Sophia I sat in Kieran’s office chair as if I were glued to it, not daring to blink. He was serious. He was bloody serious! My mind was in reverse, and no matter how hard I tried, I failed to understand what was happening. Marry him? He wanted me to marry him? “You must be joking!” Would denial make this any less real? Probably not. Still, I hoped Kieran’s mask would fall and that he would start laughing at me for believing him, but no such luck. “I’m not.” He said sternly, leaving no room for doubt. “But… but… you…” I jumped from the seat, completely astounded and unable to find words. Kieran rolled his eyes as if he was bored, or better yet, annoyed with me. “So, what do you say?” Fuck! Was he for real? He expected an answer? My hands started to shake from the adrenaline rush that surged through me. I was sure my face perfectly reflected the whirlpool of confusion storming up in me, while Kieran’s expression didn’t change. Only his jaw tightened a little; I couldn’t help bu
Sophia Days passed, and things were not getting any easier for me. Physically, there was nothing wrong, and I couldn’t complain. In fact, I was more rested and energized than I had been in so long. Maybe even since we escaped that night from our burning home years ago. But mentally, I was a wreck. The fear that would settle into my every pore each time I thought about Kieran’s evil master plan to destroy the relationship between my sister and me got me good. Was I wrong to doubt Ellie like this? Absolutely yes. But I couldn’t do a thing to stop it. Kieran King was adamant about destroying the trust we had in each other. He would not think twice about using his own brother to accomplish his goals, and in this case, his goal was I. Why? I had no idea, and I failed to understand his motives, no matter how much I thought about it. I hadn’t seen him since we had talked in his office, and I thanked God for that. I had no wish to meet him because I didn’t want another surprise like the o
Sophia It was early Sunday morning, the day of my little sister’s wedding. We had our hair and make-up done, with mine being a simple bun and natural make-up, while Ellie looked like a real-life princess in the charming A-line dress she chose to wear. We were in the small side-room of the church where I helped her get dressed after the stylist who did the final touch-ups left. “You look stunning, sweetheart,” I gushed, and it earned me a beautiful, ecstatic smile from Ellie. “I’m so happy, sis. No words can explain it.” She was beaming! Her happiness was rolling off of her in waves, and I couldn’t fight its influence even if I wanted to. No matter the fact that I was truly content with the outcome of my sister’s ‘affair’ since it could have ended drastically different, I couldn’t help but wonder how we came to the point where she was pregnant and getting married at nineteen, and I was about to leave everything I knew behind and start a new life from scratch. Was it how I wanted ou
Sophia “Do you, Philip King, take here present Eleanor Howard to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?” The priest asked the question. “Yes,” Philip’s resolved answer echoed off the church walls. “And do you, Eleanor Howard, take here present Philip King to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?” “Yes,” Ellie’s voice chimed, thick with happiness. “Should anyone present know of any reason that this couple should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace?” Priest inquired the present, and my head automatically snapped to the right, towards the place where Kieran stood. His eyes shone with a demonic glint, and I swallowed hard, praying to God and all invisible forces that existed or not t
Sophia ‘We have things to discuss, my ass,’ I thought as I paced nervously around my apartment. There was no chance of having a rational discussion with Kieran, no way in hell! Based on every previous encounter with Kieran, I was certain I could not have a constructive conversation with him. We did talk, yes, but that was always limited to him asking questions and demanding answers and me having a hard time resisting giving them. I was conflicted about him for sure, and I could not explain to myself why I said some things or why I failed to control my actions and why the feistiness I was so proud of my whole life had a tendency to dwindle when he was around, leaving me defenseless. It was something I didn’t understand, hence it scared me, but I had no intention of sticking around to find out the reasons behind it. That was my plan... Running away. What? It worked once before. It would again. It had to. Not wasting any more time, I rushed to the bedroom and placed a suitcase on th
Sophia “I’m not going back with you,” I stated with all the courage I could muster, looking him straight in the eyes. That statement deserved me a blank stare. “Get in the car.” If I ever thought of him being angry with me before, I was wrong... so very wrong. “Sophia.” My name rolled off his tongue, making my breath hitch for more reasons than one. “I won’t ask again.” “No, Kieran. I want my life back. I want to work and support myself with that work. I want to make new friends, go out, and maybe even travel now that I have a chance to think only about myself. I want to be selfish for a change!” I snapped. There. For a reason I could not explain, I told him everything I was hoping to get with this move I made. And it irked me like nothing else in the world that I couldn’t hold my tongue and keep my plans to myself. Kieran seemed to have lost his patience with me. He grabbed my forearm forcefully, his strong fingers boring into my muscles. My struggles were in vain because he was
Sophia It was Monday noon when Kieran drove into Washington, DC, downtown. Streets were busy and jammed; people were strolling around, sitting in the restaurant’s gardens, and enjoying the warm sun’s rays. I watched them through the window as we passed, wishing like never before to be part of the crowd, just another drop of water in the ocean… to be anywhere but trapped in this car with him. Kieran parked the SUV swiftly in front of one of the most important buildings - City Hall. So this is what he meant by ‘dealing with the question today.’ Damn. He circled the car and I couldn’t take my eyes off of his threatening appearance. Despite the fear that overtook every cell of my being, I stared at his clenched fists and white knuckles, sure of the amount of self-control he invested in not strangling me right where I sat. He opened the door for me and I stepped out, wondering if I should try to make a run for it, one last attempt to get away from Kieran. There were many people in the
