Eve The silence was suffocating. I stared straight ahead, refusing to meet his gaze. My hands clutched the bouquet of white roses. The veil cascaded down over my face. I wanted them to open the doors for this to be over with. How uncomfortable. “Are you that uncomfortable with me?” His voice broke through the silence. My body froze, I slowly turned my head to look at him. His cold, emotionless gaze met mine, the same look he had always given me. No warmth, no tenderness, just emptiness. I shifted my gaze away. “What do you mean, Mr. Blackwell?” He chuckled. “Are you going to be calling me that forever? Are you not done with your tantrums?” I turned to him again, this time holding his gaze longer than I normally would. I used to think this man was… admirable. Cool, even. There was a time when the thought of him speaking to me, acknowledging me, would’ve made my entire day. But now? Now, I felt nothing. It was almost amusing how fragile human emotions were. One moment, som
Eve “It’s true, isn’t it? You’re standing here, all dressed up, ready to marry some rich guy after sleeping with me last night!” The whole room was silent, the kind of silence that pressed against your ears and made it difficult to breathe. Nobody moved, and nobody spoke. Everyone was stunned in place as eyes darted between me and the man I couldn’t look at anyone. My entire focus was on the man in front of me, his wild eyes boring into mine, his voice ringing in my ears. My mind raced, trying to make sense of it. Me? Slept with him? Impossible. I didn’t even know who this man was until a minute ago, much less slept with him. I tried to piece together his words. He couldn’t mean me—no, no, it had to be someone else. I was about to dismiss it completely when something clicked. Mia. He called me Mia. Of course. Mia. He wasn’t talking about me—he was talking about her. He didn’t call me Eve, he called me Mia, my twin sister. I wanted to tell him the truth, but the prob
Xander A few minutes ago I adjusted my glasses, flipping through the stack of files in my lap. My focus shifted from one document to the next as the car sped through the city streets. The black suit I wore felt stiff and unfamiliar for my taste. Normally, I’d prefer something minimalist, comfortable. But today was my wedding. The car slowed to a halt at a red light. I leaned back. My gaze lazily shifted to the side mirror, catching the blur of flashing lights. A massive billboard loomed in the distance, displaying the face of someone… familiar. I tilted my head, narrowing my eyes as I wound the car window down. The breeze brushed against my face as I squinted, finally seeing it clearly—a photo of an elderly woman, the caption announcing her death along with her age. I froze. The face on the screen wasn’t just familiar. It was hers. Theodore’s grandmother. Leaning back in my seat, I exhaled, the tension in my shoulders easing into something heavier. So, she was gone. I
Xander "Excuse me, we want to see the director," Luke said, standing in front of the hospital secretary's desk. I was seated in my wheelchair, my fingers resting lightly on the armrest. My gaze moved to the secretary as she slowly looked up from her computer, her eyebrow arching as she scanned us. Her eyes lingered on me, then her lips curled into a disdainful smile. Interesting. "Do you have an appointment with the director?" She asked. "An appointment? I don’t think we need to book an appointment." Luke replied. "What are you saying? Of course you do," she said, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair. "I’m sorry, but no matter who you are, you can’t come in without booking an appointment. That’s protocol." He blinked at her. "You must be new here. Just call the director and say Mr. Wint—" The secretary cut him off sharply. "I'm sorry, but If you don’t have an appointment, I’ll call security to escort you out." The room went quiet for a moment until I fi
Xander Present time “If you don’t get your hands off my wife, you will lose your life, and everything you have ever loved.” The sound of my voice echoed through the hall, silencing everyone. I didn’t have to look around to see everyone frozen in place, their gazes locked on me. My eyes, however, stayed fixed on her. Eve. She stood there trembling, her hand red from where that bastard had gripped it too tightly. Her lips parted slightly in shock and disbelief, as if she couldn't believe I was standing before her. And then I saw a flicker in her eyes. It was quick, but I saw it. Hurt?…….. betrayal? I raised an eyebrow. I hadn’t expected that from her. I expected anger, shock, maybe even relief, but not that. The way she looked at me stirred something deep inside me. I didn’t have time to think about what that was because she suddenly winced, and her soft whine of pain snapped me out of my thoughts. My gaze slid to the man beside her. This bastard had dared lay his hand
Eve “Sign the wedding contract.” My heart skipped a beat when I heard his words, and I hated myself for it. I finally looked up, my eyes locking onto the paper in Luke’s hand. The bold letters of the marriage contract stared back at me like a slap to the face. My gaze shifted to him, the man seated before me, cold and emotionless, as if this were nothing more than a routine business transaction. My chest tightened, and I instinctively placed a hand over my heart. It hurt. Why? Why did it hurt? It made no sense. He never treated me well. There was nothing between us. So why? Why was the fact that he was treating me like this so painful? This man—this man who took my virginity, who was the first man in years to make me feel even remotely safe was just like the rest of them. He had been playing with me all along. I thought he was different. Yes, he might have been cold to me. He never gave me the idea that he cared about me, but… at least he didn't stab me in the back. He d
