A few moments later, the stunning redheaded and curvy beauty, nicknamed Woods Corporation's most gorgeous and sexy staff, Rachael Lind, walked into the CEO's office. Dressed in a tailored custom-made business suit that hugged her curves in all the right places, Rachael effortlessly combined professionalism with a touch of undeniable sensuality. Beyond her stunning appearance, the 26-year-old's reputation in the company was one of unwavering dedication and exceptional competence. She was known for her sharp intellect, problem-solving skills, and ability to handle high-pressure situations with composure. Her colleagues admired her not only for her beauty but also for her exceptional work ethic and leadership qualities. Everyone, including Sebastian, agreed that she was a significant asset to Woods Corporation. As she walked into Sebastian's office, her beauty and radiance were hard to ignore, yet the stoic man behind the desk did not even bother to cast a glance at her. Instead, his a
Skyline Events Company.“Miss Allen, stop staring into space. I need you in my office now!” Kourtney’s wandering thoughts were rudely interrupted by her immediate superior, Brianna Martins.“Sure, Ma’am, I'll be right there,” she replied, putting up a fake smile to mask her disdain.As Kourtney stood up to follow the older woman, she wondered why her presence was suddenly needed. But she was even more worried after being caught drifting off by the infamously harsh and bossy Brianna Martins. But can you blame her for pondering too much?These last three days after Kourtney’s breakup and eventual flash marriage have been an emotional rollercoaster for her. As she walked behind Jessy towards the office, her thoughts almost drifted back to base again. Kourtney bit her lips in frustration, struggling to maintain her composure and concentration.Off course, she's been doing everything she can to avoid Brandon and Kathlyn. But those two have shamelessly been parading themselves around her at
The sterile, white hospital room was filled with the soft hum of machines, casting a pale glow on the sculpture-like figure lying in the bed. Tubes and wires were attached to the patient, monitoring his vital signs for any improvements.His personal doctor and close friend, Ryan Turner, had worked swiftly to stabilize him by putting him in a medically induced coma.After what felt like an eternity, Sebastian Woods began to regain consciousness.Jamie, his dedicated assistant, had been keeping watch by his side. Right now, he was going through some work documents, but his eyes occasionally strayed to the man's still form.Then, suddenly, there was a twitch of movement. Jamie's eyes widened in surprise, and he leaned forward, his voice soft and full of relief."Sir… you're finally awake."Sebastian's eyelids fluttered, and he blinked several times, trying to focus on his surroundings. His voice was hoarse as he spoke."How long have I been out?"Jamie checked his wristwatch before answe
Kourtney glanced at her ringing phone and sighed. She reached for it, taking a quick look at the caller ID. It was an unknown number, and immediately, she assumed it was one of her ex-fiancé’s family members calling again. She shook her head and silenced the call, her expression twisting slightly to frustration.Liam raised an eyebrow, noticing her reaction. "Everything okay?"Kourtney shrugged, offering a half-hearted smile. "Just another call I'd rather not deal with."“Ok then. But I'm being serious here. I'm not leaving without you. Let's go grab something quick before work hours resume,” Liam continued to insist.Kourtney stretched her arms lazily overhead. "I promise I'll take a break soon. Just let me finish this one last section of the draft, please.””Liam is right, Kourt. We’ve seen how hard you've been working since yesterday, and we have no doubt the Silverstone Gala will be a massive success. But you need to take a break, okay? It's still one month away anyway,” Kourtney’
“Yes. It’s your husband. Or did you forget you were married?” Sebastian sneered.“I… I–” Kourtney was rendered speechless, and panic welled up inside her.She struggled to find the right words to say. Instead, she felt a lump in her throat. It wasn't that she had forgotten her marriage, but the emotional stress and torture she'd been through these past few days were quite overwhelming. So much so that she hadn’t had a chance to think about anything else, and that’s why his words caught her off guard.“And why the hell were you cutting off my calls? I did say I was going to give you a call after we got married, didn’t I?” Sebastian’s deep voice resounding through the phone line held a trace of anger and malice.Kourtney took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.“I... I didn't realize it was you. Okay?” she managed to respond.‘And even if I did, it’s not bad to ignore you, as well,’ she wanted to add but dared not to.How was she supposed to know he had been the caller all this tim
Sebastian's voice turned cold and ruthless. "If you refuse to come to me, I'll have no other choice but to purchase your workplace and then have you fired. Then you won't have to worry about your precious job anymore. How about that for a twist?”Kourtney's eyes widened in shock, realizing the depth of his threat. The line went silent for an instant, the weight of his words hanging in the air.“You… you won't do that?”“Watch me!” Sebastian sneered coldly before turning to his assistant, who stood by the side with a funny expression on his face.“Jamie? How much does that ‘Skyline Events’ cost? I would gladly burn down the whole building afterward since I have no use for it.””You...” Kourtney was stunned into silence, grappling with the realization that he was willing to go to such extreme lengths to exert control over her. He was being such a heartless and unreasonable jerk yet again.“Tick-tock. You have thirty minutes to get here! Thirty!!!” Sebastian snorted coldly before hanging
