AMELIAHis question held a hint of something in it that I was too afraid to identify at that moment. The unmistakable feel of his strong fingers around my wrist was enough to make my emotions go haywire. I stood frozen on the spot, his words sinking in. The sheer honesty in them and how fast my heart was beating in that moment. I had to get it together…I had to… “Amy?” He asked, this time uncertainty seeped into his tone. I turned around slowly, meeting his eyes was one thing…keeping my gaze firm was another. “Is there…something you need me to do for you?” I questioned foolishly despite understanding his words quite well. He didn't want me to leave. Just as I was hesitant to leave. Roman shook his head and offered a small smile that made my stomach flip, “No, nothing,” He admitted with what I'd almost mistaken for a sheepish tone. “Just stay, for a bit. Have lunch with me,” He offered. I lifted a brow. As surprised as I was by his sudden request, I couldn't help but have coun
AMELIA Roman was…honestly not what I expected him to be. For some reason, after breaking up with Bertha he seemed like a completely different person. Sure, we were obviously avoiding the topic of…our kiss…the sex…and everything else in between, like the obvious fact that we both wanted to fuck each other again. I think Roman and I would've been really good friends in another time…probably. A man this good looking? “What's on your mind?” I smiled as I met his curious gaze. “I thought you were joking when you said burger,” I admitted, looking down at the shiny burger in front of me. Roman took a bite out of his and shook his head. Chewing like he was doing an ad for the restaurant. Holy shit his lips looked so…good. His pink tongue darted out, licking a stray sauce that lingered in the corner, then picked up the tissue in front of him for extra measure. I watched the man like I was being paid to do so, I couldn't take my eyes off him. He groaned as he swallowed, ey
The drive to Colson's house was filled with Roman muttering under his breath about "tiny terrors" and "last time I babysat". I couldn't help but grin, watching his usually composed demeanor crack at the mere thought of dealing with children. Who would have thought that the mighty Roman Wellington had a weakness for little girls in pigtails?“I'm sure they're not that bad,” I whispered at one point and the only reply I got was a glare which only made me laugh harder. As we pulled up to Colson's house…a massive bungalow that looked so beautiful from the outside, my eyes widened. The place was absolute chaos – and that was just from what I could see outside. Delivery vans lined the circular driveway, workers were hauling in what looked like pieces of carnival rides, and through the massive windows, I could see people scurrying about with armfuls of ribbons and balloons."Oh my God," Roman breathed, putting the car in park. "What has he gotten himself into?" He looked on with wide eyes,
Colson shook his head, then seemed to remember the crisis at hand. "Since you've thrown Roman to the wolves, the least you can do is help me with the cake situation." As we walked into the house, I was struck by the organized chaos inside. Every surface seemed to be covered in some form of party preparation – half-inflated balloons, piles of party favors, what looked like enough candy to give diabetes to half of Manhattan. A harried-looking woman with a clipboard hurried past us, speaking rapidly into a headset about "princess protocol." "So," I said, stepping over a box of party hats, "Exactly how many people are coming to this party?" Colson's laugh had a slightly hysterical edge to it. "Originally? About twenty of their little friends from preschool. But then Lisa overheard someone at the park talking about a sweet sixteen, and suddenly they both decided that four was basically sixteen, so..." "So now it's..." "A full-blown extravaganza with about a hundred guests, three b
AMELIA As we reached the top of the stairs, the sound of giggling grew louder. Roman's grip on my hand tightened slightly, and I couldn't help but smirk at his obvious apprehension. Who would have thought that the great Roman Wellington, terror of the boardroom, would be brought low by a pair of four-year-old girls? Well, things happen every day. "Uncle Roman!" Lisa's voice rang out as we entered what I assumed was the playroom. "You're back!" The room looked like a glitter bomb had exploded. Every surface was covered in some form of sparkle, and in the center of it all sat the twins, surrounded by an impressive array of nail polishes, tiaras, and what appeared to be every Disney princess costume ever made. Anna, the slightly bossier of the two (if that was even possible), pointed an imperious finger at a small chair clearly meant for someone much smaller than Roman. "Sit," she commanded. "We need to finish your makeover." I bit my lip to keep from laughing as Roman obedientl
Two days later, Anna and Lisa's birthday came by in a flash. It was a success as well, despite Colson's constant fear and worry. The girls genuinely enjoyed themselves and the party and funny enough, so did Roman. I watched intently as he smiled at every action the girls took, every compliment they gave him…heck I didn't even expect him to be there. But then Colson said he hasn't missed their birthdays since they were born…and I wasn't sure how to feel about that. Unfortunately I couldn't stay till the end, despite how much I wanted to. As I bade goodbye to the girls and apologized to Colson, I tried to avoid the confused and suspicious gaze Roman was sending my way. I didn't want to ruin his mood by telling him where I was going, so I lied that I had a routine check up at the hospital. Then I left. It wasn't until I stepped into my car and told the driver where I was going, before I realized that my cheeks were hurting from smiling so much. Some genuine and mostly no
