One year and six months later.
“The car is ready, ma’am.” Betty Adams told Elena, as she stepped out of the airport and glanced around the familiar city.
New York had been her home for more than a decade, but after Richard’s betrayal and the accident that shattered her once-perfect life into millions of painful pieces, she couldn’t stay any longer. She needed a break. A change in the scenery. And so did Caleb. The boy had lost his mother and had almost lost his father, too, if not for Elena who refused to pull the plug.
Elena nodded and adjusted the sunglasses on her face.
She was tired, jetlagged, and hungry.
After spending a year and a half in Milan, Italy, she was finally back home.
Betty, her trusted personal assistant, led the way towards the awaiting car.
Elena followed her, her mind drifting to everything that had happened over the past year and a half.
It was still hard to believe that her brother had been in a coma for so long. She thought he would wake up after a few days, but it had been much longer than that. And now, he was still unconscious, stuck in a never-ending sleep.
The doctors said it was unlikely that he would ever wake up, but Elena refused to give up hope. She was determined to keep fighting, to stay strong for her nephew. The only thing that kept her sane all these years. Caleb needed her more than ever now, and she was going to be there for him. She had promised him that much.
Elena climbed into the car and settled down in the back seat.
Betty got in beside her, her tablet in hand.
“Did Caleb have a good flight?” Elena asked, glancing at the woman.
Betty nodded. “Yes, ma’am. He slept most of the way.”
Elena was relieved to hear that.
She had been worried about him. Because of the unfortunate delay in wrapping up her company’s project in Milan, she couldn’t accompany her nephew when he returned to New York three days ago.
If it weren’t for his new school’s strict rules to return a week before the commencement, Elena would have kept him with her. Caleb loved Milan, and she thought he would enjoy staying there with her, but the kid missed home.
“Do you want me to stop anywhere for lunch, Ma’am?” Betty asked, glancing at Elena.
“No, thank you,” Elena replied, shaking her head. “I’d like to go straight home.”
“Of course,” Betty said, tapping something on her tablet.
Elena leaned back in her seat, letting out a sigh.
She was glad to be back in New York. She had missed it. But not as much as she hated it.
She knew coming back would mean facing all the memories she had tried so hard to forget. But that was no reason not to come back home and be there for her brother. The time spent in Milan had been wonderful. It gave her the pleasant distraction she needed to pull herself together and shoulder the responsibilities waiting for her.
That’s when Elena threw herself into work and made it her life. It took her a while to understand the intricate business world, but she had always been a quick learner. And now, after a year and a half of working non-stop, she was one of the youngest entrepreneurs in the United States.
Elena was proud of what she had achieved.
“How is my brother?” Elena asked, wondering if there had been any change in the man’s condition.
Betty gave her a sympathetic look. “I’m afraid nothing’s changed, ma’am. He’s still in a coma.”
Elena’s chest tightened at the news. It was always hard to hear.
In the beginning, Elena had tried to visit as much as she could, hoping one day she would open the door and there he would be, awake and smiling. But as time passed, it became harder to face the reality. There was no improvement in her brother’s condition, and the doctors were starting to lose hope. Elena refused to give up, though. She believed he would wake up someday, that he would come back to her.
Maybe not now, but soon. She had to hold onto that hope.
“Have you checked on Caleb?” Elena asked, changing the subject.
Betty nodded. “Yes, ma’am. He’s doing well. The tutor I hired for him seems to be working out fine. And the housekeeper says he’s eating well.”
Elena was glad to hear that.
She had been worried about her nephew. He had suffered so much already. She wanted him to be happy, to feel safe and secure.
When the car pulled up outside the impressive white mansion, Elena took a moment to admire the place. She had forgotten how beautiful it was. The perfectly manicured lawns, the marble fountain, the lush greenery; it was all so breathtaking.
The mansion was built in the Neo-Gothic style, with tall windows and pointed arches. It was truly magnificent.
