I blinked, looking up to Florian, who now, more than ever, seemed like the man I used to know. His eyes were cold and focused, and the sharpness of his gaze could effectively slice through an enemy.He gently pulled me with him, and I took the first step forward. I turned, my eyes falling on the red carpet we were walking down, and I felt the weight of their potential presence suddenly fill me.People started to clap and stand up, and I turned around to the crowd on my left. Just happy elegantly dressed people clapping their hands. I swallowed and turned to the left. My brain slightly blurred out Florian so I could see the crowd. To my relief, I couldn't see any of them. I heaved a sigh of relief and started to turn around when I saw it. A beaded sheer glove that I remember my mother buying the last piece of. I remember how much I had loved them back then, and right now, it did nothing but knock the air out of me.My lips parted, my feet merely following Florian's lead at this point.
Blood drained from my face, and I turned to Florian, my eyes wide, my chest heaving. My heartbeat slowed to oblivion, and I could barely hear my own heartbeat or even feel my own feet.Frederick Wood. That was my father's name. That was....Florian's expression was blank, his eyes watching me keenly as the announcement continued, something about how the companies will be remodelled and restructured under the new leadership of CEO Florian Hunt, who will take the liberty to assign new workers for each of the companies he had acquired.I turned sharply, and as predicted, my parents were on their feet for the first time ever since the party started, and my mother looked like she was ready to give up the ghost. My dad was trying to look a little bit more composed, but he was doing a bad job at it."There is still a tiny bit more," Florian whispered to my ear, his hand running down my arm. "The party just started, sweetie."I turned to meet his eyes, and the darkness in them threatened to d
"Don't you fucking dare!" My father suddenly yelled, causing me to look up, fear reverberating through me as I met his rage filled eyes.I could hear Florian chuckle behind me, and I swallowed hard, gripping the pen tighter. All I wanted was to run behind Florian and hide, but I knew I should start sucking up for myself now. Against the abuse. Against the pain.I sniffed hard, then looked up, meeting his eyes."Why not? Why did you let go of your little company, Mr. Frederick?"Florian broke into a laugh behind me, and it only thickened my skin, only made me want to go lower than I already have. They had so much fun breaking me apart over the years. Why would they be angry now that it was my turn? Why would it hurt then for me to find my own way?"You... how dare you?" My dad said, stepping forward slowly. "You cooperated with that man to snatch my company from me?! You disguised as an investment and...""You needed investment?" I asked, my eyes darting to my mother. "Why? Did taking
"Roxanne, please. Pleaase, I am begging you. We have debts, we have.... we have so many things to do and... the hoise, Roxanne. Do you want us to have to sell the house? Do you want us to..."I blocked it all out as I leaned over the documents, reading the first clauses. Florian was right. This was much better than spray painting them.I blocked out my mother's pleas and, without a word, signed on the papers. The hall was silent, but Florian started to clap, causing the entire rom to immediately lighten up with a round of applause.People began to stand up, and soon, it turned to a standing ovation. It was exactly the sort of validation I needed after standing up to my parents for the first time in my life.Floroan came up beside me and kissed my cheek before taking the documents and handing them to his attorney."You did well, sweetheart. You are a brave, strong woman."I nodded, turning to him. He gave me a small smile, and I bit down on my lips, letting out a small, shaky breath.I
I could feel Florian's presence behind me even without looking up to the mirror, as I tried to focus on opening the dress he had brought for me. I removed the lid of the box, then slowly pulled out the most exquisite light blue material.It was a big ball gown, and I brought it to my body, my eyes falling on the material. Slowly, I looked up, and Florian was watching me, his eyes fixed on my reflection in the mirror."It's beautiful, Florian."He gave a small smile and slowly covered the distance he had initially given me so I could unbox the dress, then brought his hands slowly to my waist. His fingers ran up my spine till he got to the zipper, his other hand moving across the open part of my back to push my hair over my left shoulder.I watched him in the mirror, almost a little enchanted, my entire being lighting up with the mere awareness of his presence in this relatively small space.He slowly pulled the zipper down, and I felt the dress loosen around me, the misty air hitting
The lights, the music, the roaring applause, all of it got to my head even before I got to drink any wine. It was crazy how addicted the sort of love Florian could give had me in a matter of seconds, and the minute he had his lips against mine, parting and seeking slow, dominating entrance, in front of men and women who respected him, it.. it did something to me.It altered the chemistry of my brain and messed with my rationality. It felt like every other kiss I have had, excluding the first one between us in that closet, faded away into nothingness.I sighed as he broke the kiss, then gently touched my nose. "You still taste like exotic fruits, Roxanne."I slowly stuck my tongue to the roof of my mouth, my chest slightly heaving. "Exotic fruits?""Uh huh," he said, laughing. "Lest I forget, sweetheart..." He leaned to me, his thumb running slowly on my throat. "I prepared a violin for you."I gasped, my hands coming to my mouth. He laughed as he slowly moved away from me, letting go
