EVANDERThe hum of the engine was the only sound in the car as I drove back to the company, gripping the wheel just tightly enough to keep my hands steady. Despite this, a small smile tugged at the corners of my lips. She hadn’t changed. Julia was still the same. The way she deflected my questions with that laugh of hers. It was almost comforting. Almost. And she was still pretty, too. More than I remembered, even. I shook my head, forcing myself to focus on the road ahead. It was nothing. It didn’t matter. Whatever feelings lingered—if they even existed—were relics of the past. I had a life now, responsibilities, plans that didn’t include her. The smile faded as quickly as it had come, and by the time I pulled into the underground parking lot of the company, my expression was unreadable again. Just as it should be. When I stepped out of the car, Rui was already waiting by the elevator, arms crossed and a slightly annoyed look on his face. “You weren’t responding to you
JULIA “Oh, you’re paired with Heather!” Gianna exclaimed. “That is MY heaven.” Harper rolled her eyes. “I swear—your obsession with beauty has taken an all-time high. Anyway, aren’t you glad that we were paired with each other instead?” I chuckled at the two of them. After yesterday’s introduction, it seemed like they wanted to be friends, which I was grateful for since I needed some people with me for my last year. “You’re so lucky,” Gianna sighed, hanging onto my arms. “Harper is shit at painting, so we’re definitely going to flunk this.” I smiled and patted Harper’s shoulder. “Your specialty is photography, right?” Harper nodded. “I just don’t know why I also have to take this course along with my film subjects!” “It’s just the way that it is,” Gianna said. “Anyway, get up. We have to talk about the project now. Mrs. White is going to yell at us at this point.” I glanced to the front and saw that Mrs. White, indeed, was looking at us with narrowed eyes. I pursed my lips bef
JULIAMy mouth slightly opened before I could stop myself. Evan stood there, the room’s warm light highlighting every contour of his sculpted frame. Droplets of water clung to his chest and shoulders, gliding down toward the towel slung low around his hips. His damp, dark hair curled slightly at the ends, some droplets traveling to his sharp jawline. He looked…devastatingly good. It was almost unbelievable how he still looked in his prime despite being a big-shot CEO. Usually, the likes of him would have been balding by now from all the stress! Somehow, I hoped that was the case. Maybe then, I wouldn’t feel this way.My throat went dry, and before I could notice, my eyes lingered a little too long. “Eyes up here,” he said, his tone slightly amused with a smirk tugging at his lips.My gaze snapped up, and I immediately hated myself for reacting.“I wasn’t—” I started, but he cut me off. “You were.”I crossed my arms, ready to defend myself. “I wasn’t.”“Oh, Julia,” he said, the w
JULIA Sitting side by side in front of the canvas, I pushed away any lingering thoughts. I was in their territory, but I was determined not to be brought down! I had experienced far too many setbacks in my life to react to something as small as this. Heather’s delicate fingers were brushing through a collection of pencils on the table, her face the picture of concentration. Even now, she looked utterly beautiful. “I hope this isn’t awkward for you,” she suddenly said, taking me by surprise. She glanced at me, her blonde ponytail nearly smacking my face. I blinked. “What do you mean?” Heather smiled and reached out to place her hand over mine. I flinched for a second, but she kept her hold firm. “Well, you know…considering you and Anders used to be a thing. I hope it’s not uncomfortable. I really didn’t know he was going to be here. However, when I got home, he was already taking a shower in my apartment.” She chuckled and shook her head, looking down at her lap. “I swear—it f
JULIA Evan leaned against the edge of the table with his arms crossed. “When’s the deadline for this project?” he asked. Heather was the first to answer. “It’s due next month. We still have plenty of time.”Plenty of time. The phrase rang in my ears like a warning bell. I glanced at the canvas, then at the two of them, feeling a sharp pang of unease settle in my chest. Plenty of time for what? To sit here in awkward silence while Heather chirped away and Evan’s presence suffocated me?“No,” I said quickly, capturing their attention. “Let’s get started right away.”Heather tilted her head with her ever-pleasant smile. “Right away?”“Yes,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant, though my fingers twitched against my lap. “The faster we finish this, the faster we can all move on. Plus,” I added, trying to sound practical, “I’m not exactly dying to juggle this with everything else coming up.”Heather’s smile widened if that was even possible. “That’s fine by me,” she said cheerfully. “We’
JULIA The silence between us was suffocating. It was a good thing that Heather’s commotion from the kitchen cut through the silence. Some pots clanged, drawers opened and slammed shut, and her voice was muttering frantically with a forced cheer. “Oops! I think I burned them! I’ll be back in a minute!” she called out.Her absence, though, made the room feel lighter. I still have to thank those brownies because they stopped me from seeing the obvious public display of affection that the two were portraying. With that, I gripped the pencil tightly in my hand and focused on the smooth canvas in front of me. The outline was there, and I couldn’t help but think that hyperrealism really wasn't Heather’s strongest feat. I shook my head and grabbed the eraser to tweak her outline. Her drawing looked like a handsome man, but it didn’t look like Evan at all. As I did this, I could feel Evan’s gaze burning on my forehead. Of course, I chose to ignore it and just pressed the pencil against t
JULIA The silence was unbearable. I focused on the canvas. “Julia,” Evan said, his voice cutting through the silence.Why was he trying to strike a conversation once again? I didn’t look up. “What?”He paused for a moment, carefully choosing his words. “You’re not thinking of me, right?”My pencil stopped mid-stroke. Slowly, I lifted my head, narrowing my eyes at him. “What kind of question is that?” I asked in an incredulous voice. He leaned back slightly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Just answer the question.”I rolled my eyes, my tone sharp. “No, I’m not thinking of you.”Who was I kidding? I’d thought about him in every stupid way possible. In the mornings, when I woke up to cold sheets, I wondered if he still slept sprawled out, stealing all the blankets. On the nights when the silence pressed too close, I’d hear his laugh in my head, mocking me for still holding on.I thought about him when I saw couples holding hands, imagining how his felt in mine—warm, st
HEATHERI pursed my lips, not knowing how to react. Why was it that he was still so affected by that guy? If he truly didn’t care, then he would have no problem talking about HIM. Like he said, it was already in the past. Was it because he was still affected by how that guy changed the trajectory of everything? I really wanted to push it. However, seeing that his expression was serious, I let out a deep breath. “Alright,” I muttered. “I won’t talk about him anymore. I’m sorry.” His expression softened, and he raised his hand to pat my head, making me close my eyes. Evander always felt so warm. “It’s okay,” he said. “Everything is just in the past. So, can we leave it there, hmm?” I nodded once more, not wanting to argue with him. We stood there for a while, with him just stroking my hair, before he spoke again. “Why don’t we talk about my dad’s proposition?” he suggested. I froze, my stomach tightening. Of course, it was about that again. I forced myself to look unaffected, s
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