FAITHThe room seemed to shrink as everyone’s attention turned to the center of the drama. My hand tightened around Blaze’s arm, and he leaned closer to murmur, “Looks like your ex is about to have the night of his life.”“Shh,” I hissed, unable to look away.Austin’s face was a thunderstorm of rage, and his movements were erratic as he threw a handful of glossy photos onto the table in front of him.The pictures scattered like fallen leaves, and from where I stood, I could make out snippets of what they depicted—Reagan and Samuel, also known as Michael, in various settings.In one, they were seated across from each other at a dimly lit restaurant, Samuel leaning forward with a smile, Reagan looking like she was listening intently. In another, they were in the same car, parked in what looked like a secluded spot. There was one of them laughing together behind the campus building, her hand on his arm, and another in a parking lot, where Samuel was holding the car door open for her. No
FAITHAustin pulled back slightly, still holding onto my shoulders. “Faith, please,” he whispered, his voice low but pleading. “I made a huge mistake. I just… I don’t know what I was thinking.”I glanced at Blaze out of the corner of my eye. His jaw was tight, and his hands were clenched on the table as if he were barely restraining himself from intervening. I could almost hear the question he was dying to ask: ‘What the hell is happening right now?’But I ignored him and focused on Austin.Austin’s voice was a constant stream of apologies, each one more desperate than the last. “Faith, I’m so sorry. I was an idiot. I should’ve never—God, I
FAITHI let out a laugh, waving off Blaze’s earlier comment as if it was the most ridiculous thing I’d ever heard. “Obviously, you were acting. I mean, me being your girlfriend is a whole pretense to begin with.”Blaze let out a low, almost imperceptible sound. “Huh. Right,” he muttered, his tone so quiet it barely reached me.I didn’t dwell on it, though, as I gestured to our table. “Let’s continue eating.”He raised an eyebrow, amused. “You really did come here to eat.”“Obviously.” I flashed him a grin. “I mean, being here in front of Austin at this exact moment was part of the plan, but hey, the food? That’s a crucial part of it too.”Blaze chuckled, shaking his head as he picked up his fork. “I get the food part, but honestly? I don’t even get what you’re doing at this point.”I shrugged, spearing a piece of the now slightly cold filet mignon on my plate. “It’s simple, really. I’m just giving them a taste of their own medicine.”Blaze leaned back in his chair, one eyebrow arched.
FAITHBlaze didn’t answer me immediately. His jaw tightened, and his hands curled into fists at his sides. I had never seen him look like this before—tense, almost like he was bracing for something.“Blaze,” I repeated, my voice softer this time. He didn’t move, his gaze still fixed on the striking red-haired woman near the entrance. His normally sharp expression was distant, like he was somewhere else entirely.I reached out and shook his shoulder lightly, pulling him out of his trance. “Blaze, what’s wrong?”“Nothing,” he said quickly, but the tightness in his voice betrayed him. He glanced away from the woman, his jaw tense, and motioned toward the exit. “Let’s go.”I frowned, unsure whether to press him further, but decided against it. As we walked to the elevator, his silence was heavier than usual, and the air between us felt oddly charged.Once inside, the mirrored walls of the elevator reflected the quiet tension. Blaze stood with his hands in his pockets, his eyes fixed on t
FAITH“Yeah,” I murmured, the sight stealing my breath. “It feels like we’re driving straight into a painting.”Blaze smiled, and his tone turned mischievous again. “See? Aren’t you glad I insisted on the drive? I knew my idea was better than touching grass.”I laughed, the sound mixing with the wind as it tousled my hair. “Okay, fine. I’ll give you this one. The beach beats grass any day.”Blaze smirked, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the steering wheel. “I knew you’d come around. I always win in the end.”I shook my head, my laughter fading into a warm smile. “You are ridiculous, you know that?”“And yet, here you are,” he said with a playful wink, his tone dripping with confidence.I rolled my eyes, unable to fight the grin spreading across my face. As the waves grew louder, signaling our proximity to the shore, I found myself relaxing in a way I hadn’t in ages. There was something oddly comforting about Blaze’s banter—his ability to turn even the most ordinary moments into
