"Has she been asleep since you got here?" he asked, smiling like we were just two friends catching up.As if he expected me to answer politely. As if nothing had happened and he wasn't being a complete idiot."A health insurance plan? That's what you're using to win them over? And where are they supposed to live?" I whispered, making sure the brothers couldn't hear me.His smile faded as he remembered where we were, and he straightened his jacket."Medical care is a priority for this family. I'm offering it to them.""They need a property in their name, a place to call home.""That's up for debate. They'll decide," he said coolly."Right, because if they decide to go with me, you'll just let them sell to me," I muttered, annoyed.James and Joe returned then."We need more time to discuss what we're going to do," James said.With that, we both had to give them space, shaking hands in farewell, which meant I was still stuck sharing close quarters with Lawrence. The elevator rat
I'd held back long enough, and I couldn't keep putting this off or it would drive me completely insane. More insane than I already felt, trying to ignore what had happened. To top it off, Lawrence just sat there, silent, as if he'd forgotten how to speak—until he finally remembered he had a tongue."You still remember that?" he asked.I faked confusion in the most exaggerated way possible."Remember? Oh, of course not. I have no memory whatsoever of you grabbing my chest or pressing yourself against me. I'm just so forgetful!" I shot back, dripping with sarcasm.Lawrence tried to mask his reaction, but I saw it—the faint blush that crept up his cheeks."Now, you're going to act like this," he muttered, refusing to look at me. He fussed with his jacket even though it didn't need adjusting, hiding his embarrassment behind a mask of indifference."How am I supposed to act, Lawrence? You think I'm just used to people touching me without explanation whenever they feel like it?" I snap
"I... I don't hate you. Come to my car, I'll get you out of here. Just let one of your employees take care of your car," Lawrence said, reaching for my arm again, but I pulled away."I don't need you, Lawrence! I'm done begging you for an explanation! Now it's me who wants you gone! Far, far away from me!" I shouted.My scream didn't make him back off; instead, he started laughing. His laughter threw me off, but what confused me even more was the look in his eyes. It was a look of pure hatred—there was no denying it."If you're tired of begging, doesn't it cross your mind that I'm even more exhausted than you are? I've spent my entire life like this, Sara. I'm the one who's sick of you."Perfect. It was as if he had thrust a spear straight into my chest, piercing through to the other side. I wasn't going to stay silent. If he wanted to destroy everything, all those years of good friendship for the sake of the present, then so be it."Lionel was right. You're just like your parents
Men were like chocolates to me. It was fun to pick them out, try new flavors, and enjoy plenty of them while the novelty lasted, but after a while, they were all the same—same patterns, same lies, same games. The first rule of relationships was to stay in control. As long as the woman was in charge and prepared for anything, she would be fine.But right now, I was far from fine. I was still in shock from last night. In fact, I found myself touching my lips for the eighth time since I'd been alone in my office. I should have been filling out forms, but I hadn't even made it through half of them.Lawrence and I had kissed.Neither of us was drunk, and neither of us had hated it. We had both enjoyed it, and I had no idea where it would have led if we hadn't been interrupted. I felt adrift, stuck in a surreal, catatonic state. Just a year ago, he'd been my friend. I used to laugh off anyone who paired us together because, to me, friendships between men and women were real.Weren't they
"Is he family? Are you asking me to consider him for the position?"Elliot sat across from me, looking more nervous than I'd ever seen him. He was actually sweating, which I found quite amusing. I gave him a sly smile."I didn't think you were capable of pulling strings like this.""Please, just consider him. He's a good kid, and it's been hard for him to find a job. Just interview him," he pleaded."What's the family connection? I don't bend the rules for distant relatives," I said, resting my chin on the back of my hand."He's my cousin. Aunt Melanie's son.""Aunt Melanie? The same Aunt Melanie who always remembers my birthday and sends me a hand-knitted sweater?" I asked, both surprised and delighted."Yes, that's her. It's her youngest son," he added, sounding hopeful.Oh, great. I wanted to toy with Elliot a bit more, but mentioning his aunt had ruined my resolve. I'd met his aunt before—she used to be a teacher at one of the schools our charity was involved with. A sweet,
"Perfect, Miss Brown."-I hated taking orders from anyone, which was why these interviews were such a struggle. None of the candidates had clicked with me—they hadn't left a good impression, and I could already sense they'd be badmouthing me behind my back. Hiring a bodyguard wasn't like hiring a regular 9-to-5 employee. It meant having someone by your side during long shifts in everyday situations. Having a bodyguard was like having a pair of handcuffs around your wrists.I dismissed the second-to-last candidate, feeling drained. I didn't even want to interview the last one—Elliot's cousin—but I forced myself to go through with it. When he walked through the door, his appearance caught me off guard. He looked like Aunt Melanie in male form: brown eyes, chestnut hair, and thick eyebrows on a friendly face.He held out his hand, and I shook it. His hand was cold and clammy, and I suspected it wasn't the only part of him sweating."Are you alright, Jason?" I asked. "Do you need wat
