《Invisible to My First Love》 Blueprint 1 Chapter 1 Harper : ¡°Marry him! Marry him!¡± 78 55 vouchers I had dreamt of such scenes countless times: My childhood best friend, Grayson Ford on one knee, his love for me shining in his eyes as he held a ring in his hand, and friends cheering all around us. The dream had finallye true, but the one in front of him was Tiffany, the girl who had turned my entire high school life into a nightmare. I didn¡¯t expect to see him again in that way after being away for four years. We had barely spoken when I left San Francisco to go to college. But the moment his name shed on my phone screen a few days ago with an invite to his party, I felt sixteen again and wanted to go as soon as possible. And at that moment, I deeply regretted it. I had no idea they were still together as I hadn¡¯t checked his social media profiles in a long time. ¡°I love you,¡± he said to her as he waited. His words made me peek from behind the wall where I¡¯d been hiding since my arrival. They were surrounded by guests in the living room. ¡°I love you too, Babe,¡± she said in that voice that I still found annoying. ¡°Yes!¡± Her giggle, his smile and their passionate kiss all cut deeper than I expected. My fingers curled around the strap of my handbag so tightly that I thought it might snap, but I didn¡¯t care. I was already fighting back my tears. Even though he was the only one I had loved for more than ten years and my heart was breaking, I wasn¡¯t going to cry there. It was his engagement party and I wasn¡¯t about to behave like the clumsy Harper of high school. Not anymore. Right as the apuse began to fade, I held my head high and stepped forward into the living room, the sound of my heels making heads turn. I hadn¡¯t seen any of those people in years, but I never forgot how they mocked my baggy dressing and unappealing presence in school. Now, all eyes were on me and the room fell silent for a few seconds, everyone trying to study me. One of the girls leaned over to whisper something to her friend, mentioning my name in the process to find out it was really Harper Moore. Being the center of attention was the one thing I never wanted for as long as I could remember, but it just couldn¡¯t be helped. I also expected this to happen. I wasn¡¯t the girl I used to be. Even the guys looked at me differently. I yed it cool, my lips curving into a smile, and then, my gazended on Grayson. His eyes widened as he pulled his hand away from Tiffany, taking a few steps towards me before he could stop himself. He parted his lips, but no words came out immediately. He looked at me from head to toe a few times, like he couldn¡¯t believe it was me. 7:19 Tue, Sep 16 ¡°Harp?¡± he said, pushing past a few people in his way as he pushed back his jet ck hair. I swallowed hard, trying not to get too excited just by how he called my name. ¡°Yup, that¡¯s me!¡± I forced a chuckle. He slowly lifted the corners of his mouth, stunned. ¡°Wow¡­.you look¡­.¡± ¡°Different?¡± 78 55 vouchers ¡°Beautiful.¡± He said it too quickly and thatpliment left my heart racing. I was now twenty two years old, but felt sixteen again. Right before I could respond, Tiffany rushed to his side, holding onto his arm. She had this look of amusement on her face, but there was nothing friendly about it. With an exaggerated gasp, she said, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s really you.¡± She looked at me from head to toe with the same fake smile that was always stered across her face. There was a time when Grayson and I were very close but when he became popr in junior high school and she showed interest in him, everything changed. She was rich and beautiful, everything I wasn¡¯t back then. I felt invisible and it was because she was in the picture that he and I grew distant even before I left for college. ¡°It¡¯s so good to see you too,¡± I said to her with a forced smile. ¡°You¡¯re really back in town after graduation, huh? It looks like college did wonders. Just look at you. You¡¯re almost unrecognizable in this short emerald green dress, but hey, some things never change. You still have that bookworm vibe despite the makeover.¡± ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough,¡± Grayson cut in, his tone sharp as he shook his head with disapproval. She feigned innocence, running the palm of her hand along his jacket. ¡°What? I¡¯m just saying hi.¡± He said nothing more, but only gave me an apologetic and soft look, then gently pulled her to the side. He whispered something in her ear, then held her hand as he led her down the hallway. She looked back at me with a triumphant smile, like she was right where she wanted to be and had been waiting for this exact moment. She was the same old Tiffany. He wrapped his arm around her waist as he said something to her and she paid attention to him. I didn¡¯t even care what they were talking about, but that arm around her waist shattered something inside of me. I even wished that time machines existed so I could rewind thest few minutes and stop myself from ever showing up that night. For as long as I could remember, she always came first and he never noticed me the way I wished he would. Every step that I took, all eyes were on me and I just wanted to be alone, so I came to the backyard, my arms wrapped around myself as I faced the ground. I wanted to leave, but how could I just walk out when I had only arrived? 7:19 Tue, Sep 16 : 78 55 vouchers When I turned around in a hurry so I could go to the bathroom and hide my face, I ran into a broad and solid chest. I stumbled back, constantly blinking as I looked up and froze at the sight before me. He was tall, dressed in all ck with his sleeves rolled halfway. His cor was open enough to show just the right amount of muscle. With his honey blond hair brushed back, that only entuated his facial features, especially his sharp jawline. His presence was nothing but a dangerous vibe. Something about him felt familiar, but I couldn¡¯t figure it out. With a slow grin that only added to his charm, he said. ¡°Maybe if you kept your head up, you¡¯d see where you¡¯re going.¡± There was an immediate arrogance in his tone, one which also felt familiar. Maybe I was just imagining it, so I stepped to the side to leave and be alone again, but he got in the way. ¡°Leaving so soon when we¡¯re finally seeing each other after so many years?¡± I sighed with irritation as I looked up at his gorgeous face. ¡°Do I know you?¡± He scoffed. ¡°What¡¯s this? Clingy Harper doesn¡¯t remember me?¡± Clingy Harper? I narrowed my eyes. Only one person had ever called me that and I hated it. At that moment, it all came back to me. I just hadn¡¯t realised it sooner as so much had changed about him. At twenty three, he was way more attractive than he was at seventeen. Not only was he the wealthy yboy that the girls wished they could have a chance with, he was also Tiffany¡¯s annoying half¨Cbrother. They shared the same father. ¡°Maddox?¡± ¡°There you go,¡± he said. ¡°You know, I still remember how you used to follow Grayson around like a lost puppy.¡± I hated how obvious that had always been, but Iughed at his description of me. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d run into you here, but hey, at least I got to see with my own eyes that you¡¯re still an ass.¡± His grin twitched a little. ¡°I guess college changed so much about you. You¡¯re quite feisty now. The party inside, but why would you be there when you¡¯re upset?¡± My heart skipped to beat, and I looked to the side. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He scoffed. ¡°Oh, Harper, I saw you when you arrived. You were glowing the moment you walked in, but hearing that your childhood crush was engaged to my younger sister got to you, hmm?¡± Blueprint 2 Maddox 78 55 vouchers Every memory that I had about Harper was when she was a shy and quiet girl who always stayed by Grayson¡¯s side. My sister alwaysined to our family that her dates with Grayson never went ording to n because Harper was in the way. Even with that going on, Tiffany was never intimidated by Harper because Grayson always treated her so differently, but I saw it today for the first time. I knew my sister very well and seeing Harper look so breathtaking got to her. Who wouldn¡¯t be shocked? That wasn¡¯t the version of her that everyone knew. While the sight before me was quite pleasing to look at, especially her toned legs on full disy in those heels, the urge to call her out for her reaction at the engagement announcement was much stronger. I just couldn¡¯t help it. cing a hand on her hip with her head high after taking a step closer, she boldly said, ¡°You must be so irrelevant at this party that you came out here just to mock me. Nothing else to keep you upied?¡± Damn. She wasn¡¯t just pretty now. She was feisty and it was thest thing I expected. She didn¡¯t even need to raise her voice to make me feel each word. The Harper I remembered would have stammered, maybe even ducked her head and rushed off in tears, but this version just stood in front of me like she wasn¡¯t scared of anything, especially not me. I chuckled. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had that kind of-¡± ¡°Hold on,¡± she said, holding up the palm of her hand to my face. ¡°It has juste to my attention that you and I are still talking.¡± Did she just indirectly tell me that I wasn¡¯t worth her time? She slowly walked past me to return inside, as if daring me to say something back to her, but I could only look
  1. on.
Then, I smiled, not because it was funny, but because it had been a long time since someone spoke to me like that, like they weren¡¯t intimidated by who I was. Everything was so different about her and it left me curious. I wanted to know everything that college had changed about her. ¡°Everyone shut up! We¡¯re about to start the game!¡± Tiffany yelled from the living room, screaming above the music. I rolled my eyes. The two of us had lived under the same roof for years and yet I could never get used to her voice whenever she raised it. Harper 7:19 Tue, Sep 16 78 55 vouchers While my feelings were still hurt by the engagement announcement, I realized that isting myself wouldn¡¯t make me feel any better, so I decided to show up for the rest of the party. When I returned to join everyone in the living room, some of the guests were already in a circle, including Maddox. I still wasn¡¯t over how he had seen right through me. Some girls near me swooned over him as they whispered about how wealthier he had be after inheriting his father¡¯s multibillion¨Cdorpany. Grayson stood by the drinks table, looking like he wasn¡¯t about to y the game, but Tiffany wasn¡¯t about to allow it. She had her hand wrapped around his arm with a pout, still trying to convince him to y until he gave in. As the two of them sat together, she spotted me sitting across from her and her eyes lit up and not in a good way. I had seen that look before so many times. She only smiled like that when she was up to something. With Grayson on one side, her best friend, Kate, sat next to her. Nothing much had changed about her because even after so many years, she didn¡¯t like me. That being Tiffany¡¯s game, she went first, turning to face Grayson after ncing at me again. ¡°Truth or dare?¡± she asked. ¡°Truth.¡± He yfully rolled his eyes at her. She giggled. ¡°Did you fall in love with me at first sight?¡± He raised his eyebrows in pleasant surprise and that only made my heart actually race as I also anticipated his response. Kissing the back of her hand, he said, ¡°Yes, as soon as I saw you, something in my heart told me you were the one.¡± She rested her head on his broad shoulder, triumphantly ncing at me as everyone else found the moment to be so sweet. ¡°My turn!¡± Kate said. ¡°Harper, truth or dare?¡± My eyes widened a little at how she singled me out with a dramatic gesture. ¡°Uh¡­truth.¡± ¡°Are you currently in love with someone?¡± I paused, thinking back to my reaction when I arrived at the moment Grayson made the engagement announcement, I didn¡¯t even look in his direction when I said, ¡°Yes, I am.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the lucky guy?¡± Kate leaned forward with fake curiosity. ¡°Is it Grayson?¡± Tiffany stepped in before I could even respond. Et 55 vouchers Almost everyone present knew the type of rtionship I had with Grayson even after she came into his life. ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Grayson snapped while still beside her. She shrugged like it was harmless. ¡°What? It¡¯s a valid question and-¡± ¡°Cut it out.¡± His voice was louder the second time but she didn¡¯t back down. ¡°We all know that you used to love Grayson. I just think that the truth will be refreshing.¡± Tiffany wasn¡¯t the only one who was curious as everyone leaned toward me, anticipating my response. I couldn¡¯t escape even if I wanted to. Grayson even stopped blinking, no longer wanting to stop the game so he could hear what my answer would be. In a cool and clear voice, I said, ¡°No, it¡¯s not Grayson.¡± His expression was unreadable as the others whispered among themselves. I made it sound so convincing when I knew it was the opposite and it hurt me so badly that I didn¡¯t want to stay for the rest of the game. It was for this reason that I excused myself, ncing at the guy I was never going to have no matter what. He didn¡¯t even look at me as I left, too focused on Tiffany as she kissed his cheek. I came to the backyard again, deeply regretting my decision to take part in that game. Did I really expect Tiffany and Kate to y nice? For a while, I was alone but told myself not to cry. Then, I heard footsteps but didn¡¯t turn around to find out who it was. A part of me even wished Grayson hade out to talk but when I heard the voice, it was Maddox and I clenched my jaw. ¡°I would have thought that after giving such answers to those questions from my sister and Kate, you would have stayed for the rest of the game. Why leave?¡± I didn¡¯t immediately turn to face him. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a game to get back to?¡± ¡°Nah, I have something more interesting going on out here with you.¡± With my eyes narrowed, I finally turned around. ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°First of all, what happened back there with those two in front of everyone, you handled it perfectly.¡± I shook my head and smiled with disbelief. ¡°Are you always this charming?¡± ¡°It only happens when I¡¯m trying to get a girl to forget about another guy.¡± My smile faded. ¡°You need to leave.¡± 7:20 Tue, Sep 16 : 78 55 vouchers His eyes drifted down to my body and then slowly made their way back up. ¡°I saw you curl your fingers on your way out. To me, that meant you lied about not being in love with Grayson. I think you¡¯re angry. You¡¯ve been bottling up your feelings for years and I can help you forget about him.¡± I tilted my head. ¡°Yeah?¡± He stepped closer, ncing at my busty cleavage. ¡°It¡¯s pretty simple. I¡¯m already done with this party. Let¡¯s go back to my ce and leave the rest to me. It¡¯ll be the best night of your life and it doesn¡¯t have to end there.¡± My blood boiled. It wasn¡¯t just from knowing that Grayson and Tiffany would be together forever, or the triumphant smirk she had. It was also the way Maddox looked at me with his words and cocky mouth. With the pain in my chest, something in me snapped and I closed the distance between us in just a second and slid one hand up the part of his exposed chest, the other one resting on his shoulder with my eyes locked on his. He was taken by surprise and I boldly smashed my lips on his before he could even say a word. He instantly ced his hands on my waist then impatiently slid them down to my hips, pulling me closer until there wasn¡¯t any space between us. His tongue was hot and wild, like he had been waiting for such a moment all night. I held onto the cor of his shirt and gasped when he backed me up against the part of the wall that no light could reach. He began to roll up my dress just so he could have more ess to my thighs and my breath hitched right against his lips. The moment I felt him hard against my inner thigh and he was about to lift me, I pulled back from his lips and pushed him away, making him stumble backwards. ¡°What?¡± he asked, his breath heavy. AD Comment Blueprint 3 Harper B55 vouchers If I hadn¡¯t pulled away from Maddox¡¯s lips, he would¡¯ve had my underwear down to my knees. The thought of it turned my gaze ice¨Ccold. I smacked my slightly swollen lips and said, ¡°I just wanted to see if kissing you would change anything.¡± ¡°And?¡± He smirked confidently. Leaning closer to his ear, I said, ¡°What makes you think I have any interest in dating Tiffany¡¯s brother?¡± He poked his cheek, looking at me in disbelief. I turned around to leave and he stood in ce, not even saying a word. I was actually disappointed that kissing him felt that way. For someone who was a yboy and always charming with thedies, I expected to feel something, anything. It was then that I began to wonder. Had that been Grayson touching and kissing me like that, would I have let myself go? I firmly shook my head, telling myself not even to entertain such thoughts. He was going to marry Tiffany. My only interactions with him that night had been in the presence of others. It was clear he had no time for me and I didn¡¯t want to be there anymore, so without anyone noticing, I made my way back to the car. It was best to leave before I found myself kissing Maddox again out of anger. I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, checking my eyes in the mirror. Did I look as much of an idiot as I felt? Yes. I went from just wanting Grayson to notice me to kissing Maddox so willingly and boldly. I didn¡¯t even regret it. Just as I began to drive away, I held on to the stupid hope that I would see Grayson from the rear view mirror, running outside so he could stop me from leaving, but that wasn¡¯t my fairy tale. I made it home forty five minutester. It was quite the distance from his ce, but I had wanted to go that far just to see him. I changed my clothes, removed my makeup, freshened up and got into bed, hoping that I would forget it all the following day. The morning sun filtered through my curtains and I groaned, pulling the covers over my head while trying to convince myself that everything that happenedst night was a dream, from the engagement announcement, to the steamy kiss with Maddox. But the moment my phone buzzed on my nightstand and I reached for it to check the notifications, my eyes widened and I sat up. The notifications were a mix of tags, group chats and lots of messages. My name was trending. 55 vouchers I had never posted pictures online about how different I now looked, but someone had posted a picture of me that was taken at the party and so manyments flooded the post. ¡°Who knew nerdy Harper had those damn gorgeous legs?¡± ¡°I was there and this picture doesn¡¯t even do her justice. She needs to drop her skin care routine because WOW!¡± ¡°Wait, is this the girl who used to wear oversized hoodies? She looks like a movie star!¡± I wanted to read everyment on that post, but when the ones below began to involve Grayson, I frowned and tossed the phone onto the edge of the bed. I wanted nothing to do with him that day. Just then, my phone rang and I felt a knot in my stomach as soon as I saw his name on the screen. I quickly reached for the phone again, my thumb hovering over the green button before finally pressing it. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Hey, Harp.¡± His voice was soft and warm. I cleared my throat. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I looked for youst night but I couldn¡¯t find you. I don¡¯t even me you for leaving. I actually wanted to call youst night, but I was so busy with Tiffany after the party¡± I scrunched my pillow at the thought of them alone. ¡°I just wanted to apologise for what happened. She shouldn¡¯t have done that to you. She crossed the line with the truth¨Cor¨Cdare thing.¡± I bit the inside of my cheek. ¡°Yeah, well, she¡¯s always been that way towards me. It¡¯s nothing new.¡± ¡°I really had a long talk with her and told her it wasn¡¯t funny. You didn¡¯t deserve that at all. She¡¯s my fianc¨¦e but you¡¯re¡­¡± he trailed off for a few seconds. ¡°I know we haven¡¯t been close for a while now but you¡¯ve always been important to me.¡± I hated how those words made my heart race. I hated how I still wanted to hear him say things like that even when they meant nothing, ¡°Anyway,¡± he continued quickly. ¡°I just wanted to make sure you¡¯re stilling to the wedding despite what happened with Tiffany.¡± My eyes widened as I pointed at myself. ¡°You expect me toe?¡± ¡°Of course. You and I go way back. Don¡¯t you remember that we used to say we would be best friends for life?¡± That description hit me so hard that I didn¡¯t want to go. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Grayson. I have a lot going on right now.¡± ¡°Come on.¡± His voice was gentle. ¡°Please? I want you to be there.¡± 55 vouchers So much time had passed but I was still the girl who waited for scraps of affection from the boy who never truly chose her. ¡°Okay.¡± I sighed. ¡°Great!¡± He sounded genuinely relieved. ¡°I¡¯ll send you the final detailster.¡± ¡°Cool.¡± Even after we hung up, I could still hear him calling me his best friend and it hurt, but I couldn¡¯t change it. Grayson Ever since we were kids, I knew that Harper was in love with me. She never said it, but she didn¡¯t have to. I figured it out from the way she always looked at me, like I was the center of her universe and was already everything to her. I liked it because it always fed something in me. It was that part of me that liked knowing someone would always be there no matter what. She was reliable, adoring, constant and never asked for anything in return and I never gave her anything. I didn¡¯t want to. I told myself she wasn¡¯t for me and I needed someone who was pretty, hot and more noticeable. Harper was just someone who was always in the background. She was quiet and safe. Then, Tiffany showed up around the time I began to get popr and I made my choice. It fed my ego even more, having Tiffany as my girl and Harper still by my side, ready to do anything for me. We began to grow apart before she left for college, but I never forgot about her and still kept in touch. It was for this reason that I invited her to the party when I learned that she was back in town and she now looked like every guy¡¯s desire. The one thing that hadn¡¯t changed was how she couldn¡¯t say no to me when I asked her toe to the wedding. The big day arrived and Tiffany was finally going to be mine forever. It felt like the best decision I had ever made in my life. Despite my regret of missing out on Harper¡¯s beauty, she still was nowhere close to the wealthy circle I was in and I wouldn¡¯t have wanted things any other way. It was all going to n. Just a few more minutes and we were going to be husband and wife. Then, Tiffany barged into my dressing room, holding onto the sides of her wedding dress while yelling at everyone 7:20 Tue, Sep 16 to get out. 78 E 55 vouchers ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?¡± I said to her with concern. ¡°Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s bad luck for me to see you like this?¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Oh, please! Why is Harper attending our wedding?¡± ¡°Because I invited her.¡± ¡°And you didn¡¯t bother to tell me? Everyone¡¯s looking at her like she¡¯s a goddess or something. She needs to leave.¡± ¡°No. She¡¯s my guest and best friend.¡± She scoffed. ¡°Best friend? You two have barely spoken in years.¡± ¡°I know, but she was always there.¡± ¡°So fucking what? I don¡¯t want her here and don¡¯t you daree to her defense because if she doesn¡¯t leave, this wedding is cancelled!¡± 7:20 Tue, Sep 16 Blueprint 4 Harper 78 55 vouchers When I made it to the wedding venue of the guy I always loved, I was in a long satin dress that clung to my body with a thigh slit, the soft curls of my hair falling over one shoulder. I was there to smile and p politely like I was over it. It was when I stepped into the long corridor that I saw Maddox. He was in a ck suit and shirt unbuttoned a little as he leaned against the wall. As I got closer, he smirked at me, but I didn¡¯t. I walked past him like the hot kissing and touching never happened. ¡°Red looks good on you,¡± he said behind me, his voice, low and teasing. I didn¡¯t even bother to look back, but just as I took another step forward, he spoke again, moving closer to whisper. ¡°I still remember the taste of your lips from a few weeks ago.¡± I looked over my shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Liar.¡± He circled around me. He was right. I thought about it from that day, still asking myself why I didn¡¯t regret it. A few more guests made their way into the corridor, breaking the private moment I had with him and I used it to get away, heading straight to the church. I found myself in the middle row, nodding at a few former ssmates who couldn¡¯t stop looking at me andplimenting my entire look. Then came a phone call from someone I hadn¡¯t heard from in years, Anna, my older sister. It didn¡¯t even ring for too long but I still wanted to call her back. That just wasn¡¯t the ce for it. There was still some time before the wedding would begin so I made my way out. My heart was still racing faster in disbelief, looking down at her name on the screen. I was on my way to the restroom to call her back when I began to slow down until my steps came to a halt. It sounded like Grayson and Tiffany were arguing in one of the rooms and I didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop, but Tiffany called my name, demanding that I should leave. While Grayson came to my defense, it hurt when he called me his best friend. Just as she threatened to cancel the wedding if I didn¡¯t leave, approaching footsteps and voices from the other side got louder, so I moved away from that door and proceeded to the restroom. I wondered what he was going to do since he had already chosen her over me a thousand times. 7:20 Tue, Sep 16 78 55 vouchers Finally alone, I called Anna, but she declined my call each time. It made no sense to me that she did that when she was the one who reached out first in so many years. Then, she sent me a message and it broke my heart. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to dial your number. That was a mistake so stop calling me.¡± I smiled in disbelief, feeling stupid for even having the hope that things were about to change between us. I was used to this, so I stayed calm and returned to my seat. I even waited to be thrown out, but nothing like that happened. Part of me even thought the wedding wouldn¡¯t take ce after how explosive Tiffany was in that room, but my heart sank even more when Grayson made his way to the altar. He looked like a prince. Tiffany walked down the aisle in a gorgeous wedding dress that made so many guests gasp. He smiled at her as he waited and I figured out that whatever had happened in that room had been resolved. It didn¡¯t make me feel any better as I realized that nothing was going to stop the wedding. He only wanted her and no one else. I watched them exchange vows and he looked at her like she was his entire world. Then came the kiss and it was deep and dramatic. I pped like everyone else did, but when everyone rose to their feet, it took me a while as I just couldn¡¯t stand the sight of that moment. I gathered the strength I needed to get up, not wanting to stand out from everyone else. I smiled like it was all okay, but it hurt the most when they walked down the aisle and he raised her hand proudly as his wife, Mrs Ford. I watched from a distance as they took pictures outside, wondering just how much more I could take. He was happy, looking at her the way he never looked at me, yet I still loved him. When I couldn¡¯t take it anymore, I hurried to the parking lot but couldn¡¯t even make it to my car before tears streamed down my cheeks. I wiped them away as I got in so I¡¯d have a clear vision. My efforts were in vain as the tears just kepting and I couldn¡¯t see the road ahead. It was for this reason that I parked by the side of the road and cried my heart out, but it still wasn¡¯t enough. I needed to forget it all. When my tears dried up, I drove along the city streets and stopped right by a bar. That was just what I needed. I didn¡¯t even check myself in the mirror before walking in. I ordered the strongest drink I could think of as I just needed to stop feeling anything. My fingers even shook slightly when I reached for the ss. I had barely taken a sip when a guy took a seat right next to me. He was tall, attractive and just the right amount of trouble. ¡°Rough day?¡± he asked, shing me a smile. 7:20 Tue, Sep 16 Iughed under my breath. ¡°Is it that obvious?¡± 78 55 vouchers He leaned in slightly. ¡°The messy hair and smudged make up gave it away but you know what? I still like what I see. How about I buy you another drink after this and we can pretend this wasn¡¯t a rough day by making it back to my ce and doing whatever we want all night?¡± He was hot, charming and didn¡¯t know anything about my past. Just as I considered it and was about to give him my response, a familiar voice came from behind me. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡± The tone was low but threatening. I slowly turned to face the guy and for sure, it was Maddox. He stood there with his jaw tightened, hands shoved in the pockets of his ck suit as he red right at the guy who had offered to give me a good time all night. The stranger raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Maddox didn¡¯t even look at him when he responded. His eyes were on me. ¡°There¡¯s definitely a problem.¡± I didn¡¯t know why he was there, but he was only getting in the way, so I looked back at the view in front of me with a smile. Maddox then stepped between me and the stranger and grabbed my wrist. He wasn¡¯t even too rough with it, but just enough to tell me that I was leaving with him. ¡°Wait!¡± I hissed. ¡°What¡¯s your problem?¡± He didn¡¯t even respond, just focused on pulling me towards the exit without looking back. I nced once over my shoulder to see the stranger watching us and he was confused and disappointed. When Maddox brought me outside, I snapped, trying to twist out of his grip. ¡°Let me go!¡± He roughly dropped my hand and turned to face me. ¡°Were you seriously going to sleep with some random guy just to prove that you¡¯re not in love with someone who married another girl today? Had I not shown up-¡± ¡°What? You think that I would have made a mistake by going with him?¡± He didn¡¯t respond. Instead, he opened the door to his 2025 ck Rolls¨CRoyce Phantom and motioned for me to get in. ¡°I¡¯m taking you home right now.¡± I hesitated. ¡°Just so you can lecture me the whole ride?¡± He ruffled his hair, clearly trying not to explode. ¡°No, because I¡¯m not leaving you drunk and furious so you 7:20 Tue, Sep 16 can regret your actions tomorrow morning. Your car will be taken care of.¡± I sighed, finally getting in his car. 78 55 vouchers He shoved the car door on my side so hard that I flinched and wondered why he was so upset. I had never seen him like that. The ride home was mostly silent, except when I gave him directions. I didn¡¯t even feel like raising my voice. I just constantly watched him. This wasn¡¯t the arrogant guy I knew. I always believed he wasn¡¯t one to care like that. When he pulled up to my ce, he stepped out of the car and came all the way to my side so he could open my door, ruffling his already messy hair in the process. ¡°Get out.¡± His tone was so harsh yet filled with concern. I couldn¡¯t understand it. I stepped out of the car, but stopped right in front of him. ¡°How did you know where to find me?¡± I asked. ¡°I was watching you the whole time, worried that you might do something stupid and then you proved me right when you were about to destroy yourself with that stranger.¡± My heart was still racing from the desire to do something wild that night. He shouldn¡¯t have taken me out of that bar. Leading the way to my doorstep, he said, ¡°Get inside.¡± That was it? After dragging me out of that bar like someone who needed to be saved, he was just going to drive off? I approached the steps, the pain in my chest crawling into my throat. I didn¡¯t want to cry over Grayson and not in front of Maddox or ever again. Screw everything. Just as he turned around to leave, I held onto his arm. He didn¡¯t even pull away as his eyes met mine. He was confused at first, then seemed to be searching for something. My emotions lit a fire in me that made me move my face so close that I could feel his breath. ¡°You only stopped me at the bar because that was a stranger, but you¡¯re not,¡± I said. ¡°Tonight, I want to forget about Grayson.¡± ¡°And how do you intend to do that?¡± His lustful eyes and the way he subtly bit his bottom lip gave it away that he knew what I meant, yet he just wanted me to say it with no filter. Sliding my hand up his arm, I said, ¡°Wannae in for some hot sex?¡± 7:20 Tue, Sep 16 Blueprint 5 Chapter 5 Harper 78 55 vouchers For a few seconds, Maddox just stared at me with no smirk or teasingeback. His silence made me hold my breath. ¡°No.¡± His voice was firm. I blinked in shock, that not being the response I expected from him, but just as I let go of his arm so I could retreat, he grabbed onto my wrist with his eyes dragging over me slowly. Then, he spun me around and his mouth was right against my ear before I could catch my breath. ¡°I¡¯m not fucking you here,¡± he growled, his voice low. ¡°I¡¯m taking you back to my ce where I can make you scream without nosy neighbors.¡± My pulse shot through my body as I pressed my thighs together. He pulled back just enough to show me his devilish smirk, then guided me to his car with his arm perfectly ced around my waist. The moment we hit the road, he possessively ced his hand on my thigh, his thumb drawing slow circles all over my skin and I knew what he was doing. He was giving me a chance to push his hand away and stop this, but I wanted it, all of it. I rested my back against my seat, letting him know just howfortable I was. His phone began to ring but he didn¡¯t pick up. Instead, he slipped his fingers a little higher on my thigh slit while he had his eyes on the road. I turned to face the window and closed my eyes, slightly parting my legs for him and he slipped his hand towards my inner thigh, paused, then gripped so tightly that my breath hitched. I didn¡¯t have to look at him to know just how much he couldn¡¯t wait to get to his ce. It was in his heavy breathing and that fucking grip on my thigh. As much as I wanted the silence, his phone just wouldn¡¯t stop ringing and I made the assumption that he wouldn¡¯t pick up any calls, but that was until he received another call and stopped touching me so he could pick up. He put it on speaker, then ced his hand on my inner thigh again. ¡°Uncle¡­¡± ¡°Where are you?¡± he asked from the other end of the line. ¡°Your father and Tiffany have been calling you.¡± With his middle finger, Maddox teased my clit covered by the fabric of my underwear as he said, ¡°I know. I was watching the screen.¡± I pressed my lips together so I wouldn¡¯t moan too loudly. His uncle chuckled. ¡°Your father was right when he said you¡¯d pick up my call.