DAMIEN “Don't ever try to meddle in my business again, especially my life currently. You're no longer a part of it." Shawna said then walked out of the room. I had an emotionless look on my face as she left the room. I had a series of emotions coursing through me as she left the room, it felt like she was leaving my life right now. The words made my heart twist weirdly, it's like watching your high school crush kiss your bully, that kind of hurt and pain that'd leave someone breathless. “What exactly are you doing to me, Shawna?" I asked myself as I fell back on the bed. I lay there for a minute before standing up to take my bath. I need the shower, all the grime and dirt from last night need to be washed away. I got into the shower and took a very cold shower. My body feels so different from before, I feel slightly better compared to before even. "Uh, it's time time to get the fuck out of here already," I mumbled then started packing up, I took just my phone car keys, an
SHAWNA I got out of his car with my phone pressed to my ear, I only looked back once to tell him thank you, and that was all. “Can you repeat what you just said please, I wasn't listening," I asked Liam on the phone. “I said where are you now, do you need me to come pick you up? I'm at your house right now." He said. “I'll get home very soon, let's say twenty minutes, so I'll see you soon, you don't need to stress yourself, I've gotten a cab already," I told him. “Oh, okay then. I'll be waiting for you here." He mumbled. "Yes, thank you,” I said then hung up. I let out a very deep breath and then looked for a cab, I saw that Damien still had his car on that one spot till I entered the cab and left. He should just really leave me alone, I don't want to have anything to do with him again at all. I want to start a life without him, I badly want to forget him, but seeing him again is making it so hard. And the fact that we had sex this morning is crazier, I can't believe we
SHAWNAHis head tilted to the direction of the paper, I ran back outside to call anyone, either a doctor or a nurse but they were coming in already.“Please move aside ma'am, we have to attend to him now." The doctor who attended to him the other day rushed in with two nurses behind him.I did as he said and just stood by the side as they prodded Grandfather with a lot of things. They did that for five minutes or so before the doctor took off the stethoscope around his neck, and he turned to me.“It's as though he only woke up for a reason, he's not responsive again for now. He's back into a coma, that's all we could get. I guess he has told you something before he slipped back into unconsciousness.” He said."Yes, he told me something. So there's nothing again, for now, nothing at all.” I mumbled.I feel really sad that he's back to how he was again, I thought he was awake already for real.“I can detect that he's healing again, he's responding to treatment, it's just the next time h
EUGENE“Good morning ma'am, how was your weekend?" My assistant asked me as soon as I got to the office.“It was very fine, thank you. How was yours too?" I asked her back politely, the last thing I'd want to have here is to not have a good relationship with the workers, especially my assistant.So I've been trying as much as I can to be friendly with them.“It was fine too." She said as she followed me into the office with her book in hand.“I won't be doing too much today, I just want to explore the empire, I want to see everywhere and not just this building,” I told her."Well noted ma'am, your wish is my command, I'll make provision for that now.” She walked out of my office, leaving the steaming cup of coffee she came in with.If there's anything I love about this position, the coffees would be number one, they're so nice, thick, and creamy.I don't even know what they do to make it this rich and different from other ones I've drank before. I closed my eyes and revealed its delic
SHAWNA“What?" I asked back with a deep frown etched into my face and confusion swirling in my eyes.“Get married to me, I just said that." He repeated those words. I had to rack my brain on what marriage means again because he can't be for real right now.“I don't think you understand what I'm saying or you know who I am, I don't even know you, you also don't know me." I almost screamed.“I understand you, you're Shawna and you're meant to be the head of the Lancaster empire because your grandfather handed it over to you." “And now you need my help with getting it back, I also need your help with getting married to me. It's a win-win situation for us, we both get something in the end.” He said.So he did understand everything I just narrated, and he knows me now. Why then does he want to get married to me? It's just so funny and sounds so crazy to me.“Why should we get married to each other when we don't even know each other? What if I'm a gold digger and I end up taking all your m
DAMIENEugene looked behind herself to see the person who was stopping her from slapping Shawna.She tried to pull her hand away from his but he tightened his hold on her hand. I had seen and saw everything that was going on, it was when she wanted to hit Shawna that I knew I had to step in.Shawna looked up from the ground with her hand guarding her face in anticipation of the slap. When she saw me, her eyes widened.“Who the fuck is this?" Eugene asked with anger evident on her face.She turned her head and when she saw that it was me, she immediately smiled, getting rid of that glare on her face.“Hey, I didn't see you there, I was just having a peaceful conversation with Shawna." She lied through her teeth, still keeping up with that fake smile.I dropped her hand as though it was a disease and she'd infected me with it, so I cleaned my hand with my handkerchief carefully.“You and I know you're lying, Eugene. Why are you this schemy and wicked?" I asked her. The people around us