“Boss. Here's video footage of the Madame eating with her office mates around when you called.Sebastian squinted his eyes as he observed the footage closely. His wife was eating with two others, a female and a blonde “male,” chatting and laughing happily.He sat up straighter on the hospital bed and watched intently. At the time of his call, only the male was with her on the table.He couldn't help but feel a surge of jealousy and anger once again as he watched the two of them."Who's that guy?" Sebastian demanded, his voice cold and commanding as he pointed at the male figure in the video.The security guards glanced at each other before one replied, "We're not sure, Boss. Seems to be one of the Madame’s coworkers or a friend."Sebastian clenched his jaw. He didn't like the idea of his wife spending time with another man, especially in a relaxed and friendly manner, despite it being her workplace. Was she that close with all her male colleagues?"Keep an eye on him. I want to know m
With a resigned sigh, Kourtney picked up the hospital menu. "So what would you like to eat, Your Highness?"“I don't eat hospital food. My Assistant will bring in the meal my personal Chef made.”Kourtney eyed him annoyingly. The man had a thing for always showing off, never missing an opportunity to flaunt his wealth and privileged lifestyle. His arrogant manners kind of made her want to punch him across his devilishly handsome face. "Must be nice,” she muttered under her breath."Well, when you're used to a certain standard, settling for less just isn't an option," Sebastian smirked, seemingly unfazed by her remark while Kourtney rolled her eyes.A few minutes later, Jamie rolled in a trolley containing dishes that would make even the most perceptive food critic's mouth water. Kourtney couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the spectacle. Each dish looked like it had been carefully crafted to nourish and delight the senses. The centerpiece was a rich, velvety soup in an ornate bowl
Kourtney glanced around the room, eyeing the other women. They were all looking at her with suspicion as if she were a suspect in a crime she didn’t commit. Indeed, she was the target.“Oh wow! This has never happened in our history before.” “Who could be the thief?”“We've never encountered such cases at any of our gatherings in the past!”Kourtney sneered on hearing their annoying remarks.It was painfully obvious they were trying to make it look like the thief was someone new in their circle. It all seemed like a slow-motion scene from a bad movie that made her bored, and she couldn't help but roll her eyes in disgust.Did they really think they could frame her like this?She didn’t need a prophet to know she had been set up. The irritation bubbled within her. These women were more petty than she had ever imagined.“That's true! Why don’t we start by checking the purse of our beloved new young mistress?”Before Kourtney could say, Jack, Sheila had moved swiftly, snatching her purs
The next day came quicker than expected for Kourtney. It was Saturday afternoon, and the Woods ladies always hosted a tea party. It was like a compulsory family-friendly tradition, they said.“Who still holds tea parties in the 21st century?” she muttered to herself, shaking her head in disbelief.The Woods family, apparently.Over here, everything felt ceremonious with a touch of rigid formality.Just the thought of it made her want to laugh and cry, at the same time.The ladies were dressed in elegant gowns, their hats adorned with flowers while holding dainty china teacups and sitting beneath a grand oak tree at the center of the Woods estate garden. Kourtney felt like she had stepped into a time capsule that took her to the past.Oh lord!It’s giving the 19th century.It was the Victorian era once again!What would they have next?A masquerade ball?She chuckled lightly as she placed her own flowery hat on her head, feeling as though she was part of some kind of regency novel.Li
“We can leave now if you want,” Sebastian said as he took her reddened hand, massaging it softly.She didn't have to put up with this nonsense.Kourtney looked up at him, her heart swelling with gratitude.“No, I don’t want to. I can handle them,” she replied, determination flooding her veins.You can call her so many things. But a “quitter” isn't one of them.“Very well then. They will either accept you or face my wrath. I assure you this,” Sebastian spoke with ruthless precision as he pulled her closer.As a child, he had watched helplessly as his late mother was bullied continuously by members of the Woods family.Because of her poor background, they had never liked her.Back then, he couldn't do anything about it except clench his fists in frustration. However, one day, he vowed never to feel powerless like that ever again—a promise that fueled his fierce determination to succeed and made him become the man he is today.And now, he couldn't help his protectiveness over Kourtney a
