“You don't mean it?!” Susie exclaimed, her voice loud enough that made heads turn. “Shh… be quiet.” Kat hushed, the women gathering closer. “You mean she didn't go to the restaurant?” Susie asked again. “Where did she go then? What did you do?”“She was at Le—” Kat immediately paused. She couldn't risk letting them know that she lived together with Levi and that the “friend” she was talking about was actually her. “I guess they went somewhere else. My friend told me later.”“What if she pretended to be sick so he could come to her house?” Daya said and the two women looked at her. Gwen wasn't there to hear the gist and Iris’ batty eyes were darting around, looking for something stupid to do. Things at the office were quite different since Iris joined. She was always complaining about everything, she wanted everything changed to her taste. There was even a time when she had the elevator play music whenever she entered. “What the heck are you talking about Daya? We don't want Kat —
“Kat, how are you?” Daya said coyly, leaning on Kat's desk. “Uhh… I'm okay, Daya.” Kat paused what she was doing and looked at Daya who was now blinking. “You've got something in your eye?”“No! No! There's actually something I want to ask you.” Daya stood straight, looking left and right.“What is it?” Curiosity got the best of Kat now. She hated being held in suspense so the moment anybody says ‘there’s something…”, you've got to spill it out. “It's about Rowland. You know… you mentioned him the last time we were talking… you remember?” Daya looked around again. “Sure I do. I'll be going to Valtara this weekend. What's up?”“Could you take me with you?” Daya asked quickly, holding Kat's hands. “Well, if you want to.” Kat gave a soft laugh. Daya was acting weird. She kept looking around as if she didn't want anyone to catch on to what they were talking about. Susie had gone out with Iris to meet with some clients.“I'll be leaving very early. I've got some errands to run.” Kat sa
Iris sat at the far end of the sleek glass conference table, her perfectly manicured nails tapping against the surface as her sister, Freya Jourdan, commanded the room. Freya exuded power, her sharp features framed by a high bun that didn’t dare let a strand of hair escape. She gestured smoothly, discussing the soaring revenue projections for her new clothing line, her voice steady and precise. Iris tried to listen, she really did, but her mind kept drifting. She glanced around the table, her bright eyes catching the awe on the faces of the board members as they hung onto Freya’s every word. Freya paused, her gaze sweeping the room. “Before we wrap up, I’d like to introduce someone special. My sister, Iris Jourdan, has been helping oversee the Jourdan Project at GreyCorps.” Applause erupted around the table, polite yet enthusiastic. Iris plastered on her best smile, standing slowly. She adjusted her fitted blazer—perfectly tailored, of course—and spoke in a soft but clear voice.
Kat arrived home to the sweet smelling aroma of the food Levi was cooking. She had gone to sort out some things at her apartment that she would be taking to Valtara over the weekend. She had promised to bring some new clothes for Rosa as well as a gift for Rowland, her old boss. Kat settled the brown box she was carrying on the living room table and sank into the sofa. Her feet were aching and her stomach made angry sounds. “You're back!” Levi said with some excitement in his voice. He was holding a spoon and the bear patterned apron gave him the perfect look of a chef. “Yup! I guess the aroma didn't let you hear when I got in.” Kat joked, sitting upright. “So how was your apartment?” “Normal. Thankfully I didn't get a pet.”“You'd bring it here. You gonna leave it locked in there paying the bills or what?”“Why didn't I think of that?” Kat replied, feigning to think.“Woman, you're very heartless.”“That's why I could get this far.” Kat chuckled and got up to carry the box upsta
Kat beamed with smiles as she fiddled with the pen she was holding, her eyes didn't leave Levi's office as she watched him engrossed with what he was doing. Last night had been unexpected, yet a blast. They spent the rest of the night cuddling before finally falling asleep in his arms. “You've been smiling to yourself for almost twenty minutes now.” Susie said, interrupting her wild thoughts session. “What? No, I was ermm…thinking about something funny.” Kat lied, turning her eyes away from Levi and facing Susie. “And you've been looking… there.” Susie pointed to Levi's office. “tell me Kat, is there something going on between you and the Mandrake?” her voice was low as she leaned close to Kat's desk. “What the hell are you talking about Susie? It's just 11:28am and you're already hallucinating?” “Hallucinating? Kat! You know I don't even drink.” Susie playfully hit Kat's hand. “You guys are up to something and you're not telling me.”“Me? Who?” “You've been staring at the boss
