Zara's POV My voice was tighter than I meant it to be.Not that I cared.Zed grinned like an idiot, behind me into the office.He slumped into the desk chair, plugged in the drive and his laptop, and started typing.The screen turned blue and white as files downloaded — folders within folders of work documents, names, codes, files labeled things like 'Q1 Analytics' and 'Client Data Structure'.His fingers moved fast, the clicking of keys filling the silence.After a couple of minutes, he leaned back, running a hand through his messy dark hair.“Looks pretty normal to me,” he shrugged. “I don’t think we’re gonna find much on this drive. It’s mostly work-related, charts, performance reports, boring shit.”I spun on him so fast his smirk slipped.“That is confidential shit.”I stabbed a finger in his direction.If you lose one file, one line of code — if you steal so much as the email address of one client, Zed — I'll know. I'll bury you in lawsuits so deep your grandkids'll be born in
Creed's POVFabulous.That was the best my brain could do then.She appeared… amazing.Sweat sprinkled across her forehead, a fine sheen flashing on her skin — and that dress.My God, that dress made her a princess from some faraway, unreachable kingdom.A bright, deep red, cinched just so at the waist, flowing out in liquid silk."You're in the ladies' restroom, Mr. Malcolm," she gasped, breathless, flustered — and outrageously adorable."You can be arrested for privacy… co–…" she stuttered on the word.'Code.'The phrase was privacy code, but I was too engaged in the motion of her lips, too focused on the pounding of my heart.A smile crept across my face, my heart pounding furiously, a warmth I didn't know existed burning in my chest.Do you want my assistance or not?" I queried smugly, the words rushing ahead before my mind caught up to them.I strode further into the minute bathroom, observing a tangible terror flicker across her bright, erratic eyes."I do not want your assistan
Zara's POVHis mouth was… firm.Softness encased in something desperate, something wild.His arms went around my waist as though I was the only thing propping him up, drawing me deeper into that pinched, gulping space between us.What was this?And worse — why did I like it?My fingers sank into his dirty shoulder-length hair, which was rougher than I'd intended, but his breath caught — a weak, gagged moan slipping out of him like a secret he didn't want to share.Then he released my lips, tracing the side of my neck with slow, soft licks of his tongue.Hold on.Hold on one damn minute.What the actual fuck was I doing?"Get off me!" I growled, pushing him away as if he'd scalded my skin.I glared at him, my chest heaving and falling, heat still pricking along my skin in the wake.His eyes sparkled — pleased, smug, infuriating."How dare you?" I spat.He had the nerve to laugh."Calm down. You kissed me."I stopped.My mouth dropped open, words elbowing for space, because he was right
Yuki's pov The world felt like it cracked open the moment Zara stormed in.Her heels clacked hard against the pristine marble floor, eyes blazing, chest heaving with wild rage.Heads turned. A hush fell over the entire restaurant. The soft classical music faded beneath the weight of her fury.“There you are, you homewrecker.”Her voice sliced through the air like a knife.I barely had time to blink before she was at our table.“Zara—” Creed stood, his hand rising in a pacifying gesture. “Calm down. This isn’t the place.”“Oh, it’s exactly the place,” she snapped, her voice a sharp, venomous thing. “It’s the perfect place to show this little fraud exactly who she’s messing with.”“Zara—” Creed’s voice was firmer now, but it didn’t matter.Because in one swift, vicious motion —she grabbed the entire plate of food and slammed it down all over me.The warmth of the seared duck breast, the sticky cherry reduction, the buttery smooth potatoes, and the gold-dusted garnish smashed against m
Yuki's POVThe cold water ran down my skin in thin, biting rivulets.I stayed under the spray until my fingers curled, washing over every inch of me as if I could wash away the night.Duck breast. Cherry glaze. That gilded garnish. Lavender champagne fragrance still clung to me even after the good scrubbing.God, it was embarrassing.My eyes were still on fire, but at least it was not as bad now.My dress was ruined. My pride was shattered.I stood there for a minute, just letting the water just numb me out.I wasn't even angry anymore — just… tired.When I finally emerged, wrapping myself in my enormous towel, Suzu was waiting by the door.Her little three-legged self wagging furiously, tail flapping like she didn't even know the world could be cruel.She whimpered, nuzzling at my leg, trying to lift my spirits, those black shiny eyes full of the purest kind of love.I clenched a smile. "Hey, baby."I bent down to pick her up, burying my face in her warm fur.But even she couldn't fi
Creeds pov "Yuyu?"My voice came out, rougher than I intended.I felt a quick motion along my side — a turn, as though she were retreating, or hiding out.This was murdering me.I breathed in and spoke a word, quietly, as though each of my words was ripping something away."Sorry. I'm. so sorry, Yuyu. I shouldn't have let that occur. I should have defended you. You didn't have to endure that — not from Zara, not from that restaurant, not from me. I don't care what anyone else thinks. you're important to me. I don't even recall when it occurred, or how, but somewhere along the way, you. you invaded my brain. And tonight made me realize just how much."I swallowed."You didn't deserve any of it. And I hate that I'm part of the reason you're hurting. I'll fix it, I swear. Whatever it takes… I'll make this right."The silence lingered, broken only by the far-off thrum of the city outside and Suzu's breathing by the door.Then her voice — tiny, exhausted, but so heartbreakingly gentle."I
