At A Design, the headline blazed across Lucas’s phone screen like a flare: “E International CEO in Passionate Late-Night Kiss — Newlyweds Caught in Car Park Romance”.He whistled low, nudging the screen toward Mike. “You see this? Blackwood’s back in the country. Married. And apparently very into PDA.”Mike's brows furrowed. “Adrian’s back?”Lucas nodded, still scrolling. “Word is, E International’s been crushing it. Their luxury jewelry line’s been killing our numbers for months — now we know who’s behind it. Adrian Blackwood. Lila’s brother.”From the side, Vivian leaned in with feigned innocence and a lilt in her voice. “Wait, wait — was that the same man people said was dating that actress? Maybe she’s the one he was kissing. These elite families, always so scandalous behind the scenes…”She giggled. “And Lila’s brother? That’s the crowd Emily’s mixing with now?”Mike didn’t answer.He wasn’t reading the headline anymore.Mike leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled as he stare
The comment section under Emily’s latest post lit up like wildfire. Former colleagues from A Design—especially the design department—flooded in with supportive words: “This is stunning, Emily!” “Can’t wait to see the rest of your collection!” “So proud of you!” It was the kind of encouragement she hadn’t realized she missed. Meanwhile, Mike sat in the lounge of his hotel suite, a half-finished glass of whiskey in his hand and frustration brewing beneath his composed surface. His phone pressed to his ear as he waited for the production team to answer. “She hasn’t submitted any design,”came the nervous voice of the head jeweler.“Emily said the concept had been scrapped. She told us not to proceed.” Mike froze. “What do you mean scrapped?”he asked sharply. The voice on the other end hesitated.“She said the rings weren’t needed anymore.” Mike’s grip on th
Later that evening, as Emily scrolled through the flurry of notifications beneath her ring design post, one particular comment caught her eye:@MoonVisualsOfficial“Latest zine issue is in the mail—should arrive soon! Also, guess what? Our Moon Visual Design Tour is coming to your city again next month! Want to come by?”Emily’s lips curved into a genuine smile.She tapped out a quick reply.@emily.carter“Absolutely! I’d love to come. Can’t wait to see what you’ve created this time!”The account belonged to an old friend from high school—someone who had gone on to create a design collective centered entirely around lunar aesthetics. Back then, Emily had loved anything to do with the moon. It was soft, distant, and constant. She’d helped them with early sketches, even illustrated several of their very first pieces.There was a time the project nearly failed—funding had dried up, and they’d almost shut down.But t
He’d only met the mysterious backer once, years ago. The man had written a single check that saved Moon Visual from shutting down—and then vanished from the spotlight completely. No press. No photos. Just a single stipulation:keep the focus on the art. And now he was standing right in front of Leo, in a fitted charcoal coat, looking perfectly comfortable beside Emily. Emily, oblivious to the mental chaos unfolding in front of her, smiled brightly.“Leo, this is my husband, Adrian. Adrian, this is Leo—the co-founder of Moon Visual. We’ve known each other since high school.” Adrian offered his hand smoothly.“Pleasure to meet you, Leo.” His tone was calm, his expression unreadable. But Leo caught it. The brief glint in Adrian’s eyes. The unspoken warning. Don’t say a word. Leo blinked once, then quickly reached out to shake his hand.“Of course—great to meet you, too.” He laughed a little too loudly.“Wow, Emily, you really married well.” Emily raised a brow.“What’s
As they continued walking, Emily stopped again at a quiet corner of the gallery. There, a soft light bathed a minimalist installation: a crescent moon and scattered stars cast across a curved glass panel. Her breath caught.It reminded her of something.The rings.She had just finished the final design days ago—his was etched with constellations, hers with a single rising moon.A private detail. Something only they’d understand.Her fingers brushed the pendant at her collarbone as she stared.Maybe… maybe she’d get them made soon.She wasn’t sure when it would be the right moment to give them to him.Even if their marriage hadn’t begun with love… Emily knew, somewhere deep down, she was starting to feel something.Maybe not a grand, sweeping kind of love—not yet.But something warm. Quiet. Real.And that was enough.Adrian had never asked for anything in return. He’d protect
Adrian was still in his office when the last light of dusk spilled across the skyline, painting his floor-to-ceiling windows in soft amber. Papers were neatly stacked on the desk, one hand absently flipping through a contract—but his focus had long since dulled. His phone buzzed. It was a message from Emily. Emily: When you’re done with work, come find me. He sat up a little straighter. A moment later, another message popped up. Emily: When you step out of your company’s front doors…there’ll be a pumpkin carriage waiting to pick up the prince. Adrian froze. A slow beat of silence filled the room. Pumpkin…carriage? Something stirred in his chest. A wild, ridiculous, impossible suspicion. He didn’t even wait to respond. In one smooth motion, he stood, grabbed his coat, and pressed the elevator button for his private descent.
