Minutes later, I heard a knock on the door."Mina….Mina, please open the door." His voice was quiet, and I stayed silent, sliding down until I was sitting on the floor with my back against the door, staring into my empty bedroom.He knocked again, more gently. "Mina, I can hear you. I know you're there. Please open the door. Let's talk."I still didn’t respond. There was a long sigh, and then I sensed he, too, had sat down on the other side of the door. The faint thud of his head resting against it was barely audible, but I knew he was there, just inches away, separated by the door."I'm sorry, Mina," he said quietly. "There are things I wish I could tell you, but I don’t think you’re ready to hear them yet. Sometimes, when you do things, I let my jealousy get the best of me, and I end up hurting you. But I don’t ever want to hurt you. Can we please just talk? I can’t let you sleep like this, knowing you're mad at me and…."He fell silent, waiting for my response, but I had nothing to
When Emerson and Madeline notice me descending the stairs, their reactions couldn’t have been more different. Emerson’s face lights up with a warm, genuine smile, his happiness at seeing me evident. Madeline, on the other hand, visibly frowns, her displeasure practically radiating. I can’t say I blame her. She isn’t exactly thrilled about my presence in this house or Emerson’s sudden attention toward me, as he leaves her mid-sentence. Emerson strides over to meet me at the bottom of the stairs, gently taking my hand in his. His touch is firm yet soft, an unspoken promise laced in the gesture. He lets me lead him outside, where he opens the front door for me with a flourish. Turning to the chauffeur, he waves him off and opens the car door himself. “I’ll take care of this,” he says before gesturing for me to step inside. I slide into the seat, and moments later, he joins me from the other side, placing my bag carefully in the space between us. I frown at him and he playfully says
Emerson looked down for a moment, his hands fidgeting slightly as though he was collecting himself. When he finally spoke, his voice was steady but tinged with vulnerability.“Mina,” he began, “I know I haven’t been the best fiancé. I haven’t been the best partner to you. I’ve tried to keep boundaries between us and build up walls. I know you’ve felt that.”I nodded slightly, keeping my gaze on him.“That was because everything happened too fast, too quickly,” he continued. “I have to admit—I thought you didn’t know what you were doing. Everything felt impulsive. You had just found out about Eric, you were brokenhearted, you were hurt, and you were seeking revenge. All I wanted to do was help you.”I froze, the words hitting me like a cold gust of wind. There was no malice in his voice, only honesty. I realized he wasn’t accusing me, was he? As telling me the truth and laying himself bare.“I knew it! You're marrying me to help me…. I know it stupid to get hurt by this considering eve
As the car rolled smoothly along the road, I leaned back against the seat, my curiosity growing with every turn. I glanced at Emerson, his calm demeanour doing little to hide the playful smirk forming on his lips."Where are you taking me?" I finally asked, my tone laced with suspicion."It’s a surprise," he replied smoothly.I raised an eyebrow. "A surprise? I’m your boss, remember? Shouldn’t I know these things?""Madam," he said, a teasing glint in his eye, "please, just this once. Let me."I sighed dramatically. "Okay, only once. But don’t do it again.""I won’t, Madam, everything is designed to your satisfaction." he said, his voice dropping slightly on the word 'satisfaction'. The way he said it sent a shiver down my spine, reminding me of just how dangerously captivating Emerson could be.He wasn’t just a great partner—he was a great lover who knew exactly how to ignite the fire between us. Though I had often taken the initiative in our intimate moments, he always found a way t
"Thank you," I told Emerson as I pulled away from his embrace. My eyes locked with his, searching, needing him to see. I needed him to understand just how much this moment meant to me. He held my gaze, steady and unflinching, letting his vulnerability shine through. His transparency made my heart swell, and then he shook his head."You don’t have to thank me," he said softly. "From now on, I’m going to dedicate my life to making you happy."I couldn’t help myself—I hugged him again, tighter this time. But even then, it wasn’t enough. There was something more I needed, something deeper, something that couldn’t be expressed in words or gestures. So, I kissed him.I kissed him hard. I kissed him like my life depended on it, like this connection between us was the only thing that mattered. I kissed him until I couldn’t breathe, until the world around us melted away until there was nothing but him and me.By the time I pulled back, Emerson looked a mix of dazed and amused. His lips curved
