On the day my cousin, Roselle, gave birth, I was having a meal with her husband, Lawrence. He was about to leave, but I stopped him and said, “Lawrence, wait. I have a surprise gift for her.” A lavish gift for her after she sent my mother to the deathbed.
On Christmas Eve, my uncle and aunt knelt before me. They begged me to give up my five-year-old daughter so their son could adopt her. I thought it was absurd. But as I checked my cousin’s phone, I was furious.
Double lines. Positive. I tried crushing the pregnancy test with my foot. I even threw it in the trash. But it couldn’t erase the horrible fact that I was PREGNANT from my brain. I looked at the picture of the 18th birthday I had just celebrated. My secret-boyfriend Joseph and I had taken sweet selfies, but those pictures now looked a little distorted. Unlocking the screen, I checked once more for a reply from Joseph. Only my own message stared back at me. Just like every time I’d checked before. The double checkmarks proved he read the message, but he hadn’t replied. I tried again. And again. Eventually, he stopped reading them. Lightning flashed outside. But I needed to know what Joseph thought. Now. I flew down the stairwell, and out the side door into the rain. I had no one else I could talk to. As werewolves, our inner wolf doesn’t show up until we’re 19. I loved dance. I practiced so hard, and I was good at it. That’s why I enrolled in Lunarhaven Academy, the best private elite school in the kingdom, as a cheerleader. Was I going to have to give it up? But then what would happened to me? Would I have to drop out from the Academy? My family never had time for me. My parents only wanted to hear from me when I achieved something. I could never tell my oldest sister, the perfect and beautiful Luna. The family’s favorite. If I confided in her, she’d tell Mom in a second. My older brother Dylan was the one I felt closest to, but he was overprotective. If he knew, he’d probably be on the first flight home from Silvermoon Academy, where he was spending a semester as an exchange student. Joseph had to answer. As a star soccer player, Joseph lived in one of the separate athlete’s dormitories. Rather than the single bed, shared bathroom dorms where I stayed, these were elaborate villas. Each room had their own kitchenette and personal bathroom. Each athlete was seen as elite. They were popular on campus, even with the faculty and staff. With that popularity came privilege and preference. Fancy dorms were only the start of the gifts they received. I had always been proud of Joseph for all that his soccer skills helped him achieve. He was someone Mom would adore. Now I cursed it a little, if only because a superintendent stopped me just inside the front door. Nearby I heard the bass of loud music and distant laughter. “Please,” I said. “Where is Joseph?” The superintendent wasn’t much taller than me, but the way she sneered down her nose at me made me feel small. “Joseph is in his room,” the superintendent said. “He asked not to be disturbed.” “It’s important –” “It’s getting late, isn’t it?” The superintendent crossed her arms. “Shouldn’t you be returning to your own dorm?” Movement shifted at the edge of my vision. I glanced down the hall and saw a tall, handsome man storm toward me. I would recognize that dark, windswept hair and piercing gaze anywhere. Asher. My brother’s best friend. One of the very last people I’d hoped to see. If he discovered I was pregnant, undoubtedly he would tell Dylan. I was no way ready for that to happen. Especially not before I spoke to Joseph. Asher’s intense eyes weighed heavy on me, taking in my full person, head to toe. When he looked back to my face, those eyes darkened further. This hint of anger was the only emotion on his perfect, blank slate of a face. I knew Asher didn’t like me. I’d met him several times with Dylan, and each time he’d only given one word responses to my attempts at friendly conversation. He never once returned my smile. Actually, I’d never seen him smile at all. Inching backwards, I told the superintendent, “Maybe I can come back tomorrow…” Too slow. Asher stopped at our side. Eyes fixed on me, he told the superintendent, “I can take care of this.” With the superintendent gone, I did the only thing I could think to do to protect my secret. I turned and ran. I’d been to this dorm a few times, always under the cover of night. Joseph never wanted anyone to know I was visiting him. Because of the secrecy, I knew the way to the stairwell that led to his floor. I only made it a few steps before Asher blocked my path. Captain of the hockey team, Asher daily trained for muscle mass and speed. Plus, as the son of an Alpha, he was naturally gifted. I should have known I wouldn’t make it far, but my panic had overridden my judgement. Now I felt both panic and shame. Asher continued to stare. Still clutching my phone, I instinctively wrapped my arms around my waist to hide my still-flat belly. Asher likely saw that too, but overwhelmed, I couldn’t bring myself to lower my arms. With my downward gaze, I watched as his hands formed fists. Then, he reached beside me and opened a door. I blinked up at him. “In here,” he commanded. No room for argument. I slinked inside, stopping at the center of the spacious dorm room. Asher entered behind me and closed the door. He stayed there, just inside the doorway. “Cynthia, why are you here?” Asher asked. “It’s not your business.” “What could possibly be so important that you need to come here in a stormy day?” he asked. Turning to face him, I lifted my chin, defiant. Inside, my heart pounded. My hands would shake if I wasn’t clutching my waist so hard. The silence stretched as he watched me. I felt like an ant under a microscope. Suddenly he frowned, just a bit at the corners of his mouth, and turned toward the bathroom. He returned an instant later holding a towel. He held it out toward me. At that moment, I shivered. Adrenaline had gotten me this far, but now I realized how cold I was. And how wet. Looking down, my white shirt had become translucent against me, hugging my cleavage like a second skin. I hadn’t even thought to put on a bra before I left my room, let alone a jacket. The curves of my breasts, including my nipples hardened from the cold, were on full display. Asher had looked. He had seen. I snatched the towel from Asher and held it protectively over myself. Heat flared in my cheeks. “W-Why didn’t you say anything?” “Don’t worry,” he said with a tiny shrug. “You aren’t my type.” “Y-you–!” “I’ve already forgotten it.” His hooded gaze dropped to where the towel covered me, then away. Voice sharp, he said, “You won’t go unless you tell me why you’re here.” Who was he to give me orders? His breath was hot on my ear. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on? Or do I need to guess?” His gaze bore into mine like he could see straight through me. Dread clawed at my chest. “I need to see Joseph.” I compromised.
