Mia wakes up in the night to find out Liam is not in the room. His side of the bed was empty, "Liam?" She called out, but when she got no answer, she got out of the bedroom and saw him sitting on the couch in the living room.
"Happy birthday darling". Mia said and closed up the distance between them to hug and kiss him. But Liam ignored her.
"What is it?”Did I do something wrong?
"Nothing, just thinking about my inheritance." Today is my 28th birthday. I'm scared the company might not be handed over to me. My grandfather is a weird old man. I don't want to lose this opportunity of a lifetime.
Mia sat beside him immediately, smiling as she placed her head on his shoulder.
“ Don't think too much, darling; you are the only legitimate grandchild he has and the direct heir to inheriting the company.” I believe in you. Mia encouraged him.
Liam let out a deep breath and turned to her, his eyes twinkling with enthusiasm, "Do you know what that means? Mia, if I win this, our lives will change forever.
"I know, darling; there is no purpose in thinking too much when you will get your answer in the morning anyway.” It's your birthday, we need to celebrate before you go to work in the morning.
Seeing the look on his face, Mia blushes. Liam is the best thing that happened to her after the death of her parents. They've been together for three years now, and everything is perfect, although her best friend Grace does not like Liam for her. She bit her lower lip and looked away from him, her thoughts running wild; she had fifty thousand dollars; it was her parent’s savings, and it was all they left for her to survive on. She will use it to get him the car he has always dreamed of having as a birthday gift and surprise him at his workplace.
Thank you so much, Mia, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me," he pulled her into a hug, and soon he was kissing her, "thank you," he murmured in between the kisses."Now, let me drain your strength before I leave for work."
"Oh Liam, no," Mia giggled as he picked her up and carried her into the bedroom.
********
Mia woke up late in the morning; Liam had left for work already. She quickly bathed and dressed up to go to the bank and withdraw all her life savings so she could get the gift for Liam. She planned to surprise him at his workplace and invite him out for a private dinner.
Mia arrived at Liam’s grandfather's company and was directed to his office by the receptionist. She got to his floor and saw a lady, sitting on a desk typing on the computer in front of her. She assumed her to be Liam's secretary.
“Hello. Please, I'm here to see Liam Kingston.”
“Do you have an appointment?” The secretary asked her without looking at her.
“No, I am his fiancee. I came here to take him out for a private dinner in celebration of his birthday.”
The secretary looked up at her before saying. I usually wouldn't let you see him without an appointment. But there is a party celebration already going on at the Mercury Hotel for him. Liam was announced as the new CEO of the company this morning.
Mia was happy that Liam's dream was being fulfilled. They had both looked forward to celebrating today. Although she was not happy that she heard the news from someone else, she expected him to call and inform her immediately he was declared the CEO. Maybe, he was too excited and caught in the moment.
Thank you for the information. Mia left his office and drove the car she bought for him to the hotel, where the party was ongoing.
Luckily for her, she was dressed in her best dress. A sexy black dress with puffy hands and a slit on one side to showcase her beautiful shapely legs, paired with silver heels. Liam loves her wearing this dress, he said he can't control himself anytime he sees her on it.
Mia arrived at the hotel and was led to the party by one of the waiters. The party looked more serious to her than a celebration of Liam's achievement as the CEO. The caliber of people she saw and their dressing screamed wealth and glamour. She felt inferior in their midst as she looked around for Liam.
“Where could he have gone to?” She knows he is the celebrant. She heard his name on the lady's lips as they gossiped about his handsome look, which made her jealous. She wanted to shout at them that Liam was already taken; he was her fiance and had eyes for her only. Well, she guessed they would find out soon enough when they saw her later with Liam.
She moved around and found Liam chatting with a group of men and women that looked so wealthy. She smiled as she headed his way. She was not looking and mistakenly stepped on a waiter carrying a tray of drinks.
The waiter slipped and the drinks fell, with shattered glasses on the floor. The waiter glared at her with anger on his face.
The whole place became silent suddenly, and all eyes were on her, wondering who she was and the mishap she had caused with her carelessness.
Mia felt like the ground should open up and swallowed her, as she apologized to the waiter on the floor.
“She doesn't look like she belongs here. Her dress is so cheap. I wonder who she came with”. She heard a lady's voice and looked up to see a blonde speaking beside Liam, while Liam glared at her with disgust on his face, without defending her.
“Whoever dares to bring a low-class person like her to this party does not deserve to be seen here.” One of the men close to Liam also spoke out, as he looked down on her.
Mia was about to say that she was Liam's fiance, but the words she heard next shocked her to her bone marrow.
“ Sorry guys, she is my house help. I guessed she came to deliver what I sent her to bring for me. Liam spoke loudly to the onlookers and signaled her to follow him outside.
