Skylar I lay on my bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Even though the family dinner and its drama had ended the night before, I still felt drained.The expectations, the scrutiny, and the pressure—it had all been suffocating, but thank goodness Cole had handled it all.The sound of my phone ringing jolted me from my thoughts. I reached for it and saw Amber’s name flashing on the screen. A small smile tugged at my lips as I answered. “Hey.” Amber sighed loudly on the other end. “Sky, I need a drink.” I frowned. “What happened? You don't sound so good.” “I’m not,” she admitted. “My dad’s driving me insane.”That was all she needed to say for me to know she was having a rough time at home, because I knew how controlling and strict her father could be. “What is the matter this time?” I asked.“Can you imagine? My father wants to set me up in an arranged marriage!”I nearly sprang out of bed in shock at her words. Amber… in an arranged marriage? No matter how hard I tried, I ju
Skylar I frowned slightly, my eyes scanning the man who had just appeared in front of us. He looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite place his face. He was tall, messy black hair, a lazy grin that probably worked on some women—but not on me.Where had I known him from?His smirk faltered when he noticed my blank expression. His jaw tightened, and a flicker of frustration crossed his face. “You don’t remember me?” he asked in an angry voice. Amber let out a low chuckle, crossing her arms. “Wow, this is quite unexpected. Three years of chasing after Skylar, and she doesn’t even know who you are.” Three years? The realization clicked. Paul— he was one of the men I had rejected in the past. One of the many suitors I had long forgotten. “Oh,” I murmured, finally recalling. “It's you.”He stood with his arm lazily draped around a curvy blonde woman, his gaze sharp as he shot me a pointed look. That same undeniable air of arrogance clung to him, a reminder of one too many reasons I
Skylar I stared at the bar manager in disbelief, my heart pounding in my chest. Did he just say two hundred thousand dollars? TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!For a second, I thought I had misheard, but the stern expression on his face, the way he glared at me, told me otherwise. My mouth went dry. I didn’t have that kind of money—not even close. Before I could react, Amber stepped forward, her voice firm. “I’ll pay for it.” I turned to her, eyes wide with both relief and concern. Amber had always been bold, never one to let anyone look down on her. I could tell she didn’t want Paul or his friend to think we were helpless. With a determined look, she pulled out her card and handed it to the bar manager. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. At least the situation was about to be resolved. But then, the manager’s expression didn’t change as he handed the card back. “Declined.” Amber frowne
ColeThe moment I stepped out of the meeting room, I let out a deep breath. That was exhausting. My friend, Justin, who had recently returned from overseas, and I, along with some board members, had been exploring a business opportunity to increase sales and expand our market presence.The meeting had taken long hours, but it had been successful.“Man, that was draining,” Justin groaned, rolling his shoulders as we exited the meeting room. “You could say that again. But I'm glad we could get everyone on board.”Justin smiled. “You’re right. Why don't we hit a bar and unwind? I really need a drink before I lose my mind.” I nodded, running a hand through my hair. “Fine. Let’s go.” We headed to one of the most exclusive bars in the city and settled in the VIP section, a place meant to keep people like us away from unnecessary attention. The dim lighting and soft music were meant to be relaxing, but
Skylar I never thought a simple night out would turn into something like this.Paul’s grip on my wrist was tight, his smug expression making my stomach twist in disgust. But what truly shocked me was the way he looked at Cole—like he was someone beneath him, someone insignificant.“And who the hell are you?” Paul sneered, his arrogance on full display.Cole didn’t respond. He just stood there, calm and composed, his dark eyes unreadable.Paul took that silence as weakness. His smirk widened as he straightened his shoulders. “Listen, pretty boy, I don’t know what you’re trying to do here, but you need to mind your own business. Walk away now, or you’ll regret it.”I could feel Amber tense beside me, too stunned to even utter a word. I also wanted to speak up, but Cole’s presence kept me rooted in place. He wasn’t reacting- wasn’t angry or offended. He was just watching Paul.Then, without a word, Cole
ColeThe drive home was quiet.Skylar sat beside me, her hands resting on her lap, eyes cast downward as if lost in thought. Amber and Justin had kept the conversation light at the bar, laughing to ease the tension after Paul’s humiliation, but Skylar had been different. She had stayed silent, only nodding absently when spoken to. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what was on her mind.I let her be, not saying much myself.By the time we arrived home, I was already thinking about heading straight to my study. There were matters to take care of—important ones. But as I reached the stairs, a hesitant voice stopped me.“Cole… can we talk?”I turned around.Skylar stood there, her fingers slightly curled, her lips parting as if she wasn’t sure she should have spoken at all. There was something different in her expression—hesitation, maybe even guilt.I didn’t answer immediately, jus
