ElliotWaking up, I instinctively reached out, expecting to find her warm presence beside me. But the bed was empty, and for a moment, I frowned. Then it all came rushing back: the way her lips trembled against mine, how her body yielded to my touch, and the fire in her eyes when she let go of every defense.I groaned, scrubbing a hand over my face. Last night was perfect, and yet, she wanted to keep it a secret.I understood her concernsâhell, I didâbut I wasnât exactly the kind of man who could simply pretend. Every time I looked at her now, all Iâd see was how her back arched, how her nails dug into my skin as she whispered my name like it was her only prayer.I wasnât built for playing it cool.Still, for Susan, Iâd try. At least for now.That didnât mean I wouldnât remind her. Subtlety wasnât my strong suit, but I could adapt when needed.The day at the office was long, and without her in close proximity, it was unbearable. She was still setting up in her newly customized spaceâa
ElliotThe storm outside rattled the windows, but the sound was nothing compared to the storm inside me. I couldnât take my eyes off Susan as she moved around her small but cozy apartment, trying to act casual. It was a futile attempt...she was as affected as I was.Her laughter was strained when she commented on the rain. âLooks like youâre stuck here for a while, Elliot. You canât possibly drive in this weather.ââOh no,â I teased, leaning against the counter. âTrapped in your apartment? However will I survive?âShe rolled her eyes, but I caught the faint blush creeping up her neck. She was beautiful when she was flustered...her guard slipping, revealing the vulnerability she worked so hard to hide.âIâll make coffee,â she mumbled, avoiding my gaze as she busied herself in the kitchen.But I couldnât just stand there and let her deflect. I stepped closer, invading her space, until I was just behind her. Her hand faltered as she reached for the coffee jar, and I could hear her breath
Susan The second I shut the door, I barely had time to breathe before Elliot was on me. His lips crashed against mine, urgent and demanding, as if he had been starving for this moment just as much as I had. His hands gripped my waist, pulling me so close I could feel every hard inch of him pressing against me.A soft whimper escaped my lips when his fingers tangled in my hair, tilting my head back to deepen the kiss. His tongue swept inside my mouth, teasing and claiming, and I melted against him, my body betraying me with how desperately I needed him.He groaned into my mouth. "You have no idea how much Iâve thought about this," he murmured, his voice thick with desire.I gasped as he lifted me effortlessly, my legs wrapping around his waist as if it were second nature. My fingers dug into his shoulders, my lips trailing down his jaw, nipping at his skin as he carried me toward the couch. But before we could reach it, he turned, pressing me against the wall instead, his body caging
SusanI stirred my coffee absentmindedly, watching the frothy swirl dissolve into the dark liquid. Across from me, Meera was busy scrolling through her phone, but I knew she was waiting. She always knew when I had something big to say.And this? This was huge.I took a deep breath and blurted it out. âElliot asked me to marry him.âMeeraâs fingers froze mid-scroll. Slowly, she lifted her head, her eyes widening in shock. âExcuse me?âI pursed my lips, gripping my cup like it was the only thing keeping me from spiraling. âYeah. You heard me.âShe blinked. Then blinked again. And then... âOh my God.âI braced myself as she leaned forward, practically vibrating with excitement. âTell me everything. When? Where? How? And why the hell are you not wearing a ring yet?âI groaned, running a hand through my hair. âIt happened last nightâĶ after weâĶ you know.ââOh-ho,â she smirked, wiggling her brows. âAfter a little âI canât keep my hands off youâ session? That man is dangerous.âI rolled my ey
Elliotâs Perspective â My Mother Wants to Meet Susan I should have expected this. The moment my mother pursed her lips at dinner, I knew she wouldnât let it go. She wasnât the type to accept something just because I said soâespecially not when it came to my love life. So when she called me into her private study the next morning, I already knew where the conversation was headed. I shut the heavy mahogany door behind me and crossed my arms. âWhat is it, Mother?â She was seated on her pristine white couch, legs crossed, a cup of tea in her manicured hands. Her posture was regal, as always. Cold. Calculating. âI want to meet her,â she said without preamble. I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair. âNo.â Her brows lifted. âNo?â âYou heard me,â I said. âSusan doesnât need to be subjected to one of your tests.â She sighed, setting down her teacup. âElliot, donât be ridiculous. Sheâs about to marry into this family. Itâs only natural that I meet her.â âNo, whatâs natural
Susan I had no idea why I agreed to this dinner. Maybe it was Elliotâs insistence, or maybe it was my own need to prove I wasnât afraid of his mother. Either way, I found myself seated across from Mrs. Prescott in an exclusive restaurant, the air thick with tension. She was as intimidating as I remembered...poised, elegant, and utterly unreadable. The kind of woman who could tear someone apart with a single glance. And right now, all that cold, assessing energy was focused on me. The waiter had just poured our wine when she finally broke the silence. âI appreciate you agreeing to meet with me, Susan,â she said, though her tone held no warmth. âOf course,â I replied, keeping my voice steady. âElliot told me you wanted to talk.â She took a sip of her wine before setting the glass down with precision. âYes, I did. I wanted to meet the woman who has suddenly reappeared in my sonâs life after all these years.â I stiffened at the way she said it. Like I had plotted my way back into E
