EARLIER IN THE DAY
“I love you, Williams.” “You are my soulmate.” “Take your stupid ring. And don’t ever come near me again.” _______ Williams’ eyes shot open, his heart racing as fragments of the dream lingered in his mind. He sat up, his breaths heavy, and wiped the sweat off his forehead. Reaching for his wallet on the nightstand, he pulled out a small, worn photo tucked inside. His fingers traced the edges, the image a cruel reminder of a past he couldn’t escape. His grip tightened as his emotions surged. He stared at the picture, bitterness welling up in his chest. “Why are you still in my dreams, Elodie?” he muttered through clenched teeth. In a sudden burst of frustration, he tore the photo into tiny pieces, letting them scatter onto the floor. It had been three years since she walked out of his life, yet the pain felt fresh, as if no time had passed. Her betrayal, her cutting words...they haunted him. No matter how hard he tried to bury the memories, they always clawed their way back to the surface, especially at night when he was most vulnerable. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he stood and ran a hand through his messy hair. “Great,” he grumbled. “Another day ruined before it even starts.” This wasn’t the first time. Every morning seemed to follow the same ritual: he’d wake up from a dream about Elodie, tear up her picture in anger, only to replace it later when his rage subsided. He hated seeing her in his dreams. Skipping breakfast, Williams left his house in a foul mood. By the time he arrived at his company, his sharp tone and icy glares had everyone on edge. His employees knew better than to cross him when he was like this. Tobias, his closest friend, was waiting for him in his office. As Williams settled behind his desk, Tobias raised an eyebrow. “Rough morning again?” Williams didn’t answer, his jaw tightening as he rubbed his temples. Tobias chuckled knowingly. “Let me guess. You dreamed about her again, didn’t you?” Still, Williams said nothing. Instead, he walked over to the window, hands in his pockets, and stared at the bustling city below. The silence stretched between them until Tobias sighed, realizing his friend wasn’t in the mood to talk. He quietly left, closing the door behind him. Alone, Williams’ thoughts drifted back to Elodie, as they always did. He wondered where she was, and what she was doing. The memory of her walking away, throwing their six years of love aside, still stung. The implication of her parting words echoed in his mind: “You’ll never amount to anything.” Now, he was one of the richest men in the world....a living contradiction to her cruel prediction. Yet, despite his success, the ache in his heart remained. He had avoided any news about her, telling himself she wasn’t worth another moment of his time. “Hey, baby,” a soft voice interrupted his thoughts. Williams tensed as slender arms wrapped around him from behind. He turned, gently removing her hands. “Mandy,” he said sharply, “what are you doing here? I told you not to come uninvited.” She smiled, unfazed by his irritation. “Come on, Williams. Don’t be like that. We haven’t seen each other in days, and I missed you.” He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He wasn’t in the mood for her today. “The music festival starts at seven,” Mandy reminded him with a pout. “You promised to take me, remember?” “I’m busy,” he replied, his tone clipped. Her pout deepened. “But you promised. I’ve been looking forward to it for weeks. Please, Williams?” He hesitated. Maybe going to the festival would be a good distraction. He needed something to pull him out of this spiral. “Fine,” he said reluctantly. “I’ll pick you up at six.” Her face lit up, and she kissed his cheek. “Thank you! I knew you’d come through. We’re going to have so much fun!” She left his office, her excitement palpable. Williams watched her go, a heavy sigh escaping him. “Mandy,” he muttered under his breath, “I wish you could replace her. I really do.” Now, hours later, he was at the festival with Mandy. For the first time that day, he felt lighter. The music, the lights, and the energy of the crowd were enough to distract him....until a moment ruined it. They stopped to take a picture with a mascot in a ridiculous blue-and-pink costume, and right after the photo, the mascot suddenly turned and ran, bumping into a towering three-tiered cake."Why did the mascot run away?" Mandy, the girl with Williams asked, her tone laced with curiosity. Her wide eyes darted between the crowd and the retreating figure. Williams frowned, his sharp gaze following where the mascot had disappeared. He didn’t usually concern himself with trivial matters, yet something felt off. The image of the clumsy mascot colliding with the cake lingered in his mind, and an inexplicable pull urged him to investigate why. The murmurs of the crowd grew louder, a ripple of gossip spreading through the air. Meanwhile, the man holding the ruined cake turned on the mascot, his face red with anger. Elodie stood frozen, her heart pounding like a drum. Her vision was obscured by the frosting smeared across the mascot head. Trapped and humiliated, she realized there was only one way out. With trembling hands, she slowly lifted the oversized head, revealing her flushed, tear-streaked face. “I-I’m so sorry,” she began, her voice trembling as she faced the furio
