SHAWNA The moment I stepped through my front door, I slammed it shut, leaning against it to catch my breath. My head spun from the confrontation with Eugene, but I couldn’t dwell on it. There was no way I was risking everything I’d worked for to clean up her mess. Not long after, there was a knock at the door. I groaned, hoping it wasn’t Damien returning to pester me about the contract. Liam and Damien stood there when I opened it, looking serious. “What now?” I muttered, stepping aside to let them in. Liam gave me a small smile. “We need to talk.” I crossed my arms. “If this is about Eugene, save it. I’ve made my decision.” “You’re being stubborn,” Damien said, his tone clipped. “I’m being practical,” I shot back. “Eugene and her mother have done nothing but take advantage of me. Why should I do anything that benefits them?” “Because it’s the right thing to do,” Liam said gently. “You’ve always cared about people, Shawna. Don’t let this change who you are.” I shook m
SHAWNA I froze, my eyes glued to Stacey as her smug smile widened. My brain struggled to catch up. What was she doing here? How was this even possible? “What… what are you doing here?” I finally managed to ask, my voice shaky. Stacey leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs with infuriating ease. “Didn’t the receptionist tell you? I’m the new owner of this company. Surprised?” Her tone was mocking, her eyes glinting with amusement. “You bought this company?” My words felt hollow, disbelief and anger swirling in my chest. “Why?” Stacey tilted her head, pretending to think. “Why not? It seemed like a good investment,” she said, her smile turning sharper. “But I’m more curious about what you’re doing here, Shawna. Running around all day, closing deals. What’s the rush?” I opened my mouth to answer, but no words came out. My brain was stuck, trying to figure out how much she knew and why she cared. I stammered, “I-I—well, it’s just—” Before I could embarrass myself further
SHAWNADamien’s eyes narrowed as he caught the subtle shift in my expression. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice low but edged with concern.I swallowed hard and handed him my phone. “Read this.”Damien’s jaw tightened as he scanned the message on my phone, his knuckles going white around the edges of the device. When his eyes finally met mine, they were full of determination. “We can’t give her Eugene. That’s like signing her death warrant.”I crossed my arms and started pacing, the words spilling out before I could stop them. “Maybe she deserves it. After everything she’s done, Damien… the lies, the manipulation. But even if I wanted to do the right thing, we don’t have a lot of options right now.”Damien stepped in front of me, catching my arm gently but firmly, making me stop in my tracks. “Shawna, listen to me,” he said, his voice calm but intense. “We’ll figure something out. But we’re not handing Eugene over to Stacey. That’s non-negotiable.”I yanked my arm free and stepped b
STACEYI swirled the amber liquid in my glass, watching the golden city lights twinkle through the penthouse window. The whisky burned its way down my throat, but the satisfaction of my recent acquisition burned hotter. I had worked too hard to let anyone get in my way, not Shawna, not anyone.As I tilted the glass for another sip, a muffled voice dragged me back to reality.“Stacey, please… let me go. You’ve already taken my company. What more do you want from me?”I smirked, turning slowly to face him. The man tied to the chair looked pathetic, his once-impeccable suit now crumpled and stained. Sweat beaded on his pale forehead, and his eyes flitted around the room like a mouse trapped in a cage.I took a deliberate step toward him, savoring the way he flinched. “What more do I want?” I repeated, my voice dripping with mockery. “Darling, do you think this is about your sad little company? You insult me.”His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. “I… I don’t understand. I gave you ever
CARAThe whisky burned going down, but the conversation with Stacey burned even more. I leaned back in the plush chair, swirling my glass, and smirked at my sister. Stacey always had this cool, calculating vibe that made me feel both impressed and a little uneasy.“So, what’s the next move?” I asked, raising an eyebrow as I leaned back in my chair, cradling the glass of whisky in my hand. “You’ve got Shawna wrapped around your finger. Spill it—what’s the plan?”Stacey leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table, her lips curling into that sly smile of hers. The kind that made you nervous even when you were on her side. “It’s enough that they don’t know we’re sisters,” she said, her voice smooth as silk. “That alone gives us the element of surprise.”I couldn’t help but laugh. “You’ve got a point. Can you imagine their faces if they found out? Shawna would lose her mind.” I sipped my drink, still chuckling. “She thinks she’s so clever. Little does she know, she’s playing right into
