Marrissa's point of view Morgan's words had cut me deeper than even he could imagine, and the most painful part was, everything he said was not entirely true nor were they all false.True, I started having contractions earlier and although I was worried, the doctor had told me to avoid stress and rest and that I did to the best of my ability. I didn't tell Morgan because I didn't want to either overwhelm him, with the stress of the WBA, and then his party and then Farrow, I felt all of that was already too much for him.And he blames me for being independent. I lost my dad before I was ten, and my mother had taught me to be strong, to be independent and to rely on no one and those values were what made me survive her death. I grew up alone with no one to assist or help so I was all I have. How is that my fucking fault? I trembled in grief.I could not even believe he accused me of wanting this, this pain. God, I have never seen a bigger fool than Morgan.Deep down, I really do not wa
Marrissa's point of view So, I threw myself into work, determined to forget the morning’s encounter with Morgan. I gritted my teeth, going through the routine Molly had taught me without a single smile on my face.“You look like you are plotting a murder.” Molly said, after the last customer left.I sighed, rubbing my temples. “Maybe I am.” She smiled. “Come on, let’s sit for a while before you actually commit a crime.” I hesitated. Sitting and talking meant giving my brain a chance to wander back to Morgan, but sitting here and stewing wasn’t any better. With a reluctant nod, I grabbed myself off the counter’s desk and followed her.I noticed you haven't had anything since you came in, Molly said, after disappearing for a while and appearing with a tray full of food.The café smelled like roasted coffee and fresh bread, but my appetite was gone. I pushed my salad around with my fork, barely paying attention. Molly watched me, sipping her iced tea. “You look like you’re about
Marrissa's point of view I moved carefully through the penthouse as the date to my flight approached. I double-checked every detail of my plans almost every hour.And of course, I made sure Morgan did not suspect anything. I avoided him as much as I could and when I could not, I would just smile, nod, and brush it off like everything was okay. God I could not wait to leave..I needed to breathe. I needed space away from his control, his accusations, his world. And most of all, I needed to figure out who I was without him and I hope to do all that in spain.The day finally came, the day of my flight. That day, I woke up before the sun rose. I moved about carefully. I had already placed my luggage in the trunk of my car the previous night.So, after freshening up, I grabbed the outfit I had set aside the night before, a simple yet elegant white slacks, a light blue blouse, and my beige trench coat. I wanted to look good and confident. Not like a woman running away. After getting dre
The universe certainly loves me. No, really, I must have done something good in my previous life to be this favored. Just look at what's going on with Marrissa and Morgan, everything I want is falling into place even without me lifting a finger. This calls for a celebration,” I said, walking to my wine cabinet.I turned on the music, the sultry notes of a jazz melody filling my dimly lit apartment. A glass of wine swirled in my hand, the deep red liquid catching the glow of the chandelier above. My lips curled into a victorious smile as I swayed my hips, moving to the rhythm. This was my moment. When Morgan threw me out of his house, I was devastated. I had truly thought I lost my chance, that he would never look at me again. Oh, how I had wept, cursing him, cursing Marrissa, cursing the cruel fate that had ripped my future from me. But now? Now, I would become priceless. The Thornhills would beg at my feet for my forgiveness. They would plead for me to come back, to restor
Morgan's point of view Marrissa, Marissa, I wonder why she looked edgy this morning. It was like she had something under her sleeve.I gripped the steering wheel tighter as I drove to work that morning, my mind tangled with thoughts I didn’t want to acknowledge. “What do you really want? Do you love Marrissa or not?” The first answer was easy. I wanted Marrissa back. But the second? That was more complicated. Love? Could I even love anyone? My heart didn’t work the same way it used to. I couldn’t lose myself in love again. There was this fear, this wall I couldn’t break down, no matter how much I wanted to. And the truth is Marrissa made it even harder. Yes, I admired her. Yes, I craved her. But love her? That was a different conversation entirely. I could say the words, but deep down, but I wasn’t sure I had the capacity to feel them. Something inside me was broken—maybe permanently. The more I thought about it, the more frustrated I became. I sighed, shaking my head
Marrissa's point of view The last two weeks in Spain had been the best of my life. From the moment I arrived, Madam senoritas, Andre’s mother, and Erica, his sister, had done nothing but pamper me. "I want you to look fatter and prettier than you came,"she would say, always making sure my plate was full. "And that good-for-nothing Morgan will regret ever letting you go," Erica would add with a smile. I’d just smile at their words, letting their kindness wash over me. They treated me like family, something I hadn’t realized I needed so badly until now. There was never a dull moment with them. Erica made sure of that. We had lots of fun. We went shopping, sightseeing, had late-night talks over wine—she kept me busy, making sure I didn’t have time to think about anything or anyone from my past. But today felt… different. The moment I woke up, I could sense it. The house was unusually lively, people moving about in a rush. The staff were cleaning, rearranging things, and s
