"The security let me in. I hope you do not mind." Oh, he minds. He really minds, and she is starting to get on his nerves. “What—-what are you doing here? Why are you wearing my clothes?” "The rain soaked me. I did not have anything else to wear, so I borrowed this." She gave him a friendly smile. "Are you a fan of macaroni?" “No. I also want you to return home." He approached the stairs and turned to face her. “Why are you here?” "I was sent here by Mr. Queen. He asked me to give you some files." She motioned to the table, and Ezra's gaze met the stacked books on the table.“Were you at my parent’s house again?” "Do not say it as if it is a bad thing. Your mother wanted to spend some time with me. I had to go. Your father stated that the files are extremely important." "And you brought it tonight, of all days?" "I did not have a choice but to bring it tonight. I will be very busy tomorrow." Ezra let out a sigh. He could not stand there and argue with her any longer. "When yo
Emma was overjoyed when she awoke the next morning. She shut the curtains completely as she moved toward Zoella's bedroom. As usual, Zoella was already awake when she slid the door open. “Good morning, sweet.” “Hi, Emma.” Once the door was fully open, Emma entered. “How are we feeling today?” Zoella was not smiling, which meant something. "I am not feeling well." “Is there any problem?” She took her temperature, which was normal. "You appear to be in good health." Zoe jerked her head up. “No. I am not.” Emma sat down next to her and started tickling her, which made Zoe laugh out loud. “You don’t want to go to school?” Zoe's doe eyes stared at Emma with such innocent innocence. “But you love school. You will have the opportunity to play with Bella and your other friends." “Can I not go today?” “You are three years old. You are going.” “But I don’t even learn anything. I already know them all. The alphabet and numbers. Up to a thousand and more." Emma exclaimed in surprise, as
"She will be fine, Mr. Queen," the doctor assured as he reached for his bag. "All she needs to do is rest a little and take her medications, and she will be fine." "Thank you very much, Doctor Hariton." Ezra's gaze was drawn to the bed, where Heather was sound asleep, wrapped in blankets. When he woke up for work this morning, the rain had already stopped, and it bothered him that Heather had never texted or left a note indicating that she had already left. He made the decision to call her, and he heard her phone ring from the room he had assigned to her. He was perplexed. It was already after seven a.m., and she had not left yet? Or did she leave her phone at home? Before entering her room, he knocked on the door first. He did not hear any response, so he went in, and he was surprised to see her there. He approached the curtain and pulled it up, allowing the morning light to enter the room, but all he could hear was a hum. Ezra walked over to her bed. “Heather,” He called, but all
Ezra had his arms crossed. "It's not a crime. It’s just that it is too early for you to come here.” Scott leaned in. "Are you sick or something?" “What do you mean?” Scott sucked in his breath and leaned back on the chair. “It just doesn’t make sense.” Scott continued when Ezra furrowed his brow. “You don’t take breaks from work. You don't appear unwell, either. Tell me. What's happening. “How did you know I was here?” “I checked your office, of course. Milan said you decided to stay home. The Ezra Queen I know is not like that. He doesn’t use money to play.”"Perhaps all he needs is a day off from the stress." Scott laughed. "A break? Don’t make me laugh, you comedian. You love stress. You once said that making money kills all that. What changed? Was it Emma? Or…" He smirked. “You have someone here, and you don’t want me to know about it?” "Scott. This is my personal life.” "Ugh. Don’t be boring. Are you fucking a new person? Does she have a large bosom or ass? I genuinely ha
Emma cast a glance over to Zoe, who was preoccupied with the mini meatballs on her plate. She chose one and put it into her mouth. While chewing, she looked up at Emma. "You are very quiet." “No talking while eating.” Sighing, Emma dropped her fork into her unfinished spaghetti. Before leaving work, she had been thinking about Ezra. She could not even ask Gia and Floria to join her in her celebrations because of this. She sighed again, and Zoe's gaze returned to her. “Emma.” “Hmm.” She looked at Zoe, waiting for her to say something else. "I have already finished my food, but I am not full." Emma chuckled. Her gaze was drawn to the plate in front of her. "Would you like mine? I will not be able to finish it." Zoe gave a nod. Emma emptied her plate into Zoe's bowl. "What should we say?" “Thank you.” She clutched the plate close to her chest and began digging through it. "You have been eating a lot recently." “And you haven’t.” "You should not be concerned about me. I am the gr
Emma knocked on the door of the principal's office the next morning. She walked in after hearing a female voice summon her. “Good morning, Principal Olivia.” Emma shut the door behind her, and the woman in front of her immediately stood up. "Please call me, Olivia." The woman was in her late forties and had short, blonde hair that was wavy. Her skin was pale, but she wore makeup. Emma could tell her makeup was light because her wrinkles were not covered. Her lips were cherry red, and the way she smiled revealed a full set of teeth. She was dressed in a suit set. A suit jacket on top and suit pants on the bottom. The suit jacket was completely buttoned up. "Please take a seat." “Thank you.” Emma pulled out a chair and sat. "I am here to discuss something concerning my daughter." “Ah. You must be Mrs. Facer.” “Miss Facer.” Emma clarified. She gave a silly little laugh. "I sincerely apologise.""It is all right. Principal Olivia smiled. "Miss Ava spoke to me earlier about your visi
