The taxicab dropped her off in front of The Harrison mansion—her father’s house. Earlier, she had received a call from Belinda summoning her back home. She was about to refuse, but on second thought, she agreed to come. It was finally time to make things clear with them once and for all.Heaving a deep breath, she stepped forward and entered the mansion. She was greeted by the maids, who guided her to the living room where they were waiting for her.The moment she stepped in, she was met with their disapproving faces—a look she was all too familiar with.“Father,” Jessica called.Leon tossed a newspaper in her direction. Jessica looked down at it and saw her name in the headlines.“Tell me, what is the meaning of this?” Leon said, standing up. “What sort of connection do you possibly have with one of the higher-ups? Don’t you know this is affecting Belinda’s career and fame? You’re stealing her spotlight!”Jessica smiled bitterly. Of course, this was going to be about Belinda again.“
Jessica turned to look at him with furrowed brows. She crossed her arms and raised a brow before speaking.“Oh, so now you're spying on me?” Jessica asked.“I asked a question, and I demand an answer,” William replied.Jessica frowned. “Really? And how did my personal life become any of your business? You don't have any right to question me about who I see and who I don't. You were the one who made the rules, remember? For us not to meddle in each other's private lives. You made the rule, so stick to it.”She scoffed and looked ahead. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I need some rest. Goodnight,” she said and walked up the remaining stairs.William just stared at her retreating figure, his fists clenched tightly.“What is wrong with me?” he muttered to himself._________The next day, Jessica woke up to a sunny morning. After taking a shower, she headed downstairs for breakfast. Entering the dining room, the delicious aroma of food wafted through the air, making her appetite grow.“Good mor
Alexis took a seat across from Jessica and Rachael before smiling charmingly.“Pardon my tardiness; I had to attend an urgent meeting,” he said. “My name is Alexis Rodgers, CEO of this company. It's a pleasure meeting you.” He stretched his hand forward.Jessica accepted his handshake. “Jessica Belles, and this is my manager, Rachael Spencers,” Jessica introduced.Rachael jolted in surprise when Jessica mentioned her. Alexis turned to look at Rachael, who was trying her best to avoid his gaze. He smiled and stretched his hand toward her.“It's a pleasure meeting you,” he said.Rachael hesitantly shook his hand. “Same here,” she muttered.“So,” Alexis began, flipping through some pages in a file, “We would like you to collaborate with us for our magazine cover next week. Going through your past photoshoots, you seem really talented,” Alexis said.Jessica smiled. “Thank you, sir. It'll be an honor to work with you,” she said.“Great! My personal assistant will communicate the date of th
A brief moment of silence settled between them as Jessica stared at William with wide eyes, utterly speechless. She had been expecting him to get angry or glare at her like he usually did, but him admitting he was jealous was the last thing on her mind.The air between them suddenly felt tense and awkward. Her eyes widened in alarm when William took a step closer to her. She subconsciously stepped back, but William closed the gap by taking another step forward.“Umm... W... Wh—” Before she could form a coherent word, William casually took the food flask from her hand and walked to his seat.He sat down, opened the flask, and grabbed the spoon. “Let’s hope the food isn’t poisoned,” he said nonchalantly.Jessica rolled her eyes. “I really wish it were,” she muttered.Surprisingly, William chuckled at her remark, a faint smile playing on his lips. He ate a spoonful of the food and chewed slowly.“So...” Jessica muttered, “How is it?”William swallowed, his expression neutral. “Feels like
“Let me have a taste of you.”Jessica furrowed her brow in confusion, hearing those words from the man called Oliver.“What do you mean?” she asked, even though deep down, she knew exactly what he meant.“You know what I’m talking about, Jessica. You’re not a kid. I can assure you that you’ll get what you want, and even more—” he didn’t finish his sentence, as Jessica cut him off.“I’ll have to decline. I have a boyfriend whom I love dearly. I’m not the type of woman who throws herself at a man just to get what she wants,” Jessica said through gritted teeth. She was boiling inside.Her gaze settled on the glass of wine before her. She badly wanted to pour it on his face, but offending this man would be a terrible idea.Jessica, a D-list actress whose dreams of becoming an A-list star had faltered with each rejection she received, made a living as a part-time model, using her looks and body to get by.She had thought of asking Oliver Martins, a famous actor she met two months ago durin
NewmanTec Inc., a futuristic tech company and the most successful of all the companies under the Newman family.In the CEO's office, two men could be seen. One sat confidently in a swivel chair, his perfectly sculpted fingers gliding over the keyboard of his MacBook, while the other stood in front of him, holding a tablet.“Maxwell, what's my schedule for the day?” William asked in a baritone voice.President William Newman is the only child of Charles Newman, the former president of the Newman Empire. He took over his father's business three years ago and has been excelling ever since.“Mr. President, you have a conference meeting in Paris at 1:00, a meeting with CEO Gustavo at 4:00, and a dinner in Melbourne at 8:00,” Maxwell, his personal assistant, read aloud, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose.“Reschedule my meeting with CEO Gustavo for tomorrow. Have the private jet prepared. We'll be leaving for Paris in half an hour.”“Yes, Mr. President,” Maxwell nodded and turn
