POV Lisa.I pretended to pass out to buy some time. Time why exactly? I do not have the faintest idea. I am paralyzed with fear, but I will probably not give this man the pleasure of seeing me cry. He untied me to lie on a mattress on the floor and left to do I don't know what else. I rub my ankles and wrists which have turned purple from being tied up for so long. I then put my hand to my belly, as if it could save my little baby from feeling all the stress I was feeling right now. My God what am I going to do? How am I gonna get out of this shit? I'm only sure of one thing, I have to get out of here. I have to find a way to leave before he comes back. I get up and walk to the window, it's way too high for me to see anything. I look around for something to pull myself up to the window. I finally see a chair a little further. I go get it and climb on it. I look through the glass and see nothing but black, it is dark night and in the distance I can even see the mountains.Where did thi
POV Drake.I watch Lisa sleep and stroke her belly, she's gorgeous. I bury my head in her hair and breathe in her scent. I do this ritual every morning, to be sure that what I am experiencing is real. This happiness that I live with her seems so sensitive to me that I myself would not believe it if someone had told me. I leave a last kiss and I go down to the kitchen without making a sound. I decided to cherish the beings I love the most, namely my wife and my daughter who is still in her womb. Sometimes I think back to what happened that evening and I tell myself that if things had turned out differently, I would never have found the woman I love. …After Mason told me that Ryan had committed suicide, I didn't know how to react. I was sad, I never wanted him dead. Ryan was my brother and even though he didn't believe him, I loved him. I loved my brother and I wanted him to be a better person. I had at this moment a succession of emotions which mi
POV Lisa. "Come on Lisa, walk with me. " I roll my eyes, I'm really starting to regret coming to Paris. Amélie is my best friend, but also my worst executioner! What she can't understand in I absolutely don't want to go out? I want to stay warm in my bed and finish this magnificent best seller I started on the plane. "Go ahead, you need it, you've been working all week. "I finally answer. "But you also realize that you came to Paris and that the only thing you find better to do is to read books. " "But we went out last weekend! " "So what? You're going home in a couple of days, we have to mark the occasion and finish on a high note. " I finally get up and go to the bedroom, if I don't do what she wants, she will never leave me alone, I know her too well. I pick out a pair of jeans and a sweater and throw them on the bed and go take a bath. I came to Paris because I hadn't seen my childhood friend for ages. Amélie was my neighbor when we were little. Her mansion was very c
POV Lisa. I am as if hypnotized by the scene that is playing out before me. It seems that the man and the woman are one, that they complement each other, or that they perform a perfectly executed ballet. I make a circular movement with my head to look at the people around me. It is then that I see him, he is sitting on a sofa a little apart, one foot crossed on the other, the distant glance, he wears pants and a black shirt, the sleeves of this one raised to his elbows. His gaze meets mine and for a moment I am chilled by all the coldness I see in his eyes, I catch myself wondering if a smile would warm his face. I close my eyes and shake my head, I have to stop looking at him and I have to get out of here, something as absurd as this woman being beaten can't please me. No, it can't. I pull Amelie's hand and drag her away. "What the hell is this circus? Why did you bring me here?" "To tell you the truth, I have no idea, I just felt like it. " "But I don't like this kind of
Things happen at a remarkable speed, Amélie encourages me to go with him by telling me to let myself go just for one night. With the help of alcohol, I finally agreed, one night, one night only, and went back to my boring life.I knew from the moment our eyes met that a bond had been created between him and me, something that only he and I understand. So I am not even surprised to find myself with him in the lobby of the Plazza, one of the biggest hotels in Paris. For a moment, I am amazed by the refinement of the place, three years after I last set foot in a luxury establishment. The receptionist looks at him with admiration, she smiles at him and he kindly returns her smile. Then her gaze falls on me, she looks at me as if I were a nobody. Her look makes me uncomfortable. My lover, whose name I still don't know, leads us to the elevator. I remain silent, I think the effects of the alcohol are wearing off and I realize now what I am about to do. The elevator doors open and he gets
POV Lisa. I'm awake at the first light of dawn, my body is totally ankylosed, but it's a pretty nice pain, one I've never felt except maybe when Brian took the virginity in the backseat of his Lamborghini. I stretch and watch him sleep, he's so handsome I can't believe he was interested in me for a moment. And that's what it was all about, a pause, a moment of distraction that I must now forget. I slowly get out of bed and pick up my things. I know this kind of men, it is the style of men who sleep with women and throw them away the next day, I refuse to be a number more his list of conquests. I put on my clothes and grab my purse and shoes as I go. I tiptoe out and close the door behind me. I head for the elevator and lean against the wall. I burst out laughing, taking my head in my hands, I can't believe it's me who did such a crazy thing, but what the hell was I thinking? But I wouldn't change a thing, I loved what happened, no I loved it, but I'm realistic enough to know that