FAITHThe clock on the wall ticked steadily, its sound echoing in the stillness of my room.I lay flat on my back, staring at the ceiling as though the answers to my inner turmoil might magically appear there. They didn’t.Instead, my mind was consumed by two equally irritating things: my maddening craving for something utterly bizarre and my growing feelings for Blaze.It had been days since I’d last listened to his nightly summaries from the pregnancy book. My excuse was always the same—“I’m too tired, I just need to sleep.” But the truth was much messier. Spending those moments with him, watching his face soften as he explained things with surprising patience, fe
FAITHThe mix of embarrassment, exhaustion, and this insatiable craving just boiled over.“Oh no, no, no,” Blaze said quickly, his voice rising in alarm. He stepped closer, his hands hovering awkwardly like he didn’t know whether to pat my shoulder or… do something else entirely. “Don’t cry! Faith, come on, it’s just—okay, wait, I’ll figure it out. Just—just don’t cry, alright?”I sniffled, covering my face with my hands. “I’m sorry,” I mumbled through my fingers. “I don’t even know why I’m crying! It’s so stupid.”“It’s not stupid,” he said hastily. “I mean, maybe the craving is a
FAITHBlaze froze for a moment, his eyes widening slightly before his lips curved into a slow, dangerous smile. He stepped closer, the warmth of his presence pulling me in. “Then I’d say, thank God,” he said, his voice low and rich. “It’d be much easier to offer myself to you than go find this odd dish.”I couldn’t help but grin, leaning back slightly and crossing my arms. “Then I definitely want the dish,” I shot back, the playful edge in my voice masking the way my heart was pounding.Blaze laughed, shaking his head. “You really like it the hard way, don’t you?”“Oh yeah,” I said with a wink. “Definitely.”He sighed dramatically, running a hand through his messy hair, the wayward strands catching the light. “Alright, alright,” he muttered. “I’m going to find it. See you in a bit.”I stretched out my legs on his bed, feigning nonchalance. “I’ll just lounge here for a bit,” I said, giving my calf a small rub. “My leg is cramping up.”Blaze glanced at me, his expression softening for
FAITHI felt my stomach drop the moment recognition dawned on me.Marcus Weston.Blaze’s grandfather.The Weston patriarch. The man who practically built the empire Blaze now ruled.The man I had heard so much about—powerful, ruthless, and impossible to impress.I instinctively glanced back toward the bed where Blaze was still sleeping, his face relaxed, unaware of the storm brewing just outside his door. Then, forcing myself to breathe, I turned back to Marcus.His expression hadn’t changed—sharp and displeased."Wh
FAITHThe sound of the closet door clicking open made my head turn, and suddenly, all the exhaustion I felt evaporated.Blaze walked out, toweling his damp hair, his movements casual, effortless—completely unaware of the effect he had on me. But that wasn’t what caught my attention.It was the fact that he was shirtless.My breath hitched.I had seen him in crisp suits, in casual button-downs, in gym wear that hinted at the strength underneath—but this? This was different.The way the soft bedroom lighting cast shadows over every sharp plane of his body, the way droplets of water clung to his skin, sliding down the ridges of his mus
FAITHThe first thing I noticed was the heaviness in my head.My thoughts felt sluggish, like they were wading through molasses. My eyes fluttered open, but the room was blurry and dim. Voices echoed faintly around me, muffled as though I were underwater.I forced myself to focus, straining to catch the conversation. Someone—maybe a man—was speaking in a calm, clinical tone.“…the chloroform intake was too high. Combined with the pregnancy, it’s no surprise she hasn’t woken up until now. But her vitals are stable. She needs rest.”I blinked again, my vis
BLAZE“Faith!” I shouted, my voice breaking with panic.My feet pounded against the pavement as I bolted toward the van. Faith’s body was limp, the man shoving her inside with a disturbing lack of effort. Every muscle in my body screamed to move faster, to stop them before they could get away.But just as I closed in, someone appeared in front of me.“Watch it!” they snapped as I collided with them, the force sending me sprawling onto the ground.“Get out of my way!” I barked, scrambling to my feet.By the time I regained my balance, the van’s doors slammed shut, and the engine roared to life. My chest ti
BLAZEJared rolled his eyes so dramatically that I was tempted to grab the nearest object and throw it at him.“You know,” he began, dragging out his words like a know-it-all, “for someone who claims to have everything under control, you really have no idea how to handle this situation.”I rolled my eyes. “What’s your point, Jared?”“My point,” he said, leaning against the desk, “is that you’re dancing around your feelings. Stop playing games with Faith. You either make an effort or let her go.”“Stop with that attitude,” I said, my voice laced with irritation. “I just don’t want to mislead her or make her fall for me when I can’t promise her a future together.”
