~Ethan~My eyelids felt heavy as I slowly pried them open. The bright rays of daylight pierced through, forcing me to shut them again as the sharp light triggered a jolt of pain in my head.“Ethan?” A distant voice echoed, as if pulling me from the shadows. My eyelids fluttered open again, revealing a blurry figure hovering beside me.“Doctor! He’s awake!” The voice called out, sharper this time, filled with relief. “I’m here, baby. I’m right here.”A warm hand gripped mine firmly. That voice—it struck a chord deep within me. A faint smile tugged at my lips as recognition blossomed. Even in the depths of unconsciousness, her voice and smile had lingered in my mind.“Mia?” I croaked, blinking rapidly to clear my vision. The haziness subsided, and my heart sank with disappointment.It wasn’t her.Instead, Sienna stood by my bedside, and, to make matters worse, my mother was beside her, worry etched into her face.“Really?” Sienna’s tone dripped with disdain. “Mia? That’s the name you re
~Mia~I entered the police station with Mr. John following closely behind. He had explained everything about what happened between them and the charges Charles was about to face in court. The weight of it all made me feel bad.Yes, Charles deserved every bit of the punishment coming his way for what he’d done to Mr. Ethan, but it pained me to think of him wasting years of his life in prison. For what? It wasn’t because he loved me—he didn’t. This was about his ego. And I wanted to look him in the eye and demand an answer. Why? Why had he been so brutal?Mr. John led the way to the counter where two officers were stationed. Their faces lit up with smiles the moment they saw him—it was clear he was familiar to them.“Good day, Mr. John,” one of the officers greeted.“Good day,” Mr. John replied with a smirk. “Another day, another asshole like Charles to deal with. I need a visit,” he said casually.One of the officers nodded and grabbed a large notebook. Mr. John scrawled something int
~Mia~We got home, and I quickly made my way to the kitchen to prepare Ethan’s welcome-back meal.I debated whether to make chicken, one of his favorite dishes, or porridge since he was still recovering. As I started cooking, John strolled into the kitchen and headed straight to the freezer for a bottle of water.“What do you think about Ethan and me?” I asked, glancing at him. He responded with a wide, mischievous grin.“I’ve been waiting for you to bring that up ever since Sienna said you were in his bed,” he said, clearly intrigued. “Did you two actually…” He gestured suggestively, driving his index finger into a circle formed by his other hand.My cheeks flushed, and I gave a slow nod. “It just happened. The night was perfect—so was the morning—until Sienna showed up,” I admitted with a sigh. “But I don’t know, Mr. John. Mrs. Cross and Sienna won’t stop until he marries her.”John nodded knowingly.“But Ethan loves me,” I added, carrying a bowl of potatoes to the sink. As I starte
~Mia~“Won’t you go back to her?” I whispered as I manage to break the kiss and catch my breath. He heaved a loud sigh, his hand moving slowly under my shirt, right on top of my nipple. “I will, but I don’t want to move away from you.” he muttered, resting his forehead on mine. I was still pinned to the wall and my hands were held up high, above my head with one of his hands, while the other explored my warm, perky peaks. “You have to or she will cause another problem.” I responded sadly, “I don’t think I want to deal with her anymore, Ethan.” “You wouldn’t have to.” He responded, slowly releasing his grip on my hands and they fell to my side. I could feel slight pain in my shoulders, but I didn’t care about it. “She wouldn’t bother you anymore. I am working on a plan to end things with her for good.” He said, and my face instantly lit up.“Really?” My voice etched with hope. “Hmmm,” he nodded. “I just need a little more time. I need to prepare my mother for what is to come. If s
~John~I pulled into the parking lot and stepped out of my car, clutching a bouquet of roses in one hand. I adjusted my suit and shirt, my heart pounded with nervous anticipation as I approached the entrance.Pushing the door open, I paused for a moment, my eyes sweeping across the restaurant in search of her. And then, there she was—seated in a cozy corner.She spotted me and waved, her face glowing with a cheerful grin. A broad smile spread across my own face as I made my way toward her.I approached the table and set the bouquet on it. She stood, greeting me with a warm hug and a light kiss on the cheek.“Finally,” she said, her voice brimming with excitement as she sat down again.“Right.” I chuckled. “Finally. I’m so sorry you had to wait this long.” Sitting down, I picked up the bouquet and extended it to her. “These are for you.”She accepted it with a soft smile, bringing the flowers to her nose for a gentle sniff. “This is so sweet of you,” she murmured, closing her eyes as i
~Alexa~"Get Dina here, now!" I shouted, my frustration echoing through the office. One of the girls quickly bolted to fetch her. My account book sat on the desk in front of me, glaring back like an unwelcome reminder.Dina was the club's newest stripper, and in her first week, she was a star—pulling in over $500 a night and earning the title of my favorite. But now? Her nightly earnings had plummeted to less than $100.The door creaked open, and Dina stepped in, dressed for the night."You called for me, Alexa?" she asked, her tone cautious.I grabbed the account book and flung it toward her. She caught it just before it hit the ground. "What the hell is going on? Look at this! Your numbers have tanked! Are you stealing from me?" I demanded, my voice laced with fury.Her eyes widened in shock. "What? No, Alexa! I’d never do that!""Then explain this!" I snapped. "Why aren’t you earning like you used to? What’s the excuse? Your knees giving out or something?"Dina shook her head, "Tha
