LOGIN“This should do it… how does it look?” Zara held up two fabric swatches, eyes bright despite the exhaustion showing on her face. Beside the cart, Kaden groaned and slumped against the metal bar as if her bones had given up. “Woman, don’t you ever get tired?” Kaden muttered, pointing blindly at the velvet swatch. “Six hours, Zara. You’re still standing. I’m literally melting.” She flashed her wrist. 6:00 PM. “I need to get this right. It’s important.” Zara shoved both swatches into the overflowing cart before Kaden could argue. Kaden crossed her arms. “You need a distraction... from what? A week of caffeine and stubbornness isn’t normal. What you need is a mind-numbing distraction…. Preferably the kind that involves taking your clothes off.” Zara’s cheeks flared. She smacked Kaden’s arm. “Shut up! We’re in public!” “Oh please...the cashier doesn’t care.” Kaden smirked, pushing the cart to checkout. "Andy and I have a runaway tradition.” Zara dropped heavy curtain rods on t
Zara didn’t know lunch with Henry and Chance would feel like sitting between two thunderstorms. Especially not with Chance across from her, his eyes locked on her like he was trying to memorize every twitch of her mouth. She knew that look. The one that said he’d burn the whole place down if she so much as breathed wrong.The moment her plate was half empty, she was on her feet, mumbling something about a call she had to take, about files in Kaden’s office. Anything to escape the weight of their stares. She fled, leaving the two men alone with the wreckage of her half-eaten food and the silence she’d been too scared to sit through.Back at the table, the air went still. The kind of still that made the clink of plates sound like gunshots.Henry folded his linen napkin slowly, deliberately, each crease precise like he was buying time. He didn’t look up at first. When he finally spoke, his voice was ice dragged over steel.“You're not good for her, Chance.”Chance stopped with the glass
Chance yanked the door open with the kind of scowl that could sour milk, expecting Zara’s wild hair and sharper tongue. Instead he got two strangers and a toolbox. “Hello, I’m Alan, Ms. Zara hired me,” the boy with thick glasses and a nervous wave chirped like he’d rehearsed it in the mirror. “Hey Chance, we’re here to finish up,” Jenny added, already bouncing on her heels like this was a field trip. Chance dragged his eyes over both of them, slow and unimpressed, cataloging the paint splatters on their jeans and the way Alan’s glasses kept sliding down his nose.“And where’s your boss?” His voice dropped low, the kind of quiet that made people answer faster.Jenny and Alan shared a look, the kind people share when they’re about to lie badly. “She had some errands,” Jenny said, too bright, too fast. “But we’re here to finish the job.” Alan nodded like his life depended on it.Chance didn’t wait. He turned on his heel and walked back inside, the sound of their equipment clattering b
Tears burned Zara’s face before she realized she was crying, and when she tried to stand, her legs buckled. She hit the floor with the laptop still clutched in her hands. It slammed down so hard the sound rolled through the house like a gunshot. Chance heard it and dropped everything he was doing without thinking and sprinted into the living room, his chest tight. “Zara” He hit his knees in front of her, hands flying to her face. She shoved him back with both palms, curling tighter around her knees until she looked small enough to disappear.“I can’t… I can’t run anymore,” she whispered, and the words broke in the middle. Her whole body shook, teeth chattering, shoulders jerking with every breath she couldn’t seem to catch. Chance reached for her anyway, and she felt his fingers tremble against her back like he was scared she’d fall apart if he held too tight.“Baby, talk to me. What did you see? What’s wrong?” His voice stayed low, but she couldn’t answer. Every time she opened her
After a long day at work, Zara didn’t dare call Chance like his text said. She called Frank instead. He drove her and Ivy to the supermarket to get more groceries, then dropped them at home.“You’re so sick… don’t do that to him… he’s too innocent,” Zara chuckled, stepping out of the taxi with bags in her arms while holding the phone against her ear with the other hand. Ivy was already in the yard.“Thank you, Frank,” Zara muttered as he handed her the last bag.“Have fun on your date… and don’t worry, Ivy’s fine… just enjoy yourself, girl,” she said with a laugh before hanging up. Kaden was something else, she was planning a seductive night for Andy. All about sex and stuff Zara regretted hearing.Her smile dropped the second she saw him. Tall. Arms crossed. Waiting on her porch.“You can leave it here. I’ll help her,” Chance told Frank, blocking his path.“Y-yes,” Frank stammered, dropping the bags. Chance picked them up.“What’s all this?” Zara snapped, meeting him at the door. Ivy
Chance didn’t know why his thumb was hovering over the accept button on his phone. Nick's eyes narrowed, trying to see who was calling to put Chance in such a state, but Chance immediately declined the call and shoved the device into his pocket.“Leave now,” Chance said. His tone had calmed, but his voice was low, carrying an authority that Nick knew all too well he had no choice but to obey.“We need you home, sir…” Nick said hesitantly.Chance ran his hands through his hair, turning to look at Nick with frightening, bloodshot eyes. “I'm done with your family. Scram.” Chance let out a low growl and began to walk away.Nick spoke up again. “Who is she? You know the rules, sir… you can't.”The words brought Chance to a sudden halt. His hands balled into tight fists, veins popping out against his skin, before he silently strode away. Nick shook his head, pulling out his phone to dial a number.Chance hurried back to where he had left Zara, hoping she hadn't gotten the wrong idea when s
The bedroom was suffocatingly quiet, save for the uneven rhythm of their breathing. Zara pressed the damp cloth a little too hard against Chance’s torn shoulder, trying desperately to focus on his shoulder rather than the sheer expanse of bare skin beneath her hands. She had given him a few pills t
“Stop it now!”A deep, commanding male voice cut through the chaos, halting the two policemen and Mrs. Kate in their tracks. Before the man even fully emerged, Zara recognized the voice. It was Henry.“S-sir…” one of the police officers stammered, bowing slightly. Henry ignored them entirely, his p
Zara sobbed with relief the moment the doctor confirmed Ivy was stable. She still couldn't believe the news.“Well, he's the best in the country… apparently he was in town, and we managed to get hold of him,” the elderly doctor said with a smile.“And the bill? I mean, you still needed the money to
Zara's eyes were red and swollen from crying. They had rushed Ivy to the nearest private hospital, but an hour had passed with no updates from the doctors. Kaden paced back and forth, trying in vain to calm Zara down.“She’s my baby… I shouldn't have left her,” Zara wept openly in the waiting room.







