096. “Are you sure you’ve packed all you would be needing? All you essentials and homework for next semester?” “Yes, mum,” Amber answered for the one hundredth time as she walked out of the house while Axel loaded their luggage into the car booth. They were finally going home for the holidays, and as much as she was beyond excited to see her parents again, she was pretty sad leaving her friends for a while. Her first semester here in school had been a blast—thanks to Axel—and her best friends for showing a nerdy girl like her what it meant to have friends once could call family. She was glad and proud to say that with them, she had been able to step out of her comfort zone, joined a club, and even got the perfect boyfriend. “Make sure you dress warm, sweetie,” Loris instructed again, and Amber fought the urge to roll her eyes. “It’s that time of the year in Las Vegas where it’s usually cold when it’s supposed to be hot.” Amber, knowing what her mother meant, laughed softly. “I u
097.“Cole!” Loris snapped, pointing her index finger at him. “You were supposed to wait for me to announce you as the surprise!” Cole shrugged, a smug expression on his face as his gaze flickered between a seething Amber and pouting Loris before his gaze stopped on Axel. “I couldn’t wait any longer, mum. Besides, I wanted a hug too.” Amber snorted. “You annoying ass—” Loris cleared her throat.Amber let out a deep breath and Cole spread out his arms for her. “Come give big brother a big hug,” he said, and a smile broke out on Amber’s lips as she rushed into his arms.“Gosh, you should have told me you were coming,” she wrapped her arms around him, placing her head on his chest. “I couldn’t even get you any gift.”Cole chuckled, ruffling her hair. “The best gift is having you here and making sure I disturb the living daylight out of you.” Amber pulled away from the hug. “Well, I won’t let you, I’m an adult now.” she flipped her hair with a smile.“Of course she is!” Loris smiled,
098.Amber walked into her room and plopped down in the couch. A feeling of unease and unrest washed over her as she tried to reply her conversation with her mother in her head. She had always been the good girl and had never lied to her mother, but today, she had heartlessly lied and told her mother she didn’t have a boyfriend just because she didn’t want her relationship with Axel to be found out just get.She and Axel had thought Cole would return to Boston after the school’s field trip so they would tell him about their relationship, but he had come home instead.Telling him at home wasn’t a good idea. At least, he needed to know first then if they’re able to convince him, he would also help them convince Amber’s parents. Amber sighed and sat up, placing her pillow between her lap as she thought of what to do. Her mother had told her she would be happy to see her boyfriend whenever she got one, but Amber wondered if she would be happy knowing that Axel—the guy she had always trea
099.“All done!” Amber dusted her hands with a smile on her face as she looked at the magic she just performed in Axel’s room. Since they returned home last week, they hadn’t been able to spend some alone time together. She had been busy volunteering at the animal shelter to get some stories surrounding them for a project due next semester. And since today was an off day and Axel had gone to a game show with Cole—her mother had gone to work as well—she figured she should help set up his room and decorate it.Her mother might be a superb artist, but she was a pro when it came to designing rooms to taste. Her eyes roamed over the walls and posters, happy with what she was seeing.“Not bad, if I do say so myself,” she murmured to herself, admiring her handiwork. The posters of bands and sports teams were tastefully arranged, complimenting the vibrant color scheme of the room. She heard the front door open, followed by Axel’s voice from the living room. “Yeah, I just got home,” he said,
100.Axel took his clothes off and laid her on the bed, climbing on top of her immediately. Amber's eyes locked with his, their gazes hungry and intense. She bit her lip, her heart racing as she felt the heat of his body against hers. She knew she wouldn't last long, but she was determined to make him work for it."Bring it on, King," she whispered, trailing her hand down his chest, feeling the hard muscles beneath his shirt. "I'm not going down without a fight."Axel's lips curved into a wicked smile. "Oh, you won't be going down at all, kitten. But you will be begging me for more."Axel's hands slid down Amber's back, grabbing her butt and pulling her against him. She let out a gasp, her body responding to his touch. He leaned in and kissed her, his lips hungry and demanding."Are you ready for round one?" he asked, his voice low and seductive.Amber nodded, biting her lip to keep from moaning as Axel's hands explored her body, tracing patterns along her skin. He knew all her sensit
101.Days later…“I thought about it, Amber,” Axel began, letting out a sigh as Amber turned to look at him. “And I'm going to tell Cole about our relationship tonight.”Amber blinked, her eyes widening in horror. This took her unaware. “What!” she exclaimed, turning to look around to be sure no one was watching them. Her mother had gone to take a nap in her room while Cole was playing video games.They had decided to spend some time watching movies in the living room and Axel decided to use this opportunity to let her know.“I've been thinking about it and I don't think we should hide it anymore,” he said, his voice laced with confidence. “I know you aren't ready, that's why I have decided to tell him myself. I think it would be better if one person does it. That way, we would be able to handle his reaction.”Amber sighed, shaking her head. “This is too soon, Axel. I don't think it's a good idea,” she lowered her voice, uncertainty coloring her tone. “We are at home. What if he makes
