EMILY'S POVThis time, I staggered backward, my body leaning into his just for a moment as my eyes fluttered closed. His hands gripped my waist, pulling me closer, and I felt the heat of him, the strength of him.I fucking missed this, missed the way he made me feel, the way he consumed me entirely.But I couldn’t let myself forget why I am mad at himI pushed against his chest, my hands trembling as they met the solid wall of his body. “Ethan stop,” I breathed, my voice barely audible. “We can’t do this,not here.”He didn't stop instead he pressed me against the edge of my desk, his body caging me in. “We can,” he whispered, his lips brushing against mine. “And we will. You’ve been running from me, Emily, but you can’t run anymore. I warned you.”My heart hammered against my ribs, my breath coming in short, shallow gasps.“Ethan—”He cut me off with another kiss, this one deeper, hungrier. His tongue swept into my mouth, claiming me, and I felt my resolve crack.I gave in as my hand
EMILY'S POVAt daybreak, the soft glow of sunlight filtered through Olivia's curtains, casting faint golden streaks across the room. I slowly opened my eyes, blinking against the warm brightness. My body felt sore, not from any physical strain but from the emotional weight I had been carrying for days.I stretched my arms slowly, feeling the tightness in my shoulders. A silent groan escaped my lips.Goodness... I’m tired.Not just tired. Drained. Hollowed out in a way that sleep didn’t seem to fix. My heart felt heavy, and no matter how much I tried to ignore it, I knew exactly why.I forced myself off the bed and walked sluggishly into the washroom. I turned on the tap and let the water run for a few seconds before splashing my face. The coldness jolted me into full awareness. I brushed my teeth slowly, then washed my face again, taking more time than usual, hoping the simple routine would refresh me inside as well as out.After freshening up, I reached for the dress I had worn the n
EMILY'S POV"I see you were at the office," I said quietly, my voice barely a whisper, though my chest was heaving from the storm of emotions raging within me.I turned to open the car door, not wanting to sit a second longer beside him, but just as I reached for the handle, his hand shot out to stop me."Emily—""Please don’t touch me!" I snapped, yanking my hand away, my voice trembling, not just with anger, but with heartache. "How could you lie so boldly to my face?"He blinked, his brows furrowed in confusion, but there was a flicker in his eyes. That flicker,it wasn’t confusion, it was guilt, or something very close to it."What are you talking about?" he asked, his tone calm, too calm for someone who should know exactly why I was hurting.I stared at him, my eyes burning. I wanted to scream, to shout, to make him feel the weight of what I’d been carrying since last night."You spent the night with her. With Denise," I said, trying not to break down. "I met her, Ethan. I met you
ETHAN'S POV“Young master Ethan, your mother wants to see you right now.”That was the message delivered to me just seconds after ending a stressful call with my supplier. The voice belonged to Martin, my mother’s right-hand man, and for her to send him personally to my office, it had to be serious.I stared at my phone for a moment, reading nothing and everything at once. I could feel the headache beginning to crawl up the side of my head. Whatever this was about, it wasn’t going to be good. I stood from my chair, grabbed my blazer from the backrest, and shrugged it on. I didn’t bother buttoning it.My office door opened as I stepped out, and as usual, a few employees walking by paused to greet me. I didn’t respond. My mind was too crowded. I made my way down the building quickly, ignoring the buzz of activity around the lobby.The moment I reached the parking lot, Justin, my long-time driver opened the back seat of the car. I slid inside without a word. He closed the door behind me
EMILY'S POVI opened the link Olivia had just sent. My phone screen loaded slowly, probably due to the number of people already clicking on it. When it finally opened, my eyes froze on the image staring back at me.It was a picture, clear, bright, and recent. In the photo, Ethan, and Denise photo grid together.The caption underneath the post read:“Reunited. Love always finds its way home. Ethan and his family spotted together again after years apart.”I stared at it for a long time, unable to blink. I didn't even realize I had stopped breathing for a few seconds. The comments were filled with heart emojis, well wishes, and shocked reactions. Some people were tagging others to come and see. Others were asking if they were officially back together. No one knew the truth, and neither did I anymore.I shut my eyes slowly, willing myself not to cry, even though the pressure was building. My chest was tight, my fingers trembling as I held the phone.Christ. What’s going on again?Without
The next day arrived, but I couldn’t call it “morning” in the real sense. Morning is supposed to come with newness, lightness, relief. Mine came with exhaustion.I had been lying on the sofa for hours, wide awake, my eyes open but dull, my body still but tense. I didn’t sleep. Not even for five minutes. Not even for a blink. My thoughts had kept me imprisoned through the entire night trapped in replayed conversations, imagined scenes, and questions that had no answers.Finally, I blinked just once and that simple act felt like it took effort. I shut my eyes for a second and opened them back again with a long yawn, stretching my arms lightly as I sat upright.The morning sun was already slipping through the curtains. I slowly got to my feet, every movement heavier than it should have been. I climbed the stairs and headed to my room, feeling the ache in my joints from sleeping or more accurately, lying on the sofa all night.I took a warm shower, hoping it would wash away the heavy weig