Kat’s plans had not included a showdown with Iris. Yet here she was, perched on the edge of a café chair across from the drama queen herself, who sat like she owned the place, sipping a latte with all the grace of a Bond villain plotting world domination. Kat’s fingers tightened around her coffee cup as Iris delivered her opening line with a smile sharp enough to cut glass. “Kat, darling, I’m going to cut right to the chase. We need to talk about Levi.” Kat blinked, then groaned internally. Here we go. She should have known that agreeing to meet Iris was like signing up for emotional dodgeball—only the balls were flaming and aimed at her head. “What about Levi?” Kat asked carefully, keeping her tone light, even though her heart was doing an unplanned cardio session. Iris leaned in, her perfectly manicured nails drumming on the table with a rhythmic tap-tap-tap. “Oh, don’t play dumb with me,” she purred. “I see how he looks at you. It’s cute, really, but let’s not pretend you d
Daya waved excitedly at Kat with two big shopping bags as she stood by the entrance of GreCorps. Kat got off the turquoise blue camry and folded her arms. She had told Levi that she wouldn't be coming home for the weekend because she had to prepare her report for Valtara. There was no need telling him about Daya coming with her too. Kat had been caught between telling Levi about what happened with Iris or not. Telling him would make things awkward, who knew what he might do? He might decide to have Iris leave and that wouldn't spell good at all. Not telling him might cause problems for Levi and the project if she didn't do what Iris wanted. The rest of the week had been overwhelming. Iris had her eyes hawking at Kat, watching her move everytime she went in to Levi's office or whenever they were together. It was tiring. “How was your day Kat? “ she asked sweetly, flashing her with cute smiles. “What's wrong with you?” Kat teased as she collected one of the bags from her. “Did you
The moment Kat stepped into the buzzing lobby of Valtara, a wave of nostalgia hit her like a familiar tune she hadn't heard in ages. It smelled the same—coffee, paper, and the faint scent of fresh flowers from the reception desk. The hum of conversations, the clack of keyboards, and the soft murmur of printers churning out reports filled the air. It felt...like home, in a way she hadn’t expected.“Kat!” a familiar voice boomed. Rowland emerged from a side hallway, his grin wide and toothy, his suit grand and fashionable and his tie carefully selected, as always. He strode toward her with long, eager steps, his hand extended. “You’re back!” he exclaimed, clasping her hand in an enthusiastic shake that left her arm tingling. Before Kat could respond, Rowland turned his head and winked at someone behind her. “My heart, can you believe this? Oh my goodness! My queen has graced us with her presence again. Be still, my heart.” Kat snorted, extracting her hand from his grip. “Stop ac
Wren's tiny studio apartment felt more claustrophobic than ever, suffocating her with the weight of impending doom. Clothes were scattered across the bed, half-packed into a battered backpack. She moved with frantic energy, hands shaking as she double-checked her flashlight. Her lips were pressed into a grim line, betraying the dread bubbling beneath her surface. Raya, her best friend, leaned against the doorframe, arms folded, worry etched deep into her features. “Are you sure that’s the best idea, Wren?” she asked cautiously. “I don’t know.” Wren’s voice cracked as she zipped her bag halfway. “But either way, he’s gonna have my head on a plate. I’ve tried everything, Raya. He’s not going to listen to any more excuses.” She shoved a pair of sneakers into the bag with trembling hands. “I can’t just sit here waiting for them to come. Running might be the only shot I have.” Raya sighed, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. “Wren, this isn’t just some random guy we’re talking abou
Wren's tiny studio apartment felt more claustrophobic than ever, suffocating her with the weight of impending doom. Clothes were scattered across the bed, half-packed into a battered backpack. She moved with frantic energy, hands shaking as she double-checked her flashlight. Her lips were pressed into a grim line, betraying the dread bubbling beneath her surface. Raya, her best friend, leaned against the doorframe, arms folded, worry etched deep into her features. “Are you sure that’s the best idea, Wren?” she asked cautiously. “I don’t know.” Wren’s voice cracked as she zipped her bag halfway. “But either way, he’s gonna have my head on a plate. I’ve tried everything, Raya. He’s not going to listen to any more excuses.” She shoved a pair of sneakers into the bag with trembling hands. “I can’t just sit here waiting for them to come. Running might be the only shot I have.” Raya sighed, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. “Wren, this isn’t just some random guy we’re talking about.
