LOGINPain was the first thing that pierced through my consciousness.It was dull, boring, and crushing, as if someone were pressing on my temple from the inside. I groaned and turned, but a wave of dizziness immediately attacked me from all sides.I forced my eyes open.White ceiling.Too white, too clean.This wasn’t my apartment.A wave of panic crashed over me, and I pushed myself up, but a sharp pain forced me to stop. I looked down and saw that my head was wrapped in bandages.Bandages?I gasped as memories flooded back to me: the rain, the creaking door, the shadow, my phone lighting up in the dark.Liam Reed was calling.Then came the pain, the blackness, and the cold floor.I barely had time to process the next moment before the door opened.I tensed up.Liam Reed walked in.He looked the same as always, perfectly dressed and composed, as if the world didn’t owe him a thing. He occupied the room the second he stepped in, and I unconsciously swallowed.“H-how did I get here?” I aske
He pushed the pen closer to me. My hands shook as I took it, writing my name with steady, deliberate strokes. Every part of me screamed that this was wrong, that I was making the worst mistake of my life, but I couldn’t stop myself. It was as if I had no control over my own body.As I handed him back to the signed document he looked at it briefly before sliding it back across the table.“Good,” he said shortly. “Starting tonight, you will be living with me.”My heart felt like it was beating right out of my chest. “And you will obey every one of my orders,” he continued. “If I even so much as suspect you of disobeying me, I will make sure that every day of your life becomes a living hell.”I nodded silently.“Finish the design before tonight,” He stood up. “Then pack your things.”With those parting words, he turned around and left. As he walked away, I found myself sitting motionless at my desk, a strange expression on my face. I couldn't quite believe what was happening. Marriage co
“He has a brain tumor.”The words didn’t disappearThey didn’t fade awayThey remained etched deep inside my soul replaying the message over and over again like something cruel and horrible.Brain tumor.Dad.Hospital.Surgery.Money.I stood rooted to the spot in my apartment, my phone still wedged between my ear and shoulder as Jeff spoke.Long minutes stretched into an eternity as I stood paralyzed in place; my knees weak and my breathing shallow.“Emily?” Jeff’s voice seemed to echo from far away. “Are you still there?”“I-I’m here.” My whisper barely seemed to escape my throat as I forced myself to listen to the words he was saying.“The doctors say that it’s serious. They want to perform surgery as soon as possible. They told him that they needed a deposit.”“How much does it cost?” I swallowed hard against the lump that had appeared in my throat. My heart was beating so fast I felt it in my ears. “Jeff?”“Almost two hundred thousand dollars!”The world seemed to turn upside dow
"Let me see the progress of the project you're handling," he said, his words as flat and cold as a winter night.I shot up from my chair, the legs scraping softly against the floor. My hands trembled slightly as I grabbed my laptop and walked over to his desk, my heart pounding in my chest like a drum. I placed it carefully in front of him, trying not to meet his gaze.He didn't even bother to sit down, just gave the screen a cursory glance before straightening up and delivering his verdict: "This is trash. Redo it."The words slapped me hard, leaving me breathless. I froze, my mouth opening but no sound coming out at first. Trash? The thought stung."Sir..." I finally managed, my voice shaking despite my best efforts to keep it steady. "You didn't really check the designs. I put a lot of work into this. The structural flow, the spatial balance—"But he cut me off, his voice sharp as a knife. "I didn't ask for an explanation."I swallowed hard, feeling a jerk of reflex at the sudden i
I trudged into the cafeteria, my appetite having vanished by the time I arrived. The smell of food - fried chicken, rice, coffee - turned my stomach, making it roil with a queasy unease that had nothing to do with hunger. My mind was still stuck in Liam Reed's office, the memory of his cold voice echoing in my head like a mantra. I scanned the room, my eyes locking onto Chris and Riele at their usual table near the windows. Chris caught my gaze first."Whoa," he said, half rising from his seat, his brow furrowed with concern. "You look like you've seen a ghost.""Worse," I muttered, dropping my bag and sinking into the seat beside them, feeling like I'd been punched in the gut.Riele leaned forward, worry etched on her face. "What happened? Why did the assistant call you like that?" Her voice was low and gentle, but it was laced with a concern that made my heart sink.I hesitated, unsure how to put into words the sense of unease that had settled over me. Saying it out loud made it fee
Silence followed me like a shadow as I walked out of the conference room. Every step felt heavy, the weight of the entire department's gaze burning into my back. I could sense Jenna's glare without even turning around - it was like a cold draft on the back of my neck. Whispers trailed me down the hallway, and I kept my head down, my eyes fixed on the floor.I made my way to where Chris and Riele were waiting, the only two people I could call friends in this place. Just as I reached their area, a voice cut through the murmur. "Emily." I froze, my heart skipping a beat.Turning slowly, I saw Mr. Reed's assistant standing a few feet away, her expression neutral. "The CEO wants to see you. Now." My heart skipped again, and I nodded, swallowing hard, as I followed her down a quiet corridor I'd never been to before. The farther we walked, the quieter the building became, the air growing colder with each step.She stopped in front of a tall, dark door, and I felt a shiver run down my spine.







