MATILDA'S POV"Saraya..." I called out again for God knows. "I had heard it before, hadn’t I?" I asked myself so loud.It was maddening how familiar it sounded, like a word teetering on the edge of recognition but refusing to step forward. I drove until I found myself at an empty bridge, the car screeched to a halt as I parked on the side and stepped out. I clenched my fists and let out a loud, guttural yell, the sound echoing into the night. It didn’t make me feel any better. If anything, it only amplified the turmoil raging inside me.“Saraya,” I muttered under my breath, the name lingering on my tongue like a bitter aftertaste. Why did it feel like I should know her? Why couldn’t I place where I had heard it before?My phone buzzed, snapping me out of my spiraling thoughts. I pulled it out with shaky hands, the name on the screen reading Tessy. For a moment, I debated whether to answer. I wasn’t in the mood for small talk, but Tessy wouldn’t stop until I picked up.Clearing my th
SARAYA'S POV:The boardroom felt stiff, formal, exactly how a meeting like this should feel. It was my first time stepping into Arlan’s company, and everything about it screamed business.My secretary was beside me, quietly jotting notes, while his did the same. But my focus wasn’t on the documents or the numbers being thrown around. It was on him.Arlan had this way of commanding the room without trying. It was maddening, really. I tried to focus, to stay professional, but every so often, my gaze would drift to him and our eyes would meet.When the deal was finally sealed, and I stretched my hand towards him. "I look forward to our collaboration, Mr Reef.""Same here, Miss Newman."The moment his hand touched mine, I felt it; a spark, sharp and electric, rushing through me like a jolt. His hand pulled away almost instantly, as if he felt it too. I quickly looked away like it was nothing but my heart was racing heavily.We were just leaving the boardroom when she appeared.“Arlan!”I
ARLAN'S POV: Saraya ended the call abruptly and I knew I deserved it, I leaned back in my chair, rubbing a hand down my face. She was right. I was confusing her, and it wasn’t fair. I had tried to keep my distance, to draw a line between us, but every time I thought I could walk away, I found myself reaching for her again.The thought of seeing her earlier had kept me awake all night and when I did see her, I almost lost every sense of reasoning.It had taken me a great deal of discipline to contain myself while we were in the boardroom meeting.I sighed heavily, staring at the phone in my hand as I was trying hard to resist the urge to call her again. And Matilda...The memory of her walking into my office just an hour ago replayed in my mind like a scene from a movie.****One Hour Ago*I had barely closed the door to my office when Matilda turned to me. “I hope you don’t mind me dropping by unannounced,” she said, taking a seat on the couch.I raised an eyebrow while chuckling,
ALEX'S POV:I watched Mary walked in looking gloomy as I glanced up from the tab I was holding. "What’s wrong?" I asked.She hesitated for a moment, then spoke in a low voice. "Your mom hasn’t joined us at the table since the board’s unanimous decision." Her eyes were downcast and so was her voice. "I've done everything possible to make her join us but she just won't concede.""If that is all, then you don't have to bother yourself about it." I muttered under my breath.Mary sighed. "She’s your mother, Alex. You should worry about her, as a matter of fact, I think you should stop avoiding her as well and talk to her."My hands tightened round the tab I was holding. "I’m not letting her blackmail me emotionally," I snapped. I was already tired of the emotional manipulation and wasn’t in the mood for another round.Mary stepped closer, placing a gentle hand on my arm. "I understand how you feel, Alex but I want you to remember her seventieth birthday is coming up. So you should patch th
Warning: 18+ only. This book contains age gap erotica and hardcore steamy taboo. If you're not up to 18 or sensitive to contents like this, I advise not to read further. But if you're not,then get ready for a naughty, intriguing and fun read. __________________________________ She slowly leans forward,her weight supported with a hand on the table.Her eyes looking into mine, not flickering, just slowly battering up, and then down. Was she trying to read my thoughts? Was it a dare? "You should take a careful look at it" She says, her voice low, soft and coaxing. My throat bobbed with a hard swallow. My guts failed me. This is what I've ever dreamed about since I met her, to have her this close to me, alone in a room. I turn my gaze to the file on the table, but her finger brush under my chin, lifting it with a gentle deliberate touch that even I could not help but oblige till our faces were close enough for me to feel the warmth of her breath. "Not now big guy." She says. Tens
(Colorado, USA.)Saraya Newman wipes off her tears as she arrived at the her mother's gravesite and drops a bouquet of flowers on the slab that had her mother's name, Maria Moore, engraved on it alongside her date of birth and death. She had done that every month for the past six months after the funeral.Her mother's death was never a shock to her, with all the heavy drinking and smoking it was only a matter of time only that it happened at an inappropriate time of Saraya's life.Moreover, she'd just broken up with her good for nothing boyfriend of two years and needed some time away, a vacation,to heal from the heartaches these young men kept giving her. And maybe, just maybe, try her luck on the older ones._____________SARAYA'S POV:I took one last look at the cemetery before closing the door to my 2023 Cayenne Porsche SUV. My mother and I never had the best parent to child relationship but if I'm to be honest, that woman did try her best in the many ways most single parent never