POV Lisa.Three years earlier... I come home and overhear my parents' conversation. "What's this about Frank?" My mother asks. "I lost everything, Anna. " "But how can that be? Everything was fine yesterday. " "I was tricked, cheated, like a common rookie. I placed all the shares and lost them. " "That's not a big deal, honey, we still have our personal property and my share of the inheritance. There's also the house. " My father was silent for a moment. Then I heard the muffled sound of my mother. "No, Frank, you didn't! " my mother shouted."I thought I was going to get the double. " "Then you placed all of our belongings and even our daughters' belongings. How could you do such a stupid thing. " "I..." "What will become of us? " I opened the door to my parents' office and saw my mother collapsed on the floor. "Mom?" "Oh honey, you should be in college by now. " "I forgot one of my books so I came to get it. What's going on? " "Nothing let's see what would you like
POV Drake. Name : Lisa SimonAge : Twenty-six years old Height : One meter seventyFavorite color : RedBlood type: O positiveWeight: Fifty kilos. There's even her waist and the size of her measurements. I know absolutely everything about her. I wrinkle my nose, she is way too skinny. I close the file in front of me with a sadistic smile. She may not know it yet, but she belongs to me. Eric looks at me with a strange expression."You seem satisfied. " "I am. " "I don't understand, usually you prefer blondes or redheads, but not brunettes. What changed this time? " I stand in front of the window and watch the cars go by in front of me. What has changed this time? I have no idea. All I can say is that I wanted it the first time I saw it. When I received her recommendation from Evelyne in my office for the executive assistant position, I was drawn to her gaze. Her eyes were empty of any emotion, as if she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. At the same time,
POV Drake.I watch Lisa sleep and stroke her belly, she's gorgeous. I bury my head in her hair and breathe in her scent. I do this ritual every morning, to be sure that what I am experiencing is real. This happiness that I live with her seems so sensitive to me that I myself would not believe it if someone had told me. I leave a last kiss and I go down to the kitchen without making a sound. I decided to cherish the beings I love the most, namely my wife and my daughter who is still in her womb. Sometimes I think back to what happened that evening and I tell myself that if things had turned out differently, I would never have found the woman I love. …After Mason told me that Ryan had committed suicide, I didn't know how to react. I was sad, I never wanted him dead. Ryan was my brother and even though he didn't believe him, I loved him. I loved my brother and I wanted him to be a better person. I had at this moment a succession of emotions which mi
POV Lisa.I pretended to pass out to buy some time. Time why exactly? I do not have the faintest idea. I am paralyzed with fear, but I will probably not give this man the pleasure of seeing me cry. He untied me to lie on a mattress on the floor and left to do I don't know what else. I rub my ankles and wrists which have turned purple from being tied up for so long. I then put my hand to my belly, as if it could save my little baby from feeling all the stress I was feeling right now. My God what am I going to do? How am I gonna get out of this shit? I'm only sure of one thing, I have to get out of here. I have to find a way to leave before he comes back. I get up and walk to the window, it's way too high for me to see anything. I look around for something to pull myself up to the window. I finally see a chair a little further. I go get it and climb on it. I look through the glass and see nothing but black, it is dark night and in the distance I can even see the mountains.Where did thi
POV Drake.A week after my conversation with Mason, I hosted a family reunion at my parents' house. I needed answers, I needed to hear why Ryan did everything he did. He almost ruined my company, I would have lost practically everything if Mason had not discovered in time everything that was going on. I take my head in my hands and breathe. Everyone is present, of course Ryan is not there yet. I isolate myself in the library and try to reach Lisa. When I turn on my phone, I see that she tried to reach me, I call her back. His phone is out of service. I sigh, I really need to hear his voice. Damn, I need her right now more than ever. But it's complicated to be able to talk to each other and even more to see each other lately. She has a lot to manage on her side and me too, so much that we absolutely have more time for each other.When I try to get out, the light in the library comes on and I see my father sitting in the back of the room, a glass of whiskey in his hands." Dad ? What ar
