FreyaSitting at the dressing table, I carefully wiped the last traces of makeup from my face, letting out a soft sigh as the cool sensation of the cleanser soothed my skin. The night had been perfect, but I was exhausted. My reflection in the mirror showed nothing but a content smile. But then, I caught something else… Victor, standing a few feet away, just watching me. His gaze was intense yet gentle, his lips curled into a faint smile. I raised an eyebrow, amusement lacing my voice. "Why are you staring at me like that?" His smile deepened as he took a slow step closer. "Because I still can’t believe you’re finally mine." My heart did a little flip at his words, warmth spreading through my chest. He reached me within seconds, his strong hands resting on my shoulders as he leaned down to press a soft kiss against my bare shoulder. I hummed at the contact but couldn’t resist teasing him. "Funny," I mused, tilting my head to meet his gaze. "I don’t remember you actually
Stacey“Urghhh!!” I huffed as I pulled in front of my apartment.I sat there in the car for some more minutes, staring blankly at nothing while making some mental notes. Dennis and Sonia were out there somewhere, probably planning to strike back at Victor and Freya. That thought scared me, and knowing there was nothing I could do made it even more annoying. I grabbed my phone and called them again, but it was the same thing. Their phones were still off.I finally got out of the car, grabbed my bag and my special package, and then made my way inside.“Hey babe…” Ryan’s voice suddenly sounded as I closed the door.I certainly wasn’t expecting that, so I jerked while he had a naughty smirk on his face. “Omg, you’re so naughty! Why are you here?” I quizzed. “Can’t a man come see his woman? I missed you, don’t you miss me?” He let out while I rolled my eyes, but that didn’t stop him from pulling me into a tight warm hug. I really needed the hug, but I wouldn’t admit it. I can’t let him
DennisI woke up feeling like absolute shit. My head pounded from all the anger I had been bottling up since last night, and my stomach twisted painfully in hunger. I groaned, dragging myself out of bed. It was almost noon. As I stepped out of the room, the house was eerily silent except for the faint sound of the television. My feet led me straight to the kitchen, my stomach growling in protest. I yanked the fridge open. Empty. The cabinets? Bare.My jaw clenched. Seriously?I stormed out of the kitchen and into the living room, where my brother sat, laughing at something on the TV like he didn’t have a care in the world. He didn’t even acknowledge me until I marched over and switched off the TV. His head snapped up. "What the hell, Dennis?" "Where’s my food?" I demanded, crossing my arms. His brows furrowed. "Food?" "Yeah, food, the thing people eat to survive." He scoffed, leaning back against the couch. "There is no food." I narrowed my eyes. "Then order something
FreyaThe smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the room, and I smiled, watching Victor’s eyelids flutter open. His deep, drowsy gaze met mine, and for a moment, he just stared, as if making sure I was really there. Then, his eyes dropped to the tray of food sitting beside me on the bed, and his brows lifted in surprise. "Good morning, sleepyhead," I teased, nudging his shoulder gently. Victor stretched, his muscles flexing as he rubbed a hand down his face. "Morning babe," he murmured, his voice rough from sleep. "What’s all this?" "Breakfast," I said proudly. "I ordered in while you were sleeping." His lips quirked up in amusement. "And you did all this while I was dead to the world?" I nodded, grinning. "I was about to wake you, but then I got distracted." "Distracted?" He raised an eyebrow. I leaned closer, resting my chin on my palm as I looked at him. "You looked too handsome in your sleep," I admitted. "Like a baby." Victor chuckled, shaking his head. "You jus
VictorI knew Freya had something planned, but I wasn’t expecting this. The moment we stepped into the restaurant, I could already tell it was special. It had a sleek yet warm atmosphere, the kind of place that made you feel like time slowed down just enough for you to enjoy every second. At the front desk, Freya confidently handed over a reservation code. The hostess scanned it and smiled. “Right this way.” I followed Freya as we were led up a private staircase. When we reached the rooftop, I stopped in my tracks, completely taken aback. The view was stunning. The sun was high in the sky, casting a golden glow over the entire city. The rooftop was beautifully decorated with lush greenery, soft white drapes, and wooden tables adorned with delicate floral arrangements. A light breeze carried the faint aroma of fresh herbs and citrus, making the whole place feel like something straight out of a dream. I turned to Freya, raising a brow. “How the hell did you find this place?”
