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68: My Man
Last Updated:
2025-03-22 21:48:09
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Sunshine and The Beast 69: A Warm Companion
MatthiasI didn’t let go of her hand.Not as we walked to the car, not as she slid into the passenger seat, not even as I shut the door behind her. Her fingers were cold, her grip light but present, as if she wasn’t sure whether she was holding on or letting go. I didn’t give her the choice.She was too pale. Too quiet.I didn’t like it.I rounded the car and got in, the soft click of the door cutting off the noise of the city. For a moment, neither of us spoke. The air between us felt thick with things left unsaid, things I wasn’t ready to address. Not yet.I reached over, adjusting the seat belt across her lap, making sure it wasn’t pressing too tightly against her. She let me, her eyes following my movements, though she didn’t say anything. And neither did I, even when I wanted to.I wanted to ask her what exactly had happened while I was gone. There had been no media coverage of her situation, and I probably wouldn’t have even known she was in the hospital if Rebecca hadn’t called
Last Updated : 2025-03-23Sunshine and The Beast 70: Interruption
AltheaI woke up to warmth.For a moment, I forgot where I was. The weight of exhaustion from last night’s conversation still lingered, but there was something else—something unfamiliar yet strangely comforting. My mind stirred before my body did, registering the steady rise and fall of breath beside me.Matthias.Reality settled in slowly, like the first light of dawn creeping through heavy curtains. I was curled into his side, my head against his shoulder, and his arm—God, his arm was draped over my waist, possessive even in sleep. His scent lingered in the space between us, something clean and faintly masculine, a mix of crisp cologne and warmth that felt oddly familiar now. I wasn’t used to waking up next to someone, but for some reason, it didn’t feel unnatural.I knew I should move, but I didn’t. Instead, I allowed myself a few stolen seconds to take in the quiet rhythm of his breathing, the solid warmth of his body beside mine. It was grounding in a way I didn’t expect. Comfort
Last Updated : 2025-03-24Sunshine and The Beast 71: A Dangerous Chance
AltheaI arrived at my office to find Tristan already waiting inside. He was seated on the leather couch near the floor-to-ceiling window, his posture unusually tense. A sleek tablet rested on the table before him, but his fingers were curled around a coffee cup, gripping it like a lifeline. He looked up as I entered, his dark eyes scanning me as if searching for something.“Althea,” Tristan said, exhaling in what sounded like relief. “You made it.”I closed the door behind me, shrugging off my coat as I took in Tristan’s expression—tight, wary, edged with something I couldn’t quite place. He wasn’t the type to rattle easily, yet something in his stance told me this was different. His usual composure was strained, his shoulders coiled with tension, his fingers curled around the tablet resting on the table like he was bracing himself for a fight.“You said it was urgent,” I said slowly, my eyes narrowing. “What’s going on?”Tristan gestured for me to sit, his movements stiff, controlle
Last Updated : 2025-03-25Sunshine and The Beast 72: A Little Reveal
MatthiasI leaned back in my chair, fingers steepled beneath my chin, eyes fixed on the screen in front of me. The name stared back at me in bold, impersonal letters—JTB Business.A company that, on paper, was clean. Too clean. It might be good in some cases, but in this world I lived in, the cleaner the outside, the dirtier the inside was. It’s a common secret in business. And this cleanliness was something that would required a lot of work for me.Like … a lot.Ren stood beside me, arms crossed, watching as Cyan’s fingers moved swiftly across his keyboard, lines of code flashing across multiple monitors in the dimly lit room. I really wanted to turn the lamp on, because why the hell he should do this shit in the dark? Those movies that show hackers in the dark should remembered that hackers worked with their eyes too. But Cyan loved movies. “It will make my work cooler,” was his reason, which was questionable, but I just let him be.“They only appeared a year ago,” Ren muttered, ey
Last Updated : 2025-03-26Sunshine and The Beast 73: Deal to an Open Door
