MasukIan raised an eyebrow. “I wasn’t drunk last night. I was completely sober.“Sweetheart, I knew exactly what I was doing. I have been aware of my feelings for you for a long time. I just kept holding them back. But last night, when you hired those male escorts and leaned into that man’s arms, I could
Mia’s expression hardened. “Ian, what kind of thing is that to say? Who I date is none of your business.”“Fine.” Ian gave a short, cold laugh. “None of my business.”His face remained dark as he walked out. From that day on, he never returned to the Quinton estate.Mia did not see him for more than
Mia’s relationship with Ian had changed completely. Somewhere along the way, she had become the one doing the bullying.If she was upset, she would pinch or swat him without hesitation, and Ian would only grin and call her “Little Princess” or “Miss Trouble,” never once fighting back.Later, Mia was
By the time Ian was eighteen and in his senior year, his life was too busy with schoolwork to waste time picking on his stepsister. It had been a long time since he had teased Mia.The high school and middle school buildings were close to each other. That afternoon, he and a few classmates walked to
Lester was often away from home.In the beginning, whenever Mia was bullied by Ian, she would run to her mother, Sharon, in tears. But as a stepmother, Sharon felt she had no authority to discipline Ian. For the sake of keeping the household peaceful, she chose to turn a blind eye and never told Le
The first time Mia met Ian, she was only nine years old.Her mother, Sharon, held her hand and smiled brightly. “Say hello to your new brother.”The little girl tilted her head up at the tall boy in front of her, pressed her lips together, and obediently said, “Hi, brother.”The boy didn’t look the
Their bodies pressed closer, and Charlotte could feel the change in him. Heat rushed to her cheeks, though in the darkness it wasn’t obvious.Sean leaned in until his lips brushed her ear, his low, magnetic voice dripping with temptation. “What’s there to be afraid of? That only makes it more exciti
“What if they come in?”“Relax, it’s fine. I slid the bolt when I got here. They can’t get in.”The courtyard gate was made of solid wood, with a heavy bolt that worked like a lock. Once it was in place, it couldn’t be opened from the outside.Sean leaned down to murmur in Charlotte’s ear. “Baby, th
August had barely begun when Charlotte started receiving one piece of good news after another.Zoe was officially charged with sexual assault. The evidence against her was solid, and the police had already handed the case over to the prosecutor’s office. By mid-August, the prosecutors had filed a pu
Charlotte’s wedding had been in the works for two months, with the date set for the end of October.Two days before the ceremony, she received a call from an unfamiliar number.Lately, with all the wedding preparations, she had been getting calls every day—some from old classmates, some from relativ







