MasukThe night air was cold against Irene’s flushed cheeks as she staggered out of the bar, her bare foot slapping against the rough pavement.
She didn’t seem to notice that one of her shoes was missing, or maybe she didn’t care. Her vision blurred, and the world tilted precariously as she stumbled forward, her arms flailing to steady herself. “Where is he…?” she murmured, her voice hoarse and slurred, almost drowned by the distant hum of traffic. Her other shoe slipped slightly, making her trip. She cursed under her breath, frustration bubbling up, but she kept moving, her steps aimless. The sharp edge of the pavement jabbed her exposed foot, but she didn’t flinch. Her mind was far too preoccupied with the weight of her despair to care about something as trivial as pain. Ahead, the streetlights flickered, casting her shadow across the crosswalk. She stepped onto the road, not bothering to check for cars, her head hanging low. From the distance came the low growl of an engine—a sleek, black jeep speeding toward her. The car was a stark contrast to the dim surroundings, its polished surface gleaming under the faint light. Irene, however, stood frozen in the middle of the road, her arms hanging limply by her sides. “Just let it end,” she whispered to herself, closing her eyes as the roar of the approaching vehicle grew louder. The screech of tires shattered the silence, jolting her senses. The car skidded to a halt mere inches from her. The force of the stop caused a loud, ear-piercing sound, making her cringe. When Irene opened her eyes, she blinked at the black car, its headlights blinding her momentarily. Her knees buckled, and she collapsed onto the ground, her body trembling. “Why?” she muttered, her voice cracking as tears spilled from her eyes. “Why couldn’t you just hit me? Why can’t anything ever go right for me?” She sobbed, her chest heaving as the pain inside her spilled out in raw, uncontrollable waves. The gravel beneath her scraped against her palms as she punched the ground in frustration. Inside the car, Daniel sat stiffly, his jaw clenched. His dark eyes narrowed as he stared out at the woman blocking his path. “What the hell is this nonsense?” he muttered, irritation lacing his tone. The driver, an older man with a calm demeanor, glanced at Daniel nervously. “I’ll check, sir.” “Hurry up,” Daniel snapped, loosening his tie in frustration. “I don’t have all night.” The driver stepped out, his polished shoes clicking against the asphalt as he approached Irene cautiously. He bent slightly, his voice calm yet firm. “Madam, are you okay? You’re sitting in the middle of the road.” Irene didn’t respond. Instead, her sobs grew louder, her shoulders shaking as she buried her face in her hands. “Madam,” the driver repeated, unsure of what to do. “Please, move aside. You’re blocking the car.” Irene lifted her head, her tear-streaked face twisted in anguish. “Why didn’t you just hit me? Why couldn’t you have just…?” Her voice broke, and she shook her head, curling into herself on the ground. The driver hesitated, scratching his head. He crouched lower, trying to help her up. “Come on, you can’t sit here. Let me help—” Before he could finish, Irene suddenly lay flat on the road, her arms stretched out dramatically. “No! I’m not moving. If you’re not going to hit me, then you’ll just have to drive over me!” The driver blinked, baffled. He turned back toward the car, his expression helpless. “Sir… she’s not cooperating.” Daniel groaned, his patience wearing thin. “What kind of nonsense is this?” He pushed the door open and stepped out, his sleek suit catching the light. His movements were sharp, precise, and radiated irritation. “What’s the hold-up?” he demanded, his voice cold as his gaze fell on Irene sprawled on the road. The driver straightened, nervously clearing his throat. “Sir, she’s… well, she’s refusing to move.” Daniel’s eyes narrowed as he strode toward Irene. He stopped a foot away from her, his polished shoes glinting under the streetlights. “You,” he said, his voice cutting through the night like a blade. “Get up.” Irene didn’t move. She only cried harder, her sobs echoing in the quiet street. Daniel sighed heavily, his frustration evident. He raised his foot and nudged her lightly with his shoe. “I said, get up. Now.” Irene ignored him, curling tighter into herself. Daniel’s patience snapped. “Ken,” he barked, turning to the older man. “If she won’t move, we’re leaving. She can lie there for all I care.” Ken hesitated, his gaze darting nervously between Irene and Daniel. “But sir—” “Enough,” Daniel cut him off. He turned back toward the car, brushing off his jacket as he prepared to leave. Before he could take another step, Irene