RYAN BURKE I exited the elevator when it stopped on the top floor, where my office was located. Juliana, my secretary, greeted me with a shy "good morning," like all the women in this building, she didn't know how to act around me. I chuckled at her reaction, making a small detour to grab the reports for the meeting. "Mr. Burke, there's a guy named Diego Sanders waiting for you in your office." "I heard Diego Sanders? What is he doing here?" I nodded and entered the room. Diego was a childhood friend, sent to Japan by his family to take care of business, and our contact had been sparse over the years. I walked into the room, which was large enough to have a small lounge area, and saw him sitting on the couch reading a magazine. "Ryan!" he exclaimed, his eyes shining with enthusiasm as he stood up to give me a hug. "Long time!" "My God, you son of a bitch! It's been ages!" I replied, equally excited, guiding him back to the couch. "Is there a reason for your visit? Don't get me wro

MORGANA FOSTER I would do anything not to be in love with Ryan. All I had from him during this time were scars and hurts; he never respected our nominal relationship, not like I did, he never loved me. Why did he insist on not giving me a divorce? I couldn't stay there anymore. It stirred the wounds in my chest like a scalpel cutting through the skin for surgery. The bedroom door opened again, and his silhouette landed softly in front. His eyes were half-closed, staring at me in the chair with coldness. He approached, closing the door behind him. I lifted my eyes to face his perfectly sculpted face framed in perfectly styled hair on the side, swallowing some saliva that had accumulated. "What do you want?" I asked, trying to convey as much anger as possible. An uncomfortable silence hung in the air for a while. I could feel his accelerated breath and see his chest moving in the tight black shirt. He looked at me and shrugged. "Don't be so hostile," he said softly. "Could you not

RYAN BURKE I climbed the stairs to my room, still intoxicated by Morgana's warm kiss. I entered the room with the silliest and most youthful smile I've ever worn in my life. I confess that seeing her earlier with that doctor, so close, made me nauseous. I thought several times about wiping her where he touched, but I couldn't even interfere, even though he was showing her off as if she were a new trophy. I decided to let her decide whether she would stay with me. Patience wasn't my best quality, I admit, but I was being patient. I would win her over again, even if it took a long time. The way she reacted to my presence was enough to stir my desires and fill my chest with hope. I walked to the balcony to smoke a bit, still remembering the details, how her soft skin was pleasant to touch. I've been breaking hearts for a long time, but this time was different; I wanted to mend a heart I had broken. Damn woman. I'm head over heels for her. Not even Elena left me like this. I chuckled

MORGANA FOSTER The sun was setting when I finished the physiotherapy session. I had tea and cookies with Winnie and Alessandra. It was a pleasant afternoon. The air in the main garden was magnificent and fragrant; the plants and flowers added color to the landscape. It had started to get dark, and shades of orange and red dominated the sky as the sun set. Ryan had gone to the company; it was a Friday, and he was getting ready for the weekend off. Even though we hadn't had much contact over the years, I knew his routine inside out. When we entered, I had to go up to the bedroom floor to get a special dress for dinner. His bedroom door was open, revealing his figure standing at the edge of the bed, finishing putting on a pair of black flannel pants. "Nice ass," a truly sculpted butt, perfect in white boxer briefs. The view became even more disturbing when he started putting on his shirt and buttoning it up in a ritual that, in my mind, seemed like the sexiest thing in the world. "Ok

RYAN BURKE Sly, sneaky bitch. She spilled the beans about Elena's pregnancy to everyone, giving me no chance to soften the blow. I know my grandpa thinks Elena is an ambitious gold digger, and my grandma doesn't hold a higher opinion of the mother of my child, but what could I do now? Abandon Elena? We headed to the dining room, all feeling uneasy. My mom and grandparents stared at me sternly. I knew I had shattered all family principles by maintaining a relationship outside of marriage. But in my defense, we had an agreement. I never promised to reciprocate her feelings. And now, I'm paying for it. After dinner, the ladies gathered for tea, and my grandpa shot me a commanding look to follow him to the office. In the middle of the office stood a small dark wooden round table with a huge bouquet of white tulips. The walls were adorned with paintings, some acquired from antique auctions. To the right, an imposing U-shaped sofa, accommodating ten people comfortably. In the past, when