Mia stood there with her mouth aghast, stunned at the words of Liam. “ Did she just hear him refer to her as his house help” she wondered. Liam saw that she was not following and came back to drag her out while the people looked at them, mocking her.“I guessed she wanted to have an experience of how people in our class party.” She heard someone say, while the crowd laughed at her as Liam dragged her out like a disobedient child who needed to be punished for a crime.“What are you doing here Mia?” Who gave you this address? Why are you here to embarrass me? Liam shouted at her. He had dragged her to a corner of the hall, far from the people at the party, so they wouldn't hear what they were saying.Just take a look inside, Mia; He said, pointing to the hall full of people dancing and chattering. “What do you see? Do you see anyone in the hall dressed cheaply like you? Even the hotel waiters and waitresses looked more classy than you.Mia looked at the people dancing: women dressed in
Shaw Carter was rendered speechless by her words. He usually does not frequent a bar and avoids places like this. But his car developed a little fault on his way back from a business trip. His driver, Drake, told him to go inside the bar and relax while he got the car fixed since the bar was the closest to where the car suddenly stopped.He barely sat down when he saw a beautiful lady in black walk in and order a bottle of Whiskey. He felt attracted to her; she looked like someone who needed to be loved and pampered. Shaw noticed she was crying so he let her be. She needed to sort out whatever it was that was bothering her so she could feel better.After watching her get herself drunk, he got a call from Drake that the car was fixed and ready. But he couldn't just leave her alone here. He had noticed the men around ogling her with lustful eyes; he couldn't blame them. She is damn sexy in that black dress she is wearing. Like a perfect gentleman, he approaches her to offer to drive he
Mia kept herself busy job hunting since her breakup with Liam. She needed to raise money for herself as she had squandered her life savings to buy a car gift for him.“Hey dear, how is it going over there?” Have you received any job offers yet? Grace asked her as she came into the room eating some cheese. “No yet Grace, No job offer email yet.” Mia sighed in frustration. It's been more than a month since she has been on it. She has sent her resume to several leading companies in the city. She needed to raise the fifty thousand dollars quickly. You know you still haven't told me the full details about your breakup. I know you were hurting badly, and I didn't want to ask you this. But I am curious, Grace sat down on Mia's bed, eating her cheese while looking at Mia typing on her laptop.“Don't you have any work for today, Grace?”I know what you are about to ask me. It's written all over your face. You want to know where I spent the night after the breakup with Liam.You know me too we
The whole atmosphere suddenly became tense. Grace was fuming with anger and was about to respond when the waiter interrupted the conversation by bringing their food.Your food is here, Ma. The waiter informed them and dropped the food on their table.Mia ordered some chicken pasta with salad while Grace ordered rice and Chinese sauce with chicken. As you see Liam. It's time for us to eat and not to chit-chat. Please excuse us. Mia said to reduce the tension and stop Grace from doing something crazy to Liam.They are right darling. Let's leave here. I don't like the smell that is coming from their table. The lady said and dragged Liam to their table.Mia looked at Grace's angry face, using her eyes to plead with her not to react to Liam and his girlfriend. After calming Grace,she breathed out in relief.She was very hungry, but when she looked at the food, she felt like throwing up. Thinking it's because she hasn't eaten any meal for the day. She took a bite and almost vomited the foo
Mia’s eyelids opened up, and she found herself staring up at the bright lights of the tenth-floor lobby ceiling. Blinking in confusion, she tried to piece together what had happened. She remembered the magazine, the photo of Shaw, and then… him, holding her, his arms steadying her as she lost consciousness.Groaning inwardly, she sat up slowly with the help of a security guard, who had brought her a glass of water. A few concerned glances came her way, but she brushed them off, trying to regain her composure. She needed to get out of there, away from Shaw, before he started asking questions.But the man himself was kneeling down beside her, a look of genuine concern on his face. “Are you all right?” he asked, his tone softer than she expected. His gaze held hers,There was something in his eyes that made her feel… safe, and that realization both comforted and unsettled her.“I’m fine, really,” she said, forcing a small smile. “Just a little lightheaded. It must be the stress of starting
Mia shifted uncomfortably in her place, the warmth in Shaw’s office only worsening her light-headedness. Shaw was speaking to his gathered staff about a new project he was launching, his commanding voice steady and confident. Mia had always admired his calm leadership style, but today, her mind was a blur. She’d skipped breakfast, having barely managed to wake up in time to make it to the meeting, and now the consequences were hitting her hard.Luke, Shaw’s second-in-command, was seated next to her, while Mia and the other assistants stood around the office, their notebooks open to jot down key points. But every time she tried to write, her vision blurred. She could feel a trickle of sweat forming on her brow, and her stomach twisted in hunger and nausea.Shaw’s eyes swept across the room, then lingered a little longer when they reached her. He noticed her pale complexion and the way she seemed almost out of balance. His gaze was hard to read, but there was a hint of concern beneath h
