Hi! I did not update yesterday because I decided that every Thursday is my day off. ^_^ Hope you understand!
After the day's whirlwind of emotions and surprises, we finally arrived home. The moment we stepped through the door, Joaquin headed straight to his room without a word. I watched him disappear down the hallway, his determined stride indicating he had no intention of lingering.I felt a slight pang of disappointment but shook it off, reminding myself that we both needed some time to unwind.I made my way to my room, feeling the weight of the day lift slightly as I entered my personal space. The quiet offered a stark contrast to the bustling office, and I welcomed it. After setting my bag down, I pulled out my phone and dialed Jessy’s number.I needed to hear a friendly voice, to ground myself after everything that had happened.The call connected, and Jessy’s cheerful voice filled my ears. “Hey! How are you? What the hell, you didn’t tell me you’re now engaged to Joaquin!”My eyes widened in shock. “How did you know about that?”Jessy laughed. “When Joaquin showed up to get you yesterd
I woke up with a start, my eyes snapping open in the darkness. I squinted at the clock on my nightstand and groaned softly. It was 3 AM. I let out a sigh, wondering why I always seemed to wake up at the most inconvenient times.After tossing and turning for a few minutes, trying to will myself back to sleep, I gave up. A cup of tea might help soothe my restless mind.Slipping out of bed, I wrapped myself in a cozy robe and quietly made my way to the kitchen. The mansion was eerily quiet at this hour, the only sound being the soft padding of my feet against the polished floors.As I rounded the corner to the kitchen, I paused, surprised to see a faint light coming from within.Joaquin was already there, sitting at the kitchen island. He was wearing a robe, but it was untied, revealing his bare chest and boxer shorts. I felt a flush creep up my neck and quickly looked away, letting out an awkward cough to announce my presence.Joaquin glanced up, looking as surprised to see me as I was t
Determined to make a point, I set my alarm earlier than usual. When it went off, I jumped out of bed with a sense of purpose.I took a long, hot shower, blow-dried my hair, and straightened it until it was smooth and shiny. I tied it back in a half-up style, leaving a few tendrils loose to frame my face.I chose my outfit with care: light blue slacks and a matching light blue blazer. Underneath the blazer, I wore a white bralette top that showed just a hint of my midriff. It was daring, but I figured the blazer would make it office-appropriate.I applied my makeup meticulously: a light powder to even out my complexion, a precise line of eyeliner, and a bold lipstick that made my lips pop. When I looked in the mirror, I hardly recognized myself. I felt beautiful, confident, and ready to face the day.I wanted to surprise Joaquin, so I spoke to one of the maids and arranged for a driver to take me to the office earlier than usual. When I arrived, I felt the weight of everyone's eyes on m
As the office buzzed with chatter, I could feel the eyes of my colleagues on me. I tried to focus on the document in front of me, but their whispers were impossible to ignore."Can you believe she's engaged to Joaquin?" one of them murmured."No wonder she's here," another responded. "I thought it was weird she got the job so quickly.""Did you see how he made coffee for her yesterday? He never did that for any of his previous editors."I sighed inwardly, resisting the urge to defend myself. Engaging in office gossip would only make things worse, and besides, I had a contract with Joaquin to protect. Instead, I pretended not to hear them, keeping my eyes fixed on the screen in front of me.The clock on my desk showed it was almost lunchtime. My stomach grumbled, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten much this morning. I decided to head to the pantry to grab something to eat. Just as I stood up, Joaquin’s voice cut through the murmurs."Haven, let's have lunch together."I glanced over to se
The house was quiet, the kind of deep, serene quiet that only comes in the middle of the night. I was deep in sleep, lost in a dreamless slumber, when the harsh ringing of my phone yanked me awake.Groggily, I reached for it, squinting at the screen. The time glowed back at me: 2:00 AM. The number was unknown.Confused and a little apprehensive, I answered. "Hello?" I mumbled, my voice thick with sleep.There was a brief pause, and then a robotic, pitchy voice came through the line, sending a chill down my spine. "Leave Joaquin or else Haven will get hurt."I bolted upright, my heart pounding in my chest. "Who is this?" I demanded, my voice shaking. "Why are you threatening me?"The voice on the other end let out a distorted laugh that sounded eerie and unnatural. "That's none of your business. Leave his house tomorrow and resign from your job, or you'll get what you deserve." The call ended abruptly, leaving me staring at my phone in disbelief.My mind raced, trying to process what ha
The sight of the blood-stained message left me trembling. I felt cold, my breath coming in shallow gasps. Joaquin's face darkened with anger as he read the note, his hands clenching into fists."This is serious," he muttered, his voice tight with barely controlled rage. "We need to call the authorities."He took out his phone and called his secretary, quickly briefing him on the situation. Within minutes, the office was buzzing with security personnel and investigators, the once bustling workspace now a scene of tension and urgency.I watched as they dusted the package for fingerprints, took photographs, and questioned everyone who had access to the office. The whole time, I couldn't shake the image of the blood-stained note from my mind.Joaquin stayed by my side, his presence a steady anchor in the chaos. "We'll find out who did this," he assured me, his voice resolute. "I won't let anyone hurt you."As the investigation continued, I noticed a small symbol on the corner of the photog
The dim light in the warehouse flickered as the figure stepped closer. I couldn't make out their features, but the menace in their voice was unmistakable."You must follow my instructions if you want to keep yourself safe," the robotic voice continued. "Any deviation, and you'll regret it.""What do you want from us?" I demanded, my voice wavering.A distorted laugh echoed through the warehouse. "You'll find out soon enough. For now, you'll follow these simple commands. First, Haven, you are to stay away from Joaquin. No communication, no contact. If I see you together, you'll both pay the price."I felt a surge of anger and fear. "Why are you doing this?""That's for me to know and you to find out," the voice replied mockingly. "Second, you'll publicly announce that you are breaking off your engagement with Joaquin. Make it convincing."Joaquin tightened his grip on my hand, his eyes blazing with fury. "We won't play your games," he said through gritted teeth."You have no choice," th
The drive to Joaquin's bachelor pad was shrouded in a tense silence. The gravity of our situation weighed heavily on both of us, but there was also a shared determination to face this together.When we finally arrived, I was struck by how different it was from his mansion. The pad was more homey and comfortable, filled with personal touches that reflected Joaquin’s true personality.As we stepped inside, I couldn't help but ask, "So, what’s the story behind this place?"Joaquin smiled, a mixture of nostalgia and rebellion in his eyes. "When I was rebelling against my father, who forced me to study business, I used the money I earned from my first book to buy this pad. It was my way of asserting my independence."I looked around, taking in the cozy, lived-in feel of the place. "Did your father know?""He was furious," Joaquin said with a chuckle. "He couldn't understand why I’d buy this when I already had the mansion, which he thinks is better than this pad. But this place was my sanctu