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Ties that bind
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2024-11-25 21:31:36Bab terkait
Never meant to be A chance encounter
Logan -Clubs were never my scene. The loud music, the flashing lights, the shallow conversations—it all grated on me. But Derek and a few others had insisted we meet here tonight, promising it would be a “refreshing change.” So there I was, nursing a whiskey neat and trying to appear interested as a blonde with overly dramatic gestures talked at me.I’d already forgotten her name.I nodded at her words, pretending to listen, but my attention drifted. My eyes scanned the room, half-hoping for something, anything, to break the monotony. And that’s when I saw her.Isabella.She stood near a corner booth, her smile radiant as she leaned in toward a man I didn’t recognize. A flicker of something stirred within me. Annoyance? Curiosity? Whatever it was, it tightened my jaw as I watched her laugh at something he said.The man—tall, polished, the kind who looked like he was used to getting what he wanted—was close to her. Too close. Not that it was any of my business.I shifted my gaze back
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-11-25Never meant to be A Welcome, Interrupted
LoganThe moment Isabella walked out of my office, I smacked my forehead with the heel of my hand. What the hell was I thinking?It wasn’t like me to lose my cool—or my focus—but there I was, sitting at my desk, replaying the moment like a bad movie.Do you have a boyfriend?I wasn’t even sure why I’d asked. The question had slipped out before I could stop it.Now, she probably thought I was some kind of creep. Fantastic. Just what I needed on top of an already chaotic day.I leaned back in my chair, exhaling slowly, trying to shake off the discomfort. It wasn’t like me to fumble, especially not around someone like Isabella. Derek walked in, carrying a folder. He placed it on my desk with a decisive thud, oblivious to my inner turmoil.“We need to finalize the influencers for the next advertising campaign,” he began, launching into a rundown of the options. “These are the top contenders based on reach and engagement metrics. I think we should—”“Hmm,” I said absently, my eyes drifting
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-11-26Never meant to be A Little Too Curious
Isabella“So, Isabella,” Amy said, leaning just slightly toward me with her wine glass poised elegantly in hand. “What’s your story?"I hesitated, trying to muster a polite response. “It’s nothing too exciting,” I said, brushing it off.But Amy wasn’t letting go. “Oh, come on! You’re young, beautiful, and clearly a catch. Spill the beans!”I glanced at Logan, who sat across the table, swirling the wine in his glass with a casual ease. His eyes flicked to me, sharp and amused, as if he were enjoying watching me squirm.Amy’s expectant smile was impossible to ignore, so I finally relented. “Well, if you must know... I was seeing someone from my previous office.”Amy’s eyes lit up with interest. “Really? Tell me more!”I sighed inwardly, resigned to giving her just enough to satisfy her curiosity. “His name is Carlson. He was a colleague, and we’d known each other for about a year before we started dating. It’s been... six months now.”Amy tilted her head, her smile unwavering but her ey
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-11-28Never meant to be Weekend Plans Crushed
IsabellaFridays had always been my favorite day of the week, but today felt special. My mind buzzed with excitement as I thought about the weekend ahead. Carlson and I had planned a getaway to his lake house, and I couldn’t wait to escape the endless grind of work, even if only for a couple of days. The day had started well enough, but my bubble burst mid-morning when Logan called me into his cabin.“Isabella,” he barked, holding a printed stack of papers in his hand, “what is this?”I blinked, startled. “The quarterly report you asked for?”“This isn’t a quarterly report,” he snapped. “It’s a mess. The format is all wrong, the data is incomplete, and worst of all, it’s not even your job to make this report! It’s the responsibility of the data analytics team.”I felt a chill creep up my spine. “I... I thought—”“Where did you get the data?” he interrupted, his tone sharp.I swallowed hard, fumbling for words. “Amy told me the files were in the shared drive under ‘Q2 Summary.’ I used
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-11-28Never meant to be Conversations on the Road
