The investors leaned forward slightly, intrigued. I smiled inwardly, knowing they were now hooked.I zoomed in on the global map. “Here, we can see live data streams from multiple international sources, processing billions of transactions per second. This is real-time data aggregation from diverse sectors—finance, health, retail, government. It doesn’t just sit in one database. It integrates seamlessly into various networks worldwide.”I glanced at their faces—curiosity was beginning to replace skepticism.The woman in the navy-blue suit, who had been the most critical so far, raised an eyebrow. “Live data? So this system adapts dynamically?”“Exactly,” I said, clicking through to another screen. “But it’s not just about gathering data. It’s about interpreting it. This is an AI-powered engine that learns from every interaction. The more it works, the smarter it gets. Predictive algorithms adjust in real-time to forecast market trends, consumer behavior, even weather patterns.”I could
“I outplayed you,” I corrected. “If your system was so good, it wouldn’t have crashed from a few keystrokes.”His fists clenched.I couldn’t help the satisfaction bubbling inside me. I’d done it. I’d won. And now, it was time to let him know just how thoroughly he’d been outclassed. But I wasn’t prepared for what he did next.He grabbed me by the arm, pulling me toward him with a grip so tight it almost hurt. I yelped, trying to pull away, but his hand was like iron.“Let go of me, Julius!” I screamed, trying to wrench myself free from his grip.But he didn’t let go. His face was twisted with a mixture of anger and desperation as he leaned in close. “You have no idea what you’ve done, Bella. I’ve worked for years on that technology—years! And you, you come in and steal everything right out from under me!”I could feel my pulse quickening, adrenaline flooding my veins. “I deserve it, Julius. You can’t even begin to understand what I’ve put into this. Stratosphere One isn’t just technol
Julius leaned forward, his voice low and venomous. “No, Bella. It’s all true. Jesse’s sister, Emma.” I shook my head in disbelief, unable to process what he was saying. “This doesn’t make sense. Jesse would never—”Julius cut me off with a harsh laugh. “You still don’t get it, do you? I’ve got the evidence. And so do you now.”He brought out another folder and gave it to me. Inside were more documents—police reports, coroner’s photos, and a handwritten confession. I flipped through them in a daze. Each piece was more damning than the last. My mind felt foggy, the words swimming in front of my eyes. The confession was chilling.I slammed the papers back onto the table, my breath coming in ragged gasps. “No. This isn’t true. You’re just trying to manipulate me, Julius. Why? What do you want from me?”“You think this is manipulation? You think I’m the bad guy here? I’m trying to protect you, Bella. You’re too blind to see what’s right in front of you. Jesse isn’t who he says he is. He’s
As I scrolled through the pictures on my phone, a chill ran through me. The woman my husband had been seeing dared to send me photos flaunting their affair. I tossed the phone onto the bed, my heart felt as though it was on fire. It was early summer in Dexy city and the heater was turned on but I felt so cold at this moment. He had told me he was going on a business trip, but instead, he'd gone on vacation with her. I scoffed at the absurdity of his lie. From the very start, he had made it clear—he only married me because his grandfather had forced him, and I could have refused. Tears welled in my eyes as I whispered, "But I didn’t listen... I was so madly in love with you, Julius. I needed you. I wanted to escape my own home so desperately. I did everything a loving wife would, We had so many maids in the house but I always woke up very early to serve him his favorite tea. I would make him his best food whenever he was upset. But all of my efforts only earned me a frosty glance
I woke up shortly again. I tried to sit up, but a piercing pain went through my stomach and drove me back down. Panic started as scattered memories of the attack tore across my consciousness. The cell. The knife. The chilly remarks of the woman. I looked down at my body expecting to see a bloody mess but I was bandaged up quite neatly. “You’re awake again.”I was jerked from my thoughts by a powerful, dominating voice. He was still sitting close to me. But this time around,he moved a bit closer, his violet eyes scanning me with curiosity. He looked very noble and elegant and there was something very alluring about him. “Who are you?” I croaked, my voice hardly a whisper.“My name is Jesse,” he said, pulling up a chair and sitting beside me. “I’m the one who got you out of that hellhole.”I stared at him, trying to piece together his motives. “Why did you help me?”Jesse’s lips curved into a faint smile. “Because you’re valuable to me, Bella. And because we have a common enemy.”Be
It’s been three long years since Bella’s disappearance. I searched for her everywhere. I didn’t want to believe that she disappeared just like that. I despised her for the longest period. I loved Athena. Athena made me feel wonderful, she loved me for myself, and most importantly she was submissive and emotional. She praised me to the highs for the littlest of things. Bella, on the other hand, was always indifferent, she would cause problems all the time. And was very selfish. But for some reason, I had never felt lonelier since Bella left.I snapped out of my thoughts—I had a meeting with my business rival. Jesse Hart. He had wealth, power, and connections to the underground alliance, one of the most powerful alliances across the country. He had tried to snatch some of my business deals. But now, he suddenly reached out to me to collaborate. I wondered what he was trying to do now.I stepped into the meeting room, my eyes wandering as I observed my surroundings—until they landed o
