Xavier sat at his polished walnut desk, buried in paperwork, but the weight of everything happening in his life—the kids, the mystery surrounding their origins—kept tugging at his thoughts. The late morning sunlight poured in, casting a golden hue across the room, but it did little to ease the mounting tension in his mind.Ember stormed in, her heels clicking on the floor like she had something to prove. Xavier looked up, caught off guard by the look in her eyes. Her dark hair was a little wild, her jaw tight with anger, and it was clear something was off.“You surprised me,” he said, trying to break the tension with a smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes.“You surprised me too,” Ember shot back, her voice cold and sharper than he’d ever heard it.Xavier frowned, sitting up straighter. "What happened?"She crossed her arms and stood there, giving him a look that made him feel like she was ready to rip him apart."Why didn’t you tell me you have two kids? And when exactly did you get
The sun poured through the windows of Room 103, casting a warm glow on the eager faces of Mrs. Henderson’s first-grade class.At the front of the room, Mrs. Henderson stood at the whiteboard, drawing a picture of the water cycle—fluffy clouds, a smiling sun, and raindrops that looked more like confetti than actual rain."Alright, class," she said in her bright, encouraging voice, "who can tell me what happens after the sun heats the water?"Josh's hand shot up instantly.Zane, sitting next to him, groaned quietly, muttering, "Show-off," just loud enough for Josh to hear. Alana, not to be outdone, stuck her tongue out at him."Yes, Josh?" Mrs. Henderson called, smiling."Evaporation!" Josh piped up, his voice a little high."Excellent, Josh! That’s right," Mrs. Henderson praised. "The sun heats water in lakes, rivers, and oceans, turning it into water vapor. This is called evaporation."Zane leaned back in his chair, half-paying attention. The school had been dragging lately—endless wo
Xavier’s car rolled to a stop in front of his sprawling villa. The sleek lines of the building, with its floor-to-ceiling windows and carefully manicured gardens, exuded a quiet opulence.The hum of the engine faded into the soft rustling of palm trees swaying in the breeze. Ember’s gaze swept over the villa, her eyes lingering on the intricate details—the perfectly symmetrical fountains flanking the entrance, the soft golden lighting that gave the property an almost ethereal glow.Xavier glanced at her, catching the faint flicker of awe in her expression before she masked it. His chest tightened. He didn’t bring people here often—this place was more than just a status symbol; it was his sanctuary. But seeing it through Ember’s eyes made him view it differently.“You ready?” he asked, keeping his tone casual despite the warmth spreading through him.Ember turned to him, a slow, almost teasing smile curling her lips. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”Xavier stepped out first, walking around to
The evening was fading into dusk, the soft chill of the air biting at their cheeks as Calla and Betty strolled down the cobblestone street just outside the café. The birthday celebration’s warmth still lingered in their footsteps—the laughter, the clinking glasses, and the glow of candles were now a memory as the last guests trickled out.Betty was radiant, her signature charm glowing from the evening’s events, but Calla noticed something shift in her demeanor. Betty stopped mid-sentence, her gaze catching on a woman crossing the street.Without thinking, she murmured, “Hey… she resembles…” and then abruptly stopped, her words trailing into silence.Calla tilted her head, following Betty’s line of sight.Betty cleared her throat, awkwardly shifting her gaze to Calla.“I’m sorry,” she said quickly, her voice apologetic. “I shouldn’t have—”“Jessica,” Calla filled in the blank for her, her tone steady.The sadness flickering in Calla’s eyes was impossible to miss. Betty bit her lip and
Xavier sat at his sleek, modern desk in his office, his hands steepled together as he stared out the window. The city below was a blur, its lights flickering like stars, but his mind was elsewhere.He had spent the entire day in meetings and dealing with business matters, yet his thoughts kept drifting back to Leila—the woman who had stormed into his life, mysterious and elusive, with a past as hard to pin down as smoke.A soft knock at the door broke his train of thought. Xavier looked up, his sharp gaze meeting his manager, Steve, who stepped inside.“Come in,” Xavier said, motioning for him to take a seat. Steve closed the door quietly and sat across from him, his expression serious. There was tension in the air—a heaviness that only came with the revelation of secrets.“Sir,” Steve began, his tone measured but firm, “I’ve been looking into Lady Leila’s background, and I’ve uncovered a few things.”Xavier straightened in his chair, his interest immediately piqued.“Go on,” he urged
Xavier sat in the sleek, black car, his knuckles white against the steering wheel. He stared out at the imposing school gates, his jaw tight. The familiar knot in his stomach twisted harder than ever. For weeks now, the principal had been pestering him—calls, emails, voicemails—each one sharper than the last. And every time, he’d found an excuse to delay. But today, he couldn’t escape.He let out a long, frustrated sigh, muttering under his breath.“This is not how it was supposed to go. School was supposed to help, not—” He cut himself off, gripping the steering wheel tighter.Finally, he pushed the door open and stepped out. His leather shoes crunched against the gravel as he made his way toward the office. Each step felt heavier, weighted down by exhaustion and frustration.The principal’s office smelled faintly of disinfectant and paper. Principal Carter, sharp-eyed and no-nonsense, sat behind her desk, her hands resting on a file so thick it looked ready to burst. She didn’t wast
