The maid leads Mia into an office on the third floor and asks her to wait there.Mia sits uneasily on a beige sofa and takes in the room which the maid said is Mrs. Powll’s office.The room is bigger than the flat she and Calvin share, almost twice the size. Sunlight floods in through the window, pink and blue hydrangeas blossom in a beautiful vase, and art pieces hang on the wall. Mrs. Powell actually has a good taste in art.A picture frame that stands on the side table catches Mia’s attention. In that photo, two women with the same blonde hair and green eyes hug each other tightly, and their faces light up with smiles.Mia walks towards it and peers at it closely. One of them is Mrs. Powell. She looks so much younger, probably in her 20s. The big smile on her face is carefree and full of innocence. She is pretty, but her good looks are eclipsed by the other woman, whose breathtaking beauty draws people in like magic. Her golden hair cascades down her back in luscious waves, her eye
Looking at the tree-lined street through the window, Mia is overwhelmed with joy and disbelief. She and Calvin are going to live in this bright and spacious two-bedroom apartment in Park Slope rent-fee. Rent-free!“Do you like it?” Susie approaches Mia with a big smile.“Yes, very much. I’m speechless right now.” It is true. It is the best apartment she and her family have lived in.“Thank you so much for recommending me,” Mia says gratefully.“You can buy me a cup of coffee another day.” Susie chuckles.“A cup of coffee won’t be enough to express my gratitude.”“Don’t exaggerate. I just put in a good word for you. Girls help girls.” Susie winks.“You’ve been so kind to me, Susie. I’m so glad you are my mentor.”“I’m glad too. I have to go and pick up my niece. I’ve left the keys on the dining table. See you at the party tomorrow.”“Thank you so much, Susie.” Susie gives Mia a warm hug and walks out of the apartment.Now all alone by herself, Mia sits on the big and comfy sofa in the
The Powell Mansion is lit up in the dark night. Well-known public figures emerge from the expensive cars that pull over in front of the mansion, causing traffic congestion in the area. The street is swarmed with society reporters wishing to take snapshots of socialites, business tycoons, and politicians.Standing behind Mr. Powell at the main entrance of the mansion, Mia is nervous as hell. She had never attended parties like this. As if sensing her uneasiness, Susie gives her hand a gentle squeeze, and says, “you look gorgeous today.”Mia smiles back at Susie as a thank you. She is wearing the royal blue velvet dress purchased by Sophia. She never thought the mysterious item Sophia bought in that Williamsburg store was this dress. And she didn’t expect that Sophia bought it for her, either.A few days ago Mia was very anxious about what to wear for the party. She doesn’t own any nice dresses, especially not ones for grand occasions like this. She didn’t want to embarrass herself with
Mia’s heart skips a beat when Chris’s name is called. She quickly turns her head towards the door, but only gets a glimpse of his back. Oh no. He must have misunderstood what he has seen.Standing up in a hurry, she wants to catch up with Chris and explains to him. But Anderson catches her arm. “Mia,” Anderson whispers with hesitation on his face, “Don’t go.”“I have to go,” she breaks loose of Anderson’s hand, and runs towards the door before he could say anything.Chris is walking in long strides toward the end of the hallway which leads to the stairs. He walks too fast, and her heels are not helping at all.“Chris,” Mia calls in a breathless voice. She finally catches up with him before he descends the stairs.“Let me explain.”“Explain what, Mia? ” Chris’s voice and looks are as cold as ice. It makes Mia’s heart freeze.“Anderson is just a friend. Nothing happens between us.”“Mia, you don’t owe me an explanation. You are free to date anyone.”“I’m not dating him. My heart is take
Chris drives silently all the way to his penthouse in Wayne Tower. The air in the car is charged with sexual tension. He could sense Mia’s nervousness. She is shifting uneasily on the passenger seat.Now they are riding the elevator alone. Just the two of them. Chris pulls Mia closer to him, letting her feel his erection, his want. He hears Mia gasp and watches the deep crimson on her face. He lets her know that he wants her. He wants her so bad. He wants wild sex with her to chase the pain away.The minute he closes the door of his penthouse behind them, his lips crush Mia’s in a hungry and demanding kiss. Mia voluntarily parts her lips, granting him access to her mouth more than willingly. His tongue desperately finds hers, stroking hers. His hand slides into her hair and pulls her closer so that he could kiss her exactly the way he wants: possess her, own her, mark her. Overwhelmed by the intensity of his kiss, Mia stands on tiptoe and wraps her arms around his neck. He moves his
Plunging into the water, Chris starts his daily workout routine. He tries to clear his thoughts while doing the laps. Last night changed so many things. What should he do with Mia? Did he act impetuously by taking her here and claiming her? He sure doesn’t regret making love to her. What happened between them last night was amazing and mind-blowing. He never felt so jealous in his life when he saw Anderson sitting so close to Mia. Anderson likes Mia more than just a friend. Chris could tell that from the way he looks at her. He almost lost control there. He nearly barged in, tore Mia away from his stepbrother, and warned him to step back even though he knows that Anderson is a good and respectable guy. Instead, he walked away because reason took the upper hand. Maybe this was for the best. He was not ready to confront himself about his feelings for Mia. That was a dangerous territory to go into. He was not familiar with the feelings swelling in his chest. Jealousy and even anger.
