MasukI gasped as his lips made contact with my belly button. I never knew that part of me was that sensitive. I slapped my palm against my mouth, hoping to stifle the loud moans that were sounding so strange to me.
Slowly and leisurely, he peeled all my clothing off me, then stared at me with hooded eyes. I shyly placed my hands over my breasts. I saw his lips stretch into a beautiful smile before he reached out and gently pulled my hands away.
I could've sworn I heard him visibly gulp. But alas, the thought was driven right out of me when he bent over, grabbed my breasts, and suckled on them.
Yeah, the tiny scream I was holding back escaped. I grabbed the sheets on both sides of me, arching my back as ripples and ripples of pleasure washed over me. I could feel his lips stretching into a smile against my skin.
He went from one breast to the other, nibbling and suckling like a baby starved of food. I involuntarily grabbed a handful of his hair in my desperate quest to control whatever entity had taken charge of my body.
He momentarily left my breasts, raising his head to the ceiling and moaning deeply. My eyes were shut the entire time, but when I heard him moan, I opened them and looked down at him. He had his eyes shut tightly, grimacing as if in pain.
I quickly pulled my hand from his hair, thinking I was causing him pain, but just as quickly, he grabbed me by the wrist and slid my fingers back into his hair.
"Don't stop," he said in a hoarse voice.
I gulped, nodding my head vigorously.
After that, I would say I lost my senses.
This man I knew nothing about drove me to the ends of the world and beyond. His hands gripped my waist possessively, fingers digging into my flesh as he positioned me exactly where he wanted me.
The room slanted as he lifted me effortlessly, my legs instinctively wrapping around him as he stood. My back met the cool wall above the bed frame, a sharp bite against the feverish heat radiating between us. He held me there, his strength supporting my weight.
Every nerve ending in my body seemed to ignite at once. I clutched his shoulders, feeling the muscles flex and bunch beneath my fingertips as he glided against me. The position brought us impossibly closer. His hazel eyes, darkened with desire searched mine, asking a silent question, and I answered by pulling him closer, urging him on.
He then lifted me off the wall and brought me back to the bed.
There was discomfort at first, a sharp pain that made me tense, but he was so gentle that it left just as quickly as it came. He murmured soft reassurances against my ear with a voice so soothing that it vibrated through me.
He moved carefully, checking my reactions, adjusting to ensure my comfort. When my breathing steadied, I began to move with him rather than against the unfamiliar sensations.
Soon after, the restraint he'd shown began to slip. His movements became more demanding and I welcomed it. I buried my face in the crook of his neck, inhaling his woodsy and masculine scent that made me want to crawl inside him and reside there.
My nails dug into his shoulders, leaving crescent marks as the pressure built, as everything around me began to spin. The sensation was overwhelming, every thrust driving me closer to some precipice I'd never known existed.
When the release came, it shattered through me like lightning, and I cried out against his skin, my entire body trembling violently. He followed moments later, groaning against my neck.
Afterwards, we just lay there, in each other's arms, breathing heavily.
"Do you still think we'll forget?" I asked, tracing circles on his toned chest.
"I hope not," he said, staring at the ceiling as he stroked my hair.
"Me too," I said, reaching out and touching his face. He lowered his gaze and looked deeply into my eyes.
"Let me show you something," he finally said, and slipped out of bed in all his male glory. He walked over to where his suit lay, put his hand into the inside pocket, and retrieved a shining object. Then he walked back to me and hovered it over my face.
"Wow! It's beautiful. What's this?"
"Strangely, my grandfather felt it was the right time to give me the family crest. When things are falling apart, he felt the need to mount this pressure on me."
"Why do you feel it's pressure? What does it represent?"
"He didn't say. He just said I should hold on to it. But somehow, I feel like this comes with a lot of responsibilities."
"It's beautiful."
"Yeah."
"Can I feel it?"
"Sure."
As I stretched out my hand to hold the precious gem, a bright light shone from the window. It was so bright I had to squint, covering my face with the back of my hand.
"Mum! Wake up!"
"Huh?!" I yelled, jumping up from the bed. "I'm awake, I'm awake!"
"I'm hungry," Jason cried out. "You've been sleeping for hours."
"Baby, I'm awake now. I'll go fix something for you very soon, okay?"
He nodded.
"Where's Grandma?"
"She's having a nap."
"Okay, baby. I'll be out shortly."
I watched my five-year-old son walk out, his favorite Escanor toy tucked under his arm like a tiny warrior ready for battle.
I sighed and rubbed my tired eyes. I needed more sleep. Work and school were taking a toll on me. I was in my finals and exams were near. The stress level wanted to stifle the life out of me.
I reached out to take a glass of water from my bedside table when suddenly, the dream I'd just had came crashing in confusing whirls.
It wasn't a dream.
It happened six years ago. The night I conceived Jason.
But the weird part was, for the life of me, I don't remember the dream every time I wake up. It's as if it's a memory locked deep within my head that only unlocks in my subconscious.
I do remember waking up with a migraine the next morning and finding myself alone in the room. I do remember the shame I felt at having been intimate with a complete stranger who had left without a word. I had quickly worn my clothes and was about to sneak out when my eyes caught sight of the gem I always saw in my dream. Apparently, the gem is the only thing I remember whenever I wake up from that dream.
I cringed when the thought of what I did crossed my mind. It will forever haunt me.
I was so desperate.
