JULIA What did I expect? I should’ve known better. Sarah had always been terrible at setting up blind dates. Every single one was a story worth locking away in a vault and never speaking of again. And yet here I was, sitting across from another disaster in the making.I could still vividly recall the rapper who had forced me to listen to his entire mixtape. In his car. For two hours. He’d bobbed his head to his own lyrics, snapping his fingers off-beat, waiting for my reaction like I’d tell him he was the next Kendrick Lamar. Spoiler alert: he wasn’t. Then there was the guy who had dreams of becoming a professional clown. He made me mime with him for an hour in his living room because he believed in “interactive bonding.” I had never wanted to scream more in my life.And let’s not forget the future priest whose parents had “set him up to see if he had a calling.” He stared at me like I was an apparition, which I suppose I was—just not the divine kind.At least this guy didn’t hav
EVANDER“Why is this old man so difficult to contact?” I asked, massaging the bridge of my nose.Late into the night, I was still in my office because Mr. Miyagi decided to cancel our meeting for the third time.“Well, he is a new granddad,” Rui said, placing my fourth cup of coffee on the table. “You have to give him some time, sir. Mr. Miyagi isn’t a conglomerate like your dad. He’s a highly-valued artist who does not work in a set time.”“Plenty of companies have been wanting to work with him, but he never spared them a glance,” he continued. “I think it’s fortunate that we even have a chance to communicate with him.”I sighed and leaned against my chair, letting out a deep breath. What Rui said made a lot of sense. However, I still couldn’t help but feel impatient.This deal was already a month into the making. My dad was pestering me not only to give him an heir but to close this deal. I knew that this deal would truly elevate our company, especially our clothing brand. “Well, i
JULIA Well, he was actually worse than the rapper…the clown…and the priest. In fact, I would date all those three men at the same time if it meant getting away from David. However, I was too out of it. The fog in my mind was thick like I was swimming through a mudflat. Still, I felt the chill of the night air biting at my skin. My body slumped over David’s shoulder as he carried me out of the restaurant, muttering under his breath like the lunatic that he was. “Unbelievable,” he grumbled. “I paid for the meal. I was a gentleman. And you wouldn’t even give me a chance to take you home? This is why there can never be nice guys. They are always taken advantage of.”The words cut through the fog clouding my head. My fingers twitched against his back.“This is why you’ve been single for so long,” he continued, clicking his tongue as he adjusted my weight. "You’re a complete prude.”We passed by a couple, and I tried hard to speak, but David kept me still. “How’s it going?” he asked, h
JULIA The first thing I registered was the sound of the engine turning on and the cold air blasting against my face. My eyelids fluttered, heavy as stones, and I groaned softly, turning my head against the car seat. Every part of me still felt uncomfortably warm, like my skin was on fire, even though the air conditioning surrounded me.“Finally awake?”I blinked hard, forcing my vision to clear. Evan’s sharp profile came into focus, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly, knuckles faintly white. The dim glow of the dashboard highlighted the furrow in his brow and the sharp line of his jaw, clenched in irritation—or something else.The icy air hit me again, but it barely made a difference in the heat licking through my body. I sighed and tugged at my collar. “Why is it still so hot in here? Can you turn the AC up?” Evan clicked his tongue, sparing me a quick glance. “Stop complaining. I turned it up all the way.”“Well, it’s not helping,” I shot back, my voice weaker than I
JULIA I couldn’t focus when we arrived. My head spun, and my pulse pounded in my ears as I stepped out of the car. However, I was brought back to focus when I saw the view in front of me—Evan’s house. I was expecting him to take me to his apartment! Well, that was the only home he had five years ago, aside from their family house. It was massive, sprawling across what seemed like acres of land.Marble staircases spiraled along the front, leading up to ornate wooden doors that looked like they belonged in a museum, not someone’s home. Pools—yes, plural—stretched out on either side of the house, the water glowing turquoise in the moonlight, framed by towering trees and trimmed hedges.“When did you build this?” I asked, my voice soft. I wasn’t sure if it was the house or whatever David had fed me earlier that was making my chest feel tight. Evan sighed. “No asking of questions,” he replied, his hand wrapping around my wrist as he pulled me toward the entrance. The doors opened
EVANDER I shut the door to the guest room harder than I intended, the sound echoing down the empty hallway. My breathing was uneven as I walked toward my own room. The faint scent of her lingered in the air, sweet and intoxicating, clinging to my clothes and skin, mixing with the scent of my own cologne.I stepped into my bedroom and closed the door behind me, exhaling deeply to get rid of the tightness in my chest.What the hell was that?The image of her flushed face and the way her lips had parted slightly like she was begging me to close the distance flashed behind my eyes. I groaned, running a hand through my hair and tugging at the strands.I couldn’t stop seeing her. Her body trembling beneath my hands. The heat radiating off her skin. The way she looked at me with helpless wide eyes. I cursed under my breath and sank onto the edge of my bed, elbows on my knees, my hands buried in my hair. The room was too quiet, and all I could hear was the sound of my own ragged breathi