Two months prior, my brother Dylan had introduced me to Asher. Dylan had been about to leave for his semester abroad. “Asher’s my best friend,” Dylan had told me. Turning to Asher, he said, “I need you to take care of Cynthia for me while I’m gone.” I bristled with annoyance. Dylan was so overprotective, he always treated me like a little kid. “Dylan, I’m an adult now. I can take care of myself.” Dylan gave me a soft smile. “Maybe, but you’ll always be my little sister. You can’t blame me for worrying about you.” “You don’t need to worry about me.” Dylan opened his mouth to speak, but Asher cut him off. “I will take care of her,” Asher said like a vow. The tension in Dylan’s shoulders eased. “Good. That’s a relief. Thank you.” Neither man seemed eager to listen to me. Asher had only barely glanced at me the whole time. I’d heard of Asher even before meeting him. His cold, standoffish reputation preceded him. I had no idea how he and Dylan, always warm and smiling, came to be such good friends. Regardless, I purposefully avoided Asher since that moment, and he’d seemed content to keep his own distance. But now, standing in his dorm room with his hand on my arm, I was snared in his attention. Are you going to tell me what’s going on? He was still waiting for an answer. When I didn’t give one, his gaze narrowed. “How long after Dylan left did you hook up with Joseph?” Asher asked. “It’s only been two months.” I didn’t need my brother’s permission to date, and I certainly didn’t need to explain myself to Asher. “This has nothing to do with you.” I attempted to rip my arm from his grasp, but he held firm. His hand was hot on my cool, damp skin. “Joseph thinks he’s smooth,” Asher said. “He walks down this hallway to use the side stairwell up to his room. He avoids using the main stairwell, but none of us are fooled. Everyone in this building knows what he has going on.” “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “Cynthia, I’ve seen him bring at least six girls up to his room in the past two months.” The air punched from my lungs. No, that couldn’t be right. Joseph had a solid reputation as a popular, future Alpha. He was a center forward on the soccer team, and never missed a practice. He held doors open for women, and everyone said how much of a gentleman he was. With me, he had always whispered soft sweet words in my ear when we were together. He’d complimented my looks, and my body, and sometimes he’d say how much he wanted to keep me wrapped up like a present just for him. Until today, he’d returned all my messages, usually including lots of text hearts. There was no way he could be doing the same with other woman. “You don’t believe me,” Asher said, not a question. “I have no reason to trust you.” I had to get away from Asher. I needed to see Joseph. “You clearly don’t approve. I bet you’d say anything to keep me away from him, but it won’t work!” I tried again to break Asher’s hold. When he wouldn’t budge, I grabbed his wrist with my hand and twisted. He didn’t even wince. Instead, his free hand pried my grip away. “Let me go,” I demanded. Asher’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t say anything. His touch wasn’t hard enough to bruise, but it was firm, like a shackle. I met his glare with my own. “You can’t stop me from seeing Joseph. Tonight.” “You want to see him so badly?” Asher growled. “Come with me.” I planted my heels. I didn’t want to go anywhere with him. When we reached Joseph’s door, I squirmed against Asher’s hold with renewed fury. Asher couldn’t be here for this. “Let go of me!” To my surprise, he complied, but only to reach in front of me and open Joseph’s door. A dim table light illuminated the large space bright enough for me to see the tangled sheets of the bed – and the two figures entwined under them. Joseph had his mouth against the neck of another woman. His hips pushed between her open thighs. Her face scrunched up in pleasure. My stomach dropped to the floor. “Joseph?” It couldn’t be him. It had to be some other guy who looked just like him, who had borrowed his room. Joseph wouldn’t do this to me. The couple stilled. The girl, gasping, snatched at the sheet to hide her exposed breasts. Joseph rolled away from her and up onto his feet beside the bed. Grabbing the comforter, he wrapped it around his waist. “Asher?” Joseph ran a hand over his face, wiping sweat from his brow. He laughed. “Now isn’t the best time. Did you need something?” That was Joseph’s voice. His laugh. His face. His body, walking toward us. I couldn’t deny what I was seeing any longer. “Joseph?” I whispered again, chest aching. There had to be some explanation for this. Joseph’s hand dropped. He looked at me as if noticing me for the first time, and with that recognition, anger followed. His brow lowered. “Cynthia? What are you doing here?” Glancing between me and Asher, his lip curled into an ugly snarl. “Are you checking up on me? Did you coax Asher to keep an eye on me?” “N-No, I –” He wouldn’t let me finish. “You didn’t have to bring him into this. If we had something to talk about, we could do it privately.” “But there is something!” I said in a rush before he could cut me off again. I stepped into the room. “It’s really important, and we need to—” “Get out,” Joseph snapped. “But –” “Now, Cynthia.” Starting forward, he roughly shoved my shoulders, pushing me backwards. “I’m so sick of clingy girls like you, watching me every second.” My feet skidded across the floor tiles. I struggled to stay upright. “Do you think you own me? You think you can tell me what I can and can’t do?” His sharp scowl tore into me. “If you would listen –” “You’ve gone too far this time. We’re done.” “Joseph, please!” “Don’t call me. Don’t text me. Don’t speak to me.” My heels caught the doorframe, and I stumbled into Asher, who hadn’t moved an inch from where he’d been. His hand caught my elbow as I righted myself against the wall of his body. When I was steady, his hand fell away so quickly I wondered if I had imagined it. I turned back to Joseph. I started forward again, ready to fight to get him to listen. “I only want to—” Joseph slammed the door in my face. If I had been one inch closer, it would have broken my nose. I stood frozen for a moment, staring at the grain of the wooden door. Disbelief pulsed through my veins. I couldn’t move. How could this have happened? Asher crossed his arms over his chest. I faced him and found a pair of cold eyes staring back at me. He’d led me here, knowing this would happen. Embarrassment and hated curdled in my stomach. I felt I might be sick. His face revealed no hint of emotion. No sympathy. No guilt. No shame. He asked, voice flat, “Now do you believe me?”
“Now you’ve seen what Joseph is with your own eyes,” Asher said. “Now you understand why you need to keep away from him.” Slowly, my shock wore off. In its place, anger began to boil and churn. “You’ll thank me someday,” Asher said. “You want me to thank you?” I asked, breathless with disbelief. “I vowed to take care of you,” he said. Looking away, he added softly, as if to himself, “Guess I make a pretty good baby-sitter, after all.” His voice held a hint of pride. Baby-sitter?! My anger boiled over, and I snapped, tone biting, “You’re worse than Dylan.” Asher was more controlling and not nearly as kind. “You are not my brother.” I stepped closer to him, right up against his chest. He lifted one brow ever so slightly but didn’t otherwise move. “What I do and what happens to me is none of your concern,” I said. I wanted to shout, but we were already drawing attention again. But with a sharp look from Asher, any onlookers quickly moved on. Asher squared his shoulders. “I made a promise to Dylan. I don’t break my promises.” He wouldn’t listen to me. He didn’t seem to care what I thought. It was all so frustrating! I blinked back the tears from my eyes. I didn’t want him to see me cry. “Maybe you planned this all along,” I said. “Maybe you wanted to see your little sister humiliated? Did you want to watch me get dumped? Are you enjoying this?” “Cynthia.” There was something in his voice, but the emotion was so slight, I couldn’t read it. I was far too busy trying to keep myself from falling apart. “I never asked you to do this,” I said. Maybe Dylan had. But where was the consideration for my feelings? Asher reached out for me, but I instantly shied away from his touch. Where would he drag me to next? I didn’t want to find out. “Leave me alone, Asher,” I told him and sprinted away. Regardless, as I rushed down the stairwell, I thanked every power in the universe that I had been able to keep my secret from Asher. He was so overbearing. I could only imagine what rules he would try to lord over me if he knew? Outside, with the rain to hide my tears, I finally let them fall. The towel I held – Asher’s towel – soaked through. In the safety of my dorm room, I tossed the towel and my wet clothes into a corner and changed into soft pajamas. I cried softly but refused to let myself fully fall apart. Despite what I had seen and how my heart was breaking, I still needed to talk to Joseph about the pregnancy. When he knew about the baby, maybe everything would change. Joseph, I’m pregnant. I need to know what you think. I waited. Double check marks appeared. I waited longer, but he sent no response. My thoughts returned to my family. I couldn’t talk to Mom, or my sister, or Dylan. My cousin Nancy was a nurse at the maternity hospital. If anyone would know what to do, she would. And while we weren’t exactly best friends, we were close enough that I believed she might keep my secret. “Cynthia?” Nancy’s kind voice came through the phone and I let out a broken, relieved breath. “Cynthia, what’s wrong?” The weight of the secret had been swelling inside of me all day, and it bubbled out now, breaking the dam I’d built to hold it. I told Nancy everything about Joseph and the pregnancy. I ended with, “Please, please don’t tell anyone. Don’t tell Mom.” Our family wouldn’t understand. “I won’t,” Nancy promised. She knew as well as me how conservative our family was about pregnancy. If they knew I had gotten pregnant, they would never forgive me. “And this guy… Joseph,” Nancy continued. “He’s a jerk. He’s not willing to step up.” I wanted to argue but Nancy was right. He had seen my text. If he wanted any part of the pregnancy, wouldn’t he have reached out by now? “Stop thinking about Joseph and decide what you want,” Nancy said. “You have options.” My hands trembled around the phone. I didn’t know what I wanted. When I thought of the future I had dreamed for myself, having a baby so young didn’t really fit. Especially when I would have to raise it alone. “Maybe I shouldn’t have it.” My voice was so small, I barely recognize myself. Nancy’s tone was gentle. “It’s not uncommon for student mothers to choose abortion.” The next morning, I sat in the waiting room of maternity hospital’s surgery wing, waiting for my number to be called. If I didn’t have the baby, my life could more or less go back to the way things were before. I could throw myself entirely into dancing and cheerleading. I wouldn’t have to live under the heavy weight of uncertainty about what I would do with my life, or what Joseph might think. Joseph had been so callous and cruel. His words continued to cut into me. I could almost hear them on repeat in my mind. Don’t call me. Don’t text me. Don’t speak to me. If I was so terrible that he never wanted to speak to me again, maybe I wasn’t good enough to have this baby. Besides, if I did have this baby, I would lose absolutely everything. My parents wouldn’t want to have anything to do with me. I’d be a black mark on the family. They’d undoubtedly refuse to continue paying my expensive school fees, and I’d have to drop out. I couldn’t let that happen. I had to go through with the abortion. I sunk into my chair, trying to clear my head. Thinking too much about it created cracks in my resolve, and I couldn’t allow any more doubt. Suddenly, a door opened, and a woman accompanied by a nurse was led into the hallway. Tears streaked down the woman’s face. She held a tissue but didn’t use it. She moved slowly, as if in a trance. The nurse guided her past the neonatal delivery room, and the woman nearly dropped to her knees. Her sobs were loud now, almost like howls. The nurse called for others to come help. One offered the woman a sedative. Nancy had warned me of this. During our phone conversation, she’d carefully asked if I had felt bonded to the baby. “If the wolf within the mother has already begun to feel an attachment, the procedure can be dangerous,” Nancy had explained. “It can be difficult for the wolf to understand.” The woman accepted the sedative. The nurses helped her into a wheelchair and rolled her further down the hall. I rubbed my hand over my belly. My stomach remained mostly flat yet, but I noticed now that some of my weight sat differently than before. It almost seemed like I ate too much, but I knew the truth. I was starting to show. A baby was in there. I could almost… feel them. A small warmth blossomed in my chest. A baby. My baby. A nurse at the check-in counter called a number. I looked at the slip in my hand. The number was mine.
