Emma stepped out of the taxi, her eyes taking a moment to adjust to the familiar surroundings. She stretched her arms, feeling the fatigue of her long trip slowly dissipate. The driver handed her her bags, and she paid him, her movements deliberate.As she walked up the path to her brother's estate, she noticed the small things, the way the sunlight filtered through the trees, the sound of birds chirping, and the faint scent of blooming flowers. The house looked unchanged, its warm facade inviting her back home.Damien opened the door, and Emma's gaze met his. She was taken aback by the weariness in his eyes, the tension in his smile. "Hey, sis! Welcome back!" He forced a smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.Emma dropped her bags, her movements slow, and gave him a tight hug. "It's so good to be home!" She held him for a moment, taking in the familiar scent of his cologne, the feel of his embrace.As they stepped inside, Emma's eyes wandered, taking in the familiar surroundings
Damien took a deep breath, his eyes closed, and began to narrate the whole situation. "It started a few months ago, Em. I met Seraphina at a bar, and we hit it off. We were both lonely, and we decided to enter into a contract marriage. That’s a whole ‘nother story. It was just a business arrangement, no love involved."Emma's expression turned skeptical, but she nodded for him to continue."Then, weeks later, I met Christy at a conference. We had a one-night stand, and...well, she got pregnant. I know it was a mistake, but I wasn't thinking about the consequences at the time."Damien paused, his eyes opening to meet Emma's gaze."Christy came to my house when I wasn't around, met Seraphina, and told her everything. Seraphina packed her stuff and left. I haven't seen her since."Emma's face softened, her voice gentle. "Oh, Damien. What a mess."Damien nodded, his eyes dropping in shame. "I know, Em. And now Christy is giving me an ultimatum - marry her or...or there will be a problem."
Damien shows up at Rachel's house, looking determined but nervous, holding a bouquet of Seraphina's favorite flowers and a small gift box. He knocks on the door, and Seraphina answers, surprised to see him.“Damien! Go away!”Seraphina quickly closes the door, but Damien doesn't leave. He stands there, holding the flowers and gift, looking determined.“Seraphina, please! Just listen to me! I need to apologize!” Damien, through the door. After a few moments of silence, Seraphina opens the door again, looking hesitant.“Make it quick, Damien. What do you want?”“Thank you, Seraphina. I brought these for you. I know it's not much, but I want to show you how sorry I am.”“You think flowers and gifts will fix everything? You really are clueless, Damien!” Seraphina’s anger rose.Seraphina snatches the flowers and gift from Damien's hands and tosses them into the nearby trash bin.“I don't want your apologies or your gifts. Just leave me alone, Damien.”“So you want me to leave? Hmmmph… Oka
Rachel and Seraphina were lounging in Rachel's living room, sipping coffee and chatting. Rachel brought up the party, her eyes sparkling with excitement.A week had passed since Seraphina's argument with Rachel, and she was still reeling from the emotional fallout. Her heart felt heavy, her mind a jumble of conflicting emotions. Rachel's words had struck a chord, and Seraphina couldn't shake off the feeling that she was stuck in a rut."Sera, there's this party... Do you know Lauren? My friend, has invited me to. I don't know if you'd like to come, but I think you should. You need to have fun, you know?"Seraphina raised an eyebrow, unsure. "A party? I don't know, Rachel. I'm not really in the mood."Rachel persisted, her voice gentle but persuasive. "Come on, Sera! It'll be fun, I promise! Lauren's parties are always a blast. And it'll be good for you to get out of the house, meet new people... you never know, you might even have a good time."Seraphina hesitated, weighing her option
“Get to it, I wanna leave..” Seraphina cut him.“Okay,” Damien took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving Seraphina's as he began to explain. "Christy and I met at a Conference event, one of those lavish galas where people pretend to care about a good cause just to be seen. I was there because my mother was being honored, and I had to put in an appearance."Seraphina's expression remained icy, but she nodded slightly, encouraging him to continue."I was feeling...invincible that night, like I could do anything and get away with it. The contract marriage, it was purely transactional. There was no feelings involved for me, it was just the early stage. And then I saw Christy, shining like a diamond in the crowd. She was charming, charismatic, and she seemed to understand me in a way that no one else did."Damien's voice was laced with regret, his eyes filled with a hint of shame. "I was drawn to her, Seraphina. Not because I loved her, but because she was exciting, dangerous. And I was b
"I remember the way you used to make me laugh," Damien said, his voice low and husky. "The way you used to see the good in me, even when I couldn't see it myself."Seraphina's eyes softened, her gaze dropping to his lips. "I remember the way you used to hold me, like I was the only person in the world."Damien's face drew closer, his breath whispering against her skin. "Cos you are.. I want to hold you like that again, Seraphina. I want to make you feel loved, cherished, and adored."Just as their lips were about to meet, Damien’s phone buzzed loudly, shattering the delicate silence. He hesitated, pulling back slightly as he glanced at the screen. Seraphina noticed the sudden tension in his eyes and instinctively knew it was something significant.“Who is it?” she asked, her voice tinged with apprehension.Damien’s face paled as he read the message. “It’s Christy,” he said quietly. “She’s… she’s giving me an ultimatum. She wants me to marry her.”The words hung in the air like a dark
Christy walked into the sleek, modern lobby of Damien’s company, her heels clicking sharply against the polished marble floor. Heads turned as she made her way to the reception desk, her provocative outfit—a tight, low-cut dress that clung to her curves—drawing stares from employees and visitors alike. Her bold red lipstick and meticulously styled hair completed the look, exuding an air of calculated seduction.Without waiting for an invitation, Christy approached the receptionist. “I’m here to see Damien,” she declared, her voice confident and assertive.The receptionist, momentarily taken aback by Christy’s appearance and demeanor, hesitated. “Do you have an appointment?”Christy flashed a cold smile. “No, but he’ll want to see me. Trust me.”There was something in her tone that brooked no argument, and the receptionist, sensing the tension, decided it was best not to challenge her. “One moment, please,” she said, picking up the phone to call Damien’s office.Meanwhile, Christy gla
"Seraphina?" Damien's voice was filled with surprise and alarm.Christy's lips curled into a satisfied smirk. "Perfect timing," she said, her tone dripping with malice.Seraphina's heart sank at the sight of Christy, the woman who had caused so much turmoil in her relationship with Damien. Anger and hurt surged within her, but she fought to maintain her composure. "What is going on here?" she demanded, her voice trembling with emotion.Damien stepped forward, trying to bridge the distance between them. "Seraphina, it's not what it looks like. Christy was just leaving.""Really? Because it looks like she was doing anything but leaving," Seraphina retorted, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.Christy, sensing an opportunity to deepen the rift, chimed in, "Oh, don't be so naïve, Seraphina. Damien and I have a lot of history, and some things are just meant to be." She shot Damien a pointed look, enjoying the chaos she was sowing.Damien's frustration boiled over. "That's not true, Sera