“Miss Simon? “I jump when a hand lands on my shoulder, I raise my head and meet my mother's gaze, who is looking at me with a worried air. "Are you alright sweetie? “I smile at her reassuringly and she gently presses my hand to infuse me with her strength. I take a sip of water and look at the lawyers in front of me. I feel Brian's gaze on me, but that's the last thing I can really worry about today. I can't believe his bitch of a mother called a fucking conciliation meeting, as if that could solve the problem between us. Right now, I'm so on edge that I'm able to get on that table and rip his head off.“I'm sure we can find an agreement. ” She said in her sour old voice. “I can't believe you can even think of this possibility! I said banging hard on the table. “You can't just show up and take everything that belongs to us! Brian's mother continues. “You mean the money your husband stole from mine? ” My mother said.“Things didn't happen…” “Shut up! I told him in a surprisingl
POV DrakeI watch the cars go by from my office window, it's crazy how much I miss these moments. My office, my employees, everything, absolutely everything. I decided to come to work today. I needed it after what happened this weekend, I needed to get out of the house and think about something else that wasn't related to our personal problems. First, there's the most important thing, which is this thing with Lisa and Moncrief. After receiving the briefcase, we went to the police station the next day to lodge a complaint. What was supposed to be handled discreetly ended up in the media spotlight, triggering a media frenzy. Moncrief managed to escape, but his son and wife are under investigation to find out whether they were also complicit in his actions. Personally, I think there's no way this man could have done what he did without telling his wife or even his idiot son. Their businesses have been suspended and they too are under investigation. I hope we can nail the bastard soon. Wi
POV LisaI receive a blow in the face, roll onto the bed and land on the floor, hitting my head. "Damn it! "I muttered. I get up with difficulty and rub the back of my head, looking at Drake lying on the bed and not stopping gesticulating in his sleep. I let out a sigh and walk over to him, lay down and place a kiss on the top of his head. Then he does something incredible, unconsciously lifting his leg. I'm so surprised that I stay in shock for long minutes before realizing what's happening. Drake has just lifted a leg, unconsciously yes, but he's done it. I know it's because of this horrible nightmare he's been having for a week now, sometimes I'd like to get inside his head to find out what's causing him so much torment. I take a handkerchief from the dresser and blot his forehead, then press myself a little tighter against him, so he can feel my presence. I want him to know that I'm here and that I would never let him down. The love I feel for this man is something indescribable
POV DrakeI hang up and put my phone in my jacket pocket. Zack has just confirmed that Lisa is now safely with him, which means I can get on with something else. When he told me that she'd just run out on him to go I don't know where, I had to ask the doctor to stop the therapy because I couldn't have gone on if I hadn't been reassured that he'd found her, especially as she was unreachable, and when he finally did find her, she was in this café with this guy and I asked Zack to wait for her to finish before taking her home. Home, I can't believe I'm finally ready to let another woman into my life after all these years. Me, who'd been through the ordeal because of a woman. The idea of opening the door of my home to Lisa seems so obvious that I wonder how I didn't think of it sooner. "Are you reassured, Mr Lancaster? " "Yes." I say, shaking my head.I roll my chair to the center of the room and look at the clock. "Is it over yet?" "We still have thirty minutes. "I remain silent fo
POV Lisa.I hang up with a sigh, beginning to wonder if what I'm doing is really a good idea. Brian is really driving me crazy! With his calls, his messages full of love. Not to mention the looks Drake gives me every time my phone rings. Just this morning, he called me while I was having breakfast with Drake and Drake almost put my phone in the coffee pot. If I hadn't held it back, I don't know what would have happened. I get up and grab my purse to head out the door, thank goodness Mason isn't here to hold me accountable. And with Ryan at the head of the company, it's become something else, he too comes to work when he feels like it, which creates an incredible mess. Drake really needs to come back and take this company back in hand. I have to admit that being away at the moment doesn't make me any different from anyone else, but I really have to get to this appointment. Knowing Brian as well as I do, he might well be able to barge in here and create a scandal. I head for the elevat
POV BrianI tap my foot on the floor, hang up for the fifth time since this morning and throw the phone on the bed. Why doesn't she answer me? Why is she avoiding my calls? I've been trying to reach her for two bloody days without any success. My thoughts begin to wander and I start to imagine everything and anything. Who could she be with? Is she with him? Is he putting his hands on her again? I don't want him anywhere near her! I think back to our conversation, to the moment when he clearly told me Lisa would never be mine. I tried to kill him, I threw myself at him with a butter knife, I wanted to stick it in his neck, if only that bodyguard hadn't interfered. I don't want anything to disturb this reconciliation between Lisa and me. Especially not now, after all these years, I've finally found her and I've no intention of losing her. I close my eyes and think back to that day when we were at university, I'd just had an argument with my father and I was at my lowest ebb. Once aga