Chloe “That dickhead. How dare he say that?” I sighed as Stella slammed her hand on the table, making the silverware clatter. I took another sip of my hot chocolate, letting the warmth spread through me. For the first time in a week, I felt calm. Unlike my best friend, who looked like she was about to flip the entire table over. “That motherfucker,” she spat, her dark eyes burning with fury. “He really told you to stay away from me? Me?! Like I’m some kind of bad influence?” I set my cup down, looking at her with amusement. Well, to be fair, Stella was a bad influence. Just not in the way Logan thought. Stella turned to me so fast that my drink almost spilled, but I caught it just in time, gulping it down before it could slosh over the table. “Wait,” she said, her eyes narrowing. “Is that why you haven’t been answering my calls for a week? Because that fucker doesn’t want us to be friends?” “Amelia was monitoring me like a hawk. She wouldn’t let me be alone for even a second. I
Alexander “Name your price for the land. Any price, name it, and it’ll be in your account immediately. If you value your life, you’ll agree.” The line beeped, the abrupt sound echoing in the silent office. I stared at the phone in my hand, my grip tightening as a cold wave of disbelief settled over me. She hung up. She actually hung up on me. She didn’t ask who I was. She didn’t ask what I wanted. She didn’t even pretend to consider my offer. She just hung up on me. I didn’t need to look up to see the expressions on Leo and Thomas’s faces—they were as stunned as I was. “What just happened?” Thomas finally blurted out, his voice hesitant, as if he himself couldn’t believe what he had just witnessed. “Did she just hang up on you, sir?” I exhaled slowly, my jaw tightening. This morning, Thomas had finally managed to track down the phone number of the landowner. For some reason, he hadn’t been able to retrieve any personal details, it was just the number. No name, no h
Logan I checked my watch. Three o’clock. They still hadn’t arrived. Exhaling sharply, I ran a hand through my hair, frustration gnawing at me. I was nervous. The realization irritated me because I was never nervous. I was a proud man, and like most men, I wanted things to go my way. I had spent my whole life believing that the world was mine to mold, that I had control over everything in my grasp. Since I was young, I had always wanted wealth. To me, wealth wasn’t just about having money, it was everything. Wealth meant people bowing to you, bending to your every whim without question. It meant standing at the top, looking down at the world as if it were my personal chessboard. And I craved it. I wanted to control everything around me. I wanted to control her. It had been five years now. Five years since the thing I had once desired more than anything slipped through my fingers—before falling right back into my lap. Chloe. The woman who betrayed me. The woman who left me beca
Alexander I was the kind of man who lost interest in things that weren’t relevant. Sometimes, I did it on purpose. Other times, it just happened. My mind had a way of shutting out unimportant people and things before I even realized it. It was a subconscious filter, eliminating anything or anyone that wasn’t worth my time. And the moment I laid eyes on the average-looking man in front of me, my brain did exactly that. Shut him out. They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but let’s be honest, sometimes, you could. Some covers were just boring and unappealing. And this man? With his practiced smile, his weak handshake, and the way he carried himself like he desperately wanted to be acknowledged? I didn’t even need to read past the first page. My gaze shifted past him, landing on the woman standing behind him. I raised an eyebrow. What ugly eyes. I didn't mean it in the literal sense, some might have even found them pretty, but to me, they were unpleasant. Something
Logan Eight years ago My head pounded, my vision blurred, but I didn’t stop reading. I forced my eyes to focus on the text, trying to absorb the words, but the moment I read them, they slipped from my mind. At some point, the letters began to blur together, and it only made my headache worse. Tomorrow was my last exam, and if I failed, I’d lose my scholarship. Without the scholarship, I wouldn’t make it to the next semester. And if I didn’t make it to the next semester… I’d lose everything I had worked for. I’d be done. To make things worse, the subject was the one I hated the most. History. I mean, who on earth actually liked history? It was like being forced to gossip about dead people from centuries ago. My own life was already a mess, I didn’t have the time or energy to care about someone else’s from a hundred years back. I exhaled, flipping to the next page, forcing my brain to absorb the formulas in front of me. The prestigious school I attended didn’t care how hard I wor
Logan "Logan, if the boy’s family doesn’t forgive you, they’ll press charges. And you can say goodbye not only to your life at this school but to your entire future. Joshua’s parents have power with the authorities. They can ruin you. Why would you do something you are not supposed to do? Do you think you are something now that you go to this school? No, Logan you are still a poor orphan with nobody backing you up. You are nothing." The words echoed in my mind as I walked into the girls’ dormitory. Luckily, it was school hours. The hallways were empty. No one saw me slip inside. Not that I cared. None of it mattered right now. I knew she didn’t attend classes during exams. Chloe preferred to study alone, locked away in her room. I remembered her room number. It wasn’t hard to find. I turned the handle. It wasn’t locked. So I stepped inside. As expected from a school this prestigious, the dorm room was grand. It could easily fit seven people at once, yet she had it all to herself.