That fear!It was that fear that somehow protected her like a shield, making them comply with whatever Sebastian commanded, even if it meant accepting her as his wife.They hated her presence here but could do little to nothing about it.Great!Just great!As they moved deeper into the grand living room, ornate chandeliers hung from the ceilings, casting a warm glow that seemed almost mocking in contrast to the chilly reception she was currently receiving.Apart from Grandpa Woods, other family members began to step forward to greet her. But their attempts felt empty and void, mere formalities arranged with forced smiles, making her feel small and insignificant.“Welcome to the family, Young Lady,” a middle-aged woman with perfectly styled blonde hair said. “We’ve heard so much about you.” The words dripped with sarcasm, and Kourtney could see the flicker of contempt behind her bright blue eyes.Oh!They knew!It was clear they already knew her entire history.Her identity and recent
The drive to the Woods’s ancestral villa was filled with an electric tension that made Kourtney feel alive yet utterly terrified. She perched on the plush leather passenger seat of Sebastian’s Bentley while he drove, gliding through the streets with great skill and charisma.Her heart was thumping loudly in her chest, and she placed a hand on it as if to calm her raging storm of emotions.Sebastian, effortlessly handsome behind the wheel, glanced over at her with an eyebrow raised. “Can you stop being so nervous?” He asked, a hint of irritation seeping into his voice while his dark eyes narrowed slightly. He saw no reason for her to feel that way. She was making him feel like they were heading to a live-or-die boxing match instead of just his family villa.The woman simply had nothing to worry about. If only she knew....... Meanwhile, Kourtney rolled her eyes at him, a small gesture of defiance, but she said nothing.He still didn’t understand. He still didn’t get it.And she gue
After a moment of silence, when she didn’t hear any response, she shrugged it off as if nothing had happened.Edwin Woods's heart was hammering in his chest.That was a close call!He peeped, watching her from the small hole by the door.He realized she was still wrapped in that delicate white towel, her hair cascading down her back in damp waves. His mind raced, imagining how soft her skin would be if he could touch her. But he had to stay hidden.He observed every little movement, from the way she brushed her damp hair back to the way her towel hugged her curves. She was so beautiful, so enchanting, and he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her.He felt like a thief, stealing moments of her life, but in his mind, he was merely a guardian waiting for the right time to make his presence known.He watched as she rummaged through her closet, pulling out clothes.She resumed her whistling, a carefree tune that made him smile. The way she moved, so blissfully unaware of his presence, sent a
Sebastian stepped out of the car, holding the door open for her. “Come on, let’s go inside,” he urged gently as he extended a hand to her.Kourtney hesitated for a second but then took his hand, feeling the warmth of his grip. As she stepped out of the limousine, she was greeted by the bright lights of the boutique and the luxurious aura that surrounded it. Inside was a treasure trove of elegance. Silks, satins, and shimmering fabrics adorned the racks, each piece gorgeous and unique. She felt a flicker of excitement as she walked through the aisles while Sebastian watched her, admiration filling his eyes.She looked like a delicate flower in a garden of riches, and he wanted to shower her with the best of the best.“Pick whatever you like,” he ordered.Her heart fluttered at his words. “Really? You don’t mind?” “Not at all,” Sebastian rasped.The way her emerald eyes lit up—it was mesmerizing. Just like that, they spent the next few hours shopping.The shop attendants treated Kour
The men walked straight to her, ignoring Liam completely. “Mrs. Woods, Mr. Woods wants you to come join him in his car right away,” one of them said.Kourtney’s heart dropped. “He—he’s here?” she stammered, glancing nervously out the window. Sure enough, her husband’s white limousine was parked outside, surrounded by a crowd of curious onlookers. It felt like a scene straight out of a movie!‘Oh no! What now?’ she winced inwardly.How did he even find out she was here?Would he accuse her of being promiscuous again?Surely, he might confuse this little luncheon with Liam for a romantic date. Right?The man was quick to jump to conclusions, and she feared facing the wrath of his anger again.What would he do to her this time? Drive her to Coolaroo again?Kourtney shivered with that thought in mind. Her heart started racing with fear and confusion.She stood up, her hands trembling as she shot Liam an apologetic look. “I... I have to go.”“Go? Go where?” Liam demanded, his expression
However, Sebastian sat behind his mahogany desk, barely acknowledging her presence. Instead, he was buried in a stack of papers on his desk, his dark brows furrowed in concentration.Rachael felt a pang of disappointment as he didn’t even glance up to greet her.She could feel the embarrassing mix of frustration and sadness swelling in her chest.As usual, he was acting as if she were just another piece of furniture in the room.What would it take for this man to notice her?She swallowed hard, the presence of his two hulking bodyguards hovering in the corner of the room making her feel even more small and vulnerable. She knew they were there to prevent her from getting too close, a reminder of the boundaries he had drawn after their last encounter in his office space.He had made it clear that he didn’t want anything personal between them, and that hurt more than she cared to admit.But why is she still...here?“Bastian,” she started, her voice smooth and confident as she prepared to