Collateral Piper

The room suddenly felt smaller. Then footsteps.Furious and firm against the floor.Paige appeared at the top of the stairs.She had heard everything.Her descent was slow, each step deliberate, rage simmering beneath her perfect posture. Her face was pale, eyes sharp and glassy, lips pressed so tight they blanched. Her hands curled and uncurled at her sides as she reached the bottom.And without hesitation,The sound echoed.A sharp crack.Stars swimPiper’s head snapped to the side as pain exploded across her cheek. Her vision blurred instantly, the sting blooming hot and fast. She tasted blood as she staggered back, barely catching herself.The room gasped.A good thing the children had long been carried to the nursery by one of the helps.Paige stood rigid, chest rising hard, hand still raised as if shocked by its own force. Her voice trembled—not with guilt, but fury barely contained.“You don’t touch what isn’t yours.”Piper slowly turned back, eyes wet, stunned into silence.P

Last Updated : 2026-01-08

Absence

The first thing Piper noticed was the machine.Beep. Beep. Beep.The sound beeped from where she stood just inside the ICU, one hand wrapped around the strap of her handbag as if it were the only thing anchoring her upright. Each beep felt like a countdown she wasn’t ready for.Tubes plunged into Nana from every side, clear and fragile against skin that had lost all its glow. A mask covered her mouth. Her chest rose and fell, but not on its own—the machine did the breathing for her.“Nana,” Piper whispered, reaching out and closing her fingers around Nana's cold hand.It felt so wrong.A nurse moved quietly by the monitor, adjusting dials with efficient practice. Piper’s eyes tracked every motion, desperate for control.Is she—” Piper stopped, swallowed hard. “Is she awake at all?”The nurse shook her head softly. “She’s unconscious. We’re keeping her sedated.”“How long,” Piper asked quickly. “How long has she been like this?”“Since we brought her in. The seizure was severe.”The wo

Last Updated : 2026-01-09

The Opportunist

The man staggered, trying to steady one foot in front of the other as he approached Thomas. His clothes hung loose and stained, jacket frayed at the cuffs, shirt unbuttoned too far. His hair was uncombed, thinning at the crown, skin roughened by years of neglect and cheap alcohol. Even from inside his car, Thomas could almost smell him.The man squinted as he looked through the driver's side, then smiled eagerly. Too widely.“Hello sir?” His voice slurred, but was loud. “Is… is this the billionaire’s house?”Thomas stared at him, something cold settling behind his eyes.“Yes,” he said flatly. “State your business.”The man chuckled, rubbing his palms together like he’d stumbled upon luck. “Ah. Thought so. Knew it. This place is massive. Bloody massive. My God.” He craned his neck, peering past the gate as though he could absorb the wealth by sight alone. “My daughter married well.”Thomas raised a brow. “Your daughter?”The man nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes. Piper. Piper McDowell. Lovel

Last Updated : 2026-01-09

Relocation

The boys were already at school by the time Piper arrived home. Still, she knew something was wrong the moment she turned the door handle and opened the door to her room the next morning.Empty.The bed was stripped down to its bare mattress. The curtains were gone. Her suitcase gone. Drawers pulled out and abandoned. Her shoes, alongside everything she owned were no where in sight. Even the framed sketch she’d leaned against the wall, unfinished charcoal lines of a woman mid-breath, was missing.For a second, her mind refused to catch up.She step into the room slowly. “Where the heck are my things.” She spoke into the empty room.She walked back into the hallway, pulse roaring in her ears. A young housekeeper stopped when she saw her.“Where are my things?” Piper asked. Her voice coming out louder than intended.The girl hesitated. Looked past Piper’s shoulder. Lowered her eyes. “They’ve been moved, ma’am.”Piper frowned.“To where?”Another pause. “The… east wing ma'am.”Piper’s

Last Updated : 2026-01-10

The Gala

Minutes later, Thomas stepped into Paige’s room. The door clicked behind him, shutting out the faint sounds of the corridor outside. Paige was already pacing, the fabric of her blouse taut across her shoulders, fingers gripping at nothing, as though she could fight herself against the injustice she felt.“I don’t understand,” she began, voice rising, eyes flashing with outrage. “Why am I not allowed in your—your room—but Piper—” she jerked her head toward the corridor, “—a woman like her gets moved into your bed? Into your space?”Thomas leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. His expression was calm, but every line in his body radiated contained irritation. “Because she is my wife,” he said, voice quiet but firm."What?" Paige froze, disbelief registering over her face."Your what? Stop calling her that Thomas!" She turned red in fury, eyes clouding from jealousy. How dare she?“You heard me. Contract or not, she is my wife, for now." Thomas reaffirmed. "I will not provoke susp

Last Updated : 2026-01-11

Plus One

He didn’t answer immediately. He swiped through the text on his phone, then looked up at her, eyes sharp. “The Press. They’re swarming the venue. Too many cameras. Too many questions. Piper will be going instead.” Paige blinked, jaw tightening. “Piper?” she repeated, incredulous. “You—she can’t—” “I said change of plan,” Thomas cut in, tone brittle with authority. “You stay. She goes. Don’t add to my troubles.” Paige’s eyes narrowed, outrage flickering, but he wasn't looking at her. She opened her mouth again, but Thomas cut her off. “It's not a request.” The words landed like a hammer. Paige’s shoulders stiffened, jaw tight, and with a glare that could have split marble, she stormed back upstairs muttering, “This is unbelievable… just unbelievable!” Thomas’s sharp voice instructed to a housekeeper close by. "Go tell Piper I'm asking for her." Piper received the message and her panic returned, flour-dusted hands pausing mid-stir. She got up. Readied herself for whatever was