(Warning 18+ ONLY!)
Samira woke to the soft morning light streaming through the curtains, the warmth of Ray’s body pressed against her back. For a moment, she allowed herself the luxury of simply lying there, savoring the peaceful quiet, the rise and fall of Ray’s chest against her, and the gentle rhythm of his breathing. It was a fragile, fleeting moment that felt almost like a dream—a brief respite from the constant push and pull of their lives. But even as she lay there, reality began to creep back in her, bringing with it the memory of the previous night. She turned slightly, her gaze drifting over Ray’s sleeping form. His face was relaxed in sleep, free of the calculated charm and deceptive confidence that usually defined him. Samira watched him for a while, her mind torn between the intense feelings that had burned between them and the stubborn walls she had built to protect herself from his games. Ray stirred, his eyes fluttering open as if he couHe turned, offering her a small, rueful smile. "I have to get ready," he said, his voice tinged with reluctance. "I’ve got a meeting this morning."He'd skipped work the entire day yesterday; he had urgent matters to settle that couldn't wait till Monday.Samira nodded, her own emotions a tangled mess. She watched as Ray stood and made his way to the bathroom, her mind replaying the morning’s events in an endless loop. She wanted to say something, anything to bridge the gap that had widened between them in the space of a few short minutes, but the words wouldn’t come.Ray paused in the doorway, glancing back at her. "We’ll talk later, okay?" he said, his tone gentle, but Samira could sense the unspoken weight behind his words."Yeah," she replied, her voice barely audible. "Later."Ray disappeared into the bathroom, the sound of running water in the bathroom started filling the silence that followed. Samira lay back on the bed, stari
As Ray turned his back to take the call, Samira felt a rush of cold air hit her skin, a sharp contrast to the warmth of their stolen heat moment. The door pressed hard against her back feeling like the hardest contact she'd ever got into, and she stood there rooted to the ground, her breath still catching in her throat, her body humming with the remnants of Ray's touch. Yet, the room felt suddenly too small for her liking, the walls had started closing in as the weight of reality settled heavily on her shoulders. Samira wrapped her arms around herself, hugging the emptiness where Ray’s touch had been. The bed sheet lay forgotten at her feet, and she couldn’t bring herself to move, couldn’t bring herself to gather the fabric that had been her only shield moments before. Instead, she watched Ray—his posture tense, his voice low and serious—completely immersed in the conversation that was worlds away from the two of them. His brows furrowed, lips pressed into a thin line as
Ray hurried down the hallway of the luxury hotel, his footsteps echoing against the polished marble floors. The call had been urgent—Lila had insisted on meeting face-to-face, and though Ray had tried to explain that he had plans,, Lila’s persistence left him with little choice, the deal he was about to close was something he'd been after for long.When approached the grand entrance of the hotel’s exclusive lounge, Ray adjusted his tie, his expression turning serious to his monotone bossy like, that he was. He stepped through the double doors, greeted by the subtle hum of conversation and the scent of fresh flowers that filled the air. Lila was already there, seated at a table in the corner, her perfectly styled hair catching the light from the chandelier above. “Mr Ray,” she greeted him with a warm smile, standing to give him a brief, professional hug. Her perfume, a mix of jasmine and something citrusy, lingered in the air between them. “Thanks for coming o
Samira walked slowly down the dimly lit street, the chill of the evening air biting at her cheeks. The day had stretched longer than she’d planned, her thoughts wrapped tightly around the image of Ray and Lila in the hotel lounge. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw them leaning in close, their conversation just out of earshot but so full of unspoken familiarity. It wasn’t the first time Ray’s work had come between them, but this felt different. Lila wasn’t just business; she was poised, confident, and everything Samira feared she wasn’t. Even with the excitement of being chosen as a finalist in the Global Perfume Creation Competition, Samira couldn’t shake the feeling that Ray’s world was moving on without her. She fumbled with her keys as she approached the front door of their home, her hands shaking with a mix of anger and exhaustion. The lock clicked, and she stepped inside, her footsteps echoing in the silence. The apartment was dark, save for
Samira woke up early Sunday morning, the first rays of dawn barely creeping through the blinds. The quiet of the apartment felt stifling, like the walls were closing in around her. She couldn’t remember the last time she had slept peacefully, without the weight of her thoughts pressing down on her like a heavy blanket. She knew she couldn’t stay, not today. She needed air, space—anything but the four walls that held the echoes of last night’s conversation with Ray.Samira dressed quickly, grabbing her coat, purse, and slipping on her shoes with quiet efficiency. She avoided looking at Ray’s door, not wanting to risk waking him. She glanced at her phone but decided against leaving a note. What could she even say? She wasn’t running away; she just needed time to think, to breathe without the constant pressure of everything that had gone extremely hot and sweet but at the same time wrong between them.She stepped out into the crisp morning air, pulling her coat tighter around her as she
Samira stood at the edge of the Seine, her fingers brushing against the delicate fabric of her gown as she gazed at the glittering lights of Paris. It was the night she had dreamed of, the culmination of months of hard work, late nights, and restless mornings. The final round of the perfume competition was tomorrow, and she was here, standing in the city of lights, her future hanging in the balance. Yet, for some reason, she couldn’t shake the weight on her chest—the remnants of everything unresolved between her and Ray. She inhaled deeply, trying to draw in the calmness of the evening, but it felt forced, like she was pushing away the storm brewing inside her. Samira had spent so long chasing this dream, fighting for her place in a world that often felt like it had no room for her. And now that she was here, the silence was deafening. The soft hum of her phone pulled her back to the moment. Mike had texted her, asking how things were going. She smiled faintly at his concern. He had
Ray’s breath caught in his throat as he stared at the figure standing across the room. Delly. He blinked, his mind struggling to catch up with the surprise of seeing her here. She was the last person he expected to see in Paris, let alone in the middle of the most important night of Samira’s life. Samira, for her part, was completely blindsided. Of all the people to appear, it had to be Delly—her friend, the one who had dragged her into the mess with Ray in the first place. The one who had asked her to impersonate her on the night Ray had proposed, insisting she turn him down on Delly’s behalf. Samira had agreed, partly because she hadn’t thought much of Ray at the time and partly because she had felt loyal to Delly. But now, standing here, her heart pounding in her chest as she faced both Ray and Delly in the same room, she felt her world tilt dangerously out of control. Ray recovered first, his eyes narrowing in on Delly. He hadn’t seen her in years, not since that fateful night w
Samira stood frozen on the stage, the sound of applause fading into the background as the announcer’s voice reverberated in her ears. “The winner is… Sabine Lafleur!” The crowd erupted, but Samira barely registered it. Her heart plummeted as she tried to keep her face neutral. The room blurred around her, and suddenly, the weight of everything crashed down on her shoulders. She had lost. She wasn't even amongst the first three, not even the top ten. She was supposed to be happy for Sabine, but all Samira could feel was a deep ache gnawing at her insides. This competition had meant everything. She’d worked tirelessly for years, sacrificing so much just to prove to herself whenever an opportunity comes her way, she'd just gotten that opportunity when she joined , and maybe to prove to Ray, that she was worth something—beyond the tangled mess of impersonation and lies that had bound them together. And now… now she had nothing. Her body moved automatically, a forced smile plastered