After we got back to the penthouse— We decided to have a drink in my room to celebrate the beginning of our plans. He sat on the edge of the bed, swirling the last of his drink in his glass, a smirk tugging at his lips. “You handled him well today. I'm proud of you,” he said, raising his glass in a faux toast. I took a slow sip, feeling the bubbles tingle on my tongue. “I wanted to hurt him badly the minute I saw him,” I replied, my expression neutral, though inside, I was still raging. Jesse chuckled and set his glass down on the nightstand. “Still, you played your part perfectly. But tell me, Athena… Do you still love him?” My body stiffened, and I blinked my eyes, my heart skipping. “That’s none of your business.” “I think it is,” Jesse said, his voice dropping, his expression changing slightly. “This whole plan depends on you keeping your emotions in check. If Julius still has a hold on you…” I felt the anger swelling inside me, but I pushed it down. “I stopped loving Ju
I hardly had time to absorb the dread crawling up my spine before Julius crossed the room in two fast steps, right to where I was standing. His presence devoured the air between us; the room felt so suffocating. It had been so long since we were last alone, just like this.Before I could step back, his hands were already on me, gripping my waist with a sense of urgency that sent my pulse racing. His scent—chocolate and oud as always—I could smell it all around me, making it impossible for me to think clearly. Then, as he leaned in even closer, his lips brushed against my ear, his breath hot against my skin, sending an involuntary shiver down my spine.“Bella,” he murmured, his voice heavy with longing. “You don’t know how much I’ve missed you.”His words filled with suffering and hopelessness, coiled around me like a plea.“Come back to me. Please.”His lips wandered around my cheek before eventually finding mine—hot, urgent, and utterly consuming. It was a very demanding kiss… It did
Julius leaned forward, his voice low and venomous. “No, Bella. It’s all true. Jesse’s sister, Emma.” I shook my head in disbelief, unable to process what he was saying. “This doesn’t make sense. Jesse would never—”Julius cut me off with a harsh laugh. “You still don’t get it, do you? I’ve got the evidence. And so do you now.”He brought out another folder and gave it to me. Inside were more documents—police reports, coroner’s photos, and a handwritten confession. I flipped through them in a daze. Each piece was more damning than the last. My mind felt foggy, the words swimming in front of my eyes. The confession was chilling.I slammed the papers back onto the table, my breath coming in ragged gasps. “No. This isn’t true. You’re just trying to manipulate me, Julius. Why? What do you want from me?”“You think this is manipulation? You think I’m the bad guy here? I’m trying to protect you, Bella. You’re too blind to see what’s right in front of you. Jesse isn’t who he says he is. He’s
“I outplayed you,” I corrected. “If your system was so good, it wouldn’t have crashed from a few keystrokes.”His fists clenched.I couldn’t help the satisfaction bubbling inside me. I’d done it. I’d won. And now, it was time to let him know just how thoroughly he’d been outclassed. But I wasn’t prepared for what he did next.He grabbed me by the arm, pulling me toward him with a grip so tight it almost hurt. I yelped, trying to pull away, but his hand was like iron.“Let go of me, Julius!” I screamed, trying to wrench myself free from his grip.But he didn’t let go. His face was twisted with a mixture of anger and desperation as he leaned in close. “You have no idea what you’ve done, Bella. I’ve worked for years on that technology—years! And you, you come in and steal everything right out from under me!”I could feel my pulse quickening, adrenaline flooding my veins. “I deserve it, Julius. You can’t even begin to understand what I’ve put into this. Stratosphere One isn’t just technol
The investors leaned forward slightly, intrigued. I smiled inwardly, knowing they were now hooked.I zoomed in on the global map. “Here, we can see live data streams from multiple international sources, processing billions of transactions per second. This is real-time data aggregation from diverse sectors—finance, health, retail, government. It doesn’t just sit in one database. It integrates seamlessly into various networks worldwide.”I glanced at their faces—curiosity was beginning to replace skepticism.The woman in the navy-blue suit, who had been the most critical so far, raised an eyebrow. “Live data? So this system adapts dynamically?”“Exactly,” I said, clicking through to another screen. “But it’s not just about gathering data. It’s about interpreting it. This is an AI-powered engine that learns from every interaction. The more it works, the smarter it gets. Predictive algorithms adjust in real-time to forecast market trends, consumer behavior, even weather patterns.”I could