The golden rays of the morning sun peeked through the curtains, shining on the two bodies in bed. Clothes were messily scattered around the room.Jessica ran her hands over the luxurious fabrics of the soft bed she was sleeping on. Faint red marks were visible on her neck and even on her chest.She slowly opened her eyes before letting out a yawn, followed by a groan. Her body felt sore and ached badly; she could barely feel her legs.‘Oh no.’ Her eyes widened as she remembered what happened last night. She had done it—she had really slept with Oliver. She held the sheets close to her body, suddenly feeling dirty.Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a movement behind her. Turning around, her whole body froze—both in astonishment and in shock.Not only was this man not Oliver, but he looked too perfect to be true. If she had once thought Louis was very handsome, she was wrong—this man overshadowed him by far. From his blond hair, nose, thin lips, smooth skin, everything about t
William was sitting on his couch with one leg crossed over the other. He had already taken his bath and was wearing an expensive black suit, his hair neatly combed. His face held a cold expression as his finger tapped on the armrest of the couch.“Mr. President, the waitress is here,” Maxwell said.“Let her in.”Maxwell opened the door for the waitress. She walked in with her gaze fixed on the floor.“Good morning, sir,” she greeted.“Start talking.”“H... Huh?”“Don't make me lose my patience. Speak, who paid you to drug me?”The waitress looked down, the fear she tried to conceal was slowly showing.“I didn’t—”“If I were you, the last thing I’d do right now is lie,” William glared at her.Her lips began trembling immediately. She didn’t have the courage to look up at his face.“Maxwell, can you tell me everything about her?”“Yes, Mr. President,” Maxwell said as he clicked on his tablet and began reading, “Cynthia Stevens, age 23. She has two brothers, one of whom is a college drop
A brief moment of silence settled between them as Jessica stared at William with wide eyes, utterly speechless. She had been expecting him to get angry or glare at her like he usually did, but him admitting he was jealous was the last thing on her mind.The air between them suddenly felt tense and awkward. Her eyes widened in alarm when William took a step closer to her. She subconsciously stepped back, but William closed the gap by taking another step forward.“Umm... W... Wh—” Before she could form a coherent word, William casually took the food flask from her hand and walked to his seat.He sat down, opened the flask, and grabbed the spoon. “Let’s hope the food isn’t poisoned,” he said nonchalantly.Jessica rolled her eyes. “I really wish it were,” she muttered.Surprisingly, William chuckled at her remark, a faint smile playing on his lips. He ate a spoonful of the food and chewed slowly.“So...” Jessica muttered, “How is it?”William swallowed, his expression neutral. “Feels like
Alexis took a seat across from Jessica and Rachael before smiling charmingly.“Pardon my tardiness; I had to attend an urgent meeting,” he said. “My name is Alexis Rodgers, CEO of this company. It's a pleasure meeting you.” He stretched his hand forward.Jessica accepted his handshake. “Jessica Belles, and this is my manager, Rachael Spencers,” Jessica introduced.Rachael jolted in surprise when Jessica mentioned her. Alexis turned to look at Rachael, who was trying her best to avoid his gaze. He smiled and stretched his hand toward her.“It's a pleasure meeting you,” he said.Rachael hesitantly shook his hand. “Same here,” she muttered.“So,” Alexis began, flipping through some pages in a file, “We would like you to collaborate with us for our magazine cover next week. Going through your past photoshoots, you seem really talented,” Alexis said.Jessica smiled. “Thank you, sir. It'll be an honor to work with you,” she said.“Great! My personal assistant will communicate the date of th
Jessica turned to look at him with furrowed brows. She crossed her arms and raised a brow before speaking.“Oh, so now you're spying on me?” Jessica asked.“I asked a question, and I demand an answer,” William replied.Jessica frowned. “Really? And how did my personal life become any of your business? You don't have any right to question me about who I see and who I don't. You were the one who made the rules, remember? For us not to meddle in each other's private lives. You made the rule, so stick to it.”She scoffed and looked ahead. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I need some rest. Goodnight,” she said and walked up the remaining stairs.William just stared at her retreating figure, his fists clenched tightly.“What is wrong with me?” he muttered to himself._________The next day, Jessica woke up to a sunny morning. After taking a shower, she headed downstairs for breakfast. Entering the dining room, the delicious aroma of food wafted through the air, making her appetite grow.“Good mor
