When I was finally outside, I was frozen in my place. And the cold breeze wasn't the main culprit for it. It was him. Looking like just dived out of a magazine, he stood there leaning against his car, waiting impatiently. The crease between his brows was the proof.
Even comparing him to those models printed on magazines would be an insult to his beauty. He was… beyond gorgeous.
Flaunting a three piece navy blue Armani suit, paired with a charcoal black shirt beneath and a pair of polished expensive shoes, he took my breath away. As always.
Noticing me, he stood straight. "You're five minutes late." And then his eyes went to the rest of my body. My skin burned under those heated stormy gaze of his as they raked over me.
With shaven strong jaws clenched, nostrils flaring, he let out a curse. Grey eyes deepened two shades darker.
"You aren't seriously going to wear that in front o
Whirling around, I came face to face with the red witch. With arms crossed over her chest, she sized me up and down with her cat eyes. Her nose crinkled with disgust."I don't know what he saw into you, but I've to say, you trapped him pretty well in your web."Biting my inner cheek, I cast the tissue into the bin and turned to her. "And guess what? I didn't even have to throw myself on him like a shameless woman to trap him. Seems like that trick got quite old now."Her face turned red matching her dress, eyes flashing. "So you used the bed then? Otherwise a man like him wouldn't even look at you if not you pleased him well. Am I right? Where did you take your classes to please a man like that anyway? He seemed so lost into you."My hands fisted into balls, trying my best not to punch her plastic face. "From the same place you took your PhD. I'm sure you now got your answers. Now if you'll excuse me, I need
Twirling the spoon into the mug, I mixed the sugar with my tea. Steam stopped dissipating from the beverage, but my moving the spoon didn't halt. I was too lost into my thoughts.I've always wanted you for myself.Come on a date with me. You'll get all your answers.His words haven't left my head since last night. Even at night, I couldn't sleep due to his revelation and proposal. Proposal to go on a date with him. And as usual, not being able to give him any answers or make a decision, I ran away.After returning home, when I recalled everything that happened out there at the hotel, I was stunned by my own doings. The jealousy, the kiss, and then demanding answers from him.Last night I was too brave to pull off the stunts I'd never thought I'd do. But the bravery didn't stay long when it was an actual time to do something.It wasn't my fau
"What are you talking about? I'm not escaping you," I excused, not really meeting his eyes."Really? Then what was that at the lobby?" Gaze hard.Surprise lit in me. He saw me?Damn! I knew I'd gained weight. My fat ass couldn't even run faster!"W-what was what? What did I do now?" I feigned innocent.His lips pressed together in annoyance. "You ran away seeing me."I shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about. I was already late for office. And a lot of work was piled up. I was busy. You're just mistaken.""Busy talking to my employee?" he asked, nostrils flaring.My eyes widened. How did he know that I was talking to Matt?Was he keeping an eye on me now? Could this man be anymore weird?"You don't have time for me but you do have time to talk to another man?" I staggered back as
When I was outside of his cabin, the door was slightly ajar. Voices were coming out through the gap. As I raised my hand to knock, I heard him. "I'm glad you took care of the police regarding the drug case when I was… busy. Thank you, Arthur. I knew you'd handle them well." "You don't need to thank me, Achilles. I myself wanted to sort everything out with them as soon as possible. Because I know how you and Caleb don't do that well with the… law." Came Arthur's voice. "The more they stay away from us, the better." A crease formed between my brows. Ace and Caleb had problems dealing with police and law? Why? "But we have to do something to stop Antonio. Because the way he's adamant to dig up our past, I'm afraid if he gets his hand on something…" "He won't!" Caleb was cut off by Ace's sharp voice. "People don't get anything out of ashes
