I may be skilled at my craft, but I wasn't exactly great at managing people. That's why days like these felt so overwhelming to me.Dusk fell. I was about to clean up and leave when Jean called."Where are you?""At work. The office," I replied, exhausted."Seriously? It's the weekend! Why are you grinding instead of relaxing at a spa or something?""I've got no one to rely on but myself these days. Things haven't stabilized yet."Ever since some of my friends became my investors, the pressure had only increased. The last thing I wanted was to be the investment that made my friends lose money."Enough about that! Time to relax and have fun, sister. I've got something planned for you, and you're gonna love it—guaranteed!" Jean promised."What are you talking about?" I asked."Nuh-uh. You'll find out when you get there. I texted you the address. Be there or be square!"Jean was really insistent. She even texted me after the call ended.Jean: [Get your ass here quick!]I check
Jean did not answer me. She walked out of the room, the phone still pressed to her ear, and returned with one of the most adorable young women I had ever seen.The young woman was dressed in a sailor-style dress, her makeup impeccably cute. She looked like a doll.I was surprised Jean even knew someone so young and fashionable—she could have easily passed for a high schooler!As I studied her more carefully, I was stunned.It was the young woman who had worked as an Uber driver in a Porsche!"Meet Soleil Crowe!" Jean announced. "She's the one who helped remove all the wedding news from the internet back then. Apparently, she's friends with some higher-ups on those social media platforms. All she had to do was show her face, and it was gone!"Jean grinned, clearly pleased with herself. "I planned to take her out for a meal to thank her and invite you along, but Soleil's schedule as an artist clashed with my plans."She just got back in town yesterday! So, I figured, why not have
They'd put up banners behind my back. I turned—and almost wished a piano would fall on me.[Hear Ye, Hear Ye! The Goddess of Metropolis and Beauty Upon Ye!][I'm 26, but I'm so beautiful I might as well be 16!]Jean had clearly prepped for this day! Just look at her, giddily filming everything from the very beginning.When I tried to take off the sash, she called out, "Nuh-uh, Miss! This thing stays on you till the entire night!"Alex and Lacey—another one of my good friends—grabbed each of my hands, howling with laughter."Hey! We shouldn't be traumatizing our new friend here with this!" I protested.Soleil waved her hands, laughing as she filmed me too. "Eh, I'm good, Tay-Tay!"I was stunned. This young woman was more of a party animal than I'd thought!"See this, Tay? You've just lost any right to ever complain about being alone! We all know you've been going through some tough times, so I spent a fortune to make 'The Best Frickin' Birthday Party Ever' for you! You're gonna
The door opened. My smile turned into a frown.Goddamn it. It was Edward Kennedy!"Why the hell did you invite this eyesore?!" I grumbled at Jean.She grinned. "Why else, other than to show him how much better your life has been since he's gone!"Jean walked toward him, completely ignoring the scowl on his face. "Welcome, Mr. Kennedy! As you can see, Taylor's having a blast after she booted you out of her life."Do you get it yet? Y'all are never, ever, ever getting back together!"Oh yeah. Now this pleased me. This was exactly the kind of lesson Edward needed.His expression was so stormy that I could almost hear thunder rumbling in the distance.He glared at me. "Is this what you're doing to yourself now, Taylor? Who even are you anymore?"I beamed groggily and lifted the sash off my lap, revealing the sparkling letters. "I'm the Queen of the Night!"Edward's expression became unreadable.The room fell silent. Everyone, including the young men, turned to stare at him.But
I was the only one who didn't have anyone to drive me home. I flashed her an embarrassed smile. "Oops. I'll… hail a cab myself…""If you say so…" she replied."But what… about you? It's late. It's dangerous… to be alone…" I asked, despite struggling to keep my eyes open."My brother's coming for me!" she answered. "No worries.""Nice."And that was the last thing I remembered saying before I collapsed onto the couch, my eyes shut.I could vaguely sense my friends leaving.Jean fell asleep in the bathroom after vomiting. With help from club employees, her sister-in-law had her carried to the car.Then, I felt someone shaking my shoulder. I stirred."Tay-Tay, my brother's on the way. I'm gonna leave soon," Soleil said. "You should come with us, I think."The nap hadn't made me feel any more awake, but I managed to decline. "Nah. My house is nearby."Her phone rang. I heard a voice that sounded familiar coming from the other side. "Soleil, where are you? Don't tell me you're dr
I tilted my head and giggled. "His name is Soren Kenway! It sounds… like the coolest name ever, right? You don't know him… Don't know him… He's… very low-key… Very mysterious...""Interesting. I happen to know that guy." The man smiled and rose to his feet, lifting me by the arm. "Come on. I'll get you home.""Who? You? Why? Did Jean send you? Man, how much money did she spend hiring you boys? You're late, though. Very… late… Party's over, pal!""I wasn't hired by Miss Valentine.""Then… who?"His phone rang. With his free hand, he answered it. "Hello, are you sure you're not drunk? Sure? Who are you leaving with?"Alright. Understood. Yes. I found her."My brain was too foggy from the alcohol to piece anything together. I didn't notice anything odd in his conversation…My knees buckled, and I couldn't lift my feet. I could only lean against his body for support as he tried to help me walk.We hardly made it more than a few steps before he stopped.Here's what happened: I dra
