Michael's eyes fluttered open as the early morning sunlight streamed across his face. His heart jolted the moment he remembered—he should’ve been getting ready for work.Turning his head, he spotted Idris still fast asleep, undisturbed.Reaching for his phone on the bedside table, his stomach dropped when he saw the time—almost 8 AM. He shot up from the bed.“Shit,” he muttered under his breath, scrambling to pick up his clothes strewn across the floor. He hurriedly threw them on, all while Idris remained peacefully asleep.With his phone in hand, Michael cast a fleeting glance at Idris before heading for the door. But just as he reached it, he hesitated. His gaze shifted back to the bedside table.A jotter and a pen rested beside Idris. Without thinking, he rushed over, snatched the pen, and scribbled his phone number onto the nearest blank page."Call me. If you want to."Leaving the page open, ensuring Idris would see it, Michael dashed out of the room.*Jaxon pulled up in front o
Sophie heard a knock at her door and instantly jumped to her feet, excitement surging through her. She rushed over, her face lighting up with a wide smile as she swung the door open.The moment she saw Ray, she threw her arms around him, laughing joyfully.“Seeing you in the daytime feels almost unreal,” she giggled, finally pulling away but keeping hold of his hand as she tugged him inside.“I know! I didn’t expect to be here this early either,” Ray chuckled, shutting the door behind him.“I was stunned when I got your text,” Sophie said, leading him to the couch, where they both flopped down. “Please don’t tell me you got fired,” she teased, her eyes twinkling.Ray burst into laughter. “Why would you even think that?” he asked between chuckles, making Sophie laugh even harder.“I don’t know—it just slipped out,” she admitted, leaning in slightly as her laughter softened.Their amusement faded into a lingering silence, their smiles holding. Then, Ray leaned in, pressing his lips to h
"Michael." Alex's voice rang out as he pounded on the door, his knocks sharp and agitated. "Michael, open up, or I swear I'll break this damn door down!"Inside, Michael tensed at the sound of Alex’s voice, his jaw tightening as he stripped off his office clothes."Michael!" Alex shouted again, his frustration spilling into the hallway.A neighbor peeked out from her apartment, curious about the commotion, but Alex barely noticed. His patience was running thin. Just as he raised his fist to knock again, the door swung open, revealing Michael in a singlet.Michael's brows knitted together as he took in Alex’s disheveled state—sweaty, breathless, like he’d just run a marathon."What the hell do you think you're doing?" Michael demanded, stepping forward, intending to slip out and shut the door behind him. But before he could, Alex grabbed his arm and shoved him back inside, slamming the door shut behind them.The stench of alcohol hit Michael instantly. He wrenched his arm free. "Let me
Isla and Jaxon stepped into the private chemotherapy infusion room, the very place Jaxon had requested for her. Mrs. Bennett sat comfortably in her reclining chair, and the moment she spotted them approaching, a radiant smile spread across her face. Beside her, an IV pole and monitoring equipment stood silently.“Hey, Mom,” Isla greeted, offering a soft, bittersweet smile as they pulled their chairs closer and took their seats.“Hi, Mrs. Bennett,” Jaxon added warmly, positioning his chair on her left while Isla settled on her right.Mrs. Bennett slowly turned to him. “Jaxon.” She mustered a smile, though exhaustion made it fleeting. Shifting her gaze to Isla, who was already smiling at her, she sighed. “You didn’t have to drag him into this too.”“This isn’t a bother at all, Mrs. Bennett,” Jaxon reassured her with a gentle smile. “I want to be here.”She studied him for a moment before asking, “What about your job?”Jaxon merely shrugged. “I’m the CEO—I don’t need to be there all the
Jeremy lounged in the living room, stretching his legs onto the coffee table and crossing them as he pressed his phone to his ear.“You got the picture?” he asked the moment the call connected.“There was no need. The guy’s pretty famous,” the voice on the other end replied.“I don’t care. I want everything you can dig up on him—every little detail, right down to the time he brushes his damn teeth,” Jeremy said, his voice dripping with hatred.“I get it, boss. But keeping tabs on Jaxon Waverly? That’s insane. The man’s a ghost. You don’t just follow him—he’s always guarded.”“Well, that’s where you’re wrong, ’cause he wasn’t when I saw him this morning,” Jeremy shot back, irritation creeping into his tone. “You know what? If you can’t handle this, just say the word, and I’ll find someone who can.”“I’ll do it, okay?—” The man’s voice cut off as Ivy stormed into the living room, her anger instantly pulling Jeremy’s attention from the call.“Great,” Jeremy muttered, ending the call.Ivy
"They’re back in town," he said, lifting his binoculars to Jaxon’s window, eyes locked on his target."Listen, I’m tired of sitting around. Why don’t we just fucking strike already?" The voice on the other end was laced with impatience."You know why we can’t," he replied, voice steady. "If we move recklessly, Jaxon will catch wind of it, and we’ll be screwed. We need patience.""The waiting is unbearable. I can’t wait to watch him crumble—see that pathetic, miserable look on his face.""Well, you already got a preview in those photos I sent. They had a fight before she left.""I need to know what they were arguing about. Didn’t you say you have someone inside? It’s time we put him to use."He nodded, exhaling slowly. "Yeah... but I doubt he heard anything. He wasn’t close enough. Still, he might be able to get us something. I’ll talk to him.""Good. I’ll be expecting an update. And next time we talk, I want a date. No more waiting."The line went dead.He sighed, lifting his binocula
Austin paced in a secluded corner, his movements tense as he waited. Glancing at his wristwatch with growing impatience, he exhaled sharply—just as a car came speeding recklessly into the alley. The tires screeched as it halted abruptly beside him.The driver’s door swung open, and out he stepped, a strange grin plastered on his face. “Did I keep you waiting too long?” His tone was almost teasing, but there was something unsettling about it.Austin shifted uncomfortably. “Lunch break ends in fifteen minutes. I don’t have much time.”The man simply nodded, leaning against his car, eyes fixed on Austin.Austin exhaled. “I know I’m behind on my repayment, but I swear, I’ll get you the money as soon as I can. Maybe even before the month ends.”The man let out a scoff, and then laughter.“You think I called you out here just for the money?” His smirk deepened. “I know which hospital your father is in, Austin. If this was only about the debt, his room would already be filled with flowers.”
