~~Continuation~~Shit. Now what? I didn't even know that was how I sounded. I scrambled to correct myself. "No, of course not," I said quickly. And that was the truth.I exhaled, choosing my words carefully. "I’ve seen Diana. I’ve seen the way he behaves with her. And despite me not trying to win him over or fight for something that never belonged to me, he still looked in my direction. He chose me. Isn't that a sign that, despite his feelings, Diana was never truly what he wanted?"Big Joe exhaled sharply, then leaned back in his chair."Huh," he muttered. "What a strong faith you have in your beliefs."I forced a small smile. "All thanks to my parents," I replied, though my palms were already sweaty.Shit. Is it over now? I wondered, my heart hammering in my chest.He didn’t move or speak at first—just stared at
~~~~~My mind went blank the moment our lips met. Nothing else mattered—just the warmth of his hands gripping my waist and the way his tongue danced against mine, deepening the kiss.I murmured his name, "Eric…" against his lips."Come with me," he whispered, his voice low and filled with something I couldn’t quite decipher.He grasped my hand, his touch firm yet careful, and pulled me along. I didn’t resist. I couldn’t. My body moved on instinct, following him as if it had always belonged to him.There was a saying—once you’ve had a taste of something, the second time, resistance crumbles. Maybe that was why, even though I knew exactly where he was taking me, I didn’t fight it. I should have. I should have at least pretended to hesitate, to push back, to remind both of us that this was dangerous, that it was wrong.But I didn’t.Because in that moment, nothing felt more right than his hand wrapped around mine, leading me toward the one place we both knew we shouldn’t be.As he pushed
~~~I woke up the next morning to find Eric wasn’t beside me. But instead of feeling anxious, my mind drifted to the last few hours of blissful lovemaking.No one ever told me it feels this good to be loved, I thought, giggling softly, almost like a little girl.I spent a few moments tossing and turning on the bed, my thoughts swirling. Eric was finally mine. But then... reality hit hard. I’m no longer a virgin, I sighed. I don’t even know if that’s a good thing or a bad one. I muttered to the empty room, “What am I going to do now?”There was Nora, who paid me to pretend to be Eric’s wife, not actually be his wife. And then there was Diana—if she found out about this, she'd probably kill me. And my own family, who raised me with values. What the hell am I supposed to do?“Ahhhh, damn,” I cursed aloud.“Not regretting last night now
~~~~I knew no matter who I was to him; I couldn’t just walk in unannounced. So, I pulled out my phone and sent him a message: “On my way now.” It wasn’t long before he replied, “Then come, I’m waiting.”I exhaled slowly, taking a deep breath. Meeting your lover—or husband—with coworkers is always a bit nerve-wracking. Sure, they might have seen Diana before, but if they saw me… I sighed as the car pulled over in front of the huge building.Come on, you’re Mary Black, wife to the handsome Eric Black. Pull yourself together and show them why he chose you over Lockwood, I thought, steeling myself for what lay ahead.With that thought in mind, I got out of the car while the driver followed behind me. I stepped into the building, and couldn’t help but think, Oh wow… it’s like a little slice of paradise on earth. Of course, I couldn’t admire i
~~~~~Carol stood at the other end of the room, leaving Shalom and Kira to answer to Eric, who looked absolutely livid.With a loud and controlled voice as he asked, “Which one of you called my wife a street hooker?”I stood beside him, watching as Kira glanced at Shalom before turning back to Eric, completely unfazed.“I did,” she said without a hint of remorse. “I mean, just look at the way she’s dressed—ugh, anyone can tell.” She rolled her eyes before adding with a scoff, “And please, what do you mean your wife? If you’re going to marry anyone, it’s obviously going to be Diana. Everyone knows that. Not some random nobody.”A loud gasp escaped Mrs. Carol, and I swore I saw Eric’s fingers twitch; he barely controlled his anger.Oh, that’s it.I had tolerated enough from the Lockwood’s. Clearly, Diana wasn’t the only one with a few screws loose. It was becoming painfully obvious that she h
~~~~~But there were too many things that didn’t make sense, and I wasn’t going to find the answers until I asked him.I must have given myself away because Eric turned to me, his brows knitting together.“What is it?” he asked, catching onto my confused expression.I hesitated before sighing. “Ugh… It’s just… A few days ago, your mother called. She mentioned something about your uncle agreeing to pass the will to you and wanted me to inform you about the family meeting this weekend.” I paused, watching him closely, but he didn’t react—not even a drop of surprise.“She was happy,” I continued, searching his face for any hint of emotion. “And the way she kept thanking me, it felt like she was serious… even though it hasn’t been six months yet.”Still nothing.I exhaled, deciding to just lay it all out. “Earlier, you said something about this being more than the contract.” I bit my lip. “I’m confused. Does that mean we have to end the contract now, or do we wait until the six months are
