ELOISE “Yes, and you must be Harvey,” I replied with a smile. He chuckled, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. “Trina was right about you, but her description was slightly different,” he remarked. “Right about what?” I asked, curious to know what his sister had shared about me. “But oh, where is Trina?” “She sent me here alone. She’s stuck with our parents.” What the heck? I immediately wanted to protest. She must have done this on purpose. “Why don’t we sit first and order our dinner?” he said again. “Of course.” He walked to my side and pulled out a chair to help me sit. To be fair, he was thoughtful. It’s like we were already friends who hadn’t seen each other for a long time. I sat across from him. I watched him as he put his iPad in his briefcase. I also noticed how casual he looked in his blue shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a black suit jacket. “What brings you to New York, if I may ask?” I asked. “Oh, I’m here because I have a business project. My work h
ELOISE I gasped. He swept me off my feet a bit, but I shouldn’t be fooled by sweet talk. I already learned from experience. I glared at him and forcefully pulled my arm away. “You want me? Well, aren’t you a player? I don’t believe you. I don’t like how you look at me, how you talk, or how you do things in such a strange and mysterious way. You’re supposed to like Zoey. We’re not friends either. Please, let me go now, Mr. Sebastian.” I pushed away from him with all my might, leaving him with a confused and startled expression. He stood there like a statue, and I was relieved that I could finally put some distance between us. I had already said plenty, and I couldn’t bear to be near him any longer. He was strange in ways I couldn’t explain; all I knew was that I had to stay away from him. I returned to dinner with Harvey, and our food was already served. He watched me closely, noticing my change in demeanor. “Is there something wrong?” he asked softly, concern clear in his gray e
ADAM Harvey fucking Jackson was all over her like they were some happy couple, and Eloise didn’t seem to mind. I couldn’t tear my eyes away, even though it was torture to watch them flirt right before me. There was when she touched his arm while laughing, and I’d never seen her laugh like that with me. But before that, she dared to call me strange. A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. “Come in.” Ms. Jackson entered and closed the door, and she came alone. Where’s Eloise? Perhaps it was the perfect time to ask Ms. Jackson what her brother was doing here and his agenda. “Sit down, Ms. Jackson,” I ordered. “Of course, sir.” She took a seat in front of me. “Where’s the report?” “Here.” She placed the binders carefully on my desk. “Eloise is still working on hers. She’ll give it to you today.” “I see, but before we proceed…” I looked up at her and stopped swinging my chair. “Let’s cut the bullshit and be real. It’s been a long time. And since when did you become Trina, T
ADAM I woke up in an unfamiliar hotel bedroom, my skull throbbing as I tried to collect my thoughts from an awful night. I must’ve gotten drunk and ended up here. My head was just too occupied with Eloise and the Jacksons, and I needed to get away from those distractions. Lying next to me was a redhead, her skin as pale as paper and her wavy hair on my bed. However, it wasn’t the same redhead I preferred to wake up next to. My mind instantly drifted to Eloise, the woman who had been messing with my thoughts lately. The woman beside me was Michelle, a woman I’d already fucked from the past. “Hey…” I nudged her shoulder. She groaned and blinked her brown eyes. “Adam.” “We need to go. Get up.” She lazily pulled herself up, and the blanket slipped, revealing her breasts. I quickly averted my gaze, feeling a strange discomfort. Though Michelle was undeniably attractive, my interest just wasn’t in it. My head kept circling back to Eloise, and I even imagined her last night beneath me
ELOISE We landed in Edinburgh in the morning, and then Mr. Ross drove off to my father’s mansion. I’d been to his home a few times before, but never for an extended stay. I wasn’t welcomed into his house, and I’d never really dreamt of being around Davina. I couldn’t blame my dad’s wife if she didn’t like me—sure, but I also couldn’t force myself to like her. When I was still attending Heriot-Watt University, I would only go there if my father called for me. My father’s neoclassical mansion had been passed down through generations of viscounts. As a viscount himself, he was the current lord of the estate. Despite the weight of the situation, I couldn’t help but notice that the mansion's grandeur was breathtaking. It stood proudly as if untouched by years, a testament to the unwavering dedication of the people who had preserved this place. The elaborate windows were framed with ornate moldings, catching the sunlight and glinting like jewels. The gardens surrounding the estate wer
ELOISE Nina led me to the right wing into a ridiculously spacious bedroom decorated with peonies. Sunlight streamed through two tall windows with swaying white curtains. Two baby pink sofas and a center table were placed nearby with sweet snacks on top. I could easily imagine waking up here with coffee or a book. In the center of the room stood a four-poster queen-sized bed with intricately carved wooden posts that stretched up to the ceiling. The mattress was covered with fresh white sheets that looked so comfy, almost making me forget how unwelcome I felt in this house. Across from the bed, a vanity furnished with delicate feminine decorations matched the room’s aesthetic. A private bathroom was conveniently located nearby, giving off the same cozy vibe as the bedroom. As I took in the room’s details, Nina spoke with warmth. She stood beside me. “I hope you like it. I asked the maids to make it comfortable and minimalist. I was thinking you might feel overwhelmed.” “That’s very
ELOISE I walked around the main gardens, and just like Nina said, this place was huge, way bigger than my eyes could see. Tall trees clustered together, and grassy lawns seemed to stretch forever, like a massive green carpet. The cool air smelled like a farm and sweet nectar. This could be a good place to relax, especially since dealing with my dad and his wife would be stressful. I didn’t sleep much on the flight, but exploring rather than staying in my room was better. I stopped at the gardens of peonies and roses and took some selfies. I made sure the background didn’t give away that I was at my dad’s place, and then I uploaded a picture on my social media before I kept walking. I saw houses far away. I took more pictures but immediately decided to keep them on my phone. I didn’t want my followers to know where I was, also guessing those houses might be where the workers in the mansion lived. From a distance, I heard horses neighing and saw people riding them, which was new an
ELOISE My meals were delivered to my bedroom for the rest of the day. Honestly, this way was much better because I had no interest in dining with my father or Davina. It felt kind of lonely whenever I contemplated if this was their everyday life in the mansion. Probably because Malcolm had just passed away, the silence was painfully pronounced. I suppose my actual hellish day starts tomorrow. I checked my phone again before bed. I had messages from my work emails that needed responses, but I figured I could ask Trina to handle those. Fortunately, she was there as my counterpart. Jenna had messaged me this morning to ask how it was going, and there was also an unanswered message from Adam. He hadn’t messaged since. Rolling onto my side in bed, I wondered what I could reply to him, constantly composing and deleting messages. “I’m busy…” I deleted the text. “Just say it here.” I deleted the text again. “You can just call me…” Damn it. I deleted my message again but accidentall