¡± 55 vouchers Teasing the hem of my underwear like he was about to slide it to the side so he could expose my clit, he said, ¡°Is my dad with you?¡± ¡°No. Why?¡± ¡°Tell him you couldn¡¯t reach me. I¡¯m busy tonight.¡± ¡°Nope, not tonight. Work can wait. It¡¯s still your sister¡¯s wedding day.¡± ¡°Goodnight, Uncle Sebastian.¡± ¡°Wait, don¡¯t you dare-¡± Just like that, Maddox hung up on his uncle like it was nothing, both his hands now on the steering wheel. I didn¡¯t even close my legs, hoping to feel him touch me during the ride again but it never happened. I hated him for how he made me long for his touch. He drove all the way to his estate on a secluded hillside and it was like a modern¨Cday pce but I could barely pay attention to all the details in the front yard as he drove faster until he parked right beside his Bugatti La Voiture Noire. I was about to reach for the door when he squeezed my thigh once and said, ¡°Sit still.¡± His tone, breath and my unexpected desire to obey him made me do as instructed. He stepped out and came to my side, opening the door for me. As soon as I stepped out, he held onto my wrist tightly and there was no teasing in his touch. He led me inside like he already knew I¡¯d follow. The moment the door shut and I stood in the foyer with warm lighting, the world outside disappeared. No more Tiffany, no more Grayson, just me and Maddox. When he locked the front door, he approached me so slowly that the weight of anticipation made me want to jump on him and wrap my legs around his waist. He then walked past me and silently led the way up the stairs. I followed him, my bare skin longing for his touch. While making my way down a long dimly¨Clit hallway with modern artwork, some of which I recognized, he stopped right by a massive door and kept it open for me. I stepped into his spacious bedroom designed like something out of a dream and the king size bed draped in ck and golden silk sheets was the first thing that caught my attention. I could feel him breathe heavily as he circled around me but before he could even touch me, his phone rang again and he only gestured with his hand that he would be right back. Now alone, I set my purse on the table and headed to the massive bathroom to not only wash my face and get 55 vouchers rid of the smudged makeup, but also to use the cold water to calm down. For someone who wanted nothing to do with Tiffany¡¯s brother before, fucking him at that moment was all I could think about. I got a few pumps of his facial cleanser and the first rinse wasn¡¯t enough, so I went for another one, the running water so loud that it blocked out every other sound. A few seconds after I bent over to ssh more water onto my face, my breath hitched when a pair of hands grabbed my waist from behind me. The cold water was a temporary fix because when Maddox finally touched me, that only made me crave him more so I could forget. I stood upright and wanted to turn so I could face him, but he didn¡¯t let me. He gently wrapped his hand around the front part of my neck, meeting my gaze in the mirror. I even spotted his shirt already unbuttoned to expose his sculpted muscles. He slipped his other hand into my hair and tilted my head just enough to make me gasp, then leaned in to bring his face closer until his lips were right against my ear. ¡°Want me to be gentle?¡± he whispered, his breath hot against my ear. ¡°Not even a little,¡± I said, feeling his hard cock rub against my ass. ¡°Good, because I don¡¯t do gentle.¡± His lustful gaze turned dark in the mirror. When he turned me toward him so we could be face to face, his lips didn¡¯t immediately meet mine. They hovered torturously close until my breath hitched in frustration. I trembled, but it wasn¡¯t in fear, it was pure heated anticipation. My heart even pounded in ces it shouldn¡¯t have. I felt it in my throat, stomach and right between my legs. He smirked, then finally kissed me hard and deep with his fingertips on my chin to keep my head up and show me who was in control. Then, he pulled away just for a moment but still kept his lips real close as he whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s see how well you forget him now.¡± AD Blueprint 6 Maddox 55 vouchers On the night of Grayson and Tiffany¡¯s engagement party, Harper kissed me first and got me so hard that I wanted to ruin her right there. It turned out that she had no interest in being with me, but all I did was crave her every night because I couldn¡¯t have her. I thought about her lips, those thick thighs, even the way her breath hitched when I grabbed her ass. Maybe it was also the way her hands clutched my jacket like she needed me more than anyone else in the world before putting a stop to it. I had followed her to the bar so she wouldn¡¯t make a mistake by letting a random guy have her, but when she asked if I wanted toe in for some hot sex, my cock twitched. I wasn¡¯t about to turn her down. I told myself that if I had her just once, my mind would forget about her. I wanted to lift her right there and bend her over before even making it to her bedroom, but I practiced restraint, acting like a gentleman when the ride to my ce began, but I had already imagined all the ways I would make her legs shake and it was for this reason that I couldn¡¯t keep my hands to myself. That night was all about her and I wanted nothing to get in the way of how she¡¯d moan my name or lose her breath again and again until she forgot that asshole broke her heart. I stepped out of the bedroom right when my phone began to ring again, using that moment to also drink a ss of water. I made my way down the hallway while looking down at the screen. It was Margot, my step- mother calling. I didn¡¯t even wait for my phone to stop ringing, I turned it off, not giving a fuck about how she would feel. Thinking about everything she had ever done since she came into my life began to piss me off, but I shut it out. I wanted to give Harper a night to remember. When I returned to the bedroom again and found her in the bathroom, I was d she didn¡¯t want me to be gentle. I teased her for a few seconds to show her who was in control, kissed her hard, then made her face the mirror again as I caressed her neck from behind and gently dragged down the zipper of her dress. It got stuck and I didn¡¯t have enough patience, so I ripped the rest of it on the top half and left the fabric hanging around her waist. Her perky breasts were now exposed and I cupped them in each hand, massaging them in gentle circles that made her arch her back and poke her ass harder against my cock. I didn¡¯t just want to feel her erect nipples anymore, I wanted to taste them, so I turned her around faster than she could process, holding her tight as I lowered my face to her nipple and sucked on it. She raked her fingers through my hair, moaning gently at the sensation. While I flicked my tongue on her nipple, I pulled down the rest of her dress and underwear. They both dropped to her ankles and she stepped out of them all on her own, making me smirk. She was about to slip one heel off using the tip of her other shoe to push it off when I said, ¡°Keep those on, I want to see them rest on my shoulderster.¡± She exhaled seductively, biting her lip when she understood the position I was talking about. 78 55 vouchers Her bare ass was so soft that I grabbed it with ease, then slid my hands lower on the back of her thighs and spread them slightly, like I wanted to tease her pussy with my fingertips. When she least expected it, I lifted her and she wrapped her legs around my waist, her hands on my back as our lips locked. But it was only for a few seconds because when I dropped her on the bed, my kisses trailed down her chest then slowed down as I approached the space between her legs. Her hands were in my hair and she tried so hard not to shove my face down there. I even took my removing my shirt. time by The most I had ever done was finger someone I wanted to fuck, but never going down on most of them with my tongue and I had my reasons. Harper was waiting for it. Her pussy was now right in my face and I wanted her to keep the memory of that moment forever. That¡¯s why she was about to be an exception. Finally giving her what she wanted, I slid my tongue right between her pussylips and fuck, she tasted so good. I only meant to tease her again, but I wanted to taste more, so I shoved my tongue inside of her with my hands on her perky breasts. ¡°Fuck!¡± she moaned. I looked up at her while tongue¨Cfucking her and she was waching me, her face scrunched in pleasure. I slid my hand down to her waist and hips just so I could feel every part of her. She was perfect, from what I could touch, to what I could taste. When I pulled out my tongue from inside, I flicked it on her throbbing clit and she arched her back a few times, grabbing my hair while moaning my name. ¡°Right there! Ahh!¡± She gyrated her hips to chase that explosive feeling and I could feel it with my tongue, her soft inner lips getting harder as blood rushed to her clit. She was so tight that I only managed to shove a finger inside her for a start, then slowly inserted another one to massage her g¨Cspot with my fingertips. That only made her pull harder on my hair, like she was about to rip it out and I loved it. Her breath became uneven when she reached her climax and her legs began to shake. Her clit was now so sensitive that she tried to get away but I didn¡¯t let it happen. I kept her in ce with my hands locked around her waist, licking that throbbing clit while smirking at her. She pulled on the sheets, screamed my name like she didn¡¯t want it because it was too much, yet kept grinding in my face. She was now dripping wet, the taste of it on my tongue only making me impatient to have my cock inside of her. When I got off the bed just so I could take off my pants, she slept on her side while trying to catch her breath, giving me the view of her wetness dripping down her inner thigh. 7:20 Tue, Sep 16 : 78 55 vouchers I freed my cock from all the pressure in my pants, then reached for a condom under my pillow. She wasn¡¯t going anywhere. She was mine all night, yet I didn¡¯t want to wait even a second. I got close enough, held onto her ankle and pulled her towards the edge of the bed and she gasped when she looked up and I was already on top of her. She willingly spread her legs wider for me, looking at my hard cock and her eyes widened a little at the size. I brought my face real close to hers, kissing her while sliding my tip along her wetness and when she least expected it, I pushed forward and she shut her eyes while trying so hard not to dig her nails into my back. She was so tight that I paused before moving any further so she could adjust and she ced her hand on the side of my face to kiss me. She wanted it and who was I to keep her waiting? I moved slowly at first, savoring the feeling of being inside of her while looking right into her eyes. She bit her lower lip and that only fueled my desire to handle her the way I said I would, so I grabbed her chin with one hand and moved faster, the front of my thighs pping against hers. ¡°Maddox!¡± she whispered with an effort. ¡°Yeah?¡± I groaned in pleasure. Whatever she wanted to say never made it out from her lips as I thrusted a little harder and she squealed. She was wild and sexy, yet there was still that hint of innocence in her eyes that only made me want to ruin her even more. I kissed her on the lips before sliding my hand down to the front part of her neck. I didn¡¯t choke her with it, but she held onto my wrist like she was waiting for it. My grip tightened a little around her neck, thrusting faster. ¡°Is this what you wanted?¡± I whispered, my face real close to hers. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± I thrusted harder and quickened the pace. ¡°Ahh! Fuck! Yes!¡± she cried out. Her walls began to tighten around me but just when she was about to orgasm, my cock slipped out and she grabbed it, slipping it back in all by herself and that fucking drove me wild. I rewarded her for it by giving her that second orgasm she wanted so badly. I didn¡¯t even let her catch her breath for too long because I wasn¡¯t done with her. I pulled her towards the edge of the bed and the back of her legs pressed against my chest, her sexy heels right on my shoulders where I wanted to see them. Holding onto her legs, my first thrust made her body jerk back. I gave her another, and another, then kept 7:21 Tue, Sep 16 : 78 55 vouchers that intensity when I fucked her hard. Not once did she stop me, even holding onto my wrists so I¡¯d keep going. I was right on her g¨Cspot. Her walls tightened around me again but this time, my thrusts became a little sloppy before I regained control of that rhythm. I was close, my breath uneven when I felt myself release. It made it more satisfying for me that she climaxed with me but this time, her entire body convulsed while her legs were still on my shoulders. I watched with a smirk, her sweaty body only looking sexier under the warm lighting. When she finally calmed down, I cleaned myself up and turned off the lights to get in bed with her, then pulled the covers over both of us. Our heavy breathing filled the silence until we drifted off to sleep. In the middle of the night, I was awake and rock hard, my tip rubbing against her ass. I wanted to be inside of her again, but I didn¡¯t want to wake her. To my pleasant surprise, she turned to face me and moved closer, cing her hand on my chest to give me that hint. I hungrily smashed my lips on hers in the dark while slipping my hand under the pillow for another condom, my lips still on hers while I put it on. Just as I was about to get on top of her, she ced her hands on my shoulders to stop me, then pushed me down on the bed and got on top of me. It was then I realized she was about to ride me. She wanted to guide my cock inside of her but took her time to sit on it, so when she least expected it, I held onto her ass with a hard thrust and she inhaled sharply. In my head, I reminded myself that no matter how good it felt being inside of her, she was in my bed because she wanted to forget about Grayson, the same way I wanted to forget about the countless times she crossed my mind because I couldn¡¯t have her, but nothing could have prepared me for the turn of events the following morning. AD Blueprint 7 Chapter 7 Harper : 78 55 vouchers Maddox wasn¡¯t beside me when I woke upter that morning, not that I expected him to be there. Just as I tried to sit up and stretch, I hissed at the soreness in my body, especially between my legs. It was a wicked reminder of how he handled mest night and I was just taking it because I wanted it. Iy back down and squeezed the pillow next to me, thinking about the sensation of his tongue when he shoved it inside me before those thrusts that made it seem like he wanted to ruin me and own me at the same time. If I could go back in time, I wouldn¡¯t have done anything differently. Everything he did, made me forget about the pain in my heart. Slowly sitting up, I looked around the room and spotted one of his silk robes by a chair and I reached for it to cover my naked body. It smelled just like him. A gentle knock against the bedroom door grabbed my attention as soon as I tied the knot and whoever it was, waited for my permission toe in. The door creaked open and a man in a ck suit with a polished look that only came with years of serving the ultra¨Cwealthy stepped in. ¡°Good morning, Miss,¡± he said with a slight bow. ¡°I¡¯m Tim, one of the butlers here. Mr. Aldridge is out for his morning run and should be back in an hour. He instructed us to ensure that you¡¯re well taken care of. Your bath will be ready shortly. Shall I bring your breakfast here or would you prefer the terrace?¡± It took me a few seconds to respond, my gaze now stuck on the edge of the bed, right where Maddox had my legs on his shoulders and gave it to me just how I wanted it. I snapped out of it quickly, smiling at Tim. ¡°The terrace is fine.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± After specifically telling him what I wanted for breakfast, he closed the door and I reached for my purse on the bedside table to get my phone. My sister was the first person I thought of when I had it in my hand. She made it clear that her call was a mistake, yet I still wanted to send her a message, As soon as I turned on my phone, the first notifications to pop up were all about Grayson and Tiffany¡¯s wedding. I swallowed hard and tightened my jaw. I didn¡¯t even want to see those wedding pictures and videos, but that was what was trending. It had only been a few seconds of seeing all that and I didn¡¯t even feel like texting Anna anymore. I chuckled painfully at how Grayson was now on my mind despite the hot sex I had with Maddox. It almost made me tear up. When I was about to toss my phone aside and cover my face with a pillow, there was an iing call from Tue, Sep 16 Zoey, one of my closest friends from college. 78 55 vouchers I clicked the answer button after patting my eyes dry like she was going to see me. ¡°What did I do to be woken up by this angel¡¯s call?¡± I said, trying to sound cheerful. She chuckled from the other end of the line. ¡°Hear that, E? She¡¯s on the call, too.¡± My eyes widened in pleasant surprise. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ¡®Hey¡® me,¡± E fake cried. ¡°Zoey¡¯s an angel? I thought I was the angel!¡± It made me chuckle, especially when they went back and forth. The three of us had always been there for each other in college. ¡°Guys, did you call just so I could hear you two roast each other?¡± I asked. ¡°Right.¡± E cleared her throat. ¡°It seems that all you do is trend these days, Harper.¡± I narrowed my eyes. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know? The red dress you wore to the wedding? Hello? You were a whole goddess!¡± I chuckled, thinking about how Maddox stripped that dress off of me with so much impatience. ¡°You definitely upstaged that fucking bride.¡± Zoey pped three times. I rolled my eyes. ¡°Oh, please.¡± ¡°What? We¡¯re not the only ones saying it. Most people online agree. We even tagged you a few hours ago. Didn¡¯t you check?¡± I sighed. ¡°Not Yet. I woke up not too long ago and turned on my phone. So far, everything I¡¯ve seen is about Grayson and Tiffany.¡± ¡°Damn, your phone just wants to rub salt into the wound, huh?¡± E said. ¡°Shit, I shouldn¡¯t have said that. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Please forgive E,¡± Zoey stepped in. ¡°She¡¯s never been good at knowing when to shut up. But seriously, are you okay? I can¡¯t imagine sitting through it all and seeing Grayson get his happily ever after with Tiffany.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± I tried to sound convincing. ¡°You know what? It¡¯s his loss. You have everyone swooning over how gorgeous you are,¡± E said. The two of them kept theplimentsing and before I knew it, I forgot all about the feeling of my heart breaking into a million pieces when I saw the notifications about Grayson¡¯s wedding. After freshening up and taking a quick tour of the mansion, I came out to the terrace. It had a long white table that was set like royalty was expected at any moment and even when I took my seat, I still couldn¡¯t decide what to start with, from the strawberries and ky croissants to the ss of fresh orange juice. 7:21 Tue, Sep 16 78 55 vouchers The red strawberries looked so juicy that I wanted to taste them first and just as I took my first bite, I heard footsteps approaching from behind me. It was only when a figure stopped in front of me that I nced up and paused with the strawberry in my mouth. Maddox was shirtless, his sweaty chest still rising and falling rapidly. His hair was so drenched in sweat that it was stered to his head while pushed back. His shorts also hung too low on his hips, showing off that well defined V. It took my mind ces and heightened my desire to feel him inside of me again. ¡°Sleeping beauty is awake.¡± His voice was cocky and casual like he hadn¡¯t just given me the best night of my life and walked off like it was nothing. ¡°I see you¡¯ve made yourselffortable. My robe looks good on you.¡± Trying not to stare at the V, I said, ¡°It was the closest thing I could find, so I took it.¡± He came closer and stole a strawberry from my te. ¡°Good girl.¡± Fuck. I hated how those words sounded exactly as they did the previous night when I was riding his cock. The more I thought about it, the more I could feel his cock actually hitting the spot. I needed to shut it out, so I changed the topic. ¡°I took a tour of this ce,¡± I said. ¡°I was surprised to see some of those art pieces in the hallway. I¡¯ve seen them online and would have never guessed that you had an interest in art, or that you were the one who bought them.¡± ¡°Was everything you saw of excellent quality?¡± ¡°Yup, every single piece.¡± ¡°Good. I wasn¡¯t expecting you to say anything less than that about my artwork.¡± My eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Wait, you did some of those?¡± ¡°Yeah, the ones on the second floor.¡± My jaw dropped. ¡°What about the one with the lone child sitting on a roof and staring at the stars? It looks so realistic.¡± ¡°I did that one,¡± he bragged. ¡°No offense, but you don¡¯t look the part.¡± ¡°I had the best teacher.¡± He smirked and meant to seem cocky, but the side of his mouth twitched just a little. ¡°Who was it?¡± He clenched his jaw. ¡°None of your business.¡± ¡°Whoa, okay.¡± I raised my hands in defeat. ¡°And not that I was snooping around or anything, but that room on the top floor with threeyers of grill doors seems so out of ce from the rest of this house.¡± ?? 78 55 vouchers His expression went nk and then, he smirked the way he usually did. ¡°I¡¯ll have to get you a new dress.¡± Even though I was curious, his change of the subject made it obvious he didn¡¯t want to talk about it. I also reminded myself that I might have gotten too personal. ¡°You¡¯re only getting me a new dress if it¡¯s the same one.¡± I took a sip from my orange juice. ¡°How much was it?¡± ¡°$13.¡± He scoffed. ¡°So cheap.¡± I rolled my eyes. Typical Maddox. ¡°But you know what?¡± He turned around like he was ready to leave before he continued. ¡°Good thing you were the one who wore it. You made it look like it was worth more. That also exins why it was so easy to rip off when that zipper got stuck. I¡¯m going to the gym room. You know where it is. Eat up. I¡¯ve got ns for you after this.¡± ¡°What ns?¡± I tilted my head. He paused and nced over his shoulder. ¡°Judging by the way you¡¯ve been staring, it¡¯s the one thing you still want.¡± And just like that, he made his way back inside. I picked up a fork but it took a while to use it as I was still stuck on hisst words. Though I shut it all out and focused on my breakfast for a few minutes, I stopped halfway, frustrated. I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about those dominant thrusts. He knew what I wanted when I stared at his V and all I had to do was go and get it. With a deep exhale, I abandoned the food and made my way to the gym, my body already getting hotter. I walked in and closed the door behind me. The gym was so spacious that it looked like it was meant to be used by a whole town. He wasn¡¯t too far from the door, lifting weights with his back facing me. The sweat trickling down his back and his arms flexing with every rep only made my heart beat faster. He put down the weights, turned to face me while dragging a towel across his forehead. ¡°You followed me,¡± he said. ¡°Because I wanted to.¡± I crossed my arms, trying to sound casual. He scoffed, licking his bottom lip with that wet tongue of his. Then, he suddenly pulled me closer, his hands sliding inside the robe and squeezing my bare ass before he 7:21 Tue, Sep 16 teased my pussylips with his finger. ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± he whispered. ¡°What?¡± I moaned softly. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like you¡¯re ready to surrender to me right here and right now.¡± 78 55 vouchers I stared right into his eyes and ced my hands on his sweaty back like I was ready, making him roughly smash his lips on mine as he gently inserted his finger in me. He must have known that I was sore and yet I wanted him again. I was about to pull down his shorts and grab his hard cock when a knock on the door made us pause, our breaths heavy. He was visibly irritated while he approached the door without letting go of my hand. He opened the door with a low grunt and that only made him sound sexy to me. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that no one was supposed toe here for the next hour?¡± he said to Tim. ¡°Please pardon me, sir, but there¡¯s a call from your office in Dubai. It¡¯s urgent. They said the merger will fall through if they don¡¯t speak to you right now.¡± Maddox sighed. ¡°Fine, just give me a few seconds.¡± As soon as Tim excused himself, he turned to face me, cing his hand at the back of my neck. ¡°Keep making yourself at home until I¡¯m done with this.¡± His voice was low and seductive. I liked the sound of that and it made me wonder how long he would take. Now alone in the gym, I lost count of how long I waited but he wasn¡¯t yet back. I didn¡¯t even have my phone since I had left it on the terrace just so I could follow him. The artwork came to mind and I still couldn¡¯t believe he painted some of those. I wanted to go back there. I was walking past the staircase to head to the other side of the mansion when I heard a sharp and unmistakable voice from the foyer. ¡°What the fuck?¡± Tiffany said. When I turned to face her, she was already running up the stairs and right next to her was Grayson, his forehead creased in confusion. 7:21 Tue, Sep 16 Chapter 8 Blueprint 8 Chapter 8 Grayson : 78 55 vouchers Tiffany and I hadn¡¯t yet left for our honeymoon to Greece and it was mainly because I still had one more business meetingter in the day, which she decided to use to her advantage and get herself more clothes and shoes, some things I was certain she wasn¡¯t even going to wear in the next two weeks. ¡°I was thinking that I should buy more floral sundresses. What do you think?¡± she asked with enthusiasm. ¡°You¡¯ll look beautiful in anything. Whatever you feel like¡­¡± I trailed off with a sigh while my eyes were on the road, not wanting to really add to the conversation. She frowned. ¡°What¡¯s with you today?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just can¡¯t wait to go on our honeymoon. The private jet is ready but we still have to wait because of my business meetingter.¡± She rubbed her hand on the side of my shoulder tofort me. Shepletely fell for it when the honest truth was that I was actually thinking about Harper. Thest time I saw her was when I was taking wedding pictures with the family outside the church. I expected to see her at the wedding reception, but there was no sign of her. That wasn¡¯t how I wanted my big day to y out. Even her phone was unreachable when I called and I began to wonder what else it could have been. It was then that I figured out she must have decided to stay away so she wouldn¡¯t see the rest of it ¨C the speeches, the wedding cake and me dancing with my wife while I kissed her right on the dance floor. She obviously didn¡¯t want to sit there in tears, but I still wished she hade. I still had more than enough time before leaving town and already knew the perfect moment I was going to slip away from Tiffany so I could check up on Harper. She was obviously at her new home, curled up in bed with her pillow soaked in tears while she had a bottle of wine or whiskey on her nightstand. ¡°Babe, drive faster,¡± Tiffany said. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to get to Maddox¡¯s ce. I just don¡¯t understand why he did that. I know we¡¯re not the closest siblings, but how could he not be at the wedding reception?¡± I nced at her. ¡°I was surprised that he didn¡¯t even pick up his uncle¡¯s calls and that says a lot since he¡¯s closer to him than anyone else.¡± ¡°Ugh! Maddox obviously watched his phone ring. I mean how else do you exin him declining mom¡¯s call? I was with her when he did that. It fucking pissed me off, but it was worse for her. And he had the nerve to turn off his phone afterwards?¡± She shifted in her seat with a huff. ¡°He¡¯s really going to hear from me when I finally see him.¡± I nced at her. ¡°You actually make it sound like he owes you an apology. This is your brother we¡¯re talking about. You¡¯re not getting that out of him.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°I just want to know why he did all that and where the fuck was he?¡± I shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. You can ask him when we get to his ce, that¡¯s if you¡¯ll find him. He might already be out of the country, considering how busy he is with thepany these days. Whatever he had to do must have been extremely important to not be there for the rest of his sister¡¯s wedding.¡± 7:21 Tue, Sep 16 78 55 vouchers Tiffany and I still had quite the distance to cover before we would get to Maddox¡¯s estate, the one ce I never liked to be. It was so gorgeous that it made him look like he owned the world. He was also one of ten people in the world to have luxury cars custom made for him, one even costing $25,000,000. I tightened my grip on the steering wheel when we began to approach his estate on the secluded hillside, hoping Tiffany would only spend a few minutes there so we wouldn¡¯t stay too long. As Tiffany¡¯s brother, his presence was a permanent fixture in our lives. I was able to y civil, but that didn¡¯t mean I liked him. When I parked the car in his royal fucking estate, I stepped out first and opened the door on Tiffany¡¯s side. She was gorgeous as her footnded on the ground. I rested my arm around her waist as we headed inside and kissed her neck. She had to add so much foundation just to hide the hickeys fromst night when we fucked for hours. Even at that moment, I still wanted her. When we stepped into the foyer, I was adjusting my wristwatch while looking at it and Tiffany gasped, her tone sharp. ¡°What the fuck?¡± I raised my head to follow her gaze and when I looked right at the top of the stairs, I paused, wondering if my eyes were deceiving me. Harper? In nothing but Maddox¡¯s robe? I didn¡¯t want to believe it and quickly followed Tiffany as she rushed up the stairs to get to her. Even before we were close enough, Harper met my gaze and it felt like time stopped. She didn¡¯t smile, wave or even flinch. She just looked at me with an unreadable expression then looked away like I wasn¡¯t the center of her universe. Tiffany was alreadyshing out at her, but it all sounded like background noise to me. My gaze drifted to the narrowest part of Harper¡¯s waist that was entuated by how tightly the robe clung to her figure and showed off her sexy thighs and legs. My stomach twisted as I didn¡¯t want to picture it, but it was toote. Maddox got to be the one to see and feel everything underneath that robe. The fucking hickeys were all over her neck. His lips had been there and in several other ces that made my blood boil. ¡°You just couldn¡¯t help yourself, could you?¡± Tiffany snapped, now charging towards Harper like it was about to be a duel. I quickly grabbed her wrist to pull her back, but Harper just stood still with confidence. ¡°Harp¡­¡± I managed to say her name despite the shock and jealousy that apanied it. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Tiffany grunted as she pulled her wrist away from me, twisting her face in an ugly sneer at Harper. ¡°What does it look like? You threw yourself at Grayson for years and when he picked someone better to spend the rest of his life with, you decided to spread your legs for my brother!¡± Harper just stood with her arms folded and was so calm that it only enraged Tiffany even more. I also wanted her to say something, anything to make me feel at ease and get rid of the burning feeling in my chest. I didn¡¯t even stop Tiffany from talking to Harper like that. I expected her to be home, just the way I pictured 7:21 Tue, Sep 16 78 55 vouchers her, not that fucking location of all ces. ¡°Wait, why am I even surprised that my brother is your new target?¡± Tiffany clicked her tongue. ¡°Desperation really runs in the family. Just look at your sister, she slept with half the town before she left and-¡± Smack! The sound of Tiffany getting pped hard echoed. 7:21 Tue, Sep 16 Ch Blueprint 9 apter 9 Harper : 78 55 vouchers The palm of my handnded hard on Tiffany¡¯s cheek before I could stop myself. I was ready to take anything she threw at me, except bring my sister into that. ¡°Don¡¯t ever talk about Anna again!¡± I warned her, my voice low but sharp. Grayson stepped forward, raising his voice at me. ¡°How dare youy your hand on my wife?¡± He looked at me like I was the most ruthless human being he had ever known and I parted my lips to speak, but it took me a few seconds to get the words out. ¡°She¡¯s the one who crossed the line,¡± I snapped, staring right into his eyes. ¡°You heard everything she said to me.¡± ¡°I heard it,¡± he admitted, his tone still filled with rage. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you get to¡­¡± He trailed off when Tiffany sniffled like she was in tears. He turned to face her so he could check on her and my heart shattered into a million pieces as he treated her like his queen and I was just the girl who didn¡¯t matter to him. ¡°It¡¯s okay, baby.¡± His voice was gentle as he spoke to her but when he turned to face me, that rage was back. ¡°Look what you did to her.¡± Tiffany¡¯s cheek was red, but not as red as I would have loved it to be. I caught her smirk while tears rolled down her cheeks and it made me scoff. ¡°Is this funny to you?¡± Grayson towered over me as his chest rose and fell with heavy breaths. I had never seen him like that. ¡°It hurts so bad,¡± Tiffany said from behind him. He clenched his jaw and I could see his forehead veins popping out. ¡°If you every your hand on my wife again¡­¡± I waited, wondering how he would hurt me next with his words, but the moment was interrupted when Maddox showed up from behind me and now had a shirt on. ¡°Everything okay?¡± he asked. Tiffany rushed to him before he could even get too close. ¡°Look what she did to my face!¡± ¡°What did you do?¡± His voice was nonchnt. ¡°Seriously? How could you ask me that? Why weren¡¯t you at the wedding reception? Why didn¡¯t you pick up our calls? How dare you decline mom¡¯s call? Why the fuck is this loser here with you?¡± 7:21 Tue, Sep 16 78 55 vouchers ¡°Rx. That¡¯s too many questions at once.¡± He began to head back in the direction he had juste from. ¡°No! You know what?¡± Tiffany¡¯s annoying voice faded as she followed behind him until they turned at the corner. When I was left alone with Grayson, he took onest look at me from head to toe, then made his way down. the stairs, only to pace with clenched fists. He even wiped his forehead and exhaled loudly. I had never seen him so furious. I reyed his reaction to how I pped Tiffany and it made me want to get away so I wouldn¡¯t see his face. Just as I was about to head back to the master bedroom so I could be alone, he spoke loudly. ¡°That¡¯s it? You¡¯re just going to walk away?