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THIRTEEN
Last Updated:
2024-12-11 23:58:37
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Seven Minutes in Heaven FOURTEEN
ReignaThe office was quieter than usual, save for the faint hum of the air conditioning and the rhythmic tapping of keys on my laptop. I shifted in my seat, pushing my thoughts away as I worked on the report Carlisle had asked me to prepare.“Do I have to print this for tomorrow’s meeting, sir?”“No need. I’ll do it myself later.” He was across from me, focused on his paperwork, his brow furrowed as usual. His aloof demeanor was something I’d grown used to, but there was always an unspoken pressure that lingered in the air whenever we shared the same space.As I try to return to my work, I couldn’t help but sneak glances at him.“Eyes on your paper, princess.”Snapping out of my trance, I blinked, instinctively rushing to look back at my work.Carlisle had his moments—rare, subtle moments—when he let his guard down. The small things. Today, he had gotten up from his desk and walked over to my side to grab the stack of papers I was holding."You’re doing great," he had said quietly,
Last Updated : 2024-12-12Seven Minutes in Heaven FIFTEEN
Reigna“Mommy, do you know that dinosaurs are real?! I had a dream I was riding one!”Erwin who visited us out of nowhere this evening is now busy with his own drawings, rambling as he colored with his tongue sticking out, adorable as always.“Well, you know what they say, sweetheart. Dreams only put things that are real in your heart.” I smiled, answering from my desk as I focused on this final document.Carlisle, as always, was seated at his desk, his sharp gaze flicking between the documents in front of him and the occasional glance at Erwin. His presence was steady, grounding, though his silence spoke volumes. He was watching—always watching—but never intruding unless absolutely necessary.And then there was Violet.She sat perched on the chair closest to Erwin, her perfectly manicured nails tapping against the armrest as she observed him with a mixture of fascination and discomfort. Her attempts to bond with Erwin were… misguided, to say the least."Erwin, dearest," Violet cooed,
Last Updated : 2024-12-14Seven Minutes in Heaven SIXTEEN
Reigna“After you.” Opening the car door for me, I smiled at Carlisle before stepping in.He did everything—starting from packing up Erwin’s things, picking up the sleepy child, and even the task of driving us home“I really should’ve just taken a cab home.” I spoke as he started the engine. It was tough, trying to hide Erwin, being discreet, and even lying to my best friend, Venice!But for the child’s sake, and for my involvement of Carlisle’s secret, I must endure.“And have this brat whine about his mommy being away?” he grumbled, a low chuckle erupting afterwards. “No thanks.”The soft hum of the car engine filled the silence as we made our way home. Outside, the city lights flickered like a kaleidoscope of color, but my gaze lingered on the rearview mirror. Erwin was fast asleep in the back seat, his small hands clutching the edges of his blanket, his face relaxed in a way that only deep, innocent sleep could bring.“He fell asleep so quickly,” I murmured, breaking the silence.