102.Amber, who leaned on the door watching them, held her breath, her heart pounding in her chest, waiting for Cole’s reaction, but none came for a few seconds.“I know you might be upset about this, and I’m sorry,” Axel said, his heart pounding in his chest. “But I truly care about Amber, and I promise I will do everything in my power to protect her and make her happy.”Cole dropped the plate he was drying and turned to look at Axel. His expression was hard to read, but Axel could tell he was processing what he had just heard.“How long has this been going on?” Cole finally asked, his tone calm but serious.“About five months,” Axel replied, feeling like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “We've been trying to figure out how to tell you, but…we didn’t know how.” he lowered his head, his tone was a sincere one and Cole knew it.Cole was silent for a moment, his gaze dropping to the sink. Axel held his breath, waiting for Cole’s response. Amber silently prayed in her heart,
103.Cole settled into the porch bench, his back leaning against the wooden slats as he gazed up at the sky. The stars twinkled above, and the night air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers. He let out a deep breath, his mind wandering to Axel and Amber's relationship.He couldn't believe his sister was dating his best friend. It was still surreal, but he was trying to accept it. After all, Amber seemed happy, and that's all that mattered.But as he thought about it more, he couldn't help but feel a pang of concern. Axel came from a wealthy family, and his father was a powerful man. Cole had heard rumors about Kevin’s ruthless business tactics… and his expectations for his son… Cole knew that more than anyone.How would Axel's family react to him dating a “normal” girl like Amber? Would they try to tear them apart? Cole's protective instincts kicked in, and he felt a surge of anxiety.He thought about how Axel had changed over the years. He used to be a bit of a playboy
088.Amber rushed to Laura's desk and slammed her hands on it, startling the young lady who was busy on her laptop. "How could you? Have you no conscience?" she yelled, drawing the attention of their colleagues.They hadn't seen Amber this angry before so it drew their attention and their eyes perked up to know what Laura had done to make Amber snap.Laura looked at Amber, confusion etched on her face. "What are you talking about?""Don't you dare act oblivious with me. Don't act like you have no idea what I'm talking about." Amber was seething now. "That's because I have no idea what you're talking about. If you have nothing to do with your time, please, move aside. I have an article to post for tomorrow's magazine."Amber's fists balled. "Oh, so now you have no idea what you did, right? Let me refresh your memory. You've been stepping on my toes and trying to sabotage every little thing I do, I've tolerated that. Then you set me up with that bastard at the club and ruined my reputa
087."Ms. June, I don't think I'm the right person for this interview," Amber forced a smile. "I mean, I already have loads of work in hand, and it wouldn't be nice to add Cloud Limited to the list, now would it? I'm sure there are tons of reporters that would be interested. Like..." she trailed, trying to think of the perfect person. She had already given Gina some parts of her work. She wouldn't want to stress the young lady out with more work.Laura? She internally scoffed. Laura set her up and almost ruined her reputation. She wouldn't want to give Laura, but then Laura and Jack would be a perfect match, right?Before she could say anything, Ms. June raised a palm to stop her. "Amber, listen," she sighed and leaned forward in her chair. "I understand you're busy with interviews and the likes, but you got to understand that they asked you to come personally. And you know we can't turn them down when the Lead Editor has approved of it, right?" Amber sighed and ruffled her hair. Loo
086.Laura sat in a coffee shop, her feet tapping relentlessly on the floor. Vera had gone to get them drinks but that was the least of her problems right now. She knew Gina was the one responsible for the beating she received, but she had no idea how Amber was able to clear her name in just a small amount of time.This only confirmed her suspicion that there was someone helping her form the sidelines. But who could that be? And why did the girl who helped to get the man caught look so familiar?"Something is fishy!" "Laura, did you hear, Amber has gotten all her opportunities back. Lots of companies are calling to get interviewed by her. They were moved by now she took care of the case and gave the police the leverage to catch the abuser." Vera dropped the coffee on the table and sat down.Laura groaned. "I hate how this is turning out, Gina. We need to do something about it.""That's not all. Ms. June has given her the cover page for the Mainland Tech Conference Article. If she pu
