The Cost Of Delayed Affection Novels & Stories

What shocked me the most was the fact that the woman was Ivy Lewis, my good friend. My hands clenched around my shopping bags until my nails dug into my palms. It was Valentine's Day. I'd specifically gone to the mall to buy some gifts for him, that bastard! I wanted to break up with him! At that very moment, a robotic voice rang out in my head. "The system has detected a prospective host, Rowena Hurst. You have met the conditions for the Infidelity Cashback System. Would you like to activate it? If you do, whenever your partner spends money on his infidelity partner, twice the amount will be transferred to your bank account."

"You promised me a clean transaction. A stable merger. Instead, I get a bomb under the altar and my investment nearly killed on the highway." "Investment," Dario spat. He laughed bitterly. Harsh and jagged. "That girl is costing me a fortune. Do you have any idea how much I've spent keeping her looking like a princess? The clothes, the stylists, the trainers to teach her how to walk without looking like a beaten dog?" He kicked the desk. Hard. Papers scattered. "And now she delays the deal by three weeks. Three weeks! Do you know what that does to the optics? The families are already whispering. Saying I can't protect my own daughter. Saying I'm weak."

I had always possessed a deep love for dazzling objects, and Henry had never forgotten that detail. I recognized that he meant this as an offering of amends, but my heart had long since withered, and I could never accept his affection again. I shook my head slightly, saying, "I can't possibly accept something so expensive. If there's nothing urgent, I'll be heading off now." I got to my feet and made my swift departure after saying that, never once turning around to look at him. Henry remained seated and in a daze. His eyes were fixed on my back as I walked away.

Marc's words snapped me back to attention, his proposal offering a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos. With renewed determination, I focused on the task at hand, ready to confront whatever challenges lay ahead and emerge victorious, no matter the cost. As I pondered Marc's next move, the increasing sales notifications on my screen only served to reinforce my confidence. "I'm indeed wicked," I thought to myself with a smirk, reveling in the power I held over the company's fortunes. With each passing moment, I grew more impatient for Marc's arrival, my watch serving as a silent reminder of the urgency of our situation. When he finally entered, his polite greeting was met with a cold indifference

] [If Rowan dies, she killed him. [I want to see her regret this.] [I want to see her beg him to forgive her.] [But he might not survive long enough for that.] [Can somebody please go save him? I can't keep watching this.] The countdown still flickered faintly— [8 days 9 hours 01 minute] The game wasn't over yet. But the player seemed ready to quit early.

“Miss Moreau? This is Dr. Patel from Mount Sinai. Your grandmother’s vitals dropped unexpectedly this afternoon. We’ve stabilized her, but there's new tumor growth. We need to start a more aggressive treatment… targeted radiation combined with another immunotherapy round. It's expensive.” “How expensive?” “$180,000 upfront for the first phase. We can spread out the rest, but the initial deposit is non-negotiable. You have three days before we have to pause treatment to avoid complications.” Ava’s knees just about gave out. She leaned against the wall. “Three days?” “I’m sorry. I know it’s sudden.” She ended the call and stared at the filthy floor. A hundred and eighty grand. In three days. T

I looked at my watch, it was already 06:39PM “Shit” I mouthed as I picked up my car keys scurrying out of the house. The coffee shop was about 20minutes drive from my apartment but it wouldn’t be a good thing to keep a lady waiting on a first date; at least that wasn’t what the society has thought me. 23minutes later, I found myself at the Eternity Coffee Roaster’s parking lot. I silently prayed that she wouldn’t be seated waiting for me even though I knew how late women can be a times.