Kieran She couldn’t escape from me. Not anymore. Because she was mine. I finally had her right where I wanted – beside me. I wanted… no! I needed to watch her every move, every breath, and with her leaving DC as she intended, it would be impossible. I had to do everything in my power to stop her. The mere thought of Sophia being away and me not being able to keep an eye on her, study her, and try to figure her out drove me crazy. I couldn’t explain to myself the urge that brewed inside - the urge for her. All I knew was that I needed her like the air I breathed. And damned I would be if I didn’t follow through. Could I have done something not as drastic as marrying her? Probably. But considering everything that transpired between us, being radical was my only fail-proof option. Because failing was not. The trip back to the company building passed in a blur, and I parked my car at the designated lot reserved for the CEO. I wasn’t lying to Sophia when I said I had work to catch u
This is how it all began It all began when a person I trusted betrayed me in the worst possible way, resulting in me losing my job. It all began when I got home early and stopped my sister from making the biggest mistake of her life. It all began with a slap. It all began with a hand wrapped around my neck. It all began one day in March when I met him. It all began when I met Kieran King. The man that changed my life completely. It all began with the hate I held for the man that blackmailed me into marriage. It all began with hate that slowly, without me noticing, turned into love… unconditional and undying love for the man that stormed into my life, turning it upside down. It all began with a past that caught on to me. It all began with the past that caught on to him. It all began with greed. It all began with obsession. This is how it all ended It all ended in danger. It all ended in fear. It all ended in justice. It all ended in chance. It all ended in love. It a
KieranTo say that the past three years of living with Sophia were not a bumpy ride would be a lie.To say that those three years were not the best years of my life would also be a lie. No, scratch that. It would be blasphemy. That was why I had no intention of uttering such atrocity.Sophia turned out to be a real angel in disguise, just as my instincts were telling me she would be from the moment we met. Though turning into a little devil was not unfamiliar to her, I came to love that naughty side of her. To say that we didn’t have the best start would be an understatement. And that was nobody’s fault but mine. At first, driven by the pure desire to prove Sophia was not what she seemed, I did the unimaginable; I hurt her both physically and mentally on more than one occasion. It was a borderline miracle that she found it in her heart to forgive my sins and never speak of them in any ill manner. Pretty soon, all my attempts to portray Sophia as the bad guy in our story flopped beca
Sophia 4 months later To say that my life in the past couple of months was anything less than a fairytale would be a complete and notorious lie. That’s why I had no intention of uttering such blasphemy. Because it was exactly that – a life I never dared to imagine. Kieran was the most wonderful husband a woman could wish for; he was caring and gentle, loving and thoughtful, and he was all mine, unconditionally. Just as I was his. To say that I didn’t enjoy the pampering and all the attention Kieran showered me with would also be a lie. I absolutely loved it! I loved every cuddle and every kiss. I loved every breakfast in bed and every late-night snack hunt he went on for me. I loved how he knew my every thought as if he was reading my mind, and I loved how there were no more ominous storms in those beloved grey skies trapped in his eyes. To say that Kieran was a totally different man would be a lie, too. Yes, he was open with me, and I was sure he didn’t lie or hide things from
SophiaMuch to my dismay, I spent an entire week in the hospital, even though I felt better after a few days. I suspected Kieran had something to do with it since doctors were ready to release me to recover at home. But I didn’t mind it, as I perfectly understood why he did it. There wasn’t anything but pure worry about my well-being in his actions; he only wanted to be sure I was all right.After all the walls between us came tumbling down like they were made of sand, Kieran and I formed a connection on an entirely new level. There were no more secrets and half-truths, no more lies.My husband never left my side during the seven days I was bedridden. He hovered over my every breath and flinched at every sigh I failed to hide. Some other me, me before him, would’ve probably gone mad from all the fuss he was making, but I? I loved it! I enjoyed every second of it, and I didn’t want it to end.Was I ever scared that he would change back to the man he was when I met him? Cold and demandi
SophiaWhen I woke up fairly rested, in pain and still not remembering how I ended up in the hospital, pregnant nonetheless, I demanded the answers Kieran owed me, but a more important thing came up. Doctors needed to check on the baby as soon as I was awake, and I had nothing against it. What’s more, I wanted to make sure she was OK.Yes, some inner voice whispered into my ear that it was a girl, and I believed it, while Kieran strongly protested, claiming he was sure it was a boy, though I could see a smile in his eyes that he tried to hide.Nurses rolled in the ultrasound machine, and a doctor I hadn’t seen before came in too. After a few quick questions I answered to the best of my knowledge, the nurse helped move the hospital gown up to reveal my belly. The gel they applied on my skin was unpleasantly cold, but Kieran’s hand that took hold of mine made my nervousness disappear as if it was never there, and all that was left was anticipation to see what the ultrasound would show.
