NicholasThe sight of my cluttered office overwhelms me. Papers are scattered across my desk, deadlines looming, and my sleep has taken a vacation for a couple of days. I was knee-deep in sorting out my company's chaos and dealing with other packs' issues. The lines etched on my forehead and the heaviness in my shoulders reveal the exhaustion I can't shake off.I rub my tired eyes and let out an occasional heavy sigh, the weight of my responsibilities taking a toll on me. As I sat buried under piles of work, the door to my office swung open, revealing Samantha's confident entrance, carrying her overly sweet scent. I glanced up, exhausted and confused, meeting her carefree gaze.Samantha strode in with purpose, her heels echoing against the floor. She paused, taking in the cluttered mess of my office, her eyes meeting mine."Samantha, what brings you here?" I asked, surprised.“Hey” she greeted cheerfully, placing a coffee on my desk, “I brought you coffee”“Thanks, Sam,”“You're alway
FlorenceWaking up, I felt this gaping void in me. It had been days since Nicholas and I had been together, and I'd been barely holding it together with work. Thank the stars it was Saturday now.I figured he wouldn't show up, like usual, but my heart was still clueless, still hurting like crazy."Good morning to me," I grumbled, hauling myself out of bed.A quick shower jolted my senses, and I shuffled to the kitchen to fix myself a much-needed coffee. Saturday was a break from work, but I had no clue what to do. Maybe just knock out and sleep the day away.As I sipped the steaming brew, the persistent knock at the door jolted me from my thoughts. Frowning, I approached the door and turned the knob, the creaking hinge echoed in the house.Standing there, bathed in the morning light, was Layla and Gayle.And there they were—Layla beaming in her floral dress and beach hat, while Gayle looked like she'd rather be anywhere else. Her outfit screamed business casual, a crisp white shirt tu
The moment Clifford cranked up the engine, the yacht bobbed into action. The rush of the boat slicing through the water got us all hyped up. Were all caught up in the excitement, laughing and whooping as the yacht cruised ahead.With each wave crashing against the boat, any worries in my mind just melted away. I couldn't help but grin from ear to ear, soaking the calmness the ocean brought me.Basking in the warmth of the sun, we lounged in our swimsuits, the salty breeze playing with our hair. Sipping on refreshing juice, we sprawled out on deck chairs, flipping through magazines, and soaking up the rays.As we leafed through the pages, occasionally sharing tidbits from the magazines, Layla suddenly flashed a picture of a model in her magazine, “Oh my god, he is so handsome, right?”Gayle countered by presenting a picture of another model in her magazine, "Now, this one here is even more handsome!"“Oh please, Gayle, he looked like a raccoon!”"Come on, Layla, you have to admit this
“I can carry that” I snapped, trying to grab my bags from Nicholas, but he smoothly dodged my attempts, keeping them just out of reach.Turning his attention to Clifford, Nicholas gave him a nod.Clifford respectfully bowed before following Layla and Gayle, leaving Nicholas and me alone.As I watched Layla, Gayle, and Clifford leave, unease settled within me. I don't want to be left alone with him for the time being. And why does he always seem to be on my business every day?I turned to Nicholas, irritation clear in my tone. "I can manage on my own, you know.""I know, but it's late," he replied calmly, taking my wrist gently but firmly, and leading me toward his waiting car.I looked at his hand on my wrist, contemplating whether to pull my hand or not. But his skin was warm and oddly soothing so I allowed myself to feel it for a moment longer. Just for a moment.I found myself walking beside him towards the car.As we moved towards the car, Nicholas broke the silence, "So, how was
I woke up the next morning to find Nicholas gone, as expected. I heard him leave in the middle of the night. Instead of sticking to the agreed two hours, he managed a solid five. Not that I was too bitter about it—I couldn’t bring myself to wake him.Ironically, I barely slept, dozing off for just two hours. The swirl of questions and scenarios kept me tossing and turning, rendering my night unproductive. And that carried into the next day, dragging on until the dreaded Monday rolled around.Ugh, Mondays.Despite my mind bugging me and heavy with worry, I pushed myself to carry on with the day and headed to work. Greeting customers with a forced smile, I did my best to maintain a cheerful facade.I swear, pretending to be cheerful and happy was more draining than spending a day renovating my house. Emotional and mental exhaustion always do that to a person.I was in the middle of arranging flowers on the stalls when the gentle chime of the shop's door drew my attention. Sammy was mann
As the morning light filtered through my curtains, I stirred awake, feeling surprisingly refreshed. I got out of my bedroom and went to the kitchen to make myself a coffee. I still have time before I go to work.With a mug in my hand, I stepped outside, wanting to feel the morning dew. It was the best part of the day. But to my surprise, my foot collided with something solid.“Seriously ?” I grumbled.A black box lay on my doorstep. I looked around, not sensing anyone around my premises. I leaned down, hesitating for a moment before picking it up.But my face quickly contorted in grimace and I swiftly moved away as the air around the box carried a putrid stench, hitting my nose.I quickly went inside and put down my mug on the table before going back to my doorstep. Even though I have a clear picture of what’s inside, I need to make sure. I cautiously opened the lid. The pungent odor intensified, assaulting my senses.My fist instantly clenched as my eyes beheld a disturbing sight. In
When the other customers started nodding and murmuring to themselves, I knew I nailed that very admirable speech for my horrible mate.“Is that even—” Samantha tried to speak but I cut her off.Let’s give these nosy customers more drama.“And Oh!” I winked at Samantha, who looked like she was about to explode, “I was really pampered, especially at night.”“Oh my gosh,” Sammy squealed next to me, blushing along with the other women who giggled.Samantha forced a smile but her clenched fist showed her true emotions. She then discreetly nudged the woman on her right.“Are you sure you're not lying? I heard the Alpha threw you into a shabby cabin?” the woman asked, her voice a bit too high.“Ah, that,” I shrugged, “I also asked him about that. You know, I love decorating my own home, and that 'shabby cabin' was my little project. It clears my mind. He was really against it at first, but he ended up giving in.”“You seem quite proud of a mistress,” Samantha said sharply, causing the other
As I entered the flower shop, it felt like walking into a spotlight—everybody's eyes darted my way. Sammy quickly went to my side and led me to the staff room, “Stay here for the meantime”“Thank you, Sammy,” I sincerely replied.She smiled at me and reassuringly squeezed my hand before closing the door. I immediately heard her voice asking the customers if they were going to buy or not.Sighing, I sat down on the long chair inside, leaning on the cold wall. After a little while, Sammy swung by the staff room and plonked herself opposite me, holding out a can of orange juice. "Hey, I thought this might help," she said, offering the drink, “Cause that intense drama earlier was something”I took it with a grateful nod, popping open the can. I let out a sigh, “I really didn't hurt her”I don't know why I am explaining myself but with Sammy, I felt like I needed to. She was a good person and I don't want to lose her trust in me.She leaned back, sipping her drink, "I know" I blinked in