MasukI stumbled away from the table and out of the hall, my head swimming with wine and the heated words that still echoed in my ears as I walked over to the back where everyone else was partying. The warm night air hit me, and I thought it might sober me up a little, but it didn't. The world was tilting sideways. I blinked, trying to focus, and then my eyes landed on a shadowed corner.My stomach dropped when I saw him.My father.He was sitting alone, shoulders hunched, hands on his knees, staring into space. But when our eyes met, something strange happened—he didn't sneer, or walk over to me to bark insults like he would have done. Instead, he looked away sharply, like he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't.My gaze drifted down to his hands. There were several blisters, red and new, lining his fingers. My brows knitted together in confusion. These blisters weren't there the previous day when he slapped me. What changed?Before I knew it, I was walking over."What... what happe
After a mind-blowing orgasm, Ryker eventually let me off the hook. My cheeks were flushed, lips were swollen slightly. I reapplied my makeup to conceal every trace of lovemaking. Together, we exited the room. This time, nobody was in the hallway, as if they had left to finally join the party. I walked beside Ryker, trying to keep my legs steady.Then, out of nowhere, a man came into view, stopping us."Ryker, we need to talk. Now," Mr Holland said, his tone sharp, commanding.Ryker's jaw tightened as if he knew what this was all about but couldn't care less. "I'll come, Father. Just... give me a few minutes."Before I could even say anything, a hand grabbed mine. Catherine. Her grip was firm, almost playful, but there was no mistaking the authority in it. "Vanessa, darling, come with me. I have something to show you."I froze. My pulse sped up. "Uh... I—"What was going on?"No arguing," she said smoothly, giving me a small tug that I couldn't resist. "It'll only take a moment."I gl
“Ryker..” “Hush. No arguments, remember? Now, come on. Let’s go.” His voice topped whatever I had to say. My protest died down in my throat as he got out of the car, rounded it, and came over to my side. He pulled the door open and extended a hand. “Did I remind you of how beautiful you are?” I scoffed, placed my hand on his, and let him help me up. “You did. But not in the nicest way.” Getting out of the car, I fixed my gown while he shut the door after me. “Then, I’ll rephrase my statement.” He placed both hands around my hips, leaned over my ear, and whispered. “You look delightfully appetizing, Lamb. Can’t wait to spread you over my table and eat your little cunt later.” I face flared up real bad I could feel the heat against my skin. Then he pulled away, chuckling at whatever my face looked like at that point. “You’re so shameless.” I meant to say it with a touch of anger in my voice, but it came out like a slow realization that I let out as a whisper. He brushed my hair a
>____Ryker didn’t come back with a friendly expression, and I didn’t bother asking him about the files. He looked… off. Tense. Angry, like he wanted to snap someone’s head. Whatever he went out to do today, ruined his mood and it wasn’t something he wanted me to know.He stayed in a separate room all day, barely coming out. Only occasionally, he checked my temperature.“Your temperature is getting better. Any aches?” He had asked, tone not very warm. I shook my head, staring up at him. “No aches.”He didn’t reply, just adjusted the blanket around my shoulders, and left.I spent the next few hours staring at the wall, surfing the internet, trying to catch some sleep, and whatnot. All to pass the time. And it worked because a fair amount of hours rolled by. Then, it was time for the rehearsal dinner. Time to face Derek again—probably get an earful about how I almost made the groom lose his ability to get a woman pregnant. Slowly, I got off the bed, moving toward
>__"Dad, you know how adamant she is. She'd never agree to stop working for you unless you tell her." I said, watching my father from across the desk as he flipped through a file. He kept his face, like my words were nothing more than paper noise. And it wasn't unexpected. I forced out a laugh, but it lacked humor. "That's right. You wouldn't do that. You enjoy seeing her around as your little maid even if it places her in the wrong spot. Even if it hurts her."This time he shut the file and met my stare with his calm, unreadable eyes. "You don't know that.""I do," I placed my elbows on the armrest of the chair, never looking away. "And I'm sure you also know how bad my mother has been treated by Catherine for the past years. Mom's crime was to be so stupidly and blindly in love with someone's husband, giving him a son and still staying as a serving maid in his house like she can't live without him."My father's mouth tightened."That was your mother's choice. No
Crying in the rain had been something I did on impulse, one of those dramatic things you do because it feels right in the moment.But, like most of my impulsive decisions, it turned out to be a terrible idea. The next morning, I woke up with a sore throat, a throbbing headache, and a cold that made me sound like a dying frog.I ended up staying in bed almost the entire day.Not that it was such a bad place to be. The bed was soft, wrapped in white linen, and faced with a scenic view. It was the kind of view you'd expect in a resort.Ryker had really outdone himself with this luxurious suite. A cozy bed, a reading desk tucked by the window, a small tea table on the balcony with two chairs, and a soft rug. Everything felt so... intimate.Almost like a honeymoon suite.Don't get me wrong, it wasn't supposed to be one. But it felt like that.He'd woken me up earlier with a gentle, lingering kiss. Then he came with breakfast: a tray set neatly on my lap, piled with a bowl of warm oatmeal d