Shaw leaned back in his office chair,his fingertips pressed together as he contemplated the news. Mia was pregnant, and he knew it. His doctor had been discrete, following Shaw’s instructions to keep Mia’s condition confidential. As he watched Mia working tirelessly every day, Shaw felt a mixture of intrigue and protectiveness grow within him. Though he was certain Mia hadn’t intended for him to know, the knowledge settled deeply within him, raising questions he wasn’t ready to ask. He didn’t want to intrude, but part of him felt a strange pull—an instinct to look out for her.This internal conflict nagged at him throughout the morning, yet Shaw decided to keep quiet. He’d let Mia share the news when she was ready, all while quietly ensuring she had everything she needed at work. But his train of thought was abruptly interrupted by a sudden knock on his office door.In the apartment, Grace was carefully applying her makeup when an unexpected knock sounded at the front door. She frowne
Liam opened the door to his condo, expecting the usual quiet that greeted him. Instead, he found Maya sitting on the couch, arms folded, her gaze sharp and unyielding. The tension in her posture told him she had been waiting for him—and not happily.“Where are you coming from?” Maya asked, her tone clipped. Her eyes held a hint of hurt and suspicion.Liam closed the door behind him, letting out a deep sigh. He hadn’t told her about his plan yet, and he knew it was bound to cause friction. He took a step closer, hands raised in a gesture of calm.“I went to see Mia,” he admitted.Maya’s eyes narrowed, and he could almost see the anger simmering under the surface. “You went to see your ex? Without telling me?” she demanded, her voice rising. “What were you thinking?”“Hold on,” he interrupted, trying to keep his tone steady. “Let me explain.”“Explain what?” Maya shot back. “How you’re sneaking around to see your ex? You didn’t think I deserved to know?”Liam took a breath. “Look, Maya,
Shaw woke up early, his body aching with exhaustion, but his mind refused to let him rest. The events of last night replayed like a broken record—Mia’s heartbroken face, the anger in her voice, the way she walked out without looking back. The sting of her absence was unbearable.He turned his head and found himself staring at Jake, who was still asleep on the couch. His small chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, his little fingers curled into the blanket. Shaw studied him, memorizing every feature—the same dark brown hair, the familiar sharp nose, and those piercing blue eyes. His eyes.For four years, he had a son and never knew. How different would things have been if Alicia had told him? Would he have been a good father? Would he have been there for Jake in all the ways he needed?A heavy sigh left Shaw’s lips as he rubbed his tired eyes. There was no use wondering about the past. The only thing he could do now was figure out how to move forward. But could he fix the damage that
Shaw stood in the middle of his living room, his mind still racing from the chaos Alicia had just dropped into his life. His breath was uneven, his fists clenched at his sides. The silence in the room felt heavier than ever. The only sound was the ticking of the clock, each second a reminder that Mia was gone.His gut twisted.He wanted to chase after her, to explain everything, But what could he even say? Mia had been right—this changed everything.A small voice broke through the tension.“Mister?”Shaw turned slowly, his gaze falling on the boy standing in the doorway, his little hand still clutching Alicia’s. His wide blue eyes—very much similar to Shaw’s own—were filled with curiosity, maybe even a little nervousness.Shaw’s heart clenched.This was his child.His son.He exhaled, running a hand through his hair before glaring at Alicia. “You need to start talking. Now.”Alicia sighed, stepping further into the house. “I know you’re angry. You have every right to be. But let’s no
Shaw gripped the doorknob tightly, his heartbeat pounding in his ears as he stared at the woman standing in front of him.Alicia.It had been years since he last saw her. Years since she walked out of his life without a single word. He had convinced himself she was gone for good, a part of his past that would never resurface. Yet here she was, standing on his doorstep as if she had never left.But it wasn’t just her presence that sent his world tilting off its axis.She wasn’t alone.Clutching tightly onto her hand was a small boy—no older than four—with dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes. Eyes that mirrored his own so perfectly that it stole the breath from his lungs.Shaw swallowed hard, his grip on the doorknob tightening. His mind screamed at him to deny it, to look away, to refuse to acknowledge what was standing right in front of him.“You…” His voice was hoarse, the words sticking in his throat. “What are you doing here?”Alicia arched an eyebrow, her lips curling into a sm
