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26: Distraction
Last Updated:
2025-02-01 21:53:56
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Sunshine and The Beast 27: One Night, One Mistake
AltheaToo many things happened out of the plan tonight.It was supposed to be a simple dinner, that was all. There was no making out in the parking lot, getting horny in the car, and went back to our penthouse rather than going back to Ilya.I didn’t expect all of these, yet it did. Did I regret it? I wasn’t really sure. I didn’t want to think about that either. Or to be exact, I couldn’t. My mind was occupied with whatever Matthias did to me. There was no time to think. The moment we arrived and went into our penthouse, Matthias slammed me against the wall, fusing his lips into mine once again. He took no time to dominate me, and all I could do was to succumb to his control.The things we did in the car were hot, but it wasn’t worth mentioning compared to what we were currently doing. This time, his hands were all over me, exploring every inch he hadn’t touched before. My face, my neck, my shoulder, my boobs, even my hips. He slipped his right hand inside my blouse, while the othe
Last Updated : 2025-02-02Sunshine and The Beast 28: Act in an Act
AltheaArt came with many forms and shapes, and had their own appeal. For me, painting was special because of one thing: because the artist could be anything without showing themself, hiding behind a canvas and a sheet of paper. I could make anything to represent me, while still standing behind the screen.Acting and stage play, on the other hand, was not my thing. Me from 3 months ago definitely wouldn’t have any thoughts about acting, let alone entering an acting school or courses. But these past few days, I was seriously considering it. Maybe I needed it as part of my survival kit afterall. Acting wasn’t that easy. And this time, I was forced to up my game, to act cool and fine not just in front of Ilya, but also Matthias. Both for two entire different reasons.“Morning, Althea.” Ilya's voice greeted me.I turned and saw her already wearing a casual outfit. Today, she had a flight to go back to New Zealand. If I wasn’t mistaken, her ticket was at 2 PM–I remembered that because Mat
Last Updated : 2025-02-03Sunshine and The Beast 29: I Want You
AltheaHusband.He said it, right? Or did I hear it wrong?There were some occasions where he claimed to be one, but that required a third, for, or God knew how many spectators. We were a husband and a wife when someone watched. Did someone watch us?I turned my back, scanning our surroundings. The airport was packed with a bunch of people, voices came from here and there. But here, we were only a few people out of many. Those who came here had their own purpose and business rather than to watch a fake marriage plan. No camera or media in sight. So why did he act like this all of a sudden?“No one is watching us,” he said, grabbing my attention back to him. “What are you looking for?”Your sanity. I almost uttered that to him. “So why are you saying that?”“Saying what?”“That I’m avoiding my husband.”He raised his eyebrow. “That is true, though.”“What is–”“I’m your husband, and you’re avoiding me.” He answered that with such confidence–no, it wasn’t like he was proud saying that
Last Updated : 2025-02-04Sunshine and The Beast 30: New Investor
Althea“Morning.”I doubted myself if I already woken up or was it the dream that was getting a little bit too realistic, but the scent of coffee and toast was way too good. It’s just I didn’t expect to hear Matthias greet me the time I stepped out from the bed.Should I call it our bed now?I walked to the kitchen as he put a glass of coffee with two egg toast on a plate. “Mrs. Lare asked for a day off because of her grandson's birthday.”Was it because I haven’t regained my full consciousness, or his cooking seemed quite delicious? I didn’t even know he could cook. “Thanks.” He nodded slightly and sat himself on the other side of the table, facing me. Judging by his look, he already took a bath. Maybe I should've too. His scent was still on me. Not that it was bad, it’s just … well, it wasn’t like I wanted to smell him all over my body forever.We sat there without any conversation going. He was busy with his food, while I had mine. The room was quiet, but that silence felt diffe
Last Updated : 2025-02-05Sunshine and The Beast 31: Her Mother
AltheaMy mother, he said.There was a time when I wondered what my mother was like and why I ended up with Granny instead of my parents, like most children. These questions went unanswered for years, until I decided to stop thinking about them.“Thinking about someone who isn't there is just a waste of time.” Granny once said. I agreed with her. Whether my mother was there or not, the wheel of my life kept turning. However, Tristan's words this time seemed to freeze time and my ability to think. I stared at him for God knew how long, trying to reciprocate with the fact that someone really knew my mother’s existence.Was it weird to say that I felt a little bit of stab in my chest? Jealousy, perhaps. Or some other feeling I haven’t experienced before. “Mrs. Cox, are you okay?” I blinked fast, then let out a small cough. “Ah, sorry. It’s just a little bit unexpected. I haven’t really talked much about my mother with other people.”And by that I meant not at all. Never. “I’m sorry,
Last Updated : 2025-02-06Sunshine and The Beast 32: The New Guy
Matthias“Missing your wife already?”I tried not to throw my iPad to Ren’s head and let him put the wine I’ve requested before on the tray table. “You told her before you went, right?” I rolled my eyes. “You don’t have to tell me that. Of course I did.”It wasn’t my first time going on a business trip abroad.As a network security company with clients all over the world, I often had to fly to various countries. However, this was clearly the first time I traveled with the status of being someone's husband. This time, I had to tell someone that I needed to go.I thought there would not be any different. Whether she said yes or no, I still needed to go.But it did. It felt different. I was hundreds of feet in the air, and someone below was waiting for me. “Just don’t die, okay? I don’t want to be a widow so soon, at least not in a few days.”That sounded better for me than to hear her giving a melodrama show like when a man had to leave his woman. “You better stay alive while I’m away