“I’m sorry.”I had to get out. “I don’t know what I’m doing here. I shouldn’t be here.” I dropped my number slip into the trash and ran to the door. Outside, with the hospital doors sliding closed behind me, I shut my eyes and finally allowed myself to breathe again. Now I was connected with my baby by some kind of almost-spiritual bond. I could feel their presence growing inside of me. To purposefully cut that connection now… I wouldn’t be able to recover. No, I would never get an abortion. I couldn’t. But there were other things I could do. When Nancy had spoken of options, one of them was adoption. With adoption, I could take my time considering it, and work to find the right family for my baby. I wouldn’t have to decide anything right now. My breathing came easier. Next, I opened a text to Joseph. He still hadn’t replied from the night before. I knew now he wouldn’t, but even so, he deserved to know what I had decided. I typed, I’m going to have the baby. I hit send before I could regret it, and clicked off the screen of my phone. The phone immediately buzzed in my hand. It was from Joseph. It read, Come to my room as soon as you can. Let’s talk. Hope coiled in my heart as Joseph let me into his dorm room. I ignored looking at the bed, last night’s hurt still raw within me. Instead I kept my eyes on him. He closed the door and faced me, but his gaze avoided mine. He looked at the ceiling and then the floor, but never at me. Yet even with his shifty eyes, that he had invited me here at all felt like a positive step. It gave me the courage to ask, “Does this mean you’ll help with our baby?” He huffed a sharp breath. Voice sharp as a dagger, he asked, “How can you be so sure it’s mine?” I stood very still as the world blurred around me. I could only see him, and the way he finally looked at me, like I was a pest to be rid of. “How can you ask me that?” I whispered, having lost the strength in my voice. My legs felt soon to follow. He hugged his arms over his chest, clutching at his elbows. “Just have an abortion, Cynthia. You’re young enough to have a quick recovery. It’ll be like it never happened. Then you can have the kids you want later.” “No,” I said. “I tried to. I-I can’t.” His face added disgust, looking much as it had the night before when he had kicked me out of this same room. Instinctively, I inched a half-step backwards. He followed. “Can’t or won’t?” I didn’t reply, and that seemed to confirm his worst assumptions. “I didn’t force you to have sex,” he said, his voice low now. Predatory. “You begged me for it. And now, what? You are trying to push this off on me?” He unhooked his arms and held them down at his sides, taut as bowstrings, hands like claws. “What do you want from me, Cynthia? Are you trying to blackmail me? Are you trying to get money for the abortion?” “N-no, I –” “Do you have any idea what would happen if word got out about this? To me? To you? If your brother knew, he would hate you. If the cheerleaders found out, you’d be kicked to the side.” I could barely breathe from the fury and fear and heartbreak that choked at my throat. How could I never have noticed that Joseph was so full of bitter hatred? How could he ever think so low of me, that I would try to blackmail him? Why did it sound so much like he was trying to blackmail me? My baby deserved better than this. Than him. “You d-don’t to worry,” I said, breaking only once. “I’ll take care of the baby on my own. You don’t have to be involved. We won’t bother you.” He stepped closer to me, and I was running out of room to back away. Every inch of his posture, his posture, and his words felt like a threat. “You’re still going to have it?” he spat out the words. I nodded. “You! Brazen little bitch!” He pounced without warning, slamming me onto the ground. Only his hands gripping fiercely in the front my shirt kept my head from hitting the floor. He crouched over me, feet planted at either side of my hips. He yanked me forward by my shirt until his face was directly in front of mine. “You were only ever trying to steal my sperm, weren’t you?” he shouted. His eyes were wild and dangerous. I’d never seen anyone so furious. I clawed at his wrists, trying to loosen his hold. He only gripped harder, ripping holes into my shirt. “After an Alpha’s son, weren’t you? Any would do, to fuck a kid into you. Then you’d soak up the reward, right? Guaranteed money and glory because you trapped me with your damn womb!” He was so angry, I half-expected him to shift into his wolf at any moment. My own wolf had not yet appeared to me, but I could feel her in the low whimpering in my throat. I slid my hands from his wrists down around my waist to cover my belly. I wanted to fight back, but I couldn’t risk it. I couldn’t do much of anything like this, but I would give all I had to protect my baby. “You don’t deserve to bear my blood!” he yelled in my face. Suddenly a sharp, visceral hatred sparked within me for this man. I thought I knew hatred before, but that had been nothing compared to this. He dare Joseph threaten me? More, how dare he threaten my child? He released my shirt, and my back hit the floor. His hands found my shoulders instead. His fingers dug deep into my skin. Clutching my belly, I squeezed my eyes shut. “Get away from her!” A feral voice roared from the doorway. In an instant, Joseph was ripped from atop me and sent flying into the wall. He landed on his desk and rolled onto the floor. A pair of strong arms curled around me and plucked me from the floor into a bridal carry. I was held against a muscled chest and looked up into the piercing eyes of my savior. Asher. I blinked, but he didn’t disappear. He was really here. I didn’t understand. He was aloof, cold as an iceberg, and distant. Yet here he was, arriving just in time as if I’d dreamed him. On the ground, Joseph stirred, groaning. Looking at him, Asher growled deep in his throat. I could feel it vibrating where my hand pressed against his chest. Asher held me closer. He cradled my body gently, like I was someone precious. Someone fragile. I glanced over his shoulder to the door. It had been kicked in with such force, the wood had splintered. Chunks of it littered the floor. Asher must have been furious to do that kind of damage. What could have triggered him to use his werewolf strength? At once, the blood drained from my face so fast, I felt lightheaded. Joseph had been yelling. You don’t deserve to bear my blood! How much had Asher overheard?
