ANMELDENI was still sitting at the kitchen table, staring at the warm glass of milk that was starting to get cold in my hands. Sebastian's words about Richard were still echoing in my head. I knew he was right. Richard would do anything to get rid of Ethan, and I couldn't protect Ethan alone. But accepting help from the three of them meant I had to go back to the past I hated.Sebastian was about to speak again when his phone rang. He answered it, listened for a moment, then replied in a professional voice."Yes, I hear you. Send the documents to my email. I'll review them later."I watched him from behind my glass of milk. His face was serious, his eyes focused, no smile on his lips. He was different when he talked business—firmer, colder.After the call ended, I smiled slightly."Who was that?""A business associate.""A woman?"Sebastian looked at me. "What?""Her voice was female. I heard it."Sebastian sighed. "Yes. A woman, but just a business associate."I sipped my milk. "You don't ha
I fell asleep after Sebastian brought me home. My body was still weak from the medication, my mind still a mess from everything that had happened—Leon, the nightclub, that man, the apology, the rejection. I wanted to rest. I wanted to forget everything.But my dream didn't give me peace.I dreamed about the secret room in Leon's mansion. Dark wooden walls, a wooden post in the center of the room, and the red rope that always hung there. I was tied to that post, my arms raised up, my legs spread wide, my body completely naked. Nothing covered me.The three of them came.Leon in front, his face cold like before, his eyes jet black without emotion. Adrian on the right, his smile no longer warm but cynical, mocking. Sebastian on the left, his fierce face even fiercer, his eyes full of inhuman lust."What are you doing? Let me go!"But they didn't listen. They took turns coming to me, touching me, entering me. I felt their hands on my body—rough, cold, without affection. I felt sharp pain
I stared at Leon with eyes still drowsy from the medication. The hospital felt cold, the smell of antiseptic stung my nose, and outside the window, the London sky was starting to darken. But in front of me, Leon sat with a tired face, red eyes, disheveled hair."Let's fix everything. For Ethan," he said.I was silent."For Ethan," he repeated.I took a long breath. My chest felt tight, like something was trapped there. I shook my head."No, Leon."Leon froze."What?""I don't want to. Not after everything I've been through with you.""Ana...""You heard me. I don't want to. I turned down Adrian and Sebastian, let alone you."Leon was silent. I saw his jaw harden. He clenched his fists on his lap, his knuckles turning white."What do I have to do? What do I have to do for you to give me a chance?"I looked at him. I saw the man in front of me—the man I used to love, the man who used to hurt me, the man who was now begging with wet eyes. I saw all the wounds he had left, all the pain he
Leon kept following me every day.I didn't know how he did it, but every time I went out, his black car was always somewhere on the corner of the street, across from the café, behind the building where I was looking for work. Even at night, when I walked home tired, the car's lights were still dimly glowing in the distance, never too close, but never too far either.Unlike Adrian and Sebastian, who gave me space, Leon was like a shadow I couldn't shake off. Adrian and Sebastian came, they talked, they left. They didn't force their presence every second. But Leon? Leon seemed to have no other job than following me."You think by following me, everything will go back to how it was?" I muttered to my own reflection in the taxi's rearview mirror.But no one answered.That night, after a whole day of job hunting and turning down Sebastian's offers that were too kind, I felt frustrated. I couldn't go back to the apartment. I couldn't see Ethan because he was already asleep.I wanted to forg
The museum was huge. An old building with classical architecture, white marble pillars towering at the entrance, and above them, golden lettering that read clearly: Natural History Museum. Ethan ran ahead of Ana, his eyes sparkling, impatient to see the dinosaurs he had only ever seen in books and plastic toys."Mom! Hurry, Mom! I want to see the T-rex!" he shouted, waving his arms.Ana smiled. She tried to keep up with Ethan's pace, although deep inside, there was still an anxiety she couldn't shake. Ever since earlier, since the incident on the road, she felt like someone was following them. Every time she turned around, there was no one there."Come on. Slow down. Don't run," she said.Ethan didn't listen. He had already entered the large hall with a giant dinosaur skeleton in the center. His mouth dropped open, his eyes wide."Wow! It's so big!"Ana stood behind him, looking at her son with love. For a moment, she only saw Ethan, her child, happy.But the pain came suddenly.Her l
Author's Pov.The next morning."Mom, where are we going?" Ethan asked as he put on his slightly worn sneakers."To the museum. There are dinosaurs.""Really? T-rex?""Really. T-rex, brontosaurus, triceratops, all of them."Ethan jumped with excitement. "Yay! I want to see the T-rex!"Ana smiled. A smile that had rarely appeared lately."Come on, let's take a taxi."Sebastian couldn't join them; he had business that couldn't be postponed. But he had made sure Ana had enough money, and he had already booked a taxi for them."Take care," Sebastian said, kissing Ana's forehead. "Don't be long. I'll worry.""I'll be fine," Ana replied.She took Ethan's hand and walked out.The taxi they took was an old black one with seats that were starting to tear in some places. The driver was a middle aged man with thinning hair and a thick mustache, friendly and talkative. He kept chatting about his children, his grandchildren, about how much he loved sunny days like this.Ana only half listened. Her
Leon looked at me with slightly narrowed eyes. I knew he was reading my mind, trying to figure out why I had suddenly lied in front of Adrian and Sebastian. But after a few seconds, he nodded slightly."Yes, we've been considering some investment opportunities."Adrian raised an eyebrow. "Investmen
I stepped out of the elevator into the mansion's living room. It was already getting dark outside.Adrian and Sebastian were already sitting on the side sofa. Leon was in the main chair, legs crossed, holding a nearly empty glass of whiskey. The three of them had tense faces, like they had just fin
The next day, I had just finished showering and changing clothes when I heard shouting from the living room. I recognized that voice, Clara. High pitched, shrill, full of uncontrollable anger.I walked to the hallway. From there, I could see Clara standing in the middle of the living room with her
Night had begun to fall when the taxi stopped in front of the mansion gate. I paid and got out with sluggish steps. Throughout the drive home, my mind couldn't stop racing. Sebastian's offer was still ringing in my head, alternating with Leon's words forbidding me from seeing them.I entered the ho







