Tia
I turned slowly, the breeze tugging at my hair as I looked around the rooftop. Then I glanced at him, standing just a few feet away, his gaze fixed on the sky. "Why did you bring me here?" I asked..
He looked at me then, his eyes thoughtful. "I didn't," he said. "The elevator did."
I raised an eyebrow. "You expect me to believe that?"
He shrugged, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I was just as surprised as you. But maybe… maybe it's not about how we got here. Maybe it's about why we're here."
I folded my arms, watching him carefully. "And why would that be?"
He stepped closer, his voice softer now. "Because this is where we stopped pretending. Where I saw you, really saw you for the first time. Maybe it's where we're supposed to remember what that felt like."
I looked away, the first time I was him wasn't memorable, but with the way he said it, I couldn't stop my heart from thudding.
I took a step back, trying to steady myself. "You need to stop whatever game you're playing," I said, my voice firm. "It's not going to work."
His expression didn't falter. "I'm not playing games," he said quietly. "I'm being honest. I know what I want."
I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out. I was speechless, caught in the intensity of his gaze. And before I could process it, he was closing the distance between us, and I found myself unable to move.
"Stop," I whispered, barely audible. "We can't be doing this…"
"Yes, we can," he said, his voice low and certain.
And then slowly his hand caressed my cheek, and he leaned forward and his lips met mine.
My eyes widened I shock as he kissed me slowly at first, like he was asking permission. But as I did nothing, the kiss deepened.
I felt the warmth of his mouth, the taste of him, and something inside me gave way. I kissed him back fully, fiercely, our tongue rolling inside each others mouth. This wasn't right, but at this moment it felt right, like we've been waiting for it all these while. .
The kiss was intense, and for a moment, it felt like nothing else mattered, just the two of us, lost in each other. His arms held me close, and we kissed hungrily.
But then, a loud car horn blared from the street below and I froze.
The sound seemed to have snapped me out of it, and I quickly pushed him away, breathing hard with my eyes widely opened.
He looked surprised, but I couldn't meet his eyes. Reality had rushed back in, and I didn't know what to say.
He looked at me, confused and concerned. "What's wrong?" he asked gently.
But something inside me snapped at his question.
"Stop this madness!" I shouted, stepping back. My voice echoed across the rooftop. "You know what I'm going through, and you still…" I paused, trying to catch my breath. "You took advantage of that. Of me."
His eyes widened, stunned by the sudden outburst. "I didn't mean to…"
"No," I cut in, my voice trembling. "You knew I was vulnerable. You knew I'm still dealing with everything after Jade, and you still pushed."
He opened his mouth to speak, but I wasn't ready to hear it.
I turned away from him, my voice rising with anger. "All men are the same," I said bitterly. "Users. You take what you want and leave when it's no longer convenient."
He didn't interrupt, just stood there quietly as I continued.
"Why would someone like you want me as your wife?" I asked, my voice cracking. "I'm a divorcee. You could have any woman you wanted, someone fresh, and uncomplicated. So why are you pestering me?"
I took a step toward the exit, needing to get away from the rooftop, from him, from everything that had just happened.
But then he said something, and I found myself rooted on the spot.
"Because none of them are you."
He stepped closer, his voice steady but filled with something . "Ever since I took charge of the company," he said, "I went through the employee profiles. And then I saw you."
I blinked, unsure if I'd heard him right.
"From that moment," he continued, "I knew you were the one I wanted. The one I chose."
I stared at him, stunned. "Are you crazy?" I asked, my voice rising. "How could you choose me? You don't even know me."
He didn't flinch. "I've been in charge for a month now," he said calmly. "I went through the employee's file and I saw you. I didn't introduce myself because I wanted to observe you to make sure I was choosing the right person." He explained, confusing me the more.
And I wondered if the rooftop, the elevator, the way he always seemed to be nearby, it all started to make sense.
"You were watching me?" I asked in disbelief and confusion.
He nodded. "Just to be sure. And I am."
I didn't know what to say. My thoughts were spiraling as I thought about all of these and I couldn't come up with anything reasonable.
I stared at him, the rooftop wind swirling around us. "Are you obsessed with me?" I asked sharply. "Or is this some twisted version of love?"
He scoffed dryly. "No," he said bluntly. "Me and love… we have nothing in common."
I blinked, stunned by his honesty. "Then what do you want from me?" I asked, frustration rising in my chest. "Why me?"
He took a breath, then stepped forward with a calmness that unsettled me. "My name is Axel, I've recently taken over the company," he said and I groaned, waiting for him to say something I didn't know.
"And I need a wife." He asked and my brows furrowed.
"Excuse me?"
"To qualify for a powerful alliance," he continued, "called the Silver Circle. It's a network of elite CEOs, men and women who support each other's rise through influence, strategy, and… loopholes. But to get in, I have to appear morally grounded. Settled. Married."
I stared at him, speechless.
"You're not just anyone," he said. "You're smart, composed, and you've already survived the worst. That makes you strong. That makes you perfect."
My heart pounded. I didn't know whether to be flattered, furious, or afraid.
"You chose me," I said slowly, "because I fit your image?"
"I chose you," he said, "because you have experience," he added.
"What do you mean by that?" I inquired.
He looked at me, his expression unreadable, "If you agree to be my wife, you'd sign a three years contract. I'll give you everything you need. Wealth, fame, respect anything you need, and afterwards. No strings attached."
And just like that, it all clicked and my fists clenched at my sides, trembling with rage
"So that's it?" I shouted. "You want me to sign a contract to play house for three years so you can climb your little ladder of power?"
He didn't speak. He didn't have to. The silence was answer enough.
Tears burned in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall, at least not yet. "You chose me because I'm a divorcee," I spat. "Because I'm already broken, already used. You thought I'd be easy to discard when you're done, right?"
He opened his mouth, but I cut him off, my voice rising. "You think I haven't been through enough? Jade left me like I was nothing. Like I was disposable. And now you…you want to use me too? Dress me up, parade me around, and then toss me aside when the contract ends?"
My voice broke, and the tears I was holding finally came out. "Do you have any idea what that feels like? To be treated like a placeholder? Like I'm only good enough when it's convenient?"
I turned away, wiping at my face, but the sobs was uncontrollable. "I'm not some pawn in your power game, Axel. I'm a person. I'm hurting and you…" I turned back to him, my eyes blazing with fury.
"You're no better than the man who broke me."
The rooftop was spinning. My chest heaved with every breath, and I didn't know if I wanted to scream or collapse.
He took a step toward me, not caring about what I just said. "Do you want revenge?" he asked. "For what Jade did to you? For cheating, for walking away like you meant nothing? I can help you."
I stared at him, stunned.
"You think this is about revenge?" I snapped. "You think I want to stoop to that level just to feel better?"
He scoffed, ruffling his hair in frustration.
"Get lost, Axel," I spat, my voice shaking with rage. "If you ever come near me again, if you so much as breathe in my direction, I'll resign from your company without a second thought."
I turned to leave, but then I stopped, looked back at him one last time, and with all the venom I could muster, I hissed, "Bastard!"
And then I walked away