I felt as though the dream had returned—the one where I kissed Soren…Now, a man who looked just like him had me in his arms. How was I supposed to resist the urge to kiss him?I gulped and stretched my neck toward him, feeling his chin brush against my lips. His barely visible stubble pricked me, and it tickled.I wanted to go further—toward his lips—but he pulled away as though I were repulsive."Oh, are you shy?" I mumbled. "I thought things like this were part of the job…"I smacked my lips and added, "Don't worry. I'm not a playgirl or anything. I was with my ex for six years… And I've never even slept with him… ever…"Wanna know why? Because men… Men are disappointing creatures. They're rarely worth it… But you… I can play with you…"I shoved him aside and leaned against the door, fast asleep.I had no idea how long that took. All I knew was that the door opened. Losing my support, I stumbled forward before a strong chest caught me. I was jolted awake, groggy."Taylor, y
"W-Why do you keep trying to get close to me? What's your ulterior motive? Are you… Are you aiming for my organs?! My heart or lungs, or even… my super rare blood?!"My vision blurred, but I could feel Soren freeze, an amused grimace on his face.After a long pause, he finally spoke in a tone of disbelief. "What did you take me for? An organ dealer on the black market?""M-Maybe! How am I… supposed to know for real? You're… not normal! Your mom's not normal! You guys are just… so overtly nice to me for no reason. How’s a girl supposed to feel safe with some strangers' unconditional niceness?"I shook my head and waved my hand. "Man, I'm scared!""So you think we're nice to you because we somehow want your organs and blood? Is that why you suddenly put distance between us?"I collapsed onto the couch. "N-Not… Not just that… It's you… You're too good at hypnotizing people… You're dangerous!"Soren smiled lovingly. "What did I do to earn that label? You're the one who tried to forc
"Good evening, Taylor." Soren's voice was low and soft.The way he enunciated his words made him sound so proper and gentlemanly. It was so refreshing that I felt as if the cold had left me.My mind started to blank. I suddenly realized I could not speak. In the end, I could only squeeze out lamely, "So… had your dinner?"He chuckled. "Yes. You?""Me?" I suddenly felt like my soul had snapped back into my body. "You really don't know?""Huh? Is that something I should know?" Soren asked, confused.Wait. So Richard didn't report anything to Soren after all! I had been fooled!"Oh… damn it," I muttered, smacking my forehead. "Mr. Rockefeller played me like a fiddle…""Huh? You mean Ritchie? What did he do?"I sat up straight and forced myself to calm down. Well, I started the conversation, so I had to finish it myself."I had dinner with that colleague after we finished discussing work. We were eating at a seafood hotpot place. Then, when we were about to finish, we saw Mr. Roc
When we were almost finished, I heard someone call out, "Miss Jones! Fancy seeing you here!"I looked up, stunned. It was Soren's best friend, Richard!"Mr. Rockefeller, hello!" I said, rising to greet him.He nodded. "Hello to you too."Richard then glanced at the man sitting opposite me."This is my newly hired General Manager, Jamie Young," I quickly introduced. "Mr. Young, this is Richard Rockefeller of Rockefeller Media. He's one of the city's elites. Who knows, we might work with him one day."Jamie stood and extended his hand. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Rockefeller!"Richard shook his hand. "Likewise!"He turned back to me. "It's the weekend today, so why aren't you hanging out with Soren? It's the first snow of the year. People are in a pretty festive mood."I knew exactly what he meant. The snow had blanketed the city in white, and people were out enjoying it, taking pictures, playing, and simply reveling in the change of season."We met earlier today, but I have thin
When someone cared about another person, they were mindful of everything that person possessed. Even the smallest pain was worthy of concern.Real life wasn't like fiction. Most people didn't experience cataclysmic events or life-threatening situations. Thus, where else could we show our care and love, if not through the mundane sufferings of daily life?The more I thought about it, the more I regretted how I'd spoken to Soren. I really needed to apologize."Miss Jones? Miss Jones!"I snapped out of my thoughts. "Oh! Yes?"Jamie fixed me with a questioning look. "Are you alright? We can always talk about this on Monday.""No, let's do it today. I'm free today." I forced myself to sit up, holding the ice pack to my forehead while flipping through the documents with my free hand. "What are your questions? I'll answer them."This company was the culmination of my blood, sweat, and tears. And now, I had found someone just as invested in making it better as I was! How could I be a de