JULIA Ringing. I could hear the ringing in my ears. My body still felt like it was on fire, but then, it became even hotter. I groaned and tossed in my sleep, wanting to escape the heat I was feeling. However, as I opened my eyes, I saw something–someone–whom I didn’t want to escape just yet. My breath got caught in the back of my throat when I saw Evan on top of me. “Wait,” I muttered, seeing how hungry his eyes looked. “Evan,” I said his name, placing my hands on his chest. He clicked his tongue and leaned in even closer. “Julia,” he whispered, his lips hovering above mine. “I told you not to call me by that name, right?” I gulped as I looked at his lips. He was so close…too close that if I moved forward for even one centimeter then our lips would meet. Tempting as it seems, I held back. He was with Heather now. However, with him on top of me like this, I just felt too weak. Come to think of it, he was also the last man I had ever been with. Yes, as surprising as it soun
JULIA"Miss Julia," the voice repeated softly. I blinked away the remnants of the strange dream that lingered in my mind. Then, my eyes snapped toward the person, locking onto her figure. My heart skipped a beat, my eyes widening in surprise. Staring back at me were kind eyes, with streaks of gray in her hair tied neatly in a bun, and that ever-present look of patient understanding. "Miss…Susan?" I rasped, sitting up so quickly the room spun for a moment.I blinked again to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating, but there she was—Susan, Evan’s long-time maid. She had been with his family for as long as I could remember, just like my own parents had served the Astors. I hadn’t seen her in years, and yet it felt like no time had passed. Susan smiled warmly. “Wow, it’s really you. It’s been such a long time.” I smiled back, embarrassed by how disheveled I must’ve looked. I quickly brushed at my hair and sat up straighter on the edge of the bed. I was suddenly very aware of the fact
JULIA The day of my first art exhibition had finally come. After the successful launch of our clothing line with Mr. Miyagi, my name had begun circulating in the art world. A year had passed since then, and while I had worked on many projects, this was the first time I was putting my heart and soul on full display.I was a nervous wreck. It was the opening day, and although a lot of people had promised to show up, I felt like it would be an empty exhibition. I stood outside our house and waited for Sarah to pick me up. Evan said he had something to do at his office but would meet me at the exhibition before it opened to the public. After a few moments, Sarah arrived in her brand-new car. She whistled dramatically as she stepped out, running a hand over the hood. "Can you believe it?" she asked, shaking her head in amusement. "Just a year ago, my poor car was on its last breath. Now, look at this beauty. Rui really outdid himself."I chuckled, recalling how stubborn she had been a
MATURE CONTENT AHEADIf you are a minor or if you are not comfortable with this type of content, please skip.RUII had made up my mind.Sarah had been patient, and I could tell. She wanted to take the next step in our relationship. She wasn’t pushy about it, but I could feel it in the way she’d look at me sometimes. I wasn’t dumb. I knew shewanted to have sex. However, the problem was that I had absolutely no experience. So, naturally, I did what any sensible, inexperienced man in his late twenties would do. I overcompensated.I booked an expensive hotel. Well, I didn’t have to pay for anything because Evander gave it to me for free. It was even the penthouse suite. Such an expensive room was given to us for two whole days. I planned every detail. Dinner, room service, the perfect playlist, and condoms that were my size. I didn’t know what size I was, but Evander had given me large ones, saying I was blessed but not as blessed as he was. Sarah was ecstatic when she arrived.“Oh m
HEATHAmsterdam was different from the other places I had been to in the past year. It had a calmer feel that made me feel more grounded. It wasn’t another pit stop to my journey. Instead, it was going to be my new home. I had spent the last twelve months hopping from country to country, working as a marketing researcher while soaking in the culture and the sights of every place I landed in. I had walked through the bustling streets of Tokyo, tasted the spices of Marrakech, and felt the cool sea breeze in Santorini. But there was something about Amsterdam that pulled me in and made me want to stay. Maybe it was the relaxed pace of life or the charming canals. Or maybe it was just because this place offered me the most relaxed job. It was definitely that. In the end, I decided to stay here, knowing I couldn't travel so frequently all my life. Of course, I still thought about Julia from time to time, but not in the way I used to. There was no longing or regret—just the hope that she
