All Chapters of A Love Too Close : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

CHAPTER ONE The TruthAnnie's POV My phone buzzed that afternoon, and ice shot down my spine as I stared at the screen.“Hey love, running late. Bringing someone home… my cousin from Cape Town.”“Alright baby, safe trip.”The words felt like ash in my mouth the moment I sent them. Cousin from Cape Town? He'd never mentioned a cousin. Not once in five years. Unease twisted in my stomach like barbed wire.This was the man I'd built my world around. My constant. My anchor. Five years of shared dreams, quiet sacrifices, laughter that used to echo through these walls. He'd always whispered, “we will grow old together.”I believed him.As the CEO of Starlight Event Company, he was untouchable. He hosted and planned weddings for billionaires, presidential ceremonies, and galas dripping with wealth. I'd been there too—lending ideas, loving him fiercely—even while working at rival Pleasure Hills.Tonight was supposed to be our healing. Our new start after months of distance, missed calls, vi

CHAPTER THREE Temptation Under The Moonlight Annie's POV Two days later–after the blur of airports and shuttles, and a mind too tired to think—the resort unfolded before me like a painting brought to life. It was around 9pm. The sky was dark yet glowing, lit up by shiny stars sprinkled across it and the moon so bright.The beach was wild tonight —loud music, shouting voices, laughter drifting everywhere. A full night party. Bonfires rose up like flames reaching the sky, surrounded by bodies dancing, taking pictures, drinking like they wanted the night to swallow them whole.The DJ blasted afrobeats and summer pop, the speakers shaking with bass so deep that I felt it vibrate in my chest.Matteo was already shaking his head to the beat, his curls bouncing like he had no care in the world. “You need this break, Annie,” he yelled over the music. “Just breathe and forget everything!” he tugged me into the crowd. We danced for a while, but soon enough he got carried away, and drifted in

CHAPTER FIVE His Terms Annie's POV Sunlight spilled across the lounge, glinting off the polished marble floor like tiny stars. Guests murmured softly around me—quiet laughter, clinking glasses, the soft scrape of cutlery—but everything felt far away, muffled, like I was underwater.The faint scent of fresh citrus lingered in the air, mixed with polished wood and warm daylight. It should have been calming, but my stomach churned with nerves. My palms were cold, pressed flat against my thighs as I waited.Then he arrived.Grey walked in with the steady confidence of someone who never had to wonder if he belonged. His presence shifted the room. He sat across from me like he owned not just the chair, but the air between us. The calm, controlled aura around him made it feel like he had already rehearsed everything he was about to say—down to the exact moment he would inhale.“We need rules,” he said. His voice was steady, expression unreadable. “If this is going to work, it has to be fl

Chapter Seven Apexlux Is MineAnnie's POV Grey's words still hung in the air. “Dad, I'm not interested in becoming the new CEO.”The room went still immediately. Diaman's jaw tightened, his face twitching with disbelief and something else I couldn't name yet. Grey still stood unmoved at his words. Then Diaman's voice broke the silence.“What do you mean you're not interested as the new CEO? Why were you sent abroad to study? Wasn't it for this?”Grey didn't flinch. He released my hand to adjust his cuff. “I've been building something worthwhile.”“Worthwhile?” Diaman spat the word like venom. “What could be more important than this position? Do you even realize what you're walking away from? This company, this family, this empire?”The heat in the room twisted my stomach. I wanted to reach out to stop the tension, but I couldn't move. Guests leaned toward one another, whispering with curiosity in their eyes. Before Grey could respond, the CEO o

Chapter Nine Do You Think I'm Pathetic?Annie's POVI couldn't sleep. I'd been staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours, my mind replaying everything. Diaman's face, Katy's smug smile, the wedding I had planned for them, the kiss Grey gave me in front of everyone.Finally, I gave up. I threw off the covers and stepped out of my room. The house was too silent. My footsteps echoed as I walked down the hallway, peeking into rooms I hadn't seen before. Grey's house was like a museum. Everything perfectly placed, expensive, untouched.Then I found it. A door slightly open, soft light spilling out. I pushed it wider and my jaw dropped. A home theater. Not just any theater—a massive one. Rows of plush leather seats, a screen bigger than my entire bedroom back at Matteo's place, and walls lined with shelves of movies."Wow…" I whispered, stepping inside. I ran my fingers along the seats, then noticed a small cabinet in the corner. I opened it. Wine. Bottles an