LOGINAnessa’s povSoon the smell of the flowers lost its appeal as I frowned looking at the card with the letter on it.My heart was like it was pounding against my ribs.Darius had just told me that Karl was a person who used peoples feelings to get what he wanted. Then I saw the flowers. They were a sign that Karl was involved in my life now.I got really angry all of a sudden. The fear was still there. The anger was stronger. I did not want to be a part of their game. I did not want Karl to trick me while my husband was away.I was done playing with the men in this family. First Julian, then Darius and now Karl. Oh I was so done.I took the card from my desk, crumpled it up, the walked out of my office.My high heels were clicking on the floor as it sounded like gunfire. I did not care who saw me. I had to end this foolishness.I got to Karl's office and I did not knock. I just opened the door and went inside. Then I closed it quietly behind me.I turned to see him sitting at his desk a
Anessa’s povThe lights in my office were really bright. They made a humming noise that was getting on my nerves.I had a lot of papers on my desk like these leather folders with the quarterly logistics reports for the shipping routes in sub-Saharan Africa. It was about numbers and abbreviations and to be honest it was hard for me to make sense of it all.This was far different from what I had dealt with in Julian’s office but I wasn’t going to give up. I had to at least try.I rubbed my nose in exhaustion then leaned back in my chair. I was about to look at a complicated spreadsheet about insurance for ships when my phone rang. It was loud, shattering the silence in the room.I picked up the phone on the second ring and I was smiling a little even though I was stressed out as I knew who was calling. "Hello?""Anessa," Darius said, his voice was deep. "How are you? I have been thinking about you since I got on the plane."I turned my chair around. Looked out the window at the city. "I
Karl’s povIt didn’t look like she believed me and who could blame her. Someone as hot as me was bound to be seen by others as a playboy and by God I wasn’t going to refute such terms.“Listen,” I sighed, looking over the top of my glasses at her. “My brother is over the Atlantic. I am staying in the house. I am a Steele. We have a reputation for being kind to people. And she is not just anyone but my brothers wife. Do you want me to abandon her like I don’t care?”She did not move. Her eyes were narrow, "That is not what I mean Karl and you know it. I am not talking about the ride. I am talking about the way you were looking at her when you got out of that car."I walked into the elevator with her and when I got to the top I headed to my office before turning slowly, leaning against the edge of my desk. I crossed my arms. A slow smile cominh across my face. "How exactly was I looking at her? Tell me. I was not aware I had a way of looking at family members.""Do you think I am a fool
Karl’s povThe morning air was cold. It bit at my cheeks. It made me feel alive. I watched Anessa standing there. Her ivory suit looked really nice. It was like she was saying "I am not afraid of you". She looked like a queen. I saw a little bit of uncertainty in her eyes. But I liked that.I stood by the door of the Bentley, trying to look relaxed with a comforting smile as I gestured for her to get in. I knew what Anessa was thinking. She was thinking about whether it was safer to be with Darius or with me."Karl," she said. Her voice was steady. I could tell she was being careful. "If I get in the car I have one condition."I tilted my head. My sunglasses slipped down my nose. "One condition? You are being very kind. My brother usually has a lot of rules.""I am serious," she said. She started walking to me. "One condition. You have to promise me you will not do anything. We are going to the office. That is it. No funny business."I held up my hand. I was pretending to surrender bu
Anessa’s povThe moon was a hook in the sky shining down on the dark water of the pool. Karl was sitting in a lounge looking down. He did not seem like himself, but like something was bothering him. He looked at his drink then at me and his eyes looked sad.“Where do I start?” He muttered, taking a sip of his drink before leaning towards me. "You think my brother Darius is a good guy, a strong person. You think he built a company on what… What did he build it on Anessa?”I didn’t say anything as he continued.“He built it on hurting the people he was supposed to care about."I felt uncomfortable, my robe making a sound as I moved. "Karl if you are just trying to say things about him…""It is not bad if it is true," he said, cutting me off, his voice really soft. "When we were kids Darius was not my big brother. He was like a guard. Our father was not a man, he was mean. He wanted us to be like machines, not kids. While I got in trouble for not doing well in school Darius was the one w
Anessa’s povHe didn’t flinch as I gulped hard. What was he trying to find?He smiled, folding his arms as he stood up straight with the bulge in his shorts becoming more prominent.I felt a flash of fury not attraction. I looked down at him with disgust before looking at his eyes. My voice was shaking with anger."You are disgusting," I said. "Cover yourself. Get out of my sight.""Julian is my nephew, Anessa. Did you think I wouldn’t know?”"Know what?" I asked in anger.“The Steele family is a circle of secrets, " Karl said, his voice smooth. "I’ve been watching for a time. You look exactly like Julians first wife, Elena. It’s uncanny. Like a ghost walked back into the manor and married the uncle."The comparison felt like a slap. "I am done, " I hissed, stepping toward him. "I am done being compared to a ghost! I am done being measured against a woman I’ve met once and wished was dead. I am not Elena. I am not like her at all. Do you hear me?"Karl’s expression changed. For a mome
Aneesa’s povHe didn’t say anything to me as he walked through the hallways with the maids and guards who were stationed around, bowing while we passed.I looked around. Everywhere was neat, bigger than the house I had stayed in with Julian. I missed my old home. This place felt lonely. It had more
Aneesa’s povI climbed down from the tree, dropping down as I looked to the cameras, making sure that they were not going to pan towards me.They were motion sensitive.Taking in deep breaths, I readied to run across the field until I saw Matt leaning against a wall and eating a bag of Doritos.He
Aneesa’s povI was staring in front of the mirror staring at my wedding gown while Helga my stylist and her assistants arranged my hair.She finished then waved her assistants away until it was just the two of us.After a while, I turned to her. “This is beautiful. How did you learn to do all this?
Aneesa’s povSeeing them there, being all lovey-dovey, had me fuming where I was standing.I could have gone any other place, but after tasting the coffee from this shop the first time I had moved here, I wanted no other store but this place.I took in deep breaths.“Take it easy, Aneesa. They will







