The weight of Lucia’s words lingered long after she was gone, settling over me like an unwelcome shroud. The air in my apartment felt heavier, thick with the ghost of Thiago’s presence.I set the wine glass down with a soft clink, pressing my fingers against my temples. My head throbbed, not from the alcohol but from the war waging inside me. Thiago was a storm—unrelenting, consuming, and I was the fool who kept stepping into the rain without an umbrella.I forced myself to move, needing to shake off the static thrumming in my veins. One step, then another, until I was standing before my bedroom mirror. The woman staring back at me looked like a stranger. There was defiance in her eyes, yes, but beneath it, something else lurked—uncertainty.My gaze dropped to the ring, still snug on my finger. I could almost feel the phantom trace of Thiago’s touch lingering there. My hands curled into fists. I should take it off. I should have done it the second he walked out that door.With a sharp
The silence between Victor and me stretched, taut and suffocating. He watched me like I was a puzzle he had almost solved but was too frustrated to finish.“Bridge,” he finally said, his voice softer now. “You don’t have to do this alone. You know that, right?”I swallowed against the lump in my throat. Victor had always been my safety net, the one person who saw the mess I was and still chose to stand by me. But even he couldn’t save me from myself.I turned away, rubbing my arms as though that could shake off the cold creeping into my bones. “I’m tired, Vic. Can we just—can we not do this tonight?”His eyes darkened, but he nodded once, reluctant. “Fine. But this isn’t over.”With that, he left, the door clicking shut behind him. I waited, standing frozen in place until I heard his footsteps fade down the hallway. Then, with a shaky breath, I turned and pressed my forehead against the door, letting my eyes close.Not five minutes later, my phone vibrated on the counter.I didn’t wan
The silence stretched between us, thick with words left unsaid. Victor's gaze remained steady, unwavering, as if he could will me into understanding the danger I was walking into. Maybe he could see the fracture lines forming beneath my skin, the way I was slowly unraveling under the weight of my own choices.But what choice did I have? Thiago was a shadow I couldn’t outrun. No matter how far I went, how fiercely I tried to carve out a life separate from him, he was always there. And worst of all, some part of me still wanted him to be.I exhaled sharply, shoving past Victor toward the kitchen, needing space—needing something to ground me before I lost myself completely in this never-ending push and pull. I reached for the half-empty wine bottle on the counter and poured myself a glass. My hand trembled slightly as I took a sip, the bitter liquid burning down my throat.Victor followed but didn’t say anything right away. He just leaned against the counter, arms crossed over his chest,
The hallway felt too small, too suffocating with both men standing there—Victor rigid with frustration, Thiago exuding that quiet, commanding presence that had always been my undoing.I should tell him to leave. I should push past this moment and pretend my heart wasn’t beating too fast, that I wasn’t already losing this battle.But I didn’t.Instead, I met Thiago’s gaze head-on. “What do you want?”He tilted his head slightly, studying me, before stepping closer. Too close. The scent of him—expensive cologne, faint whiskey, something distinctly him—wrapped around me like a noose.Victor shifted beside me, his tension palpable. “You’re wasting your time, Bermudez. She’s done with whatever game you’re playing.”Thiago let out a quiet chuckle, his eyes never leaving mine. “That so?” His fingers twitched at his side, like he was resisting the urge to touch me. “Because she hasn’t told me to leave yet.”Damn him.Victor exhaled sharply. “Bridgette.” His voice was low, a warning.I swallow
His lips moved against mine with a slow, deliberate hunger, as if he was savoring every second of my surrender. I should have pushed him away. I should have turned and walked out of this penthouse, out of his life, like I swore I would.But the second his hands gripped my waist, pulling me closer, every ounce of resistance melted away.Thiago knew my body too well. He knew exactly how to unravel me with a single touch, how to make me forget logic and consequences. His fingers trailed down my spine, sending a shiver through me, his kiss deepening until I was breathless.I tore away, gasping, my palms flat against his chest. “Thiago—”His forehead rested against mine, his breathing just as uneven. “Don’t tell me you don’t want this.”My fingers curled into his shirt, torn between desire and the storm raging in my mind. “It’s not about what I want.”He exhaled, a humorless chuckle escaping him. “Then what is it about, Wifey?”That nickname. The way it rolled off his tongue like a promise
I forced myself to meet Santiago’s gaze, schooling my expression into something unreadable. If he was here, breaking into my penthouse in the middle of the night, it wasn’t just to chat.He wants something.I wasn’t going to give it to him.“You have about ten seconds to explain why you’re here before I call security,” I said, gripping the wine bottle so tightly my knuckles ached.Santiago smirked, the kind of lazy, self-assured grin that made my stomach twist. He took a slow step forward, completely unfazed by my threat. “Security?” he mused. “Mmm… You could call them. But we both know they won’t get here in time, mi amor.”His voice was smooth, practiced, laced with the kind of confidence that came from knowing he held all the cards.I refused to let him see the flicker of unease tightening in my chest.“I don’t have time for games, Santiago.”“I know,” he said, tilting his head slightly. “Which is why I’ll get to the point.”In one fluid motion, he reached inside his suit jacket. I
Thiago kissed me like he was trying to brand himself into my soul—like he could erase every doubt, every betrayal, with the heat of his mouth.And for a moment, I let him.For a moment, I kissed him back, gripping his shirt like it could anchor me to something real.But reality crashed in just as fast.I shoved him away, breathless, my lips still tingling from the force of him.His chest rose and fell, his dark eyes locked onto mine with a heat that burned straight through me.“No,” I said, voice hoarse.Thiago’s jaw tightened. “Bridgette—”“No,” I repeated, stepping back. “You don’t get to do that. You don’t get to lie to me, manipulate me, and then kiss me like I’m supposed to forget everything.”His hands curled into fists at his sides. “I wasn’t lying to you.”“Really?” I let out a bitter laugh. “Then why do I feel like I just walked into a trap?”Thiago exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through his hair. “I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d react like this.”I crossed my arms.
