"If only my husband were alive, this would have never happened. If only I hadn't yearned for the touch of a man. If only I hadn't felt so alone. If only I wasn't scared of falling in love again. If only I hadn't fallen into a monster's trap. Then, maybe...just maybe, we would be safe." Ember, a widowed mother, scared of falling in love again. Tyler, a playboy, falling in love. Where do we hide when the monsters hide behind caring faces?
Warning:
This story contains graphic/sensitive themes, including:
sexual elements, mentions of death/loss, stalking, and domestic violence/abuse.
I ask you to please take your mental health seriously and use your own discretion as needed, skipping parts if you need. Each episode that includes such themes will have a warning included at the beginning.
If you or a loved one are dealing with domestic abuse, please reach out for help at the National Domestic Abuse Hotline at
1-800-799-7233
The lights dimmed. I held on tight to my little Max, holding his mouth closed, peeking out of the crack in the closet, praying help would come before he found us. Thunderous footsteps marched up the stairs towards us. My other hand tightly clutched onto my pistol. I prayed I didn't have to pull the trigger, but I had to protect my son.
My body froze, and I felt my gut churning and chest burning. "Ember." His venomous voice spat. "Come out, come out wherever you are." I shut my eyes tight, holding back the tears. "Maxi! Where you at, bud?" I held my son closer. Even though he recognized the voice, he remembered the pain the monster put us through. No child should ever have to see what that monster did.
If only...if only my husband were alive, this would have never happened. If only I hadn't yearned for the touch of a man again. If only I hadn't felt so alone. If only I wasn't scared of falling in love again. If only I hadn't fallen into a monster's trap. Then, maybe...just maybe, we would be safe.
*CRASH, BOOM, BANG*
The monster was becoming angry, breaking what little we had left. The sounds of drywall crumbling and glass breaking echoed in the closet. Unfortunately, we became all too used to the sounds during the brief time he was here. Max held onto me tight, burying his face in my chest. What kind of mother am I? Bringing this monster into our lives, I need to protect my baby. I searched the closet for any place I could hide him, then I remembered...the vent!
"Shush, baby. It's going to be alright." I whispered to my son, standing on a box, and loosening the vent cover. "Make it to Tyler's apartment. Stay safe, baby." I hoisted Max and asked him to make the same journey he'd made before, and I saw him cry as he didn't want to leave his mother. I wiped away his tears. "I promise everything will be okay, baby. Go get help." Taking one last look at him, I blew my son a kiss. "I love you, Maxi Bear." With that, I closed the vent. It was the only way I could protect him. I just prayed it would not be the last time I saw him.
Gripping onto my gun, I stay in the closet. Sweat poured down my body as the adrenaline took over. Now that Max is safe, I have one mission: to stay alive for my son. The monster wants me, not him.
"Ember, baby. Just come out and let's talk." The monster slurred his words, drunk as usual. "I love you, sweetheart. I'll change, I'm sorry." He will never change.
I stayed silent, listening to where the stomping was coming from. This upset the monster even more.
"I said come out! His voice changed back to pure evil. "You are mine! After I'm done with you, your little fuck boy, Tyler, is next!" He let out an evil chuckle. Smashing another hole in the wall.
The footsteps moved closer. I held my finger on the trigger, ready to shoot, tucking my body under a pile of clothes, praying he wouldn't see me.
The air was sucked out of the room; I tried my hardest to quiet my breathing. The pile of stale clothes smelling of my love spell perfume clung to my sweat, yet I stay still, curled up as small as possible. Begging for help to arrive before it's too late. My limbs fell asleep, pressed against the hard floor. I shut my eyes tight, constricting my muscles as the footsteps entered the room.
My heart dropped as the sound of the closet creaking open filled my ears. Holding my breath, I froze. The monster slammed the closet shut again; I didn't move a muscle. Relief fell over my body...I don't think he saw me.
Just then, the monster ripped my arm upwards, out of the pile of clothes. "Found you, princess." The monster laughed, pulling my arm towards him.
(updated daily) Being on the run from assassins is not how I imagined my summer to go. I can't help but to have feelings for this man who has sworn to protect my life with his own...how can I fight this desire? Who are the men trying to kill me? Is it even possible to find love while the truth comes to light about my mother's death and father's secretive job?
Kara Martin was known as Miss Perfect. She was a beauty with good personality and successful career. Unfortunately, her life changed at one night. She was accused of adultery, losing her job, and abandoned by her fiance. The arrogant man who slept with her did not want to take responsibility. He even threatened to kill her if they met again. What's worse, Kara was pregnant with twins and she chose to give birth to them. Four and a half years later, Kara returned to work at a large company. As the secretary, she would frequently face their notorious CEO. Kara thought it wouldn't be a problem, but as it turned out ... the CEO was the father of the twins!
Iris grew from an orphaned child to the adopted daughter of the Stewart family at age ten, finding warmth in her nominal uncle Vincent's kindness. Seven years later, she became his secret lover. When Vincent's engagement was announced, gossip spread about the notorious playboy CEO finally settling down. But only Iris knew the extent of his cold, two-faced nature. Iris fell for Vincent and, through tears, begged, "Marry me," only to be met with his frosty refusal. Defeated, she accepted a lawyer's proposal, sparking public excitement. Then, on her wedding day, Vincent pleaded desperately, "Don't marry him…"
To the public, she was the CEO's executive secretary. Behind closed doors, she was the wife he never officially acknowledged. Jenessa was elated when she learned that she was pregnant. But that joy was replaced with dread as her husband, Ryan, showered his affections on his first love. With a heavy heart, she chose to set him free and leave. When they met again, Ryan's attention was caught by Jenessa's protruding belly. "Whose child are you carrying?!" he demanded. But she only scoffed. "It's none of your business, my dear ex-husband!"
Lucia Balstone thought she had chosen the right man to spend the rest of her life with, but he was the one who ended her life. Their ten-year marriage seemed like a joke when her husband stabbed her with a dagger. Fortunately, God is never blind to people's tears. Lucia got a second chance. She was reborn at the age of 22, before all the terrible things had happened. This time, she was determined to avenge herself and let those who hurt her pay! She made an elaborate list of her goals, and the first thing on her list was to marry her ex-husband's enemy, Alonso Callen!
Darya spent three years loving Micah, worshipping the ground he walked on. Until his neglect and his family's abuse finally woke her up to the ugly truth-he doesn't love her. Never did, never will. To her, he is a hero, her knight in shining armour. To him, she is an opportunist, a gold digger who schemed her way into his life. Darya accepts the harsh reality, gathers the shattered pieces of her dignity, divorces him, takes back her real name, reclaims her title as the country's youngest billionaire heiress. Their paths cross again at a party. Micah watches his ex-wife sing like an angel, tear up the dance floor, then thwart a lecher with a roundhouse kick. He realises, belatedly, that she's exactly the kind of woman he'd want to marry, if only he had taken the trouble to get to know her. Micah acts promptly to win her back, but discovers she's now surrounded by eligible bachelors: high-powered CEO, genius biochemist, award-winning singer, reformed playboy. Worse, she makes it pretty clear that she's done with him. Micah gears up for an uphill battle. He must prove to her he's still worthy of her love before she falls for someone else. And time is running out.
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"