The streets of Paris were alive, buzzing with chatter and the aroma of freshly baked pastries wafting from corner cafés. Emerson’s hand never left mine as we walked along the cobblestone streets, the glow of streetlamps casting a romantic hue over everything."I don’t even know where to start," I admitted, my eyes darting from one charming boutique to another. "Everything here feels... magical."He smiled, his gaze soft. "That’s the plan, Mina. Tonight, you’re not overthinking. You’re not planning. You’re living."Our first stop was a quaint little pâtisserie tucked into the corner of a quiet street. The glass display case glimmered with rows of delicate macarons, tarts, and éclairs. I practically pressed my face against the glass, unable to decide."One of everything?" Emerson teased.I laughed, nudging him playfully. "Don’t tempt me."We ended up sharing a plate of éclairs and tartelettes under the warm glow of the café’s outdoor heater. The cream was impossibly light, the pastry cr
I stumbled over my words, completely flustered. "Um, um, he's not—I'm not—he's not…" My voice kept tangling up in itself, and I could barely form a coherent sentence. My cheeks were burning, and I could feel everyone around us stealing glances at the commotion I was unintentionally creating.Across the table, Emerson seemed entirely too entertained by my struggle. He leaned back in his chair, one eyebrow raised, lips twitching as though he were fighting back a laugh. It was infuriating.I mean, the waitress wasn’t entirely to blame. If you looked at it logically, it wasn’t all that far-fetched. Eric—my ex-husband—was Emerson’s son. Emerson had Eric when he was 17, with his high school sweetheart, who was only 16 at the time. By the time Eric was born, Emerson had just turned 18, and his girlfriend, now his wife, was 17. They got married a year later when Eric was a toddler.Emerson’s life hadn’t been easy. He worked tirelessly to provide for his teenage wife and child, building a fu
We went back home after our dinner. The flight was great, smooth, and uneventful. I landed softly into sleep for most of it, my body exhausted from being so hyped up the entire weekend. By the time we reached home, it was nearly morning.We climbed into the car, the stillness of the early hour wrapping around us as we headed towards the Blackwind estate. When we arrived, the driver got out, promptly coming around to open our doors. Thomas appeared shortly after, stepping out to help with the bags and unloading the trunk.Emerson reached for my hand and started leading me inside, but I pulled him back.He turned to me, his face puzzled, a hint of surprise in his eyes.“Come on,” he said softly, urging me forward “Let’s go get some shut-eye before tomorrow. I’m sure there’ll be a lot to work and things to deal with at the office today.”He looked tired, his face reflecting the weight of reality waiting to crash in on us. It made me feel sorry for him.“Come on, just give me two minutes,
MinaI was in the delivery room about to bring my baby into this world, and who knew it hurt like hell? Mmh!I was very lucky and very grateful to have my husband here with me. He kept holding my hand, telling me sweet things, and encouraging me when the doctors told me to push. He pushed with me, breathed with me. It was kind of crazy. I don't know, maybe after I was done here I would think about this moment and laugh about it. It was a moment in my life when I really needed him, and I was so, so happy and so grateful to have him here beside me.The two doctors that Mr. Emerson insisted on having here were top in their fields. He didn’t care, he had to fly one in as long as I got everything and I was in great hands.The doctors were great, they were encouraging. I just wanted this moment to be over and for my baby to come into this world so I could hear their cry. We were still in the dark; we didn’t know if we were having a girl or a b
EmmersonThe next morning, I decided to handle things myself. I know Mina’s already been through enough trauma with her family, so I don’t want to involve her in this. She’s still asleep, and I slip out quietly to deal with Eric.I find him at the hotel, slumped over, still asleep. I nudge him with the toe of my shoe, the force making him stir. Slowly, his eyes flicker open, and the haze of sleep and alcohol makes him groggy. He rises, blinking and groaning, his hand clutching his head."Wake up, Eric," I tell him as I open the curtains, letting the bright light flood the room. He immediately shields his eyes, groaning louder."My head... hurts," he mutters, his voice thick with a hangover. He grabs the bottle of water on the bedside table and gulps down a large portion in one go."Last night," he laments, "I didn't like how your men dragged me out of that nightclub.""You call that a nightclub? It was a strip
EmmersonOh yeah?” Mina’s voice is a little high-pitched.And then Rita says something that makes my blood cold.“Of course,” she replies, her voice dripping with arrogance. “I mean if I could take Eric from you so easily before… When you weren’t this heavily pregnant, and we weren’t even living in the same house. Just think how simple it would be to take his father from you now.”Her voice is low and suggestive. Mina scoffs, maybe out of shock, but Rita doesn’t stop.“I mean, look at you,” she continues, mockingly. “You’re pregnant. You can’t even walk properly without someone holding you. You have to be carried just to get around.” She chuckles,“And me?” she adds. “I’m just getting started. The exercises I’ll do, the maintenance I’ll keep up… You know I won't be breastfeeding, right? This baby is feeding from the bottle. Nothing is messing up this....hot body.”In my mind, I can already picture her motioning to her bo
