MasukThe day had finally arrived: Eric’s birthday.
I had spent the last few hours finalizing the decorations. I chose a theme of gold and black—classic, timeless, and sophisticated, just like the man himself. The greenhouse had been transformed. Fairy lights twinkled against the glass panes, reflecting off the gold streamers like fallen stars. I could already imagine the look on his face, that rare, genuine smile I worked so hard to earn.“No... no, that goeTrue to Sebastian’s words, Autumn had stayed at home for the past couple of days just to recuperate. The fear of her almost-miscarriage hung over her like a dark cloud, a constant reminder of how fragile the life inside her truly was. She didn't want to take any chances. She had focused most of her time on the quiet corners of the house, spending her hours reading or sleeping, trying to drown out the noise of her crumbling world with the silence of rest.She was currently tucked away in the sunroom, the afternoon light filtering through the glass, warming her skin but doing little to thaw the coldness in her chest.“You seem to be getting better,” Chloe said to her. They were alone in the quiet confines of the room, the only sound being the rustle of pages.“Yeah, I have been actively trying to avoid anything that would be a cause of stress for me,” Autumn said. She didn't look up from her book, her voice clipped. She was trying to put a premature end to the conversation before it cou
Eric’s POV“Thank you, Eric, for spending the entire day with me,” Sophia chirped beside him as they sat in the backseat. Outside, the world was a blur; the car skidded on the road, leaving nothing but dust and dirt in its wake as the drive pushed forward.“It’s nothing,” Eric replied back indifferently. He didn't even look at her, his gaze fixed firmly on the window, brushing off her gratitude like it was a minor inconvenience.“Of course it’s something,” she said, her voice dropping as she feigned being hurt at his cold response. “You spent the entire day with me today because I told you it’s my birthday and it was what I wanted. Most men wouldn't do that.” She smiled sweetly at him, shifting closer. “Of course I would be thankful for that gesture.” She reached out, taking his hand into hers.Sighing, he didn't pull away, but he didn't squeeze back either. “It’s the least I could do. Your entire family is abroad and you are here because I asked you to be,” he said to her, his voice
I open my eyes and the first thing that it saw was a pure stark white ceiling, nothing else, not more. Just a vast, empty white that made my head spin even more.‘Was I in heaven?’ I thought to myself. The silence was heavy, broken only by the faint hum of a machine somewhere nearby.The last thing I remembered before falling unconscious was… everything. The office, the documents, Sebastian’s voice telling me things I didn’t want to hear. The name Sophia.Ahh.My head hurt. It felt like there was a sledgehammer hitting it, over and over. I couldn’t think straight, and my eyes felt hot and painful to see. Every time I tried to focus on a single spot on that white ceiling, the heat behind my eyelids intensified. I felt like I was going to vomit at this; the feeling was so overwhelming that I had to swallow hard just to keep my stomach down.I tried to get up from the bed, wanting to get out of here. This place smelled too much like chemicals. But to no avail, I just fell back down. My m
After Eric’s stunt with my bank accounts a few days ago, I had dived headfirst into my work. I refused to let his petty, controlling nature consume my thoughts. If he wanted a war of attrition, I would give him one, but I wouldn’t do it while sitting at home and crying.True to his word, he had frozen every single one of my primary accounts. Following my discussion with Sebastian, I had gone to the bank to attempt a reactivation of my old student account—a relic from my university days that I hoped to use to wire my paychecks. But even there, I was met with a wall of polite, corporate resistance. The clerk told me, with an apologetic wince, that the account had been flagged and frozen after they received authorization from the higher-ups.I knew it was his doing. There was nobody else with that kind of reach, that kind of cold, calculated precision. But as I sat in my office, one thing remained unclear. Why was he doing it ‘this’ way?If he had the power to force me to quit, why not j
Autumn’s POVMy ears rang. The world seemed to tilt on its axis as his words finally registered, cold and sharp like a blade.“Excuse me?” I managed to choke out. I couldn't form any other coherent sentence that didn't involve me saying something I knew I wouldn’t be able to take back.“You heard me,” Eric replied, his voice devoid of any warmth. “I froze your cards.” He repeated the words slowly, as if he were explaining a simple concept to a child who was refusing to understand.“Why?” It was all I could manage to say. I felt defeated, hollowed out by the sheer audacity of his actions. I couldn’t understand why—how—he could do such a thing to his own wife.“Because I am fulfilling exactly what you said,” he retorted.“What are you talking about?” I asked, dumbfounded. Sometimes, I truly didn’t understand how this man’s brain worked. It was like he lived in a completely different reality where cruelty was a logical response to a
Sebastian’s POVTHE NIGHT BEFOREThe cool night air drifted through the clearing, bringing a tranquility that had nothing to do with peace for those sitting there. While Autumn and Eric were having their explosive showdown in the mansion, another connection was supposedly blossoming elsewhere—two people finding each other and getting lost within themselves. Or so it seemed.“Sorry I’m late,” a figure said, her voice soft as she approached the table.Sebastian looked up from the menu, his face immediately shifting into a welcoming mask. “Hey,” he said, his voice dropping into a low, gravitating register. “You’re not late. I was just early.”He stood up with practiced grace, pulling out her chair and adjusting it carefully as she sat.“You are such a gentleman, Sebastian,” Chloe cooed, fixing him with a soft, shy glance that spoke volumes of her naivety.“When a beautiful woman graces me with her presence, I could be nothing less,” he said, staring intently into her eyes, making sure hi
THE SUNROOM"Autumn Martins?" someone murmured, testing the name on their tongue like it was a piece of spoiled fruit."Who the hell is Autumn Martins?" another cousin asked, looking around the room as if the answer might be written on the expensive wall lined with intricate paints."Uncle, this mu
"Are you alright?"I heard Eric’s voice, low and rumbling, but it sounded like it was coming from underwater. My mind was somewhere else, replaying the look of pure hatred on Chloe’s face. The slamming door echoed in my ears, louder than any thunder.How could I lose the one most important person i
The Kingston estate was quiet, settling into the heavy,silence of the late evening. While the rest of the household was occupied—Autumn likely wallowing in her room after her failed escape attempt, and Eric out conducting whatever secret business he had suddenly prioritized—Eleanor seized her oppor
THE KINGSTON ESTATEThe morning sun streamed through the high arched windows of the main dining hall, illuminating a scene of calculated perfection. Because of the upcoming wedding—though most guests assumed it was merely a gala—numerous family members from different states and branches of the King







