Walking back to his desk, Kris picked up his phone, which he'd nearly forgotten in his earlier haste to see Thalassa. “Who are you calling?” Alden asked as Kris began tapping rapidly on it. Kris didn’t respond, dialing a number and bringing the phone to his ear. He drummed his fingers impatiently on the desk as he waited for Smoke to answer. When the man finally picked up, Kris hissed, “I told you I wanted the report on Clark Morgan immediately, but it’s been five days already.” Smoke cleared his throat on the other end. “Forgive me, Mr. Miller, but my contacts overseas had a hard time searching for information on Morgan.” Kris’s nostrils flared. “So you don’t have anything yet?” “No,” Smoke clarified. “I do have something. I’m just trying to explain that—” “What are you waiting for, then? For me to roll out the red carpet before you come and give me the information?” “No, sir. I’m just on my way to your office now. I’ll be there in a few minutes.” “Make it quick,” Kris said,
“Lassa, the orders we’ve been receiving and the deadlines outweigh our capacity. There’s a lot of pressure right now because we need to deliver them all on time if we want to ensure customer satisfaction,” the man in front of her informed her.He was in charge of production across all the sewing factories of TT Fashion, which were spread across the entire country, with some on other continents.Thalassa bit her lip thoughtfully as she looked at the stats showing the ratio of orders to production capacity. She finally looked up at the man.“Andrew, talk to the procurement team. I need more factories set up—enough to meet the demand. Also, instruct the managers of all the factories to offer the workers as much incentive as possible. Increase each seamstress’s salary by 10%.”Andrew blinked in surprise. “But the seamstresses are already getting above-average pay for their work.”“It doesn’t matter,” Thalassa said flatly.Andrew cleared his throat. “If you don’t mind me making a suggestio
Thalassa gritted her teeth, fuming. “What is this, Kris? Let him go!” she demanded.Kris refused to release his grip, his eyes boring into Clark’s, but Clark’s eyes only seemed to mock him as he remained still, not trying to defend himself.“Kris!” Thalassa hissed, grabbing his arm and trying to pull him away.“Lassa, I’m so sorry. I tried to stop him. Should I call security?” Juana asked in a panic.“I know, Juana. And no, I can handle this,” Thalassa responded before turning her blazing eyes back to Kris.“Do you always have a penchant for violence, Kris? Because this isn’t a very good look,” Clark pointed out calmly.Gritting his teeth, Kris shoved Clark away, causing him to hit the couch with a thud. A hand shoved him back on the chest.“What is wrong with you? How dare you lay a hand on Clark?” Thalassa raged, smacking her hand on his chest.The smack didn’t hurt, but the fact that she was defending this man infuriated him.“I’m trying to protect you,” he gritted out.Thalassa sn
Thalassa’s brow rose slightly as she looked at Clark, waiting for his reply. Clark already had one prepared.“It’s simple. I just had a hunch. Thalassa already told me everything you and your family did to her. And knowing how important the awards show was, I had a feeling one of you would try something again. But I must admit, I was quite disappointed to find out it was you. I thought you were better than that.”Kris’s blood was above boiling point now, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. The only thing preventing him from punching the hell out of the man was that Thalassa was standing between them.“Just get out of here, Kris,” Thalassa finally spoke again, her expression hard. “Be the man you claim to be and accept your deeds for once in your life instead of always finding someone else to blame.”Kris was pained, knowing she thought so low of him, but he couldn’t give up.“Thalassa, please, I just want to protect you. He’s not who he seems to be,” he said,
Clark stiffened, disliking how Thalassa’s gaze remained pointed and questioning. He let out a small chuckle. “Didn’t I? I think I did.”“No, you didn’t, Clark,” she calmly stated, shaking her head, still waiting for an answer.Clark swallowed. “Uh, the last woman I was with... she was called Meghan. I never married her, though, because after the first two experiences, I didn’t want to be attached to anyone else. But we were together, and I thought she had gotten better until she had a bad relapse and had to be sent back to the mental hospital. She committed suicide in there.”He let out a sorrowful sigh. “I guess I didn’t tell you because remembering this has become too painful for me.”“And what about the inheritance you got from all of them? You didn’t tell me about that either,” Thalassa continued.Clark subtly gritted his teeth, wondering why she wasn’t letting it go. “I... I didn’t think it was important. Yes, they were well-to-do, but almost everyone in the foundation I joined w
“So you and Clark... you’re serious now? Are you dating him?” Millie asked.“I wish!” Luisa interjected. “She’s still going on about her ‘I’ll never fall in love again. Blah blah blah.’ But I know Clark will slowly melt her heart. Isn’t he so handsome?”“Uh... yes.” Millie nodded, but in her head, she added, ‘but only on the outside.’Indeed, she’d initially thought Clark was a gentleman, even if he’d seemed a bit too sweet. She’d even thought that she would be happy if he helped Thalassa to finally move on, but after everything Kris’s investigator had revealed, she was wishing for the complete opposite.It troubled her that Thalassa was close to someone like Clark, but as much as she wanted to warn her friend, she couldn’t say anything because she feared Thalassa would accuse her of being sent by Kris to influence her or turn her against Clark.She just hoped the investigators could find damning evidence soon or that Kris could somehow manage to convince Thalassa of how dangerous Cla