¡± I didn¡¯t even turn to face him, but could hear him quicklying up the steps. He towered over me again, still furious but his voice was a bit gentle. ¡°I would¡¯ve never expected something like this from you. Sleeping with Maddox of all people? This isn¡¯t you.¡± I smiled painfully. ¡°You don¡¯t know this version of me.¡± He gritted his teeth. ¡°You¡¯ve always known that he¡¯s a yboy and that hasn¡¯t changed. He has a different girl in his bed each week and was fucking Kate two days ago. I just don¡¯t want to see you get hurt.¡± I chuckled in disbelief, pressing my lips together. He didn¡¯t want to see me get hurt, yet he hurt me the most for years. ¡°You know what? That¡¯s it.¡± He looked at the robe with disgust. ¡°Get out of that thing and put on your clothes. I¡¯m taking you home, right now.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°No?¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m still hanging out here and Maddox will drop me offter.¡± He sighed with frustration. ¡°Did you hear anything I just said to you?¡± ¡°I heard every word, but I¡¯m staying here until I feel like going home.¡± He balled his hand into a fist, as if seconds away from punching the wall. ¡°He¡¯s only going to break your heart.¡± ¡°Trust me, I¡¯ll be just fine.¡± His gaze softened and just for a second, I was certain I saw some regret in his eyes. 7:21 Tue, Sep 16 ¡°Harp-¡± ¡°No.¡± I looked away, telling myself I must have been imagining things. I felt so stupid for even entertaining the idea that tears threatened to run down my cheeks. 78 E55 vouchers ¡°Enjoy your honeymoon,¡± I said, getting away from him with long strides. I didn¡¯t even look back. He wasn¡¯t going to see me like that. I rested my back against the headboard of the same massive bed Maddox and I had spent the night together, still stuck on Grayson¡¯s reaction after what I did to Tiffany. Each time I thought about what she said, I imagined myself adding another p. I heard the engine outside and hoped that the two of them were leaving. I didn¡¯t even bother to get up and check from the window. A few minutester, the bedroom door creaked open and I looked over, Maddox casually walking in like I hadn¡¯t pped his sister. He joined me on the bed and sat real close. ¡°That phone call from the Dubai office was more serious than I thought and I need to leave today. I¡¯ll be gone for two weeks.¡± Though I never knew how close he was to Tiffany, I expected him to first ask me why I pped her or something, but he was quite unpredictable. ¡°No one has ever been able to p some sense into my sister, at least you got far enough with that p.¡± I shook my head with a light chuckle. ¡°Was that supposed to be funny?¡± He shrugged, then smirked as he dropped his gaze to my legs. ¡°You¡¯re still wearing my robe and nothing underneath.¡± I looked down at myself and realized that too. I gasped when he ced his hand on my knee, slowly moving it toward my inner thigh. He wrapped his other hand on the side of my neck just so he could whisper in my car. ¡°I told you I wasn¡¯t done with you and I¡¯ve been thinking about fucking you in that gym since I left to answer the phone, but you know what?¡± I held my breath, trying not to spread my legs right away. ¡°I¡¯m taking you home right now. We can always go for round two some other time.¡± He pulled his hands away and even widened the distance between us. 7:21 Tue, Sep 16 : 77 55 vouchers I still had my lips parted but this time, in surprise. The guy who wanted to fuck me like he owned me was taking me home and putting his desires aside? He got off the bed and opened his wardrobe to give me a pair of his clothes. I caught them and knew I wouldn¡¯t fit as they were a bit too big, but they were still better than the red dress. It wasn¡¯t the same after what he did to mest night. I changed my clothes, came out to the front yard and he was ready to go. He didn¡¯t touch me or evene real close. He acted like he wasn¡¯t glued to my naked body during the night. The ride to my ce was silent in the beginning as I continued to wonder why he had decided to take me home. He even yed some music to fill the silence. I barely looked in his direction the entire time, keeping my gaze out the window as I reyed everything I had been through in the past twenty four hours. It went from heart break, hot sex and fury. We pulled up to my spacious driveway and I spotted my car, which made me look at him with raised eyebrows. He had made sure that it was brought home. He must have taken my car keys from my purse while I was asleep. I was mad about it, but d my car was home. He acted so nonchnt about it and didn¡¯t even mention it, scrolling on his phone for a few seconds before getting out to open the door for me. As soon as I stepped out, he stood in my way. ¡°Well, look at that,¡± he said, staring down at his phone. ¡°Grayson wants to see me before he leaves. Any guesses about what he wants?¡± I shrugged, not even wanting to hear his name. ¡°Disappointed you didn¡¯t get more of me?¡± He teased me,ing closer. ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± I lowered my gaze with a sigh. ¡°I heard everything Tiffany said. Had it just been about Grayson, we¡¯d be in that gym right now.¡± I looked up, pleasantly surprised. Suddenly, he pulled me closer by the waist and my breath hitched. He was once again holding me like he wanted to own me. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked quietly. My hands rested awkwardly on his chest and it wasn¡¯t even to push him away. His gaze dropped to my lips and he leaned in, not even to kiss me, just to hover near them. He gently traced his thumb along my jaw, as if reminding me how he grabbed it when I was in bed with him. Brushing his knuckles against my cheek, he said, ¡°I should get going now, but you better keep one thing in mind.¡± Chapter 10 Blueprint 10 hapter 10 Chapter 10 Maddox 55 vauchers So many hours had gone by since I had gone down on Harper, but I could still taste her on my tongue. Even after I had her ride me in the middle of the night, I had woken up hard as hell that morning when she was fast asleep in my arms, but she needed the rest so I left for my morning fitness routine. I expected her to have her breakfast and leave, but when she asked about that room with grill doors and had a genuine interest in my art and how it all began, she was asking too much. I had to remind her why she was with me to have a good time so she could forget about Grayson. ¨C I finished up with the call so I could finally fuck her in the gym, but Tiffany ruined it. I didn¡¯t know much about Anna, just enough to know that my sister crossed the line. Even though I ended up wanting Harper just as much as I did during the night, especially when she looked like she was ready to surrender to me, I wasn¡¯t going to make her moan my name again when she was hurting like that. So I yed it cool and took her home, even gripping the steering wheel tightly to stop myself from touching her. But the second we arrived at her ce and she stood before me, I yanked her closer by the waist. Her breath hitched and fuck, that sound. Her hands awkwardly rested on my chest as she looked up at me, flustered. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. I brushed my knuckles against her cheek. I just needed her to feel it. ¡°I should get going now, but you better keep one thing in mind.¡± ¡°Which is?¡± My gaze dropped to her lips then back to her eyes. ¡°We¡¯re still on for round two.¡± She pressed her lips together, furrowing her eyebrows while pulling on my shirt. I couldn¡¯t tell if she did that because she was thinking about the p, or the fact that I chose to bring her home when I made my intentions to fuck her in the gym clear. ¡°Hey, watch the shirt,¡± I said as I dropped my arms from her waist. ¡°It costs more than this house you live in.¡± She dropped her hands from my shirt in disbelief. ¡°You don¡¯t even know how much I pay for it each month.¡± ¡°That wouldn¡¯t make any difference.¡± She scoffed, turning around and making her way to the front door, but paused. ¡°What is it?¡± 7:22 Tue, Sep 16 77 55 vouchers She nced at her feet. ¡°These flip flops don¡¯t even fit me but I wore them anyway along with your clothes, but why did I leave my heels at your ce?¡± I smirked, getting closer so I could lower my voice. ¡°I¡¯m d you left them. They¡¯ll always be a reminder of what your legs looked like on my shoulders.¡± She blinked rapidly, thenposed herself. ¡°Thanks.¡± Her voice was soft. ¡°For what?¡± ¡°For making sure my car was brought here and not being aplete ass after what happened with Tiffany.¡± That caught me off guard and I chose not toment on it. ¡°I might change my mind and decide to go back with the clothes you have on. You better go inside before I take them off-¡± ¡°Aaand he¡¯s back,¡± she said quietly as she unlocked the door. My clothes were a little too big for her, but they still looked good on her. Maybe it was because she wore them with so much confidence, or just the fact they belonged to me. I waited until she was inside before getting in my car. While I was on my way to meet Grayson, I felt I owed Uncle Sebastian an exnation, so I gave him a call. ¡°Hmm,¡± he said as soon as he picked up. ¡°I wonder if truly, work was so important that you chose to miss out on the wedding reception.¡± ¡°Hey, Uncle.¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± He sounded serious at that moment, expecting a detailed exnation. ¡°It had nothing to do with work, but long story short-¡± ¡°Nope! I want the full version. Do you know how hard it was for me to cover for you? No one believed that you didn¡¯t pick up my calls, especially your father. I had to do some acting to make it work.¡± I chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re the best.¡± ¡°Tell me something I don¡¯t know! Now, why weren¡¯t you there?¡± ¡°Someone needed my help.¡± ¡°Who? What help?¡± He had raised me from the time I was nine years old until I was fifteen and he had always been one to ask so many questions as long as he wasn¡¯t satisfied. I sighed loudly. ¡°It was this girl-¡± 7:22 Tue, Sep 16 77 B55 vouchers ¡°I should have guessed it, but man, she must have been so special that you chose to miss out on the wedding reception.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that she was special. The situation was just¡­different.¡± ¡°Should I take it that you finally have a girlfriend?¡± ¡°What? No.¡± ¡°Eventually, you¡¯ll have to settle down. Just look at your cousins.¡± ¡°Good for them, but for me, that¡¯s not anytime soon.¡± ¡°Margot wouldn¡¯t stop talking about it. She¡¯s waiting for your big day.¡± I clenched my jaw after hearing my step¨Cmother¡¯s name. ¡°And you believed that?¡± ¡°Of course not, but she was on my neck when you declined her call, saying I didn¡¯t raise you right.¡± My grip tightened on the steering wheel. ¡°Why are we still talking about her?¡± ¡°Fine, tell me about who this girl was.¡± I huffed while shaking my head. He just wouldn¡¯t let it go, so I told him about Harper but left out a lot of the details and the part about Grayson. Grayson was parked outside one of his luxurious restaurants, but when I parked mine a few cars away from his, I leaned against it. He was the one who wanted to talk to me in person and the only way we were doing it was if he followed me right where I was. I sent him that text and watched him m his car door loudly a few secondster. Before he was even close enough, he seemed a little restless. ¡°Everything okay?¡± I asked. ¡± You look like-¡± ¡°Cut the bullshit and tell me what you¡¯re doing with Harper.¡± I chuckled softly, only because I was right about why he wanted to see me. I sighed. ¡°What does it look like? You saw her in my robe and right at my ce, where she spent the night with me.¡± ¡°You better listen to me.¡± He gritted his teeth, pointing at me like he had some authority, ¡°Stay away from her. You¡¯re always charming thedies so you can sleep with them and-¡± ¡°Is that what you think?¡± I cut in with a smirk. ¡°Harper kissed me first at the engagement party and then yesterday, offered me toe inside her home so we could have some fun. I decided to take her to my ce and that even gave her enough time to change her mind, but all she wanted was me.¡± 7:22 Tue, Sep 16 55 vouchers He firmly shook his head, balling his hands into fists. ¡°You¡¯re lying! She¡¯d never do that, not the Harper I know.¡± I pictured her fromst night, how she was riding my cock and slipping it back in all by herself when it slipped out of her. ¡°That¡¯s the old Harper,¡± I said. ¡°This one is wild and she keeps me wanting more.¡± ¡°I know exactly the type of person you are and I won¡¯t let you hurt her.¡± I lightly shook my head. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be the first time.¡± ¡°What the fuck is that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Aren¡¯t you a little too upset over someone who isn¡¯t your wife?¡± I asked, looking at how red his face had be. ¡°I¡¯m just looking out for my best friend. She needs protection from guys like you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about protection.¡± I lowered my voice just for emphasis. ¡°Harper and I had more than enough of that.¡± He chuckled bitterly, as if disgusted after understanding exactly what I meant. ¡°How about you just focus on Kate, Juliet, ra-¡± ¡°Her name is ire,¡± I corrected him. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Just keep Harper out of your dirty little games.¡± I tilted my head a little. ¡°What if she¡¯s the one who won¡¯t be able to stay away from me because she loves the way I make her feel?¡± He clenched his jaw, pausing for a moment before responding. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. It¡¯s a good thing you won¡¯t be around for two weeks and when you return, keep your distance.¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to see you talk like this while my sister is around. We both know you¡¯ve always worshipped her like a goddess while-¡± I stopped myself before I could mention how he treated Harper all those years while focusing on Tiffany. He didn¡¯t even dare to ask what I was going to say. It was like he already knew as he looked to the side and took a few steps back. ¡°Judging by your silence, I think we¡¯re done here.¡± I turned to face my car but paused when he spoke again. ¡°From here, I¡¯m going straight to Harper¡¯s ce to knock some sense into her.¡± I looked over my shoulder. ¡°What are you waiting for? Just make sure Tittany knows where you are.¡± He shut his eyes, like there was no way he was going to do such a thing and when he opened them, they 7:22 Tue, Sep 16 turned confrontational. : ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe to your sister¡¯s defence when Harper pped her?¡± ¡°Somebody had to put her in her ce.¡± 77 EZ 55 vouchers He shook his head in disbelief. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re still mad about what she and her mom did to you.¡± Blueprint 11` Maddox¡¯s clothes were neatly folded and put away after taking them out of the washing machine. The night with him was unforgettable, yet I was still thinking about Grayson and how he had defended Tiffany like she was the only one who mattered. If only I could blow off some steam with Maddox like we had earlier nned, but I needed this. It was still a shock to me that he felt the same way. In my eyes, he was still a yboy and finding out about how he slept with Kate two days ago changed nothing. I had no regrets as I knew what I had walked into when I told him what I wanted. While sitting on my living room couch, I remembered that look of regret Grayson had for just a split second but I quickly shut my eyes, telling myself to forget about it as I might have made up things that weren¡¯t even there. He must have already left town to enjoy his honeymoon. I needed him far away for now, not that it would change what was in my heart, but not seeing him would make it hurt less. Just as I was about to go to the kitchen and make something to eat, the doorbell rang and I paused, not a lot of people from before knew my new home address. I took a step towards the door but paused when I heard that familiar voice. ¡°Harp?¡± Grayson was at my doorstep and my heart skipped a beat, but I remembered what had happened with Tiffany and it made me get to the door even faster. I just wanted to open it so I could m it in his face. But as soon as I opened it and saw him standing there with his hands in his pockets, I tightened my grip on the doorknob, unable to do it, especially when he smiled at me. ¡°I was actually thinking I might¡¯vee to the wrong address. Can Ie in?¡± he asked softly. ¡°I still have an hour before the meeting that¡¯s kept me in town and I thought we could talk.¡± Without saying a word, I stepped aside and kept the door open for him. He walked in slowly and nced around the living room, that being his first time in my new home. I closed the door but didn¡¯t move from there, crossing my arms because I was still so mad at him, but he looked too good. His long sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and his hair was a little messy, like he had a rough day and that just made him more attractive to me. My eyes travelled down his veiny forearm and it sent my mind ces, but as soon as my eyes dropped to his hand and I spotted that wedding ring, my heart shattered. Turning to face me, he said, ¡°I have a lot to say but first of all, I¡¯m sorry about Tiffany. What she said was out of line.¡± 7:22 Tue, Sep 16 77 55 vouchers I sighed heavily. ¡°How long are you going to keep apologizing for her? She¡¯s been out of line so many times ever since she came into our lives and you¡¯ve always done this.¡± He didn¡¯t say anything, just as I expected. ¡°I¡¯m already over it,¡± I said, even though I wasn¡¯t. Hearing him apologize on Tiffany¡¯s behalf only made my blood boil and I just wanted him to leave immediately. But he sat down on the couch like he belonged there and tapped the spot next to him. ¡°Come sit with me.¡± I hesitated and my brain told me not to go, but my heart still remembered what it felt like to be wrapped in his arms. It only took a few seconds for me to give in to my heart¡¯s desire and I moved slowly until I got to the couch. I sat beside him, but not too close. Then, he reached for me to get me closer and threw his arm over my shoulder like the old days. For a few seconds, I let myself getfortable by resting my head on his chest. I hated how much I still loved it and how my body still responded to him. I wished he hadn¡¯t picked Tiffany and married her. I wished I could forget everything and just exist in that one stupid moment. ¡°You just told me you¡¯re over what Tiffany said, but I don¡¯t believe you,¡± he said. I smiled a little at how he caught onto that. I loved the way it felt when I had the side of my face on his chest and his voice vibrated while he spoke. He held me tighter and even though my brain begged me to get away as I had gotten toofortable, my body melted in his warmth. ¡°I just couldn¡¯t think straight the moment you pped Tiffany. I didn¡¯t mean tosh out at you the way I did.¡± ¡°She¡¯s your wife now. I get it.¡± ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s my wife, but you were here before her and you¡¯ll always be here.¡± I hated the sound of it. I was a constant in his life but never the choice. Still, my heart fluttered and I hated that, too. I tried to sit up so I could get away, but he held me tighter, as if begging me to sit still and I listened to my heart. ¡°Does Tiffany even know you¡¯re here right now?¡± ¡°No. She¡¯s too busy with my mother¨Cinw. She was actually furious when Tiffany told her what you did.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Was she more pissed than how I saw her at the wedding the one time I made eye contact with her?¡± (77) 55 vouchers ¡°More eyes were on you than they were on the bride. I¡¯m guessing she couldn¡¯t stand that. You were absolutely gorgeous in that red dress and those heels.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think you even noticed.¡± ¡°I definitely did.¡± My lips curved into a smile like those words meant the world to me. I expected him to bluntly ask me why I wasn¡¯t at the reception, or how I ended up at Maddox¡¯s ce, but hepletely changed the subject. ¡°You know, we haven¡¯t really talked much since you came back to town.¡± I looked up at his handsome face with a scoff. ¡°You¡¯re the only reason that hasn¡¯t happened. You¡¯ve been too busy with work.¡± He subtly licked his bottom lip and smiled at me. ¡°I could never be too busy for you.¡± There it was again, that flutter in my chest. I couldn¡¯t even speak. Then, he reached for my hand and his thumb brushed against my knuckles in slow and gentle strokes that made me forget how to breathe. That didn¡¯t even seem to make a difference to him as he had no idea what he was doing to me. He just casually carried on with the conversation. ¡°How was the graduation? I really wanted toe since we hadn¡¯t seen each other in years, but I just couldn¡¯t make it. I had some issues at thepany that needed me.¡± ¡°It was¡­.fine. I had a few family members present.¡± ¡°And your sister?¡± I frowned. ¡°She wasn¡¯t there. Actually, I didn¡¯t even inform her. I just thought she wouldn¡¯t care. If only mom were still alive, things might¡¯ve been different.¡± ¡°You know what I think? It¡¯s just a matter of time and you two will be close again.¡± I chuckled bitterly, pulling away from his hand. ¡°She called yesterday but it turned out to be a mistake. She made that very clear.¡± He sighed. ¡°You two used to be so close. I would¡¯ve never thought that a day like this woulde.¡± Talking about my sister only broke my heart and I wanted to get up to have a moment alone, but he pulled me back down and held me close. I might¡¯ve wanted to be alone, but I liked the feeling of being in his arms better. ¡°So, tell me about that job again.¡± I appreciated his effort to distract me. He already knew quite a bit about it. ¡°Well, it¡¯s this online gig for a startup and I work six hours a day. It¡¯s good money. That¡¯s why I have my own 7:22 Tue, Sep 16 ce now.¡± : 77 55 vouchers ¡°You¡¯re the smartest tech person I know and can do better than that. Actually, my friends and I are looking to assemble a team that can develop an app for one of mypanies and you¡¯re perfect for it.¡± I hesitated. Working closely with Grayson? ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± I managed to force a smile. ¡°And I¡¯m hoping that¡¯ll be a yes. I want it to be you.¡± He brushed a strand of hair behind my ear the way he used to and it sent shivers down my spine. His words were ying with my broken heart yet I wanted to believe it meant more when I knew it didn¡¯t. I looked away and rested my head right on his shoulder, still feeling that arm around me. ¡°Harp?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I missed you.¡± My heart started racing but I didn¡¯t look up at him. I balled my hand into a fist. He said all the right things but I couldn¡¯t believe it had to be now. ¡°I missed you too.¡± The words left my lips softly and they were true. I hated myself for it as soon as I told him because I knew he didn¡¯t miss me in the way that I missed him. I was still just a¡­friend. ¡°Harp, I want us to be close again.¡± That was it. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I feared I¡¯d sit on him and kiss him before stopping myself. His phone rang and I took that opportunity to get away from him. I crossed my arms as I stood by the window and looked outside. What game was he ying with me? I wanted that more than anything, just not in the way he did. ¡°That must be your wife. You better go now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually the office, but when Ie back, I¡¯ll figure things out. Tiffany will have to understand.¡± ¡°Understand what?¡± I asked, my voice t. ¡°That you¡¯ll always be important to me and I¡¯m not letting you go.¡± I turned to face him, those words not holding the meaning that I wished they did. He came closer, reached for my hand, then led the way outside like I was his girl and I wished I was, but that wedding ring scraped against my skin and reminded me of my ce. 7:22 Tue, Sep 16 : He stopped right in front of his car, turning to face me with a smile. ¡°If you need anything, I¡¯m right here,¡± he said. 77 55 vouchers I looked at those lips, his shoulders, his forearms, all of him. The one thing I needed was exactly what he couldn¡¯t give me. He pulled me into a hug and my eyes widened a little. I felt his warmth and closed my eyes like I could melt into it again. I wanted to pull away so I wouldn¡¯t get toofortable, but still held on just a few seconds. longer. When he finally let go, his eyes lingered on my face while he opened his car door. ¡°Stay away from Maddox. He¡¯s nothing but trouble.¡± He didn¡¯t even wait for my response and got in to drive off. I watched his car until it turned at the corner, wrapping my arms around myself while thinking about his warning for me to stay away from trouble. I closed my eyes and Maddox was all I could see. In those sheets and on that bed, he made me forget it all. He made me feel wanted and I wanted him too. But now that the high had faded, all of it was creeping back in, especially after Grayson hade to my house and said everything I wanted to hear. As I slowly made my way back inside, something made me stop in my tracks with narrowed eyes. Tiffany didn¡¯t react to the p the way she should¡¯ve. Of course, she shed some fake tears in front of Grayson, but that was it. That wasn¡¯t the Tiffany I knew. She was too calm about it. Why didn¡¯t it feel right? AD Blueprint 12 Chapter 12 Grayson 55 vouchers Tiffany rested her head on my shoulder, looking down at her phone. We had barely taken off and she had already taken so many pictures of us. Her hair was perfectly styled, her short skirt showed off her thighs and her lips looked so glossy like they were begging for mine. She looked stunning. She looked up and leaned in for a kiss with her legs crossed and I ran my hand up her thigh just to feel how smooth her skin was. I kissed her back like I meant it and in full view of the camera she had sneakily set on the table. But my mind wasn¡¯t there. It was still at Harper¡¯s ce, stuck on the look of surprise on her face when she opened the door and saw me standing there. Even when she initially looked guarded, I saw right through it all. She still wanted me. I could feel it in the way she tried to keep her distance but clung to me when I held her close, the way she intertwined her fingers with mine despite the ring on my finger. Her body told me what her mouth couldn¡¯t and fuck, it fed something in me. She still felt something for me and maybe that was why I held her a little longer than I should have. And maybe that¡¯s why I said the things I did. I knew she would hold on to them. I liked knowing I could still get to her. ¡°Babe, what are you thinking about?¡± Tiffany asked, her voice sweet and snapping me back to reality. I turned to her with a soft smile and tucked her hair behind her ear. ¡°I was just thinking about how lucky I am to have you.¡± Her eyes lit up like I had given her a diamond. I wrapped my arm tighter around her and kissed her forehead, like I had been in the moment with her all along. She ran her perfectly manicured fingers in my hair, smashing her lips on mine again, but pulled away to say something. I expected it to be about that moment, like I could lean back and let her take the lead, but it was far from it. ¡°So¡­.about Maddox and Harper.¡± She twisted her face in disgust as soon as she said, but I had to hide my genuine reaction, just slightly pulling away from her. ¡°What about them?¡± I asked, reaching for the champagne ss on the table. My grip on it tightened so hard that I was actually seconds away from cracking the damn thing. The images of the two of them in bed together shed in my mind. Her legs wrapped around his waist, unable to catch her breath while she moaned his name in pleasure and he was deep inside of her. 7:22 Tue, Sep 16 ¡°I spoke to my brother to stay away from her,¡± Tiffany said. ¡°Let me guess, he listened to you?¡± I asked with sarcasm. 77 55 vouchers ¡°You know how he is, but I won¡¯t let her have her way. If she thinks she¡¯s going to get what she wants out of this, I¡¯m not going to let that happen.¡± There was a mischievous smirk on her lips that grabbed my attention and I put down the ss so I could get closer to her face. ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re up to something.¡± She proudly nodded. ¡°Kate just needs to step up her game. I¡¯ve always wanted my best friend to end up with my brother. He¡¯s still messing around with other girls but I can take care of that.¡± Even though Tiffany wanted Maddox to end up with Kate, it made no difference to me who would be the lucky girl in the end as long as it wasn¡¯t Harper. ¡°That sounds like a perfect n,¡± I said. ¡°Of course it is.¡± She ran her hand down my chest. ¡°When my brotheres back two weeks from now, I¡¯ll get straight to work. It¡¯s a good thing he¡¯ll be gone for a while so that bitch doesn¡¯t get her ws in him.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t talk about Harper like that.¡± My voice sounded a little sharp. ¡°Ugh!¡± She pushed me away. ¡°You just had to ruin the moment by defending that bitch.¡± ¡°One more word like that out of your mouth and I¡¯ll turn this jet around.¡± She parted her lips, but nothing came out. Instead, she crossed her arms and faced the other side. I even thought that was the perfect moment to tell her that Harper wasn¡¯t going anywhere and it would be like the old days, but maybe it was too soon. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you still want to talk about her that way after what she did to me. You saw her p me.¡± ¡°We already talked about this. You¡¯re the one who crossed the line.¡± She faced me again with a sigh of irritation. ¡°It almost sounds like you¡¯re choosing her over me.¡± I scoffed, pulling her closer by the waist. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Remember what I told you right before the wedding began and you threatened to cancel it if Harper didn¡¯t leave? I¡¯ll say it again. Her presence in my life is nothing more than the friend she¡¯s always been and she knows it. That¡¯s why I show her over and over again that I only have eyes for you.¡± I then kissed the back of her hand, looking right into her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re that intimidated by her?¡± I raised an eyebrow. She rolled her eyes. ¡°Of course not. I just don¡¯t like how everyone was talking about her like she¡¯s now the center of the universe.¡± 7:22 Tue, Sep 16 ¡°Then let them talk. It makes no difference to me because you¡¯re the center of my universe.¡± She giggled, burying her face in my chest after gently hitting it. ¡°I love you.¡± 77 55 vouchers ¡°I love you too. Don¡¯t ever forget that no matter how many times you see me talking to Harper. She¡¯ll never be anything close to what you are to me, Mrs Ford.¡± She kissed me again with her arms wrapped around my neck and sat in myp. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to get to our honeymoon destination,¡± she said after pulling away. ¡°I really want to see thosendscapes.¡± ¡°And I can¡¯t wait to see you in another piece of lingerie.¡± She bit her lip. ¡°You¡¯re in for a pleasant surprise.¡± I shut out anything to do with Harper and Maddox, focusing on my beautiful wife in myp. I knew that when I would return from my honeymoon, Harper would be waiting for me. The ocean breeze was perfect that morning but not more than Tiffany. She was in a stunning white wrap dress with sunsses over her eyes and her legs stretched outzily on the lounge chair beside me. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s already been two weeks,¡± she said. ¡°If only we could stay longer.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t do that.¡± I firmly shook my head. ¡°I have so much pending work and so do you.¡± While that was mostly true, I also wanted to get back in town before Maddox. ¡°Any word from your brother about when he¡¯s going back home?¡± I asked. ¡°We haven¡¯t spoken muchtely, but I¡¯m guessing he might stay longer. There was anotherplication.¡± I looked to the side and smiled a little. That was perfect. I didn¡¯t want him near Harper. ¡°You know what surprises me? You never say much about your brother taking over your father¡¯s multi¨Cbillion dorpany.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to say?¡± She chuckled bitterly. ¡°Not even the n mom and I came up with made things work in my favor. Good thing I have my own ns. I only need to gain one particr investor¡¯s approval. When that happens, even my dad¡¯spany will look like nothing in my eyes.¡± Tiffany liked to bepetitive at times when it came to Maddox, even though he paid no attention to it. He didn¡¯t need to. He had everything. As she went on to exin all the huge ns she had in her head about her business, a young waitress approached with our food. She ced everything where it should have been but when handing Tiffany her juice, a dropletnded on the lounge chair she was on and she gasped dramatically. 7:22 Tue, Sep 16 ¡°What the fuck is your problem?¡± she snapped at the waitress. ¡°Please forgive me ma¡¯am.¡± The waitress apologetically brought her hands together. 77 55 vouchers. ¡°Are you fucking blind? You could have ruined my dress! Don¡¯t you know that it costs ten times more than what you get paid here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± I stepped in, shaking my head with disapproval. ¡°No. This servant needs to do her job well. It seems that management just hires anyone here. Why are you still in my face? Get out of here!¡± I watched as the waitress made her way back inside, her head low and eyes wide with embarrassment. The breeze wasn¡¯t so nice anymore as I turned to look at Tiffany. ¡°What?¡± She took off her sses. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to treat her like that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time to waste on people who don¡¯t know how to do their job.¡± She reached for her juice and sipped on it with ease. This was the side of her I never liked and no matter what I said, things never changed. I didn¡¯t feel like being beside her anymore so I made my way to our suite, but she immediately followed me, calling my name quietly so she wouldn¡¯t attract attention. It was only when I made it to the suite that I stopped walking. She came behind me and held onto my wrist. ¡°Babe, please don¡¯t be mad at me.¡± Her voice was now sweet. ¡°This is ourst day here before we return home and I don¡¯t want it to end on a bad note.¡± I sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve lost count of how many times you¡¯ve done things like this.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault that those around me can¡¯t live up to a certain standard.¡± ¡°And there you go again.