’m so absorbed in my own conflicts that I can’t understand a word he says. She smiles at him... in fact, she laughs softly, shaking her head as she takes the papers from his hands. A subtle smile also reaches Mike’s lips, and his eyes shine as bright as Angelee’s.They’re really so alike... no wonder I believed the words of that sixteen-year-old girl I&rsq
I always wondered if I would be able to do this... to be a father, to make things right, to compensate Angelee for all my absence. I’ve done my best all these years; I’ve cried to see her cry, and I’ve smiled at her happiness. I felt her pain like it was going through my chest, and I swear to God, if it were possible, I would feel each and every pain in her place. I would gladly trade it... I wouldn’t think twice and suffer in her place.But my hands were always tied. Powerless, guilty.Because of my family, she suffered — her mother suffered, and I’m to blame for that. I didn’t know it, but that doesn’t clear my guilt... it’s something I’ll carry forever. And I don’t mind having it, I really don’t. That’s my martyrdom.There’s no way I can lay my head on the pillow with a clear conscience, knowing that she’s probably crying silently in the bedroom. There’s no way I c
Finally, the pointers of the clock turn completely around, indicating the end of the day that seemed too long. Everyone starts to get ready to leave, and I also get up, holding my bag and approaching the door to Julian’s office, with stares at me, but I don’t let them stop my hand from knocking on his door or from opening it when I hear his voice reaching me from the other side.I open the door and poke my head into the room, seeing Julian straightening his suit and fixing his hair. His green eyes light up as they meet mine, and a smile immediately appears on his lips.Julian walks over to me, his hand already sliding along the curves of my body, brushing across my lower back and up to my waist. He pulls me into his body, decreasing our distance until my chest collides with his.“What are you doing?” I ask, trying to hold the silly smile that threatens to take over my lips.He raises his eyebrows, pretending to be surprised, “I
I feel a chill in my stomach, but the words simply disappear from my tongue. My mouth is bitter, my throat tight. And even if I take a step and stretch out my hand to reach him, I can’t... Julian is too far away, and my body doesn’t seem to obey.“The Hiverd... it’s a restaurant, right?” His voice doesn’t sound angry... in fact, he seems genuinely curious about it. Still, a drop of sweat trickles down my spine under my blouse.“Saturday...” Julian suddenly stops reading... Then he turns to me, making my heart stop beating. His expression is confused but not angry. “Did you already have an appointment on Saturday?”I totally forgot it was this Saturday, but the worst thing was that I forgot to tell Julian about Mrs. Smith’s request. It’s not like I was hiding it... I just didn’t find the right moment to say it, and I had so much on my mind...But now, it feels like I’ve been
I’m looking at myself in the mirror, turning around, and inspecting every part that the dress doesn’t cover. This black dress is one of those Cathy picked out for me, and I haven’t tried it on; I think if I’d put it on in the store, I wouldn’t have bought it. It’s beautiful, yes. Very pretty. Its light and loose fabric feels comfortable against my skin, especially when the long skirt brushes against my legs. However... It’s too revealing.The top looks like a black corselet that supports my belly and isn’t too tight, but the cloth around my breasts is made of lace that almost shows more than it should, riding up on a strap with gold drops. It certainly matched the jewelry Cathy had also chosen, a vintage necklace with small diamonds. I told her it was too much, but she didn’t seem to mind.I sigh, touching my belly slowly, stroking and pulling at the fabric to make sure it’s not too tight. So I look at mysel
Is it good to see me again?I swallow these words with resentment all over my face...I’m frozen, speechless, shaking.But Mrs. Smith cuts the tension with her sweet voice, and I feel like I can breathe again, “Angelee, darling, you’ve come!”She points to the chair Eric has pulled out and still stands, waiting for me to sit down. “Sit down! We’ve only just arrived, but I made sure you were next to me...”I look at Eric with sharp eyes but sigh, giving up. I thank the maitre d’ quietly and try my best to smile as I force my feet to follow my ex-boyfriend, even though my instinct and every part of my body are screaming at me to run as fast as possible.Despite this, I swallow my pride and anger and sit down, closing my eyes as he pushes my chair back and turns around, sitting back down in his seat — right in front of me.Of all possible places, Eric had to be on the other side of Mrs. Smith. Why
