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
ELOISEIt was dawn when we left his penthouse, and we were now listening to the the FM radio, playing an acoustic song as we drove to my place. But, I just couldn’t shake off the feeling of slight discomfort.I recalled what Blaire told me in the restroom that night. I couldn’t help but wonder what her intentions were, what she was trying to achieve, and why she pretended to be interested in me.As I was lost in my thoughts, Adam held my hand, gently stroking the back of it with his thumb before bringing it to his lips for a kiss. “What’s the matter? You're quiet,” he asked, but I was too preoccupied to respond immediately.“I’m just thinking,” I said.“Tell me about it." His eyes sparkled with amusement as if the events of last night had revealed a more vulnerable side to him, which he usually kept hidden behind his alpha exterior.I wasn’t sure if I wanted to ruin his mood, but I knew I had to mention it.“Blaire talked to me at the party,” I confessed.He gritted his teeth. “What
ADAMA week ago…“Where are you?” Arianna whispered into her phone.“I just arrived.” A valet appeared before me, and I stepped out of the car, swiftly fastening my suit buttons. “I’ll meet you there,” she hissed. “We have to decide what we’ll say to Christopher.”“We don’t say anything.”“I don’t know why you had to be here when he’s already suspicious. Is this how you said you would handle it?”I gritted my teeth. “You don’t get to question me. Are you afraid of Christopher?” I asked firmly, as I often did when I wanted her to yield.“No, sir.”“Good. Stay wherever you are.”“Who are you talking to—”The call dropped. I was certain that was Christopher’s damn voice. Just hearing it brought back all those nasty memories he inflicted on me, making me cringe.Luckily, just in time, Blaire appeared next to me in a long, glittery red dress that was almost painful to look at, hooking her hand on my arm.“The act hasn’t started yet, so watch your actions. Your husband will be here,” I war