¡± I was about to walk away from her again when she grabbed the sides of my face to kiss me. I was so mad about the incident with the waitress that I didn¡¯t even touch her right away, but that didn¡¯t stop her from lowering her hand into my shorts to grab my cock. I gasped against her lips, already aware of what she was trying to do. I didn¡¯t even get to kiss her much because she got down on her knees, her beautiful and seductive eyes. looking up at me while she pulled my shorts down. She knew just what to do to change my mood. 7:22 Tue, Sep 16 After not picking up my calls, I left Harper several messages but not once did she reply. I wanted her to know that I was back in town. 77 55 vouchers For someone I¡¯d been keeping in touch with during the time I was away, she was suddenly unresponsive, making me wonder what was going on with her. I needed to speak to Harper and feed something inside of me again. Tiffany and I made it home right around sunset and she was too focused on bragging to her friends about our honeymoon, which was about to work to my advantage. I only whispered to her that I needed to go to the office and she nodded in understanding and looked away to continue with her phone call. She didn¡¯t even ask how long I would take. And just like that, I got into the car and drove straight to Harper¡¯s ce. After not picking up my calls and replying to my texts, I wanted to surprise her by showing up at her doorstep and watch her try so hard not to jump on me. Just as I turned at the corner so I could get to her ce, I stepped on the brakes and tightened the grip on the steering wheel, my breath instantly heavy at the sight of Maddox¡¯s Rolls¨CRoyce Phantom parked in her driveway. É« Blueprint 13 Chapter 13 Harper : 55 vouchers I should have finished with theundry, but I stood by the washing machine, onest dress on my shoulder as I looked down at my phone. Grayson had sent me another photo and this time, Tiffany clung to him while in a white sundress. It was thest day of their honeymoon. I didn¡¯t know why he kept sending me those pictures. Maybe it was because he wanted it to be like the old days, since we were working on being close again. But I hated seeing every picture of them together and just the way he looked at her. I stared down at the picture longer than I should have, the pain in my heart making me tighten the grip around my phone. It was only when someone knocked on my front door that I looked away. I tossed the phone on the couch along with the dress on my shoulder, then approached the door. As soon as I opened it, I raised my eyebrows a little in surprise. ¡°Maddox?¡± I must have been so lost in the picture of Grayson and Tiffany that I didn¡¯t hear the engine of his car pulling up in my front yard. ¡°That¡¯s definitely the reaction I wanted to see.¡± He sighed in satisfaction. I stepped aside to let him in and as he walked past me, I inhaled the scent of his cologne. He smelled just like he did that night when I was in his bed. ¡°Based on what you told me before you left, I thought you wereing back tomorrow,¡± I said, closing the door. ¡°That was the initial n,¡± he said casually as he approached the couch. ¡°But I finished a day earlier with everything I was there for. I also realised I didn¡¯t have your damn number because it was supposed to be a one¨Ctime thing, or two.¡± He smirkedzily, making himself at home by taking a seat on the couch. I bit the inside of my lip as I sat on the same couch. The truth was that I still thought about that night during the two weeks he was away. It was the best sex I ever had. Then, my phone buzzed and the screen lit up with another notification. He was already so close to my phone that he looked down and his eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°You look like hell,¡± he bluntly told me as he looked away from the screen. 7:23 Tue, Sep 16 ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious.¡± My voice was quiet as I picked up my phone. 77 E55 vouchers My heart sank as I looked at the picture Grayson had sent me again. He was shirtless while Tiffany kissed his cheek ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s nothing?¡± Maddox leaned forward. I sighed, getting up from the couch and leaving my phone there. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s not talk.¡± His voice sounded lower and it was more of a dare than it was a suggestion. ¡°Blow off some steam with me.¡± I jerked my head in his direction with arms folded, not sure if he was actually being serious. ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± he said as if he read my mind, approaching me. I didn¡¯t even answer right away but was in the same spot near the wall. He had my full attention when I saw the look in his eyes as he took in the sight of me, making me press my thighs together. When he was so close that I could feel the warmth from his body, he ced his hands right on my hips and held me against his chest. ¡°I know exactly what you need and you know it too,¡± he whispered, his lips brushing against my ear. Even though his breath was already hot and heavy like he wanted to taste me right away, he didn¡¯t touch me more than he already did, waiting for me to say the words. I didn¡¯t want to think about those pictures anymore or listen to the ache in my heart, so I ced my hands on his shoulders and whispered to him. ¡°Take me.¡± ¡°dly.¡± His voice was rough and hungry. He kissed me hard and there was no teasing this time. His grip on my hips tightened and I gasped against his lips when he pinned me against the wall. Then, he slid his hands under my shirt, exploring my waist like he had always owned it. ¡°You don¡¯t want to go to your ce?¡± I managed to ask teasingly, surprised by the sudden shake in my own voice. ¡°No.¡± He breathed against my skin, kissing down my neck. ¡°I don¡¯t have the patience to just keep thinking about how you tastedst time.¡± He didn¡¯t want my lips away from his, so he grabbed my chin to make me face him again and his tongue slid into my mouth. My knees buckled when he ran his hands up the back of my thighs, lifting me with a growl like he couldn¡¯t get close enough. 7:23 Tue, Sep 16 77 E 65 vouchers I inhaled sharply against his lips, digging my nails into his shoulders when he pulled down my shorts and ran his middle finger between my folds. In that moment with Maddox, the heartbreak from Grayson and those photos all faded. I hadn¡¯t even realized that I needed him that much until he was kissing and touching me. My body came alive. To give him more ess to my pussy, I raised one leg and he held onto it, then shoved one finger inside of me, followed by another one. I moaned against his lips when he began to finger me, a little roughpared to thest time he did it but I didn¡¯t want it any other way. He looked right into my eyes with his lower lip stuck between his teeth and I pressed hard on his shoulders, my knees already giving up on me a second time. I couldn¡¯t even kiss him back when he ced his lips on mine, the intensity of his fingers on my g¨Cspot leaving my mouth wide open. I began to feel it building up, my erect nipples even brushing against his chest. I was so close that I lost my voice and pulled a little too hard on the fabric of his shirt. My legs gave up on me as I came all over his fingers, but he kept me upright, still massaging my wet lips even after pulling his fingers out of me. I hugged him to take it all in but couldn¡¯t even catch my breath as much as I wanted to. He turned me around and bent me over, my eyes rolling back when his tongue was all over my wet pussy so he could taste me. He moaned along with me. I looked back at him and even though I couldn¡¯t see his face, both his hands were on his hard cock as he put on a condom. He aligned himself when he had it on and even though I braced myself, I still squealed when he prated
  1. me.
¡°Fuck!¡± he whispered, then began thrusting hard into me. I ced my hands on the wall for support, but he reached for them and pinned them down on my back at the wrists with only one hand. He didn¡¯t even give me the chance to look back at him as his other hand was tight on the back of my neck to keep me exactly how he wanted me. I smiled to myself with my eyes shut, thinking about how much I really needed that andpletely surrendered to him. Wanting to feel him deeper, I arched my back some more and he spanked my ass. ¡°That¡¯s a good girl,¡± he groaned. I was dripping wet, his cock slipping in and out of me with ease, but I could still feel it stretching me out. He paused for a moment, then slowly began to grind the tip of his cock in me. My eyes rolled back and I needed something I could grab, anything, but all I could do was clench and unclench my fists that still rested 7:23 Tue, Sep 16 on my back. : 55 vouchers ¡°Please don¡¯t stop,¡± I moaned as I looked back at him, now able to move my head and it seemed the look in my eyes did something to him, because when he quickened his pace again, I couldn¡¯t keep it down even with my gritted teeth. When I felt my walls tighten around him with a wave of intense pleasure, my legs began to shake and I couldn¡¯t stand upright, but he pulled me towards him, thrusting into me at the same intensity so I could ride out my orgasm. His breath was heavy against my ear, still holding me close even when I was able to stand on my own. He pulled out, moving backwards while taking me with him to the couch. ¡°Come here.¡± The moment he sat down and leaned back, I sat on his hard cock with my feet on the floor and hands on my knees, sliding up and down on it while looking back at him. He didn¡¯t even touch me this time and I showed him just how much I still wanted it. My phone rang and it was Grayson when I looked over. I was too busy chasing another orgasm to even think about stopping when Maddox made me feel so good. At that moment, I thought fuck everything else. The bathroom filled with steam as I stepped under the spray, the hot water rolling down my back in the hope that the heat would wash away the ache in my thighs and the memory of Maddox¡¯s mouth, his hands, his voice and his cock. But the second I rxed, the ss door slid open I quickly turned and there he was, stepping inside with nothing on and my eyes went from the lines of his abs to the deep v of his hips and finally, his cock that fucked me so many times and I came over and over again. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked, backing slightly into the tiled wall behind me. I couldn¡¯t exin it but I was excited that he just came in the way he did. He didn¡¯t answer right away and came so close that the water now cascaded between us. ¡°I came to help,¡± he said. ¡°You looked like you still needed me.¡± I scoffed, attempting to move to the side but his hand caught my slippery waist and he pinned me against the wall. He trailed his fingers slowly up my spine and that gave me goosebumps. Bringing his lips closer to my ear, he whispered, ¡°You started this when you invited me in and then begged for it over and over again.¡± He slightly moved his head back so he could meet my gaze. He didn¡¯t even kiss me, just looking at me like he was already inside my head. 7:23 Tue, Sep 16 77 55 vouchers The way he made me wait drove me crazy and it made me feel like I was desperate to lose control around him. I then thought it would be fun to surprise him, so I grabbed his hard cock, got down on my knees and made him lose his breath with my mouth. When we stepped out of the shower, I was in a robe, raking my fingers through my damp hair while watching him in the mirror. He leaned against the door frame with only his pants on, like he still wanted to show off his perfectly sculpted top half. I didn¡¯t even mind. I loved looking at his bare chest and those pants that hung a bit too low. The strands of his damp hair covered his forehead and made him look like a beautiful mess. As he put on his watch, he said, ¡°I¡¯m d I now have your number. That way, I can call you whenever I need you.¡± ¡°For what?¡± My eyes narrowed. ¡°Like you don¡¯t know.¡± He smirked. ¡°It¡¯s my birthday in two weeks, on March 10th and you¡¯re invited.¡± I turned to face him after picking up my phone from the dressing mirror. ¡°Do you actually think I¡¯lle?¡± He stepped closer just to tower over me. ¡°You¡¯ll definitelye. You just can¡¯t help yourself.¡± I rolled my eyes but felt the heat between my legs. I almostughed but stopped myself by scrolling on my phone without checking Grayson¡¯s messages. Before making my way downstairs to pick up my clothes in the living room, I said, ¡°That depends. My friends and I might have ns on that day since it¡¯ll be Saturday.¡± He shook his head like he was disappointed, following behind me so he could give me the details about his birthday party like I had already agreed to go. Just as I crouched down to pick up my clothes, someone knocked on my front door, making me pause as I looked over at Maddox. I wasn¡¯t expecting anyone. He was kind enough to open the door and standing right on the other side was Grayson with his fist mid¨Cair, like he had frozen in the act of knocking after seeing Maddox shirtless and me in a robe. É« AD Comment Blueprint 14 Grayson¡¯s gaze lingered on me longer than it did on Maddox. He was still right by the door, yet my robe, damp hair, and glowy skin after I was freshly fucked seemed to grab his attention the most. He poked his inner cheek and I internally scoffed. He only ever did that when he was extremely furious or felt betrayed. I still remembered his warning for me to stay away from Maddox, but I couldn¡¯t. He was so good at making me forget all the pain in my heart. The nerve of Grayson to show up at my house after being away with Tiffany for two weeks and act like I wasn¡¯t supposed to enjoy myself. I expected a rush of shame or something, but I was perfectly calm. It didn¡¯t matter how he looked at me. I was about to be the ice breaker as the silence went on for too long, but Maddox beat me to it. ¡°Well, look who it is, the one half of the newlyweds. Where¡¯s Tiffany?¡± ¡°I left her home,¡± he said, walking past Maddox with his eyes still on me. ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t back in town.¡± ¡°I arrived a few hours ago. I didn¡¯t even head home yet. I thought I¡¯de straight here and surprise Harper.¡± Grayson looked at the lower half of my exposed thighs as he said, ¡°She doesn¡¯t like surprises.¡± Maddox chuckled from behind him. ¡°Oh, she definitely loved mine.¡± His suggestive stone made Grayson smack his lips, his face turning red so quickly like he was about to break something. Even when he came so close to me, I didn¡¯t feel the need to exin myself to him, so I smiled a little. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re back. How was the honeymoon?¡± ¡°Can we talk? In private?¡± he asked. I looked past his shoulder and Maddox leaned against the doorframe, still facing the front yard and listening to Grayson and I in silence. ¡°Sure¡± I led the way to the kitchen so Grayson and I could be alone, ncing over my shoulder just once. ¡°Coffe, juice or water?¡± I offered, my expression neutral and voice cold as ice. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± 7:23 Tue, Sep 16 : 77 55 vouchers The grumpiness in his voice gave it away that he was lying, but that still didn¡¯t make me feel any different. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll just make a cup of coffee for myself,¡± I said. ¡°Maddox might want one, too.¡± He leaned against the kitchen counter, watching me in silence for a few minutes as I moved around the kitchen with practiced ease, pouring hot coffee into two mugs like it was another casual morning. ¡°I have to admit that I was wrong about Greece,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s way more beautiful than I thought. The pictures you sent me were proof of that.¡± I turned to face him quickly and he nodded, his voice softer than I expected. ¡°Yes, it was absolutely beautiful.¡± I stirred my own cup with a spoon, letting the silence drag on a little before I added, ¡°Of all the pictures you sent me, I liked the one you and Tiffany took in front of the ocean.¡± My voice went quieter towards the end and those words tasted bitter on my tongue, but I smiled anyway and took a sip from my mug. ¡°I wasughing about it earlier today that you sent me so many pictures,¡± I said. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to look at them.¡± His tone was less friendly. I already knew why, so I just shrugged, lifting the mug to my lips again. ¡°How could I not look at them when you sent them to me? I appreciate your effort to keep me up to date with all the ces you and Tiffany had been to, at least most of them. Does she know you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to exin myself to her every time I¡¯ming to see you. I called and texted you so many times to let you know that I was on my way back but I didn¡¯t hear from you.¡± My mind wandered off a little, thinking about how my phone rang right when Maddox¡¯s cock was deep inside of me. ¡°I was..busy.¡± ¡°And you didn¡¯t bother to still check your pher on? Had you known that I was on the way, you would have warned me about Maddox being here and I wouldn¡¯t havee.¡± I tightened the grip on the mug. Had I found out earlier that he was on his way to my ce, I still wouldn¡¯t have told him that Maddox was with me. ¡°You two just can¡¯t stay away from each other, huh?¡± He shook his head lightly. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re falling for him.¡± I scoffed. ¡°We were just blowing off some steam. Anyway, what did you want to talk about?¡± He shook his head with disapproval. ¡°You¡¯re so different.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you can tell.¡± 7:23 Tue, Sep 16 He scoffed. ¡°That, right there, is exactly what I¡¯m talking about. I prefer the old Harp.¡± ¡°And I prefer this one,¡± Maddox chimed in as he entered the kitchen. ¡°Hey,¡± I said, approaching him. ¡°I made you some coffee.¡± 77 E55 vouchers He took it from me and sipped it quickly, his gaze lingering on my corbone like he wanted to trail kisses on it again. I didn¡¯t even realize Grayson was watching us until he cleared his throat from behind me. ¡°Thanks for the coffee.¡± Maddox set down the mug after drinking half of it. ¡°I have to go now. I¡¯ve spent the past four hours here.¡± I knew he was being flirtatious on thatst part, but he took it a step further when he pulled me closer by the waist and held me against his chest. My heart skipped a beat as our eyes locked. Maybe it was because I didn¡¯t expect him to do that in front of Grayson, or maybe it was because my body recognized his touch right away. ¡°So, that¡¯s a yes on my birthday party?¡± Maddox¡¯s eyes dropped to my lips. ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable.¡± I yfully rolled my eyes. ¡°I told you that¡¯ll depend on the ns I have with my friends.¡± ¡°Come on.¡± He smirked. I couldn¡¯t wipe the smile off my face. Maddox was openly flirting with me in front of Grayson and I didn¡¯t want him to stop. I nced at Grayson, but Maddox guided my gaze back to his by dominantly cing his fingertips at the base of my chin. ¡°Is that a yes?¡± he asked. I sighed. ¡°Yes.¡± He brought his face closer and whispered, ¡°That¡¯s a good girl.¡± I wasn¡¯t certain if Grayson heard that or not, but I didn¡¯t care. I was more focused on the sensation those words awakened between my legs. I expected a kiss from Maddox, but he suddenly dropped his arm from my waist and made his way out of the kitchen. I even felt iplete and furrowed my eyebrows as my eyes followed him. ¡°Harp¡­¡± Grayson said behind me. ¡°Hmm?¡± I nonchntly responded even while knowing he watched Maddox and I. ¡°This really isn¡¯t you,¡± he said. ¡°Openly flirting with the guy you¡¯ve always known was a yboy?¡± ¡°Can we not do this again?¡± My forehead creased. ¡°Listen to m-¡± 7:23 Tue, Sep 16 77 E55 vouchers ¡°No, you better listen to me. I appreciate your concern, but I know what I¡¯m doing. It¡¯s not like I wasn¡¯t seeing anyone when I was in college. I¡¯ll be just fine.¡± ¡°I can count on one hand the amount of times you¡¯ve spoken to him in person and here you are, sleeping with him again. Don¡¯t you see anything wrong with that?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± I firmly shook my head. ¡°Don¡¯t give yourself away so easily to anybody.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not just anybody.¡± ¡°I miss the days when you would listen to my advice, Harp.¡± ¡°And you never listened to mine, no matter how many times I told you Tiffany wasn¡¯t the sweet angel she pretended to be. You wanted her so badly that you just pursued her until you had her, so let me make my own choices.¡± Suddenly, he stepped forward and trapped me against the kitchen counter, making me ce my hands on it. He looked into my eyes as if searching for something and I could hear my heart pounding hard. Then, he possessively wrapped his arms around me and like an idiot, I closed my eyes. Being in his embrace felt so right when it wasn¡¯t supposed to. ¡°So much has changed about you, but you¡¯re still that sweet Harp and I just don¡¯t want to see you with Maddox because he¡¯ll only hurt you.¡± I wanted to tell him that Maddox and I were just fucking, but that was none of his business. ¡°You know what?¡± He pulled back slightly, cupping the sides of my face and my heart fluttered. ¡°What?¡± I managed to say. It took him a moment to speak and his gaze only grew more intense. I thought I spotted what looked like longing for a split second, but quickly told myself it would only ever happen in my dreams. Why didn¡¯t he say anything more? Why did he drag out the silence and make me feel like he was about to say something I desperately wanted to hear? The front door closed after Maddox was outside and I used that moment to get away from Grayson. I didn¡¯t want to be that close and look into his eyes like I meant something more to him. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m actually about to go this far,¡± he began, ¡°but there¡¯s something you need to know about Maddox.¡± 7:23 Tue, Sep 16 Blueprint 15 Chapter 15 Harper 77 55 vouchers Grayson¡¯s eyes were locked on mine and unreadable. There was something about the way he stood with his hands balled into fists at his sides that made my chest tighten. I wondered what he wanted to tell me about Maddox and he already made it seem like once I found out about it, it would put an end to whatever he and I had going on. With that in mind, I braced myself. In a quiet voice, he said, ¡°Maddox inherited his father¡¯spany right after graduation. He¡¯s currently under a lot of pressure and is leaving town soon so he won¡¯t be back for a long time. If he¡¯s promised you anything that sounds serious, you need to forget about it.¡± It took me a few seconds to respond while I stared at him, still processing what he had just told me. Then, smallugh slipped from my lips, almost involuntarily. ¡°Did I say something funny?¡± Grasyon furrowed his eyebrows at me, his voice a little sharp. ¡°Is that what you needed to tell me about Maddox?¡± I tilted my head. ¡°That he¡¯s busy and leaving town?¡± He didn¡¯t answer right away, but exhaled slowly in defeat. ¡°Judging by the look on your face,¡± he finally said, his voice softer this time, ¡°you just won¡¯t listen because you don¡¯t want to stay away from him.¡± While I could¡¯ve ended it right there, something reckless in me finally wanted to say more. ¡°Maddox and I are just having a good time.¡± My tone was t. ¡°That¡¯s all it is.¡± I watched him closely, expecting him to feel some relief that I wasn¡¯t falling for Maddox, but what I got instead was silence as he looked at me with an expression that seemed like it had a flicker of pain. I told myself I was just imagining things. ¡°I should get going now,¡± he said, looking away with his jaw clenched. ¡°I only got back from my honeymoon and I have so much to do starting tomorrow. I need the rest.¡± He didn¡¯t meet my gaze even once as he began to make his way out of the kitchen. I stood there for a few seconds, shaking my head in disbelief. He had been constantly warning me to stay away from Maddox, so why did he just drop the topic when I told him it meant nothing? He heard me loud and clear, so if he wasn¡¯t going to ask, I wasn¡¯t going to push for him to say something about it. I quietly followed behind him until we were outside. He quickened his pace as if he wanted to leave as soon as possible, leaving me behind and I wondered if 1 should say something, anything. He reached the driver¡¯s side and opened the door without looking back. Judging by the continued silence between us, I was certain he would leave just like that. It actually began to bother me. 7:23 Tue, Sep 16 : 77 55 vouchers Then, he turned back around to face me and approached with an intense gaze that caught me off guard. It left me frozen in ce, my anticipation of the unknown quickly building up. He pulled me in for a gentle hug and I felt stupid for thinking he was going to kiss me. Why would he? That moment still made my heart flutter. It felt like I belonged in his arms and his breath against my hair only made me feel warmer than I already did in his embrace. That was how easy it was for him to make me feel a rush. He didn¡¯t have to do much. While I wanted to hug him back so I could also hold him like he belonged to me, I knew I would only hurt the moment he would let go and return to his wife. ¡°Goodnight, Harp.¡± I was still stuck on the vibrations of his voice when he suddenly dropped his hands and took a few steps back, returning to his car without waiting for my response. I was glued to the same spot until his car turned at the corner, wrapping my arms around myself like I didn¡¯t want to forget thest few seconds with him. My heart still hadn¡¯t learned its lesson. My heart still pounded hard, but it wasn¡¯t the same wild rhythm Maddox made me feel. With him, it was losing control in the heat of the moment. Once again, he made me forget the past and the present right against the wall, on that couch and in that shower, but all it took was Grayson to show up and I was reminded that a few hours of intense pleasure still weren¡¯t enough to get rid of all the feelings I had bottled up over the years and was still bottling up. When I got back inside and finally finished with theundry, my phone buzzed with a message notification. The sender was Maddox and when I opened it, my jaw dropped. ¡°I just got home and not to rm the situation or anything, but there¡¯s a slight difort in my cock and it¡¯s definitely because of you. I¡¯m just not sure if it¡¯s your mouth or that part of you that I love the most.¡± I burst intoughter and felt a slight difort in my throat. I thought it was because I hadughed too hard, so I carried on like it was nothing. After reading his message over and over again while shaking my head with a smile, I replied with a hrious apology. I pressed the send button as I walked into my bedroom but before I could even get on the bed, my phone buzzed again. It turned out that he was just messing with me. His unfiltered yfulness kept a smile on my face as we continued to chat and I needed that. It was also the reason I went to sleep that night without focusing too much on what I couldn¡¯t have. I was usually filled with energy in the morning while on my exercise routine, but that day was different. Not only was I still a little sore from the hot sex I had with Maddox, but something just didn¡¯t feel right in my body. I still had that feeling of difort in my throat. It was there throughout the night. I took it easy on myself during my morning jog, running past a few familiar faces that were now my neighbours. 55 vouchers I was usually faster but couldn¡¯t do much. I even had to cut down the time in half and began to make my way back home. Just as I turned at the corner, I felt someone¡¯s presence beside me. ¡°Beautiful morning, huh?¡± He smiled, a little out of breath. I nced at him and recognized him right away. ¡°Yes, it is. Hey, I know you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± He grinned. ¡°I was wondering if you would remember me, considering how your boyfriend dragged you out of the barst time.¡± I scoffed, stopping in my tracks to catch my breath. ¡°He¡¯s not my boyfriend.¡± He followed suit and stopped right beside me. ¡°That¡¯s hard to believe. I¡¯ve never seen Maddox like that.¡± My eyes narrowed. ¡°You know him?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t personally know me, but he broke my cousin¡¯s heart some months ago. Who doesn¡¯t know Maddox Aldridge?¡± ¡°Right.¡± I nodded in agreement. ¡°I¡¯m just surprised you were able to recognize me when my face looked like a messst time.¡± ¡°The hair kinda gave me a hint and I took my chances anyway. I¡¯m Dean.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Harper. Do you live around here?¡± ¡°I do now. I only moved to this neighborhood yesterday. I guess we¡¯ll be seeing each other more often.¡± Just as I was about to respond, my phone began to ring and I looked down, Maddox¡¯s name on the caller ID. It was a video chat. ¡°I better run now, literally,¡± Dean chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely see you around.¡± He quickened his pace, widening the distance between us. After holding up the phone and swiping up to answer, Maddox appeared on the screen. He was shirtless, hair clinging to his sweaty forehead and that white towel around his neck only drawing my attention down to his bare chest. He was so out of breath that when the sound of it came through the speaker, it only reminded me of what that sounded likest night, when he was thrusting into me with his lips right against my ear. ¡°You look like you just ran a marathon,¡± I said, trying to keep my voice steady. ¡°Ten miles.¡± He grinned, then drank from his water bottle. ¡°And you?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t do much. My body isn¡¯t up for it today.¡± 7:23 Tue, Sep 16 ¡°I¡¯m not surprised.¡± He smirked. 77 55 vouchers His tone was so suggestive that I rolled my eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not just that. There¡¯s also a difort in my throat.¡± He smirked. ¡°Hmm, in your throat?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I hit the back of your throat with my c-¡± ¡°Stop.¡± I chuckled. ¡°It kinda feels like a sore throat. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± ¡°I might check on youter on my way back. That¡¯s if I feel like it,¡± he said with a hint of arrogance. ¡°On your way back from where?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to my dad¡¯s estateter this afternoon.¡± He huffed. My eyes narrowed. ¡°Why do you sound like you don¡¯t want to go?¡± ¡°He insisted that I needed to be there so we could talk. Margot mainly nned for this because Tiffany and Grayson are back from their honeymoon.¡± My heart sank. ¡°I see.¡± He was in the middle of telling me about how long he was going to be there when Tim interrupted him for something that urgently needed his attention. His gaze lingered on the screen for a few seconds before he finally said, ¡°I¡¯ll call youter.¡± When the call ended, I made it back home, immediately stepping into the shower to freshen up. I closed my eyes, the water cascading down my body to make me feel refreshed. I then opened my eyes, picturing Maddox right in front of me the same way he came in with nothing on. I had even thought about him when I nced at my living room couch and a certain part of the wall. The more I thought about it, the more I felt like he had fucked me everywhere, except in the kitchen. That only filled my mind with dirty thoughts even as I sat down with myptop so I could work. I was a few hours in when I decided to take a break, an iing call from Zoey shing on my screen as l came to the kitchen for something to eat. ¡°You know, it¡¯s funny how the universe works. I was just about to call you and E. Looks like you beat me to it!¡± I said with so much enthusiasm. ¡°Wait, why do you sound so excited when things are so messy right now?¡± Her tone was serious. ¡°What do you mean?¡± My eyes narrowed. She sighed. ¡°I guess you don¡¯t know.¡± 7:24 Tue, Sep 16 ¡°What happened?¡± She began to worry me. ¡°It¡¯s Tiffany.¡± Blueprint 16 Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Grayson 55 vouchers I should have known that it wasn¡¯t over that day when Harper pped Tiffany hard and all my wife did was shed a few tears. She just made it seem like she wasn¡¯t humiliated and the p didn¡¯t sting that much. That should have been my warning because it turned out that all along, she was waiting. She finally delivered her strategic blow and must have wanted to enjoy every moment of it by not letting it get in the way of our honeymoon. I got up from the chair by the balcony, my grip getting tighter around my phone. Right on her page, Tiffany had made a post about Harper, but not the version of her that was gorgeous and glowing. It contained a number of old photos I hadn¡¯t seen in years. They were from before college, before the confidence, before everything about her bloomed. They were from a time when she still had her hair pulled back in messy braids, oversized clothes, braces and e all over her face. Tiffany made sure to strike where it would hurt Harper the most, by going after her transformation and it was crystal clear in the caption. ¡°It¡¯s just funny how the girl who thinks she can now go around pping people used to beg for crumbs of attention. Not even her best friend wanted her. Like seriously, who would want this?¡± The caption hit me hard and I shut my eyes for a moment, running the palm of my hand down my face before staring at the photos again and then at one particr statement in the caption. Not even her best friend wanted her. I was so mad that I roughly shoved my phone in my pocket, not just because of what Tiffany did, but also because of how much of it was true. Now that I could finally see myself with Harper, she was too focused on Maddox and even had the nerve to tell me that they were just having a good time. That was all it was to her and nothing serious. It should have made me feel better, but it didn¡¯t. It made everything worse because the idea of her offering herself to that fuckboy who was now my brother¨Cinw so casually made me want to smash everything. He was having the better version of her which was every man¡¯s desire. I wasn¡¯t even able to sleep peacefully at night as I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about her and how she spread her legs for him a second time. I was supposed to head to the bathroom so I could freshen up, but that was going to wait. I needed to speak to Tiffany first, I came back to the bedroom and found her sitting with her legs crossed, humming softly while lining her lips.. She always looked so ever bothered her and that day wasn¡¯t any different, but it should have been. ¡°Babe,¡± I said, looking at her reflection. ¡°Mm¨Chmm?¡± She didn¡¯t even nce at me. ¡°Why did you post that?¡± She paused with the lip liner mid¨Cswipe, but it was only for a second. ¡°Which one? 1 post a lot of things. 7:24 Tue, Sep 16 77 I got closer to her chair, my jaw clenched. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to y dumb with me.¡± 55 vouchers When she finally met my eyes in the mirror, she showed no signs of being apologetic. She was only amused. ¡°Baby, it¡¯s already been two weeks but I wasn¡¯t just going to sit around after Harper slept with my brother and pped me.¡± My stomach twisted at the thought of Maddox fucking Harper. Tiffany had no idea that the two of them had done it again the previous night and this time, right in Harper¡¯s home. She let him touch her in all the ways I now wished I could. When she finished lining her lips, she picked up a brush to blend. ¡°I never liked Harper and you¡¯ve known this from the first day we met. She always wanted to act like she was better than everyone else, like she was quiet and sweet but deep down? She just wanted attention and now, she¡¯s finally getting it. Well, good for her.