ROCHELLE
That kiss…..
As we made our way down to his sleek black car, he opened the door for me, an effortless gesture that made me feel special. I slid into the leather seat, and he closed the door behind me before striding around to the driver’s side. Every little thing he did made me feel like a queen, a feeling I was not used to.
The drive to the restaurant was accompanied by light chatter, which gradually eased my nerves. We talked about everything and nothing, laughing at silly anecdotes and sharing bits about our lives. I discovered that he had a secret passion for cooking, which surprised me. A man like him, a billionaire business mogul, cooking? It didn’t fit the profile I had imagined.
“Maybe you’ll have to cook for me sometime,” I te
ARIES Jealousy or…?Rochelle had returned from work less than two hours after she left, looking very excited. It wasn’t exactly like her to rush home, especially when her duties at the office always seemed to stretch longer than expected. But today, she walked through the door with a bright smile on her face, the kind of smile that lit up any room. Her hair bounced lightly with each step she took, and the sway of her hips was almost hypnotic.I had been sitting on the couch, scrolling through my phone absentmindedly, but that smile pulled me away from the screen. It looked so out of place in our apartment, which was usually quiet and fairly serious. I couldn’t help b
ARIES Fantasy night!“You’re probably going to think I’m ridiculous,” she said with a charming smile, “but I really like him. We had this amazing conversation, and he kind of gets me.” “Kind of?” I echoed, my voice lighting with skepticism. She rolled her eyes. “Okay, fine. A lot! He’s really brilliant, and he can talk about everything from finance to art. I’ve never met anyone like him before.” I tried to mask my irritation. “And that’s why you like him?” “That’s just part of it! Plus, he’s funny!” she added, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Rochelle, I just really want you to be careful,” I said, my tone shifting almost protective again. “Yes, mama bear!” she shot back, folding her arms in mock seriousness, but I could see her playfulness was waning. “Okay, okay. I’ll ease up,” I relented, feeling a little defeated. “But please keep us in the loop, alright?” “Sure!” she grinned, but deep down, her smile felt like someone pulling away. I could see the
FRED What if she did?I was really worried about Gina. The clock on the wall ticked away the seconds, each one echoing louder than the last, while my fingers tapped nervously on the glass surface of the table. It was getting really late, and she still had not returned from work. My heart sank a little as I thought about it. I had missed her call earlier, and that made my worry deepen. What could be taking her so long?Gina was dedicated to her job, but she was not the type to stay after hours unless something was seriously wrong. I picked up my phone, staring at it like it was going to magically give me answers. Nothing happened. I cursed myself for missing her call. What if she needed me? What if something had gone wrong? I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of worry inside me.“Just call her,” I whispered to myself. I retrieved my phone from the table, my thumb hovered over her name in my contacts list, but then an idea knotted my
ROCHELLE'S POVMy heart pounded with excitement as I walked up to my boyfriend Fred’s apartment.Nineteen. I couldn’t believe it—finally, my nineteenth birthday. Today was supposed to be perfect. I had spent hours getting ready, choosing my outfit carefully. Amber had said I looked amazing, but more than that, she had said I should finally take a leap with Fred.“You’ve been dating for months,” she had said. “It’s time, Rochelle. Stop pining after some guy you’ve never even spoken to for more than five minutes. Fred is your boyfriend. Why not make tonight the night?”I had smiled at her, feeling a bit nervous. She was right. I had this stupid crush on an older man I shouldn’t even be thinking about. I guess it was time for me to face reality. Nothing was going to happen between us. I decided to put all my focus on Fred.Was tonight the night? I wasn’t sure if I was ready, but Amber’s words had been swirling in my mind all day. Fred and I had been together for a while, and he had been
The neon lights flickered as we stepped into the club. The bass from the music pounded through the floor and vibrated in my chest. I should have been excited. It was the kind of night people said would help you forget—forget the hurt, the betrayal, the mess of a life that seemed to be falling apart. But as I followed Amber toward the bar, all I felt was the heaviness in my heart. Fred’s words still echoed in my mind. I couldn’t believe he had cheated on me. And with her—Gina, of all people.Amber leaned in close as we reached the counter, her arm looping through mine. She looked stunning that night. Her confidence radiated in every move she made, as usual.“Come on, Rochelle, stop looking like someone just ran over your puppy. We’re here to forget, remember?” she shouted over the music, giving me a playful nudge.I tried to smile, but it was weak. Amber had been trying to lift my spirits all night. She was right, of course. I should have forgotten about Fred. I shouldn’t have cared ab