Logan Present time I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply. Why? Why was I remembering this after all these years? I didn’t know why something I had long forgotten suddenly resurfaced. The moment the words left Alexander’s mouth, it was as if every feeling I had spent years burying came rushing at me. It made me uneasy. I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t deny that Chloe had done a lot for me. She had cared for me. She had fought for me. Even though, in the end, she had admitted she never loved me, that it was all pity. That she had only stayed because I was a poor orphan who had no one. It was all a game to her. "Mr. White, are you daydreaming? How disappointing." Alexander indifferent voice cut through my thoughts like a blade. "It was just a simple question," he continued lazily. "You did say you were happily married, didn’t you? So it shouldn’t take you this long to respond." I lifted my gaze. Alexander sat in his chair like a god, completely at ease, as if he had a
Chloe I slid the picture across the glass counter, pushing it toward the woman. "Here, can you get something like this?" She leaned in, studying the picture closely. My heart pounded as I waited, silently praying for the answer I wanted. But then, she straightened and gave me a polite smile. "I'm sorry, ma’am, but we can’t make the exact same ring. This piece was customized by an expert. We don’t have the capacity to replicate it exactly. Maybe you should try another shop." I pressed my fingers to my temple, a headache forming. This was the fourth jewelry store that had told me the exact same thing. After leaving the cafe, I’d spent the entire day searching, going from one place to another, hoping someone could duplicate the wedding ring. But no one could. I swallowed hard. If I couldn’t replace it soon, someone in the house would notice—especially my mother-in-law. And if she found out… I exhaled sharply, gripping the edge of the counter. She wouldn’t only going to s
Tw: Sexual Coercion Chloe "So yeah… that’s what happened," I said, running a hand through my hair. On the other end of the line, Stella burst out laughing, the kind of laughter that made it obvious she was probably on the floor, holding her stomach. I rolled my eyes and walked to my wardrobe, pulling out a yellow sundress. It was simple and modest, the kind of dress that made me look innocent. The kind of dress that gave the illusion I had my life together. “It’s enough, Stella. It’s really not that funny.” I heard her breathing hard from laughing too much. “Woah, are you sure you’re the same Chloe I know? The Chloe I know would rather die than even say the word masturbate, let alone try to pleasure herself.” "Okay, okay!" I dropped the dress on the bed and sat at the edge, crossing my legs. “Well, I’m still human, Stella. And humans tend to… satisfy themselves. You can’t blame me.” “Wait, let me put it on video call,” Stella said quickly, and before I could protest, the cal
Chloe I choked on my water. The cough had everyone’s attention snapping toward me, while Logan’s words still echoed in my head. Did he just say… Alexander? “Are you okay?” Logan asked, already rising from his chair. We all turned to Logan, surprised about his suddenly strange behaviour. I coughed, covering my mouth with my hand as the maid quickly stepped forward and patted my back. "Are you okay, ma’am?" she asked again, handing me a handkerchief. I took it, murmuring a quick, “Thank you,” and tried to breathe through the embarrassment burning its way up my throat. What was wrong with me? Why had I reacted so dramatically just from hearing his name? My Alexander isn’t the only Alexander in the world… Wait. My Alexander? What was that? My Alexander? When had he become my Alexander? I felt my cheeks flush immediately. Even my ears were hot. “I’m fine,” I said quickly, forcing a small smile. “Sorry. Swallowed the wrong way.” Layla rolled her eyes. "Be careful next time. You
Chloe "Please, can you reduce the vegetables on one plate? She doesn’t really like them," I said gently, glancing at the neatly plated dishes lined on the counter. The maid blinked, then looked down at the plate in question. “Ah, I’m so sorry, ma’am. I forgot again.” I smiled softly. “It’s okay. It’s hard to remember everyone’s preferences.” She let out a sigh, her shoulders sagging. “It really is. Sometimes I wonder how you remember everything. They all have different tastes, and the madams are so picky. Any single thing becomes an issue. If you weren’t helping me, I wouldn’t even be able to cook and—” She abruptly slapped her hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry, ma’am. I should watch my mouth.” I shook my head. “It’s alright. Just be careful next time.” She nodded quickly, then gave me a sheepish smile. “You’re really an angel, ma’am. I understand why Alfred likes you. You’re so kind to people.” Kind. Kind to people? I almost laughed. People loved using “kind” when they really