Without another word to Joseph, Asher carried me out of the room, down the stairwell, and into his own room. His hands lingered on my shoulders. He brushed his thumbs lightly over tears of my shirt, where Joseph’s fingers had marred my skin with bruises. The air between us felt charged. The silence was thick. “Are you pregnant with Joseph’s baby?” He likely already knew. To deny it now, would only make things worse. “Yes.” He exhaled slowly, as if trying to keep himself calm. “Why didn’t you tell me?” I stepped back from him, out of his reach. He let his arms drop. “Why would I tell you?” I asked. “None of this concerns you.” His mouth pressed into a hard line. Fire sparked in his eyes. “Dylan talked about you all the time. His little sister, so sweet and innocent. Guess he doesn’t really know you at all.” “Don’t talk to me about Dylan,” I snapped. “And don’t act like you know me.” He stared at me for a long moment, and I shifted under the weight of his gaze. Then he grabbed his phone from his back pocket. “What are you doing?” I asked at once, panicked. “Texting Dylan,” he said simply, like that didn’t mean the end of my world. “Why? You don’t have to do that.” Asher’s thumbs moved fast over the phone screen. “Dylan asked for updates on you. I think this counts as a damn big update.” “You can’t!” I jumped forward, reaching for his phone. He held it up high in the air, well above my head. “Please, Asher. Don’t!” His fingers paused. He glanced down at me. I knew I only had one chance to convince him. “If you tell him, he’ll come back, and if he comes back, he could ruin his whole future. You know how hard he has worked to be a part of the exchange program.” “He’d want to know,” Asher said flatly. “And with a reason like this, maybe he should come back.” “No, please.” I held my hands to my chest. I wasn’t telling Asher the full truth. I didn’t want to give voice to my truest fears. But if it would stop Asher, then I had to. “If Dylan finds out… If he comes back…” I closed my eyes and gathered my strength. “He’ll kill Joseph. Or try to. And he won’t just ruin his academic future but his entire life.” I could imagine it. Dylan’s protective wolf tearing out of him, attacking Joseph. If Asher was truly Dylan’s best friend, he would know I spoke a frightening truth. Dylan was so protective of me that he’d kill for me. The quiet stretched. When I opened my eyes, Asher had lowered his phone. “I’ll take care of it,” he said. “You can’t tell him.” Asher huffed a sharp exhale. His gaze fell to the bruises on my shoulders. “Only if you promise not to see Joseph alone again.” Relief flooded through me. “Okay.” He returned his phone to his back pocket and turned from me. I rushed from his room before he could say anything else. Back in my dorm room, I paced again. I had found a moment of peace, but I knew it wouldn’t last. I felt so helpless. With Asher in on my secret, who knew what he would do? He’d agreed not to tell Dylan for now, but what if he changed his mind? And then there was Joseph. I was still reeling from his reaction. My shoulders ached. Covering my face with my hands, I struggled to maintain any sense of calm. A knock on my door sent me jumping nearly out of my skin. I pulled myself together and went to the door. The boy behind it was an athlete I recognized from Joseph’s dorm. He handed me an envelope with my name on it. It wasn’t Joseph’s handwriting. I sighed in relief, thanked the boy, and closed the door. Opening the envelope revealed an invitation to a party at the athlete’s dorms, held the day after tomorrow. Scrawled along the bottom was a note addressed to me. Come or I’ll call Dylan. – Asher I crushed the envelope into a ball and threw it across the room. I didn’t want to go to any party. What could Asher possibly be thinking? But I didn’t have any choice. Two days later, I arrived at the athlete’s dorm for the party. I scanned the crowd, and quickly found who I was looking for. I rushed across the room and cornered Asher near the drink table. He lifted a plastic cup to me in greeting. I barely refrained from smacking it out of his hand. “Why are you doing this to me?” I hissed. “You can’t possibly think there is anything I want to celebrate!” He tilted his head and started walking. I followed him to a more private corner of the room. Infuriatingly, he still didn’t say anything. He leaned against the wall with a type of lazy confidence that made me want to rage. Only the people around us kept me from yelling. “You are the most insensitive man I’ve ever met,” I snapped. “Why would you force me to come here, knowing what you know?” He continued to refuse to speak, rankling all of my nerves. “Even a robot has more feelings than you!” I said, louder than I meant to. I relented at once, glancing around, but no one paid me any attention. Asher looked at me then, a hard edge in his gaze. “Calm down, trouble maker.” I frowned at him. “You want to know why you’re here?” he said. “Look around.” I wanted to argue that I already had, but his emotionless face had me holding my tongue. I looked around again, slower. The room was full of beautiful women, with long legs and short skirts. A couple of them I recognized as fellow cheerleaders. Several more, I remembered their faces but not where I’d seen them before. The rest were strangers. Everyone talked and laughed, having a good time. Other than Asher, there wasn’t a man in sight. “They’re all girls,” I said. Asher lifted a brow. “And what else do they have in common? Or should I say, what do they have in common with you?” Certainly they weren’t all pregnant. And only a few were dancers like me. No, there had to be something else that tied us together, for Asher to mention it. Asher pushed off the wall, leaning over my shoulder instead. “Do you need a hint?” I had one growing suspicion but I wasn’t sure it was possible. Or that Asher would take the time to arrange it. When I looked up at him, his lips twitched like he meant to smile but couldn’t. “You guessed right.” I hadn’t said anything, but he must have seen it in the surprise on my face. “Look around, Cynthia,” Asher said. “A flirt? A secret girlfriend? They’re all here.” He hummed, clearly satisfied with himself. Watching him, I didn’t know what to think, or what to expect. The hard edge in his eyes froze over, ice cold. “Every girl in this room is one of Joseph’s conquests.”
“How did you do all this?” I asked Asher. Asher shrugged. “Joseph uses the same, weak password for all of his social media accounts. You’d think someone with so much to hide might have taken a bigger interest in security. Hacking in was child’s play.” It couldn’t have been as simple as he made it seem, but his easy confidence made me wonder if he was capable of anything he set his mind to. “He’d added a couple hundred girls on his socials, some from the academy, some not. Reading his messages, it was pretty clear that the girls didn’t know about each other.” Asher leaned against the wall, appearing relaxed except for the way his hands formed fists. “He likes to sneak around with naïve girls that don’t know any better,” he said. Is that how he thought of me? Naïve? But then, maybe I was. Or at least, I had been, before Joseph attacked me in his room. I hugged my arms around my waist. I didn’t want to think about that. “What are you really up to, Asher?” I asked. What was the purpose of bringing us all together? Did he expect us to bond somehow? Make friendships? That seemed unlikely. “Just wait and see,” he said, giving nothing away. Asher had promised Dylan to protect me. So far, he’d been dedicated to that promise. I didn’t know what was going to happen tonight. But, if nothing else, I could trust Asher to keep me safe. So I moved to the wall by his side and tried to relax as much as I could. Then, a few male athletes entered the room, followed by Joseph himself. One of the athletes nodded at Asher. A second pressed a drink into Joseph’s hand. A third, behind Joseph, lifted a camera. Along the far wall, a screen unfurled. A projector clicked on, and an image appeared on the screen – no, a broadcast. The camera behind Joseph’s shoulder now projected his every move. “I told him this party is for him,” Asher said softly into my ear. “He thinks were all here to celebrate his success.” I watched on the screen as Joseph drank deeply from his plastic cup. After lowering it, he flashed a bright grin and saddled up to one of the women in the room. His low voice came through the speakers. “You come around here often, baby?” The girl tilted her head, confused. A few gasps sounded around the room. Someone dropped their drink. The volume of the music lowered. Joseph didn’t seem to notice, leaning in closer to the girl. “If I tell you a secret, would you let me kiss you?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” My stomach twisted. He’d used that same line on me. By the rising rabble of the crowd, I gathered that I wasn’t the only one. The object of Joseph’s current desire scoffed at him, and Joseph finally started to look around. Eying the faces of the girls around him, recognition sparked on his features. His eyes went wide. He started for the door but his movements slowed, sluggish. He dropped the drink he’d been holding. It splashed across the carpet. “He’s not going anywhere,” Asher said. I looked at him. “Did you drug his drink?” Asher didn’t deny it. Many girls closed in around Joseph, voices rising. The earlier laughter had entirely vanished. Now there was only arguing, shouting – anger. “I’m his girlfriend!” one girl yelled. “No. I am!” said another. “Who are these women, Joseph?” one screamed in Joseph’s face, voice echoing through the speakers. “Who are we?” someone replied. “Who are you?” Yet the chaos cleared quickly, the more they argued. I expected the girls to start fighting each other, but to my surprise, they almost seemed to rally together against a common enemy. Joseph. The man who had lied to each and every one of them. One girl slapped Joseph clean across his face, leaving an ugly red mark on his cheek. I moved without thinking. My hatred powered my legs as I walked forward, pressing through the crowd. When I reached Joseph, he was barely holding himself upright. “Cynthia,” he said, voice shaking and pathetic. “Cynthia, please. Mercy, please.” Where was his mercy when he had shoved me down to the ground? When he had screamed in my face? When he had threatened our child? He would find no mercy here. I grabbed his shoulders and dug my fingernails into his skin, just as he had done to me. I leaned close to him and he whimpered. “This is my revenge,” I said into his ear. Then I kneed in him hard in the groin. He sucked in a sharp breath and collapsed. I stepped backwards, disappearing into the crowd. Other girls quickly took my place. Asher found me in an instant. With his hand on the small of my back, he guided me toward the exit. In Asher’s dorm room, I sat at his desk and scrolled through the school forums. Posts were already flooding in, reporting on Joseph’s many infidelities. Some threads were going viral, with hundreds of responses by the minute. Some had pictures. Aggrieved girls posted every ugly picture of Joseph they could find with cutting captions like, I can’t believe I wasted time on this trash. Soon, videos poured in from the party. A few girls had kicked him when Joseph was down. Another gave him a black eye when he tried to stand. He eventually slunk away to jeers and mocking laughter, to nurse his wounds in some secret corner alone. It felt like a victory. Like revenge, properly delivered. And it was all thanks to Asher. Asher stood in the center of the room, watching me or watching the screen over my shoulder. I couldn’t tell which. I owed him a proper thank you. Maybe more than that. So I stood and turned to him. “I misunderstood you,” I said, lowering my head. “I’m sorry.” His silence spoke volumes on its own. I hadn’t said enough. “I should have known you weren’t like I’d heard. Dylan wouldn’t be friends with someone heartless.” Licking my lips, I chanced a glance upward. “Thank you for being like my big brother.” Asher’s persistent silence became unnerving. “Big brother?” he echoed, brow raising. He closed the distance between us in two large strides. I forced myself to freeze, not wanting to flinch away when I was trying to apologize. He lifted a hand. I sucked in a breath. Gently, he tucked a stray hair behind my ear. His fingertips trailed down the side of my neck, feather-light. “Cynthia.” His low steady voice sent shivers down my spine. “I don’t want to be your big brother.” Throat suddenly dry, I swallowed hard. “Then what do you want?” I whispered. I didn’t want to break the spell that kept his hand pressed softly to the corner of my neck and shoulder. This was so unlike the Asher I knew. Where was the usual distance he kept? But then, nothing else about tonight had been ordinary. Why should this? “Asher?” I was afraid he wouldn’t answer. Please don’t shut me out now. The ice in his eyes began to thaw. “Let me be the father of your child.”