~Mia~ I stood in front of the mirror, eyes fixed on my reflection. I was wearing a sleek black silk dress with tiny straps, the one Ethan had gifted me. Around my neck, the necklace he gave me shimmered, and a dainty watch rested on my wrist, right above my black cotten glove.On the other side of the room, Ethan stood in front of the closet, busy getting dressed as well. We were getting ready for the Charity Gala he’d been invited to, and he’d asked me to accompany him as his date.“Baby, can you help me with my watch?” Ethan called out, and I turned toward him. A soft smile spread across my face as he walked toward me and extended his hand.“Why are you smiling?” he asked, his grin playful as he gazed at me.I shrugged lightly. “I… I don’t know,” I stammered, “This… this feels cute. It’s like we’re a couple,” I added shyly, fastening his watch around his wrist.He chuckled. “Like a couple? We are a couple already, babe. We’re not pretending,” he replied, reaching up to touch my fa
~Sienna~ I paced back and forth in my room, my eyes locked on the pictures on John’s Instagram story. It was from the annual charity gala Ethan and I were supposed to attend together, yet now, he was there with *her*—that maid!“Ugh, he has no taste whatsoever!” I shouted, frustration bubbling over. The thought of him parading around with her at such an event, embarrassing me like this, was infuriating.That girl has done enough. It's time to end this for good. I paused, dialing Mrs. Cross’s number. I needed her to remind me where her loyalties lay—she had been acting too comfortable lately. As the phone rang, I resumed my pacing, waiting for her to pick up. When she finally answered, I stopped in my tracks.“Mrs. Cross?” My voice quivered, on the verge of breaking. “Sienna, darling, how are you?” she replied sweetly. I sniffed, trying to hold back the tears. “I’m not okay, Mom. Ethan went to the gala with that maid. It was supposed to be the two of us,” I mumbled, sniffling harde
~Mia~ I rummaged through my closet in a hurry, trying to find the perfect outfit for tonight. It had been ages since I’d gone out, so naturally, I was buzzing with excitement.“Jacket…” I murmured, grabbing one of my leather ones and tossing it onto the bed. Then I stood back, hands on my hips, eyeing the closet like it owed me answers.“Now where did I put those tights?” I muttered, diving into the drawers again, pulling things out and tossing them aside.Mid-search, the door creaked open. I leaned out to see who it was.Ethan stepped in, flashing a wide smile. “Hey.”“Hey,” I replied, returning the smile before turning back and plucking a short black bodycon dress from a hanger.I threw it onto the bed next to the jacket just as he came closer.“Someone’s got big plans,” he said, settling onto the bed and watching me with curiosity. “What’s the occasion?”I finally found my tights and tossed them onto the bed with the rest of my outfit. “Don’t tell me you’ve already forgotten,” I
~Sienna~“Shit… shit,” Bernard groaned as he climaxed.I sighed, rolling my eyes as I shoved him off me.“This is the last time this is ever happening,” I muttered, snatching my clothes off the floor and slipping them on without a second thought.He slid a hand beneath my head, his gaze burning into my back as I dressed. “Why are you so cold about it? Don’t you enjoy it like I do? Or am I just not good enough for you in bed?”I scoffed and shook my head in disgust.“This was never about pleasure. This is a transaction. You handle Mia, do whatever the hell you want with her, but you don’t go near Ethan. He’s mine.” I turned to face him.Bernard smirked. “Well, I haven’t exactly had Mia to myself yet, like you said I would. So until that happens, you keep showing up.”“Oh, don’t worry,” I replied with a smirk of my own as I pulled up my pants. “You’ll have her all to yourself this weekend.”His brows knitted in confusion. “What do you mean?”I turned and met his eyes.“There’s a girls’
~John~I sat on the couch in the living room, with Darla lying beside me, her head resting gently on my thighs. “I was honestly so shocked when she approached me,” Darla continued, her hands animated as she spoke. “She’s never come to me like that before, so calm and genuine. Then she said, ‘I know I haven’t been the best sister to you, especially when it comes to your relationship with John.’” She mimicked the voice and I let out a laugh.“Isn’t that a bit odd?” I asked, raising a brow. She nodded.“At first, yeah. Even our parents were caught off guard. But once she started seeing that therapist, we all started to believe she was serious.”I shrugged lightly. “Guess that means I don’t have to kidnap you anymore.”She let out a thoughtful hum and nodded. “Exactly. And now it’s your turn to find time to meet my parents, don’t you think?” she said, lifting her head slightly to look at me.My eyes widened. “Wait, already?”“Well, we need their blessings before they change their minds,”
