Claudia's P.O.V.I stormed out of the event, my blood boiling beneath my skin like I was about to explode. That was supposed to be me there, standing next to Xavier and not that pathetic excuse for a woman, Ella. What did she have that I didn't? How had she managed to get a man like Xavier all wrapped up in her finger?It was sickening; every time I saw them together, my stomach would turn. She had Ivy-that little mistake of a child-and suddenly she was some saint in Xavier's eyes. I clasped the steering wheel tightly as I drove-my knuckles white, vision blurry from my rage. I could feel my heart pounding, pulsing in my chest as if it was going to burst through my rib cage any second.Why her? Why not me?I deserved to be there. I put in the time. I'd known Xavier for years-hell, I'd been there while he was still building his empire, when he was just a name and not the god everyone bowed to now. But somehow, she'd just waltzed into his life and claimed the throne that should've been m
Claudia's POVI watched him leave, his figure disappearing through the door like a shadow slipping into the night. The room felt colder without his presence, but the chill wasn't from the air conditioning; it was from the way my skin prickled with confusion and something else-something I couldn't quite place. Fear? No. I wasn't afraid of Alex. But the game we were playing? That was a different story.I let myself fall back into the chair behind my desk, my fingers going through my hair. My head reeled with questions, the sound of his voice, how easily he'd picked my emotions apart. How the hell could he know me this well? Know what I wanted? Know how I hated her?Ella.Her name was like venom in my blood. I could feel the rise of heat up my chest, the slow burn that was becoming altogether too familiar. How had I let it get this far? How had I allowed myself to become so consumed, so wrapped up- no, entirely obsessed with a thought of her? This wasn't me. I didn't fall apart like this
Ella's POVI stood in the doorway, watching him move around the kitchen, completely lost in the sight of him. I swear, I wasn't trying to stare, but Xavier was impossible to ignore-especially when he was like this. Shirtless, his muscles flexing every time he reached for something, those dark eyes focused on making breakfast. It was infuriating how effortless he could be this… perfect.He cracked eggs into the pan where they immediately joined the scent of bacon and fresh brewed coffee, and my stomach growled, reminding me I should at least be thinking about food, but how could I, when there he was right in front of me, like some kind of god stepping out of a daydream? He caught my gaze, and that slow grin spread across his lips, that damnable, teasing grin which quickened the pulse without my will.I leaned against the doorframe, crossing my arms, trying to compose myself. But it was impossible. There was something about him, something about the way he carried himself-so confident, s
Xavier's POVHer lips were soft against mine, pliant, as if she was meant to be here. My hands gripped tighter at her waist, tugging her closer until there wasn't an inch of space between us. I could feel the heat from her body through the thin fabric of her dress, the rhythm of her heartbeat drumming against my chest. I wanted more. No—I needed more. Every touch, every kiss acted to inflame the desire building between us for months now.I deepened the kiss, sliding my hand up the curve of her back to feel her shiver under my touch. I smirked against her lips; I knew exactly what I was doing to her. And damn if it didn't make me want to take her right here and now. The need was almost unbearable.Her hands tangled in my hair, and that soft little moan escaping her lips had me on the edge of losing control. Fuck. I needed her. Now.I was about to lift her onto the counter, ready to rip off the dress that clung to her perfect body, when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I ignored it first,
Claudia's POVI watched Xavier storm in, all business, with that brooding scowl on his face. The kind of scowl that always made me want to smooth it out— to touch it, to claim it as mine. He had fire in him, the kind of power that made men nervous and women weak. And today, today he was more enticing than ever. I rose from his chair, slow, my movements deliberate, watching him, the tension radiating off him like a palpable force."Claudia," he growled, his eyes narrowing. "What the hell are you doing here?"I didn't answer immediately. Instead, I moved my hips slightly as I walked towards him, allowing him to consider how my dress clung to the lines of my body. I knew what he liked, what tempted him. I'd been close before, too close, and this time I wasn't going to miss my shot. It was there in the air between us, this charged atmosphere that precluded any number of crossed lines.As I glanced back his towering frame, I couldn't help but feel a flame of anxiety in me. My lips twisted
CLAUDIA'S POV I sat and watched through the windshield of my car as Ella dropped Ivy off at school. My fingers wrapped tightly around the steering wheel, the knuckles whitening as I watched her lean down and kiss Ivy on the head before watching her skip away into the building. Pathetic. It was a scene out of some suburban fairytale. She was living a life that wasn't meant for her, a life which was supposed to be mine. And Ivy? Well, she came to be the personification of all that went wrong with this world-a bastard child, born from a mistake.As Ella got back into her rusty excuse of a car, my stomach twisted with jealousy. How could this man of power and influence settle for this? A washed-up nurse, incapable of keeping a good car and a child that was obviously out of hand. It was an outrage to my blood. How could she have set such a trap for him so easily? What was her secret? I needed to know.I tailed her, following her from the school into the grocery store. The audacity of her,