I can't quite remember the rest of the night, mostly because it was more mundane compared to everything that had happened before that. I could remember doing a few toasts until I got a little tipsy. I could remember the wave of congratulations and the way Florian had taken me straight to the car while carrying me bridal style.Now here I am, sitting in the car, staring off at the stars, my chest heaving, my lips slightly parted. I felt free. Like a star in space. Ready to fall. Ready to break free. I have never felt like this all my life.The door opened, and I turned to see Florian standing by the door, the driver holding the door open for him. Someone was on the other side, talking to him about something, but his eyes were fixed on me, his hands pushed into his pockets. He looked like a dream, like the ghost of the love I never had. Like the ghost that just keeps on haunting me. The ghost that I never want to let go of.Maybe if I was completely sober, I would just sit there and w
The sound of my zipper opening up brought me back from the utter delirium my mind had wandered off to, and I swallowed, looking down as my hand was finally freed, and my dress fell down to around my waist.My eyes looked up to Florian, who was already watching me. His eyes were mostly shielded, and I swallowed as his hands ran down my chest, then stopped right above the straps of my bra."How drunk are you, Roxanne?"I shrugged. My mind was a fog, my body was on fire, and honestly, maybe I was a little more than tipsy. Maybe I was a little...He pulled me closer, his kisses slow as they spread across my neck and shoulders. My hands pushed into his hair, and I let out a gasp of respite, my frustration gloating away with the satisfaction of finally feeling him in my own fingers. "Tell me," he whispered against my skin as his kisses went lower and lower.The car suddenly stopped, and I opened my eyes, my chest heaving."M... maybe a little?"He laughed against my skin and leaned away. W
I watched the sun as it set, while Florian lay in my lap, his body spread on the bed, his bare back tinted a warm light brown by the sun, his hair sprawled all over me. I had my fingers buried in his hair and my other hand running down his back.His fever had gone down after a few pills, and it seemed to have knocked him out. I leaned, kissing the top of his back, before I leaned away, just as a familiar ding reached my ears.I turned, and his phone that was sitting on the bedside drawer to my right was lit up, most probably with a message.I swallowed hard, looking down at him. I wasn't sure if he would have let me read the message had he been awake, but morbid curiosity haunted my mind, and I found myself reaching for the phone.I stopped, however, my chest heaving. Knowing how heavily involved with my family Florian was, there was a very good chance that it would be about them. I am not sure I want to ruin this evening with them. I am not sure I want to ruin this day by discovering
"I am sorry," I said to Florian, reaching to cup his face. "I wanted to make something for you."He nodded slowly. "So why are you fighting with a maid? You can just have her escorted out."I bit down on my lips. "I am sorry. I let my jealousy take over for a minute."He didn't reply but raised his eyes to the maid that was still standing behind us. I turned to her too, my eyes wide, my chest heaving hard as I watched her."You heard me the first time. Leave.""Sir, please. I beg of you. I was simply cooking porridge for you and...""Don't let me repeat myself, Savannah. Please leave."Florian turned to me. "Be careful."I nodded, and he started to turn away from both of us. "You know I can love you better, sir," came Savannah's strained voice, her breaths so loud that it made her voice sound a little muffled. "You know I would never remind you of the things you want to forget. You know I would never be selfish. You know I would never ever huet you. You know that, sir."Florian turn
I gently ran my fingers through Florian's hair, my eyes fixed on his sleeping frame. He was wearing a robe around him, his head resting on my lap, his lips slightly parted. His body was burning up, but he preferred having me sit right here than be Iver him, trying to bring down his temperature with a cold towel.I leaned, my eyes darting across both of his closed ones. He was slightly reddish, and against his layer judgement, I gently moved his sleeping frame, then got out of bed.I walked to the restroom and grabbed a small towel and his first aid kit. I dampened the towel, squeezed the excess water off, and then walked back to the room. Luckily for me, he wasn't awake, and I sat next to him, keeping the towel and the first aid box away.I gently loosened the knot of his robe, then pulled it down to his waist, leaving him shirtless upwards. I then slowly brought the damp towel to his body.The first I pressed it unto him, he gave a small shiver, but then slowly fell back asleep, his
