“Come on! Tell already! I want to know all the details. What happened there?” Jenna said excitedly clapping her hands. She looked at Emery with eager eyes sitting in front of her. Emery blinked forcing herself to stop remembering the last night’s scene. “Nothing happened,” Emery replied shortly and tried her best to Jenna pouted, as she didn’t get the answer she wanted, “You’re no fun, Em. Fine, don’t tell me. I will not tell you anything from now on too.” Emery shook her head at her childish nature. "Come on!" Spill already! I want all of the juicy facts. "What happened?" Jenna demanded, almost leaping in her chair.Emery blinked, attempting to break free from the spiral of recollections from the previous night. "Nothing happened," she stated honestly, attempting to appear unconcerned as she sipped her coffee.Jenna rolled her eyes theatrically. "Oh, come on, Emma. You are killing me here. You can't just send cryptic vibes and expect me not to be inquisitive!""I didn't drop an
Darren strolled around his desk, leaning gently against it, arms folded, and gazing at Emery."Forget what Camila said," he added, his voice calm yet firm. "Don't add any of that nonsense to the contract."Emery blinked, caught off guard. "What do you mean?""I mean, don't mention the villa, the car, or any of her little demands."Leave the prenuptial agreement as is."She stared at him, unsure if he was sincere. "Are you sure?" "Won't she be angry?"Darren shrugged as if it were no big deal. "That is the point. I want her to back out."Emery's eyebrows rose. "Back out? Do you want her to end their engagement?"Exactly." He smirked again, calm and assured. "Emery, you're intelligent. I'm convinced you'll figure out how to make it happen."She hesitated, focussing her gaze on him. "Why should I help you with this? What is in it for me?Darren pushed off the desk and stepped closer till they were nearly face to face. "I understand you want something. Something you've been trying to have
Darren pushed himself a little back as he acting like nothing happened, “Not at all. Come, join us.” Just after saying that Darren turned his attention back to Camila. Emery felt a bit uneasy seeing that as she felt nothing but a mere pawn in the game which Darren was playing. She always tried her best to get what Darren actually wanted but that man was nothing but a puzzle who always forced her in thinking what his next step is going to be. All of them ate their dinner in silence. None of them spoke anything after that. And soon all of them got up from their seats. “Well, I hope Miss Hart is doing what I asked her to do?” Damian raised his eye brows slightly as he said with a wide smirk plastered on his face. Emery forced a professional smile on her face as she replied, “Sure!”Walking out of there she finally let out the breath she was holding in front of those people. Ring…Her phone suddenly rang and she pulled out her mobile phone from her pocket. Victor Blackwood. The na
Emery’s fingers trembled as she grabbed the USB. “Why are you helping me?” The man looked down before he said, “Let’s just say I owed your father, and this is the only way I can repay him. Your brother is hell-bent on ruining the company that your father made with so many sacrifices. Emery knew Nick didn’t have enough potential to run a company, and she knew sooner or later the company would go bankrupt, but one thing she didn’t know was that Nick didn’t just want to make the company bankrupt; instead, he wanted to sell the company.His words hit her like a slap. “What do you mean?”The man ignored her question before saying, “You will see for yourself.”Just as he said that, he moved back and soon vanished from Emery’s sight. Emery went back to her apartment with that USB, and reaching there, she plugged it into her laptop. “I hope it’s nothing too bad.” Her heart was heavy not knowing what was coming ahead of her. Opening her laptop, she saw various files with bank statements,
“Stop!” Emery blurted out as she tried her best to stay still. Her body didn’t dare to move while her heart was racing. Darren always had this effect on her; he had an ability to command her without raising his voice. It wasn’t just his words; it was his presence. The aura he radiates is far more dangerous, letting everyone around him feel intimidated.Slowly his hand slid to her waist and then to her lower back as he pushed her closer to herself, not leaving any space between them. “Do you know what I hate most about this dress?” he huskily asked, whispering near her ear. “I…” Emery tried saying something, but no words were able to come out of her mouth. “It makes me want to cancel tonight,” his hand moved further down, and Emery felt her body heating up, “so I can keep you here, where I don’t have to share you with anyone.”Her knees felt weak. If not for Darren's hold on her body, she would have fallen down up until now. “We…” She mustered up all her courage as she put both h
Emery nodded as she tried her best to preparing herself mentally. “Be ready by seven,” Darren added as his eyes swept over her again. “And wear something professional. No distractions.”Her cheeks burned at the subtle jab.She tried her best to hold her ground. “Anything else?”Leaning back on his chair, Darren smirked.His expressions softened into something more thoughtful. “Just one thing,” He puased for a moment before his voice turned into a warning, Don’t forget your deal with me and if any issue occurs you can come to me immediately.”“I will,” she said nodding her head. Their eyes locked for a mere moment before Darren turned his face to the side and said, “Good, I’ll handle the arrangements. You just be ready.”Darren leaned back in his chair as his fingers started to tap rhythmically on the side armrest.His behaviour with Emery was always like he was planning something. His continuous sharp gaze on Emery made her a little confused. “You’ll be meeting Rourke at a private
