Even Amelia’s discomfort didn’t make me feel any better. Lucius, on the other hand, reveled in it. He enjoyed this kind of torture, especially when it was directed at Amelia’s past. He had already asked her several times about her supposed archaeological training in Egypt or if it was true that she spoke Mandarin. Amelia couldn’t have looked worse—she had asked to go to the bathroom at least three times.Serge wasn’t paying attention to his wife at all. He was more focused on greeting guests and entertaining them, maintaining the image of the perfect father, not just in front of the family but also in front of his employees. Half of Fairmount Corporation was included among the 400 guests, which reminded me that Jenna had mentioned she’d be there too."I’ll be right back. I’m going to say hi to Jenna," I told Lucius.He smiled and continued charming the table. I searched for my friend, eventually spotting her in a far-off corner table, surrounded by our work team—Amy, Melanie, Karen,
The world spun, even with my eyes closed as I woke up—I could still feel it. I had definitely had too much to drink at my sister’s pathetic wedding. Smiling, I snuggled deeper into my small bed. It was hard to pick the best part of that hellish wedding—the critical mother-in-law, the hypocritical father, or the sulking groom who had been miserable all night.I tried to fall back asleep, hoping the hangover would ease, but worried it might be late, I forced my eyes open. Blurry, I saw it was 2 PM, which wasn’t too bad. I snuggled back down, pressing my back against the warmth beside me. It felt so good—so warm."Are you doing that on purpose? I swear you are."My eyes flew open, and I turned in shock to find… Lucius lying beside me, his face resting on his arm. I reacted faster than I could think, trying to push myself away from him while screaming at the top of my lungs.But my bed was tiny, and in my attempt to get away, I tumbled backward, landing on the floor with a thud. I groa
"Very funny, huh? It was obvious this apartment didn’t match your lifestyle. I’ll move in with you, but I’ll keep visiting my place regularly—it’s my investment," I told him, settling our arrangement. He seemed satisfied. "Another thing we need to discuss: how long is this marriage supposed to last?""Two to three years should be enough.""Two to three years? Isn’t that too long?""Trust me, I’m not giving my family the satisfaction of seeing me divorce within a year. They’re probably betting on how short my marriage will last. I’m not letting them win. Or do you have other plans during that time?"I mulled over being locked in a contract for that long. I’d be nearing 30 when it was all over, but I stood to gain a lot if I played my cards right."I can understand that. Who would’ve thought you’d put more thought into our relationship than just sex?" I teased.He didn’t take the bait."To clarify, sex is still a top priority. I have a varied and intense sexual appetite, and you’l
It was just another Tuesday, during an ordinary week at work. No extravagant or noteworthy events had happened during the workday worth mentioning, except that we had been given Monday off to recover from the aftermath of Amanda’s wedding.That said, I had to note how unusually calm the office was after a day off. I was typing up a document on my computer, my mind drifting to how quiet and peaceful everything felt."Your favorite. To start the week off right," Amy announced as she placed a cup of coffee on my desk.First, I noticed the branded cup—she had gotten it from an outside café. Then, I looked at her, holding another tray with several coffees. She was smiling and being friendly toward me."Thanks..." I said uncertainly, taking a sip.I was unsure because Amy had never bought me coffee before. She had never smiled at me like this or been so friendly. To top it off, Melanie walked over and placed a box of fried pastries on my desk."You’ve got to try these. They’re from the
“So, what’s going on? You go first; you’re terrible at hiding when something’s bothering you,” Lucius said.The sad part was that he was right. I was awful at handling my emotions and keeping them hidden.“Seems like everyone out there knows we’re getting married… and they’re treating me suspiciously well. Amy even joked about me inviting her to the wedding,” I explained.Lucius tilted his head, puzzled.“With that ring on your finger and the way we danced at our sister’s wedding, they’d have to be idiots not to figure it out,” he said, pulling off his blanket.I went from feeling like a regular weirdo to feeling like an embarrassed weirdo.“Could you never refer to Amanda as ‘our sister’ again?” I demanded.“I don’t know, the more I think about it, it kind of turns me on,” he joked flirtatiously.I rolled my eyes dramatically, pretending to cry, and Lucius laughed like the shameless guy he was. Then he pulled out a black envelope from a compartment, handing it to me.“What’s
"I think I’ve got it. Would you be okay with an outdoor ceremony?""I wouldn’t mind. I’ll send you my guest list tonight," Lucius said, already distracted by a call that had come in, his face showing clear annoyance.I held back a smile as I left his office, a massive task on my shoulders—organizing a wedding in less than a month.-The first step in planning a wedding was finding the right venue. I reached out to several halls and clubs for appointments, but this yacht club responded the quickest. Currently, I was walking along the docks with Jenna and the event coordinator, taking in the stunning view."The civil ceremony can be held in our gardens, and the reception can be held inside," the woman explained.The club screamed elegance and luxury from every angle. It was beautiful, but it also felt like one of those places reserved for a very specific crowd. Lucius sure knew how to set a high bar."Could we hold both the ceremony and reception outside?" Jenna asked."It’s poss
What I thought would be a simple wedding venue search had turned into a nightmare. I was pinned against the bathroom wall by a stranger who seemed to hate me though I didn’t even know her. Her sharp nails dug into my cheeks, and she was hurling insults in a language I didn’t understand. It hurt."Let me go!" I demanded, pushing at the woman’s chest. But she didn’t let go."I’m just getting started with you!" she yelled, her voice filled with fury. "What do you have on him? Are you pregnant? You’re just a child!""My relationship is none of your business! Let me go, or I’ll call security!" I tried to pry her claws off my face, but her grip was too strong.The woman laughed—a cold, chilling sound, like my threat amused her. Her icy blue eyes and blonde hair gave her a menacing aura. I was terrified and wished I were anywhere else but there.A small spark of hope appeared when the bathroom door opened. Two tall men in uniform stepped in. Finally, security! I had a way out."Help! Sh
Yes, we were escorted out of the club by staff and security. As they closed the gate behind us, our proud faces gave way to fear.“Why did that woman just threaten to kill you?” Jenna asked, trembling.She wasn’t the only one trembling.“The worst part is… I don’t know,” I answered, just as shaky as she was.-The shaking eventually stopped during our silent taxi ride home. It was a trip full of questions, none of which had answers. When we reached Jenna’s apartment, I asked the driver to take me to the source of the problem instead of dropping me off at my place.Lucius Brown.That’s why I was standing at the door of his apartment, ringing the bell, waiting for him to answer. The door opened quickly, but it wasn’t him—it was a woman in a uniform, someone who probably worked for him.“Miss Marianne, please come in. The mister is in the shower,” she informed me.I walked into the apartment and saw she wasn’t the only one. Two other women were cleaning—one vacuuming under the fu
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,