DennisI wasn’t going to waste any more time. Freya was still in love with me, I knew it. That video she sent proved it. She wanted me to see her with Victor, to make me jealous. If she had really moved on, she wouldn’t have bothered. That meant I still had a chance. I just needed to get ahead of Victor before he tightened his grip on her. And there was no better way to do that than going straight to the source… her father. Standing outside the Rodgers estate, I straightened my jacket and took a deep breath. I knew this wasn’t going to be easy. Edward never liked me. He tolerated me, at best, when Freya and I were together. But now? After everything that had happened? Yeah, this was going to be a battle. Still, I wasn’t leaving here without what I came for. I found Edward in the living room, working in his study which he carved up in a corner. He barely looked up from the papers on his desk. He just sat there, composed, in control, like he always was. The room smelled of expen
FreyaThe night had settled in beautifully, the sky a blanket of deep navy with scattered stars winking down at us. Just when I thought our day was over, I caught that mischievous twinkle in my boyfriend’s eyes.“One last stop,” I had said, watching as Victor’s brows lifted in surprise.I led him down a softly lit path, tiki torches and candle-lit lanterns casting a dreamy glow along the sand. The sound of the ocean waves gently kissing the shore filled the air, mingling with the soft chatter of people settling in for the night’s event. Right ahead, a giant screen stood tall, positioned so perfectly that the audience could enjoy the movie while the ocean remained in the backdrop, creating the most breathtaking scene.Victor took in the sight, and for a moment, he was quiet. Then, he turned to me, his lips tilting into a smirk. “You planned this too?”I smiled smugly. “Surprised?”He chuckled, slipping an arm around my waist. “Very. How did you even find out about this?”“I did my rese
Freya I’d always thought the happiest day of my life was when Dennis proposed to me. I thought the next happiest day would be when he walked me down the aisle, but that didn’t happen, and I thought love wasn’t just my thing… well, until Victor happened. “You just made a new record for me, today is the happiest day of my life!” I let out slowly while Victor stole a quick glance at me, and smiled.“Me too. I haven’t had so much genuine fun in years,” he replied.“I can’t believe I’m doing this with the most beautiful woman in the world! I love you, Freya Rodgers!” he exclaimed, causing me to blush so much.“I can’t believe it either… I’m really doing life with my best man!!!” I shouted on top of my voice as I ran down the beach. Victor came right after me and chased me till he caught me. He immediately pulled me into a hug and locked his lips into mine in the sweetest kiss ever.Time stood still for about thirty seconds as we feasted on each other’s lips, passing a mix of love and aff
Victor The moment I parked the car, I didn’t even wait for the engine to go off completely before I flung the door open and rushed out. My pulse was thudding like a war drum in my ears, my heart hammering harder than it should for someone who had been reassured over the phone that everything was fine. But how could I trust that? How could I trust that when my woman was just confronted in our home by a stranger with a veiled threat? And I wasn’t there.How the heck did they even know she’d be there? It’s not as if we live together, and we stay at her place more than we come to mine! I should have been more careful. I should have stayed at home today to look after her!The guilt chewed at my insides like acid as I unlocked the front door and stepped in. My ears were tuned for any strange sound, my eyes scanning everything. The house looked calm, too calm for the kind of emotional earthquake I was sure she must’ve endured.Then I caught a whiff of vanilla and chocolate and followed it t
VictorStacey and I got into the car and I drove off. Having her with me changed my routine a bit, usually while driving to work in the morning, it’s always silent, so I use the time to reflect on my thoughts and day ahead. With Stacey, it’s totally different. She was seated beside me, quiet at first, just scrolling through her phone and occasionally replying to emails or whatever it was doctors did before a long shift. I didn’t think much of it until I caught her stealing glances at me. Once. Twice. Then again. And again.At first, I chalked it up to coincidence. Maybe something was on my face. I rubbed my jaw subtly, checked the mirror, and even adjusted the rearview to make sure nothing weird was going on with my hair. Nothing.But then she did it again, this time, a full glance paired with this shy little smile before looking out the window like I hadn’t seen her. And to top it off? She blushed. I mean actually blushed.That was when I knew something was up.I kept my eyes on the
FreyaI woke up to the softest brush of lips against my forehead, a tender, lingering kiss that stirred me from sleep far more gently than any alarm ever could. My lashes fluttered open, and for a second, I wasn’t sure if I was dreaming. But then I saw him. Victor, sitting at the edge of the bed, fully dressed in a sleek dark suit, his tie perfectly knotted, and that boyish, heart-melting smile on his face.“Good morning, sleepyhead,” he whispered, his hand lightly caressing my cheek.I smiled back at him, still feeling a little dazed from sleep, from everything that had happened the past few days. “You’re all dressed up,” I mumbled, stretching lazily beneath the covers. “What time is it?”“Almost eight,” he said, brushing a strand of hair out of my face. “I didn’t want to leave without seeing you awake first.”My heart squeezed at that. God, how did I ever get this lucky?I blinked the sleep out of my eyes and propped myself up slightly. “The court hearing...?” I asked, my voice stil