“I’ve never seen this person before.” Elodie smiled bitterly as Williams' words replayed over and over in her head. "You deserved that and more, Elodie," she told herself. As she made her way home, she recalled the events of the past and sighed. Life had become much harder since then. Now, she scraped by, living paycheck to paycheck, her once grand aspirations replaced by the desperate need to survive. "None of this compares to the pain I caused Williams," she told herself. "It's a good thing he's found someone who makes him happy." When she finally reached her tiny apartment, she collapsed onto the sagging bed, staring at the cracked ceiling. Memories came rushing back...the laughter she and Williams had shared, and his earnest dreams. Now, someone else had restored what she had broken. By morning, her body ached from exhaustion, but she forced herself to get ready. Today was critical. If she didn’t get paid for her shift at the bar, she wouldn’t have enough to complete
Elodie trailed behind Williams, her trembling fingers clutching her torn blouse together. Each step behind him felt like a countdown to something she wasn’t prepared for. The air was filled with unspoken words and bitter memories for him. Williams didn’t slow his pace, his broad shoulders squared, his every movement controlled and precise. He walked ahead as if she weren’t even there, as if leading her somewhere was just an unfortunate errand he had to run. Elodie bit her lip, her mind racing. Williams had saved her, yes...but she believed it was not out of kindness. There was no kindness in the way he had looked at her, no softness in his cold, detached expression. She could tell that he still hated her.What surprised her was the fact that he had a VIP room. She had been working at the bar for a while but had never seen him there before. When they reached the VIP room, Williams pushed the door open without sparing her a glance. "Go on," he said, his voice impatient. Elodie h
Williams barely had time to react as Elodie’s lips brushed against his. It was soft, hesitant...yet desperate. A plea. A need. His entire body stiffened. Her warmth was intoxicating, her scent faintly sweet, utterly familiar..wrapped around him, making his blood run hotter. He had spent so many nights trying to erase her from his mind, but here she was, pressed against him, pulling him back into a past he had fought so hard to forget. She murmured his name, her voice weak but filled with yearning. Something inside him snapped. His hands moved on their own, gripping her waist, pulling her against him. His lips crashed into hers, not gentle, not hesitant this time. His kiss was rough, demanding, filled with pent-up frustration and unspoken emotions. Elodie gasped into his mouth, and he swallowed the sound, his fingers digging into her hips. He pushed her back against the couch, his weight pressing into her, his body acting on instincts he had spent years suppressing. 'Damn it.
The first thing Elodie noticed was the stillness. The sterile scent of antiseptics filled the air, and the morning light filtering through the thin curtains cast a faint glow over the pale hospital walls. Her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the brightness, but for a moment, she remained still. 'Where am I?' Then, reality crashed over her. Williams. The bar. The kiss. Elodie sucked in a sharp breath, pressing her hands against her burning cheeks. 'What was I thinking?' The memory of Williams' touch, his rough desperation, the way he had held her..it all came flooding back, making her stomach twist. She shut her eyes tightly. 'I have to leave here. Now.' Pushing back the covers, she swung her legs over the side of the bed. The cold floor sent a shiver up her spine as she stood, her body still a little weak from whatever had been in that drink. She reached for her clothes, neatly folded on the chair beside her. Just as she reached for them, the door creaked open. Elodie turn
Elodie sat on the hospital bed, staring at the door Williams had just walked through. Her fingers trembled slightly as she pressed them against her lap. Why did it feel like she had let him down? A sharp sigh left her lips. 'No. This is for the best.' She shook off the lingering emotions and pushed herself up. There was no point in thinking about him. She had other problems to deal with...like the fact that this was a private hospital, and every second she spent here was adding to a bill she couldn’t afford. She needed to leave. Fast. She reached for her folded clothes, but as she moved, something heavy slid from the chair and landed on the floor. She looked down. Williams' coat. She quickly bent down and picked it up. The fabric was warm against her fingers, his scent lingering in every fiber—clean, crisp, expensive. She hesitated for a second before shaking her head. 'I’ll return it to him. It’s just a coat.' After changing into her clothes, she went to the fron
Elodie stared at her belongings as she thought of what to do. Finally, she called her second job, the one where she sometimes worked events, hoping for any sliver of hope. But the voice on the other end was curt. "Elodie, didn't you get the termination email? And your last pay went toward replacing the mascot uniform you ruined. It wasn't even enough." The line went dead before Elodie could argue. She felt like the ground beneath her was crumbling. Everything was slipping away. She sighed, picked up her stuff and began to walk away. Minutes later, Elodie sat on the creaky bed of a budget motel, staring at the peeling wallpaper. The room smelled of cheap air freshener, trying and failing to mask the scent of dampness. She dropped her bag onto the floor, exhaling slowly. 'This is it. This is my new life.' Her fingers brushed against the ring pendant hanging from her necklace, a painful reminder of the past. She had once lived in luxury, surrounded by wealth and privilege.
