Allison leaned back in her chair, a slow, satisfied smile spreading across her lips as she observed David’s growing frustration. The way his jaw tightened, his fingers clenching slightly around his fork, made her realize just how much Emma’s words had gotten under his skin. Perfect. It was just perfect!And since she was already enjoying the show, why not fan the flames a little more? "Wouldn’t it be so nice if Emma and her boyfriend got married soon?" Allison said in an overly sweet tone, casting a sly glance at David before shifting her gaze back to Emma. "I mean, you’ve finally moved on. Isn’t that wonderful?" Emma barely had time to open her mouth before a loud bang echoed through the room. David had slammed his hand onto the table. The dining room went silent. Every pair of eyes turned to him, and David himself looked stunned, as if realizing only now what he had done. His fingers flexed, and he quickly withdrew his hand, clearing his throat to mask his embarrassment.
Christian sat in his office, eyes fixed on his laptop screen as he scrolled through pages of reports. The past few weeks had been a whirlwind—work, meetings, strategy sessions—everything demanded his attention, leaving him with little time to breathe. He barely noticed the days slipping away, blending into one another like a never-ending loop. Just as he was reviewing another proposal, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen—his friends were calling. "Hey, man, what’s up?" Christian answered, rubbing his temples. "Busy, as always," his friend, Mark, said with a knowing tone. "Come on, Christian, you need a break. We're hitting the club tonight, and you're coming with us." Christian sighed. "I don't know, guys. I’ve got a ton of work—" "Work will still be there tomorrow," another friend, Jake, interrupted. "Come out, have a few drinks, relax. You need it." Christian hesitated for a moment. They were right. He had been drowning himself in work for too long. Maybe a little b
Christian’s breath hitched for a second. His body stiffened as his mind registered the woman in his arms. Allison.He wanted to say her name, wanted to ask what she was doing there, but he stopped himself. His throat tightened as confusion settled in. “What was my late brother’s widow doing in my arms?” he thought to himself.He had been making investigations about her, digging up one of two information and strategically planning on how to meet and confront her. He just didn't expect that the would officially meet like this…in a place like this.He glanced around, wondering if she'd come to the bar with David, but he saw no sign of him anywhere. His grip loosened slightly, and Allison took the chance to steady herself, stepping back just enough to look up at him. She caught the way his expression shifted, filled with shock, disbelief, maybe even something else—and inwardly, she smirked. To Christian, it was a moment of confusion, but to Allison, it was a victory. She assumed he m
Christian led Allison through the crowded club until they reached his table. His friends, already deep in conversation, looked up as they approached."Guys," Christian started, placing a hand lightly on Allison’s back, "Meet my new friend…"Allison flashed them a charming smile, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she introduced herself. "Hi, I'm Rachael. It’s nice to meet you all.”Christian’s eyes narrowed slightly the moment Allison introduced herself with a fake name. Rachael?A sneer tugged at the corner of his lips, but he quickly masked it. So, she was playing games. That much was clear. His suspicions grew stronger. If she had nothing to hide, why lie about her name? Allison was definitely up to something. Still, he didn’t call her out. Instead, he decided to play along. "Well, Rachael," he said, his voice holding the slightest edge of amusement, "these are my friends—Jake and Mark." He gestured at each of them as he introduced them, and they nodded in greeting.
Allison glanced at Christian, truly taking in his features for the first time. He was incredibly handsome—strong jawline, piercing eyes, broad shoulders. There was no denying it. Emma really did have great taste in men. Just then, Christian’s deep voice cut through her thoughts. “What are you thinking about?” Before she could react, Christian’s fingers gently lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. His touch was light, almost teasing. Allison blinked, feigning innocence. “Oh… it’s...its nothing.” But then, she quickly decided to add another layer to her act. She lowered her lashes and let out a small sigh. “I was just thinking about how I don’t want to go home,” she murmured. “I have a… really crazy boyfriend.” Christian’s brows lifted slightly. “Crazy boyfriend?” She nodded, biting her lip for dramatic effect. “Yeah… that’s actually why I came to the bar. To clear my head.” Christian leaned back, watching her carefully. Crazy boyfriend? Was she talking abou
The hotel room was silent, but the tension in the air was thick. Allison felt like the walls were closing in on her, but she forced herself to stay calm.She had expected this night to go differently. Everything had been planned perfectly. She was supposed to be in control. But now, as she stood there, staring at the man sitting in front of her, a cold shiver ran down her spine.What was he doing here? How did he find her? Most importantly…what the hell was he doing with Emma's boyfriend?The older man had sharp eyes that held a knowing look, like he had been waiting for this moment. His presence alone made her feel trapped.Christian’s voice cut through the silence. “Do you know this man?”Her eyes darted from Christian to the older man sitting across the room, trying to understand the relationship between the two of them. The old man's sharp eyes bored into her, searching, waiting.Christian leaned forward, his eyes dark with something unreadable. “Do you know this man, Rachael?” h
