LOGINEmmaI feel the thirst gnawing and impossible to ignore as I sit down, I just went out to grab a file I left in my car.I drop it on my desk, still feeling thirsty. Then I push away from my desk, the chair scraping quietly against the floor, and walk toward the break room. The office is quieter than usual today, almost empty, and that silence unsettles me. I don’t want anyone to notice me right now. The last thing I need is another round of snickering laughter or whispered remarks behind my back, the way it happened before. The sound of it still lingers in my mind sometimes.When I reach the break room, I’m relieved to find it empty. The quietness wraps around me like a strange kind of safety. I stand there for a moment, just breathing, then move toward the water dispenser. My hand shakes slightly as I fill a glass. I lift the glass to my lips and take a long, deep sip. The coolness spreads through my throat, easing some of the burn, and for a second, it’s the only thing that feel
KnoxI sit behind my desk, rage cursing through my veins.Gina stands there in the doorway. Before I can even form a word, she slams the door shut so hard that the sound echoes through my chest like a gunshot. The air in the room turns thick instantly, charged with the kind of tension that always seems to follow her.She marches straight toward the table where I keep my papers spread out, her heels clicking against the floor in a rhythm that matches the frustration building inside me. I watch her approach, noting the way her shoulders are set back in defiance, the slight flush on her cheeks that could be anger or something else entirely. My hands tighten around the edge of the desk as I try to control my anger.."Gina," I say, my voice low and edged with the fury I cannot quite hide, "where the hell have you been the past few days?" She stops right in front of the table, close enough that I catch the faint scent of her perfume, the one that always lingers long after she leaves. G
KnoxA week later, I sit at the head of the long conference table with anger burning steadily inside my chest. Monica, my ex-wife, occupies one of the investor seats as if she still belongs in my world. I still remember how she tried to seduce me.Her presence fills me with deep irritation that refuses to fade. I never wanted her anywhere near this company again, yet here she sits, calm and watchful.Every time my eyes drift toward her, the resentment grows heavier, pressing against my ribs like a stone I cannot remove. I force myself to focus on the meeting, but the sight of her across the table keeps pulling my attention back, stirring up old pain and fresh frustration that make it hard to breathe normally.We complete the usual review of our products and their profit margins. The figures are solid and the projections look promising, but none of it brings me any real satisfaction today. My thoughts keep circling back to Monica and the frustration of having her involved in matter
KnoxI watch the flicker of doubt settle deep in Emma’s eyes as she gazes at me. My chest tightens with instant regret. I slipped. I shouldn’t have brought up her father. The words just spilled out, and in that moment, I let my emotions get the better of me. Emma doesn’t deserve this kind of confusion or pain.I lean back against the headboard, the cool wood pressing against my back, while her eyes remain fixed on me, searching for answers I’m not ready to give. The quiet in the room grows heavier until she finally speaks, her voice soft and careful.“What else did she say about my father?” She pauses before asking, her voice trembling slightly, “Is he alive?”Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I know Victor Collins; I’ve known him for years. He was once a close friend, but too much has happened since then. There are things I’m not allowed to say, things I promised Gina we’d keep from Emma. It’s a delicate balance, one that I’m scared to break.I remain silent for too long, a
EmmaI push open the front door, the weight of the day heavy on my shoulders. The office felt endless, every email, every meeting pulling at me, until my head throbbed with exhaustion. But as soon as I step inside the house, a rich, warm smell wraps around me, garlic, spices, something delicious sizzling on the stove. My stomach tightens, and for the first time all day, I feel a small sense of relief. Whatever’s cooking smells like home in the best possible way, a reminder that someone cares enough to make the evening feel gentle.I drop my bag by the door and follow the scent to the kitchen. There he stands, Knox, shirtless, his broad back to me, wearing low-slung shorts and a dark apron tied loosely around his waist. His muscles shift beneath his skin as he stirs something in a pan, his movements focused and calm. The sight of him in this quiet moment stops me completely. Heat rises to my cheeks, not just from the stove but from the simple tenderness of it all. He looks so at e
KnoxI sit behind my large desk, the morning light slanting through the blinds, showing light on the financial reports spread out before me. The office feels like tension today, suffocating me, as if the walls are closing in with every passing minute. Mr. Adams, our accountant sits opposite me, his usual calm demeanor masking the quiet tension between us. His fingers move faster than usual as he turns the pages of the ledger, each one bringing us closer to a glaring gap in the numbers. It's about the significant amount of money that has vanished, and the weight of it pressing down on my chest.I lean forward, my voice low but sharp with frustration. "Mr. Adams, walk me through this again. How does something this big go missing when every transaction crosses your desk? You see everything before it moves."He meets my gaze without hesitation, his expression steady, professional, but there's no apology in it. "Sir, these payments could never have been processed without your direct aut
EmmaBlood drains from my face, my breathing becomes heavy as my chest rises and falls. Panic clouds my senses.It can't be. I saved the file before going down for water but there's not a single word on it, just a blank page staring at me.My efforts and time was a waste, everything gone like the w
EmmaStanding in his office, his cold gaze makes a shiver run down my spin. My tongue was stuck to the roof of my mouth, making it hard to utter a word in defense.“Now you're not talking?” he asks in a rough tone. “It seems you don't understand why you're here. You think you can just waltz in when
KnoxMy brow shoots up, almost touching my hairline. I shift on the bed to face her, my eyes gleaming in surprise. “That's weird. Why don't you want me to tell her?” I ask. “She's your mother.”She looks down at her fingers, twisting them. “Just promise me you won't tell her.”I know she's having
EmmaMy fingers freeze over the keypad of my laptop, and a tiny gasp escape my lips. Slowly, I raise my head to meet the murderous glare of my mother.I sigh deeply. Can it get any worse? The last person I don't want to see is standing right next to me.“Mother, you're here?” I say in a calm voice