BLAZEThe rhythmic tapping of my pen against the desk was the only sound in the room.My gaze was fixed on the skyline outside my office window, but my thoughts were far away.Faith.Lately, she’d occupied my mind more than I cared to admit. There was something about her—her energy, her stubbornness, her unshakable resolve—that managed to cut through the monotony of my days.She was unpredictable, and maybe that’s what I liked most.A knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts.Jared strolled in, his usual air of casual arrogance intact. “You are doing that thing again,” he sai
FAITHThe whole morning passed in a haze. Hillary's words lingered in my mind like a dark storm cloud that refused to dissipate. Blaze’s life still revolves around her. Every time I thought about it, my chest felt tight, like there wasn’t enough air in the room.How could I have been so blind? I had let myself get swept up in this fantasy where I thought Blaze and I had something special, something real. But maybe I’d been wrong. Maybe I was just someone he tolerated, a distraction from the pain of his past.The plans I’d made for Blaze’s birthday—the excitement, the effort—now felt like a cruel joke. Was I just forcing my way into a place where I didn’t belong? Hillary’s words gnawed at my thoughts like an echo I couldn’t silence.He still feels for his first love.No matter how hard I tried to push the thought aside, it kept creeping back, wrapping itself around my heart and squeezing. The fantasy I had built in my head—the little moments, the laughter we shared—felt fragile now
FAITHBlaze paused for a moment, clearly thinking it through before responding with a softness I hadn’t quite expected. “Soft music. Jazz. Or something mellow.”I nodded, feeling pleased with myself. Soft music. That was another piece of the puzzle.“Okay, next question,” Blaze said, now sounding a little more into the game than before. “What’s the one food you can’t stand?”I didn’t hesitate. “Seafood. I can’t even look at it without feeling grossed out.”Blaze’s eyes widened in surprise. “Really? That’s a shame. I thought you might like it. ”“Nope, definitely not,” I said with a shudder. “I mean, I’m okay with Italian seafood dishes, but that’s pushing it. Fish? No thanks.”“Fun fact: I dislike it too.” Blaze chuckled softly, and for a second, it felt like we were just two people having a normal conversation, no corporate walls or icy barriers between us.“Your turn,” he said, the game starting to feel more natural now.I leaned back, considering my next question. “Alright, if you
FAITHI couldn't stop thinking about Blaze’s birthday. The idea of making it special for him lingered in my mind, like a quiet buzz that wouldn’t let me focus on anything else. What would he even like? He didn’t seem the type to appreciate a grand gesture or a surprise party, not like the way Jessica always tried to push him into celebrating.I needed to know more about him. I needed to figure out what would make him happy, even if he didn’t admit it. And that meant getting closer to him, observing him—without raising his suspicions.It was tricky, though. Blaze wasn't the type of person you could just casually observe without him noticing. But then again, who said I couldn’t have a little fun with this? Maybe I could sneak a peek into his world, into the things he liked, by simply sticking around more.And so, later that night, I found myself walking down the corridor toward his study. It was quiet, the house mostly asleep, the only sound being the soft tapping of my footsteps ag