Nobela ni Setemi

Red didn’t breathe for a full three seconds. It's him, it's really him and she's here…in this rather suggestive position with her boss! The knock echoed through her apartment again. “Red? Babe? Are you in there?”Her heart plunged.“Oh my God,” she whispered, sliding off the table so fast her knee almost buckled. “No, no, no, no…this isn’t happening.”Alton didn’t flinch. He didn’t even turn his head toward the door. He straightened, his hands sliding from the table as he watched her scramble. His expression remained unreadable, calm in a way that made the panic claw harder up her throat.“Red?” Darren called again.She rushed toward the sofa, snatching up the first shirt she found, a loose grey tee, and tugged it on, dragging the hem down her torso. Her fingers shook so badly the fabric caught at her wrist.Hell, her boss saw her in her underwear! Goodness, everything seems to be going wrong tonight! Alton’s gaze lowered, following her movements in silence, hands in his pocket… but

Red stared at her phone, hands trembling so badly she almost dropped it. The screen glowed in the dim light of her apartment, the message bubble from Mr. Alton floating and unfloating like some cruel game.She smashed the ‘Delete for Me’ option, then desperately scrolled for a ‘Delete for Everyone’ button that didn't exist. She tried tapping, holding, even swiping, but the system just mocked her. Her stomach knotted, tightening painfully. Her breath broke into frantic bursts as she paced her small apartment, wearing nothing but a bra and shorts. The fairy lights usually comforting her now felt harshly bright; the half-full glass of wine wobbled on the coffee table. This can't be happening.She pressed the phone to her chest.“No… please… no… What did I just do?!”She had to get rid of it. Delete the message. Undo the mistake. But it was too late.Alton had seen it.The thought made her stomach churn. She could almost imagine the look on his; his piercing gaze, his furrowed brow, the

“Red!”Her name cracked through the glass walls of the office like a whip. She flinched, almost spilling the tray of coffee she was carrying. Goodness, that was close. “Coming, Mr. Alton!” she called back, tightening her grip before hurrying down the hall towards his office in her low heels.The door to his office was half open. She knocked anyway, one soft tap. No answer. She pushed it open carefully.And froze.The sound hit her first: a breathy moan, the creak of leather against skin. Then came the sight; his body moving rhythmically between the legs of a woman bent over his desk. Her black hair curtained her face and her moans filled the room.Red’s mind blanked. This wouldn't be the first time she's walked in on him…well…entertaining his ‘many flings’ and she should have gotten used to it by now but somehow, she was stunned. Her shirtless boss had his back to her, shoulders flexed as he moved and the woman's moans filled the office shamelessly. He had both of her hands clipped

Damon had been awake for a while.He lay on his side, propped slightly on one elbow, watching Naomi sleep. The early morning light filtered in through the half-drawn curtains, settling gently over her face. It caught in her lashes, traced the gentle rise and fall of her chest, warmed the crease between her brows that never quite went away even in sleep.He reached out carefully, brushing his thumb along her cheek.She stirred but didn’t wake up, only shifted closer, her nose pressing faintly into the pillow. Damon felt something tight loosen in his chest. Relief. She was here. Safe and right next to him..His fingers followed the familiar lines of her face as if memorising every inch of her all over again. He brushed a strand of hair away from her eyes, then let his hand rest there, cupping her cheek. His eyes went down to her lips.The urge to kiss her was strong, but he didn't. She needed rest and that seemed to matter more to him at the moment. “DAMON! ”The door burst open as Jo

The television volume was low, but no one in the Sinclair living room missed a single word. Their steaming cups of morning coffee sat on the center table untouched, eyes glued to the screen on the wall.The headline crawled across the bottom of the screen in bold white letters: ATTEMPTED KIDNAPPING SHAKES ASTER LANE, PROMINENT BUSINESSMAN DAMON SINCLAIR INVOLVED.The reporter’s voice was detached, the way people sounded when they were discussing tragedies that had nothing to do with them.“…authorities confirmed that the suspect, identified as Soonie Marcello, forcibly restrained the victim inside her apartment late last night. Sources say the victim narrowly escaped serious harm before security intervened…”The camera cut to flashing police lights, to a blurred image of an apartment complex and moved to the unmistakable silhouette of Damon ushering Naomi into a black vehicle.The living room was quiet.The reporter continued simply, eyes slightly widening at the words on the teleprom