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MyFiction” app 🔍 search for “397452”, and watch the full series ✨! #MyFiction #Campus #BadBoy #Pregnancy #ComedyHumor
Spire 73, the highest rooftop bar in the western hemisphere. Located right on top of Hotel InterContinental. Cora Lane was seated with a very good looking man. Her ruby red lips glistened under the moonlight. Dangerously inviting. The man asked her with a cold smirk, “You want to kiss me? Do you not know who I am?” Cora was drunk, she could barely see straight and her words slurred “Who are youuuu?” Even through her beer goggles, Cora could tell this man was very good looking. His features looked sharp enough to be a Greek god. This man’s damn sexy. She thought as she reached for his face again to kiss him. Byron didn’t let her of course, he grabbed her wrist midair and whispered in a dangerously low voice, “I’m your fiancé, Eason Patton’s uncle. Technically you should call me Uncle Byron.” Did this girl really not know him? But he distinctly remembers meeting her before at a family event… At the mention of Eason Patton, Cora’s pretty face scrunched up, “Fiancé my ass! Your nephew is a cheater and a scumbag!” Byron Hansen was not used to someone dissing his family member so openly in front of him. Everyone knows, Byron Hansen is the richest man in New York, the de facto ruler of Hansen enterprise. Once the old Mr. Hansen passes away, Byron will be next in line. Cora smiled and leaned into Byron,”Eason cheated on me, so why can’t I sleep with his uncle?” Byron narrowed his eyes at Cora, “this is your final warning.” Cora ignored him and leaned in for a kiss, her eyes fluttered close and something inside Byron snapped. “You asked for it.” This time, Byron didn’t hold back. Byron’s hotel room was only a few levels down from the bar, on the executive level suite. Still, the elevator ride felt like an eternity. Once inside the room, Byron and Cora fell into a frenzy. Clothes fell onto the floor in various ways… They were surprisingly compatible, the only little hiccup was when Cora felt the knife scar on Byron’s shoulder. She wanted to ask him how he got stabbed but he was buried so deep inside her, her question became moans instead. They went on for hours. Cora didn’t know how many times they did it, but she was very sore the next morning. Especially this being her first time. A splash of red could be seen on the white Egyptian cotton. Byron was already awake and looking at her, his eyes glanced at the splash of red but he quickly looked away and headed to the bathroom. By the time he came out he was already showered and dressed. He saw that Cora had to put on the hotel’s bathrobe, because her dress was torn. He asked half-seriously, “Eason broke off the engagement with you, so you are planning to become his aunt-in-law for revenge?” … After being stunned for a moment, Cora said half-jokingly back, “If I can’t be Eason’s wife, being his aunt doesn’t seem too bad! But I don’t know if Mr. Hansen will give me this opportunity.” “Don’t even think about it.” Byron was smiling but there was no sense of humor in his tone. Cora understood what he meant. This was just a one night stand and nothing more. Cora was not surprised, Byron Hansen is the notorious ice-king. A serious relationship is out of the question. Plus, it’s not like she actually wanted anything to do with him after either. “Last night was fun, thanks.” She simply smiled and brushed it off. Yesterday, she got dumped by Eason. Fate would have it, she went to Spire 73 for a drink and ran into Byron Hansen. She didn’t expect this to happen either. “I have some business to attend to, so I’m heading out. I already called a car to take you home so just head downstairs whenever you are ready.” “Thank you, Mr. Hansen.” Neither of them said “goodbye” to each other. Because Byron had made it pretty clear that they weren’t going to see each other again. Except… fate always has other plans. *** After Cora went home that day, she checked her mailbox and got a letter from the hospital. Her mother’s medical bills were late. Again. This time, if she can’t pay on time they would be forced to send it to debt collection. It would absolutely ruin her credit. Being crushed by reality, Cora realized that she had no other choice but to go to Eason Patton’s house. “Eason, can I borrow 50 grand? I know I shouldn’t be asking you but my family’s bankrupt and my mother’s in the hospital. It’s urgent.” Eason was already feeling guilty about cheating, and now seeing Cora asking so humbly, he felt really bad for her. “Cora, come inside. I’ll go write a check for you, have some water while you wait.” “Thank you. I promise I’ll pay you back.” As soon as Cora followed Eason into the hallway of the Patton Mansion, she saw Byron Hansen standing in the living room with Lydia, Eason’s mother！ Maybe Byron heard the sound of her footsteps, because the next second… he looked over and their gazes locked…
Byron didn’t say anything. He just glanced at Cora coldly. A hint of ridicule flashed across his eyes but his facial expression quickly returned to normal. They had sex less than twenty four hours ago, with the idea that they wouldn’t see each other again. Cora knew why Byron looked at her with a hint of ridicule, he must think of her as a manipulative gold digger. She told herself to not care about what he thought, but still, she felt bad somehow. Lydia saw her too and spoke up first, “Byron, take a seat first. I’ll be right over after dealing with this.” Lydia rushed over with a frown. She spoke quietly but one can tell her voice had a tone of anger, “Eason, why did you bring her in here again?” “Mom, the hospital is urging her to pay the fees. Cora really has no choice but to borrow money from me.” Eason, on the other hand, honestly told Lydia what had happened. “Borrow money? You are no longer engaged to Cora, she’s just using money as an excuse to pester you!” Lydia’s eyes darted upstairs, clearly anxious about Cora being here. “Hurry up and tell her to leave. Just looking at her makes me feel poor.” Cora expected Lydia to be cold, but she didn’t expect Lydia to be straight out mean. Once upon a time, when her family had money, Lydia treated her very well. “Lydia, didn’t you say you always wished I was your daughter? Oh, so just because my family is bankrupt now, your whole attitude is different?” Cora’s fingers dug deep into her palms, but she still couldn’t control her temper and fought back. In fact, she was well aware of the reason why the Patton family broke off the engagement. However, Lydia’s 180 degrees attitude change still felt like a knife stab to the heart. Cora really thought once upon a time, they were going to become family. “Stop talking about the past. Your family’s bankrupt because your father is a horrendous businessman. He took the easy way out and jumped off a bridge, your brother is in jail for financial fraud, your mother has gone crazy. You are a huge liability!” Lydia continued, “But Eason’s career is on the rise, and he needs someone who can help him.” Cora resisted the urge to roll her eyes, “Lydia, I’m not here to get back together with Eason. I just want to borrow some money.” Before Lydia could respond, a voice came from upstairs, “Eason, who’s there?” When Cora looked up and saw Mia, she was very confused. Cora knew Eason found someone else… she just didn’t think it was going to be Mia from college. “…Mia?” “Cora? I thought you’d be crying your eyes out somewhere. Didn’t your Dad kill himself? What are you doing here?” Mia sneered and walked up to Eason as if she were the queen of the house. She even held his hand. Eason wanted to withdraw his hand, but Mia didn’t let him do so. He could only sneak a peek at Cora. He knew that Mia’s family could help him greatly, but this doesn’t mean he’d want Cora to know Mia was the “new girl.” Because not only was Mia very ugly and fat, she was also extremely unpleasant as a person. Unfortunately, there’s no point in hiding it anymore. Even a blind person could see Mia’s relationship with Eason. The sudden realization made Cora feel nauseous, and the thought of begging him for money made her want to vomit. She would rather beg on the street than borrow money from him. So she let it all out. “Hey Eason, didn’t you say before Mia reminded you of Shriek, the troll? Now you’re dating her? Wow. Good for you.” “What?!” Mia’s face turned red and glared at Eason. Before Eason could respond, Cora added, “When Mia asked you out in college, you told me you’d rather die than go out with her. What made you change your mind?”