Adrian kept climbing. The soft lighting glowed gently along the steps,each one lined with a hand-painted card fluttering slightly in the breeze.He paused with each,picking them up one by one,as if retracing a story only he had lived in silence. Then came a gap. Several steps held nothing. A quiet space between their past and the now. But just as he reached the next landing,the cards began again. Card5: We got married. No drawing.Just the words.Simple,and yet it struck something deep. Card6: You were always good to me.You taught me so much. A sketch of him explaining something,her watching with a faint smile. Card7: You got drunk.I took you home. The drawing was light-hearted—him slouched over,tie loose. Card8: The yacht trip.I didn’t know you had a sailing license.That was…impressive. A Yacht,the waves gentle,and a stick figure version of him at the helm. Card9: The reporters swarmed.You kept me hidden. Drawn from the back:him shielding her,hi
She let out a shaky breath as he opened the box and slid the ring onto his finger.Then he took her hand and carefully slipped the matching band onto hers. For a second,neither of them moved. And then—he leaned forward and kissed her hand,right over the metal she had forged for him. That was when the first firework bloomed in the sky behind them—soft gold against deep navy.Then another.And another. She blinked,startled,before remembering—she had planned this.She had booked a private team,set up the timing,even arranged for everything to be filmed quietly from a distance. But none of it felt staged now. Not when he was looking at her like that. Not when she could feel her heartbeat matching his. Adrian didn’t look away. He wasn’t thinking about the lights or the camera crew or the carefully orchestrated night. He was thinking about her. And if there was ever a moment in his life when he felt like he was exactly where he was supposed to be—it was now The ride home
The next morning,sunlight spilled softly across the edge of the bed,catching on the pale gold curtains. Emily blinked awake,still wrapped in the warmth of Adrian’s arms. For a long moment,she didn’t move—just listened to the slow,steady rhythm of his breathing behind her,the quiet peace that followed everything they’d left on that stage. Then her phone buzzed. She reached for it sleepily,squinting at the screen. And froze. Notifications were flooding in—social media mentions,article headlines,blog posts,tags,messages,comment threads that seemed to scroll endlessly. The brand’s official account was trending. Her name was trending. Even#MobiusBride was trending. She stared at it,eyes wide,then turned to look back at Adrian,who had stirred awake,watching her with half-lidded eyes. "Did you…pay for all this promotion?"she asked,still dazed,the phone now resting against his bare chest. Adrian lifted an eyebrow,amused. "As a financial investor,the first thing I a
As the applause faded and the lights dimmed slightly, a soft transition played across the massive LED screen behind Emily. The crowd turned to look— and there it was. A sleek, elegant Möbius strip, rendered in brushed platinum and rose gold, slowly rotated on the screen. It was the official brand symbol of her new line. The host, standing beside the podium, turned toward her with a smile. “Ms. Hart, could you tell us a bit about the meaning behind this design?” Emily smiled, steady and poised, her voice carrying gently through the mic. “The Möbius strip has a fascinating history,” she began. “It’s a one-sided surface—continuous, infinite. No beginning, no end. It symbolizes unity, eternity, and the beautifully complex nature of connection.” She paused, then added, her eyes softening slightly. “When I created this brand, a part of its philosophy was inspired by my husband. This symbol you see here is also the foundation of our wedding ring design. Because I believe every s
The space between them stretched thin, charged and brittle. People around them were starting to notice, glancing over with curious eyes. The gift box remained suspended awkwardly between them, Mike’s hand still waiting, expectant. Emily’s fingers curled into her side, rigid with the effort not to move, not to take it. A heartbeat later, a warm hand closed over the box. Another arm slid around her waist in a firm, unmistakable claim. Emily exhaled in a rush as Adrian pulled her gently against him, his presence a wall between her and everything else. He turned to Mike with a polished smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Mike,”Adrian said smoothly, his voice calm and cutting all at once. “Good to see you. Please, enjoy the evening. Have a seat.” Without waiting for a response, Adrian laced his fingers through Emily’s and steered her away with effortless possession. Emily followed, her heart hammering, the heat of his hand grounding her as they moved through the crow
