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Author: Cosmix
last update Last Updated: 2024-12-03 23:55:18

Reigna

Emma’s words lingered in my head the entire day.

I was just minding my own business, not even bringing up her audacity in front of our parents and this is what I get? With my attention somewhere else, I tap on the keyboard with a pace slower than usual.

I snapped back to reality when Carlisle knocked his knuckles on my table, making me look up. “Carlisle.” I smiled, hoping he won’t catch my drift.

“I’m having a meeting with the sales department. My secretary should come along.” Hearing that, I quickly stood up and grabbed my things.

Once done, I faced him. “It is the meeting with Director Crawley and the core members of this month’s product launch monitoring, right, sir?” I confirmed, turning to my files to grab another folder. “I will bring last month’s records in case-”

“Don’t overthink too much.” He cut off, making me freeze and look at him, searching for emotions in his empty green orbs. “She won’t reach you here by my side.”

Catching me off guard, I blinked twice, keeping
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  • Seven Minutes in Heaven   SIX

    ReignaNight has soon come and we are still in Carlisle’s office, rushing the documents to be presented tomorrow on a client who suddenly changed the schedule and wanted to meet with us immediately.“This is endless.” Muttering to myself, I blinked and pulled my reading glasses of to take a short break.Glancing at him, the sight of his loosened tie, well-kept hair, and glasses on his masculine face, made me admire him—a little too much. “You want to go home already, princess?” he spoke, snapping me out of my trance.Blinking, I shook my head no. “Want some coffee, then?” he offered, making me ponder for a moment before nodding.With that, he stood up and started to fold his sleeves until above his elbows. As I watched, it suddenly occurred to me that I’ve been fascinated so much that one could think I’m a weirdo.Averting my gaze, I stood up. “It’s the secretary’s job to serve the boss, sir. Let me do it.”Carlisle didn’t argue as I insisted on making the coffee, though the small smi

    Last Updated : 2024-12-04
  • Seven Minutes in Heaven   SEVEN

    Reigna“Tomorrow is family day, Ma’am. Can you and Sir Carlisle attend?” While waiting for Erwin to come down with Christy, Lilly spoke to me with a gentle, worried, tone.The sincerity in her voice for the little one’s sake made me smile. “I’m not sure, but we will try.” Hearing that, she heaved a sigh of relief.“Lilly! Do you have my dinosaur?!” from upstairs, Erwin’s loud voice echoed, followed by his loud excited footsteps, making the two of us turn from the opened front door where we are standing.“Yes, young master.” She crouched down and showed the dinosaur pencil case in her hand, then helped Erwi to turn around so she could place it in his bag. Once done, she stood up and held his hand, ready to accompany him to his school.“Bye mommy! Make sure to come tomorrow, okay! We have booths!” he excitedly announced, jumping up and down. “It’s called family day!”“Ah yes, I’ve been told, baby.” I laughed, kissing his forehead and patting his fluffy hair. “Dada and I will do our bes

    Last Updated : 2024-12-05
  • Seven Minutes in Heaven   EIGHT

    ReignaI had a dream. A nightmare, rather.“Babe, look. This is-” Axle’s voice rang so loudly in my head as I ran away, my feet is damp from the pouring rain, and my tears are mixing along the cold droplets from the sky. When I turned on a nearby alley, there stood Carlisle with his eyes mirroring the hatred he has for Violet.“I need you to do your job and stay out of things that don’t concern you.” His voice, as loud as Axle’s, made my heart throb and my head ache. The rain poured more, with storms lighting up the pitch black night.In that world, I was standing in front of him, but for some reason, he can’t seem to feel anything as he stared back at me.That was a short, painful, nightmare.Morning arrived far too quickly, pulling me from the restless haze of a sleepless night. My body felt heavy, my chest still knotted with the emotions from last night’s confrontation. Carlisle’s words, the unspoken distance between us, and the bitter taste of my own feelings made it hard to even

    Last Updated : 2024-12-06
  • Seven Minutes in Heaven   NINE

    ReignaIf there is one thing I could do right now—it is to not be left with Carlisle alone at all cost.I stepped into the office that morning, clutching a warm coffee cup in my hands like it was armor. The sterile white walls of XCC Corp. had never felt so unwelcoming. Usually, the hum of printers and soft clicks of keyboards grounded me in routine, but today, the air was heavy, as though everyone was waiting for something to snap.Or maybe that weight was just me, dragging in the unresolved tension from Family Day. “It’s okay. You can do it, Rei.” Encouraging myself, I went on with work, hoping nothing will go wrong.Entering his office after three knocks, I kept my professionalism as I conversed with him. “Your schedule for today,” I said quietly, sliding the folder toward him.For a moment, I thought he wouldn’t respond at all. Then his voice came, low and restrained. “Reigna.”I stilled, my breath catching. There was an edge of something personal in his tone, something tentative.