ELLA'S POV I stepped out of the supermarket, feeling my heart in knots, that one conversation replaying itself over and over in my head with Claudia-the way she had cornered me, those smug words dripping from her lips like poison, sowing seeds of doubt I didn't want to water. But they were already growing. Damn it."Do you really think a man like Xavier is capable of love?" Claudia's words rang in my head, an echo that mocked my naivety. I had told myself that I wasn't going to let her get to me. I had convinced myself that Xavier was different-that maybe, just maybe there was more to him than the cold, domineering man he showed to the world. But Claudia's confidence had shaken something loose in me.Was I that foolish to have actually thought Xavier would choose me for anything more than some passing fling? A man who could literally have anyone. And for what? A contract? A child that, if I was honest with myself, I wasn't sure he truly loved? What if Ivy was just another of his pawn
Xavier's POVAs I stormed out of the kitchen, the anger boiling inside me was barely contained. My hands itched to hit something, but I knew better than to lash out in my own home, especially not with Ivy around. Ella's words kept echoing in my mind, the hurt and accusation in her voice piercing through me like a blade. Claudia—this was her doing.I paced up and down the hall as I reached for my phone, fingers flying across the screen.What the hell did you tell Ella? I sent the message and then waited, my chest rising and falling with every deep breath I took. Anger was simmering inside my skin, ready to spill over at any moment. This time Claudia had crossed a line, and she wasn't going to get away with it.It wasn't until a few seconds later that my phone buzzed its reply.Claudia replied: Nothing much, in a very smugly written text if that was possible. Just told her about the rough fucks we used to do and how passion would flare up between us. Thought she deserved to know,.My ho
ELLA'S POV Xavier was finally here.My joy knew no bounds as I rushed over to the parking lot where I had guessed his car was packed. From afar, I could already see a glint of his backview stepping out of his car.The security men following him led the way as he turned. His face, as you'd expect, was strict, the bad-boy look plastered on all corners of his face but once he saw me, a bright smile tugged at his lips.“Xavier.” I said, running as fast as my legs could carry me. Xavier also ran in my direction and when I finally came in contact with him, I jumped into his wife arms. The smell of his cologne flared my nostrils, the joy of being in Xavier’s arms washing back into my veins.In as much as I didn't want to admit it, I missed him. And I could tell he also missed me. His arms wrapped aroundy back, his lips placing a hot kiss on my neck.“I missed my princess.” The sound of Xavier's voice trudged into my ears, fulfillment washing into my bones. I felt happy, safe and contented
ELLA'S POV “This way ma'am,” The news reporter walked over to me, his finger pointing in the direction where his camera team were located.I looked back at the script in my hands, I still didn't understand why Madame Browne had insisted I did the interview when I was told only ten minutes away. Madame Browne was seated by the edge of the hall, a wicked smile playing on her lips. The flickering lights of the camera team washed her features, the malice in her gaze burning my flesh. I parted some loose strands of my hair behind my ears as I walked over to the corner where the interview was going to happen. The walls had a green background and the makeup artist walked over to me with a make-up box in her hands.“Make-up?” She asked nicely, revealing her bright set of dentition.I was just about to respond to her when Madame Browne interrupted, her tone dismissive, “No! She doesn't need that.”“The interview should start in a minute.” The director stepped in beside Madame Browne, his fi
THE NEXT DAYELLA'S POV Grin Grin!I woke up to the first ray of sunlight. The air loomed celebration and joy, the distant sound of the workers at the hall bracing my ears. My alarm clock receding ringing filled my ears as I tapped on the button to turn off before stepping out of the bed. The president's birthday was today and I had set a timer to wake up early enough to be one of the first set of people to wish him a happy birthday.I took my bath and dressed myself in a simple top and some khaki pants to go surpervise the event before the guests arrived. I traced my steps to Ivy's room to find her already awake in her pajamas. “Let's go wish Grandpa a happy birthday!” I smiled, pointing to the cake I'd ordered earlier. “Yay cake.” Ivy squeeled beside me, her sweet voice filled with joy.“Let's go.” I urged, taking the cake pack. Ivy gave out another squeel as she ran over from the bed. “Don't forget the party poppers.”Madeline, ivy's caretaker who was watching us from the side,
