"You want sex as a reward?" I thought you only screwed me because you didn’t have anyone else.” “I told you that changed.” He stepped forward, rotated her chair, and boxed her in with his arms and body. "I should reiterate what I said earlier." Maybe telling you how much I missed you while I was balls deep in you was too much for you.” He said in a whisper and his voice went husky with his obvious interest. That mischievous smile hadn’t left his face. He made eye contact with her and held her stare with one that promised her a lot. Michael’s hand first caressed her cheek before he grabbed the back of her head and pulled her into a deeply passionate kiss. Julie suddenly felt herself getting lost in his kiss when his hands found her breasts and did what he loved with her. He teased and tortured them until she felt her body melting and aching for more. She heard herself moan into his mouth as her panties became wet in response. He wedged his legs bet
“You’re making the right choice, love. This isn’t something you can pretend isn’t there. Once you’ve dealt with it, everything in your life, our lives, will improve.” Leon said to Aria. His words soothed her greatly. The doctor approached and examined her. After several hours of speaking with her, the doctor felt she’d taken the medication far too long to get it out of her body safely at home. She’d have to go to the rehabilitation centre and detox there. The doctors would then review her condition and needs after that. “Leon, how can I do this? My father’s people will go crazy trying to cover up this story and I’ll look like a lowlife drug addict. You know my father can’t have a drug addict for a daughter. I can’t go to the rehabilitation centre. Someone will surely leak the news to the newspapers. I think it’s better if I just stay here and take the risk.” Aria’s arguments repeatedly covered the same points. How would this affect her work? What would her father and his p
Julie stood there again in her underwear. The image consultant measured her body. She could feel Michael’s cum easing from between her nether lips. He denied she had time for a shower before the appointment, knowing it would affect her desire for sex. Julie could see the noticeable bulge of his cock in his pants. Watching her change and deciding what she’d wear had made him want to fuck her again. “Okay, I believe I have everything I need now. If everything goes smoothly, items should arrive by the end of the month. Before I leave, is there anything else you would like to add, sir? Madam?” “No, that will be all.” Michael sat on the reading chair in the bedroom with his legs crossed and his fingers steepled. The woman flirted with him throughout, likely pleased by his smile. “My assistant has packed everything, and we’ll see ourselves out. “Have a good day,” Julie said. Then searched for her clothes. The woman hadn’t said goodbye to her.
Julie awoke to Michael lying asleep beside her. Dang it, half the day was gone, and she got nothing done. Naturally, she reflected on everything that happened today, realizing that Michael must have also lost valuable time for his work. The personal style coordinator hadn’t listened to a single thing Julie said and only took her orders from Michael. She struggled to understand Michael’s orders, as her attempts to be kind to the woman quickly faltered. She must stop focusing on the terrible experience. Julie was uncertain about Michael’s feelings towards the appointment, as he appeared more focused on the woman flirting with him. Previously, he would glance at her briefly before pursuing someone else. Michael probably didn’t realize she knew when they hosted parties, he’d screw another woman in the bathroom as she dealt with their guests and their needs. The last party he hadn’t attended and the two before that she’d not s
Julie knew this would happen. He was once overbearing, unaware of her ADHD, and now he’s reverting to his old behaviour. She selected her outfits with the naivety of a toddler, oblivious to what is proper that’s what he believed. Thinking about it made the following even harder. Even if she wanted to, something made her hesitate to follow him. She had things to do. For one, she had to contact the pharmacy and get more birth control. Ack, they’d had sex twice while she didn’t have any to take. He’d been sneaky, and he’d distracted her. Julie knew it shouldn’t surprise her. He’d do something like that. She knew him for doing unconventional things to achieve his goals. But this was a new low. “Oh, God. He wants me. Regardless of whether he ends up having a child. Could she bring a child into this? How would he respond if the child also had ADHD? Did he know it was genetic? “Julie, love. We don’t have all day.” “I just need t
“You think I would say it if I didn’t mean it? When I have, I said anything I didn’t mean?” Julie followed him into their bedroom before he said this to her. “Often, actually. You contradict your words with your actions. I can’t keep things straight with you sometimes and I am the one left thinking it’s a problem with me.” Julie’s patience with Michael was wearing thin. He made her promise not to leave and then he at once goes back to his highhanded ways. She questioned whether anything kept her here besides self-doubt and fear of solitude. “Well, it is. But the problem isn’t from a lack of effort on your part. That’s one of the things that helped me change my mind. As I went down that rabbit hole, as we’re describing my research. I saw what you did to express yourself. You know I hate anyone who takes advantage of someone who’s not able to defend themselves. When I made you sign that contract, I thought you were trying to take advantage of the situation, so I