I didn't have a fever, no chills, no dizziness, but I must have been sick. I had to be really sick to have turned down several party invitations for both Friday and Saturday nights. The only thing I could muster the energy for was a brunch with Marie and Amber, something I couldn't really say no to.I adjusted my sunglasses, letting out a sigh as I stared out the car window from the passenger seat. Jason was driving, and I had to admit, hiring him had turned out to be a good idea. Over the past few days, he had acted as my chauffeur and accompanied me on a few tricky assignments. Not bad, I suppose. He was quiet and easy to forget was even there, thanks to his calm demeanor."Are you feeling alright, Miss Sara? You mentioned you'd stay home to rest on Sunday. Aren't you pushing yourself too hard?" he asked."I'm not pushing myself. I just need to relax with my friends. Besides, you've only seen my dull side. I'm not usually like this, you know? Once I'm back to normal, your job won'
"Oh, everything happened. Sophia climbed onto the 100-year-old chandelier at the club. She almost fell off, and they almost had to call the fire department," Marie said excitedly. "Oh, and Amber was rolling around with Ryan on her terrace."Emma choked on her drink at Marie's comment. Amber was about to yell at her, but I wasn't surprised. It was old news to me."Shut up, Marie! Don't go blabbing about my private life!" Amber exclaimed."Does it still count as private when you do it on a terrace?" I teased."We thought no one would see us. And anyway, I've got nothing to hide. We've been hooking up since my birthday. Got any other critiques?" she shot back at Marie."Not at the moment, though it's tempting. Ryan is the worst. How many people did he sleep with on our last trip?" Marie pointed out."He's got a good imagination and a taste for risky spots, okay?" Amber defended herself. "Who doesn't like a bit of outdoor fun?""Apparently, Emma doesn't. Are you blushing because of
Sara Brown's P.O.V."Didn't we agree you wouldn't come, Mom?" Richard asked, his voice low and disappointed."Richard, you too?" Victoria exclaimed, her voice trembling with a mix of hurt and indignation."What else did you expect, Victoria?" Julian interjected, crossing his arms. "We practically had to beg Sara for permission just to see Matthew. Meanwhile, you've done nothing to make amends yet here you are, demanding things. That's not how this works.""Do you want me to apologize to Sara?" Victoria's voice cracked as she looked at me, her emotions on full display.I would never trust Victoria, and I certainly would never leave my son alone with her unsupervised. But in this moment, her vulnerability chipped away at some of my hardened resolve. Life had been so good lately, so full of joy and love, that my heart no longer had room for resentment."You don't need to apologize to me," I said calmly. "The people you owe an apology to are your sons."Victoria's eyes widened, her
Sara Brown's P.O.V.Six months later.Becoming a mother was one of those adventures I never knew I needed, but I'd never been more grateful for taking the leap—especially with Lawrence by my side. Now, here we were, standing in front of a flower-draped altar nestled in the woods of the Brown family estate.Getting married in this spot felt symbolic. It had been our sanctuary as kids, the place where we'd escaped from the grown-ups and shared secrets. It was fitting that my best friend, the boy who'd been by my side through thick and thin, was now becoming my husband.Behind us was a small gathering of family and close friends. The Browns—ever-expanding with a small army of kids—were all present, as were a handful of Lawrence's relatives, including his brothers, Richard and Julian. We'd kept the guest list to just sixty people, making this a more intimate celebration than anyone would've expected from a Brown-Lewis wedding.Still, it was perfect. Everyone we loved was here. And the
I looked at our baby's tiny face, and the urge to cry overwhelmed me again. He was absolutely perfect."Are you going to keep crying?" Sara teased with a mischievous grin. "If you don't stop, I won't give you another one."I wiped my tears immediately, not wanting to take any chances. She burst out laughing, her radiant energy filling the room."So," quickly shifting topics, she leaned forward slightly, "what are we naming him? We agreed we'd know when we saw him. I've got a name from the shortlist in mind. Do you?""I do," I replied, smiling."Okay, let's say it together," she suggested, and I nodded. "On three. One, two, three—""Matthew!" we both exclaimed in unison.We stared at each other before breaking into matching grins. Sara started clapping in excitement over our perfect sync. I laughed at her enthusiasm, but something on the hospital TV caught my attention—a news report about yesterday's gubernatorial election. Images of Isabelle, the winner, flashed across the scree