AMELIA FIVE YEARS AGO… I felt the impact. I knew I did. My body left the road and for a few seconds I couldn't feel anything, no pain, no anger, just quiet. Then I felt my body slam back down on the road, I landed on my stomach and the explosive pain immediately overwhelmed me. Strangely enough, I didn't black out. I was there, wailing…confused, regretful and crying for help with what little strength I had left. I watched as the truck sped off, leaving me all alone, broken and bleeding in the middle of that abandoned road. I crawled to the edge of the road, dragging my broken body as I reached for my phone. There it was, lit up, screen cracked but still functional. I called the ambulance and the second I told them I was dying, everything went black. The next thing I remembered was the numbing feeling of something moving around in me. A person's hands perhaps? All too soon it was over and I felt like they'd taken out all of my organs, it was a strange feeling. I felt
ROMAN“If it isn't my favorite brother-in-law,” Alexander's irritating voice drawled from the other instantly making regret picking his call. “Alexander, if there's anything you have to say, just say it,” I muttered, looking being me for the nth time since I reached the back garden, trying to make sure none of the girls or guests followed me. “Well, how did my sister end up with a man as unromantic as you?” He tutted, chuckling like he found the situation all too amusing. Alexander was my friend, but that was a long time ago before I realized he was a power hungry snake with next to no morals, now the only reason I kept him alive was because of Amelia. But every time I hear his voice, I'm reminded of the reason why I shot the fucker and why I never wanted anything else to do with him. “Come on now, pakhan,”“Don't call me that!” I snapped, unable to hide the pure irritation in my tone. “Alright, alright…” He blew out a breath, “Do you have people watching her at all times? Things
BERTHAI stared at my reflection in the large vanity mirror, my fingers trembling with barely contained rage as I adjusted the diamond pendant around my neck. The weight of it felt suffocating, much like everything else in this oppressive fucking mansion. The warm golden light from the lamps above should have made me look radiant, but all I could see was the storm brewing in my dark eyes.Here in this mansion, I felt like a dolled up trinket, just kept here to look pretty, to bear a child that Yaakov can fully mold as he wants.The gala invitation lay mockingly on the corner of my vanity, its gold-embossed lettering catching the light. "Mr. and Mrs. Wellington," it read, as if I was supposed to feel honored to be attending as Yaakov Wellington's wife. I sneered at my reflection, watching as the expression twisted my carefully made-up features. The deep burgundy lipstick I'd chosen suddenly seemed too harsh against my pale skin, but it matched my mood perfectly.I had cut my hair short
AMELIAThe hours crawled by with excruciating slowness. Jessica and I sat in the living room, remnants of our lunch spread across the coffee table, neither of us having much appetite. The black car hadn't returned, but I kept glancing out the window anyway, expecting—or dreading—to see it again.I knew something was going on, deep down I knew that the little peace we'd managed to enjoy these past few weeks was already over. I knew it the second I woke up in that hospital. I knew it the second I was told I lost my baby. "You should try to eat something," Jessica said, pushing a container of pasta toward me, looking rather cautious. She's been that way for a while, like she's unsure of what to say, scared that a word might trigger me or something like that. I shook my head. "I can't. My stomach's in knots." I admitted with full honesty. My heart felt heavy and there was the sense of impending doom that I kept trying to push down. Roman and I were…not okay, that much I knew. Eating a
The argument replayed in my mind like a broken record, each harsh word cutting deeper with each repetition. ‘All you see is your own pain.’ The accusation stung particularly sharp because it was untrue. I'd spent weeks trying to understand Roman's pain, making excuses for his absence, convincing myself that his distance was just his way of coping. And now he had the audacity to throw that in my face? That son of a– My phone felt heavy in my pocket. I could call Jessica, or Alexander—they'd be here in minutes. But what would I say? That my husband, the man who'd been my rock through everything, had just revealed a side of himself I'd never seen before? That he was keeping secrets about who had poisoned me? Instead, I did something I hadn't dared since being discharged; I walked upstairs to the nursery door. My hand trembled as it touched the doorknob. We'd painted it white just two weeks ago, discussing whether we should add some kind of decorative element. Roman had wanted to pai