The hospital smelled like antiseptic and Naomi was starting to get sick and tired of stopping by the hospital every three business days. Damon guided her down to a private ward, his hands gentle and reassuring. She glanced up at him, tears almost welling up in her eyes. He cared. He always had and she had him on her side even when things got dangerous.Naomi sat on the edge of the examination bed, feet dangling just above the tiled floor, a thin blanket draped over her shoulders. The nurse had insisted, even after Naomi said -three times- that she was fine. But Damon wanted to make sure. He believed she was doing okay but he wanted to be certain. Damon stood near the door, arms crossed, his body rigid in a way she recognized all too well. This was the version of him the world rarely saw, the man who looked calm until you noticed how tight his jaw was clenched.“You can sit,” Naomi said softly.He didn’t answer right away.Only when the nurse finished checking her wrists and murmur

Damon did not remember crossing the room. One second he was staring at his phone, listening to Naomi’s trembling breath and the unmistakable edge of another woman’s voice in the background, Soonie’s voice, and the next, he was barking orders at Patrick who seemed to have sensed something was wrong and had come rushing in.“Sir, is everything okay?” “Track her location. Now,” Damon snapped as he shoved his phone into Patrick's hand. “Who?” Patrick asked gently, knowing he could get cursed out for his question.“My wife God damnit!” Damom snapped in anger. Patrick stepped out almost immediately to hand the phone over to the security detail in charge of the house. Minutes later, he returned with news just as Damon was shrugging into his jacket.Patrick didn’t waste a second. “Sir, her call pinged from a residential block on Aster Lane. Apartment 5B.”“That’s Soonie’s apartment,” Damon muttered, voice tightening at the edges. He had men watching the apartment when Naomi decided to leav

Morning light spilled across the bedroom floor, warming the edges of Naomi’s blanket. She blinked awake slowly, feeling Damon’s arm draped around her waist. His breath brushed the back of her neck steadily.Last night felt like closure, something they both needed, one she had stopped believing they’d reach. She leans back into him, a smile tugging the corner of her lips. This is exactly where she wanted to be. Right here, in his arms, spoilt silly by him and loved deeply. Her phone buzzed before she could shit her eyes again and enjoy the peace that finally found them. She frowned as the sound persisted. Why would anyone call her so early in the morning on a weekend for that matter? It better be life and death. Naomi reached for the bedside table and grabbed her phone. Soonie.Her stomach tightened. She slowly slipped out from Damon’s embrace, careful not to wake him. He murmured something incoherent and rolled onto his back, one arm resting over his forehead.Naomi glanced at th

The soft chime echoed through Naomi’s office, the end-of-day bell.She exhaled, a long breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She didnt even realise how hard she's been looking forward to the end of the day until the bell finally went off. Naomi began to gather her files and slip them neatly into her bag. Her hands moved automatically, but her mind was somewhere else entirely. She told him they would talk when she's home. Home. Their home. Everything that happened earlier this morning was a whirlwind. The way he had handled the situation without telling the whole world she was his wife, the way he stood against Clara like she was threatening the only thing that had him breathing…A knock tapped lightly on her doorframe. She turned.Patrick stood there, hands behind his back as he stepped closer and inclined his head.“Patrick.” “Ma’am,” he said under his breath, low enough that no passerby would overhear. “Mr. Damon asked that you ride home with him today.”Naomi’s eyebrow

The rain had turned the world into a blur of gray and shadow. He wasn't going to let him slip. Now that he had a child involved, he wouldn't let Donald slip away and let him haunt his family ever again. The chase ended at the old bridge just outside the city. Rain had begun to fall, the wind howling through the girders.“Donald!” Seth shouted, his voice echoing through the storm. “Stop!”He didn't until headlights cut through the darkness. Arian’s black SUV screeched to a stop across the slick asphalt, blocking his path. He slammed the door and ran forward, his breath forming white clouds in the cold night air.He had been following since he saw Donald run out of the house. Donald stood at the center of the bridge, coat soaked, hair plastered to his face. His hands trembled, but not from the cold. In one hand gleamed a knife, slick with rain and blood.“Donald!” Arian’s voice rang out like a warning. “It’s over. The police are already surrounding the place.”Donald turned his head

