After a passionate, steamy night, Rebecca felt the man beside her rise from the bed and enter the bathroom. She lay motionless, utterly drained and unable to move. The sound of water flowing could be heard coming from the bathroom. Rebecca forced her eyes open and glanced at the clothes scattered all around the floor. The fresh memory of the night’s activities surfaced in her mind, and she instinctively clutched the blanket as her cheeks blushed crimson. She and Edward.... Since they were young, both of them had been betrothed to each other by their respective families. But over the last few months, Edward’s behaviour had changed. He grew distant, treating her with cold indifference as if she had upset him somehow. Yet, no matter how many times she asked, he never gave an explanation. After his car accident, during which she stayed by his side for three months, nursing him back to health, that was when his attitude toward her had changed a little. Now that they had consummate
★★★★★"Edward, what is the meaning of this? How could you break off the engagement!? I demand an answer!" Elder Harrington fumed over his grandson, who sat leisurely by the window and swirling a glass of wine in his hand."There is nothing to explain, Grandfather. I simply no longer wish to marry her," Edward said coldly, his voice devoid any emotion."What? She is been betrothed to you when both of you were younger. You were happy back then and never questioned it. Now, what makes you change your emotion," Elder Harrington struggled to catch his breath; his voice was wrapped in tension, "She loves you and cares for you. How can you forget when you were bedridden, she took care of you? That girl stayed by you like an angel.""I have already informed them that I will compensate. Don't worry!" Edward replied, standing up from his seat in order to leave the room.Hearing him, Elder Harrington shouted, "You are a pathetic and heartless human, Edward."Edward paused, casting a glance at hi
★★★★"Oh my god! Is she really with Mr. Pete, who is twice her age?" Veronica gasped, her eyes were wide in shock. Though Mr Pete did not carry the notorious reputation many businessmen in his circle had, he was older than Rebecca. To anyone watching, it looked as if Rebecca had gotten herself a sugar daddy.Edward glanced over his shoulder catching sight of Rebecca smiling brightly at the crowd, Mr. Pete's arm draped possessively around her. A flash of anger shone in Edward's eyes, but he quickly covered it. Breathing out, he turned back to his drink at the bar.Just then two of his friends approached, "Starting early, Ed!" One friend teased Edward while another friend greeted Veronica and said, "You look gorgeous, Veronica!""Thank you, Henrick!" Veronica replied calmly to Henrick before saying to Edward, "I am heading over to my friends!"However, Edward did not say anything to her; instead, Henrick chimed, "You should, Veronica. And do not forget to remind Jacqueline that I still
★★★★★"Rebecca, you could have at least given him a chance to talk. I am sure he wanted to clear up the misunderstanding you two have," Rebecca's father began, settling down at the dinner table.The fork in Rebecca's hand paused mid-air, and she stared down at her plate, her expression clouded with gloom."What? You spoke with Ed!?" Her mother chimed in, and her surprise was evident, "What did he say?""Stop mentioning him in front of me!" Rebecca snapped, her frustration boiling over, "I have no relation with him, nor do I care about his existence," Rebecca flared at her parents, "And both of you get over with him. If you are still thinking he is some kind of gentleman and would care for our family, then you are wrong. None of you understand his twisted nature and any help for our business from him is a complete fantasy.""Can you explain why he suddenly cancelled the engagement 3 years ago without giving us any solid reason? I went to his office, but he informed the staff that I was
★★★★★Rebecca drove the car to Edward Harrington's office, her mind swirling with reluctance. Confronting him was the last thing she wanted, but her father’s business was on the line, she had no other choice.Stepping out of the car she lessened her hair from the tight bun, allowing it to fall freely, softening her professional look. It could not be an exaggeration if people said she resembled a striking model.She walked up to the receptionist, who was working on her desk computer."Excuse me, I would like to meet Mr Harrington. Could I get an appointment?" Rebecca asked.The woman looked up, her eyes briefly scanning Rebecca before asking, "What is your name?""Rebecca Matthew," Rebecca said, her tone steady. If this had been three years ago, she would not have had to fill out the formality like any other person. However, things had changed. Plus, this was the new girl at this Reception desk."Oh!" Came a surprise reply from the receptionist, shifting her eyes from Rebecca to the co
★★★★ "Why do you think I would be the reason for Pete's downfall?" Edward questioned back, there was eerie calmness on his face. Rebecca stared closely into his eyes and felt that something had happened, something tied to Edward. But she could not point a finger at him- he stood to gain nothing by causing Pete's trouble. "Your thoughtful silence says it all," Edward answered with a smile. "Why do you want me to be your woman? Don't you hate me!" Rebecca questioned, her brows knitted in confusion. The expression in Edward's eyes shifted abruptly and he spat, "Yes, I dislike you. That is exactly why I want you to be my woman." His words struck Rebecca like a dagger, her breath catching as the weight of his meaning settled over her. But she steadied herself, her voice firm as she replied, "You want to torture me, don't you?" "I could not agree more," Edward said; his tone was cold and hard. It made Rebecca feel like she had never held a place in his heart. "Don't give me tho
