ELOISE The only problem was that I didn’t know how to leave this private remote estate. But just when I thought I hadn’t been noticed, Chase had to spot me. “Eloise?” What should I do now? Should I come up with an excuse? Should I explain why I was leaving? I should just go. I quickened my pace and continued walking, trusting my instincts. “Hey, El!” I pretended not to hear and quickened my pace. The door was already in sight. “I told you to stop.” He grabbed my hand and spun me around. “I shouldn’t have come here. I should’ve trusted my instincts.” “So you’re just going to walk away?” I tried to pull my hand back, but his grip only tightened. “If you won’t help me, let me leave.” “At this hour? It’s nearly midnight. I brought you here, so we’re leaving together.” I took a deep breath and managed to calm down. “Can we go back now?” “Before we do that, tell me what’s wrong. Is it Blaire? I saw her followed you.” “Who is she?” I shook my head in disappointment, then raised
ELOISE “Who is Adrianna to you, then? I heard the rumors.” "Is that how you see me, Eloise? I may be many things, dark even, but I'm not that bad." “And Blaire?” I asked, my voice trembling. “Blaire is here because she’s invited." I took a deep breath, gathering my courage. “Then who is she? Can’t you tell me that too? But you can’t, of course. Meddling in our private affairs is not part of our deal.” “She's a family friend. Oh, screw the deal. You need to be fucked.” I gasped. I couldn’t think of anything to say. He pressed his lips on mine, hard and calculating. His kiss was intense, demanding as if seeking to devour me whole, and I surrendered to the overwhelming sensation, losing myself in the heat of the moment, but I pushed his chest a little while I still dared to ask. “What? Here?” “Why not?” His hands roamed my body again with a possessive urgency. I moaned softly against his lips as his fingers deftly traced the curves of my body. I swallowed hard. It was too muc
ELOISE The weekend stretched before me, but then I ended up feeling down. The roughness of the sex, the lingering regret in my chest, and our conversation replaying in my thoughts. I stayed locked inside my house, binge-watching a series with complicated storylines I couldn’t understand. The characters on the screen moved through their lives with a purpose and direction I wanted to relate to, but I remained trapped in a state of darkness, trying to figure out what to do next. I also listened to pop music that provided comfort and convinced myself I was okay. But when a sad song played, my heart felt like it was being torn apart again. I grabbed the vanilla ice cream from the coffee table and scooped spoonfuls while zoning out to the TV. Jenna was beside me, going on and on about this guy Rover she just met. I nodded absentmindedly, barely hearing what she said as I tried to make the ache in my chest disappear. “Hey, are you even listening?” “Of course, but how long will you keep
ELOISEFurious, I decided to take a break from my daily tasks and headed to Sebastian Tower during lunchtime. The reason for my frustration was my colleagues’ constant gossip, speculating about how I had won over a Sebastian. They were also questioning why I’d refused that we were seeing each other the first time. I’d only managed to avoid running into Zoey or Chase because they’d make a big deal of it again. I rushed to Adam’s floor, and since the lobby was empty, I decided to just confront him. “Can you explain why—” I came to a halt, causing six pairs of eyes to shift towards me, with Adam positioned at the forefront. “Eloise,” he said, acknowledging my presence. “Oh, I’m... I’m really sorry. I wasn’t aware that you were, um, forget it.” I took a step back and promptly shut the door behind me. I waited until Adam’s meeting was over. I couldn’t believe he had taken such a monumental step without consulting me first. It felt like he was dictating the course of our already weird
ELOISE Adam paused for a moment as if gathering his thoughts before continuing. He then opened the black folder, showing me photos, documents, and notes. “There were discrepancies in the official report of your brother’s accident. The timeline didn’t match the eyewitness statements, but, oddly, no one lives about five kilometers from where his car was hit by a truck, and there were unexplained financial transactions from his bank accounts, except for one.” I leaned forward, my interest piqued. “What transactions?” Adam flipped through the documents, stopping at a page with highlighted bank statements. “Large sums of money were moved to offshore accounts, and some of them traced back to Callum, conforming them as he was his uncle. It’s not concrete evidence, but it’s suspicious. But do you know what else is strange?” “That you think Callum was involved in Malcolm’s death?” That was possible. Callum could do it, but only without my dad knowing. “And there’s more to it. The aut
ELOISENina: Congratulations on your engagement! I saw it on the news.Me: Thanks. Does he know?Nina: I’m pretty sure the viscount already knows. By the way, I have something to tell you later. Can you call me when you have some time? It’s important.Finally, some good results. He would stop thinking that I was available for Callum.The next evening, Adam’s driver was on time in front of the office building. I got into the sleep black Rolce Royce, and we drove off. I’d been to Adam’s place before, but the feeling was different. It was like something huge would happen, and I was a little nervous.“Miss Eloise,” the driver announced as we arrived, pulling me from my thoughts. I stepped out into the cool evening, the doorman greeting me with a nod that had become familiar, and then I went up to the elevators where Adam’s penthouse led.Adam welcomed me at the door, looking impeccable in his cream sweats and gray joggers. His stance was a perfect blend of warmth and formality.“Good eve
ELOISE“When I was seven, my mother began to change,” I began, the recollection heavy on my tongue. The words just fell out of my mouth like a broken vase. “She started coming home really late.”Adam didn’t say a word, just letting me spill it.“My dad... He was always on the phone, swearing to himself. I knew he was important, but I had no idea he was an aristocrat.”Those nights without parental warmth were just a shattered dream for the kid. Zoey’s family made me wish I had a ‘normal’ family.“My mother’s absence turned from nights to weeks,” I continued. “She came and went as she pleased, and I never knew when she would go again. You remember, right? I told you. We used to be a happy family. We used to go out on weekend dates, the three of us. They would take me to dinners and amusement parks, and we would eat ice cream. The best toy I received from them was a huge teddy bear. It meant a lot to me because they worked together to win it.”Like old photographs, our happy family rela
ELOISEAdam’s kiss became more urgent, our breaths blending and my heart racing. His hands traced the line of my neck, and each touch of his fingers sparked paths of fire on my skin.Softly, his fingers traced the edge of my shirt as he slowly lifted it. He stared at my already swollen breasts with the curves covered by my lace bra. His face displayed intense desire, but his eyes held a flicker of admiration. With a quick motion, he fumbled with the clasp behind me, undoing my bra and leaving me completely bare.Then his fingers found the zipper of my pants. The sound of it gradually lowered, and then he carefully pulled the fabric along my panties, causing a shiver to run through me, not from the cold but from the building anticipation.“Beautiful,” he whispered as he climbed onto the bed—on top of me. We were both bare now, my skin against his, and there was nothing else on my mind except the two of us. At this moment, only Adam and I mattered. It felt like a hypnotic spell had been