The silence wrapped around her like a heavy suffocating cloak. Eloise stood still in the dim light of the apartment, her heart locked in a whirlpool of emotions she couldn’t name. It wasn’t sadness alone that clung to her bones..... it was the sharp edge of a memory returned, one that hurt and healed at the same time. The past didn’t just drift back quietly; it surged through her veins like wildfire, igniting something she thought she’d buried deep beneath years of silence.She could still hear it — that voice, young and protective, soaked in ferocity. Richard’s voice, echoing in her mind like it had just happened yesterday.“If anyone dares to bother her again, I will kill them!”His words came from a place no one had seen — not even hers. They were raw, snarled through gritted teeth, thrown into the air like knives meant to defend, not harm. Back then, Richard had stood in front of her like a wall, a shield, a brother. And those wild eyes of his, lit with fury... they’d made her fee
Eloise’s footsteps halted the moment her eyes fell on the figure across the corridor, her heart hammering in her chest as if it recognized him before her mind could.Ainsley.But not the Ainsley she had come to know in the past few months—the gentle and quiet one who would warm her legs, make coffee for her, feed her stomach with warm soup. No. The man standing before her now was the cold, commanding Alpha from her darkest memories. The ruthless Alpha Williams. The ghost of her past had returned, not as a memory; but in flesh and blood.Eloise's lips parted slightly, but no words came. Her body froze. How long… how long had he been like this? How long had he remembered… and chosen not to tell me? Her stomach twisted. A choking mix of betrayal and disbelief clutched her throat.Ainsley tilted his head, his eyes narrowing with detached authority. "You have no say in Williams family matters."Ellison scoffed, stepping forward with thick defiance in his voice. "Ask Grandpa if he considers
That night, the amusement park sparkled like a galaxy of neon stars. Children ran past laughing, couples held hands under soft golden lights, and the scent of popcorn lingered in the air.Ainsley reached for Eloise’s hand, lacing their fingers together tightly. They boarded the Ferris wheel and ascended into the night.The city lights stretched below them, endless and beautiful. Ainsley looked at the stars and said, “I wish for Eloise to have a happy life.”Eloise turned to him. “That’s a sweet wish.”“I mean it.” He gazed at her. “No matter what happens.”Her throat tightened. She looked away, hiding the pain in her eyes.*******The sun was barely up when Eloise stepped into the underground parking lot of the Anthony Group building. The air was cold, filled with the smell of gasoline and concrete. Her heels clicked sharply against the cement floor as she walked toward the elevator, her eyes tired, and her body still sore from the night before. She didn't expect anything unusual—unti
Eloise's days were consumed by the second phase of the collaboration with Jack's company. Despite initial doubts, the partnership endured for a month. But Jack had vanished, leaving behind a void filled with unanswered questions.One afternoon, a knock on the door of the president's office interrupted her thoughts. Mandy entered, accompanied by an unexpected visitor."Eloise, how are you?" Michael greeted, his presence commanding yet familiar.Before Michael's arrival, Eloise had contemplated reaching out to Jack's subsidiary for further collaboration. But Michael's visit brought a different agenda.He handed her an envelope, its surface adorned with light blue lines, devoid of any signature or address.Eloise examined it, and then looked up at Michael. "Do you have a lighter?""Why?" he asked, handing it over.Without a word, she ignited the letter, watching as the flames consumed the paper. Michael's expression shifted, but he remained silent, observing the fire's dance reflected i
