Julian was still recovering from the wounds he had sustained, but his heart was filled with hatred for Sebastian for putting him in such state, while also hating himself for allowing his wants surpass his mental reasoning to have harassed Kaira like that. He stared at the news which was headline, while he wanted Kaira all to himself, the news did him no good, because it was ruining his own reputation. He suspected Sebastian was the one who created such frenzy news so as to ruin him. “You see were all your crazy has landed you right?” Evelyn snapped angrily as she entered the room, holding a file in her hand. She was already over the edge because of headline news which was ruining Julian and Kaira’s reputation while skyrocketing hers and Sebastian’s. She won’t have cared about it if it were only Kaira involved but with Julian now in it, she wanted to clear the mess as soon as possible. “What do you want now?” He spat out, placing his phone down by the side table close to the bed. E
“Mrs. Ashford, you have a visitor,” Butler James announced, his tone as formal as ever.Kaira raised a brow, curious about who would visit her unannounced. She had been laying low for the past two days, avoiding the outside world since her last visit to the Ashford estate. She was determined not to be the cause of Sebastian losing everything he had worked so hard to build. Despite Sebastian’s insistence on keeping her at the company, Kaira was equally resolute about stepping away. The internet buzz surrounding the scandal had died down slightly, though whispers still lingered.“It’s Mr. Stone, in particular,” Butler James clarified.Kaira’s expression darkened instantly. Julian Stone. She hadn’t wanted to see his face ever again, not after everything he’d done. Yet, on second thought, her curiosity got the better of her. Why had he come all the way here?“Let him in,” she said, her voice cold and detached. Turning her attention back to the television, she sipped her wine, pretending n
“Nice to have you, Mrs. Blackwood,” Sebastian said with a stoic expression, his piercing gaze fixed on Claudia. It was a Saturday, and he was home when his mother-in-law unexpectedly called, insisting on checking up on them. Oddly, she’d first asked if Kaira was around, which immediately raised his suspicions. The lawsuit was only two days away, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that Claudia was here to convince him to drop it. “Oh, please, no need to be so formal, Sebastian. We’re family, aren’t we?” she replied with a chirpy tone, settling onto the couch as though she owned the place. Sebastian offered her a faint, sarcastic smile. “Yes, of course we are. What can I offer you?” he asked politely, standing in front of her like a sentinel. “Juice, preferably,” she answered, her eyes darting around the room like a thief surveying a target. She was clearly verifying his earlier claim that Kaira wasn’t home. And she wasn’t—Kaira had gone shopping with Nora after being persistently
It was agonizing to stand beside the man she once believed would be her forever, watching him vow his life to another woman—her own sister, Evelyn. As the maid of honor, Kaira was painfully close, each vow and whispered promise a knife twisting deeper. She could feel her heart splintering with each passing moment, a suffocating ache in her chest as if her entire world had fractured beyond repair.Kaira had known heartbreak before, but discovering that Julian had been unfaithful was an agony she hadn’t anticipated. She had trusted him, seen him as the one stable, loving force in her life. The betrayal alone had been devastating, but to learn it was with her own sister—the sister who had taken so much from her—was a torment that left her feeling stripped bare, like her very identity had been torn away.Finding out through a wedding invitation was a new level of humiliation. It was a double blow, the kind that left her questioning everything she thought she knew about loyalty and love. H
The comfortable sheets cocooned Kaira as she snuggled deeper into the bed, the intoxicating scent of cologne filling her senses. She almost didn’t want to open her eyes, but as she rolled to her side, her hand brushed against something solid—a strong, masculine body. Realization hit, and her eyes flew open, meeting the intense gaze of a stunning man with piercing blue eyes that seemed to look straight through her. She gasped and bolted upright, putting as much distance between them as possible.The man’s warm smile, though friendly, only unsettled her further. Panic and regret flooded her thoughts. If she hadn’t drunk herself into a stupor, she wouldn’t be in this situation, waking up next to a stranger. She tried to recall the events of the previous night, but her memory was foggy, cut off at the last drink. Any attempt to remember only made her head throb painfully.“Did… anything happen?” she asked carefully, praying for an answer that would reassure her.Sebastian tilted his head,
As Kaira entered the house, she was met with a hard slap across the cheek from her stepmother, Claudia. The stinging pain snapped her back to the harsh reality of her life here. She’d been foolish to decline the food offered to her that morning; the slap reminded her that she’d likely be starved today as punishment. Across the room, her sister Evelyn was watching the scene with obvious satisfaction, a smug grin playing on her lips. Julian, her former lover and now Evelyn’s husband, sat beside her, his expression unreadable but his gaze fixed on Kaira.“What was that stunt you pulled at the wedding yesterday, huh?” Claudia’s voice was shrill with anger as she practically shouted into Kaira’s ear. She threw two newspapers onto the coffee table, and Kaira’s eyes widened slightly when she saw the headlines. It was the first time she’d ever made it into the news—she, the forgotten daughter, had actually captured the public’s attention, and on two front pages, no less. *Wow, I’m quite the c