¡± I didn¡¯t say anything immediately. I was too busy imagining the sounds Harper made when Maddox kissed her while he was deep inside of her. My silence seemed to bother Tiffany as she looked back at me, smirking at me with her purple lips as she came to me. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re mad at me.¡± I sighed. ¡°Do you have any idea how cruel that post was?¡± ¡°Cruel?¡± she mockingly repeated. ¡°That was just a little taste of what I could do and besides, I only told the truth. You didn¡¯t want her back then. No one did.¡± I clenched my fists behind my back because now, I wanted Harper, even more than I did before she fucked Maddox. ¡°I made it clear that you should leave her alone,¡± I reminded her. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I did. I didn¡¯t touch her, I only touched the inte.¡± she winked. ¡°She started it. Did she honestly think my reaction that day was the end of it? I¡¯d like to see here back from this.¡± She gently ran the palm of her hand against the side of my face before walking past me. She was calm because the whole thing didn¡¯t matter to her, but it mattered to me. When I finally stepped into the shower, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about Harper and how she must have felt when she saw that post. She must have been quiet when she read the caption. She must have seen it by now, but why didn¡¯t she call me? Tiffany was downstairs when I returned to the bedroom and before putting on my suit. I reached for my phone and scrolled to Harper¡¯s number. My thumb hovered over the call button as I told myself I shouldn¡¯t be calling her, not after what Tiffany did. In the end, I dialed her number anyway. ¡°Hello?¡± she said from the other end of the line, her voice a little strained. 7:24 Tue, Sep 16 : 55 vouchera ¡°Hey, everything good?¡± I was already under the assumption that she sounded that way because of the post. ¡°Just a sore throat. What¡¯s up?¡± Not even finding out the reason she sounded that way put me at ease. ¡°Have you seen Tiffany¡¯s post?¡± I asked. ¡°How could I not see it when it¡¯s everywhere and I¡¯ve been mentioned so many times?¡± Her tone was a little sharp. I sighed. ¡°Look, Tiffany shouldn¡¯t have done that. She really crossed the line and I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°There you go again.¡± ¡°Harp-¡± ¡°No,¡± she cut in. ¡°The next time something like this happens, don¡¯t even bother apologizing, especially not for her.¡± I closed my eyes. ¡°I just didn¡¯t want you to think I¡¯m in support of any of this.¡± ¡°Are you being for real?¡± Her strained voice cracked a little. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter because in the end, you always protect her, even when she¡¯s doing the most hurtful things.¡± She was right and it made me press the phone harder against my ear. ¡°I just-¡± ¡°She¡¯s clearly trying to ruin my reputation, but I know exactly how to handle this.¡± My eyes narrowed with curiosity. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± With so much confidence, she only said, ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± 1 Çú AD Comment Send gift No Ads 7:24 Tue, Sep 16 C Blueprint 17 hapter 17 Chapter 17 Maddox : 77 55 vouchers I was on my way to Grayson and Tiffany¡¯s residence so we could leave together for the stupid family lunch. I couldn¡¯t wait for the hours to go by quickly. It was still only because of my father that I was even showing up. He had never made anything sound so urgent and that made me believe he had something important to say. Just to forget about what else I would have to deal with at the estate, the post about Harper came to my mind again. I thought it was just too easy that Tiffany did nothing more after that day she found Harper at my ce and received that hard p. I had gotten off the phone with Harper right before I drove to Grayson¡¯s residence. She didn¡¯t say much about the post and even sounded cool, almost too cool, apart from that sore throat. But to me, it felt like she was hiding a fire behind each word. It wasn¡¯t even a surprise because I had seen it first hand. She was always so calm and collected but when fucking me, she was different. My mind drifted back tost night. The way she raised her leg to expose her pussy to me. The way I leaned back on that couch and watched her bounce her ass while my cock was inside of her and the way her tongue and mouth felt in the shower when she got on her knees. She was all I could think about while I was out of town for two weeks. It was for this reason that I went straight to her house when I returned. It was worth it. I had never been like that with anyone before. While I was still thinking about her, there was an iing call and I looked over. It was Kate¡¯s name on the caller ID. I focused on the road again, telling myself I¡¯d call her backter. But that wasn¡¯t the first time I was doing that. As I arrived at the Ford estate, the iron gates opened and I drove my car along the perfectly manicured driveway. This was my sister and her husband¡¯s home and it wasn¡¯t that impressive, at least not to me. I stepped out of the car and the butler was already by the front doors. ¡°Good afternoon, Mr Aldridge,¡± he greeted me with a bow. 1 gave a slight nod and made my way inside, already looking at my surroundings. Even with the smell of fresh lilies in the air and my ck shoes blending in with the marble floors, it still wasn¡¯t to my taste. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Ford will be down shortly,¡± the butler added as he gestured towards one of the living rooms. I didn¡¯t even take a seat, but instead stood by the window and shoved my hands in the pockets of my suit as I nced at the beautiful garden outside. I found myself thinking about Harper again and the way she looked at mest night. I was both her ruin and 7:24 Tue, Sep 16 ??)) 77 55 vouchers her release. There was something I was yet to tell her and imagining her reaction already made me eager to say it, but I wanted it to be in person. It was only when Tiffany¡¯s voice echoed with an annoyingughter along with her heels that my thoughts were interrupted. ¡°No, Kate, I¡¯m telling you, she¡¯s probably in bed, her pillow soaked in her tears. I mean, just look at those pictures. Yikes!¡± She said it all without a care in the world. When I turned slowly, she was making her way down the stairs, a little overdressed for lunch, but that was Tiffany and it didn¡¯te as a surprise. Even as her eyes met mine, she focused on her conversation with Kate. ¡°I¡¯m d that the people in thements can confirm that it¡¯s really her in those pictures. Some people refuse to believe it because she looks like some goddess now. Anyway I¡¯ll call youter. He¡¯s here.¡± Her voice was a little quiet towards the end, like she was suggesting something to Kate, but I paid no attention to it. As soon as she hung up, she said, ¡°how do I look?¡± ¡°Overdressed,¡± I said tly. ¡°And yet I still look so good!¡± She checked herself out. ¡°I thought I¡¯d find you with a drink in hand or something.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± She began to talk about how much she spent on her outfit and I watched her closely. She was beautiful and styled to perfection but there was something rotten underneath all of it. ¡°Why are you looking at me like there is a stain on my dress or something?¡± she asked, her eyes narrowed. ¡°It¡¯s got nothing to do with your dress.¡± I slightly tilted my head. ¡°I¡¯m just wondering why you had to post that about Harper.¡± ¡°Oh, that thing?¡± She smirked with amusement as she walked past me. ¡°You make it sound like I did the worst thing in the history of mankind. Come on. It wasn¡¯t a big deal, just some old photos. She¡¯s been through worse, Following behind her, I said, ¡°Is that why you were on the phone,ughing about it with Kate?¡± She turned to face me, raising her eyebrows. ¡°I remember the days when you called her Clingy Harper. That¡¯s all she was, someone you made fun of, so is this you defending her? And don¡¯t you remember what she did to me? She pped me a-¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you disrespected her family and you know it.¡± 7:24 Tue, Sep 16 : 77 E55 vouchers ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you say. She¡¯s not some innocent victim. She threw herself at you two weeks ago.¡± I smacked my lips and leaned against the wall, realising she did all this with that old image in mind. She still had no idea that I slept with Harper again and it left me with a few questions. ¡°What is it?¡± she asked, as if picking up on my reaction. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± She didn¡¯t ask anything further but only said something about forgetting to pack her lipstick, so she made her way back upstairs. Right when she turned at the corner, Grayson appeared, making his way down while adjusting the watch on his wrist. Just the person I was looking for. ¡°Didn¡¯t mean to keep you waiting,¡± he said after getting past the bottom stair. ¡°I haven¡¯t been here too long.¡± I watched him closely, waiting for him to bring up the topic first, but he seemed to choose silence. It was for this reason that I pushed myself off the wall and approached him, my voice low when I spoke. ¡°So¡­ you didn¡¯t tell her.¡± His forehead creased. ¡°Tell who what?¡± I chuckled in disbelief. ¡°I¡¯m talking about Tiffany. You didn¡¯t tell her you found me at Harper¡¯s ce and I was shirtless while she was in a robe.¡± His eyes narrowed but he said nothing and that told me everything. I stepped closer, my voice filled with mockery. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you afraid to tell your wife that the minute you returned from your honeymoon, you came straight to Harper¡¯s front door?¡± He blinked quickly, looking to the side with a clenched jaw. That was the confirmation I needed. ¡°Yeah,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± His stare was hard when he finally decided to say something. ¡°The only reason I didn¡¯t tell Tiffany anything is because that would have only made things worse. She¡¯s already made her move and that¡¯s only because of what happened two weeks ago. Imagine when she finds out it happened again.¡± ¡°No, imagine when she finds out after it happens the fifth time.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± He scowled. ¡°You know exactly what it means.¡± He poked his cheek. 7:25 Tue, Sep 16 77 55 vouchers ¡°I heard you yesterday, telling Harper that I was leaving town and what did she tell you?¡± He scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m d you heard that for yourself. At least you know that I want her to stay away from you because I¡¯m concerned.¡± ¡°Concerned? That¡¯s why you came to see her the moment you returned? You might not realize this, but I¡¯m watching you closely.¡± ¡°Why?¡± He stepped forward, bringing his face closer to mine. Tiffany¡¯s heels echoed along the hallway, getting louder each second. It was the only reason he stepped back. He seemed a little agitated that I saw right through him. He wasn¡¯t fooling me. As soon as Tiffany was close enough, he reached for her hand and they left ahead of me. He evenplimented her entire look again and she giggled the way she always did. I needed a minute before I could get to my car, once again reminding myself that I needed to wear a fake smile at my father¡¯s residence since I was going to spend the afternoon there. I finally made it to my car and driving alone to the estate gave me more time topose myself and I received a call from Uncle Sebastian. ¡°I was just about to call. I¡¯m on my way to the estate,¡± I said with an effort. He chuckled. ¡°Why does it already sound like you don¡¯t want to go home?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not home and you know it.¡± ¡°You might be right, but you lived there for quite some time.¡± ¡°But I spent more years with you.¡± ¡°Just try to enjoy it and don¡¯t focus too much on Margot. Got it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± After a twenty minute drive, I could see the Aldridge estate. I hadn¡¯t been to that residence in a few months. Though I had lived there for some years, it never felt like home, except for one room. I parked next to Grayson¡¯s car and leaned back in my seat with a heavy sigh, watching the two of them step out first but pause to talk about something quietly. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with,¡± I said under my breath, carrying a special set of keys with me to the one ce that actually felt like home in the whole estate. As soon as I made it into the hallway, the first person I spotted was Margot. She wore a long and elegant beige dress, a diamond ne and earrings toplete her look. 7:25 Tue, Sep 16 77 E55 vouchers ¡°Well, look who it is,¡± she said, her fake smile growing wider when she was close enough. ¡°It feels just like yesterday when you declined my call, but it¡¯s already been two weeks. I didn¡¯t get an apology, but no hard feelings, okay?¡± Hard feelings or not, I didn¡¯t give a fuck. Nothing she said politely ever meant she was being nice. I always saw right through her. I was the one who inherited my father¡¯spany, yet she still walked around like everything should have belonged to Tiffany. Gently cing her hands on my shoulders, she said, ¡°You look so much like your father today.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± I didn¡¯t return the smile as I took a step back to not feel her touch. She was about to say something about it after a soft chuckle of disbelief, but Grayson joined the two of us and greeted her with a kiss. Her attentionpletely shifted as he was like his golden boy, especially now that he was her son¨Cinw. I let them walk ahead of me since I wasn¡¯t even interested in their conversation. Then, my phone buzzed in my hand. It was a message from Harper and it instantly made me shake my head in amusement.. ¡°Any chance I can know the time I¡¯m getting my snacks?¡± I had told her that I would get her something since she wasn¡¯t feeling too well. I was in the middle of typing while heading towards the garden when I heard a familiar voice that made me stop in my tracks. ¡°Hey, handsome.¡± I turned and there she was with blond waves, red lips that smirked at me the way they did when we were alone, short ck dress and heels that entuated her smooth legs. It should have been a pleasant surprise to see her, but it wasn¡¯t. That was a family gathering, so why was she there? ¡°Kate?¡± AD Comment Send gift No Ads 7:25 Tue, Sep 16 Blueprint 18 Maddox : ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked Kate, too stunned to soften my tone. She chuckled. ¡°Tiffany invited me.¡± I nced to the side for a moment. Of course it was Tiffany. ¡°I thought this was a family gathering,¡± I said bluntly. 77 55 vouchers She ced her fingertips over her red lips as she came closer to me. ¡°You say the funniest things. Tiffany said it would be nice to have close friends around since they¡¯re considered family. Anyway, you haven¡¯t been picking my calls or replying to my texts.¡± She ced her hand on my shoulder and I began to look around just to see if anyone was watching, but it was just the two of us. ¡°Rx.¡± Her tone was low and flirtatious. I¡¯m not trying to stir anything, at least not for now. You and I have all the time in the world and we need to¡­catch up.¡± She ran her hand halfway down my chest, then took a few steps back and made her way to the garden to join everyone else. Just as I processed that moment, I heard a familiar voice behind me. ¡°You made it.¡± I turned and looked at my father. He was always dressed like he just came from a board meeting even when he was home. ¡°Dad.¡± I kept it brief. My tone wasn¡¯t cold, but it wasn¡¯t warm either. He took a few steps forward like he wanted to do more, maybe ce his hand on my shoulder or something but instead, he just nodded. ¡°I saw thepany¡¯s report. Good job,¡± he said with a nk expression. I only gave a light nod. Most of our chats usually involved business, but a moment for something different had presented itself. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Kate was on the guest list,¡± I said. ¡°Me neither, but your mother was so excited when she arrived.¡± I balled my hand into a fist at how he addressed her. ¡°Your mother has been nning this all week.¡± He gestured towards the other direction. ¡°We¡¯ll be having lunch in the garden.¡± 7:25 Tue, Sep 16 Just when I was about to tell him that I already knew that, Margot¡¯s voice interrupted. 77 E55 vouchers ¡°It¡¯s a shame Grayson¡¯s parents couldn¡¯t make it even though they were looking forward to this. Well, there¡¯s always a next time. Now that everyone¡¯s here, why don¡¯t we take our seats in the garden? Come along, boys.¡± She smiled at me as she wrapped her arm around him without hesitation, like it was some happy family gathering. I followed behind the two of them, already counting down to when it woulde to an end. Even though I was home, I didn¡¯t want to be there. When I made it to the long dining table and took my seat, Kate, who was having a chat with Tiffany, took her seat right next to mine on my left, Grayson settling down on my right. Under the table, she slid her hand on my thigh and my breath hitched a little as I looked over at her. I yed this game with her once but I was the one in control. That was the fun part for me, not that. So I looked away from her and pushed her hand off of me. She didn¡¯t back down, slowly teasing me with her hand again on my thigh, but this time, I didn¡¯t even look at her and focused on the food. Eventually, she withdrew, dropping her hand with a flicker of annoyance. Across the table, Margot sipped her wine and looked over at me with a polished smile. ¡°So, Maddox,¡± she began, her tone pleasant but that didn¡¯t reflect in her eyes, ¡°how¡¯s thepany doing under your management?¡± ¡°It¡¯s doing well.¡± My voice was smooth and I didn¡¯t stop eating. ¡°The quarterly growth is up and it¡¯s about to get better with the recent two major deals.¡± She hummed, like she was unimpressed. ¡°That¡¯s nice to hear. Though I keep wondering how much more progress you¡¯d be making if you let people help you. And that¡¯s someone like Tiffany or even¡­ myself.¡± There it was, the bitterness masked as friendly advice. I paused with the fork in my hand, looking up at her. If only I could see Tiffany¡¯s face. I was certain she would have been in agreement with her mother. ¡°The board made their choice,¡± I said. Margot smiled, her eyes getting narrower. ¡°Our son is right, honey,¡± my father chimed in. ¡°Let him do his job. He still has a long way to go, but he¡¯s thriving.¡± She took another sip, tilting her head like she wasn¡¯t convinced. ¡°It¡¯s just that I believe he can do better with-¡± ¡°And I believe,¡± I said calmly, meeting her cold gaze, ¡°that I know how to run mypany.¡± She chuckled bitterly, ¡°Fine.¡± 7:25 Tue, Sep 16 I nced at my father and he gave me a nod. It wasn¡¯t affectionate but approving. 77 55 vouchers Everyone focused on their food in silence but soon, her annoying voice cut through the air after she put down her wine ss and looked towards Tiffany with a smile. ¡°I saw the post you made, sweetie. That was clever. Harper needed to be humbled after what she did to you. I actually thought you were just too calm about it but when you told me you were waiting for the right moment, I should have known it was going to be this good.¡± My father¡¯s eyes lifted from his te with a sharp look at Margot. ¡°Are you listening to yourself?¡± He shook his head in disbelief. She raised a hand, unbothered by how my father wasn¡¯t in agreement with her. ¡°I¡¯m just saying that Harper should have thought twice beforeying her filthy hand on my daughter. Come on, everyone here knows that actions have consequences.¡± I thought about it and paused with the food in my mouth. I still had the expectation that she would handle it and I wondered when and how. She hadn¡¯t done anything so far. ¡°Tiffany,¡± my father said, his expression unreadable. ¡°Did you really think this was the best way to deal with this?¡± She blinked rapidly. ¡°Well¡­yeah.¡± He sighed with an effort. ¡°This was foolish of you.¡± Margot gasped. ¡°Honey-¡± ¡°Not a word from you,¡± he warned her. ¡°You obviously wanted to humiliate Harper, but everyone has seen that by now and that includes potential business clients and partners for you. Do you think they¡¯ll want to work with you after this?¡± ¡°Honey,¡± Margot chimed in, ¡°our daughter¡¯s private life has nothing to do with-¡± ¡°And that¡¯s where you¡¯re getting it wrong,¡± he cut her off with a nce. ¡°It¡¯s just like you said, actions have consequences. Tiffany, as your father, I¡¯m extremely disappointed in you.¡± Tiffany didn¡¯t even get the chance to speak as Kate beat her to it after leaning forward to look around the table. ¡°You¡¯re all pointing fingers, but maybe the one person you should be mad at is Maddox. He¡¯s the one who started this when he couldn¡¯t keep it in his pants. Harper¡¯s cheap and she knew what she was doing when she threw herself at him.¡± ¡°Watch your mouth.¡± Grayson said beside me, his tone sharp. Kate scoffed. ¡°What? I¡¯m just being honest.¡± ¡°Grayson, dear,¡± Margot said to him, her eyes narrowed just enough to show her real feelings. ¡°I can tell that 7:25 Tue, Sep 16 : 77 E55 vouchers you still have a soft spot for Harper, but how dare you sit at this table and defend her? She ruined so many of dates with Tiffany. Now she¡¯sing after my son like he¡¯s the next gold mine and we¡¯re supposed to say nothing about it? She¡¯s just like her slutty sister!¡± your My grip on the wine ss tightened a little the moment Margot referred to me as her son. The cutlery on the table nked rapidly and my gaze shifted to it. It was actually Grayson¡¯s hand, holding a fork so tightly that his knuckles turned white. I looked up at his side profile and spotted how clenched his jaw was. Tiffany was the one who had done more than just mention Anna, but he seemed more upset with Margot. ¡°I know I keep saying this, but this time, I mean it. That¡¯s enough,¡± my father said, his tone nowmanding. ¡°We didn¡¯te here to talk about any of this nonsense.¡± He turned to Tiffany and smiled. ¡°Why don¡¯t you and Grayson tell us about the honeymoon? How was Greece?¡± Tiffany¡¯s eyes lit up like she had been waiting for that moment. She went on and on about the expensive dinners, spa treatments and the hotel they stayed in. I barely looked in her direction, too focused on subtly watching Grayson next to me. He forced a smile, nodded a few times and added a few words here and there, but it was all just for show. Not once did his eyes light up. His posture was now stiff and he barely touched his food. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it was still because of Harper. My thoughts were interrupted when Kate slid her hand on my thigh again. I nced at her as I pushed it off and she pouted at the rejection, but I didn¡¯t care. I looked back at Grayson, wishing I could get inside his head. Grayson I needed a damn minute to breathe without anyone around me. I was able to get away from everyone else and found myself by the corner near the garden. I leaned against the wall and let my head fall back with my eyes shut but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about it. Hearing my mother¨Cinw and Kate rip Harper apart like that left my heart pounding and I didn¡¯t know if I was more mad at them or myself about the way I felt. They weren¡¯t the first, but that was why I just wanted to be alone. The thought of Harper even seeing my reaction in such a situation made me want to punch the wall in front of me. Had I been back at my residence, maybe I would have done it. I sensed movement in my peripheral vision and turned my head slightly and spotted Tiffany and Kate, as if they wanted to be as far away from everyone as possible while they had a moment alone. They were whispering like teenagers. Tiffany looked beautiful, she always did. She had the kind of beauty that made heads turn when she walked into a room. But for a few seconds, my eyes drifted to Kate. Her dress clung to her body like a second skin. She looked 7:25 Tue, Sep 16 sexier that daypared to most days and it was for one purpose only. 77 55 vouchers They both spotted me and Tiffany came over for a second, her heels clicking softly against the tile as she approached me. ¡°Babe,¡± she said, smoothing the sides of her dress. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± My forehead creased. ¡°Where are you going?¡± She came closer and lowered her voice, her gaze shifting towards Kate, who was pretending not to look our way. ¡°I¡¯m just encouraging Kate to get to work.¡± ¡°Work?¡± I raised an eyebrow. She smiled with satisfaction. ¡°She needs to win over Maddox and grab his full attention. She hasn¡¯t seeded so far, at least not in the way we want.¡± I was a little amused but shook my head. ¡°You do realize that there are other girls in his life, right?¡± She shrugged like it wasn¡¯t a big deal. ¡°That doesn¡¯t change anything. Kate and Maddox are actually a good fit. She knows how to y the game and he needs someone like that. The others won¡¯t stand a chance when my best friend wins him overpletely.¡± I didn¡¯t even say much but nodded in agreement with her. Kate had known Maddox for years and knew exactly how to handle him, but in the end, it didn¡¯t matter if it was going to be her or someone else who would end up with him, as long as it wasn¡¯t Harper. If Tiffany wanted to y matchmaker, she was only doing me a favor. My hope was that by the time we were leaving the Aldridge estate, Kate would have him wrapped around her finger. C Blueprint 19 Chapter 19 Maddox : 77 55 vouchers I came upstairs to the only ce that still felt like mine in that whole estate, my old room. I stood by the door, looking at the threeyer steel doors that I had put in ce so no one would get in without the keys I had. Pulling them out of my pocket, I unlocked the threeyers before I could unlock the door. I walked in and looked around, every spot filled with fond memories from back when I was eight years old. It was a little dusty since it hadn¡¯t been cleaned in four months, so I opened the windows to let some fresh air in. I sat on the bed and reached for the picture on the bedside table but before I could even take in the moment, I was interrupted by my father. ¡°I was looking for you,¡± he said as he stood by the door. ¡°I knew I¡¯d find you here. May Ie in?¡± Everyone knew I didn¡¯t like anyoneing into my room and he was one of the few who always asked. ¡°Sure.¡± I nced at him. Sitting beside me, he said, ¡°You know, I¡¯ve always told you that this room can be cleaned once every month.¡± ¡°It only gets to be cleaned when I¡¯m around,¡± I reminded him. ¡°I¡¯m aware of that. Maybe you coulde home every month and-¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. I¡¯m too busy.¡± He sighed. ¡°At least that way, I get to see youe home.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°I just want to see you here more often. Margot is-¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t mention her name in this room, not in front of my mother.¡± He pressed his lips together, rising to his feet and closing the door. ¡°We¡¯re finally alone and can talk about why I insisted that youe home today.¡± His tone was so serious that I turned to face him and at the same time, heels got louder in the hallway, Right when he was about to speak, the door creaked open. We both looked over and Tiffany and Kate made their way inside, looking around the bedroom with scrunched noses. ¡°Thest time I saw this room,¡± Tiffany began, ¡°it looked so old and well, still looks old.¡± ¡°This room always looks like jail because of these steel bars,¡± Kate added. ¡°I don¡¯t remember saying you two coulde in.¡± I tightened my grip on the frame in my hand. 7:25 Tue, Sep 16 ¡°Right.¡± She forced a chuckle. ¡°Dad, do you have a second? It¡¯s urgent.¡± 77 EL 55 vouchers Before getting up from his seat and heading to the door, he looked at me and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± I only gave a light nod, furrowing my eyebrows when I looked to the side. Whatever it was, he didn¡¯t want to say it in the presence of anyone else. It made me wonder what it could be but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t figure it out. After gently putting down the picture, I approached the window, watching the trees outside as I thought about how that was one of the longest conversations I had with my father in a long time. It was only when the bedroom door closed that I nced behind me. I thought I was now alone, but I wasn¡¯t. Kate was still with me. Running her fingers through the ends of her hair, she said, ¡°I remember the first time I met you years ago. You were fifteen and had just moved back in after living with your uncle for all those years. This room looked exactly like this. I actually didn¡¯t believe it when Tiffany told me you gave clear instructions that no one should dare change anything about it when renovating the mansion. Now, it even has all these freakingyers just to make sure.¡± I had nothing to add, so I looked outside the window. I could feel her getting closer by the sound of her heels, but I didn¡¯t look back again. Then, she wrapped her arms around me from behind, resting the side of her face right on my back. ¡°I¡¯ve missed being this close to you,¡± she said quietly. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been so busy but,e on, you could have at least replied to one of my texts.¡± I pushed her hands off of me, getting away to widen the distance between us. ¡°Why did you tell everyone we fucked two days before Tiffany¡¯s wedding?¡± Her lips curved into a teasing smile, like it was just a harmless misunderstanding. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell anyone. I only let them assume. That¡¯s a big difference right there.¡± I scoffed. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± She shrugged, moving towards me. ¡°It¡¯s not like it wasn¡¯t going to happen eventually. You and I have fucked quite a few times.¡± ¡°The first time was six months ago and the second, two months ago. That only makes it twice.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why I still want more.¡± She ced her hand on my chest, then trailed it downwards, her breath a little heavier. ¡°I miss it. I know you very well. You miss it, too.¡± I didn¡¯t even take a few steps back right away. Kate thought she knew me because we shared a bed a few times. ¡°And you know what?¡± she added, lowering her voice, ¡°I look forward to the day you go down on me. I know you just don¡¯t do that for anyone.¡± 7:25 Tue, Sep 16 : 17 55 vouchers My mind immediately drifted to Harper and the way I shoved my tongue deep inside of her even the previous night. Everything about the way she looked made me want to give her everything. It was the same thing on that first night. Kate grabbed my attention again when she pressed her hand against the buckle of my belt. Thest thing on my mind was sex at that moment and I was just about to tell her when she suddenly pushed me on the bed, my dyed reaction making me fall on it. Straddling me right away, she ced her hands on the sides of my face. ¡°Remember how good you fucked mest time? It¡¯s just you and me here. We don¡¯t have to make thingsplicated.¡± She kissed me but I pulled away and looked to the side. ¡°Not here.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± She began to unbutton the shirt of my suit. ¡°Tiffany¡¯s downstairs with your dad. No one is going to walk in here.¡± She tried to kiss me again, but I gently pushed her off and said, ¡°This isn¡¯t just a room. Haven¡¯t you looked around? Most of the things here are about my mom, even these sheets. She personally picked them out.¡± She sat up, confused. ¡°Okay? Come on, just a few minutes.¡± When she reached for the buckle of my belt again,I pushed her hand away, a little harder this time. ¡°I just told you what this room means to me and you still want to fuck me here?¡± ¡°Damn, Maddox, it¡¯s not that deep. It¡¯s not like she¡¯s watching or something and these are just sheets. Don¡¯t be so dramatic.¡± My blood instantly boiled. ¡°Get out.¡± ¡°What?¡± she asked, her eyes growing wide. ¡°I said get out.¡± She stared at me for a few seconds, like she couldn¡¯t believe I was serious. ¡°I¨CI¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, quickly pulling down her dress. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that. I just-¡± ¡°Get the fuck out!¡± She flinched with her eyes shut. Whatever lust or cockiness she walked in with waspletely gone. Quickly, she rushed to the door with her head low then stopped in her tracks, as if hoping that I would change my mind, but I didn¡¯t. Before stepping out, I gave it a few minutes just to make sure she was far enough. Not only did I m the door shut when I was out, I also roughly dragged and locked the grill doors then shoved the keys in my pocket as I made it along the hallway with rushed strides. I still wasn¡¯t over Kate¡¯s attitude. 7:25 Tue, Sep 16 77 E 55 vouchers I meant to go downstairs but spotted Margot making a way up. That made me change direction and I proceeded straight to the other side of the hallway. ¡°There you are,¡± she said as she followed behind me. ¡°I was actually looking for you so we could talk. Your birthday¡¯sing up and I¡¯d love to n something for you. I want it to be a proper celebration this year and something you deserve.¡± I nced at her with a side eye. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡± Herugh was soft but fake. ¡°Come on. You¡¯ve spent every birthday for thest fourteen years with Sebastian. Isn¡¯t it time you let me step in? How about I make it special, hmm?¡± I stopped in my tracks with irritation, turning to face her. ¡°What makes you think all the other birthdays weren¡¯t special?¡± ¡°Dont be so harsh.¡± She forced anotherugh. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I was just thinking that as your mother-¡± ¡°Step,¡± I corrected her, my voice cold. Her smile didn¡¯t falter, but she narrowed her eyes with a dramatic gasp. ¡°Why do you always shut me out? I¡¯ve done nothing but try-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your help,¡± I cut in, not moved by her performance. ¡°Never did.¡± Her mask slightly cracked when her mouth twitched and her eyes turned a little cold. ¡°I see you¡¯re still that angry little boy. Still punishing everyone for your mother¡¯s death?¡± I smiled, only because I expected nothing less of who Margot really was. I took a step forward just to show her I wasn¡¯t rattled in any way. ¡°And you¡¯re still the woman who just couldn¡¯t wait to rece her.¡± Quickly, she cleared her throat and smiled again to slip back into that fake friendliness. ¡°Well,¡± she said, her voice sweet. ¡°You know where to find me when you change your mind.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Tiffany¡¯sughter echoed along with my father¡¯s and Grayson¡¯s, breaking the tension between Margot and I. She gave me one final empty smile, then made her way down the stairs like she hadn¡¯t just exposed her bitterness. The three of them soon came into view after turning at the corner and Tiffany was all smiles like some innocent girl. I subtly shook my head. She must have thought I had no idea what she was up to. While approaching the three of them, I spoke with no hesitation. ¡°I have to go.