Last Updated : 2025-02-08Sunshine and The Beast 33: Steamy Call Session
MatthiasThe flight took almost 7 hours, and I was tired when I landed in London. Luckily Ren booked the nearest hotel from the airport, so it took only a short drive before I could finally rest. When I opened my phone, I had some messages from Althea.Althea CoxDo you order this?Or should I be worried now that someone sent me some pasta with your name as the recipient?I quickly typed my reply.Matthias CoxMake sure you eat thatAlthea wasn’t that picky, so choosing a food to order was an easy thing to do. I’ve had another person that worked for me to order dinner for her, since in the morning she she had Mrs. Lare to cook for breakfast, eating outside for lunch. I’d make sure she wouldn’t skip any dinner while I was away.Matthias CoxOr do you crave for something else?I’ll order itAlthea CoxI can order it myselfHow can you order something when you’re in London?Matthias CoxYou must haven’t known me that well, wifeyAlthea CoxI don’t know if I should be impressed or
Last Updated : 2025-02-09Sunshine and The Beast 34: Before The Day
AltheaI wasn’t sure if anyone would have the same opinion about this, but for me the bathroom was the ideal place to craft my ideas.Weird? Yeah, maybe. Other people might have had better places, more sophisticated spaces perhaps—offices stacked with all the right tools, rows upon rows of books lined up like soldiers, and artificial intelligence systems ready to spit out concepts or brilliant ideas at the push of a button. But me? I didn’t need any of that.For some reason, my best ideas came when I was standing under the shower, the hot water cascading down my back, creating a rhythm that seemed to sync perfectly with the gears turning in my head. There, with nothing but the sound of water hitting tile, my mind would spin, reevaluating my plans, picking apart every little detail to see what could be improved and what should be completely removed from the plan.And I needed that clarity now more than ever. Just two days left. Forty-eight hours before The Art Palette would be ready to
Last Updated : 2025-02-10
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Sunshine and The Beast 88: The Grandmaster
Folded Page.Another plan has been successfully implemented.The man looked at the pile of papers on his desk, saw various contract signatures, letters of agreement, as well as some evidence of handover of asset transfers. It's just as usual sucess, nothing to be proud of. But this time, one contract caught his attention. The one who signed it made his smile grow bigger.Oh, Althea. Sweet Althea, he thought. She was definitely his favorite lamb. The one he wanted to keep at its best condition before it's used as the main course.A special main course, of course.The man then touched the edge of the contract with his fingertip, especially on the name listed. His chest was pounding with enthusiasm and anticipation, even though he already knew what was going to happen next.Oh, of course he did. He planned it. He planned everything.He would continue to take care of this name, to pay attention to it. No scratches, no wounds. At least, not yet. To keep it beautiful. To keep it the way he
Sunshine and The Beast 87: Protecting You in My Way
AltheaThings were changing. A lot.Althea Lewis from the past didn’t like uncertain and quick changes. Well, that was me. It took time to get used to anything, so to had a drastic change all of a sudden was draining.I meant, it took me months to finally be able to get a grasp of my new world, this business thing. And I couldn’t even say that I’d masteredt it.God knew I was far from it.Yet somehow, I didn’t mind the change that happened between Matthias and I. I liked it even, if I could put it that way.It felt like he was an entire different person, yet remained the same. The same Matthias Cox, but better. He brought a kind of stillness that didn’t demand anything from me, which was something I didn’t expect from him. At least me from months ago wouldn’t.He was calm where I was tense. He knew what to do, precise, where I was scattered and needed a lot of guidance. I didn’t need to explain my silences to him—he simply understood them. Vice versa, I didn’t feel the urge to ask abo
Sunshine and The Beast 86: My Wife
MatthiasTristan Kennedy.One name that I didn't really care about before. One name that had lived quietly in the shadows all this time, like a ghost behind a curtain. Everyone knew who Charles Kennedy was. He wasthe filthy rich misogynist who had crazy ideas that almost tanked his own empire.Almost. Underlined that word. Because his company was also one of a kind, an evidence of miracle, some would said.Some said that Charles came to his senses before the fall, miraculously managing to steer the wheel before he succumbed to illness. Others said it was a blessing from God for bad people. The latter sounded like nonsense, if you asked me. That kind of poetic ending sounded dramatic, too clean. I never liked those versions of the story. If God was real, He didn’t run a business portfolio. And companies like K Company didn’t just bounce back from near-collapse on sheer luck.Someone had pulled the strings. And if they could do that, then they were either a genius, or a psycho. The line
Sunshine and The Beast 85: The Boy from The Past
