For the next five minutes, I remained frozen. I couldn't bring myself to speak or excuse myself. When I glanced at Atlas, his calm gaze met my panicked eyes. I gulped, feeling both anxious and thrilled. This was something I'd never done before—something so controversial. Fear and intrigue mingled within me. I wanted to know what would happen if I excused myself to the washroom, so I finally gathered the courage.Clearing my throat, I gained everyone's attention. Offering a small smile to Aunt Rosa, I stated, "Please excuse me. I’ll be back in a minute. You all carry on." As I stood, the chair scraped against the floor, making me wince. I straightened my dress and, with a quick glance at Atlas, aimed for the washroom. Unsure of which washroom to go to, I decided to head to my old room.Each step felt like a journey as I made my way down the hall, my heart pounding in anticipation. What would Atlas do next? The thrill of the unknown sent shivers down my spine, making my steps both hesit
Walking back to the living room, I felt a heavy weight inside me. I was nervous and ashamed. Every glance in my direction made me feel like they knew what I had done and what I was doing. As I stepped out, Aunt Rosa's concerned voice met me.“Oh sweetie, I hope you’re okay. You were gone for a while and you look flushed,” she said.Her words heightened my anxiety. I hadn’t even thought to check myself in the mirror before reentering. Pressing my lips together, I decided to lie.“Uh, yes. I’m fine. The food just didn’t agree with me,” I said softly.She gave me a sympathetic smile, her hand gently stroking my arm. Over her shoulder, I saw Atlas reenter the living room from outside. He must have taken the back door earlier and now returned through the main entrance, maintaining the illusion that he had been outside all this time. His calculated move made me feel slightly less nervous. He offered me a quick glance as he passed us and walked over to Philippe.My stomach knotted at the sig
He didn’t need to guide me. I knew exactly what to do. While he remained standing, steady and composed, I could feel my legs trembling with the overwhelming pull of desire. The weight of it was too much, and I made my way to the bed, the cool sheets beneath me a stark contrast to the heat building inside.I waited, expecting him to join me, to close the distance between us, but he didn’t move. He stood there for a few long, torturous seconds, his eyes narrowing as he watched me. I could see the thoughts swirling in his mind, hidden behind a carefully controlled expression. He was a master at masking his emotions, but there was one thing he couldn’t hide—lust. It blazed in his eyes, a raw, primal hunger that made my heart race.I was certain he would climb into bed with me, that he would let go of the restraint I could see him struggling to maintain. But instead, he surprised me. He dragged the armchair from the corner of the room, pulling it closer to the bed. He sat down, his gaze ne
“Are you going to tell me what happened? Is this about Amanda? Did she say something to you?” Jess's voice trembled slightly as she stood outside the bathroom door where I had locked myself. I had tried to pull myself together before coming home, but the effort had been futile. The moment I stepped into the apartment, Jess took one look at me and knew something was wrong. When she asked what happened, the dam broke. Tears streamed down my face, and when she wrapped her arms around me, I collapsed into sobs. She didn’t press me for answers, just held me, her silent presence a comfort.After what felt like hours of ugly crying, I finally excused myself and retreated to the bathroom. I splashed cold water on my face, trying to erase the evidence of my breakdown. As I wiped my face with a towel, I noticed streaks of makeup staining the fabric. It was a small thing, but it felt like a mark of my defeat. I tried not to catch my reflection in the mirror, but when I did, the sight of myself o
The rest of the week flew by in a blur—work, spending time with Jess, and the constant flood of calls and messages from Atlas. I didn’t pick up a single one. His texts, all variations of the same theme, piled up on my phone, each one a hollow echo of regret. If Atlas had proven anything over the past few days, it was that he was sorry. But that word, sorry, had lost all meaning to me.I used to be the girl who’d drop everything for him, who’d bend to his will with a single word. But not anymore. I was too hurt, too broken, to let his apologies soften me. Even if he meant them—truly meant them—I didn’t want them. They couldn’t fix what he’d shattered.Saturday arrived faster than I was ready for, leaving me standing in front of my cupboard, staring at the meager selection of clothes. I blew my cheeks out in frustration before turning to Jess, who was casually perched on my bed, lost in her book. “I really need to get the rest of my stuff back from Atlas,” I muttered.Jess looked up, he
Harper Miller I was just ten years old when I watched as my parents' coffins were solemnly lifted, their faces hidden from view forever. Their lives ended abruptly in a plane crash while en route to a meeting. Meanwhile, I found myself in the care of Mr. Benjamin Cooper, a close friend of my father's from childhood. Initially intended as a short stay, my time with Mr. Cooper stretched into several years as he became my legal guardian following my parents' tragic passing. In my youthful naivety, I clung to the hope that my parents might one day return, but as the years passed, reality sank in. I slowly came to terms with being the lone survivor of the Miller family. I was never formally adopted by Mr. Cooper, though the reasons remain a mystery to me. Nevertheless, his love for me was unwavering. He was a kind-hearted man, much like my own parents. A successful businessman, his days were often consumed by work, but he always made time for us – for me, Amanda, and Atlas. Atlas, the e
“He has a girlfriend,” I whispered to Jess, my dearest companion, as I absentmindedly twirled a strand of hair around my finger, my gaze fixed on the ceiling above. She's the only friend I've truly connected with. Making friends has never been easy for me, but with Jess, it was instantaneous. Our bond, forged over four years, has made us inseparable. Usually, she's the one who visits me at Atlas's place, but today I find myself at her house, unable to bear the idea of staying home while Atlas's girlfriend moves in today.Jess let out a weary sigh, her eyes briefly leaving the pages of her book to meet mine. "You've been repeating that for a fortnight now, Harper," she remarked, her tone tinged with gentle exasperation, before diving back into her literary world.She's correct. I've been avoiding the truth for the past two weeks. I've attempted to steel myself for the moment I catch sight of Atlas with her, yet I've been unable to confront it. Today marks the culmination of my dread –
I’m not entirely sure how I ended up in the same bed as Patrick. Neither of us intended for it to happen, but we were both in need of affection, and the drinks we had earlier certainly played a part in our decision. I’m still uncertain if I’m happy about what transpired between us, but at that moment, it felt right.I shuddered as his fingertips caressed the exposed skin of my back, tracing a tantalizing path from the base of my neck down to the small of my back. With eyes closed and teeth gently biting my lower lip, I lay prone, my hands gripping the crisp white sheets beneath me.His touch wandered further, his palm grazing my bare bottom before settling on my thigh, eliciting a sharp intake of breath from me. As his hand inched closer to my most intimate parts – still aching, dripping, and sensitive – anticipation hung heavy in the air, mingling with the remnants of our earlier passion.Leaning in close, his voice husky with desire, he murmured, "One more time?" With a weak smile,