SHAWNAI paced the living room, my arms wrapped around myself as I stared at the phone in my hand. The call had gone straight to voicemail. Again."She's not picking up," I whispered, my throat tightening. "Her phone is off."Jasper frowned, his own phone pressed to his ear. "Mine too. She's not answering anyone."I turned to my husband, my chest constricting. "This was a mistake, wasn’t it? I never should’ve let her leave. I should’ve stopped her."My voice cracked, and before I could hold back, tears spilled down my face. My husband, Damien, was beside me in an instant, pulling me into his arms."Shawna, she’ll be fine," Damien assured me, rubbing slow circles on my back. His voice was calm, but I could feel the tension in his muscles, the worry he was trying so hard to suppress. "Phoebe’s smart. She’s strong.""But she’s alone!" I pulled back, my voice rising despite my best efforts to keep it steady. My heart pounded against my ribs, my hands trembling as I clutched at his shirt.
PHOEBERamon led me into his house, and I immediately took in the small but neat living room. It wasn’t extravagant, but it had a cozy, lived-in feel. A dark brown couch sat against one wall, a small television across from it. A few shelves held books and random trinkets. The scent of coffee and something faintly musky lingered in the air."Nice place," I said sincerely, turning to face him.I watched as Ramon scoffed, tossing his helmet onto the couch with a careless thud. His place was small but neat, dimly lit by a single overhead bulb. The faint scent of leather and motor oil clung to the air, a stark contrast to the floral and citrus-scented halls of my home.“Don’t flatter me, princess,” he muttered, running a hand through his dark hair. “I’ve been to your house. One of your bedrooms is bigger than this entire place.”I blinked at the bitterness in his tone. “That’s not what I meant. I was just—”“Just what?” He turned to face me fully, arms crossed, eyes dark with something unr
PHOEBEMy hands trembled as I read the messages over and over again, my vision blurring with panic. My heart pounded against my ribs. Mom had passed out because of me. My mother was in the hospital.I stumbled to my feet, grabbing Ramon’s arm. “Take me to the hospital. Now.”Ramon frowned, his hands still stuffed in his pockets. “What?”“My mom—she’s in the hospital. I need to get there,” I choked out, barely able to breathe.His face shifted slightly, from irritation to something else. Concern? Annoyance? I couldn’t tell. “What happened?”“Because of me!” I snapped. “She passed out because I left. Please, Ramon. Just take me there.”He exhaled sharply but grabbed his keys. “Fine. Let’s go.”The ride to the hospital was silent except for the rapid beating of my heart in my ears. I kept my eyes on my phone, but I couldn’t bring myself to text my brothers back. I was too scared of what they might say.As soon as we arrived at the hospital parking lot, I barely waited for the car to stop
PHOEBEI sighed, rubbing my temples as I tried to explain everything to my parents. “Ramon left… angrily,” I said softly, still feeling guilty.Mom frowned, sitting up a little. “Angrily? Why?”I bit my lip, trying to find the right words. “Because when we got to the hospital… the police thought he had kidnapped me.”Dad’s face darkened instantly. “What?”“They arrested him right there at the entrance,” I admitted, my voice laced with frustration. “They didn’t even ask questions. They just assumed the worst because of how he looked.”Mom gasped. “Phoebe… that’s horrible.”I nodded. “I tried explaining that he saved me, that he was just helping, but they wouldn’t listen at first. It took a lot of convincing before they finally let him go.”Dad ran a hand down his face. “So that’s why he left upset.”Later that evening, mom was discharged and she told me to lead them to Ramon’s place. As soon as we pulled up in front of Ramon’s house, I could already tell this was a mistake. The place w
PHOEBEThe moment I saw him, I didn’t even think. “Ramon?”His head snapped up, his dark eyes narrowing as they locked onto mine. “Phoebe?”I stepped closer, weaving through the line of applicants as a few people turned to watch. Ramon looked like he wanted to disappear. “What are you doing here?” I asked, still in disbelief.He crossed his arms. “I should be asking you that. What, are you stalking me now?”I rolled my eyes. “Oh please. I work here.”His brows shot up. “You? What could you possibly be doing here? Applying for a job you don’t need?” His lips curled into a smirk. “Figured you’d get bored of spending Daddy’s money eventually.”I laughed, shaking my head. “No, actually. I’m not here for an interview because this is my company.”The amusement in his expression vanished. “What?”“This…” I gestured around the office space “is my company. Lance Industry. I built it after I finished school.”Ramon stared at me for a second, his mouth slightly open as if trying to decide whethe
SHAWNAI followed Damien out of the boardroom, my heels clicking against the marble floor as I sighed exaggeratedly. "I feel like all we do is attend parties," I complained, shaking my head. "First, it was the gala, then the investor's dinner, and now we have to prepare for the annual company ball?"Damien chuckled, adjusting his cufflinks as we walked. "Well, at least we’ve stopped running around dealing with crises. I’d say that’s progress.""If you say so," I muttered, though I wasn’t entirely convinced. "Three days is such short notice. I don’t even have a dress yet.""Oh no, whatever will you do?" Damien teased, smirking. "It’s not like you have an entire wardrobe filled with designer dresses."I rolled my eyes. "You don’t understand. The annual company ball is different. Everything has to be perfect. It’s not just about looking nice, it’s about making a statement. People notice everything."Damien chuckled, clearly amused by my dilemma. "Shawna, you could show up in a garbage ba