Mia stepped into the shower, letting the warm water wash over her skin as she took a deep breath. She wanted to leave early, knowing that Shaw’s place was quite a distance away and that traffic might hold her up. She didn’t want to arrive late, especially when he was cooking for her. The thought of him in the kitchen made her smile. She had never really imagined him doing something as domestic as preparing a meal, but the idea was oddly endearing.After rinsing off, she wrapped herself in a towel and walked into her bedroom. She stood in front of her closet, scanning through her clothes. She didn’t want to overdress and make it seem like she was trying too hard, but she also didn’t want to show up looking too casual. Settling on a pair of well-fitted jeans and a simple yet elegant top, she got dressed and brushed through her hair, letting it fall naturally over her shoulders.Picking up her phone, she quickly typed out a message:Mia: On my way. See you soon.With that, she grabbed he
Maya leaned over the sink in the women’s restroom, cupping cold water in her hands before splashing it onto her face. Droplets trickled down her cheeks as she gripped the sink edge, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her heart twisted painfully in her chest. She looked the same—same dark curls, same expressive brown eyes—but she felt… smaller. Insignificant.Liam barely acknowledged her tonight.The thought sent a fresh wave of unease coursing through her. Had he even noticed when she excused herself from the table? Did he care?Her fingers clenched into fists as a more troubling thought took root in her mind.‘Was he going to dump her for another woman?’She shook her head, trying to remove the thought from her mind. But was it really that ridiculous? The way he looked at Kim, the way they whispered conspiratorially over dinner—it was enough to make anyone suspicious.“No. I won’t let that happen,” she whispered, her voice firm even as doubt gnawed at her. She straightened her
Another picture of Mia and Shaw was on the news. Some people might have been getting tired of it, but Kim couldn’t get enough. The good part of her plan was just getting started, and she wasn’t going to let anybody jeopardize that. But she had another plan. As she was swirling her win in her glass, she smiled to herself. Her phone rang just beside her. As she saw the name on the caller ID, she smiled. It was just the person that she had been waiting for the whole time. She picked the phone up, and answered.“We’re here with them ma’am,” her guard’s voice came at the other end.“At the airport?” she asked, and the man grunted in response.“And the kid?”“We’re here with him too.” She couldn’t even stop herself from beaming. It was another part of her plan. If she couldn’t have Shaw, then nobody could. She didn’t mind how much she was spending to get all that information about him. Digging up the past and everything. She was sure that he didn’t tell Mia about that part of his life. An
Mia stared at herself in the mirror. She had noticed that her bump was slowly coming out. She ran her hand through it. “I really don’t know who it will look like,” Grace said, coming right behind her with a blue dress. She held the dress high, and Mia couldn’t help but gasp.“Where did you get such a dress?” she asked, and Grace smiled. “You’ve been doing a lot for me. Why can’t I repay you a bit? I bought it from my bonus, so you don’t have to bother about me spending too much.” Mia turned, and hugged Grace. She didn’t know what she would have done without her. “The dress might be pretty tight around the stomach area though. It’s a body con dress.” Grace rolled her eyes. “Shaw might just think you over ate. Besides, you’re doing all this for a good cause. There’s nothing you have to stress about.”Mia nodded, and took the dress from Grace. She headed to her room, to put the dress on. It fitted her perfectly, bringing out her curves that were now more visible because of her pregn
Ahmad walked into the office of their newest contractor. Different companies had submitted their proposals to them.“Ah, Mr. Ahmad.” The CEO said, standing up and offering him a handshake.Ahmad left the handshake hanging in the air, and proceeded to sitting down without being asked to sit. The CEO cleared his throat and sat down uncomfortably.“How may I help you?” he asked, not seeking any kind of familiarity now.“I heard that Shaw’s Company submitted a proposal to your company.”That made the CEO smile again. “Yes, he did. And businessman to businessman, whoever helped him put that proposal together was the best. He or she knew what they were doing. He will definitely be awarded the contract. Quality and quantity all in one.”“It will definitely be the little woman following him around,” Ahmad murmured to himself.“How much will it take for you to award that contract to someone else?”The CEO frowned. “What do you mean? He is the best one here, topping the list.”Ahmad played arou
Mia had fallen asleep on the couch when the door clicked open. She hurried up, ready to grab anything and hurl it at whoever was trying to get into the house. A pillow was her closest. She quickly hurled it at the door, with her heart beating fast.“Whoa, calm down tigress,” a soft chuckle came from the person. Mia collapsed back on the chair when she saw that it was just Grace. “Why didn’t you call out the way you usually do when you come home?” she asked, getting angry at Grace because she didn’t know who else to pour her frustration on. Grace cocked her head to one side, and placed all the snacks that she had gotten on her way home on the center table. She looked around, nodding her head in approval. “Shaw really did a whole lot of work on this place. New furniture, new walls, and everything. Can we ever pay him back for everything?”Mia shook her head. “But we have to. I don’t think it’s right for him to be doing favors like this for a staff.”Grace tapped her forehead slightly,