MasukGabbyNathan’s hands rested warmly against my waist, holding me flush against his chest as the quiet hum of the luxury car faded into the background. The fierce hunger in his dark eyes wasn’t just physical—it was a deep, protective need to ground me, to pull me completely out of the dark fog that had been chasing me all day.When his lips finally lifted from my neck and met mine again in a deep, lingering kiss, he slowly pulled back just an inch. His eyes searched mine in the dim light of the car.“Gabby,” Nathan murmured, his voice low and rough. “Are you sure about this? You’re not holding back like you usually do… you’re really giving me the go-ahead?”I looked into his eyes and nodded softly. “Yes, Nathan. I’m sure.”A slow, breathless smile broke across his face. “Okay,” he whispered, pressing one last tender kiss to my forehead. “Let’s go to my house.”“Yeah,” I breathed out, leaning my head against his shoulder. “Let’s go.”The drive to his estate felt like a blur. Nathan drove
GabbyI stood on the cool pavement right beside the brand-new Rolls-Royce, holding my purse tight against my waist. My eyes swept over the smooth, shiny car. My mind was still spinning from Mr. Sterling’s questions and the scary threats Lina had made earlier. Standing out here in the open, my plus-size body felt awkward, and all the stress from the day settled right in my chest.Nathan didn't ask why I looked so pale. He didn't push me about why I was so quiet. Instead, he reached out, his warm, large hand lightly touching my hip as he opened the front passenger door for me."Get in, sweetheart," he said softly, his deep voice calming me down right away.I slid onto the soft leather seat, sinking into the fancy car while he shut the door with a quiet click. He walked around to the driver's side, got in, and started the engine. Without saying another word, he drove us out into the city traffic.We drove for a while in comfortable silence. The tall buildings slowly vanished, and he even
GabbyMr. Sterling leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing in gentle concern as he watched my face. The warm, fatherly smile he had worn just a moment ago completely faded."Gabby?" he asked softly. "Why do you look that way after I asked about your parents?"My heart slammed against my ribs. My mouth felt bone-dry, and my mind panicked, scrambling for a cover story. I couldn't tell him the truth. I couldn't tell this respected, kind-hearted man that my mother was a desperate, liquor-soaked gambler whose debt-ridden past was currently being used by Lina to blackmail me."I... um..." I stuttered, my voice trembling before I swallowed hard and forced a weak, practiced breath. "I'm... I'm an orphan, Mr. Sterling. I lost both of my parents when I was much younger."The words felt like ash on my tongue. Inside, a deep, burning wave of self-loathing hit me. I hated myself for lying to him. I hated that my life was fast becoming a fragile house built on secrets and cover-ups.Mr. Sterlin
GabbyThe downtown traffic buzzed with busy energy as the taxi drove through the tall city buildings. I sat quietly in the back seat, holding the polished delivery box in my lap. The food smelled amazing, wrapped up just right after all the care I put into it.When the cab finally stopped, I got out right in front of the big glass-and-steel Sterling building. The afternoon sun bounced off the tall windows. Fixing my grip on the box, I smoothed down my clothes over my fuller figure, lifted my chin, and walked through the revolving glass doors.Walking across the big, fancy lobby, I could feel people looking. Heads turned, and employees whispered as they walked by. Some stared out of plain curiosity, while others looked at me like they recognized me—probably because of our massive catering deal with the company, or maybe because of recent gossip online. But I didn't let their stares bother me. I kept my eyes straight ahead, ignored the whispers, and walked right to the private elevators
GabbyWhen Khloe slammed her hand onto the desk and swore she would track Lina down herself, a heavy breath rushed out of my lungs. In a world that felt like it was spinning completely out of control, having Khloe stand as my shield gave me just enough strength to stay upright.I looked down at the crumpled photo lying on the table between us—the grainy proof of my mother cornering me in that dark stairwell. I squeezed my eyes shut and let out a long, shaky sigh. Even though I was still keeping the full truth about my father locked inside my chest to protect everyone, Khloe never pushed. She never pried, never judged my silence, and never made things harder than they already were. Anyone I considered an enemy instantly became her enemy too. She made me feel like I wasn’t fighting this darkness alone.I shifted my weight, suddenly aware of my full figure as I crossed my arms tightly over my chest under the harsh office lights. But Khloe didn’t care about any of that. She just stepped c
Khloe I stood over the kitchen counter, wiping down the stainless steel with a damp cloth and trying to catch my breath. My whole body ached, and my eyes felt heavy with exhaustion. Ever since the grand gala, life at our catering business had been crazy. Word about our food had spread everywhere, but the real game-changer was Mr. Sterling. True to his word, he had hired us to handle daily meal preps and special orders for his whole company. When you are cooking for nearly two hundred Sterling employees, it is basically a massive military operation. We had been chopping, baking, and packing boxes around the clock. Business was booming, and everything looked smooth on the outside, but running it was draining every drop of energy I had. I reached up to rub my sore shoulders when the kitchen door suddenly swung open. I looked up, expecting one of our delivery guys or kitchen assistants. Instead, it was Gabby. The second I saw her, the blood drained right out of my face. She looked lik