Julie stepped into the bathroom and slammed the door in Michael’s face. She couldn’t believe she did that, but she couldn’t listen to him anymore. She didn't do it to him because it would make him furious. The dread built as the seconds ticked by. However, he refrained from yelling or knocking on the door. He simply said, "Your clothes are on the door, Julie." You have ninety minutes to get ready. You don’t need to worry about makeup.” Then he was gone. He’d sounded disappointed or sad. She wasn’t sure which. He said he loved her. Really? How could he live with her for three years without truly knowing her, only to suddenly declare his love for her? When he said that, he looked surprised at himself. As if he’d said something he’d not expected to. If he loved her, then she’d achieved more than she’d ever dreamed of. Julie pondered whether she could still love him despite everything that happened. Could she trust him not to change his
“I discovered a popular new restaurant that everyone is talking about. They make special claims about the dining experience there. If I tell you about their claims, then I’ll give away the surprise. It's reservation only. I secured this booking quickly through arduous work.” Julie had never seen Michael like this. Michael avoided situations involving her and refused to try new things together. He deliberately went out of his way for others to notice him and allow others to recognize him. "If this place is popular. Why the casual dress code and no makeup?" You won’t want anyone to see you with me.” “I'm indifferent to our location and my appearance. Our interaction will focus on each other. Not the world at large.” Julie yearned to express herself, but it made her speechless. She wasn’t sure whether she could trust him. It felt as if someone waved a red flag frantically to get her attention. Eventually, she forced words to pass her lip
Julie removed her earbuds as she sat at her desk. She’d just listened to the ready-to-print version of her fifteenth novel. It was survivable, at least. She felt Stephen and her publisher would love it. She could hear everyone out at the pool having fun. Michael entertained the early bird parents and kids as they slowly arrived for Johnathan’s birthday pool party. Their children’s parties seemed to be an event where people wanted invitations and their presence recognized by their peers. Julie couldn’t believe the changes that had happened over the last few years. Johnathan’s birth shone in her brain as the mark when Julie knew Michael was hers. He’d not settled, but he’d found a different direction for his life that made him happier. Michael had help from the parents, nannies, and several staff members minding the chaos of children everywhere. They’d long ago child proofed the house, and currently Michael hid his genuine prized items in a series of locked rooms away from t
Aria’s honeymoon was so much more than she had expected, and she used her social media accounts to poke the bear that was her father. She posted teasing photos of the place where she got married. Sold a few of her wedding photos to a couple of magazines with an interview hinting at why her father really wasn’t at her wedding and how disappointed she was at his betrayal of family ties. At the end of the interview, Aria made it good and clear that she’d broken off all ties with her father and she wasn’t interested in ever reconciling at any time in the future. He and his staff burned those bridges. As she went around Europe and saw the unique way of life there, some of it initially felt confusing and complicated. But she investigated other differences in how they treated people. It was something she’d not given much thought about until her life spiralled out of control and she finally understood why she was the way she’d become. It wasn’t pretty, and she had the photos and v
“Edward has everything in the car, Julie. We’re ready to head for the hospital. Now, you’re sure you’re okay with going through with a c-section? I mean, if you change your mind, you can still back out.” Michael could see how large Julie grew and wondered how his son hadn’t torn his way out. Michael worried Julie could no longer stand and walk safely. Life kept changing and he couldn’t believe he’d once thought this part of his life could go on without him. Over the last eight and a half months, he’d learned so much about a woman’s body he had to wonder if they were the same species. Women were so complicated, and Julie had some unique complications. A common comorbidity Julie had called EDS would complicate even the epidural she would need. Her joints had more range, and it caused her shoulders, back, and hips to be uneven. It could complicate administering the epidural. If she couldn’t get it, then she’d have to give birth naturally without it. This terrified Julie, alon