The ride home was quiet, but at least Florian let me hold until his hand tight. I watched his profile, my eyes blurred with tears. I hated myself for pushing him to this point. I hated myself for the blood I carried in my veins. I hated the time I wasted without letting myself go for someone who I knew would absolutely do it for me.We finally got home, and Florian went out, then came around and opened the door for me. His eyes held mine for a long minute before he turned away, closing the car door, before he walked away.I stopped by the door, watching his back as he made his way up the stairs, letting go of the cat keys on one of the stairs and never even looking back.I blinked, my face dropping, the emotions heavy on my heart. I slowly followed him, wondering if he would still come to my room tonight, like he always did. I wouldn't even want him to. I wanted him to be selfish and not spend the night in the arms of the person who reminds him of everything he keeps trying to run aw
ROXANNE'S P.O.V It felt like the wind was knocked right out of my lungs. Ronan? Ronan was a little bitch but... I slowly looked up to Florian.Florian wouldn't lie to me, especially right now. Florian wouldn't make things up right now, and he definitely wouldn't do so much for an anger that wasn't justified."What's that look?" He asked, laughing slightly. "Why would you be surprised? I told you she was dead the other day.""I...""You guarded your heart a little too hard again, didn't you?" He gave a small pause, his brows raised. "You... we both know you asked now only because you still want to guard your heart. That's why you forgot that she wasn't even living competition. That's why everything passes for you like these rain clouds. Because you keep guarding your heart a little too hard. A little too selfishly, Roxanne.""Florian..""What are you going to say to me?" He asked, his voice breaking. I never thought I would see Florian reach this point, and fuck, it scared me. "That
History is really just... a mirage to me now. Something to be fond of. Something I have forgotten about. Because with every minute I spend with Florian, a part of my life is altered forever. A part of my life is completely lost and replaced with a chip of the woman I become in his arms.Now we are here, kissing in the rain, the water running down our bodies, the heat in our tongues, the vulnerability peeking in. Of course, I knew there was something more, but I was slowly starting to not care. I was slowly starting to only be able to look at this man in front of me. His hand ran down to my waist, and he pulled me closer into him. His heart thumped against mine, and I wrapped my hands around him, leaning up to really feel all of him. We said nothing to each other, trusting those kisses to do all of the communication for us. Even as we sat in the same tiny room that we had all those years ago, his fingers intertwined in mine, his chest heaving hard, our history together completely ch
ROXANNE'S P.O.V He was hurting my hand. He had his eyes on me. And even though they didn't look malicious or anything, I could tell that he knew it. His eyes were solemn, almost teary, and he suddenly turned away, just as I started to slow down. The building I had been driving to coming into slow view.His grip on my hand loosened, and he gently brought my hand to his lips and placed a soft kiss right on the tiny dent that his grip had left. He didn't lean away immediately and just sort of buried his face on my hand, his breaths shaky.I brought the car to a stop and turned to him, my chest full with emotions that I didn't describe. I pushed my fingers through his hair, and he let out a shaky breath, his fingers holding mine even tighter.He finally leaned away, his eyes closed, and he turned away from me."Don't you trust me enough, Florian?"He chuckled and shook his head. "I am just having one of those days, princess."I let out a sigh, then nodded. "Hopefully, this makes you feel
The bouquet sat in front of the dresser, with Florian sitting in front of it, his eyes fixed on the mirror, his shoulder slightly slumped. I stood behind him, gently brushing his hair, my fingers passing through the beautiful silky strands. His phone had been ringing for the past five minutes, but he didn't even look at it, just sat there, watching his own reflection.I leaned to him and placed a small kiss on his forehead. "You are good to go now."He let out a small sigh. "Thank you. And for the flowers too."I shook my head, my eyes still slightly filled with worry as the flashback of his tears filled my mind. "It is perfectly fine. I will go get ready."He nodded without saying anything, and I turned around and started to walk to the door. I stopped for a minute and turned. Florian was still watching the mirror, his eyes thin, his chest slightly heaving.I bit down on my lower lip, then slowly let go of the door knob. "Florian?"He turned to me, his brow slightly raised. "Yes?"
ROXANNE'S P.O.V I rested my head on the glass, my eyes watching the city as we drove past it all. My mind was occupied with Florian, and not exactly necessarily just because of the tremble in my knees, but also because of everything else.He was trying his best to look strong in the last few minutes of my stay there, but his eyes slightly betrayed him. I could see a small dent in his rather cool exterior. A small dent in his cold armour. I gave a small sigh as we came to a traffic stop. I turned, and my eyes suddenly fell on a flower shop. "Boys don't need flowers," I had said ten years ago, that valentine when I had turned sixteen. "What guy would want flowers from a girl?""It isn't a bad gift," Florian had said, watching me. I could remember avoiding his gaze then because we had just had a heated argument about some stupid thing that I can't remember now. "It would depend on the person behind the bouquet."I swallowed hard, my eyes settling on the flower shop. I hadn't brough