Somehow I had slept off, and I was woken up by a soft knock on my door. My neck throbbed as I rose to my feet, my gaze lingering on the empty couch as I let out a long sigh.Luke was gone, leaving behind a deep stain on my couch. It was the only thing that reminded me of his presence, that he was here, bleeding to death.I looked down at my hands, at the blood that had dried on my newly manicured nails. The knocking persists, and my heart rate picks up. I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared, maybe it was the police? I rushed to the bathroom to clean myself up, it wouldn't do well for me to walk out looking like a victim of a horror movie. Yesterday was indeed horrific, it was devastating. Where could he have gone? Couldn't he have waited for his wound to stop bleeding at least? And more importantly, how did he get badly hurt?And why would my apartment be the first place he showed up?Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I saved his life. But the pieces are not just clicking. Each time
As I returned home, I tried not to dwell on Veronica's words. I distracted myself with soft music, but her slithering voice kept creeping into my mind, breaking through the barriers and effortlessly deluding me.‘The man can only handle so many women.’What the hell did she mean by that? And why did it bother me so much?Yes, I knew a man of his caliber would not settle for one woman, but it was written in the contract that we were to be exclusive to one another, or did that apply to only me?Oh lord, now I was even more pissed off. I reached my apartment building, shaking my head as if I'd help with the intrusive thoughts, and as I did so, I spotted a sleek vehicle parked in the parking lot. One that I recognized in a heartbeat.I gasped, almost tripping on my own feet from shock.It was the CEO’s car.Without thinking, I took off, running at a speed that matched the rate of my heart. He was here! My lips spread into a relieved smile as I approached the car, a new hope shining in my
THIRD PERSON POVLuke woke up with a wet towel on his forehead and a bitter taste in his mouth.Cracking his eyes open, his dreary gaze wandered about the room. He had passed out again. His head throbbed painfully, and he winced at the bright rays of sunlight spilling through the window blinds. This confused him because he was sure he'd never opened them. He stayed in bed, too lazy to move, or rather, he couldn't move at all. He felt something weigh him down, keeping him in place like an anchor in the sea. Luke let his gaze fall, towards the subject of obstruction, and his eyes rounded, shocked to find Aurelia's head resting on his lap. Her eyes were closed, her coppery hair coming alive in the bright sunlight. He swallowed hard, watching her with a conflicted expression. Why was she still here? Why would she stay after he treated her so horribly? These questions plagued his mind, and with them came an unsettling pang in his chest. Was this guilt? Shame or regret. Maybe it was all
THIRD PERSON POV Aurelia stood in front of the studio, a bright smile adorning her features as she eagerly glanced between the door and the gift basket in her hands. She could hear the hum of the sewing machine from the other side of the door, Kendall’s and Olivia’s bickering, and Mrs Juniper's booming laughter. The sounds swirled together, warming her heart and enriching her soul. Aurelia made a grand entrance as her fingers curled around the doorknob, her heart pounding with excitement. “I’m back!” she announced, grinning from ear to ear as she held the gift basket high. “Assistant designer Aurelia Ravenwood is officially back on the team.” Everyone paused on her arrival, and Aurelia was more than amused at the shocked expressions on their faces. Olivia recovered first and when she did, she immediately tackled Aurelia into a tight grip hug, almost knocking the gift basket from her hands. “Auri!” Oliva exclaimed, unable to contain her happiness. How could she when her friend ha
AURELIAThe new label was a project I worked on before becoming the CEO’s assistant. Mrs Juniper gave me full reign on the designs and sent them in a portfolio to popular celebrities for a possible collaboration.I had put the list together myself, and Ezekiel wasn’t on it. So of course it came to me as a shock when he appeared to be our new partner.Could it be a coincidence? Or did Mrs Juniper include him in the list while I was away?I would be lying if I said I wasn’t excited to see him, he was my favorite actor after all, but I haven’t had the chance to interact with him directly. A week had passed, and everyone was so busy with the current project. I was still bothered about Caspian, and while I pondered on reasons for his sudden departure, my mind provided me with one liable explanation.The CEO shipped him there out of jealousy.It was possible but wasn’t that too much? He’d already warned me to keep my distance so why send Caspian to Germany?My speculation soon graduated to
THIRD PERSON POVThe only one who seemed pleased with the kiss was the diligent photographer. On the sidelines, the employees were frozen in shock, jaws hit the floor, and the set erupted in booming whispers.But the one who was affected the most wore a tight smile. The CEO was a master of disguise, and now he masked his emotions with acute professionalism. He couldn’t make a scene here, not in front of so many witnesses. No, he had to protect his image.So for now, he bit his tongue behind a grin, his knuckles whitening as he tucked his fists in his pockets. It took him everything to tear his gaze away from the scene, nodding his head as Aurelia’s boss gave him information he could care less about.All he could note was the reason why Aurelia posed as a model, and honestly, he wanted to fire the bumbling woman on the spot.But that was the least of his concerns. Just what was he doing here?! He thought. Luke’s eyes narrowed as he glanced at the silver-haired man who towered over wh