Williams stood outside the luxury shoe store, gripping his coat so tightly his knuckles turned white. He shouldn’t be here. After his receptionist informed him that Elodie had dropped off his coat, he picked it up to dump it in the trash. But somehow, somehow, he had ended up following Elodie instead with the coat in his hand. And now, he stood outside like a fool, watching through the glass as Elodie worked. She had changed. The confident, powerful CEO was gone. In her place was a woman kneeling before customers, helping them slip on overpriced shoes like a servant. His teeth clenched. He had almost walked in when that so-called "friend" from her past mocked her. He had almost intervened. But then... That man appeared. Williams’ entire body stiffened as he listened. How could he forget the face of Bryce Tanner, the man who took everything from him? And then... "No wonder… you’re my wife." Williams felt like something snapped inside him. His chest tightened as if som
Just as Elodie lifted her glass for another sip, her phone began to ring. She glanced at the screen—Bryce. With a sigh, she ended the call without hesitation. It rang again. She groaned and downed the rest of her drink in one go. If it weren’t for the government project tying them together, she would have blocked his number. Almost immediately, a message popped up. "Please pick your call. I need to tell you something important about the project." Elodie rolled her eyes. When the phone rang for the third time, she forced a smile and turned to Tiana. “I’ll step outside to answer. Too much noise in here.” Tiana gave her a teasing grin. “Ooooh. Is it your boyfriend?” Elodie scoffed. “Not in a million years.” She made her way out of the bar and picked up the call, her voice flat. “What do you want, Bryce?” Bryce’s tone was annoyingly calm. “Why so hostile? I’m not the enemy here.” “I’m still waiting to hear why you called,” she replied coolly. Inside the bar, Willia
Bryce noticed the way Elodie’s expression shifted. Her jaw was clenched, her eyes welled with tears she was clearly trying to hide, and her nails dug painfully into her palm. Just moments ago, she had looked so composed. Now… she looked like she was barely holding herself together. Beside them, Mandy brushed past Elodie without so much as a glance, humming under her breath as she made her way toward her office, her entire body glowing with self-satisfaction. Her mood had clearly improved. And Elodie’s had clearly crumbled. Bryce opened his mouth to speak, but Elodie cut him off, her voice low and tight. “Please excuse me.” She didn’t wait for a reply. She turned and walked briskly away, disappearing down the hall and into the restroom. Inside, she stood in front of the mirror, gripping the edge of the sink, staring at her own reflection like she didn’t recognize the woman looking back. 'You have no right to cry,' she told herself silently. 'You have no right to feel
Mandy had been watching from above with so much fury in her eyes. Her chest burned with rage as she saw Williams and Elodie together. But the moment she spotted Bryce, everything changed. A wide smile spread across her face, and without wasting another second, she rushed down. Elodie had just turned toward Williams to say something when she heard footsteps hurrying behind her. She turned to see Mandy, almost breathless, her face glowing with excitement as she ran straight to Williams like a woman claiming her prize. “I’m so happy you came to see me!” Mandy exclaimed, beaming as she stood directly in front of him. Williams barely looked at her. His eyes were still fixed on Elodie, his jaw clenched, frustration tightening the muscles in his face. He was about to push Mandy out of his line of sight when Elodie turned to him. “Do have a nice day, Williams,” she said quietly. Then she pulled her hand from Bryce’s grasp and walked away. Her pace was quick, her shoulders straight, a
Elodie could barely hear the sound of cars in the distance or the chatter from people passing behind them. All she could focus on was Williams... standing there with that same gentle intensity in his eyes as he watched her. And she was watching him too. For a moment, it felt like the world had slowed down. Neither of them moved. Neither of them blinked. Then, finally, Williams exhaled and smiled. “You’re probably wondering what I’m hiding behind my back,” he said softly. He brought his hand forward from behind his back, and when Elodie saw what he held, her lips parted slightly in surprise. It was a box—small, square, and elegant. The kind used by luxury jewelers. “I watched your presentation,” he continued. “From start to finish. And I was blown away, Elodie. You were calm, brilliant, graceful. I was so proud of you… and I just wanted to say congratulations.” He opened the box, revealing a gold necklace with a tiny oval pendant in the center. It was simple and delicat