AltheaEverything will be fine.Yes, everything will be fine.It’s too late to back out anyway, don’t you think?I repeated those words over and over in my head, like a mantra, like a shield against the unease creeping up my spine. My hands gripped the cool porcelain of the sink as I stared at my reflection in the mirror—jaw set, shoulders squared, but eyes betraying the storm raging inside.The fluorescent lights above flickered slightly, casting a harsh glow over my face. I looked composed on the surface, but beneath that? My pulse was erratic, my stomach coiled into tight knots. My fingers flexed against the counter, searching for something—stability, reassurance, a reason to believe I wasn’t making a mistake.This wasn’t just another meeting. This wasn’t just business.It was a calculated risk. A necessary step. A doorway to something bigger—something darker.JTB Pharmaceuticals had approached me with an offer too good to ignore. On paper, they were exactly what they claimed to be
Last Updated : 2025-03-27Sunshine and The Beast 74: His Distraction
Matthias“You haven’t slept yet?”I wasn’t planning to take a peek at her bedroom. Blame the door that didn’t close tightly, making me able to take a glance at her still sitting at her desk, with a laptop open in front of her.Maybe I shouldn’t have walked in or asked. Too late to back out, no?“In a bit,” she turned to me and smiled–or at least trying to, because I instantly showed her paleness and her eyebags got darker. Noticing that only made me want to step closer to her. And I did. I stepped inside without waiting for an invitation, crossing the room in a few strides. The dim glow of her laptop screen cast sharp shadows across her face, accentuating the exhaustion she was failing to hide. The faint smile she tried to muster did little to convince me she was okay.“You look terrible,” I said bluntly, placing a hand on the edge of her desk and bending my body a little to take a careful look at her. I knew she was busy with her works for the past few days, and she was getting to
Last Updated : 2025-03-28Sunshine and The Beast 75: Man Behind The Mask
[Folded page, extra POV part 1]As all the papers surrounded his desk, the man’s smile grew. He was satisfied with the progress so far. Everything was unfolding exactly as he had envisioned. Just like what he planned.One step closer. And this time, he would finally be near.He had prepared for this moment for longer than he cared to admit. Every decision he made, every connection he forged, every risk he took—it had all led to this. A perfect and unavoidable revenge.Revenge wasn’t something to be rushed. It required patience, precision, and most of all, control. He had learned that lesson long ago, back when he had nothing but his hatred to sustain him. But now? Now, the pieces were moving, and soon, everything he had built would come crashing down onto those who had wronged him.His gaze drifted to the documents scattered across his desk. Reports, surveillance notes, financial statements—it was all there, a carefully crafted trail of manipulation and strategy. But there, at the cen
Last Updated : 2025-03-29Sunshine and The Beast 76: Late Period
AltheaDreams were a blessing given to some, while others weren’t as lucky.At least, not with the good ones.But last night… last night was different.Everything felt warm, familiar, like sinking into a comfort I hadn’t realized I’d been craving. The strong arms wrapped around me, holding me close. The slow, deliberate kisses pressed against my skin, trailing from my temple to my shoulders, to places that made me shiver. And the pleasure—God, the pleasure. That feeling of being completely fulfilled, yet aching for more the second it was over.Even in sleep, the remnants of it lingered, pulling me into the kind of morning I didn’t want to leave.When I finally stirred, the first thing I felt was warmth. A slow, steady rhythm of breath against my neck, a firm yet gentle hold on my waist. Matthias was still close, still tangled up with me in the sheets, his body solid and warm against mine.I let my eyes flutter open, and for a moment, I just watched him. His face was softer like this,
Last Updated : 2025-03-30
Latest chapter
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
Sunshine and The Beast 79: Soon-to-be a Daddy
MatthiasI wouldn’t ever be a father.That was what I thought before.I never knew what a good father was—never had one since the start. He just existed, distant and cold, a figure in my life rather than a presence. A name rather than a man I could turn to. A concept rather than a reality.He was a man who built walls instead of bridges. A man whose presence could fill a room, not with warmth, but with the kind of silence that made you wish you weren’t there at all. He wasn’t cruel—not in an obvious way. He simply didn’t care enough to be.I wasn’t the type to wallow in self-pity. I had better things to do than dwell on something I couldn’t change. But I was self-aware enough to understand what that meant.I knew what it was like to grow up looking at someone who was supposed to teach you what it meant to be a man and instead learning what it meant to be alone.The thought that I had no real example—no blueprint, no guiding hand—led me to one simple conclusion: I would never be a fath
