After several seconds of just standing in dumbfounded silence, Millie took a shaky breath, stepping back. “Zeke, you can't just say something like that.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, but her eyes held a mixture of caution and disbelief.“Why not?” he asked, closing the gap she’d put between them. “It's the truth.”Millie shook her head. “Because you’re only saying this because you feel guilty.” Her voice cracked as she forced herself to continue. “You feel bad about what happened, Zeke, and…you think this is what I want to hear.”“Millie,” he began, his voice softening, “I won’t lie. I did feel guilty. But not because of what we shared that night. I didn’t regret it, not the way I made it sound. The guilt was… it was about me. I felt ashamed because, after waking up, I realized how much I wanted that night—how much I wanted you. And you didn't deserve that, especially after I'd gone after another woman just a few hours before.”Looking away, Millie clenched her jaw. His word
The kiss was intense, filled with a hunger and conviction that left Millie breathless. His hands gripped her tightly, as though he was afraid she’d slip away.When he finally pulled back, he held her face in his hands, his voice a low, fervent whisper. “Does that kiss feel like it was born out of guilt?”Before Millie could answer, his mouth found her neck, leaving a trail of kisses that sent shivers down her spine. His hand slid down her back, pulling her close. “Do my caresses feel like they come from guilt?” He whispered, his breath warm against her skin. A moan spilled from her mouth.Zeke's fingers traced her sides. Grabbing her hand, he brought it between them and placed her palm over the unmistakable heat of his desire. Millie almost gasped because of how big and hard his dick felt in her hand through the fabric of his trousers.“And what about this?” He questioned, his voice thick and raspy.Millie shrugged. “You could’ve taken Viagra.”Zeke froze, pulling back to stare at
“Oh my God.” Thalassa whispered, a stricken look on her face.Kris had just told them about Millie’s situation with Francis, and the shock on her face was mirrored by Luisa’s horrified gaze.After some seconds, she finally found her voice again. “I can’t believe Millie was going through something so horrible... and we never even noticed.”Kris wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. “Hey,” he murmured, his tone gentle yet firm. “Don’t feel guilty. Millie hid it well. She’s been working with me for two years, and there were times I suspected something wasn’t right... but I could never have guessed it was like this. She didn’t want anyone to see.”“But... she told Zeke, though, didn’t she?” Luisa’s voice was barely above a whisper.Kris shook his head, the faintest sigh escaping him. “Not exactly. Zeke found out by accident. One day, he walked into the guest bathroom here, and Millie was in there, drying out the wet hem of her dress. She’d taken the dress off, and he saw bruises
Since Kris and Thalassa didn't inform Rita beforehand that they would be coming, the older woman was pleasantly surprised to see them.“Kris! Thalassa! Oh, my dears!” Rita exclaimed, practically pulling them both into a hug. She embraced Thalassa tightly, murmuring, “I missed you so much.”Thalassa hugged her back, feeling warmth fill her heart. “Me too, Mum. I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner. I should have.”“Oh, hush with that,” Rita said gently, brushing off her apology. “Now come, you two, sit with me.” She ushered them to the cozy living room, where she settled onto the couch beside them.Just then, Bridget, the housemaid, appeared and greeted them with a fond smile, especially Thalassa. “Would you like anything, dear?”Thalassa perked up. “Actually, we’d love some of your delicious coffee, Bridget. I can’t even remember the last time I had it.”Bridget chuckled, her eyes twinkling proudly. “It’s very good to see you again, dear Lassa. At least you’re not like the other one who…” Sh
Taking in the look of pure joy on Rita's face, Thalassa couldn't help but feel her throat tighten. “There are more pictures.” she said and flipped to the next. The huddled together, scrolling through picture after picture. Rita gushed over each photo of Alexander, her eyes glistening with pride and joy. "He’s got your eyes, Kris. But his smile is all Lassa!" She exclaimed, her voice thick with emotion. Thalassa couldn't stop smiling. Over the last hour or so, the three of them slipped into stories of old memories, laughter bubbling up at the little things. Eventually, Rita asked, “Will you stay for dinner? It would make my evening to have both of you here a little longer.” Kris smiled, but he shook his head gently. "We’d love to, Rita, but we have somewhere we need to be." Rita raised an eyebrow, curiosity sparkling in her gaze. "Oh? And where might that be?" Kris chuckled, glancing at Thalassa with a mischievous grin. “Sorry, but I can't tell you. Actually, I haven’t even to