Theodore I leaned back in the chair beside her bed, my gaze fixed on her sleeping face. Eve looked fragile, pale, like a ghost of herself. She looked like she had been through hell in just a week. What the hell had happened to her? I rubbed a hand over my face, the exhaustion catching up with me. It had been a week since my grandmother passed away, and everything after that had been chaos. I had barely had time to breathe, let alone think about anything outside of business and managing her affairs. Endless meetings, documents to sign, condolences to receive, it felt like I was drowning in responsibilities. I hadn’t even called or seen Xander in days, though I assumed he was managing fine. He always did. But now, staring at her like this, I couldn’t shake the guilt clawing at my insides. I should have checked in. I should have made time. When I finally managed to carve out a few minutes of freedom, I came to see her at the hospital only to hear she’d quit. Quit. Eve, who lived
Xander The evening sun bathed the backyard in hues of amber and gold. I sat in my wheelchair, my usual place, with my usual boredom, watching two Rottweilers sprint around the field. Except, this wasn’t just their regular play. The dogs were chasing a man. A bloody, beaten man in nothing but a pair of tattered boxers. His screams echoed across the yard as he scrambled, stumbling and crying out in desperation. They lunged at him like hunters closing in on prey, their sharp teeth tearing at his legs and arms whenever he slowed down. The man begged for his life as he tried to outrun them, but no matter where he turned, they were always just a step behind. When the man’s cries became too pitiful, two handlers would step in and pull the dogs back, letting him to rest. But it never lasted. They let him catch his breath, only to set the dogs loose again. And each time, the chase became more savage, more hopeless. I leaned back in my wheelchair, my hands resting on the armrests, my ey
Xander I leaned back in my seat, my gaze settling on the woman who had just stirred from sleep. She was… unexpected. Dressed in an oversized hoodie and blue shorts, she looked like she belonged anywhere but here. Her short black hair was a wild mess, untamed and effortless, as if she hadn’t bothered with it before stepping onto the plane. My eyes trailed over her, taking in every inch of her appearance, trying to place what felt… off about her. Almost like she could read my thoughts, she tilted her head slightly, allowing her glasses to catch the light—just enough for me to see part of her eyes. Then, she winked. I froze. Did she just—? Before I could process it, she turned away, already moving toward the screaming woman. But the flight attendant stepped in her path, arms crossed in a firm stance. “Are you kidding me right now?” she snapped, looking the woman up and down with unconcealed disdain. Already judging her by appearance alone. “Miss, this is not the time for jokes. So
Twelve years later Xander "The Winters Corporation is now one of the most powerful and influential companies in the world. Over the past twelve years, under the leadership of Xander Winters, the company has not only expanded but has gained control over major industries, shaping global markets with its advancements. With its dominance in technology, finance, and infrastructure, it is no exaggeration to say that Winters Corporation holds a significant stake in the world's economy. And now, after twelve years in London, the man behind it all, President Xander Winters, is returning to the country." The news anchor's voice faded into the background as I turned another page of the document in my hands. "Sir, is everything okay? Do you need anything else?" I didn't look up. "No." The flight attendant nodded politely. "If you need anything, please call." As she walked away, I finally leaned back against my seat, removing my glasses and rubbing my temples. Through the small window, the
Xander My father never appointed a Vice President. He always left the position vacant, waiting for me to take my place in the company. But now, there was no need for that. And the best candidate for the role was standing right in front of me. Langley looked stunned. He hadn’t moved since I spoke, frozen in disbelief. Across the room, Nathan looked just as shocked. Of course. It was obvious he had always wanted that position when my father was alive. Seeing it handed to someone else must have been a bitter pill to swallow. I tilted my head. “What? Is it too much responsibility for you, Mr. Langley?” He snapped out of his daze, quickly shaking his head. “No, it’s not that. I—I just don’t know if I’m the right person for the job.” I leaned back. “I don’t make mistakes. After reviewing everything, I came to the conclusion that you’re the right person. So, what do you say?” Langley hesitated for a moment, then a slow, grateful smile appeared on his face. “Thank you for giving
