บททั้งหมดของ Forever Was Never The Deal: บทที่ 21 - บทที่ 30

I couldn't breathe.The man's hand was still over my mouth as I struggled beneath his grip.Then I saw him.William.He was standing at the other end of the hallway. For one second, he didn't move. His eyes were fixed on the man holding me. Something changed in his face. I had never seen it before. The warmth disappeared. So did the teasing smile.There was nothing familiar about his expression anymore.The man noticed him and turned slightly.“Get lost.”William said nothing.He walked toward us.Slowly.The man tightened his grip on me.“Stay back.”William stopped.His eyes dropped to the man's hand around my wrist.Then returned to his face.“Take your hands off her.”His voice was quiet.Too quiet.The man laughed.“Or W-wha—”The man barely got the word out before William moved.One second, he was standing in front of me.The next, the man was ripped backward and slammed against the wall with enough force to make the entire room shake.I froze.His head struck the hard surface w

The next morning, William was already awake when I came downstairs.He was sitting at the dining table, a cup of coffee in front of him and his phone in his hand.I stopped halfway down the stairs.“You're up early.”He looked up and smiled.I walked over and took the seat opposite him. For a few seconds, neither of us said anything.After everything that had happened the night before, things between us felt slightly different.Not uncomfortable. Just… different. I wasn't sure what to make of it. William seemed to notice it too, but thankfully, he didn't say anything.He took a sip of his coffee before placing the cup down.“I have to leave for a few days.”I looked up.“Leave?”“Yeah.”“For where?”He hesitated for half a second.“California.”I nodded.“Business?”“Personal.”That answer made me pause. But only for a moment. I didn't ask any more questions.Whatever William had going on outside our arrangement wasn't really my business.Or at least, that's what I told myself.“How l

I turned toward the entrance.For a moment, I didn't understand what I was looking at.The man walking into the ballroom didn't look like someone who needed an introduction.He was tall, dressed in a perfectly tailored black tuxedo that fit him effortlessly. A black mask covered most of his face, leaving only his eyes visible.He wasn't smiling.He wasn't looking around.He simply walked into the room as if he already knew exactly where he was going.And somehow, everyone noticed.Conversations became quieter.People turned their heads.A few men who had been deep in conversation stopped to watch him pass. Others exchanged quick glances before adjusting their jackets and moving toward him.I looked at Jade.“You weren't exaggerating.”She shook her head.“No.”I looked back at him.“So that's the famous Blake Carrington.”“Yes.”I studied him from where I stood.He didn't look particularly interested in the attention.If anything, he seemed used to it.A man approached him and shook h

The first thing I felt was a pounding headache. The second was the cold floor beneath me. I opened my eyes slowly. It was evening already and I had no idea where I was. The room was dark, except for a small light hanging from the ceiling. My wrists were tied behind my back, and my mouth felt dry.I tried to move. Pain shot through my shoulders. I stopped. Memories came rushing back. The black SUV. The men in black. Jade screaming my name.My stomach twisted.“Jade…”My voice came out weak. I looked around the room. No one. Nothing. I tried to pull against the ropes, but they were too tight. Then I heard something. Footsteps. My heart began beating faster. The door opened. A man walked inside.I immediately pressed myself against the wall. He was tall. Very tall. And unlike the men who had taken me, he didn’t look rushed. He looked completely calm.Almost too calm.He wore a dark suit with no tie, the sleeves of his shirt rolled neatly to his forearms. His expression was unreadable as

“Tell me something, Geoffrey.” He glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “What?” “Why does every morning feel like a personal attack?” He smiled. “Maybe because you make everything difficult.” I looked at him. “Excuse me?” “You heard me.” “I can have you fired.” “No, you can’t.” I narrowed my eyes. “Why not?” “Because you’ll complain about not having anyone to drive you around.” I stared at him. “That sounded dangerously confident.” He laughed. “I’ve been driving you too long.” “Clearly.” I looked out the window. The traffic moved slowly around us as we made our way toward Morales Enterprises. I had spent the entire morning trying to convince myself that today would be normal. It wouldn’t. My life didn’t do normal. Geoffrey glanced at me again. “You’re quiet.” “I’m thinking.” “That usually means trouble.” I smiled. “Keep driving.” “Yes, ma’am.” A few minutes later, the car pulled up in front of Morales Enterprises. I looked at the building. This company h