Marrissa's point of view I tried to escape to my room after dinner but Andre stopped me. He stretched out his hand and held mine. With my back against him, I almost cried, I wanted to run away as fast as possible to avoid the continuation of the discussion we had during dessert.“Marrissa,” he called me softly and I turned to face him. “Come, take a stroll with me,” he said. I raised an eyebrow. “ At this time, isn’t it late? Besides, you need to rest, you just came out from a journey.” He scoffed. “Trust me, this is the best time for a walk. And I don’t need any rest, I was not the one flying the plane, besides I'm not an old man, remember?” I smirked. “Really?, but you do look like a seventy old man though.” We both laughed at the joke and I wanted to dash to the door when he stopped me again.“Come on, Marrissa.”There was something about the way he said it that made it hard to say no. So, I nodded, and minutes later, we were driving to a nearby beach. The moment we ar
Morgan's point of view After my conversation with Andre, I got home and drowned myself in alcohol.It was getting too frequent and it's all because of Marrissa.In the morning though, in my a little bit sober mind, I advised myself.“Let her go, Morgan. She made her choice. Maintain your dignity and move on.” I told myself that over and over, like a desperate prayer, like a drowning man clinging to a lifeline. I repeated it so many times I almost believed it. Almost, but didn't. But the next morning, those words meant nothing to me. I moved through the day like a machine, my body functioning while my mind traveled. I told myself I was fine, that I could survive this, but I was lying. My mind raced with many thoughts“Who was she with? What was she doing today? Was she already in someone else’s arms?” The thought was unbearable. Marrissa is a beautiful woman .Men wouldn’t leave her alone, and I knew it. Hell, I knew my gender would be drawn to her like she was gravity itself.
Marrissa's point of view I stood outside the shimmering glass doors of the executive conference room with my heart pounding in my chest like it was trying to escape. Behind those doors was a panel of investors, each one a name I had memorized from the dossier Mr. Adrian handed me just yesterday. The Echelon Project. A multi-million-dollar initiative that could reshape tech-integrated education.“You’ve got this,” Samira whispered beside me, nudging my arm. She had tagged along under the pretense of delivering tea, but I knew she was really there to support me. My ride-or-die bestie.I took one deep breath. Then I walked in.Thirty-seven minutes later, I came out looking like I had fought a war and somehow survived. My hands trembled, but my voice had not cracked once. I answered every question, deflected the skepticism, and even got to make them laugh.“How did it go?” Samira asked, practically vibrating with excitement.“I think…” I exhaled, blinking. “I think I killed it.”“YES!”
Marrissa's point of view After my meeting with Mr. Adrian, something inside me shifted.I was not going to cry in the bathrooms anymore. I was not going to let Bianca or anyone run me out.If they wanted a show? I would give them the best damn performance they had ever seen.Samira found me later in the break room, still gripping my coffee cup like a weapon."You look like you are about to commit a felony," she said brightly."Felony?" I echoed, smiling thinly. "More like... a strategic takedown."She slid into the seat across from me, her eyebrows raised."God, I love it when you get scary," she said, laughing. "Tell me everything."And I did.I told her how I would start saving backup files on a separate drive in a hidden folder labeled Birthday Party Clowns. No one would ever check that one. I told her how I would place subtle marks on my original documents. I would use things only I would recognize and if they were tampered with, I would realize immediately.I explained how
Marrissa's point of view Daniel told me to continue working on the Echelon project even thoughno results had come about who would really lead the project.“There's no harm in being prepared,” he said and I agreed.He agreed to assist me in the best way he could and today we were supposed to have a meeting.Well, yes iIt was supposed to be a quick meeting.Just me and Daniel. We were supposed to finalize a section of the Echelon project before the weekend.Instead, it turned into three hours of gisting and snacking. There were two pizza boxes, and one playlist full of 90s hits blasting through the empty office.At some point, I realized we were laughing more than working."I swear," Daniel said between bites of cold pizza, "half of all the good architect are just surviving the ridiculous clients.""Oh, you mean the lady who wanted her lobby made entirely out of glass? Including the floor?" I asked, grinning.Daniel shuddered dramatically. "I tell you."We both laughed.And then — Th
