I dragged myself into bed like a ghost moving through her own skin.Josh’s phone call didn’t matter. At least, that’s what I told myself. Over and over. It was none of my business. We weren’t that kind of couple. We weren’t even a real couple. And yet…My chest tightened.I wasn’t supposed to be involved. I wasn’t supposed to feel this... close. This tangled. This curious.But I was.Too curious. Too attached.It was stupid.I curled up on one side of the bed, staring into the shadows, his words from earlier echoing in my mind—the part about his childhood. His father. The silence in his tone. That tight edge that only comes from carrying years of hurt and pretending it never mattered.He must have been so lonely, I thought.Something in me ached at the idea. Josh always looked so composed—like nothing could shake him—but there were cracks. If you paid close enough attention, you’d see them. And now I couldn’t unsee them.I turned again, burying my face into the pillow.His father's wa
The woman standing in the doorway is strikingly beautiful, with a well-sculpted face that looks like it belongs in a magazine. Every angle of her features is perfectly balanced—sharp cheekbones, full lips, and eyes that seem to flicker with something just beneath the surface.Her dark hair is pulled back in a neat yet effortlessly messy bun, and she wears a simple outfit that looks expensive in the way only truly high-end clothing can. It’s casual, yet she carries it with a quiet confidence that makes it seem like she’s the one who owns this place, not the other way around.She stood on the doorway for a while, almost like someone who doesn't need an invitation to step into the room, but she still waited for one—from Josh—before she could fully come inside.From where she stood, she took a moment to glance around, her gaze moving from person to person, before looking back at Josh. I watch his body freeze, his eyes going wide for the briefest second, and then he covers it, quickly scho
Kenneth and Sophia were standing there at the doorway.My stomach twisted in that all-too-familiar way—the one I thought I had outgrown. But no—here came another trouble. I sighed in frustration.Josh looked at them and then turned sharply to the staff. “Does anyone come in here now without my permission?”The woman froze like a deer in headlights. Before she could reply, Kenneth strode in with that effortless arrogance he wore like cologne.“Easy, bro,” he said, grinning. “Didn’t realize you were guarding the door like a bouncer now.”Josh’s nostrils flared. “Then maybe you should start realizing a lot more.”Kenneth glanced around, hands in his pockets, acting like everything Josh said was trash.I stayed where I was—halfway between stepping out and staying hidden. My breath caught in my throat. Not out of fear. Not even sadness. Just… frustration.Sophia was silent, her eyes flitting across the room like she was taking mental notes.Josh turned back to Kenneth, eyes sharp. “What ar
Josh rises from his seat slowly, but there’s something in the way he moves that makes everyone pause. Conversations die mid-sentence.I feel my chest tighten as I watch him. He doesn’t look at me. He’s walking—no, gliding—with that kind of quiet command that makes it feel like only he has the right to speak. His eyes are locked on Sophia.He walks toward her—not in a hurry, just calm and steady. But there’s something in his movement. Like every step carries weight, like he’s made up his mind about something big.I feel it in my chest, in the way the room seems to hold its breath. It’s not loud. It’s not dramatic.But it’s serious. Real.And it makes my skin prickle.My breath catches in my throat.Sophia turns sharply when she notices him approaching. Her smile flickers—then fades. She tries to hold her ground, but her arms cross in front of her chest.Josh stops right in front of her.His voice is calm and level—but I can hear the edge underneath.“Or maybe… one of you is just a fool
Josh answered the call without a word. I watched his face, waiting for some kind of reaction. He didn’t give me one. Just silence. Then, out of nowhere, he grabbed my hand tight and pulled me out of the room like we were running from something.Before we made it out the door, he turned to the stunned staff and barked, “Nobody touches those dress. And do not attend to anyone on this room without my consent .”The entire room fell dead silent. You could hear a pin drop. The energy changed in an instant—thick and cold. Everyone froze, eyes wide and confused.Sophia smirked like she knew something the rest of us didn’t. Kenneth crossed his arms and looked too smug for my liking, like he was waiting for this moment. I didn’t like the way they were acting. It made my skin crawl.As we walked out, I felt Sophia’s stare burn through my back. It wasn’t just a look—it was loaded, like she’d said a thousand things in her head and wanted me to hear them all. My heart pounded. I didn’t dare turn a
As soon as those words left his mouth, before I could even process them, he threw a file across the desk. It landed in front of Josh with a loud, accusing slap. The flap flipped open, and I caught a glimpse of the bolded words printed across the top—Deeds of Transfer.My chest tightened.Deeds of transfer?I shifted slightly, trying to peek at the contents, but Josh’s hand closed over the pages before I could get a proper look. His posture remained rigid, but the slight twitch of his jaw told me he was just as stunned as I was.His father—Mr. William—looked at me then. Really looked at me. Not like I was a person, but something else entirely. Like a stain he couldn’t scrub clean.His lips curled in distaste. He shook his head slowly."You," he muttered under his breath, just loud enough for me to hear. "Still here."Josh scoffed and held the file up."So what’s this about, huh? You want me to transfer my property to Kenneth now? Is that it?"Mr. William didn’t flinch. Didn’t blink. In