STACEYThe mall wasn’t exactly my sanctuary, but when stress weighed me down, retail therapy worked wonders. And today, Kyle and his evasive nonsense had pushed me to my limit. I needed to clear my head, and browsing the high-end stores seemed like the perfect distraction.I was strolling past the luxury children’s section when I spotted her. Shawna. Of all the people to run into when I was already in a bad mood. She was with her kids, the three of them giggling and holding up clothes as though they had all the time and money in the world. The sight of her gratingly smug face turned my irritation into full-blown annoyance.“Shawna,” I called out, stepping into their line of sight. My heels clicked against the polished floor with precision, each sound echoing through the luxurious mall.Her head snapped up, and the moment she saw me, her smile disappeared faster than I’d expected. “Stacey,” she replied, her voice clipped and her forced smile barely masking her irritation.“What a surpr
SHAWNACara placed the document neatly on my desk, her calm and collected energy somehow grounding me in the middle of this hectic morning. “This is everything you need to finalize the deal with Kyle,” she said smoothly, her tone steady like always.I nodded, letting out a long breath. “Thanks, Cara. Let me go through it, and I’ll let you know if I need anything.”She gave a quick nod and turned to leave, her efficiency unmatched. But before she could even reach the door, it burst open so suddenly it made both of us jump.Kyle strode in, his presence loud and overbearing as always. He flashed one of those fake, overconfident grins, aimed right at Cara like he was some kind of superstar.“Cara,” he greeted her, his voice dripping with that faux charm he thought was so irresistible.Cara, to her credit, didn’t flinch. She looked at him with her usual unreadable expression, her professional mask firmly in place. “Mr. Kyle,” she said curtly, offering a polite nod before gliding out of the
SHAWNAKyle’s words lingered like smoke in the air, curling into every corner of my thoughts. “A mole?” I repeated, disbelief clinging to my voice. “You’re serious?”Kyle nodded, his face dark and serious. “Think about it, Shawna. How else could Stacey have known? Someone’s feeding her information. Someone close to you.”I rubbed my temples, the idea sending a sharp pang of unease through me. “This is ridiculous. We’ve been careful.”“Careful?” Kyle snorted, pushing off the wall to pace the room. “Stacey didn’t just magically know about the deal. It didn’t come from thin air.”I stared at him, my mind racing. “Okay, fine. Let’s say you’re right. Who? Who do you think it is?”Kyle stopped pacing and faced me, his arms crossed and his gaze hard. “Let’s start with the basics. Who knew about our deal?”I frowned, counting on my fingers. “You, me, Cara, Damien, and Eugene. That’s it.”Kyle’s jaw worked as he processed the names. “Eugene’s out. She wouldn’t sell herself out. That leaves Car
RAMONI was dead tired by the time we finished the meeting at the company. My shirt clung to my back, and my head was pounding from all the numbers and back-to-back discussions. All I wanted was to check my phone and unwind, maybe see if Phoebe had texted.I reached into my pocket. Empty.My heart skipped.I checked the table, the chair, and even under the folder I’d used. Nothing.“Where the hell is my phone?” I muttered.My uncle, sitting across from me, raised an eyebrow. “Lose something?”“My phone. I had it before we came here.”He shrugged. “Maybe you dropped it at the house.”I didn’t like how quick he was to answer.Still, I forced a calm nod and stood up. “I’ll go check.”The ride back to his place felt like it took forever. My mind was racing. Phoebe. Had she called? Texted? What if something was wrong? My gut wouldn’t calm down.When I got to the house, I tore through every room I had been in earlier. The living room. The guest room. Even the damn kitchen. Nothing.My uncle
PHOEBEThe hotel was breathtaking, with marble floors, chandeliers sparkling like stars, a scent of roses, and money hanging in the air. My heels clicked softly as I followed the receptionist, who wore a perfectly polite smile. My coat was still wrapped tightly around me, hiding the dress Winnie helped me pick out. My heart fluttered with a mix of excitement and nerves.“He’ll be with you shortly,” the receptionist said sweetly, opening a suite door for me. “Please, get comfortable. There are refreshments inside. Make yourself at home.”I gave a shy nod. “Thank you.”The door shut behind me.The suite was luxurious, with soft couches, a large table with drinks and fruit, and dim romantic lighting. I let out a small breath. “Wow…”I walked slowly to the table, brushing my fingers along the glass rim of a wine glass. Red wine. A chill ran up my spine, and I shook it off. Maybe he asked them to pour it before he arrived. Maybe this was his way of setting the mood.I pulled out my phone.
