"No, Valerian. There's no way I'm going downstairs!" I exclaimed under my breath.Valerian, ever the charmer, had bought me a dress as soon as he woke up. A beige maxi dress and a pair of sandals… without any underwear. He was clad in a simple white shirt and khaki shorts that matched the color of my dress.He was leaning against the wall, both hands in his pockets, acting as if there was nothing to worry about. His mother had literally knocked on his door while we were in the middle of… business.What was even more devastating was that Ute knew I was with Valerian. Shit!"Mom was only asking if we could join her for breakfast," he said, trying to convince me, but his voice was unconvincing. He crossed his arms, his biceps bulging, defining how well-built he is."Yeah? With your whole family. What are they going to think once they see me coming down the stairs with you, and specifically coming from your room?" I was close to hysterical, but I saw no understanding in his eyes, only smu
"Better safe than sorry," I muttered, thinking about the after-pill I'd taken this morning.Years of living with Valerian, I knew he wasn't the type to want a family. He'd probably still be banging hundreds of women even after getting gout or arthritis, and he'd shrug off having a child of his own. Let alone create a family with me.As if I'd let him plant a seed in me!His legacy as a perfect man is still unknown in which cave he'd shoot his almighty sperm.The celebration Ute mentioned was happening just a few sashay away from where I was. I could see Valerian having some careless conversations with his brothers, those family-oriented, more reserved types.Only if his life were as private as I wanted it to be, maybe we'd still be married? But no, a man with a face like his would never live in peace, especially since he had a history with women. My heart was full of doubt, and I found it hard to trust someone who was too good to be true.He's got the face, the body to die for, and a
Did something happen last night between Valerian and me?"Never in this shitty ass chance," I muttered, playing with the pen in my hand."Excuse me, Ms. Beaumont. Is there something you want to say?" A fat old man, who lacked hair, pulled me out of my thoughts. When I lifted my eyes, I saw him looking at me with expectations. But it wasn't just him who was looking at me; it was the whole board."Oh, uh... I'm sorry, I'm not saying anything," I chuckled awkwardly, waving my hands in the air, refusing the idea of giving them anything useful from my mouth. "Please, continue."I received a lot of questioning looks from these old people before they switched their engrossment back to where their eyes should be.His presentation continued regarding the expansion of the branch my father and I were involved with. I wasn't even planning on biting what Dad had my feet in, but I'm taking risky risks for a reason. And for some unfortunate circumstances, Valerian was also currently present at the m
"Mr. Blackwood is currently in a meeting with the board members, Ms. Beaumont," Chen said politely. "But the boss instructed us to let you into his office if you decided to visit.""I don't care where he is or what he's doing right now. I need to talk to him," I interrupted sharply.Valerian's personal assistant, Chen—who, by the looks of him, also got his boss' taste in fashion—stood out like a sore thumb. The guy from the coast was decked out in every color. Like, who wears a bright orange necktie on a blue casual suit?Chen merely smiled, scratching the back of his neck before standing up and asking me to follow him."Mr. Blackwood usually doesn't like being disturbed during work, but I think he'll make an exception for you," he said, walking in an exaggerated, almost cartoonish way, his arms swinging loosely by his sides.I rolled my eyes, pretending not to hear the comment, and diverted my mind to something more productive—something to ease my anxiety.If Chen was always around,
Clutching my head, I waited like a good girl in his office. In fact, I was forced to do so, and this is harassment.Those people—they heard everything. Even our little... heated encounter."God, I am so cheap," I groaned, sinking onto the soft black sofa of Valerian's office. "I shouldn't have brought him there. I shouldn't be here! What the hell was I thinking?"Gnawing my cheek, I scanned my eyes around the office. Everything is in the right place, and all were neatly organized. The only mess in this room is me.My hand touched my lips. I can still feel the softness of his lips against mine, the warmth of his kisses. The way he held me was so comforting and eager at the same time. But what's not comfortable is my wet underwear.Shifting in my seat, I tried to adjust my underwear through my skirt to ease my discomfort. Just then, the door suddenly burst open, revealing the devil I'm so weak for.Valerian immediately noticed my tilted sitting position and my hand fishing for the garte
The tapping sound of my heel hitting the carpeted floor of his office didn't help fix the awkward atmosphere.My reflection in the sliding door of the cabinet told me I looked like a desperate ex-wife who'd failed attempting to be fucked hard in Valerian's office. There's no denying it; I was being a cat.And speaking of Valerian, he's quite concerned about the show we just gave a few intolerable minutes ago. So unlikely of him.He sits on a single-seater couch, leaning back, and clutching a throw pillow right above his crotch just to hide his excited "thing.""Mr. Blackwood, are you sure you want to continue the interview?" A redhead young woman decided to break the silence as she crouched by the long couch, obviously sensing the pressure building from three towers.Rachel's eyes were stuck on me like she would have a seizure if she ever failed to show me her wildest glare. She sits there with a whole lot of tension on her back, holding her pen tightly in her hands.Generosity is at