Josh's father gave him a hard stare as he said, "Josh, watch your tongue. I have always cared about you."Josh scoffed, loud and bitter, like a laugh stuck in his throat."Cared about me? How?" His voice cracked, but he didn’t care. "You claim to care and my mother's death still remains a mystery. You claim to care—how many times did you even spend with me while I was growing up? You claim to care, yet you went ahead and re-marry that devil of a woman."The room felt like it had dropped ten degrees. Silence hung for a split second before it shattered with a bang."Josh, watch your tongue!" his father roared, slamming his palm hard on the table. The glass of water beside him rattled, almost ready to spill. My heart jumped at the sound, but Josh didn’t flinch. Not even a blink.I looked at Josh, my face pale, hands curled tightly by my side. I didn't say a word, but my eyes followed every twitch in Josh’s jaw, my lips parted like I wanted to stop him—but I didn’t dare.Josh stood there,
Josh's father leaned back in his chair, his lips curling into a mockery of a smile. He laced his fingers together and stared straight at Josh, his voice slicing through the heavy air."You have always been in love with Yvonne, right?"The words dropped into the room like a stone thrown into still water, sending shockwaves through everything. I stood there, frozen. Yvonne. The name rang in my ears louder than anything else.For a second, I forgot how to breathe. Where… where had I heard that name before? It tickled the back of my mind, taunting me. Some old memory, some conversation I hadn’t cared enough about. Now it felt like that name was pulling the ground out from under my feet.My stomach twisted into a tight, painful knot. I tried to swallow, but it was like trying to swallow a rock. My palms went clammy. My fingers shook slightly where they hung by my sides.Who is she to him? Was Josh really in love with her? Why am I hurt?I know our relationship is just a contract, but I'm b
"Yes, what do you want?" I asked as I opened the door."Hmm, I will be going out by 7:00 p.m. I just wanted to let you know on time. Don’t bother waiting for me for dinner; you can eat.""Have I ever waited for you before eating dinner?""No.""Then why are you telling me that?" I asked, a bit angry. You could hear it in my tone."Okay," he said as he walked to his room. I shut the door behind me again and covered my eyes for a while. I needed someone to talk to.I brought out my phone and called Silver. She picked up on the first ring, as if she had been expecting my call all this while."Hello, pretty.""Yes," I replied slowly."Hope you're okay? Hope the Williams aren't troubling you. If they are, let me know so we can deal with both brothers ruthlessly." I smiled as she spoke."I just called to check on you. Hope everyone is fine.""Yes, my pretty. I visited your mom yesterday, and she’s looking very beautiful as always. Your father must be a lucky man to have married such a prett
"Hmmm, I think it’s best we talk later."The words slipped out of my mouth, light and almost detached, but inside, everything was tangled and messy. I wasn’t avoiding him because I had nothing to say — God knew I had a thousand things clawing at my throat, demanding to be spoken. But not now.Not when anger still simmered under his skin like hot coals.Not when one wrong word could shatter what little calm we had left.Josh didn't argue. He simply nodded once. A sharp, tired movement."Okay," he said, almost under his breath.The car hummed quietly around us, the low vibration filling the silence I was too scared to break.Out of the corner of my eye, I watched him shift slightly in his seat, fingers tapping an agitated rhythm against his thigh.Then, almost casually, he said, still avoiding my gaze, "In case you have anything to say, you can just say it. Don’t hesitate, and don’t be afraid.And for our marriage… how do you want it? Big or just normal?"My heart stumbled.Even though
Josh's father leaned back in his chair, his lips curling into a mockery of a smile. He laced his fingers together and stared straight at Josh, his voice slicing through the heavy air."You have always been in love with Yvonne, right?"The words dropped into the room like a stone thrown into still water, sending shockwaves through everything. I stood there, frozen. Yvonne. The name rang in my ears louder than anything else.For a second, I forgot how to breathe. Where… where had I heard that name before? It tickled the back of my mind, taunting me. Some old memory, some conversation I hadn’t cared enough about. Now it felt like that name was pulling the ground out from under my feet.My stomach twisted into a tight, painful knot. I tried to swallow, but it was like trying to swallow a rock. My palms went clammy. My fingers shook slightly where they hung by my sides.Who is she to him? Was Josh really in love with her? Why am I hurt?I know our relationship is just a contract, but I'm b