Alex’s ears throbbed with the pulse of hip-hop music as he stepped into the club, still clad in his work attire after heading straight from the company.For the first time since Jaxon had uncovered the truth about him, he felt a slight sense of relief. But another weight still pressed on his mind. Michael.Weaving through the bodies moving on the dance floor, he made his way to the bar. The counter was crowded, but luck was on his side—an empty seat awaited him.He sank onto it with a heavy sigh, sweeping his gaze across the room. ‘Why’s this place so packed today?’ The thought crossed his mind before realization hit. ‘it’s Friday night, of course it is packed.’Turning to the bartender, he forced a strained smile. “Whiskey,” he ordered. She returned his smile with ease and nodded, reaching for a glass.As she worked, Alex dug into his bag for his phone, tapping open his DMs with Michael. Nothing had changed. Every apology he’d sent sat there, read but ignored. His jaw clenched. The s
Isla woke up with a deep yawn, stretching her arm toward the empty space beside her. She expected to feel Jaxon lying next to her, but he was nowhere to be found.Her brows furrowed as she blinked her eyes open, glancing at his side of the bed. Letting out a quiet sigh, she sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes with the back of her hand."Jaxon?" she mumbled drowsily, stifling another yawn.Sliding out from beneath the sheets, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and reached for her phone. Unlocking it, she found everything exactly as she had left it the night before.Slipping on her flip-flops, she padded toward the door and stepped into the hallway."Jaxon?" she called again, her voice echoing slightly as she made her way toward the stairs.The night before, after her conversation with Austin, she had made up her mind—she was going to tell Jaxon about it. Something about Austin wanting to meet up before explaining himself felt off to her. It almost seemed like he had nothin
Michael struggled but managed to carry Alex up the stairs and into his bedroom. Alex had been out cold the entire drive back to his estate.With a grunt, Michael dropped Alex onto the bed and let out a deep sigh of relief. He collapsed beside him, chest rising and falling as he caught his breath. Carrying Alex had taken its toll.Turning his head, Michael studied Alex, who lay peacefully beside him. He pushed himself up slightly, eyes fixed on Alex’s face, his expression unreadable.Resting his head on his hand, he kept staring. Asleep, Alex looked softer, almost innocent. Slowly, Michael reached out, brushing a stray strand of hair from his face.‘Why does it have to be like this between us?’ The thought weighed heavy in his mind.As if sensing it, Alex stirred, his weary eyes fluttering open, locking instantly with Michael’s, who had been watching him intently.Without hesitation, Alex raised a hand, fingers ghosting over Michael’s face. “I’m glad you’re here,” he whispered, voice b
Gingerhead let out a hearty laugh, and Alex chuckled along, his gaze fixed on the man's face."You still haven’t told me your name," Alex said.Gingerhead sighed, taking a slow sip of his drink before meeting Alex’s eyes. "Do you really want to do introductions, or do you just want to fuck me?"Alex’s brows shot up in surprise. He hadn’t expected someone who looked so nerdy and reserved to be this blunt.And yet, he loved it."Well, I don’t like introductions either," Alex admitted, downing the rest of his whiskey, never breaking eye contact.Gingerhead bit his lower lip, then wordlessly slid away from the counter, his fingertips grazing up Alex’s arm as he moved.A smirk tugged at Alex’s lips. He stood and followed, watching as Gingerhead led him toward the hallway at the far end of the club. He deliberately maintained a bit of distance between them, stretching the tension with every step.Gingerhead kept glancing back, his expression teasing, seductive, his pace slowing just enough
Alex’s ears throbbed with the pulse of hip-hop music as he stepped into the club, still clad in his work attire after heading straight from the company.For the first time since Jaxon had uncovered the truth about him, he felt a slight sense of relief. But another weight still pressed on his mind. Michael.Weaving through the bodies moving on the dance floor, he made his way to the bar. The counter was crowded, but luck was on his side—an empty seat awaited him.He sank onto it with a heavy sigh, sweeping his gaze across the room. ‘Why’s this place so packed today?’ The thought crossed his mind before realization hit. ‘it’s Friday night, of course it is packed.’Turning to the bartender, he forced a strained smile. “Whiskey,” he ordered. She returned his smile with ease and nodded, reaching for a glass.As she worked, Alex dug into his bag for his phone, tapping open his DMs with Michael. Nothing had changed. Every apology he’d sent sat there, read but ignored. His jaw clenched. The s
Austin paced in a secluded corner, his movements tense as he waited. Glancing at his wristwatch with growing impatience, he exhaled sharply—just as a car came speeding recklessly into the alley. The tires screeched as it halted abruptly beside him.The driver’s door swung open, and out he stepped, a strange grin plastered on his face. “Did I keep you waiting too long?” His tone was almost teasing, but there was something unsettling about it.Austin shifted uncomfortably. “Lunch break ends in fifteen minutes. I don’t have much time.”The man simply nodded, leaning against his car, eyes fixed on Austin.Austin exhaled. “I know I’m behind on my repayment, but I swear, I’ll get you the money as soon as I can. Maybe even before the month ends.”The man let out a scoff, and then laughter.“You think I called you out here just for the money?” His smirk deepened. “I know which hospital your father is in, Austin. If this was only about the debt, his room would already be filled with flowers.”
