The air in Greece tasted like sun. Light on her tongue as the wind teased loose strands of hair from her bun. Annette stood still for a moment outside the terminal, soaking it in. She hadn’t wanted to come—not at first. But Sam had insisted. He said it was good for her mental health. And now, standing here in the familiar heat, she was quietly glad.Sam spotted her before she saw him. His arms were already open when he crossed the space between them, wrapping her into a hug that went on longer than it should have. She didn't resist. She folded into it, breathed in his scent, and felt something loosen in her chest."You're here," he murmured into her hair, then pulled back and studied her face. His thumb brushed near her temple, eyes narrowing at the faint reddish bruise just above her brow."Annette..." he said, voice low and full of concern."It's fine," she lied."No, it's not." He took her hand without asking, held it gently between both of his. "What they did to you... everything
The living room glowed with soft lights, tinsel wrapped carefully around the bannister, a plastic tree blinking in the corner. But it felt... staged. Like someone had built a holiday set and left the heart out of it. Annette sat stiff on the couch, wrapped in a knitted shawl, her eyes blank. Cassie sat beside her, quiet, arms gently resting against Annette’s side, just to remind her she wasn’t alone. Jane came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel, George trailing behind her. “Breakfast is almost ready,” she said, voice light in a way that tried too hard. Annette nodded vaguely. George leaned down to murmur something into Jane’s ear. She gave him a look that said now’s not the time, but he caught her hand anyway and pulled her gently toward the kitchen. She followed with a sigh. Just as Jane turned on the stove, her phone buzzed on the counter. She blinked, confused, then reached over. “Hudson?” she answered softly, stepping to the side. George stood quietly nearb
“No Annette, I—”"Netty, he saved you, rushed you down to the hospital, and–” Jane was cut short in her attempt to defend Hudson.“Enough of that!" Annette sat upright, fingers clutching the sheets like she needed something to tether her—something to keep her from flying apart. Her face was pale, but her eyes burned. "You didn’t save me," she whispered, voice so soft it was barely sound. "You destroyed me."The rest stood at their place, watching nervously.The hospital room was filled with silence.Hudson froze where he stood. Those words—God, those words. He'd prepared himself for a thousand possibilities. But not this. Not her looking at him like he was the ghost that haunted her own skin."Annette..." His voice cracked. He stepped forward instinctively, hands twitching like he wanted to reach for her, but stopped short. "Please—just listen—""No." She shoved herself upright with shaky limbs. The IV line tugged, but she didn’t care. "Don’t come near me.""You don’t understand," he
The hospital smelled like bleach and something colder—like metal or rain. The air was dry, and the lights were insanely bright. But as Jane and Cassie walked down the quiet corridor toward Annette's room, none of that really registered. Their hearts were too full. Too heavy. Jane kept a firm grip on Cassie’s hand. Cassie came with a backpack. Cassie sniffled beside her. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes red and swollen from crying the whole ride there. Her small frame shook with every breath.“Why does this keep happening to her?” she asked, her voice cracking in the quiet hallway. “Why is it always her? It’s not fair, Jane. She’s always the one in the hospital. She’s always the one getting hurt or sick.”Jane didn’t have an answer. She just gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “I know, baby. I know.”When they finally reached the room, Jane paused with her hand on the doorknob. For a second, she couldn’t move. She was afraid of what might be on the other side. Afraid of more tubes. More
A few weeks later…3:00 pm, Hudson's Empire. Snowflakes gently fell outside, casting a magical glow. Inside, the conference room buzzed with staff from various departments, including George, all gathered for the final meeting before the Christmas break. Hudson, looking dashing in his navy blue suit, sat at the head, summarizing key points.Hudson, dashing in navy blue, summarized key points. "Marketing, lead the holiday campaign. Sales, focus on quarterly targets. HR, ensure seamless communication.""Excellent work, everyone. Enjoy your holidays." Hudson said, flashing a smile as the meeting came to a close.The room gradually emptied, with festive greetings.Mr Terence’s secretary, Mariah approached Hudson with quarterly reports. "Sir, the reports.""Take them to my office," Hudson replied.Entering the CEO's office, she was surprised to see Annette, elegant in black coat and red dress, sitting on a couch, her attention glued to her phone.“Annette?!” she whispered in shock, “Wha
Her eyes fluttered open, the morning light filtering through the curtains. She was lying in Hudson’s arms, her body still tingling from the previous night's passion. She could recall every damn detail of it. Hudson had fucked her with an animalistic ferocity that left her breathless and her body trembling with aftershocks. She had lost all control, screaming his name as he pounded into her, mercilessly. She’d begged him for more, and begged for him to stop ; all at the same time. Her fingers dug into his back as she rode the wave of pleasure. He’d driven her to the edge of sanity, her body writhing beneath him as he licked and sucked her swollen clit, his tongue flicking against her sensitive flesh. She had thrown back her head, crying out his name as her world exploded into a million shards of pleasure, over and over, each round more intense than the last. As memories of their passionate night lingered, Annette's body responded eagerly, longing for Hudson's touch again. But reality