LOGIN“I should’ve known you weren’t as reckless as me,” he says quietly. “You’re Elliot’s little girl after all.” “I’m not a little girl,” I snap. “I’m twenty-five.” “And I’m almost twice your age, Natalie,” he says, almost like he’s giving up. “But that didn’t stop you from coming to me.” In a second, he has me pinned against the wall. His hands trails up the sides of my body. “Do you want me to stop?” he whispers, his breath hot against my neck. “I waited for you that night,” I whisper, my hand sliding up his chest. “I imagined us doing all the things you implied you’d do.” He groans softly, a low, guttural sound that vibrates through his chest. “Did you touch yourself?” he asks in a whisper, his eyes closed. My other hand moves lower, trailing down his body until I brush against the hard evidence of his desire. I feel his breath hitch, and I smirk, knowing what I’m doing to him. “Yeah, but it was your hands I was feeling.” On the brink of her second wedding anniversary, Natalie Jones uncovers a devastating betrayal—her husband, Michael Cooper, embraced passionately with his mistress. Confronting him in a dimly lit restaurant, Nat exposes his scheme to marry her for her father’s fortune and storms out, her heart shattered but her resolve unbroken. Ric Steward, on the other hand — billionaire and philanthropist — never expected his evening to ignite with scandal. When he sees Natalie—radiant, powerful, and on the edge of a breakdown—he’s immediately captivated. Their fiery, forbidden attraction is challenged when Ric learns she’s the daughter of a longtime friend. But that doesn’t stop Nat. It only makes her want Ric more…
View More「おめでとうございます、お二人とも!」
拍手が、会議室に響いた。
——違う。
突然のことで、とても信じられなかった。
その言葉は、本来なら私に向けられるはずだった。
スクリーンに映るのは、婚約発表のスライド。
その中央に立っているのは——私の恋人と、親友だった。
「……どういう、こと?」
伊藤愛海《いとうまなみ》。
それが、私の名前だ。けれど今、この場でその名前を呼ぶ人はいない。
誰も、答えない。
代わりに向けられたのは、露骨な視線だった。
「お似合いすぎる……!」
「やっぱりこの二人だよね」 「最初からそうだと思ってた」祝福の声が、次々に上がる。
——その中心にいるのは、松村みゆ《まつむらみゆ》だった。
少し照れたように笑いながら、
それでも自然に皆の視線を受け止めている。ああ。
いつも通りだ。
彼女は、こういうお祝いの場が似合う。
大学時代、モデルの仕事で出会ったときもそうだった。
初対面なのに距離が近くて、
気づけば隣にいるような人だった。だからこそ当たり前のように距離を縮め、親友になっていた。
——信じていた。
「え、松村さんって、知らなかったの?」
「マジで?気づいてなかったんだ」 「ちょっと怖いんだけど……」笑いを含んだ声が、今度は私に向けられる。
「彼、ずっと二股だったらしいですよ」
——違う。
息が、詰まる。
「二股交際とわかりつつ、伊藤さんに隠されてた、って。松村さんが言ってましたよ。」
——隠していたのは事実。でも、まさか。2人が付き合ってるなんて、思ってもみなかった。
その瞬間、すべての視線が私に突き刺さった。
まるで、私が“悪者”であるかのように。指先が震えている。
スカートの裾を握りしめる。
そうしないと、立っていられない。——違う。
——そんなはず、ない。
頭の中で、同じ言葉が繰り返される。
なぜ、私がこんな目に。
ゆっくりと顔を上げる。
目が合った。
みゆと。
一瞬だけ。
——逸らされた。
まるで、最初から私なんていなかったみたいに。
その横で。
「憶測で話を広げるのはやめてください」
静かな声。
高山樹《たかやまいつき》だった。
助けてくれる。
一瞬、そう思った。
けれど。
「誤解があるようですが。私と伊藤さんの間に、個人的な関係はありません」
言い切った。
私を見ずに。
みゆの肩を引き寄せながら。
「噂になるくらい勘違いさせるような行動があったのなら、彼女にも非はあると思いますが」
——非。
その言葉で、すべてが決まった。
——あの人は、こんな顔で嘘をつく人じゃなかった。
「うわ、完全にヤバいやつじゃん。地味なのに意外すぎて。」
「思い込み激しいタイプか」笑い声が、広がる。
違う。
違う違う違う。
私は——
あの人の恋人だった。
そして。
あの人の仕事を、支えていた人間でもあった。
——2ヶ月前。
「結婚しよう」
そう言って、彼は私の手を握った。
「愛海がいたから、ここまで来れた」
「この昇進も、全部一緒に掴んだものだから」
そう言って、笑った。
私は、それを信じた。
彼の部署で、誰よりも働いた。
寝る時間を削って、
何度も資料を作り直して、 彼の判断が正しくなるように支え続けた。結果は出たし、会社は評価した。
——なのに。
今、この場で発表されているのは。
彼の昇進と。
彼の隣に立つ、“親友との婚約”だった。
私の名前は、どこにもない。
まるで、最初から存在していなかったかのように。
あのときの言葉が嘘だったのなら。
