Julian sat in his study, the dim light of the desk lamp casting long shadows across the room. His fingers drummed restlessly on the polished wood of his desk, his mind a whirlwind of frustration and regret. The events of the past few days replayed in his head like a broken record—Selena’s cold indifference, her sharp words, the way she had looked at him with such disdain. He leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. "Why the hell is she so stubborn?" he muttered to himself, his voice tinged with exasperation. But deep down, he knew why. He had crossed a line, and he knew it. That night, under the influence of anger and that damn mysterious phone call, he had lashed out at her. His words had been cruel and unforgivable. The way he demanded she sleep with him for a role, reducing her to nothing more than a prostitute. And now, he was paying the price. Julian groaned, rubbing his temples. "What the hell was I thinking?" He tried to calm himself, to reflect on h
The next day, Selena was still ignoring Julian. She had been furious when she stormed out of his office the previous day, but now that her anger had simmered into cold silence, she was determined not to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. She didn’t look at him in the car on the way to work. She didn’t acknowledge him when he greeted her in the office lobby. And she definitely didn’t speak to him when they entered the elevator together. Julian, however, was growing impatient. He was used to their arguments, their little fights—hell, he even enjoyed their constant back-and-forth. But this silence? It was infuriating. And if she thought she could freeze him out, she had another thing coming. So, naturally, he decided to annoy her. The elevator was packed, filled with employees shuffling in, whispering among themselves about work and gossip. Selena stood stiffly in front of Julian, arms crossed, staring straight ahead as if he were invisible. A smirk played on Julian’s l
Samantha paced her bedroom like a caged animal, her heels clicking sharply against the hardwood floor. Her hands were clenched into tight fists, her nails digging so deeply into her palms that crescent-shaped marks were forming. Her phone lay on the vanity, its screen still glowing with the last call she had received.The words spoken to her echoed in her mind, louder and more infuriating with each passing second. "We can’t call her anymore. If we do, our company will be sued." Her jaw tightened as she replayed the conversation in her head. "What?" she snapped, her voice sharp enough to cut glass. "Who the hell is threatening you?" The pause that followed had been brief but loaded, as if the person on the other end was weighing their words carefully. "Julian Mathers." Samantha had nearly thrown her phone across the room. Now, standing in front of her vanity, she seethed. Her reflection in the mirror showed a woman on the edge of madness—her chest rising and falling with ev
Selena sat at her desk, her fingers tapping nervously against the edge of her keyboard. The morning had been a blur of emails and meetings, but her mind was elsewhere. Julian had been particularly insufferable today, micromanaging her every move, his sharp tone cutting through her patience like a knife. She had endured it, as she always did, but the tension in her chest was building, a coiled spring ready to snap. She glanced at the clock on her computer screen. It was just past noon, and the office was buzzing with the usual hum of productivity. But something felt off. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but the air felt heavier, charged with an unspoken tension. And then she saw him. Grayson. Her breath hitched as she watched him stride into the office, his assistant trailing behind him like a shadow. The old man was dressed impeccably, as always, his tailored suit hugging his frame perfectly, his polished shoes clicking against the marble floor. But it wasn’t his appea
Few days later - Selena sat in the makeup trailer, her hands trembling as she clutched the script for the movie she had been reluctantly cast in. The words on the pages blurred as tears welled up in her eyes, but she blinked them away, refusing to let anyone see her vulnerability. She had wanted to talk to Julian about turning down the role, but he had been called away on urgent business for two days, leaving her with no choice but to proceed. Her new manager, a middle-aged man named Derek, had been assigned to her by the production company. He was polite but distant, more concerned with keeping the project on track than with Selena’s well-being. “Selena, you’re up in five,” Derek said, poking his head into the trailer. His tone was brisk, almost dismissive. She nodded, forcing a smile. “I’ll be there.” As she stepped onto the set, she felt the weight of Grayson’s gaze on her. He was the director, a man with a reputation for being charming on the surface but ruthless beneath
Grayson sat in the plush hotel suite, a glass of expensive whiskey in his hand, his patience wearing thin. The clock on the wall ticked loudly, each second stretching into an eternity as he waited for Selena to arrive. The room was dimly lit, the ambiance carefully set to intimidate and seduce, but as the hours dragged on, his anticipation turned to simmering rage. By midnight, it was clear she wasn’t coming. Grayson slammed his glass down on the table, the liquid sloshing over the edge. His face twisted into a mask of fury as he paced the room, his mind racing with thoughts of revenge. “That little bitch,” he muttered under his breath, his voice low and venomous. “She thinks she can play me? She thinks she can humiliate me and get away with it? How dare she didn't come and meet me?” He grabbed his coat and stormed out of the room, his footsteps echoing down the empty hallway. As he stepped into the elevator, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number. “Derek,” he barked wh