VictorMy fingers gripped the steering wheel so tight I thought it might snap off. Every mile I drove, every second I spent away from her, the anger in me only grew bigger, hotter. My mind wouldn’t stop flashing back to the way Freya looked lying unconscious on that hospital bed. She was so pale, so fragile.I slammed my palm against the steering wheel, the loud crack of it echoing inside the car.“Son of a b*tch!” I roared.Dennis was going to pay. He wasn’t just going to lose in court. No, that was too easy. Too clean. I was going to break him.I sped the rest of the way to the villa, not even caring that I was pushing way past the speed limit. Let the cops try to stop me tonight, they wouldn’t be able to slow me down if they tried.When I pulled up, I killed the engine and climbed out, slamming the door so hard the whole car shook. I didn’t even bother to check my surroundings. I was past the point of caring.Inside, the low sound of music filled the air, the smell of expensive liq
FreyaI was starting to feel restless, lying there and staring at the ceiling like I had nothing better to do. Victor was taking too long and it got me worried that he didn’t know what he was doing in there. I was about going to meet him when the door creaked open. I lifted my head and then blinked again just to be sure I wasn’t hallucinating.Victor walked in... and right beside him, Stacey.“Stacey!” I gasped, my voice practically breaking with surprise and relief.Before I could even process it properly, she rushed over to the bed and threw her arms around me. The sweet scent of her cologne and the warmth of her hug almost made me cry. I missed her so much.“Careful!” Victor’s voice cut sharply across the room. I laughed into Stacey’s shoulder, pulling back slightly just to look at his ridiculously serious face.“She’s fine, Victor!” Stacey said, rolling her eyes as she squeezed me a little tighter to make her point.I shook my head fondly and looked up at him, mock pleading, “Plea
Victor I must’ve paced the same the hospital corridor at least a hundred times, maybe more. My feet had gone numb, my throat was dry from whispering every kind of silent prayer I could think of, and my mind… God, my mind was a mess. All I could see was her falling, all I could hear was the dull, lifeless thud of her body hitting the ground, and all I could feel was this suffocating panic sitting heavy on my chest.Just then, the double doors finally creaked open and I turned so fast my neck cracked. It was the doctor with his white coat and a calm face.I don’t even remember moving. I was just suddenly in front of him, my hands grabbing his in a desperate, reflexive gesture. “Is she okay?” My voice cracked. I didn’t even care how I looked. I would’ve begged on my knees if I had to. “Please tell me she’s okay. Please.”He blinked, a little startled by how tightly I was gripping his arms. “She’s fine, Mr. Victor. She’s perfectly fine now.”I swear the air came back into my lungs in a r
SoniaI stood there, completely still, even as the air around us felt like it was vibrating with tension. Marshall's voice echoed in my head long after he’d stopped talking, like someone had stamped his words into my skull with a branding iron.‘A video... a judge that doesn't tolerate abuse... no way out.’And Dennis? God, he looked like a damn ghost. He was pale, shaken and for once, speechless.I watched him, watched the slow crumbling of his ego, his plans, his fake sense of control. And that’s when it hit me.He’s finished. Like… really finished.It was written all over his face. I didn’t need a judge or a lawyer to confirm it. I’d seen that look before, on men who lost everything and had no idea how to claw their way back. That mix of disbelief and slow, dawning horror that they’d gambled with too much and lost it all.And just like that, everything in me snapped to attention.Because I might’ve been a lot of things, but I wasn’t stupid. And I sure as hell wasn’t going down with
DennisI stood there, frozen, the sounds around me swallowed up in this buzzing roar in my ears. I couldn’t even blink. My eyes were locked on the spot where she had fallen just moments ago.Victor had carried her away like she weighed nothing, like she meant everything.I hadn’t moved. Not when she collapsed. Not even when Victor gave me that look… the kind you only give someone you want to bury with your bare hands.I’d seen men like him lose control before. And for a second, I thought he would.I actually braced for it, his fist, his rage but it never came. He didn’t throw a punch. He didn’t say a word.He just held her like the world could fall apart and she was the only thing he wanted to save.And I was still standing there like some idiot villain in an expensive courtroom drama. The cameras were still rolling, people were whispering, and phones were up. I could feel their judgment crawling on my skin like ants.“She fell… I didn’t even touch her,” I mumbled, to no one in partic
VictorI didn’t realize Dennis was coming after us until I suddenly heard someone calling Freya’s name. I looked back and there he was, looking scared and desperate as he begged her to stop and hear him out. I knew Freya would never do such and I didn’t give the room either. I held onto her tightly as I continued leading the way out.All of a sudden, I looked again and saw him trying to hold her. I shoved him aside but he held Freya instead. She also tried pushing him away but then lost her balance and the next I heard was a loud bang on the floor. Freya had slumped and immediately passed out. For a second, I was blank, I was completely confused, I didn’t understand what was going on at all. One second, I was holding her hand and the next, she was lying there on the floor.“Freya!!” I heard the bastard call out her name and that jerked me back to reality.He caused all this, and he still had the guts to call her name. My hand rolled up a tight fist and I was going to land it on his