LOGINThis must be a dream. No, a nightmare.
There’s this heaviness, this tightness I feel in my chest as I looked at them while they try to adjust themselves. “Ari, Dear, I can explain this.” My Dad said as he tried to reach for me. “What exactly do you want to explain, Dad? The fact that you’re gay or the fact that your dick was just in my boyfriend’s mouth?” I shot at him. Then I turned to my so-called boyfriend, scratch that, my ex-boyfriend. “Is this the meeting you told me you were attending?” I lashed at him. “Ari…I…I was going to tell you.” He said, guilt crowding his features. “You were going to tell me that you’re gay or you’ve been fucking my Dad? What a fucking joke you are!” I yelled at him. “Ari…” My Dad started. “How long?” I asked, cutting him off. Then I turned to Finn, “How long have you been fucking my Dad, Finn?” He looked at me, then he looked down in shame. “Answer me!” I yelled, barely containing the rage coursing through my veins. “Three months.” His response only fueled my disdain. “Three months?! You’ve been fucking my father for three months?!” This is unfucking believable. And then, I started laughing, so hard tears formed in my eyes. I can’t believe this is happening! “Is this the reason you never wanted to have sex with me? Silly me thinking I was the problem when in reality, you’re just a boy who’s confused about his sexuality! Is this the reason you approached me? Because you have always been interested in my Dad?!” I can’t believe I was so blind. I mean, it’s really clear now that I think about it. Finn and I have been together for eight months now, and the farthest we’ve gone was only second base. Whenever I wanted to take it further, Finn would pull back and start telling me about him wanting to wait till marriage. I literally thought he was just conservative, but apparently, he had no problem fucking my Dad. “Sweetheart, we didn’t mean for you to find out like this?” My Dad croaked, rubbing his temples. I scoffed, “You didn’t mean for me to find out at all. Tell me, Dad, when did you start fucking men? This is a big joke! Here I was, terrified you’d found out about my fake scandal, not knowing you’re the scandal yourself!” And then, I looked at him again, “Is this why Mum left? Because she found out you enjoy fucking men half your age?!” My Dad was taken aback by my outburst, and he dared to look hurt. Good. I want him to feel the pain I’m feeling right now. I wish I could inflict more pain on him. “Ari….” Finn started, “Save it.” I cut him off. “I’ve heard enough.” I didn’t wait for either of them to respond; I turned and walked out of the house, letting the tears I’ve been holding back flow freely. “Fuck Finn. Fuck my Dad too. Fuck everything.” I mumbled to myself as I cleaned my face. I walked for hours, or maybe minutes, and found myself in front of a bar. The universe sure knows what I really need right now. I picked up my phone and called my best friend, Mike; his humor and lightness are everything I need right now but it went to voice mail. I guess I’m doing this alone tonight. I really need a drink or two. Alright, maybe more. “Ugh! Fuck this fucking city and everyone in it!” I yelled over the loud music, my words nearly swallowed by the bass vibrating through the floor and straight into my head. Six shots in, I needed to feel something. “Careful,” a voice said behind me, calm and amused. “Don’t let the cops hear you.” I turned towards the sound and froze. He was unfairly handsome; the kind people call exotic, dark hair with a silver threading through his temple and a set of sharp dark eyes. He wore a perfectly tailored grey three-piece suit that clung to his broad frame, his tie still neatly in place. Who the hell wore a suit to a bar? “Not you,” I said, squinting at him, alcohol loosening my tongue. “I like handsome men.” I paused, and then added “Has anyone ever told you that you look like an ultimate DILF?” I slurred, approaching him with heavily blurred vision. His brow lifted. A slow smirk formed on his lips. “A DILF?” He repeated. “Care to tell me what that is?” I shrugged, the room tilting slightly, “My best friend Mike says it's a term used for older men that looks like sin.” He let out a soft laugh, “And you think I look like sin?” “Yes, sir.” I nodded solemnly. “The kind of sin men pray against.” His laugh deepened. “You are interesting,” he said, “I like you.” “My name is Aria,” I mumbled. “I’m much less fascinating when I’m sober.” I chuckled as another shot burned through my throat