Isla’s pov. The hum of the coffee machine and the hushed whispers around me were the only sounds filling the break room as I prepared Alaric's coffee. "Did you hear? She's the boss’s new secretary—the daughter of the Ashford Corporation," one of the employees whispered, not doing a great job of keeping her voice down. "Really? Wait... you mean the one from that viral video? The one whose fiancé cheated, and the wedding got called off?" "Oh my God, yes! That’s her—Isla Ashford. Is she really working as the boss’s secretary? That’s pretty sad. What a pity... She’s going to suffer like the others." I gulped nervously, a shiver running down my spine as I tried to concentrate on the words in front of me while preparing Alaric’s coffee. But it was kind of hard to focus when people around me were whispering about how I was now working for the devil. Their words, not mine. Taking a deep breath, I narrowed my eyes at the book, trying to read the precise steps for making Alaric’s coffee
Isla’s pov. Everything seemed to freeze at that moment. No one moved. It was like pressing the pause button on a movie at its most intense scene. My mouth is hung open in shock, eyes wide with disbelief. Alaric, however, remained still, his gaze locked onto his burnt hand. His eyes narrowed as if trying to process what had just happened, the faint wisps of smoke curling from his scorched skin the only movement in the heavy silence. My heart dropped—no, my everything dropped. Shit. There was no way out of this. I was smart enough to know what came next—I was getting fired. And if I lost this job, my father wouldn’t hesitate to marry me off to that old man. But at least I’d still be alive. Getting killed by Alaric Voss over a spilled coffee? Now that would be the worst possible outcome. So… “I am so sorry,” I whispered, barely audible, before spinning on my heel and bolting for the door. Survival mode had officially kicked in. But I didn’t make it far. Before I could take a si
Isla’s pov.I stopped the car in front of the grand mansion, my heart pounding against my chest as I clutched my phone, rereading the messages Suhyeon and Esther had sent while I was driving.Suhyeon: Korea or Nigeria? You’re exaggerating, Isla. Even if your father is evil, I doubt he’d actually sell his only biological child to some man twice your age. You should calm down and think carefully before doing anything stupid again.Esther: Hmm, we seem to have diverted from something important. Isla fucked Alaric Voss! She lost her virginity to him! Man, I don’t know if I should be scared for her or proud. Either way, I’m just happy she didn’t lose it to that dickhead.Esther: Anyway, tell me, Isla. How did it feel to spend the night with the man everyone wants to fuck? Is it true? I heard his dick is at least nine inches. You gotta tell me everything!Suhyeon: Esther! This is not the time for sex talk. Isla wants to flee to either Korea or Nigeria because she’s afraid her father will se
isla’s pov. I should have done it on my wedding day. I should have slapped him. I should have acted like a crazed woman, clawed at his face, or better yet, aimed straight for his dick. Instead, I cried. Instead, I let myself be weak. I should have gone full-on crazy. But I hadn’t. Because back then, the pain had drowned out the anger. It had clouded my mind, made it impossible to think straight. Now, though? Now the anger burned through me like wildfire. And all I could think about were his lies. His fake promises. His fake smiles. His relentless persistence just to get inside my pants. It was all so painfully clear now. But Isla? Why are you hurt? You should have been used to this from day one. You should have known that no one would ever truly love you, that no one would ever care. Even… My gaze darkened as I glared at Leon, my hands clenched into fists at my sides. Even the man you once loved. Silence. “Oh. My. Fucking. God.” Kieran was the first to break the suff
Isla’s pov. My father never loved me. He never cared. But one thing I knew for certain—he would never allow anyone to lay a hand on me. Anyone aside from him. That explained the fury in his glare as he looked at my stepmother. And she knew it too. It was written all over her face, in the fear that widened her eyes as she stared at him, frozen in place. Like I said, my father was a man who commanded and demanded respect. From his wife to his children to everyone around him. The only man I had ever seen my father bitterly yield to was Alaric. And that was because Alaric was more ruthless than he was. Alaric could bankrupt a company overnight—my father couldn’t. Alaric could make billions in minutes—my father never could. But most of all, Alaric was a Voss. Even if he was an illegitimate child of the Voss family, he was still one of them. And that alone made all the difference. My body went deadly still, and my heart pounded heavily against my chest—so loud, so insistent, I could
Alaric pov. Daniel continued ranting as he wrapped the bandage around my hand, his frustration evident in every word. “So, seriously, how insane do you think my twin brother is? The poor girl didn’t do anything wrong, and yet he went ahead and changed her entire identity to match his late wife’s. I’ve never met anyone as crazy as he is. It’s honestly frustrating watching her live a life that isn’t even hers, but I know if I say anything, Alexander will have my head. What do you think I should do? Should I tell her or not?” I barely heard him. If you asked me, I wasn’t paying attention at all. My gaze was fixed on my phone, on the message glowing on the screen. Isla: Let’s make a deal. If you help me, I’ll give you anything you want. What do you say? The corner of my lips curled into a slow, amused smirk as I reread the message again and again. Tilting my head slightly, a dangerous glint flickered in my eyes. Anything I wanted? Did she truly understand what she was offering? Di
