The CEO
. . I stood outside Binky’s apartment, my hands shoved deep into the pockets of my black pants, wrestling with the urge to go inside or return to that house. I couldn’t even call it a home, not with Lucy living there. I sighed as I saw the post: Damon Wesley celebrates his fiancée’s birthday. My heart ached, knowing Binky must have seen it too. I always thought she didn’t care about me and that her outbursts were just attempts to break free from our contract. But the vacation made me realize she was in love with me, and I’d do anything to be with her—even if it meant making a deal with the devil. Every part of me wanted to confront my father directly, but that would be foolish; he wouldn’t just torment me, but everyone I care about. A tall figure entering Binky’s apartment jolted me from my reverie. From the broad shoulders, it had to be a man, and my mind immediately jumped to Logan. Although Binky said he was Jessie’s friend, I couldn’t bring myself to believe it. A frown walked its way onto my face as my blood tinged with anger. What right did another man have to visit my Binky—especially at this hour—even though it was just 8 p.m.? With quick strides, I trailed behind him, and that’s when I heard her scream. I yanked my hands from my pockets and dashed into the building. My eyes widened at the sight of Binky on the floor, blood dripping from her head. “Logan.” A guttural growl escaped my throat, causing him to turn and face me. I won’t lie, his physique was intimidating, but not when he had hurt my Binky. Clouded by anger, I lunged at him, swinging my fist toward his face. He caught my punch and twisted my arm. Pain shot through me, but it only fueled my fury. Just as I was about to kick him, he pulled back. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself. Thanks to my Muay Thai training, I’ve taken down men larger than me. As my body relaxed, I launched at him again, dodging his attack and landing a strike on his knee, weakening it. I sidestepped, evading his blow, and landed an elbow on his head. When he fell to the ground, I mounted him and delivered a flurry of punches, staining my fists red until he was unconscious. “What the hell?” A voice snapped me out of my rage. I turned to see a man holding a small bouquet of purple roses. “And who the hell are you?” I demanded, rising to my feet. He ignored me and rushed to Binky, scooping her into his arms. I grabbed his arm. “Where are you taking her?” “The hospital, of course,” he replied. “Are you Logan?” I asked, recognizing him as the bartender who brought Binky home drunk that night. “Yes.” His words shattered my heart. “And you are what to her?” I couldn’t help but ask. “A friend.” His answer did nothing to ease the uneasy feeling in my stomach. As he headed for the door, I called out, “Logan, don’t tell her I was here.” He nodded and hurried out of the apartment. It’s better if she doesn’t know I was here. I collapsed onto the sofa, reached for my phone, and dialed 911. A sharp pain coursed through my heart as I took in the scene of the house—the broken shards of bottles in the kitchen, her hair scattered on the floor of the bedroom. Another wave of anger surged through me. I picked up the pair of scissors—I was going to take the other eye of that bastard—but then I heard the sirens. I hurriedly left the scene. **** As I opened the door to my house, the noise of women chattering pierced my ears—Lucy’s friends were there. I pulled out a handkerchief and wiped my face, tucking it back into my pocket before stepping into the living room. “Oh my gosh, what happened to you?” Lucy shrieked, her grating voice making me wince as she rushed toward me. “I went to my martial arts training,” I lied. She knew I didn’t train, but the lie wasn’t for her—it was for her friends. “He’s a very good fighter.” She smiled, slipping her arm around my waist and placing the other on my chest. “I’ve seen him take down ten men before.” She giggled. I stiffened at her words, shocked. She’d never seen me fight, let alone take down ten men. “Wow, not only is he handsome, but he's strong too,” one of her friends gushed. “Lucy, you’re so lucky to have him,” another friend chimed in, covering her smile with her hand. “He’s also lucky to have me. Aren’t you?” Lucy grinned at me. I wanted to wipe that grin off her face, but instead, I forced a smile. “Yes, I am.” I flinched, nearly gagging at my own