Gracie
My fiancé is gay. That was the thought echoing through my head as I stood there frozen, watching a scene I could never unsee. I stared at the man thrusting into my fiancé’s ass, and at Charles moaning like a goddamn whore in heat. This was my fiance, the man I was supposed to marry in five days. The man I had shared a bed, a future, a life with for five whole years. But he was there, legs spread wide, eyes rolled back in bliss I had never seen cross his face when he was with me. I couldn’t breathe anymore, everywhere felt like it was spinning. The sound of skin slapping against skin filled the room. I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t. My eyes stayed locked, watching as if my brain couldn’t register that this was real. “Ah, fuck, Mark… yes, I love this… fuck… you’re so big.” Charles moaned, and the words hit me like punches to the gut. My hand flew to my mouth, pressing hard to keep the nausea down. My heart felt like it had been torn from my chest and shoved down a garbage disposal. Was this a nightmare? Was I going to wake up in our apartment, beside him, with his arms around me and none of this real? “Fuck yeah, Charles, baby,” the man grunted. “Take my big boy. Take him good.” “Ah, daddy! Give me your big boy!!!” Tears burned the back of my eyes. My knees buckled slightly, and I reached out to the doorframe for support. Daddy? He had never called me anything in bed. What was I saying? He had never seemed that interested in sex with me. Two minutes. That was the amount of minutes he took before he came. Anytime I asked him for more, he would say he was tired or he would just give me a disgusted look before leaving. My mind raced, spiraling out of control. Is he gay? Bisexual? Has he always been like this? Had he been faking it with me? All these years? Every kiss, every time he said I love you, every plan we made for the future, was it all a lie? I felt humiliated, sick, and like a goddamn fool. How do women process this? How do they act when they find out their supposedly straight fiancé is getting his back blown out by another man days before the wedding? But what was I saying? Most women haven’t caught their future husband mid-thrust with another man. I felt something wet on my cheeks. My hand lifted, brushing my skin. I hadn’t even realized I was crying. “Fuck, yes, I’m close!!” Charles moaned from the bed. I shook my head slowly, like maybe if I shook hard enough, I could wake up from this twisted reality. But the sound of him panting, the sight of them tangled together was still there. I laughed bitterly. “You know what?” I said, voice hoarse, barely above a whisper. “You’re really fucking shameless, Charles.” They froze and Charles’s head whipped toward me. His eyes stretched wide in panic. He scrambled away from the man between his legs, grabbing at the nearest blanket and yanking it over himself like that could somehow undo what I’d just seen. “G-Gracie…” he stammered, his voice cracking. “What… what are you doing here?” I pressed harder against the wall, still wiping at the tears with the back of my shaking hand, trying to stay on my feet. “What am I doing here?” I repeated slowly, meeting his eyes. “That’s the first thing you have to say? After I walk in on this?” He shook his head, still clutching the blanket. “No. No, it’s not— it’s not what it looks like.” “Not what it looks like? Not what it looks like?!” I pushed off the wall, legs wobbling, hands balled into fists. “Charles, you’re cheating on me with a fucking man. In our bed. In the house we brought to live together after our wedding. You are spreading your ass for someone else, moaning his name like you have never been fucked before, and you have the audacity to tell me it’s not what it looks like? What exactly does it look like, then? He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. His face crumpled as he looked at me with shame, guilt, and mostly fear. “You’re a bastard,” I hissed. “After everything I’ve done for you. After five years of loyalty, patience, planning our goddamn future together, this is what I get in return? This is who you are when I’m not looking? How dare you do this to me!” The man who had been inside him only moments ago rolled his eyes and sat up. “Jesus,” he muttered. “How dramatic.” He started pulling on his clothes, unbothered. “I don’t want to be caught up in this mess, Charles. I’m out.” Charles turned to him, panicked. “Mark, wait— I’m sorry. I didn’t know—” Mark cut him off with a dismissive wave. “It’s fine. You were right about her, though. She is dramatic.” That did it. Something inside me snapped. My whole body shook with rage. Why were they acting like this was normal? Why were they not on their knees begging? Why was no one crying but me? He didn’t even look surprised, that meant he knew Charles was already in a relationship and still went ahead and fucked him on our bed. “You fucking asshole!” I stormed toward him, hand raised, ready to deliver the slap he damn well deserved, but before I could reach him, Charles moved fast. “Stop it, Gracie!” he shouted, grabbing my wrist and yanking me back. His grip was tight, fingers digging into my skin. “What the hell are you doing?!” “What am I doing?” I spat, eyes blazing. “Stay out of it, bastard! Wait for your fucking turn.” I jerked toward Mark, but Charles stepped in front of me again, blocking my path. “Don’t be delusional,” he said coldly. “I won’t let you touch him. Don’t even dare.” My heart dropped. He sounded so… protective of him. The man he cheated with. The man who had just mocked me, smirked at me, and walked out of bed with my fiancé like this was some goddamn sitcom. “Why?” I whispered, stunned. “Why are you protecting him? Are you seriously defending him? After what you did to me? Shouldn't you be on your knees right now?” Behind Charles, Mark straightened his shirt, not even trying to hide the smugness on his face. Then he looked at me like I was something stuck to the bottom of his shoe. “Why are you surprised?” he said, shrugging casually. “Did you honestly think he ever liked you in the first place? Use your brain, girl.” My mouth opened, but no sound came out. “If it weren’t for your families being involved,” Mark continued, “do you really think he’d even look at someone like you?” My vision blurred with anger. I could feel the blood roaring in my ears. “Let me go,” I growled