AMELIAHome was supposed to feel like a sanctuary. Instead, the walls seemed to close in around me, each room holding memories that felt more like wounds. The nursery door remained firmly shut—neither of us had the courage to face what lay behind it.I for one knew that I would break down into tiny pieces if I saw what was behind that door. I had already given instructions for the room to be emptied, without my knowledge, of course. I didn't want to see them. The crib. The stuffed animals, the onesies. Fiona had left or rather…fired. I had a feeling she had something to do with the poisoning seeing as Roman was being kind of secretive about why she left or why he fired her. He never really gave me a straight answer, not even when he hired an older woman to fill in as both housekeeper and maid for the meantime. Roman had been adamant about me staying home. "You need to rest," he'd say, his tone leaving no room for argument. But rest felt impossible when my mind wouldn't stop spinnin
The night air was cool against my skin as I stepped out of the hospital, fishing my phone out of my purse to order another Uber. The parking lot was mostly empty, illuminated by scattered streetlights that created pools of yellow light in the darkness. The sound of rapid footsteps behind me made my heart jump, but before I could turn around, I heard his voice."Greece!"Just one word. My name. But the way Colson said it made something inside me twist. I turned to find him slightly out of breath, as if he'd run to catch up with me. The sight of him – powerful, composed Colson – actually running after someone was so unexpected that for a moment, I could only stare."What are you doing here?" I asked, hating how my voice betrayed my awareness of him. Even in the dim light, he was devastating – the shadows playing across his features only emphasized the sharp angles of his face, the intensity of his gaze."It's too dark for you to be out alone," he said, his tone still carrying that profe
GREECE“Why…” I inhaled deeply, “...are you here?” I asked softly. I didn't know he was back from Mexico. But then again, we haven't kept any contact since I left. He couldn't be here for me, right? "Wellington Corp has a meeting with the university board today," Colson said, his voice carrying that familiar professional tone that I'd almost forgotten existed. "With Roman at the hospital with Amelia, I'm handling the meeting with the dean."The words hit me like a splash of cold water, washing away whatever foolish notions I'd been entertaining. Of course. He wasn't here for me. He was here for business, just like always. The realization stung more than it should have, but I refused to let it show on my face."It's nice to see you again," I managed to say, proud of how steady my voice sounded despite the chaos in my chest. But even as I spoke, my traitorous eyes kept drifting to his lips, remembering how they'd felt against mine that night in Mexico. The warmth, the intensity, the
GREECEThe lecture hall felt suffocating despite its size. Professor Williams droned on about corporate law, but my mind was elsewhere, wandering back to memories of Mexico City – memories I couldn't seem to shake no matter how hard I tried. It had been a month since I'd returned, since Colson had practically forced me onto that plane, and yet everything still felt fresh. Raw.The scent of his cologne. The intensity of his gaze. The way his hands felt when they caught me from falling. The almost-kiss on the balcony that still haunted my dreams."Miss Stavros?" Professor Williams's voice cut through my reverie. "Care to share your thoughts on the Jensen case?"I straightened in my seat, forcing myself to focus on the present. "The Jensen case highlighted the importance of fiduciary duty in corporate governance," I began, drawing on whatever information I could remember from last night's reading. "The board's decision to..."As I continued my response, I couldn't help but notice how dif
The days that followed blurred together like watercolors in the rain. I felt disconnected from my body, as if I were floating somewhere above myself, tethered only by the thinnest of threads to the physical world below. The hospital room became my entire universe—a bubble where time moved differently, where every breath felt like an effort against the crushing weight of loss.I used to think I was a strong person, I used to think if I could have survived this far, after everything…then I could handle anything. But this? This pain? It was something I wouldn't wish even my worst enemy. Jessica was my constant companion, her presence both comforting and guilt-inducing. She'd pull up a chair beside my bed, her white coat wrinkled from long hours, dark circles under her eyes betraying her exhaustion."You need to get back to work," I told her one afternoon, my voice still carrying that hollow quality I couldn't seem to shake. "Your patients need you more than I do."She looked up from h
AMELIADarkness. Unrelenting. Suffocating.The memory crashed over me like a violent wave, fragmentary and disjointed. Marcus. The name itself was a razor blade against my consciousness, cutting through the soft, sedated edges of my hospital room's tranquility.I could see him—not his face, never his complete face—but his presence. Overwhelming. Menacing. A shadow that had stalked me longer than I could comprehend. His voice was a low, calculated whisper that seemed to echo through the chambers of my most terrifying memories. "Finally," he had said. "Finally, I have you."I remember being so afraid that I couldn't speak, every time he walked into a room, every time he told me about his love for me…how many times he's watched me, how many times he's just been in the shadows…looking, seeing everything and anything that has happened to me, even times I had forgotten. Flashes of my previous attempts to escape flickered like a damaged film reel. The sharp object I'd used against him—som