Adrian smiled against her hair, then shifted to the side, pulling the covers up over both of them. He gathered her into his arms, tucking her securely against him, her head nestled under his chin, his hand stroking soothing circles along her spine. Emily let out a tiny sigh, the last of her tension melting away. Wrapped up in his arms, with the steady thud of his heartbeat against her ear and his breath warm in her hair, she finally felt herself drift. Safe. Loved. Home. Adrian kissed the top of her head one last time and whispered, "Sleep, baby. I'm not going anywhere." And with that promise stitched into the night between them, they both surrendered to sleep—together. - The design studio was finally finished— polished marble floors, glass walls that caught the sunlight just right, sleek modern lines that spoke of ambition and elegance. It stood just a few blocks away from E International, nestled in the heart of the city’s thriving downtown core. When E
With a low,ragged growl,he shifted,gripping her hips firmly as he drove into her with a sudden,deeper thrust. Emily gasped sharply,her back bowing off the bed,her nails digging into his skin as he filled her completely,claiming her in a way that left no room for thought. He caught her mouth in a fierce kiss,swallowing every broken sound she made,moving inside her with a raw,aching need that he no longer bothered to hold back. His control—so carefully maintained—was gone now,undone by the way she trembled for him,by the way she clung to him like he was the only thing keeping her grounded. And he was. He always would be. Their bodies moved together in a wild,desperate rhythm,each thrust sending another tremor through her,each kiss deepening the way they unraveled into each other. In that moment,nothing else existed— just the burn of skin against skin, the frantic beating of two hearts colliding, and the unspoken vows stitched into every breathless touch. Emily’s
He reached the bed and lowered her carefully onto the mattress, his hands lingering a moment longer than necessary, as if reluctant to let her go. Emily looked up at him, her hair fanning out across the pillows, cheeks flushed, eyes wide and soft. Adrian stayed there for a beat, hovering above her, his gaze tracing every inch of her face like he was trying to memorize her all over again. Then, without a word, he leaned down and kissed her. Slowly. Deeply. The kind of kiss that didn’t rush, didn’t ask for anything—only gave. His mouth moved against hers with a tenderness that made her heart ache, like he was pouring everything he couldn’t say into that single touch. Adrian shifted, bracing one arm beside her head, the other sliding along her waist with a patience that made her tremble. His fingers brushed the hem of her pajama top, tracing small, reverent circles against her skin, as if asking permission without ever needing to speak. When Emily gasped softly against hi
Emily caught a glimpse of Adrian holding his phone up, filming something. She tilted her head curiously. “What are you doing?” He didn’t look away from the screen as he answered, voice low and steady. “Recording you,”he said.“So next time you’re scared, you can look back and remember this feeling—this moment when you chose courage. Then, little by little, we’ll stack up so many good memories that the fear won’t stand a chance.” Emily blinked, then smiled—a small, genuine smile that reached her eyes. He was right. Facing things, handling them one step at a time, was how real confidence was built. Not overnight. But piece by piece. Her heart felt lighter. When they finally headed back down the winding mountain roads, Emily kept her hands steady on the wheel, a quiet kind of pride blooming in her chest. They decided to stop for lunch on Lexford Boulevard again. Emily pulled into a spot near the restaurant. As she climbed out, a loose piece of gravel shifted under he
The next morning, Emily was about to grab her purse and head out—the interior designer from E International had texted, asking her to come by and check out the preliminary renovation plans for her personal design studio. She picked up her car keys from the counter—but her fingers hesitated. A small tremble ran through them. Just as she was about to tell the driver she might need him to take her instead, the distant growl of an engine caught her ear. Emily turned—and froze. A bright yellow SUV pulled into the driveway. The window rolled down. Adrian. He smiled lazily at her from behind the wheel.“Come see your new ride. Tell me if you like it.” Emily stared for a second, stunned. The SUV was wild and beautiful—bold yellow with clean, muscular lines that somehow managed to look both untamed and sophisticated. Even the rims were touched with a subtle, eye-catching gleam of color. Before she could find words, Adrian cut the engine, got out, and walked over. He pr
Adrian’s expression softened. He reached out, pulled her gently into his arms. She didn’t speak, not right away. Just breathed. Just trembled. He pressed a kiss to her hair. Then, quietly— “Sometimes the body remembers what the mind forgets. Especially when it’s something you weren’t ready to carry.” His thumb brushed along the back of her hand, grounding her. “Sometimes the mind tucks things away until it’s ready,”Adrian said softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face.“Especially when you’re that young. Four years old…most people don’t remember much.” “But something in you held onto it,”he added, his voice quiet but certain.“And whatever it was—whoever they were—you weren’t alone then.” He leaned closer, pressing a steady kiss to her temple. “And you’re not alone now,”he whispered.“Whatever you remember, whenever it comes back—I’ll be here. You don’t have to carry it