Xavier sat at the head of the long conference table, his hands clasped tightly in front of him, but his knuckles were white from the pressure.He nodded occasionally at the vendors as they droned on about product specs and timelines, but their words slid past him like background noise. His jaw clenched.The polished oak table, the sharp suits, the air-conditioned room—all of it felt worlds apart from the storm in his head.Leila.Her name throbbed like a dull ache in his chest, her absence a wound that wouldn’t close. He couldn’t stop thinking about her, about Zane’s temper tantrums, Alana’s defiance, and the life she had shoved onto his shoulders without a word. The weight of it all crushed him like a vice, yet he sat there, stone-faced, giving the illusion of control.His phone buzzed on the table. The sound jolted him, breaking the monotony.A glance at the screen revealed his manager’s name. His pulse quickened, his fingers itching to answer. He pushed back his chair, its legs scr
“I don’t know how I’ll manage ten days without my laptop and the internet,” Xavier muttered to himself, stepping onto the cruise ship. His custom-made Italian leather shoes, polished to a high gloss, clicked against the gleaming deck.'But you’ve got to do this, Xavier. For your health. No more sleeping pills.' He kept up a steady stream of self-talk as he walked, eyes scanning the horizon. 'You can handle this. Just ten days. No screens, no stress. Focus on the here and now.'Xavier had argued with his psychiatrist and childhood friend, Dr. Logan Pierce, suggesting he’d be better off on a private yacht where he could stay isolated. But Dr. Pierce had insisted that Xavier needed the social environment of a cruise. Xavier couldn’t understand why. To him, isolation was a luxury all its own, and he could afford the best—Ferraris, personal jets, everything money could buy.The ship’s deck stretched out before him in a stunning sweep of blue. The sky was a wide, clear canvas, with only a f
Xavier sat at the head of the long conference table, his hands clasped tightly in front of him, but his knuckles were white from the pressure.He nodded occasionally at the vendors as they droned on about product specs and timelines, but their words slid past him like background noise. His jaw clenched.The polished oak table, the sharp suits, the air-conditioned room—all of it felt worlds apart from the storm in his head.Leila.Her name throbbed like a dull ache in his chest, her absence a wound that wouldn’t close. He couldn’t stop thinking about her, about Zane’s temper tantrums, Alana’s defiance, and the life she had shoved onto his shoulders without a word. The weight of it all crushed him like a vice, yet he sat there, stone-faced, giving the illusion of control.His phone buzzed on the table. The sound jolted him, breaking the monotony.A glance at the screen revealed his manager’s name. His pulse quickened, his fingers itching to answer. He pushed back his chair, its legs scr
Xavier sat in the sleek, black car, his knuckles white against the steering wheel. He stared out at the imposing school gates, his jaw tight. The familiar knot in his stomach twisted harder than ever. For weeks now, the principal had been pestering him—calls, emails, voicemails—each one sharper than the last. And every time, he’d found an excuse to delay. But today, he couldn’t escape.He let out a long, frustrated sigh, muttering under his breath.“This is not how it was supposed to go. School was supposed to help, not—” He cut himself off, gripping the steering wheel tighter.Finally, he pushed the door open and stepped out. His leather shoes crunched against the gravel as he made his way toward the office. Each step felt heavier, weighted down by exhaustion and frustration.The principal’s office smelled faintly of disinfectant and paper. Principal Carter, sharp-eyed and no-nonsense, sat behind her desk, her hands resting on a file so thick it looked ready to burst. She didn’t wast
Xavier sat at his sleek, modern desk in his office, his hands steepled together as he stared out the window. The city below was a blur, its lights flickering like stars, but his mind was elsewhere.He had spent the entire day in meetings and dealing with business matters, yet his thoughts kept drifting back to Leila—the woman who had stormed into his life, mysterious and elusive, with a past as hard to pin down as smoke.A soft knock at the door broke his train of thought. Xavier looked up, his sharp gaze meeting his manager, Steve, who stepped inside.“Come in,” Xavier said, motioning for him to take a seat. Steve closed the door quietly and sat across from him, his expression serious. There was tension in the air—a heaviness that only came with the revelation of secrets.“Sir,” Steve began, his tone measured but firm, “I’ve been looking into Lady Leila’s background, and I’ve uncovered a few things.”Xavier straightened in his chair, his interest immediately piqued.“Go on,” he urged
