Schriftaire의 작품

I immediately pulled away.I saw Arzhel smirk.“If you want my kiss, you should just ask, Lia. I might consider giving it to you anyway.”“Don’t be too full of yourself, Arzhel. As if I have plans of kissing you.” I rolled my eyes. “The only time you can kiss me is by accident, but that won’t happen again. I’ll never let it happen again!”“It was called an accident for a reason, Lia. You cannot stop it,” he said.I was about to fight back, but he came closer to me.I suddenly paused my breathing for a while. What was he going to do? Was he going to kiss me again?I was about to raise my hand to stop him when he reached for my seatbelt.I blinked and stiffened, just looking forward.When he finished helping me, he fixed his seat.“What were you trying to do just now?” he asked while putting on his seatbelt. He was even smiling a little.He might have seen me raise my hand when I assumed he was about to kiss me.I was about to answer him, but then he started the car engine. So I just sa

I kept receiving a lot of messages since last night from colleagues, business investors, and reporters. I ignored them all. I focused on what mattered now, my business. But in every meeting I attended that day, I felt some invisible tension in the air.I felt their curious gazes. I knew they wanted to ask questions, but no one dared to personally ask.I didn’t know what Arzhel did, but that article disappeared minutes after I finished checking it.I heard some knocks. It was my secretary.“Ms. Analia, your car is already prepared.”I nodded.I closed my laptop, then picked up my phone and bag. I needed to fetch Arriana.I wondered how her day went. Kids were just too young to care about the news, so I hoped her classmates didn’t bother her about it.Janna accompanied me to the parking lot while discussing my remaining meetings.“After this, you’ll have a meeting with our designer. Then by 8 p.m., you have a reservation at Emerald Steakhouse with Mr. Arzhel.”Her last sentence made me

I laughed it off to hide the nervousness building inside me.His eyebrow furrowed. He looked so offended.I composed myself. I crossed my arms and looked straight into his eyes with a sarcastic smile.“Don’t tell me you really consider believing me, Arzhel?”His jaw clenched, and he looked away for a second before looking at me again.“I was just a nobody before, Arzhel, and I needed your protection and power,” I lied, “but now, I don’t need you. I have my own empire. So let me get this straight. She’s not your daughter. He’s not your son. They are not yours.” The universe knew I never used him. I would never use someone for my own advantage, especially him. But I had to lie. I needed him to think badly of me so that I wouldn’t lose my daughter.His jaw clenched harder this time, enough that I could already see his veins.He closed his eyes before releasing a long, heavy sigh. Then he laughed sarcastically.“I never said they’re mine, Lia. And I can say I’m pretty amazed. You’re such

I released a long sigh and dropped my pen. Then I leaned back in my chair as I massaged my temple. My morning just started, but the stress I was feeling was already too much. So many contracts and business proposals to review. And now, I needed to handle the land that Arzhel wanted to get from me.There were knocks on my door. I sat properly, and seconds later my secretary entered. She had the expression she always had every time we were in trouble.“Ms. Analia, Architect Zerus and Engr. Lemuel are asking if you will still go through with the building of your new branch?”I secretly cursed Arzhel in my mind.“Tell them I’ll contact them tomorrow about it,” I calmly said.Even if I was stressed, I never showed it to my employees. I wanted them to remember me as the CEO who was always composed and competent. That was the branding I was trying so hard to build in my career. But Arzhel’s existence always tested that.My secretary nodded.“Do you want to set an appointment with Mr. Lowel

Five Years Later“Look at you. We just came home from New York, and yet you’re already drowning in your work,” Adrian teased me.He came closer to my desk. I stood up to give him a hug.“You know I really miss Los Angeles, but work can’t wait. There’s a problem with one of the lands I want to buy to build my new clothing store branch.” I went back to my chair and massaged my temple.Meanwhile, Adrian sat on the edge of my table.“Let me guess… someone outbid you?”I nodded while still massaging my temple. “And of course… it’s Arzhel.”He raised his eyebrows. A teasing smile spread across his face. “Does he even know you’re home?”I sighed.We had literally landed thirty minutes ago from New York, and the first message I received from my secretary was that the owner of the land I wanted to buy canceled our deal because someone offered a higher price. And of all people, why did it have to be Arzhel?“I don’t care about him. All I want is my land,” I said irritably.“Then talk to him. Te

I didn’t leave the house yet. I stayed and slept in the guest room last night.After Arzhel and Veronica walked out, the place felt too quiet. Even the maids avoided the living room. I stayed seated at the dining table for a long time, staring at the divorce papers like they might disappear if I didn’t touch them.Eventually, my phone buzzed.Adrian.I ignored the first call.Then another.And another.Until I finally answered.“Lia, where are you?” he asked, concerned. “You didn’t answer my messages.”“I’m home,” my voice low from having little energy.“What happened?”I looked at the papers again. “He thinks I cheated.”“What?” he asked in disbelief.“He saw photos. Someone followed me to the hospital.”I wondered who took those. But I was not ignoring the possibility that it was my stepsister.“Damn it,” Adrian muttered. “I didn’t know something like this would happen.”I closed my eyes. “He already prepared the divorce papers.”There was silence on the other end.“What about the b