suddenly scrambled to her feet and lunged at him. Her arms wrapped around his neck tightly, almost choking him. “Dave!” she cried, her voice filled with desperation. “You’re not leaving me! I won’t let you!” Daniel froze, his entire body stiffening as he registered the situation. “What the hell—?” “You want me, right?” Irene continued, her words tumbling out in a drunken frenzy. “I’m ready now! I looked it up—I know how to do it. I’ll do whatever you want, just don’t leave me, Dave!” Daniel’s shock quickly turned to anger. He grabbed her wrists, attempting to pry her off. “You’re insane,” he spat. “I’m not Dave, and I have no idea who the hell you are. Let go!” Irene clung tighter, her fingers digging into his skin. “No! You’re lying! You’re Dave! You’re mine!” She pressed sloppy kisses to his neck, her lips wet and messy as she muttered incoherent pleas. Daniel recoiled, his face contorting in disgust. “Stop that!” he growled, shoving her back slightly. “You’re drunk and completely out of your mind woman what the hell is wrong with you!” Inside the car, the driver watched in stunned silence, his mouth slightly agape. He’d never seen anyone dare to touch Daniel, let alone assault him in such a bizarre way. Daniel tried again to shake her off, his voice rising. “Get off me, you crazy woman!” But Irene refused to relent. Her arms remained locked around his neck, her tears soaking his shirt. “I won’t leave you, Dave. I love you. Please don’t go!” Daniel let out a frustrated growl and turned, dragging her toward the car. He opened the back door and shoved her inside unceremoniously. Irene sprawled across the seat, blinking up at him with glassy eyes. “Dave…” she whispered again, reaching for him. Daniel climbed in after her, slamming the door shut behind him. He sat on the opposite end of the seat, running a hand through his hair as he glared at her. “What the hell is wrong with you woman is it money you want, like who the hell sent you tell me how much were you paid I would double it?” he demanded, his voice low and dangerous. Irene didn’t answer. Instead, she crawled across the seat, straddling his lap before he could react. She cupped his face with both hands, her expression that of desperation. “Don’t leave me,” she whispered, leaning in to kiss him rigorously.The gap began to close at a terrifying speed.Ten paces became eight. Eight paces became five.Daniel had collected his purple baton with a fluid, powerful stride, his long legs eating up the asphalt as he raced down lane three. He was running with all his brute, masculine strength, his chest heaving under his white shirt, but he could hear the rapid, sharp rhythmic beat of her sneakers closing in on his right side. He cut a sideways glance toward her, his dark eyes widening as he saw her curvy figure moving with absolute, flawless determination right beside his shoulder at the sixty-meter mark.They were neck and neck, their tracksuits a blur of purple and yellow as they hurtled toward the final thirty meters. The white ribbon line was right ahead. The crowd was completely out of their seats, screaming so loudly the concrete stadium structures were literally vibrating.Then, disaster struck.As Irene pushed her body to its absolute maximum velocity, her right sneaker hit a microscopi
The whistle blew, and Marcus exploded off the line, running like a professional athlete. Irene held onto his neck, her high ponytail flying as they surged into the lead.Daniel, however, didn't even move properly. His supreme, calculated focus was completely dead. The slender woman from compliance was hanging onto his neck for dear life, her legs flailing in the air as Daniel literally walked down the track with rigid, stomping steps, his eyes glued entirely to the back of Marcus’s yellow headband. He was radiating a freezing, terrifying aura of absolute hostility, completely ignoring his own race as he watched Marcus carry Irene toward the turning point.Marcus slid to a halt at the fifty-meter line, carefully setting Irene down onto her feet. According to the strict rules, it was now the women's turn to carry the men back to the finish line.Daniel arrived at the turning point three seconds later, his face completely distorted with an arrogant, possessive sneer. He looked at the sle