Selena sat in her small office, the weight of the past few days pressing down on her like a suffocating blanket. Her mind raced as she tried to piece together a plan, a way out of the nightmare she had found herself in. She had always known the entertainment industry wasn’t perfect, but she had never imagined it could be this dark, this cruel. She leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling as memories of the stories she had heard over the years flooded her mind. Stories of actors and actresses who had been exploited, manipulated, and abused by those in power. She had always pitied them, even tried to help some of them when she could. But now, she was living their nightmare, and it was far worse than she had ever imagined. One memory stood out vividly in her mind. A few years ago, a young actress named Mia had come to her, trembling and tearful. Mia had been cast in a small role in a major film, but the director had demanded “special favors” in exchange for keeping her in th
The next morning, Selena arrived on set with a heavy heart. She had barely slept, her mind consumed with worry about what Grayson might do next. She tried to steel herself, to put on a brave face, but the weight of the situation was crushing her. As she walked onto the set, she noticed the crew members whispering among themselves, casting furtive glances in her direction. She ignored them, focusing on preparing for the day’s shoot. But before she could even reach her trailer, Derek, her manager, stormed up to her, his face red with anger. “Selena?!” he barked, his voice sharp enough to cut through the noise of the set. “A word. Now.” Selena’s stomach dropped, but she followed him to a quiet corner, her heart pounding. Derek turned to face her, his expression cold and furious. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” he demanded, his voice low but seething with rage. Selena blinked, confused. “What are you talking about?” “You’re out of the movie!” Derek snapped, his words
Julian sat alone in his office, the dim glow of his desk lamp casting long, jagged shadows across his face. The room was silent, save for the faint hum of the city outside, but the quiet did nothing to soothe the tempest raging within him. His hands, clenched into tight fists, rested on the polished surface of his desk, the knuckles white with tension. His chest felt like it was being crushed under an invisible weight, each breath shallow and labored, as if the air itself had turned against him. The divorce papers lay in front of him, signed and finalized. She was gone. It was what he had wanted—wasn’t it? Then why did it feel like his entire world had just been ripped apart? He leaned back in his chair, his head falling heavily against the leather headrest. His eyes, bloodshot and weary, stared blankly at the ceiling. The room seemed to close in around him, the walls pressing closer with every passing second. His mind was a chaotic whirlwind of thoughts, each one sharper an
Selena’s hands trembled as she folded the last piece of clothing into her suitcase. The divorce papers lay abandoned on the bed, the inked words blurring in her tear-filled vision. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, but the tears kept coming. This was really happening. Julian was releasing her. She had lost him. Not that she ever truly had him in the first place. Dragging her suitcase behind her, she stepped out of the room that had once been theirs. The hallways of Julian’s mansion felt colder, emptier than ever before. Every step away from this place felt like a dagger twisting deeper into her chest. She had thought she had found love. But all she had found was pain. The servants looked away, some whispering amongst themselves. No one stopped her. No one said a word. It was as if she had never belonged here. Julian had made sure of that. Outside, the driver stood waiting. His gaze was somber, but he didn’t question why she was leaving with nothing but
Selena sat on the cold floor of Julian’s study, her entire body trembling as silent sobs wracked her frame. The weight of his words still echoed in her mind, suffocating her. "Did you really think I fell in love with you? That I wanted you for anything other than revenge?" The man she had loved, the man she had foolishly given her heart to, had never once seen her as anything other than a target. A means to an end. Her chest ached, a deep, unbearable pain that wouldn’t go away. She wanted to tell him the truth. She wanted to scream that she wasn’t the one who had killed his parents. But she couldn’t. Because if she did, then Samantha— Her phone suddenly rang, the sharp sound cutting through the suffocating silence. With shaky hands, she reached for it, barely able to see the screen through her tear-filled eyes. Samantha. For a moment, Selena hesitated before answering. "S-Sam…" Her voice was broken, barely above a whisper. "Did you tell him?" Samantha’s voice c