Sunlight streams through the window onto the bed Mia is lying on. A sweet aroma wafts to the bedroom. Mia’s eyes flutter open. For a moment, she is lost in the unfamiliar room. Then she recalls everything and blushes at the memory. Chris is not on the bed. She needs to pee, but she has no clothes to wear. Her dress is nowhere to be found. She vaguely remembers Chris taking it off her in the living room. Her mind wanders to his touch on her body. She is wet between her legs. Focus, don’t go there. Maybe she could just use the sheets to cover her body. “I prefer you not wearing anything.” Chris suddenly appears at the door. He is wearing a simple black T-shirt and a pair of light blue jeans. His muscles are visible under the simple outfit. His rumpled hair gives him a casual sex appeal. His eyes roam all over her naked body with intense heat, which makes her stomach flip. Before she has time to wrap the sheet around her body to cover her nudity, Chris walks to the bed in long strid
Mia has entered a new chapter in her life. She has a nice apartment she likes very much, a job that pays well, and most importantly, a man who makes her toes curl at night and her heart pounding whenever she sees him. She has never been happier in her life. She starts to see Chris in secret on his property in Brooklyn. It is a 3-story residence with an industrial exterior design. The tall trees surrounding the house seclude it from the peering eyes of busybodies in Summer. And the most wondrous part of the house is it is just 3 blocks away from her apartment. When Chris said they were going to meet there for their dates, Mia couldn’t help wondering if Chris knew the location of her apartment. But how? “This cannot be a coincidence. Do you know where I live? Or have you been stalking me? ” Mia asks jokingly. “I have no idea where you live. It just happens that one of my properties is close to your apartment. My houses and apartments scatter the city and I lose track.” An argument M
Six Months Later Chris takes a seat in the corner of the visiting room of Hudson Correctional Facility, waiting for his father to be brought up to him. His father has been sentenced to 10 years for bribing a federal judge in addition to some other economic crimes. The empire he built from scratch with his mother almost toppled overnight with his conviction together with Anthony’s. Not wanting his mother’s work to go to waste, he helped Anderson get through the most difficult time. Now Anderson is leading the company with Chris as the biggest shareholder. Anthony got what he deserves the most. Life imprisonment in a maximum-security prison for kidnapping, multiple rapes, and murder of a victim’s brother. The last count of conviction surprised almost everyone and helped put Anthony in prison for good. He is going to rot in prison and Chris doesn’t plan for him to enjoy the prison too much. He has made sure that Anthony would be “well taken care of” in that Wisconsin facility. After
The long hallway is dim and quiet without a single soul in sight. Mia walks in the hallway cautiously, wary of any movement. After a few minutes, she finally reaches the elevator hall. Pressing the down button, she waits for the lift to arrive on her floor. She steps into the elevator when the door opens, without giving much thought to the man standing in it with his back on her. At the exact moment, the elevator door closes, fear grips her heart, and the hair on the back of her neck stands up. She pushes the open button furiously but it doesn’t work. “Got you!” A familiar and sinister voice sounds behind her. A cold ugly hand comes from behind and drags her to the corner.Mia tries to scream, but no sound comes out as if she is mute. Tears begin to roll down her cheeks. She feels so helpless. The man is too strong to fight off. “This time you are not gonna get away. I’m gonna make you pay!” the man whispers gruffly, his one hand starting to tear her clothes from her. No, no, n
“The tracker has been installed in your watch. They will search your body and probably will make you take it off. But it’s worth a try.” Agent Thomson who is in plainclothes says calmly, handing Chris his watch. Chris nods absentmindedly. All he could think about right now is Mia. He squeezes his eyes shut and doesn’t dare to think about what she is suffering now. It is all his fault. He only brings her pain and misfortune. First her sister, now her. He is going to let that son of bitch really pay. “The call clearly requires you to go alone. We’ll tail you but keep a safe distance so that Anthony won’t cash in his promise.” Thomson continues. “I get it. I only want her safe and sound even if it's at the price of my life.” Chris says solemnly, thinking of Anthony’s threat. “Come alone. I know you have called the police. But if I see any sign of police showing up when you come, I’ll shred her into pieces, believe me or not.” Anthony warned when he called this morning at 6 am. Chr
