"Mia," called Cody who was already wearing a brown knit beanie. The lights on the outskirts of the snow ski area revealed his reddened nose. The cross earring in his left ear was almost frozen. "People say the road to Manhattan will be covered in snow tonight. It looks like we'll have to spend the night here. Do you mind?" I tightened my thick coat. "How bad is it?" I asked. Staying here with Cody wasn't really a problem for me. However, River probably wouldn't be too happy with that idea. Even when I told him that I was going to be late, he called me right away. "It's not that bad, but I don't think the roads will be safe for us to drive to Manhattan tonight. Besides, we'll miss out on some great shots if we leave now.” With a heavy heart, I finally nodded in agreement. I'll handle River later. "Look for an inn around here." I took the company credit card that Rory had given me from my wallet and handed it to Cody. “I'll stay here to take some pictures.” “Ok, cool!” Cody said with
"Oh, there you are!" I heard him start to walk. I then looked around even though there was still some doubt that he was really here. However, when I finally found a spot that seemed to be the brightest among the others, I smothered my mouth with the palm of my hand. "You must be joking."There was a chuckle on the other side of the line, while his grin I could already see from this far away. "Hello, love."My eyes widened when I saw him in the crowd walking towards us, I couldn't help but smile."Oh God, what are you doing here?" I asked, overjoyed and slightly confused.River had just shut off the call when we were only one step apart. He smiled. “Are you surprised?" he asked."Of course!" I replied, glancing at the turtle-neck knit sweater he was wearing. "I didn't expect you to come here in the middle of the snow.""Neither did I," he replied, chuckling.Until then Cody approached us with a face that was both bright and confused. "What is this that I've been missing?" He looked at
River's eyes widened at my words, and for a moment, then a quiet chuckle escaped River's lips until he finally burst out laughing loudly.“Shut up,” I said as I punched his arm and then couldn't help but join him in the laughter, feeling a sense of relief wash over me."Well, I'm glad we cleared that up." River wiped the tears from his eyes.There was a knock on the door and River got out of bed. She walked to the door with a short, lingering giggle. A woman appeared when the door opened. They made small talk until River turned and closed the door with his foot while carrying a tray with two mugs that seemed to be steaming."Hot cocoa to raise your body temperature," River said while handing me a mug.I said thank you when I received it, feeling the heat in my palm which instantly made me more comfortable. "So, now that that's settled, can we talk about why you're here, in the middle of this snowstorm?" I asked when he rejoined me on the bed. One sip of the drink made me close my eyes
Rory gave me and Cody a break today, she allowed us to go home earlier than the others because of our hard work in Philadelphia last night."It's been a long day, huh?" Cody asked, rubbing his eyes."Yeah, I could use a hot shower and a good night's sleep," I replied, packing up my things. "Let's get out of here."While cleaning up, I took the time to send River a text message. (I left the office early. See you at home!)"I'm so jealous!" Emma, from behind her desk, exclaimed.I chuckled as I looked at her. "Well, it's worth working late into the night yesterday.""You're right," she said grimly. "Come to think of it, I feel guilty for cuddling up with my husband under the covers last night while you guys were fighting the snow at night.""Oh! No need to feel bad for her, Em! Mia's situation last night wasn't much different anyway!" Cody commented sarcastically, I threw him a murderous glare.Emma frowned, watching us in turn. "What does that mean?""It's nothing! Cody's just talking
"How did you guys get here? I thought River never gave his password to anyone else."Indeed,” Evan replied, his smile growing, “but it's easy to guess whose birthday date is the password River used.”My breath caught when I saw Evan glance at Alison with a proud, triumphant smile. And he suddenly changed his expression to one of surprise and concern when he looked at me. "Jeez, Mia, you really don't know anything, do you?""Evan, honey, don't talk to Mia like that. She'll get confused." Alison said softly, like a mother to her five-year-old son. Gosh, Alison wasn't even around when Evan was five! They probably never even met before. Evan should be upset at Alison for abandoning him. Or at the very least, their relationship should have been awkward, instead of being so close and sweet like this, as if nothing bad ever happened to them.Evan shrugged indifferently, then grinned. "Sorry to have confused you, Mia."Putting aside the fact that had just pierced my heart, I let out a long si