and chest. “You shouldn’t be drinking so much anyway.” He announced. “What are you? My Dad? How do you know how much I’ve drunk?” I frowned, irritated at the sound of ‘You shouldn’t’. Don’t fucking tell me what to do. “I’ve been observing you for a while, and it’s clear you are really drunk.” He laughed as we sat down. “Well, that’s good because the last thing I want to look like is my actual state.” I went in for another drink which he swiped out of my hand. “It can’t be that bad, baby girl.” He sighed, placing the drink away from my reach. “It can’t be? For starters, I have a blackmailer that is making my life unbearable, my supposed sex tape is out for the whole world to see, and as if that’s not enough, I stumbled upon a secret that should have remained hidden.” I said and reached for another shot. He frowned, but he didn’t stop me. Good. “I shouldn’t have entered that god-forsaken room,”I whispered to myself, and then I looked up at him, “Why am I even saying all these to you? I don’t even know you.” I slurred. “Perhaps, you find me attractive enough to tell your secrets?” He smirked. I scoffed, “Don’t get ahead of yourself, Hotshot.” He laughed, “Wow, two nicknames in one night? You’re truly talented.” I smirked at him, “I’m talented at other things too, want me to show you?” His eyes darkened, and he moved closer, all traces of humor gone, “Don’t test me, Aria.” He whispered in my ear, his voice lowering an octave. The way he whispered my name sent ripples straight to my lower region. God damn, this man truly is sin. I leaned into him, my body impossibly close to his and whispered, “Or what?” I nibbled his ear a little bit. He grabbed my neck and kissed me hungrily. I kissed him back with the same urgency while grabbing his shirt, and then he paused, his lips a few inches from my lips. “Not here. My place.” He said, his breathing harsh. He walked me towards his car and drove me to his place. The sound of a phone ringing jolted me up, and I was attacked with a splitting headache. I cursed lowly, served me right for drinking that much last night. My eyes swept over the unfamiliar room until they landed at a stranger who seemed to be getting satisfaction from watching me. A really hot stranger. Memories from last night rushed in, and I grimaced. “Here, take this; it will help with the headache.” He placed a pill in my palm and gave me a cup of water. I peeked at him suspiciously, “Are you trying to drug me?” He looked at me incredulously, “You can’t be serious. I was with you the whole night, if I wanted to harm you, don’t you think I’ve had enough chances to do that?” I ignored him and took the pills, then a phone started ringing, the same ringtone that woke me up. I later figured it was my phone. “You might want to take that. It has been ringing nonstop, seemed important.” He said while handing the phone to me. “Stella?” I answered. Nothing could have prepared me for the words that followed. “I’m sorry for what I’m about to say, Ari,” Stella said, her voice shaking. “But your Dad got into an accident last night.” My heart stopped. “What?!” “He is now in a coma.”Lucien looked at me, surprise clouding his features.“Your assistant?” “I need to know the reason, Lucien. I need to know why she’d do this to me.”Not waiting for his response, I took flight into the building, Lucien yelling my name and hot on my tail. I didn't stop though, I ran up the stairs and finally arrived at her door, tears blurring my vision. I stood in front of the door, unmoving, too scared to see what’s beyond the door. Door 345. The elevator pinged and Lucien walked out, his face stern. He opened his mouth to say something but stopped himself after looking at me. He walked to me, took my hand, and gave it a light squeeze. He started going for the doorbell when I stopped him. “Wait…”Lucien turned to look at me.“I’m scared, Lucien.”“You have nothing to be scared of, Aria. I’m right here with you.”“What if she’s really my blackmailer? Lucien, I…” “Shh” He cut me off, “If she’s the one, then she’s undeserving of your trust.”I nodded, signaling him to go a
