Mag-log in“Sister-in-law... who was that man who dropped you off?”Sophia’s voice was like honey poured over a razor blade. I turned toward her, giving her the nastiest glare I could muster. She was standing in the center of the foyer, looking entirely too comfortable in my home.“Sister-in-law, does Bro not satisfy you anymore?” she added, gasping dramatically with her hand covering her mouth as if she’d stumbled upon a scandalous secret. “Is that why you’re taking late-night rides with strangers?”The sheer nerve of her. The absolute, unadulterated audacity. “Are you so shameless that you assume everyone is as filthy as you are?” I said, my voice cutting through the air like a knife. I didn't care about being polite anymore. My marriage was on life support, and I wasn't going to let this parasite pick at the remains.“Sister-in-law, what are you talking about?” Her smile faltered for a fraction of a second, her eyes darting to Eric before she regained her composure. “Me and Bro are just frien
I stepped into the building with a somber expression that felt like a permanent mask. I tried my best to interact with the other employees, offering small nods and forced smiles, but it was like they could sense the radioactive cloud of my mood. They gave me a wide berth, sensing that I wasn't in the spirit for the usual morning pleasantries.The weekend had been a grueling exercise in faking it. I’d spent Saturday bonding with my son, trying to lose myself in his laughter and the simple logic of fishing, but my mind was a million miles away. Sunday had been even worse, spent with Chloe. I tried to be in high spirits, but both of them could see right through my bullshit. They chose not to say anything, but the silence was heavy.I knew Chloe sensed the tectonic plates of my marriage shifting. She stayed out of it, refusing to pick a side, but her quiet withdrawal told me exactly whose "side" she was in at that moment. You could never outrun blood, no matter how muc
“Didn’t I ask you a question?”He roared out. The sound vibrated in the space of the bedroom, shattering the calm I’d tried to build in the shower. I stood there, frozen like a deer in headlights, the damp towel suddenly feeling like lead against my skin. This was not how I wanted this to go. I had planned for a conversation, a bridge back to "us." Instead, I was staring at a bridge that was currently being burned to the ground.“Autumn, am I not speaking to you, or have you suddenly gone mute?” He moved faster than I could track, his hand seizing my arm. His grip was a vice, a physical manifestation of the control he was losing over the situation.I was suddenly afraid. Not just of his anger, but of the realization that I didn’t know this man as well as I thought. “It’s a compliance firm,” I managed to stutter out. I tried to sound convincing, tried to sound brave but it was mostly for my own benefit. I sounded small. I hated it.“A compliance firm. And let me guess—Sebastian Thorne
I stared absentmindedly at my computer screen, the flickering cursor mocking my lack of productivity. My thoughts kept reversing back to Eric’s behavior from yesterday—the cold, calculated way he’d dismantled Eleanor until she ran away like she’d seen a ghost. I’d seen him angry before, but that? That was a different beast. It was a predator asserting dominance without even raising his voice.I ran my hand through my hair, a habit I’d been repeating all morning until my scalp felt raw. One thing was for sure: I didn’t want to be on the receiving end of that particular brand of fury.But even as the fear prickled at my skin, a deeper, more jagged resentment was taking root. I was already contemplating this entire marriage. Yes, I loved him—God help me, I did—but I was never going to play second fiddle to some "pick-me" bitch like Sophia. The necklace he’d given her, the house he’d provided... It was the last straw. The dismissive way he’d acted lately sealed it for me. I felt like a tr
Eleanor’s POVEleanor arrived at the Kingston estate, the grand architecture and manicured lawns bringing a bitter taste to her mouth. She had made a promise to herself that she wouldn’t ever appear in this building again, not unless it was to witness their total downfall. Every pillar and gold-leafed detail reminded her of the power she used to wield and the brother who had systematically stripped it away.But here she was. Of all places, she had to come crawling back to the lion's den.(Flashback)Eleanor sat in her plush leather chair in her office, the silence in the room felt suffocating. She stared out the window, listening as her assistant, Jared, delivered the news. His voice was trembling.“Madam, the lawyer called... he wanted to deliver the news on the verdict personally,” Jared said, bracing for impact as if she might throw something at him. “He said we lost, ma’am. The judge was firm. We are ordered to pay about 10 billion in damages from the multiple lawsuits filed again
“What are you doing here?” she asked. I stared at her like a deer caught in headlights. What was she doing here? I should be asking that question.“What are you doing ‘here ?” I asked her, instead.“Are you flipping the question on me?” she huffed. “I asked you first.”“Can we go somewhere more private?” I suggested, my heart hammering.“You better have a good reason as to why you are there,” she said, her eyes narrowing into slits.We got into the car she came with. I tried to relax, but I couldn't. I was on edge due to the hunger and Chloe finding out; if she knew, Eric would too. I gave the address for an oriental restaurant that served really good food—it was what I was craving. We stepped into the restaurant and found a quiet corner booth to sit.“Okay, spill everything,” she commanded. I did, as the dishes were being served while I stuffed my face full of food.“Are you sure this thing is real?” she said, staring at me skeptically.“Why would I lie to you, Chloe?”She raised an
The " Neon Light" motel she described was even grimmer up close. It was nearly midnight by the time Eric’s tires screeched into the cracked asphalt lot. The place looked like it had seen better days decades ago; now, it was just a graveyard for broken dreams and people who were hiding from life and
The iron gates of the main Kingston estate groaned open, welcoming us into the heart of the empire. I had been nervous since we left our home, my palms slightly damp against my silk skirt. But beneath the nerves, there was a spark of excitement. I wanted Finn to see this. I wanted him to understand
The morning sun filtered through the high windows of the estate, casting long, golden rectangles across the breakfast table. It was the first morning since the hospital that the air felt light. "Chloe, this will help you feel better," I said, gently setting down a bowl of special steaming porridge
It had been two days since the wedding fiasco. Two days of radio silence from the outside world.While the media was undoubtedly setting itself on fire—speculating about Chloe, Fin, and Kingston Dynasty—we had been tucked away in the safety of the Headinberg estate. Eric had decided to work from ho







