Daddy's Little Secret

Melissa The cab ride was silent, my fingers drumming faintly against the windows. The trees passing blurred into a sea of motion. Meanwhile, my world had just stopped.A letter sat heavy in my bag. A letter that said my mother—Annabelle, the woman I hadn’t seen in three years—was dead.I still hadn’t fully processed it.I didn’t really know my father. According to Mom, he died in a car accident when I was just a few days old. She raised me alone, controlling every decision I tried to make. By high school, we were more like rivals than family. She never backed down, and neither did I. She wanted the final say on everything—my clothes, my friends, my future.College had been my escape.Then, during my first year, she got married. To a billionaire. Someone she met at a charity dinner. I didn’t even ask his name. Didn’t care. I had never met him or his family. She had found the life she always wanted. I just wanted a simple one.Chrissie, my best friend, had been my real family ever sinc

MelissaThe Next Day“Bitch, I’m on my way, alright? I’ll be there soon,” Chrissie’s voice came through the phone, all breathless excitement and chaos.When I told her Michael agreed for her to come over, she lost her damn mind. Screamed like she’d won the lottery. I couldn’t blame her. I missed her too. I needed her. There was too much in my head - Jamal, my mom, and this new life in a house that still felt too big and too quiet.Last night, I got a text from Alex. It surprised me. I didn’t expect to hear from him again so soon.> Alex: Hey. Alex here. How’s your head?> Me: It’s fine, thanks. I’ll survive.I tried to sound chill, to downplay everything. I wanted to seem cool. > Alex: Glad to hear that. Um… I know we just met, but a couple of my friends and I are going out to this nightclub tonight for some drinks. I was hoping you could come.> Me: Sounds fun, but my best friend is coming into town tomorrow. I really wanted to spend time with her.> Alex: That’s okay, but if you ch

JamalThe radio was playing one of my favorite songs of all time. On any other day, I would’ve been singing along, maybe drumming the steering wheel and bobbing my head to the rhythm. But not today. My mind was a million miles away.Here I am, on my way to see my best friend - to look him dead in the eye and talk business - while I'm fucking his stepdaughter.A damn line I should never have crossed. But if you ask me whether I regret it, I’ll lie through my teeth before I say yes. Because the truth? I don’t. I lost my damn mind the moment I saw her naked.Melissa…. God, she awakened something in me. Something I’d buried so deep I didn’t even know it was still there. She made me feel alive again. Like a younger man. Like I hadn’t been slowly suffocating for the past decade.And now? Now there’s this secret hanging over my head like a noose, and with Alex suddenly in the picture, I’ve got to play it smart. One wrong move and this whole thing goes up in flames. And worse, I’ll drag Meliss

MelissaSomething didn't sit right about being cool when you had a secret in your pocket that could ruin the life of a man.After the greenhouse scene, everything seemed more prominent afterward, the clicking of shoes on tile floor, the tick of the old grandfather clock in the foyer and the howling winds outside. The house knew something was not right.Michael had followed behind me, hanging back like a ghost. I mindlessly chattered during brunch as i wrapped my fist around the flash drive hidden in my hoodie pocket. The longer that i was sitting at the dining table with his gaze on me, the more intensely i recognized that i was playing with fire."You look lost in thought" he remarked nonchalantly, spreading butter on a piece of toast "Still obsessed with Jamal?"I almost choked on my mimosa."Excuse me?"Michael looked up, smiling but it fell a little short of his eyes "I know he left quite suddenly. I just meant you two seemed close.""I haven't seen him" I lied.He looked at me fo

JamalThe television buzzed in the dark room, casting shivery silhouettes across the couch as Melissa and i were frozen and her face flashed on screen laughing, stripping and brushing her hair each second a sacrilege and my heart pounded against my ribcage like a war drum.He was here or worse had been here.The reality crashed in on me in waves: this wasn't just spying. Jared had access control and this was his opening salvo.I yanked the power cord out of the wall. Sparks flared, the screen went black and quiet boomed down the apartment and she fell against me gasping shuddering. I held her but my eyes ran over each darkened corner, every doorframe."I have to have you pack a bag" I breathed "Now."Melissa looked up, eyes glinting with fear and something tougher "Where are we going?" she asked."Where he can't find us." i replied, short in details.We didn't waste any time. Ten minutes later, we were out of there, down the back steps and in my car. The night was chilly, thick with t