“What the hell are you talking about, Tara?” Chris snarls, anger simmering in his eyes. He pushes her off of him and steps back to put distance between them. Tara stumbles onto the desk, hurt written over her face. “You said you have something concerning Anthony that you want to talk with me about. But instead, you are putting on this little show and saying nonsense. What is wrong with you?” Chris waves his hands in frustration. “I…I just want to be with you. I love you.” Tara mutters, tears starting welling up in her eyes. “Don’t you get it that nothing is going to happen between us? I love Mia. As I said to you before, you will always be my friend. But don’t make me end our friendship because I won’t hesitate if you make another advance.” Chris threatens. “But that is not what you said to me when you had that mental breakdown. You said I was the only one who truly understood you. You said you love me.” Tara cries out in desperation. Heaving a sigh, Chris runs his hand down his
Mia stands in front of the mirror and does the last check of her light makeup. Everything looks perfect. She is ready to go downstairs. An arm snakes around her waist, pulling her closer to the owner of a strong body that screams masculinity and sexiness behind her. Chris buries his face in her bare shoulder, nipping at her slightly, sending a shiver down her spine. “You look breathtaking,” he mumbles while continuing to suck the sensitive spot between her neck and the collarbone. Mia bites her lips hard to stifle a moan. “You don’t look so bad yourself,” she manages to say breathily, peering from the corner of her eyes at him. He wears an expensive tailored black suit that fits him nicely, showcasing his muscles and long legs. “Like what you see?” his lips pull into a mischievous smirk. Blood rushes to Mia’s cheeks. Chris presses his body tightly against her, letting her feel his hardness poking at her bottom. One of his hands slides up to squeeze her breast underneath the thin
Lily enters the study with her usual elegance, the only thing changing is her attitude. She acts less haughty. She sits down crossing her legs in the chair facing Chris, who sits behind the heavy oak desk with an unreadable expression. She takes out a small black object from her white Chanel bag. Squinting her eyes, Mia recognizes it as a flash drive. Lily stares at the flash drive in her hand, hesitating to hand it out. Looking up, she gazes into Chris who stares at her with a pair of cold eyes. “Here is what you want,” she slides the flash drive to Chris’ side. With a gesture from Chris, Jack grabs the flash drive and disappears from the room. “I’ve done what you demanded. You must honor your promise.” Lily says, straightening her shoulders. “Usually I’m a man of words,” Chris says, his lips curling up into a smirk. “But we still have things unsettled, Casey.” Lily’s lips twitch, and her expression changes into shock. She tries to move her lips but nothing comes out of her
Drumming his fingers on the desk, Chris presses his lips and reads the document in his hand carefully. “So what do you think?” Tara asks in anticipation. “Has our legal team given it a green light?” Chris raises his head from the document. “Yes, they looked into the open letter and the list of newspapers and their contacts. They okayed it yesterday. We can send the open letter to the newspapers in the afternoon. ” Tara says. “Put the plan on hold until I give it a go.” Chris pinches the bridge of his nose. “So what are we waiting for? Everything is ready.” Tara says, looking confused. “Waiting for a lethal secret,” Chris says. “What?” Tara sounds even more confused. Mia knocks on the door lightly, “Am I interrupting?” “Not at all, come in, Mia,” Chris lights up at her. “I thought you guys might need a cool refresher,” Mia says, putting two cups of iced coffee on the desk. “Right on time, thank you, beautiful,” Chris beams and grabs her hand for a kiss. Mia smiles and sits b
“Good morning, pretty,” Chris’ husky voice sounds near her ear, his breaths fanning on her neck, making her body tingly. “Morning, Mr. Sexy,” Mia turns to face her, stretching her body lazily. “I have good news for you,” Chris raises himself up on one elbow. The other arm pulls her closer to his naked torso. “What is it?” Mia’s curiosity is piqued, distracting her from Chris’ tempting hard chest and bulging muscles. “Kimberly is in,” Chris grins.“Really?” Mia says with excitement.“And here is more, she wants to write an open letter with Ruby.” Mia screams with delight. “Schuh, little monster, you are waking up our neighbor,” Chris teases. “That is so far better than I thought. I thought she was going to reject joining us.” Mia beams. “She said you and Ruby gave her courage, especially your promise on my behalf.” “Are you mad that I made a promise without telling you and acquired your consent first?” “Not at all. You did the right thing, my smart, beautiful, sexy girlfriend
The meeting with Kimberly is set in the floral shop she owns in lower Manhattan.Chris doesn’t like the idea of Mia being involved in the plan, but he sees how much Ruby trusts Mia and how clever her plan is. He gives his approval of her involvement with one condition: She will have bodyguards around her whenever she is out of his sight. Mia thinks it is a little dramatic but agrees to make him feel better. So there she is. In the small floral shop with Ruby. The three buffy bodyguards headed by John in dark suits standing by her side make the shop even smaller. Kimberly is a blonde with a supermodel’s body and a Hollywood actress’ face. She makes Mia wonder if all his ex-girlfriends are as gorgeous as her. After getting to know each other, Kimberly guides them to sit at the table in the corner of the shop. The bodyguards stand by the door, guarding the shop and sending an intimidating aura. “Oh my, they are going to scare my customers away,” Kimberly jokes. “I’m sorry,” Mia win