ArabellaThe company was on a roll the following week, and the workload had tripled. I couldn’t even remember the last time I had a proper night’s rest.It was Wednesday, and I was stuck in the showroom, far from Steph’s corporate hell, but not far enough. Customers flooded in, most of them with attitudes that made my eye twitch.It took everything in me not to snap.I kept glancing at the clock. A few more hours till closing. I couldn’t wait to get out. I was on the verge of losing my damn mind.“Bella, show them around, will you? I have to take this call,” Mr. Hart said, phone ringing in his hand. He gestured toward a couple tangled in each other in the middle of the showroom.I nodded, watching him walk off, and turned to the couple who looked disgustingly in love.My face scrunched in brief annoyance — jealousy, maybe. They looked like they had it all. I usually didn’t envy people, but lately, I’d been craving just one day of normalcy before exhaustion swallowed me whole and they
AdrianThe board members were involved in a heated exchange.They were saying something about quarterly projections, the CEO seat, whatever bullshit they thought mattered this morning.I stared ahead at the graph on the screen like I could see anything reasonable. The projection was clear but my mind was a jumbled mess.I should've paid more attention, but all I could think about was last night. Her body. Her mouth — the way she mocked me. The way she tried so damn hard not to fall apart beneath me and still did.The memory haunted me.I shouldn't have touched her. Shouldn't have let it happen. I wasn't going to even when she'd called me a hypocrite because she wasn't wrong. But when she said he could make her drip so casually with that smirk... I couldn't hold back.It was like a fire lit inside me, burning everything in its path. My body had moved on its own, driven by a need I barely recognized. I wanted to show her that I was nothing like him. Even if it meant losing myself in the
ArabellaIt was a dare, a challenge.One that I knew would burn the both of us, yet I didn't care.His gaze sharpened when he felt my jaw clench under his hold. He pressed his thumb down on my lips, forcing it to part.Seconds passed. Our eyes were still locked, the air thick with tension.I swatted his hand away from my chin, and the next second, our lips crashed, rough and fierce in a fight for control. My hand tangled in his hair, tugging hard. He groaned against my mouth.A smile crept up. Good.But he didn't let me savor it. In a flash, his body slammed me hard against the wall.A gasp tore from my lips, and his lips curled like he had me exactly where he wanted. His hands found my hips, pinning me there as his tongue slid against mine, tasting, claiming.A gasp escaped my lips, and he swallowed it, his grip tightening as if daring me to pull away. My hands fisted his shirt, pulling him closer until there was no space left between us.His hand slipped under my dress, fingers trai
ArabellaThe ride home was quiet, heavy with silence. I stared out the window, blinking back tears as Nathan's venomous kept echoing in my head.Sloppy seconds.My stomach twisted.When we got home, I didn't wait for the car to come to a complete halt. I jumped out, my heels clicking sharply against the walkway as I hurried into the house.I moved like the words he'd thrown at me were chasing me. My eyes stung with tears but I kept willing them back. I wouldn't cry. Not for him. He wasn't worth it."Ara," Adrian's voice cut through my thoughts, his footsteps steady behind me.I'd gotten to my door already, twisting the doorknob."Bella." His voice was firmer this time, but I ignored him, stepping inside and pushing the door shut. Only, it didn't close.My heart dropped when I realized his hand was on it, stopping it from shutting."Please," I whispered, my voice cracking. "Just... just leave me alone."He didn't move. The door remained half-open, his presence looming over me."Look at
ArabellaMy vision spun for a second, the lights blurring even more before I steadied myself, eyes snapping up to meet the person holding me there.Nathan.A moment passed before my brain registered the fact that he was the one who had me pinned against the wall."What the hell?!" I exclaimed, trying to push him off, but he had my hands pinned against the wall too."Nathan, what the hell is wrong with you?" I asked, staring into his rage-filled eyes. His eyes were blazing with fury that made me swallow."What are you doing with Adrian?!" He roared into my face, his hands pinning mine strongly against the wall. My attempts to break free from his grasp were futile. I couldn't even move, so I stood still and stared him back in the eye, defiantly."Let go of me, Nathan!""Not until you answer my question, bitch. How did you know him? You have been with him since we were together, haven't you?" His nose flared as he glared at me.I stared at him in disbelief, anger simmering in my chest."
ArabellaI pretended to admire the endless sketch of paintings and sculptures as I sipped champagne, my eyes skimming over brush strokes and sculptures I knew nothing about.Adrian was gone with Lucien, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the occasional polite smile to passing strangers.I still felt the warmth of his hand on my waist, the possessive grip, and the way it tightened each time Lucien pushed his buttons, especially when he asked me to choose the paintings I loved.His grip had tightened like he was trying to ground himself. He seemed particularly possessive during that moment, and my stupid heart had been fluttering at his gestures.My mind replayed the way he'd introduced me — his wife. It was supposed to be an act, just a role to play, but there had been something in his voice that made it feel...real.He wasn't even supposed to introduce me as his wife to anyone tonight, but I guess he had his reasons. I was probably thinking about it too much.Shaking my head, I mov