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58: Hurt
Last Updated:
2025-03-11 20:55:15
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Sunshine and The Beast 59: I'm Mad, But ...
MatthiasIt was always better to say nothing than to say something unnecessary. That was what I believed.Before this shit started to happen.There were things that were better left unsaid. I lived my life long enough, learned my lesson well enough to know that speaking things might bring trouble. And I hated trouble–even when the reality was trouble liked me quite a lot to come on my way.Gwen was nothing. At least for a few years now. I didn’t like to talk about her, nor did I feel the need to do so. She was something I chose to leave in the dark, to keep in a box and throw it away as far as possible.Yet she walked in, once again, with reasons I couldn’t explain. I ignored all her messages, mails, even calls. I made sure she didn’t get any access to reach me. Some people were better to be treated that way.So how could Althea meet her? And what the fuck with that “Matthias’s dearest”? Hearing it almost made me throw up.And now, Althea wouldn’t even look at me.For three days, she
Last Updated : 2025-03-12Sunshine and The Beast 60: Talk Later
AltheaThere were times where I wished I was good at getting angry–or at least to keep angry.Weird wishes, I knew. But I felt like that might give me some dignity. Because I felt like a fickle, indecisive, and unstable woman. And it was all because of one person: Matthias Cox.I wanted to stay mad. To hold onto my anger like a shield, to let it simmer beneath my skin until he had to acknowledge it. I wasn’t asking for much—just for him to see it, to do something about it. Maybe that was childish. Maybe I was being ridiculous. But was it really too much to expect an apology? A real one. One that came with an explanation that actually meant something, that made all of this easier to bear.At least, that’s what I told myself.But here I was, standing next to his bed, pressing the back of my hand against his burning forehead instead of slamming the door in his face like I originally wanted to. My anger was supposed to last longer than this. It was supposed to be stronger than this. But
Last Updated : 2025-03-13Sunshine and The Beast 61: Trust
AltheaEveryone had secrets.Some were harmless—like dropping someone’s toothbrush in the toilet and pretending nothing happened, copying someone’s homework, or even paying someone else to do their work and passing it off as their own. Others … well, others were far darker. The kind that could ruin lives, destroy families. The kind that could get someone killed.There were all kinds of secrets people carried. Matthias was no exception.When I first met him, I had already assumed that much. Someone like him—powerful, calculating, born into a world where trust was a currency rarer than gold—was bound to have secrets buried so deep they’d never see the light of day. And back then, I had no interest in unearthing them.Or so I thought.That was before Althea Lewis became Althea Cox. Before I became entangled in things I never wanted to be a part of. Before I stood here, in his home office, with the weight of unspoken words pressing down on us.For two days, I had managed to push Gwen Erik
Last Updated : 2025-03-14Sunshine and The Beast 62: Another Mother, Another Son
MatthiasIgnoring things was always easier than facing them.That was something I had learned early on. Some doors were better left unopened. Some truths were better left buried. Because once you started digging, you never knew how deep the hole went—or if you'd ever claw your way back out.But sometimes, curiosity didn’t give you a choice. Sometimes, the past refused to stay where it belonged.It started as nothing.Another late night in my home office, sifting through financial records, cross-referencing documents, scanning for discrepancies. Routine. The kind of work that kept my family’s empire untouchable. I had done this a thousand times before—checking for irregularities, ensuring there were no cracks in the foundation of our business.Until I found one.It was small. Almost invisible. A name, tucked away in my father’s private archives, buried beneath layers of encrypted files. The security on it was old but still intact—meaning someone had locked it away deliberately.I bypas
Last Updated : 2025-03-15Sunshine and The Beast 63: Father's Letters
AltheaIt had been a long time since I last stepped into this room. Granny’s home.There was nothing special about it. It wasn’t grandiose by any means—it was only a small space that was enough to live in, with a small kitchen, an old wall cabinet, two bedrooms, and one small bathroom.Small space, but a lot of stories happened here. At least for me. Before I went to uni and lived in the dorm, I lived here. I spent all my days watching Granny do whatever she wanted—watching TV, knitting, grunting about some nosy neighbor that bothered her morning walk, and so on.But now, the house felt different. Quieter. The warmth it once held was still there, but there was something else underneath it—something heavier, like the air carried unspoken words I had never noticed before.I wasn’t sure what I was looking for when I started going through her things. Maybe it was just an excuse to be here, to sit in the familiar scent of old wood and Granny’s faded perfume. But then I found the box.It wa
Last Updated : 2025-03-16Sunshine and The Beast 64: Warm Together