あの時間が全部、利用されていただけだったのなら。
私は——
何を信じていたの?
[Two years later]My body is slick with sweat, every nerve ending alive and tingling as Ric’s hands explore my skin. His touch still feels new, still ignites a thirst in me that has no desire to quench anytime soon. His lips trail down my neck, making me heave, making me almost lose my mind. I arch into him, my fingers digging into the muscles of his back, urging him closer. His hands roam over my body, tracing the curves of my hips, the softness of my thighs, and the sensitive spots that make me gasp with pleasure. He knows exactly how to touch me—he has mastered the art of how to make me feel alive and desired every breathing moment. His fingers find their way between my legs, teasing and stroking until I'm writhing beneath him, desperate for more.“Fuck, Ric. I love you,” I breathe, squealing. “I love you. I love you. I love you.”“You're so beautiful,” he murmurs against my wet folds before his lips capture mine in kiss so deep, I can’t tell where he ends and where I begin. He s
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Getting into Mike's office is surprisingly easy. I thought it would be the most difficult task of all, but now, standing here, I realize just how wrong I was. Maybe it’s because I made it happen—my own actions leading to the lack of staff and security. With investors pulling out, his new business flopping instantly, and even his car gone, I wonder just how deep in debt Mike really is.I look around the office, taking in the bare walls and the lack of personal touches. It’s a cold place. It gives me a sense of satisfaction, knowing how little work must happen here. The only thing I find remotely appealing is the fireplace—if you can even call it that. It’s more of a decorative piece than anything else.The door creaks open, and Mike steps in, freezing as his hand remains on the doorknob. His eyes widen when he sees me, and I can almost hear the gears turning in his head.“Relax,” I say softly. “No need to be on alert. I have a proposition for you.”He doesn't move, his eyes darting aro
“High-Stakes Drama: Friend and Business Partner Richard Steward Fires on Business Mogul Elliot Jones in Shocking Miami Lakehouse Incident.”“Ric Steward Shoots Elliot Jones to Protect Alleged Lover, and Jones’ Daughter in Lakehouse Scandal.”“Business Partnership Ends in Gunfire: Ric Steward Wounds Elliot Jones.”“It Gets Very Real and Gruesome: Hear what’s new in the Natalie Jones’ Drama.”“Where does Michael Cooper stand amidst all this? New updated in the chaotic life of Natalie Jones. Here’s everything you missed that shook Hollywood this Spring!”The weeks that follow are difficult. And lonely. I’m thrust into a routine where I spend most of my time surrounded by lawyers, and legal jargons. It’s a lot at once, and I think I underestimated how quickly it would consume me. And with only Meera by my side who is still recovering from the traumatic event that occurred at the lakehouse, I find myself sitting in therapy sessions after experiencing several panic attacks. My days are sp
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