It felt like my brain was being split in half. My eyes felt extremely heavy and my body felt like I had been crushed by a truck.The feeling of the soft mattress against my body gave me a little relief, only, this wasn't my bed and I had never made it home last night. I vaguely remember getting into a taxi but I have no idea if I made it out of the club.I turned and writhed in the large bed until I found the energy to stand up.The very unfamiliar room was tactfully decorated with large wooden furniture and floor length curtains that blocked sunlight from entering the room.Aside the standard decoration, there was nothing else.Nothing to give me a clue as to who owned the room I was in. No pictures or paintings or even a jacket or sweater.I sighed and said a short prayer as I grabbed the shiny doorknob..Locked.I really need to find a way to stop getting locked in.I yanked the door knob severally, my frustration rising each passing minute.Who the fuck had done this? I folded t
~ETHAN~ I always wondered what went on in her thick skull.How can somebody with such high academic qualifications, one of the smartest women I've ever met and a total genius, think like a fucking squirell? Her emotions were always ahead of her, she acted without fucking thinking and she gets hurt at the end. Anger was a meager way to describe the emotions I felt. That sick bastard, he was beyond lucky he didn't lay his filthy hands on my wife.It gave me extreme pleasure to watch him beg for his life as my fist ravaged his stupid face.The scars would always remind him not to mess with what's mine and most especially, not to ever drug any woman. The police arrived quicker than I had expected and in few minutes, the sick bastard was handcuffed and escorted out of his apartment.I would make sure he spends a good time in prison. How did I hire such a sick creep in the first place?Losing his job will render him useless, he'd be plunged deep into debt and he would forever regret the
The sharp, relentless pounding on the door jolted me awake. My heart thundered in my chest as I blinked, disoriented, the faint glow of moonlight streaming into the room. Maddy stirred beside me, her small body curling further into the warmth of the blankets. For a moment, I wanted to ignore it—let whoever it was stay outside and figure their shit out—but the banging only grew louder, more aggressive. I carefully slid out of bed, tucking the blankets around her sleeping form. She mumbled something incoherent but didn’t wake. Running a hand through my hair, I padded toward the door, my muscles tense. Whoever was pounding like that better have a damn good reason. The moment I opened the door, Samantha shoved past me, her heels clacking furiously against the marble floor. “What the hell is wrong with you, Ethan?” she spat, her green eyes flashing with rage. I stepped in front of her, blocking her path toward the bed. “What the hell is wrong with you? Do you know what time it is? I tho
~MADISON I stared at my reflection in the mirror, smoothing the midnight blue dress I had carefully chosen for the evening. The silk fabric hugged my figure perfectly, flowing down in elegant folds. It was the kind of dress that made you feel confident, beautiful, even when your heart wasn’t quite in it. The warm light from the vanity caught on the delicate silver necklace I wore, a simple piece that Ethan had given me months ago. It was my birthday, and despite everything—the fights, the cold distance between us, his increasing absences—I wanted to believe tonight would be different. He’d promised we’d go to dinner. He’d promised to make time for me. I glanced at the clock on the wall. 7:30 PM. The reservation was for eight, but Ethan was nowhere to be seen. The house was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that made you acutely aware of your own breathing. “Ma’am?” The soft knock at the door startled me. One of the staff, Maria, peeked her head in. “Would you like me to check with
~ETHAN The drive home was quieter than usual, a stark contrast to the chaos in my head. My thoughts kept circling back to Maddy—her voice, the way her eyes lit up when she mentioned her birthday plans. I could still hear her teasing me about wearing something "other than a suit" to dinner tonight. I’d intended to make it. I really had. But the day had spiraled out of control. A client crisis, endless phone calls, and the suffocating weight of managing the company had consumed every second. By the time I realized how late it was, the clock on my dashboard read 11:15 PM. I gripped the steering wheel tighter, frustration bubbling under my skin. I’d missed it. I missed her. As I parked in the driveway, the house loomed ahead of me, its windows glowing faintly against the dark night. The air felt heavy as I walked to the door, turning the key in the lock. The silence inside was deafening. No staff bustling about, no soft hum of conversation. Just the muted tick of the grandfather cloc
~ETHAN The air was thick with awkward tension as I walked into the brightly lit pottery studio. It was an unconventional place for a corporate team-building exercise, but King Enterprises had recently partnered with this studio as part of a local arts initiative. My PR team insisted this event would be good for employee morale and our public image. I wasn’t convinced. The large room smelled of clay and faintly of paint, with rows of pottery wheels and long tables neatly arranged. The studio walls were decorated with shelves of colorful pottery, cheerful and inviting—a sharp contrast to the stiff, uneasy energy radiating from my employees. I scanned the room quickly, my gaze landing on Maddy at the far end. She was standing alone, looking painfully out of place amidst the clusters of coworkers who whispered and laughed amongst themselves. Samantha, of course, was front and center, making sure everyone noticed her. She tossed her hair back dramatically and laughed a little too loud