IsabellaThe hum of the car’s engine filled the silence as I sat beside Logan, staring out of the window. The city lights blurred into streaks of gold and white against the darkening sky. Despite the comfortable leather seat and the soothing quiet, I felt anything but relaxed.My phone buzzed on my lap, lighting up with another message from Carl.This time, it was a photo of the lake house: sun-kissed, idyllic, with sparkling water in the background. Grace and a few other familiar faces were there, laughing, glasses in hand. My stomach twisted as I stared at the image. When did he invite all these people? I thought it was supposed to be our weekend.I typed out a quick reply: "Looks great. Have fun."Almost immediately, his response came: "Missing you."I hesitated, unsure how to respond, but before I could type anything, another photo came through, this one of Carl sitting close to Grace on the deck. It was innocent enough, but something about it made me uneasy.I tucked my phone awa
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-11-29Never meant to be The Dinner
High School, 2016IsabellaThe sound of the school bell echoed down the crowded hallway, signaling the end of another exhausting day. My arms were laden with books and the oversized poster board that carried my carefully assembled science project. Weeks of research and late nights had gone into this—the diagrams meticulously labeled, the findings summarized in clean, neat handwriting. For once, I was proud of something I’d done, and I couldn’t wait to present it in class tomorrow.The late afternoon sun shone weakly as I stepped out of the building. The courtyard was bustling with students, some loitering by the steps, others heading to their buses. I kept my head down, weaving through the crowd toward the parking lot where my grandmother would be waiting.“Hey, clumsy!”The voice froze me in my tracks. I didn’t have to look to know who it was.Logan Sinclair.I quickened my pace, clutching my project tighter. Maybe if I ignored him, he’d let it go this time.“Where’re you going, Isab
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-11-29Never meant to be In Step
IsabellaThe hallway outside the conference room buzzed with the usual energy—voices rising and falling, the hurried click of heels against polished floors, and the constant hum of muted conversations. I stood by the door, tablet in hand, glancing at my watch for the third time in two minutes. Logan’s meetings always had a way of running over, but today his schedule was particularly unforgiving. If he didn’t wrap up soon, he’d be late for the next one.I sighed, straightening my posture as the glass doors of the conference room finally slid open. Executives filed out, their faces varying shades of satisfaction and frustration. Logan followed.He caught my eye as I stepped toward him, and I tilted my head slightly. He nodded, understanding immediately, and fell into step beside me as I began rattling off the details of his next meeting. I had been working for him for six months, and we had established a silent communication.“Your one o’clock with the legal team has been moved to one-t
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-11-29Never meant to be Balancing act
IsabellaIt was nearing midnight, and the office was finally quiet. My desk was cluttered with papers, files, and my laptop, the blue light from the screen casting a faint glow. My eyes burned from staring at spreadsheets all day, and my back ached from hours of sitting in the same position.Sometimes I wondered if Logan was torturing me intentionally. Surely, no one could have this much work piled on them in one week. Meetings, reports, scheduling, last-minute changes—it was relentless. It felt as if Logan expected me to anticipate his needs before he even voiced them, a task I was getting better at but not without effort.I sighed, reaching for my phone. Carl hadn’t replied to any of my texts today. My calls went straight to voicemail. Frustration bubbled up as I stared at the screen, debating whether to call him again.Finally, I decided to take a break and see him in person. If he wasn’t answering, maybe it was time for a face-to-face conversation.The dimly lit restaurant was coz
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-11-29
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Never meant to be Unfinished Business
