ANMELDENAlexander’s POVI wait at the foot of the stairs, already texting my private cleaning service company.Miss Spotless: {Does it have to be my team and me?}Me: {No. Just get any team to the address I sent, but I’d appreciate it if they’re as discreet as your team. Thanks.}I pocket my phone and rake my fingers through my hair. “Look at you losing your mind because everywhere’s a mess.”I lift my head to see Candace chuckling as she comes down the stairs. Her hair is secured in a messy bun, and her face is damp. She’s worn an oversized sweater and baggy pants.“At least, there’s a smile on your face,” I reply.She stands before me and says, “It’s because of you… seeing you makes me happy… And you know that. You’re so mean for depriving me of seeing you.”I raise my brows and exhale. She reeks of alcohol, cigarettes, and mint.“Why did you come, Alex? Is your little bride aware that you’re visiting me late at night?”“She has nothing to do with why I’m here.”“But she doesn’t know, righ
Alexander’s POVIt’s Monday. And I’ve not heard from her.“Where do I have to sign?” I say to Leah, pen in my hand.“Here. And here.” She answers while pointing to spaces on a document. Then she drops an iPad. “And this, too.” Signing, I ask, “When’s my meeting with the marketing team?”“In two hours, sir… the ads will roll out tonight… I heard the website will be updated by midnight.”“Is that when preorders start?”“Yes, sir… Your fiancée’s pictures turned out really nicely. She’s going to love them.”I nod and drop the pen.“Can I get a cup of coffee, please?”“Right away, sir.” She answers, peels the document and device off my table, and then turns to leave.I turn to my email, looking through images of Sophia and the models using the facial cleansing brush. Then I watch the final edit of the ad—the one where it’s just her and me.There’s a knock on the door before it’s opened. Leah walks in.The video ends, and I get back to what I was doing. “Where are we with production of ou
Psycho’s POV“Okay. It’s none of my business…” I raise my hand briefly in surrender. “All you have to do is not kiss her until you’re ready to have sex with her…”He uncrosses his legs and sits back. “But that’s all she asks me for. And–”And what?I slowly drop my eyes as I scribble again. Patience gets me answers sometimes. “You want to kiss her?”He says nothing.I lift my eyes and ask, “Do you want to kiss your fiancée, too?”“Just once.”I remain mute.“I’ve only felt that way once.”“You’ve only felt like kissing her once.”He nods.My head buzzes with curiosity. “It was that day… the last time you were here, wasn’t it?”He nods again, pursing his lips.“If you think it’s my business, can you tell me what happened before you felt like that…”“I tickled her, and she laughed.”I see…“Let me get this straight: you don’t have a desire to kiss your fiancée… but you kissed her once. And a second time, and you realized kissing her produces an uncontrollable urge in you to– keep kissin
Psycho’s POV~Connecticut, USA~So, I have a name, and it’s not Psycho. My name is Penelope Macpherson. I’m telling you because my favorite client never uses my name. He’s a very hard nut to crack. Seated on a couch, I slurp spicy ramyeon out of a cup, eyes fixed on the T.V as I watch my little brother’s favorite anime. But don’t be fooled; even right now, Mr. Thorne’s on my mind.“Penelope?” I turn my head to see my little brother walking toward me. My phone is in his hand.“What is it?”“Your phone’s ringing… It’s Mr.-- None of Your Business?? With dollar signs.”“Gimme.” I push the ramyeon aside and grab my phone out of his grip. “Hello, Mr. Thorne.”“Do you have some time to spare?” His voice cracks, the sadness in it, unmistakable.My eyes widen. I spring out of the couch, rushing to my bedroom already. “Yes. Yes. I’ll be at the office in fifteen minutes.”“Okay.” That’s all he says before hanging up.Finally, something interesting in my boring week. I drop my phone on my bed
Sophia’s POV“M-mom?” I croak, taking an unsteady step back as she pauses. Wasn’t she supposed to be away for a few days?Fear grips my entire body, causing my hands to begin trembling. I grip the sling of my purse to hide it.“I’m not going to repeat myself after this?” She says firmly, features hardened. “Where did you go, and why are you just returning home at this time?”A lump forms in my throat. I feel my eyes filling up again.“J-Jordyn…” I stutter. “Um, Jordyn and I–”“Jordyn?” She raises her brows and scoffs.My eyes shift over her shoulder to see Jordyn walking out of the kitchen with a mug, a worried expression on her face.My stomach drops.Instantly, my mom charges toward me. She grabs my arm, pulling me as she moves.“Mom?” I crumble in tears, staggering while she drags me back to the entrance.“You’ve started lying to me, you didn’t answer your phone when I called, Jordyn couldn’t get through to you! Oh, Sophia. No daughter of mine will behave like this!”“Mom, I’m sor
Sophia’s POVI stare at the small white skirt on the floor, fixing my eyes on the bloodstain that painfully reminds me of what I’ve been stripped of.Tears drip out of my eyes, dropping onto my arm resting against the bathtub. The water is so warm, just what my body needs after that seizure and scary experience. The bath bomb smells of vanilla candy. There’s a bathrobe in baby pink, a small towel in the same color, coconut-flavored shampoo, and a bowl of untouched marshmallows—he passed it in before I locked the bathroom door and unwrapped the sheet from my body.I’m not sure where he got all these things from, but he just happened to have them somewhere in his home—his sincere attempt at making me feel better. But all I want is for the day and several days to pass, so I stop feeling this awful, like the weight of the whole world is on my shoulders.The only thing that can make me feel better is going back in time to when I saw the thong. I’d probably head back home instead.My ches
Alexander’s POVSophia didn’t say much after the call with her mom ended. I figured she had to get home immediately, so instead of riding with her to the company, I hitched a ride with my brother-in-law and had Garvey take her home.A Master’s degree in Marketing and Communications, an honor studen
Sophia’s POVBut why is he obsessed? I muse while sipping my green juice.Maybe he’s liked me for a while. Then it must have hurt him when I didn’t call or text for almost eight months.How long has he liked me?OMG, Lewis! I’ve liked Lewis for so long. He didn’t want to jeopardize his friendship?
Sophia’s POVMy eyes keep widening as I stare at the little pink frame.It’s the picture of him and me from New Year’s Eve, professionally edited and crisp—we’re staring at each other. Just us in our own world, everything else is blurred in the background.I put a hand over my mouth and meet his ga
Alexander’s POVHe staggers.“I got you.” I reach for him quickly, holding him up. He reeks of booze.“You’re a piece of shit, Alex. That’s what you are.”Unsteady, he peels himself off me.With one hand, I dust off my shirt, still holding on to his wrist because he looks totally out of it.“You to







