LOGINLanceFor several days now, I have been locked inside this room.But I knew this place belonged to my father—just one of the many private properties quietly hidden under the Richardson family name. Houses that were only used for vacations or discreet business matters.Outside the door, two men were always standing guard.My father’s men.It was obvious they had strict orders not to let me leave.I had no phone.No laptop.Nothing I could use to communicate with the outside world.And with every passing hour, there was only one person on my mind.Alice.I didn’t know what she was feeling right now. I didn’t know if she had already seen the news about my supposed engagement to Jeraldine. I didn’t know if she believed any of it… or if she was already furious with me.And the worst part of all, I had no way to explain anything to her.I was standing by the window, staring out at the dark yard, when the door suddenly opened.I didn’t even need to turn around to know who it was.Dad.He wal
AliceTwo days had passed since Mom, Uncle Lemuel, and I talked about the possibility that something bad might have happened to Lance.In those two days, it felt like the world had slowed down. Every hour felt longer than it should, and every minute felt like waiting.I could barely sleep properly anymore.Every time I closed my eyes, the same things returned to my mind—the headlines about his supposed wedding to Jeraldine, the photos circulating online, and the careless comments from people who had no idea whose hearts they were hurting.But more than anything else… I kept thinking about Lance’s silence.Still no calls.Not even a single message.No matter how hard I tried to convince myself that there had to be an explanation, I couldn’t stop the fear slowly tightening around my chest.That afternoon, I was sitting quietly in the living room.The house was calm. Mom was in the kitchen preparing dinner, while Uncle Lemuel stood near the window, speaking on the phone.For the past few
AliceI had already lost count of how many times I had opened and closed my phone over the past few days.Every single time I did it, I hoped for only one thing.A message.A call.A simple explanation from Lance.But until now… There was still nothing.I sat on the bed in my room, my phone resting in my hands. For a few seconds, I simply stared at the screen before opening social media again—something I had been trying so hard to avoid, yet somehow couldn’t stop myself from doing.And the moment the page loaded, it felt like the entire world suddenly became heavier.A new headline appeared on the screen. It was bigger, clearer, and far more painful.'Grand Wedding Preparations Begin for Lance Richardson and Jeraldine Dudley.'There was even a photo of the venue supposedly chosen for the wedding, along with several details about the so-called “union of two powerful business families.”I didn’t need to read the entire article. The headline alone was enough.My vision slowly blurred as I
LanceThe air inside the boardroom felt heavy as I placed the last folder in the center of the long table.Four days had passed since Dad spoke to Alice, and I could no longer hold everything back.I refused to let my father use the woman I loved just to force me to yield. And I refused to let him use me as a pawn to manipulate Alice.This wasn’t an ordinary meeting. It wasn’t just another presentation or routine discussion.This was the moment I had been preparing for—a moment that would determine who would remain inside the empire of Richardson Foods… and who would be pushed out of it for good.The board members sat in silence as they began flipping through the documents I had laid out in front of them.Bank records.Investment trails.Financial discrepancies that should never exist within a company with a reputation like ours.At the other end of the table sat my father. He hadn’t spoken a single word, but the anger he was trying to hide was written clearly across his face. His eye
AliceI can’t even remember how our lunch at the cafeteria ended.The last clear thing that came to mind was the screen of the tablet from the table next to us… and the headline that seemed to flash over and over in front of my eyes.'Lance Richardson to Marry Jeraldine Dudley.'For a few seconds, it felt like the entire cafeteria had changed.The students' noise turned into a distant echo in my ears. Even Shirley and Javier’s voices sounded far away, like they were coming from somewhere else.“Alice…” Shirley called softly.I blinked and looked at her. The worry on her face was obvious.“Hey… are you okay?”I didn’t know how to answer right away. It felt like something heavy had suddenly fallen onto my chest, and even when I tried to breathe deeply, it didn’t go away.“Maybe… maybe it’s just a rumor,” Javier said while staring at the tablet.But even he didn’t look convinced by his own words. The announcement had come from Richardson Foods itself.I took my phone out of my bag and op
AliceTen days had passed since the confrontation with Don Carlos at the café… and the day Lance brought me to his condo.I had gotten home late that evening, and since Lance insisted on driving me back, Mom scolded him the moment we arrived. Even though neither of us explained anything, I had a feeling she already knew that something had happened between us.Then again, no one would really believe that nothing unusual had happened between Lance and me—especially when it was obvious to everyone that we loved each other.During those ten days, I tried my best to return to the normal rhythm of my life.Classes in the morning.Projects in the afternoon.And sometimes, late-night calls with Lance whenever he had the chance.None of it had been easy, especially knowing that the tension between him and his father was only getting worse. But if there was one thing I had learned in the past few weeks, it was not to be afraid of battles I never expected to face.So that day, I tried to be an o
Mature ContentLanceDamn, I want her so much.This isn’t normal anymore.This isn’t just a casual desire.This isn’t like the women who came and went in my life—those women were distractions that I didn't like or want.But Alice… she’s something else entirely.She’s the kind of temptation that, ev
Mature ContentAliceIt was Friday night again, but I didn’t go to the club. I didn’t go anywhere. No bar, no part-time job because Lance no longer allowed me to.Instead, all the hours I used to spend working… I now spend time inside his condo.On his bed.In his arms.Just like now.“L-Lance…” I
Alice“Let me grab this one for you,” Javier said as he reached for a champagne-colored gown from the rack. He lifted the fabric delicately, letting it flow between his fingers, studying it like he was already imagining how it would fall against my body.“You’ll look amazing in this,” he added, sou
Alice“My dear, can you come with your Uncle Lemuel and me?” My mother’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts as I lifted my gaze from my food. Even with the “deal” I had gotten myself into because of Lance’s so-called proposal, I made sure to act normal around her.“Where are you going?” I asked. It







