After several minutes had passed, Joe had leaned forward stopping his little avoidance game. His eyes had returned to Hannah and Alfred, who happened to still be engrossed in a conversation. As Joe’s gaze on them intensified, at first he noticed their interaction seemed casual enough—Hannah’s easy smile had hinted that Alfred was saying something nice. But something shifted. Their smiles faded, and their expressions grew tense. Joe’s fists clenched involuntarily. He couldn’t hear their conversation from this distance, but the body language was unmistakable. Alfred was leaning closer, speaking rapidly, his gestures sharp and pointed. Hannah folded her arms, her head tilted. She was about to walk away when Alfred pulled her back roughly. His grip on her tightened, and Joe watched as Hannah struggled to pull away. Joe had seen enough. He pushed himself off wall he was leaning against and strode toward them, weaving through the group of partygoers. As he approached, snipp

“Timothy again?” she said as Joe flashed his phone in her direction. Joe nodded before responding. “He called me this morning. I hate the fact that he can’t understand why I’m doing this. No one does.” “Well, I do.” Hannah placed her hands on his. “It’s not enough.” Joe said hoping his words didn’t sound offensive. “I didn’t mean you not understanding is not…” Joe tried to find the right words as he spoke in a quick tone and Hannah squeezed his hands. “I understand what you mean.” Hannah said slowly. “I know what it means to want other people that matter to understand why you are doing certain things, but you can’t change their perspective Joe.” Joe nodded, tossing his phone onto the nightstand. “I wish I could.” “You know, Timothy should get it. It sucks seeing him act this way but I don’t blame him.” Joe added. Hannah smiled knowingly. “Let me guess. I’m sure it’s because of lady Penelope, Timothy is acting this way.” Joe sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Yes. T

The last few days of Joe and Hannah’s vacation were filled with joy. They spent their mornings lounging by the pool, and their evenings sharing quiet dinners under the stars. One night, as they sat on the balcony of their suite, Joe looked out at the ocean, the moonlight reflecting off the waves. "You know," he began, in a low voice. "this is probably the first time in years I’ve felt... normal." Hannah turned to him. She flashed him a soft gaze. "What do you mean?" Joe leaned closer his gaze not leaving Hannah’s "There’s no drama, no stress, no dealing with things I didn’t sign up for. Just... peace. It’s like I can breathe again." Hannah reached out, taking his hand in hers. "I remember you not being onboard with the trip from the start.” Joe’s tilted his eyes away. “Do you have to bring that up?” “I’m going to rub it in your face forever“ Hannah pointed out. “I still can’t get over the fact that you claimed you were on a mini vacation.” “I take back what I said, now c

Joe stepped into the office building early Monday morning. He wasn’t feeling like himself, and the last place he wanted to be was here but he knew he couldn’t avoid the office forever. As he walked toward his office, he was greeted by Jeremy who looked both surprised and relieved. "Mr. Whitmore!" Jeremy called out, hurrying to catch up with Joe. "I’m glad you’re back." Joe gave him a small smile. "Thanks, Jeremy. I needed that break, but it’s good to be back." Jeremy nodded enthusiastically as they walked down the hallway. "It’s been busy here, but manageable. The team’s been holding things together." As they entered Joe’s office, he gestured for Jeremy to sit. "I have something important I want to discuss with you," Joe said, his tone serious. Jeremy grabbed a notepad, ready to take notes. "Of course. What’s on your mind?" Joe leaned back in his chair, his mind briefly drifting to his encounter with Mr. Creed during his vacation. "I want you to set up a meeting with a n

Joe awoke to the muffled sound of voices arguing downstairs. He rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the grogginess, and reached for his phone to check the time: 6:13 AM. The noise grew louder, and his irritation spiked. Throwing on a robe, he headed downstairs to find Roland in the foyer, speaking with a group of muscled men in dark suits. "What the hell is going on here?" Joe demanded, his displayed his irritation and he knew his face gave him away too. Roland turned to look at Joe. "Sir, these men say they were sent by Mr. Adam. They claim to be here for your protection." Joe's jaw tightened. "I don’t need protection from anyone, especially not from him. Who let them onto the estate?" The tallest man in the group stepped forward, maintaining a firm gaze. "Mr. Whitmore, we’re here on Mr. Adam’s orders. He’s concerned about your safety, given recent events. We won’t leave until we’ve ensured you’re properly guarded." Joe’s temper flared. "I don’t care what orders you