The event had been exhausting. The endless small talk, the fake smiles, and the way Ethan’s eyes followed me all night—I felt like a bird in a gilded cage. By the time the everything ended, all I wanted was to disappear into the quiet sanctuary of my room. I lingered near the grand staircase of the pottery studio, pretending to be engrossed in my phone as people around me trickled out. I could feel Ethan’s gaze on me even before I looked up. When I finally did, there he was, cutting through the crowd like he owned the world. His suit was stained with clay from the exercise and he wiped the spot profusely as he walked towards me. “Ms Taylor,” he said as he approached, his voice lower than usual, as if he were trying not to startle me. I froze, gripping my purse tighter. “Mr King” “You're going home with me” he said, his tone soft but firm. The words hung between us like a challenge and the bystanders who had heard what he said gasped and stared daggers at me. My instinct screamed
"That's fucking stupid" "What the hell were you thinking?" Ethan continued to yell and throw tantrums. It was just one ride, how would he have reacted if I went home with Harry? "Answer me for Christ sake, why did you accept a ride from a stranger?" He barked. "He's not a stranger, he's your brother" I replied casually. "it was just a ride, you're overreacting" I shrugged.I watched as Ethan’s jaw stiffened. He said nothing else in return and left to the confines of his home office.~The aroma of roasted garlic and basil wafted through the living room air, almost enough to distract me from the sour taste already forming in my mouth. The chef must have gone all out and I dashed into the kitchen hoping to snag a quick recipe I would recreate.Mt feet froze when I spotted Samantha by the counter, chef Aubrey was beside her stirring something in a skillet, her hair tied up in loose bun. She didn’t even look up when I entered, but Aubrey mouthed a brief hello.My eyes fell on the
I slipped the ring into my pocket and murmured a quick thank you, even though I was still completely thrown off. Except Ethan, no one else was egoistic enough to buy gifts for someone they had betrayed.I knew he was here somewhere, I just couldn't guess where.The second I turned my back to leave the market, the weird prickling sensation returned. The hairs on my neck stood up and my stomach formed knots. Something was about to happen, I wasn't safe.I wasn’t imagining it.Someone was watching me.I picked up my pace, weaving through the crowd, but the feeling got stronger each passing second. My hands clenched into fists inside the sleeves of my hoodie. I told myself to stay calm. Just get to the main street, flag a cab and go back to the hotel. Nothing was going to happen and I would be fine in no time.I glanced over my shoulder and my heart skipped.There was a man. Not the same one from the other night, but similar in build, wearing a dark cap, hoodie pulled low. He wasn’t shopp
I had promised myself never to leave this room again.After the terrifying encounter on the streets, my mind had been a mess of paranoia and fear. Every shadow outside my window felt like a threat. Every knock on my hotel door made my skin crawl.How long could I possibly live like this?Returning back home wasn't an option, I was having way too much peace of mind. Staying here on the other hand was scary, the man that had harassed me was never caught.What are the odds that he won't come back for revenge. My plan to hide away from the world was working well until I got an email from Mrs Cheng, my supervisor at the office.“Miss Taylor, your presence is required for a Zoom meeting tomorrow morning,” my supervisors email read. “Please dress appropriately.”Panic settled deep in my chest. I had been working in nothing but oversized shirts and sweatpants for weeks. I left most of my fancy dresses at my first hotel and the ones I had left weren't appropriate for work.I tore through my s
~MADISON~Life was simple without Ethan, Samantha and all the unnecessary drama.It was quiet, peaceful and somewhat predictable. I had created a routine for myself which would make solitude more bearable.I woke up, worked from my hotel room, and only went out at night when the streets were emptier or less crowded.No unnecessary interactions, no surprises, just peace and quiet.Or at least, that’s what I told myself.The truth?I was hiding.From the world. From him. From the mess I’d left behind.But it was easier this way.I had just finished an early morning meeting when a knock sounded at my door.I wanted to ignore it but the knocks only grew louder and more persistent.“Miss Taylor?” one of the hotel staff called.I opened the door, forcing a polite smile. “Yes?”“We need to clean your room today. Hotel policy,” the woman explained.I hesitated. Letting strangers into my space felt like a complete destruction of my routine but I also knew I couldn’t refuse forever. It was eith