SHAWNAI looked at Damien to see him equally confused as I was, I gently dragged my children back to avoid further embarrassment.“What do you mean by that? Don't you want this job anymore, or you'll say you don't know me?" Damien said, refraining from using foul words around the children."It's an order from above, sir. And you're allowed to go in, but not with them.” He said, pointing at my children and me.“What do you even mean by that? Who's the ‘above’ you're talking about? Don't they have a name? Get out of my way this instant!” Damien ordered him through gritted teeth."We'll just leave, Damien. Don't worry about us, I'll look for other places myself, thanks for offering though." I made to leave with my children but he stopped me."No, no, you don't have to do that, I'll get this sorted out in no time, I'm sure he's just bluffing, just give me a little time." He then turned back to the guy with a glare on his face.I just don't want more embarrassment, I've incurred a lot of t
SHAWNAI thought I wasn't hearing well when I heard that because there's just no way that's true. And it's not just anyone but the same guy who was asking me to marry him in return for his favor.He's currently before me with his hands in his pocket and a relaxed expression on his face.“Sorry, I don't think I heard you correctly. Did you just say-" he interrupted me.“Yes, they're my kids, do you want us to start dragging this now?" He asked me with one of his eyebrows up.“What now? You want to deny that you don't know him?" Damien's mother asked me.“I do know him, but I know the father of my children and he's not the one." I scoffed.“I'm sorry for her behavior sir, I'm sure she's just being this way because my son is here, she has eyes for him and has been pining over him since.” Damien's mother said again.With the look of things, this guy before me looks richer and bigger than them, that has to be the reason she's this way to him.“Excuse you?" I asked out loud. This just looks
PHOEBEI frowned at the sound coming from the door. A slow, deliberate rattling. Like someone was testing the handle.I sat up in bed, my heart already picking up speed. "Housekeeping?" My voice came out shaky, uncertain.No answer.I cleared my throat. "Hello?"Silence. Nothing but my own breathing and the distant hum of the city outside. But the sound at the door didn’t stop. If anything, it got worse, more forceful, more urgent. The handle rattled, harder this time. My stomach dropped.I swallowed hard, forcing my shaky hands to reach for the hotel phone. My fingers fumbled over the buttons as I tried to call the front desk."Come on, come on," I muttered, my pulse pounding so loudly I could barely hear anything else. I pressed the call button, lifting the receiver to my ear. A second passed. Two. Then…The lights went out.I gasped, nearly dropping the phone. The entire room was swallowed by darkness, the only light now coming from the faint glow of the city outside, filtering th
RAMONI sat there, staring at the door Phoebe had just slammed shut. The air still felt thick with her frustration, her anger. I had called out to her, but she hadn’t even hesitated. Just walked away like I was no better than the rest of them.I sighed, rubbing my hands over my face. I wasn’t trying to control her. I wasn’t trying to stop her from living her life. But she didn’t see it that way.“She’s got fire, that one.”The voice made me tense. I turned, watching as my uncle stepped out from the back room, his arms crossed over his chest. His expression was unreadable, but there was something in his eyes. Something that made my stomach twist.“Why wouldn’t you let her leave?” he asked, stepping closer. “You getting soft?”I scoffed, leaning back in my chair, trying to act unfazed. “It’s not like that.”He smirked, tilting his head like he didn’t believe me. “Sure it’s not.”I exhaled sharply, shaking my head. “Phoebe doesn’t deserve to get caught up in all this.”“All this,” he rep
PHOEBEI folded my arms, leaning against the wall of Ramon’s tiny apartment. The space was cramped, barely big enough for the two of us, but that wasn’t what was bothering me. It was him, his expression, his tone, the way he was looking at me like I was making some kind of terrible mistake.“I don’t get it,” I said, shaking my head. “Why are you so against me moving out?”Ramon let out a deep sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. He looked tired, like this conversation was wearing on him. “I’m not against it, Phoebe.”“Sure feels like it,” I shot back.His lips twitched, but it wasn’t a smile. More like a reflex, something bitter. He let out a small chuckle, but there wasn’t any humor in it. “I just know what it means to be without a family. And trust me, it’s not something you want.”I frowned, crossing my arms tighter. “So what? I should just stay there and let them control my life?”His gaze flickered to mine, steady, unshaken. “No,” he said. “I’m saying don’t make decisions when you
