DawnI can’t believe my own mother turned me down. A little cash, and she sounded like I had asked her to empty her savings. My voice still echoed in my head after ending the call, frustration burning in my chest.And Ethan? He was worse. Too slow. If I asked for something, he would drag it out for days, acting like he was calculating and thoughtful, when really he was just stingy. The time he finally gave me anything, the moment had already passed.I sat on the edge of my bed, my phone still clutched in my hand, seething. My eyes flicked to the mirror across the room, to my reflection. I needed a plan fast.Because when I made my grand comeback, I couldn’t show up looking ordinary. I wanted heads to turn. I wanted them to be speechless. Designer clothes from head to toe, diamonds glittering on my hand, the kind of image that silenced whispers and shut mouths.Nothing less would do.I paced the length of the room, my silk robe slipping from one shoulder as I muttered to myself. Think,
EthanWhat’s the point of dragging myself to work every morning when the company already has people paid to do everything? I will own it soon. I am signing the checks. I hand out orders. At the end of the month, salaries are paid whether I sit behind the desk or not.So why should I waste my energy proving myself like some lowly intern, especially to my father? The old man clings to this ridiculous idea that I must “show capability” before he hands me full control. As if running a company is about grinding paperwork. I can buy the loyalty of any man with a few zeros on a paycheck. That’s the truth he refuses to admit.I leaned back in my leather chair, staring at the ceiling, my jaw tightening at the absurdity of it all. Sometimes I wonder why I even agreed to Kate's lame plan in the first place. Till now, nothing has shifted. No progress. No reward. Just the same condescending glances from her, as though I’m still a boy tugging at his coattails.If I weren't married to Dawn, maybe th
LioraEvery movement, every sound, every desperate pull of his lips against mine reminded me that this man was both fire and ice. And Savage in the way he consumed me, tender in the way he steadied me. Possessive and patient, all at once.And God help me, I wanted every version of him.Somewhere far, a car horn echoed faintly, dragging me back for the briefest heartbeat. I pulled away, breathless, my lips tingling and my chest rising unevenly. His hair was a mess beneath my fingers, his mouth red and swollen from mine. Damien the untouchable man the world only whispered about looked Undone by me.I couldn’t stop the faint smile curving my lips. “Do you know what time it is?” I asked, to catch my breath, partly to anchor in something ordinary.His voice came deep, commanding. “Alexia, the time.”“Three twenty-seven a.m., sir.”I exhaled a shaky laugh. “Wow. It’s late.”Damien’s chest rose with a low, breathless chuckle, his hand still cradling the back of my head like he wasn’t ready t
Liora“Truth,” Damien said at last, his voice low, deliberate.The word clung to the night air between us. The candles flickered at his side, their flames painting golden shadows across the sharp lines of his face. His eyes stayed on mine steadily, but something in how his thumb traced the rim of his champagne glass told me he was bracing himself.I leaned forward, tucking one leg beneath me as the blanket slipped from my shoulder. “Admit something you’ve never said about me before,” I whispered, my tone daring but soft.His gaze flickered, the kind of hesitation I rarely saw in him. Damien never faltered. He was marble, impenetrable. But now, I caught the barest crack in the stone.“Be honest,” I pressed gently, tilting my head as I studied him. “It’s a game, after all. And you, Damien” My lips curved faintly. “You pride yourself on being a man of truth.”For a long moment, he didn’t answer. The city breathed below us, its hum so distant it felt like a memory. Then his eyes dropped,
LioraWe pulled into the driveway, sleek gates parting without a word. Damien stepped out first, buttoning his jacket like the night hadn’t left its mark, then turned slightly, waiting for me. Always composed.Inside, the warmth hit me, the faint scent of cedarwood and leather was rich. Damien tossed his keys on the console with practiced ease. I followed, my heels clicking against the marble, my nerves steadying with every step.“Do you realize you look… dangerously charming tonight?” I asked softly, glancing at Damien as we stepped into the house. The echo of the casino still clung to me, but here, in the quiet, I could finally say it.His lips curved immediately, smug and deliberate, one brow lifting with the kind of arrogance he could make look alluring. “I thought someone didn’t notice,” he murmured, pride dripping from every syllable.I laughed, shaking my head. He had been waiting almost begging for that compliment the entire night.“Don’t get too pleased with yourself,” I teas
Damien The game began.Harper played like a man with an audience, his every move was a performance. He dealt with exaggerated flair, the deck snapping like thunder on his hands, tossing cards onto the felt as though each carried divine favor. His laughter was too loud, his grin too wide, and every flourish begged for attention.“Guess fortune loves me tonight,” he declared, slapping down his first hand with the arrogance of a king already crowned.The crowd chuckled politely, feeding his ego. His men clapped shoulders and smirked like they were in on the win. The dealer, a woman, a new employee with careful eyes and steady hands, tried to keep her composure, her voice measured as she called the play. But I saw the slight twitch in her lip. She already knew which way the cards leaned.I studied Harper like a surgeon studies an open wound. Twitch on his mouth. Every bead of sweat sneaking out at his temple. Every time he exhaled too quickly and tried to laugh it off.My response was de