(Sydney, Australia.)ARLAN POV:The party air was heavy and stifling with hollow laughter and shallow formalities and little expression of any real amusement, at least from my end.The conversations about trivial business talks intrigued me only a little. I've already had a stressful day at the company and I'm certain that I do not need anymore of it. My cheeks are starting to hurt from the forced smiling I had to do whenever I got noticed by someone that I may or may not be acquainted with.I took a gulp of the cold glass of champagne, my third glass already, to keep my throat warm ahead of the conversations I might have soon. I checked my phone like I have been doing for the past thirty minutes, and pretended to be busy on it whenever anyone tried to approach me as I wasn't ready for another conversation."The balcony!" I remembered, an open escape from the stifling atmosphere. I glanced around the room over my shoulders making sure no one would try to rope me again into an insipid
SARAYA'S POV:"I'm a businessman," He began, "I can tell just by watching closely. Look, let me show you," He moved closer beside me till our faces were almost touching. "See that Lady over there with a hat that looks like the shape of a monkey's butt?" He lowered his voice "Yeah?" I snickered."She's the ex-wife of Raphael Alou, the infamous Opera Vocalist. Over there is Mr. Richard Wallenstein, he took over his father's business years ago and is doing well. And as you can see," He extended a hand outwardly "Everybody is either standing next to someone or talking to someone. In short, everybody knows somebody here. Except for you." He turned his face to me.I felt his gaze burning deep into my skin, I turned too. "How can you presume so?" I asked in an almost whisper."I can tell from the look in your eyes. You look...alone. Why should a beautiful woman like yourself be all alone at a party?" He brushed some strands of hair away from my face. I cupped his chin with my hand and ask
ALEX'S POV:I watched Mary walked in looking gloomy as I glanced up from the tab I was holding. "What’s wrong?" I asked.She hesitated for a moment, then spoke in a low voice. "Your mom hasn’t joined us at the table since the board’s unanimous decision." Her eyes were downcast and so was her voice. "I've done everything possible to make her join us but she just won't concede.""If that is all, then you don't have to bother yourself about it." I muttered under my breath.Mary sighed. "She’s your mother, Alex. You should worry about her, as a matter of fact, I think you should stop avoiding her as well and talk to her."My hands tightened round the tab I was holding. "I’m not letting her blackmail me emotionally," I snapped. I was already tired of the emotional manipulation and wasn’t in the mood for another round.Mary stepped closer, placing a gentle hand on my arm. "I understand how you feel, Alex but I want you to remember her seventieth birthday is coming up. So you should patch th
ARLAN'S POV: Saraya ended the call abruptly and I knew I deserved it, I leaned back in my chair, rubbing a hand down my face. She was right. I was confusing her, and it wasn’t fair. I had tried to keep my distance, to draw a line between us, but every time I thought I could walk away, I found myself reaching for her again.The thought of seeing her earlier had kept me awake all night and when I did see her, I almost lost every sense of reasoning.It had taken me a great deal of discipline to contain myself while we were in the boardroom meeting.I sighed heavily, staring at the phone in my hand as I was trying hard to resist the urge to call her again. And Matilda...The memory of her walking into my office just an hour ago replayed in my mind like a scene from a movie.****One Hour Ago*I had barely closed the door to my office when Matilda turned to me. “I hope you don’t mind me dropping by unannounced,” she said, taking a seat on the couch.I raised an eyebrow while chuckling,
SARAYA'S POV:The boardroom felt stiff, formal, exactly how a meeting like this should feel. It was my first time stepping into Arlan’s company, and everything about it screamed business.My secretary was beside me, quietly jotting notes, while his did the same. But my focus wasn’t on the documents or the numbers being thrown around. It was on him.Arlan had this way of commanding the room without trying. It was maddening, really. I tried to focus, to stay professional, but every so often, my gaze would drift to him and our eyes would meet.When the deal was finally sealed, and I stretched my hand towards him. "I look forward to our collaboration, Mr Reef.""Same here, Miss Newman."The moment his hand touched mine, I felt it; a spark, sharp and electric, rushing through me like a jolt. His hand pulled away almost instantly, as if he felt it too. I quickly looked away like it was nothing but my heart was racing heavily.We were just leaving the boardroom when she appeared.“Arlan!”I