Thalassa stood frozen as Kris's words hung in the air. Her heart pounded so loudly she thought he might hear it as a mix of conflicting emotions threatened to knock the breath out of her.Kris knelt before her, the warmth in his eyes slowly turning to uncertainty as she remained silent. The longer she stood there, not speaking, the more his smile faltered. Why wasn't she answering?But he tried to reassure himself, pushing the anxiety down. She was just shocked and would respond as soon as the shock wore off. Finally, she responded, but it caught him completely off guard. “No, Kris… I’m sorry,” she said as she shook her head, her voice shaking.Kris blinked. Her words hit him like a punch to the chest. He looked at her, his lips slightly parted, trying to process what she’d just said. He'd misheard, hadn't he?He managed a shaky laugh, “That’s very funny, Lassa.” He expected her to laugh back and admit that indeed, it'd been a joke, but she didn't laugh or smile. Instead, tears beg
As Thalassa entered her house, she moved almost mechanically. As soon as Luisa saw her, she rushed over, her eyes sparkling curiously. “Lassa, how was your outing with Kris? Tell me everything. Where did he take you that he was mysterious about?" She took Thalassa's hand, leading her to the couch with an excited grin. “Come on, give me all the details.”But as soon as they sat down, Luisa's smile faltered, noticing the solemn expression on Thalassa's face. “Hey, what’s with the long face?” she asked, brows knitting together. “And where is Kris? I thought you two would come back together.”Thalassa’s lips parted, but her voice came out as a shaky whisper. “Kris…he asked me to marry him.”Luisa’s eyes widened with delight, and she practically jumped up from her seat, “Oh my God! Sis, that’s amazing! Congratulations! I’m so happy for you both!” She squeezed Thalassa’s hand, leaning closer. “Tell me everything—how did he propose?”Despite herself, Thalassa managed a small smile. “He to
EARLIER...Minutes after Zeke had left, Millie was still lying on her back, thinking about how things had changed so suddenly when a knock came at the door.Her heart fluttered. Could it be Zeke back to give her some more kisses? She could almost feel his warm smile through the door. Without thinking, she stood, smoothing her dress and padding over to open it. But when she pulled the door open, she froze.It was Francis.The sight of him made her heart lurch in her chest. Immediately, she tried to shut the door, but his arm shot out, shoving it back with ease. He forced his way inside, closing the door behind him. Millie’s body went cold as she backed away, her voice barely a whisper."What do you want, Francis?" she managed.Francis’s eyes glinted with a twisted pleasure as he looked her up and down, his gaze lingering in a way that made her skin crawl. “You look even more sexy and gorgeous than the last time I saw you,” he drawled. “Been a while, hasn’t it? Did you miss me?”Milli
“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
A bitter smile curled Tessa’s lips as she unfolded her crossed arms. "You say you want me back in your life," she murmured, tilting her head slightly. "But let’s be honest, Henry. I was never in your life to begin with."Henry flinched at the use of his name instead of "Dad," but he quickly recovered, forcing a weak smile."Tessa, that’s not true. I’ve always—""Spare me," she interrupted coldly. "What do you really want? Me? Or money?"His face paled. His fingers curled into fists at his sides, but he quickly unclenched them. He let out a nervous chuckle, trying to maintain his composure. "I won’t lie to you. I... I am in a difficult situation right now, financially. But that’s not why I’m here—"Tessa’s expression darkened. "Don’t insult my intelligence, sir." She straightened up, placing her hands on the desk as she leaned forward slightly. "I know what you tried to do years ago, Henry. I know you tried to sell me for a couple of billion dollars."Henry’s head snapped up. His eyes
Tessa sat at her desk in her office, flipping through a few design sketches when her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and saw Gendry’s name.Gendry: What have you done to me, Tessa Miller?A small smile tugged at her lips. She set the sketches aside and picked up her phone, quickly typing back.Tessa: What have I done?His reply came almost immediately.Gendry: I can’t concentrate on a damn thing because I can’t stop thinking about you. You left my apartment just a few hours ago, and I already miss you like crazy.Tessa felt a warm, fluttery feeling spread through her chest.Tessa: I miss you too.There was a pause of a couple of seconds, then another message came.Gendry: Waking up with you makes my mornings the most beautiful. I want to experience that forever.Tessa stared at the message for a long moment, her fingers hovering over the screen. She wasn’t sure how to respond to that. It was sweet, but she didn’t want to overthink it. Instead, she just smiled. While she was s