Isla pov. What have you done? Why are you here? Do you even know what you’re getting yourself into? Those questions echoed in my mind as I stood outside the lavish mansion before me—Alaric’s mansion. Everything in me screamed to turn around, to forget about this and drive away. I was on the verge of making a fucked-up decision, one I knew I’d regret. I thought my father was terrifying, but Alaric? He was worse. Maybe that was why I convinced myself this was a good idea—to seek help from the only man I’d ever seen my father bow to. But was it really? What if Alaric wasn’t the solution but another monster I should be running from? Damn it. There was no turning back now. I had to do this—there was no other choice. And nothing could be worse than getting married. I bit my bottom lip, hesitating for a moment before reaching out to press the doorbell. But before my fingers could even touch it, the door suddenly swung open on its own, nearly making my heart stop. I gasped, my eyes wi
Isla pov “I don’t need to know what you want, little rose. I would do anything for you. Just sign the deal, name your price, and whatever you want is yours.” I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at this point, but before I could do either, I needed to stop staring at Alaric in a daze—I needed to snap out of it. But I couldn’t. Instead, my eyes remained wide, my mouth slightly open in pure shock. Alaric wasn’t joking—he was completely serious. I could tell from the way his smile had disappeared, the coldness in his eyes, and the sheer intensity of his stare. It was all too overwhelming. Honestly, I could understand having to obey his every command (since he was my boss after all) or even the rule about not leaving Voss Corporation without a valid reason. But telling me to call him Daddy? That was just weird and sexual. Why on earth would he want that? “Time is ticking, Miss Ashford. Would you sign it?” He asked, one brow raised in challenge. I blinked, snapping out of my d
Alaric pov "Liam, do you know that popular quote?" I asked, drumming my fingers mindlessly against the desk as I took a bite of the apple in my hand. "They say when life gives you lemons, squeeze them into your enemy's eyes." I tilted my head, a smirk curling on my lips as I watched him sigh and shake his head. "Boss, you got it wrong. The quote is 'When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.'" I chuckled, leaning back. "Yeah? Well, I prefer my version." He didn't say anything; instead, he stepped forward and placed the file on the table before giving me a slight bow. "This is the information you requested on Ashford Corporation, particularly Mr. Desmond Ashford. I was able to uncover everything you asked for, including details from the businesses he's involved with and evidence of his mismanagement of funds and other things you need to know about his relationship with his daughter, Miss Isla Ashford”. I glanced at the file on the table, a slow smile spreading across my l
Isla pov “What?” The word barely escaped my lips as I stared at my father in disbelief, my heart pounding so hard it echoed in my ears. I didn’t hear that correctly… right? There was no way my father had just told me to resign— no way he had just informed me that I was getting married. Yet… the man before me barely spared me a glance as he continued eating. “You’re not deaf. You heard me right, you’re getting married in a month. Resign from Voss Corporation. Isolde will be taking your place.” It felt like a bucket of ice-cold water had been dumped over me. I blinked, stumbling back. “Y-you—” My voice wavered, but I forced the words out. “What are you saying? Get married?” My father’s hand paused on his cutlery as he lifted his gaze, fixing me with a sharp glare. His lips tugged downward into a frown, and I instantly knew why. He hated repeating himself. But right now? I couldn’t care less. I took a step forward, my fists clenching at my sides as I met his gaze. Eve
Isla pov I stared blankly, my mind clouded with emotions all at once. Mortification, shock and fear all suffocated me at once. "What did I just do… What the hell did I just do?!" I groaned, gripping the steering wheel tighter before dropping my head against it with a dull thud, trying to wrap my head at what just happened with Alaric. I practically embarrassed myself, begging Alaric to make me cum, and when I finally did, it was unlike anything I had ever felt, it was intense and intoxicating. The pleasure was so consuming that I couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to take the real thing. But just as I was about to give in, ready to finally cross that line, Alaric caught my hand when I was about to reach for his pants, his grip firm yet gentle. "You’re not ready yet, little rose," he murmured, his voice rich with amusement. Then, as if he hadn’t just unraveled me completely, he leaned back, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "Now, how about I make you bre