Emery tensed slightly because of his words. She tried her best to mask her discomfort as she managed to keep her polite professional smile. “Of course. I understand. But I think we’ve covered the key points here.”He chuckled, but Emery felt weird because of his laugh. He was definitely not giving the right vibes. He said, “Not quite. Why don’t we continue this conversation somewhere more private? I have a suite upstairs where we won’t be interrupted.”The suggestion sent a jolt of unease through her. “I don’t think that would be necessary, I’ve said everything I came here to say.”Rourke’s smile widened like he wanted to play with her more, “You’re agood negotiator, aren’t you? I like that. But I insist. A private discussion is always more productive.”She was just about to protest further when he stood up and gestured towards the side door leading her out of the room. His whole aura was giving creepy vibes to Emery but she knew if she caused any scene there, he would use that to g
Camilla burst into laughter as she read the news headline. "Bloggers will stop at nothing to sensationalize unverified news," she said, shaking her head. The news of her marriage was all over the news. Her face broadened with a smile of satisfaction. Everything was about falling in place. Sitting on the beach chair in the yard, she felt a cool breeze blowing through her skin. It felt very comforting. “Ma’am, the sun is down.” A maid said bowing in respect. She smiled, waving her off, she was a fan of nature and right now she wanted a natural effect that came with swimming. Camilia wondered who had let the media on the news. The positive reactions she was getting from her fans gave her a giddy feeling of happiness. Life to her was perfect, and in a few days, she would be on top of her game. She loosened the straps of her dress and headed towards the pool for a refreshing swim. The butler approached her, handing her a glass of fruit juice, complete with a straw – the same luxurious
Under Emery's fingers, the metal handle pulsed, sending a constant, throbbing beat up her arm. It seemed warm, almost alive, as if it were anticipating something. For her. The man in the mask spoke in a quiet voice that was slightly tinged with dread. "Are you certain that you are prepared for this?" Emery remained silent. as she wasn't certain. However, the noble was. His golden eyes flickered with delight as he leaned against the splintering frame with his arms folded. His lips curled into a lazy smirk as he whispered, "Go ahead." Don't claim I didn't warn you, though. She gripped the handle with her fingers. She turned it after that. The world disappeared. She was pulled forward by a gust of wind that ripped through her. Everything was sucked up by the weightless, limitless darkness. She was falling for a short, horrifying minute, her heart pounding in her ears, her air stuck in her lungs, and then— She landed. The air was heavy with laughter and music, and the aro
Before she even considered saying it, Emery's mouth came up with the name. It was waiting there, so sure, so familiar. Pain burned through her skull like a blade slicing right through it the instant it emerged in her consciousness. She shook from the sudden pain and gasped, sinking her fingers into the man's arms. The name escaped, barely within grasp. When she touched him, the man tensed. He strengthened his hold on her, as though preparing for the next move. His face was still expressionless, but there was something more in his keen, dark eyes. "Don't think about me." There was something almost regretful in his quiet voice. Emery's breath caught in his throat. "So why do I?" He didn't respond. There was a shudder in the room. The floor beneath them, the lamp, and the walls all wavered and warped like a water-shattered mirror. The tiny light from the carved symbols pulsed in time with the pounding in her head. It was falling apart here. Or perhaps—reforming. Another
Pain.. Emery was startled awake as it burned through her body like lightning. She inhaled sharply, taking in a breath that was too heavy and thick. There was something metallic and harsh in the air, along with the smell of damp stone and earth. Not in the ballroom. Not the manor. She didn't know of any place. With shaky hands on the uneven ground, she forced herself up. stone. The stone is cold, fractured, and wet. She looked up and realized that everything was wrong. She was surrounded by a ruinous courtyard that was engulfed by growing vines. Above, looming stone walls that had been partially defaced by time. The sky was a deep indigo, eternal twilight that swirled like a living creature and was neither night nor day. It shouldn't be here. The mist coiling at her feet dampened her clothing as she trembled and wrapped her arms around herself. Next came— Footsteps. Go slowly. Measured. approaching from behind. Her heart skipped a beat. anticipating the noble, anti