AURELIA I thought I was hallucinating when I saw that the CEO had politely asked to see me, instead of outright demanding my presence. And even as I stepped out of the restaurant, uneasy and anxious as I spotted his car parked in the driveway, I couldn’t come up with a tangible reason for this. I knew he was here because of the shoot with Ezekiel, but I expected him to be more aggressive, like grab me by the hair or barge into my home kind of aggressive. But instead of that he just asked, giving me a choice to refuse. It seemed hell had frozen over and pigs had begun to take flight. Or could he still be guilty about what happened in his house? But a week had already passed. I wish I could see what was going on in that beautiful head of his, but the tinted car window hid his expression, and it did nothing to ease the fear and uncertainty that plagued me as my fingers curled around the door handle. Oh lord, I was so nervous! My knees were already shivering, and no it was
AURELIAI checked my watch for what felt like the hundredth time, my anxiety spiking with each passing second. 8:47 AM. Thirteen minutes until my shift started, and I was still stuck at this wretched bus stop.The usually reliable cab service was nowhere to be found, courtesy of the morning traffic chaos. I paced back and forth, my heels clicking impatiently on the pavement."Come on, come on," I muttered to myself.With a huff, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I began walking, my heels clicking faster as I picked up pace. But my haste proved costly. One step and my heel snapped, sending me stumbling."No, no, no!" I exclaimed, frustration boiling over.I limped to the side of the road, assessing the damage. Broken heel, ruined shoe, and a rapidly approaching deadline.You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.Just as despair started to set in, a sleek black sedan glided to a stop beside me. The driver’s window rolled down, revealing a chiseled face with piercing brown eyes.I
Aurelia coughed out, feeling a burning sensation on her wrists. Her eyes cracked open, gauging her surroundings. The last thing she remembered was getting a taxi and then….Aurelia gasped, her heart thundering against her chest. She was kidnapped. Dread filled her body, the revelation sending shivers down her spine.She tried to get up, but a rope bound her hand and legs. Her back was pressed against the cold floor, and she looked up at the ceiling that seemed too far, she wondered how she got into this situation.For what reason would anyone have to kidnap her? Aurelia felt tears sting her eyes, but instead of crying, she tried to sit up.The room was dark, the only source of light coming from the holes in the ceiling. It was still daytime, she noted, her gaze bouncing around the room.Old boxes littered the grounds, and huge machines gathered dust in the corner of the room. This was an old warehouse, an abandoned one, judging from its shabby state. This made it serve as the perfect
“P-pregnant?” Aurelia gaped, her jaw scraping the floor. Ezekiel nodded solemnly, shifting on the hospital bed so he could take her hand. “The doctor said you're two months gone.”Aurelia looked down at her stomach, unable to believe a baby was growing inside her. Her baby. Luke's baby.Her vision blurred, and she felt like she was floating outside her body. She heard Ezekiel's concerned voice, but it sounded distant, muffled. The hospital room spun around her, a kaleidoscope of colors and sounds.Luke's baby.The words echoed in her mind, refusing to sink in. “This…” she suddenly felt dizzy again. “This can't be real.”She must be dreaming. It can't be possible.Because she can't……she can't get pregnant. A few years back, Aurelia had discovered she couldn't conceive during a mandatory check-up for college. Her ovarian reserve was low, so there was a 0.9% percent chance her eggs would fertilize to bear a child. It didn't mean much to her then, because she was devoted to her studie
Aurelia hunched over the sink, her throat dry from puking her breakfast. “Did you eat something bad?” Olivia's brows knitted in worry as she rubbed Aurelia’s back. “No.” Aurelia coughed out. She filled her hand with water and splashed it against her face. It helped calm the burning sensations on her skin. “It’s probably jet lag. The flight back to New York was long.”“Hmm. All the more reason why you shouldn’t have resumed work immediately after getting back.” Olivia scolded her. Aurelia straightened up, forcing a smile to persuade her friend. Oh if only Olivia knew why she couldn’t possibly sit idle in her apartment. Her brooding thoughts would not let her rest and she’d thought of reaching out to the CEO multiple times. It drove her crazy. Although she had gotten a two-week break off work, she returned three days after arriving in New York. Work helped get her mind off things—off him. And that was what she desperately needed at the moment. A distraction.Aurelia wanted to slowl
