ColeI was pacing back and forth in my office, worried for Amelia's safety as I pressed the phone to my ear again. The line kept ringing. No answer."Come on, come on, someone pick up!" I muttered through gritted teeth.Just minutes ago, I had been on the phone with Amelia. She sounded frightened, saying she was being followed. I told her to stay calm and keep talking. But then—a loud gunshot.Then—silence.Nothing.I had been calling nonstop since then, trying to get through to my special forces team, checking every contact I had, demanding updates. My phone was already overheating, and I was on the verge of losing my mind.*Amelia. Where are you?*As I reached for my phone again, the door swung open and Xavier quickly walked in. I turned around."Tell me you've got something," I said in a sharp, expectant voice.Xavier gave a short nod, pulling out a tablet. "We were able to get into the city surveillance system. We tracked the road Amelia was last seen on. We managed to get footage
EthanMother grabbed my arm the second our eyes locked and dragged me away from the hallway without a word. Her grip was firm and tight, almost desperate. I didn’t resist. I couldn’t. My legs moved on their own as my mind kept replaying the words I’d just heard through the door."Ethan is also your biological son, for God’s sake!”We reached her room in silence. The moment we stepped inside, she shut the door and leaned against it, breathing heavily. Her chest rose and fell as if she had run a marathon. Then she finally looked at me and spoke, her voice shaky."What were you doing outside the study, Ethan?"I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t. I just stared at her, my throat dry, my heart thumping painfully in my chest."Is it true?" I asked in a low voice. "Is Rufus Buckman really my biological father?"She looked away and avoided my gaze.Her lips parted slightly, but no words came. I watched her, my body gradually growing stiff with anger and confusion. She opened her mouth again and
EthanAs I drove through the gates of my stepfather's house, I let out a long sigh and stared ahead at the mansion, trying to calm the frustration building in my chest. My life had started to feel like a loop—boring, predictable, and suffocating.Lately, everything felt off. There were too many conversations about the engagement—the themes, cake flavors, guest lists. It was as if the world had pressed a fast-forward button and I was being dragged along against my will. I didn’t want to get married. Not yet. Hell, I just wanted to press pause. Or better yet, postpone everything for another ten years.But I knew it was for my own good, and I couldn't really back out now.I sighed as I parked and stepped out. My mother had asked me to stop by a few days ago… saying it was important. I guessed she wanted to discuss more engagement plans, so I kept postponing her. But today, I just decided to come see her after much insistence from her.The moment I walked in, I was greeted by the butler,
I lay on the bed, my body still tingling from the intense round of pleasure. I felt so satisfied, like I hadn't been in a long time while resting my head on Lorenzo's strong and magnificent body.He sat up slowly and lit another cigar, and took a long drag. The sharp and rich scent of smoke gradually filled the room.“You always know how to make a man feel good,” he said, exhaling the smoke in a smooth, lazy puff.I smiled faintly and stretched my arms above my head. “I learned from the best.”He chuckled under his breath.Then he turned his head toward me and asked, “How’s the mission going with Cole Buckman?”I hesitated for a moment, then stretched lazily and gave a casual shrug. “It’s going well.”Before I could say more, like a switch, his mood instantly changed as his hand slammed the ashtray off the table with a loud crash. I jumped, my heart racing.“Don’t give me that basic crap, Amelia,” he snapped in a cold, sharp tone. “I want full details. Don’t test me.”I quickly sat up
AmeliaIt was finally the weekend and I couldn’t stop smiling. I stood in front of my mirror, brushing my long hair gently. My heart felt light for the first time in days. After everything that happened two days ago, the house had become so tense. I could feel the tension each time I walked past the halls. No one laughed anymore. No one even smiled.I smiled to myself as I applied some lip gloss. Everything was falling perfectly into place. I had worked hard to create this distance between Cole and Skylar, and now it was happening. They could barely stand each other. I could finally relax a little, enjoy my weekend, and reward myself.I stood up and walked towards my wardrobe, pulling out the clothes I had been saving for today. A short, skin-tight red dress hugged my curves perfectly. The neckline dipped low, showing off just enough cleavage to tease but not reveal too much. The thin straps barely held the dress up, and the short hem showed off my smooth legs. I slipped into a pair o
ColeI could only stare at Skylar.“What did you just say?” I couldn't help but ask.Skylar’s jaw tightened, her face burning with anger. She stepped forward and repeated, even more fiercely,“Over. My. Dead. Body.”She pointed at Amelia, her eyes sharp and cold. “I will never apologize to her for something I didn’t do. Never! If you want to be blinded by her lies, Cole, then fine. Be blind! But I’m not going to stand here and let her have her way!”I blinked, confused and angry. I stared at Skylar, wondering what had happened to the woman I married. Why was she always like this? Why couldn’t she just let go of her pride and admit she made a mistake? Why was it so hard for her to apologize and end this?Before I could speak, I felt a gentle tug at my sleeve. I looked down and saw Amelia still kneeling, her small fingers clutching my shirt weakly. Her face looked pale, and her eyes were red from tears. She shook her head softly and whispered,“Please… please don’t fight with Skylar bec