Standing in the rain, the cold seeped into my bones. I could barely feel my fingers gripping the straps of my bags, but the numbness wasn’t just from the weather. It was the weight of everything crashing down at once. My father’s angry voice still echoed in my head, the image of my landlord’s irritated face was glued behind my eyes, and Amber’s betrayal… God, that stung the worst.I shivered, soaked to the core. The rain came down harder, as if the universe was hell-bent on making today even worse. I pulled out my phone, my fingers trembling as I tried calling my dad again. It went straight to voicemail. My chest tightened with frustration. Of course, he’d ignore me. But I couldn’t give up—I couldn’t just let this go. Not like this.I managed to find shelter under a small tree, though it didn’t do much to protect me from the downpour. With a deep breath, I dialed his number one more time. The call rang and rang, and just when I thought it would go to voicemail again, he picked up.“Da
ROCHELLE That threw me off! I just stood there, looking at Aries and his duplicate. My heart pounded so hard I could feel it in my throat. My legs trembled, and my hands shook uncontrollably. I tightened my grip on my purse, hoping it would steady me, but it didn't. This was not happening. My eyes must be playing tricks on me. I blinked once, then twice. Yet, nothing changed. There they stood, two Aries. One of him was already overwhelming enough, with his sharp jawline, piercing blue eyes, and that ever-present air of cold authority. But two?No, I wasn't dreaming. This was real. Too real."Rochelle, are you okay?" Aries's deep, familiar voice sliced through my confusion. His tone was calm but laced with concern, and his cold demeanor softened just slightly, which was rare for him. He noticed my expression, the wide eyes, and the trembling lips. "Why are you looking at us like you've just seen a ghost?"I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead, a scream
ROCHELLE They're messing with my mind!I could barely sleep that night.My mind kept replaying dinner, the laughter, the conversations, and more than anything, the way Aries and Adrien looked sitting there across from me. Identical yet different in their aura. Aries with his commanding presence, and Adrien with his quiet, soothing charm.I tossed and turned in bed, pulling the covers up, then kicking them off again. I couldn’t stop thinking about them. Both of them.I had hoped they would stay back after dinner, maybe linger for more conversation, but no. They had both excused themselves, retiring to their respective rooms, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I tried to shake the images out of my head, tried to focus on something else… anything else… but it was useless. The more I tried, the more vivid the images became.I swallowed hard, remembering how their voices blended during dinner, the way Adrien’s soft laughter balanced Aries’s deeper chuckles. And the way they moved—gracef
FRED What if she did?I was really worried about Gina. The clock on the wall ticked away the seconds, each one echoing louder than the last, while my fingers tapped nervously on the glass surface of the table. It was getting really late, and she still had not returned from work. My heart sank a little as I thought about it. I had missed her call earlier, and that made my worry deepen. What could be taking her so long?Gina was dedicated to her job, but she was not the type to stay after hours unless something was seriously wrong. I picked up my phone, staring at it like it was going to magically give me answers. Nothing happened. I cursed myself for missing her call. What if she needed me? What if something had gone wrong? I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of worry inside me.“Just call her,” I whispered to myself. I retrieved my phone from the table, my thumb hovered over her name in my contacts list, but then an idea knotted my
ARIES Fantasy night!“You’re probably going to think I’m ridiculous,” she said with a charming smile, “but I really like him. We had this amazing conversation, and he kind of gets me.” “Kind of?” I echoed, my voice lighting with skepticism. She rolled her eyes. “Okay, fine. A lot! He’s really brilliant, and he can talk about everything from finance to art. I’ve never met anyone like him before.” I tried to mask my irritation. “And that’s why you like him?” “That’s just part of it! Plus, he’s funny!” she added, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Rochelle, I just really want you to be careful,” I said, my tone shifting almost protective again. “Yes, mama bear!” she shot back, folding her arms in mock seriousness, but I could see her playfulness was waning. “Okay, okay. I’ll ease up,” I relented, feeling a little defeated. “But please keep us in the loop, alright?” “Sure!” she grinned, but deep down, her smile felt like someone pulling away. I could see the
ARIES Jealousy or…?Rochelle had returned from work less than two hours after she left, looking very excited. It wasn’t exactly like her to rush home, especially when her duties at the office always seemed to stretch longer than expected. But today, she walked through the door with a bright smile on her face, the kind of smile that lit up any room. Her hair bounced lightly with each step she took, and the sway of her hips was almost hypnotic.I had been sitting on the couch, scrolling through my phone absentmindedly, but that smile pulled me away from the screen. It looked so out of place in our apartment, which was usually quiet and fairly serious. I couldn’t help b