SkylarThe sharp ringing of my phone was what woke me up.I groaned, and blindly reached for it on the nightstand.My head throbbed with a dull ache—nothing too intense, but enough to make me regret drinking last night."Guess what happened?!" Amber’s voice chirped excitedly through the speaker before I could even greet her.I blinked, still groggy. “What?”"Paul’s dad—Mr. Marcus Langford—his company just went bankrupt. It’s all over the news!”That made me sit up straighter, fully awake now. “Wait, what?”Amber didn’t even pause. “Not just that. Marcus Langford was arrested too this morning. They say he’s being charged for embezzling company funds. Serious charges, Sky. Can you imagine that?”My jaw dropped open. Paul’s father? One of the most influential corporate men in the city? How did a giant like that just crash overnight?Amber lowered her voice, “If you ask me, I think your husband did it. He must’ve pulled strings behind the scenes after what Paul did to you at the bar. You s
SkylarI took a deep breath, trying to steady the nerves bouncing around in my chest.Clearing my throat, I looked at Cole across the table, his gaze calm and unreadable. “As I mentioned earlier…” I began, my voice a little shaky at first. “There’s something important I want to discuss with you.” I paused, trying to make my voice sound steady before I continued. “I’ve thought long and hard about this, and…” I exhaled sharply. “IWantToWork.” It came out so fast, I barely understood myself. Cole raised an eyebrow slightly, tilting his head.“Come again?”I took a deep breath and slowed down. “I said I want to work. I’ve been thinking about it a lot. I—” I paused, then slid the folder of manuscripts toward him. “These are my design sketches. I want to get back into jewelry design.”When I pushed the folder toward him, Cole didn’t open it right away. Instead, his fingers tapped lightly on the folder, over and over again. With each tap, I could feel my heart sink a little more. I though
SkylarMonday mornings always had a strange feeling to them. A fresh start... but also a kind of rush that made your heart beat faster than usual.I stepped into the office building, clutching my laptop bag and a small tote. I made my way to my office quickly. There was a lot to do today, and I didn’t want to waste any time.Tara had asked me on Friday to prepare some updated designs and submit them first thing Monday morning. I had worked late Friday night to make sure it was done, and I was proud of how it had turned out. All that was left was to print it out, package it properly, and submit it.As soon as I reached my desk, I placed my tote aside, switched on my desktop.I clicked quickly into my folder.Then I paused.My eyes narrowed.The folder where I had saved the designs... was empty.I clicked again. Then again.Nothing.A wave of confusion washed over me. I remembered clearly — crystal clear — that I had saved the file before leaving Friday night. I even dou
EthanI tapped my fingers against the table, lost in my thoughts. It had been almost a month now since Skylar had started working at Elegance Company.A full month.When I first heard that she had been hired here, I could barely contain my excitement. I remembered the feeling vividly — that rush of satisfaction knowing that finally, finally, I had her where I wanted. In my territory. Under my thumb. Just as I wanted.She hadn’t even realized it then — how naive she had been to think she could step into my world and not pay the price.From the moment she arrived, I made it my personal mission to make every single day difficult for her.It wasn’t long before her colleagues caught on.They were smart enough to sense where the wind was blowing. They adjusted quickly, treating Skylar with the same cold indifference I showed her. Some even went out of their way to be cruel, hoping to score favor points.My plan had been working beautifully.And the best part?I could see it written
Skylar It didn’t take long after the presentation for everyone to notice.It was becoming clearer with each passing day that Ethan, the new managing director, had something against me.At first, it started with the little remarks during my design presentation, lingering glances that felt more like warnings than observations. But after a few days, he wasn’t even hiding it anymore. If there was a mistake to be pointed out, he always managed to find it in my work—even if it was barely there. If there was praise to be handed out, it somehow skipped right over me, even when I knew I had earned it.And my colleagues? They caught on quickly.No one wanted to be associated with someone the new boss didn’t like.I noticed the shift almost immediately. People who used to smile politely now avoided my eyes. Conversations at the coffee station stopped the second I walked past. Even Lilian, who had been so warm and kind to me on my first day, turned cold. Her greetings became forced, her smiles