The house had been unusually peaceful since Evelyn left. With her sister gone, everyone seemed too occupied with preparations for the grand dinner party in two days to pay much attention to Kaira. It was a relief, really. She wasn’t particularly fond of these lavish social events, and she already planned her escape from the evening’s watchful and judgmental eyes. She’d perfected the art of slipping into the background, avoiding unnecessary attention.Today, though, her mind was elsewhere. Kaira slipped into a modest but stylish outfit, soft and unassuming, yet put together. She carefully added a touch of makeup, hoping to make a slightly better impression than last time. She was returning Sebastian’s clothes, and though she told herself it was a simple errand, her heart thumped with anticipation.Once outside, she flagged down a taxi and, within minutes, found herself standing in front of his mansion. As she gazed up at the towering structure, Kaira felt small. The building was easily
Kaira sat at the bar on the edge of the party her father had insisted she attend. He claimed it would seem suspicious if she didn’t make an appearance, so here she was, with a glass of wine in hand, enjoying one of the few indulgences she allowed herself. She noticed the servants casting judgmental glances her way as she munched on a cookie, but she couldn’t care less about their opinions tonight.Her gaze drifted to her father, Mathias, along with Evelyn and Julian, laughing together over something their business partner was saying. So much for “making an appearance,” she thought, shaking her head. Her stepmother was nearby, deep in conversation with a law firm owner. Kaira knew well enough that this party was just a network of favors, disguised as a celebration. A soft melody played in the background, briefly drawing everyone's attention to the father and daughter on the dance floor.Evelyn and Mathias were the first to dance. Evelyn was skilled, and her movements impressed the gues
“Nice to have you, Mrs. Blackwood,” Sebastian said with a stoic expression, his piercing gaze fixed on Claudia. It was a Saturday, and he was home when his mother-in-law unexpectedly called, insisting on checking up on them. Oddly, she’d first asked if Kaira was around, which immediately raised his suspicions. The lawsuit was only two days away, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that Claudia was here to convince him to drop it. “Oh, please, no need to be so formal, Sebastian. We’re family, aren’t we?” she replied with a chirpy tone, settling onto the couch as though she owned the place. Sebastian offered her a faint, sarcastic smile. “Yes, of course we are. What can I offer you?” he asked politely, standing in front of her like a sentinel. “Juice, preferably,” she answered, her eyes darting around the room like a thief surveying a target. She was clearly verifying his earlier claim that Kaira wasn’t home. And she wasn’t—Kaira had gone shopping with Nora after being persistently
“Mrs. Ashford, you have a visitor,” Butler James announced, his tone as formal as ever.Kaira raised a brow, curious about who would visit her unannounced. She had been laying low for the past two days, avoiding the outside world since her last visit to the Ashford estate. She was determined not to be the cause of Sebastian losing everything he had worked so hard to build. Despite Sebastian’s insistence on keeping her at the company, Kaira was equally resolute about stepping away. The internet buzz surrounding the scandal had died down slightly, though whispers still lingered.“It’s Mr. Stone, in particular,” Butler James clarified.Kaira’s expression darkened instantly. Julian Stone. She hadn’t wanted to see his face ever again, not after everything he’d done. Yet, on second thought, her curiosity got the better of her. Why had he come all the way here?“Let him in,” she said, her voice cold and detached. Turning her attention back to the television, she sipped her wine, pretending n
Julian was still recovering from the wounds he had sustained, but his heart was filled with hatred for Sebastian for putting him in such state, while also hating himself for allowing his wants surpass his mental reasoning to have harassed Kaira like that. He stared at the news which was headline, while he wanted Kaira all to himself, the news did him no good, because it was ruining his own reputation. He suspected Sebastian was the one who created such frenzy news so as to ruin him. “You see were all your crazy has landed you right?” Evelyn snapped angrily as she entered the room, holding a file in her hand. She was already over the edge because of headline news which was ruining Julian and Kaira’s reputation while skyrocketing hers and Sebastian’s. She won’t have cared about it if it were only Kaira involved but with Julian now in it, she wanted to clear the mess as soon as possible. “What do you want now?” He spat out, placing his phone down by the side table close to the bed. E
