MaisieTen minutes later, I found myself staring at my own reflection in one of the gleaming bathroom mirrors.My cheeks were still tinged an embarrassing shade of pink, but my expression had returned to its usual calm, neutral facade. On the outside at least, I appeared to be the picture of relaxed composure and control.On the inside, however, it was an entirely different story. My heart continued pounding erratically in my chest, my stomach tied up in anxious knots.I had no idea how I was going to get through the rest of this evening with Jason in such proximity.I didn't know how long I could handle being subjected to his dizzying presence and that all-consuming, smoldering gaze.Splashing some cold water on my face, I took a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm my rattled nerves.I knew there was no avoiding or escaping him tonight unless I wanted to face Mr. Woods's wrath for being insubordinate.The only way through this was to keep my head down, avoid any unnecessary intera
MAISIE"Dame Woods!"The woman next to Klay supplied her name with an air of authority, snapping me out of my daze.Ah yes, I knew I recognized her aristocratic features now - she was Klay’s very distant cousin but one of the company's most prominent investors and major shareholders. A real big fish.I gave a slight nod of my head in respectful acknowledgment, trying not to look too much like a deer in the headlights. "It's truly an honor to meet you, ma'am."I'd heard through the office rumor mill that Dame had a notoriously difficult personality and hair-trigger temper. No, I wouldn't judge her too harshly right off the bat, but you can bet your ass I'd be trying my damnedest to avoid getting on her bad side as much as humanly possible for the sake of keeping my job and this high-stakes project running smoothly."The glamorous one next to you is Irene, and that's her husband Trevor over there looking like he'd rather be anywhere else," Felix chimed in with a cheeky grin, introducing
MaisieMy heart skipped a beat when Irene suddenly turned her probing gaze on me, a devilish gleam in her eyes. "So Maisie, I noticed you've spoken to everyone here except Jason. Why is that?"Her tone was strangely calm, which only made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up more. It was obvious the nosy bitch was just trying to stir up drama and upset me for her own twisted amusement. I needed to come up with an answer fast before she went for the jugular.I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, my mouth suddenly feeling drier than the Sahara as I still avoided meeting Jason's eyes like the coward I was. Get it together, Maisie!I took a deep, steadying breath before turning to face my ex with a forced smile plastered on my lips.My stomach clenched when I met his piercing gaze. He examined my face as if waiting to see how I was going to save myself from this.We engaged in a brief staring contest, his sharp eyes locked with mine in a battle of wills that had me frozen like a deer ca
A week had passed since that night at the stuffy hotel gala, and I hadn't been able to get the image of Jason's striking figure out of my mind.His tall, powerfully built seemed to haunt my dreams every single night, taunting me with memories of what we once had...and what could have been if things were different.I had woken up just minutes ago to the sounds of Yonatan, Eve's rambunctious puppy, barking up an absolute storm.The adorable little furball had been staying with me for the past couple days while Eve and her husband Zach were out of town on a romantic getaway.They dropped the hyper tornado of energy and chaos off with me every now and then, knowing I didn't mind her company too much. Well, most of the time at least."Here you go, you annoying little sweetie," I muttered as I set down her food bowl full of crunchy puppy kibble on the kitchen floor.Yonatan immediately pounced on it and devoured the food greedily while letting out excited little yips, growls, and snorts bet
“She’s inside chasing my fiancée’s cat,” he stated flatly then disappeared into the house.I hesitated a moment before following.The interior was even more stunning than the exterior. It was decorated in rich tones of black and brown.I spotted Yonatan and she immediately came bounding over, circling my legs excitedly.“Is your house close by?” Jason’s voice came from one of the hallways.“Unfortunately, yes, I live right across the street,” I admitted reluctantly.He reappeared holding a glass of orange or mango juice and offered it to me.I politely declined at first, but he insisted I couldn’t leave his home without accepting his hospitality. I took the glass but was careful not to let our fingers brush.“I didn’t put anything in it,” he said with a smirk, watching as I examined the contents suspiciously.He looked like a work of art as he leaned against the wall. His striking features were perfectly accentuated by the black ensemble.I took a sip of the juice and let my eyes rove
Once home, I spent the rest of the day cleaning and tidying obsessively. I was doing anything to distract myself from thoughts of Jason – my new neighbor whether I liked it or not. All I could do was hope for a peaceful future going forward.I’ve been through so much in my life – enough pain, depression, anger and darkness to break many people. Yet here I still stood, unbowed. Smiling and laughing in the face of everything I’d endured.Because this life won’t stand still to account for my grief… Either I pick myself up and carry on despite being broken, or I remain mired in sorrow forever.This time I threw on some gray pajamas since my regular clothes were in the wash. I finished making dinner but Don still wasn’t back yet. It was already 6pm!I locked the door behind me after stepping out. I did not want Yonatan to make another break for it.I soon caught a glimpse of Don talking with another boy around his age.I waited until they finished their conversation so as not to embarrass