~~~~I watched as he stripped me bare, he left no part unturned with his mouth, as his hand moved down to my sex.A strange sensation coursed through me—deeper, more intense than the first time, while my whole body was stirred.I bit down on my hand, desperately trying to stifle my moans, but it was useless. The pleasure was too intense, too consuming, as I felt his fingers slide into my wet fold.“Don’t hold it in, my love,” he whispered against my skin, his voice soaked with raw desire. “As much as I want to bury myself inside you, hearing your moans is what I long for. I want you to beg for more.”His fingers plunged deep, curling right enough for him to find my sweet spot, igniting a fire that spread through my entire body. A sinful moan tore from my lips, shattering any restraint I had left.“Eric… Aaaahhh,” I gasped, my back arching as pleasure coiled tightly within me. “Don&
~~~~After that mind-blowing office sex, Eric stuck to me like glue—kissing, touching, and stealing every opportunity to have his hands on me. It became a routine for me to visit him in his office without an invitation, and he never seemed to mind.The following week, his father’s will was finally handed over to him. His stepbrother and mother had no say in the matter, and the victory felt odd. Mrs. Nora hugged me countless times, whispering her thanks in my ear, her friendliness kind of surprise me but I didn’t say anything.For a while, I half-expected a call from her—maybe to remind me of the contract or to end it altogether. But no such call came. Neither Eric nor his mother brought up the topic again, and eventually, I let it slip to the back of my mind. At least for now, I just wanted to enjoy this new love I had found.But that wasn’t even the issue anymore.For some reason, Eric had developed a habit of draggin
Continuations~~~~~~By the time morning came, I woke up feeling like I’d been hit by a truck. My muscles ached from all the running around, and mentally, I was just drained. I needed a moment. I needed to breathe.Without thinking too much, I got up and headed to the bathroom. “I’m beat,” I murmured as I slipped out of my nightwear and sank into the bathtub. There’s nothing more relaxing than soaking in rose-scented hot water. It’s heaven—like my bones were finally sighing in relief.I stayed there longer than I planned, just letting the heat melt everything away. When I finally got out, towel wrapped around me, I caught sight of the chaos I left behind the night before—twenty different outfits scattered across the bed.I sighed again.The thought of going to Black’s Enterprise had kept me up most of the night. It’s been months since I last saw Eric. And after that little stunt I p
~~~~~After that day, I spent the following week with my family—taking them out, making sure they got used to the new environment.I still needed to convince my mother that this place was far better than that dump.Although, to avoid confusion and the media, I had to take them to places where I wasn’t well recognized, always covering my face with sunglasses.Despite the fact that my family was here, and I was happy seeing the way Lisa and Lora’s eyes sparkled at the sight of the new clothes, shoes, and accessories I got for them, I couldn’t shake this feeling deep in my chest. Despite the joy of being reunited with my family, I felt... disconnected, like I was smiling on the outside but drowning inside.Since that call from Nora, my mind and heart have been a storm of confusion and guilt. I pretended to be okay for the sake of my family, but no matter how many times I told myself to focus on them, my thoughts kept circling back to Eric.I worried about his health. I wondered if he wa
Continuations~~~~~~My ring… my wedding ring.I thought I’d hidden it well.He held it out to me, his hand hovering in the air, while I just stood there, staring at it like it had grown teeth. My fingers didn’t move.Sighing, he gently took my hand and placed the ring in my palm. Then, keeping his hand over mine, he looked straight at me.“You’re grown now, Mary. And there’s a part of you—no matter how much we love you—that we no longer know,” he said calmly, but with a heaviness in his voice that only a father could carry. “Still, no matter how old you get, there are some decisions you shouldn’t make without talking to us first. You know that, right?”Shit. He figured it out just from the ring?“Yes, Papa… I do,” I murmured, nodding. “And I promise, when the time is right, I’ll tell you everything… all the parts of me you don’t know yet. But please, for now… just don’t tell Mother. Not yet.”“Of course,” he said gently. “I’ll wait until you’re ready to talk. But don’t take too long,