The old pier stretched before me, silent except for the rhythmic lapping of the waves against the wooden posts. A single lamplight flickered above, casting long shadows across the damp planks. My heart pounded as I scanned the area, my breath visible in the night air.I checked my phone again. Midnight. I was a few minutes early, but whoever had sent the message wasn’t here yet.Or maybe they were watching.A gust of wind sent a shiver down my spine. I crossed my arms, not just against the cold, but against the gnawing uncertainty clawing at my insides. This could be a trap. Thiago could have sent the message, luring me here to force a conversation I wasn’t ready for. Or worse—someone else, someone more dangerous, could be behind it.I turned, about to leave, when I heard footsteps. Slow. Measured.I spun back, my pulse skyrocketing as a shadow emerged from the darkness.It wasn’t Thiago.Victor.His sharp features were cast in half-light, his expression unreadable as he stepped towar
The next few days were filled with a sense of impending danger. I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were walking on a tightrope, and any misstep would send everything crashing down. Thiago seemed just as on edge as I was, though he didn’t show it on the surface. But I could see it in his eyes—the same hunger, the same drive, the same readiness for whatever came next.I met him in his office late one afternoon. He was reviewing documents, his sharp gaze scanning the pages with an intensity that was almost unsettling."Thiago," I said softly, stepping into his space. He didn’t look up, but I could feel the tension in his posture. "Leah called me last night."His eyes flicked up to meet mine, narrowing slightly. "What did she want?"I hesitated, then told him everything she had said. "She thinks she can make a deal, but I don’t trust her. This isn’t over."Thiago placed the papers down carefully, then stood, crossing the room to stand in front of me. His presence was overwhelming, and fo
The city skyline shimmered under the evening lights as I stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows of Thiago's penthouse. The weight of recent events pressed heavily on my shoulders. Leah's calculated moves had thrown our world into disarray, and the revelation of her betrayal still echoed in my mind.Thiago entered the room, his expression a mix of concern and determination. "Bridgette," he began, his voice steady, "we need to talk."I turned to face him, searching his eyes for answers. "About Leah?"He nodded. "She's not just targeting the company; she's targeting us—our relationship, our future."I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing thoughts. "We can't let her win."He approached, taking my hands in his. "Then let's fight back. Together."The next morning, Lucia, Marcus, and I convened in the conference room. The atmosphere was tense, the air thick with anticipation.Lucia began, "We've traced the leak to a secure server. Only a handful of people had access."Marcus added,
The days that followed felt like a slow, meticulous countdown. The taste of victory was still fresh, but the knowledge that the war was far from over lingered in the back of my mind. Leah was not one to surrender easily, and I knew she'd find another way to fight back. But for now, the cards were in our hands.Thiago had been unusually quiet since the meeting, his focus sharp, but there was an intensity in his eyes that I couldn’t shake off. As if he was preparing for something I couldn’t yet see.I sat across from him one evening in the penthouse, papers scattered in front of me, but my thoughts were far from the numbers on the page. My mind kept wandering to Leah—how she had looked at me when she left the room, her smile not one of defeat, but of patience, like she was biding her time. That worried me more than any immediate retaliation.Thiago leaned forward, breaking my thoughts. "You’re thinking about her, aren’t you?"I met his gaze, not surprised that he had read me so easily.