Lost in my thoughts, I didn't hear the soft knock on the door at first. It was only when River's voice called out gently, "Mia, can I come in?" that I snapped back to reality. I hesitated for a moment, still feeling raw from the confrontation with Evan and Alison. But I knew I couldn't avoid River forever, so I took a deep breath and decided the crazy things in my brain.I grabbed my coat and bag before unlocking the bedroom door.His eyes held concern as he looked at me, his brows furrowed with worry. “Where are you going, Mia?"Anger had engulfed me. "Don't get in my way." Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision as I pushed past River and made my way out of the bedroom. I couldn't bear to look at him, not when my heart felt like it was being torn apart. The sound of his footsteps following me only fueled my anger further.“Mia, please. Talk to me,” he pleaded, reaching out a hand as if to stop me. But I was beyond listening, consumed by a whirlwind of emotions that threatened
When the lift opened on my unit floor, a familiar face was the first thing I saw. "Mia?" The girl was startled when she saw me, either because of why I was suddenly in this building, or perhaps because of the condition I was in. I couldn't be sure which.My face pained at the sight of those blue eyes and blonde hair. Geez, Cailin, I can't if I have to face you again at this time.I tried to ignore her and walk through, but suddenly my steps staggered and Cailin managed to catch me."Mia, are you okay?" Cailin's face showed concern.I couldn't refuse when Cailin insisted on walking me to my unit. My head was too dizzy to press the keys on the padsword so I told Cailin my door code for her to open it for me. Let me replace it with a new code later.After the door successfully opened, Cailin fumbled around the wall for the light switch, perhaps she had visited Addy's unit a few times so she knew where it was, since the layout of my room and Addy's-and probably all the units in this build
Addy took me out for Christmas Eve, visiting Rockefeller Center to see the sparkling lights and the gigantic Christmas tree. The cold winter air nipped at our cheeks as we walked arm in arm, the bustling crowd around us adding to the festive atmosphere. Addy's infectious laughter filled the air, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth in my heart.As we walked around, sipping hot chocolate to keep warm in the winter chill, Addy nudged me with her elbow. "Do you want to make a wish under the tree?"I raised an eyebrow at her mischievous grin. “Are you seven?”Addy laughed, her eyes twinkling with excitement. "Come on, Mia! It's Christmas Eve. Let's make a wish just for fun."I couldn’t help but smile at her infectious enthusiasm. "Fine, let's do it."We made our way through the crowd towards the towering Christmas tree, its colorful lights illuminating the night sky. Standing beneath its branches, surrounded by other cheerful visitors, I closed my eyes and silently made a wish i
Hi everyone!I would like to say a HUGE thank you to all of you who have read Revenge in Silk up to this point! I know that some (or many) of you may think that this book is too short, but I did that on purpose to keep the main plot going. I hope you don't mind and will still love this book. I welcome all your love, criticism, and feedback. So, feel free to write what you think in the comment section! I have one more announcement for you guys, that I am planning to make a book series called Revenge Series. I plan to make it consist of three books with the theme "Revenge" with different characters in each book. However, I will still try to include the interconnectedness of all the characters, even though it will only be a little visible. Once again, I would like to thank you all for your support! You have no idea how much I love you guys! With love, Anne Joyce
Looking in the mirror in the bridal room in my wedding dress, I repeatedly exhaled in nervously. I was a picture of pure joy, my cheeks flushed with a rosy glow and my eyes sparkling with love. I couldn't help but smile at my reflection, knowing that in a few hours, I would stand before River and make a promise to love him for the rest of my life. Addy entered the room, her eyes wide with excitement. "Are you ready?" she asked, helping me fasten the remaining buttons of my dress. I took a deep breath and nodded. "As ready as I'll ever be." The anticipation of the ceremony was all-consuming, yet I knew that everything was going to be perfect. As we walked down the aisle, there were sounds of people gasping and rejoicing. My little girl and Danielle (Emma's daughter) walked as the flower girl, I couldn't help but feel warmth in my chest when I remembered how excited Shannon was when she heard that I was going to marry River. She was beaming with joy, her tiny hands holding the bouq
Lost in my thoughts, I didn't hear the sound of footsteps approaching until a voice broke through my ear. "Hello, love," he whispered as his arms wrapped around my stomach. "River ...." My voice was a sigh when I felt his lips kissing my neck. "Let's continue where we left off, shall we?" he teased me, his hands reaching into my pajamas. I leaned back into his embrace, feeling the warmth of his body against mine. The desire that had simmered between us earlier reignited with a fierce intensity, sending sparks flying through my veins. His touch was electric, igniting a fire within me that threatened to consume everything in its path. I turned in his arms, capturing his lips with mine in a passionate kiss that spoke volumes of unspoken promises and longing. As we kissed, the warmth of his hands traveled down to the waistband of my pajamas. He pulled it aside slowly, his fingers tracing the curve of my hip. I could feel the heat of his breath on my skin, sending shivers down my spine.