I approach the bar and order a whisky. I didn’t plan to drink it, but my nerves are on the edges, and I need something to calm them down until I get down on my knees and ask Angelee to be my wife.When the barman slides the glass over to me, I’ve already downed the whole dose in one gulp, feeling the strong taste explode on my palate and burn its way down my throat. I slam the glass down on the counter and lean on it with one arm, sighing and wiping my face with the other, like this simple gesture could add some courage.I’m scared.Anxious.My heart is beating so hard against my chest that it’s almost painful.I need an answer — I need Angelee’s yes.That’s all I need...“Funny to find you here.” I hear a familiar voice that I wouldn’t want to, and my eyes meet the red hair that, on this night, seems like fire, as well as the eyes that burn with disgusting malice. “You s
What... What’s he saying?I blink a few times, with a shiver spreading through my body, crawling my skin. I hug my own body, swallowing hard at the lump forming in my throat.“I love you, Angelee,” Eric says, but they’re empty words. I know they are.My stomach twists, and I really feel like throwing up.“Love me?” I snort, my heart beating fast, so fast that it could easily tear out of my chest and jump out. I wouldn’t blame it... I also want to run away from here. “Are you out of your mind?”“Don’t look at me like that, honey... I know you’re still upset with me, but I’m being honest, I really love you. You’re the love of my life, and I haven’t been able to forgive myself for a second since you left me.”“What the hell are you talking about?” My voice fails me, and my heart beats in my throat, squeezing, giving way neither to air nor to words. T
“Jackie, Lizzie, stop running like that… you could get hurt!” I shout, putting my hands on my waist. They are laughing, hiding their smiles behind their little hands. But despite this, they go running back down the sandy beach, making my heart rise to my throat.They grow up so fast! Two years and seven months ago, they were so small in my arms, and now they’re running around our house in Nassau, their blond hair ruffling in the pleasant wind.Just as we promised, we created a little tradition in our family; every year, during our wedding anniversary, we bring the children with us. It’s the second time they’ve been here, and this time, we’ve decided to invite the people closest to us to enjoy this paradise.“This place is really wonderful!” Cathy says behind me, stroking her big belly. I look over my glasses and quickly take them off. “Seriously, I really appreciate you inviting me... I’d really go mad
As soon as the meeting is over, I feel my tense shoulders relax. My head is throbbing, a pain that has haunted me since last night when I received a call from my father.Apparently, his retirement has been announced. He will continue as chairman for another six months just to organize everything until his departure.The problem is that he still hasn’t announced a successor. The board is desperate because of the options, as none of them have the necessary qualifications to be the group’s new chairman. Of course, that’s just a sadistic strategy to get them on their toes and accept Dominic O’Neil’s desire.Apparently, my half-brother is taking victory for granted, telling everyone that he will be my father’s successor and that the group belongs to him. With the news of Father’s retirement reaching the knowledge of the media, it won’t be long before he finally names me as the new chairman.When I accepted Dominic’
The doorbell jangles, announcing my arrival. And as always, the moment people look in my direction, without interest, almost by instinct, their eyes widen, and the whispering begins. After all, I am a supermodel. My face is all over Times Square. I don’t have the luxury of privacy, of an anonymous life.Still, why am I here?My blue eyes meet the owner of this place; he’s distracted by another customer, smiling easily.My stomach twists, and I feel suddenly nervous.The whispers reach his ears, and he looks at me. It takes a few seconds for his face to show a reaction, but soon, the smile rises to his eyes, following me while I cross the coffee shop to the table at the back.I sit down and hide my face behind the menu, my cheeks burning for a reason unknown to me.Dammit, I look like a teenager. It’s not like it was the first time I’ve woken up in a man’s bed after a few drinks. And it certainly wasn’t the first time