The evening was fading into dusk, the soft chill of the air biting at their cheeks as Calla and Betty strolled down the cobblestone street just outside the café. The birthday celebration’s warmth still lingered in their footsteps—the laughter, the clinking glasses, and the glow of candles were now a memory as the last guests trickled out.Betty was radiant, her signature charm glowing from the evening’s events, but Calla noticed something shift in her demeanor. Betty stopped mid-sentence, her gaze catching on a woman crossing the street.Without thinking, she murmured, “Hey… she resembles…” and then abruptly stopped, her words trailing into silence.Calla tilted her head, following Betty’s line of sight.Betty cleared her throat, awkwardly shifting her gaze to Calla.“I’m sorry,” she said quickly, her voice apologetic. “I shouldn’t have—”“Jessica,” Calla filled in the blank for her, her tone steady.The sadness flickering in Calla’s eyes was impossible to miss. Betty bit her lip and
Xavier’s car rolled to a stop in front of his sprawling villa. The sleek lines of the building, with its floor-to-ceiling windows and carefully manicured gardens, exuded a quiet opulence.The hum of the engine faded into the soft rustling of palm trees swaying in the breeze. Ember’s gaze swept over the villa, her eyes lingering on the intricate details—the perfectly symmetrical fountains flanking the entrance, the soft golden lighting that gave the property an almost ethereal glow.Xavier glanced at her, catching the faint flicker of awe in her expression before she masked it. His chest tightened. He didn’t bring people here often—this place was more than just a status symbol; it was his sanctuary. But seeing it through Ember’s eyes made him view it differently.“You ready?” he asked, keeping his tone casual despite the warmth spreading through him.Ember turned to him, a slow, almost teasing smile curling her lips. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”Xavier stepped out first, walking around to
The sun poured through the windows of Room 103, casting a warm glow on the eager faces of Mrs. Henderson’s first-grade class.At the front of the room, Mrs. Henderson stood at the whiteboard, drawing a picture of the water cycle—fluffy clouds, a smiling sun, and raindrops that looked more like confetti than actual rain."Alright, class," she said in her bright, encouraging voice, "who can tell me what happens after the sun heats the water?"Josh's hand shot up instantly.Zane, sitting next to him, groaned quietly, muttering, "Show-off," just loud enough for Josh to hear. Alana, not to be outdone, stuck her tongue out at him."Yes, Josh?" Mrs. Henderson called, smiling."Evaporation!" Josh piped up, his voice a little high."Excellent, Josh! That’s right," Mrs. Henderson praised. "The sun heats water in lakes, rivers, and oceans, turning it into water vapor. This is called evaporation."Zane leaned back in his chair, half-paying attention. The school had been dragging lately—endless wo
Xavier sat at his polished walnut desk, buried in paperwork, but the weight of everything happening in his life—the kids, the mystery surrounding their origins—kept tugging at his thoughts. The late morning sunlight poured in, casting a golden hue across the room, but it did little to ease the mounting tension in his mind.Ember stormed in, her heels clicking on the floor like she had something to prove. Xavier looked up, caught off guard by the look in her eyes. Her dark hair was a little wild, her jaw tight with anger, and it was clear something was off.“You surprised me,” he said, trying to break the tension with a smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes.“You surprised me too,” Ember shot back, her voice cold and sharper than he’d ever heard it.Xavier frowned, sitting up straighter. "What happened?"She crossed her arms and stood there, giving him a look that made him feel like she was ready to rip him apart."Why didn’t you tell me you have two kids? And when exactly did you get
Drake sat cross-legged on the floor of his dimly lit room, the stale air around him heavy with the acrid scent of cigarette smoke. The blinds hung askew, casting slanted shadows across his hunched figure.In one trembling hand, he held a cigarette; in the other, a small vial of white powder. He sniffed sharply, his head snapping back as the powder burned through his senses, momentarily dulling the chaos in his mind.The door creaked open, interrupting his reprieve. Jessica stepped inside, her silhouette outlined by the dim light spilling in from the hallway. She paused in the doorway, her face a mixture of grief and disappointment as she took in the scene.“Drake,” she said softly, her voice trembling.He didn’t look at her, his focus fixed on the cigarette glowing between his fingers.Jessica moved further into the room, her heels clicking softly against the wooden floor. She lowered herself to her knees in front of him, ignoring the discomfort of the hard ground.For a moment, she s
Xavier stepped out of his room, his shirt still damps from his shower, and headed toward Calla’s.Outside, the faint light of dawn was creeping into the sky, the stars still faintly visible but beginning to fade.Last night’s events played on a loop in his mind—the kids’ endless antics, the mountain of responsibilities, and the heated confrontation with Harold. Yet through it all, one thought stayed crystal clear: Calla’s safety.Stopping at her door, he knocked softly.“Calla?” he called, his voice calm but firm.Nothing.He frowned, knocking again before carefully turning the knob. The room was dim, lit by the soft amber glow of a bedside lamp.His gaze swept the space until he spotted her out on the balcony. Calla sat still, her slender figure outlined by the fading moonlight, her head resting against the back of the chair as she gazed up at the retreating stars.Xavier stepped onto the terrace, his movements deliberate but unintrusive.“What’s on your mind, Calla?” he asked, his v