CelesteIt was one of those sunday mornings where everything just felt... perfect.I sat with my dearest friends – Allegra, the heiress of the Rosenthal fashion line, and Noelle, the daughter of a real estate mogul. Between us were half-eaten fruit tarts, delicate macarons, and chilled mimosas.We were discussing the usual—fashion gossip, celebrity scandals, and the latest designer collaborations. Allegra was in the middle of narrating how her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend had tried to show up uninvited to his last movie premiere.“She had the audacity to wear a gown from last season. Can you imagine?” Allegra scoffed, her manicured fingers swirling her champagne glass.I chuckled lightly, resting my elbow on the table, watching the city stretch below us. It was a good day.Then it happened.“Ms. Celeste!”A voice rang out, sounding too loud, too desperate for such a poised setting.We turned. I frowned.A lady was rushing toward us. She looked… average, and there was this kind of despera
IvanaWas Skylar really to blame?The question rang through my head like an annoying alarm I couldn’t turn off. It wasn’t just Ethan’s words lingering inside me—it was the way he had looked at me, like I was nothing. Like I was stupid not to see it all along.“If there’s anyone you should hate, Ivana… it’s Skylar.”I had left Elegance Company without looking back. Not because I didn’t want to scream and cause a scene—believe me, I still wanted to curse out Ethan loudly and make everyone see the bastard he was—but because my body betrayed me.My legs felt weak, and the hot embarrassment I felt when the guards stared at me smugly. My eyes were red, but I refused to let the tears fall. I wouldn’t give Ethan the satisfaction.As I stepped out of the tall, guarded gates, the sun hit my face again. It was scorching. My blouse clung to my back with sweat, and the heat was making my already pounding headache worse. I felt like I was dragging myself through a desert with no end in sight. I cro
IvanaThe sun was already scorching as I kept waiting at the tall gates of Elegance Company. My throat felt dry, not because of the heat, but because of the lump of frustration that had been forming for days now.I stood before the heavy security gates, fists clenched at my sides as I yelled again, “Let me through! I’ve told you that I work here!”The guards didn’t even flinch. Their bored eyes swept over me like I was nothing more than an irritating fly buzzing too close.“Miss Ivana,” one of them said, his tone flat. “We’ve told you several times. Mr. Ethan gave specific instructions not to allow you inside.”“Why?! Why would he do that? This is the third time this week you all are giving me such a stupid excuse!”I wanted to scream. In fact, I did. My voice rang out again, louder this time. “I complied with the investigation. I was cleared to resume work!”“Sorry,” the second guard cut in. “You’re not allowed inside.”They didn’t even look sorry. I took a step back and clutched the
Skylar I woke up with what felt like a hammer pounding against my skull.Ugh.I groaned, turning my face away from the light that slipped through the curtains. Everything hurt. My head, my back, even the muscles in my thighs. I reached out, fumbling blindly for something—maybe a glass of water?—but all I touched was the cool bed sheet. I peeled one eye open, blinking against the soft light filtering into the room.My vision was blurry at first. The bedroom was slightly messy, clothes I didn’t remember taking off were flung carelessly on the chair in the corner. The air felt unusually warm against my skin.Wait.My skin?I slowly sat up. The sheets slipped down my body, revealing bare shoulders.Oh no.I was completely, utterly naked.My heart froze.What… what happened last night?I racked my brain, trying to remember —and just like that, they came flooding back in vivid, chaotic waves.The party. Ethan.Me losing it.Tearing him apart with words I didn’t even know I had inside me.
Cole I leaned against the seat, arms crossed, jaw tense. The punch I had given Ethan was not enough to quench the anger in me.He actually dared to talk about my woman that way?! He had definitely bitten more than he could chew!I was already thinking of ways to punish Ethan for this nonsense. It seemed cutting off his illegal embezzlement of funds in the company wasn't enough…it was time to go a step further. Scratch that…ten steps further!Skylar suddenly whimpered, snapping me off my thoughts. She sat beside me, slightly drunk, her head tilting with the soft sway of the ride. As irritated as I felt tonight, I couldn’t bring myself to leave her like that—slouched awkwardly in her seat, her hair a little messy, and her breath warm and slow.I shifted, reaching out to steady her. Carefully, I pulled her closer, letting her rest her head against me. Her body relaxed almost instantly. She mumbled something in her sleep, soft words I couldn
ColeA few moments ago...I should have been paying attention. The board member in front of me droned on about projections, sales performance, and quarterly reviews. I nodded out of habit, my thoughts miles away. Literally. I couldn’t care less about any of it at the moment.Skylar.I could practically picture her right now—probably laughing, maybe dancing with someone with a glass of champagne in hand as they congratulated her.I glanced at my phone again. Nothing. No text, no missed call, not even a photo from the party. I’d checked it so many times tonight I was starting to feel uneasy. Shouldn’t she have at least updated me? Told me how it was going? A simple “It’s amazing here” or even a blurry selfie would’ve been enough.But there was nothing.Not a word from her.Why hasn’t she called or texted?I knew she was most likely the center of attention in the company celebration party as the lead designer, but she had gone ahead…alone. I trusted her, but I didn’t trust everyone else