★★★★Rebecca drove toward the Red Bar and Casino, the location where Henrick Den had asked her father to meet him for a business deal. But with her father too ill to make the trip himself, Rebecca decided to go in his place, accompanied by his assistant who had already arrived.After parking, she made her way inside and was guided by a man to a private cabin. Rebecca knew Henrik Den well- he was one of Edward's close friends- but she had never liked him.As she stepped through the door, she found Henrick lounging on a couch, a woman by his side serving him a drink. His eyes widened in surprise seeing her, but a sly smile quickly crept across his face."Well, well. What a pleasant surprise, Miss Jones. I was expecting your father to come to meet me," Henrick said, gesturing the woman to leave with a flick of his hand."My father’s health has taken a bad turn. He is unable to leave his bed which is why I am here in his place," Rebecca replied, her voice firm and her expression unreadabl
★★★★ Rebecca was visibly intoxicated after just three glasses of whisky. She slumped The Glass on the table, muttering, "I cannot take anymore. My stomach is turning!" Her eyes were droopy and her cheek flushed with heat, clearly indicating the intoxication. "You will need to keep going if you want the deal," Henrick insisted, his tone unyielding, "I have already had more than you. Come on, you are almost there," his persistent made it clear he was intent on pushing her further, sensing her defences weakening. "Cannot you see her condition? She cannot drink anymore!" The assistant snapped his voice firm with urgency. "This nonsense has to stop. If you insist on this, I will take her place and finish the bottle myself. Let her go!" His eyes flashed with concern as he glanced at Rebecca, who looked ready to collapse at any moment. It was clear- she was either about to friend or worse, might need to be rushed to the hospital. “If you interfere again, I’ll throw you out of this room m
★★★★The last string of his patience was ripped apart as soon as her words drifted into his ears. His dull eyes deepened as he moved ahead, approaching Rebecca. His hand slid around her waist and he pulled her into his chest, causing Rebecca to be swallowed by his cold aura.His action was abrupt and terrifying, which made Rebecca panic, and she was about to shout at him. But his unsettled voice near her ear pinched her voice, "You do not think before you speak, do you? It's not a wise move to step on my sanity every minute. As long as you are my wife, no man will touch you unless they want their death note from me." The hair on her nap stood up. The proud heart finally thumped, prompting her to grasp through her lips."You won't do anything like that nor do I care about the phrase you have just mentioned. As long as I feel the man is desirable, I won't mind being with them. Guilt is not in my dictionary, " said Rebecca raising her chin as the coldness crossed her eyes.Placing her ha
★★★★★Later that night, Rebecca arrived at the Harrington Manor; her mood was pretty relaxed since she had two beers on her way, and the cab driver was pretty funny. She made her way to the door, holding an almost-finished beer bottle. She hummed a song, making her way to her room, the lights were dim in the hall, but it was not her concern. She threw her heels next to a rack and massaged her neck as it felt sore. But before she put down the bottle, the bright light in the hall flickered abruptly in her eyes, making her groan.She looked behind to find out who turned on the light and ruined her soft mood, her eyes met with Edward's cold eyes. His face was hard as stone as if someone stole his precious arrogance. The thought made her chuckle, but she quickly put a stop to it. "I was walking fine. My sight wasn't hindered because of the low brightness," She said in a casual tone, dismissing the different aura he was emitting. "Good night!" She said and turned around to go to her room
★★★★★ "Miss Jonas' name send you in trance?" Imara said with a teasing tone as she poured tea into the cups. The fresh smell of the tea spread fresh wings across the room, bringing Edward out of his thoughts. He rested his arm on the armrest, answering, "Two of you have a wide imagination, I must say. But it is not what you are thinking?" "That's a shame! I love that girl," Turner said, grasping a teacup from Imara, who offered him a small cake with it. "How about I choose her for Daniel, Imara? What do you think?" Turner asked, his tone had a hint of seriousness. "Are you sure, Dad?" Imara answered; her gaze shifted from Turner to Edward and she saw his unwinded face became dark. Before she could say something to adjust the situation Edward stood up, saying, "I am done here. If there is anything I can help you with, feel free to reach out to me." The situation startled Imara, who instantly thought Edward got pissed because of their words. She put the cup down and got up, adding
