Emerson's tongue moves with mine, our breaths mingling, and the kiss deepening. I open up to him, letting him lead, giving back just as much as I get. He pulls me closer with his hands on my waist as they wander towards my neck, pulling my hair to the side gently so he's able to take my mouth harder in his. Fingers threading through my hair like he’s gripping onto something fragile, pulling me closer to him so our bodies are touching. The pressure of his lips and the heat of him is magical. His hand is on my waist, massaging me, touching me, exploring me, sending a heat wave towards my core centre and I feel hot all over. My body reacts instinctively, one hand moving to his neck, holding him closer, the other sliding along his arm. I can feel my body shift, my desire cheering me on to climb onto him when suddenly….Crash!The sound is sharp, cutting all the sexual tension between us. We both freeze, our heads snapping towards the source. Madeline stands there, eyes wide and filled w
I got to the office early, as I usually did, though not as early as I had planned. A few people were already there. I smiled and waved, bringing back the old Mina, the one they all remembered. They greeted me back, but behind their tight, sarcastic smiles, I could see the judgment. They thought they knew everything, just because they had read a few articles about me in some magazines online. I took it in stride and walked into my office, shutting the door behind me.I started working on a document I had been working on before my leave. At exactly 8 o'clock, Eric walked in. His presence was unmistakable, and I could feel the air get charged immediately. I smiled brightly, expecting him to throw his first punch. He walked in with an air of confidence, his smile too big, too wide, too smug. There was a look in his eyes, one of triumph, that immediately put me on alert. He had something up his sleeve."Good morning, Eric. How may I help you?" I asked, keeping my voice professional, supp
The smugness on Eric's face faltered, and before he could find or gather something to say, I continued, "If you want to keep your job, I suggest you get out of my office and start working on the project I placed on your desk…..the one I’m sure you haven’t even touched yet. I am not doing your work for you anymore."I gave him a mocking smile, my voice filled with fake happiness and pleasantries. "I know you just got back from your honeymoon. Congrats on your wedding, by the way. But now it’s time to get back to work."I snapped my fingers twice. "Cha-cha, Eric. Please. Go. To. Work."His eyes widened in fury, his voice dripping with contempt as he spat, "Are you crazy or just stupid?"Unbothered, I calmly reached for the letter, handing it to him. "You might want to read this," I said, my tone as casual, calm and collected as ever. As Eric scanned the document, I could see the colour drain from his face. Whatever confidence he had walked in with was now evaporating, leaving him
I watched him Eric leave, a smirk playing on my lips as I leaned back in my chair, already knowing how this was going to end.I took my time, instructing my secretary and Wendy, the nosiest woman in the office, to start clearing out Eric’s belongings. Wendy, who had a talent for poking her head into everything, was all too eager to get involved. The two worked silently, putting Eric's things into boxes while moving my belongings into the corner office that had once been his. I sat in his chair, turning it around, letting my eyes watch over the view and admiring the space. As much as I knew this position came partly due to my relationship with Emerson, I also knew I had worked damn hard for it. I deserved this and I didn't care how I got it. I would have done the morally right thing by waiting for Eric to clear out his own office, but considering how he had treated me this morning, he didn't deserve it. Plus I knew he was going to make a fuss. As they continued setting up, I couldn't
Eric’s eyes shifted towards me, his eyes sharp, accusing and hostile. "You," he hissed, "humiliating me, using him against me!""Eric, you need to calm down," I said, trying to maintain composure as he began walking toward me. His movements were tense, deliberate. There was something dangerous in the way he carried himself, something that told me he wasn't thinking clearly and he might do something he would later regret."Eric, stop going after her," Emerson's voice interrupted, still controlled, but I could see a slight irritation or maybe fear in his eyesBut Eric wasn't listening. He was in too deep. "You're telling me you can't see through her? You can't see through what she's doing to you?" His voice rose with desperation. "She doesn't love you. She married you to hurt me!"Eric's voice cracked. Betrayal and disbelief in his words. "You are my father. I can't believe you're standing with this woman to get revenge on your own son, to hurt your own son." He pointed to himself, h
I glanced between Emerson and Eric, at them both. Emerson looked at his son, and then back at me. I could see the struggle in his eyes, the battle inside him. When I asked Emerson to marry me that night, after he proposed to me, I never expected it to reach this far, to be standing at this crossroads. To destroy Emerson's relationship with his son, his only child.I know Emerson didn’t grow up with any siblings, and Eric is the only family he has left in this world. Eric knows this too, and that’s why he’s using it as a weapon, trying to force his father’s hand.Eric and Emerson are not very close, But They’ve always had a good relationship, at least as much as one could expect given everything they’d been through. When Eric was younger, he used to be his father’s shadow, always by his side. The two were like peas in a pod, Eric looked up to his father. But after Emerson's marriage fell apart and he caught his wife with another man, it created a rift between him and his son. Eric h
When Eric left, Emerson sighed deeply, his eyes shifting towards me. "What the hell was that?" he asked flatly, the disbelief and displeasure unmistakable. He really didn’t want me to quit, and now, it was clear he was also angry."Oh, please don’t be angry, Emerson," I tried to say as I walked towards him, but he silenced and stopped me with his hand, stopping me in my tracks."Let’s go inside. I’m not having another match out here," he said, his voice filled with frustration. "Eric was enough for a lifetime."We walked inside towards his secretary’s desk. She must have been listening in, as she did her best to appear disinterested in us, fiddling with papers and avoiding eye contact. But it was obvious she had been eavesdropping, and I couldn’t blame her. The screaming had been enough to draw anyone’s attention.Emerson didn’t spare her a glance as he marched straight into his office. I followed quietly behind. He opened the door and stood by it, waiting for me to pass through. Th
Emerson then continued his voice cold. "Just because I’m going to marry you doesn’t mean you can make decisions for me, or help me make decisions, or tell me how to treat my son. He is my son. I’ve been raising him since he was born, and after his mother left, I raised him all by myself. I know him better than you! You were married for three years, and you couldn’t even figure out how to reach him. You didn't have the slightest idea he was going behind your back until it was too late."His words cut through me, twisting unmercifully inside me."So next time," he went on, each word sharp and deliberate, "just like I told you before we got into this agreement, I am going to remind you again…..don’t make a move without me. And you went ahead and made a huge decision like that without me."I couldn’t take it anymore. I stood up, my heart pounding. "You know what, Emerson? I'm not going to sit here and let you talk to me like that. I already quit, and I am not taking it back so deal with
Mina I 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 boy. I was just waiting for that moment wh
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