Isla pov Did I trust him? I barely knew Alaric. We had hardly crossed paths before all of this because I had always avoided him. So how could he ask me that? No, that wasn’t the real question. The real question was, why had I answered so easily? Why couldn’t I push him away? Why hadn’t I just walked out and stopped whatever was happening? And more than anything… why had I said yes without hesitation? Why? Why? Why? I had so many questions racing through my mind, but my thoughts felt hazy, unable to focus on anything except the way Alaric's fingers plunged deep inside me, the way his tongue worked me over. Every stroke, every flick sent me spiraling over the edge, my body arching instinctively, desperate for more. "Fuck!" My head fell back against the sheets as he found that unfamiliar perfect spot again, sending pleasure rippling through me. My senses blurred, drowning in the ecstasy he mercilessly dragged me into. “Oh God! Alaric, right there— please” I pleaded, my
Alaric pov “I— I want to apologize… I got you involved in that situation with the video, but I promise I’ll do everything I can to make sure it doesn’t affect you in any way. I’m so sorry, Alaric. I will resign, I am so stupid… I always drag everyone into my mess.” That was what she had said last night as she cried. But that wasn’t why I had been mad. The reason was the redness of her cheek, an unmistakable mark of a slap, and the blood trickling down her leg. Someone had done that to her and at that moment, I wanted to kill the bastard and even though she wouldn't tell me who it was, I wanted to make them bleed in the worst possible way. To take everything they loved, to break them until they had nothing left, until they were on their knees, begging for mercy from her. And I would. “Y-you erased the videos?” she stammered, her voice shaky. She looked flustered, disbelief written all over her face. A deep shade of red crept up her neck, her mesmerizing eyes locked onto
Isla pov "Zzzzz..." "Zzzzz..." "Zzzzz—" I groaned, licking my lips as I raised a hand to block the sunlight streaming through the window. Turning to the other side, I swung my arms and legs to the left, trying to escape the brightness but the moment I did, I froze. My heart stopped. With my eyes still closed, I suddenly let out a laugh at the absurd thought— the idea that someone, a man no less, and not just any man, but him was in the same bed as me right now. It was impossible. It couldn't be. Right? But the steady rise and fall of someone's bare chest beneath my hand proved otherwise and not to mention the fact that my leg was draped over him like a clingy koala. Shit. Slowly and cautiously, I cracked my left eye open, my pulse hammering in my ears as I desperately prayed that this wasn’t really happening. But to my utter dismay, the moment my vision adjusted, I saw him— Alaric, in all his handsome glory, asleep beside me. Even without my glasses, I knew it
Alaric pov I walked out of the house, twirling the car keys around my fingers as I whistled, a smug smile playing on my lips. I could feel Emmanuel’s and the maids' heated gazes on me, but I ignored them and reached for the car door. Just as my fingers brushed the handle, a cold voice sliced through the air behind me, stopping me in place. “You didn't come to really fight for the project, did you?” My eyes narrowed, fingers instinctively tightening around the door handle and I couldn't help as my grin stretched as I turned around. James stood there, dressed in a simple sweater and trousers, hands tucked into his pockets, a frown tugging at his lips as he stared at me. My eyes met his, and there it was— an all-too-familiar emotion that I knew too well. Hatred. I smirked, and continued twirling the keys between my fingers as I leaned against the door, tilting my head slightly to the side while casually stroking my chin. "Hmm, what might you be talking about? I have no idea what
“The Voss family has done it again, securing their place as the wealthiest family in the country. Power, connections, money— what don’t they have?” "Breaking News: The Voss Enterprise Acquires a $30 Billion AI Defense Contract, Cementing Its Place as a Global Tech Giant" “The CEO of Voss Enterprise, Magnus Voss, has donated over 100 million to the Clearbrookes Orphanage. In his interview, he stated, ‘Children should never go hungry; they deserve to be fed and happy. Whenever I see them, I’m reminded of my own children when they were young. Now that my grandchildren are all grown up too, this old man just enjoys being around kids.’” Interviewer: "Which family would you love to marry into?" Show Guest: "Oh, definitely the Voss family! Have you seen their two grandsons? They’re not just rich, they’re insanely hot too, especially Alaric Voss. That man could step on me, and I’d still thank him. Since we’re on the topic... Mr. Alaric Voss, if you’re watching this, please call me! I
Alaric pov Ding! My eyes slowly fluttered open as I reached for my phone, staring at the bright screen. A new message from Adam. Adam: Hey Alaric, it’s your favorite therapist here ( actually, your only LIVING therapist, but let’s not dwell on that). Anyway, remember that session where we talked about controlling your anger and, more specifically, not hitting people with the first object you see? Yeah… we might need to revisit that. Look, I know you’re probably furious about me walking in on your… uh, “session” with Isla. But I swear, I didn’t see anything! And even if I did, I would take that secret to my grave. Literally. Which, judging by your temper, might be sooner than I’d like. So, please, let’s not make today the day you kill me. Okay? I stared at the message, and a dry scoff escaped my lips. "Idiot." "Boss, you're awake. Did you sleep well? We're almost there," Liam said from the driver’s seat. My gaze shifted to him before I exhaled, tapping my foot against th