Zara's POVI didn't sleep. Not for one second. The darkness in my room was heavy, suffocating — but not as heavy as the memories eating away at my brain."Get off of me… please…"My voice had broken like delicate glass, but he didn't care. He never did.His weight pinned me to the bed, harder, heavier, more merciless.You've been playing with me, sunflower. You have no notion how much I've wanted you," he whispered, his hot, sour breath on my skin, his face buried in the hollow of my neck, snuffling like some animal ready to strike at its prey.Fear had lanced my body in waves so acute they burned like needles."Please—"And then the sound — the hard, wet rip of my panties.His hard, rough hands pried my thighs open."Just the way I like 'em… small and tight."I woke up with a jerk, sweat beading on my body, my breathing ragged.God.I hated how easily it still sucked me under. I hated how easily the past still held me in thrall.But what hurt more tonight… was him.Creed.He defended
Yuki's povThe sharp smack of my resume hitting the floor echoed like a gunshot in the room. My eyes darted to the crumpled paper lying there, a small but loud reminder of how this day had already gone to shit.I stood there, mouth slightly open, staring at the manager like she’d just cursed my ancestors. What the actual hell?“I’m sorry,” she said, though her tone suggested she wasn’t sorry at all. She crossed her arms, her nails clicking against her sleeve like a countdown to my dismissal. “We’re not hiring.”I blinked, thrown off. “Not hiring?” I echoed, incredulous. “I saw the vacancy notice. Like… this vacancy notice.” I held up my phone, scrolling to the job listing I’d literally applied for two days ago.She didn’t even glance at it. “Well, the position’s been filled.”What? No. No, that didn’t make sense. I’d prepped for this interview for days. I’d ironed my pink blazer to perfection, styled my hair like I was meeting the love of my life, and walked into this cold, soulless o
Zara's POVI didn't sleep. Not for one second. The darkness in my room was heavy, suffocating — but not as heavy as the memories eating away at my brain."Get off of me… please…"My voice had broken like delicate glass, but he didn't care. He never did.His weight pinned me to the bed, harder, heavier, more merciless.You've been playing with me, sunflower. You have no notion how much I've wanted you," he whispered, his hot, sour breath on my skin, his face buried in the hollow of my neck, snuffling like some animal ready to strike at its prey.Fear had lanced my body in waves so acute they burned like needles."Please—"And then the sound — the hard, wet rip of my panties.His hard, rough hands pried my thighs open."Just the way I like 'em… small and tight."I woke up with a jerk, sweat beading on my body, my breathing ragged.God.I hated how easily it still sucked me under. I hated how easily the past still held me in thrall.But what hurt more tonight… was him.Creed.He defended
Creeds pov "Yuyu?"My voice came out, rougher than I intended.I felt a quick motion along my side — a turn, as though she were retreating, or hiding out.This was murdering me.I breathed in and spoke a word, quietly, as though each of my words was ripping something away."Sorry. I'm. so sorry, Yuyu. I shouldn't have let that occur. I should have defended you. You didn't have to endure that — not from Zara, not from that restaurant, not from me. I don't care what anyone else thinks. you're important to me. I don't even recall when it occurred, or how, but somewhere along the way, you. you invaded my brain. And tonight made me realize just how much."I swallowed."You didn't deserve any of it. And I hate that I'm part of the reason you're hurting. I'll fix it, I swear. Whatever it takes… I'll make this right."The silence lingered, broken only by the far-off thrum of the city outside and Suzu's breathing by the door.Then her voice — tiny, exhausted, but so heartbreakingly gentle."I
Yuki's POVThe cold water ran down my skin in thin, biting rivulets.I stayed under the spray until my fingers curled, washing over every inch of me as if I could wash away the night.Duck breast. Cherry glaze. That gilded garnish. Lavender champagne fragrance still clung to me even after the good scrubbing.God, it was embarrassing.My eyes were still on fire, but at least it was not as bad now.My dress was ruined. My pride was shattered.I stood there for a minute, just letting the water just numb me out.I wasn't even angry anymore — just… tired.When I finally emerged, wrapping myself in my enormous towel, Suzu was waiting by the door.Her little three-legged self wagging furiously, tail flapping like she didn't even know the world could be cruel.She whimpered, nuzzling at my leg, trying to lift my spirits, those black shiny eyes full of the purest kind of love.I clenched a smile. "Hey, baby."I bent down to pick her up, burying my face in her warm fur.But even she couldn't fi
