When Therese arrived at the address given by the sender of the email, she gulped nervously. She double checked it just in case she was standing in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Was this really DesmondTech? The most renowned gadget company to exist? The place was straight out of fiction! It made her feel out of place as she looked at the sleek glass and steel facade of the building. What appeared in front of her was a towering skyscraper dominating the skyline. She was about to meet with a man named Raven Desmond on the 200th floor. Wait, was she supposed to go for a more formal attire? The thought and the place was intimidating but there’s no backing out now. “You’ve got this, girl. Therese gave herself an encouraging self-pat as she took out her compact mirror from her purse and checked her appearance for the nth time. She wanted to make sure that her wine red lipstick was exuding professionalism and complimented her white long sleeve blouse. She smoothed her high-waisted pencil skirt as well. She entered the building with her head held high, hiding her trembling hands. When Therese stepped out of the elevator on the 200th floor, she was greeted by a marble door too luxurious for an ordinary girl like her. She held her breath as she knocked one…two times. “Come in.” The voice of a man welcomed him. When Therese pushed the knobs open, she saw a masculine man wearing an elegant maroon suit. He was leaning against a huge desk with gold and shiny black edges. “Ms. Therese Barlow, right? Welcome to DesmondTech.” Her soul almost left her body when she met the man’s eyes. Beads of sweats started traveling down her spine and she wished the ground would just swallow her on the spot. She would recognize that face anywhere. “Y-you are..TechnoDaddy! She couldn’t help but cover her mouth in realization. Memories of their shared night together replayed in her head. She almost cringed when she heard her voice come out like a squeak. “Well, yeah I go by that username. I’m Raven Desmond in real life. And yes, I kind of own DesmondTech.” He chuckled deeply, wearing his signature cocky grin. “Please, have a seat. I would like to discuss the babysitting deal with you.” How could he stand there and talk to her like his mouth hadn’t explored her most intimate parts? “You look beautiful, by the way.” Raven was ever so smooth with his words. She blushed hard. “Is this some kind of a joke?” “And why would you think that?” “How did you find me? No…why did you pick me? This is so awkward.” Her blush intensified as she willed herself to turn around and just walk away because of embarrassment. Therese couldn’t look Raven in the eye without remembering their one night stand. “I can’t do this. I’m sorr–” “Please, darling. Just hear me out first?” He interrupted her mid-sentence using the most seductive bedroom voice ever and how could she ever say no to that tone? “Therese Barlow, 22 year-old university student. Psychology major. Hmmm. Currently, you live on your own and you need a stable source of income to pay your rent and some other debts.” When they were finally seated and facing each other, Raven looked over a piece of paper as he read the information out loud for Therese to hear. For some reason, his cocky grin wasn’t disappearing and it was starting to annoy Therese. She gritted her teeth and took a sip of a slowly cooling black tea. “Wow, so you really did your research on me, huh? Yes, I’m poor. Yes, I need this part-time job. What of it? Can we just be professionals and go straight to discussing the contract?” “I can’t be a professional when I speak with you like this knowing full well that I had already explored every inch of your body with my tongue and dick.” He replied plainly. She almost choked on her tea. “T-that was…that was only for a night.” “You see. That was my problem, baby. I couldn’t forget you after that night.” Raven tilted his head and leaned closer to Therese so their faces were only about an inch away from each other. His hooded gaze scanned her lips seductively. “I wouldn’t want our time together to last for only a night.” He licked his lips sinfully as he reached a finger to touch her right cheek. She swallowed hard. He was just like her, huh? All the annoyance and embarrassment she was feeling were gone in an instant. Therese was paralyzed on the spot. Sure enough, he brought the aching of her core back to life. “What do you m-mean?” She managed to whisper, never leaving Raven’s eyes. “Tell me, did you forget me easily after I took your virginity?” Damn it, he didn’t need to say it out loud. She had to be honest. “No. You were amazing.” “Would you want to experience that passion with me again?” Without missing a beat, Therese nodded. Her tea had grown cold between her hands despite it being too hot in his office. Her heart banged wildly in her chest when Raven stood up and walked to her side before kneeling and taking her hands in his. His touch was electrifying. “$100,000 a month. Full-time offer. I will give you $100,000 a month and I want you to be my son’s babysitter by day and my personal escort at night. I’ll settle your debts too and you wouldn’t need to worry about rent anymore. You’ll live in my mansion for free and you’ll still be able to study. All you have to do is…” He pulled her chair towards her until their noses touched. The unexpected move made her yelp and her mouth watered as she inhaled his expensive perfume. “Give yourself to me for a year.” Therese balled her fists until her knuckles turned white. She was holding so tight on the chair’s armrest to ground her will. For some reason, all the rationality left in her mind flew out the window and Raven ghosted her lips. Memories of him ramming her insides played in her head. “What do you say, baby? Is it a yes?” It was too late to turn around. She was already one foot down to a delicious temptation called Raven Desmond. Deep inside her, she knew there was nothing left to do but agree. So, she did. “Yes. I’ll be yours.” What she really meant was, I’ll work for you. Smirking in victory, Raven pulled her in for a heated kiss. They made out heavily instead of a handshake and a sign to make their deal official. Therese closed her eyes and let her sanity be extinguished by this man’s heat and allure. Their lips were a perfect match for each other and so were their tongues.They danced in a familiar