I stood in the glass elevator, watching my reflection grow smaller as the city below me shrank. There I was—Madison Taylor, no longer the awkward girl with too-big sweaters and a heart too soft for her own good. No longer the girl who flinched at the sound of his name. Now, I was confident, collected, and ready to face whatever lay on the other side of those doors. Even him. Ethan King. I hadn’t seen him in almost a decade. The last time we were in the same room, I’d been holding back tears as he and his friends laughed at my expense. High school had been its own kind of battlefield, and Ethan had been the king, both literally and figuratively. He’d ruled the halls with his charm, his looks, and his cruel words, cutting me down without ever giving it a second thought. But that was years ago. I wasn’t that girl anymore. And he? Well, he was the CEO of a billion-dollar company. King Enterprises. I clenched my jaw at the irony of the name. How fitting. The elevator dinged, jolting me
Monday morning arrived faster than I expected. I spent the weekend mentally preparing, telling myself over and over that I was more than ready to face Ethan King again. After all, I’d walked out of his office on Friday with the upper hand—something I’d been waiting years to have. Now, it was time to follow through. I stepped out of the cab in front of King Enterprises, the sun casting a golden glow on the towering glass structure. The building seemed even more intimidating than before, but I wasn’t going to let it rattle me. Not today. I walked through the grand lobby, the sound of my heels clicking against the marble floors echoing in the vast space. I could feel the eyes of the other employees as they passed by, but I didn’t falter. I kept my head high and made my way to the elevator, determined to make my presence known without saying a word. As I waited for the elevator, the soft chime signaling its arrival, I couldn’t help but think of what Ethan must be feeling now. He’d trie
Working at King's Enterprises had been hell. Ethan had been assigning me more work each day, clearly doing it just to piss me off. No one in the office seemed surprised at the workload piling up on my desk. In fact, the staff seemed to avoid eye contact with me altogether, as if associating with me would make them targets of his wrath as well. It was almost seven p.m., and I was still sitting in my office, trying to get through the never-ending stack of documents Ethan had sent over earlier in the day. My eyes burned from staring at the computer screen for hours. The office was quiet now, most people having left an hour ago. I sighed heavily, rubbing my temples in an attempt to ward off the headache that had been building all day. A soft knock on my office door broke the silence, and I looked up to see Ethan standing there, his expression unreadable. “What are you still doing here?” he asked, his voice low but with that edge of authority he never seemed to lose. I rolled my eyes. “
Ethan’s lips crashed into mine, catching me off guard. His kiss was urgent, heated, and filled with a force that made my head spin. I didn’t pull away—instead, I let myself sink into it, my body responding to his touch as his hand cupped the back of my neck, pulling me even closer. The taste of vodka and wine lingered on his lips, mixing with the electric sensation of the kiss. I grasped the front of his shirt, pulling him toward me as his other hand found its way to my waist, fingers pressing firmly against my skin. His kiss deepened, and I felt the intensity of his hunger, the way he seemed to pour everything into that moment. My body pressed against his, and for a brief second, I forgot everything—where we were, how much I’d had to drink, and the burning tension that had existed between us for so long. His lips left mine and trailed down to my neck, sending shivers through me. He grazed the skin just below my ear, and I gasped, my body reacting involuntarily to the sensation. His
“If you break anything, your boss will pay ten times for it” I spat as Ethan’s staff dragged my large suitcase up the stairs.We had agreed to move in together to make our little arrangement look more realistic.We were yet to break the news to our family and friends but Ethan the genius suggested cohabitation as a way to seal the deal. To be honest, I wasn’t mad. This arrangement was quite beneficial to me. My rent was almost due and I had tons of bills to pay. Ethan was practically doing me a favour but I’d rather shove concrete down my throat than admit it.My new temporary home was a two storey penthouse in the outskirts of town. It had a beautiful view of the mountains and it had a lush garden that looked like it blossomed all year round.“Carefully with that!” I screamed as the staff mistakenly dropped my suitcase. He apologized repeatedly before picking up the large box.We finally arrived at my assigned bedroom. The large door stood between a study and another room that was
“Fucking dumb ass, piece of shit loser” I cussed under my breath as I hurried down the stairs.I wasn’t afraid of my new roommate but he had done enough to send a chill down my spine and I will never forgive him for it.I stopped briefly at the large mirror in the sitting room to admire my reflection, my hair was tied up in a messy bun and the light blue dress I had snagged from my closet clung perfectly to my body.Bloody outrageous! I would never be dressed up just to eat dinner at home, but here I was, looking like a washed up bimbo, just because a man had threatened me.“Can you please stop flirting with your reflection. The food is almost ice cold” my roommate’s voice sounded from dining area.“Fuck” I cussed out loud. How did I not realize the mirror was large enough for him to see me from the dinner table?All these time, he had been watching me fix my messy hair and try to fix my overly padded bra. I wish I could gouge his eyes out. But wishes were hopeless, if I hurt a hair o
“The Smiths are running out of patience” Ethan’s mother declared.Ethan sat still at the far end of the couch, watching his mother as she rambled on about some ‘engagement’ and losing the Smith’s alliance.From where i stood, I could see them clearly and their conversations were loud enough for me to hear.Eavesdropping is wrong, I know. But my goddamn husband just told his mother I was no one important and there was no way I wouldn’t get to the bottom of why he didn’t bother to introduce me to my mother in-law.Sneaking out of my room was a bad idea because the more I listened to Ethan’s mother talk about how much she wanted him to be with someone else the more upset I got.I had to pinch myself, I needed to remember that whatever happened, this marriage was fake and I shouldn’t be upset about Ethan making plans for his future after our deal was over.Why he even offered to marry me still made no sense to me. He could very well afford to pay for my silence. Why he chose this route ma
The suitcase’s wheels thudded softly against each stair as I descended, my bag weighing down one shoulder while my heart weighed down the other. I felt... numb. Maybe it was the exhaustion of crying myself dry the night before or the sting of Ethan’s mother’s words echoing in my mind. Maybe it was the fact that I was leaving behind this mess I should never have stepped into in the first place. The hum of the idling Uber engine outside reached my ears. My ticket out of this ridiculous situation was just steps away. Freedom, peace, and a chance to pretend none of this ever happened—it was all waiting on the other side of that door. I reached for the knob, my fingers gripping it tightly, and twisted. The door didn’t move. I frowned, twisting it again. Harder. It didn’t budge.I checked the kitchen and back doors, they were all locked. “What the hell?” I muttered, leaning my weight against it in frustration.The door that led to the garage was my last hope and I ran to it with all th
~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
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
"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 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
~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
~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
~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
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
~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