RUI“Why did you have to call me?” I asked, gripping the steering wheel as I pulled into the parking lot of the car dealership.Sarah had a habit of calling me for the most trivial things now. Help with decorating her apartment. Help to pick a new phone case. Once, she even called me because she couldn't decide whether to get bananas in her fruit smoothie. It was never anything urgent or anything she truly needed me for. Yet, every single time, I went.I always went.She smirked at me from the passenger seat. “My car is dying, Rui. It makes a noise like a dying cat whenever I start the engine. I need a new one. Besides, I want to arrive at the launch of Ampersand’s new clothing line with Mr. Miyagi in style.” I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “You could’ve called someone else.”“But I wanted to call you.”Sarah said things like that so easily. She flirted like it was breathing. She was the complete opposite of me, someone who had no experience with women, and yet, she became
MATURE CONTENT AHEADIf you are a minor or if you are not comfortable with this type of content, please skip.EVANDER Julia led me to the bedroom, her hands still on my cock. I could feel her fingers tracing it lightly, and I groaned softly. "You're insatiable," she murmured, her eyes locked on my cock. “Didn’t you just come?” She took me in her hand, her fingers wrapping around my shaft as she stroked me slowly. I groaned, my hips bucking into her touch."I want to taste you," she said. She dropped to her knees, her tongue licking the tip of my cock. I cursed, my hands fisting in her hair as she took me deeper into her mouth. She sucked and licked, her head bobbing up and down as she took me all the way to the back of her throat."Fuck, Julia," I groaned, my hips thrusting into her mouth. She hummed in response which sent vibrations through my body.After a few minutes, she pulled back, her lips glistening with my precum. “I want to try something different. Is that okay?” she shyly
MATURE CONTENT AHEADIf you are a minor or if you are not comfortable with this type of content, please skip.JULIA The drive was quiet but comfortable. The sun was beginning to set, casting orange and pink lights along the horizon, making everything look dreamier. I leaned my head against the window, watching the scenery blur past.Evan’s hand rested on my thigh, caressing my skin every now and then. “Where are we going?” I asked, tilting my head toward him.“You’ll see,” he said, smirking slightly. “Patience, baby.”I huffed, crossing my arms. However, the smile on my lips stayed. After about half an hour, we turned onto a smaller road lined with palm trees, leading to a secluded area near the ocean. The moment I saw it, my eyes widened. The beach stretched endlessly before us. There wasn’t a single soul in sight.A villa stood just a little beyond the sand, its large windows reflecting the colors of the sky.“Evan…” I turned to him, my brows raised. “Just how rich are you?”He
JULIAThe moment I stepped outside into the garden, I felt a lump form in my throat. The soft rustling of leaves and the distant conversations faded into the background as I stood there, facing the two people who had given me life but had also, at one point, chosen to turn their backs on me when I needed them most.It had been so long since I last saw them. In fact, I felt like I still couldn’t meet their gazes eye to eye. Since that day—the day they tried to convince me to give Andy up to Garyn Astor—I had kept my distance. The pain of that moment still felt fresh, but now, standing here, I knew this conversation was inevitable.Evan must have sensed my unease because he leaned in. “We’ll be waiting in the car.”I turned to see him and the others all nodding in silent support before they left. I was grateful for them. Even in moments like this, when I was about to face my past head-on, I was never alone.Now, it was just the three of us.My mother clutched a small bouquet of flowe
JULIA The nerves settled in the pit of my stomach as I adjusted my graduation gown in front of the mirror. My hands trembled slightly as I fixed the collar, smoothing out any creases. After years of struggling... balancing motherhood, heartbreak, and redemption, I was finally here.A soft knock at the bedroom door made me turn. Before I could say anything, the door swung open, and standing there was Evan and Andy. Andy was wearing a tiny version of my graduation gown, the fabric draping over his small frame in the most adorable way. He even had a little cap on, tilted slightly to the side.My hands flew to my mouth. "Oh my goodness."Evan, standing tall beside our son, crossed his arms over his chest, satisfied. "You like it?""I love it," I said, blinking fast, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall."Don't," Evan warned, stepping closer and tilting my chin up with a finger. "You’ll smudge your makeup. You worked so hard on it."A laugh bubbled out of me as I
JULIA Moving day had arrived, and with it came the warmth of a new beginning. I stood in the driveway of Evan’s house—no, our house—watching as the last of the boxes were loaded inside. Sarah stood next to me, wearing a new, expensive blazer that showed her new position. Today was her first day officially taking over Heath’s former role in their company, and she looked every bit the confident professional she had worked so hard to become.“Are you sure about this?” I asked her, hesitating for a moment. “Is it really okay for me to live here?”Sarah chuckled, shaking her head as she handed me some of my belongings that she had packed. “You’re asking me that now? After everything?” Then, she winked. “Of course, it’s okay. More than okay. I can finally have sex in peace.” I rolled my eyes and pushed her away. Even now, she still has such a vulgar mouth. I exhaled, glancing toward the house as Andy came bounding outside, his little feet pattering against the pavement. Evan followed b