LOGINJasonMy phone buzzed in the cup holder and I glanced down at the notification while keeping one hand on the steering wheel.DEBIT ALERT: $100,000.00What the hell? I grabbed the phone and unlocked it with my thumb just as another notification appeared on the screen.DEBIT ALERT: $250,000.00My stomach dropped and I swerved the Mercedes to the side of the road as a third alert came through before I could process the first two.DEBIT ALERT: $300,000.00Six hundred and fifty thousand dollars in less than ten minutes. I scrolled through my banking app with shaking hands and saw transaction after transaction from luxury boutiques, designer stores, and high end jewelry shops all over the city.All charged to Chloe's supplementary card.What was she doing? What could she possibly be buying that cost this much money? I had told her to go shopping, not to purchase half of Rodeo Drive. Did she not understand that we were on the verge of financial collapse or did she simply not care?I pulled b
MitchelleI stood frozen outside Mallory's office door with my hand still raised from where I had been about to knock. The voices inside had gone quiet and I realized I didn't want to walk into that room and pretend I hadn't heard every venomous word Mallory had just spoken about me.I turned around and walked back to my small glass office with my heart pounding against my ribs. I closed the door behind me and pulled out my phone with shaking hands.Danika answered on the second ring with her usual cheerful energy."Hey girl! How was the wedding?" she questioned immediately. "I'm so sorry I haven't called since yesterday, I've been absolutely buried in case files and depositions.""It's completely fine," I replied while sinking into my desk chair and staring at the mountain of proposals still waiting for me. "We announced our marriage and you needed to see the look on Chloe and Jason's faces. Even Diana couldn't handle it, she looked like she was going to have a stroke right there in
JasonThe silence in the car was heavy enough to suffocate, but Chloe’s profile remained stone-cold as she stared out the passenger window. I pulled the Mercedes into the driveway and barely had the engine off before she was out of the door and marching toward the house without a single word."Chloe, please just talk to me," I called out as I scrambled to catch up with her in the foyer.She didn't stop until she reached the master suite, where she began pulling off her jewelry with jerky, agitated movements. I stood in the doorway watching her and felt the familiar weight of failure settling in my gut."I am so sorry about the way today went, I never intended for us to spend our first day as a married couple arguing," I stated while stepping toward her.My phone vibrated in my pocket and the caller ID showed Vincent’s name for the third time in an hour. I reached for the end call button immediately, but Chloe’s eyes caught the screen before I could hide it."Our honeymoon is already a
MitchelleAfter our bath and breakfast, I got dressed to begin my internship at my husband’s company.I smoothed down my navy blazer for the third time as Dorian's car pulled into the underground parking lot of Roth Empire headquarters. I had faced Jason's cruelty for three years, attended his wedding in front of hundreds of people, and stolen half a million dollars from his safe, but somehow walking into this glass tower as an intern made my palms sweat."You'll be fine," Dorian stated as he turned off the engine. "You're brilliant and you know how to handle proposals better than half the people in that building.""I've never worked in a corporate environment like this," I replied while gathering my leather portfolio. "Writing proposals from home is completely different from being part of an actual team."What if I failed? What if everyone saw me as just the boss's wife playing at having a career? What if Dorian regretted bringing me here?"Stop overthinking," Dorian ordered as he op
MitchelleI woke up to find Dorian already undressing from his pajamas by the mirror."You're leaving for work already?" I questioned as I stretched under the covers."I have back to back meetings all day," he replied while checking his phone. "The merger with the Singapore investors needs my attention."I sat up and pulled the duvet closer to my chest."Don't go, stay in bed with me," I stated.Dorian turned around slowly and stared at me like I had just spoken in a foreign language. He walked closer to the bed and sat on the edge with his eyebrows raised."Are you in love with me?" he questioned."Hell no," I replied immediately. "I just don't want to be lonely in this huge house all by myself, that's all."I was not in love with Dorian Roth. I just enjoyed his company and the way he made me laugh and the way he looked at me like I was the most fascinating person in the world. That wasn't love.Dorian burst out laughing and stood up from the bed pointing at me like a child who had w
JasonThe phone wouldn't stop ringing.I peeled my eyes open, my skull split like someone had taken an axe to it. The study came into focus in blurry fragments, the empty whiskey bottle still clutched in my hand, my shirt wrinkled and reeking of alcohol. I reached for my phone, squinting at the screen. Mum.After Chloe left, I fell asleep on the desk of my study sipping a glass of Whiskey."Hello?" My voice came out hoarse."Jason, where the hell are you?"I sat up slowly, as the room spun . "I'm at home, Mum. Why, what's the problem?""Really? You're at home when your pregnant wife disappeared with your unborn baby on your wedding night?"My blood went cold. How did she know? I opened my mouth but nothing came out, my brain scrambled for an explanation that wouldn't make me sound like the world's biggest failure."I... Mum, listen, I can explain...""Save it. Get to my house immediately. Chloe is here and she's safe. We need to talk about things."The line went dead before I could re
JasonI picked up my phone and dialed HR before I could change my mind about replacing the irreplaceable."Terrence, I need you to advertise a vacancy immediately," I announced when he answered. "Business Proposal Specialist, senior level, someone exceptional.""Actually sir, I know a few professi
MitchelleThe bathroom floor was cold against my knees as another wave of cramping tore through my abdomen, and I gripped the toilet seat tighter as liquid poured from my body in ways I couldn't control. My intestines felt like they were being twisted and wrung out by invisible hands, each cramp wa
MitchelleI stood in front of the full length mirror and smoothed my hands down the red dress that hugged every curve of my body, and the fabric stopped just above my knees in a way that was elegant but daring. I twisted my hair into a sleek bun that showed off my neck and collarbones, and I applie
JasonI pulled into the police station parking lot and gripped the steering wheel tighter as I tried to calm my racing thoughts. Detective Morris had called three hours ago requesting my presence for questioning, and I had spent every minute since then trying to figure out what they knew and how mu







