~Joan~I stared at the cup of latte sitting in front of me. Luckily, I’d woken up earlier than usual and decided to grab a coffee before heading to work.There was an espresso machine in the office, but the coffee tasted awful. I had to deal with it because I didn’t have any at home yet—not that I didn’t want to, but somehow I never got around to buying a machine.“Joan?” A masculine voice broke into my thoughts. I blinked, dragging my eyes away from the latte to meet a pair of familiar brown eyes.I furrowed my brows as he grinned, tucking his hands into his pockets. Recognition hit me, and I smiled. “Brown Eyes?” I said, and he nodded, chuckling softly before pulling out the chair across from me.“Can I sit with you?” he asked, and I nodded. He settled in, amusement swirling in his eyes.“Since you’re calling me Brown Eyes, I’m guessing you’ve forgotten my name,” he teased, taking a sip of his drink.I huffed, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “Of course I haven’t. It’s Denzel
~Joan~“This place is... wow,” I muttered as we entered the house, its floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city, a fireplace glowing faintly, a rooftop pool gleaming under the fading light, and more rooms than I could count. The house was absolutely perfect, yet something felt off.“So... how did you know about this place?” I asked Rhoda, who had already sunk into the plush sofa, crossing her legs, while I stood by the window staring at the dazzling city of Spain below. “Well, this is one of Aaron's properties,” she chuckled. My stomach dropped. Aaron?“He doesn’t know we're here. I have the spare keys to the building. I mean, why ask when I can just walk in?” Rhoda said, making a playful gesture with her arms, her smile wide and carefree.“This is Aaron's house?” I asked slowly. She whipped her head around, her smile fading, eyes narrowing slightly.“Yeah, it’s his.” Her voice grew sharper as she met my gaze. “What’s going on?”I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling disbelief
~Joan~The silence was thick, in the air, waiting for someone to break it. Aaron's dark eyes flicked toward his sister before locking onto me, their heat unmistakable. His gaze hardened, a muscle ticking in his jaw. He leaned back into the sofa, surveying both of us like he'd caught us red-handed doing something wrong.His expression was unreadable, but the anger radiating from him was sharp, palpable. Only one question echoed in my mind: how did he know we were here? Rhoda had insisted he didn’t have a clue—she hadn’t even told him.“Rhoda...” His voice was low, cold, perfectly controlled, but there was a dangerous edge to it. “Care to explain what you're doing in 'my' house, without my permission?”Rhoda was silent. If I didn’t know her so well, I might’ve believed the man across from us wasn’t her brother. Seven years wasn’t much of a gap, but Aaron made it seem like a big deal.His eyes slid to me, and I braced myself. “And you,” he said, his tone growing darker, anger simmering b
~Aaron~I was an early riser... Or maybe that was the wrong word to use. I had insomnia, so sleeping was a problem.Which explained why I was in the kitchen by 4 a.m., fully dressed in my usual outfit—a suit—brewing coffee. I walked into the sitting room, glancing at the windows. It was already dawn. The sky was glowing red, a warning of the day ahead.Soon enough, the girls would be awake. Speaking of "girls"... I took a sip of my coffee before walking toward the window, staring down at the quiet city, save for a few cars and early risers moving like ghosts through the streets. I’d had a business meeting in Barcelona, which explained why I was in Spain. I was supposed to be finishing up by the weekend and returning to New York on Monday. I should’ve been thinking about work, logistics, my schedule. But I wasn’t.No, I was thinking about what I’d come back to—my house invaded by my sister and her best friend. Rhoda always had a streak of stubbornness in her, but it never flared into
~ Joan ~I rolled my eyes as soon as he left, placing my mug on the counter. Rhoda huffed out a laugh, as she leaned on the island, a knowing smile tugging at her lips.“He can be insufferable at times... But, he’s got a heart of gold,” Rhoda said, eyeing me from the corner of her eyes, as though daring me to disagree.I said nothing. Because I wasn’t going to agree with her that Aaron had a heart of gold. Nope. I was convinced he doesn’t even have one to begin with. All I ever saw was his coldness, his need for control. How she could see past that, I didn’t know.“You’re staying, right?” she asked, and I glanced at her as I rinsed the mug, the water slipping through my fingers as I tried to focus on something other than Aaron.She shifted on her feet uncomfortably, sensing the weight of my silence, as I stared at her from under my lashes.“I mean, he’ll be gone by the weekend... that’s just two days away,” she added, a little too quickly. “We could have the whole building to ourselve