Darkness surrounded her. A faint voice echoed in the void, calling her name. “Allison…” At first, it was distant, like a whisper carried by the wind. Then it grew clearer. Someone was calling her. A light tap on her cheek followed. “Allison.” The touch jolted her back to reality. Her eyelids fluttered open, and the blurry figure hovering above her slowly came into focus. Christian.He was staring down at her, his sharp features impassive, his expression unreadable. “You decided to go all Sleeping Beauty on me,” he said dryly, amusement flickering in his voice. “Turns out, that’s not going to save you.” Allison blinked rapidly, her mind struggling to catch up. For a few seconds, she simply stared at him, dazed. Then everything came rushing back—the confrontation, the revelation, the sheer terror that had paralyzed her. Christian was her brother-in-law!She jerked upright, her heart hammering against her ribs. Her eyes darted around the room, searching for an escape rout
Silence stretched between them. Allison’s stomach twisted. She clenched her fists as Christian’s words hung in the air. Her heart pounded—not from fear, but from the weight of the choice she had to make. She felt trapped, with no way out. She had married into the Muller family because of her pregnancy, and when her husband died, she received a large inheritance because of Henry. That money gave her security—a future. If she admitted that Henry was Nathaniel’s son, Christian would take him away. And if that happened, she would lose everything she had built with David. But if she said Henry was David’s son, she would lose all that inheritance. And to think that David only stayed with her because of Henry. Her son was her only source of power in the Lawson family. Without Henry, what did she have? Nothing. She had spent years securing her place beside David, making sure he saw her as the mother of his child. That title gave her status—a reason for him to keep her close. If
Emma sighed, knowing she couldn't pretend or hide her feelings from the one person that knew her too well."Sophie… I’ve been through a lot. That kind of heartbreak changes you. Love? Love is a luxury I can’t afford anymore."Sophie remained silent, listening with quiet intensity. Emma looked up, her voice soft but steady."Christian is good to me. He’s amazing with Claire. He’s kind. Loyal. I’ve known him forever. I trust him, and I think that’s more than enough."She took another sip of her wine, her eyes lowered. "I just want peace. Stability. No more heartbreaks or pain. No more chaos. If being with him brings me that, then I’ll take it."Sophie finally spoke, her voice calm but filled with concern. "Emma, I know everything you’ve been through. But... was it necessary to take your relationship with Christian to another level? The man has been by your side ever since, regardless of your relationship with him. I don't think—"Emma exhaled slowly, placing the glass on the table. Her
Emma stood near the arrival gate, her eyes scanning every figure that emerged. Her heart raced with anticipation. It had been years. Years since she last saw Sophie.And then, there she was.Tall, elegant, and striking in her simple cream coat and black jeans, Sophie walked with the kind of grace that naturally drew attention. Emma gasped softly, the years falling away like dust.Their eyes met. Without thinking, they both ran to each other like two magnets pulled by a force stronger than time."Sophie!""Emma!"They crashed into each other's arms, hugging so tightly as if afraid one might vanish again. Tears pooled in Emma's eyes, and she squeezed her best friend even tighter."You have no idea how much I missed you," she whispered.When they finally pulled away, Sophie tilted her head and gave a teasing smile. "Wait, Emma... are you crying?"Emma playfully smacked Sophie’s arm and turned her face slightly. "Oh, shut up. I'm not crying.""Really?" Sophie said, and turned to quickly w
"Claire, don’t forget to put your lunch bag in the car," Emma called out from the kitchen as she zipped up her bag."Already did, Mom!" Claire shouted back from the living room, hopping around with her little pink backpack.Emma suddenly heard the front door open. She assumed it must be Claire, already heading to the car to wait for her.She smiled faintly and wiped her hands on a towel.Just as she turned to grab her keys from the counter, she felt a familiar pair of arms wrap around her waist from behind. She stiffened slightly, caught off guard."Good morning," Christian murmured softly into her hair, his breath warm against her neck as he planted a soft kiss on her neck.Emma closed her eyes for a moment. "Hey... you're early.""Wanted to see you before I headed out to work," he said, his arms holding her a little tighter. "How’s work been these past few days? I'm sorry I've been so occupied with work these days."Emma smiled. "It’s fine, I understand. Work has been okay. I mean,
