LOGINLila's POV"How many do you need?" the fish seller asked."Two," I said, looking around the local market. I'd never been here before. A colleague at the office had recommended it after I mentioned craving fish soup.I paid and made my way back to the car. The moment I got in, my phone buzzed with a message from an unknown number.I clicked on it."Hi, it's Sophia. Come to Mr. Patrick's cafe. I'll be waiting until you show up. It's about Emma."I stared at the screen for a second, then scoffed.She's lost her mind.She still has the audacity to reach out to me. "It's about Emma?" I laughed out loud to no one. The nerve of this girl.I started the car and drove home.By the time I got in it was already evening. I set the fish on the counter, got the soup going, but something didn't feel right. That feeling, the kind that crawls under your skin and won't leave kept gnawing at me. My mind kept circling back to those three words.It's about Emma.I stared at the pot on the fire for a long
Emma's POV I stopped walking and turned around, half expecting him to be right behind me.He wasn't.That made me even more pissed off. What was I expecting from a workaholic. I hissed under my breath and headed for the beach.I found a quiet spot and sat down. The beach was beautiful. Couples everywhere, some making out, others laughing and splashing in the water without a care in the world. Watching them only made me anger at Alex burn hotter A familiar voice pulled me out of my thoughts."Hi, Emma."It was Maya. She was in a bikini, her skin glowing in the afternoon sun."Can I join you?" she asked."Sure," I said, though a part of me wanted to say otherwise.She sat across from me, sipping her fruit drink, and then she looked me dead in the eyes."Isn't Alexander too much for you to handle?" The question caught me off guard. What kind of business partner asks something like that."Not at all," I replied, keeping my voice steady even though I could feel annoyance rising in my ch
Emma's POVHe locked eyes with me, something like a question in his gaze.Then he spoke, his voice dropping lower.“I thought you said you weren’t a virgin.”Heat rushed to my face at once. I bit my lip, suddenly shy under the weight of his stare.“Does it hurt?” he asked, worry written all over his face now.“Yes... a little. But I don’t want you to stop,” I admitted, shamelessly honest.His eyes never left mine as he continued, slow and careful, as if he was trying to read every reaction on my face. The pain slowly began to fade, replaced by a sweeter feeling I couldn't think straight.My left hand fisted the bedsheet. My right found his neck and pulled him down to me and I kissed him like I needed to hold onto something. His other finger found my clit and I moaned right into his mouth.At first the pace felt too slow, almost like torture."Faster, MyAlex..." I whispered against his lipsHe obeyed without a word.His pace picked up and then he went down again, his tongue and fingers
Emma's POV "Good to see you, Alexander," she said, her smile polished and easy the moment she reached us.I quickly glanced at Alex. To my surprise, he was smiling too."Good to see you too, Maya." They exchanged a quick cheek greeting like people who had done it a hundred times before. "What are you doing here?""Business," she said. "But I'm done now so I thought I'd check in here and decompress a little." Then she turned and looked at me like she had just remembered I was standing there.I had almost rolled my eyes. Almost."Emma, right?" she said, smiling at me before looking back at Alex."Yes, she is," Alex said, and his hand came to rest at my back.She looked at me again, this time properly. "I've been wanting to meet you. You're so much more beautiful in person, the pictures really don't do you justice.""Thank you," I said, and I meant it even if I was still quietly deciding how I felt about her."And you are?" I asked."Oh God, where are my manners." She laughed and exten
Emma’s POV“MyAlex... are we going on a private jet?” I asked the moment my eyes landed on it.“Yes, love,” he replied, taking off his sunglasses. “Come on, let’s get in.”It was my first time stepping onto one. I walked through the entrance slowly, taking it all in. It was beautiful.Once we were in the air I pulled out my phone immediately. I wanted pictures, videos, everything. Alex had settled into the seat across from me and had his laptop open before we had even leveled out, fingers already moving across the keyboard.I stared at him.I stared for a full minute waiting to see if he would notice me or at least look guilty. He did neither.I stood up and walked over and stopped right in front of him. He sensed me before he saw me and his typing slowed and then stopped. He looked up.I gave him the most unimpressed face I could manage."Just thirty minutes, my love," he said, and his voice had that soft pleading quality he only used when he already knew he was losing. "I'll be done
Alexander's POVThe moment I got home, I went straight to my study. I needed to check something.I sat down, opened my laptop and searched for Emma's background report the private investigator had sent me weeks ago. Leaning back in my chair I scrolled through the file her name, family, school, friends. Routine stuff. Then I scrolled further and a picture appeared. Emma. In a hospital bed. Bruises covering her face, her arms, every visible part of her. She looked small in that bed. Smaller than she had any right to look.I leaned back slowly and inhaled deeply.For over two years, I had been longing for her without even knowing she was living through hell.I closed the laptop.The clock on the wall read three in the morning. She would be asleep by now. I pushed back from the desk and made my way to our room and eased the door open.She was there. Asleep on her side, breathing quietly, her face peaceful in a way that had no idea what I was carrying.Just looking at her made every word
Emma’s POVAn idea suddenly popped into my head. I quickly walked up to Alex and turned my phone screen toward him. His eyes moved from mine to the screen, then back to me with a confused look on his face.“Lila and Ethan have something going on,” I said casually.The seriousness on his face disapp
Emma’s POVThe moment my eyes landed on him, my whole body went cold.For a second, I forgot how to breathe.I stood there staring at his face, and that fear I thought I had buried these past two years came rushing back all over again. Like it had only been sleeping inside me, waiting for the righ
Emma’s POVI had been smiling since the moment I woke up to now.Just one day. That was how long Alex and I had officially been together, and somehow everything already felt different.Better.Today was our first date. Not later, to tonight, Now.I stood in front of the mirror, smoothing my hands o
Lila's POVI took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down before turning to him with a fake smile. Though honestly, it was impossible for the smile to stay fake because of how good Ethan looked at that moment.Shirtless. Sleepy. Breathtaking.For a second, my mind completely blanked.Pull yoursel