¡± ¡°So soon?¡± Tiffany frowned like she was going to miss me, 7:25 Tue, Sep 16 : ¡°I have work to do.¡± I knew I was lying, but I just wanted to get out of there. 77 55 vouchers ¡°I guess that makes things easier,¡± my father responded. ¡°I was on my way to inform you that I also have work to do. Something urgent just came up. We¡¯re still going to have that discussion.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± Tiffany tilted her head with curiosity. ¡°Just work,¡± my father assured her as he excused himself. I still had no idea what it was, but I didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°Hey, since you¡¯re leaving now, how about you drop Kate back at her ce?¡± she suggested. ¡°How did she get here?¡± I asked. ¡°I had someone personally bring her here.¡± ¡°Then they can take her back,¡± I bluntly replied. ¡°Come on, Maddox,¡± Grayson chimed in. ¡°Be a gentleman and drop off thedy.¡± I chuckled, only because I was certain he was in on it too. Why wouldn¡¯t he be? He wanted me to stay away from Harper. Kate was one of the reasons I was leaving early and I couldn¡¯t stand the sight of her after what she had said in my old room, but I still decided to drop her off, just as they hoped I would. ¡°Fine, where is she?¡± I asked. The three of us headed downstairs, Tiffany¡¯s phone buzzing a few times but she didn¡¯t check it right away. She was too focused on adjusting Grayson¡¯s sleeve. Right at the bottom of the stairs, Kate came rushing to us as fast as she could in her heels, like something huge had happened. ¡°Shit shit shit! Tiff, have you checked your post?¡± Her voice was filled with panic as she ced a hand on her chest. ¡°No. What¡¯s up?¡± Blueprint 20 Chapter 20 Maddox 77 55 vouchers The panic in Kate¡¯s voice and bodynguage made me take out my phone to find out what all the panic was about. Harper had posted a longment.. ¡°Man, I used to hate those photos,¡± her reply started, ¡°Who would want that girl? Turns out¡­me. I used to wonder why some people didn¡¯t notice me, but I¡¯m d they didn¡¯t. It gave me space to be who I am today. The girl in those photos isn¡¯t someone Iugh at, she¡¯s someone I thank.¡± She also posted her simple skincare routine, how she cares for her hair and tagged her friends, E and Zoey to show them some love. I paused, my thumb hovering over the screen to read Harper¡¯s reply over and over again. It reminded me of that evening when I saw her again at Grayson and Tiffany¡¯s engagement party. I tried to mock her but she knew how to stand up for herself. It was for this reason that I expected nothing less in that situation with the post. I just didn¡¯t realize it would be that satisfying. What made it even better were the replies under Harper¡¯sment. ¡°Wait, what moisturizer do you use?¡± ¡°Can you please do a full routine video?¡± ¡°OMG I¡¯m definitely following for more tips!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve made me realize we need to focus on someone¡¯s glow¨Cup and not tear them down.¡± Even the friends Harper had tagged were now in thements. There were so many replies under herment that I couldn¡¯t read any more, but the post was now getting more love than hate because the inte that mocked her a few hours ago switched sides. Just as I smirked at how she turned the tables, Tiffany let out an annoying high¨Cpitched scream and I looked over, that already being the reaction I expected. She ced a hand on her hip with a sharp breath. ¡°That bitch really thinks this makes her special?¡± ¡°It¡¯s crazy how everyone is now on her side,¡± Kate chimed in. ¡°Shut the fuck up, Kate!¡± Tiffany hissed. ¡°This little glow¨Cup doesn¡¯t erase what Harper used to be. I¡¯m going to destroy her for this. You¡¯ll see!¡± There wasn¡¯t a single part of me that felt bad for my sister. I even leaned against the wall just to watch the show. Kate was there, trying to give her opinion, but what got my attention more was Grayson¡¯s silence. He stood beside Tiffany with his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his eyes glued to the floor. He had a lot to say when Margot and Kate made all thosements about Harper. But now that his wife had openly sworn revenge on Harper, he waspletely silent. 7:25 Tue, Sep 16 ((( 77 E55 vouchers It was all so pathetic that I didn¡¯t want to be there anymore. I moved away from the wall and began to make my way to the front door. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I said to Kate. She was just about to rush to me when Grayson¡¯s voice cut through the air. ¡°Wait.¡± I paused, but didn¡¯t turn around. ¡°Can we talk outside?¡± Tiffany was too focused on the post about Harper to even ask what Grayson had to talk to me about. I stepped outside and left the door behind me open so he could follow. I was right by the steps, but he walked past me. ¡°I thought you wanted to talk.¡± My forehead creased. ¡°Not over there.¡± I sighed, following him all the way to the backyard. ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± ¡°When are you leaving town?¡± he asked bluntly. I shook my head lightly. ¡°I should have known. Why-¡± ¡°Just answer the question.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Any problem?¡± ¡°The sooner you leave, the better. Harper told me you two are just having a good time but I know her. I don¡¯t want to see her catching feelings for someone like you.¡± I scoffed. ¡°Is that what you¡¯re really worried about?¡± ¡°Meaning?¡± ¡°Whatever you think it means. Look, it¡¯s just as she said, we¡¯re having a good time and-¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why you needed town as soon as possible so you can leave Harper alone.¡± My eyes narrowed with a smirk. ¡°What makes you think I¡¯ll leave the fun behind?¡± ¡°You can always have fun wherever you go in this world. You¡¯re Maddox Aldridge, you¡¯ll find it.¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s no fun like Harper. I¡¯m talking from personal experiences, which you can¡¯t rte to. If only you could see the way she fucks me and-¡± 7:26 Tue, Sep 16 He cut me off mid¨Csentence when he grabbed me by the cor, his forehead vein popping out. 77 55 vouchers I raised my eyebrows in amusement as I looked at his hands on me then back at his face. ¡°Whoa, seems like someone¡¯s forgotten where they are. And aren¡¯t you getting a little too pissed about this?¡± He immediately let go, smoothing his sleeves while breathing hard. Seeing him so rattled up was amusing. ¡°All that just because you don¡¯t want to see me break your best friend¡¯s heart in case she falls for me? I told you before that I¡¯m not dumb.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. You¡­¡± He trailed off when his phone rang, breaking the tense moment between us. He picked up and I could already tell that it was Tiffany. He might have lowered his voice to make it sound softer, but his hand was so tight around his phone that his knuckles turned white. Without saying a word or looking back at me, he made his way back inside. I wanted to see how pissed he was onest time. Smoothing my cor, I chuckled lightly because he wasn¡¯t fooling me. The ride was quiet at first. Kate was in the passenger seat with her legs crossed while scrolling through her phone. My eyes were fixed on the road when she finally began to speak, her tone already bitter. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe Harper fucking flipped it. How does someone go from being aplete loser to this? She literally tagged people and dropped her routine fast before anyone asked. And thements are treating her like she¡¯s a goddess or something. Poor Tiffany.¡± I turned at the corner without a word. ¡°Seriously?¡± She let out an annoyed breath as she leaned towards me. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say anything?¡± She leaned back in her seat and my silence must have gotten to her, because she finally stopped talking about it and stared out the window. Only a few minutester, she shifted in her seat with a heavy sigh. ¡°You¡¯re still mad at me right? Look, about what happened in your room. I just wanted you so badly that I said all those things. I didn¡¯t mean any of it. We¡¯re cool, right?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± I said tly. She was quiet for a moment, then pulled her short dress higher up her thighs. It was obviously intentional. I caught it in my peripheral, nced only once then looked away to keep my eyes on the road again. She still wanted me to fuck her. This was all part of their n and Grayson was in on it, but my mind was far from sex. 7:26 Tue, Sep 16 77 55 vouchers I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about how Tiffany and Kate interrupted my father and I right when he was about to tell me why he had insisted that Ie over. He said we¡¯d talk about itter but the look in his eyes made me want to call him right away so he could tell me over the phone even though I knew that wouldn¡¯t happen. I had never seen him so serious. When I pulled over at a gas station and stepped out of the car. I told Kate to wait, but she still decided to follow me inside the store. As I picked up some snacks, she was all smiles while swinging her hips like we were on a date. She had her hand wrapped around my arm and giggled just so the others in the store could see. She only let go when I was paying for everything. When we continued the ride to her ce, she kept ncing at me with a smirk like it was a build¨Cup to something. We finally made it to her ce and I found two cars parked in the front yard, only making it more obvious that Tiffany and Grayson had made sure to make it seem like Kate was unable toe to the estate in her own car. I didn¡¯t even point it out. I was already dealing with her in my own way. I stepped out from the driver¡¯s seat and opened the car door on her side without saying a word. She took her time when getting out, brushing against me on purpose when her heels were on the ground. I was about to walk around the car so I could leave when she held onto my wrist. Her touch was soft and I didn¡¯t stop her. ¡°Maddox¡­¡± her voice was low and sultry. ¡°You don¡¯t have to drive back to your ce just yet. It¡¯s only 6 PM. How about youe in and I¡¯ll make it worth your while?¡± She slid her hand up my chest and I looked down at her lips while she wrapped her arms around my neck. Even when she pushed her heels off the ground to kiss me, I once again didn¡¯t stop her. She finally ced her lips on mine but I didn¡¯t respond right away. I had done this so many times before and was never one to turn down ady who was in need of me, especially someone so attractive. The situation was different from earlier in my old room, yet I still didn¡¯t feel like touching her or kissing her back. I gently pulled her hands off me after pulling away from her lips and she pouted. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked. ¡°Some other time,¡± She chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m not letting you leave until you give me what I want and I know you want it too.¡± She attempted to kiss me again but I looked to the side. ¡°I said some other time.¡± I was a little surprised by the annoyance in my tone. 7:26 Tue, Sep 16 She sighed in defeat, taking a few steps back with crossed arms. ¡°Whatever.¡± I turned her down because I was too bothered by what my father had to tell me. 77 55 vouchers Whatever the case, I owed Kate no exnation, so I got back in the car but she just stood there like she was waiting for something. Right when I started the engine and fastened my seatbelt, she lightly knocked on the window in the backseat. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked. ¡°I want to get my snacks in the backseat before you go.¡± Before pulling out of her driveway and quickly driving off, I said, ¡°I never said those snacks were for you.¡± É« AD Comment Send gift No Ads 7:26 Tue, Sep 16 Blueprint 21 Zoey and E sat in the living room with me, right on the floor with our legs crossed. There was a half¨Cempty box of pizza that the two of them were having along with some sodas. I had a mug of warm ginger and lemon tea to soothe my throat. After taking another sip, I smiled. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe you guys actually came all the way here.¡± My voice was now a bit raspy. ¡°This was the best surprise ever.¡± Zoey grinned and raised her soda can like it was a toast. ¡°We just had toe over when you mentioned you weren¡¯t doing too well. E and I were actuallyughing about it during the four hour drive here.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± E chimed in. ¡°We were hyping you up on Tiffany¡¯s post and yet there was something even better on the way.¡± I dramatically ced a hand on my chest. ¡°Thanks. You guys are so sweet.¡± Zoey chewed thoughtfully before saying, ¡°That was the best pback ever. I wonder what Grayson¡¯s gonna say about it.¡± ¡°Does it even matter?¡± E twisted her face in annoyance. ¡°All he¡¯s ever done is hurt Harper. That¡¯s why she had to break up with Mike two years ago. She couldn¡¯t fake it anymore because her heart was somewhere else.¡± ¡°Can we not bring up Mike?¡± I murmured before sipping from the mug. ¡°Girl, it¡¯s not like we¡¯re lying.¡± Zoey nudged my foot with hers. ¡°He really loved you, but you weren¡¯t into him. You never were.¡± ¡°You know what?¡± E leaned towards me. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why you decided toe back to this town when you knew you were going to be seeing Grayson. It was already difficult to move on when you were away but you chose toe back?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll always be someone special to me. We¡¯ve been very close since childhood. I¡¯m really trying.¡± ¡°Speaking ofing back to this town,¡± Zoey began. ¡°This ce is actually cute.¡± ¡°Yeah and it¡¯s all mine.¡± I set the mug down. They exchanged a nce before E spoke. ¡°We really thought you were kidding when you said you wouldn¡¯t move into your family home when you returned, but we were wrong.¡± I sighed. ¡°There are too many memories in that house. I actually like living alone.¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡± Zoey ced her hand on my shoulder gently. ¡°If you ever need help finding Anna¡¯s home address, we can totally do some digging.¡± 7:26 Tue, Sep 16 77 55 vouchers I smiled painfully. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. If she wants to be found, she¡¯ll be the one to tell me.¡± They didn¡¯t push and that was one of the things I loved about the two of them. They knew how to get loud and messy, but they also knew when to stop talking. Suddenly, E cackled so hard she nearly choked on her pizza slice. ¡°Do you remember the first day we met? Harper had that giant backpack that made her look like her back hurt.¡± I groaned, covering my face with one hand. ¡°Please don¡¯t bring that up.¡± ¡°It made you look like you were ready to climb Mount Everest, not attend ss.¡± ¡°And the two braids,¡± Zoey snorted. ¡°They were thick, frizzy and tied up with those neon scrunchies.¡± I reached for a pillow on the couch behind me and smacked Zoey with it. ¡°You¡¯re one to talk. Don¡¯t forget you had those braces and sses that kept sliding down your nose.¡± ¡°Yeah, but that wasn¡¯t as bad as E. She had that oversized hoodie with those cartoon character leggings.¡± Iughed so hard that it felt ufortable in my throat and I couldn¡¯t hide my difort. ¡°Hey, you okay?¡± Zoey asked. I smiled. ¡°Yeah, just this sore throat. I¡¯m really d you guys are here. We all looked like a mess, but it worked out in the end.¡± Raising her pizza slice, E said, ¡°Here¡¯s to the girls we were and-¡± An engine suddenly rumbled into my driveway and the three of us froze. Zoey moved so fast towards the window that she almost tripped over the pizza box. E followed right behind her, gasping in unison when they both pulled the curtain back. ¡°That¡¯s a fucking Bugatti!¡± E whispered. I already knew who it was and I only confirmed it when I joined them by the window. Maddox stepped out of his car in his white shirt, his long sleeves rolled up. It looked like he was in a full suit and had just taken off his jacket. I didn¡¯t actually think he¡¯de to see me. He had one hand in his pocket while the other one had a small ck bag. I tilted my head, wondering what was in it. ¡°Is that really Maddox Aldridge?¡± Zoey brought her face real close to mine. ¡°Yup,¡± I whispered. She pointed a finger at me. ¡°You better stop wasting your breath on Grayson and start fucking that guy out there.¡± 7:26 Tue, Sep 16 I chuckled hard. I didn¡¯t mean to, but they knew what it meant and it made their jaws drop. ¡°You¡¯re already sleeping with him?¡± E covered her mouth excitedly. I raised my hands. ¡°Calm down. It¡¯s not like that, okay?¡± Zoey folded her arms. ¡°You didn¡¯t say no.¡± 77 55 vouchers E clutched her chest. ¡°Just a few minutes ago, I was talking about how it¡¯s going to be difficult for you to move on because you¡¯ll be seeing Grayson all the time and you¡¯re over here getting your insides drilled by the one and only Maddox Aldridge?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious.¡± My tone was dismissive. ¡°I was a little disappointed because we had to reschedule our ns so you can attend his birthday party but now that I see him in the flesh, I¡¯m totally cool with it.¡± ¡°Me too!¡± Zoey nodded with enthusiasm. I scoffed, my gaze glued to his figure as he approached the front door. I couldn¡¯t help but bite my lip at the fact that my hands had been all over him the previous evening. When he knocked on the door, the two of them squealed, picking up the pizza box and drinks from the floor to ce them on a table. E fluffed her hair while Zoey dove on the couch and patted the seat beside her like it would make her look more casual. I even rolled my eyes with a chuckle, then opened the door for him. Our eyes instantly met and he didn¡¯t even smile or say hi. He just handed me the bag. ¡°That should be good enough,¡± he said. I slowly took it from him. ¡°What¡¯s inside?¡± ¡°You¡¯d have the answer to that if you checked,¡± he bluntly said. I scoffed, checking inside the bag. There were different types of snacks and I spotted something else that made me gasp in pleasant surprise. ¡°You got me some ginger lozenges?¡± ¡°I bought those when I was getting closer to this ce. The guy at the store said they¡¯d help and I hope they do, now that I¡¯ve heard you speak.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± I smiled a little. He nodded lightly, not even trying to act like that was a big deal. Zoey and E giggled from behind me and that made him look past me, ncing at them two of them before raising an eyebrow at me. 7:26 Tue, Sep 16 ¡°You have guests.¡± ¡°They¡¯re my girls, Zoey and E.¡± ¡°The ones you tagged?¡± I nodded. : 77 55 vouchers He didn¡¯t even wait for me to speak, walking past me and into the living room like he owned the ce. Both girls couldn¡¯t wipe the smiles off their faces, clearly trying not to drool over him as they waved like idiots. ¡°Hiii,¡± they said in unison. ¡°I¡¯m Zoey.¡± ¡°I¡¯m E.¡± He barely nodded at them in acknowledgement. ¡°Want something to drink?¡± Zoey asked. ¡°No,¡± he said, taking out his phone. ¡°I¡¯m just about to leave.¡± He walked past me again, his gaze glued to his phone screen like he was reading something important. The girls fanned themselves as they looked past me so they could take in the view of Maddox heading out the door. ¡°Damn!¡± E whispered when he was outside. ¡°He¡¯s so much hotter in person and you get to see every inch of that?¡± I chuckled quietly, excusing myself so I could have a chat with Maddox. I couldn¡¯t wait to have those snacks. I found him leaning against the hood of his car and couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°What?¡± he asked with a nk expression. ¡°I really didn¡¯t think you¡¯d bring me anything,¡± I admitted, standing right next to him. ¡°Yeah, I got them on my way back from my dad¡¯s estate.¡± He clenched his jaw. ¡°Looks like you didn¡¯t really enjoy it.¡± ¡°Is it that obvious? The one thing I enjoyed was seeing Tiffany get so mad after yourment and the replies. It was so satisfying. Grayson didn¡¯t say anything about it.¡± I frowned. ¡°Why would you tell me that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like you weren¡¯t curious about his reaction.¡± 7:26 Tue, Sep 16 : I nced to the side, hating the fact that Maddox saw right through me. Changing the topic, he said, ¡°Is your throat so bad that you can¡¯t¡­swallow?¡± My jaw dropped and I sighed while trying to hold in myugh. ¡°Stop.¡± 77 E55 vouchers There was finally a small smile on his lips and right when I gently hit the side of his arm, his phone rang. I pulled back my hand so he could check the caller ID. I was right next to him and could see that it was his father. It made him turn serious. ¡°Dad,¡± he said tly after picking up, looking at the ground with a nk expression. ¡°The golf club? Sure.¡± The phone call was short and his voice was low and cold. When he hung up, he stood in silence, as if thinking about the phone call. It was only when his phone rang a few secondster that he snapped out of it. I saw the name sh on the screen before he answered and this time, it was Uncle Sebastian. ¡°Uncle! What¡¯s up?¡± His voice was now warm and a little yful. ¡°No, no, I¡¯ll definitely be there, but you¡¯re buying the drinks this time.¡± He grinned and my eyes widened a little. Was this the same guy who had just gotten off the phone with his father and sounded so cold? When he hung up, he still had a warm smile. ¡°You¡¯re different with him,¡± I said. He turned his head towards me. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Your uncle.¡± The warmth in his expression faded as he pushed himself off the hood of the car and straightened up. ¡°Don¡¯t read too much into it.¡± ¡°You actually sounded happy.¡± He clenched his jaw, like I had actually said something I shouldn¡¯t have, Then, he gave me the usual cocky smirk. ¡°Anyway, is Kate¡¯s lipstick still on my lips?¡± 7:26 Tue, Sep 16 Blueprint 22 Harper ¡°What?¡± My eyes narrowed. : 55 vouchers He slowly ran his thumb along his bottom lip. ¡°Kate left quite a mess when I dropped her off beforeing here. Actually, she started at the estate. Are my lips a little red?¡± I knew exactly what he was trying to do by asking me that and I didn¡¯t care. ¡°Nope,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡± He pulled his thumb away. ¡°I wiped it all off but can still taste the vor of her lipstick.¡± ¡°She was actually there, too?¡± I asked. ¡°Yup.¡± He raised the corner of his mouth. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be jealous.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± He raised an eyebrow like he didn¡¯t believe me, but I meant it. I wasn¡¯t jealous at all. I knew who he was and expected nothing less. What I didn¡¯t expect was the silence that came afterwards. He just looked at me and not in that usual way of wanting to get in my pants. His expression was unreadable. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore, so I leaned forward and said, ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± His voice was low as he looked away. Then, he snapped out of it like a switch had flipped and casually said, ¡°I¡¯m leaving town immediately after my birthday.¡± ¡°I heard.¡± ¡°I know. Now that I think about it¡­¡± He trailed off, heading back inside. I didn¡¯t know what he was up to, but I followed behind him. As soon as he opened the door, his voice was smooth. ¡°Ladies,¡± he paused, giving them a nod. ¡°Come to my birthday party on March 10th.¡± Their faces lit up. ¡°Wait, seriously?¡± Zoey¡¯s eyes grew wide. He smirked. ¡°I don¡¯t joke about parties. Just by looking at you two, I expect some killer dresses.¡± They nodded eagerly while smiling at him. 7:26 Tue, Sep 16 ¡­ ncing at me before heading back towards his car, he tly said, ¡°Later.¡± 77 55 vouchers After that, he was out the door and shut it before I could follow. Something had changed about him, or maybe I had made myself believe he seemed more open, but not anymore. The moment the engine faded down the street, Zoey and E squealed behind me. ¡°Did Maddox Aldridge just invite us to his birthday party?¡± Zoey ced her hands on the sides of her head. ¡°In the flesh?¡± E added. ¡°Harper, seriously, why aren¡¯t you dating him again? He definitely has a thing for you.¡± ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t.¡± I said, taking a seat on the couch. ¡°Not even in my next life would I think of dating him.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± they asked in unison. I sighed. ¡°He¡¯s nothing but a yboy.¡± ¡°In that case,¡± E paused to hold my hand, ¡°you better get those fucking benefits, literally.¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°I need another cup of tea.¡± Deep down, that stare of his was still on my mind. What could he possibly have been thinking about while looking at me like that after I¡¯d pointed out the difference when he spoke to his father and uncle? It took a week to finally feel like my usual self again and I was back to my regr morning routine, a water bottle in my hand as I jogged down the street. Maddox was still an ass in more ways than one, but I still appreciated his efforts to get me everything that was in that bag. When he left that evening, I sent him a text to thank him again and all I got was a short reply with one word. ¡°Wee.¡± I had gotten so used to texting back and forth with him that when he no longer gave me that same energy and took hours to reply, it actually felt weird. It was one week before his birthday party and E and Zoey were so excited that the three of us went shopping. They talked about it all the time and I wondered how I¡¯d make it through the week with their excitement only building up. As for me, I didn¡¯t really feel like going anymore, not after how he had distanced himself from me. I hadn¡¯t even told my friends yet. I knew what they were going to say. Picking up the pace as beads of sweat ran down the sides of my face, I told myself my time with Maddox in ways that no one else could touch me were fun while theysted, but it was time to move on. When I turned at the corner and into the next street, I sensed another presence beside me, so I looked over and slowed down a little. It was Dean, smiling brightly at me. 7:26 Tue, Sep 16 ¡­ : 77 55 vouchers ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± His breath was a little heavy. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you all week.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t feeling too well.¡± ¡°That exins why I couldn¡¯t see you in the streets of this neighborhood every morning. And I would have known you weren¡¯t feeling too well if I had your number.¡± I stopped in my tracks, my breath heavy. ¡°Is that your way of asking for my ¡°No, this is¡­can I have your number?¡± It was so amusing that I chuckled. number?¡± The two of us spent the next thirty minutes talking while jogging at our own pace. I made it back home afterwards and stepped into the shower. Right when I finished dressing up, my phone screen lit up with an iing call. My heart instantly skipped a beat at the caller ID. It was Grayson. He had been calling me everyday just to check up on me. I was d I never saw him in the flesh the whole week. Talking to him on the phone for hours already wasn¡¯t good for me as I had gotten used to it and it made me feel special in a way that wasn¡¯t even there. ¡°Hey,¡± I said as soon as I picked up, trying not to smile. ¡°I¡¯m on my way to work and since I left early, I thought I¡¯d see you first.¡± I found myself blushing already. ¡°Cool.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®cool¡®?¡± I blinked in confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m at your doorstep.¡± I gasped. ¡°No way.¡± Quickly, I headed downstairs and checked from the window just to see if he was messing with me. To my pleasant surprise, his car was parked right in my front yard and that immediately gave me butterflies. Fixing my damp hair with my fingers, I cleared my throat a few times to calm down. There was no need to get so excited, but this was Grayson, the one guy my fucking heart still wanted. I was fullyposed when I opened the door for him, my lips curving into a smile at how polished he looked in his grey suit. ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t hear the engine outside. I was in the shower.¡± He pulled me in for a hug, his chin resting right on top of my head. ¡°That exins why your hair smells lovely.¡± 7:26 Tue, Sep 16 : 77 55 vouchers Not only did I hold him tighter because of thatpliment, it was also because I wanted to inhale the luxurious scent of his cologne. I should¡¯ve let go after a few seconds, but he was finally in front of me after only talking on the phone the whole week. Breaking the hug, he held my hand, leading me to the couch. He was the first to take his seat and pulled me down towards him so I could sit real close. It all made me feel like one of those moments where a guy wants his girl close because he missed her. He threw his arm around me while looking around. ¡°I could havee sooner, but I had a lot going on at work and with Tiffany all week.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t this feel weird to you?¡± He sighed. ¡°I told you before that Tiffany will just have to understand. I¡¯m not letting you go.¡± My heart fluttered. I looked up at him. ¡°And did you already tell her that?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± His voice was low as he dropped his gaze to my lips and that made me swallow hard. That wasn¡¯t right. He was married and never mine. It took everything in me to look away when all I wanted was to taste his lips, even just once. Facing the floor, I said, ¡°Since you haven¡¯t told her, does this qualify as sneaking?¡± He scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re my best friend, Harp.¡± ¡°Of course I am.¡± I forced a smile. ¡°I just need to find the right moment to talk to her about it.¡± ¡°I doubt that it¡¯ll go how you think it will, especially after she made that post about me and things didn¡¯t go her way.¡± ¡°Just so you know, I was rooting for you.¡± Those words made me want to hold him tighter, but for once, I listened to my brain that kept telling me to get away. Swiftly rising to my feet, I said, ¡°Can I get you something to drink?¡± ¡°Just some water¡± I took my time to get to the kitchen, yet all I wanted to do was run away from the living room. I reached for a ss but didn¡¯t fill it up with water right away. My heart was still racing and I just needed a moment to breathe. 7:26 Tue, Sep 16 Just as I was about to fill up the ss, his voice echoed through the kitchen. ¡°This neighbourhood is so quiet.¡± I tightened my grip on the ss. Why did he have to follow me? ¡°Uh¡­yeah¡­that¡¯s one of the things I really like about it.¡± I looked back with a small smile. 77 55 vouchers When I filled up his ss and turned around to hand it to him, my heart skipped a beat as he had already moved closer. I held out my hand to give him the ss and as he received it, his finger brushed against mine and he paused, his gaze dropping to where our fingers touched, then back up to my face. For me, time stopped but I knew it wasn¡¯t the case for him and I confirmed it when he firmly held the ss and pulled back his hand. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe you¡¯re going to Maddox¡¯s birthday party with your friends.¡± He took a sip while widening the distance. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have a st. Kate said everyone will be blown away.¡± ¡°Kate?¡± I furrowed my eyebrows. He leaned against the counter. ¡°Yup, they¡¯ve been talking all week and she¡¯s even helping out with his birthday party preparations.¡± ¡°Cool.¡± ¡°This is who Maddox is.¡± I sighed heavily. ¡°Please, don¡¯t start.¡± ¡°He had his fun with you and that was it.¡± I scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m the one who had my fun with him.¡± I didn¡¯t care that Maddox and Kate were close, I knew what I was getting myself into when I let him have me, but Grayson just wanted to turn it into an ¡®I told you so¡® moment and I wasn¡¯t going to let it happen. ¡°Look¡­¡± He trailed off when his phone began to ring and he reached for it in his pocket with his other hand, ¡°It¡¯s my wife.¡± He said it with so much pride that I felt like mming the counter. Couldn¡¯t he have just said her name? ¡°Babe,¡± he said softly when he picked up. ¡°What?¡± His voice got louder. Blueprint 23 Chapter 23 Grayson 77 55 vouchers I had an important meeting at work but still had a little time to spare, so I rushed back home from Harper¡¯s ce because Tiffany needed me. I pushed the bedroom door open and found her on the floor, the side of her face resting right in Kate¡¯sp while tears streamed down her face. She saw me and raised her head, running to me and throwing her arms around my neck with what now looked like racoon eyes. She had smudged her makeup. I held her tight, kissing her forehead before speaking to her gently. ¡°It¡¯s okay, baby.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± She gently hit my chest. ¡°What¡¯s okay about losing clients? All because of that post I made about Harper? What the fuck does my personal life have to do with my professional life?¡± ¡°A lot, actually,¡± Kate chimed in. ¡°Shut the fuck up!¡± Tiffany snapped at her, then burst into tears again. ¡°This is all Harper¡¯s fault! I¡¯ll make her pay for this.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who started this?¡± I asked. ¡°Are you defending her?¡± She scowled. I kissed her forehead. ¡°Of course not. Why would I defend her? Come here.¡± My grip on her waist tightened as I guided her to the bed. I sat down first then brought her close so she could rest her head on my chest. ¡°It hurts so bad,¡± she sniffled. ¡°Did you tell your mom?¡± I wiped her tears. ¡°No.¡± ¡°And your dad?¡± She shot me a re. ¡°You know exactly what he¡¯ll say and I don¡¯t want to hear it!¡± ¡°But you can¡¯t hide something like this. I¡¯m certain that they already know.¡± ¡°They definitely do,¡± Kate chimed in. ¡°They¡¯ve been calling her and sending messages. She just won¡¯t respond.¡± She buried her face in my chest again as she burst into tears, her makeup smearing the fabric of my suit. 7:27 Tue, Sep 16 : 77 55 vouchers I thought back to the day she¡¯d made that post so she could humiliate Harper and my father¨Cinw had actually scolded her for it. He¡¯d hinted at the possibility of something like that happening and even I had highly doubted it as Tiffany¡¯s family was quite influential in the corporate world. Many wished to work with them but in the end, that wasn¡¯t a good look for her. It was a good thing he was out of town with my mother¨Cinw. Otherwise, he would¡¯ve reminded her of the day he told her about the possible consequences of her actions. My phone began to ring and I raised my hip to take it out of my pocket, the caller ID making me sigh. It was my assistant, probably calling to remind me about how important that day¡¯s meeting was. ¡°It¡¯s the office. Just give me a second.