~Mia~Evening crept in faster than I expected, and I’d been completely caught up with making dinner. Once I was done, I headed to the bedroom to freshen up, eager for Ethan to get home so I could share everything about my day.After talking to Sienna, I felt elated, like a heavy weight had finally been lifted off my chest. There was nothing holding us back now. No more secrets, no more tiptoeing around. We were finally free to be with each other, without worrying about anyone's opinion.I stepped out of the shower and slipped into my short, red singlet that barely covered my bum. I was in such a good mood, and I needed him to feel that the moment he saw me.As I pulled my hair into a messy bun, it suddenly hit me, I hadn’t set the wine on the dining table yet. I dashed downstairs to do that, and just as I was placing the bottle down, the doorbell rang.“Speak of the devil,” I chuckled, hurrying over to answer it.When I opened the door, there he was, Ethan. His smile was soft, and as
~Mia~“I was honestly stunned when he told me. I... I was terrified to bring it up with Ethan because I didn’t want it to come off like I was pressuring him into something he wasn’t ready for, you know?” I said into the phone, lying on my bed.“I totally get that,” Sharon replied on the other end. “But I don’t think Mr. Cross would ever see it that way. He knows you’re still young and in college. It’s not like he’d expect you to jump into marriage just like that.”“I know, but it still made me start thinking about us again. Everything feels so messy. Or maybe I’m just spiraling,” I admitted.“That’s exactly it,” Sharon said. “You’re definitely overthinking it. Didn’t he already explain everything?”I let out a sigh and rolled my eyes. “I hate that you’re always right.”She laughed. “What can I say? It’s one of my best qualities.”“Yeah, yeah,” I replied playfully.“Yeah… before I forget the real reason I called. I heard Charles is out,” she said, and I raised my brows.“Yeah,” I exhal
~Ethan~I sat on one of the chairs beside the office door, deep in conversation with my police friend about Alexa’s latest schemes, when the door suddenly opened and Mia stepped out.My face lit up the moment I saw her. She offered a smile in return, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. My brows drew together as I rose to my feet.“Hey.” I reached for her hands and gently held them. “How are you? Are you okay?” I asked, concern lacing my voice.She swallowed and forced another smile. “Yeah,” she said with a small nod. “Let’s get out of here.”I nodded, still holding her hand as we walked down the hallway in silence.We didn’t say a word as we exited the building, and once we reached the car, I opened the door for her. She slid in without a word. I closed it softly behind her, then made my way around to the driver’s side.After settling into my seat, I started the engine and pulled out of the parking spot. As we drove, I stole occasional glances at her.Mia sat with her head down, finge
~Mia~I slowly blinked my eyes open and let out a yawn. Sunlight streamed through the window, and the soft chirping of birds filled the air.“Good morning, sweetheart,” Ethan greeted with a wide grin as he buttoned up his shirt.A smile spread across my face. “You’re up early,” I mumbled, stifling another yawn. Sitting up, I pulled the duvet over my legs.“Yes. I have an appointment with your parents’ lawyer today,” he said casually.My brows shot up. “You found them?” I asked, stunned.Ethan nodded, his smile widening. Grabbing his tie, he walked over to the bed.“All it took was asking my private investigator to look into it. He got back to me, and I’m meeting with him this morning,” he explained.Without hesitation, I threw off the bedsheet and climbed out of bed. “I need to come with you,” I said urgently, rushing toward the bathroom.Before I could get far, Ethan gently caught my wrist, stopping me in my tracks.“You don’t have to come,” Ethan reasoned. “The appointment is soon,
~Sienna~I stepped into the clubhouse, the music blasting so loud it felt like it was rattling my skull. It was uncomfortable as hell, but I didn’t care. I had one goal, and I wasn’t leaving without it.Glancing at my phone screen again, I studied the picture, my eyes scanning the crowded room. ‘Where the fuck is he?’ I thought, frustration bubbling inside me.Just then, a shady-looking guy appeared in front of me. He stood stiff, almost too rigid for a club setting, his dark shades making him look even more suspicious under the dim flashing lights.“You Sienna?” he asked, his voice low and unreadable.He looked nothing like the man in the picture.“Yeah?” I answered cautiously.“Follow me. The boss has been waiting for you.”Without another word, he turned and walked off, expecting me to follow. I scoffed under my breath but trailed behind him anyway.We weaved through the crowd—past the dancers, the drinkers, and even the couples lost in heated makeouts—until we reached a door near
~Mia~The car ride to the police station was quiet. I knew Ethan wanted Charles to suffer more for what he had done, but despite his own feelings, he couldn’t ignore what I wanted.“Are you okay?” I asked softly, my hand reaching for his thigh.Ethan glanced at me, then offered a small smile. “Yeah, I am.” He nodded. “Why do you ask?”“You seem deep in thought,” I replied, returning his smile.He arched a brow. “Well, you’re not wrong.” He exhaled. “I can’t shake this uneasy feeling about letting Charles go. We’re finally happy together—what if he does something reckless again? What if he tries to hurt you?”I sighed, understanding his concern. “I get it, baby. But that’s exactly why we’re going to talk to him first. He needs to prove that he’s no longer a threat. And who knows? Maybe he’ll finally reveal who sent him after you in the first place.”Ethan considered my words, then shrugged. “Well, we’re already on our way, aren’t we? Guess that means you win.” He smirked playfully, and