Bianca's point of view I saw everything and I was not only irritated,I was angry.Who the fuck does she think she is. She came in as a freaking newbie and now,she was leading a project I had been working my ass to lead.What the hell did she do to Mr Adrian?I saw the easy smile he always gave her.The way even Daniel lingered by the doorway after her presentation, scribbling notes furiously, his gaze locked on Marrissa like she was some kind of prodigy.It made my stomach twist.Everything about her annoyed me . Her wide eyes and modest outfits and fake humility. She walks about like she had no idea she had just snagged the biggest project in the company. The Echelon Account. My project. At least, it was supposed to be mine.And now, she was everyone's favorite.Including Mr Rodes actually came to the company just to say “Marrissa’s proposal was refreshing. I’m excited to have her work here."Excited?She barely knew which floor the printers were on.After everything I had done, aft
Marrissa's point of view Later that afternoon, my badge beeped me into the sleek, glass-walled conference room. The long table was already packed with managers, strategists, and consultants. And, of course, Bianca was sitting, looking at me like a hawk, her legs were crossed and she was tapping a pen against her notepad with surgical precision.I gulped. Samira gave me a thumbs-up from behind a frosted partition.At exactly one o'clock, Mr. Adrian, Mr Allen and Mrs Spencer walked in. They were all calm and composed,but the room snapped to attention like they carried gravity in their pockets."Ladies and gentlemen," he said, "this is Marrissa and I picked her as the lead on Echelon. We will be hearing her make a presentation as well as Bianca and at the end, we will decide who will really lead the project."There were murmurs in the room . Some looked at me with raised eyebrows and someone even coughed.I opened my folder with trembling hands and began explaining my initial idea
Marrissa's point of view I barely made it home before my phone buzzed again.Samira:> Emergency. > Celebration required. > Meet us at ‘The Olive Lounge by 7:30 sharp. > Dress cute but comfy. Boss Babe orders.I didn’t even bother arguing. Samira had basically dragged me into their circle at full speed with no brakes and honestly, I like it.I threw on a pair of skinny jeans, a soft rose-pink blouse, and some ankle boots that made me feel vaguely fashionable, and by 7:20, Samira was honking outside like a maniac."You are ate!" she yelled as I climbed into the car."You are early!" I shot back.Liana and Tasha were already seated at the backseat, waving like overexcited puppies."You look so CUTE!" Liana squealed."She understood the assignment," Tasha said approvingly, high-fiving me.Samira drove away from the curb like she was auditioning for ‘Fast and Furious: The Suburban Edition’."We have ONE mission tonight," she declared with shining eyes."Survive your driving?" I s
Marrissa's point of view I did say I was on fire yesterday right. Well, there was nothing hot in me right now as I stood in front of Me Adria, trying not to crumble to the ground."Miss Marrissa, I had not been hundred percent truthful to you and I think I should now."My stomach twisted.“What is he about to say?” I thought to myself."I didn't give you the entire information because I didn't want you scared or overwhelmed."My legs began to shake, suddenly too weak to carry the weight of my body."May I sit please?” I asked weakly."Oh please, do take your seat, “ he said, gesturing to a chair across from him.I sat down and placed my shaky hands on my lap.I didn't know why,but I was worried he wanted to say something bad. His nt facial expression didn't even make it any better.He wasn't smiling."First, I want to commend you again for your work so far, you have been incredibly good, but…. I'm afraid there is more to do"."You will be attending a meeting this afternoon with top e
Marrissa's point of view I spent Sunday indoors, preparing mentally and physically for tomorrow's work activities.Monday came and I dressed smartly for work. Today, I will attend my first core planning meeting.The Core Planning Team meeting was held on the thirty-fifth floor — the floor with actual glass walls, leather chairs, and a skyline view that made you feel both inspired and slightly nauseous at the same time.I held my new badge so tightly it nearly left an imprint on my palm.Samira had tried to coach me on the elevator ride up:"Okay, listen," she said in a hushed voice. You are brilliant, but you are also new to this. Some of those people there have been here for years. They are not going to throw you a party, Marrissa. Just... smile. Be polite. And don’t let Karen corner you."I frowned. " Who is Karen?"Samira widened her eyes. "You will know when you see her."Great. Cryptic warnings and mystery enemies. “This was fine,” I whispered.The elevator dinged, and w
Marrissa's point of view I woke up the next day with sunlight streaming through the curtains, casting a warm glow across my room. The noise of the city outside was a comforting reminder that I was in a new place.It was Saturday. A day to relax.I stretched lazily on the bed, feeling the softness of the sheets against my skin. The air smelled faintly of lavender from the diffuser I had set up the night before.Deciding to make the most of the day, I slipped into comfortable clothes and tied my hair up. I put on some upbeat music—something with a rhythm that made cleaning feel less like a chore and more like a party. As the melodies filled the apartment, I moved from room to room, dusting, organizing, and tidying up.An hour into my cleaning spree, my phone buzzed with a notification. I wiped my hands on a towel and picked it up.It was a message from a hidden number: “How are you faring?”I stared at the screen, puzzled.“Who could this be?” Could it be Molly or Andre? But why use