PHOEBEI slammed the front door a little harder than I meant to when I got home.Winnie looked up from the couch, raising an eyebrow. "Whoa. Somebody’s in a mood. What's wrong, sunshine?"I dropped my bag by the door and flopped onto the armchair with a loud sigh. "It’s Ramon," I said, pouting like a child.Winnie immediately perked up. "Ramon? Spill. What happened?!"I buried my face in my hands for a second before looking up at her. "We kissed. Like... really kissed. It was amazing. He kissed me like he needed me to breathe or something."Winnie squealed, hugging a throw pillow. "Oh my God! Finally!""Yeah, it was incredible," I mumbled, my cheeks heating up. "But right after that, he got a call. Emergency at home. He had to leave. Just like that."Winnie’s face softened. "Oh, babe...""I know he had no choice," I said quickly, fiddling with a loose thread on the armrest. "But... it sucks. I’m losing my mind over him, Winnie. I’m slowly going crazy. I want him so bad it hurts."Winn
PHOEBERamon’s eyes burned into me like I was the only thing he could see. I felt my cheeks heat up under his stare, and I shifted awkwardly on my feet.“Phoebe,” he said, his voice low and rough, “I want all of you…every part of you. I’m not afraid of being with you. I’m just... trying to restrain myself.”My heart pounded so hard it hurt. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out at first. Then I swallowed hard and said, "I want all of you, too, Ramon. I’m not scared."Something snapped between us.Ramon closed the space in a single, hungry heartbeat, grabbing me again and crashing his mouth onto mine. This kiss wasn’t soft. It wasn’t sweet. It was rough, fierce, almost desperate, like he had been starving, and I was the only thing that could satisfy him.His lips crushed against mine, demanding and urgent. I could feel the heat pouring off his body as he kissed me like he needed me more than air. His hand slid up, fingers threading into the hair at the nape of my neck, then wrapping
RAMONI tossed and turned all night. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t sleep. My mind kept racing, full of everything Uncle Richard had said... and Phoebe. Always Phoebe.I was falling for her. Hard. It scared the hell out of me, but it also felt so right. I didn’t just like her, I needed her. Every smile, every look, every word she said stuck in my head like glue.When morning came, I dragged myself out of bed, showered, and dressed like a man on a mission. I didn’t even think twice. I was going to see her. I had to.No more running. No more hiding.When I got to the worksite, she was there already, sorting through some papers, looking so focused and beautiful that it made my heart twist. She looked up and blinked like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing."Ramon?" she said, her voice small but full of surprise. "I thought... I thought you weren’t going to be available anymore."I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling awkward and stupid all at once. "Yeah, about that. I’m
WINNIEWinnie stared at me like I had just grown two heads. "What do you mean you don't know if Ramon likes you enough to be intimate?" she asked, her eyes wide.I hugged my knees to my chest, feeling small and stupid. "I don’t know, Win. Maybe... maybe he’s just not that into me. Maybe he sees me like a kid or something."Winnie shook her head fast. "No way. Anyone with eyes can see Ramon is crazy about you, Phoebe. Seriously. He looks at you like you hung the moon!"I smiled a little, but it didn’t reach my heart. "Then why is he so hesitant? Why does he always back away when things get... close?"Winnie opened her mouth to say something, then paused. Her face changed slowly, like she was putting puzzle pieces together."Wait a second..." she said carefully. "Have you guys ever... you know... done it?"I looked down at my lap, my face burning. "No," I whispered.Winnie’s mouth fell open. "Wait. You mean... never?"I nodded, feeling like I was about to sink into the floor."And he kn
RAMONI stood in the garden, massaging my temples and trying to figure out what just happened. I hated seeing Phoebe hurt. I hated that I was the reason for that look in her eyes, the one that made my chest ache. I wanted to run after her, fix it, explain everything better.I had just taken a step toward the house when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to see Billy and Jasper coming out. Great. Just what I needed right now.They stood there awkwardly for a second before Billy cleared his throat."Hey, man," he said, not meeting my eyes. "We, uh... we just wanted to say sorry."I blinked, surprised. "Sorry?"Jasper shoved his hands into his pockets. "Yeah. For looking down on you. We didn't know... well, we didn't know you were who you are."I sighed, not really wanting to have this conversation. "It's fine," I muttered, even though it really wasn't."But," Billy added quickly, "we still think you're hiding something. And honestly... we don’t think you're worthy of our sister."Tha
PHOEBEThe second everyone was distracted inside, I grabbed Ramon’s hand and tugged him gently toward the garden. I was buzzing with excitement, my heart beating way too fast. I needed a moment alone with him, away from all the heavy stares and questions."Come on," I said, smiling at him. "Let’s get some air."He smiled back, letting me pull him along. The night air was cool and smelled faintly of roses. The garden lights made everything look soft and dreamy.Once we were far enough from the house, I stopped and turned to him, crossing my arms playfully. "So..." I began, raising an eyebrow. "You’re secretly rich, huh?"Ramon chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess so.""You guess so?" I laughed, nudging him with my shoulder. "Why didn’t you tell me?"He shrugged, looking a little sheepish. "I was going to tell you... eventually. I just wanted you to like me for me, you know? Not for anything else."I looked at him, my heart softening even more. His voice sounded so honest, s
PHOEBEI felt like I’d been holding my breath the whole night, but when Uncle Richard finally gave his answer, it was like the air rushed back into my lungs.“Well,” he said with a small chuckle, wiping his mouth with his napkin, “the truth is, we’re a wealthy family. Very wealthy. Ramon chose to keep that hidden because he didn’t want gold-diggers. He wanted someone who’d love him for who he is, not what he has.”There was a beat of silence.Then Billy blinked. “Wait… you’re saying Ramon’s been pretending to be broke?”“Not broke,” Uncle Richard clarified with a grin. “Just… simple. Down-to-earth.”Everyone at the table was stunned. I couldn’t help it, I let out the tiniest giggle. Then a bigger one. And before long, laughter started to ripple around the table. Even Jasper cracked a smile. It was like the whole room finally exhaled.I glanced at Mom and made a small, sneaky wink. She caught it instantly. Her lips curved just slightly, and then she gave a quick nod.“Phoebe,” she said