Millie's heart pounded in her chest, and all she wished for in that moment was for the earth to open up and swallow her whole."Why do you have those bruises, Millie?" Zeke asked, his voice more serious than before."Bruises?" Millie chuckled nervously, shifting her back away from the mirror so he couldn't see the reflection anymore. "You must have seen wrong. Why would I have bruises?""I'm not stupid, Millie. I know what I saw," Zeke said, taking a step closer to her.Millie felt like she was going to pass out as he approached. "Zeke, please leave. It's not appropriate for you to be here while I'm barely dressed. Please go."Whether or not the situation was appropriate was the last thing on Zeke's mind as he closed most of the distance between them."Forgive me," he apologized for what he was about to do.Placing his hand on her shoulder, he tried to turn her back to face him, but Millie resisted."Zeke, no, please...""Millie..." Zeke ground out.There was a warning in his tone tha
“I... I'm a masochist. My pleasure comes from pain, so whenever we have sex, I tell him to do this to make me feel good.”Silence fell over the room. Zeke stood frozen, so shocked that words escaped him. Millie’s face was filled with shame, but was it because she was lying—or because she was telling the truth?Francis stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Millie, his mocking gaze never leaving Zeke.“Are you satisfied now? Feel good about yourself, making her confess something she’s ashamed of?” he sneered.The grating sound of Francis’s voice snapped Zeke out of his shock, and he spat, “You’re a fucking liar! I saw those bruises myself. They weren’t playful bruises. Millie would never ask for something like that.”Francis scoffed, his voice laced with contempt. “Apart from the fact that our bedroom business is none of yours, you didn’t hear it from me—you heard it from her. She’s into rough and kinky stuff when we’re intimate. Didn’t
My dear supercalifragilisticexpialidocious readers, I won't ever get tired of expressing my gratitude for all the support you guys have given to this book. I know the way I write isn't always similar to the most popular books on the app, but I'm so glad you guys love it nevertheless. This is my most successful book yet, and it's all thanks to you guys. Love you so very much. Now, for those interested in what I plan to write the next, we're done with these characters. The next book will be about completely different characters. It's so hard to let these characters go, but we need a fresh start. No, wait. I was only joking. Don't bite my head off! Haha. (Really wish this app allows emojis so I can show you how I'm grinning like an idiot, lol) I don't intend to desert Alex like some of you fear. The next story will be about him and his lovestory. Will he ever get over the betrayal and allow himself to love and trust again? After some discussions with my editor, we came to the agreeme
Tessa stood frozen for several seconds before her hands flew to her mouth in shock. “Oh my God…” she whispered. She didn't even have to ask if he was sure because she could tell he was. Guilt clawed at her chest. Alex had told her before how most of the women who came onto him were only after his wealth which was also part of the reason he'd always been so careful about dating. And now it seemed he had been proven right. Tessa felt like it was her fault because she was the one who had set Alex on that blind date with Hillary. “Alex,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea she was that kind of woman.” He shook his head. “It’s okay,” he said, his voice calmer, his expression blank. “You were just trying to look out for me. But don’t do it again, Tessa.” There was no anger in his tone toward her, but she could sense the bitterness. Tessa swallowed hard, guilt still pressing down on her. She watched as Alex turned toward one of the cabinets, moving like he already knew exactl
After breakfast, the whole family moved to the shores to enjoy the beach. the whole family moved to the beach where a variety of games and fun had been set up.Tessa took a deep breath, feeling at peace.But peace never really lasted long when when her mischievous twins were around.The four-year-olds were balls of energy, running up and down the sandy shore, splashing water at people, and playfully disturbing anyone who looked too relaxed.“Girls!” Tessa called after them as they ran past, giggling. “Don’t bother grandpa Zeke!”Too late.Zeke had been lying on a lounger, sunglasses on, probably dozing off, until a handful of sand landed on his chest.His head snapped up. “Hey!”The twins burst into laughter and ran away before he could catch them.Gendry, sitting next to Tessa, shook his head. “Your daughters indeed.”Tessa turned to him with a dry look. “Excuse me?”“The mischief? That’s all you. I'm sure that's exactly how you were at their age.”She huffed, crossing her arms. “And