Emmerson By nightfall, the police have already paid us a visit. It’s all over the news. Madeline had a little accident on the highway. Her car hit the side of a bridge and went down under. She suffocated. But I know the truth. Let her feel what it’s like to lose air. Anyway, the point is—she’s dead. The police came because, after her attack on Mina, there was already a record of her actions. They were just here to deliver the report. To tell us that she was gone. That also settled the issue with Rose. Mina had never been convinced that Rose was behind it, and now that Madeline was out of the picture, it was clear she had been wrongfully accused. Mina was shocked with the news, I never thought she would actually be upset after everything. Even though there’s still sadness in her eyes, I can see the difference. She’s no
EmmersonAfter I had taken Mina home, I gave her a bath, making sure she was okay and taken Care of. She was reluctant to eat at first, but I insisted. “You need nutrition,” I reminded her. “I know you don't want to but do it for the baby. You’re pregnant, you're doing it for our baby.”She sighed, but eventually gave in, taking small sips of the warm soup I had prepared. I watched her closely, ensuring she had everything she needed. Then, I sat her down and gently caressed her hair.I kept talking as I did it—about everything and nothing at the same time. Just filling the silence, making sure she felt covered and safe. My voice was low and comforting. I caressed her head, feeling the softness of her scalp, letting her know she wasn’t alone.And then, she fell asleep.Once I was sure she was deep in rest, I finally allowed myself to feel it all—the anger, the frustration, the overwhelming sense of failure.How could I h
As Emerson's voice continued on the phone, offering words of comfort, trying to calm me, I felt my tears flow faster. I couldn't hear him clearly anymore over the noise in my head, the panic, the certainty that I was going to die. I just listened to him, letting his voice be a thread tying me to something.Then, the banging stopped.I hadn't even realized it.Instead, a knock. A soft, reassuring knock."Mina, Mina, come on, open the door," Emerson's voice came through the phone, clearer now.I still didn’t understand what was happening. My mind was so clouded by fear, but hearing his voice… it soothed me in ways I couldn’t explain. I was barely aware of his words, just the sound of him calling my name, telling me it was okay."Emerson, is that you?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper."Yes, it's me. Open the door, Mina."The reality of it hit me. I had been trapped in a nightmare, my heart frozen with terror, bu
I started scribbling on the piece of paper.[I can't do this anymore. I'm going to kill myself.]I set the pen down and exhaled. "Okay, I'm done."Madeline narrowed her eyes. "What did you write so fast?"She stalked toward me, snatched the paper out of my hands, and read it. Her expression darkened, and before I could brace myself, she slapped me hard across the face. The force nearly knocked me out of the chair.A sharp sting spread across my cheek, my vision blurred for a second. My entire face tingled from the impact, and I gritted my teeth, refusing to let a single tear fall.Who knew I would ever be in this situation? Kidnapped at gunpoint. Forced to write my own suicide letter.Madeline took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. Then she smirked."You're smart, Mina. We can argue about a lot of things, but not that. You're a smart little thing, a devious little thing. That’s how you got Emerson i
Madeline’s grip on my arm became almost painful. I could feel the gun on my side, like a silent, invisible threat.I forced a laugh, shaking my head. "Oh, you know... My condition." I gestured vaguely at myself. "It’s still hard for me to get up, takes a while to get out of bed. I was sleeping."Tom stared at me, his eyes searching my face as if he was trying to read through my words.Then, finally, he gave a slow nod. "Okay."But he still didn’t leave."Can I come in?" he asked. "I can give you some company.""No!" The word shot out of my mouth too fast, too loud, too desperate.Madeline pressed the gun against my side, a silent threat, a warning that made my blood turn cold.Tom’s frown deepened.I forced another smile, shaking my head quickly. "I mean—no, it’s okay. I was sleeping. I don’t need company right now."I gave an awkward laugh, motioning toward the inside of the apartment. "If you came in, you’d just be sitting alone because I’m going back to bed."Tom didn’t look conv
"I'm sorry, Madeline, I swear I didn’t—""Just tell me why!" she shouted to my face, her voice filled with frustration.I was shaking, my throat dry, my mind running a mile a minute. "I don't know, okay? Maybe because he was there. He was nice. He was understanding, and he made me feel safe. He made me happy. He made me feel like I could be the person I wanted to be." My voice cracked, and I rushed to explain, desperate for her to believe me. "It was never about his age, Madeline. I always thought he was cute, you know? I always thought he was really handsome. And then when we slept together, I realized I could have everything I ever wanted with him, okay? I'm sorry. I really didn’t know—"She let out a cold laugh, cutting me off. "You're not sorry. Stop trying to act like some innocent girl who thought he was ‘the one.’"Her voice was mocking, twisting my words into something dirty."You don’t even love him. Not really. You love the things he represents." She took a step closer, he