Mandy could not believe Elodie Richards had won. Despite all her planning, all her effort, and the months of quiet preparation to present for the bid… she had still lost. And the worst part? Elodie had done it without a single document in her hand. No visuals. No proposal file. Just her voice, her confidence, and her mind. Mandy looked away from Elodie and clenched her fists. She had watched the other companies present. Deep down, she knew, even if Elodie hadn’t spoken, she would have lost. Elodie was simply better, but that was something she could not accept. Tristan couldn’t stop smiling. He walked up to the judges to thank them personally, proud of the company’s success. And while he was distracted, Bryce approached Elodie with a wide smile on his face, looking far too pleased. “Congratulations,” he said, standing too close for comfort. “I had no doubt that you’d make me proud.” Elodie pulled her hand away from him as he tried to hold it and gave a polite but cold “Thank
When Elodie took the stage again, Mr. Victor, the new product manager looked up in surprise. He hadn’t expected her to return. After what had happened, most people would have taken the exit and never looked back. But not this woman who had just been humiliated in front of a room full of giants. As she introduced herself again, he shifted forward slightly in his seat, his brows drawn together. There was something different about her now. No panic. No hesitation. Only calm. He watched her with a quiet sense of awe. 'She’s really going to try,' he thought. He glanced at the judges, then back at Elodie. And for the first time since meeting her, he felt something stir in his chest—respect. When the judges turned their attention to the door, looking at the six people who had just barged into the room, Elodie did not. Her voice remained bold and confident as she continued her presentation. She knew her time was limited. Every second mattered. And so, despite the commotion, sh
Back at Titan Tech, Mandy stormed through the corridor like a woman on fire, her heels clacking with purpose. She didn’t bother to knock when she reached the CEO, Mr. Tristan’s office—just barged in, voice already shaking with calculated panic. “Sir, we have a serious problem.” Tristan, a sharp-eyed man in his late thirties with a reputation for being merciless, looked up from his desk. “What now?” “It’s about the bid,” Mandy rushed out, panting for effect. “I was preparing the presentation and went to grab the final proposal, but it was missing. Completely gone.” Tristan’s brows drew together. “Missing? How does something that important go missing?” She swallowed and lowered her gaze, perfectly rehearsed. “It was stolen… by my new assistant, Elodie Richards.” “Stolen?” he echoed, pushing to his feet. “She took the proposal and ran to the venue. I was still getting dressed for the event when the new product manager called me to say she was already there trying to present
"So," Mandy began, her tone sweet and sharp all at once, "tell me, Elodie... what makes you think you're the right fit for this position?” Elodie gave a small, polite smile. “I’m aware that the position I applied for was filled, but I believe the assistant role still demands someone with vision, adaptability, and strong organizational skills. I bring those qualities with me.” Mandy nodded slowly, her eyes never blinking. “Mm. That’s nice. Though I’m curious... aside from waiting tables, and selling handbags, what real tech experience do you have?” The words were delivered with such calmness, such venomous softness, that Elodie almost flinched. But she inhaled deeply through her nose and let the question sit for a moment before answering. “I worked closely with product teams in my previous role at ThunderByte,” she said. “I may not have an official tech title yet, but I understand structure, development strategy, and customer-centered innovation. I know how to manage deadlines
Elodie woke up in the morning with a gentle smile on her face. It was the kind of smile she hadn’t worn in a while. Her sleep had been undisturbed, calm, and dreamless, and for once, she hadn’t woken up with a lump in her throat or tears in her eyes. Instead, she woke with something she hadn’t felt in a while; hope. After a warm shower and a quick breakfast, she got dressed for her shift at the store, her mood lighter than it had been in days. But before leaving, she decided to check her emails, just in case one of the tech companies had responded. She pulled her laptop onto her lap, fingers moving quickly as she opened her inbox. Her heart beat a little faster as she worked. The first three companies hadn’t replied. There were no interview invites, no rejections, just the silence of unread applications. But then, one subject line caught her eye: Interview Invitation – Titan Tech. She clicked it open instantly, eyes scanning the message with nervous anticipation. The first