~~~~But of course, my mother wasn’t done. She never was. She always loved having the final say.Just to confirm my suspicion, she turned back to me, arms folded and tone firmer than ever.“Yes, I’ll say it again… we’re not settling here,” she stated with finality. “After we’ve saved enough, we’re going back home—and that’s final.”“Okay, I know I’m not supposed to interrupt when the elders are talking, but…” Lisa cut in, raising her hand a little.“Sorry, but I’m not going back to Chicago,” she announced plainly.“Me too,” Lora added quickly. “I like it here.”“Enough,” Mom snapped at them, her voice sharp. “This isn’t up for discussion.”I turned to my father, desperate.“Dad! You’re not saying anything. Are you seriously going to let all
~~~~For the first time in years, I felt safe, loved, and at ease—this was truly where I belonged. In my mother’s arms.“Mother… Mo… ther… Oh, Mom!” I wailed, like a child who had been abandoned, even though I was the one who had left.The years of separation, the pain, all of it came rushing back, and I couldn’t hold back anymore. Slowly, I lifted my head from my mother’s chest, and I saw Lara and Lisa frozen in place, both of them crying, smiling through their tears.“Hey…” I managed to choke out, raising a shaky hand toward them. “Don’t leave me hanging,” I whispered through a tearful smile.“Sis…” Lisa and Lara cried, their voices breaking as they rushed toward me.And then, we cried together, the weight of all the years apart crashing over us like a wave.Then there were heavy footsteps, and my heart lurched at the sound. “What’s going on? I heard screams,” my father’s voice rang out, followed by the door bursting open. His worried expression turned to confusion as he looked from
~~~~As I got closer to the top of the stairs, I could hear laughter and chatter coming from one of the rooms—the twin bedroom. The room I had specially prepared for Lisa and Lora. I should’ve felt joy, but instead, all I felt was fear.Funny how I felt more scared seeing my family again than I did standing in front of the whole world defending Eric Black’s unfaithfulness.I paused for a moment, catching my reflection in the windowpane. I had never felt so small, not even when I was still the innocent little Mary.Yes, I looked more beautiful now—refined, mature, confident—but for some reason, the thought of meeting my mother’s eyes made my knees weak. She was my mother, the woman I grew up watching, learning from, and admiring. But if she found out what I had done—how I’d gone against everything she and Dad raised me to believe in... I couldn’t even imagine what would happen.Worse still—
~~~~Sam took a deep breath. If it hadn’t been for the fact that he witnessed how she overpowered his boss with just a single call, he wouldn’t have believed her to be connected to a powerful man like Eric Black of the Black Empire, let alone being his wife.Of all the celebrities he had come across, who seemed to control wealth without needing to be told—just from their appearance, their cars, and the guards surrounding them—you could tell they held wealth beyond your wildest imagination. That was why, when he first saw her and heard that she was a Black, Sam had questioned it and even thought she might be a scammer. How could someone with so much wealth to rule the world be so simple? He would never understand.While Sam was still deep in thought, Mrs. Johnson appeared out of nowhere, scaring him out of his thoughts.“So, how long do we have to wait here?” she asked.“Jeez, woman, don’t do that!&rdq
~~~~Lockwood Mansion“Hahaha! Oh my God! My stomach—ha-ha!” Ruth, Diana’s secretary, laughed so hard she collapsed onto the floor, clutching her sides. “I swear, that woman is a superwoman! Jesus—did you hear everything she said?” She gasped between breaths, turning to Diana.But Diana was far from amused.“How dare that bitch!?” she roared, her face contorted in rage. She stormed around her lavish apartment, knocking over a glass from the coffee table. “I’M NOT A DAMN DRUG ADDICT!” she screamed.Still laughing, Ruth wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “Did you see the way she flipped everything on you and that reporter? I mean—damn! That was brutal.”Diana whirled around, her glare sharp enough to cut steel. “You’re not helping,
~~~~For crying out loud, where should I even start? I questioned myself as the eyes around the room seemed to be pressuring me into saying something. This is what everyone’s been waiting for, no doubt. Even though I promised to make Diana pay, I never expected her to reveal this much.What should I do?“Mrs. Black?” Berry called, smiling that smug smile.I turned to her calmly. “Yes?”“You’re silent?” she said, her tone sharp.“That I am!” I replied just as calmly.“Why? Is it that you don’t have anything to say, or should we just count your silence as you agreeing with it being true?” She added, her words dripping with sarcasm. “Not that it is not.”Take a deep breath, Mary. You’ve got this.“You don’t have to count my silence for anything,” I said, my voice steady. “I was just wonde