"Cat," Xavier's voice sliced through the hush of the dim room. Cathleen jolted awake, her arms cradling Bella, the warmth of her daughter a stark contrast to the chill in his tone.Her eyes, wide and alert, flickered between the baby's serene face and the imposing figure of her husband. She brushed away sleep, the lullaby dying on her lips. "Oh, I didn't know I fell asleep," she murmured her voice a soft anchor in the tense air."Yeah, I can see." Xavier's words were edged with impatience as he loomed closer, his shadow swallowing the gentle glow of the nightlight. "But you are spending so much time with Bella that you can't put her down. You do know she's not going anywhere, right?"The nod was automatic—a simple bob of her head—but her mind raced. His presence commanded her attention; his frustration was palpable, filling the space like a thick fog."Then why are you not performing your wifely duties to me?" Xavier's question hung heavy, his gaze dropping pointedly to the bulge strai
The air was thick, laced with impatience and a slight stench of desperation. Board members leaned forward, their eyes fixed on Xavier, who sat at the head of the long mahogany table, detached. His fingers drummed a silent rhythm against the leather of his chair—tap, tap, tap—his mind elsewhere entangled in a war between longing and resentment."Are we ever going to find out who is behind the Eye Of The Ocean?" The question sliced through the tension like a whip's crack, stark against the murmur of suits and ties. They wanted answers. They craved the thrill of unmasking the enigma that had eluded them for far too long. But Xavier? His thoughts were ensnared by the cold shift in Cathleen’s affection; her once scorching gaze now warmed for another—a tiny angel that wrapped her world in pink innocence."Sir," a voice called, tentative, almost drowned by the heavy thud of Xavier's heart. It was the sound of a man splintered by his own making.He turned slowly, as if every muscle fought aga
Xavier's shadow stretched long across the barren living room, his footsteps heavy, a dull echo in the silence. 7:00 P.M. The clock mocked him with its steady tick, a reminder of the void expanding within the walls that once thrummed with life. He stopped pacing, fists clenching and unclenching as he fought the rising tide of unease."Come on," he muttered, glaring at his phone.It vibrated. His heart leaped. But the text shredded any flicker of hope."Hi, we won't be coming back tonight; Bella needs to spend time with her grandfather.""Fuck." Xavier scoffed, venomously lacing his words. "What about me? Don't I fucking deserve to spend time with my daughter?" Anger crackled in his voice, a whip snapping in an empty room."Is she avoiding me?" The words hung in the air, unanswered.He spun on his heel, his eyes catching the crimson digits of the clock again. 7:59. An hour was lost to waiting and hoping. No more."Fine," he spat out, snatching the car keys, their metallic jangle a harsh
The Jackson Group was hosting a grand bachelorette party in the picturesque garden of the Knight International Hotel. The elegant hotel sat nestled on the rolling slopes of the Yamhill Mountains, surrounded by tranquil countryside dotted with carefully tended vineyards and towering peaks. This particular hotel was just one gem in the vast collection of hotels owned by Knight Group International around the world. Excitement vanished in Avery, the bride-to-be. Avery dashed into the lobby of the hotel to make a quick call to her mother and share the news that they had caught the wrong man. Rich furnishings and sparkling chandeliers that glistened off the marble floors greeted Avery inside. The faint scent of freshly cut flowers lingered in the air, adding to the luxurious atmosphere.At first, Avery and her mother were happy to claim Finn as their ticket into the world of wealth and power. But as Avery delved deeper into Finn's background, she discovered that Finn was not actually the he
Cathleen's mocking smirk grew with each second as she realized that the person on the ground was her cruel stepsister, Avery. A wicked grin spreads across Cathleen's face as she tilts her head and gazes down at the woman who once tormented her, now reduced to a mere fallen subordinate. The look of shock and admiration on Avery's face only fuels Cathleen's sense of power and dominance. Cathleen flashed a grin and cocked her head as she looked at the woman, who was now seated on the ground. Avery was staring at her in awe.‘Avery, your rightful place is under me in this hierarchy.’ She appeared to be grinning as she whispered those words to herself in her brain. Avery, who was lying on the ground at the time, was awestruck by the beauty that was in front of her. Cathleen kneeled down to Avery’s height and helped her pick up her items after she had fallen. She did so with a grin on her face before picking up Avery's passport. Cathleen couldn’t stop smiling as it dawned on her that Avery
“I can give you 1.5 million. And you can try to raise the rest. I am not marrying that cretin.” Her voice dropped to a low, steady tone as she spoke. Her eyes narrowed with determination, and her mouth formed a thin line. Cathleen behaved more like William, but unlike Avery, she wasn’t a spoiled brat. Her unnerving composure sent shivers down William's spine as he braced himself for her to explode in anger. Instead, she spoke with cold precision, delivering her words like sharpened daggers that cut through the tension in the room.“Marrying Finn is our only option for Grandma’s survival. Baby girl, please. Grandma is counting on you.” Grandma's name triggered a range of emotions within her. She couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort and nostalgia, but at the same time, there was a tinge of guilt and regret. Her face betrayed these conflicting emotions as she let out a heavy sigh.“6 months. I will marry that jerk for only 6 months, and we will be done. Do not expect me to have chil
“How much?” Cathleen has grown colder over the years. The sweet girl everyone knew was gone. Not even a man could soften her heart. It was as if the girl didn’t have a heart at all; she was stone cold. The two looked at each other and couldn’t answer. Cathleen is where she is today, with no one’s help, not even her own father. She worked part-time to pay for her studies. The two didn’t answer as she continued to stare down at them. Cathleen arched an eyebrow at them, asking them to say how much they had spent on her, but no one spoke.Cathleen's once warm and kind demeanor has hardened into a chilling coldness over the years. Not even the presence of a man could thaw her frozen heart. It was as if she had no heart at all, made of stone and impenetrable. As the two faced each other in silence, neither able to answer nor understand this distant version of Cathleen, it became clear that she had clawed her way to where she was today on her own, without anyone's help or guidance—not even h
Xavier was balls deep inside his latest blonde when his phone chimed across the nightstand. He dove deeper into the blonde, which resulted in the blonde letting out a piercing shriek of anguish. It was no wonder the man was called a sex Adonis. Gazing up at her from below, his eyes were filled with a sense of boredom. With a sudden burst of energy, he delivered a forceful thrust that caused her to arch her back in agony. The sharp pain radiated through her body, leaving her gasping for air and struggling to remain upright. She could feel the intensity of his gaze on her as she tried to regain her composure. His piercing stare seemed to penetrate deep into her soul, filling her with an unsettling feeling.While he was still inside her, he tried to see the caller ID by looking across the nightstand, but he couldn’t. The girl's toes curled, and she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist, pulling him closer with fierce urgency. Her body pressed against his, aching for every inch of con