It doesn't take much time for the damage to be done. In my case, a few hours completely changed the image people had of me — which was already not good, by the way.
When I arrived at work the first day after such a mess, I could already feel the different looks on me.As Julian specified, all the photos and videos were taken down within an hour. However, agility didn't do much, since the damage was already done. And not only that, but the identity of the person who posted them hasn't been discovered yet. Apparently, the credentials of a former employee were used, a girl I really had no contact with and from another state.Honestly, I really tried not to make a big deal of it, even though the guilt was hurting me intensely. Kissing a completely unknown guy is something out of my character, especially when my lips touched only Julian's and Eric's.But all mistakes are lessons, right? And just like that, I learned something very important.First, no winWhen Julian guides me into his office and closes the door after I enter the room, I can already feel my heart beating desperately in my chest. I wait for him to close the curtains, but instead he just walks over to the desk and sits down. And he's looking at me so intensely that the air is also taken out of my lungs.“Why don't you sit down?” He asks with a serious tone that brings butterflies to my belly.I swallow hard and comply, approaching him fearfully… And just as I'm ready to sit in the chair opposite him, he mumbles something and says, “Actually, I think you should come over here.”Sighing deeply, I walk across the table, stopping right next to Julian… And lower my eyes to study the lazy way he's sitting, with his shoulders spread and his hands clumsily on his lap… his shapely thighs marked by his pants.Suddenly, my mouth goes dry.I press my knees together, trying to ease the sudden tickle that ta
I freeze in place, staring at the door — at the figure of my best friend standing there, looking at me almost innocently. And I shudder, noticing how he walks into the office saying, “I missed you two.”A pang of guilt runs through my chest, cutting, lacerating.“Mike...” My voice fails, and I clench my hands into fists, then force myself to smile while he steps closer and Angelee moves away from me, taking long steps....My mouth is bitter.Damn.“Hi, sweetheart.” Mike approaches her, pulling her into a comforting hug. And the way she wraps her arms around his body, burying her face in the curve of his neck and shoulder, makes me feel even worse. “How are you?”“I'm fine, Dad.” She murmurs, her voice so low it barely reaches my ears. “I missed you.”I look away, staring at the floor, staring anywhere else... Honestly, I feel terrible. If before the guilt weighed my
“There's something going on, isn't there?” Mike asks, looking directly into my eyes.“What do you mean?” I clear my throat, taking a sip of the drink the bartender has just placed on the bar, already ordering another.“I know you well enough, and even if I didn't, I'd still know there's something going on with you.” He sighs and shakes his head. “You can tell me.”So this is a new way of torturing me…? Of punishing me for sleeping with your little girl? Well, I have to admit… It's really effective.I open my lips because I need to say it, but those words are stuck in my throat. Even though I sigh deeply and am convinced that I have to tell him, no sound rolls off my tongue. In fact, my mouth is so dry that I hasten the bartender to give me another shot.“Is it about your family?” He asks, looking down at the bar. “About your brother?”I roll my eyes, annoyance settling
I feel like the world is falling apart.Julian words had the force of a punch to the stomach. And I'm sure my heart missed a beat.My eyes burn.My hands shake. My whole body freezes, and I could swear the blood has frozen inside my veins.Even my throat dries, narrows, constricts.My mouth is suddenly bitter.Because here it is, the moment I feared the most… the moment when everything between us would end.Yes, it has come, and now that I'm listening to him say those painful words, I realize that was never prepared to hear them. Not fully. Not with the weight they carry… Not with the pain they cause in my heart…. with this deep sadness that consumes every part of my chest.Even though my eyes are burning, and maybe they're watering, I try hard… Even if my expression probably gives away how much it hurts, I really do my best to smile.But yeah, it really hurts.It hurts like hell…That's
[...] “Angel, I’m sorry for keeping this secret for so long. But I’m leaving this world, you need to know. It’s about your father…”I let out the smoke from the cigarette slowly. I’ve been sitting next to this grave for at least three hours… since my mother’s body was buried. I’m alone now. There weren’t many people grieving her death anymore, but now I’m completely alone, looking at this blue sky that doesn’t match such a sad day at all.Today, I lost the only person I had in this whole world.It was just the two of us, always.But now, it’s just me.… Or at least, that’s how I feel.I look at the letter in my hand, my mother’s perfect handwriting. Something she wrote, I don’t know exactly how long ago, but from the yellowing of the paper, I’m sure it was years ago. And the truth kept in those words is something hard to accept&hell
Honestly, I couldn't catch a minute of sleep. All I could think about was that day, seven years ago, when I met Julian and my father. It was winter, and I had just lost my mother. Alone in the world, I thought there was nothing left for me anywhere. But like a light, they appeared in my life and illuminated the darkness I was in. Remembering this brings up conflicting feelings that are hard to ignore.In a way, overthinking about it again and again has saved me from thinking about how my heart is aching. Julian was my first crush, my first love. But of course, in his eyes, I was nothing more than a brat he pitied… until my nineteenth birthday. However, what does it matter? Julian doesn't remember that night. He doesn't remember the reasons that made me give up these one-sided feelings of mine and move on.Although, I didn't really move on. My feelings for him stayed hidden, disguised, tucked away in a dusty drawer deep in my heart. They didn't die. They
The Owner's question makes me open my eyes slightly and then blink a few times in silence… He also stays still, looking at my face with an amused expression. So gradually, I begin to understand exactly what's going on… and what his intentions are. It certainly makes my face burn.I open my lips to answer him, but hesitate for a moment. I feel a hard and painfully thud against my chest, a reminder that my broken heart is still too recent. And not only that. It's like the last four years have passed quickly in my mind — because I've been in a very familiar position before… so similar it makes me sick…When I ran away from my feelings and started a relationship with Eric.Since that time, my life has taken unexpected turns, and I have lost all sense of control.I don't want to repeat the same mistakes.That's why I give a sad, subtle smile and wither my shoulders… making his cheerful expression falter for a moment.
I sigh deeply and give a discreet smile. “Nice try.”“Well, at least I tried.” Tyler shrugs his shoulders, then returns my smile. With a pat on the table, he stands up. “If you change your mind… you know where to find me.”I watch his broad back move away and can't help but check out the way his muscles mark his shirt. He must spend a lot of time in the gym, but… His body isn't like Julian's.Argh… No one is like Julian!I reach for my phone fearfully, with my heart pounding desperately in my chest… Now that I think about it, at that moment, Julian seemed about to ask me to lunch. But I was too scared, too afraid that his words would hurt me even more. So yeah, I ran away.Of course I ran away.With withered shoulders, I look at the screen of my phone, at the messages… There are none from Julian.My heart is so tight… I'm so sad that tears threaten to rise in my eyes and
“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