My eyes flew open wide as I whipped my head around to see that Don was bowing respectfully to the man still holding me in an intimate pose.“Don’t call me that outside the office walls,” Jason chided him with his arms still firmly banded around my waist.“Yes, sir,” Don replied.He seemed unbothered by the compromising position he’d found us in.I felt like I was missing some crucial piece of information here.Don fixed Jason with an appraising look before striding quickly to extract me from the other man’s arms.“How are your studies going, Don?” Jason asked.He was addressing Don far more familiarly than I would have expected.Did they know each other? And well enough to use nicknames? Billions of questions were racing through my mind, desperate for answers before I combusted from sheer bafflement.“Going well. I didn’t realize you lived around here!” Don replied, as if their unexpected acquaintance was no big deal.“I’m new to the area.”“Really? Well, I hope you like the neighborh
I felt suddenly drained after the phone call and I trudged back into the kitchen to find Don had already finished eating breakfast and was rinsing his dishes in the sink.I watched him working methodically, and an idea began to take shape in my mind."Don, listen up," I stated firmly, getting his attention. "I need to go into the office for an emergency situation, and you're coming with me. I may not be back until late tonight, and with Eve out of town, I can't just leave you here alone. Finding a last-minute sitter would take way too long."Don's brows flew up at my words as he turned to face me. "What? Seriously, Mom? I don't need a babysitter," he protested, rolling his eyes. "I can totally take care of myself, you know. I'm not three years old anymore."I opened my mouth to insist, but he was already ranting on stubbornly, "Plus, I have a crucial calculus exam tomorrow morning - I need to get a good night's sleep so I can be rested. I don't want to risk missing it or underperformin
MAISIEKlay burst out laughing. However, Felix looked completely dumbfounded with his expression frozen in disbelief.Harsh. That was harsh.I glanced at Jason, irritation bubbling under my skin. He didn’t even seem to care about how Felix had taken the comment.Poor guy looked like someone had just slapped him with a reality check.I turned my gaze to the glass wall beside me, letting the conversation fade into the background.The server arrived a few minutes later and everyone began ordering breakfast. Everyone except me.My appetite had vanished completely.Felix noticed. “You’re not eating?”I blinked, snapping out of my thoughts. “I’m not really hungry.”His expression softened, and for once, he wasn’t joking or teasing. “You should eat something,” he said quietly. “It’s not good to skip meals.”Then he reached out and placed his hand gently over mine. “You know, I’d love to meet your son. If he’s one of my fans, I think we’ll get along great.”He smiled at me, bright and genuine
MAISIEThe undeterred Felix turned his attention back to me. “So, Brit, how are you finding the trip so far?”There it was again—“Brit.” Why does he keep calling me that? Doesn’t he know my name?“It’s good so far.” My voice was soft, almost hesitant, as I tried to keep the conversation as neutral as possible.I turned to face the elevator door like the rest of them, hoping to escape the growing tension.But Felix wasn’t done. “Do you know volleyball?” he asked suddenly with excitement.I tilted my head slightly, trying to recall the familiar name of the game. I knew it, but at the moment, my mind felt a little scrambled.Felix’s brows creased when he noticed my hesitation, obviously considering a way to describe it. “You know, the game where they hit the ball with their hands over a net in the middle between two teams.”Ah, now I remembered. I’d seen it played on the beach before.“Yeah, I remember it now!” I exclaimed, smiling. “It’s a fun game, and I like it a lot.”Felix’s face li
MAISIEI woke up early the next morning, feeling energized and ready for the day. The weather was beautiful, with a light breeze carrying the scent of the ocean.The sun was warm but not overbearing, casting a golden glow over everything. It was the kind of morning that made you feel alive.I decided to sit by the pool, enjoying the calm and peaceful atmosphere. The water sparkled under the sunlight, clear and inviting. I donned a light blue, sleeveless summer shirt adorned with white checks, complemented by long, white linen pants. To complete the look, I had borrowed—or rather, stolen—a beach hat from Miriam. It was oversized and slightly ridiculous, but it suited the vibe of the day perfectly.I sipped from the coffee in my hands, letting the warmth of the drink and the beauty of the morning fill me with a sense of calm.My mind, however, was anything but calm. I kept running through the details of the surprise I had planned for Don. Felix could arrive at any moment, and I needed