Eloise stood there for a long time, frozen in place. Her fingers were curled loosely around the doorknob, she whispered to herself, barely audible, “Come on, and just... move.”But her body didn’t listen. Only after what felt like an eternity did she finally open the door. Her knees bent stiffly as she picked up the takeout bag that had been sitting outside. The food had lost most of its warmth. “Mandy… thank you,” she murmured, even though the hallway was empty, and her voice bounced off the walls like a forgotten ghost.The weight of silence pressed into her as she stepped back inside. The door clicked shut. Time slipped away without meaning. She glanced out of the window and saw dusk bleeding across the sky. Her hand hovered over her phone. No messages. No missed calls. Not even from Jacob.A tight laugh escaped her lips. “Guess threats do work,” she said bitterly.Shoving the phone aside, she turned her attention to the papers on the table. Her eyes skimmed over them, seeing no
Early in the morning...Jacob, now fully awake, called Eloise. “Start talking, what the hell exactly did he do to you?” Jacob's voice came through the line, rough and impatient.But Eloise didn’t answer. Not right away. She stood frozen, her fingers clenched tightly around the phone. Her entire body tensed up as her mind screamed for all the reasons she couldn’t say out loud. Her throat closed off.Jacob's voice came again, quieter this time. “Eloise? Because I know it’s not just that he licked your mouth in your sleep. So spill it out”Then she exploded. “Just fucking forget it, Jacob!” she shouted, her voice sharp like shattered glass. “Come take your damn Alpha today! I swear to god, I never want to see that bastard again!”Ainsley's voice broke in from behind her, desperate. “Eloise… if you don’t like me kissing you, I promise I won’t ever do it again. Please… don’t send me away.”Her hand started to shake. Her skull throbbed like someone was driving a spike through it. Her knees
Eloise sat on the edge of the bed, her spine rigid, her fists gripping the sheets like they might tear. Her eyes were hollow, bloodshot from yet another sleepless night. Her mind was a battlefield, scattered memories, lies, and a face that refused to leave her thoughts.Ainsley.The sound of the door creaking open was subtle, but to Eloise, it hit like a bomb in the silence. She didn’t flinch, didn’t turn, didn’t even blink.She already knew who it was. She could feel his presence as clearly as the weight pressing against her chest. That boy—no, that man, who had no right to be lingering in her space, yet somehow, here he was again. He stepped inside, barefoot, clutching that same ridiculous blanket she’d taken to the living room. He moved slowly, like he was approaching a wild animal; uncertain, wary, ready to bolt.And yet… he didn’t stop.Ainsley looked at her from across the room, searching for her reaction like it was oxygen. But she gave him none.No words, No glares, No rejecti
At the airport, Eloise sat near the window, watching planes take off. Her phone buzzed again. This time it was Mandy.“Mandy,” she answered.“Boss? Are you okay?”“I’m coming back. Meet me at the office tomorrow. I’ll hand over the contract.”“So soon?” Mandy asked.“No need to wait.”Mandy paused for a second. “Pamela came by the office while you were gone. Said Richard’s sick. Asked if you’d donate.”“I know,” Eloise said coldly. “I just thought you should know.”Eloise smiled faintly. “Thanks, Mandy. I mean it.”She ended the call and stared out at the tarmac. The clouds were dark. The sky felt heavy. But for the first time in a long while, Eloise wasn’t afraid of the storm.She was the storm now. And Pamela? She’d just been caught in the eye of it.********The city was soaked in a blanket of cold midnight rain as Eloise stepped out of the terminal. Her heels clicked against the pavement, echoing into the wet night like bullets. The taxi waiting at the curb was almost invisible t
Outside, immediately after stepping out…..Eloise leaned back against the cold brick wall of the building, letting out a shaky breath. The night air slapped her face, sharp and bitter, but it was better than being inside. Her legs felt weak. Her arms wrapped around her chest as if shielding herself from the past that was clawing its way back.What if I could go back in time? She thought bitterly. What if I could choose again?She scoffed aloud, her phone buzzed. She looked at the screen and saw that it was a call from a strange number. She hesitated, almost rejected it. But her thumb slipped.“Why haven’t you been answering my calls?” Pamela’s shrill voice exploded from the speaker. "You blocked my number, didn’t you? That’s heartless! Richard has leukemia, Eloise! Are you really going to just stand by and let your brother die?”Eloise’s mouth parted in stunned silence. That voice, one she hadn’t heard in years, pierced through her like a jagged blade. It brought back memories of bein