SkylarIt had been a few days since Tara revealed the truth about why my designs had been consistently rejected. A part of me felt betrayed, another part exhausted. I sat by the garden bench outside the studio, letting my eyes roam the space. The flowers had bloomed so beautifully this season—bright yellows, and soft lilacs that swayed gently with the breeze—but I couldn’t even enjoy the view. My heart felt too heavy.I kept asking myself the same questions over and over. What should I do now? Should I report Ethan? But to who? He was the general manager and part of the Buckman family. He wasn’t just anybody I could challenge. He had power, influence, and a reputation so pristine, no one would believe me.I sighed.The next few moments passed quietly until I heard a voice behind me.“That’s the third time you’ve sighed in the past five minutes.”Startled, I twisted around. I didn’t hear footsteps. When did he get here?Cole.He walked forward slowly and took a seat beside me on th
SkylarI walked into the office the next morning expecting more files and maybe even punishment. After what happened with Tara the night before, I was sure she’d hold a grudge. But to my surprise, something completely unexpected happened—Tara handed me my first official design task!For a moment, I just stared at her, unsure if I’d heard her correctly.“You’ll be in charge of this one,” she said, placing a file in my hands.I blinked. “Me?”“Yes, you,” she replied with a small smile before walking away.My hands tightened around the file. I couldn’t believe it. After all the days of doing chores and running around, this… this was what I’d been waiting for. My very first design!It felt like a door had finally opened, and for once, I could breathe a sigh of content and relief. My heart swelled with hope. Maybe I’d misunderstood Tara all along. Maybe I was just being tested, and now, I’d finally earned their trust.I threw myself into the design with everything I had. I made sure I pu
Skylar I had never felt this uneasy going to work — not even on my very first job. Since resuming at Elegance Jewelry, I’d been on edge, watching every move Ethan made, bracing myself for whatever game he might play now that he was my boss. But strangely enough, he didn’t seem to notice me at all. After that first morning when he was introduced as the General Manager, Ethan hadn’t so much as glanced in my direction. No calls. No confrontations. Not even a nod. At first, the silence was even more nerve-racking than an argument would have been. I kept waiting for the storm. But when days passed and he still hadn’t acknowledged my existence, I began to think maybe I was wrong. Maybe he wasn’t going to make things difficult for me after all. Maybe he had decided to forget about the past and just move ahead…right? With that thought slowly settling in, I began to relax a little. I poured my energy into completing the tasks my supervisor, Tara, gave me. It was easier to stay focuse
ColeSkylar sat across from me at the dinner table, her fork moving food around her plate more than bringing it to her mouth. When I asked about her first day at Elegance Jewelry, she hesitated for a while and I could tell she was holding something back. Her eyes met mine as she initially threw me a suspicious gaze before she finally looked away, then gave a small smile and said everything went well. But I didn't press her. Instead, I raised an eyebrow and nodded, letting the conversation move on. But inside, I knew the day hadn't been as uneventful as she claimed.How could it be when I knew that Ethan’s personnel transfer form as the managing director of Elegance Jewelry Company was still lying on my desk?I remembered when Xavier had brought the transfer procedures to my attention and had asked if we should halt Ethan's move.But I had told him not to interfere. Not only did I allow the transfer, but I also took the initiative to promote Ethan to Managing Director of Elegance Je
Skylar I pushed the door open with a bit more force than I meant to, feeling the weight of the day on my shoulders. My shoes scraped along the floor as I walked in, too worn out to even care about taking them off. I was in a mood. A very bad one. And I didn’t need anyone asking about it. Ingrid must have been in the kitchen when I arrived because I could hear her humming softly, her usual cheerful tune. But as soon as she saw me, she stopped. "Skylar, is everything okay?" she asked, noticing the sour expression on my face. I didn’t answer at first, as I made my way to the kitchen to get a glass of water. I wasn't even in the mood to talk to anyone, but I couldn’t just ignore Ingrid. Not when she was looking at me with that concerned expression. “Nothing. I'm fine,” I mumbled in a low voice. I saw Ingrid hesitate for a second, her eyes narrowing slightly as she weighed whether to push for an answer. But then she sighed, understanding that this wasn’t something I’d want to discuss
The day was finally here. I stood in front of the company gate, staring up at the tall building of Elegance Jewelry. My heart was beating faster than usual. It was my first day at work. I took a deep breath and touched the side of my dress gently, the same one Cole had prepared for me this morning. I remembered the cream-colored parcel I found on my bed earlier that morning, and the small note he left tucked inside. “Good luck on your first day at work. – Cole.” And a small smile played on my lips. That simple note, and the thought he put into choosing the dress, gave me more courage than I thought I needed. Somehow, just knowing he remembered this day made the nerves in my chest settle a little. I straightened my shoulders and walked forward, determined to do well. When I walked inside and told the receptionist who I was, I was directed to the third floor. When the elevator stopped at the floor, the doors slid open, and it seemed the world around me changed. People were r