“Cora, you b*tch!” Mia nearly shrieked. Eason quickly stepped in, “I never said such a thing! If you are pissed don’t take it out on Mia, it’s not her fault.” Eason also became defensive, but it was unknown if he was defending Mia or if he was simply embarrassed. “I didn’t know you’d be so rude, and here I thought you were a proper lady!” Lydia felt insulted as well, so she also spoke up. She was mocking Cora for being two faced. Cora understood what Lydia meant, she quickly retorted back, “At least I’m not the one whoring out my son for business benefit!” Lydia was so angry that she stamped her feet. “What are you talking about? Mia and Eason are good for each other!” Cora gave a cold snort, “Yea right. Then why didn’t Eason agree to go out with her back in college? No one here is stupid, do I really need to spell it out?” Mia was shaking with anger, she raised her hand to slap Cora. But just then, a man’s dignified voice came over. “Stop!” When Cora looked up in shock, she saw that Byron was standing right behind her! He was wearing a tailored black suit, and his height and legs were stunning. At this time, the three others also saw Byron. Especially Mia! She couldn’t hide the amazement in her eyes. “Byron, this girl is Eason’s ex-girlfriend. She tried to borrow money from Eason. But seeing that they couldn’t get back together, she insulted us. What a terrible person!” Lydia was the first to come back to her senses. The first thing she did was slander Cora. Although Eason felt sorry for Cora, he had no intention of trying to stand up for Cora at all. He thought that Cora was too arrogant, so it was good to let Byron teach her how to behave. Cora had thought that Byron would take Lydia’s side, they were family after all. She was ready to face backlash from Byron, but to her surprise he said, “So that’s an excuse to hit Cora?” This time, it wasn’t just Cora who was stunned. Even Lydia and Eason looked at Byron in surprise. They hadn’t expected him to take her side! … Considering that Lydia was much older than Byron, it would be a little embarrassing for her to apologize to her younger brother, so Eason could only take the initiative to speak up for his mother. “Uncle, you’re right. I’m sorry. Getting physical is never okay.” “I’m not the one you should apologize to.” The moment Byron’s voice fell, Eason and Cora’s expressions turned even uglier. Did Byron mean that they should apologize to Cora? Cora was a nobody now! It would be degrading to apologize to her, but then again… Byron was standing right there. When Eason and Lydia were hesitating over what to do, Cora spoke up first. “There is no need to apologize, because I won’t accept it. Let’s take this opportunity to make everything clear.” Eason and Cora locked eyes when Cora said this, “Eason, just like you wanted, our engagement is over. Just so we’re clear, the feeling is mutual.” There was a hint of indifference in her soft tone, which made Eason feel uneasy in his chest, as if he really lost Cora forever. “Cora, come on-” Eason reached out his hand instinctively. But Cora didn’t give him a chance to finish his sentence. She turned around and left the Patton Mansion with her head held high. Byron was glancing at Cora’s back when Lydia’s voice rang out. “Byron, don’t let these irrelevant people affect our mood. I’ve asked the chef to prepare…” But before she could finish, Byron said, “I have to be somewhere, let’s talk later.” “But Bryon! The factory…” Lydia wanted to pull two of the Hansen family’s production lines to the Patton family to work on, so she called Byron over. “We can table that discussion.” Byron didn’t hesitate. After saying that, he strode away. Lydia could only curse under her breath. “It’s all that bitch’s fault! If it weren’t for her, I would’ve brought those two production lines over today.” However, Eason was still staring in the direction in which Cora had left, ignoring Lydia’s curses. As for Mia, she had forgotten about everything already since she laid eyes on Byron Hansen. She had thought that Eason’s appearance was already top notch, she did not expect his uncle to be even more handsome. She was still thinking about how good looking Byron was that she didn’t hear a single word Lydia said. After leaving the Patton family’s home, Cora walked aimlessly on the street, thinking about where she could find a large sum of money for her mother’s treatment. A tire screech pulled her out of her train of thought. To Cora’s surprise, Byron Hasen’s Rolls Royce Phantom pulled up next to her. He rolled down the window and looked at her, “get in the car.”
Without hesitation, she opened the door on the other side and got in. Soon, the car started again. Cora saw that Byron was still holding a document in his hand with a focused expression. Cora didn’t know if she should say something or stay quiet to not bother him. Unexpectedly he took the initiative to ask, “Are you short of money?” Cora was stunned for a moment and did not think there was anything to hide. “Yes, I am.” “How much do you need?” “More than 50K.” Byron took out his checkbook, wrote a string of numbers on a check, and handed it to Cora. Cora looked at the check for 100K and pushed it back to him after hesitating for a while. “I can’t accept this.” Other than last night, they’ve never spoken to each other. They are practically strangers. If she took his money now… it’d make her feel like he’s only giving it to her for sex. … Byron seemed very surprised by her refusal. He stared at the check for a few seconds before taking it back. Cora then asked, “But maybe you can give me some advice? Do you know how I can make some cash fast?” Byron looked at her with a half smile, “all the ways to make fast cash are written in the law books.” Cora smiled awkwardly and said, “Right.” If she went to jail, her mother’s treatment fees would be even more of a problem. Just as Cora was regretting rejecting the money, Byron suddenly asked, “What if I get you a job?” “Okay. But I have to work in the hospital Monday to Friday. Can you give me a part time gig?” “The lounge we were at last night… go to Spire 73 to work in the evening,” he said. … At nightfall, in Spire 73, the favorite leisure and entertainment place of the rich young men in the city. “Byron, how does it feel to be harassed by your nephew’s fiancee?” Byron’s good friend, Harry, was wearing a flowery shirt, drinking and chatting with him. Byron knew that Harry was referring to Cora. He took a sip of wine and said, “Engagement is off. What fiancée?” “That’s true, and damn. That Cora Lane, she’s really something. Rarely do I see a girl with a good face, big breasts AND a fat ass. I bet a lot of people would want to tap that now that she’s single.” Words travel fast, especially in the “rich crowd”. By now, everyone knew about Cora Lane’s fall from grace and that her engagement with Eason Patton was over. When Harry said, “I bet a lot of people would want to tap that” he was specifically looking at Byron. He had exactly three hickies on his neck. Yesterday, he had organized a party for Byron to appear in Spire 73. That was why when Byron left Spire 73 with Cora, Harry had seen the entire thing. Even though he was grabbing the ass of a russian model, he saw from the corner of his eyes how Byron took Cora’s hand and headed towards the elevators. They were both adults. It was easy to know what would happen after they left the bar together. Harry nudged Byron, “so, how does it feel to sleep with the same girl your nephew slept with?” Byron glared at Harry, “who says my nephew slept with her?” Harry’s jaws hit the floor. He edged even closer, “no f*cking way. They were engaged though!” Byron ignored Harry, but the more Byron ignored him the more interested he became. “Come on!! Man, talk to me. How was it?” Byron coldly looked at Harry and just said one word, “no” But because of Harry’s question, his mind took him back to the night before… Cora moaning beneath him, then her legs shaking when he took her from behind. Harry was right, she did have a perfect body. When he thrusted from behind he held on to her tiny waist and watched as her plump butt swallowed his shaft. The air seemed to have suddenly become thinner. Byron quietly pulled open his collar a little. “Aww come on man, you’re no fun…” Harry was very open about relations between men and women. He had seen Cora at the dinner party once, it was a long time ago but he still remembered the blue satin dress she wore. It accentuated her curves, and even someone like him who’s been with countless women, wanted a taste… But at that time, Eason was her fiance and he watched her closely, making sure no man went anywhere near her. Now that the Lane family had been torn apart and the Patton family had drawn a clear line between them, Harry was eager to give it a try. But Byron suddenly interrupted him. “Maybe I’ll tell you next time.” “Next time? There’s going to be a next time? Don’t say I didn’t warn you, what if Jane finds out?” Harry was shocked Byron would actually think about a “next time”. Normally, these types of things would be a one and done, especially for Byron who has a girl his family picked out for him. Jane was the “approved bride”, she came from an impeccable family and had great looks. She’s also a doctor with a kind heart, a rarity in their world. In Harry’s eyes, Jane was excellent. “Why should I care if Jane finds out?” “Wait what? I thought you’d marry Jane!” Before Harry could blurt it out, he saw Cora coming into the lounge. “Oh shit, she looks good…” Harry exclaimed. Byron turned around and looked in the direction of Harry’s gaze and saw that stunning figure…