Betty got out first, opening the door for Elena.
As soon as she stepped out, she saw a figure running towards her.
Caleb.
Elena’s heart swelled at the sight of him. She had missed him so much.
He crashed into her, hugging her tightly. “Auntie!” he exclaimed, beaming up at her.
“Caleb,” Elena smiled, kissing his forehead.
“Did you bring me presents?”
Elena laughed.
“Always straight to the point.”
“Well, did you?” Caleb pressed, looking up at her expectantly.
“Hmm, maybe,” Elena teased, reaching into her bag and pulling out a small T-rex figurine.
“What the hell? That thing’s amazing!” Caleb shouted in excitement and grabbed it, giving his aunt a hug.
Elena smiled, glad to see the gift had gone over well. Caleb had always been easy to please. The boy never gave her a hard time.
“Alright,” she said, pushing Caleb to the side gently. “Go inside and wash up. We’ll have lunch together.”
Caleb nodded and scampered away towards the front doors, still clutching the toy in his hands.
Elena watched him go, feeling her heart break all over again. How could anyone take that light away from the world? The little boy’s energy made her miss Josh all the more.
She felt tears forming, but she fought them back. She couldn’t show that kind of weakness. She had a long battle ahead of her.
This was just the beginning.
With her shoulders straightened, Elena turned towards her home.
“Let’s get to work.”
The next morning, as Elena barely stepped out of the car on her way to the NYC office, a beautiful woman in an equally stunning designer dress stood in front of her, blocking her way. Elena frowned, her four guards mere microseconds away from pushing the woman aside, when Elena’s gaze fell on the woman’s face, and a smile, full of surprise, cracked across her lips. “Danika?” Elena chuckled, silently gesturing her guards to stand back as a familiar face smiled brightly at her. “You slut!” Danika grinned, throwing her arms around her best friend. “You’re actually back, and the first thing you do is head for work? What kind of joke is that? Get on that phone and cancel all your plans. Today, you’re all mine. We are getting shit-faced drunk, and you’re telling me EVERYTHING. Is that understood?” Elena hugged her friend before pulling away. “Don’t you think it’s too early to get drunk?” Danika laughed heartily, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Not early enough to not have a good
Simon Walsh gazed at the transparent hologram of the old artefact revolving in the air, his deep and dark eyes glistering in deep contemplation.This was going to be the next treasure in his collection.He could finally tell where the crown came from: Byzantine, and once belonged to a concubine who lived in the early 400. The last three red rubies dangling between two white pearl strands were carefully wrapped in platinum chains, making a dazzling decoration, just like any royalty jewels.And to think about how lucky he was for the final negotiation to be able to buy the crown?Simon let out a self-deprecating grin, remembering how many times he nearly lost the item, with his secret rival throwing hundreds of bidders between the table to completely confuse the entire market.Despite losing her nearly thrice, Simon would soon have the crown in the palm of his hand. He was certain of it, for no other jeweller in the States could afford that beauty with the price he had settled down at.T
A year ago in Paris. After a long and hectic day at work, Elena was glad to finally get a break. It was night and each of her staff had already left. She was exhausted and wanted nothing but to sit down and relax. She could feel her body was aching, her back hurting and her legs were wobbly. She was ready to call it a night and go back home. Elena walked out of the building and took in the cool Paris air. It was a relief to her after spending the whole day inside. She could feel the freshness of the air seeping in and filling her lungs. She closed her eyes and let the cool breeze caress her cheeks, enjoying the quiet and peace. But then she paused in her footsteps and remembered that Caleb would be having a sleepover at his best friend’s house. And it was only her who had to go back home. Alone. Alone, without anyone to share the bed with. Alone, without anyone to hold her tight and warm her heart. The thought made her sad. After the betrayal from her ex-fucking-husband, she ha
