AUDREYIt was a key. Inside the box was a car key with the Audi branding carved on it. I didn’t want to open the box in front of him, but he insisted I open it because he told me he was not keen on surprises. Why wrap it all up if that was the case?I frowned in confusion. I didn’t know why he was giving me a key unless…“Mr. Stark?”“Don’t give me that look,” he said, his eyes still focused on the road. “You’ll find the car in front of your friend’s apartment when you go home. It’s an Audi A5. I’m just not sure if you’d like the color.”I blinked, still confused. I slightly clenched the key with my sweaty palm. Apparently, I didn’t like how close he was. His arm brushed mine multiple times now while firmly maneuvering the steering wheel. I didn’t know driving could be so sexy. And his scent filled the air so strongly I couldn’t think straight.“Why would you give me a car? If it’s alright to ask.”“Of course, it’s alright to ask, for god’s sake, Audrey.” He briefly glanced at me. “A
AUDREYThe night was alive when we arrived at the grand porte-cochere of the Camelot Arts Exhibit. Gabriel said that even if he wasn’t going to meet the Italian designer, he was still invited to the opening.The driveway was already packed with luxury cars when I stepped out of the vehicle. When we reached the enormous grand hall, I felt confident when I caught sight of the guests. Thanks to Veronica Park, I wouldn’t look out of place. Everyone was in their fancy dresses and suits. We continued walking inside, and Stark first extended his greetings to the people he knew. I stood back and gave the best smile I could. Stark introduced me as an executive assistant, which made it more official.“Yes, Rickman. We will be launching a brand-new collection for the upcoming fashion show in Las Vegas. I don’t want to spoil anything, but we’re bringing something new.” Stark gulped a shot of his drink.“Then my daughter will have something new to look forward to,” Rickman Perez, a CEO of Foretec
AUDREYWe first strolled the landscape paintings. I have always had huge respect for the arts. When my father was still rational, he always hung paintings on our walls. One of my favorites was the pine tree in the winter land in our living room. I didn’t know if it was still there because Anton sold some of the portraits for his whims. Then, we walked around the walls, which displayed hyper-realistic paintings, and one of the pictures got my attention. It was a half-naked woman floating in the air that flaunted her breasts and her nipples. Her face was beautiful. Her lips were as red as a rose and slightly opened, but then I noticed her eyes had tears. The painting had a dramatic shade of dark and green shadows, making the art more alluring and inviting. I shut my eyes, imagining myself as if I was the woman. I was in the same position as her a few years ago in front of a man I barely knew. I was young, naïve, and so willing. My body was exposed, beckoning the man that haunted my dr
AUDREYI was going to speak again, but I was saved by the bell by a short-haired young woman who approached Mr. Stark. There was no way I would win a one-on-one debate with him.“Maya,” he said gruffly.She grinned so wide it almost tore her lips. The girl sweetly kissed her brother’s cheek. I could see a lot of admiration in her eyes. “Hey, Gabe. We haven’t spoken for a week, and that’s how you’re going to greet me?”According to the records, Maya Stark was twenty-two years old. She had a Master’s degree and had accomplished so much in the family business at a young age. She helped their father run the Stark Group as the COO.Gabriel rolled his eyes. “We usually run into each other at a gathering like this, Maya, and I don’t think we should meet often. I’m swamped.”“You were never free, anyway!” She sighed. “I’m just here because Mom is asking about you. How about you come with us tonight and have dinner at home?” Her eyes gleamed at the anticipation her brother would accept using h
GABRIELAfter a few minutes of silence, Elazar spoke again. “By the way, Gabriel, Coulson. It’s only a week until your company’s sports fest, right?”Coulson wiped his mouth. “Yep, what of it?”“The Exclusive magazine called my office today, and they wanted to feature both of you on their front page and some pages, I think.” Elazar ate another forkful of this food.“But don’t they only cover celebrities?” Helen asked. “Do they target businessmen now?”“Exactly, we are not. And don’t you know? Exclusive has a reputation for publishing biased information. I wouldn’t want my face plastered on their magazine.” I sighed and put my utensils down. “They already called us last week, and I had their calls blocked in our system.”“Have you spoken to them?” Elazar queried.“No.”“Well, they reached my assistant’s direct line,” he informed. “And they had been bugging Wallace for days. However, what they offered seemed promising, to be honest. I actually considered letting them cover our estate in
AUDREYThe royal blue, sleek brand-new car shone brightly before my eyes the night I arrived at the apartment, and the valet made sure to let me know it was taken good care of at the parking lot. I’d never accepted something as valuable as this. It was too much, and Chelsea was fine sharing her Chevrolet with me. I didn’t know if Stark just wanted to flaunt his money by giving me a car and asking me to pose for him in a painting in exchange for one million dollars or if that was just the way he was. I walked to the bathroom for a quick shower.As I stepped out of the bathroom, my phone suddenly rang. I hurriedly picked it up from my mirror table and checked the caller ID. It was from an unknown number. I never answer an unsaved number, though. I ignored the call and put my phone down.I slipped into my pajamas, and then I sat in front of the mirror. I squeezed the bottle of my moisturizer and applied some to my face. Then my phone buzzed again. I heaved out a sharp breath as I pi
GABRIELI had broken many rules in my life, so I learned to set the ‘right’ rules for myself to not lose again. I once tried to trust again, but another mistake made me realize I shouldn’t keep my guard open.For now, I only have one goal. It was to keep Audrey next to me. I figured out how I would bring her down and then her family. She was going to fall for it, and after she’s head over heels, I’m going to throw her way—just as she threw me away. Cruel? That’s how the world is, mate. I would make sure I’d enjoy every moment of how I was going to destroy her life. I was going to watch her struggle and beg me to stop. At the same time, I would make sure that she was thoroughly fucked. I’m going to fuck her so senselessly that she’d forget her own name. She had been teasing me for three months. I’d always chastise myself, waiting for the right moment. I’d stopped fucking anyone since. It’s ridiculous to admit that for everything I’d been through, I could see Audrey as the lady who
AUDREYAs soon as I saw Anton in front of the manor house—the only thing my mother left me that was almost gone, I threw my arms around our old nanny Mila and cried on her shoulders endlessly. Not only did I miss the woman who actually raised me, but the death of Samuel also hit my guts the moment I stepped down the car.She cupped my face. She was older than the last time. Time flew so fast. “How are you, my child?”I forced a smile. “I’m fine, Mila. I missed you.” I hugged her again.“I’ve missed you too.”Later on, Mila led us inside the house, and only a few people were present. Most of them were Samuel’s friends. Anton and his wife approached us and then ushered Chelsea and me to Sam’s cremated remains placed in a ceramic jar filled with white flowers around it. I cried even more. I never got to see his face one last time. I should’ve come home and visited him. But I let my pride get in the way, ending up leaving him alone.I found Dad sitting next to his side, almost lifeless.