Gendry shook his head. “No, it's not that. It's just... I'm scared we might hurt the baby.”“No, we won’t. I heard it's safe to do it even when pregnant,” Tessa said, chasing his lips again.It had been too long. Too fucking long. And God knew how much she wanted him inside her again.Initially, Gendry kissed her back hesitantly, but his reluctance soon vanished. His lips trailed from hers and ran down her neck while he wedged his hands between them to fondle her breasts. His hard dick was pressing against her thigh, filling her with even more anticipation. But before they could undress each other, the jarring ring of her cellphone shattered the moment.Tessa tried to ignore it, but the sound was too grating. Gendry broke the kiss, and they both sighed as she reached for her phone. It was her brother calling. She answered.“Tessa!” Alex’s relieved sigh came through the phone. “Mum and Dad called me this morning and told me what happened yesterday. Are you... Okay, we know you're safe
Taking in the earnest, almost desperate look in Gendry's eyes, Tessa felt warmth spread through her chest. But she couldn't help but mess with him a bit.“Did I?” She shrugged, turning her gaze away from him. “I don't remember saying that. I must have been really tired.”“Oh.” She saw Gendry's expression sink from the corner of her eye. “I... you said... I thought…” He pursed his lips, struggling for words. “Tessa, you... I...”Tessa couldn't hold it in any longer. She burst into laughter. “Oh, Gendry...” She chuckled, finally looking back at him. “Of course, I remember, and of course, I meant every word.”The smile that crossed his face was the most beautiful thing Tessa had ever seen.“You evil woman,” he growled playfully. “Did you want to give me a heart attack?”And then he pounced, tickling her until she was on her back, peals of laughter vibrating through her.“Gendry, stop,” she pleaded between gasps, but he didn’t listen, dipping his head to nuzzle her neck and using his lips
After Tessa drifted off to sleep, Gendry slowly lifted her head from his shoulder, moving carefully so he wouldn’t wake her.Then, he gently scooped her up in his arms, carrying her bridal style to his bedroom. He laid her down softly, ensuring she remained undisturbed. She stirred slightly, scratching her chin for a second, but she didn’t wake up. Her breathing soon returned to its deep, steady rhythm.Smiling at how adorable she looked, he reached down and carefully removed her heels. She had, hands down, the most beautiful feet he had ever seen. He felt a sudden urge to suck on her toes.But not while she was sleeping. Maybe later.He let out a quiet chuckle at his own ridiculous thoughts. Was there anything about this woman he didn’t find attractive?He could worship every inch of her body for days, especially now that he knew she felt the same way.A heady thrill zapped through him.Oh, God. She loved him.She’d told him she loved him. It was the last thing he had expected. At le
When Tessa didn't respond after some seconds, Gendry pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her protectively as he guided her to the couch. The worry in his chest deepened with every shaky breath she took."Please, tell me," he urged gently, his voice low, coaxing. "What's wrong?"Tessa hesitated for a brief moment, then let it all out.She told him everything—meeting her biological father, the horrible lies he had spun about her parents, and the devastating truth that he had once tried to sell her. Her voice was steady at first, but as the words left her lips, it became raw, filled with emotions she had been holding back.By the time she finished, Gendry sat there in stunned silence. His fingers twitched as he clenched his fists on his lap. “Jesus Christ, Tessa…” His voice was hoarse with restrained anger. He inhaled deeply, forcing himself to calm down. “If you hadn’t just told me all that, I would’ve never guessed Kris and Thalassa weren’t your biological parents. You guys a
The moment her eyes landed on Wendy, standing so close to Gendry, dressed in a sleek, skin-tight black dress that left little to the imagination, Tessa felt like she had walked into something she wasn’t supposed to see. Her stomach twisted painfully, and her throat suddenly felt tight.“I...I’m sorry,” she stammered, taking a step back. “I didn’t know you had company.”Gendry’s brows furrowed. “Tessa, wait—”But Tessa was already retreating toward the elevator. It had obviously been a mistake coming here.Just as she turned, Wendy’s voice stopped her.“There’s no need for you to leave,” she said, reaching for her purse on the couch. “The one who will be leaving is me.”Tessa stopped mid-step, glancing back warily. Wendy walked toward the door, her heels clicking softly against the floor. As she reached Gendry’s side, she turned her gaze to Tessa, her sharp eyes scanning her from head to toe.Gendry tensed, hoping that Wendy wasn't planning to say something that would offend Tessa.The