“Wake up, princess.” Sebastian whispered tapping Kaira who lay on the bed. He had just returned from work to find her asleep. There was no doubt she was tired from the whole stress and everything going on in her relationship with Sebastian. Kaira stirred awake, rubbing the sleep off her eyes as she stared at Sebastian now fully awake. “Sebastian.” She called out with a small smile as she sat up from the bed. She had glanced at the clock every one minute, waiting for him to return so they could finally talk. She had fallen asleep while trying to wait for his return so she could ease the turmoil in her heart. “Where you waiting for me, princess?” He asked casually, as though he had not snapped at earlier that day, while Kaira was happy he was back to his usual self as it seemed she also wondered if he couldn’t turn to a different person whenever they had a slight dispute. She took a good look at him to see he was dressed in his casual wear, seemingly ready to go out. Was he running
Kaira woke up to chaos online. The internet was buzzing with rumors about the events of the previous night—but twisted into a lie. The story claimed Kaira had flirted with her sister’s husband, Julian, and even called him to a hotel. Sebastian was being praised as a hero for standing up to Julian, while Kaira was painted as a cheater. The photos online, taken from misleading angles, made it look convincing. Sitting on the couch, Kaira stared at the pictures in frustration. But underneath her anger was fear—did Sebastian believe the rumors? He hadn’t asked her about it and had left for work unusually early, before she even woke up. Normally, they left together, so his behavior felt like a sign he was upset. He’d also avoided her the day before, staying at his grandfather’s house and coming home late. “Louis?” Kaira called, shoving her phone aside. She was already dressed for work, her tone clipped. Louis quickly came in and gave her a polite bow. “Yes, ma’am?” The staff had noticed th
Kaira stood in the hospital emergency room, arms crossed as she glanced nervously at the doors leading to the ER. Sebastian sat in the waiting area, his face unreadable, though his tense posture said everything. She silently hoped Julian would be okay. He might be a terrible person, but she didn’t want him dead—especially not because of Sebastian.The tense silence broke as Evelyn rushed into the hospital with the rest of the Blackwood family close behind. “Where is he?” she demanded sharply. Kaira had called them as a courtesy, letting them know Julian had been brought to the hospital after he passed out.“He’s in the ER,” Kaira said quietly, avoiding Evelyn’s sharp glare.“What happened?” Mathias asked, his eyes darting between Kaira and Sebastian. He looked confused to see both of them here, with Julian in such a state.Sebastian finally spoke, his voice calm but cold. “I beat him up,” he said flatly, showing no hint of regret.“What?” Evelyn and Mathias said at the same time, thei
“Happy one-month anniversary, princess,” Sebastian murmured, his hands possessively wrapping around Kaira’s waist as he leaned in to peck her lips. She smiled warmly, returning the gesture with a lingering kiss. “Happy one-month anniversary to you too—and happy birthday, baby,” she replied softly, pulling back just enough to meet his gaze. It had only been a month since they got married, yet it felt like they had been together forever, their bond deep and unwavering.“Thank you, Princess. I have a present for you,” Sebastian said, stepping back from their embrace. Kaira raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a playful smile. “Seb, it’s your birthday, not mine,” she teased, watching as he turned to the wardrobe. He retrieved something wrapped in a gift box and quickly hid it behind his back, igniting her curiosity.“What are you hiding?” she asked, moving closer in an attempt to catch a glimpse.“You’re being sneaky, Princess,” he chuckled, evading her attempts to peek. “It’s a surpr
Mathias's face lit up as sat on his office desk. "I sealed the deal, Kaira. Ashford has agreed to partner with us," he announced triumphantly. Kaira sitting in front of him gave him a faint smile, a calculated gesture masking the growing exhaustion she felt from pretending to care about her family’s ambitions.“You’ve finally done something worthwhile for the family,” he continued, oblivious to the lack of warmth in her response. “This decision will make them see you in a better light.”No thanks, no acknowledgment. just entitlement, as always. Kaira’s lips curved into a sardonic smile as he carried on, speaking as though it was her duty to serve him.“It’s fine, Father,” she said, her tone calm but distant. “Like you’ve always said, family helps one another.”She wanted this conversation over as quickly as possible. Being summoned to the company, a place she hadn’t set foot in since childhood only reminded her of why he was keeping her close. The office wasn’t nearly as grand as Ashf
“Why don’t you have any interest in my father’s company?” Kaira asked, her tone curious. “I mean, my father’s company is influential too. Not as powerful as yours, but still...” She trailed off, recalling how Mathias had asked her to convince Sebastian to consider a partnership. Sebastian smirked, his hands resting on her waist as she straddled him. “Are you trying to convince me, princess?” he teased, his voice laced with amusement. “Of course not!” Kaira rolled her eyes. “That’s the last thing I’d want. Asking you to partner with them would be like handing them a golden ticket after all the cruelty they’ve shown me. I was just curious what makes you so uninterested in the company?” Sebastian’s expression turned serious. “Knowing your father took over the company that should have rightfully been yours disqualifies him from working under me. Besides,” he added with a cold edge to his voice, “your father is a very corrupt businessman.” Kaira blinked, her curiosity piqued. “Corr