MATILDA'S POV"Saraya..." I called out again for God knows. "I had heard it before, hadn’t I?" I asked myself so loud.It was maddening how familiar it sounded, like a word teetering on the edge of recognition but refusing to step forward. I drove until I found myself at an empty bridge, the car screeched to a halt as I parked on the side and stepped out. I clenched my fists and let out a loud, guttural yell, the sound echoing into the night. It didn’t make me feel any better. If anything, it only amplified the turmoil raging inside me.“Saraya,” I muttered under my breath, the name lingering on my tongue like a bitter aftertaste. Why did it feel like I should know her? Why couldn’t I place where I had heard it before?My phone buzzed, snapping me out of my spiraling thoughts. I pulled it out with shaky hands, the name on the screen reading Tessy. For a moment, I debated whether to answer. I wasn’t in the mood for small talk, but Tessy wouldn’t stop until I picked up.Clearing my th
MATILDA'S POV:For one, I didn't know how I managed to keep myself in check throughout dinner. With every bite of food, I could feel the food hanging in my throat like a bitter pill to swallow.More than anything, I wanted to find out about this woman that could make Arlan lose appetite and make me unseen."I have some work to do, feel at home." Arlan said jolting me out of my thoughts as he excused himself and disappeared to his study.I nodded and smiled as his words lingered: "Feel at home."Home? How could I feel at home in this place, where every corner seemed to whisper of my inadequacies? Where every glance, every word, reminded me that I had lost something I never truly had?I unclenched my fists, my nails leaving faint crescents in my palms. I didn't mean to react that way, but it was getting harder to mask the emotions clawing at me.For years, I had stood beside him, hoping, waiting. A part of me had always believed that if I stayed close enough, if I proved myself patient
ARLAN'S POV:The silence between us was deafening as we both stared into each other's eyes or perhaps soul.I leaned back in my chair and cleared my throat, deciding to cut through the awkwardness. “Look, I know this is… weird,” I began. “For both of us. And yeah, I’ll admit I can be a bit of a jerk sometimes.”Her gaze shot to mine, her brow arched slightly. "A bit?"I raised my hands in mock surrender. “Okay, maybe more than a bit. But hear me out. I’m sorry about yesterday but trust me, I'm not here to make things harder for you. I just need a few minutes, and then I’ll get out of your hair.”Saraya studied me for a moment, her expression indifferent, before finally sighing. “Fine,” she said. "But since you’re here, tell me what you know?""I believe your dad has explained everything to you.""You know that's not true from your end." She retorted.I sighed and decided to give in. "Well, the moment Alex called and told me Isla was pushing the weight of her shares around, I already h
SARAYA'S POV:The room fell into silence. My grandmother’s face darkened, her knuckles reddened as she gripped the armrests of her chair. “How dare you insinuate...”“I insinuate nothing,” Arlan cut in, his tone calm but commanding. “I merely said what is obvious for all to see. Saraya Newman has the board’s trust, the shareholders’ support, and the qualifications necessary to lead. Perhaps it’s time to let the new generation take the reins of the affairs of the company.”"You dare speak of the board's trust and the shareholders support without me." My grandmother spat at me. “How about we call for a vote of confidence, let's see if the board agrees with you.” She said confidently."I agree with you, let's do this and save our time here." Arlan replied with a smirk on his face while matching my grandmother's gaze.The tension in the room reached its peak as the final vote was cast. My heart pounded in my chest, the sound almost drowning out the murmurs of the board members. The secret
SARAYA'S POV:My grandmother glared at me as she storms into the polished sleek space of the boardroom.“A unanimous agreement without the consent of a shareholder is preposterous! Don't you all think?” she spat, taking her seat opposite of mine. The distance between us was thankfully separated by the width of the wide and long mahogany table in the middle. Sitting to the left of my father, my grandmother casted a displeased stare at him for what seemed like seconds before turning her head to stare in the same manner to the others in the room, and then back to me.“I thought you agreed not to interfer with the company directly any longer and allow me run it as I seem fit?” Father whispered in-between gritted teeth, leaning towards her.I straightened up shoulders, I didn't want to give off any sign of the uneasiness gnawing my soul as my grandmother held her gaze intently fixed on me without blinking, and I returned the favour.The room suddenly felt tight and rippling with murmurin
ALEX’S POV:I stormed into my room, slamming the door shut behind me. My chest heaved with anger, and I ran a hand through my hair, pacing back and forth.How could she? After everything I’ve done to keep this family and business intact, did my own mother just threaten me with her shares?“Alex,” Mary’s gentle voice cut through through my thoughts. She closed the door softly and came to my side. “Please calm down.”I stopped pacing and looked at her, my frustration bubbling over. “Did you hear her, Mary? She practically threatened to pull the weight of her shares!” I threw my hands up. “This isn’t just about Saraya anymore, she’s undermining me in front of the entire family!”Mary reached out, placing a calming hand on my arm. “I know you’re upset, but we need to approach this carefully.”“Carefully?” I snapped, pulling away. “She’s trying to control everything, and now she’s dragging Saraya into her power games. This is exactly what I’ve been trying to avoid!”Mary’s gaze softened an