    Last Updated : 2024-12-07
  • Seven Minutes in Heaven   TEN

    Reigna“Maybe I should try to talk to him once and for all.” As an emotional woman myself, I am having trouble deciding whether to guard myself from further pain from his words, or approach him and face this directly so I could heal and understand.This is just a game…who cares if he’s still affected by his ex?“This is making my head ache.”The morning air was heavy with anticipation. A I sit on my desk, my nerves are buzzling with anxiety and hesitancy to face them because today was the day Violet Harrington would step back into Carlisle Amoroso’s world—and mine.She, as the head architect for this project, will be working with us for three months until the proposal is finalized, and they could proceed with the discussion of investments and construction.Her reappearance wasn’t just a ghost from Carlisle’s past; it was a wrecking ball aimed at the fragile balance we’d been trying to maintain since Family Day.I hadn’t seen Carlisle smile in weeks, and every interaction between us ha

    Last Updated : 2024-12-08
  • Seven Minutes in Heaven   ELEVEN

    Reigna“What else do you think will happen?” smug, Carlisle spoke in a shameless manner. “You left. My son needed a mother.”With those words said, the subtle visibility of hurt in her face somewhat pained me too—no one wants to be replaced, after all.“You think that’s easy?” she asked, scoffing with her arms crossed, looking back and forth between Carlisle and I. “He’ll grow and realize it all.”Just thinking of that future scares me, but… “That future is still far.” I spoke, determined to prove my place.No matter how unstable we are, I am still, for now, Erwin’s mother.Laughing humorlessly, she looked at me from head to toe. “You look nothing like my son. He’ll raise that question soon enough.” Smirking, she stepped closer, her blue eyes piercing on me like daggers aim to shatter me whole.“Secretaries really like being side chicks.” She sneered. “No wonder the tension’s high at work.”“You’re talking all high and mighty as if you didn’t chose to walk out of their lives on your o

    Last Updated : 2024-12-09
  • Seven Minutes in Heaven   TWELVE

    ReignaJust think of this is a normal day, Reigna.I stood outside the old house, the porch light flickering like a broken heartbeat. My hand hesitated on the doorknob, the chipped paint and worn wood feeling foreign, though I’d spent most of my life here. The weight of the call from Axle still clung to me, my chest tight with a mix of dread and defiance.I pushed the door open, stepping inside the familiar yet unwelcoming space. The living room was exactly as I remembered—dated furniture, faded wallpaper, and the suffocating air of disapproval that seemed embedded in the walls. My mother’s sharp voice greeted me before I even saw her.“Look who finally decided to show up,” she said, her tone dripping with disdain as she appeared from the kitchen.She looked the same—pristine makeup and a floral apron, as if she were trying to play the perfect hostess. “The prodigal daughter graces us with her presence.”“Mother,” I greeted stiffly, keeping my tone neutral.Her lips thinned as she eye

    Last Updated : 2024-12-10
  • Seven Minutes in Heaven   THIRTEEN

    Reigna“Mommy, hurry up!” he called me as I helped Lilly wipe the dishes clean, while Christy washes them.“Hold on, baby!” I replied back, smiling as I focused on my work.“Young master really loves you, ma’am. We’ve never seen him like this.” Christy respectfully spoke, Lilly nodding in agreement.“He wasn’t like that with anyone. Young master rarely acts like a child, but with you, he truly is a little boy.” Lilly added, warming up my heart.The morning light painted soft streaks across the hardwood floors, the warmth of the sun mirrored by the gentle laughter that bubbled from Erwin as he played with his toy cars. Today is Sunday, giving us the liberty to be free from our own responsibilities.It had been a long time since a day felt so calm, so normal. For the first time in weeks, I allowed myself to breathe, the weight of our complicated lives momentarily lifted.“I just wish this peace will stay forever.” I spoke, but as if I had called a disaster instead of a blessing, that sp