085.Amber's face lit up when she saw Larissa walking out of the club. She got down from the car and rushed to hug her. "You're back!" she gave Larissa a peck on the cheek. "You did it! My reputations cleared. I watched everything."Larissa smirked. "Told you not to worry about anything. Did you think it wouldn't work out when the plane was Axel's?"Amber raised a brow. "I thought it was your idea."Larissa shook her head. "It was all Axel's. I only agreed to be the bait," she said and Amber smiled."I'm grateful to you both. Now I feel relieved that it's all been taken care of. I can sleep with a smile now." Larissa chuckled.~•~•~The next day...GLAM MAGAZINE Amber walked into her department and Gina rushed to her. "Oh you have no idea how happy I am that you're finally back to work. The man has been caught by the police. Turns out, he was brutally beaten by the ladies he harassed. He's currently being questioned and you my dear, have gotten your fans back."Amber scoffed as she
084."Hey, beautiful," the man drawled, his voice low and seductive.Larissa's grip on the glass tightened, her brows twitching as she fought the urge to punch him in the face and give him a good beating. She quickly forced a smile to her face and turned to face him. "Hi." she answered and looked away. All she had to do was play hard to get and he was going to try forcing himself on her for sure.The man took a seat beside her. "Can I buy you a drink? A beautiful lady like you shouldn't sit here all alone, you know." his eyes roamed her body as his tongue ran over his lips.Larissa rolled her eyes. "As you can see, I already have a drink. And it's not bad to be alone, is it?" she asked."So you're really alone," he smiled to himself and moved closer. Larissa noticed this and leaned back. "You know," he began, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I saw the way you danced a few minutes ago. Mind if we get a room and you can show me privately? I'd love to see it up close." he touched her la
083.KING'S MANSION The family was seated in the dining room, having a nice relaxing dinner. Kevin looked at Axel, who seemed to be in a good mood. It's been a while he saw Axel actually eat enough food like he did.His gaze darted to Larissa and Maverick. They were also in good moods. Were these kids hiding something from him? Besides, he saw the scandal with Amber. They couldn't be smiling at a time like this, right?Knowing Axel, he would have thrown a tantrum and dealt with whoever did it. But here the young man was, eating like he was celebrating.When he couldn't take it anymore, he dropped the fork and knife he was holding, making a clanging sound on the plate that drew the trio's attention. They all turned to look at him."You three, what's going on?" he asked, his gaze narrowed at them.The three of them exchanged confused glances, having no idea what Kevin was talking about. "Uncle, what are you talking about?" Larissa was the first to ask.Kevin scoffed. "Are you trying to
082.“No! There's no way I'm letting you do that. What if it backfires? Promiscuous men like him can do anything to women.” Amber declined after Larissa told her about the plan. “C'mon, Amber,”“No, Larissa,” she sighed. “You are an idol. You have fans all over the world. Do you have any idea what this would cost you if it backfires? No way am I letting you go to that club and be the bait.” Larissa chuckled and took a seat beside Amber. “I like the fact that you underestimate me, Amber,” she smirked. “Look, I know how the club works. And I know what makes stupid bastards like that idiot tick. Do you think I'd go there with no backup? Trust me. It will only be just to lure him into the trap.”Amber sighed. “I don't know, Larissa.”“Amber listen, I'm sick and tired of seeing mean comments against you. Many jealous reporters are using this opportunity to ruin you the more. They might have been quiet because they saw nothing to use against you, but now, they are trying to ruin your rep
081.Amber pulled away from the kiss and cupped Axel's cheeks, her eyes shining with love for him. Axel raised a brow at her. “What was that about?” he asked amidst chuckles.Amber batted her lashes at him. “Don't you like it?” she asked, her voice small.Axel’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, then a grin spread across his face. “Well, now.” he drew Amber closer, wrapping his arms around her waist. “I do like it. But I can’t say I’m not a little bit surprised.” his voice was low and gravelly, making Amber’s heart flip-flop in her chest.Amber blushed, but she couldn’t look away from his intense gaze. “I had to do something to thank you,” she whispered. “For everything.”Axel’s eyes softened as he stared at her. “Amber, you don’t have to thank me for anything. I’ll always be here for you. No matter what.” He pressed his forehead against hers, their lips inches apart. “And I want you to know, I love you too.”Amber’s heart skipped a beat. She wrapped her arms around him. They've been thro
080.“So, how long have you and Mr. A been together?” Larissa asked during their break.Amber was taken aback by the question. “What? He and I are not together.” she answered.Larissa chuckled. “Seriously? Are you telling me that you two feel nothing for each other, or he feels nothing for you?” she asked, handing a chocolate bar to Amber.“Aren't dancers supposed to eat healthy snacks?” Amber asked, her gaze on the chocolate as she tried to change the topic.Larissa raised an eyebrow. “First of all, this is dark chocolate, which is supposed to be good for you. Second of all, don't change the subject.” she pointed her finger at Amber. “Now, tell me. Are you and Axel just friends, or is there more to it?”Amber fidgeted with the wrapper of the chocolate, avoiding Larissa's gaze. “We…we're just friends,” she insisted, though her voice wasn't quite as convincing as she'd hoped.Larissa smirked. “Uh huh,” she leaned forward, her eyes glinting with mischief. “Okay, let me break this down f