ElliotThe second she whispered yes again, something inside me snapped.I crashed my lips against hers, pushing her back against the car as my hands roamed her body. I could feel her trembling under my touch, her breath coming in short, desperate gasps as she clung to my shirt.I wanted her.Here. Now.I didnât care that we were outside her building. The need to feel her, to claim her, was overpowering.But then she broke the kiss, gasping, her pupils blown wide with desire. âElliot...inside.âThat was all I needed.I grabbed her hand and practically dragged her to the entrance, fumbling for the keys she hastily pulled from her purse. The second the door swung open, I kicked it shut behind us, spun her around, and pinned her against the wall.Susan let out a small gasp, but her eyes gleamed with anticipation. I kissed her hungrily, my hands roaming beneath her dress, feeling the heat of her skin.âGod, I missed you,â I murmured against her lips, my voice husky.She shivered. âThen sho
Elliot I adjusted the bouquet of fresh lilies in my hand as I stepped through the entrance of the nursing home. The scent of antiseptic and flowers lingered in the air, and soft music played in the background. It wasnât exactly a welcoming place, but I knew it was the best Susan could provide for her mother. A nurse led me down the hallway to Mrs. Hartâs room, her expression a mix of curiosity and politeness. âSheâs been expecting a visitor today. But I donât think she knew it would be you.â I smirked slightly. âI hope itâs a good surprise.â The nurse gave me an uncertain smile before knocking on the door. âMrs. Hart? You have a visitor.â A weak voice responded from inside. âCome in.â I stepped into the room, and my gaze immediately landed on the frail woman sitting by the window. She had Susanâs striking features...sharp eyes, high cheekbones, and a quiet strength even in her fragile state. Her hair was streaked with silver, and she looked thinner than I remembered from years a
SusanThe warmth of Elliotâs body anchored me in place, his arm draped over my waist like he had no intention of letting me go. His breathing was slow and steady, his chest rising and falling beneath my cheek.I blinked against the soft golden light streaming through the curtains, my body still aching in the best way possible from the night before.I should get up.But for once, I didnât want to move.Not when Elliotâs fingers were lazily tracing patterns along my spine. Not when the scent of him...warm, musky, familiar...wrapped around me like a cocoon.I shifted slightly, but the moment I did, his grip tightened, pulling me back against him.âWhere do you think youâre going?â His voice was thick with sleep, rasping against my ear.I smiled, tilting my head back to meet his gaze. His dark hair was a tousled mess, his jaw dusted with stubble, and his eyes...still heavy with sleep...watched me like I was the only thing that mattered in the world.âI need to get up,â I murmured.âNo, yo
ElliotI used to believe I was a patient man. That no matter how chaotic life became, I could handle it with control and precision.But Susan was testing me in ways I never imagined.I sat at the dining table, fingers tapping rhythmically against the wooden surface. The clock on the wall mocked meâ11:47 PM.She was late, again.Dinner had gone cold an hour ago, and the bottle of whiskey Iâd sworn I wouldnât touch was now half-empty.The moment I heard the front door click open, I tensed. Her footsteps slow. Then, the sight of her...exhausted, her hair slightly messy, dressed in a sleek business suit that reminded me just how deep she had buried herself in that damn foundation.She barely glanced my way as she set her purse down, stretching her neck. âYouâre still up?âI let out a slow exhale. âNo, Susan. Iâm sleepwalking.âHer lips pressed together, and I knew Iâd hit a nerve. But I didnât care.âI had a long day, Elliot.â She rubbed her temples, sighing. âPlease donât start.âI pushe
Susan I barely had time to think before Elliotâs lips crashed into mine.It wasnât soft. It wasnât patient.It was raw.Like a man who had been starving for too long. Like someone at their breaking point.I gasped against his mouth, but he didnât let me pull away. His hands gripped my waist, fingers digging in as if to remind me exactly who I belonged to.I had pushed him away for weeks.Tonight, he wasnât letting me run.His lips traveled down my jaw, hot and demanding, his breath ragged against my skin. My knees threatened to buckle when his teeth scraped the sensitive spot just beneath my ear."Tell me you missed me," he growled.I shuddered, clutching his shoulders. "Elliot..."His grip tightened. "Say it."I swallowed hard, my pulse hammering. "I missed you."A low curse left his lips before he lifted me effortlessly, carrying me toward the bedroom. My arms wrapped around his neck, and my body molded against his as he kicked the door shut behind us.I barely had time to process