    Last Updated : 2024-12-11

Latest chapter

  • Seven Minutes in Heaven   EIGHTY-FOUR

    Carlisle“Good day to be a sleepy princess, huh?” I mumbled under my breath, brushing a few strands of Reigna’s hair away from her face as she peacefully slept beside me, tucked neatly under the blankets which left only a few of her marked skin on display.I hadn’t slept. Not really. After I comforted her, I’d spent most of the night buried in calls, my team scrambling to pull down photos, issue cease-and-desist orders to entertainment outlets, and threaten defamation suits where needed.But the internet moved faster than any of us, and by the time dawn broke, the damage was already done.Reigna’s face was everywhere—our picnic captured through a stranger’s lens, twisted into a story we hadn’t written. Some photos were from paparazzi way back too.Violet started all of this because she thinks she has the upper hand.She emerged like a phoenix from ash she ignited herself, posting three photos to her social media: One of her cradling Erwin as an infant, another of him asleep on her sho

  • Seven Minutes in Heaven   SPECIAL CHAPTER: UNNAMED SPARKS

    Third person[RED WARNING]Reigna glanced over at Carlisle, seated on the sleek leather sofa with a tumbler of top-shelf scotch in hand. He cut an imposing figure even now, his broad shoulders set with tension despite his best efforts to appear unruffled.Sensing her gaze, Carlisle set down his drink and rose to his feet in one fluid motion. In a few strides, he had crossed the room and pulled Reigna into his arms, his large hands settling on her hips."Easy there, princess," he murmured, his voice a low rumble against her ear. "I know it's a lot to take in, but we'll get through this together. I promise."Reigna leaned into his embrace, savoring the solid strength of his body even as her mind raced with worries about the future of their unconventional relationship. She could feel Carlisle tense as he sensed her restlessness."Here," he said firmly, stepping back and taking her by the hand. "Why don't we play a game to take your mind off things for a bit?”The game they haven’t played

  • Seven Minutes in Heaven   EIGHTY-THREE

    CarlisleI had barely stepped back into the penthouse before the first barrage of calls started rolling in.My phone buzzed in my hand like it was possessed, relentless with notifications, each one more damning than the last. I didn’t need to look at the screen to know what they were about. The moment I saw the photo—Reigna, Erwin, and me, sitting under the spring sun with our fingertips barely touching—it was like watching the beginning of a forest fire: quiet at first, until everything was engulfed in flames.The media hadn’t wasted a second.They were calling it everything from a scandalous reappearance to a shameless PR stunt. My name was being thrown around in headlines with words like cheater, liar, and executive playboy as if the truth could be painted with gossip and hashtags.Worse than that, Reigna was being dragged again—her name splashed across articles as the “former assistant turned lover,” a woman who used her position to claw her way into my personal life.And the wor

  • Seven Minutes in Heaven   EIGHTY-TWO

    ReignaLucy had outdone herself.When she had gently suggested we “step outside for a while” this morning, I hadn’t realized she meant a whole setup—picnic basket, Erwin’s favorite snacks, a thin quilt patterned with smiling whales, and even sunhats she claimed were packed by Christy and Lilly “just in case.”The maids had flitted around the penthouse all morning, pretending to clean but really maneuvering me and Carlisle into the same room more than once. I should’ve been irritated.But I wasn’t.Because for the first time since I returned, the air didn’t feel as stifling, and the picnic they orchestrated for us was not as bothersome as I initially thought either....The sun was soft against the tops of the trees, painting everything in a golden hue that made the world look gentler than it felt. I stood beneath the shade of a tall maple tree, watching Erwin run through the trimmed grass, his tiny hands waving his toy sword in the air as he yelled some nonsense about conquering dra