Yuki's pov The world felt like it cracked open the moment Zara stormed in.Her heels clacked hard against the pristine marble floor, eyes blazing, chest heaving with wild rage.Heads turned. A hush fell over the entire restaurant. The soft classical music faded beneath the weight of her fury.“There you are, you homewrecker.”Her voice sliced through the air like a knife.I barely had time to blink before she was at our table.“Zara—” Creed stood, his hand rising in a pacifying gesture. “Calm down. This isn’t the place.”“Oh, it’s exactly the place,” she snapped, her voice a sharp, venomous thing. “It’s the perfect place to show this little fraud exactly who she’s messing with.”“Zara—” Creed’s voice was firmer now, but it didn’t matter.Because in one swift, vicious motion —she grabbed the entire plate of food and slammed it down all over me.The warmth of the seared duck breast, the sticky cherry reduction, the buttery smooth potatoes, and the gold-dusted garnish smashed against m
Zara's POVHis mouth was… firm.Softness encased in something desperate, something wild.His arms went around my waist as though I was the only thing propping him up, drawing me deeper into that pinched, gulping space between us.What was this?And worse — why did I like it?My fingers sank into his dirty shoulder-length hair, which was rougher than I'd intended, but his breath caught — a weak, gagged moan slipping out of him like a secret he didn't want to share.Then he released my lips, tracing the side of my neck with slow, soft licks of his tongue.Hold on.Hold on one damn minute.What the actual fuck was I doing?"Get off me!" I growled, pushing him away as if he'd scalded my skin.I glared at him, my chest heaving and falling, heat still pricking along my skin in the wake.His eyes sparkled — pleased, smug, infuriating."How dare you?" I spat.He had the nerve to laugh."Calm down. You kissed me."I stopped.My mouth dropped open, words elbowing for space, because he was right
Creed's POVFabulous.That was the best my brain could do then.She appeared… amazing.Sweat sprinkled across her forehead, a fine sheen flashing on her skin — and that dress.My God, that dress made her a princess from some faraway, unreachable kingdom.A bright, deep red, cinched just so at the waist, flowing out in liquid silk."You're in the ladies' restroom, Mr. Malcolm," she gasped, breathless, flustered — and outrageously adorable."You can be arrested for privacy… co–…" she stuttered on the word.'Code.'The phrase was privacy code, but I was too engaged in the motion of her lips, too focused on the pounding of my heart.A smile crept across my face, my heart pounding furiously, a warmth I didn't know existed burning in my chest.Do you want my assistance or not?" I queried smugly, the words rushing ahead before my mind caught up to them.I strode further into the minute bathroom, observing a tangible terror flicker across her bright, erratic eyes."I do not want your assistan
Zara's POV My voice was tighter than I meant it to be.Not that I cared.Zed grinned like an idiot, behind me into the office.He slumped into the desk chair, plugged in the drive and his laptop, and started typing.The screen turned blue and white as files downloaded — folders within folders of work documents, names, codes, files labeled things like 'Q1 Analytics' and 'Client Data Structure'.His fingers moved fast, the clicking of keys filling the silence.After a couple of minutes, he leaned back, running a hand through his messy dark hair.“Looks pretty normal to me,” he shrugged. “I don’t think we’re gonna find much on this drive. It’s mostly work-related, charts, performance reports, boring shit.”I spun on him so fast his smirk slipped.“That is confidential shit.”I stabbed a finger in his direction.If you lose one file, one line of code — if you steal so much as the email address of one client, Zed — I'll know. I'll bury you in lawsuits so deep your grandkids'll be born in
Yuki's POVI walked into the office today with a brand-new attitude.No more creeping around.No more rolling in terror like a whimp.I had time.Time meant that I lived a little — flirted with the guy that I liked, for goodness' sake — before I vanished off to nowhere, before the reality of what I was ruined my life.I wore a star ensemble today.Bubblegum pink suit.Pants to match.Steep white stilettos.My blonde hair was drawn back into a snatched ponytail, so tight it was virtually a club. Praise God for glue and high-tech wig science, really, or my little secret would have gone sky-high months ago.Concealed under my jacket, I had on a sharp white crop top — crisp, plain, cutting.And the tie? Oh, sweetie, it was accessorized within an inch of its life.Princess Bubblegum pin. A pink bow duo. White Hello Kitty. And a dash of sparkly nonsense.I was a CEO Barbie dream turned reality — and I loved every second of it.I strode into the office as if I owned it.My bubblegum heels ta
CREED'S POVIt was midnight.And I couldn't sleep.I'm in bed staring up at the ceiling, arms behind my head, feeling like a man set to fold all the way.I was uneasy, burning to pieces inside my own fucking skull.All I'd suppressed those last few weeks — all those feelings, thoughts I'd been sealing up tight and keeping out from the world — were clawing around my belly.I was finished.And all because of her.Yuyu Roman.That annoying, biting-tongued, infuriating child with that ridiculous laugh and infuriatingly insightful eyes.The last face I hadn't laid eyes on in weeks — and yet, inexplicably, still omnipresent everywhere.In my mind.In my goddamn nightmares.Under my skin.What's going on with you, Creed?I cursed with a heavy sigh, reaching for my phone.I scrolled mindlessly for a minute or so, until my thumb hovered over the employee directory document I'd saved on my phone — the one with all the staff contacts.For professional purposes.Only professionally.Yeah, sure.I