Ezra inhaled deeply as he fixed his gaze on the door. As he waited for Emma to enter the room, he counted down from ten to one. At the fifth number, the door was rapped on, startling him from his thoughts. Ezra fixed himself properly and cleared his throat. He then commanded, "Come on in." When the door was opened, Emma entered. “Good morning, Ezra.” Although she was smiling, she was perplexed as to why he had summoned her to his office. Sure, she was late but how the hell would he know that? She even has reasons. Ezra's gaze met Milan's as she stood at the door and gave him an awkward look. She was wondering when they started calling each other by their first names. He motioned with his hands for her to depart. She shut the door, and Ezra locked eyes with Emma. “It is Mr. Queen.” “Huh? However, you stated—" "Miss Facer, we are at the office." He offered her a seat. "At work, we address each other by our job titles." He picked up the pen and resumed his work. Emma sat down, nod
Emma crossed the street and noticed the car Heather had described to her from a distance. She approached it and tapped on the door. The window squeaked and the car was unlocked. "Get in," Heather said as she reached for her seatbelt and buckled it. Emma moved to the passenger seat and opened the door. She climbed into the car and buckled her seatbelt. Heather then drove away. "We could have just stayed at that coffee shop," Emma quipped as Heather confidently stepped onto the road. The sleek white vehicle surged forward as Heather pressed down on the gas pedal, a mischievous smirk playing on her lips. The scenery outside the windows turned into a blur as the car picked up speed. "What's the fun in that?" Heather retorted, her tone teasing. She pushed the gas pedal a little harder, and the car responded with a surge of power that sent a thrill down Emma’s spine. Her mind, however, was elsewhere, lost in her thoughts as she watched the street. "We are here," Heather announced, her vo
Phoebe exclaimed, turning her head towards Emma, as she stood in front of the large mansion. "You never mentioned your friend was loaded." On the ride to Susan’s home, she’d been glaring at the houses they passed by. When Emma said she had a colleague, she never imagined it was a wealthy one. “Susan doesn’t like to brag.” “Emma. Why are we in Bella’s house?” Zoe asked. "You are going to have a play date with Bella. Are you not pumped?" Zoe shook her head. “No. I am not in Bella’s class anymore.” Emma rolled her eyes. She is a kid, so she should act like one. Why is having a special child so difficult? There is a difficult situation at hand, and Phoebe is unaware that Ezra wants her to begin living on his estate so Zoe can live comfortably. "You are a kid, Zoella, so you are going to have a playdate today. Whether you like it or not." “But…” Her eyes began to well up. "Emma must attend to some business. Come on.” She held her hand as they walked to the door. Emma pressed the door
Emma arrived home around 10:30 a.m., and the driver had dropped her off at Ezra's request. He could not bring them himself, which she understood, but that was not the issue. Things were becoming increasingly complicated, and Phoebe would be furious if she found out. Winter is aware of Zoe, so there is no doubt that the rest of the family will be as well. Her heart was racing as she stepped out of the car with Zoe. “Thank you.” She thanked the driver and watched him drive away before returning her attention to her building. She would be leaving this place and moving into Ezra's estate by tomorrow. Things will not get any easier from there. “Emma. I had fun today. I think Winter likes me.” Zoe stated, but there was no response. Emma, on the other hand, was deep in thought. Zoe called her name as she tucked her pants repeatedly. "Is there something wrong?" Emma inquired, looking down at her. “Why are you staring at the house? Is it because Daddy wants us to move to the new house?" E
Emma froze on her feet as she met Winter's widened eyes. Her plan had been to run into the bathroom and emerge when Winter was gone, but she was apprehended on her way out of the kitchen. “Winter.” She chuckled nervously. “How are you doing, love? Happy Sunday.” Winter looked her over and examined her. “What are you doing here? It appears from the way you are dressed that you spent the night here.” "No, I didn’t.” She flatly denied it. "You are dressed in Ezra's shirt." She gave a nod. "Yes, you slept here." With a sly grin, she approached Emma and muttered, “Don’t worry. I am rooting for both of you. Oh, it is as if my dream is coming true." Emma was watching her as she rejoiced. “Emma. You have my permission. Now, where is my phone?” She moved over to the couch and noticed it behind her bag. She held it out for Emma to see. “Found it. I will be seeing my brother now.” Emma remembered Zoe was upstairs in Ezra's room as Winter walked to the stairs. "I think it is best if I call h
