Jaxon kept his eyes fixed on the road, feigning indifference as Isla fidgeted nervously beside him. The silence in the car was thick and awkward, broken only by the faint sound of her fingers tapping against one another.Suddenly, the car jerked to a halt, coming to a stop in the middle of the highway, on a deserted bridge. Isla's breath hitched as the realization sank in—they’d stopped in the middle of nowhere. The unfamiliarity of the road unsettled her even more.Panicked, she glanced into the side mirror and noticed the absence of other cars. They were completely alone, and the isolation sent a wave of fear coursing through her. A flood of paranoid thoughts raced through her mind as Jaxon finally turned to look at her. "Why are we stopping here? What is he going to do to me?" Her heart pounded violently against her chest. She remembered, suddenly, how little she actually knew about him—no social media, no digital footprint. The enigma around him had always been unsettling, but n
The car rolled smoothly into the vast compound, where a vibrant water fountain stood at the center, crowned with a statue of a woman draped in a flowing veil.Isla’s eyebrows arched as her gaze flitted from the lush, colorful garden to the fountain, and then to the grand mansion. Her eyes couldn’t settle on a single detail; the sheer magnificence of it all was overwhelming.It was, without a doubt, the most stunning house she had ever seen.As the car's engine quieted, Jaxon unfastened his seatbelt with one hand. He glanced at Isla and noticed she was completely engrossed, her eyes fixed on the view outside the window.With a sigh, he opened his door. “Are you coming?” he asked, stepping out, his words breaking her trance.“Oh… yes, yes,” she stammered, quickly snapping out of her thoughts. She grabbed her bag tightly, opened the door, and stepped out in a rush.Without a word, Isla trailed behind Jaxon, her eyes still darting around, drinking in every detail. As they approached the f
Isla woke up early to get ready for work, determined not to delay Jaxon by being unprepared.Once she finished, she sat on her bed for a moment, idly scrolling through her phone. It didn’t take long for boredom to set in, prompting her to get up and stretch her legs. She stepped out of the bedroom and into the living room, deciding to feed her curiosity. Her gaze quickly landed on an artistic portrait hanging on the wall. The living room was eerily quiet, as if frozen in time, suggesting that Henry had already left after his shift. Drawn to the painting, she stood before it, captivated by its details.The portrait was a black-and-white painting of a serene landscape. And for a moment, Isla was lost in the painting when suddenly, Jaxon’s deep, firm voice cut through the silence from behind her.“You’re ready.”“Haaa!” Isla yelped, spinning around, her hands flying to her chest as she tried to steady her racing heart. Her wide eyes locked onto Jaxon, and for a second, she froze.“Mr. J
Jaxon sat behind his desk, his laptop open before him, glasses perched on his nose. The screen displayed his email inbox, and he was busy scanning through the unread messages.Among the new emails, one caught his attention—it was from Clef Roberto’s personal assistant. The message detailed the goods Jaxon had paid for and where he was supposed to retrieve them. As he read through the information, there was a knock on the door, and Alex stepped in. Jaxon didn’t look up, his focus remaining on the laptop.“Mr. Waverly, I’ve handed Isla the iPad with your schedules,” Alex reported. Jaxon finally raised his head, glancing through the transparent office walls to see Isla inspecting the iPad in her hands.“Great. That’ll make things smoother. Roberto’s reached out,” Jaxon said, shifting his attention to Alex.“The goods are ready?” Alex asked, taking a seat across from him.“They’ll arrive Thursday,” Jaxon confirmed, his tone brisk. “Same parking lot where we met Wommie.”Alex nodded, watc
Jaxon glanced at his wristwatch for what felt like the hundredth time, and this time, his patience snapped. It was already past 7 p.m. He started pacing in front of her desk, his eyes darting to the restroom door every time he passed it.Finally, the door creaked open, and Isla emerged, softly sniffing. Her head was bowed, and she didn’t notice him standing there until she nearly reached her desk.Her breath hitched as her gaze lifted, meeting his. “Mr. Jaxon…” she murmured, quickly smoothing the sadness from her expression.Without a word, Jaxon stepped closer, and Isla found herself frozen in place, as though his presence commanded her feet to stay rooted.He stopped mere inches away, his intense stare forcing her to lower her eyes. Her heart raced in her chest.“Is this your new strategy for staying late at work?” he asked, his tone sharp.Isla’s brows knitted together as she shook her head. “No, of course not,” she said. She glanced up at him briefly before looking away. “I didn’t
~The Next Morning~Jaxon blinked awake, his eyes adjusting to the dim light as he felt the gentle weight of Isla’s head resting on his shoulder. Turning slightly, he looked down at her peaceful face, her closed eyes undisturbed by the world around them.His suit was still draped neatly over her, shielding her from the chill that had settled in the elevator. A sliver of soft morning light seeped through the crack between the doors, signaling the start of a new day. He glanced at his wristwatch—opening hours had already begun. “Any moment now,” he murmured to himself.Isla stirred beside him, letting out a faint moan as her head shifted. Jaxon watched as she rubbed her hand across her eyes before slowly opening them. For a brief moment, her gaze was unfocused, as if piecing together her surroundings. Then, realization dawned, and she quickly pulled away.“Mr. Waverly…” she stammered, her cheeks flushing. “I’m sorry.” She nervously smoothed her hands over her face and hair, attempting
The moment Isla switched on her new phone, a flood of messages from Sophie began pouring in, along with several missed calls. They hadn’t seen each other since Isla left the house two nights ago.As she walked out of the mall, Isla dialed Sophie’s number, her gaze fixed on Jaxon’s car while she waited for Sophie to answer.“You’re alive!” Sophie’s voice exploded through the speaker, prompting Isla to wince and quickly move the phone away from her ear. “Where the hell have you been? I just left the police station, and they told me I have to wait another 48 hours before I can report you as missing!”“What?” Isla’s eyes widened in shock. “Sophie, you didn’t have to do that! I’m fine,” she assured, her back turned against the car as she spoke.“How was I supposed to know that?” Sophie shot back defensively. “You didn’t come home last night, and your phone was off. I even went to Waverly’s company an hour ago, and they said you weren’t there either. I was so worried—that’s why I went to th
The hotel room door burst open as Alex pushed Michael inside. Without wasting a second, he cupped Michael’s face and crashed their lips together, kissing him fervently while they clumsily tried to undress without breaking the kiss.Alex’s fingers fumbled with the buttons of his crisp white shirt, while Michael smoothly unfastened his uniform, letting it slide down his arms and subtly flexing his muscles.When Alex’s shirt got caught as he pulled it off, Michael stepped in to help, all while their lips remained locked in an unyielding kiss. They both moved closer as they involuntrily kept fighting to dominate the kiss. Alex suddenly broke the kiss and shoved Michael, causing him to fall hard on the bed. Their eyes filled with lust as Alex fumbled to unbuckle his belt, while Michael’s lips slightly parted. He sat up and moved closer to the edge of the bed where Alex stood. He traced his hands on his perfectly carved out abs, lowly biting his lower lips, keeping eye contact with Alex.
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