Unfinished BusinessIsabella -A smirk tugged at the corners of my mouth before I could stop it. “Good for her,” I said, turning back toward the stairs.“Isabella, wait,” he called out, his voice sharper now.I ignored him, taking a step forward. But then I felt his hand on my arm, gripping it tightly.“Why did you tell her?” he demanded, his voice thick with accusation.I spun around, yanking my arm free. “Tell her what?”“Don’t play dumb,” he snapped. “You told her everything. About me, about us.”I laughed dryly, crossing my arms. “You mean about you cheating on me? And her? Please, Carl. Grace deserved to know the truth. You have no one to blame but yourself.”His face twisted with anger, his eyes narrowing. “You ruined my life,” he hissed, stepping closer.I glared at him, refusing to back down. “You ruined your own life. Maybe you should have thought about that before sleeping with both of us.”His expression darkened, and for a moment, I thought he might back off. But then his
Never meant to be Drawing the Line
Logan Paris’s apartment was as opulent as ever, with its pristine white walls, expansive glass windows, and a sweeping view of the ocean.She greeted me at the door, her expression bright and deceptively warm. "Logan," she purred, leaning in for an air kiss. "To what do I owe this surprise? You never drop by unannounced."I brushed past her into the living room, my jaw tight. "We need to talk."Her perfectly arched eyebrows lifted, but she didn’t miss a beat. She closed the door behind me and sauntered over to a plush armchair, gesturing for me to sit as if this were a casual visit."I’m all ears," she said, crossing her legs and giving me a practiced smile.I remained standing. "Did you get that article printed?"Her smile didn’t falter, but something flickered in her eyes—amusement, maybe. "Why would you think that?""Cut the act, Paris," I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended. "You’ve been stirring the pot ever since Isabella started working at my company. Don’t think I haven
Never meant to be Damage Control
Logan -I sat at my desk, staring at the clock on the wall. The hands seemed frozen, mocking me with their refusal to move. Isabella wasn’t at the office today. I’d expected that much after last night. Hell, I probably would’ve done the same if I were in her shoes.The memory of her walking out still stung. Her tears, her anger, the slap—I deserved all of it. I’d screwed up. I knew it the moment I saw the diary in her hands. There was no way to explain, no excuse good enough to justify what I’d done.I rubbed my temples, willing the tension in my head to subside, but it clung to me like a shadow. I needed to fix this, but first, I had to give her space. Isabella wasn’t the kind of person you could pressure into a conversation. She’d come back when she was ready—if she ever wanted to hear me out at all.Just as I was about to dive into the mountain of emails piling up in my inbox, Derek walked in, holding his phone with a grim expression."You’ve got to see this," he said, sliding the
Never meant to be A Betrayal Too Deep
IsabellaI froze, staring at the worn leather cover with my name scrawled on it in silver ink. It was unmistakable. The corners were frayed from years of use, and the faint stain of spilled ink near the edge was exactly where I remembered it.What was this doing here?Slowly, as if compelled by an unseen force, I flipped it open.The familiar loops of my teenage handwriting stared back at me, messy and unrefined, but undeniably mine."January 12th. I saw Logan today in the hallway. The moment he looked at me, my heart felt as though it was about to burst. He appeared to be so serious. He’ll never notice me like that, though. He’s Patty’s boyfriend, and she’s perfect. Ugh, why am I even writing this?"My throat tightened, and I flipped further. Page after page, it was all there—my secrets, my insecurities, my dreams. The crush I thought I’d hidden so well.A lump formed in my throat as I pieced together the impossible truth. Logan had this diary. For how long? And why?My chest heaved
Never meant to be Shattered
Isabella The silence in the car was deafening. Logan’s words still hung in the air, heavy with meaning and impossible to ignore. He loved me. He loved me. And for a brief, heart-stopping moment, I wanted to believe that we could make it work, that the world outside this car didn’t matter.But then reality came crashing back, as it always did.I pulled my hand from his, the warmth of his touch lingering even as I turned to face him. My heart was pounding, but I steadied myself, forcing my voice to remain calm. "Logan," I began, "we’ve been through this before. We can’t have a relationship."His brows furrowed, and his jaw tightened, a flash of frustration crossing his face. "Why not?" he asked, his voice low but firm. "Why are you so determined to fight this, Isabella?""Because it’s not just about us," I said, gesturing vaguely at the world outside the car. "If we do this, it won’t just affect us, Logan. It’ll affect everything."He shook his head, his gaze never leaving mine. "I don