AltheaWhen you were sad or felt overwhelmed, a distraction would be nice.I was sad. I was crying. My head was full with the revelation of my father, Granny, and any other secrets that still needed to be searched. It was too much to handle at the same time.And Matthias knew it.He stood in front of me, his gaze steady, unwavering. I had never seen him like this before—silent, patient, waiting for me to tell him what to do. There was no judgment in his eyes, no expectation. Just quiet understanding."What do you need?" His voice was low, careful.I swallowed, my throat tight. I didn’t know what I needed. Comfort? Reassurance? An escape from the weight pressing down on my chest? Maybe all of it. Maybe none of it."Anything," I whispered, my voice shaking.For a moment, he just looked at me. Then, without another word, he moved closer. His fingers lifted to my chin, tilting my face upward, and before I could think—before I could second-guess the mess of emotions swirling inside me—his
Last Updated : 2025-03-17Sunshine and The Beast 65: Mysterious Email
AltheaAt some times in my childhood, I had imagined how I would be if I were a detective. From the TV, it seemed like a fun and interesting job—full of adventure, action, and mysteries. But that was fiction—it portrayed only the thrilling part of reality, while the truth was often far more sinister.By any means, I wasn’t a detective. Yet, as I began to dig into the files left behind by my father, Jessen-Keith Lewis, I felt like I had stepped into a labyrinth of secrets. It started innocently enough: a curious glance at old financial reports and company memos. But then, hidden in the darker corners of our archives, I found something that turned my world upside down.My father had once been locked in a bitter rivalry with a company called Beaucare. They had been fierce competitors in the pharmaceutical industry—innovative, aggressive, and, as I soon discovered, corrupt.I read through the documents that detailed how Beaucare’s meteoric rise had ended in utter collapse. It wasn’t due t
Last Updated : 2025-03-19Sunshine and The Beast 66: Passed Out
AltheaThe event for Art Palette Collaboration with K Artist Foundation was everything it was meant to be—artistic, fresh, bustling with excitement, filled with journalists and influencers eager to witness the launch of the new eyeshadow palette series.The collaboration between my publication and Tristan’s foundation had been months in the making, meant to showcase the work of underrepresented artists through a cosmetic line inspired by their paintings. It was beautiful, truly. I knew that. But as I stood amidst the flashing cameras and murmuring conversations, I felt detached, as if I were only a spectator in my own life.“You got it. I know how hard you’ve worked on this.” That’s what Matthias said. He accompanied me this morning, but since he had a schedule to Paris, he couldn’t come. It would be good if he were here. Or maybe not, I wasn’t really sure. I knew it wasn’t my place to wish for what he should and should not do.I should be happy. This was everything I had worked for.
Last Updated : 2025-03-20
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Sunshine and The Beast 91: An Online Tease
AltheaI rarely missed people in my life.Granny was one special case, since I didn't have that many people in my life to begin with. But this time, I couldn't explain what I felt except that I missed Matthias when he appeared on my computer screen.He looked tired, but still handsome as ever—his shirt sleeves rolled to the elbows, the first two buttons undone. His hair was slightly tousled, like he’d run his fingers through it too many times, and there was a shadow under his eyes that hadn’t been there before he left.“Hey,” I greeted softly, adjusting the webcam. “Hey,” he replied. His voice alone made my shoulders drop a little, as if it was a bit of fresh air and I could finally breathe again. “You look... relaxed. That’s good.”I smiled and leaned back just slightly, enough for him to catch the see-through slip I was wearing, the soft, sheer fabric falling off one shoulder. His eyes darkened immediately. “You’re trying to kill me,” he said.“Just trying to keep your focus on m
Sunshine and The Beast 90: What's His, What's Mine
Business was a gamble.Like it or not, that was the fact. High risk, high return. It’s just that this gamble required more planning than just luck, and some who were invited today were all gamblers in business. Including me myself.By the time I reached the conference hall the next day, the sun had barely begun to shine and warm the cobbled streets of Milan. My name was on the program, printed in glossy ink beside the Cox & Tech logo with other invited speakers as well, and the organizers were eager to parade it. “The rising star of innovation,” one of them had said last night over dinner, like I was a brand instead of a person.I didn’t particularly care for the spotlight. But I had learned how to use it.The event was held in a grand, glass-and-stone building that overlooked one of the quieter canals. A few journalists lingered near the entrance, but not many. Most of the press would come later, for the big-name speakers. Right now, it was all murmurs and espresso, greetings between
Sunshine and The Beast 89: The Conference (I)
Matthias“And … yep. You’re ready to go.”Althea nodded slowly after adjusting my tie, her lips curling into a soft smile. “You look good with that tie.”I never really cared about ties, honestly. As long as I looked neat and presentable, that was enough. But I wasn’t about to complain if someone else took notice and made me look even more “put together.” And that person was Althea.“You’re really okay on your own?” I asked her once again.She rolled her eyes. “I didn’t know you like to ask one question a thousand times, Matt. I am okay. The baby too. We’ll be fine. Just … you know, tell me if anything happens over there, okay?”That was supposed to be my line.I was actually reluctant to attend this business conference. But Cox and Tech—my company—needed to be present, especially since I was one of the speakers this time. The Milan conference was a major event, one with strong potential to expand business opportunities through collaborations, investments, and various other deals.
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