~ETHAN ~“Samantha!!”I held up the tablet, my jaw clenched so tight I thought my teeth might crack.She immediately went pale, but it lasted only a second before her expression smoothed into one of practiced innocence.“What’s that?” she asked, reaching for the tablet. I pressed play and forced the tablet into her hands.Her breath hitched and her usual calm facade faltered.She was panicking.“Care to explain?” I asked, my voice dangerously calm despite the anger bubbling beneath the surface.She let out a short, nervous laugh. “Ethan, I—”“Don’t,” I cut her off immediately, my patience wearing thin. “Don’t you dare try to spin this. You lied to me.”Her eyes flared with anger, desperation and guilt. “You owe me, Ethan!” she shot back. “After everything we’ve been through—”“I don’t owe you shit,” I snarled, stepping closer. “I gave up everything to take care of you, thinking you were hurt. Thinking you needed me. But the whole time, you were faking it?”She crossed her arms, lift
~ETHAN~The walls were closing in.I had always prided myself on control—control over my emotions, my life, my choices. But this? This was a nightmare.Samantha had finally found a way to trap me.She blamed me for her accident. She made me feel responsible. And now, I was stuck playing her doting caretaker, suffocating under the weight of her many expectations.I barely slept. I barely breathed.And Madison?She was gone.The thought of her haunted me every second.Where was she? Was she safe? Did she think I had abandoned her?I clenched my jaw as I drove home, gripping the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white.I had spent the whole day drowning in work, dodging phone calls, pretending I was fine. But I wasn’t.The moment I stepped into the house, Samantha’s shrill voice sliced through my thoughts like a blade.“Ethan, you’re late.”“I had a meeting,” I responded, avoiding her gaze.She sighed dramatically from her wheelchair. “You always have a meeting.”I ignored her
My private jet touched down in New York just past midnight, but I barely noticed. My mind was still back in that hotel, in that empty room where Madison had vanished without a trace. I felt like a monster for leaving, but my stepmother’s words had been urgent.I didn’t have a choice.The second I stepped out of the car and onto the estate grounds, I braced myself for chaos. If Mom had dragged me back so urgently, something must have been wrong.But everything was… peaceful.The mansion was lit up, but there were no panicked servants, no family members in distress.My gut twisted.What the hell was going on?I stormed through the front doors and my stepmother was already waiting in the grand foyer, a cup of tea in her manicured hands.“You’re late,” she said smoothly.I scoffed. “You said it was urgent. I left everything to get here.”She gave me a knowing look, but ignored my frustration. “Samantha was in an accident.”My chest tightened.Samantha?I hadn’t spoken to her since she lef
~ETHAN~The hotel room was oddly silent.The second I stepped inside our room, something felt completely wrong.At first, I couldn’t put my finger on it. The curtains were drawn, the bed was made, and the air smelled faintly of Maddy's perfume.But something was missing.I turned towards the closet, my eyes scanning the entire room.My stomach dropped as soon as I spotted the half opened closed.I walked over and yanked it open fully.It was completely empty.Madison's stuff was all gone. There was no sign that Madison had ever been here.Panic surged through my veins.I spun around, checking the nightstand. Her laptop and suitcases were all gone. At the edge of the wardrobe, she left everything I had gotten her, including her ring.She was gone.I grabbed my phone and dialed her number, pacing the length of the room as the call rang over and over again before going to voicemail.I cursed under my breath and tried again.Still no response.My pulse pounded in my ears as I stormed into
I took a picture of the purse.My hands were trembling as I snapped the photo, making sure to capture every little detail—the gold clasp, the stupid little initials engraved on the side, the way it sat there in his car like it belonged.It didn’t.It shouldn’t.He was my husband. If he wanted to be free to mess with women, why then did he sign the papers?Why did he bring me here and treat me special?I shoved the purse back into the glove box, slammed it shut and peeled out of the parking lot like the car was on fire. I needed to get back to the hotel. I needed answers.But deep down, I already knew.I just needed proof.By the time I made it back to the hotel, my heart was racing so fast I could barely breathe.I scurried down the halls ignoring the greetings from the receptionists and servers who were familiar with Ethan.I almost tripped several times as I ran to the nearest elevator.I bolted to my room as quickly as I could. Luckily, Ethan was out already and I had the room to
I had spent the last two days avoiding Ethan like the plague he was.After what happened that night, the way I given myself to him so easily, only to wake up and see Samantha’s messages.I couldn’t look him in the eye.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the texts and Samantha's bare boobs starring back at me in those photos.It was stupid to feel betrayed. Ethan and I weren’t together. Not really. But it didn’t stop the ache in my chest, the humiliation of letting myself believe that night had meant something to him as much as it did to me.I did not want to confront him, it was no use.Avoiding him seemed like the best option. I left the room early, skipped breakfast and barely spoke a word to him when he came back in the evenings. If he noticed my sudden coldness, he didn’t say anything. He just kept his distance too, as if he had no problem giving me space.That only made it worse.I needed a distraction. Something to take my mind off the mess I had gotten myself into.The art ga