through gritted teeth, yanking at my arm. “Let me go this instant, Charles!” “No!” he barked. “Stop it, Gracie!” I shoved him hard enough to make him stumble back a step. I charged toward Mark, ready to slap the smug off his goddamn face but Charles lunged between us and in a flash, his hand shot out and slapped me hard. My head jerked to the side, cheek burning at the sudden impact. “Don’t you fucking dare lay a hand on Mark!”GraceSometimes, the best way to shut someone up was to put them in their place.When I was younger, my mother always emphasized beauty. To her, a beautiful woman always had her way in life. That was the only reason she could tolerate me, because I was beautiful. I never understood the obsession. People told me I was pretty, men flirted, women compared each other, but I never thought beauty was the currency of my worth.That was why I never hesitated to dress this way. In fact, it was far more comfortable than how my mother wanted me to dress. I didn’t need to pile on makeup, or wear heels that dug into my feet, or push-up bras.But ever since I joined this company, my appearance had been belittled, mocked, and humiliated, especially by the woman in front of me. Piper.I was the kind of woman who believed all women should support each other, no matter how they looked, but this was the last straw. I was done being their easy target. If Piper and her little clique were so fixated on ap
Grayson My chest was beating too fast, each thud slamming against my ribs as if trying to break free. Sweat trickled down my forehead, soaking the edge of my hairline. My hands were clenched so tightly they hurt, but I couldn’t let go. The sound of the elevator doors closing echoed across the restaurant. Only then did I breathe. I leaned forward, gripping the edge of the table with both hands just to keep my legs from giving out. Impossible. My head swam, thought after thought crashing into each other until I could barely sort them out. Impossible. Never in my life did I imagine I would come face to face with that demon. All my life I had avoided him. I knew Apollo Reed didn’t like me, and I accepted it. I stayed away, and removed the very idea of doing business with him, no matter how much I wanted it. Everyone knew the truth, dangerous as he was, Apollo Reed was the best man in the country to do business with. He had connections and power that reached into every industry. He
Apollo When her name left my lips, the room fell silent.Father and son stared at me, starstruck, as if I’d just spoken in tongues, scrambling to process my words. I didn’t look away. My face remained the same as I met their stunned gazes.Grayson finally broke the silence. “What…”Before he could form more, Charles snapped out of his daze. He shoved his father aside, and the old man stumbled, shocked by the sudden burst of strength. Charles stormed toward me, his hands slamming down on the table.His voice cracked. “D–did you just say Grace? How do you know my fiancee?”That word.Fiancee.It left a bitter taste on my tongue. My jaw ticked, and my gaze darkened as I looked at this trembling, clueless boy who had no right to even utter her name.“Fiancee?” I repeated, my voice flat but dangerous.Charles swallowed hard. I could see the fear in his eyes, and the instinct to back away from me, but he forced himself to stay, clenching his fists.“Yes,” he said, voice louder than before.
Grace“Cheers!”The sound echoed through the restaurant as glasses clinked together. I forced a smile, watching everyone around the table beam with excitement. Mr. Aiden especially looked completely gone, his face flushed, and his laughter too loud.I lowered my glass without taking a sip.Beside me, River tilted his head slightly, his glass raised. He looked down at me, an eyebrow arched.I caught his look and let out an awkward laugh. “Oh, I don’t drink. I mean, I’m not supposed to.”River set his glass back on the table. His lips curved into a small smile. “Not supposed to?”Heat crept up my neck, and I pressed my hands to my thighs under the table. Memories slammed into me before I could stop them. Every time I got drunk, it always led me back to Apollo. And every time, it ended the same way, I lost control, forgot he was my boss, and let that reckless side of me crawl out. I would beg him to touch me, humiliating myself over and over again. Alcohol wasn’t just bad, it was my enem
Apollo The man across from me raised an eyebrow, repeating my words slowly. “Touch what is yours?”He looked surprised, almost confused, as though the very idea were both impossible and foolish.Grayson drew in a deep breath, steadying himself. “With all due respect, Mr. Reed, I’ve been in this world long enough to know who to challenge and who to avoid. And of all people, I would never dare cross the Reeds, especially you, the man everyone fears.”His gaze was calculating, studying me to uncover the problem. He appeared calm on the surface, yet I noticed the faint tremor in his fingers as they gripped the armrest of his chair.He was holding himself together well. Better than most.Most men who had even an inkling that they’d wronged me would already be on their knees, stammering apologies, and begging to be spared. Grayson, however, still held my gaze, and forced his voice steady, even while his body betrayed him. I had to give him that, he was composed.But his son…I shifted my g
GraceThe moment I stepped into the Korean-styled restaurant, I regretted it.Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t because of the restaurant itself. If anything, I loved the decor. The wooden partitions, the lantern lights, the faint scent of grilled meat in the air, it reminded me of all the nights I used to stay up watching Korean dramas, wishing I could just teleport into their worlds.So, that wasn’t the problem.The problem was the people. Because the second I walked through the door, every pair of eyes inside the restaurant landed on me.I froze, blinking like an idiot.Weren’t we supposed to be meeting the PR team? That should’ve been, what, twenty people? Maybe less? But from the way this place looked, there were easily more than thirty. What the hell? Was the entire company here?My throat went dry. I hated crowds. All I wanted now was to turn around, grab River’s arm, and bolt before anyone noticed me. But then River stepped in after me, shutting the door behind him, and paused as