Wren's tiny studio apartment felt more claustrophobic than ever, suffocating her with the weight of impending doom. Clothes were scattered across the bed, half-packed into a battered backpack. She moved with frantic energy, hands shaking as she double-checked her flashlight. Her lips were pressed into a grim line, betraying the dread bubbling beneath her surface.Raya, her best friend, leaned against the doorframe, arms folded, worry etched deep into her features. “Are you sure that’s the best idea, Wren?” she asked cautiously.“I don’t know.” Wren’s voice cracked as she zipped her bag halfway. “But either way, he’s gonna have my head on a plate. I’ve tried everything, Raya. He’s not going to listen to any more excuses.” She shoved a pair of sneakers into the bag with trembling hands. “I can’t just sit here waiting for them to come. Running might be the only shot I have.”Raya sighed, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. “Wren, this isn’t just some random guy we’re talking about. Thi
His hazel eyes darted around me like a predator meeting its prey, his arms folded as he rested on the wall scanning my body with interest and attention. I swallowed hard, my heart beat was faster than normal and I felt weak in the knees. I could feel his gaze all over my body as the hairs on my body rose up pointily. I literally had goosebumps. He was deadass handsome, even a hundred times better than the pictures and tabloids of him. His physique was gallant and exactly as he was described BUT - he'll be your worst nightmare if you ever cross paths. "What is this Asia? I told you I'm not interested in little virgin girls," He didn't stop looking at my body and then his eyes rested on my chest. He bit his lower lips and scanned me down again "they make too much noise in bed." "Be respectful brother. I told you I was gonna hire you an assistant and here she is" Asia stood next to me, her hands around my shoulder as I stood stiffly in shock. I was so glad she was there with me. Th
She lowered the book, staring down at its bold black cover. “You don’t even know what the hell is in this thing,” she muttered under her breath. Her voice was barely audible, but even that felt too loud in the oppressive silence. She flinched, looking around to make sure no one had noticed. No one seemed to. The workers kept moving, heads down, hands busy. But the eerie quiet still pressed in on her. “Okay, Wren,” she whispered to herself, shifting her weight carefully to ease the ache in her bruised ribs. “Be reasonable. Be smart. You can’t die here. Not now.” Her voice cracked slightly, but she forced herself to keep talking. “Play along. Clean floors. Scrub windows. Whatever they want. Just… stay alive.” The cleaning supplies were crude, old-fashioned brushes and rags tossed into a dented metal bucket. Wren grabbed them quickly, her movements stiff and jerky, and dragged them to the nearest corner. Her knees screamed in protest as she crouched down, running the coarse brush
Wren sank onto the bed, wincing as pain flared through her ribs. Her muscles felt like they’d been torn apart and stitched back together with barbed wire. But even through the haze of exhaustion and pain, her mind raced. She wouldn’t survive this place by chance. She had to be smarter, faster, better. And she had to escape before Riven decided her usefulness had run out. A sharp knock on the door snapped her out of her thoughts. She opened it to find a tall, scarred man with a permanent scowl. “Work starts now,” he barked, thrusting a thick book into her hands. She barely caught it, its weight nearly knocking her off balance. The words Rule Book were stamped in bold letters on the cover. “You’ve got one job,” the man growled, his voice low and dangerous. “Follow the rules. And don’t make me regret letting you live.” Wren’s grip tightened on the book as the door slammed shut. She swallowed the bile rising in her throat. This wasn’t survival. This was a game. And if she wa
Hey thought the biggest threat was losing the project…But the real danger was standing right beside them. Kat's return to GreyCorps was supposed to be simple—work alongside Levi, keep Iris at arm’s length, and secure the Jourdan Project. But everything changes the day Mr. Gallagher arrives. One bump in the hallway, one careless "accident," and suddenly Kat finds herself in the middle of something far bigger than she could have imagined. Encrypted files. Stolen passwords. Framed for fraud. Someone is setting Levi up to take the fall, and Kat is the only one who sees the warning signs. But as she begins to dig, the cracks in GreyCorps grow wider. Every corner she turns, Gallagher is there. Watching. Waiting. Smiling. And Iris? She’s not just part of the problem—she is the problem. But proving it won’t be easy. Because when Kat finally unearths the truth, it comes with a price. And it might just cost her the person she’s beginning to fall for. In this tangled web of decepti
His hazel eyes darted around me like a predator meeting its prey, his arms folded as he rested on the wall scanning my body with interest and attention.I swallowed hard, my heart beat was faster than normal and I felt weak in the knees. I could feel his gaze all over my body as the hairs on my body rose up pointily. I literally had goosebumps.He was deadass handsome, even a hundred times better than the pictures and tabloids of him. His physique was gallant and exactly as he was described BUT - he'll be your worst nightmare if you ever cross paths. "What is this Asia? I told you I'm not interested in little virgin girls," He didn't stop looking at my body and then his eyes rested on my chest. He bit his lower lips and scanned me down again "they make too much noise in bed." "Be respectful brother. I told you I was gonna hire you an assistant and here she is" Asia stood next to me, her hands around my shoulder as I stood stiffly in shock. I was so glad she was there with me. There
She lowered the book, staring down at its bold black cover. “You don’t even know what the hell is in this thing,” she muttered under her breath. Her voice was barely audible, but even that felt too loud in the oppressive silence. She flinched, looking around to make sure no one had noticed. No one seemed to. The workers kept moving, heads down, hands busy. But the eerie quiet still pressed in on her. “Okay, Wren,” she whispered to herself, shifting her weight carefully to ease the ache in her bruised ribs. “Be reasonable. Be smart. You can’t die here. Not now.” Her voice cracked slightly, but she forced herself to keep talking. “Play along. Clean floors. Scrub windows. Whatever they want. Just… stay alive.” The cleaning supplies were crude, old-fashioned brushes and rags tossed into a dented metal bucket. Wren grabbed them quickly, her movements stiff and jerky, and dragged them to the nearest corner. Her knees screamed in protest as she crouched down, running the coarse brush