The gem looked like the solution to my problem.
I stole it.
But I was going to return it. My plan was to pawn it off alongside the wristwatches and gold cufflinks I took from the dresser, get the funds I needed, save my grandma, then work my ass off to reclaim everything.
Surprisingly, just the gem was enough to cover all medical expenses, making me wonder at the gravity of what I'd done.
"Mum!"
"Coming!"
I quickly brushed my teeth and rushed out to make lunch for my son, then prepared for work.
LeahI could see the nanny trying desperately to hide her panic as she went over each child again and again, cross-checking their tags with trembling hands. The other women joined too but it was as if Jason had never set foot in the room.My heart started pounding dangerously against my ribcage, so hard I could hear it in my ears.He must have wandered off. Yes. That’s all.I didn’t dare think of anything worse. Jason hated loud noises, always had. Maybe he couldn’t bear the chaos anymore and went looking for somewhere quiet.Without waiting for confirmation of what I already knew, I bolted from the room, yelling my son’s name at the top of my lungs.“JASON! JASON!”The loud music still thumping from the main hall didn’t help. My voice felt swallowed by the noise.Should I check the hotel wing? It was farther from the event hall, but would Jason have gone that far on his own?I ran like a woman possessed, throwing open doors, checking rooms, balconies, restrooms, everywhere. I asked e
LeahI honestly didn’t know what to think or feel. My mind was reeling.How?I’d attacked my boss!I’d slapped him across the face, rained insults on him, and still shown up to work like nothing happened.Was this what he’d wanted me to discover on my own?“Leah!” Rachel’s urgent call yanked me out of my spiral. I turned and realized I was still standing in the middle of the aisle. I quickly stepped out of the way.“Why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?” Rachel studied my face with concern.“Oh… nothing!” I said, forcing a smile while returning to my post.It wasn’t nothing. I was thinking through every interaction I’d had with him, and realized they’d all been directed at the CEO of the entire company.The more I thought about it, the more mortified I became.“What should I do?” I muttered under my breath. I’m definitely getting fired soon. He hated me, I’d seen it in his eyes. It was too clear to be anything else. Plus he said I was a nuisance, unprofessional, and reckless. Who
DamienThis was the same thing Julian had done six years ago, right before the fire.He'd stood at the back of the room, staring straight at me with that same plastic smile stretched across his face. Minutes later, people started screaming.I'd taken extra measures this time. At every entrance, exit, nook, and cranny, I'd stationed special security forces and implemented enhanced safety protocols.But somehow, that smile still unnerved me. It made my throat constrict and my palms go slick with sweat.I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out.The camera flashes made everything worse. With each burst of light, the faces in front of me morphed into angry mobs, twisted with rage, hurling curses and profanities at me.I shook my head, trying to expunge the images, but the flashes grew redder in my vision, turning into flames.I squeezed my eyes shut, fighting against the onslaught, the images, the flashes, the angry voices. But behind my eyelids, the camera lights kept pushing me
DamienI'm here now.After six years of working behind the scenes, tempering my mind and mastering my impulses, I've finally emerged to claim the life I was built to lead.My stepmother exploited my silence. She forged alliances and built an army in the void I'd left behind. I'd tried to dismantle every piece she'd put in place, but because so few people knew of my existence, she was spawning more threats than I could defend against.That was why I had to accelerate my emergence. I couldn't afford to wait any longer.Six years ago broke me completely.I was young and naive. I'd thought I'd been drilled in all the intricacies of the business world, that I was ready to shoulder the weight of an empire, but baring my heart, being vulnerable to the wrong person, cost me everything.That was when I realized I wasn't ready for the burden I'd been born to uphold.I walked through the massive doors of Thorne Hotel and felt the crowd rise to their feet. The applause and smiles contrasted with
LeahJason's nanny canceled last minute.Today. Of all days!The fundraiser was today!When I noticed the nanny hadn't arrived at our agreed time, I'd called her immediately. Straight to voicemail. I called the agency next, but they had nobody available on such short notice. I reached out to every single person I knew who could possibly babysit, but it was as if the entire city had made plans.Why wouldn't they, when you called last minute? my brain taunted mercilessly.I was about to try the nanny one more time when a text message from her popped up on my screen.She was down with the flu.I slumped onto the couch in my tiny living room and stared at Jason, who was sprawled on the floor playing with his army toys, making explosion sounds as he smashed action figures together.Grandma was almost always around. But today, she'd left for her monthly hospital checkup and would be there for a couple of days. In a few minutes, I would be running late, and being late to this event could ve
LeahHe pressed himself against me, kissing me with a ferocity that stole the breath from my lungs.I reached up to push him away, but he caught my wrists and pinned them above my head, then pressed his hips against mine and began grinding slowly.What is happening?!Everything was happening all at once, and my confused, exhausted mind couldn't process any of it. But through it all, one thing became devastatingly clear: this man was making me feel things I hadn't felt in six years.Heat flooded my body, from his touch, from the furnace that had ignited somewhere deep inside me. A moan escaped my lips before I could stop it, and I felt him smile against my mouth."Leah, make him stop! This is wrong!" my brain screamed.I tried to free my hands, but he held on tighter with one hand, brought down the other and cupped my breast, his thumb brushing over my nipple through the thin fabric. Then his mouth left mine to trail hot, open kisses down my neck, all while continuing that maddening gr







