As she drove away, Emily couldn't help but let the tears flow freely. She cried for the hurt she had caused and the potential permanent damage she may have done to their relationship. She cried at the thought of Ellis's disappointed look when he realized she had tried to take advantage of him and his vulnerability during his close breakup with Zoey. And she cried over the self-loathing and remorse she felt for letting herself become such an ugly, selfish person for a period of time due to her unhealthy jealousy.Deep down, Emily realized she may have permanently burned the bridge of friendship with Ellis and her based on her actions. While she desperately hoped she could prove herself changing through therapy and personal growth, the possibility that their close bond of trust could never be salvaged was very real. And she would have to live with that heavy burden knowing she had brought it all upon herself. Over the next several weeks, the silence and distance from Ellis and Zoey was
Emily nodded, finally finding her voice after reining in her tears. "Thank you, truly. I don't even know what to say beyond how grateful I am that you're both willing to start taking steps toward forgiveness," She paused, swallowing hard against the lump in her throat."I hurt you both in such an unfair, selfish way and I'll regret that forever. You didn't deserve that at all," Emily went on, her eyes glistening with sincerity. "But I hope I can show you both through my sustained actions and personal growth that I'm not that toxic, jealous person anymore who let obsession cloud my judgment so severely."Zoey gave her a sad smile, her eyes still holding remnants of past hurt. "It's going to take time, Emily. A lot of time. You have to understand how profoundly your lies and manipulation destabilized my relationship with Ellis.""I know," Emily replied solemnly. "And I don't expect your forgiveness or renewed trust to come easily at all. I'll need to prove myself over and over again. I'
The bell above the door jingled merrily as Ellis pushed it open, cradling his newborn son Derek in his arms. Zoey watched them both, her face glowing with joy and fatigue after the difficult labor. After the tumultuous path that had led him here - the battles with rivals, the crushing workload, the periods of self-doubt - he had truly found peace at last. His company was thriving, his beautiful wife was by his side, and now they had brought new life into the world. As he gazed down at Derek's tiny, scrunched-up face, Ellis felt a surge of fierce, protective love unlike anything he had experienced before. "Welcome, little man," Ellis murmured, leaning down to kiss his son's head. The click of stiletto heels on hardwood announced the arrival of Amelia, Ellis's indispensable executive assistant. Her usual brisk demeanor melted into a warm smile as she caught sight of the family. "Congratulations, you two," she said, placing a gentle hand on Derek's back. "He's absolutely precious." Zo
Ping!Everyone’s phones in the college hall went off at the same time. Ellis looked down to check his phone to see that he had received a notification from the school’s blog. His eyes widened as he read the headline.School sweetheart, Emily Adens just got engaged to Millionaire heir, Jordan Kine. What? How was that possible. Emily was his girlfriend. There had to be a mistake somewhere. There was a link attached to the post and as he clicked on it, he was directed to a video. It was taken at the Royale Hotel, the most expensive hotel chain in the country. It showed the moment that Jordan went down on one knee and proposed to Emily with a huge diamond ring. There were musicians playing violins while the hall had been filled with expensive flowers of all kinds. It was a fairy tale proposal.The video already had five hundred thousand views on he internet and the comments were coming in, mostly from students of the college. ‘Best couple ever’‘OMG! That ring must cost a fortune!’‘He’
Ellis was beyond shocked when Emily’s hand smacked him on the face. The slap echoed in the hall and immediately, a red handprint showed on his face.“Em…Emily. W.why…”“Keep my name out of your filthy mouth.” She slapped him harder and he fell to the ground.Someone stood by the corner, recording the humiliating moment.“How dare you come here and cause a scene on the day of my engagement?” Emily said as she moved a step closer to kick him, but Jordan held her back.It’s not like Jordan wanted to save Ellis from her wrath, but he saw the person that was taking a video of them and he didn’t want their reputation to be tarnished. He would deal with the trash later when there was no one around to witness it.Ellis stood up with a hand holding his hurting cheek. He couldn’t believe that Emily just slapped him like that. Was she pretending because there were people around? He still refused to believe that she was doing this with a clear mind. She’s the love of his life.“Let’s take this so
Before he knew what was happening, four other guys joined in and together, they beat him up right in front of the class. Nobody helped him, in fact they cheered while he was being beaten up as if his pain was for their entertainment, while some even took videos to upload on the school blog. “Did you really think garbage like you deserve to be with the school’s queen? Emily is the most beautiful girl here, how would you ever think she would date you?” One of them said as Ellis was kicked repeatedly.“This is for daring to go to the hotel and cause a scene when you should have just stayed here and accepted your fate. You’re a nobody who was lucky enough to get a scholarship to this school. Don’t ever forget your place.” After that, they left him and everyone walked past him to get to their next class. He remained on the floor there, weak, cold, bleeding and in pain. He couldn’t even move to take himself to the school clinic. It was when the janitor came in to clean up the class that t
In the opulent halls of the Royale estate, Mr Cyrus gathered the staff and conveyed with unwavering authority, "Henceforth, Mr. Ellis shall be addressed as 'Young Master.' Let no familiarity breach the walls of formality. Take his words as you take mine because he will inherit all I own." His words echoed through the servant corridors, sealing Ellis's new status with an air of aristocratic reverence.As Ellis explored the mansion, he marveled at the grandeur that awaited him. The door to his new room opened into a vast expanse of luxury, where modern amenities seamlessly blended with timeless elegance. The room was adorned with regal furnishings, silk drapes cascading from ceiling to floor, and a chandelier that glittered like a thousand stars because each bulb was covered with a diamond case.The centerpiece of the room was an expansive bed, adorned with the finest linens. A plush sitting area boasted views of the mansion's sprawling grounds, and a mahogany desk for work purposes. St
The shop attendant looked at Ellis with a sceptical expression because he didn’t look like he could afford even their cheapest item yet he was requesting for the most expensive one.“Umm, sir. I’m sure you must have walked in here by mistake. Everything in here is very expensive and no offence but you don’t look rich.” The attendant said.“My attire is not what matters, what matters is what is in my bank account.” Ellis said and Jordan laughed.“I’m pretty sure you don’t even have an account. The bank must have closed it down because we both know there’s no penny inside it.” Emily, fueled by a cocktail of resentment and jealousy, refused to let the matter rest. Her words were a calculated assault that made even the attendant laugh at him.“Bring what I asked you for or I will report you to your manager for refusing to attend to a client.” Ellis said to the attendant who immediately became consumed with fear of losing his job.“I’ll be right back, Sir.” The attendant left the reception