“So, what do you say, Elena?” He coiled a stray curl of hers around his finger, giving her a gentle tug. “Would you like to get out of here and go somewhere more private?”His offer caught her so damn off guard, her heart began to beat faster, and she never really realized that she never gave him her name during their entire exchange. The truth was, she had come to the bar to hook up with someone, and this guy was certainly attractive enough. Enough for her to ignore the fact he seemed to be aware of her identity despite meeting her the first time.“Um, I don’t know,” she replied, biting her lower lip.The stranger leaned in close, his face mere inches away from hers.“I think you do,” he whispered, his breath hot against her ear.His words sent a shiver down her spine, and she could feel herself starting to grow aroused. It had been such a long time since she felt like this.He slipped her hand in his and pulled her to him, moving her between his legs. He kissed the side of her neck
The stranger looked up at her, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Not yet,” he murmured. Elena groaned with frustration, but she knew there was no point in trying to resist him. He was in complete control, and all she could do was submit to his desires. The stranger began to kiss his way down her body once more, this time not stopping until he reached her aching pussy. He planted a soft kiss on her inner thigh, and then ran his tongue along her slit, tasting her arousal. She shuddered, already on the brink of orgasm. He flicked his tongue against her clit, sending waves of pleasure through her body. Elena couldn’t help but cry out, shutting her eyes tightly and grabbing fistfuls of the sheets as he continued his ministrations. She could feel herself getting closer and closer to climax, and when he slipped two fingers inside of her, she lost control. Her body convulsed, and she let out a loud moan as she came hard, her juices flowing out of her and all over the stranger’s fingers. B
[PRESENT]The masquerade ball, one month later, was nothing short of spectacular.The event was held at the Plaza, which was decorated with an opulent array of flowers and fairy lights. A live band played music that could be heard throughout the entire venue, and the guests mingled and danced with one another, their outfits the height of fashion and their masks an elaborate collection of feathers, lace, and jewels.In the midst of it all was Elena, wearing a floor-length gown of navy blue silk and a mask covered in silver beading. Her dark hair was swept up into an elegant twist, and her lips were painted a deep red. She looked gorgeous and she knew that, but the night was hardly about her. It was about the company, and it was about Josh.Elena had thrown the ball, inviting all the richest and most influential people in the world, in the hopes of drawing in the attention of the man who was known to have all the answers.Simon Walsh. The president of the Walsh Group of Companies. The m
“We’re here, sir,” his chauffeur said.Richard McDowell looked up from the screen of his phone and out the window of his car, realising that they had reached the venue for the ball thrown by M & S Group. He sighed deep into his chest and tucked the phone into the pocket of his suit coat, stealing a glance at the young woman sitting next to him on the plush seat of the car.“Are you sure about this?” He asked Cecelia as he watched his step-sister redo the clasp of the diamond necklace around her neck.Cecelia raised her eyes at him, her delicate brow furrowed with confusion. “What do you mean?”He shrugged, trying to look nonchalant about the whole thing. “We don’t have to be here. I don’t feel like it.”“Are you insane?” She scoffed, incredulous at his behaviour. “This is one of the most exclusive parties in the year. How can we not attend?”Well, that was one thing for sure. He couldn’t deny that. The only problem was, he wasn’t feeling that well. Since the incident a year and a half
Cecelia loved the mystery of the night just as much as the next person, she was not oblivious to the attention she was getting. People were watching her everywhere she went, their eyes following her every move like they were all waiting for something to happen. Cecelia couldn’t help but preen under such intense attention. She loved being the centre of attention. It made her feel powerful and strong in a way that nothing else could.But then, when she least expected it, a waitress, out of absolutely nowhere, bumped into her and spilled wine all over her dress. Cecelia was furious as she turned around and glared at the girl.“What the hell? Are you blind?”“I-I’m so sorry!” She said, her voice shaking as she held up a bunch of napkins in her hands as if that would make a difference.Cecelia cursed under her breath, but as she looked around and noticed everyone was watching her, she forced herself to smile, acting as if everything was fine and she didn’t care at all. She snatched the napk