As Alex stepped out of the sleek black limousine—a car he did use for such an event—onto the red carpet, a wave of reluctance washed over him. The cameras' flashes exploded like fireworks, illuminating the night with bursts of light that danced across the pavement. The air mingled with the scent of freshly cut roses adorning the velvet ropes that bordered the carpet.Dressed impeccably in a tailored suit that hugged his frame in all the right places, he exuded confidence and charm. His tuxedo shoes gleamed under the bright lights with each stride.As he made his way down the carpet, heads turned, and whispers followed in his wake. He felt a sense of pride swell within him, knowing that all eyes were on him. The cacophony of voices mingled with the pulsating beat of the music from the venue.Stopping for a brief interview, he smiled warmly as the interviewer complimented his elegant appearance. He graciously accepted the praise, a twinkle of satisfaction dancing in his eyes, even th
As Alex's car crept forward in the bumper-to-bumper traffic, his frustration mounted with each passing moment. The red taillights of the cars ahead seemed to mock his urgency as he glanced anxiously at the clock on the dashboard, watching precious minutes tick away with agonising slowness.With a sigh, he drummed his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white with tension. His mind raced with thoughts of Emily. He was certain she would say yes to his proposal, but the anticipation still gnawed at him, sending his heart into a frenzied dance of nerves.Just when he thought things couldn't get any worse, his phone buzzed insistently in the cup holder. As he glanced at the caller ID, his irritation flared at the sight of Isabella's name, prompting him to hiss.He declined the call with a sharp jab of his finger so that she wouldn't ruin his mood. He knew it was definitely because of the event she was calling. She would have heard that he later attended.But
As they stepped out of Emily's house, Alex couldn't stop smiling, his heart racing with exhilaration and joy. He held Emily close, feeling her warmth and the weight of the moment as they walked hand in hand. With every step, the memory of the proposal replayed in his mind like a cherished film, filling him with a mix of excitement and contentment. “Emily?”Alex and Emily turned to see who it was, and Alex was especially surprised to see Amara sitting in the darkness that she had sat in the previous time she had a discussion with Emily.“I heard a noise in your room some moments ago. What happened?” Her question furiated Alex because she was just Emily's neighbour, not a relative. She was not meant to be asking such a question.But Emily didn't, and instead she told her the reason for the scream.She beamed with smiles. “I finally accepted his proposal, which made him scream, disturbing your peace and others.”He looked at her in disbelief, chuckling.Seeing that Amara was silent, h
Emily went into a deep thought as she entered her room, every word of Amara’s advice sinking in her head, making her wonder and blaming herself for accepting his proposal when he knew nothing about her—not even where he lived or his company's location.She picked up her phone to check for information about him but decided not to.“I shouldn't. I should ask him all the information I need to know about him instead of checking them up on the phone.”She decided that the next time she met Alex, she would ask him all the basic things she felt she had a right to know about him. As Alex got out of his car after parking in the lot, he knew trouble was brewing—it was going to be another troublesome night.He spotted Isabella sitting in front of the mansion door, and before he could say anything or even make it to the entrance, she erupted, confronting him.She wasted no time in unleashing her barrage of questions as he approached. "Where have you been all this time? Who were you with? Why di
Alex sat alone in the room, the weight of his secrets and deceptions pressing down on him like a heavy cloak. He ran a trembling hand through his hair, trying to steady his nerves as he replayed the confrontation with Isabella over and over in his mind.He closed his eyes, taking a deep, shuddering breath in the quiet moments, away from Isabella's probing questions as he allowed himself to reflect on how he had ended up in this precarious position; the affair with Emily and the lies he had told Isabella.The thought of what might happen if Isabella discovered the truth sent a wave of dread through him again. Would she lash out in a fit of rage? Would she threaten to expose his secrets, jeopardising everything he had worked so hard to build? The possibilities played out in his mind, each scenario more dire than the last.The weight of his actions pressed heavily on his conscience. What had started as a calculated ploy to teach Emily a lesson had become something much more complex. A
“Oh fuck!” Isabella was disappointed to find out that Alex had not set up either fingerprint or face ID authentication on his phone.She looked at him with disdain. “Now, I know you're definitely hiding something from me.”“Do you think you're smart?” She scoffed.“I'll show you why being cunning is better than being smart.”The next morning, Santiago's personal assistant stepped into his room, informing him about an upcoming interview after he had greeted him.Taking a moment to consider it, Santiago turned his attention to the assistant and asked, “Have you finished the assignment I gave you?”The assistant shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his hands clasped together in front of him. He averted his gaze, staring down at the floor as he hesitated, seemingly reluctant to continue. “No, sir. I haven't.” He admitted it, his voice tinged with shame, knowing what would happen next.His response prompted an irritated one from Santiago as he furrowed his brow.“What's the poin
As Isabella tailed Alex's car, she prepared herself for a confrontation with whatever—or whoever—he was meeting. But when he pulled at a neighbourhood that had a gritty, rundown feel, with potholed streets and graffiti marrying the brick walls, she wondered his reason for being in such a stinking neighbourhood, thinking perhaps he could have noticed her tailing him and drove there to confuse her.Her doubts were cleared when he got out of the car, which assured her that he was definitely there to meet someone.Parked behind a battered Toyota, she wrinkled her nose. “Who could he be meeting in such squalor?” She wondered.She watched him as he entered the house he parked in front of, hoping to see the person he was meeting. She didn't care if it would take her a whole day to achieve her goal.Alex rapped on Emily's door but was disappointed as no reply came, indicating that she was not at home.“Where could she be?” He wondered.Just then, Amara arrived, alerted by the knocking sound
Alex asked for the direction to the department, his heart pounding in his chest. He didn't know where the courage came from, but he entered the lecture hall while class was ongoing, squaring his shoulders, not knowing what to say if the lecturer asked who he was. He hoped she didn't notice him.He slid into a seat in the back row and was relieved when the lecturer ignored his presence. His eyes immediately found Emily sitting in the front row; her head remained obediently bowed over her notebook.Even after all their little time apart, just seeing her ignited a longing so intense that it stole his breath away. “That will be all today.” The lecturer announced,after what seemed like an eternity of struggling to focus on her words.“Finally,” he muttered, ready to meet Emily.“Who is he?”“What sort of dressing is this?” People threw puzzled glances his way as they filed out, some openly mocking him, but he kept his expression neutral. His eyes were trained on the front entrance, w