MAISIEJason laughed softly, straightening up and helping me to my feet. “I’m saying it depends on trust. Our destiny is written, so let’s live quietly, baby.”I sighed, reluctantly nodding. “I understand.”“I arranged for your room to be upgraded to a two-bedroom suite. This way, both you and Don can enjoy your privacy," Jason informed me.I was taken aback, my mouth opening and closing in disbelief, unable to find the words.Jason gave me a smile that seemed to melt the tension between us. Then, he took my hand and walked me toward the hotel.Do I deserve this man?Later that night, I knocked on Don’s door to check on him. He opened it for me with a toothbrush in hand before disappearing back into the bathroom to finish brushing his teeth.“Did you have dinner with them?” I asked, sitting on the edge of his bed as I waited for him.“No,” Don replied from the bathroom. “But your boss sent me room service.”Klay? Why would he do that? “Anyway, you should go to bed early. Tomorrow’s g
MAISIEI could hear the raw emotion behind his words. The weight of regret, the pain of misplaced blame, the sorrow of a goodbye that never came. It clung to his voice.My chest tightened as I watched his usually composed demeanor crack under the weight of his own memories. It wasn’t just guilt he was carrying—it was grief, and it was deep.“I later regained my memories and discovered it was all my brother’s doing. When I refused to divorce you after the one-year arrangement with your father, he erased everything I’d ever done for him. Every sacrifice, every moment of kindness—it all meant nothing to him. He only saw my refusal as betrayal. I was so angry, so frustrated that I drowned myself in alcohol. And in my drunken state, I made a mistake I’ll regret for the rest of my life,” his words trailed off.My mind couldn’t process everything he’d just revealed. I was too broken and too busy takin in my father’s betrayal.Was I really nothing more than a business deal to my father? He tr
MAISIE My heart skipped a beat and my eyes sparkled with anticipation.Was I really about to learn something that no one else in the world knew about him?For a fleeting moment, I felt special—like I was the only person he trusted enough to reveal this part of himself.“What I’ve spent my life doing,” Jason began low and contemplative, “Is hating the success of others and taking pleasure in their failures. That’s who I was… until someone came into my life and turned it upside down.”He paused, staring out at the waves as if searching for the right words.“Before that someone, another person wreaked havoc in my life, tearing it apart piece by piece. They pushed me to the brink and left me with nothing but a sliver of myself. Yet… their hatred… their coercion never fully destroyed me.”I blinked, trying to make sense of his cryptic words. “Who is this other person?”Jason’s hand resting lightly on my thigh stilled.The sudden halt made my breath catch in my throat.“My brother!” His vo
MAISIEI quickly sat up, my fingers moving instinctively to type a reply.I wrote that I had only just seen his message and apologized for the delay. But before pressing send, I hesitated.My pride stepped in, whispering that I didn’t owe him an explanation.My thumb hovered over the screen for a moment longer before I pressed delete. I erased every word as though they had never existed.The hardest thing is when you write something, pouring your thoughts and emotions into it, only to let your pride force you to erase it.I lay back down, staring at the ceiling, feeling the weight of the unsent message settle over me.What was I going to do with him? With myself? With my son?I just wanted to sleep—to escape the storm of thoughts swirling in my mind, even if only for a little while."I'm sorry, my soul," I whispered into the quiet room. "I made mistakes against you. I pressured you so much to be who they wanted you to be, thinking their approval would complete my journey."The words f
MAISIEMy heart pounded in my chest, each beat louder and faster than the last. It felt like I’d just run a marathon, but the only thing I’d been running from was Jason.I believe that when a person falls in love with the right person, they can forgive them for all their mistakes.When you love, you don’t care about what’s been said or done.What do I need in this world when my world is him?I went back to where Miriam and Don were sitting, watching something on my computer. I think it was probably a movie then proceeded to my seat.I couldn’t bring myself to care enough to check. Their laughter, soft and unbothered, filled the space, but it only made me feel more out of place.Karina had pushed her seat back a little, reclining to sleep. It was better this way. I didn’t have the strength—or the patience—to bear her closeness to him. Jason.I hated how aware I was of every little thing about her, about him. The way she’d leaned her head against the seat, the way he didn’t seem to noti
MAISIEI pulled myself together, forcing my voice to remain steady.“Don’t call me that silly name!” I snapped, glaring at him.Jason pulled the strap again, letting it snap against my skin. The sting spread through me like wildfire, sharp and unrelenting.My features trembled for a few seconds, betraying the chaos his vague, unreadable gaze stirred inside me.He didn’t let go this time. His grip was firm, deliberate then his voice came low and calm like a storm brewing in the distance.“Disobedience, much like any other aspect of life, evolves over time. Eventually, what once seemed intolerable transforms into something more acceptable, akin to the gradual metamorphosis of a butterfly.”Tolerable.The word lingered in the air, heavy and suffocating, wrapping around me like the rope in his hands.Then he released the strap without warning. The suddenness of it made my whole body jolt as if I’d been struck by lightning.My breath caught in my throat, and for a moment, I couldn’t move.