RAMONI leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms as I watched Phoebe study me. She had that determined look on her face, the one that told me she wasn’t going to let this go without a fight. I had seen it before, back when she had insisted on explaining the whole misunderstanding that had gotten me arrested. And now here we were again, another battle I didn’t ask for.“I appreciate the offer, Phoebe, but I don’t want you hiring me out of guilt,” I said evenly.Her brows furrowed. “I’m not hiring you out of guilt.”I arched a brow. “Really?”“Yes, really.” She exhaled and leaned forward. “I own this company, Ramon. I make the decisions here. And I think you’d be an asset. That’s why I want to hire you. Not because of some misplaced guilt.”I studied her for a moment, trying to gauge if she was being honest. But Phoebe had never struck me as the type to pity anyone. She was far too blunt for that.She smirked slightly. “Besides, I wouldn’t just hand you the job. You’ll have to go throu
SHAWNAI sighed, watching Damien walk out of the office, his expression still mildly suspicious. I knew him well enough to know he wasn’t going to drop it, no matter how much I told him to. But for now, at least, he was gone.Barely five minutes later, the door swung open again, and Eugene strode in, looking exasperated. "Are you avoiding me, Shawna? Because I’ve been calling, and you haven’t picked up."I groaned, rubbing my temples. "It’s not like that. I’ve just had a lot on my mind."Eugene crossed her arms, giving me a skeptical look. "Oh really? Try me."I hesitated. Over the years, Eugene and I had gotten much closer. She was one of the few people I trusted with my thoughts, no matter how irrational they seemed. I exhaled and finally admitted, "It’s about Phoebe. And that man who was pushed into the pool."Eugene frowned. "What about them?""I can’t shake the feeling that something’s off," I confessed. "Phoebe is different. She’s been distracted, and now she hires a guy who out
PHOEBEMy whole body was sore. My dress was torn, my wrists burned from the ropes, and my eyes stung from crying. I was huddled in a corner of that cold, dark room, shivering as the last of the men ran out like rats. One second, they were setting up cameras, saying the most disgusting things, and the next, they were gone. Just like that.It made no sense. None of it did. Why would they leave me? What scared them off?I was too weak to stand, too confused to think straight. My head was pounding, and I could still feel whatever they had drugged me with swirling through my system. My heart was racing so fast I could barely catch my breath. My legs were pulled to my chest, arms wrapped tightly around them, as if I could make myself disappear if I just curled up small enough.And then I heard footsteps.Fast. Heavy. Coming closer.My eyes shot to the door.I froze.My heart shot to my throat.Were they back?Did they forget something?Were they going to finish what they started?I couldn’t
RAMONI stood in that hotel lobby staring at the manager as if he'd just announced a death. Maybe he had. Because knowing Phoebe had been taken right from under my nose felt exactly like that, like something had died inside me."She was in your care!" I shouted. "She was supposed to wait for me here!""Mr. Ramon," the manager said nervously, "we thought it was authorized…""By whom? My uncle?" I spat. "You took her because my uncle said so? Did she look like she wanted to leave? Did you even ask her that?"No answer. Just that sick, silent guilt on their faces.I didn't waste another second. I turned on my heel, stormed out of the hotel, jumped into my car, and sped straight to Richard's estate. My hands gripped the wheel so hard they ached. My mind was a storm, rage, fear, regret. I kept seeing her face in my head, her smile, the way she had trusted me. And now...She was gone.When I got to the mansion, the guards at the gate crossed their arms."Sir, Mr. Richard said not to let you
RAMONI was dead tired by the time we finished the meeting at the company. My shirt clung to my back, and my head was pounding from all the numbers and back-to-back discussions. All I wanted was to check my phone and unwind, maybe see if Phoebe had texted.I reached into my pocket. Empty.My heart skipped.I checked the table, the chair, and even under the folder I’d used. Nothing.“Where the hell is my phone?” I muttered.My uncle, sitting across from me, raised an eyebrow. “Lose something?”“My phone. I had it before we came here.”He shrugged. “Maybe you dropped it at the house.”I didn’t like how quick he was to answer.Still, I forced a calm nod and stood up. “I’ll go check.”The ride back to his place felt like it took forever. My mind was racing. Phoebe. Had she called? Texted? What if something was wrong? My gut wouldn’t calm down.When I got to the house, I tore through every room I had been in earlier. The living room. The guest room. Even the damn kitchen. Nothing.My uncle
PHOEBEThe hotel was breathtaking, with marble floors, chandeliers sparkling like stars, a scent of roses, and money hanging in the air. My heels clicked softly as I followed the receptionist, who wore a perfectly polite smile. My coat was still wrapped tightly around me, hiding the dress Winnie helped me pick out. My heart fluttered with a mix of excitement and nerves.“He’ll be with you shortly,” the receptionist said sweetly, opening a suite door for me. “Please, get comfortable. There are refreshments inside. Make yourself at home.”I gave a shy nod. “Thank you.”The door shut behind me.The suite was luxurious, with soft couches, a large table with drinks and fruit, and dim romantic lighting. I let out a small breath. “Wow…”I walked slowly to the table, brushing my fingers along the glass rim of a wine glass. Red wine. A chill ran up my spine, and I shook it off. Maybe he asked them to pour it before he arrived. Maybe this was his way of setting the mood.I pulled out my phone.