ELLA'S POV I walked over to the hall with the president behind me. I was taking him on a short tour of the hall and things were going smoothly. I pointed over to the stage, “That is stage and that is…”As I spoke, something in me felt uncertain. I could feel iny veins that something bad was about to go down. Madame Browne was the only person in the hall and the thought of that was unsettling.“I'll be back.” I took several steps back. I flashed a wink at Glenda telling her I had to use the lady's room before walking out of the corner into the main hall.I took slow yet calculated steps into the hallway, my heels walking slowly without making any noise. I stepped to a side and caught a view of Madame Browne's figure looking as maddened as I had left.I waited for a second, a cold sweat running down my forehead as I searched for any movements from her but received nothing. I was just about to turn and leave when I caught her walking back in the direction of a corner of the hall. She
ELLA'S POV “My mistake…was thinking the size of the event mattered more than the heart behind it. For years, I was impressed by noise. But this year, Ella reminded me that silence…can steal the show.”It would be an understatement to say my heart skipped a beat when those words escaped the president's lips. I felt the world beneath me crumble, the shock causing me to nearly lose my stance.A tear slid down my cheek. My heart was still racing from the shock. I had been so afraid of the president not acknowledging my efforts. For a split second, I'd thought I lost it all to Madame Browne and that she'd won but I was wrong.I had won.Madame Browne's efforts to ruin the event didn't work, I scaled through. The president had walked over to me and for the first time, had offered me a hug.He seemed very happy, probably the happiest he'd ever been. Once the hug ended, he turned in Ms. Glenda's direction. I hesitated for a second before I spoke, “This is Ms. Glenda she helped me design the
MADAME BROWNE'S POVThe elevator door in front of me chimed open sharply, a soft metallic swoosh brushing my ears. I stepped out of the elevator into the long hallway to my room. As expected, my maids were lined up by the walls like figurines dressed in uniforms I'd designed myself. The elevator's soft gloom layered over the purple linen of the uniform, catching my gaze from the side.The silence in the hallway was soft, almost unbearable but somehow, it felt okay. The discomfort in my veins rolled easily, my face fixed into one of those things oldsters call a warrior's mask.The president would be here anytime from now and he was going to come back to her— Ella, and that bitch, Glenda. He would witness their event and would probably give her some accolades— accolades that should've been mine.I bit my lower lips furiously, the impatience in me was cold— chilling cold. I clenched my fists trying to think of something else, something other than her.Ella.Her name was like fucking tat
ELLA'S POV I wasn't expecting to see Madame Browne at the event hall but there she was, claded in one of the most expensive dresses I've ever seen. Her eyes loomed with malice and an even darker emotion, the air shifting sharply.Smug smirks slipped through her lips as she strutted into the hall. Her presence daunted curious gazes, hushed whispers trudging through the air as she made her way into the hall.My bloodstreams tightened, the veins in my legs twitching as I maintained a straight stance. The air, if I remembered clearly, stood still with unspoken tension.I stood by the stage, the clipboard in my hands nearly snapping to the floor from the shock.The silence in the hall was thick with suspense, the whispers fading immediately as Madame Browne strutted into the hall. Her eyes wandered around sharply, inspecting each and every detail as if searching for a flaw to bicker on about.My heart raced in my chest, my gaze following Madame Browne. And just when I thought she wouldn't
Madame Browne's PerspectiveThere was only one sound filling the car: the smooth hum of the engine beneath me, as I sat in the backseat, my fingers idly tracing the rim of my wine glass. Outside, the city was a blur of lights and motion, a sea of faceless people who didn't matter to me. They were all just ants, scurrying around in a world that would never understand the power I held.The driver, a quiet man that had driven for me for years, looked back at me through the rearview mirror. "Ma'am, where to tonight?"I took another sip of my wine, let the rich flavor dance on my tongue. "To the mansion," I said coolly, my voice low, deliberate. "I need to speak with the staff, make sure everything is in order.The mansion had been mine, my domain where I could let my guard down, and relax in the knowledge I was in control. But tonight… tonight was different. The tension was palpable, an unhealthy knot threatening to tighten in my chest. It had not gone according to plan, and to say the le
MADAME BROWNE'S I thought I'd seen it all.Well, not until I saw Glenda Bacci stepping into the one bar I thought I could escape her god-damned presence. She stood by the door to the mini bar, the club's flickering lights highlighting her silhouette.A proud smile tugged at her cherry red lips, disgust burning in my breath. I tried to flash my eyes away, to hide the discomfort I faced.Anger steamed in my blood, hard and pungent. I gripped the shot glass on the table, my fingers wrapping against the hard glass as I gulped it all down. I tried to turn away, to not acknowledge Glenda's presence but the attraction was daring, like that of a moth to a flame.“Oh! Look who it is?” I said, sarcasm dripping in the base of my voice. “Little Miss messiah.” “Yes, Madame Browne it is but this time, I'm no little messiah, I am Glenda Bacci, the one woman you tried to ruin years ago.” Glenda remarked like she didn't give a damn about my presence.She’d really grown wings I must say. But, like al