Reluctantly, they nodded.Ten minutes passed. Then twenty.Nothing.Dallas returned, and the look on his face said it all.“Sir,” he whispered in my ear, “someone’s tampered with the software. They disabled key files. It wasn’t an internal glitch.”My jaw clenched. “Who?”“We’re still checking logs, but… it looks intentional.”I looked back at the table. The representatives were gathering their briefcases and standing up.“Gentlemen, please,” I said, desperate now. “Give me until tomorrow. I promise I’ll have this fixed.”One of them raised a brow. “You expect us to delay international schedules because your system is unprepared?”“Unprepared? No,” I shook my head. “Sabotaged.”Their expressions shifted slightly—but not with sympathy. Disappointment. Annoyance.“Mr. Julius,” the lead representative said, “this was your opportunity to show us your technology. And unfortunately… this has been a complete waste of our time.”They filed out one after the other, their silence louder than an
The moment I saw the news explode across every gossip site, I knew the bomb had landed perfectly. Joan’s name was trending for all the wrong reasons—affairs, scandalous photos, and sordid voice notes with a certain married socialite. It was delicious.But something was missing.I wanted her to know. I wanted her to hear it from me. Let her know I’m responsible for her downfall.So I grabbed my phone, took a deep breath, and dialed her number. She picked up almost instantly.Joan: (panicked) “Hello?! Who is this?!”Me: (sweetly) “Why so anxious, Joan? Afraid someone might’ve dug up all the skeletons in your closet?”There was a pause. Then, her voice turned sharp.Joan: “Bella? You’re the one that released those articles about me!”I let out a low chuckle. “Oh, Joan. You should really work on your password security. ‘QueenJoan123’? Really?”Joan: “You hacked me?! You—”Me: “Careful how you speak to me. I haven’t even released everything yet.”Her breath hitched. “You lying little—”Me:
I got tired of the game at some point and flopped onto the couch with a sigh, the bright lights of the screen flashing lazily against my face.“Ugh, Daniel, I gotta go,” I mumbled.He chuckled over the phone. “Alright, Bella. But admit it—we make a good team.”I smiled faintly. “Yeah, we do. Thanks for playing with me.”He hung up, clearly pleased with how far we’d climbed in the rankings. But as the silence of the penthouse closed in, I realized how hollow it felt without Jesse.Minutes passed. Maybe an hour. I stared out the floor-to-ceiling windows, watching the city blur beneath a veil of twilight. Then—Click.The door opened, and Jesse stepped in, his silhouette cutting against the fading sun.“Baby,” he said, his voice low and warm, “Did I take too long?”I didn’t answer. I ran to him and wrapped my arms around his neck, burying my face into the crook of his neck. I had missed him more than I realized in those few hours.“Yes, you did,” I whispered. “What’s happening, Jesse? Wh
Our lips met—fierce, deep, and trembling with everything we couldn’t say in words. Jesse pulled me closer, like he wanted to merge our souls together. His hands cradled my face as he kissed me again and again, like he needed to be sure I was really his now. I wasn’t even sure when I ended up in his lap, my arms wrapped tightly around his neck, but I didn’t care.The world outside faded. There was only us.He rested his forehead against mine, our breaths mingling, eyes locked.“You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear you say yes,” he whispered, brushing a kiss across my cheek, then my jaw. “I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anything this much in my life.”I smiled, my voice still shaky. “You already have me, Jesse. You have me now, baby.”He kissed me softly again, this time slower, deeper—full of promises and quiet devotion. Then he stood up with me still in his arms and spun me around, laughing as I clung to him.“Careful!” I gasped through a giggle.“I can’t help it,” he grinned.
The Next MorningSunlight never quite touched this place, but the ambient glow of the starlit sky filtered in gently through the expansive windows. It was a strange kind of beauty—otherworldly, like we’d fallen into a dream that didn’t want to end.I stretched under the silky sheets, feeling the warmth of Jesse beside me before I even opened my eyes.“Good morning, Mrs. Roberts,” his voice was a smooth rumble against my neck, lips brushing my skin.“Mmm,” I mumbled, still drowsy. “Stop calling me that. I’m not officially your wife.”“You will be,” he whispered confidently. “Soon.”I turned to face him, eyes still half-closed, “You’re too smug in the mornings.”“And you’re too cute when you’re sleepy,” he teased, leaning down to kiss my nose.Then he got out of bed.“Get dressed,” he said, throwing a robe gently at me. “Something simple. You don’t need to look too fancy… you’re about to get wet.”My brows rose instantly. “Jesse.”He grinned, wicked and playful. “Relax, it’s not what yo
The moonlight bathed everything in a soft silver hue. I had just slipped on one of the silky robes provided by the resort when I decided to go check out the rest of the property—curious about the place Jesse had brought me to. He was still lounging on the bed, half-covered by the sheets, looking too tempting for his own good.“I’ll be right back,” I told him.“Hurry, or I’ll come dragging you back myself,” he teased with a lazy smirk.I grinned and stepped out.Moments later, while Jesse leaned back, stretching his arms behind his head, a soft knock came at the door.“Come in,” he said absentmindedly.The door creaked open, and a young, strikingly beautiful staff member stepped inside, her hips swaying with a tray of freshly folded towels. Her name tag read Elsa.“Sir,” she said, her voice low and sultry. “I’ve brought extra towels for your evening comfort.”“Just leave them by the door,” Jesse replied without looking at her.But Elsa didn’t move toward the door. Instead, she set the