Alexander The man droned on across the conference table, his voice echoing through the wall. “We have already allocated tasks for the initial phase of the new mall, sir. Once the final land acquisition clears, construction should be able to begin immediately…” I tapped my fingers lightly on the desk, pretending to listen, my gaze fixed on the large screen in front of me but my mind was nowhere near this boardroom. It was filled, and consumed, by her. Please… pleasure me, make me cum. Please… let me take care of it. Hngh… Alexander!! A-Alexander, they’re outside. Your friends are literally right outside, we can’t—Nnhg! Every inch of her body, the perky breasts, the slim waist, the softness of her thighs pressing against me, the perfect way her lips moaned my name as she came under me. I could still feel her body wrapped around mine, the way she clung to me like she was surprised by the way she reacted to my touch. Those damn blue eyes clouded with lust. Her flushed cheeks. Th
Chloe I saw my life flash before my eyes. No, really, I actually saw it. My heart skipped a beat. My ears rang so loud it felt like a bomb had gone off next to me. Every part of my body froze on the spot, too terrified to even breathe. The door swung open, and for a horrifying second, I thought it was all over. But Layla didn’t turn toward us. Instead, she stood with her back facing the room, yelling into the hallway, “Oh, I forgot, Mom, can I have that dress you wore last week? The white one—” She kept rambling about God-knows-what, but I wasn’t listening anymore. I jerked away from Tristan, who was still lying there with a unreadable expression on his face, as if kissing me in the middle of a crisis was normal. I didn’t have time to process that. I could scream at him later, but right now. I was in survival mode. I scrambled to my feet, grabbed his arm, yanked him up like he weighed nothing, and shoved him toward my wardrobe. He raised an eyebrow at me but didn’t resist as I
Chloe I stared at the man in front of me and shook my head slowly. How did it even come to this? What the hell is going on? Tristan stood there, arms casually crossed, that same annoying smirk playing on his lips. He tilted his head at me and said, "Are you not going to climb, Miss Perfect?" I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry. I didn’t have a choice, did I? I had to climb him if I wanted to get into my window without anyone noticing. I sighed heavily, trying to convince myself it would be fine. Except, it wasn’t. It wasn’t fine at all. Because there was one tiny—no, not tiny, massive problem. I didn’t have any panties on. Yes, you heard right. I was naked underneath this dress because Alexander's brother threw my underwear away. If I climbed him, he would definitely notice. It would be impossible for him not to. Tristan raised an eyebrow at me, clearly growing suspicious. His eyes scanned my face, like he was trying to read my thoughts. I shuffled awkwardly on the sp
Chloe I looked at Stella, my heart thundering so hard it felt like it could punch its way out of my chest. I didn’t even need to say it, she could already read it on my face. I was screwed. “What should I do, Stella?” I whispered. “They’re—” Before I could finish, Stella shoved me straight into another body. I stumbled, nearly tripping, but an arm caught me around the waist. I froze against the hard plane of Tristan’s chest, his grip firm around my waist. His scent hit me like déjà vu, clean and infuriatingly comforting, a smell that always seemed to calm me down. I stared at Stella, eyes wide. “What the hell?” “There’s no time,” she said, already backing away. “What…Stella, no, you can—” “My car is wrecked,” she snapped, already waving me off like she was swatting a fly. “And I can’t leave it here. Plus, you don’t know this, but Tristan’s a crazy-ass driver.” I turned to look up at him, conflicted. Could I really ask him for this? Could I really be that shameless? I opened
ChloePresent timeSome mornings I’d wake up in an empty bed, the sheets cold, and Tristan's voice would echo in my ear.“You and Logan can never have a happy ending.”And on those mornings, I'd ask myself the same question I’d asked a hundred times, if I could go back, if I could do it all over again… would I have listened? What had Tristan seen back then that I refused to? What had I been so desperate to believe?Now, standing in front of him after so many years, I felt like I’d been pulled back into a moment I’d tried to bury. Tristan, the high school bad boy who’d beat up seven students and walked away without a scratch. The reckless idiot who once climbed into my window like an outlaw. The boy who irritated me because he liked seeing me mad.But this wasn’t the cocky high school boy who’d broken into my dorm and commented on my terrible taste in music. This was a man.He was taller, more refined and attractive, but the look in his eyes hadn’t changed. He still had that same fie
Chloe Eight years ago I yawned. I had just stepped out of the library. My eyes stung from all the reading. I’d spent most of the day reading between book pages. My only thought was collapsing into the comfort of my pillow and sleeping. My phone buzzed. I pulled it out of my pocket and instantly felt my stomach drop at the name flashing across the screen. Psychopath: Come home tomorrow. I have something to show my lovely sister. I promise I’ll make it last longer this time. I stared at it for a long time. My hand trembled slightly around the phone. Last longer. What he meant wasn’t what anyone would normally think. It was so much worse. There was a reason I’d saved his number that way. Richard wasn’t just cruel, he was twisted. He used to torture animals, those little, harmless creatures, and he’d make me watch. He’d time it, test new ways to kill them. Like it was both a game and a challenge for him. And Father… Father never stopped him. Sometimes, he even provided the "subj