Edwin took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. “I’ve been doing some digging these past couple of weeks. You remember Mr. Black, right? The CEO of Black Textiles?”I nodded stiffly, sniffling. Edwin handed me his handkerchief, which I used to dab my teary eyes and blow my nose.“Well,” h
Edwin“Those humans are all problematic,” Leo said, leaning back in his chair with an air of superiority about him. “This is why I don’t like to hire them. Nothing but trouble, if you ask me.”I bit back a sharp retort, reminding myself to stay calm. I wanted them both here before I said anything. I
Linda, however, wasn’t going so quietly. As one of the guards took her arm, she suddenly cried out, her voice shrill, “I know you two had sex!”The room fell silent. I froze for a moment, my heart rate spiking, then turned to the guard. “Wait outside, please. I’ll handle this.”Once we were alone ag
AudreyI paced the small utility closet, my heart pounding a mile a minute in my chest.With each passing moment, I kicked myself for coming here. It was stupid, risky, and would only end in more heartbreak for me—I was sure of it.But I had to come, even if I knew it was a bad idea.I needed to tal
“Right... There’s something I need to tell you about Fiona.”Over the next few minutes, Edwin explained everything. The unwilling engagement, Fiona’s threats, his repeated attempts to end things to no avail.With each word, I felt more and more relieved, but also frustrated. I was relieved that he h
AudreyThe summer passed by without another hitch. True to Edwin’s word, I didn’t see or hear from Linda or Leo for the remainder of the summer. My internship flew by in the blink of an eye, one successful project after another. I was assigned a new mentor since Leo was gone, one who didn’t scheme t
Once the door was shut firmly behind us, Gavin suddenly turned to me, his expression fierce. He grabbed me by both shoulders, and I almost stumbled back, stunned by our sudden proximity.“Gavin, I don’t—”But instead of trying to kiss me like I feared, Gavin’s hands rested gently on my arms. His eye
AudreyWe all sat up in unison, our eyes wide with shock.“WHAT?!” I practically shouted, then cleared my throat and lowered my voice. “You’re… You’re not coming to Grayspring in the fall?”Avis looked around at our stunned faces, her expression a bit sheepish. “I know it seems sudden, but I’ve been
“I think you’re going to change so many lives,” I said to Eliza. “Those kids are so lucky to have you.” Eliza looked down, her cheeks pink. “Thank you, Audrey. Really.” Tina piped up next. “And my LGBT counseling department is finally off the ground! ” She paused, leaning into my mother, who was
Audrey After a long flight, we finally touched down in Italy. The sunlight streaming in through the plane window was a promising golden hue, and just the sight of it made me feel like my heart was about to leap out of my chest. “I might need a nap when we get to the villa,” Edwin yawned, shaking
And as I watched, I felt a hand slip into mine. I glanced up, finding Edwin beside me, his gaze focused on the runway but his approval humming through the bond. My mother stood on my other side, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. A lump rose in my throat, and I couldn’t even speak. None of us c
Audrey Edwin and I emerged from the small room, his hand still resting protectively on my back. The hustle and bustle of last-minute preparations immediately hit us, assistants running back and forth, models being ushered into position, and the soft hum of the audience’s chatter drifting through t
“There’s always time,” I whispered, grabbing the wrist of his free hand and pulling it close to peer at his watch. The movement caused him to topple forward, and he caught himself on his other palm, caging me against the hard wood of the vanity. “But maybe not enough time to waste right now.” Edwi
Audrey Before I could even answer his question, Edwin rushed past me and locked the door. When he turned back to me, he was grinning from ear to ear. The sight of that mischievous look on his face made my breath hitch. Once, it had been like pulling teeth to get the man to smile. And now here he
He didn’t need to tell me twice. I tore into the wrapping paper, revealing a soft red scarf. I could tell immediately that it was handmade—there were more than a few uneven stitches, and the outline was lumpy. It was far from perfect. But I loved it all the more for that. “Goddess, Edwin,” I laugh
Audrey The morning of the show was a frenzy. No, more than a frenzy. It was complete and utter chaos. I spent the entire morning from sunup to noon running endlessly from one end of the venue to the other, desperately trying to make sure every last detail was perfect. The racks were lined with c
“Uh… Yeah,” Malakai said. “Coffee would be nice.” A few minutes later, the three of us sat around the table, steaming cups of pitch black coffee in our hands. I kept it bitter, just in case Malakai was here to stir up more shit. It burned a little going down, but I sipped it anyway. Malakai look