A few months later, River brought Shannon and me back to Manhattan. Meanwhile, Addy stayed in Chicago. She said she wanted to take her relationship with Shawn more seriously. And after I left with Shannon, Addy invited Shawn to live in the house with her. I gave my half of the rights to the house to Addy for free, more or less as a token of my gratitude for what she had sacrificed for me. I knew it couldn't make up for her help, but at least I felt like my burden was lessened. Shawn was not a typical man, but still he was very kind and considerate. I knew Addy would be safe with him. The thought of my best friend starting a new chapter in her life brought a smile to my face as I watched her wave goodbye to us from the porch. As for River, the past few months had been a whirlwind of emotions and adjustments as he stepped into his role as a father. Watching him bond with Shannon filled my heart with a warmth I hadn't felt in years. It was like witnessing a piece of my past come to lif
His arms enveloped me in a tight embrace, the familiar scent of his cologne bringing back a flood of memories. We clung to each other, seeking solace in the comfort of each other’s presence after all these years apart. The carnival noises faded into the background as we held onto each other, two souls reunited by fate and the passage of time.“Mia, maybe it's too late,” he said softly in my shoulder, “and I'm very sorry for never saying it, but believe me; whether it was then, when you disappeared, until this moment; believe me that I never stopped loving you.”As River's words lingered in the air, a sense of peace washed over me. The tumult of emotions that had consumed me for years seemed to quiet down in that moment. His confession, filled with regret and love, reached deep into my heart, stirring feelings I had long thought buried. I gazed into his eyes, seeing the sincerity and vulnerability laid bare before me.Those words, the words that I wanted to hear three years ago, that R
"River ...." My voice trembled at the mention of that name, a name I still sometimes say in my unconscious.I couldn't think straight, my gaze shifted to the distance, Addy was standing there frozen. Both of her hands were holding the popcorn bucket.And just as my words were about to come out of my mouth, a voice from below broke our focus. "Mommy, why are you crying?"Shannon's innocent question pierced through the tension in the air, grounding me back to reality. I quickly wiped away my tears and crouched down to her eye level, forcing a smile on my face."It's nothing, sweetheart. Mommy's just really happy to see you safe," I replied, my voice quivering slightly as I gathered her in my arms once more.Addy finally snapped out of her daze and came over to where we were, her eyes flitting between Shannon, River, and me with a mixture of confusion and realization."River Lynch," Addy breathed out his name in disbelief, her gaze narrowing as she took in the scene before her. "What are
Hearing Addy's words, for some reason I was reminded of what happened three years ago.**About a week into my stay in Chicago, I was walking home after a cooking class. I saw a stand on the side of the road selling various magazines. There was something in me that drove me to pull up to that stand, maybe I would find something I was looking for. And when I saw a few stacks of magazines with PAMELA written on them with covers I'd never seen before. Without thinking, I bought them right away.When I got home, I couldn't wait to open it, turning the pages one by one, unconsciously shedding tears because of my longing for some of the names written there: Rory Burnett, Emma Freud, Lukas Cheadle, Cody Vargaz, and even my own name that was still written there as Editor of the Feature Section. And there was one more name that I secretly missed, a name printed quite large on one of the special pages: River Lynch and His Beloved Woman! That's what it says.And I opened that special page, eight
"Who's ready to ride the merry-go-round tonight?!" Addy exclaimed excitedly, her eyes sparkling with anticipation as she clapped her hands together. I couldn't help but smile at her infectious energy, knowing that she was just as excited as Shannon for our evening plans.The carnival had rolled into town, its vibrant lights illuminating the night sky. We had been waiting for this day for weeks, and now it was finally here.My daughter's eyes widened with excitement as she clapped her hands, her face lighting up at the mention of the merry-go-round. "Me! Me!" she squealed, bouncing up and down in my arms.I chuckled at her eagerness, feeling a warmth in my chest at the sight of her joy. Setting her down gently, I took her hand in mine as we followed Addy towards the carnival grounds.The carnival grounds were alive with the sounds of laughter and music, the air filled with the scent of cotton candy and popcorn. The colorful lights from the rides danced across Shannon's face, highlighti
Three years later …The sound of laughter filled the air as Addy played peek-a-boo with my daughter in the living room. I smiled from the kitchen at the sound of their voices. A week after moving to Chicago, I decided to sign up for a cooking class for the good of the three of us, considering Addy and the kitchen were also eternal enemies. Other than that, my other goal was to find something to do, so that I wouldn't dwell in sadness for too long.As I dried my hands on a towel, I took a moment to look around our new home. It was a cozy, three-bedroom house with a small backyard, perfect for us. I couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia, thinking about the life we had left behind. Yet, I knew that this was the path we had chosen, and I wanted to make sure that it was the best one possible for my daughter.I really had left everything behind. I changed all my contacts that I could reach, changed my job, and left friends behind to start a whole new life. But one thing remained consta