The rain had turned the world into a blur of gray and shadow. He wasn't going to let him slip. Now that he had a child involved, he wouldn't let Donald slip away and let him haunt his family ever again. The chase ended at the old bridge just outside the city. Rain had begun to fall, the wind howling through the girders.“Donald!” Seth shouted, his voice echoing through the storm. “Stop!”He didn't until headlights cut through the darkness. Arian’s black SUV screeched to a stop across the slick asphalt, blocking his path. He slammed the door and ran forward, his breath forming white clouds in the cold night air.He had been following since he saw Donald run out of the house. Donald stood at the center of the bridge, coat soaked, hair plastered to his face. His hands trembled, but not from the cold. In one hand gleamed a knife, slick with rain and blood.“Donald!” Arian’s voice rang out like a warning. “It’s over. The police are already surrounding the place.”Donald turned his head

His heart pounded in his chest as she adjusted his tie, eyes staring down at her with more fear than she'd ever since in his eyes. She met his gaze, a smile on her lips. “What?” “I didn't know you were this..brave.” Thea chuckled. “There’s more to me than you know. And you're going to spend forever finding out.” “Is that a deal?” He smiled and she nodded, eyes glowing. The morning light fell softly across the kitchen, painting the marble counter in shades of gold. Thea was standing right in front of Seth, eyes fixed on his suit and then his tie before giving a satisfied nod. “You're good to go.” Seth glanced at the standing mirror behind her, crisp shirt, dark tie, hair pulled neatly back. He looked way better than he did weeks back. “I don’t have to go in today,” he said without meeting her gaze. She smiled faintly. “If you don't, we will never get this over with."Seth’s eyes met hers, calm but shadowed. “I just need to make sure everything stays in place. The police have

The air inside the courthouse was heavy, tinged with the sharp scent of polished wood, coffee from the vending machine in the lobby.It smelt of something else as well, anticipation and fear..Seth’s hand brushed against hers as they walked through the entrance, his grip firm and grounding.“We’ll be fine,” he whispered, though she knew it was more for her than for himself.“I hope so,” she murmured back, adjusting the lapels of her blazer.The courtroom was already buzzing. Reporters scribbled notes, cameras flashed, and the occasional whisper drifted across the rows of chairs. Thea’s chest tightened. She could feel every gaze on her, every expectation weighing down on her shoulders.Seth stayed close, he was going to keep her promise of keeping her safe. She had asked that they attend the trial; it would be their first public appearance after Celine's death. His fingers tightened in her as they settled down, waiting. The trial had already begun when they entered. The defendant, R

The first thing that hit him that morning wasn’t the light, it was the silence.The house felt too still, too quiet. The kind of calm that only came after a storm had exhausted itself. The curtains swayed gently, letting in fractured sunlight that painted lazy shapes across the bedroom floor. For a moment, Seth didn’t move. He just lay there, staring at the ceiling, letting the faint hum of the city seep through the walls.Is this the right thing to do? Coming back here? Would Celine forgive him for not giving her a proper goodbye? If he's going against Donlad, will the people he cares about be safe?The bed dipped beside him. A reminder that he wasn’t alone.Thea was curled up next to him, the sheets tangled around her waist, her hair a soft, chaotic halo on his chest. She was breathing evenly, one hand resting over his heart as if it belonged there. Seth’s fingers brushed over her knuckles lightly, careful not to wake her as if any firmer touch would break the illusion that she w

It's been three weeks. Donald was nowhere to be found, Celine had undergone autopsy and the police were doing their jobs. The rain began the moment the last words of the funeral service faded into the hollow silence of the cemetery.It was soft at first, hesitant drops tapping against the sea of black umbrellas. But soon, the sky broke open, heavy and merciless, as though the heavens themselves mourned for Celine Blackwood.Thea stood still under the gray downpour, her hand gripping the handle of her umbrella so tightly her knuckles whitened. Her heart sank with a sudden reality as Celine was lowered into her grave, she was really gone. She was battling a terminal illness but she was supposed to have more time. More time with her, more time to do everything she wanted to do. She could have met her grandchild….The scent of wet earth and roses hung in the air. Around her, people began to drift away. Family friends, old acquaintances, business partners who whispered condolences.Adam