ROCHELLE That kiss…..As we made our way down to his sleek black car, he opened the door for me, an effortless gesture that made me feel special. I slid into the leather seat, and he closed the door behind me before striding around to the driver’s side. Every little thing he did made me feel like a queen, a feeling I was not used to.The drive to the restaurant was accompanied by light chatter, which gradually eased my nerves. We talked about everything and nothing, laughing at silly anecdotes and sharing bits about our lives. I discovered that he had a secret passion for cooking, which surprised me. A man like him, a billionaire business mogul, cooking? It didn’t fit the profile I had imagined.“Maybe you’ll have to cook for me sometime,” I te
ROCHELLE A Day Off with Mr. BenMr. Ben had surprisingly given me the day off from work. "But on one condition," he said, while I was still trying to wrap my head around it. It was such a sudden turn of events. I had not done anything special to deserve this kind of treatment. In fact, my mind was racing with thoughts about the projects I had to finish and the clients I needed to call on his behalf. I looked at him with a mix of confusion and curiosity.“What condition, sir?” I asked, tilting my head slightly to the side. Ben, with his usual confident demeanor, suddenly had a twinkle in his eye that made me even more intrigued. He reached into his sleek designer bag and pulled out something wrapped in black silk. He placed it gently on the table between us.“Open it,” he said, his smile widening as he leaned back in his chair, clearly enjoying this moment.“I should open it?” I asked, feeling the excitement bubbling inside me. This was all so unexpected. I
FRED She's a tsunami!I fell right into Ashley's trap. The moment I did, I knew there was no getting out of it, no matter how much I tried to. The situation was a complete mess, one I created with my own hands. Or rather, with my own careless thumbs. I’ve never been more frustrated with myself.It all started with what should have been a romantic evening. Gina, my girlfriend, was everything I wanted in a woman—kind, smart, funny, and absolutely stunning. I wanted to surprise her with a special night to celebrate our anniversary. I had planned everything down to the last detail. The bed was made with fresh sheets, soft music was ready to play, and I had scattered petals across the floor. It was cheesy, sure, but Gina loved that kind of thing.To add a little spice to the night, I decided to text her something bold. I wasn’t the type to send daring messages, but this time, I wanted to push the boundaries. So, I took a deep breath, snapped a pic
GINA Love has left me heartbroken!My heart raced as I picked up the telecom and dialed my secretary's number. “Viola, please come to my office at once,” I instructed, my tone leaving no room for debate.When she arrived, I wasted no time. “What other meetings do I have scheduled for the rest of the day?” I asked, trying to maintain a calm demeanor.She looked confused, flipping through her notes. “Well, you have the brainstorming session with the marketing team, the budget review with finance, and then a dinner meeting with potential investors.”“Cancel all of them,” I ordered, my voice rising unexpectedly.Her eyes widened in shock. “But, ma'am, those meetings are extremely important! We could lose important partners because…”“Cancel or consider yourself sacked!” I nearly yelled, cutting her off. The urgency of the situation pushed my impatience over the edge. The look on her face was a mix of confusion and concern, but I didn’t care.“I’m leaving and won’t return until t
GINA Driving into darknessI was looking over some files in my office, the quiet hum of the air conditioning mingling with my thoughts. My desk was strewn with documents, proposals for the upcoming quarter, and reports that needed my immediate attention. For a moment, the chaos of corporate life felt manageable as I focused on the numbers and projections. Everything felt routine until the door creaked open, and in walked Fred.“Hey,” he just said.Something wasn’t right. He looked like he was about to give up the ghost. His face was pale, and he wore an expression that screamed discomfort. It caught me off guard. Just that morning, we had left for work together, both of us full of energy. We laughed and joked during the drive, our favorite music playing softly in the background, the kind
GINA Something is off!I had noticed a change in Ashley especially towards Fred. At first, it was subtle, almost unnoticeable, but once I began paying attention, the signs were unmistakable. Ashley, or Ash as I fondly called her, had always been a vivacious and outspoken part of my life. She was the kind of person who could walk into a room and instantly light it up with her energy. So when I returned from my business trip to Minnesota and told her I was making up with Fred, her reaction was... odd.She had been seated on the plush white couch in my living room, sipping on her favorite iced latte, when I broke the news. “Ash, guess what? Fred and I are getting back together,” I announced, unable to keep the excitement from my voice. Her eyebrows shot up so high that for a moment, I thought they might disappear into her hairline.“What?” she exclaimed, the latte momentarily forgotten in her hand. “You’re getting back with Fred? After everything that happened?”“Yes,” I