By noon, I couldn’t pretend the walls weren’t closing in.The silence after Leah’s visit wasn't the kind that gave you peace—it was the kind that echoed. Every word she’d said, every warning she dripped like poison, kept looping in my mind like a cursed song I couldn’t turn off.Thiago was mine long before you walked into his life.You’re carrying a weapon.I stood in the shower longer than necessary, letting the water scald away the chill that had crept beneath my skin. But no matter how hard I scrubbed, I couldn’t rinse her off me.When I stepped out, I found Thiago waiting.He didn’t knock. He just stood there in the doorway, sleeves rolled, tie gone, shirt clinging to him like armor that no longer fit.“You’ve been quiet,” he said.“So have you.”He stepped inside, shutting the door behind him like he was sealing us off from the world.“You want to yell at me?” he asked. “Do it. I can take it.”I didn’t yell. I dried my hands on a towel, then looked at him square in the eyes.“Was
The next morning, I didn’t wake up to the usual soft chime of my alarm or the scent of espresso brewing from Thiago’s automated machine. I woke up to silence.Too much silence.The kind that settles like a fog in the bones, whispering that something has shifted. That something is wrong.I sat up, the silk sheets slipping off my skin as I reached for my phone. No new messages. No updates from Lucia or Marcus. Not even a single email from the security firm Thiago had commissioned. The stillness wasn’t peace—it was calculated quiet.Someone had pulled the plug.I moved quickly, throwing on one of Thiago’s button-downs, not bothering to fasten every button as I padded across the floor, phone in hand. I headed straight for the control panel by the wall—one that synced to the penthouse’s surveillance and internal comms. The screen lit up. Offline.“What the hell?”I tapped the screen again. Nothing.“Thiago?” I called out. No answer. My voice echoed back at me.That’s when the hairs on the
Bridgette’s POVI stood in front of the penthouse window, watching the city lights blink below me. Everything looked so peaceful from here, but I knew better. Behind the glimmering exterior, everyone was moving, plotting, fighting, hiding. Even the glass separating me from the world below felt like a wall between reality and illusion.Thiago had done his part—leaving no stone unturned, going after every single person who might have leaked information about my pregnancy. At least, that’s what he said. But that wasn’t enough. I couldn’t rely entirely on him. This was my fight too. And I wasn’t about to be dragged into a game I didn’t understand.I let out a long breath and walked back to the table, picking up the digital tablet in front of me. Lucia, Marcus, and the rest of the team were still waiting for the next move. There were no comforting words from Thiago; just the calculated look in his eyes whenever he saw me. He seemed pleased with the progress. He was the kind of man who belie
Bridgette’s POVThe war room atmosphere had descended on the office.Lucia, Marcus, and a handful of trusted executives gathered in the conference room, their faces grim. Even the interns sensed the tension and kept their heads down. No one wanted to be in the crossfire, not when the walls seemed to have ears—and possibly eyes.I stood at the head of the table, arms crossed, scanning the room.“This leak wasn’t random,” I said. “Someone here is feeding intel. And considering how quickly it reached the public… it had to come from someone high up.”Lucia nodded in agreement, tapping at her tablet. “We traced the earliest gossip back to an anonymous tip sent to three digital tabloids. Same language. Same phrasing. It wasn’t a coincidence.”Marcus leaned back in his chair, arms folded. “And you’re thinking it was someone in this room?”I didn’t flinch. “I’m thinking someone in this room knows who.”The silence was deafening.Thiago’s POVI arrived midway through the meeting, my presence d
The next few hours felt like I was walking through a fog, each step heavy with the weight of what was at stake. The note had shaken me more than I cared to admit, but it was also a wake-up call. I couldn’t let this go unnoticed. Not now.I grabbed my phone, dialed Marcus’s number, and pressed it to my ear. The ringing felt like an eternity.“Bridgette,” he answered, voice smooth, like he hadn’t just been part of the most volatile corporate environment I’d ever been in.“Marcus,” I said, keeping my tone level. “I need to know if you’ve had anything to do with the leak.”There was a long pause, longer than I expected.“Bridgette, you know I don’t get involved in... sensationalist games. That’s not my style,” he replied. The casualness of his words didn’t sit right.“I’m not asking about style. I’m asking about leaks.” I pressed, my voice tightening. “You had access to sensitive information, and I need to know if you gave it to anyone.”There was another beat of silence before Marcus spo
[BRIDGETTE'S POV]The sound of Thiago’s breathing lulled me. Slow. Steady. Unshaken.I hated that.How could he lie there like he wasn’t on the edge of something catastrophic? Like our whole reality hadn’t shifted the second I handed him that test?Maybe it had always been this way—me unraveling in silence while he anchored us with that dangerous, deliberate calm.I lifted my head slightly, just enough to watch him sleep. His face looked younger like this. Less ruthless. The weight of control he always carried had slipped off, if only for the night.I should’ve felt safer. I didn’t.I felt... seen.And being seen terrified me more than the test ever could.I slipped out of bed before dawn, dragging the blanket with me like armor. My feet found the cold marble of the penthouse floor, but I didn’t flinch.I needed space.Not to run—Just to breathe.The bathroom lights were too harsh, so I settled on the balcony. The city was just waking up. Lights blinking to life like a million eyes f