Before her, the door looms, its surface glistening like liquid silver and pulsing with an almost... living pulse. Between it and the two guys observing her, Emery remains still. The man in the mask remains silent, his fingers moving at his sides as though he is fighting the impulse to grab her. But the noble— A slow applause. Deliberate and slow, the sound cuts through the tension like a razor. She spins around. He is present. His golden eyes shine with laughter as he emerges from the shadows at the ballroom's edge. He appears as majestic and untouchable as ever, dressed in deep crimson, but a sly smile is visible on his lips. "You always believe you have options." Not because of what he says, but because she has heard it before, his voice makes her shiver. The world flickers before she can say anything. similar like a dwindling candle's flame. As if reality itself were unraveling. She glimpses something, someone, for a split second. Here she was again, standing
The air changes as soon as Emery enters the room. Her stomach lurches with a sudden, nauseating lurch. Under her feet, the solid floor vanishes. She dives into the shadows. The wind whips past her ears, engulfing her in a limitless emptiness. Nothing remains of the world she was familiar with, including the ballroom, the nobility, and the man in the mask. But the voices are still there. whispers. Sound waves. She feels as though pieces of a life she doesn't recall are etched into her very being. "You promised me." "You betrayed me." "You were supposed to remember." The words encircle her, drawing and tugging. accusing. Then... Impact. Her air is taken from her lungs by the power of the impact as she hits solid ground. The cold stone under her stands in sharp contrast to the oppressive emptiness she just left, and her vision swirls as she breathes. She remains still for a moment. Then she lifts herself up as the world settles. and gets frozen. This location... It
The air trembles. Ripples rippled through the ballroom like a stone breaking the surface of placid water. Without wind, the chandeliers wobble, the candlelight extending oddly before snapping back into position.Emery stumbles when he steps. The planet itself seems to be opposing her choice. An unseen, relentless force tugs at her, attempting to pull her back. She doesn't stop, though. She won't. Her fingers move in the direction of the man in the mask—in the direction of the unfathomable familiarity in his gaze. She is wrenched backward by a sudden jerk. The noble's icy fingers lock her in place as his grip tightens around her wrist. "You are not his property." He has a soothing, dangerously low voice. She detects something deeper, though, beneath that flawless exterior. Something breaking. The man in the mask only tilts his head and smirks, as though the noble's rage were merely a funny sight. "That's where you're incorrect." His calm, unflinching voice pierced the dis
The music swelled around her, the haunting melody stretching and distorting as if the very air was suffocating under its weight. Emery barely heard it over the ragged gasps of the masked man in her arms. His blood—warm, slick—painted her hands in vivid red.“No,” she whispered, shaking him. “No, no, stay with me—”His masked face tilted toward her, but the eyes behind it—those familiar, aching eyes—were already losing their light. His fingers curled weakly around her wrist, gripping as if he had one final thing to tell her.But before he could speak, the world shattered.The ballroom cracked like glass. The chandeliers flickered violently, their golden glow twisting into something cold and unnatural. The guests—laughing, drinking, dancing—froze in place, their bodies flickering like mirages. Reality itself was coming apart at the seams.A sickening déjà vu coiled in Emery’s stomach. She had done this before. She had watched him die before.And every time, the noble had been standing t
Between them, Emery remained still. One man gazed upon her with pride, his assurance unflinching, as though she had always been his. Something deeper—longing, anger, something unsaid but indisputable—was there in the other's eyes as he regarded her. She was unsure if which frightened her more. With effortless ease, the noble reached for her hand and lifted it. His lips lightly but possessively brushed over her knuckles. He whispered, "I'll remind you why you're mine." She couldn't tell if the chill that went through her body was from fear or familiarity. She was yanked away by a powerful pull before she could react. The man in the mask. His hold was dominant but protective, powerful but not harsh. With a stiff stance and a presence that begged to be recognized, he moved between her and the nobility. He replied in a low, sour voice, "She doesn't belong in this time." "And you don't either." The noble's smirk wavered for the first time. Emery's heart was racing. She ough
When he raised her chin and made her look into his eyes, Emery's breath caught. Around them, the ballroom dimmed into a haze of flickering shadows and candlelight.His dark, unending eyes scanned hers, eager, almost desperate."Prove it if you are really mine," he said, lightly brushing his fingertip across her jawline.In her ears, her pulse thundered.She wasn't his.Aurelia wasn't her.Nevertheless, she felt a shudder that was all too familiar due to the weight of his touch and the way his breath slipped over her lips. Too well-known.Reason struggled with her heart.She ought to push him away. Demand responses. Run.However, another factor took over.A pull, stronger than reason, stronger than terror. It felt like it should have been hers, yet it was a whisper from the past.Her lips touched his before she had a chance to think.A gentle, inquisitive squeeze of warmth.Then there was a surge.Like a tsunami, it crashed into her. As though they had always been buried in the marrow