~Joan~Everything happened too fast. One moment, my gown brushed against my thighs, modest and safe. The next, it was bunched around my waist, leaving me exposed.A sharp tearing sound cut through the air, final and inevitable. My panties, torn and useless. A shiver ran down my spine as the cool air hit my bare skin, and despite myself, a twisted smile crept onto my lips.I can’t believe we’re doing this. His hardness pressed insistently against me, and I arched into him, a small gasp escaping despite my efforts to stay silent.“This is what you want, right?” he whispered, his voice rough and breath hot against my ear. A knot twisted tight in my stomach as I shook my head, fighting the storm rising inside.“Don’t bring your mouth near me,” I managed, keeping my voice steady, almost detached. I couldn’t let him see the heat coursing through me.I felt the hint of a smirk against my neck as he pulled back.“Oh, Joan.” His voice was gravelly, mocking. “I have no intention of touching you
~ Joan~“It was fun, Jo. You should have seen,” Rhoda gushed over her mug of coffee. I gave an absent-minded nod as I lifted mine to my lips, the warmth doing little to ease my tangled thoughts.She'd returned last night. I'd pretended to be asleep to avoid facing her. Truthfully, I couldn't sleep at all.“He's really cute,” she muttered, her eyes lighting up with that glint they always had when she found someone or something particularly fascinating.“Saunter off again without letting me know, and he won't have a cute face anymore,” a deep baritone came from behind me, making every nerve in my body grow taut.The color drained from Rhoda's face as her gaze darted behind me. I was certain my face mirrored hers—though not for the same reason.“Aaron,” she said, her voice sharpening. I forced myself to remain composed, bracing for whatever he was about to say next.A small part of me dreaded that he might actually tell his sister we’d had sex. And that too, in the living room.The mere
Too Busy To Care ~Aaron~“We’re wrapping up the final project,” Lauren said, pointing at the screen as the slides transitioned. Her voice was crisp, professional. I tapped my fingers against my chin, considering the information.“I assume you’ve kept Mr. Hampton in the loop?” I asked, watching her expression. Lauren nodded and moved away from the screen, her focus shifting to gathering her files.The office was quiet, the others having left after the board meeting. My recent trip to Spain had paid off—I’d managed to secure a deal with a man whose investment I’d been pursuing for months.“Yes, I have. He seemed quite impressed,” Lauren replied. I nodded again and stood. She busied herself with packing her files, not sparing me a glance.This was precisely why I enjoyed working with Lauren. She wasn’t one of those women who threw coy smiles in my direction or pretended to be mesmerized by me. She didn’t care about my looks, let alone my personality—which, admittedly, was nothing to writ
~Joan~I stared at the cup of latte sitting in front of me. Luckily, I’d woken up earlier than usual and decided to grab a coffee before heading to work.There was an espresso machine in the office, but the coffee tasted awful. I had to deal with it because I didn’t have any at home yet—not that I didn’t want to, but somehow I never got around to buying a machine.“Joan?” A masculine voice broke into my thoughts. I blinked, dragging my eyes away from the latte to meet a pair of familiar brown eyes.I furrowed my brows as he grinned, tucking his hands into his pockets. Recognition hit me, and I smiled. “Brown Eyes?” I said, and he nodded, chuckling softly before pulling out the chair across from me.“Can I sit with you?” he asked, and I nodded. He settled in, amusement swirling in his eyes.“Since you’re calling me Brown Eyes, I’m guessing you’ve forgotten my name,” he teased, taking a sip of his drink.I huffed, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “Of course I haven’t. It’s Denzel
~Angelina~“Ma’am, Stefan is here to see you,” my housekeeper said. I glanced at her and nodded.“Let him in,” I replied, noticing her eyes widen as she took in my appearance. I raised an eyebrow, amused, as she hurried out and shut the door behind her.I stood up from my bed and walked over to the mirror, turning slightly to admire the way the white lingerie contrasted against my skin. A small smirk tugged at my lips. I knew I looked irresistible. Stefan wouldn’t know what hit him.A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. I flipped my hair over my shoulder, letting it cascade down my back, and walked to the bed, sitting down as seductively as possible.“Come in,” I called, my voice low and inviting. The door creaked open, and Stefan stepped inside, shutting it behind him.“Good mor—” His words faltered as his eyes swept over me, landing on the curve of my body. I smiled at his reaction, standing and walking toward him with slow, deliberate steps.“Good morning to you too, Mr.