“I want to work in your company. I’m fine with any role as long as I get to work in your company.”“No,” Lucien said immediately.“Why not?” Asher leaned back in his chair. “Scared I’ll steal your girl?”Jordan rubbed his nose.“What the hell, man?”He muttered something under his breath, but the horrible man still wore the same bored expression.“Why should I hire you?” I asked.Asher shrugged.“I’ll be working for you while helping you find your blackmailer anyway. All I’m asking for is an office and unrestricted access to your company for two months. I find your blackmailer and then I leave.”“How can I be sure you'll actually find them?”“You can't.”The answer startled me.“You just have to take a leap of faith.” His brown eyes locked onto mine. “Or you'll never know.”“Are you seriously considering this, Aria?” Lucien asked.I looked between the two men and sighed in defeat. “Do I have any better options?”Lucien's jaw tightened. “No.”“Then we try his way.”Asher grinned. “Sm
The message stared back at me, knocking the air from my lungs. A cold sensation crept down my spine as I scanned the empty hallway. Empty. No doors closing. No footsteps. It was as if I had imagined the whole scenario.I swallowed hard and shoved my phone back into my purse before returning to the table. I was met with two pairs of worried eyes.“Are you sure you’re okay?” Mike asked, studying me carefully.“I’m fine.” I forced a smile, “I thought I saw someone I knew.” I lied through my teeth.Cami didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t press further. Thank goodness. I might just crumble if they keep throwing questions at me.The rest of the lunch passed in a blur. Mike eased the tension with his dramatic tales about his forced proximity with his ‘enemy’—Cami, of course.I laughed at their never-ending banter, or at least tried to, but my mind remained trapped on the message. Whover that was, they had been watching me, and they seemed determined to destroy my life.After lunch, Stella
“Surprise bitch!”I screamed and the next thing I knew, someone launched himself across the room and nearly tackled me.“Mike!”“Oh my God, you are married!”“I know”“You got married without me!”“You were in Greece!”“You could have waited!”I started laughing, so hard my stomach started hurting.Mike pulled back dramatically. He looked exactly the same, dark curls, suit that looked like it could buy my whole wardrobe, perfectly polished shoes and that impeccable smile. Mike was ridiculously handsome and painfully aware of it. He carried himself with the confidence of a runway king and trust me, his wardrobe was large enough to dress an entire fashion show.I met Mike in college. I had worn the shoe my Dad gifted me for my eighteenth birthday and the dress Victor gifted me to celebrate my first day. Mike had walked up to me wearing the chicest outfit I’d ever seen, he lowered his sunglasses, looked me up and down, then announced, “Bitch, now that’s a fire dress and shoes you got th
For a moment, I stared at the message, thinking if I stared enough, it would somehow disappear. The phone vibrated again. UNKNOWN: Are you sure you want to ignore me? I swallowed hard. I had thought their silence meant they had given up. That maybe whoever was behind this had gotten bored and moved on to torment someone else. Apparently not. My fingers hovered over the keyboard, too frozen to type anything. Another message arrived, this time, it was a picture. No, two pictures. The first showed me walking down a runway during a fashion show in Milan last year. The second was of me leaving Valen Group headquarters earlier this week. A cold chill ran down my spine. Someone had been watching me, and if I'm judging by these pictures, they've been doing so for a while now. The phone lit up again. UNKNOWN: What do you think the board would do when they find out that the infamous model known for her scandal with men is none other than their precious heiress? My gri
I turned slowly and smiled awkwardly at him.Lucien stood in the doorway in all his 6’4 glory, his jacket hanging over one arm, his hair as impeccable as always, and his eyes fixed entirely on me. We were both staring at each other, neither of us speaking and suddenly the room felt smaller, hotter. I need to get the hell out of here, this man is dangerous. “Hello, Mr Blackwood.”“Mr Blackwood? Really?” He asked raising a brow.I shrugged and said, “I was looking for the study.”He raised an eyebrow, “And somehow ended up in my office?”“Why is your house so big? I’m always getting lost somehow.”One corner of his mouth lifted, glad one of us found this situation amusing. “We need to talk, Aria.”“Stop saying my name like that.” I snapped at him.“Like what?” He asked, smirking. “You know what.” I countered getting frustrated. He chuckled and shook his head. He walked towards me while I took a step back. This continued until I reached the wall, he was so close to me that I coul







