~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
The usual Seattle morning rush had begun and I was more than grateful to God for preventing me from being run over by an angry taxi driver.I wasn’t expecting anything unusual that morning. My routine had been the same for months—grab coffee, power through emails, and shield myself for whatever chaos might erupt during the day. My lock had been jammed again. We had a meeting in a few minutes and it took the maintenance manager an entire lifetime to get to my office.He rattled the keys severally and after several hits, the door unlocked revealing a large box of chocolates and an envelope which sat neatly on my desk, standing out against the usual clutter."You've got an admirer, miss" the maintenance man teased."When waa this delivered?" I asked as I observed the large box."Probably yesterday because we've not had any deliveries today" he shrugged.I paused, my hand hovering over the box. It wasn’t my birthday or any kind of special occasion. The envelope was unmarked, but it was a
~ETHAN ~ "I don't care about Samantha, I've done everything to prove that to you".Madison threw her gaze to the large window."I don't want Harry near you and that's final", I said, turning her chin to face me. "You can't decide who comes near me when you still play house with your darling Sammy" she said firmly."Then I'd just have to kill him" I hissed. Madison’s face turned pale and she gasped at my words."He's your brother" she gasped."And I'd cut off his fingers for touching what's mine" I growled. "I don't belong to you" she said, shifting her gaze."You know that's a lie, Madison" I said as I inched closer to her."It's not" she argued.I wrapped my hand around her small waist and after several attempts to break free, she accepted her fate and relaxed. "You're so fucking gorgeous and it would suck to have my brother's blood ruin this gorgeous blouse" I said slowly as I sniffed her neck.She moaned lightly and cussed under her breath..I loved how sensitive she was. The
"Such a disgrace," I heard my stepmother hiss just as I entered the bathroom."I wish Harold could rewrite his will, that child doesn't deserve shit," she said as she slammed her fist into the table.Her condescending words meant nothing to me. She was a mistress who caused my parent's marriage to fall apart, she had no right to judge me.I relaxed into the large marble sink and examined my busted lip in the mirror. Harry was lucky to have landed that punch just as the security men restrained me. Those unfortunate fuckers would pay for interfering.I winced as my finger grazed the sore part of the injury. I grabbed the first aid box and wiped my injury with a wet towel.From the corner of my eye, I saw Madison’s small frame slip into the bathroom and lock the door behind her."Done sucking faces with your boyfriend?" I said coldly."Ethan, stop it," she frowned.I sighed and returned to fiddling with the dry cotton pads."Let me help you with that," Madison said softly as she snatched
~MADISON~"Nothing, never mind," he said coldly.I knew something was wrong,I felt it the moment his body went stiff, his fingers stilling against my skin. The air shifted. The heat between us vanished like someone had flipped a switch.I frowned. "Ethan?"He looked away, distraught like he had done something bad.His jaw clenched, his eyes dark, unreadable. Then, without a word, he pulled my skirt down, smoothed it over my thighs like nothing had just happened between us, and stepped back.My heart dropped. "Ethan—"He turned and walked out of the bathroom. Just like that.I sat there, legs still parted, breath uneven, skin flushed and tingling from where his hands had been. My head spun. What the hell just happened?Frustration bubbled up inside me. He wanted me. I knew he wanted me. So why did he stop?I jumped off the sink, yanked my panties back into place, and stormed out after him.I walked out of the bathroom to find Mrs. King standing in front of the bathroom door.Her lips
The restaurant was breathtaking.It was one of those places you only saw in movies with high ceilings with sparkling chandeliers, elegant candlelit tables and floor-to-ceiling windows that showcased the glittering lights of the city .The scent of freshly baked bread and expensive wine filled the air, making my stomach growl in anticipation.I took a deep breath and walked up to the receptionist, a tall woman with sleek blonde hair and an expression so cold she could probably freeze water."Bonsoir, madame. Do you have a reservation?" she asked in a clipped tone, her French accent thick and refined.I hesitated. Reservation? Ethan never mentioned a reservation."Uh…" I cleared my throat. "I’m here to meet someone—Ethan King."Her eyes flickered with recognition, but her expression didn’t soften. Instead, she arched her perfectly sculpted brow."I'm sorry, madame, but without a reservation, I cannot let you in."I blinked. "What?"Did Ethan seriously invite me here and not put my name
~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
