ZAVIER CROSSI walked into the boardroom, my eyes immediately drawn to Giselle who was dressed in a stunning red dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. It was definitely not the kind of attire I expected for a business meeting, but I couldn't deny that it was alluring.Giselle approached me with a kiss on the cheek, her lips lingering a little too long for my liking. I tried to ignore the flutter in my chest and kept my composure as we took our seats at the opposite end of the long conference table.We started talking about the possibility of a partnership, Giselle wanting a merger while I preferred a collaboration. We went back and forth with negotiations, throwing business terms around like they were second nature to us.I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease throughout the entire meeting. Something about Giselle's demeanor and the way she was flirting with me seemed off. Was this really just about business?As we began discussing the partnership, I couldn't help
RAINI LAVERNEDo we actually have alter egos, if so River would be mine and Liam would be Damon's I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Damon standing in the hallway of my home. Memories of the picture my sister sent me rushed back into my mind, and I was sure it was him. But then he told me his name was Liam, and my mind was thrown into confusion."Hi, Raini," he said, giving me a warm smile."Hi, Damon," I replied, trying to hide my suspicion."It's Liam, actually," he corrected me, still smiling.I raised an eyebrow. "Liam?""Yeah, that's my name," he said, still with that smile.I couldn't shake the feeling that I knew him from somewhere, and I couldn't let it go. "Are you sure? You look so familiar to me."He laughed lightly. "I get that a lot, but I promise you, my name is Liam."I nodded slowly, still not convinced. "Okay then. Is there something you need from me?"Damon--or Liam--shook his head. "No, not really. I was just passing by and thought I'd say hi."I tried to relax
RAINI LAVERNE Things with River could have gone a lot worst but I am glad it didn't. I pulled into Zavier's driveway and turned off the engine, feeling a sense of excitement and anticipation building within me. But just as I was about to step out of my car, my phone buzzed with a message from River. Curiosity piqued, I opened the link she had sent me and was shocked to see a blog post featuring Zavier and Giselle.“What the fuck,”Fury coursed through me as I read through the scandalous details. How could Zavier do this to me? Was Giselle really just another one of his conquests? A million questions raced through my mind, and I couldn't shake off the feeling of betrayal.Just as I was about to call River to vent my frustrations, my phone rang and her name flashed across the screen. I answered the call and she immediately asked me what I thought about the blog post."I don't know what to think," I replied, my voice laced with anger. "Zavier has a lot of explaining to do. How could he
ZAVIER CROSSWhy the hell is she not back!!!I can't shake off this feeling of unease that has been gnawing at me since Raini left this morning. I tried calling her several times, but her phone just keeps going to voicemail. Maybe she's just busy, or maybe she's still mad at me for what happened with Giselle. But how could she believe those lies? I thought she knew me better than that.I can't believe this is happening. After everything we've been through, how could she even think that I would cheat on her with Giselle? I mean, I admit that I used to have feelings for Giselle, but that was a long time ago. Raini knows that. She knows how much she means to me. Why would she even consider that I would betray her like that?And now, all these notifications on my social media. People tagging me in posts, spreading rumors that I'm with Giselle. I've never felt so helpless. I know I shouldn't care about what people think, but it's hard not to when it affects the person you love.I'm so worr
ZAVIER CROSSI woke up to the striking feature of Damon and Karla hovering over me, I wasn't sure how I got to the living room couch, but I know it was part of that moment, I tried to find peace with the fact that if I could just sleep I would wake up to Raini, hands on my cheek.But this isn't Raini and Damon and Karla looked worried."Where is Raini?" I demanded as if they knew where she was. I felt like the whole world had come crashing down on me. Raini, the love of my life, was missing, and her car was smashed. I couldn't believe it. It had to be a mistake. But as I looked at Damon's and Karla's worried faces, I knew that it was real."What do you mean her car was found smashed?" I asked, my voice trembling with fear.Damon spoke first. "We don't know much, but the police found her car in the middle of the road, and it looked like it had been in an accident.""Did they find Raini?" I asked, hoping against hope that she was okay.Karla shook her head. "No, they didn't find her. T
RAINI LAVERNEMy head was throbbing with pain, and I could barely see anything through the blurry haze. The sound of metal scraping against metal echoed in my ears, and I knew that something terrible had happened. I tried to move, but my body felt heavy and unresponsive. I could feel my life slipping away from me, and a deep sense of fear and panic set in.But then, I heard a voice. It was muffled and distant, but it was there. I strained my eyes to see who it was, but everything was still blurry. And then, I felt someone's hands on me, lifting me up and carrying me. The pain in my body intensified, but I was grateful for the warmth and comfort of the person holding me.As I was being carried, I tried to mutter something, anything to let the person know that I was alive. And then, I remembered his name. Zavier. I whispered it, hoping that he would hear me, that he would know that I was still here.The world around me started to fade, and I felt myself slipping away into unconsciousnes
ZAVIER CROSSI couldn't shake off the feeling of dread and worry that had been consuming me ever since Raini disappeared. Every minute that passed felt like an eternity, and I couldn't help but think about all the worst-case scenarios that could be happening to her.River and I had been searching all over town, asking people if they had seen her or had any information about her whereabouts. But so far, nothing had come up. It was like she had vanished into thin air.As we walked through the dark streets, I could see the worry etched on River's face. She had been a true friend through this ordeal,I had been searching for Raini for two days, scouring the city for any sign of her. My heart was pounding with worry and fear, every possible scenario running through my mind. I couldn't even begin to imagine where she could be or what could have happened to her.As I made my way down the street, my phone rang. It was River. I answered, my heart pounding in my chest. "Have you found her?" she
RAINI LAVERNE I woke up to the sound of the door creaking open, and there was the lady with the same eerie smile on her face. I tried to be cordial and asked her where I was, but her response left me with even more questions. Was I a prisoner or a guest? I didn't know what to make of it, but I had to keep my cool.She asked me what I wanted for breakfast, and I couldn't help but wonder why she was being weirdly niceI sat up in bed as the lady entered the room with the tray, and the smell of the food hit me like a truck. My stomach grumbled, and I realized I was starving. The lady placed the tray on my lap, and I looked down at it, trying to identify all the different foods.There was a plate of scrambled eggs, perfectly cooked with a sprinkle of herbs on top. Next to it was a mound of crispy bacon, the smell so strong that it made my mouth water. There was a bowl of fresh fruit, perfectly ripe and glistening with juice. And then there were the pancakes, fluffy and golden with a doll