★★★★★"Yes, Edward. How are you, Turner?" said Edward with a calm tone, making his way to Turner, who was sitting by the window, basking under the sun that poured its sunshine inside filtering through the window."I am well. I was waiting for you to come. My eyes longed to see your face," Turner said, his smile did not leave his face."Why did not you call or reach out to me?" Edward sat opposite him. He thought, wondering if he should look for him once. But how could he, his own life was so pressed by stuff. "My hands became weak," Turner mentioned looking at his hands, "I am suffering from....from," the frown appeared on his forehead. "Alzheimer!" The woman’s voice interrupted the conversation and Turner glanced toward the door. His smile bloomed as he nodded, "Yes, Alzheimer... thank you, Imara." His expression softened, "Ed, do you recall Imara," he shifted his gaze back to Edward. "Yeah... she has grown up fine, and she looks more like your wife," said Edward, lightening the m
★★★★"There is nothing to lie about, Miss Veronica. The boss doesn't care about anyone's opinion and feelings. If he does have something for Miss Rebecca, I think he would come out to the world openly and proudly. So all I can say to you is to wait and see," said Trevor patiently and collected all the files from the ground. "I can't lose him. I don’t know what I would do to the people he cares for," spat Veronica with anger, making her way to the exit. With both hands resting on the waist, Trevor could only sigh. It seemed to him Veronica had just called a war against Rebecca.Meanwhile, Edward relentlessly called Rebecca, but he did not get an answer from her, increasing the irritation in his head. "Damn it, pick up the phone!" Edward shouted, looking at the phone as the call kept ringing. The growing frustration in his head was punching his patience. As a result, the following second, he cut the call and punched the steering wheel hard. Exhaling, Edward dialled Trevor with a dark
★★★★★Edward clenched his fists and stared at Veronica for a moment, adding, "I do not love anyone. But it seems to me you are run over by your jealousy. How about you stop looking for me from now on? But that won't affect your career, nor the project my company has promised to you." The impatience in Edward’s eyes was apparent as if he wanted to follow Rebecca, who misunderstood him."What? No, you cannot do that to me... I am looking for you because I care for you, not because I want my career to thrive on your name," said Veronica, drawing close to the desk as her eyes flickered with fear instead of shock as if she had been expecting such an outcome for a long time."I am a very particular man who is always clear about his feelings. If you can recall, I have told you in one sentence that you cannot see me getting attached to you just because you are walking, running around me," Edward said clearly; his tone was firm, leaving no reason for Veronica to deny. And he grabbed his coat,
★★★★"I wish I could answer you. But seems like I am not really clever enough to understand you, Veronica. How about you allow me to grasp the information," said Rebecca with the same curt tone, her eyes narrowed, and glued on Veronica's face, trying to learn what's new she was cooking."I can see you haven't been home for a long time. It would be great if you got to know this from your father. Plus, I know Edward's grandfather wanted you to stay in Harrington Manor, but that doesn't mean you begin building your dream house there," said Veronica, her eyes mocking. In them, Rebecca could see victory as if Veronica was successfully separating Rebecca's intention from her innocent expression."I understand. Thank you," said Rebecca, and turned around, leaving the cabin. Edward quickly sent a text to Trevor because he did not want Rebecca to travel alone in such a situation."Babe, are you free today?" Veronica softly asked, taking a seat opposite Edward."I am not completely aware of my
★★★★Edward led Rebecca into his office, the soft glow of the table lamp illuminating the dark, polished wood of the room. He shut the door behind them, casting a brief glance at her pale, unsettled face. He knew taking her home would only give her space to spiral further into her thoughts. "You can sleep on the couch if you’re tired," he said, his tone unusually gentle, though it carried an underlying firmness. Rebecca, however, remained rooted in place, her arms crossed tightly across her chest. Her mind was clearly elsewhere. Edward sighed, his voice dipping into a softer register as he tried to pull her from her internal whirlwind. "You’re obsessing over something invalid, Rebecca. Sometimes, things people say are nothing but empty words meant to rile you up." Rebecca snapped out of her daze, meeting his gaze defensively. "Invalid?" she repeated, her voice low but tense. "She didn’t seem like she was spewing nonsense... Don't you see her face? Her wide, fearful eyes make me th
★★★★ Rebecca and Edward arrived at the hospital to meet Martha. The more Rebecca walked toward Martha's ward the little heart inside her rib cage drummed loudly. Edward, on the other hand, emitted a chilling aura as he came to a stop in front of the ward. The moment he heard that Martha came to her senses by some miracle, he decided to hear the reasoning he was looking for without caring about her health or showing mercy to her situation. "Mr Harrington, the patient is very fragile. A small agitation could lead her life to end which is why I want to request you not to make her rattle with your words," the doctor's voice was below the whisper. "Once she is better, there will be plenty of time to get anything you want from her," a doctor who was in his mid-40s requested Edward to be a little gentle with the patient, his voice hopeful. Last night, he had seen Edward being an erupting volcano, which made him believe there was some animosity he had with the woman on the bed. Instead of