MatthiasEven though people say the crime scene will be the strongest evidence, the reality is often not the case. There would be times where you found nothing but the wind, no trace of a scent.However, again, I didn't have many options.The police station was not helpful, the orphanage that Cyan visited—I didn't have time to go because of the many meetings and the money-crazy people who could only sue instead of thinking and working—didn't give much information, so my option was Staten Junior High.I had gone to Marcus before to ask about Reiley, but I went back to school to ask something else; to see things from a different perspective. Some things was worth it to be checked twice. At least, I hope this one did.I had never thought I would come here once again, and some of the teachers sure shared the same thought, but they welcomed me nevertheless.“Mr. Cox, come in,” said Mrs. Josephine, the new vice head principal. She smiled so brightly, probably because I just told her a few d
Sunshine and The Beast 84: We Missed You
AltheaIt was weird remembering how before I felt like I can’t get used to this world, and a few months later I felt empty because I wasn’t sitting on my working desk.It was strange; how quickly the walls of my office started to feel like home again. The smell of brewed coffee lingering in the air, the faint hum of the overhead lights, the rustling sound of papers and keyboards and footsteps just outside the glass doors.It had only been a few weeks since I last stepped into this space, but it felt longer. Too long. I used to complain about deadlines and office noise, but now that I was here again… I missed it. All of it. Even the chaos.I walked into my office slowly, fingers grazing the edge of my desk like I was reacquainting myself with something lost. It was clean, perfectly arranged. Just the way I left it.“God, finally.”I turned around and found Rebecca, my assistant, standing at the doorway, arms crossed, a wide grin on her face. She looked the same, stylish as always, sharp
Sunshine and The Beast 83: Is This Okay?
Althea“Is everything okay, Matt?”The question slipped out before I could stop myself. I tried to make it sound casual—nonchalant, even—but my voice betrayed me with just the faintest edge of concern.Matthias stood across the room, near the wide living room window, one hand loosely holding his phone while the other hung at his side. The morning light softened the angles of his face, casting a golden glow across the lines of his jaw, but it didn’t do much to hide the tension in his shoulders.He didn’t answer immediately. He just stared down at the screen like he was reading something important. Or pretending to.“Matt?” I called him once again.Finally, he exhaled and looked over his shoulder. “Yeah. Everything’s under control.”It was the kind of answer you gave to stop more questions. The kind meant to reassure without actually offering anything real. I set my coffee cup down on the table a little too loudly.“That’s not really what I asked,” I said, more pointedly this time.Matt
Sunshine and The Beast 82: The Connection
MatthiasI made sure Althea was asleep before I slipped out of the bed.She’d curled into my side like she always did lately, breathing deep, her fingers unconsciously gripping the fabric of my shirt even in sleep. Maybe I could’ve stayed. Maybe I wanted to. It had become a quiet habit—sharing the night, the bed, her warmth. I didn’t know when it started to feel natural, but it had. And I didn’t mind it.But not tonight.Tonight, there was something I needed to do. Something I’d been pushing off for too long.The doctor had said she needed rest, and I wanted her to have it—wanted her to be safe, even if it meant doing the darker parts of this alone. So I moved carefully, slipping from the bed and tugging the covers back over her shoulder before leaving the room and closing the door with a soft click.The apartment was dim, quiet. I padded through the living room barefoot, the only sound the low hum of the city outside the window. I adjusted the headphones, waiting for the familiar chi
Sunshine and The Beast 81: Let Me Take Care of You
AltheaThe more you deal with money, the more screwed it becomes.Lesson learned, but the class wasn’t over yet.If anything, it was just the start of a syllabus I never asked for.I woke up to the scent of something warm drifting from the kitchen—eggs, garlic, maybe a touch of rosemary. It was soft, comforting, something I hadn’t realized I missed until it filled the space around me. My feet padded across the floor, and I followed the smell like it was pulling me with invisible threads.And there he was.Matthias stood by the stove, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, spatula in one hand, coffee mug in the other. A faint stream of morning light spilled in through the windows, casting a golden hue across his face. He looked… peaceful. Out of place, almost, in the soft domesticity of my kitchen.He glanced up when he noticed me. “Morning.”I blinked, definitely not expecting a greet for him. “Are you… cooking?”He turned back to the stove like it was no big deal. “What does it look like?”
Sunshine and The Beast 80: Something is Off
Althea"Are you sure you’ll be fine here alone?"I wasn’t sure why Matthias even asked.I paused, glancing up at him as I sat at my desk, fingers loosely curled around my mug. His question seemed casual enough, but there was something from the way he asked it. A weight behind his words. A hesitance that didn’t belong to the Matthias I knew.Still, I nodded. "I’ll basically be here for the whole day. What’s the worst thing that could possibly happen?"Matthias didn’t answer immediately.His gaze lingered on me, sharp and unreadable. Like he was debating something in his head. Then, after a beat, he exhaled and nodded."Alright," he said. "Call me if you need anything."I waved him off. "I’ll be fine."He didn’t seem convinced, but he didn’t push the issue further. Instead, he gave one last glance around the apartment, as if memorizing every detail, before finally stepping out. The door clicked shut behind him, and just like that, I was alone.For a moment, I simply sat there, staring a