Cora started her first shift as a promoter. “Sir, would you like to try this new cocktail? It’s delicious.” Cora smiled, and the dimples at the corners of her mouth were lively and intoxicating. This was the part-time job that Byron had gotten for her—promoting different alcohol. The clients were nearly all men, and they looked at her with lustful eyes, “You want us to order the drinks you promote?” “Then show us why we should buy it,” another chimed in with a laugh. A bald guy with greasy looking fingers got up and poured 10 shots of patron. “Come on, if you can drink with us, we’ll order a few bottles from you.” “I can’t hold my liquor. I’m really sorry.” After drinking a few glasses of wine last night, she had sex with Byron. Alcohol tolerance was not her strong point. Cora wanted to give up on this table so she smiled and got ready to leave. Unexpectedly, the several male guests there refused to let her go. “Come on, this is how you treat your clients?” Spire 73 was famous for its hot bartenders and waitresses. That’s another reason why so many men come to this place. However, just as they were about to put their hands on Cora, a cold male voice rang out. “What are you doing?” Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw that the man’s eyes seemed to be as cold as an iceberg. “Mr. Hansen!” Almost all the people who came here to entertain themselves were rich young men from New York. Most of them knew Byron Hansen. After all, this is the same man whose photos are plastered everywhere. Magazines, billboards and social media. One magazine once wrote “The hottest and most eligible bachelor, Byron Hansen. Who shall take home the gold?” When Cora saw Byron, she was a bit surprised. One young man tried to play it off, “we were just messing with her, we meant no harm.” Looking at those people coldly, Byron said, “You are not qualified to do such a thing. Get lost.” His tone sounded casual, but his innate arrogance and powerful aura suddenly reminded the people present that Spire 73 was also the property of the Hansen family. “Mr. Hansen, I’m sorry. We crossed the line.” “Mr. Hansen, it won’t happen again.” They hurriedly apologized. … However, Byron didn’t listen to them. He only gloomily ordered the bar manager, who had heard the news and rushed over, “Throw these people out. Sue them for sexual harassment, and never allow them into any Hansen Group establishment ever again.” The seemingly casual order made the several men weak in the knees. Almost all of the top-notch leisure and entertainment establishments in New York belonged to the Hansen Group. If they were barred from those places from now on, how could they have the face to stay in the social circle of the new rich young men in New York in the future? How could they maintain their contacts? They kept apologizing and begging for mercy, hoping that Mr. Hansen would take pity on them. Unfortunately, the man ignored them, and the manager immediately asked the bouncers to escort them out. After those people were kicked out, Byron didn’t even look at Cora. He simply went back to where he was sitting before. Cora caught up with him because she wanted to thank him. “For what happened just now, I’d like to thank you for your help.” After thanking him, Cora nodded politely at Harry sitting at the side. Cora behaved in a gracious manner and did not lose the demeanor that a daughter of a rich and powerful family should have. Harry nodded back with a smile. Harry suddenly understood why Byron had ignored his relationship with Eason and slept with Cora. But at this moment, Byron ignored her. However, Cora’s eyes landed on Byron’s hand. It was bleeding. “Are you injured? Let me help you take care of it.” Although she didn’t know how Byron had gotten injured, he had helped her just now. What’s more, Cora is a doctor, she can’t just turn a blind eye to someone with an injury. Harry glanced at Byron, he distinctly remembers Byron shattering a wine glass with his hands when he saw those men harass Cora. Harry’s eyes darted between Cora and Byron, how interesting.
Cora called the manager over and asked for a first aid kit. Then, she took Byron’s hand and began to deal with it. Harry tried saying hi to Cora but she was fully focused on Byron’s wound. This was her natural instinct as a doctor. Although Byron ignored Cora, he didn’t stop her from treating his wound. “The wound looks a little deep. Try not to touch any water in the next two days.” Cora carefully dressed Byron’s wound and did not forget to remind him. She thought that Byron would ignore her as before. After saying that, she got up to leave. Unexpectedly, Byron suddenly asked, “Do you know how to drive?” Cora was stunned momentarily before she realized Byron was talking to her. “Yes, but…” Cora mostly took the subway to get around the city, she rarely drove. But before she could finish, Byron handed over the car key and said, “Drive me home.” Cora wanted to refuse, but when she saw the gauze wrapped around his hand, she realized that it’s not convenient for him to drive. He also helped her three times in one day, best to return a little favor. In the end, Cora took the car key. Harry watched the two of them leave, muttering to himself, “I guess there really is going to be a next time…” … Cora’s never driven a four hundred thousand dollar car before. Heck, she’s never driven anything other than a toyota. But it’s all the same right? Just brakes and gas pedal. Cora thought. However, as soon as she drove through an intersection, Byron, who had been casually sitting in the passenger seat just now, suddenly looked serious. Cora mistook the accelerator for the brake and ran a red light. She almost bumped into a car crossing the road, causing traffic jams. “How did you pass your driver’s test?” “It’s been awhile!” Cora said after taking a deep breath. The sound of other cars honking their horns filled the air. Cora began to feel embarrassed and turned to look at Byron. Byron looked back at her. Cora didn’t know if it was because of the light, but she felt that Byron’s gaze was much more profound than before. “Don’t you live a block away? Go to your place then.” “Okay,” replied Cora. When she drove the car to her apartment, she found her back was soaked. “Well this is me, do you want to call your driver to come?” Once the car was parked, Cora could finally breathe easy. Thank God she didn’t damage the car, she would not be able to afford fixing it. To her surprise, Byron got out of the car. When Cora caught up with him, she found he was already standing in front of her apartment building. “Open the door.” Byron’s words were concise and carried an irresistible deterrence. Even Cora understood what this meant. “Mr. Hansen…” Cora wanted to refuse. It was not a good thing to keep sleeping with Eason’s uncle. If other people found out about their relationship, she worried that her reputation would be ruined, and her job would become a problem. But when Cora thought of how easily she fell asleep after she had slept with Byron last night, she didn’t want to refuse him. Ever since her father killed himself and her entire life shattered, she’s been having insomnia. She moved to her shitty apartment and would spend hours lying in her bed just looking at the ceiling. But last night was the best sleep she’s had in ages. Thinking of this, she suddenly opened the door to her apartment building and let Byron in. Even if this peace of mind was unrealistic, she still wanted to grasp this moment of peace. Byron was emboldened by her sudden behavior, he nearly took her clothes off in the hallway. Cora had to remind him that people could walk out any second. Cora led Byron to her room, he eagerly tossed her onto the bed. His scent filled her nostrils, and somehow it calmed her racing heart. This time when he thrusted inside her, she didn’t feel any pain. She was already wet with desire. “So eager…” he murmured against her ears. His hands reached to her breasts and pinched a nipple. This is the first time Cora ever felt this kind of sensation, she gasped in pleasure. Her moans only encouraged Byron. He thrusted harder, then flipped her over so he could take her from behind. He snaked one hand around so he could gently rub her cl’t as he kept plummeting her body. Cora’s thighs shook badly and her moans could be heard loud and clear. “Please….! Please….Byron!” She felt a tension building in her core. Hearing his name on her lips, Byron paused for a split second before picking up the pace even more and angling her again to go even deeper. The force of his thrusts rattled her cheap bed so much it was creaking. Finally, Cora let out a muffled cry as she came all over his c*ck. Her entire body was shaking, so Bryon knew she had finished. Byron gave a few final thrusts and released inside of her soon after, and both drifted to sleep in exhaustion…