Lawrence Lewis's P.O.V.Three months later...Just when I thought I couldn't be any happier with Sara loving me, life proved me wrong. Every day felt like a new peak of joy. A few months ago, I believed I had reached the ultimate high when she accepted my proposal during our trip to Finland. I'd asked her under the northern lights in a private and intimate moment, just the two of us—just like our entire relationship had been.The fallout from canceling my engagement to Emma had been relatively manageable for me. There were no financial or legal repercussions, and I narrowly escaped the disgrace of almost becoming the son-in-law of a criminal like Mark. But to say I avoided all drama would be a lie. The rumors and gossip surrounding how Sara and I had gotten together were relentless.I was usually a calm man, but any criticism aimed at Sara, accusing her of "breaking up" my previous engagement, turned me into a beast. Sara would always tell me to ignore the noise, that only we knew
I stood there frozen, feeling every gaze lock onto me. It was as if time had stopped. No one spoke, no one moved—they just stared. Sweat started trickling down places I didn’t even know could sweat.“Hi… how’s everyone doing?” I asked, my voice hesitant.I braced myself for the shouting, the dramatic exclamations, the scolding even. Instead, the extroverted ones in the room simply smiled at me while the quieter ones went back to what they were doing, almost as if nothing had happened. The initial wave of attention just… evaporated.“As I was saying,” Uncle Lucius continued, picking up right where he’d left off, “if you don’t finish your vegetables, we’ll give them to the lion in the forest.”My jaw dropped. This table—the entire Brown family—was completely unfazed. Even Lawrence had that knowing smile on his face, almost as if he’d expected this exact reaction. Before I could recover, Aunt Lucia and Aunt Marianne came over and pulled me into tight hugs.“You look gorgeous, Sara. A
Richard's voice broke the silence as he gathered his courage. "We'd like to add Duke and Monarch for me, and the boat for Julian. With that, we'll be ready to sign the agreement."I rubbed my ears, almost certain I had misheard."The horses and the boat? That's all you want?" Lawrence asked, his tone tinged with disbelief."Yes," Julian confirmed, his voice hesitant. "We believe... they're of great sentimental value to us. And they were gifts. They just... weren't officially transferred to us."Lawrence's eyes darted between them as if trying to confirm whether these were the same brothers he'd been fighting with."That's it?" he repeated, his suspicion evident."That's it," Richard said, though his discomfort was plain to see."What are you two plotting?" Lawrence asked, narrowing his eyes.The twins exchanged confused glances."Nothing?" Julian said, his tone growing defensive. "What are you plotting? You told us you wouldn't give us anything but then sent this offer out of
I couldn't help but notice the sadness etched onto Lawrence's face. He'd always said he wouldn't give his brothers anything. Yet here he was, not only offering them a portion of the inheritance but also bracing himself for their inevitable demands and negotiating with them."Wouldn't it have been easier to just offer them exactly what you were willing to give from the start?" I asked as I leaned against his shoulder, wrapping my arms around him. His sadness was palpable, and it was breaking my heart. Just moments ago, he'd been so happy. "Just say 'Take it or leave it' and then forget about them."Lawrence sighed, his gaze distant. "I know them. And I know myself. I can't lay the blame for all my hardships on them like I do with Victoria. Despite what I said during the will reading, I know they deserve more than what my father left them.""You have a heart of gold, Ren," I murmured, kissing his cheek. "Don't let those brats melt it down, okay?"He chuckled softly, though his sadnes
I swayed my hips rhythmically against his body, the two of us joined in that intimate connection we'd rediscovered nearly every night since the chaos with a certain corrupt official had come to an end.As Lawrence neared his release, he called my name, his voice rough with passion. I teased him by sucking on the thumb he'd slipped into my mouth, which was all it took for him to shut his eyes tightly as the force of his climax overtook him. I followed him into that blissful release just a moment later.Utterly satisfied, I collapsed beside him on the bed, both of us completely naked, basking in the warmth of each other's bodies. My breathing was still ragged as Lawrence shifted closer, his hands roaming gently over my hair, my chest, and finally, my stomach. The way his hand lingered there told me exactly what he was about to ask—again."Are you sure you're comfortable with this?" he asked."No. It was terrible. I never want to have another orgasm for the rest of my life," I replied
"What's going on here?" I asked Sara suspiciously."Just go with the flow," she replied, opening my car door with a grin.I hesitated but decided to follow her advice—or at least try. After exchanging cheek kisses, I walked over to where Jason was waiting. I tucked the envelope with my test results into my pocket. As I reached him, he took my hand, and we started walking up a hill in the park."When did you ask Sara to bring me here?" I asked, curious."That's a secret," he said with a chuckle. "And since you two are such close friends now—""Close friends?" I interrupted, raising a brow. "You think we're really friends?""That's how it seems. You smile a lot when you're with her," he replied."Do I?" I considered it for a moment, warmth spreading through my chest. "Maybe we are."Jason smiled but kept silent. As we climbed one of the hills, I was taken aback by the breathtaking view of the city spread before us. But even more surprising was the blanket laid out on the ground,