“I’m glad you’re doing this, Julie. Honestly, I don’t know what her father is thinking. But if he thinks she could embarrass him normally, to not come to his daughter’s wedding. Campaigning or not, he’s going to look bad. He recognized her as his daughter when it was convenient for him. Now he pulls this because it’s not convenient. His poll numbers will go down and he’ll lose the public confidence. If it gets out and it will that we showed up after that entire mess that started all of this. He’s sunk.” “You don’t think this is a mistake? She will not pull something fast. Like become caught in someone else’s bed?” “Julie, Aria’s been through a lot in the last six months. Leon didn’t just send her to rehab to just get off the medication. He sent her to a location that deals with complex abuse cases. She doesn’t realize it, but they did. He had to wait for over two years to get her a place there. It’s why I took her in like I did. I admit there were other stupid
The small plane landed at the secluded island airport, and Julie sighed in relief. There was something about travelling she disliked. To come all this way for a wedding for someone she didn’t like seemed crazy. But Leon was Michael’s best friend and Julie would muddle through it for five days there. What she still couldn’t get over was Aria’s request to come and bury the hatchet somewhere other than Julie’s back. She’d apologized. The hadron collider must have tested something again, and the world altered in reaction to the outcome of that test. That’s how Julie thought of why things changed in ways she didn’t see coming. Not that she believed the conspiracies; it was just a humorous way to look at her problem because Julie didn’t believe she’d ever find out the true reason these things changed. But jumping off into another timeline felt as sane as any other reason, and perhaps sometimes more logical. They stepped off the plane with the other guests, and a protracted line
Michael had said that he didn’t want to celebrate something that didn’t change. He didn’t want to admit he’d changed, and that changed their relationship. His explanation for this was he’d not been aware that he could be any other way until he’d seen how she lived in perpetual difference. Her effort to give him an easier existence while ignoring her own struggles had him questioning and rejecting much of his father’s teachings. It’d crossed over into his work life to and several people mentioned it over the months. So much so it became part of the water cooler gossip. Julie only found out about this after they’d gone back to the gym, and she heard the gossip at the juice bar. Michael hadn’t gone with her today as he now often did. Julie still struggled to become used to his constant presence around her. But she knew why this time around she struggled with it. Julie had to fight putting up a mask for the world and in that moment with Michael at the gym, she couldn’t figure
Christiana brought Aria upstairs, showed her the room, and helped her to unpack her things. Aria had to wait an hour before Leon came upstairs to her. But once Christiana ended with that, she gave Aria an odd warning before she left Aria to her own devices. “My dear, you’re not as sweet as you pretend to be, but that’s not a mark against you with me. The problem you will have been with the men of this family. They run this family with an iron fist, and we are not part of the conversation or the family business. So, if you think you will control anything or anyone within this family, then you’ll be walking a thin line between surviving or disappearing within an unfortunate accident. Please be careful what you say and do. This is something we say to all women who enter this family. Think carefully and long. If you stay, learn to keep your head down and your mouth shut. You can do and say anything outside of the family but don’t allow the bad to reflect on the family.”
“Julie love, you fell asleep. We’re here now. Let’s go in for our appointment.” Julie woke up to Michael’s voice. During their trip to her doctor’s appointment, she’d fallen asleep. Today she would talk to the doctor about her pregnancy and what to expect, including her birthing plan. Something she’d been avoiding because it absolutely terrified her. With pain, she had an odd relationship with it. There was no normal response to it for her. It either didn’t register or she was in a world of hurt that no one understood. Medications didn’t seem to work correctly either when dealing with pain. She’d believed that she was imagining this issue for most of her life, but Julie learned not too long ago that wasn’t the case. Her body resisted many pain medications, and she did in fact register pain differently to other people. “Great, let’s get this over with because there’re things I need to get done today.” She’d been grumpy for most of the day. Between
Julie sat there in the conference room with her lawyer. They’d been hashing out exactly how things would go from here on out. Michael had given her a file of documents which gave her terms he was willing to work with and he’d changed all the wording. Her lawyer had to review it all over the last few days and he had admitted to Julie that the generosity in the new offer was off the charts compared to the first time they sat down to get through this. But to stay was more beneficial for both parties. However, he warned her not to do anything if it wasn’t in her heart, or best for her safety. She should do what she believed was best for her and her child. “I will, I promise you that. But I will have to say that things have changed greatly in the last six months. I’m still unsure what changed things. If it was a single event or multiple events, but he’s not the same man. No, before you say it’s temporary, understand he’s happier now with the changes he’s made. It’s