"They’re back in town," he said, lifting his binoculars to Jaxon’s window, eyes locked on his target."Listen, I’m tired of sitting around. Why don’t we just fucking strike already?" The voice on the other end was laced with impatience."You know why we can’t," he replied, voice steady. "If we move recklessly, Jaxon will catch wind of it, and we’ll be screwed. We need patience.""The waiting is unbearable. I can’t wait to watch him crumble—see that pathetic, miserable look on his face.""Well, you already got a preview in those photos I sent. They had a fight before she left.""I need to know what they were arguing about. Didn’t you say you have someone inside? It’s time we put him to use."He nodded, exhaling slowly. "Yeah... but I doubt he heard anything. He wasn’t close enough. Still, he might be able to get us something. I’ll talk to him.""Good. I’ll be expecting an update. And next time we talk, I want a date. No more waiting."The line went dead.He sighed, lifting his binocula
Jeremy lounged in the living room, stretching his legs onto the coffee table and crossing them as he pressed his phone to his ear.“You got the picture?” he asked the moment the call connected.“There was no need. The guy’s pretty famous,” the voice on the other end replied.“I don’t care. I want everything you can dig up on him—every little detail, right down to the time he brushes his damn teeth,” Jeremy said, his voice dripping with hatred.“I get it, boss. But keeping tabs on Jaxon Waverly? That’s insane. The man’s a ghost. You don’t just follow him—he’s always guarded.”“Well, that’s where you’re wrong, ’cause he wasn’t when I saw him this morning,” Jeremy shot back, irritation creeping into his tone. “You know what? If you can’t handle this, just say the word, and I’ll find someone who can.”“I’ll do it, okay?—” The man’s voice cut off as Ivy stormed into the living room, her anger instantly pulling Jeremy’s attention from the call.“Great,” Jeremy muttered, ending the call.Ivy
Isla and Jaxon stepped into the private chemotherapy infusion room, the very place Jaxon had requested for her. Mrs. Bennett sat comfortably in her reclining chair, and the moment she spotted them approaching, a radiant smile spread across her face. Beside her, an IV pole and monitoring equipment stood silently.“Hey, Mom,” Isla greeted, offering a soft, bittersweet smile as they pulled their chairs closer and took their seats.“Hi, Mrs. Bennett,” Jaxon added warmly, positioning his chair on her left while Isla settled on her right.Mrs. Bennett slowly turned to him. “Jaxon.” She mustered a smile, though exhaustion made it fleeting. Shifting her gaze to Isla, who was already smiling at her, she sighed. “You didn’t have to drag him into this too.”“This isn’t a bother at all, Mrs. Bennett,” Jaxon reassured her with a gentle smile. “I want to be here.”She studied him for a moment before asking, “What about your job?”Jaxon merely shrugged. “I’m the CEO—I don’t need to be there all the
"Michael." Alex's voice rang out as he pounded on the door, his knocks sharp and agitated. "Michael, open up, or I swear I'll break this damn door down!"Inside, Michael tensed at the sound of Alex’s voice, his jaw tightening as he stripped off his office clothes."Michael!" Alex shouted again, his frustration spilling into the hallway.A neighbor peeked out from her apartment, curious about the commotion, but Alex barely noticed. His patience was running thin. Just as he raised his fist to knock again, the door swung open, revealing Michael in a singlet.Michael's brows knitted together as he took in Alex’s disheveled state—sweaty, breathless, like he’d just run a marathon."What the hell do you think you're doing?" Michael demanded, stepping forward, intending to slip out and shut the door behind him. But before he could, Alex grabbed his arm and shoved him back inside, slamming the door shut behind them.The stench of alcohol hit Michael instantly. He wrenched his arm free. "Let me