Elliot I woke up alone again.The other side of the bed was empty, the sheets cool to the touch. I ran a hand through my hair, irritation already simmering beneath my skin. This had become a pattern...Susan leaving at dawn before I even got the chance to hold her, to talk to her, to feel like we were still us.I sat up and reached for my phone.No messages. No missed calls. Nothing.With a sigh, I tossed the device onto the nightstand and stared at the ceiling.She had promised this wouldn't happen. That her new position at the foundation wouldnât consume her, that she wouldnât lose herself in proving a point to my mother.Yet, here I was. Alone. Again.My patience was wearing thin.I climbed out of bed, threw on some sweatpants, and headed to the kitchen, where I found Gerald waiting for me. He was standing by the counter, sipping coffee, his expression unreadable."You look like hell," he noted dryly."Good morning to you too, Gerald," I muttered, grabbing a mug and pouring myself
ElliotThe first time Susan missed dinner, I let it slide.She texted me last minute, saying she was caught up at work, something about an urgent report she needed to finalize before the morning. I replied with a simple Okay, donât stay too late.But then it happened again. And again.At first, I told myself she was just adjusting to the new job. She wanted to prove herself, show that she was more than just the CEOâs girlfriend playing charity director. And I admired that about her.But admiration turned into irritation real quick.By the fourth night in a row of her coming home past eleven, barely speaking two words before collapsing in bed, I was done being understanding.Tonight, I didnât bother preparing dinner. What was the point? I sat in the dimly lit living room, glass of whiskey in my hand, staring at the front door like a damn abandoned husband waiting for his wife to return from war.The sound of the key turning in the lock made my jaw clench. The door creaked open, and the
Susan I took a deep breath as I stepped into the headquarters of the Prescott Foundation. The towering glass doors reflected the morning sun, casting a golden glow over the entrance. This was my new beginning, but not in the way Mrs. Prescott had envisioned.The receptionist, a woman in her late thirties with sharp eyes behind black-rimmed glasses, looked up at me and stiffened slightly. "Good morning, Ms. Hart," she said, her voice polite but laced with curiosity.It was clear...everyone here knew who I was. Not as Susan Hart, the new employee. But as her. The woman Elliot Prescott was involved with. The one who had seemingly walked into this job with privilege wrapped around her like a designer coat.I straightened my shoulders, let them think what they wanted. I would prove them wrong."I'm here for my first day," I said with a calm smile.Her eyebrows lifted ever so slightly, but she nodded and picked up her phone. "Mr. Castillo will be with you shortly."I knew of Mr. Castillo..
Susan The morning light seeped through the curtains, casting a soft glow across Meeraâs apartment. I blinked awake, the events of last night crashing down like a tidal wave. My head throbbed, not from the wine but from the weight of my choices.I had betrayed Elliotâs trust.And worse...I had done it knowing exactly how much it would hurt him.I turned on my side, expecting Meera to still be asleep, but she was already sitting up against the headboard, scrolling through her phone.âMorning, traitor.â She didnât even look up as she spoke, but the sarcasm was thick in her tone.I groaned, burying my face into the pillow. âI donât need the judgment this early.ââWell, too bad,â she snapped, tossing her phone onto the bed. âElliot called me twice.âThat got my attention. I shot up, my heart beating rapidly. âWhat?ââAnd texted,â she added, handing me her phone.I hesitated before reading.Elliot Prescott: Where is she?Elliot Prescott: Sheâs not at the penthouse. If sheâs with you, tell
Susan I walked out of Elliotâs office without looking back.I could still hear his voice...sharp, cutting, and desperate...âDonât do this, Susan.â But I had to.Because in the end, love wasnât enough.Not when his mother still saw me as an outsider. Not when the world still whispered about how I wasnât good enough for Elliot Prescott. Not when, no matter how much I tried to prove myself, I still felt like I was fighting a battle I was destined to lose.And if signing my name on a damn contract was the price for being accepted into his family, for securing a future where his mother wouldnât look at me like I was nothing, then so be it.I ignored the sting in my chest and walked down the halls of Prescott Enterprises with quiet determination. My heels clicked against the marble floors, my heart pounding with every step toward the woman who had made me feel small for so long.Mrs. Prescott was waiting for me.She sat behind a grand mahogany desk, poised and elegant, a picture of unshaka
Susan The message stared back at me like a challenge. Eleanor Prescott requests your presence for lunch. One oâclock. Prescott Tower, 45th floor. I didnât need to think twice. This wasnât an invitation...it was a summons. Elliotâs mother had spent years pretending I didnât exist, treating me like a temporary inconvenience that would eventually disappear. But now, after everything that had happened...the scandal, Elliotâs return, the press conference that rocked the business world...she was suddenly willing to sit down with me? I stepped out of the cab and took a deep breath before walking through the grand entrance of Prescott Tower. The lobby was pristine, with marble floors and golden accents, exuding the kind of wealth that was meant to intimidate people like me. But I wouldnât be intimidated. The elevator ride to the 45th floor felt both too long and too short. When the doors slid open, I was met with an airy, sunlit dining area. Floor-to-ceiling windows showcased the city