Julian noticed something was off the moment Selena stepped into his study.Her face was pale, her hands trembled slightly as she clenched the fabric of her dress. She looked like she had seen a ghost.His brows furrowed."What’s wrong?" His voice was softer than usual, concern flickering in his dark eyes.Selena opened her mouth, but no words came out. Her throat was too dry.Julian stood up from his chair and slowly walked toward her. He placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch surprisingly gentle."Selena, say something." His concern deepened.Selena gulped, gathering her courage. I have to do this… for Samantha."I… I need to tell you something," she finally whispered.“Okay,” Julian’s gaze sharpened, sensing the weight of her words. "What is it?"She hesitated, her lips trembling. "It's about the accident," she forced out. "The accident of your parents."The air in the room changed instantly.Julian’s expression hardened, his grip on her shoulder tightening unconsciously."Go on,"
Selena sat curled up on the couch, her knees drawn tightly to her chest, as if the physical act of folding herself into a smaller shape could somehow shield her from the storm raging inside her. The morning light filtered through the blinds, casting long, jagged shadows across the room, but Selena barely noticed. Her mind was a whirlwind of fear, doubt, and betrayal, each thought colliding with the next until she felt like she might drown in the chaos.When her phone rang, the sound was like a gunshot in the silence. She flinched, her heart lurching painfully in her chest. The name on the screen—Samantha—sent a fresh wave of dread crashing over her. She hesitated, her finger hovering over the answer button, as if by ignoring the call she could somehow delay the inevitable. But she couldn’t. She never could.“Samantha?” Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it was enough to unleash the torrent on the other end of the line."Selena! Help me!" Samantha’s voice was raw, desperate, and
The moment she stepped inside, her face lit up with a practiced, dazzling smile.“Julian!” she exclaimed, her voice dripping with warmth.Before Selena could even greet her, Samantha had already thrown herself at Julian, wrapping her arms around his neck in a hug that lingered far too long to be considered appropriate.Julian stiffened instantly.His sharp gaze flickered with irritation as he felt Samantha pressing against him just a little too closely. He didn't return the hug, instead letting his arms hang by his sides, cold and unwelcoming.Selena, however, was used to her sister’s affectionate nature—or at least, that was what she had always believed.“Samantha,” Selena said gently, her voice laced with affection, “you didn’t tell me you were coming today.”Only then did Samantha finally acknowledge her. She turned and offered Selena a small, innocent smile, her eyes blinking as if she hadn’t just ignored her completely.“Oh, Selena! You know how much I missed you,” she cooed swee
The phone cracked against the wall, its shattered pieces scattered across the floor like her broken plans. Samantha Frost stood frozen in her penthouse, breathing heavily as she stared at the news article glaring back at her from the TV screen. ''"Julian Mathers, CEO of Grand Entertainment Inc., Publicly Announces His Marriage to Selena Frost."'' Her fingers curled into fists, her nails digging into her palms so hard they nearly drew blood. 'Married?' Julian Mathers—the ruthless, unattainable billionaire. The man every woman in the country wanted. And her perfect, golden sister had gotten him. Samantha let out a bitter, humorless laugh, but there was no amusement in her expression. Her eyes burned with pure rage. '"Again. Again, she takes everything from me."' Selena, the golden child. Selena, the perfect daughter. Selena, the one who had stolen their father’s love. And now, she had stolen Julian too. Samantha’s mind spun back to the past, to the years she spent locked a
The sound of keys jingling at the front door signaled Julian’s return from work. Selena glanced up from where she was setting the table, her hands still slightly wet from washing the last dish. She saw his tall frame enter the house, his sharp eyes scanning the room until they landed on an unexpected sight—Grandma, sitting at the dining table with a satisfied smile on her face.Julian arched a brow. “Grandma, what are you doing here?”Grandma scoffed. “What kind of greeting is that? Do I need a reason to visit my grandson?”Selena stifled a smile at the way Grandma always managed to put Julian in his place. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, before walking over to kiss Grandma’s cheek.“You’re always welcome here,” he said, before his gaze flickered to Selena. “But I didn’t expect you to cook.”Selena shrugged, feeling a bit self-conscious. “Grandma helped.”Grandma beamed proudly. “We made your favorite. Sit down, eat, and don’t complain.”Julian smirked, taking a seat at the h
The warm aroma of freshly brewed tea filled the air as Selena set the tray down on the coffee table. She smiled, feeling a rare moment of peace as she poured the tea into delicate porcelain cups. Across from her, Julian’s grandmother sat comfortably on the plush couch, her wrinkled hands resting on her lap as she observed Selena with warm, knowing eyes. Grandma had come specifically to visit her today, and Selena couldn't deny how happy that made her. She had always liked Grandma—her presence was soothing, her words wise, and despite the sharpness she sometimes directed at Julian, it was clear she loved him deeply. Selena settled down next to her, offering her a cup. “I’m so glad you came, Grandma. It’s been a while since we last saw you.” Grandma accepted the tea with a gentle nod. “Of course, dear. I had to see how you were doing.” She took a sip, her sharp gaze flicking over Selena’s face before she leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. “Now, tell me honestly, are you pregn