LOGINJaxon: The aftermath of the gala should have felt like a victory. Instead, it felt hollow. I stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of my office and stared out at the city below. Traffic moved through the streets in neat lines. People rushed to meetings. Businesses opened their doors. Life continued as normal but mine didn’t. A knock sounded against the door. “Come in.” Lewis stepped inside carrying a tablet and several folders. Unlike me, he looked energized. The gala had given us exactly what we’d spent two years trying to achieve. Access. The kind of access capable of destroying an empire. Lewis closed the door behind him. “You look terrible.”I didn’t turn around. “Good morning to you too.” “I’m serious.” “I slept.” “Barely.” That part was true. The night had been long. My thoughts had been longer. Lewis dropped into the chair across from my desk. “The operation worked.” I finally turned. His grin widened. “The operation worked.” I walked toward my desk and sa
Jaxon: The aftermath of the gala should have felt like a victory. Instead, it felt hollow. I stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of my office and stared out at the city below. Traffic moved through the streets in neat lines. People rushed to meetings. Businesses opened their doors. Life continued as normal but mine didn’t. A knock sounded against the door. “Come in.” Lewis stepped inside carrying a tablet and several folders. Unlike me, he looked energized. The gala had given us exactly what we’d spent two years trying to achieve. Access. The kind of access capable of destroying an empire. Lewis closed the door behind him. “You look terrible.”I didn’t turn around. “Good morning to you too.” “I’m serious.” “I slept.” “Barely.” That part was true. The night had been long. My thoughts had been longer. Lewis dropped into the chair across from my desk. “The operation worked.” I finally turned. His grin widened. “The operation worked.” I walked toward my desk and sa
Emberlyn: The moment Elias wrapped his arms around me, I felt how tense he was. Not the polished, composed Elias everyone knew. Not the confident athlete who always seemed to know exactly what to say. This version felt different. His grip was tight, almost desperate. For a second, I simply stood there and let him hold me. Partly because I was exhausted and I knew he had genuinely been worried. But mostly because I was trying to understand why Jaxon's warning refused to leave my head. Elias isn't who you think he is. The words sat inside me like a splinter. I slowly pulled away first. The movement seemed to surprise him. For a moment his hands lingered on my shoulders before he let them fall. His eyes moved over my face. Checking me and making sure I was really standing in front of him. "Are you okay?" His voice sounded rough like he hadn't slept. I nodded. "I'm okay." Relief flashed across his face. The expression looked genuine which only made things more confusing. Behind us,
Emberlyn: Jessica’s father’s proposal sat on my desk like a loaded weapon. I still hadn’t answered. I hadn’t accepted nor declined. I’d simply let it sit there. Unfortunately, everyone seemed determined to force the issue, including Lewis. “From a strategic perspective, it’s worth considering.” I looked up from the file. Lewis sat across from me with entirely too much confidence for someone who wasn’t the one being offered up for marriage. “Strategic you say huh?” “Yes.” I leaned back and he continued. “A marriage alliance creates political cover.” I remained silent. “It strengthens connections.” I was still silent “It could make dismantling Edison considerably easier.” I closed the file. “Are you finished?” Lewis sighed. “No.” Of course he wasn’t. “Look, I’m not saying you should do it.” “Good.” “I’m saying you should consider it.” The distinction wasn’t nearly as meaningful as he thought. Marriage wasn’t a business arrangement to me anymore. Yea
Emberlyn: Jessica’s father’s proposal sat on my desk like a loaded weapon. I still hadn’t answered. I hadn’t accepted nor declined. I’d simply let it sit there. Unfortunately, everyone seemed determined to force the issue, including Lewis. “From a strategic perspective, it’s worth considering.” I looked up from the file. Lewis sat across from me with entirely too much confidence for someone who wasn’t the one being offered up for marriage. “Strategic you say huh?” “Yes.” I leaned back and he continued. “A marriage alliance creates political cover.” I remained silent. “It strengthens connections.” I was still silent “It could make dismantling Edison considerably easier.” I closed the file. “Are you finished?” Lewis sighed. “No.” Of course he wasn’t. “Look, I’m not saying you should do it.” “Good.” “I’m saying you should consider it.” The distinction wasn’t nearly as meaningful as he thought. Marriage wasn’t a business arrangement to me anymore. Year
Emberlyn:By the time Kimberly and I arrived at the sports arena, the place was already packed. Students filled the stands from end to end, dressed in school colors. Some were dressed in NYU bullsjersey. Some carried banners with Elias and Noah’s names painted across them. The noise hit me the moment we walked through the entrance. Music blasted through the speakers while hundreds of conversations blended into one loud, chaotic hum.Normally, I would have loved it. Today, I couldn’t stop thinking. Jaxon’s warning followed me everywhere.Elias isn’t who you think he is. The words had become impossible to ignore and I extremely hated it. I hated tge fact that one sentence had managed to turn every interaction into a question mark. Kimberly gently nudged my shoulder.“You look like you’re walking into an exam.” I forced a smile.“Maybe I am.” She narrowed her eyes.“You’re doing it again.”“Doing what?”“Thinking too much.” I laughed softly.“I’m sorry, I just can’t help it.” I apologiz
Jaxon: Soft light had pierced through the dark sky. The sun was soon approaching. I sat alone in his office, the glow from my laptop casting pale light across my face. Empty coffee cups littered the corner of my desk. A stack of folders sat open before me, papers spread in organized chaos as I wo
Emberlyn:My eyes flutter open to see a familiar wall. I was still in Kimbey’s house. My body ached badly and I peeled my head off my palms, kicked my feet off the bed and sat down. I took in a breath, my face twisting into a grimace as I stretched. My hands shot to the sky, one hand holding ont
Emberlyn:My feet found their way to Kimberly’s house but I knew why. I couldn't go back to the apartment. I couldn't risk it. My heart thudded and my fingers curled into a fist as I quickened my pace. I arrived at her apartment, the bulb above me illuminating my path.Still, I could barely see. M
Emberlyn: I didn't text ahead. I had considered it somewhere between giving the driver the address and arriving at the building, the polite thing, the sensible thing, a warning that I was coming so that whatever I was about to walk into could be prepared for my arrival. I decided against it. If I