It took a year before we could really enjoy some time alone on a honeymoon, but I have to say that it was really worth the wait. Julian made sure that our first day in Nassau, at our new beach home, was special and unforgettable.First, he invited me on a yacht ride. Going down to the deck was itself a memorable experience. This place is simply breathtaking, and the private beach is so beautiful that I couldn’t help but imagine my daughters playing in the sand. The thought made my chest warm. I already consider this place a second home.To my surprise, Julian prepared a wonderful breakfast while the 65-foot yacht cruised along the coast with everything you could wish for — fruit, bread, juices, coffee, and ending the tour with a glass of wine in one of the cabins. Fortunately, the sound of the sea drowned out my moans enough for us to enjoy some sex on the high seas.After the tour, it was lunchtime, and Julian took us to Paradise Island. He chose a luxuri
They say the Bahamas are paradise on earth, and I couldn’t find a better word to describe this place. I’ve never seen anything so beautiful in my life.As soon as we arrived at Nassau airport, a car was waiting for us. The weather is really nice here, even though it’s winter. Although I like snow, it’s nice to feel the warm weather enveloping my skin... I wish the girls were here… the cold makes them so sensitive.Thinking about them makes me feel a bit down. My heart squeezes, and I try to think that it’s only for two days and that soon they’ll be in my arms again, but still, I miss them. It’s an almost unbearable feeling. I wonder how they’re doing, if they miss us, and if they’re crying right now...But I know that Julian and I need this. It’s the opportunity to enjoy a real honeymoon, which we haven’t had before. Some would think that it’s a shame to celebrate it after so long, with the
— ANGELEE ADAMS (POV)ㅤ“How are you feeling?” Julian asks for the first time since we got on the plane. The trip to the Bahamas doesn’t take long, about three hours, but we’re reaching our destination soon.“I’m fine,” I say, taking Julian’s hand in mine. I stroke the white-gold ring on his finger, but I’m still lost in thought.“You seem to have a lot on your mind.” He says, studying my face.“A little.” I give a nervous smile and shrug. I thought I’d be scared to see Laura, to hear the words she said to me that day, but I didn’t.”“What’s bothering you, then?” Julian’s question makes me raise my eyes again.“More than being afraid of Laura, I was afraid of losing the people I love again,” I confess, noticing that his gaze softens. “Losing you, our daughters... I couldn’t bear it.”&ldquo
— ANGELEE ADAMS (POV)ㅤㅤFor the past seven months, I’ve wondered what happened to Laura.What happened after she left by the stairs? What happened to her twisted mind?I knew that she had been temporarily arrested for trespassing and assault, but Julian and my father tried hard to keep the details away from me. Perhaps that’s why the subject never really seemed a closure to me.Unfortunately, as much as I fought against it and didn’t want to admit it, for the last seven months, that day has tormented me.When I held my daughters in my arms for the first time, I swore to myself that I wouldn’t let Laura get to me. And I really tried to deny it, to convince myself that it was enough just to let go and focus on my family — but I couldn’t, and I hate myself for being weak to that extent.Finding out that Laura would spend her time in a mental institution wasn’t really a surprise. I knew there was s
— JULIAN ADAMS (POV)[...] Seven months later.ㅤㅤI sigh deeply, massaging the top of my nose. Ever since I heard the verdict of Laura’s trial, I’ve been feeling uneasy.Many months have passed, and I still remember how I felt when I saw the building security cameras… and how I threw up, feeling stupid, weak, and furious.I’ve never felt so impotent in my entire life.But what really put me out of sleep was what happened the day Angelee woke up in the hospital... when Laura also decided to break into the J’O Tech building. I still get chills remembering that night.It’s been a long time since Laura was fired, but for some reason, her credentials worked. In the end, we really had to restructure the entire I.T. department, which resulted in a mass layoff that only didn’t make it into the media because of damage control.Laura got crazy when she knew that her plan to harm Angelee and my
My eyes take a while to adjust to the brightness, but slowly, the blur goes away. I move my hands, feeling a weight on one of them.I blink a few times heavily, looking down carefully because I still feel a little dizzy, and see that Julian is sitting in an armchair next to the bed, holding my hand.He senses my movements and slowly opens his eyes, looking directly at me, taking a few moments for him to understand that I’m wide awake. When reality hits him hard, Julian’s eyes widen and glisten with tears.He doesn’t say a single word, just leans in, taking my hand in both of his, enveloping it in his warm palms, something I’ve really missed over the last two weeks. He rests his forehead on our hands, his tense shoulders immediately relaxing.“You really scared us, you know?” Julian grumbles, then looks up. I can see the deep, dark circles under his eyes. “You’ve been unconscious for two whole days!”Sudde