~Aaron~I pressed hard on the brakes, bringing the car to a sudden stop. The sound of a gunshot tore through the air, freezing my blood. I stepped out, shutting the door behind me with more force than necessary, my heart hammering in my chest.Louis had let me know the second Joan left the house. I'd promised her a bodyguard before everything spiraled out of control, and he’d been keeping tabs on her to make sure she stayed safe. Maybe I’d had him report a little more than necessary about her daily schedule. That was the only way I could know she was okay—or at least that’s what I told myself.Tonight, she wasn’t okay.Louis had followed her here, keeping his distance until I arrived. I stared at the abandoned building in front of me, my stomach twisting. What the hell was she thinking, meeting Matthew here alone?Speaking of Matthew, the bastard had outplayed me. The moment Denzel informed me about a new text on Joan’s phone, I’d told him to hack into it. That’s when I knew Matthe
~Joan~The next few weeks dragged by slowly, and there was no word from Aaron or Rhoda. Speaking of Rhoda, I’d sent countless messages and called more times than I cared to admit, but she never responded. Maybe she still needed space. Still, it hurt. Rhoda was the closest thing to family I had ever since I left Boswell Child Care. She’d been there for me in ways no one else had.And maybe that was why I was staring at my phone again, scrolling through my old chats with Aaron.Unknown: Change that hair color.Me: Hello to you too, Thompson.Unknown: The hair. I mean it, kitten.Me: Keep this up, and I might start thinking you’re obsessed with my hair.Unknown: I am.A small smile tugged at my lips despite the ache in my chest. That conversation played in my head like it had just happened yesterday. I could still remember how Aaron had texted me for the first time. I never figured out how he got my number, but he’d driven all the way to my house that night just to convince me to chan
~Joan~I returned to work the day after. I felt terrible, like I’d been dragged through hell and left to crawl my way back. No one needed to tell me I looked it too.“Hey, you good?” Alessia asked as soon as I stepped into the office. Our office. By “ours,” I meant mine, hers, a guy whose name I didn’t know, and another woman who, until now, I hadn’t even acknowledged.They hadn’t properly introduced themselves when I started. The signing-in process had been a whirlwind, and Alessia was the only person I’d actually had the chance to meet.And for that, I was fucking grateful.I nodded, dropping my bag onto the desk and sliding into my seat. Alessia pursed her lips, her gaze lingering on me a moment longer than I liked, before she turned away.The other woman in the room, blonde and bubbly, clasped her hands together and stood. Alessia’s expression brightened up immediately, her eyes narrowing as if she already knew what was coming.“Brielle, don’t do anything funny,” she warned.The b
~Joan~I thought getting a job would finally make me happy. Instead, I found myself calling in sick, that I got the flu. Once I left Aaron’s office, I went straight to the convenience store, grabbed a few bottles of beer, and headed home. I drank until I was numb, cried until my eyes felt dry, took a scalding shower, and curled up in bed. Still, nothing felt better. I kept trying to figure out what was wrong, but the answers wouldn’t come.Even as evening fell, I didn’t move. My phone buzzed with texts and calls, but I ignored them all. I knew it wasn’t him. It would never be him again. He had meant it when he said we were done, and my heart—God, my heart—felt like it had shattered into a million pieces.If I thought I’d been in love before, it was a lie compared to this. Aaron made me fall hard, so fast I couldn’t stop it. And then he crushed me.It was over now. I knew I had to let myself mourn what could have been, but I felt so drained, so empty. I wanted to close my eyes and
~Aaron~I tightened my schedule so much that there wasn’t a moment of rest. Even during meals, I barely ate anything. Stress had killed my appetite. At home, I buried myself in my study, avoiding the bedroom. I couldn’t bring myself to go in there—not when Joan’s presence still lingered in every corner.Her father had a hand in my parents’ deaths. How the hell was I supposed to accept that?I’d asked Denzel to dig deeper, but until he brought me answers, my mind was a mess. A knock on my office door came too soon, and before I could respond, it opened. My jaw clenched, irritation already prickling under my skin. I looked up from the file I’d been staring at for hours without actually reading.Adrian Voss stepped in, his expression calm and unreadable, hands tucked into his pockets. He didn’t wait for an invitation. Instead, he slid into the chair across from my desk, crossing his legs casually.“What are you doing here?” I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended.Adrian raised an
~Joan~I reread the message on my phone, my heart leaping all over again:Congrats! You passed the interview. You're expected to start work tomorrow by 8am. Looking forward to working with you! DomisAdA scream burst out of me as I jumped around my tiny apartment, giddy with excitement. My neighbors were probably annoyed, but I didn’t care. Soon, I’d be out of here anyway. Our trip to Paris had ended abruptly after that night at the park. He’d called his driver to take me home once we landed in New York, claiming he had something important to take care of. Ever since, he’d been distant, acting strange. We hadn’t really talked since we got back. Actually, we hadn’t talked at all.I grabbed my phone and sent him a quick text to tell him about the new job, hoping for some kind of response. Then I opened my laptop to finish drafting my resignation letter. With a deep breath, I hit send. Just like that, my time at McCormick’s was over. He’d been a great boss, and I’d miss working for
~Aaron~I handed the ice cream to Joan, and she gave me a tight, half-hearted smile as I settled next to her on the bench.She just stared at the ice cream, letting it drip lazily down the cone. I rubbed my hands together, nudging her lightly with my shoulder.“Hey, what’s going on? You’ve been staring at that cone for a while now. You okay?” I asked, and her beautiful green eyes flicked up to meet mine.I perked up immediately, searching her face.“Or… you don’t like the flavor?” I added, trying to coax a reaction. She shook her head and let out a small chuckle, but it sounded forced, almost like she was humoring me.“No, it’s fine. I mean… I would’ve picked chocolate, but vanilla’s good too,” she muttered. Her gaze shifted, avoiding mine.I frowned. I could tell something was off. I knew Joan too well by now—when something was bothering her, it showed in ways she couldn’t hide, no matter how hard she tried. And right now, she was clearly wrestling with something.I reached out, gent