Down on the field, the exact second Daniel saw that Irene had lined up in lane four, his possessive, hyper-competitive instincts flared into a volcanic blaze. He didn't say a single word to his coaches. With pure, unyielding arrogance, he marched directly over to the purple team representative who was currently preparing to hop for lane three. Daniel ruthlessly yanked the burlap sack right out of the employee’s hands, giving the terrified man a single, freezing look that sent the clerk sprinting back to the bench.Daniel stepped into lane three, standing directly beside Irene.The proximity was instant and suffocating. Irene didn't look at him, but she could feel the intense, rigid heat radiating off his tall frame. Daniel stepped into his sack, pulling the rough material up to his waist with a fluid, arrogant flick of his wrists, his dark eyes cutting a sideways glance toward her bare waist and high ponytail.“You look ridiculous, assistant,” Daniel murmured, his voice dropping into
The digital board at the center of the Blackwood private stadium lit up with a massive, glowing countdown clock. Five minutes. There were exactly five minutes left before the official whistle for the seasonal track events was scheduled to blow.Down on the grass, Irene adjusted her fitted half-crop top and pulled her high ponytail tighter, her eyes burning with an intense, calculated focus. The stadium speakers were humming, the crowd in the bleachers was roaring, and her independent yellow team—composed entirely of anxious accounting ladies and slightly out-of-shape logistics men—was huddled together, nervously stretching their limbs.Suddenly, a massive, unexpected wave of absolute silence swept across the stadium. The roaring cheers from the marketing department died down in an instant, replaced by sharp gasps and frantic, bewildered whispering that rippled through thousands of spectators like an electric shock.Irene frowned, straightening her spine and turning her head toward the
Irene looked over at the two older gentlemen from the shipping department who were currently stretching their hamstrings with audible groans. She couldn't deny the contrast. The purple team was made up of twenty-something gym enthusiasts Daniel had financed, while her yellow team looked like a neighborhood garage sale.A sharp spike of fear hit Irene’s stomach as she looked from the muscular purple team back to her own elderly runners. She shook her head silently, a cold sweat breaking out on the back of her neck. Can we actually pull this off? she thought, a rare moment of doubt clouding her mind.But she quickly forced a bright, reassuring smile onto her face, stepping forward to clap Sarah on the shoulder. “Hey, stop that. You have to have hope. Have faith that we will win also speed isn’t just about muscles, it’s about the handoff and the drive. We’ve practiced this.”“Well, I just hope so,” Sarah sighed, wiping her sweaty palms against her yellow track pants. “Honestly, Irene, if
The sprawling green athletic field of the Blackwood private stadium was alive with vibrant energy [11], but for Irene, the entire world had shrunk down to the chalk lines beneath her running shoes. The grass was crisp underfoot, still holding the morning dew, and the stadium speakers were humming with upbeat music designed to pump up the corporate crowd.Irene stood near the edge of the running track, completely focused on her pre-race routine. She leaned over to the side, bending deeply at her waist, letting her high ponytail sweep across her shoulder as she stretched out her torso. She raised her head up, taking a deep, calculated breath of the morning air, before rotating to the other side to limber up her oblique muscles.She was wearing a sleek, high-waisted set of black skinnies paired with a fitted, cropped half-cord top. The outfit was perfectly practical for a 4x100-meter relay, but it left her toned waist completely bare, the fabric hugging her curves with absolute, athletic
The old front door creaked open and banged softly against the chipped wall behind it. Irene walked in first, her lips pressed into a tight line. . She didn’t say a word she didn’t need to as her silence screamed louder than anything the boys had ever heard. She still had her hand wrapped firm
“Elias, are you sure this is a good idea?” Ethan asked, tightening the straps of his tiny backpack as they walked side by side. Elias grinned mischievously, hugging his little hoodie closer. “Of course it is. Don’t you want to see where Mama works?” “I do,” Ethan muttered, then glanced around. “
Irene moved through the office like a machine. From the moment she clocked in that morning, her mind had been spinning. Ethan and Elias's question from earlier haunted her like a shadow clinging to her heels. "Mama, do we have a dad?" Her lips had gone dry immediately and her heart had nearly
Knock. Knock. Irene bounced lightly on the balls of her feet as she waited at Levi's front door, her heart thumping with a mix of nervousness and excitement. From inside, she heard the unmistakable thudding of tiny feet—running, stomping, probably jumping on something they shouldn’t. Her face bro