Last Updated : 2024-12-16Seven Minutes in Heaven SEVENTEEN
Reigna“Did you really think you were good enough for me?” Axle’s voice was ice, slicing through the tension like a dagger.“What?” I whispered, my throat dry, my voice trembling as I stared at him. “Axle, I—”“Stop.” He raised a hand, silencing me. “You’re pathetic, Reigna. Always have been. Clinging to me like I was your lifeline, thinking you could actually keep up. Look at yourself.”I glanced down instinctively, my reflection in the mirrored walls mocking me. My office clothes hung loose and unflattering, my makeup smudged as if I had worked all day and tried too hard to look presentable.“You’re not worth anything,” Emma added, her tone saccharine, though her eyes gleamed with malice. “You never were. That’s why he came to me. Isn’t that right, Axle?”He smirked, nodding without hesitation. “That’s right. Emma was everything you could never be—beautiful, successful, confident. I needed a real partner, not some sad excuse of a woman trying to play house.”I staggered back a step,
Last Updated : 2024-12-16Seven Minutes in Heaven EIGHTEEN
ReignaToday, our setting is a bit...dramatically different.The evening air carried a chill, but stepping into the grand ballroom was like entering another world. Chandeliers sparkled overhead, their golden light reflecting off the glittering gowns and sleek tuxedos of the city’s elite.“Representatives for the XCC Corporation, CEO Carlisle Amoroso!”Applause echoed as the host announced his arrival.Carlisle Amoroso stood tall beside me, his presence commanding as always, dressed in a sharp black suit that accentuated his broad shoulders. His crisp white shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, a subtle rebellion against the formal atmosphere.I adjusted the delicate strap of my dark emerald gown, the satin fabric cascading over my figure like water. I felt Carlisle's gaze linger for a moment before he turned his attention back to the crowd, his expression unreadable.“You’ll be fine,” he murmured, his deep voice low enough for only me to hear.“I know,” I replied, though my heart was po
Last Updated : 2024-12-17Seven Minutes in Heaven NINETEEN
ReignaThat scene from five days ago is stuck in my head!“Stop it.” mumbling to myself, I gave myself a few pats on the cheek, waking my system up to focus on my work. “He remembered nothing of it…Like I expected.” Sighing, I kept on walking a frustratingly slow pace on my way to take my break, feeling dejected even when I convince myself not to.Why am I so caught up with Carlisle?“Enough with it. I have much more problems at hand.”My birthday.Birthdays were overrated. Or maybe that was just what I told myself to feel better about the fact that no one ever made a big deal about mine. No family. No plans. Just another year marking time in the office, the air filled with the hum of keyboards and the endless scent of coffee.And tomorrow would be no different.Sighs. “Guess I’ll be swamped with work tomorrow again.”As I entered the break room during lunch, Venice was already there, stirring her coffee with a thoughtful look on her face. She glanced up when I walked in, her expressi
Last Updated : 2024-12-18Seven Minutes in Heaven TWENTY
Reigna“Happy birthday to you…happy birthday, dear Reigna…”The apartment felt colder than usual, even with the heater humming faintly in the background. I sat at the small table in the kitchen, staring at the flickering candle atop a store-bought cake I hadn’t even bothered to cut. The flame wavered, much like my resolve not to cry.“Happy birthday to me.” Finishing the song that I sang for myself, I blew the candle, my eyes watched as the flames disappeared and smoke replaced the one bright light atop the cake.Birthdays weren’t supposed to feel this empty.A sudden knock at the door startled me, shattering the heavy silence. I wasn’t expecting anyone. Rising cautiously, I peered through the peephole, and my breath caught.“Axle.” I whispered.lMy ex. The man who had shattered me into a million pieces and left me to pick up the shards. He was drenched from the rain, looking oddly out of place yet annoyingly confident, as if he belonged here.I hesitated before opening the door. “Wha
Last Updated : 2024-12-24Seven Minutes in Heaven TWENTY-ONE
ReignaThe morning felt like a cruel reminder of the night before. Pale sunlight filtered through the blinds, doing little to chase away the heaviness lingering in the air.I pulled my cardigan tighter around me, pacing the small space as I tried to make sense of the thoughts swirling in my head. Carlisle’s words replayed endlessly. Reigna won’t leave unless she’s told. Each time, it cut deeper.A knock on the door startled me. It wasn’t tentative; it was firm and deliberate. My heart leapt painfully in my chest. For a fleeting moment, I thought it was Carlisle.But when I opened the door, it wasn’t him. It was Axle, holding a brown paper bag and looking as unsure of himself as I’d ever seen him.“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I said, the bitterness in my tone making his expression falter.“I—I wasn’t expecting you to be here,” he said, scratching the back of his neck. His eyes darted past me to the apartment behind me. “I thought… I don’t know. I thought I’d drop this off and leave.”
Last Updated : 2024-12-26
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. “