And just like that, I gave myself to Ethan King.It didn't follow the script I had created in my head a long time ago, Ethan was gentle and made sure I wanted and enjoyed every bit of it.His warm hands against my bare skin felt like pure bliss. Every inch of me that he touched craved him more and more.His kisses were needy and passionate. His soft lips claimed mine and his tongue explored every inch of my mouth.Our bodies were intertwined and coat in sleek layer of sweat and body fluids.I wasn't nervous. Maybe it was the wine or the fact that I trusted Ethan with my soul, either way, he made me feel calm and safe.He talked me through losing my innocence. He could sense my fear as the tip of his hard member brushed against my folds.He wrapped his fingers around mine and assured me the pain would be temporary.I believed him, he would never lie to me.He wasn't wrong. I felt a little bit of discomfort at first but soon, my body got used to his length and the discomfort turned into
The cool Paris air brushed against my skin as we stepped out of the restaurant. I was still in a daze from everything that had happened, the proposal and the way Ethan had looked at me like I was the only woman in the world.I clutched his arm as we walked toward the car but instead of heading straight to the hotel, Ethan asked the driver to make a quick stop.“I want to show you something,” he said, his voice low and mysterious.I raised a brow. “What is it?”“You’ll see.”With that, he led me through the cobbled streets, past glowing streetlamps and small cafés where people still lingered over glasses of wine and tea. The night felt alive, buzzing with laughter, music and the scent of fresh pastries from the local bakeries.After a few minutes of walking, the street opened up into a bustling night market. Rows of vendors lined the sidewalks, their stalls glowing under the warm light of hanging lanterns. The air was thick with the scent of spices, grilled meats, and something sweet I
The restaurant was breathtaking.It was one of those places you only saw in movies with high ceilings with sparkling chandeliers, elegant candlelit tables and floor-to-ceiling windows that showcased the glittering lights of the city .The scent of freshly baked bread and expensive wine filled the air, making my stomach growl in anticipation.I took a deep breath and walked up to the receptionist, a tall woman with sleek blonde hair and an expression so cold she could probably freeze water."Bonsoir, madame. Do you have a reservation?" she asked in a clipped tone, her French accent thick and refined.I hesitated. Reservation? Ethan never mentioned a reservation."Uh…" I cleared my throat. "I’m here to meet someone—Ethan King."Her eyes flickered with recognition, but her expression didn’t soften. Instead, she arched her perfectly sculpted brow."I'm sorry, madame, but without a reservation, I cannot let you in."I blinked. "What?"Did Ethan seriously invite me here and not put my name
~MADISON~"Nothing, never mind," he said coldly.I knew something was wrong,I felt it the moment his body went stiff, his fingers stilling against my skin. The air shifted. The heat between us vanished like someone had flipped a switch.I frowned. "Ethan?"He looked away, distraught like he had done something bad.His jaw clenched, his eyes dark, unreadable. Then, without a word, he pulled my skirt down, smoothed it over my thighs like nothing had just happened between us, and stepped back.My heart dropped. "Ethan—"He turned and walked out of the bathroom. Just like that.I sat there, legs still parted, breath uneven, skin flushed and tingling from where his hands had been. My head spun. What the hell just happened?Frustration bubbled up inside me. He wanted me. I knew he wanted me. So why did he stop?I jumped off the sink, yanked my panties back into place, and stormed out after him.I walked out of the bathroom to find Mrs. King standing in front of the bathroom door.Her lips
"Such a disgrace," I heard my stepmother hiss just as I entered the bathroom."I wish Harold could rewrite his will, that child doesn't deserve shit," she said as she slammed her fist into the table.Her condescending words meant nothing to me. She was a mistress who caused my parent's marriage to fall apart, she had no right to judge me.I relaxed into the large marble sink and examined my busted lip in the mirror. Harry was lucky to have landed that punch just as the security men restrained me. Those unfortunate fuckers would pay for interfering.I winced as my finger grazed the sore part of the injury. I grabbed the first aid box and wiped my injury with a wet towel.From the corner of my eye, I saw Madison’s small frame slip into the bathroom and lock the door behind her."Done sucking faces with your boyfriend?" I said coldly."Ethan, stop it," she frowned.I sighed and returned to fiddling with the dry cotton pads."Let me help you with that," Madison said softly as she snatched
~ETHAN ~ "I don't care about Samantha, I've done everything to prove that to you".Madison threw her gaze to the large window."I don't want Harry near you and that's final", I said, turning her chin to face me. "You can't decide who comes near me when you still play house with your darling Sammy" she said firmly."Then I'd just have to kill him" I hissed. Madison’s face turned pale and she gasped at my words."He's your brother" she gasped."And I'd cut off his fingers for touching what's mine" I growled. "I don't belong to you" she said, shifting her gaze."You know that's a lie, Madison" I said as I inched closer to her."It's not" she argued.I wrapped my hand around her small waist and after several attempts to break free, she accepted her fate and relaxed. "You're so fucking gorgeous and it would suck to have my brother's blood ruin this gorgeous blouse" I said slowly as I sniffed her neck.She moaned lightly and cussed under her breath..I loved how sensitive she was. The