Rub two stones together, you get fire. Pour oil on it, it burns brighter. But between Valerian and I, we made a wildfire that lasted for hours.I was still catching my breath, eyes closed, feeling his kisses trailing a path from my lips down to my neck. Licking and nibbling my skin. It was like a freaking inferno down there.My hands, weak as a kitten's, lifted to run through his hair."Please," I thought, "just a little more," I wanted to say but my whole body was so weak, so exhausted, and so... used.Valerian was a freaking machine. Still had the energy for more.His hands, big and strong, were all over me, soothing me, while his kisses took whatever was left of me."Tired?" he whispered in my ear, lifting his head to meet my sleepy eyes."Very," I admitted, leaning my face into his hand that was resting on my cheek."Regretting asking me to fuck you hard?" he teased, that wide grin plastered across his face. "Pussy sore badly, huh?""Shut up," I rolled my eyes, pushing him away wi
"When a person plays with their food, it usually means two things: they don't like it, or they're thinking about something." Dad's voice pulled me out of my trance. "I'm assuming it's the latter since you're a big fan of my pasta dishes. So, what's bothering you?" Discussing my weaknesses wasn't my favorite thing to do, and my problems weren't exactly the topic I wanted to talk about. Forcing a smile, I crunched my nose, hoping I could pull off the act of a great liar. “It’s—” “Nothing? Yeah, I thought so,” he interrupted, swirling his wine. “But what’s that nothing about? I’m curious.” I shrugged, still feeling the ghost of Valerian’s touch on my shoulders. I twirled some pasta on my fork. “I’m just being a woman,” I mumbled, taking a bite even though I had no appetite. Dad sipped his wine. “Does being a woman make you a liar?” I almost choked. “What? No!” "What am I going to expect? I've encountered so many women in my life, and all of them have this unusual att
"So, what's the deal between you and that guy?" Valerian asked as we sat in the waiting area, a chair apart.Frankly, we hadn’t talked for minutes now, even after he insisted on driving us to the hospital just to wait for Silas to finish his report to the police. And Liam... poor Liam. I didn’t know what to think.I figured Silas would be the one to handle the case—if there even was one. He hadn’t shared the story yet. All we knew was that Liam got into an accident just an hour ago.And Valerian? He was sour."He just came by the door after twelve years of not seeing him. Just like you saw," I answered, leaning back in my chair and crossing my arms. "He asked if we could talk.""About what?" he asked, sticking his nose in further. I couldn’t blame him. Jealousy clung to his voice like a second skin."Well, I’d know by now if he hadn’t been hit by a car," I shot back, sarcasm held my words captive as I huffed and closed my eyes. "Look, Val, don’t you think this is just not the time to
It's past noon, and Liam told me to meet him tonight. I 'could' just tell Valerian about it, but what’s really bugging me is—what the hell does Liam have to spill?Shaking my head, I tried to clear my thoughts. I could practically feel my brain splitting in two. This is all Athena’s fault. If she hadn’t shown up with that huge ass missile, I wouldn’t be stuck overthinking everything."I’ve been seeing you around a lot lately," someone said behind me, making me inhale sharply mid-pour as coffee overflowed from my mug.I spun around to find Valerian’s decent yet laid-back older brother, Theodore, leaning casually against the counter.He was dressed in a dark gray suit and black tie, his whole vibe screaming calmness and effortless charm—unlike Valerian's color scheme on a daily basis. Theo looked like the type who could host a TED Talk on "Chill Vibes Only" while rocking the same monotone wardrobe every day.The meeting must’ve been dismissed. Now he’s probably looking for someone to bl
My eyes locked onto the face of a man I never thought I’d see again—not in this lifetime, not in the next. Yet, here he is. After twelve long years. Liam. Back from my history, as if he’d never left.His straight, dark hair still framed those maddeningly familiar brown eyes. Eyes that once felt like home and now felt like a question I wasn’t ready to answer. He carried the same calm he oozes, the kind that felt almost too fragile for the chaos he used to create. But then there was that jacket—black leather, well-worn—still screaming "trouble follows me everywhere."“Liam?” I said his name, my voice unsteady, as if speaking it would bring back all the ghosts I’d worked so hard to bury.His name tasted bitter, like chewing on regret.He stood there, easily towering over me, though I hated giving him that much credit.Standing there, he just shrugged. That same damn shrug, like nothing in the world could faze him—not heartbreak, not time, not even the look on my face right now.His expre