Sophia“Kieran?”As I laid in bed, unable to get up properly, a thousand thoughts ran through my mind. What the hell was he thinking, standing there, watching me like a hawk? I hated that unreadable facial expression of his, the one he mastered to annoy me when I couldn’t figure out what was going on in that damn head of his.“Did you know about this?” My voice was a mere whisper, but the twitch of Kieran’s eye meant he understood me perfectly.Finally, he moved and came to sit beside me. “The doctors informed me earlier.”Then it hit me.Kieran couldn’t have kids! I could recall the day when he told me the truth to the last detail; every word spoken, every emotion they awoke. I knew how Kieran felt about his condition, how haunted he was, and how much strength it took him to talk with me about the option for us to start a family. And now this?How was this possible? How was I pregnant? Were we this blessed to have a baby conceived the natural way?Was this why Kieran was so grim and
SophiaBam! Bam! Bam!What the hell was that noise?Beep! Beep! Beep!Swoosh… tap, tap, tap.Four different sounds were distinguishable even though they were simultaneous, but I couldn’t make out the murmurs in the background, no matter how hard I focused. They stayed far away and unreachable, taunting me, frustrating me.Why was it dark?What happened to the light?I tried opening my eyes, but it seemed like the hardest task in the world; my lids were too heavy to lift.A storm of confusion raided my mind and the noises! Oh, they drove me crazy!Where was I?Another loud bang resonated around me, this time much louder; my ears were hurting from its potency, but every reaction failed me, and I started to panic. What was happening to me?The beeping sound picked up its pace, pushing my panic into overdrive. I wanted to move, to run away from it, but my legs wouldn’t listen to me.That’s when I became aware of the pain.It hurt... My arms, chest... back, feet, even my damn hair hurt!I
KieranFree of the desperation that broke my body and mind, I ran through the hospital, aiming for the rooftop. Security stopped me from entering the elevator, so I tried the stairs, but they caught me on the second floor, delivering a message from my brother to stop acting crazy.Though Philip was right, I’d reconsider the new CT scan donation I promised to the director.Two guards led me to the waiting area, and moments later, a nurse exited a room and came straight to me.“Mister King, our best team of doctors is with your wife. They’re doing everything necessary to make sure there are no hidden threats to her health.”Barely comprehending what the brunette was saying, I headed to the room, but she stopped me, blocking my way.I pulled my hands into fists, directing the fury for the woman into them. Should I kill her right now?As if she could read my mind, she cast her eyes down to the floor, trying to hide from my murderous intentions. but still didn’t move.“Sir, I can’t let you
Kieran“Simon,” I said as soon as I laid my eyes on Philip.“Already called him. He’s on his way.” He was on the phone. “And I have the captain on the line.”Good. With how much money I donated to the Police Department just this year, the President of the fucking country should be on the line!The only thing that kept me from succumbing to the despair that lurked around me in the shadows of my rationality was Sophia.She needed me sane now more than ever, and I couldn’t afford to fall apart.“Yes!” Philip nodded as if his interlocutor could see him. “All right, Captain. Keep me updated.” With that, he cut the call and focused solely on me.“The highway is blocked, and the pursuit has visual.”We were standing in the hospital parking lot where he rushed to meet me, assuming he didn’t want me anywhere near his wife, who had just given birth and witnessed her sister being abducted.And he was right.If I looked half of how I felt, I for sure didn’t appear as anything less than a monster.