Jamie started toward the pantry. "What would you like to have, Miss Jones? Tea? Coffee? Or perhaps milk and juice?""Coffee will be good.""Got it."As he prepared my drink, I rubbed my forehead.To my dismay, I could feel the swelling! I quickly tried to cover it with my bangs.Jamie brought two cups of coffee over. "These coffee beans were gifts from a friend from Oz. Have a taste.""Thanks!"I took a sip.Before I could even savor it, Jamie suddenly asked, "Miss Jones, is your forehead alright? I think it's… swollen…"I gulped down the coffee and tried to cover my forehead with my hair. "Oh! It's, uh, nothing! I just bumped into something, haha.""It'll recover faster if you put some ice on it," he said, heading toward the fridge.This office used to belong to Edward. He rarely stayed in his office for long, but it was well-equipped regardless. The pantry, fridge, lounge, and bathroom were all included.Jamie found an ice pack and started looking for a clean towel to wra
The loud "thud" I made nonetheless startled both the people inside the escalator and Soren."Taylor?" he called out suddenly.But I was so embarrassed that I quickened my pace.As people entered the escalator, I pressed my forehead and called out to them, "Hold the door!"I dove into the escalator, and the doors closed.I breathed a sigh of relief. My heart was pounding, and my mind was still reeling from the shock.I couldn't imagine Soren's reaction to my "near-miss." He must think I was the clumsiest woman on Earth. Or perhaps he thought I was so taken by his confession that it had broken me, leaving me incapable of functioning properly.-I entered my office, and as I passed by the General Manager's room, I was surprised to see someone inside.I peeked through the window. It was my new recruit. He was working overtime today.He noticed me too and looked up in surprise. "I didn't expect to see you here today, Miss Jones!"I smiled. "That's my line! It's the weekend, and y
Soren's gaze was soft and calm. After a while, he finally said, "I can wait. It doesn't matter how long you'll need. I can wait."I felt a bolt course straight through my veins. I could faint.Just like that—without warning or any plan—he tore down the wall between us and spoke his mind candidly!I had no idea what expression I might have been wearing, but I could tell my heart was beating at warp speed.How the hell was I supposed to respond to this? Reject him again or say, "Well, I hope you like waiting!"?"Look, M-Mr. K-Kenway—""Don't call me Mr. Kenway."I froze, my mouth still open. Just that interruption alone made my mind go blank.Soren got out of the car, circled it, and came to me.I turned mechanically toward him, my eyes wide enough to fall out of their sockets. I stared at him helplessly."I couldn't bring it up before because, firstly, you were still legally tied to someone else. Secondly, I couldn't tell if you liked me. If I made my feelings known too soon,
I froze. "Oh, I'm not sleepy!"And then I cracked a yawn.Soren laughed. "Just take a nap. It'll take an hour to reach your office anyway."Well, here were my options. If I chose not to sleep, this silence between us would feel awkward. If I chose to talk, what happened when our topics veered into certain territories, and we're back to being awkward again?You know what? A nap was the best choice after all. Even if I had to pretend to be asleep."Sounds good," I replied.I intended to pretend to sleep. I thought I could close my eyes and imagine some designs and arrangements for the fashion show in Medhelanon next year.What I didn't expect was Soren pressing a button and adjusting my seat to the most ergonomic position. I was reclining way too comfortably!I stared at him. He flashed a smile. "It's more comfortable this way.""Ha, okay… Thanks…"God, the embarrassment was killing me. Could you imagine what this felt like?It felt like we were a couple. A married one, even!
Lisbeth rose and simply said, "I've finished my meal and would like to rest in my room. Please, enjoy your meal. Taylor, please visit me from time to time."I thought for sure I must have offended her enough that this would be the last time I'd sit here. But instead, she extended an invitation for the next time!I was moved. I rose from my seat politely and replied, "It'd be my pleasure, Madame Kenway.""The pleasure is all mine," she replied, smiling faintly, before heading toward the stairs.Soren noticed I continued to stand and called out, "You can sit down now, Taylor."I looked at him with downcast eyes. "I'm fine. I need to get back to my office.""Hey now. Did what my mom said startle you?" he asked gently. "She didn't mean any malice. It was her way of expressing sympathy—she seems to think you've always been alone in everything, and she hopes you can find a reliable partner to weather the storm with you soon.""I know she means well.""Phew, that's a relief to hear!"
I breathed a sigh of relief. My eyes met Soren's, and he offered a faint smile, as if reassuring me not to be nervous.But how could I not be? The ambiguous tension between us—were we or weren't we?—had only grown more intense.I shouldn't even be this close to a family of such blue-blooded stature. I was no match for them. Yet, as the owner of my own company, I couldn't afford to turn away a valuable client like Soren. Social connections had become more crucial than ever.Having a powerful and elite friend like Soren was undeniably beneficial—not just for me, but for my company and the people who relied on it. This connection could open doors to endless opportunities and revenue.Some might see my actions as undignified, as if I were constantly accepting handouts. But this was simply how the world worked.It wasn't as though I was leeching off him—he was the one offering his generosity. And who could fault me for accepting it?Finally, I managed to calm myself down, at least a