First Rachel Took, and now this? How does someone just waltz in after eight freaking years to drop a bomb like, “Oh, by the way, you have a kid”?Athena Winters knew exactly what she was doing. She couldn’t not know about Valerian and me. What was she trying to pull?Whatever beauty she owned on her skin brought nothing but headache in me."Massaging the sides of my head, I let out a soft sigh as I listened to the faint sound coming from the radio, breaking the silence that had settled in the air.""Ellie," Valerian said softly, his hands gripping the steering wheel, eyes darting toward me. He was trying to gauge my mood, but his voice betrayed him—he was nervous.I get it, his past was a mess. But can I really blame those women when it’s Valerian Blackwood who was willing to bring them heaven?If I were one of those women who had him, I'm pretty sure I'd do whatever it takes to keep him in my pocket. But the point is, I was the
"Yes?" Valerian asked, catching me gawking at him while he worked at his desk.He’d been frowning at his laptop screen since I walked in. I’d been bored at home and decided to visit him, avoiding my sister’s calls because I knew she’d pester me for updates about Valerian and me, like some paparazzo desperate for a scoop.Honestly, I don’t know what spell this man has on me, but he’s been in my head all day. I swear, I’d probably drop dead if I didn’t get to stare at his gorgeous face for a few hours.Every morning, I wake up in his arms, warm and safe. There’s nothing more I could ask for.Valerian doesn’t just love me; he respects me, trusts me, and treats me like a delicate child more than the queen I think I am. And somehow, I love it.Biting my lip, I tried to contain my excitement as I watched him.The earthy green of his eyes was mesmerizing enough to suck me into his world. And those lips? Always hungry for me—but does he know I’m just as greedy?Mornings are quite... eventful
Can you review it by Character introduction, are they interesting? What about the stakes and conflict, mystery and suspense, my writing style, and the clarity of the chapter? Also review my pace, the plot of the chapter, and the cliffhanger. Is it funny and sensual? Standing on the balcony, I waited for my call to go through. One ring. Two rings. “Hello?” His voice came through, slightly groggy, followed by the sound of him clearing his throat. “Elodie?” I smiled to myself, leaning on the railing as my eyes roamed the glowing city below. “Hey, Silas. How are you doing?” “Uh…” He cleared his throat again, and I heard a faint shuffle on his end. “I’m fine. Still at the coast, enjoying the sea and some much-needed ‘me time.’ You?” Biting my lip, I thought about how to phrase things without sounding like an ass. “I’m… good,” I said, glancing over my shoulder at the reason I wasn’t on the coast. Valerian sprawled across the bed,
“Elodie?” Dad raised an eyebrow as he opened the door. Clad in a silky robe and comfy slippers, he looked like he’d just strolled out of the spa instead of the bathroom.“Hey, Dad,” I greeted awkwardly, shifting on my feet. “Uh… I need to talk to you about something. It’s kind of important.”“I don’t even have to guess. Valerian, right?” He confidently "guessed. I just stared, and he nodded like he’d solved a world crisis. “Alright, come inside. Take a seat.” He stepped aside, gesturing me into his hotel room.My watch told me it was just a few minutes left to five in the afternoon. Time ticks like a countdown. Valerian had said he’d wait, but I wasn’t sure how long his patience would hold out.“I’d offer you a drink, but I don’t think you’re here for small talk,” Dad said, settling into the single-seater couch. He crossed his legs like he was hosting a late-night show. “So, what’s the problem?”I bit my lip, careful not to smudge my lipstick. “You already know why I divorced Valerian
Both of my legs hurt. My knees wobbled with every step, and the heels I wore weren’t helping. I should’ve just gone with my trusty flip-flops. "You walk like you shit your pants," Bree said, catching up to me as I awkwardly shuffled past rows of fermented wine shelves. Frowning, I tried to straighten up. "No, I don’t," I denied, attempting to salvage my dignity. But Bree just giggled like someone was tickling her feet. "Oh, yeah, you do. And I heard from Dad you were with Valerian the hottie last night. No wonder you didn’t come back after your so-called 'moment of unwinding.'" She even air-quoted, nudging me lightly. That light nudge? Yeah, it was enough to topple me. My legs gave out, and I started panicking as I tipped forward, bracing for impact. But then—like some knight out of a rom-com—Valerian swooped in and caught me before I could plant my face on the ground. "I got you," he said, arms wrapping around my waist as he steadied me. His voice was calm, but he held the smug
We both stopped, eyes locking. Panic shot through me like a caffeine overdose, but that jerk? Calm as a cucumber.“Damn it,” he muttered, clearly not planning on answering the door. He began thrusting inside me, making me moan."Val... Oh... The door," I gasped."Fuck!" The bell rang again, followed by a knock. “Coming!” he yelled, pulling himself out of me, the sudden friction sending goosebumps racing across my skin.“Who’s at the door?” I asked, palms suddenly clammy, pushing myself to stand up straight.With zero concern and maximum annoyance at the interruption, he carried me to the bed.“I’ll find out,” he said, setting me down and tucking the covers over me as though I’d vanish into the bedspread.I watched as he threw on boxers and a robe, his muscular back rippling as he strode out.From where I am, I couldn’t see a thing, but the sound of my dad’s chipper voice hit me like a slap as Valerian opened the door.“Shit!” I hissed, sinking deeper under the blanket, as though it co