Josh's father gave him a hard stare as he said, "Josh, watch your tongue. I have always cared about you."Josh scoffed, loud and bitter, like a laugh stuck in his throat."Cared about me? How?" His voice cracked, but he didn’t care. "You claim to care and my mother's death still remains a mystery. You claim to care—how many times did you even spend with me while I was growing up? You claim to care, yet you went ahead and re-marry that devil of a woman."The room felt like it had dropped ten degrees. Silence hung for a split second before it shattered with a bang."Josh, watch your tongue!" his father roared, slamming his palm hard on the table. The glass of water beside him rattled, almost ready to spill. My heart jumped at the sound, but Josh didn’t flinch. Not even a blink.I looked at Josh, my face pale, hands curled tightly by my side. I didn't say a word, but my eyes followed every twitch in Josh’s jaw, my lips parted like I wanted to stop him—but I didn’t dare.Josh stood there,
As soon as those words left his mouth, before I could even process them, he threw a file across the desk. It landed in front of Josh with a loud, accusing slap. The flap flipped open, and I caught a glimpse of the bolded words printed across the top—Deeds of Transfer.My chest tightened.Deeds of transfer?I shifted slightly, trying to peek at the contents, but Josh’s hand closed over the pages before I could get a proper look. His posture remained rigid, but the slight twitch of his jaw told me he was just as stunned as I was.His father—Mr. William—looked at me then. Really looked at me. Not like I was a person, but something else entirely. Like a stain he couldn’t scrub clean.His lips curled in distaste. He shook his head slowly."You," he muttered under his breath, just loud enough for me to hear. "Still here."Josh scoffed and held the file up."So what’s this about, huh? You want me to transfer my property to Kenneth now? Is that it?"Mr. William didn’t flinch. Didn’t blink. In
Josh answered the call without a word. I watched his face, waiting for some kind of reaction. He didn’t give me one. Just silence. Then, out of nowhere, he grabbed my hand tight and pulled me out of the room like we were running from something.Before we made it out the door, he turned to the stunned staff and barked, “Nobody touches those dress. And do not attend to anyone on this room without my consent .”The entire room fell dead silent. You could hear a pin drop. The energy changed in an instant—thick and cold. Everyone froze, eyes wide and confused.Sophia smirked like she knew something the rest of us didn’t. Kenneth crossed his arms and looked too smug for my liking, like he was waiting for this moment. I didn’t like the way they were acting. It made my skin crawl.As we walked out, I felt Sophia’s stare burn through my back. It wasn’t just a look—it was loaded, like she’d said a thousand things in her head and wanted me to hear them all. My heart pounded. I didn’t dare turn a
Josh rises from his seat slowly, but there’s something in the way he moves that makes everyone pause. Conversations die mid-sentence.I feel my chest tighten as I watch him. He doesn’t look at me. He’s walking—no, gliding—with that kind of quiet command that makes it feel like only he has the right to speak. His eyes are locked on Sophia.He walks toward her—not in a hurry, just calm and steady. But there’s something in his movement. Like every step carries weight, like he’s made up his mind about something big.I feel it in my chest, in the way the room seems to hold its breath. It’s not loud. It’s not dramatic.But it’s serious. Real.And it makes my skin prickle.My breath catches in my throat.Sophia turns sharply when she notices him approaching. Her smile flickers—then fades. She tries to hold her ground, but her arms cross in front of her chest.Josh stops right in front of her.His voice is calm and level—but I can hear the edge underneath.“Or maybe… one of you is just a fool
Kenneth and Sophia were standing there at the doorway.My stomach twisted in that all-too-familiar way—the one I thought I had outgrown. But no—here came another trouble. I sighed in frustration.Josh looked at them and then turned sharply to the staff. “Does anyone come in here now without my permission?”The woman froze like a deer in headlights. Before she could reply, Kenneth strode in with that effortless arrogance he wore like cologne.“Easy, bro,” he said, grinning. “Didn’t realize you were guarding the door like a bouncer now.”Josh’s nostrils flared. “Then maybe you should start realizing a lot more.”Kenneth glanced around, hands in his pockets, acting like everything Josh said was trash.I stayed where I was—halfway between stepping out and staying hidden. My breath caught in my throat. Not out of fear. Not even sadness. Just… frustration.Sophia was silent, her eyes flitting across the room like she was taking mental notes.Josh turned back to Kenneth, eyes sharp. “What ar
The woman standing in the doorway is strikingly beautiful, with a well-sculpted face that looks like it belongs in a magazine. Every angle of her features is perfectly balanced—sharp cheekbones, full lips, and eyes that seem to flicker with something just beneath the surface.Her dark hair is pulled back in a neat yet effortlessly messy bun, and she wears a simple outfit that looks expensive in the way only truly high-end clothing can. It’s casual, yet she carries it with a quiet confidence that makes it seem like she’s the one who owns this place, not the other way around.She stood on the doorway for a while, almost like someone who doesn't need an invitation to step into the room, but she still waited for one—from Josh—before she could fully come inside.From where she stood, she took a moment to glance around, her gaze moving from person to person, before looking back at Josh. I watch his body freeze, his eyes going wide for the briefest second, and then he covers it, quickly scho