Cole I stood by the car, arms folded, eyes locked on the hospital entrance as I waited for Skylar to come out. I suddenly heard the sound of a car pulling up beside me. I turned just in time to see Xavier stepping out, a shopping bag in hand. The moment his eyes met mine, I saw it—that guilt, sharp and heavy, written all over his face. He hesitated before walking toward me. "How is Skylar doing? I brought back some things she might need," he said, holding up the bag. I didn’t answer right away. I just stared at him. The anger I’d been holding back flared beneath my skin, but I forced myself to stay composed. Barely. I had trusted him with her. Left her in his care, thinking she’d be safe. And yet, while she stood on that road, terrified and vulnerable, he had been nowhere in sight. Where the hell was he? "I know I messed up," he said, his voice low, almost defeated. "I should’ve been more careful. It was my negligence that almost got her hit by that truck. I apologize for tha
Skylar Ever since the incident at the restaurant, Cole hardly allowed me to go out. He arranged all kinds of etiquette training to ‘prepare me’ for the family dinner. But deep down, I knew that he was using these lessons as a way to stall me, keeping me too busy to have any time to go out. Days blur together, and I passed the time from one training session to the next, until the anticipated day was finally here. I was awoken early in the morning by a series of sounds coming from downstairs. Groggily, I got out of bed and made my way down, wondering what could be happening at this hour. As I stepped into the living room, I was met with a surprising sight: a group of people bustling about, each holding tool boxes or carefully arranged rows of clothes. The room was bustling with activity, and I could hear soft murmurs and the rustle of fabric everywhere. What in the world is going on?! I approached Ingrid and asked, “Ingrid, what’s all this about?” She looked up from what sh
Cole When we arrived at my grandfather’s house, a crowd of relatives and family friends had gathered in the front yard. The house buzzed with energy, and I could tell tonight’s dinner would be a big event. I pulled the car to a stop and helped Skylar out. We stepped onto the lawn, and I led her into the house one by one to greet our guests. As we walked through the busy foyer, I introduced Skylar to many of my family members. Their smiles were genuine, and I could see that they were pleased to meet her. Then, as we moved through the crowd, Skylar’s eyes widened in surprise when she spotted someone familiar near the staircase. I noticed her reaction and smiled reassuringly. “Skylar, I want you to officially meet Xavier,” I said casually. “He’s actually my cousin—my uncle’s son.” Skylar was shocked—she probably hadn’t expected that Xavier and I were related. She quickly turned to him and murmured, “I’m so sorry about the other day, Xavier. I didn’t mean to cause you any troubl
A warm smile played on Vanessa's lips as she kept touching the necklace, but I wasn’t fooled. Her tone seemed light, almost playful, as she most likely asked about its origins, but her eyes told a different story—burning with greed. I noticed Skylar, silly as she was, so oblivious to Vanessa’s true intentions, and eagerly answering Vanessa's questions. She had no idea that the woman standing in front of her wanted nothing more than to rip that necklace off her neck. Skylar must have told her I was the one who gifted her the necklace because the next thing I knew, she turned to me. Vanessa’s expression shifted subtly, the mask cracking for just a second before she also glanced at me. Her smile tightened, her eyes cold. I raised my glass in silent amusement, watching as her irritation deepened. Vanessa could barely keep up the act. Her expression stiffened before she turned away abruptly, unable to maintain her composure. Without another word, she walked over to me. Her smile was
Skylar “Sorry I'm late.” The moment I heard that familiar voice coming from the door, I almost forgot how to breathe. I just sat there frozen. I tried to turn to see the person who had just arrived, to confirm my doubts, but my body just wasn't cooperating. The moment he walked towards the table and stood across from me; I saw his familiar face, and every single word on my lips instantly vanished. My throat tightened, my pulse pounded in my ears, and an unbearable coldness spread through my body. Ethan. He was right there, standing across from me. A face I never thought I would see again. I couldn’t speak. I just stared, my lips parted, unable to form a single word. What was he doing here? "Skylar, this is my stepbrother, Ethan," Cole said. Instantly, my vision blurred for a second. His stepbrother? Did he just say his stepbrother?! I gripped the hem of my dress under the table, my fingers trembling. How could this be? How could there possibly be a connection betwee
Ethan A few hours earlier… I sat by the window, the amber glow of whiskey in my glass catching the dim light as I swirled it absentmindedly. The cold air from the open window brushed against my face, but I didn’t feel it. My mind was too consumed by one thing: Skylar. I had sent people to search for her—many people. But no one had found a trace of her. It was as if she had disappeared completely, leaving no sign of where she could be. The more I thought about it, the more it gnawed at me. Who could hide someone so well? My people were the best. The Buckman family's influence was vast. How could they fail? Or worse, had someone with even greater power moved to shield her from me? I had gone from anger and fury, demanding answers, to... well, I wasn’t sure. Now, I felt calm—almost eerily calm—but only I knew that I hadn’t stopped searching. Not really. My feelings for Skylar, the way she slipped through my fingers, felt like a curse. On the nights when I couldn’t sleep, I would l
Skylar I needed air. The moment I stepped into the garden, the cool breeze brushed my red face, easing the warmth from the alcohol. I took a deep breath, letting the fresh air clear my head. The noise from the banquet faded as I walked further away. I just needed a break—from the stares, the whispers, the pressure. I found a seat near the hedge and closed my eyes. My mind drifted back to the banquet, to the moment Cole had taken the wine meant for me and drank it without a second thought. The teasing remarks from the guests still echoed in my mind. "Cole really cares about his wife, doesn’t he?" Their laughter filled the room, amused by the way Cole had taken the glass from me. But no one acknowledged how Ethan had made things difficult for me. The only consolation was seeing the scumbag's face darken with embarrassment when Cole stepped in, stealing his spotlight and showing off as the caring husband. I sighed, rubbing my temples. One thing was clear tonight—Cole was the
Skylar The ride home was silent. Too silent. Cole drove with his usual calm demeanor, his expression unreadable. I sat beside him, my hands clasped tightly in my lap, my heart hammering against my ribs. I stole glances at him from time to time, trying to gauge his mood, but his face remained impassive, giving nothing away. How long had he been standing there, just watching and listening to Ethan and I? Did he hear anything at all? I couldn't tell, and that terrified me. I wanted to say something. To casually ask a question that would help me gauge what he knew. But what if I phrased it wrong? What if I ended up revealing more than I intended? One wrong step, one slip of the tongue, and I could make an even bigger mistake. My throat felt dry, and my palms were clammy against my lap. I clenched my fingers together, willing myself to stay still. Cole, on the other hand, remained completely unfazed. His expression was calm, his posture relaxed as he drove. Not a single glanc
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