Ace's POVSweat trickled down my neck to my spine, the thriving heat in my body accelerated my speed, and the hum of zeal flowing through my veins encouraged me to force myself more. Even the cuts on my knuckles didn't stop me from going for another hit into the hard punching bag.The more pain I got, the more I could keep myself in check. The more my head would concentrate on my physical agony, and not my heart's desires and… fears.His brown eyes never left me from the corner of the gym as I worked on my pain and salvation.Until I didn't get my actual redemption. Her."Achilles, stop it. Your knuckles are bleeding! What's wrong with you tonight?" Caleb's voice reached my ears. But the anxiousness of his tone couldn't halt my movements.Intense working out every night to help me sleep and keep myself sane was a routine of my life, bu
Placing my hand over my chest, I took deep breaths. He wasn't even here yet, and I felt like my heart would jump out of my ribcage at any moment. The vicious war of butterflies in my tummy didn't help either.Calm down, Em. It's just a date. A friendly date. It's not that it's the first time you're going out with a guy.Yes, but this time it's the guy I lo…My breath hitched at my throat. Shock and surprise crashed on me. Was I just about to admit my… feelings for him?I shook my head. No, no! Yes, he did affect me a lot, but I didn't do the 'L' word.Not wanting to chew over my treacherous mind, I padded into my closet and reached for the maroon dress Cassie sent for me. A very short, and backless one she wanted me to wear on this date.Give him some tease. Were her exact words.Though the dress was beautiful,
H-he remembered that?Though our visits here were vague in my mind, I still remembered the day when Tobias brought him along to our family to introduce his new best friend.How could I forget the day I got encountered with those stormy grey eyes for the first time?The reserved yet shy boy was uncomfortable among so many unknown people until his gaze locked with mine. The soft smile that had tugged across his lips in the return of my own toothy one, had engraved into my heart since then.He gently brushed his thumb on my cheek. "Those adorable freckles are almost non visible now.""I still have them. It's just the make-up." Words came out of my mouth of its own, lost into his grey pools.A tiny frown set between his brows. "The make-up that hides your beauty, you should avoid them.""Again back to dictating me, are we Mr. Valencian? I'm not
Warner? Why was he calling me?The phone buzzed again. But this time, it was a message from him."Who's it?"My thumb halted in the mid way from opening the message. Slowly turning around, I put my phone back into my purse. "It's Mom, she asked if we've reached the party safely."I couldn't mention Warner's name now. No matter how sweet he was right now, jealousy didn't sit well with him. He proved it many times before. And I didn't want to ruin this night when it just started.I'd just talk to Warner later.Nodding, he put the trays of food on the table and gestured to me to sit. Of course, pulling my chair for me.Shaking my head, I smiled. "Thank you."When he settled at the opposite chair of me, my eyes fell on his broad shoulders. Gone his jacket, now he was only in his black shirt. And it clung to his sculpted chest and a
The last time I saw him was at the police station. After that night, Ace handed him over to the police for trying to force himself on me. And as much as that night managed to send a shiver down my spine for months after that, I pressed down on my grudge against him and thought rationally. Yes, what he did was wrong, but he was drunk at that moment. Not that it gave him any excuse to do that to me, but I decided to let things end and requested Ace to withdraw his complaint.Even I did wrong to him, though it was nothing compared to the deed he tried to do. But for the sake of our years of friendship, I decided to let him out after fifteen days of his jail, much to Ace's dismay. He wanted him to rot behind the bars forever.Even though he apologized for his actions endlessly, I had told him to stay away from me and not to try to reach out in any way.But here he was today, probably with his fiance. I just hoped Ace wouldn't see
Dragging myself out of the car with some struggles, I got out the box and looked up at the enormous glass building towering before me.EMERALD ENTERPRISES was written in bold red letters at the top.A goofy smile tugged up my lips. With the warmth that surged through my chest, emotional tears burned my eyes.Valencian Corp's new branch, which he opened with my name. It was his gift for me on my birthday, passed just last week.Rolling my eyes, I let out a breath through my lips.I was getting sentimental again.Shaking my head, I closed the car door behind me with a thud and dawdled inside.Once in, my eyes took in the interior. As fancy and elegant as I remembered from a week ago. Though there weren't many people working here that day. But today, the way everyone was at their best speed, it seemed like they were working here for years.