PHOEBEI slammed the front door a little harder than I meant to when I got home.Winnie looked up from the couch, raising an eyebrow. "Whoa. Somebody’s in a mood. What's wrong, sunshine?"I dropped my bag by the door and flopped onto the armchair with a loud sigh. "It’s Ramon," I said, pouting like a child.Winnie immediately perked up. "Ramon? Spill. What happened?!"I buried my face in my hands for a second before looking up at her. "We kissed. Like... really kissed. It was amazing. He kissed me like he needed me to breathe or something."Winnie squealed, hugging a throw pillow. "Oh my God! Finally!""Yeah, it was incredible," I mumbled, my cheeks heating up. "But right after that, he got a call. Emergency at home. He had to leave. Just like that."Winnie’s face softened. "Oh, babe...""I know he had no choice," I said quickly, fiddling with a loose thread on the armrest. "But... it sucks. I’m losing my mind over him, Winnie. I’m slowly going crazy. I want him so bad it hurts."Winn
PHOEBERamon’s eyes burned into me like I was the only thing he could see. I felt my cheeks heat up under his stare, and I shifted awkwardly on my feet.“Phoebe,” he said, his voice low and rough, “I want all of you…every part of you. I’m not afraid of being with you. I’m just... trying to restrain myself.”My heart pounded so hard it hurt. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out at first. Then I swallowed hard and said, "I want all of you, too, Ramon. I’m not scared."Something snapped between us.Ramon closed the space in a single, hungry heartbeat, grabbing me again and crashing his mouth onto mine. This kiss wasn’t soft. It wasn’t sweet. It was rough, fierce, almost desperate, like he had been starving, and I was the only thing that could satisfy him.His lips crushed against mine, demanding and urgent. I could feel the heat pouring off his body as he kissed me like he needed me more than air. His hand slid up, fingers threading into the hair at the nape of my neck, then wrapping
RAMONI tossed and turned all night. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t sleep. My mind kept racing, full of everything Uncle Richard had said... and Phoebe. Always Phoebe.I was falling for her. Hard. It scared the hell out of me, but it also felt so right. I didn’t just like her, I needed her. Every smile, every look, every word she said stuck in my head like glue.When morning came, I dragged myself out of bed, showered, and dressed like a man on a mission. I didn’t even think twice. I was going to see her. I had to.No more running. No more hiding.When I got to the worksite, she was there already, sorting through some papers, looking so focused and beautiful that it made my heart twist. She looked up and blinked like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing."Ramon?" she said, her voice small but full of surprise. "I thought... I thought you weren’t going to be available anymore."I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling awkward and stupid all at once. "Yeah, about that. I’m
WINNIEWinnie stared at me like I had just grown two heads. "What do you mean you don't know if Ramon likes you enough to be intimate?" she asked, her eyes wide.I hugged my knees to my chest, feeling small and stupid. "I don’t know, Win. Maybe... maybe he’s just not that into me. Maybe he sees me like a kid or something."Winnie shook her head fast. "No way. Anyone with eyes can see Ramon is crazy about you, Phoebe. Seriously. He looks at you like you hung the moon!"I smiled a little, but it didn’t reach my heart. "Then why is he so hesitant? Why does he always back away when things get... close?"Winnie opened her mouth to say something, then paused. Her face changed slowly, like she was putting puzzle pieces together."Wait a second..." she said carefully. "Have you guys ever... you know... done it?"I looked down at my lap, my face burning. "No," I whispered.Winnie’s mouth fell open. "Wait. You mean... never?"I nodded, feeling like I was about to sink into the floor."And he kn
RAMONI stood in the garden, massaging my temples and trying to figure out what just happened. I hated seeing Phoebe hurt. I hated that I was the reason for that look in her eyes, the one that made my chest ache. I wanted to run after her, fix it, explain everything better.I had just taken a step toward the house when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to see Billy and Jasper coming out. Great. Just what I needed right now.They stood there awkwardly for a second before Billy cleared his throat."Hey, man," he said, not meeting my eyes. "We, uh... we just wanted to say sorry."I blinked, surprised. "Sorry?"Jasper shoved his hands into his pockets. "Yeah. For looking down on you. We didn't know... well, we didn't know you were who you are."I sighed, not really wanting to have this conversation. "It's fine," I muttered, even though it really wasn't."But," Billy added quickly, "we still think you're hiding something. And honestly... we don’t think you're worthy of our sister."Tha