The taxicab dropped her off in front of The Harrison mansion—her father’s house. Earlier, she had received a call from Belinda summoning her back home. She was about to refuse, but on second thought, she agreed to come. It was finally time to make things clear with them once and for all.Heaving a deep breath, she stepped forward and entered the mansion. She was greeted by the maids, who guided her to the living room where they were waiting for her.The moment she stepped in, she was met with their disapproving faces—a look she was all too familiar with.“Father,” Jessica called.Leon tossed a newspaper in her direction. Jessica looked down at it and saw her name in the headlines.“Tell me, what is the meaning of this?” Leon said, standing up. “What sort of connection do you possibly have with one of the higher-ups? Don’t you know this is affecting Belinda’s career and fame? You’re stealing her spotlight!”Jessica smiled bitterly. Of course, this was going to be about Belinda again.“
“Wi… William Newman’s wife?” Oliver stammered, his voice trembling as the weight of those words sank in.He stared at Alexis in disbelief, his mind racing to comprehend the revelation. It couldn’t be true, could it? There had been no rumors, no whispers in the media about William Newman being in a relationship, let alone married. The news outlets, always eager to pry into the life of the business magnate, had never reported such a thing.“What the hell are you saying? Do you think I’m stupid enough to fall for that nonsense?” Oliver spat angrily, his voice carrying a mix of defiance and desperation.Alexis smirked, his expression calm and mocking. “You won’t be saying that once he gets here.” he replied, his tone laced with amusement.Turning to the guards, Alexis issued a cold command. “Untie the waiter and turn him over to the police. He’s irrelevant now.”As the guards began untying the unconscious waiter, Alexis glanced back at Oliver with a grin. “As for him,” he said, nodding to
Jessica lay on the bed, curling up in discomfort, when the door clicked open, and a figure walked in. Relief washed over her immediately, but it was short-lived as she saw a masked man approaching her.Sensing danger, she slowly shifted back. “Who—who are you?”The man smirked. “Don’t worry, just relax. I promise you’re going to enjoy this,” he said.Before Jessica could move, he had her pinned to the bed, his weight pressing her down.“No... no...” Jessica struggled, but he held her wrists firmly against the mattress as he began sucking on her neck.“Please... stop...” Tears welled up in her eyes. Her body betrayed her, slowly succumbing to the effects of whatever was coursing through her, heightening her panic.His hands moved down, squeezing her breast before grazing her thigh and touching her intimate part.All Jessica could do was cry, desperately hoping for a miracle. Just as she began to lose all hope, with the man unzipping her gown and starting to pull it off, a loud knock re
“How do I look?” she asked, her eyes sparkling.William stared at her with wide eyes, unable to utter a word for several seconds.“William?” Jessica furrowed her brows.William cleared his throat and quickly looked away, a frown plastered on his face as though he was annoyed.“Where are you going?” he asked.Jessica smiled. “Our crew was invited to Mr. Edmond Wade's dinner party tonight, so I'm going,” she said excitedly, glancing at her dress.“I’m going to the same party too.”“Really?” Jessica looked at him. “Perfect! We could just tag along and—”“No,” William said flatly.“If you're going to come, take another car,” he added and entered his car without waiting for a reply. The car drove off immediately.“What is wrong with him? If he didn’t like the dress, he could have just said so,” Jessica mumbled, watching his car disappear down the driveway.“This way, Miss,” Jessica’s personal driver said, gesturing toward another vehicle.She nodded and followed him to the car, stepping in
“Did… Did I just see William Newman? With you?”Jessica couldn’t hide the shocked look on her face. She quickly composed herself and smiled.“I just happen to know him. We’re… friends!” Jessica chuckled nervously.“It’s no secret that Mr. William is a misogynist,” Rachael said, raising an eyebrow.Jessica sighed. She wasn’t very good at lying. Biting her lip, she decided that it might not be so bad if a third party knew the truth.“Listen, I know what I’m about to say will sound unrealistic, but it’s true,” Jessica began. “The man you saw earlier is… my husband.”Rachael stared blankly at her for a moment before bursting into laughter. “Oh, really? Then I must be his sister,” she said, laughing. Her amusement faded when she noticed the serious expression on Jessica’s face.“You’re joking, right?” she asked hesitantly.Jessica sighed again. “It’s a secret marriage. Nobody knows except his family and now you.”Rachael staggered back slightly, nearly losing her balance as she stared at J
“Is it really love? If it’s love, then why does your body still react to my presence?” Louis whispered.Jessica felt an inexplicable surge of anger through her. Before she knew it, her hand flew across his cheek, landing a resounding slap.Louis held his face, staring at her in shock.Jessica smirked, her hand stinging. “You’re right, my body still reacts to your presence. It reacts with anger. Every time I see you, I badly want to slap you.” She glared at him.“I’m married, Louis. I’m someone else’s wife. Don’t ever come near me again, or I won’t hesitate to press charges. I’m sure your fiancée wouldn’t appreciate knowing you’re chasing after your ex, right?” Jessica warned, turning to leave.Louis suddenly grabbed her wrist, pulling her back toward him.“How dare you raise your hand to me!” Louis sneered angrily.Jessica smirked and slapped his other cheek almost immediately.“F**k off.” She spat and walked away.Louis glared at her, his chest rising and falling with rage. “That b*t