Aurelia huffed as she looked down at her watch. 6 am. The airport was filled even at such an early time, and as she made her way through the crowd, her mind drifted off to the night before.She had taken a bold step, confessing her feelings to get out of the contract with the CEO. It was out of impulse. His words stabbed her more than his reaction, and she wasn't strong enough to just sit and bear the pain. She was done feeding into his ego, dancing on his palm like a puppet. Luke had talked about owning her fully, and it was nothing but an insult. Maybe it was her mistake for falling for him, for setting herself up for heartbreak, but she had enough. Although she was somewhat satisfied, seeing the shocked expression on his face was like a soothing balm to her wound. She had completely caught him off guard, and among her bountiful losses, this was a fair win. She left the restaurant without looking back or waiting for a reply. Luke didn’t stop her, and she was grateful for that. If
“Do you have feelings for me?”The question cut deep, reopening the wound from last night. She had slapped a bandage on it to face him, and here was, mercilessly ripping off the fragile bandage. Luke wet his lips, his expression grace. Aurelia didn’t know which was worse, was it the expression on his face or the coldness in his tone? She didn’t want to remember that he despised the thought of her. She didn’t want him to say it openly, to reject her officially.But was she hoping for? Aurelia knew the complication of her feelings, she knew it would break the final thread that held them together. Yet her heart ached. Her despair was determined from the moment he came into her life, like a rippling tornado, fast and powerful, shattering the beliefs she’d believed in and leaving just as quickly as it came. She hasn’t forgotten how he’d acted throughout the week. While she yearned for him, even after their fallout, he ignored her like the plague. Aurelia wanted to laugh at her foolish,
Aurelia didn't sleep a wink. Dragging herself out of bed, she sat up and just stared. Her mind was blank, the events of the previous day dawning on her. Ezekiel’s confession. Luke’s rejection. And Veronica’s……Aurelia winced as she recalled the kiss, her fingers absentmindedly skimming over her lips.‘I prefer women.’Aurelia squeezed her eyes shut, then she opened them. She slapped herself out of her daze, hoping to dispel the warmth that tickled her cheeks. That damned Veronica, she thought, recalling the satisfied smirk on the model’s face. The boldness of that woman. Kissing her out of the blue like that. It was the biggest plot twist in her mangled story, one that she had never seen coming. A subtle knock on the door cut through Aurelia’s thoughts. Her brows furrowed. She didn’t order room service, so who could be knocking at her door at this time? Wait…she paused. What time was it? Aurelia’s lazy gaze searched the walls for the clock, and when she spotted it, a gasp esca
“Here.”Aurelia hesitated before taking the cup of water from Veronica, staring at it like it would come alive and bite her. “I didn't poison it if that's what you're thinking.” Veronica mused, sarcasm dripping in her tone. Giving the cup one last wary stare, Aurelia accepted it, and Veronica flopped on the sofa beside her. They were in Veronica's hotel room, and the supermodel had taken it upon herself to tend to Aurelia's wound, taking responsibility for her fall. Veronica observed Aurelia's scraped knee, then she moved to her closet, returning with a tube of ointment. Aurelia silently watched as she squeezed the open cut, her fingers spreading it against her skin. “That will do.” Veronica nodded as she sealed the cap on the ointment, letting out a small yawn as she straightened up. “Thank you.” Aurelia kept her head low, spacing out as she looked down at her feet. “Now that's out of the way, shall we begin?” Veronica suggested, leaning back in her seat as she crossed her legs
Ezekiel was in high spirits. The final event of the Fashion Week had ended at the crack of dawn but he wasn’t the least bit tired. After escorting Aurelia to her hotel room and bidding her goodbye, he skipped happily to the hotel bar to get himself a drink. Now that he knew he had genuine feelings for Aurelia, his constant struggle with denial was over, lifting a load off his chest. He was as chirpy as a schoolboy in love. “Oh?” On spotting a familiar face, Ezekiel stopped at the entrance of the bar, a mocking smirk playing on his lips as he leaned against the door frame. “Who do we have here?” Luke ignored him, pouring himself another glass of whiskey. They were the only ones in the bar. “Mind if I join you for a drink?” Ezekiel straightened up, and Luke side glanced at him, his gaze sharp. But he remained silent. Taking his silence as a go-ahead, Ezekiel sighed in contentment as he slipped onto a stool beside Luke, signaling for the bartender to serve him a drink.
THIRD PERSON POV Luke was tired. Tired of forcing smiles and empty pleasantries. The fashion week had worn him out and he couldn't wait to return to New York. “Your bitch face is showing.” Veronica teased him, noticing that he had already drained his social battery. “Wouldn’t be the worst thing.” He sighed, looking down at his watch. For how much longer did he have to be here? Luke looked over his shoulders, his eyes searching for Aurelia. His jaw clenched as Ezekiel came up beside her. He watches Aurelia’s face brighten up on his arrival, and Luke’s brows furrowed, his chest burning with jealousy. “You guys are so typical.” Veronica rolled her eyes, following his line of sight. “It’s boring to watch the same thing happen again.”Luke clicks his tongue in annoyance, facing forward. “Then why did you insist on coming along?”“Isn’t it obvious?” Veronica smirked as watched Ezekiel and Aurelia. “I also made a bet on who would win, and I’ll be damned not to see it for myself.”“Tch.”