PHOEBEI stood outside Ramon’s door, my heart thudding in my chest like I’d just run a marathon. I wasn’t even sure why I had come here. Maybe it was the way I’d stormed out of Mom’s office, my frustration boiling over until it felt like I couldn’t breathe. Or maybe it was just because I needed to be somewhere I felt… safe. And for some reason, that place was here.Before I could change my mind and turn around, the door opened.Ramon stood there, blinking at me in surprise. His dark hair was tousled as he’d just rolled out of bed, and his black T-shirt clung to his chest in a way that made it impossible not to notice how toned he was. He wasn’t trying, wasn’t even aware of how ridiculously good-looking he looked, and somehow that made it even worse, or better, depending on how you looked at it.I swallowed hard, my brain short-circuiting for a second. His dark brown eyes were fixed on me, curious and maybe a little sleepy, like he hadn’t expected anyone to show up at his door, let alo
PHOEBEI waited until Phoebe walked into my office before I spoke. She was humming, looking happy like nothing in the world could bring her down.“Phoebe, can we talk?” I said, closing the file I was working on.She frowned a little but came over. “Sure. What’s up?”I leaned back in my chair, choosing my words carefully. “Eugene came by earlier.”Her face hardened immediately. “Oh. And let me guess….she had a lot to say?”“She’s worried, Phoebe.”“Of course, she is,” Phoebe muttered, crossing her arms. “She’s always worried about something.”“She’s your aunt. She cares about you.”“She doesn’t like Ramon, does she?” Phoebe’s voice was sharp.I sighed. “She has concerns. And, honestly, so do I.”Phoebe’s eyes widened. “Wait….you too?”“Phoebe, we’ve never even heard of this guy until recently, and now you’re spending all your time with him. Don’t you think that’s a little… fast?”Her jaw tightened. “I knew it. No one actually wants me to be happy.”“Phoebe, that’s not what this is abou
EUGENEI’ve seen Phoebe mad before. I’ve seen her throw tantrums over little things, like when the coffee wasn’t hot enough or when her favorite show ended on a cliffhanger. But this? This was different. This wasn’t just a flash of irritation or some harmless grumbling. This was something else entirely.I stood there, watching her storm out, her heels clicking against the hardwood floor like gunshots in the silence of the house. She didn’t say much, just muttered something under her breath as she snatched her purse from the couch and headed straight for the front door with Ramon. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t even know what had set her off this time.“Phoebe, where are you going?” I finally called out, hoping to stop her. But she didn’t even look back. She just pushed open the door, stepped outside, and slammed it shut behind her. Hard. The kind of slam that makes you flinch, like it’s meant to hurt you as much as it does the doorframe.I followed her, but only as far as the win
PHOEBEThe office buzzed softly around me, but my focus was entirely on Ramon. We’d wrapped up the whole argument with the triplets, and now it was just us, enjoying the quiet. He leaned back in the chair across from my desk, arms folded casually, his dark eyes watching me with that familiar smirk.“Can’t believe you stuck around after all that,” I teased, raising a brow.He chuckled. “You think I scare that easily?”“I don’t know,” I said, tapping my pen against my notebook. “My brothers are pretty intense.”He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Trust me, Phoebe, I’ve faced worse.”There was something in the way he said it light, but with a shadow underneath. His voice was easy, casual, but it carried a weight I couldn’t quite figure out. It wasn’t the first time I’d noticed it either. There were layers to Ramon, ones he wasn’t letting me see just yet. I tilted my head, debating whether to push him a little, maybe ask what was really going on behind that smile.But the
RAMONI leaned against Phoebe’s desk, watching them argue like they were the only ones in the room. Triplets. Identical in almost every way, same fiery temper, the same stubborn streak, same protective instinct over their little sister. It was almost entertaining at first. Almost.But now? I was bored.“Guys,” I said again, keeping my tone light and calm, but it was like I didn’t exist. They didn’t hear me. Or maybe they just chose to ignore me. Typical.“Jasper, can you just stop already?” Phoebe snapped, stepping in before things got even messier. She crossed her arms over her chest, looking annoyed.“I’m trying to protect you, Phoebe!” Jasper shot back, his voice rising. “You don’t even know who he really is!”I watched Phoebe’s jaw tighten, and I could tell she was about five seconds away from losing her cool. Jasper, as usual, wasn’t letting up. This was a regular scene with them, but it still felt like walking through a minefield every time.Billy, standing a little behind Jaspe
PHOEBE“Wait… Ramon?” Billy frowned, glancing between me and him like we’d just announced we were getting married or something.“That’s right,” Ramon said, stepping forward with a small, polite smile. “Nice to officially meet you both.”Jasper gave a short, dry laugh. “Yeah. Officially, huh? So this is a thing now?”“It is,” I said firmly, crossing my arms tighter. “And I’m not going to hide it, so you can drop the attitude.”“Attitude?” Jasper raised an eyebrow. “We don’t have attitude. We just… didn’t expect this, that’s all.”Billy nodded slowly, but his eyes stayed on Ramon, like he was trying to figure him out. “You move pretty fast, don’t you, Ramon?”“Billy,” I warned, my voice sharp, but Ramon just chuckled, brushing it off like it was nothing.“I get it,” he said smoothly. “I know I’m not exactly your favorite person. But I care about Phoebe, and I hope you can respect that.”Jasper snorted, crossing his arms like he was gearing up for a fight. “Oh, sure. Respect. That’s easy