¡± My voice was gentle. I gently got up from the bed, Tiffany now resting her head on a pillow while I spoke to my assistant in the hallway. After the call, I opened the bedroom door and signaled to Kate to step out so I could have a word with her. She came to me, rubbing the sides of her arms as her back leaned against the wall. ¡°I don¡¯t like seeing Tiff like this. I hope she¡¯ll be okay.¡± ¡°Can you stay with her until I¡¯m back?¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°Yeah, but I don¡¯t know for how long. It¡¯ll all depend on the time Maddox wants us to meet up. We have ns.¡± I nodded, impressed. ¡°You two have been getting real close this past week. Keep it up.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only about to get better.¡± She smirked. Tiffany still needed me, but I assured her I¡¯de straight home and be with her afterwards. It took a lot of convincing for her to let me go and I loved every moment of it. I had to change my suit first, then headed out. As soon as I was in the car, Harper sent me a text. ¡°Hey, is everything okay?¡± I chuckled in satisfaction at her concern, then called her immediately. ¡°Hey, what happened?¡± she asked as soon as she picked up. My ego was boosted even further by how quickly she had picked up. ¡°Tiffany lost some huge clients,¡± I said. ¡°Oh, howe?¡± ¡°That post she made about you got her in trouble.¡± 7:27 Tue, Sep 16 I didn¡¯t get an immediate response. 77 55 vouchers ¡°How¡¯s she doing?¡± she finally said. I chuckled. ¡°She was trying to humiliate you and yet here you are, worried about her. That¡¯s one of the many things I love about you, Harp. Don¡¯t ever lose that part of you. It makes you even more beautiful as a person.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± She sounded like she was smiling. Of course she was. How could she not after receiving apliment from me? ¡°I have to go now. I¡¯ll call youter,¡± I said. ¡°Yeah,ter.¡± She was still smiling and it was all thanks to me. After the call, Kate sent me a text, telling me how long she would stay with Tiffany before leaving to meet Maddox. She¡¯d finally gotten an answer from him. It was more than enough time for me to make it back home. Thest time he¡¯d dropped her off after lunch at the estate, things didn¡¯t go as nned. He didn¡¯t fuck her, but everything was different the following day. I remember Kate¡¯s excitement when she told Tiffany that he wanted to see her. I should have been bothered by how fast things now moved between the two of them again, but I was d because Harper was back to being alone and that was my sweet spot. I lied when I told her that I couldn¡¯t go to see her sooner. I only stayed away so she¡¯d miss me more and when I showed up at her doorstep unannounced, I could see how much she missed the face¨Cto¨Cface interaction just by how she held me tight. I knew exactly how to keep her warm without giving her heat. She was too easy to read no matter how hard she tried to pretend when around me. She was still in love with me and I would forever use that to my advantage. She had already fucked Maddox twice but after he only focused on Kate, I was certain it wouldn¡¯t happen a third time because how could she possibly end up in his bed again? Ìï AD Comment Send gift No Ads 7:27 Tue, Sep 16 Chapter 24 Blueprint 24 Chapter 24 Harper : 77 55 vouchers Apart from calling me everyday, Grayson hade to see me three times in one week and I just couldn¡¯t escape him. Except for the one time he had surprised me in the previous week, he always asked if it was okay toe over. I could¡¯ve easily told him I wasn¡¯t home so I could stop him froming to my ce, but I never did. How could I when I now looked forward to seeing him every chance I could get? I had begun to live with the fact that I wouldn¡¯t always rush to Maddox to numb my feelings for Grayson. While I missed the way my body came alive during those moments, it did nothing for me long¨Cterm. E and Zoey came early to my ce so we¡¯d have enough time for home beauty treatments before heading to Maddox¡¯s birthday party that would start at 7 PM. The three of us sat on the couch, our faces green with an avocado mask and eyes covered by cucumber slices. ¡°Are you sure you want to do this?¡± E asked. ¡°Do what?¡± I turned my head in her direction like I could see her. ¡°You know, going to Maddox¡¯s birthday party? Isn¡¯t it going to be awkward? He¡¯s been ghosting youtely.¡± Zoey huffed. ¡°As much as I hate to say this, I agree with E. He hasn¡¯t spoken to you all week. Last week was awful, but this week¡¯s been worse. He didn¡¯t reply even when you texted first. Will you be okay over there?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± My voice was low. While Maddox was free to do as he pleased, it hurt a little that he just shut me out. ¡°That should be a relief, but Tiffany will be there, too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not scared of her.¡± My voice was firm as I assured Zoey. ¡°Even when Grayson told you that Tiffany mes you for losing all those clients? I bet even E would be scared. To be honest, I¡¯m d you¡¯re still going. You¡¯re the only reason Maddox invited us. Imagine us showing up there without you.¡± ¡°You fucked the guy twice. Any regrets?¡± E bluntly asked. I wanted to smile but the avocado mask had begun to dry. ¡°No regrets at all and I mean it.¡± ¡°We were actually rooting for you to make things official with him.¡± Zoey clicked her tongue. ¡°Official?¡± I scoffed. ¡°Look, Maddox and I weren¡¯t even close.¡± ¡°Hello?¡± E nudged my shoulder. ¡°You were so close that you were fucking. Remember that part? It¡¯s just so crazy to me that you¡¯re not talking anymore and you still want to go and see him onest time? I can only imagine what it¡¯ll be like in person.¡± ¡°OMG! Imagine if he barely acknowledges you.¡± Zoey gasped. 7:27 Tue, Sep 16 77 55 vouchers ¡°Damn, you two are being so negative.¡± I sighed. ¡°Whatever happens, I¡¯m still going. I won¡¯t let what¡¯s going on stop me from having a good time. I also want to personally hand him his gift.¡± ¡°Your gift still makes meugh when I think about it.¡± E snorted. ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll like it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the thought that counts,¡± I said. I was just about to add on to my statement when my phone buzzed on the table. I peeled off one cucumber slice and reached for my phone, my heart skipping a beat at the sender¡¯s name. ¡°Maddox just texted me.¡± They both gasped and sat up more to peel off their cucumber slices. ¡°Is heing to pick you up?¡± E hopefully brought her hands together. ¡°What? No. There¡¯s been a slight change. The party starts at 8 PM. I suggest we still arrive early.¡± I casually put the phone back down and leaned back as I ced the slices over my eyes again. ¡°So¡­¡± Zoey trailed off. ¡°What was the rest of the message?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°After a whole week, that¡¯s all he had to say?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± I sighed dismissively. ¡°That was so cold of him and you know what? Apart from Kate, I bet some of the other girls he¡¯s fucked in the past will be at the party. Won¡¯t that bother you?¡± I wanted to furrow my eyebrows so badly. ¡°Damn, Zoey, you just had to put that image in my head. Like I said, I knew what I was getting myself into when I decided to sleep with him. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll be just fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering why you¡¯ve been acting too calm about this and I just figured it out. It¡¯s Dean, isn¡¯t it?¡± E snickered. They both began to tease me and I let out a shortugh. There was nothing going on between Dean and I. Not once had he tried to cross boundaries. I made sure to tell them that. They wanted me to be in a rtionship so badly that they still believed it was just a matter of time before he¡¯d ask me out, but I didn¡¯t think so. I was certain it would never happen. A few minutes had passed since we had arrived at Maddox¡¯s residence but I was the only one checking myself out onest time while still in my seat. I had my hair in a sleek ponytail, a few hair stands falling on the sides of my face and styled in loose curls. For my face, I only had some mascara and red lipstick. My skin was so clear and dewy that I didn¡¯t feel like adding any foundation. ¡°Will you two keep looking all around you or finally do what you have to do so we can get to the party?¡± I said, smoothing my short nude dress. ¡°Damn, give us a chance. This ce is so huge,¡± E said quietly. I chuckled. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen anything yet.¡± 55 vouchers When they finally focused on themselves and we all grabbed our purses, we stepped out of my car, walking past a few luxury cars parked in the front yard. Zoey began to feel out of ce. ¡°Maybe we shouldn¡¯t havee.¡± ¡°You read my mind,¡± E whispered. I barely paid attention to the rest of what they were saying as I spotted one car in particr that made my heart skip a beat. ¡°That¡¯s Grayson¡¯s car. He¡¯s already here.¡± ¡°Great, we finally get to meet the guy you¡¯ve always loved. Why do I feel like he¡¯s more handsome in person?¡± Zoey¡¯s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. ¡°He is.¡± My lips curved into a smile. They both rolled their eyes and I felt a little embarrassed that I started blushing right away. It only got worse when we were getting closer to the entrance and I spotted Grayson,ing outside while on the phone. ¡°There he is!¡± I whispered to them even though he wasn¡¯t close enough to hear me. As the two of them quietly gushed over his entire physique and couldn¡¯t decide who was hotter between Maddox and him, he looked in my direction, looked away, then looked back again once he realized it was me. His gaze dropped to my heels and moved up my body, like he was blown away by what he could see. But I quickly dismissed that thought. Why would he when he only had eyes for Tiffany? Quickly, he starteding towards me, like he couldn¡¯t wait to take it all in up close. He even told the on the other end of the line that he¡¯d call them back. ¡°You¡¯re here,¡± he said, slowly eyeing me up and down. ¡°You look so gorgeous.¡± person I was just about to return thepliment when he reached for my hand to make me twirl so he could see it all. I giggled while I did it for him. I knew that I was only going to get hurt, but I still wanted that moment for myself. It was only when I faced the other side that I realized E and Zoey were there with me. They got to see just how I was around him whenever he gave me the attention I longed for. I could see them already teasing me about itter. Even after facing him again, he didn¡¯t let go of my hand. ¡°Have I told you how gorgeous you look in this outfit?¡± His gaze lingered on my lower half. ¡°Yup, this is the second time¡± I couldn¡¯t wipe the smile off my face. ¡°Then you better get ready because you¡¯re going to hear it a hundred times and that¡¯s just from me.¡± That moment was perfect, but I reminded myself it would only ever be a dream, so I pulled back my hand and turned to face my friends so I could introduce them. 7:27 Tue, Sep 16 : ¡°I¡¯ve heard so much about you two,¡± he said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯s only told me great things.¡± 76 55 vouchers They both giggled a little too hard, acting just as they did the first time they met Maddox. ¡°Maddox went all out for this party,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re definitely going to have a st. Why don¡¯t youdies head inside? I still need to make a few phone calls. You twodies better take good care of my best friend.¡± They chuckled as they nodded in agreement, but the amusement drained from my face for a few seconds. Best friend. That was all I was ever going to be. When he faced the other direction while taking out his phone, the two of them came real close to me while we all watched him. ¡°Fuck, he¡¯s hot,¡± E said. ¡°And he was openly flirting with you!¡± Zoey teased me. ¡°No, he wasn¡¯t.¡± I shook my head dismissively. ¡°Oh, please, we all saw it and you were blushing so hard when he made you twirl. I bet you¡¯re already fantasizing about him right now.¡± ¡°What? No, I¡¯m not.¡± I began to lead the way just so I could avoid the topic. The front doors were heavy with security, all of them buff and dressed in ck suits. I spotted a guy going in only after his name was confirmed to be on the guest list. Just as we were getting closer, E stopped in her tracks with a loud gasp, her head turned to the backyard with wide eyes like she had just witnessed the most shocking scene ever. AD Comment Blueprint 25 Chapter 25 Harper : 76 55 vouchers From where I stood in the front yard, I could just make out the corner of the backyard. The glow of the porchlight stretched far enough to catch Maddox alone with Kate. He was kissing her hard. He had his hands tightly around her waist, shoving his tongue into her mouth. She pulled away for a second to catch her breath, but his lips followed hers again like he wanted her so badly. Zoey ced her hand on my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Harper. Maybe we shouldn¡¯t havee.¡± ¡°Zoey¡¯s right.¡± E said. ¡°Are you okay?¡± My gaze lingered on Maddox and Kate for a while and it began to feel like he actually wanted me to see that. He¡¯d heard my friends talking since they were a bit too loud. Looking back at my girls, my lips curved into a genuine smile. ¡°I¡¯m great. So what if he¡¯s showing off? I already expected to see them together. This is a party, so let¡¯s have a good time!¡± They both did a little dance while cheering, each of them hooking an arm around mine as we made our way to the entrance. We¡¯d barely made it past the front door security and I could feel the hard techno beat crawling up my legs. The interior had changed so much just for his birthday party and it looked like we were in an actual nightclub. There were dim and purple lights, a light smoky haze in the air and a whole bar section with a neon sign glowing above shelves of expensive liquor bottles. In the living room, the furniture was gone or hidden and in its ce were severalrge semi circr lounge seats, the few guests who had arrived early drinking and vibing to the music while facing the DJ booth near them. They were dressed to impress with a touch of elegance. ¡°Well, let¡¯s party!¡± E yelled over the music. Zoey cheered and I joined in, the three of us bopping our heads to the music as we headed to the bar section. We still had our arms hooked when E mmed the side of her shoulder into a guy who looked like a model. He smiled charmingly at the three of us, then leaned towards her and said something which made her grin like she had already fallen for him. ¡°Hello, there, why don¡¯t youdies sit with us?¡± he said. He pointed at his lounge seat, his twin, who even had the same hairstyle, looking over at us and there was so much room for more people. E was so into him that she pulled us along with her as he led the way. There were smaller round tables in the middle with a mix of whiskeys, vodkas, wines, sodas and even water for all to drink. We took our seats right next to each other and he dropped himself right next to her. 7:27 Tue, Sep 16 : ¡°I¡¯m Adrian Bary.¡± He leaned towards her as he said it. ¡°That green dress is gorgeous. I¡¯m Aiden Bary,¡± the other one said to Zoey. 76 55 vouchers Zoey was just about to introduce herself first when Aiden spotted a bunch of girlsing over to us, making him rise to his feet. She and E looked like they wanted to leave when the twins weed the other girls. But as soon as they took their seats and it became clear that they were all just friends, their faces lit up. We had to yell over the music just to introduce ourselves. ¡°I¡¯m Harper!¡± ¡°Wait, aren¡¯t you that girl from Tiffany¡¯s post?¡± one of the girls asked. I nodded proudly. ¡°You¡¯re so much prettier in person.¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± As 8 PM drew closer, more and more guests began to arrive. Grayson was right when he told me I¡¯d have a st. It hadn¡¯t even been that long but I already had a great feeling about it. I also needed that as I had been working too hard. I was about to take a sip of wine when I paused at the sudden loud cheers from the other guests. I looked over and spotted Maddox with Kate, his arm wrapped around her body and hand resting on the side of her arm. She was already so drunk that she needed his support to move in those heels. Judging by the direction they were moving in, he meant to take her to a certain lounge seat but as he was looking around, he spotted me, whispered something to Kate and he changed direction, his hand now around her waist. They wereing right where I was and I leaned back in my seat, amused by the situation. I began to have a better understanding of what he was trying to do. He made sure to sit across from me and she seemed like she would pass out if she kept drinking, judging by how she threw her head back as soon as she took a seat. While he gave everyone the same level of energy as he looked all around, he barely acknowledged my presence, even quickly focusing on Kate as he poured her a ss of water. I decided to ignore it, but Zoey and E kept nudging me with their elbows from both sides, as if asking if I was okay. ¡°Happy birthday. This ce looks amazing,¡± I said to him with no bitterness. He blinked rapidly, like he didn¡¯t expect that. ¡°Thanks, it wouldn¡¯t have turned out this way without Kate. You should be thanking her.¡± ¡°Did you hear that, Harper Moore?¡± Kate chimed inzily, her speech even slow. ¡°I did this! Not some fucking 7:27 Tue, Sep 16 events manager out there! I¡¯m d you came. Have fun while you can because-¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s enough.¡± Maddox gently ced his fingertips on her chin to guide her gaze. ¡°Fine.¡± She rolled her eyes, holding him by the cor to bring his face real close. 76 55 vouchers She stuck out her tongue and giggled flirtatiously, like she wanted him to taste it right there. I caught him ncing at me like he was about to do it and I actually hoped he wouldn¡¯t. I was still certain of what he was trying to do, but I didn¡¯t want to sit there and watch the two of them lock lips for everyone to see, like it was being thrown in my face. I watched him closely and waited, but right when he was about to kiss her, she dropped her head on his shoulder. She was drunk as fuck. He nced at me with frustration, like that didn¡¯t go as nned and I internally scoffed. He was trying to paint a specific picture, that he was a yboy with no room for anything else, but I saw beyond it more and more the longer I observed him. As he engaged in conversation with the others while barely looking in my direction, he carefully positioned Kate¡¯s head so she could have something to lean on. He then excused himself to wee his other guests. Kate¡¯s eyes were fixed on me with a smirk. I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something wasing. Zoey nudged my shoulder and I nced at her. She subtly signaled for me to look in a certain direction and when I did, Maddox was in thepany of five girls, who just wanted to be all over him and he didn¡¯t stop them. I caught him ncing in my direction again before he paid attention to them again. It wasn¡¯t the same when he was talking to the guys, but as soon as he was in the presence of another bunch of girls, they were a bit too close and once again, he nced at me. I chuckled softly, pouring myself a drink before taking a few selfies. Even though E and Zoey were so lost in conversation with the Bary twins, they got closer just to take a few pictures with me. We pouted, grinned and even stuck out our tongues just for the fun of it. I held out my hand some more for the final picture when it was shoved out of the way by someone who walked past me so they could sit down. I was ready tosh out but paused when I realized it was Tittany. She was in a long trench coat and that made everyone wonder what was underneath. ¡°Tiff, you¡¯re here.¡± Kate could barely sit up but did her best. ¡°Ugh! Drunk so early?¡± She shook her head in disbelief. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it, okay? What¡¯s with the trenchcoat?¡± Tiffany smirked. ¡°Are you ready?¡± She looked all around as she said it. The others were actually eager to see what was inside. Then, she dropped her trench coat to reveal her outfit, making jaws drop. She was in the same dress as me. 7:27 Tue, Sep 16 : ¡°Oh, wow!¡± Katezily pointed at her. ¡°You¡¯re wearing the same dress as Harper.¡± 76 E55 vouchers Tiffany rolled her eyes, like she was about to brag. ¡°I know, but mine is straight from the designer. It was $3,000. This thrift store version doesn¡¯t cost anything more than $20.¡± ¡°Yikes! That¡¯s such a huge difference.¡± Kate burst intoughter. As they continued to have that conversation about the dresses, the energy from the other girls shifted. I was looked at as an outsider. Kate must¡¯ve known that would happen. It exined why she kept looking at me like that. How did Tiffany know about the exact dress I was going to wear? Was she in the store when I went shopping with E and Zoey? She took a seat right next to Kate, now being the life of the party, just like she wanted to be. She was Maddox¡¯s popr sister and I expected nothing less. She smirked triumphantly as she looked right at me even while talking to the others. I still kept myposure with no ns of getting up. That was exactly what she would¡¯ve wanted to see. I was d that E, Zoey and the Bary twins didn¡¯t care much that she was there, so I paid attention to them instead. I was able to ignore her for a while, but it all changed when she suddenly rose to her feet and began to dance, the other girls cheering her on. She didn¡¯t even seem to care about any of that, her gaze fixed in a certain direction.I looked over and spotted Grayson, who was already making his way to us. She then curled her finger, seductively telling him toe closer. He licked his bottom lip as that got him excited and it made my chest tighten. He spotted me right when he got to her, only giving me a nod of acknowledgement before cing his hands on her hips while standing behind her. She raised her hands, swinging her hips harder while looking back at him. Their eye contact was so maic that no one could get between them and my stomach twisted. I hated every second of it. She turned around to face him, resting her forehead against his and he grinned, holding her tight like he would never let go. I couldn¡¯t watch it anymore, so I lowered my head but that wasn¡¯t the end of it. Tiffany made sure to move from that spot and Grayson moved along with her. She stopped right in front of me, the two of them now dancing and touching right in my fucking face. Everyone was enjoying it, but I could see E and Zoey in my peripheral vision, constantly checking up on me, When she kissed him first and he responded by shoving his tongue in her mouth, I wanted to shut my eyes so badly but had to stop myself in fear of tears streaming down my face. The purple lighting might have been enough to hide what was going on with my eyes, but I couldn¡¯t just sit there and watch it all. How could I possibly leave at that exact moment? 7:27 Tue, Sep 16 Blueprint 26 Harper : 76 55 vouchers Just as I told myself that I would have to sit there and act like it didn¡¯t bother me, the entire guests near the entrance cheered, making Tiffany and Grayson stop dancing. I wanted to thank whoever was responsible so badly. My head turned and I spotted Mrs Aldridge walking in first, her shimmering dress making her stand out even more. Behind her was Mr Aldridge, his hand in the pocket of his tailored suit, as usual. I had never seen him in anything else. She was the only vibing to the music with a light head bop while he didn¡¯t seem interested in it. Behind him was a cake with four tiers covered in ck and gold fondant. The top also had sparkles. It looked so good that I wanted to taste it right away. We all got out of our seats for a closer look, except for Kate. Mrs Aldridge stopped right near the DJ Booth, pointing at the DJ so he could cut the music and he had no choice but to oblige. ¡°Thank you all foring to my son¡¯s birthday! Where¡¯s my darling son? Oh, here hees!¡± The whole ce erupted in loud cheers as Maddox approached with a small smile. She made him stand right between her and his father, then held onto the side of his arm before she spoke. ¡°I made sure to use gold leaf for the lettering. That¡¯s right. I baked this cake myself. Doesn¡¯t it look spectacr?¡± Her eyes rolled back as she bragged. They gave her a round of apuse, making her ce a hand on her chest as she nodded a few times with a smile, but she paused when she spotted me, shooting me a re while keeping that smile. She quickly looked away, leading everyone into singing the Happy Birthday song. Maddox looked polished while standing there but his eyes didn¡¯t match the rest of his face. He just looked like someone ying the role of the birthday boy. She pped theatrically when he cut into the cake and said, ¡°Make sure you get the bottomyer, honey. There¡¯s some red velvet in it, my favorite.¡± She proudly tilted her chin. As soon as he put down the knife, she didn¡¯t wait for anyone and picked up a piece to feed him. He took it without protest and even let her dab the corner of his mouth with a napkin. Everyone was amazed and even took pictures and videos of that sweet moment, ¡°We have a present for you,¡± she said, taking out a small emerald green box from her handbag and handing it to him. He opened it, holding up a pair of silver keys. ¡°And what are these?¡± ¡°Keys, isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± She made the crowd chuckle. ¡°Remeber that estate that was up for sale, Larkspur Hills? Your father and I bought it. We thought you deserved it for working so hard and it¡¯s worthy of your name.¡± 7:27 Tue, Sep 16 76 55 vouchers Zoey and E gasped behind me. Everyone seemed more impressed than he was as he only gave another polished smile. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said with the same energy one would use when talking about the nice weather. ¡°You¡¯re wee, son.¡± His father nodded at him like that was some kind of performance review. Just as Tiffany was about to reveal her present, another voice cut through the air. It was loud, teasing andpletely unapologetic. ¡°Is that the birthday punk I see or maybe some kid pretending like this is his party?¡± Maddox¡¯s energy shifted right away. He turned so fast Tiffany lost her grip on his arm. His smile now reached his eyes as his entire face lit up. He quickly pushed through the crowd like he was impatient to get to someone. Following the source of the voice and how the other guests had begun to step back to make him stand out, I spotted a handsome man around Mr Aldridge¡¯s age. He was in a white pair of smart pants, his brown cap matching his shirt. He opened his arms wide with a warm smile, waiting for Maddox. ¡°Uncle!¡± he said when he was close enough. They hugged each other a little too long, like two people who hadn¡¯t seen each other in years and they bothughed loudly. I chuckled in amazement that Maddox was actuallyughing. Breaking the hug, he turned to face the crowd with his arm thrown over his uncle¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Everyone,¡± Maddox said with so much enthusiasm, ¡°this is my Uncle Sebastian. Feel free to mingle with him, just don¡¯t let him teach you how to gamble!¡± As the crowdughed, his uncle made it seem like he¡¯d put him in a head lock, and heughed again as he looked through the crowd but the moment he spotted me, his expression went nk. He¡¯d been showing off how happy he was to everyone after his uncle had arrived, but seeing me gave him the realization that I had once again seen the difference and this time, it was perfectly clear. Maybe he was tired of pretending because when our eyes met again and his uncle said something to him, heughed hard. ¡°Alright!¡± Uncle Sebastian pped his hands loudly. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve got that boring estate part out of the way,¡± he gave Mrs Aldridge a smirk that made her sneer, ¡°how about something a little¡­. faster?¡± Everyone wondered what was going on and he quickly took Maddox outside, all of us just following along as we wondered what it was we were going to find. Right outside was a beast of a jet ck motorbike. It looked like it was built for danger and those who were familiar with the thrill of riding one of those, whistled a few times. While everyone was impressed, E leaned towards me to whisper. ¡°Okay but isn¡¯t that motorbike like not even close to the price of the estate his parents just gave him? It¡¯s not a big deal. It¡¯s just a bike.¡± 7:27 Tue, Sep 16 : 76 55 vouchers I stared at Maddox and the way he rushed to the bike like it was his dreame true. He threw his leg over it and held onto the handles like he had gotten something that made sense to him. His uncle was right beside him, patting him on the back as he told him to take it for a spin. ¡°Maybe,¡± I began, ¡°it¡¯s the thought behind it that counts.¡± He took it for a spin right there in the front yard, everyone moving further away while cheering him on and taking pictures and videos. As soon as he got off, he went straight to his uncle again and hugged him tightly. ¡°You¡¯re the best!¡± ¡°I know!¡± The moment was so beautiful that everyone just took it in, except Mr and Mrs Aldridge, who stood at a distance. She folded her arms and pursed her lips like she couldn¡¯t stand that moment and just wanted it to end. He was right beside her with a nk expression, like he was watching someone else¡¯s son. Maddox received more gifts from Grayson, Tiffany, his friends and cousins, but I hadn¡¯t yet given him mine. I just needed to find the right moment to hand it to him while alone. When it was time to feast, everyone came to the dining room. There was so much that I didn¡¯t know what to start with and I wasn¡¯t the only one. I was with E and Zoey, the three of us walking around with arms folded. ¡°I don¡¯t think I have the stomach to even have a taste of everything.¡± E sighed. ¡°The night is still young. We can alwayse back for more.¡± Zoey sounded a little flirtatious and it only made sense when I looked over at her and followed her gaze. She was looking right at Aiden, who was across the room and checking her out. ¡°He¡¯s barely taken his eyes off you,¡± I teased her. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± E chuckled. ¡°Same goes for you, E. Don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t been watching you closely with Adrian.¡± She cleared her throat. ¡°Let¡¯s just get some food, okay?¡± The three of us finally got to decide on what we wanted to eat first, whispering among ourselves while looking around. ¡°Quick question, who¡¯s hotter between Maddox¡¯s dad and uncle?¡± Zoey popped a cherry in her mouth. ¡°Ooh¡­that¡¯s a hard one! What do you think, Harp?¡± E called me a few times more and I could hear her, but I couldn¡¯t pay attention to anything else as my stomach twisted. Right across the room, Grayson was feeding Tiffany like they were all alone. He gently wiped 7:28 Tue, Sep 16 : her mouth with a napkin, even trailing his thumb over the spot just to make sure. ¡°Hey,¡± E said gently. 76 E55 vouchers ¡°I just need some air.¡± I set down my te, making my way out of the dining room before they could stop me. I came to one of the quieter hallways and let out a breath I had been holding in. How much longer was I going to keep acting this way whenever I saw Grayson with Tiffany sharing intimate moments? I only needed some time alone but couldn¡¯t even have that when a voice that was dripped with venom cut through the air. ¡°I should¡¯ve known what that awful smell was.¡± Mrs Aldridge approached me like she had been waiting for that moment. She scornfully looked at me from head to toe even before her steps came to a halt. ¡°You really have no shame.¡± She ced a hand on her hip. ¡°You show up to my son¡¯s birthday party when you know you don¡¯t belong here.¡± Keeping myposure, I said, ¡°He¡¯s the one who invited me.¡± Her lips curved in cruel amusement. ¡°Of course he invited you after you let him get in your pants.¡± Çú Blueprint 27 Harper : 76 55 vauchers ¡°Just look at you, showing up to this party in a rag version of the designer dress my daughter is wearing. It shouldn¡¯t evene as a surprise because you¡¯ve always lingered behind people who were brighter and better than you. You¡¯re just the quiet girl people remember when they need somebody to screw.¡± Her words stung, but I held my head high, refusing to look away. ¡°I was watching you in the dining room. You make it so obvious that you still want my precious son¨Cinw. It¡¯s embarrassing. He¡¯s never wanted you, not even my son does. He had his fun with you and that was it.¡± Just as I opened my mouth to speak¡­ Smack! The palm of her handnded against my cheek so hard that it echoed in the hallway. My head jerked sideways and the few strands of hair I had perfectly styled turned into a mess. The sting burned through my skin so hard that I just stood there with wide eyes and parted lips. She took a step back, her chest rising with satisfaction. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to do that since the day you pped my daughter.¡± ¡°Harper!¡± E and Zoey came rushing down the hallway from behind her as fast as they could in their heels Harper. Margot looked back, like she was amused. ¡°Oh, hell no!¡± Zoey growled, shoving Mrs Aldridge to the side so they could get to me. I only saw her lose her bnce with wide eyes, my friends blocking the view of what came afterwards. ¡°She fucking hit you?¡± Zoey¡¯s voice trembled with rage as she held onto my right arm. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said quietly even though my cheek was still hot and stinging. ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± E gritted her teeth, standing on my left and holding my other arm. I could finally see Mrs Aldridge and she was fuming as she fixed her hair. ¡°How dare you? This is what happens when rats are invited where they don¡¯t belong!¡± ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± E scowled. ¡°Say that one more time and I¡¯ll-¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I said I¡¯m fine,¡± I repeated, my voice firmer this time. I caught her wrist before she could get a chance at shoving Mrs Aldridge, too. If that had been Tiffany, I would have pped her right back with no hesitation, but it wasn¡¯t a bratty girl from school. It was a grown ass woman and I wasn¡¯t raised to hit my elders no matter what. My mother and Anna always told me that, especially my sister. ¡°I¡¯ll have the three of you thrown out. Just wait!¡± she warned us as she stormed off. 55 vouchers Even before she turned at the corner, E sighed with an effort. ¡°Harper, I know you would¡¯ve stopped me, but she¡¯s still lucky I didn¡¯t have my shoe in my hand. My heel is so sharp that I would¡¯ve loved to rip through her dress!¡± ¡°Are you seriously okay?¡± Zoey¡¯s voice was softer now as she neatly positioned the strands on the sides of my face. ¡°I just needed a change of scenery after what I saw between¡­¡± I trailed off, swallowing the lump in my throat. ¡°I just needed a change of scenery. I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d end up with a p on my cheek.