Early the following day, when Cora woke up, Byron was already dressed and standing beside her bed. Cora was in a daze. As soon as she remembered what had happened last night, Byron handed her a business card. “In the future, you can find this person to follow up on marketing wine in Spire 73.” Cora took the business card and looked at it. There were two words on the business card, Carter Pope. Cora remembered that this person was also a member of the Pope family, one of the four top families in New York. However, there was no mention of anything related to it on the business card. In addition to the name, there was only a phone number and the moniker, “Executive Assistant to Byron Hansen” “Thank you, Mr. Hansen.” “I have a morning meeting, I’ll head out now.” After Byron left, Cora looked at the business card and smiled bitterly to herself. I just wanted a good night’s sleep, but now it seems like Byron thinks it’s some sort of business transaction… Cora’s heart ached faintly, but it’s not like she could explain herself to him… Cora shoved the thought away, she had bigger things to worry about today because it’s the last day to pay the bill. It was Monday today. Cora rushed to the First Hospital. Cora was a medical student and was currently working as an intern in the emergency room of the First Hospital in New York, so her salary was pitifully low. Sally Gray, also the intern this semester and the best friend of Cora, handed her a sandwich in a ziploc bag. “Why are you so late today?” “I erm… didn’t hear my alarm.” After putting on her white coat, Cora opened the sandwich bag and took a bite. But after a few bites, Cora saw Sally smiling at her. “But you look glowy this morning. Did you and your man finally…” Even though Sally didn’t finish her sentence, Cora could guess what Sally was talking about. “How could I?” The image of Byron’s final thrusts before release came into her mind. It was so damn sexy that just thinking about it made her blush. “Are you lying to me? From your look, I can tell you’ve slept with a man recently. Look at the kiss marks…” Sally was an expert in this field. Cora quickly pulled up the collar of her white coat. “Fine, you caught me.” “Oh my GOD you finally lost your V card? Spill! How’s Eason’s sex technique? It should be pretty good, right?” Carol’s heart felt as if it had been pricked by needles when Sally mentioned the name of Eason. She blurted out, “Sally, it wasn’t him last night.” Sally looked at her with shock etched on her face, then Sally looked around to make sure no one was listening, “Girl I love you to death but cheating is risky business. If Easo finds you, your engagement is gonna be screwed.” Sally was analyzing the consequences of this matter with Cora. “Sally, even if I did have sex with him, we can never be together again.” “What, why?” Finally, Cora told Sally everything. After she was done, Sally was beyond furious. “Cora, you dodged a effing bullet. Good thing you didn’t marry him, what a prick!” “Yup, I am so much better off without him,” Cora said, smiling. “Now I just want to have fun, and try to live my life the best way I can.” Sally nodded in agreement. As for who the man with Cora last night was, Sally didn’t care that much, as long as he could make Cora happy. After encouraging Cora, the two returned to their busy work in the emergency room. This kind of busyness continued until noon. Cora took advantage of the lunchtime break to call Carter Pope. From her first phone call till meeting Carter Pope, the entire process only took thirty minutes. Carter showed up at First Hospital and met her at the hospital cafeteria’s coffee shop. He wore a black suit and looked like a business elite. He didn’t talk much but he was very efficient. “Just sign right here on the dotted line, and write down your bank account number. From now on, you’ll get a share in all the alcohol that is sold in Spire 73.” Everything happened so fast that Cora was in a daze, it wasn’t until Sally popped over and asked her did she realize it really all happened. “Cora, isn’t that eldest son of the super rich Pope family? What were you discussing with him?”
“It’s a long story,” Cora said. How should I describe my relationship with Carter? I’m sleeping with Carter’s boss? Cora thought. While Cora was trying to find her words to describe her relationship with Carter, Sally took it the wrong way and immediately said. “Okay, I understand. Just remember, protect yourself okay?” Cora blinked a few times, “Protect myself from what?” Sally rolled her eyes. “Contraception, duh!” Cora covered her aching head and said, “No, no no. It’s not like that. I just signed a contract with Carter to act as the agent for the alcohol he’s selling in Spire 73.” “Right, and why would he help you for no reason…?” Cora stopped talking. After all, Sally was right. It’s just that the person in question was not Carter Pope, but Byron Hansen. For some reason, Cora didn’t want to tell Sally about Byron. Maybe it’s because Byron is Eason’s uncle, or maybe it’s just because she wants to keep him to herself… What Cora didn’t expect… was for this misunderstanding to continue. … When Sally found out that Cora had just broken up, she was afraid that Cora would be in a bad mood, so she reserved a table for two in Cora’s favorite restaurant in advance and took her there after work. “Did you make a reservation?” Before they entered the restaurant, a waiter stopped them. This restaurant was very high end, and the reservations were pretty hard to get. “Yes, I made a reservation in advance.” When Sally finished speaking and the waiter was about to let them in, a female voice rang out. “Why do you allow nobodies like them in? Aren’t you afraid they can’t pay the bill?” Cora and Sally turned around and saw Mia entering the restaurant with her personal shopper. “Miss Donald!” The waiter, who had been indifferent just now, immediately put on a warm smile when he saw Mia Donald. Even the GM rushed over after Mia came in. Everyone in New York knew Mia Donald, the bratty daughter of the Donald family. “Mia, did you not brush your teeth this morning? Your breath stinks.” Since finding out Mia stole Cora’s fiance, Sally’s been meaning to go off on Mia. Mia gritted her teeth and said, “What are you talking about!” “I guess even money can’t buy good dental hygiene” Sally rolled her eyes and laughed. Mia knew she wasn’t going to win in an argument so she turned to the manager of the restaurant. “These two don’t deserve to eat with me here. Drive them out!” The manager told Cora and Sally, “Miss, we don’t welcome rude people like you in our restaurant. Please find another place.” Mia often came to their restaurant to eat and her parents hosted events here so she was a VIP client. The manager didn’t want to offend Mia for two nobodies. Cora was also annoyed. “She was the one who accused us of not being able to pay, how is she not the rude one?” “Miss Donald is probably just stating a fact. If you don’t leave now, you will be blacklisted by our restaurant chain. In the future, you can’t enter any restaurants our group owns.” The manager was cunning. He knew that morality and principles were important, but he had to give in to the interests in his hands. Sally was upset too. She brought Cora out for dinner to make her happy, but it proved annoying. When Mia saw what the manager did, she became increasingly arrogant and ridiculed them. “Bah! See? Two bitches with no money and no power, and you want to pick a fight with me?” Sally flew into a rage on the spot. “That’s right. You have money and power but evidently, NO CLASS. No wonder you only get to have Cora’s sloppy seconds!” Mia was speechless. She was humiliated again! Mia couldn’t let it go, but she knew she was no match for these two women when it came to quarreling, so she commanded the manager on the spot. “What are you waiting for? Throw them out.” The manager immediately asked the waiters to take action. The waiters knew Mia’s purpose was to teach Cora and Sally a lesson. Therefore, they dragged Cora and Sally to the door of the restaurant in a rude manner. Cora twisted her ankle in the push and almost fell back into a man’s arms. There was a faint smell of mint mixed with tobacco on his body, which was so familiar that it made her heart speed up. This scent… it belongs to…
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The man I love is marrying someone else. Cameron only met her today. Cam was the boy who taught me to shoot a bow and how to swim. He’d been kind to me when other packmates weren’t–because I was too small and too weak–in their words–to amount to anything. He loves me. He tells me so every day. But if he loves me–how can he leave me for someone else? Mate. My wolf insists. No, I tell her. If we had been mates, he’d never be able to do this to me…
My mother was a homewrecker, and I was born by mistake. I had been a tool my mother used to manipulate my father. Having such parents, I had learned to read people’s minds well since childhood. And thus, it wasn’t hard for me to read men’s minds as I grew up. Not a single guy would not be willing to do things for me, not even my half-sister’s fiancé…
At a class reunion, my fiancé, Joseph Crawford’s ex-girlfriend accidentally dirtied my new dress. She apologized in a panic, saying, “Sorry, I will compensate you.” “My fiancée’s dress is a million-dollar auction collectible. I bought it for her last year,” Joseph smiled and replied indifferently. Chelsea Richards collapsed to the ground, her face turning pale.
My husband Chris enfolded his secretary, lovingly. His colleague sent me a creepshot of that and said, “You’d better keep your eye on her, Sophie.” I didn’t pay much attention to it. Because I saw that secretary’s face once in a company group photo Chris showed me. No makeup, no shining glow, quite plain among all those pretty girls. Chris had also complained to me countless times about her: “I’ve never seen someone so incompetent. She can’t do anything right.” “She looks so ordinary and doesn’t know how to dress. That hurts my company’s image.” His tone of disdain was still ringing in my ears. But later on, he beat her fiancé up and got detained for 10 days, all for her sake.
I thought I would have loved Ollie Lindsey for a long time if I hadn’t seen that tweet from Sharon Mitchell. She posted a picture of the rain from the car with the caption. “After all these years, you are the only one willing to spend three hours waiting for me to get off work.” The picture was posted on my birthday. And that day, I waited for Ollie at home for three hours.
My mom was divorced, and the one to blame was my aunt, Grace. Since she only wanted me in the divorce, Aunty Grace kicked her out and left her nothing. On the court’s judgment day, I said I would live with my father in front of everyone. I was 12, and I had just started my revenge.