words. “Alright, I’ll leave you ladies to it,” I added before excusing myself. I collapsed onto the sofa in my bedroom, alone with my thoughts. My throat tightened as images of Binky lying in that state flooded my mind. I should have been with her, but another man was by her side. My room started to close in on me, and I jumped up, pacing. The worst-case scenarios played out in my head. I considered calling Jessie, but she likely wouldn’t pick up. My only option was Zach. I grabbed my phone and dialed him. “Hey, man.” His voice was loud, mingled with the sound of women chatting and music in the background. “Where are you?” I asked, then dismissed the question. “Never mind. Something happened to Binky, and she was rushed to the hospital. Can you find out which hospital and how she’s doing and get back to me?” “Sure,” he replied, ending the call. Exhaling, I walked down to the indoor bar—I needed a drink to calm my nerves. I grabbed a bottle and headed back to my room. I settled on the sofa and downed a few glasses in quick succession, then leaned back, my head tilting backward. “What are you thinking about?” Lucy’s voice came from behind, her hands sliding over to caress my chest. “Nothing.” I gripped her hand, resisting the urge to throw it off. I had to keep up the facade that I was starting to care for her. She walked around to face me, her fingers unbuttoning her gown. With a wide grin, she let the gown fall to the floor, revealing her ample bust and slim, curvy figure. As she straddled me, she leaned in and nibbled on my ear. A little moan escaped my lips as she rolled her hips against me. She guided my hands from her thighs to her waist, my fingers brushing against her smooth skin. She got up and gestured for me to join her on the bed. I gulped from the bottle, steeling myself for the long night ahead. I just had to think of her as a random woman. I unfastened my tie, unbuttoned my shirt, and moved to the bed. As I came over to her, she wrapped her legs around my waist, pulling me down with my body pressed against hers. A little gasp escaped her as I moved against her. She pulled me in for a kiss, her tongue playing in my mouth. Her lips were soft, and despite my hatred for her, my body responded to her touch. Her fingers trailed south until they reached my nipples, and I moaned as she rolled them between her fingertips. The thought of Binky shattered my focus. I pulled away, unable to continue. Realization hit me like a brick. Who the hell was the man who attacked Binky? And why? I had been so consumed with worry about Binky that I hadn’t thought about it. It couldn’t be Lucy; she was starting to believe I was falling in love with her. It wasn’t my father; he didn’t know anything about Binky. “What happened?” Lucy asked. “Where are you going?” Ignoring her, I jumped up, threw on my shirt, and dashed out of the house. I needed to get to the police station.Lucy pov ...Amidst the lush greenery, the breeze sung a calm song to me. I sat on the bench watching other patients. They were all crazy. I scoffed and skimmed my hands on my patient outfit. I turned and faced Logan, who arrived a few seconds later. “It’s been ages.” Logan smiled. “I wanted to get red roses, but you said you love yellow flowers." He handed me a bouquet of yellow roses.I smiled and accepted it. “How’s your sister?” I faced him. “Tell me you have stopped smoking.”It’s been a long time since I had a conversation with the outside world. I had no family and no friends ever came to visit. It was nice to see him.Logan chuckled. “I have stopped smoking.” His green eyes gleamed beneath the yellow hues of the sun. “And for my sister.” He paused and clenched the edge of the wooden seat. “She didn’t make it.” His voice softened.“I am so sorry.” My chest tightened. I knew how much he loved his sister.“But I opened a bar.” A wide smile formed across his lips. “When you g
Lucy ..(This chapter contains violence that might disturb viewers. Viewers' discretion is advised.)The news had already spread like wildfire. Damon hadn’t said anything, nor have I; people could only wonder what happened that led to us canceling our wedding a day before. My friend had asked, and I told them that I ended it after discovering Damon wanted to absorb my company just like his father did to other companies.Leaning back on my office chair, I sighed. I was this close to having him. I jolted up as the door opened. “There’s a meeting with the board of directors,” Tina announced. “Now?” I raised a brow. “Why?” She adjusted her glasses. “Yes, Ma’am. I really don’t know. But all the members are around.” I sprang to my feet. The clicks of my heels echoed. My heart pounded. How come I wasn’t aware of the meeting? Sweat swathed across my palm.Opening the door, my eyes fell on the seven members—they were all here. It was hard for them to gather together, except something v
