Birthed For Me (From Guardian to Groom)

The Soul Tie The hospital air tasted like bleach and hell. Every time I tried to expand my lungs, my shattered ribs sparked a white-hot fire. My back was a mess of bandages and burnt skin, but the physical agony was a dull hum compared to the panic in my chest. Is Mia safe? That was the only thought that mattered. I squeezed my eyes shut, and the heavy fog of the pain medication dragged me back to the one day I had spent twenty years trying to bury. October 16, 1996 I was ten years old, sitting on a hard plastic chair in a hallway, I remember not being sick but felt a huge lump in my throat and dread wash over me like adrenaline, it was as if the universe was trying to tell me that something significant will soon take place right there. Even though I didn’t understand at the time, I knew I felt weird. My grandmother was in surgery after a fall, and in all the confusion, the adults had completely forgotten about me. Hospitals feel endless when you’re a child. Every corridor look

That single word was a death sentence. I stood rooted to the spot as I stared at her. My tongue felt like a dry stone in my mouth. Just four quiet syllables, yet they were enough to tilt my entire world off its axis, sending everything I knew into a freefall. I watched Tom’s reaction, it was instinctive, the way a predator protects its own. His arm curled around Mia, pulling her back toward the house as if she needed shielding from a monster. From me. My eyes stayed with her until the door was shut to my face, and with that finality, something in my chest caved inward, it was like, watching everything I’d built collapse in slow-motion. I felt like a ghost walking through my own life. But Mia's eyes. Those were what cut deepest. Three years. For three agonizing years, I had held onto the memory of her like a prayer. Her breathless laugh. Those dimples.The tiny weight of her hand reaching for mine. I kept those moments sacred. But she looked at me now like I was dirt on a window

Maurice was sunk in deep, heavy sleep when he felt it. A warm, feminine presence slid over his body. He stirred, trying to open his eyes, but a soft weight pressed him back down into the mattress. Strong thighs straddled his hips, and before he could react, eager hands pinned his wrists above his head. "Wait... who are you?" He snapped. But almost immediately, a low, husky voice whispered back, “Shhh…” He felt full, soft lips crash against his. The kiss was hungry and demanding. Her tongue pushed deep into his mouth, stroking his, sucking on it greedily while she ground her heat against his growing erection. He groaned into her mouth, instinctively trying to grab her, but she was faster. She grabbed both his wrists with surprising strength and guided them upward. He heard two soft metallic *clicks* one after the other. Cold steel locked around his wrists, securing each arm to opposite sides of the headboard. He was spread open and helpless. "Hey—fuck—wait," he gasped, tugging ha

Nana Nancy sat quietly, her wrinkled hands clasped around the teacup as though drawing strength from its warmth. On the surface, she looked calm, but her heart churned with unease. She knew what she was doing was wrong, but Mia was her precious little girl. She could not bear the thought of having her taken away. Not now, not ever also for confidential reasons, something she has never told anyone. From the very first day Mia entered their home, everything in their lives had changed. Fortune smiled on them. Every venture prospered, every hardship melted away. Nancy had always believed Mia was their lucky charm. She had said it many times, but her son only laughed it off, calling her foolishly superstitious. Still, Nancy knew better. She had watched with her own eyes how their world transformed after Mia’s arrival. How could she allow such a blessing to leave her home? Even if it meant standing against Maurice Mayer himself, she would never let go. That same night, Maurice returned t

The Rivers were all gathered around the dining table when Luke walked in, his face dark and stormy. The air shifted instantly, and even the clatter of cutlery seemed to quiet. Lucia’s eyes narrowed as she caught the heaviness in his expression. “What happened, Luke?” she asked cautiously. He sank into his chair with a heavy sigh. “It really looks like we’re going under this time.” Her brows knitted. “What do you mean?” Luke leaned forward, rubbing his temples. “Apart from everything we’re already struggling with, you won’t believe this: the Meyers Company is now dragging us into competition over even the smallest contracts. They’re thriving, yet they keep fighting us for scraps we desperately need. These jobs may mean nothing to them, but for us, they’re survival. It feels deliberate, as if they want to drive us straight into a corner.” Lucia shook her head in disbelief. “But why? We’ve never wronged the Meyers. How can a small company like ours hope to fight against them?”