FIVE YEARS LATERThe morning sun peeked through the white curtains, casting golden light across the bedroom. Tessa stirred, instantly feeling the warmth pressed against her back, a familiar arm draped over her waist. A smile crept onto her lips as she blinked sleepily.She didn't have to turn around to know Gendry was awake. His slow, steady breaths against the nape of her neck gave him away.A soft kiss landed on her bare shoulder."Happy anniversary, Mrs. Graham," he murmured, his voice husky from sleep.Tessa hummed, pressing back against him. "Happy anniversary, Mr. Graham."Gendry tightened his hold on her, rolling her onto her back so he could hover over her. The intense look in his dark eyes sent a familiar shiver down her spine."Last night wasn't enough," he whispered, running his fingers down her side. "I need more."Tessa let out a soft laugh. "Didn't we exhaust ourselves already?"His lips brushed against her neck. "Not even close."They made love again, slow and deep, as
Tessa’s heart thudded as her father stared at Gendry, his brows furrowing deeper by the second. "Of course I figured that out already." her father finally scoffed, shaking his head. "It's just... Tessa is two months pregnant. Two months. I—" He blinked rapidly as the realization dawned. "Unless..." Tessa took pity on him. She sighed and decided to just put him out of his confusion. "Dad," she said carefully, "there was… something between Gendry and me. When we were in Jamaica." Her father's frown only deepened. "I don’t understand. Since we left Jamaica, I haven’t seen you two together until yesterday. How could there be something between you when–” Beside him, Thalassa let out a small chuckle and placed a hand on his chest. "Leave them alone, Kris," she said, eyes twinkling with amusement. Kris turned to her, narrowing his eyes. "You don’t seem surprised." Thalassa shrugged. Kris’s jaw dropped. "Lassa. You knew?" She gave him an innocent look. "I had my suspicions." "And yo
All eyes turned towards Tessa and Gendry as they entered. In the living room were her parents, Alex, Rita, Maya, Jace, Aunt Luisa, Uncle Alden, and their youngest 17 years old daughter, Tessa's cousin, Emma.The moment Rita spotted Gendry, she gasped. "Gendry!" she squealed, jumping up from her seat and rushing toward him.Gendry barely had time to react before Rita crashed into him. He let out a soft chuckle, crouching slightly to meet her height as he ran a hand through her hair.“Missed me that much, huh?” he teased, the corner of his lips lifting in amusement.Rita huffed and pulled back, immediately smoothing down her hair. “You're ruining my hair,” she grumbled, glaring up at him.“My bad,” Gendry said, his voice dripping with fake remorse. His amused gaze flicked toward the others, and laughter rippled through the room, even from Alex.Despite the lighthearted moment, Tessa caught the curious look in her father’s eyes. There were unspoken questions swimming in his gaze.“Good e
“Marry me, Tessa.”Tessa stared at him, her lips parting as she tried to process what he had just said. Her voice came out in a breathless whisper. “What?”Gendry didn’t hesitate. He looked straight into her eyes, his expression open and sure. “Marry me, Tessa.”She felt like her heart had stopped. Her mind raced, but no coherent thoughts came. “You—” She swallowed, utterly flustered.Gendry chuckled at her shock, rolling onto his side so that he was partially on top of her. His fingers traced lazy circles on her arm, his touch soothing.“Hear me out,” he murmured. “I know it sounds crazy. Maybe it is. But I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.”Tessa’s breath hitched, her pulse drumming in her ears.“We just made things official, like, yesterday,” he admitted, his lips curving into a small, sheepish smile. “But it doesn’t feel new, does it? It feels like I’ve known you forever. We’ve been through so much. Hell, even we were against each other at some point. And yet, here we
“Don’t worry. You’re not the first couple to ask that, and you definitely won’t be the last.” The doctor said with a teasing note in her voice.She pulled out a disposable wipe and began wiping the gel from Tessa's belly. Tessa sighed in relief.“That should be all for today,” The doctor said warmly. “As I said, for the first few months, it would be best to be checked monthly, so please when you're ready, let me know when to schedule the next appointment.”She began rearranging the equipment. “Please wait outside for a few minutes. Your ultrasound pictures and the recording will be ready soon to take with you..” Gendry helped Tessa sit up and adjust her clothes before they stepped out. They waited in the reception area, their happiness and excitement tangible. Ten minutes later, a nurse handed over the envelope containing the picture and the USB. Gendry took it as if it was the most precious thing in the world. They made their way out of the hospital and back to Gendry's car. Aft
In the afternoon, when it was a couple of minutes to get an appointment, Gendry arrived a few minutes earlier than he promised to pick her up.Gendry leaned against the doorframe, looking relaxed yet effortlessly gorgeous in his button down shirt. His eyes swept over her in that way that always made her feel like the only woman in the world. "You're early," she teased, walking toward him. He beamed. “I'll always be early for you, princes.” Her heart did a little flip at that, but she rolled her eyes to keep her cool. "Such a smooth talker." He grinned and reached for her, pulling her close and covering her lips with his. When they finally broke the kiss, he took her hand. She let him take it without hesitation, their fingers interlocking. It felt so right.As they walked through the office, she felt the weight of dozens of eyes on them. Conversations momentarily halted, only to resume in hushed murmurs once they passed. She knew exactly why. One, no one had ever seen her h