The toy ..I dragged the last luggage down the stairs and placed it at the door. I was tired of being his toy. I was stupid to think that we would end up together. I had enough savings to start up my life. I need to run away from Manhattan, from New York. I need to move far away, to another place.I glanced around the apartment; so many beautiful and ugly memories; both of them haunted me.Opening the door, I gasped as my eyes fell on Damon. I held the tears that welled in my eyes. My heart twisted yet fluttered. Pain and relief fought to dominate my chest—neither won.His eyes fell on my luggage, and he frowned. “Where are you going?” What is he going to say to me? No, stay here and watch me get married to another woman. I rolled my wet eyes. “I’m leaving Damon.” I tried to bolster my voice, to show resolve.He inched closer and shut the door behind him. His beautiful amber eyes burned into mine. The eyes I had loved so much, that had caused me so much pain. Now one of my babies
The CEO..I climbed the stairs, each step feeling as heavy as the weight pressing down on my heart. Pearl had handed over the remaining 10 percent of the company shares to me, knowing that once the engagement and merger were finalized, the Wesley Corporation would likely dissolve Beckham Construction. The certificate was cold in my hands, but it felt meaningless now.As I passed by Lucy's room, the sound of her soft chuckle drifted out, followed by her mother's voice. I glared at the door. The thought of me spending the rest of my life with her was mentally gnawing. I was doing this for the child; once the child is enough, I'll get a divorce and just focus on my child. The memories of my childhood after my mother flooded in—just me and my father. "Damon isn’t around, right?" Mrs. Beckham asked. "Are you sure he is?"I was about to walk away, but the question glued my feet to the floor and, like a magnet, pulled my ears to the door."He isn't," Lucy replied, a note of excitement bub
The toy ..Tears streamed down my face, warm and bitter as they traced the curves of my cheeks. The room around me was silent like it was holding its breath, waiting for me to break.And I did.I muffled my sobs, pressing the back of my hand against my mouth, trying to keep it together, even though no one was around to witness. My elbows dug into my thighs as I leaned forward, staring at the two red lines on the pregnancy test. They glared back at me, mocking me. I shook my head, refusing to believe it. This couldn’t be real. What now? My mind raced, thoughts crashing into each other like waves against a rock. Damon’s wedding was just two days away. Two days. Even if I told him, what would change? I could hear Mr. Brian's voice in my head, loud and clear. Men know who they want to marry, and they keep the others around just for fun.I had brushed off those words when he first said them, but now they are repeated. in my mind, each repetition drilling pain into my heart—I should ha
The CEO..The drive was perfect, the kind of perfect that only comes once in a long while. The wind whipped through my hair as the convertible glided down the winding road, the sun casting a golden glow over everything it touched. The expression on my father when I testified against him in court felt like an award—a medal.Opening the door to my house, my gaze fell on Mrs. Beckham and Lucy.Mrs. Beckham stood in the center of the room, her presence cold.My smile faded, “Mrs. Beckham,” I greeted her with a curt nod. Mrs. Beckham was the female version of my father, so I spoke, a knot formed in my stomach as her presence gnawed at me.She didn’t return my pleasantries. Instead, she placed a crisp white envelope on the burly wood table, her eyes boring into mine. “Open it,” she instructed, her tone strict and firm. I hesitated for a second before crossing the room.I hardened my gaze as I snatched up the envelope, the paper cool and smooth against my skin. I tore it open and pulled