After finishing their drink, Max leaned back in his chair and checked the time."Oh man. I have an early morning meeting," he said, pushing his chair back and reaching for his jacket. "Gotta head home now."David gave him a short nod and a half-smile. "No worries. Thanks for tonight.""You guys take care," Max said as he patted Felix on the shoulder and gave David a nod. A few seconds later, he exited the dimly lit lounge and headed for the parking lot.Felix turned to David, who had been relatively quiet for the past ten minutes, staring into the near-empty glass in front of him."I'm going to use the restroom quickly," Felix said, standing up. "Wait for me here. I'll drop you home."“I'd rather wait outside. I could use some fresh air anyway."“Alright. That sounds cool. I'll be with you shortly.”Felix walked off without thinking much of it. The night had just been…uneventful so far— especially when he had gotten the message an hour earlier, before they headed to the bar, about Gav
Dr. Allen adjusted his glasses as he removed the stethoscope from David’s chest. A small, satisfied smile curled his lips as he read the vitals on the monitor beside the bed.“Well, I must say,” he began, scribbling something on his clipboard, “you’ve responded remarkably well to treatment, David. Much better than expected.”David, still seated upright in his hospital bed, gave a faint smile. “That means I’m finally getting out of here?”Dr. Allen chuckled. “That’s exactly what it means. I’m officially discharging you today.”David sighed in relief. It had been weeks of pain, rehabilitation, and heavy silence. The idea of leaving those sterile hospital walls felt like finally breathing after being underwater.“However,” Dr. Allen added, his tone firm, “there are some things you must avoid for now if you want to make a full recovery. No carrying anything heavy, no sudden strenuous movement, no driving yet, and definitely no alcohol.”David raised both hands in surrender. “Got it. No he
"I'm just tired, Sophie," Emma admitted, leaning her head back against the wall. "I don't even know what I'm doing anymore. Everything feels like it's spinning, and I can't catch my breath."Emma sat on the edge of her bed, her phone pressed tightly to her ear. Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke, though she tried to keep it steady.Sophie, on the other end of the line, responded gently. "Emma, calm down, okay? Take a deep breath. Everything will be fine."Emma let out a hollow laugh. "You always say that. But things aren’t the same as before, Sophie. Ever since you moved overseas, everything changed. I feel like I lost one of the few people who actually understood me."Sophie sighed. "I know. I miss you too, Em. But you have to stay strong. For Claire, at least. She needs you more than anyone. You have to find a way to completely move on. Let go of him."Emma's voice grew quieter. "I have, Sophie, I have. I just….I honestly wasn’t thinking straight when I sent those messages to
David stood motionless in the middle of the hospital parking lot, watching the tail lights of Christian's car disappear into the distance, taking Emma with them. His heart felt like it had been ripped apart and left open in the cold. The wind picked up again, fluttering his shirt, but he didn’t feel it. Not really. Not when the weight of those messages he had once thought were filled with hope had now become a cruel reminder of what he had lost.Slowly, he turned away, each step heavier than the last. He didn’t know where he was going, didn’t even care. His body just moved, his feet dragging him forward, down streets he didn't recognize, past people he didn't see. All the while, his mind played the memory of Emma's voice again and again."I thought I was texting Christian."Those words. That mistake. That accidental plea for help that had revived the hope in his heart only to crush it completely.By the time David became aware of his surroundings, he had already left the hospital gro
David froze when he saw that several text notifications had suddenly appeared at the top of the screen.And they were all from Emma.One by one, he opened them.Emma: Where are you?Emma: Please...Emma: Can you come?Emma: I'm really scared right now.Emma: Please...Emma: I don’t know who else to call.Emma: Are you coming?Emma: Please answer me...Emma: Are you there?Emma: I need you.He stared. Stared like the wind had been knocked out of him. The silence of the hospital room suddenly felt deafening.Ten messages.All from Emma.His fingers trembled as he held the phone. His breathing became shallow. Every part of him froze, as though struck by lightning. He blinked, but the messages remained on the screen.What happened to Emma?!His mind was full of questions he couldn’t answer. But then something hit him…Emma had texted him.When she was afraid.When she didn't know who else to call.She had thought of him first.A wave of emotion surged through him—disbelief, hope, relief,
David walked slowly into his hospital room, his eyes dull, his steps heavy. His two closest friends, Max and Felix, stood up from the chairs near his bed the moment they saw him."There you are!" Max said, walking toward him. "We were just about to go look for you. Where the hell did you go? Why did you leave your room in your condition?""Yeah, man, we came in and didn’t find anyone here. Not even Allison," Felix added. "The guards outside said you left without telling them where you went. We’ve been really worried."David didn’t answer. He didn’t even acknowledge their presence. He just walked slowly toward his bed and sat down, staring blankly ahead.The two friends exchanged glances."David," Max said carefully, bending down a bit so he could meet David’s eyes. "What’s going on with you? You okay? Did something happen?"Still no reply.Felix pulled a chair closer and sat beside the bed. "Talk to us, man. We’re not just here to visit. We’re your friends. You can tell us anything."