SophiaMy thoughts were incomprehensible, uncatchable as I melted in Kieran’s arms. Everything that had happened today, everything that had happened in the last few months, everything that had happened in the last seven years... nothing really mattered.As his warm tongue explored every curve of my mouth, gently massaging my own in a fiery dance that was sending the most pleasantly arousing currents through my entire body, the whole world ceased to exist. Time and space lost their significance completely!There were only the two of us, Kieran and I, his arms wrapped around me like the cage I desired and my hands tangled in his soft hair, holding onto it for dear life so they wouldn’t get lost in the vast universe of woken up hunger for him.No, nothing but us was important, and with a lot of courage, I had to admit that if it came to that, I would have a hard time letting Kieran go. I was half disgusted with myself because I wanted him after everything he did to me! I wanted to be nea
Sophia It made sense. I understood it all. That shadow that crossed Kieran’s face whenever he mentioned kids? The pain I saw in his eyes when he talked about family? I knew what it was. A missing piece of the puzzle fell into its place, making all the other parts come together, creating a perfect symphony, a picture so clear. I realized why Kieran practically forced me into marrying him and never gave me a shred of a logical reason for it; why he was always distant and didn’t allow me to get to know him; why he deflected my every question. Our eyes were locked with each other; mine welled up with tears while his dark skies were clouded with anticipation, disappointment, and something that resembled… fear? Yes, I was sure. It was fear I saw in Kieran. It was fear that pushed him to act so unexplainably crazy. He was scared. Mighty Kieran King was afraid of me, of me rejecting him. Not because of his dominating and controlling personality or the way he treated me or even my past, n
SophiaThe Uber I called took me to Kieran’s house, and even though it was still early, I barricaded myself in my room, or better, a room assigned to me.Although I was the master of suppressing pain and pretending I was fine, I failed most miserably this time because the pain of a broken heart was not something I knew how to deal with. And Kieran broke mine in the cruelest way. He gave me hope, only to yank it out of my hands the very next moment.So, I reached for a sleeping pill, something I had never done before, but it was necessary. I needed to avoid thinking about today’s events at all costs. With all that has happened since the sun rose in the sky this morning, it was mission impossible.While I was taking a shower, the pill worked its magic, and as soon as my head touched the pillow, I was out like a light, leaving all my worries for tomorrow, hoping that, just for once, it may never come.~ ~ ~I was woken up by the heat. It was so hot I thought I was burning up in the fiery
Sophia“I’m not going to work today.” I declared upon entering the spacious kitchen where Kieran had his breakfast.He cocked his head to the side and furrowed his eyebrows playfully. “Enjoying the perks of being the boss’s wife, I see.” But then his face suddenly changed, and it became the grim one I knew so well. “Will I find you here when I come back?”I ignored the question as I advanced towards the coffee machine. “Sophia?” a warning growl echoed behind me, but I kept my cool.Only when I got a much-needed drink and sat at the table in front of Kieran did I spare him a glance. I had to admit I liked his reaction. Seeing him try to control his anger was oddly satisfying.“What would be the point? Public humiliation when you hunt me down like an animal and drag me back here as you did in Richmond?” Sarcasm was seeping from my every word, and I pulled my lips into a fake smile.Kieran’s eyes didn’t leave my face, not even when he continued to eat. What’s more, they scrutinized me li
Kieran I fucked up. Instead of making things right with Sophia after I snapped at her once again, even though I promised myself to do a better job of controlling my temper around her, I screwed up worse than ever before. It seemed like each time I was about to take a step in the right direction in this relationship, something major would happen, taking me two steps back. And today, it was not my fault. I had nothing with the past catching up on me, the past I tried so hard to run away from. The past… Nora. For months, I had this crippling fear of facing her again, and I knew that day had to come. And when it was finally there, it almost cost me everything I held dear. Well, at least I hoped it was not too late and that I could still salvage the image of the future I painted so vividly in my head. Because when I came face to face with my greatest failure in life, I realized the past would always remain right where it belonged and that what was to come was a hundred times more powe
Sophia “Good evening, Sir.” I smiled gently at the old man standing in front of me. He was beaming with authority, making me address him with the utmost respect. “Good evening.” He greeted us back, offering me his hand, which I gladly accepted. “It’s Alan for you. We are family now, after all.” “Evening, Dad,” Kieran said curtly, and I didn’t miss the coldness in his voice. So, the impression I had about their relationship when I first saw them together wasn’t that wrong. I remembered thinking the same at Ellie’s wedding reception, but it wasn’t exactly the day when my mind was at its clearest. Alan led the way to the dining room, with Kieran and me following behind. I used the chance to look around and admire the exquisite interior. I had to admit it was cozier than Kieran’s; it had that ‘woman’s touch,’ a warmth of sorts, and it got me wondering… We sat at the table set for three people, and the atmosphere made me slightly uncomfortable. Questions would be asked tonight, questi
SophiaWe were quiet on the ride home, each occupied with their own thoughts. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Kieran wanted to say something but was holding himself back.“Are you still angry with me?” I heard him ask as I advanced up the stairs on the way to my room.“Yes, Kieran. I am angry. You shouldn’t have used my sister to keep me bound here.” I snapped and marched forward, leaving him behind.I got to the bathroom, took a shower, and did my nightly routine. I came to enjoy pampering myself every night. I used to think lotions, creams, and oils were overrated, but now that I had the means and time, I realized it didn’t matter if those things worked or not; the magic was in the process and the moments I had just for myself.Returning to the bedroom, I froze in my track. I didn’t expect to see Kieran standing by the bed, unbuttoning his shirt, but he was there in flesh and blood.“What the hell are you doing here?!” I hissed.“Getting ready to sleep?”“Get out!”“I hav
SophiaIt was the first time since we started living under the same roof that we spent the day simply ‘hanging out.’ Each past weekend, I lazed around reading and resting, and I rarely saw Kieran, even though I knew he was at home.Despite what I feared when I woke up, Kieran didn’t go back to being closed off, rejecting my every attempt to get to know him and avoiding answering my questions. Of course, he wasn’t all lollipops and candy canes, and I never expected him to be someone he was not, but the change in his demeanor was obvious.Although I didn’t interrogate him much, afraid that I would push him over the edge and he would shut me out again, Kieran answered all the inquiries I did voice out as I tried to learn more about him. And he didn’t restrain himself, either. Besides all the things he asked, he never missed the chance to touch me or kiss me no matter what we were doing… making food together or sitting on the sofa watching a movie.Though it was quickly becoming a habit I
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.