The color of Arthur's face drained. With wide eyes, he watched Ace in horror."Y-you can't do that to me! I won't let you!"I grimaced at the feeling in my stomach. The world around me started to spin.Stepping back from him, Ace wrapped a hand around my waist. "I can and I will. You've seen my respect for you these years, and now you'll see my enmity. You should've thought ten times before you joined hands with Antonio and decided to go against me and tried to hurt my Rosebud. You did what you wanted, now you suffer the consequences. May God send you to hell. Goodbye, Arthur.""No! You can't do that…"Not being able to contain it in anymore, I clutched my stomach, hunched forward and threw up."Shit! Rosebud! Are you alright, baby?" Wrapping his arms around my shoulders, he pulled my hair back as the cops and Arthur jumped back from my puke."Wh
"Rosebud?" His deep voice murmured into my ear, followed by a lingering kiss on my neck. "Wake up, baby. We're here."Groaning, I moved on his lap and made myself more comfortable against him, snuggling my face into his chest. "Let me sleep."His husky chuckle sent a shiver down my sore body. Well, the reason behind my tiredness was him. After our fifteen days trip to Greece and Turkey, we were supposed to meet my family at dinner directly after landing in California. So here we were, outside my parents' home. But here I could barely move without wincing.Because this man just can't keep it in his pants.Just because a male cabin crew flashed me his biggest smile, he literally banned that man from his private jet and took me like a ragged doll in the posh cabin of his, claiming me again and again as his.As if I wasn't already his!Not that I didn't beg him for more and
His pupils darkened more in rage even if it was possible. "You remembered the accident when we were returning from the house I bought for us?"My eyes widened. "H-he was behind it?"He nodded, a muscle of his jaw ticked. "It was him. Even though I was his target, he shouldn't have involved you in this."I let out a breath.So that was the reason behind his intense hatred against Antonio. That's why he was so mad at Tess' wedding when Antonio came to meet me."When Arthur brought up the Russians offer to me, his desperation for me to sign it and his being the head of this project had me suspicious. So I had his phone tapped. To know what was brewing in his shrewd head. And I was right. I got to know about his intention behind the project while he discussed it with Ivanov on the phone. But as cunning as he was, he never unfolded his whole plan to him. Until this morning, when everything in h
Across the open field, a black car that I knew really well passed through the empty road. No other sign of vehicle or human was there.Then a truck sped through the field, going directly to the car.I tensed. The rate of my heart beat peaked up. I had to stop it.But when I tried to open my mouth to say something, yell his name, my body didn't move. A panic set in when I attempted to open my eyes but they didn't move either.No!I watched as the truck neared the car with full speed. It was going to hit it!A desperation to stop it rolled inside, making me restless. I wanted to move but as if my body got paralyzed, I couldn't move even how much I wanted to.I wanted to scream, thrash to be set from whatever that held me back. I wanted to stop that truck. But all I could do was watch as the truck went ahead and hit the car with a force that it flew
An eerie silence fell over the ambience for a moment while I stood there frozen. Only the sound of my own heavy breath reached my ears.Then I heard heavy footsteps of boots approaching from the other side of the room they were in.Oh no! They're coming!I need to hide! I wouldn't be able to run from them. They'd catch me if I ran.Looking around frantically, I searched for a place to hide.I couldn't use the flower pot this time. They'll find me.Rushing to the one of the doors lined up beside theirs, I tried to open it without making a noise, but to my utter bad luck, it was locked. I tried another, but no avail. They were locked.No, no, no! I can't get caught! I can't! I need to inform Ace about his plan.My heart pounded under my rib cage as I went to the opposite side of the hallway and pushed at a door. And this ti
Six men stood there in the middle of the room. Before Arthur, stood a man in his early fifties with short height, a thin mustache on his upper lip and a shining bald. Four more much younger men surrounded him with the same black clothes the guards wore before the VVIP entrance.The way they stood behind and around that bald man, indicated theirs being his men.And obviously working with Arthur."Pozdravlyayu, Mr. Valencian," said the man with his thick Russian accent. His mustache twitched as a smirk tugged onto his dark lips.Arthur shook his hand with his. "Congratulations to us, Ivanov. After all, it's the result of both of our hard work."I frowned.Ivanov? Why did this name sound familiar…My lips parted in shock. Ivanov, one of the partners of the Russian company Ace was going to sign the deal with.He was with Arthur? Oh
Walking through the endless corridors, I walked watching out for the room numbers not to get lost.The hotel was huge. Not just a hotel, it was a palace built in the middle age, now turned into a lavish five star hotel. With the mixture of antique architect and modern decorations, it gave out a feel of royalty. From the masterpiece paintings on the walls, to the gorgeous chandeliers shimmering with golden glow. Not to forget the huge gold plated flower pots at the both sides of the corridors, aside the red carpet down the way.As soon as I neared my destination, I found the whole area totally separated from the others by a pair of glass doors. VVIP Area was written in bold red letters on the glass. Two bulky men in black stood at the both sides of the door.Not again!I remembered Carter warning about some restrictions.Mentally groaning, I approached the VVIP conference area.