rhythm that took the both of them back on that night. The night they couldn’t forget. When they pulled away to breathe, a string of saliva connecting their lips became evident. They were breathing heavily, looking each other in the eye with hunger. Would it always be like this with him? “Oh by the way, I want you to start tomorrow already.” Damian smirked as he thumbed Therese’s red lipstick that was smudged on his lips."Therese stood in front of the mirror, admiring her dream wedding dress. "You can do this!" She encouraged herself to calm her nerves. Her hands smoothed the elegant pleats of her gown before they went to caress the beautiful bouquet that sat silently in her hands. A sense of overwhelming love and happiness flooded through her. At last, the day has come. She couldn't be more excited and anxious at the same time. But it's Raven who she's going to get married to. Nothing could go wrong. Time has already tested their relationship and she knows that they have each other for better or for worse. All she has to do is walk down the aisle and say I do. "Let's go?" Aly stood beside her wearing a proud smile while her eyes brimmed with tears of joy. She reached to hold her best friend's hand and led her to happily ever after.----Therese thought that she was not the emotional type. But as soon as their wedding song played and the door opened to reveal her groom, her heart clenched in an ove
2 WEEKS LATER“Please, come here…” Therese begged as she cupped Raven’s cheeks, ushering his naked body upwards to press over hers. Under the dim yellow lamplight, her eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Therese..." Raven uttered his name and she brushed her fingers over his cheekbones, nose, and lips, burning the image of his face in memory just in case she was dreaming again. Raven leaned down to capture her lips in a tender kiss. "I'm real. I'm here." He whispered in her ear before sucking on the column of her neck, making sure that she could feel his teeth and tongue on her skin.Therese pulled him down as he embraced him tightly. She buried her face on the crook of his neck, smelling his familiar scent that she missed. "Say my name again. I want to hear your voice." Raven brushed his erection over her stomach, making her moan. She closed her eyes, feeling overwhelmed by emotions and Raven was there to kiss them away. Two weeks have passed since he woke up. Two weeks since the
DISCLAIMER: This chapter contains mention of suicide and self-harm that might be triggering to some readers. Read at your own risk. 2 MONTHS LATER"Will you be going to the hospital?" "Where else would I be?" Therese smiled sadly at her best friend's inquiry. They were on the way outside the campus since they just finished their major. Aly sighed, avoiding the elephant in the room. "Jayce and I could take turns watching over him, you know? You don't have to push yourself too much. You need to rest too." Her best friend snaked her arm around hers as she looked at her with genuine concern. She appreciated her offer, she really did. But Therese couldn't bring herself to say that there is no better rest in this world other than being by Raven's side, awake or asleep. "I'm fine, Aly. Besides, his parents are there to take care of him too." Still, Aly tightened her hold around her arm. "Just call me if you need anything, alright?""Thank you, though. You've always been there for us...
"Clear...Shocking on three. One, two, three!"Therese followed the creaking sound of the emergency bed's movement where Raven was laid bloody and unconscious. Her feet numbed from walking and running all day. Her head felt like it was floating. Her heart..."Check rythm. Do we have a pulse?"Her heart sank to her stomach, making her feel like she's drowning. Therese watched the doctors try to revive her dying lover in slow motion. Two electric metal devices that she doesn't know the name of, pulled Raven's chest upwards again and again. And again. Yet, everytime...Raven wasn't budging. "No, no..." She shook her head as she clutched the handle of the bed as the medical personnel kept moving it towards the ICU. Her vision started becoming watery as the weight of reality slowly sinks in her mind. "Starting manual CPR now!" The doctor who climbed on the bed to pump his chest using her hands desperately clung onto the weak pulse point and his heart's fading beats. Soon, they placed an
BANG! BANG! It was almost funny how fast the turn of events took place. One moment, Stephanie was offering her son's internal organs to the man who lent her billions of dollars, the next, gunshots were heard around the yacht. "Show yourself, Stephanie. We know you're in there." She didn't know when they arrived or how they managed to sneak past her men but her ears weren't deceiving her. That voice was of Raven's. "Right, right...I'm here, you got me. Geez! No need to be so dramatic." She rolled her eyes before walking up the stairs, hiding her gun underneath her dress just in case. Stephanie showed up, hands in the air. A part of her was startled to see Raven and Therese with a bunch of officers guarding them as they rode three boats a few distance away from the nose of the yacht. Yet, another part of her had already expected for this to happen. "How did you know where I was?" She smirked mockingly, tilting her head to the side as she eyed the anxious couple. Raven dismissed h
“When is she going to get here?” Keith stared at his toy truck for the hundreth of time as he waited for Stephanie's promise. He still refused to call her his mother at this point. The small circular window that allowed the small room of the yacht to breathe was the only solace he had in his miserable days. At least he gets to see how the sun kisses the ocean good night."Have patience, my son...She'll be here soon." Stephanie entered the room, eyeing the untouched toys and food that scattered around. She took a step closer and knelt before his son who was pouting and glaring at her. "I'm not your son and you have said the same thing since we got here! I wanna go home." He protested bravely, throwing the truck on the wall with much force and making it break. CRASH! Stephanie's patience was wearing thin. She closed her eyes and held herself back from striking his silly little face that resembles his asshole of a father. Fuck, speaking of the Desmonds, why isn't Raven taking her b