His mouth tasted like cold, fresh juice. The kind that reminds you of summer air, the sea, and the sun. As Emma kissed him further, she didn’t want to let go. It was something she yearned for. It was something she had always desired. To be held by him. To be in his arms. Protected, safe, and loved. It reminded her of three years ago, when he carried her into the hotel room and made love to her. If only things had gone differently, she would have stayed and tried her luck. She would not have stolen from him and fled. What kind of woman would consider harming a man like Ezra Queen? She, of course. She had done so and continues to do so, and she felt guilty as he kissed her more. The thought made her break away from the kiss and she met his gaze. His ocean blue eyes locked on her, and Emma was certain he could see her soul as her heart beat faster.“Are you okay?” He asked. She wanted to scream, "Ezra, I am so sorry. Zoe isn’t yours. She is adopted. But I love you, and I went through a
"I'm so, so sorry." He turned his head away as soon as he stood up. Emma draped the shirt around her body. The shirt was larger and longer for her, and it completely covered her. “You weren’t at fault.” She looked at him. "It is all right; you can look at me now." Instead of turning to face her, Ezra walked to the door. “Goodnight, Emma.” He spoke, and as he was about to close the door, he paused due to the growling in her stomach. He sighed and moved his gaze to her. "I just realised I only served you tea, not dinner." “Yeah.” Her arms were encircling her. "Zoe has not eaten either. I should wake her up so she can eat something before going back to bed." “You are right. Come on.” She accompanied him out of the room. Ezra told her he would meet her in the kitchen and turned to walk in a different direction. Emma complied and went into the kitchen to wait. After a few minutes, she heard footsteps coming down the stairs. As he approached the kitchen, Zoe was in his arms, her hand ru
Emma stared out the window as the car drove through the streets on the way home. It was 6 p.m., and Zoe was fast asleep in her seat. Her thoughts have not been settled in one place since Ezra mentioned buying her a house on his property, and she has been silent the entire time. The rain suddenly started to pour, blurring the view out the car window. Emma sagged back in her chair and sighed. “Is everything okay?” He’d noticed she hadn’t said a word since they left the park. “Yes. Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?” She laughed a little nervously. "Because you have not said anything? If this is related to the house, Emma, please understand that I am only trying to look out for my daughter and want her to have the best.”Can he please stop saying that? Her stomach turned just by hearing that word. Zoe is not your daughter; she wanted to yell but instead she said, “I know. She is fortunate to have you as a father, and I know you want the best for her." “She will live a normal life and co
"She is no longer there! Zoe is gone!” “Emma, Calm down. Breathe.” Ezra said, both hands on her shoulders, trying to smooth her. Emma raised her gaze at him. “Don’t tell me to calm down. She is gone!” Her eyes were starting to well up with tears. She sniffled. “We will find her. I promise. First and foremost, we must contact the police." He reached for his phone, but she shook her head. “No.” “What?” “No. We can not call the cops." Ezra gave her a curious look. “Why not? This place is huge. She could be anywhere.” "What if she injures herself before they arrive? We have to find her. Quick, Ezra. Nothing should happen to my daughter because I will not be able to leave with myself!" Emma yelled as she jerked away from Ezra and ran towards the swing where Zoe was last seen. If Zoe is hurt, she will be taken to the hospital, where the truth will be revealed. If that happens, she will be doomed and imprisoned for the rest of her life. No. She cannot allow this to happen. She needs
Blinking several times, Emma continued to look into his eyes. The hardest part was getting her gaze away from him. She was salivating. She was daydreaming. And she wanted to stay there for a long time—until she heard Zoe speak. “Oopies. Emma. Are you okay?” Ezra balanced her and released her. "Are you all right?" He inquired, and she fell again, but she was caught in his arms for the second time. “Hey. Easy there,” he laughed, setting her on her feat again. Emma tucked her hair behind her ears, nervously laughing, hoping he would notice how much work she had put into her face and compliment her. He did not seem to notice. “So sorry about that. My legs become weak when I meet someone who takes my breathhhhhhhhh…” She dragged out the last words so long that she had to correct herself as soon as she came back to her senses. "I mean, I am getting older, and these heels are making it so difficult. It makes my bones brittle. The legs bones.” He looked down at her legs. "You do not have
Two days later...Ezra turned off the gas when he heard his phone ringing in the distance. It was placed on the dining room table. He removed his apron and walked over to the dining table to see who had called him early Saturday morning. “Mother?” That was clearly visible on his phone's screen. He picked up his phone and placed it in his ear. "Good morning, mother." "Good morning, son." She sounded depressed, but Ezra knew it was just another of her jokes. She either wants him to return home with a woman he loves so they can plan a wedding, or she wants to complain about something he is unaware of at the moment. "It is very early, mother. This is my day of rest." “It is 8 in the morning, boy. How are you doing today?” "Exactly the same as yesterday." He had talked to Emma before he left work about what time he should get to the house for the outing. Emma had told him about enrolling Zoe in her class and how surprised everyone was when Zoe was introduced. A young boy had yelled. “