Never meant to be Confession
Isabella -The music shifted, becoming slower, more seductive. The soft rhythm of the song seemed to weave through the air, urging me to move."I am tired." I said to Trent.He stopped dancing, and I stepped onto the deck. I leaned against the railing, closing my eyes for a second to breathe in the salty air, trying to regain some clarity. But before I could settle into the moment, I heard the sound of footsteps behind me.“Leaving the party already?” Trent’s voice broke the silence, and I turned to see him standing a few feet away, his ever-present grin in place.“I just needed a break,” I said, forcing a smile as I adjusted my posture, hoping he wouldn’t push.He didn’t seem to take the hint. Instead, he moved closer, his eyes lingering on me a little too long. “I get it. Sometimes, all this”—he waved a hand toward the house—“can get a bit much, huh?” He stepped closer again, his tone lower now, more intimate. “But I’ve got to say, you look incredible tonight, Isabella.”“Thanks, Tr
Never meant to be The Party at Paris’s Beach House
IsabellaThe night was warm, the salty breeze from the ocean carrying with it the sound of laughter and music. Paris’s beach house was breathtaking, glittering with golden lights that illuminated the sprawling deck and the sand below. The entire scene felt like something out of a movie—perfect, polished, and far too intimidating.Despite Logan’s insistence that I wait and go with him, I had decided to arrive on my own. Something about the idea of walking in with him felt too complicated, too public.I had spent an unreasonable amount of time deciding what to wear, eventually settling on a fitted black dress with a plunging neckline and a slit up the side. It was a little risqué for me, but tonight, I wanted to feel pretty.As I stepped onto the deck, the party was already in full swing. The sound of waves mingled with the upbeat music playing through hidden speakers, and the air buzzed with conversation. Waiters weaved through the crowd with trays of champagne flutes, and the guests—e
Never meant to be Party
Isabella -The invitation came out of nowhere.“Isabella,” she said, dragging out my name like we were best friends. “What are you doing tomorrow night?”“Nothing special,” I replied cautiously, sensing a trap.“Perfect!” she exclaimed, clapping her hands together. “I’m throwing a party at my beach house. You simply have to come.”I blinked. “Uh, thanks for the invite, but I don’t know if—”“Oh, don’t even try to wiggle out of this,” she interrupted, waving a manicured hand. “It’s going to be fabulous. Everyone’s coming—people from work, some old friends, and even a few familiar faces from high school. It’ll be like a mini-reunion!”That didn’t sound appealing in the slightest. “I am not sure.”She dismissed my concern with an exaggerated sigh. “Nonsense. You’ll know plenty of people, and besides...” She leaned in, her eyes gleaming mischievously. “Logan will be there.”That gave me pause. “Logan?”“Of course!” she said with a grin. “I told him about it when we had dinner the other ni
Never meant to be The Starry Tantrums of Paris
Isabella -The next morning started like any other—a blur of meetings, emails, and hurried cups of coffee. I had just settled into my desk when Derek approached."Isabella," he began, his tone careful, "I need a favor."I raised an eyebrow, already sensing where this was going. "What’s the favor?""Amy’s out on leave today, and we need someone to supervise the shoot." He gave me a hopeful smile, as though that would soften the blow.I blinked. Supervise the shoot? That was Amy’s domain, not mine. But Derek looked genuinely stressed, and it wasn’t like I could say no without good reason."Alright," I said, standing up and grabbing my notebook. "I’ll handle it.""Thank you," he said, visibly relieved. "The studio’s already set up. Just... try to keep Paris in check."That last comment made me pause. Keeping Paris in check? Easier said than done.The studio was a whirlwind of chaos when I arrived. Cameras were being adjusted, lights were glaring, and the director was pacing like a man on