Xander I let my gaze sweep over the room. They were all still frozen, their shock was obvious. But Ginna and Nathan—ah, their expressions were priceless. I couldn’t tell what rattled them more: the fact that I was alive or the fact that I was walking. I almost scoffed. Pathetic. Last night, they sent someone to kill me. They were so predictable. I had expected as much when I heard the conference was scheduled for today. People like them were easy to read. What irritated me wasn’t that they tried, it was who they sent. A careless, sloppy killer who couldn't even do his job right. I nearly fell asleep waiting for him to make his move. And when he did… well, let’s just say he wouldn’t be making that mistake again. Not in this lifetime, or the next. I exhaled, bored already. “You’re all an eyesore. Sit. Now.” They scrambled to obey, stiff and uneasy. I leaned back, watching them shift uncomfortably. They looked like they’d rather be anywhere but here. Well, they walked in with thei
Xander One month later I pushed the car door open and stepped out into the cold morning air, staring at the massive building in front of me. My expression remained unreadable. How long had it been since I last walked into this place? I couldn’t remember. As a child, I used to be excited to come here with my father. Everything fascinated me—watching him work, seeing the way people respected him. I had wanted to be that kind of person. I had wanted to be like him. But after the accident, I never came back. I hated this place. I hated everything about my father. I hated that I was his son. I hated this company. I hated him. And yet… now I was here. Walking. Honestly, it was astonishing. After just a month of rehabilitation, I was back on my feet. The doctor had called it a miracle. I couldn’t care less. Even now, it still felt strange to be standing, to be moving without wheels beneath me. But now that I could walk…Now, I was going to show them just how dangerous it was f
Xander "The memory loss you're experiencing is likely due to hypoxia," the doctor explained, flipping through the chart. "During your surgery, Succinylcholine was administered by mistake. And your body didn’t metabolize it as quickly as expected, which caused a prolonged reaction. This led to respiratory distress, and for a short period, your brain wasn’t getting enough oxygen." “When the brain is deprived of oxygen, even briefly, it can affect cognitive function, especially memory, that’s likely why you're struggling to recall certain things. For some patients, these effects are temporary, and memory gradually returns. But in other cases, the damage can be more long-term.” "In your case,” the doctor added, “it seems the hypoxia affected the part of your brain responsible for storing recent memories. Your long-term memory is intact, but your brain couldn’t properly consolidate events from the past two years. This is why you can remember everything before that period but nothing af
Xander A month ago I was dreaming. The smell of something delicious filled the air. I heard the gentle clatter of plates and the sound of children laughing. "Stop playing around and come eat," a woman’s voice called out. The children giggled but obediently ran toward the table. I turned toward the kitchen. A woman stood there, her back to me as she stirred something in a pot. She turned slightly, and though her face was blurry, I could see her smile. It was….beautiful, peaceful and warm. "Come, dear," she said, turning to me fully. "Dinner is ready. Aren't you going to join us?" I froze at her words. Dear? Dinner? What the hell was happening? I glanced around. The house was unfamiliar, yet something about it felt… right and safe. Like I belonged here. I turned back to the woman, wanting to see her face clearly, to understand who she was. But the moment I took a step toward her, everything shifted. The warmth vanished. Suddenly, I was on a bridge. The air was col
Third person pov Ginna turned to her son, her face pale with shock. “What did you do?” Nathan shrugged, completely unfazed. “What does it look like? He was talking too much. I had to make him sleep.” She rushed to Mr. Winters’ side, crouching down and pressing two fingers to his nose. When she felt him breathe, she sighed in relief. “He’s still breathing,” she muttered, standing up and spinning toward her son. “Are you crazy? What are we going to do now? If he wakes up? Our lives will be ruined! He would have destroyed us and that man will never help us!” Nathan only smirked. “Then we help ourselves.” Ginna let out a frustrated scream. “How?!” Instead of answering, Nathan turned to the door. “Come in.” The maid from the other night hesitantly stepped inside, her hands trembling at her sides. Her gaze darted from Nathan to the unconscious man on the floor. Nathan reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Don’t be scared,” he murmured. “What did I tell you?
Third person pov Eve knelt beside Anthony's lifeless body, her hands trembling as she pressed them against his unmoving chest. Why? Why were all the good people taken away? Why was the world so cruel? Tears streamed down her face as she clenched her jaw, her body shaking with grief. Daisy crouched beside her. There was no time. She didn't know who was behind this attack, but she knew it wasn't over. That person was coming for Eve. With Xander unconscious, they had only one place left to go…..Theodore. She had to protect Eve. Not just for Xander. But because Eve was her friend. Daisy grabbed Eve’s hand, trying to pull her up. "Come on, Eve. We have to go." Eve shook her head violently. "Wait, Daisy," she choked out. "I can still do something, I can still bring him back!" Daisy froze. "What?" she whispered. Bring a dead person back? She turned to Eve, really looking at her. Her torn clothes, her disheveled hair, the empty look in her eyes. She was falling apart. Daisy swallowe