JULIA Evan’s eyes widened, and before I could even react, his hand clamped around my wrist.“What are you—”He didn’t answer. He pulled me quickly to the side, his movements prompt but not rough, and before I knew it, I was standing behind a heavy curtain. The fabric scratched against my arm as Evan stepped in front of me, shielding me from view.“Stay quiet,” he whispered, his voice barely audible from how thick their curtain was. His body was close—really close. I could feel his warmth from the thick cloth. I was sure he could feel my chest, too, the way it rose and fell, along with the tension on my shoulders. My heart thudded in my chest, not just from the sudden movement but from the way his hand lingered against mine. His touch wasn’t harsh. It was almost...protective. Well, he had always been protective of me when it came to his parents. Despite their blatant rejection of my presence in their family, I never felt its heaviness because of Evan. I tilted my head up to look
JULIAThe party was in full swing, but my thoughts were a million miles away.Evan looked like he really meant it when he told me to leave. However, how could I when he didn’t even give me a chance to say what was on my mind? Still, I had a bad feeling about it. I had a hunch; it was about what his father had told him, but I had no clue what that was.I shook my head, forcing myself to focus on the present. Just then, the lights became brighter, focusing on the door of the house. The music changed into an RnB song that I heard endlessly on the radio. Gianna and Harper scrambled to film the entire thing, amazed at the scale of her entrance. Then, the door opened, revealing Heather. Gasps rippled through the crowd as she stepped forward, sweeping into the garden in a gown of deep, fiery red, just as Sarah had predicted. The color suited her—bold, attention-grabbing, and a little dangerous. I stifled a laugh, remembering how Sarah had teased me earlier.“She’ll show up in red,” Sarah
JULIA Silence. The party was just at its peak a few seconds ago, but now, silence reigned in the large garden. It didn’t help that the DJ stopped playing the music, too. Even the crickets had gone quiet. Come to think of it, I should have noticed how strange everything was. The curtains on the stage. The microphone in Evan’s hand. The set-up itself. It seemed like they were gearing up for a surprise. And then, I noticed it. His other hand was occupied. In his palm was a small velvet box. My breath got caught in the back of my throat. It didn’t take a genius to know it was a ring. It must have been the reason why Heather invited me, too. Well, she really had no reason in the first place. But, she must have wanted me to see this—his proposal—knowing it would tear me to pieces. Evan must have noticed my gaze, so he placed it inside his pocket. However, it was too late. I heard something drop from behind me. I abruptly turned around and saw Heather. She was now dressed in a shorte
JULIA “Get back here! Face me so I can show you where you should be!” Cindy Astor continued to scream at my back. “Mom, that’s enough,” Evan finally said, but it was over. I tuned them all out. I walked out of the estate, shivering as my clothes clung to me like a second skin. Wet. Humiliated. The whispers followed me like ghosts, echoing in my mind long after I left the garden. They didn't even bother to be subtle. I didn’t look back as I walked out of the estate, not at Gianna, not at Harper, not at the wide-eyed onlookers who had made no attempt to hide their stares.And definitely not at Heather or Evan. I didn’t need to see their faces to know what they thought. I sighed in relief when I saw the gate ahead. It sucked that I had to fall in the swimming pool, but it sucked more because the pathway to their gate was too freaking long! The guard gave me a pitiful stare as he opened the gate, making me feel even worse than before. It seemed like he wanted to offer me his ja
JULIA I blinked, snapping out of whatever daze I’d been in. The man was still staring at me, waiting for an explanation.I shook my head and turned to his car. I didn’t know much about brands and all that stuff, but this seemed like a pretty nice car. I cleared my throat and faced him once more. “I’m wet,” I blurted out.The guy raised an eyebrow, his confusion deepening. “Huh?”I hurriedly gestured to myself, my soaked dress clinging to me uncomfortably. “I mean, I’m wet—like, literally. As you can see.”His confusion changed to mild amusement for a second. “Is that okay?” I added quickly, desperate to fill the silence. Then, his confusion returned just as it left. He tilted his head to the side. “Why would that matter?” he asked. My lips parted in surprise. “Oh, you’re so nice,” I said, rubbing my hands on my arms. Without waiting for another response, I opened the car door and slid into the back seat. The warmth of the vehicle enveloped me, and I couldn’t help but sigh in re
JULIA The sound of children's laughter filled the air. I glanced around the private resort, taking in the warm sunlight filtering through the trees. It was what my parents paid for. I told them Andy would still appreciate a smaller party, but they insisted they make up for the times they lost with him. Although I was hesitant, I still agreed in the end. The decorations were simple but thoughtful—balloons shaped like race cars, tiny traffic cones scattered on the tables, and a racetrack cake resting on the dessert stand. Since my parents paid for the venue, I prepared the food and decorations with Sarah. It was what I saved up for in the past few months. It might not seem like a lot, but for a struggling college student, I really tried my best to put the party all together. However, I was afraid that all my effort would go to waste if they found out I didn't prepare Andy's grand present. "It looks great, Julia," some of my relatives complimented. "Thank you," I said, giving the
EVANDERI didn’t know what I was doing there. I hadn’t been able to sleep all night. Yesterday, I was supposed to propose to Heather. However, that was all thrown out of the window the moment Julia confessed we had a child together. Heather had been in shambles. My parents still wanted to continue the engagement. Meanwhile, the Maisons were highly disappointed. However, I couldn’t proceed with the engagement when my mind was still torn. At first, I didn’t believe Julia. How was it possible? But then, she looked so sincere that before I knew it, I was here. I had taken a day off from work. I had also turned off my phone since my relatives, especially my dad, had been calling me nonstop since I left yesterday night. I could still hear his shouts from when I entered my car. “Continue on with the engagement with Heather!” “What was that lowlife doing in this party? Did you invite her, huh?” I didn’t respond to him, knowing my words would just aggravate the situation. So, I decid
JULIA Evan and I sat at the corner, half-hidden from the bustling party. Andy looked visibly happier now, his laughter ringing out in the venue as he ran around with his classmates. “He seems like a great boy,” Evan muttered with a faint smile.“He is,” I said with conviction. “He truly is.” The two of us were silent for a moment before Evan cleared his throat. “I wasn’t sure what he likes,” he admitted. “So, I just brought this monster plushie.” My eyes widened. “Evander,” I said, not forgetting to call him by his government name. “These are designer plushies.” He pursed his lips. “I told Rui to get me what kids like.” I shook my head. “I swear, you really don’t know a thing about children. These are collectibles. Do you even know how much these cost?" I asked. He didn't answer. “Rui,” he muttered, shaking his head. “Funnily enough, he doesn’t like these things. He likes cars—as you can see by the theme of the party,” I glanced at him, noting how his brow furrowed slightly
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