- "Excuse me, Mr. Banks." Lana, his personal assistant, entered the office.- "Yes," he replied, without taking his eyes off the paperwork open on his desk.- "The tequila shipment has arrived in California," she announced.- "Carrying what?" and then, only then, Ethan looked up at Lana.- "Of tequila. For your birthday"- "Who requested it?"- "Your mother, Mrs. Banks. She's been making arrangements for weeks, including the guest list."Ethan ran a hand through his dark hair, feeling an unpleasant sense of loss of power. His mother was not one to take action, but when she did, she was an extremist.The truth was that Ethan had been away from work for too long. His obsession had cost him more time than he had available. And as a result, several things had happened without his supervision or authorization.- "Should I cancel, Mr. Banks? Your mother was very specific, so I thought you had talked."- "No, don't cancel. Where did you say the shipment arrived?"Just by the way Lana looked
The satin of her dress adhered to the movement, dancing across her skin and catching the eyes of the man in front of her. Clark felt like the most powerful man in the world, blowing smoke upwards as he watched the exclusive spectacle. At times, the woman's hands slid up her dress, showing how much he valued her body.They shared the moment, but they were also caught up in their own worlds. Blair danced, moving her body with boldness and conviction. Justin watched and took a few hits of nicotine from his cigarette.But when the redhead smiled, that devilish smile was capable of making the man forget anything else. There was no innocence, no naivety. There was malice, and it was reciprocated. Because they didn't know how the night would end, but that didn't matter, all they wanted was to enjoy the moment.- "I'm going to get a drink at the bar," she said, leaning towards the man to be better heard.- "I can get it if you want," he offered.- "Maybe next time"The redhead walked to the s
Ethan didn't usually like meeting the women he slept with, because they always wanted to get close. They always wanted a greeting, maybe to prove to other people that they knew Ethan Banks. But this meeting was different. Blair didn't even see him, because she was busy being kissed by another man.- "Stop staring, Banks. If Clark dies, I'll be forced to distrust you," Joseph said, making Ethan look at him.- "If Clark dies, you'll probably be in charge of burying the body," he replied, and his friend smiled.The woman next to Banks was like a decoration. She didn't talk to him, because she knew she would be completely ignored. All the attention in the world was on Blair, on her body wrapped in red fabric, on her red hair swinging.Because three days ago, Ethan had no way of knowing that seeing Blair with someone else would be so uncomfortable. He propped his left ankle on his right knee and began to sway his foot in time to the music. It seemed like just a normal movement, but it was
- "If I were enough, you wouldn't be treating me like a business. I'm worth more than a piece of paper, Banks."- "I never disagreed. The point is that you ignore all the security that a contract guarantees us"- "The assurance that you will be free to replace me at any time? No thanks, I'll pass."The exchange of glances was intense, but very comfortable and peaceful. It was as if they found in each other a peace they had never had before. Blair knew Ethan was a broken person. A broken heart recognized another.- "Angel, I can't give in on every aspect." Ethan slid his fingers through Blair's hair again, using the movement as a subterfuge to continue touching her.- "You don't have to give in. There are women like Mariah Donovan who would use their tongues to clean the floor under their feet. You don't need my signature." Those words were bitter on Blair's tongue, but they were still true.- "You are wrong"- "You like the challenge, Ethan. You like knowing that there's someone out t
- "Rivera, I'll only say this once. For every act, there is a consequence. If you don't help me, I can't help you. So don't make my work in vain and give me what I came for," she bluffed.- "That's not how police officers usually act"- "I never said I was a cop"- "So you're with them"Blair thought about what those words could mean, and couldn't understand half of them. Them; Ethan, Spencer, someone else? The redhead couldn't tell, and she didn't have the privilege of asking. To this man, she had to show that she knew everything.And then, just as Blair prepared to mutter her next lie, the bathroom doorknob turned, but the door was locked from the outside. She glanced at the carved wooden door, and then looked at Rivera, understanding that he had a lot to hide.- "Daddy?" a sweet, feminine voice sounded, somewhat scared.- "Just a minute, dear. I'm still busy," the man replied the next second.It was then that Blair understood the mystery. Rivera was hiding in that luxury hotel, in
- "You're going to live with her"- "Does she want me?" I ask.I once heard a girl say that no one wants abandoned children. We only have one family, and when we lose that, we don't get a new home. Only very lucky people get new homes. I didn't quite understand, but I think she meant that we stay here because other families are too busy taking care of their children.- "Yes, Blair. She wants to take care of you."Amelita reaches out her hand to me, and I can accept it. She's nice to me, unlike many other people. Well, I've never said it before, but I don't like nurses for this very reason. When my mother was in the hospital, the doctors took care of her, and they were nice to me. But the nurses weren't, they were never nice to me.We walk out of the room. The house is big and very dark, it looks like it has been abandoned for a long time. Even with the laughter of the children in the garden, the house still looks gloomy. This is not a happy place, not like the place where Mommy is.In
Deep down, she didn't want to talk about Banks anymore. He was someone who was both too close and too distant. Sometimes they felt like the closest people in the world. Other times, they felt like strangers.- "She called me, and the conversation was promising. I need to go back to Las Vegas, then I'll know if we have a future together."With Drake's response, the conversation continued smoothly, on a path that was comfortable for Blair. They continued talking until they reached Jean's car. Various topics, superficial conversations and light smiles. These were the aspects that defined the friendship between Drake and Blair very well.*People don't know what loneliness means until they feel it. The empty feeling that no soul in the world is compatible with yours. The fear of not finding someone else, another feeling, another moment. The desire to be better, the inability to change.Ethan felt like he was in the middle of a desert, even surrounded by crowds. The words of affection didn
It was an ordinary dawn in the city of angels. The streets never fell asleep, the lights were never turned off, and the sounds never fell silent.Blair sat amidst the white sheets of her bed, still working. Even though she was away from the office, she liked to keep up with her commitments. In this luxurious hotel room, she was alone, bathed in the incessant lights of downtown. Jean always made a point of reserving the best rooms for her daughter.She heard repeated knocks on the door, and found it strange at first. It was late for room service, and she wasn't expecting Drake. They would see each other the next day, on the boarding runway.Blair got out of bed and walked to the door. She didn't bother putting on a robe over the red nightgown she was wearing, even though the fabric barely covered her legs. When she opened the door, the redhead found a uniformed woman carrying a tray. Although unexpected, it was room service.- "Good evening, Miss Collins. Your father has sent you a cup