  • Seven Minutes in Heaven   EIGHTY-ONE

    ReignaSunday mornings at the Amoroso penthouse used to have a rhythm. Erwin’s soft footsteps pattering down the hallway before the sun was fully up, his squeaky giggle bouncing between walls while Carlisle tried—and failed—to act annoyed at being woken up too early.There was always the scent of fresh-brewed coffee, the low hum of news playing on the television, and the comfortable hush of a home that was too neat to feel lived in but too warm to be unloved.But this morning?This morning was different. Because I came back to the place I subconsciously started to call my home.I sat at the far end of the breakfast bar, stirring my tea for the fourth time even though it had long gone lukewarm, while Carlisle stood near the kitchen counter, his sleeves rolled up, fiddling with the toaster like it personally offended him.The air between us wasn’t hostile—it wasn’t anything dramatic or violent. It was stiff. Awkward. The kind of silence that came from two people pretending they weren’t

  • Seven Minutes in Heaven   EIGHTY

    EIGHTYReignaHow many promises has Carlisle made and broken?I should’ve ran away and didn’t come along—but when I was looking up at him, something stirred within me: the memories I had with him as a boss, as a father of a lovely kid, and as a partner, all flood down, and before I knew it, I had no words to decline and my body already gave away my permission to be brought home.…but where exactly is my home?“You must’ve been scared earlier.” Breaking the silence, Carlisle spoke in a low, gentle voice, filling his car with tension that is an unsteady mix of hoping to come closer, and the fear that the boundary between us has gone much bigger than before.“I know I am too much, following you around, but princess, I-” stopping his own words, his pause caught my attention, but I refused to look at him and just stared outside the window, keeping my eyes on the dim streets.“-we miss you.”Hearing the words he spoke nearly made my breath hitch. We? I know Erwin definitely is looking for m

  • Seven Minutes in Heaven   SEVENTY-NINE

    SEVENTY-NINECarlisle"Marcus." My voice cut through the stagnant air, low and sharp. "I want updates. Every fifteen minutes. If there’s nothing, find something. I don’t care how you do it — just find her.""Yes, sir." Marcus answered without hesitation, though the tension in his jaw betrayed the weight of my command. I know that right now, he is keeping his senses alert, waiting for instructions as night continuously gets darker over time."Teams are already in position. We'll know if she moves, sir, traffic cameras, subway stations, even the taxi cabs. The only locations without hacked surveillance are the area directly under the mayor’s influence"Good.But it wasn’t good enough. None of this was.I should’ve been the one to stop her. I should’ve forced her to listen, made her understand that she wasn’t walking away from me.As much as I regret being such a fool, I’d let her slip through my fingers. And now, the city was swallowing her whole."Expand the radius," I growled, the wor

  • Seven Minutes in Heaven   SEVENTY-EIGHT

    CarlisleDamn it. I should’ve stopped her and run after her no matter what she said, wanted, or did—all to bring her back home.But I didn’t.And now? Now I was left with nothing but the bitter taste of regret clinging to my tongue.The car’s interior was suffocating. Marcus sat tensely in the front, his phone pressed to his ear as he barked orders to the security team. They were searching every corner of the city. Every street, every café, every possible place she could have gone. But none of it was enough. None of it would be until I saw her standing in front of me again."Status?" My voice was low, but the crack of it was unmistakable.Marcus shifted slightly, lowering his phone. "No updates yet. Surveillance spotted her near the park earlier, but she’s not there anymore. We’ve widened the search, and more cameras are being pulled."I clenched my jaw, the familiar sting of frustration settling deep beneath my ribs. "Not good enough.""We’re doing everything we can, sir," Marcus re

  • Seven Minutes in Heaven   SEVENTY-SEVEN

    ReignaMy steps were hurried, driven by the unbearable pressure lingering behind me — the weight of Carlisle’s stare, the tension that had coiled itself around us, choking out every rational thought.I could still hear the low murmurs of the gathering crowd, the harsh clicks of camera shutters echoing faintly against the distant hum of traffic. People were watching. People were judging.But none of that mattered.All I could think about was the way Carlisle had looked at me. Not with the cold detachment I had braced myself for. Not with the calculated authority he wore like armor. No, this time, it was something far more dangerous. Something I didn’t know how to face.He was broken.And it wasn’t because of Violet or the scandal or the relentless public scrutiny. It was because of me.“Reigna,” Axle called from behind, his voice cautious, like he was afraid I’d disappear if he spoke too loudly. I didn’t slow down. Not until his fingers brushed against my wrist, pulling me to a stop. “

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