¡± ¡°If you want, we can go home.¡± ¡°Zoey¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I just need a distraction.¡± I gave a half smile. ¡°You know what?¡± E raised her eyebrow thoughtfully. ¡°There¡¯s so much artwork to look at. That¡¯s totally your thing.¡± They had never been as interested as I was in art, but they held me close and led me straight to the second floor, right where I wanted to be. I stopped in front of a painting and said, ¡°Thanks, you two can go back. I bet Adrian and Aiden are looking for you right now.¡± ¡°Yeah, but that can wait.¡± E nudged me softly. Zoey grinned. ¡°She¡¯s right, but Aiden is so dreamy, damn.¡± Those words got a weakugh out of me. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re here with me, both of you.¡± ¡°You know, I¡¯m still so mad about Mrs Aldridge pping you. I would¡¯ve tackled her if you hadn¡¯t stopped me.¡± E cracked her knuckles. My lips curved into a warm smile. ¡°I¡¯m d you two were ready.¡± ¡°Do you think Mrs Aldridge will seriously have us thrown out of this party?¡± Zoey nervously gritted her teeth. E huffed. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll just have to wait and see.¡± ¡°Okay, enough about that.¡± Zoey faced the art. ¡°So¡­ is this an upside down tree?¡± ¡°Nah,¡± E shook her head, ¡°it looks like a person upside down and damn, that¡¯s a big head.¡± I chuckled with amusement. ¡°You two are seriously hopeless. Let¡¯s try that one more time. What do you see?¡± I pointed at my favorite painting. 7:28 Tue, Sep 16 76 E55 vouchers ¡°Uhh¡­¡± E tilted her head. ¡°That¡¯s a stick figure, probably about to be abducted by aliens.¡± ¡°Definitely aliens!¡± Zoey noted with full conviction. ¡°The clouds look like a spaceship¡­ or mashed potatoes?¡± I burst intoughter while shaking my head. ¡°Wow.¡± E shrugged with a chuckle. ¡°What? Don¡¯t you always say that art is supposed to be open to interpretation? Fine, what do you see?¡± I tilted my head, turning a little serious as I stared at the canvas. ¡°I see a lone child sitting on a roof and staring at the stars. This reflects loneliness, innocence and longing for more.¡± E and Zoey leaned forward to look at each other, then burst intoughter. ¡°Harper, how the hell were you able to get all that from this?¡± Zoey snorted. ¡°You¡¯re such a poetic nerd.¡± ¡°You two need to understand that art says the things we don¡¯t know how to say. It captures the feelings no one else sees.¡± E raised her hands in defeat. ¡°Alright, alright, we get it. This has always been your thing, not us, but hey, we love you anyway.¡± Zoey pulled me in for a hug, E standing right behind me. ¡°You know what?¡± I said with my eyes closed. ¡°I think I¡¯m done here and we can get back to the party.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± They both broke the hug excitedly. I rolled my eyes. ¡°I know that you¡¯re both dying to get back to the Bary twins, so let¡¯s go.¡± Mr and Mrs Aldridge and Uncle Sebastian left the party early, probably not wanting to get in the way of how wild the party could get without them around. While moving through the crowd, I was looking around for Maddox but there was still no sign of him. ¡°Didn¡¯t that witch say she¡¯d make sure the three of us are thrown out?¡± Zoey¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°She must¡¯ve failed. I¡¯m d she did!¡± E let out an evil chuckle. As E, Zoey and I were on our way to our previous seats, Tiffany was already there with a slightly sober Kate and even whispered something to her while looking at me. I couldn¡¯t even tell my friends about it as they had decided to move faster at the sight of Adrian and Aiden waiting for them right where they had been before. I was so bothered by ¡®Tiffany¡¯s sinister smirk that I kept looking at her even when I was already close enough to take a seat on the other end. Thest thing I wanted was to deal with being around her, so I thought I¡¯d change seats and let my friends 7:28 Tue, Sep 16 have fun with the twins. 76 55 vouchers Just as I was about to face another direction while constantly ncing at her, I mmed into someone and that made me snap out of it. I looked right in front of me, meeting Grayson¡¯s gaze when I looked up. ¡°You might want to look where you¡¯re going!¡± he yelled over the music. He smirked at me and I forgot how to breathe. ¡°Hey!¡± I managed to say. He suddenly brought his face real close, then ced his lips right against my ear. It sent shivers down my spine. ¡°Enjoying the party so far?¡± He pulled back just enough to lock eyes with me again and it felt like time had stopped. Quickly, I snapped out of it, nodding while taking a step back just so I wouldn¡¯t be too close to him. I expected Tiffany toe over and do something as that was the first time she was seeing me with Grayson that close after a while, but she just sat there and even leaned back in her seat with her legs crossed. He started talking to me about the party and the food and it was then that she rose to her feet. To my surprise, she walked right past the two of us. ¡°Babe?¡± he called out to her, as if wondering where she was going. Right before the next song yed, Kate had a sinister smirk and said, ¡°She¡¯ll be right back. She just thought it would be fun to y a little game.¡± She looked right at me when she mentioned the second part and it left me feeling uneasy. Was this going to be another truth or dare moment? I hoped not. AD Comment Blueprint 28 Chapter 28 Harper : Tiffany got right near that DJ booth, picked up the mic and the DJ cut the music. ¡°Is everyone having a good time?¡± Her voice was loud but sweet. The ce erupted in cheers and apuse. ¡°I¡¯m d you are and it¡¯s about to get even better. We¡¯re gonna y a guessing game.¡± Everyone began to boo and she chuckled. ¡°Rx, it¡¯s going to be quite juicy. Just stay with me here. First up, Rob and James!.¡± 76 E55 vouchers She pointed at the two of them together in the crowd and they started awkwardly looking around. ¡°Yeah, you two right there. James in the brown coat and Rob in the neon green shirt. Give it up for the two of them!¡± Slowly, everyone began to p, wanting to see where this was going. The two guys grinned like idiots, probably because she gave them attention. ¡°This game is about to be real juicy and I know what some of you must be thinking. What about Maddox? He¡¯s probably caught up somewhere else. Should we wait for him?¡± ¡°No!¡± the crowd said in unison. ¡°Alright, then,¡± she said, then dragged out the pause before continuing, ¡°which of these two guys is most likely to leave scratches down a girl¡¯s back?¡± There was an instant chorus of oohs and whistles, James smirking confidently while Rob raised his eyebrows in mocking innocence. People started calling out their guesses and she let it go on for a few seconds before she spoke again. ¡°If you said Rob, you¡¯re absolutely right!¡± The ce erupted inughter. The crowd now seemed even more interested in the game. She went to ask a few more questions to some more guys, like who was likely to wake up in the wrong bed after a wild night and who was likely to text someone in the morning just to say that they left their bra. ¡°Alright, boys now that you¡¯ve had your fun, let¡¯s see how the girls handle it. Up first, Harper and Kate!¡± My jaw clenched at how she was quick to single me out. 7:28 Tue, Sep 16 76 E 55 vouchers Zoey and E shook their heads at me and came real close, telling me not to y, but Tiffany was the one with the mic and quickly began to speak. ¡°Just so we¡¯re clear. Kate is the girl in the ck dress and the girl in the cheap version of the designer dress I¡¯m wearing is Harper. You obviously know that.¡± I stood out a lot when those who were close enough looked at me whileughing in agreement with her. She didn¡¯t even ask the question yet and my heart was already pounding. I wanted to go up there and stop her. I even hoped Grayson would do something. ¡°Now, which one of these two girls did my bro¡­¡± She trailed off when her mic was suddenly cut off, making her look over at the DJ. He just shrugged like he was trying to fix the problem. She was so frustrated that she almost mmed the mic against the floor, but had to keep it cool for all the guests. Then, people began to cheer while looking in a certain direction. I looked over and Maddox was making his way to her. As soon as he was close enough, he yanked the mic from her, bringing it to his lips so he could speak. ¡°Enough of this stupid game.¡± He chuckled, the mic now loud and clear again. ¡°This is my fucking birthday party, so let¡¯s have a good time! Music!¡± The whole crowd cheered as the DJ turned up the volume. She shot him res, like he had just gotten in the way of her biggest announcement yet. As he dragged her up the stairs and they turned at the corner, Zoey and E sighed with relief. ¡°Whatever that was, I¡¯m d it didn¡¯t happen!¡± E said. ¡°My girl can¡¯t catch a break.¡± Zoey gently ced a hand on my shoulder. My heart was beating in the same rhythm as the beat pumping through the speakers. I had never been so relieved about anything but at the same time, my blood boiled as I looked over at Grayson. I just needed some fresh air outside and I asked my girls not to follow me. It was hard for them to do, but they respected my decision. When I came outside, I moved further away from all the music and voices until I got to thewn and could only hear a muffled EDM beat and crickets somewhere around me. My surroundings were filled with warm night lights hanging from the trees so I¡¯d watch my step along the pavers in the middle. I stopped in my tracks right when I got to arge tree, cing my back against it and closing my eyes. Then, I heard footsteps along the pavers and looked back. I instantly regretted my decision to stop moving when I did. Had I been on the other side of the tree trunk, Grayson wouldn¡¯t have spotted me and I would¡¯ve preferred that. ¡°What do you want?¡± I didn¡¯t even hide the irritation in my voice as I looked away and moved a few steps I move 7:28 Tue, Sep 16 forward. ¡°I just came to check if you¡¯re okay.¡± He stopped right behind me, still on the pavers. 76 55 vouchers ¡°Now you care?¡± I chuckled in disbelief, facing him. ¡°Where was that part of you the moment you heard Tiffany say my name up there? You just waited, like you also wanted to hear what woulde from her mouth. We both know how that always ends. I didn¡¯t expect you to stand up for me, but don¡¯te out here when I just want to be alone.¡± ¡°I heard about thements she made when she showed up in the same dress as you and I¡¯m-¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to apologize on her behalf, don¡¯t. I¡¯m tired of it and we talked about this.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Oh, Harp, take it easy, okay? That¡¯s not what I wanted to say. You might be wearing the same dress as her, but yours is just¡­perfect.¡± There it was, the same look from earlier when I arrived. He was checking me out and even stepped on thewn to circle around me. I immediately forgot that I was mad at him. ¡°Did you even take a good look at how everyone¡¯s been watching you tonight?¡± His voice was low and suggestive. ¡°No one can take their eyes off you, absolutely no one. This dress was meant for you.¡± He stopped right behind me and paused for a moment, like he had something else to say and I actually waited. Like an idiot, I wanted to hear more. ¡°Harper!¡± I turned around and spotted Zoey and E rushing towards me. That broke the tension between Grayson and I and he cleared his throat as he got back up on the pavers again. ¡°I should go back inside. Give me a call or text if you need me.¡± He began to leave while moving backwards, not taking his eyes off me even for a second. That was the longest he had ever stared at me and it sent shivers down my spine. He said and did all the right things I always longed for. My girls only gave him a smile and nod of acknowledgement as they continued to make their way to me. ¡°What was that about?¡± Zoey asked when he was at a distance. E pursed her lips with crossed arms. ¡°Let me guess, he wanted to apologize for his fucking wife?¡± My lips curved into a smile. ¡°No. It was different this time.¡± ¡°Different?¡± they asked in unison. I closed my eyes, thinking back to a few seconds earlier when he looked at me the way every other guy did that night. ¡°Hello?¡± E nudged the side of my arm. 7:28 Tue, Sep 16 76 55 vouchers I snapped out of it, telling both of them what had happened with Grayson before they showed up. They shared a knowing look, faced me again, then burst intoughter. ¡°What?¡± I frowned. ¡°Nope!¡± E waved her finger in my face. ¡°Seriously, this isn¡¯t good for you.¡± Zoey said with a look of disapproval. ¡°But let¡¯s be real here, have you taken a good look at how many guys have been checking you out since we arrived? You¡¯re ming hot tonight! Some even looked like they¡¯d break their necks when looking back at these damn curves!¡± ¡°While that is true,¡± E began, ¡°Grayson only has eyes for his wife. That¡¯s why he chose her. Whatever it was you thought you saw and felt before we got here, don¡¯t let it make you think he wants you or something.¡± Zoey gasped. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a little too harsh?¡± ¡°E¡¯s right.¡± I sighed. ¡°I needed to hear that. I¡¯m d you¡¯re here with me.¡± I grinned, opening my arms wide for both of them. The group hug was nice and warm and should havested longer, but Zoey¡¯s statement put an end to that moment. ¡°How did the volume on that mic cut when it did? And why did it work just fine when Maddox showed up? Whatever the case, I¡¯m d that happened. Who knew what Tiffany was going to say up there?¡± ¡°I only have a few guesses, but we¡¯ll never find out since he stopped her before she could do it. For someone who barely paid attention to me, he definitely came to the rescue when it mattered the most.¡± ¡°This is the part where you find him, get some answers and kiss him!¡± I shook my head at Zoey. ¡°No way.¡± ¡°Harper¡¯s right,¡± E chimed in. ¡°If they¡¯re going to talk, he¡¯ll have to be the one to initiate it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget that¡­¡± I trailed off when my phone began to ring from my purse and as soon as I took it out, my heart skipped a beat at the caller ID. It was Maddox and I chuckled lightly. ¡°Looks like someone wants to talk.¡± 7:28 Tue, Sep 16 Chapter 29 Maddox 76 55 vouchers Blueprint 29 Chapter 29 Maddox 76 55 vouchers On the day that I met Zoey and E when I dropped off those snacks for Harper, she should¡¯ve kept her mouth shut. No one had ever pointed out that there was an obvious difference when I spoke to my father and uncle. On that day, she peeled off ayer that I didn¡¯t want to be seen, at least not that way. Not only did it make my skin itch, it also made me feel exposed. It was for this reason that I used Kate¡¯s lipstick and invited Harper¡¯s attractive friends to slip back into the only habit I ever wanted her to see, that I was there for fun. I saw Harper¡¯s texts on time but I let them just sit there for hours before I¡¯d reply in a cold and distant kind of way. But I never picked up her calls or called her again. I didn¡¯t want to give her the chance to dig deeper. I wasn¡¯t about to let her think she could read me. Kate was there for the fun, not bothering to read too much into any situation and I preferred that over what Harper had be. She was easy and stuck around me like she was waiting for me to toss her a bone. I knew that if I gave her the kind of attention she desperately wanted, Grayson would find out and that would find its way back to Harper. He wanted me to stay away from her as much as possible and I was certain he would use that to his advantage. The message would be clear ¨C I was still the same Maddox, the untouchable, reckless yboy. I needed her to believe that. It was finally my birthday and everything was ready. I¡¯d texted Harper about the slight change in time, the text itself just in and simple and I hoped that would be enough to make her change her mind abouting to the party. A few guests arrived early but I didn¡¯t go in right away to wee them. I still had a few work calls to make, so I was in the backyard. ¡°Still out here?¡± Kate said from behind me, her voice dragged out since she was already drunk. I nodded with a neutral expression when she was right in front of me. ¡°I had to make a few phone calls.¡± She came closer, cing her hands on my shoulders. ¡°Can¡¯t you just go for a few hours without focusing on work? Maybe, it¡¯s time I finally helped get your mind off it since it¡¯s your birthday.¡± She ran her hand down my chest. ¡°Not now.¡± I gently pushed her hand away. She frowned. ¡°That again? You¡¯ve been saying that each time I want us to do something more than just¡­kiss and touch.¡± While I had given her the attention she desperately wanted, not once was I able to fuck her. Each time I tried, I couldn¡¯t unhear Harper¡¯s words when she saw right through me. I thought it was going to be easy to fuck Kate like it¡¯s nothing, but at the back of my mind, I knew the truth and using Kate for it just made it more obvious that I was trying too hard. 7:28 Tue, Sep 16 76 55 vouchers I was d there were actualplications at thepany as I used that to my advantage each time I felt like I couldn¡¯t do anything more than taste her lips and run my hands all over her thighs and ass. ¡°You know how busy I¡¯ve been with work. You¡¯ve even heard me a few times.¡± She sighed dismissively. ¡°You know, you¡¯re allowed to take a break, especially with me.¡± I looked down at her hand on my chest. Her touch was familiar, but I wanted it to stop, so I gently grabbed her wrist. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be calling Tiffany to find out where she is?¡± I asked. ¡°She¡¯ll definitely be here. She has quite the surprise with her dress and this fun little game to humiliate Harper.¡± She snorted, closing her eyes and resting her head on my chest. My eyes narrowed and I was certain she wouldn¡¯t have mentioned that had she been sober. ¡°Tell me more.¡± My voice was low as I brushed the back of my knuckles against her cheek. That was enough to make her tell me about the whole n and when Tiffany would do it. ¡°Enough about that.¡± She gently brushed her fingertips against the nape of my neck. ¡°I know you¡¯ll be busy hosting, but before that, just a few minutes¡­.upstairs.¡± It was clear she wanted me to fuck her. She had been waiting for that since the day I had started giving her attention. Right at that moment, Harper giggled, like her voice was getting louder and I huffed. She actually showed up. Kate and I were right behind a tall shrub and she was trying to guide my gaze back to her, but I held her wrist to stop her just so I could take in Harper¡¯s beauty that night. Her dress clung to her like skin, entuating the curves of her body that I had traced with my bare hands and tongue several times. She was looking around at the parked cars and I couldn¡¯t hear what she was talking about with E and Zoey, but there was a way her face lit up when she spotted Grayson¡¯s car. She then turned into a teenager when he showed up and made her twirl, not that I expected anything less. That was the same guy she had been in love with for years and still was. Those moments when I had my cock inside of her and she surrendered to me, made it seem like there was no one in the world that came close to the heat we shared, but he was always on her mind and in her heart. He seemed to be just as captivated as I was by her beauty. I had told him before that he wasn¡¯t fooling me and right at that moment, I could see that even more. The three of them proceeded inside and he just stood there, checking out her legs and ass ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Kate groaned. She pushed my head downwards to kiss me and this time, I didn¡¯t stop her. I even moved her from that spot to right where we could be seen. 7:28 Tue, Sep 16 76 55 vouchers My hands were all over her hips and waist. She was so into it that she looked like she was ready to be fucked right on that spot without giving a shit about who would see us. I just needed Harper to see me kissing her. I thought that by doing so, I was no longer going to hold back and finally be the guy I had always been. It was only when an ovep of heels hitting the ground faded that I pulled away from Kate¡¯s lips. She bit her lip with a chuckle, sliding her hand down to the buckle of my belt. ¡°That¡¯s the hardest you¡¯ve kissed me in a long time. Looks like someone is finally ready for more.¡± That should have been the moment I took her upstairs, but instead, I held her hand and wiped my lips. ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the party.¡± She scoffed, her breath a little heavy from how I had suddenly kissed and touched her. ¡°You really do know how to get my hopes up.¡± She rested her head on the side of my arm. ¡°What time does the cake get here?¡± I asked, a hint of irritation in my tone after my own failed attempt at being the guy I had always been. ¡°It should be here in the next thirty minutes. You¡¯re going to be blown away when you see it. I can¡¯t wait to lick the cream off your balls.¡± I paused, furrowing my eyebrows at her, not because she was being nasty, but because it was clear that I had starved her so much that she felt the need to say that to me. We made it back inside and I led her to a section that was specifically set for me, but when I spotted Harper with her friends, having a good time with my other invited guests, I was instantly drawn over there. I thought that maybe if I showed her several times that I was that yboy she had always known, the fact that she saw anotheryer of me would go away. I led Kate over there and she smirked, already loving the idea that I was going to show her off in front of another girl I slept with. I sat right across from Harper and nced at her thick thighs, then told myself she was no longer the focus, so I barely acknowledged her, pouring Kate a ss of water. Even when I gave her that attitude, she surprised me when she spoke while looking right at me. ¡°Happy birthday. This ce looks amazing.¡± Her voice was so steady that I realized she was still cool with everything I had done in front of her and that bothered me. Even when I gave credit to Kate, her smile didn¡¯t falter. With nothing going as I nned, I left Kate to meet my other guests, even letting the girls get a bit too close. When Tiffany arrived in the same dress Harper wore, she and Kate were tearing her up and even from a 7:28 Tue, Sep 16 76 55 vouchers. distance, I could tell that the vibe had changed. I could¡¯ve gone back and stepped in, but I chose not to. That would¡¯ve gone against what I was already trying to do. I then realized that if Kate was right about the dress, she was right about the game and I had to be on high alert, so I spoke to the DJ. Things didn¡¯t get any better when Grayson showed up and they danced right in Harper¡¯s face. She looked like she wanted to go far away, but how could she when that was only going to make her feelings obvious? Once again, I wanted toe to her rescue but told myself not to do anything. It was because I had gotten involved with her in the first ce that she got to see something that no one else did. Not even her friends holding her hands made a difference. What came to her rescue was Margot¡¯s arrival with my father and just by seeing the cake, I knew she had been in charge of it. She confirmed it when she bragged and it made my blood boil. I had to force a smile when she took the lead in singing the birthday song. When she brought a piece of cake to my lips, it felt like poison, but I took it because we were all going to have the same cake. She made it all about her even with the gift that was given to me, my father barely saying anything. I hated the direction my party had taken, but that was until Uncle Sebastian arrived. I instantly forgot about everyone else and rushed to him. My voice was full of life as I proudly introduced him so everyone would get to know him. I smiled brightly as I looked around and when I spotted Harper, my smile faded. She was still watching me when he made a joke about my cousins and Iughed hard. It was then that I realized she had already seen right through me again and maybe it was time for me to be okay with that. Chapter 30 Blueprint 30 Chapter 30 Maddox 55 vouchers After a meal, Uncle Sebastian and I were finally able to be alone in the study on the second floor, away from the ovepping chatter, cheers and loud music. ¡°Well, check out this ce,¡± he said as soon as he walked in. ¡°I thought it was time to make a few changes,¡± I said, closing the door behind me. ¡°What do think?¡± ¡°9/10.¡± ¡°What? Why not 10/10?¡± you Reaching for a book from one of the shelves, he said, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have gotten rid of that ck table. You know I loved it.¡± ¡°But this brown one is an upgrade.¡± I leaned against it. He nodded in agreement, then suddenly coughed. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked. He sighed with relief. ¡°I¡¯m fine, but for a moment there, I thought the poison from Margot¡¯s cake was starting to take effect.¡± I chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m d I¡¯m not the only one who felt that way about it.¡± ¡°Come on. Just think about it, had that been the case we were all going to die along with her.¡± ¡°Had I known that she would actually be the one to make it, I would have never agreed to it. Kate made sure to leave out that information.¡± ¡°So, that¡¯s Kate,¡± he said. ¡°I saw you constantly ignoring her. It didn¡¯t really seem like she was your date.¡± ¡°She was, until you arrived.¡± While that was mostly true, it was also because I had given up on trying to paint a certain picture in front of Harper. He chuckled, his gaze now thoughtful as he flipped through the pages and came across my mother¡¯s picture. ¡°Happy birthday. Had my sister been alive today, she¡¯d be so proud, just like your father is.¡± I scoffed. ¡°Yeah, and what a way to show it by giving me that present.¡± He closed the book and gently set it on the table. ¡°Come on, you know he¡¯s trying. That¡¯s why you two had that conversation when you yed golf with him a few weeks ago.¡± 7:29 Tue, Sep 16 ¡­ I sighed. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± : ¡°Who knew your father had it in him to do such a thing? That¡¯s really a good start.¡± ¡°Yes, but don¡¯t tell him that.¡± My eyes widened a little. 76 55 vouchers He raised his eyebrows. ¡°Scared I might end up exposing the fact that I know something I shouldn¡¯t?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± I trailed off at the sound of ovepping heels and voices in the hallway. I couldn¡¯t make out who it was at first until they were close enough. It was Harper and her friends. My forehead creased when I learned that Margot had pped her and nned to throw the three of them out. It wasn¡¯t her party and I wasn¡¯t about to let that happen. My uncle leaned forward as I began to type a message to the head of security so they wouldn¡¯t obey Margot¡¯s orders. I even included three names in the message. ¡°Is that the same Harper you told me about a few weeks ago?¡± he asked quietly, reading the name from the message. I nodded, then paid attention to the conversation the three of them were having. They began to analyse the artwork, E and Zoey¡¯s version of what they could see cracking me up and my uncle. It was all quite amusing until Harper focused on the lone child painting. I tightened the grip on the phone in my hand as I closed my eyes to listen to my racing heart while she broke it down for them. Her friends burst intoughter, but I wasn¡¯tughing anymore. My uncle and I stood in silence until their voices faded the further they got away so they could get back to the party. ¡°You okay?¡± he asked. I clenched my jaw as I faced the floor. ¡°Harper¡¯s been right before and she¡¯s not far from the truth this time.¡± ¡°And you hate it.¡± He chuckled softly, cing his hand on my shoulder. ¡°It was because you let me watch you paint a few years after you came to live with me that I got to understand you and everything you could never express with words. You could¡¯ve shut me out if you wanted to, but you let me in. I¡¯m not going to tell you how to live your life, but having someone else see the other side of you that others don¡¯t? It doesn¡¯t happen everyday.¡± He was right, but that didn¡¯t make it easier. As I told him what else Harper had been right about, we were interrupted when a pair of heels in the hallway clicked against the floor until they stopped just outside the study. The door creaked open and my father poked his head in first, which was quite the surprise and right after he stepped in, Margot followed behind him and closed the door. ¡°You¡¯re still in the study?¡± Margot faked augh. ¡°What could you two be talking about that takes so long?¡± 7:29 Tue, Sep 16 76 55 vouchers Uncle Sebastian narrowed his eyes dramatically, pushing himself off the table. ¡°Hmm¡­ let¡¯s see, this party, the presents, the guests, the future and oh, the poison.¡± I held in myugh. ¡°Poison?¡± Margot¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Trust me, you¡¯re the one person who¡¯s definitely safe,¡± he assured her. I held in myugh again, ncing at my father who just eyed me suspiciously. ¡°I just wanted to see you before we leave,¡± he said, stepping forward. ¡°I know I say this a lot, but I mean it. I¡¯m proud of you.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± I gave a light nod. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± She cut in. ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got? We just gifted you a whole estate and that¡¯s what you have to say? How about-¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± His voice was sharp as he looked back at her. ¡°But¨Cbut honey, I¡¯m just saying-¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the ce for that. Let him enjoy his birthday.¡± He then ced his hand on my shoulder. ¡°This party better not get too wild.¡± I nodded with a small smile. ¡°We should get going now.¡± Margot¡¯s annoying voice cut through the air. ¡°That¡¯s what we came here to say.¡± ¡°Actually, I need to have a word with Sebastian in private,¡± my father said. She sighed heavily, like she was about to protest, but she could only look on as the two of them made their way out into the hallway and closed the door behind them. I didn¡¯t feel like leaving the study yet, so I looked down at my phone to read Kate¡¯s text messages. There were barely any words, just random letters she must have pressed hard on in her extremely drunk state. Reading that was still better than paying attention to Margot.¡± ¡°Are you seriously going to act like you¡¯re no longer impressed by the cake?¡± she asked. I looked up, furrowing my eyebrows. ¡°I was?¡± She ced a hand on her stomach as she burst intoughter. ¡°Come on. You know it was that delicious and eye¨Ccatching. Give me some credit,¡± ¡°Had Kate told me you¡¯d be baking it, I wouldn¡¯t have allowed it.¡± She scoffed. ¡°Happy birthday. If only Racheal could see-¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get to mention my mother¡¯s name.¡± I snapped, towering over her. 7:29 Tue, Sep 16 76 555 vouchers She flinched but quicklyposed herself with a scowl. ¡°What? You think she¡¯s watching over you right now? I¡¯m the one who¡¯s always been here. You can try to push me away all you want, but I¡¯m here to stay. It¡¯s not like you haven¡¯t known that for years.¡± ¡°Is that why you¡¯re still trying so hard? Going as far as deciding who gets to be thrown out of my party? That¡¯s right, I heard about it. I dare you to try that with security and see if they¡¯ll listen to you. The people in my life only get to acknowledge you if I do it first.¡± She sneered, but there were approaching footsteps in the hallway again, Uncle Sebastian and my father¡¯s voices getting louder. She took a few steps back, faking that smile again. It was only when they came back in that I unclenched my fists. ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± she chuckled. ¡°Obviously,¡± Uncle Sebastian said to her, his response making me smile a little. She shot him a re, wrapping her hand around my father¡¯s arm. ¡°Can we go now?¡± My father didn¡¯t even get the chance to get close enough, but he gave me a small smile. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in your new office.¡± I nodded in agreement, watching the two of them walk out the door. Margot looked back at me and smiled. ¡°Love you!¡± When my father closed the door, Uncle Sebastian burst intoughter. ¡°What was thatst part?¡± I huffed. ¡°I don¡¯t even want to think about it.¡± ¡°You okay?¡± He ced his hand on my shoulder with concern. ¡°You look a little¡­red.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± I assured him. ¡°I have to go now.¡± I frowned. ¡°So soon?¡± ¡°I have work to do and it¡¯s urgent. I still told myself I needed to show up here.¡± ¡°Thanks for being here.¡± I smiled. ¡°Anything for my favorite nephew.¡± He led the way out the door. When we got to the painting Harper had talked about, I stopped in my tracks. ¡°I just need a moment alone.¡± ¡°Of course you do. Enjoy the rest of the party and remember to use protection!¡± He patted me on the back, then whistled as he walked away. I was now alone and stared deeply at the painting, like I was seeing it for the first time, everything Harper said still running through my head. All I had done was keep my distance but in the end, it was all in vain. She 7:29 Tue, Sep 16 made sure of that. : 76 55 vouchers Tiffany started a dirty game down at the party and the questions made me roll my eyes. She might¡¯ve started with the guys, but that was all part of her n. I had given her the benefit of the doubt just because this was my party and that infuriated me. She was in the middle of asking a question that would¡¯ve led to everyone finding out that Harper was in my bed when the sound on her mic cut, just as I had instructed the DJ. I wasn¡¯t about to let Harper¡¯s intimate moments with me get exposed like that. The crowd cheered when I walked in, but my gaze was on Tiffany while she was still near the DJ booth. It was also possible that she was going to continue without a mic, so I grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her up the stairs with me after getting the music back up. She grunted a couple of times, demanding that I let her go, but it was only when we were alone upstairs that I did. ¡°That was the perfect moment and you ruined it!¡± she yelled. ¡°Wait, why did my mic cut right on time to stop me?¡± ¡°This is my birthday party, not a ce for you to get your revenge. You better be on your best behaviour before I throw you out.¡± She scoffed. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious. Threatening me like that over a one¨Cnight¨Cstand?¡± I chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong.¡± She blinked rapidly. ¡°What?¡± AD Comment Send gift No Ads Blueprint 31 Chapter 31 Maddox 55 vouchere The realization that Grayson still hadn¡¯t told her made me raise one corner of my mouth into a smirk I didn¡¯t even bother hiding. She caught it and gave a short and bitterugh, like she had already decided that she hated whatever was about toe out of my mouth cing a hand on her forehead, she sharply said, ¡°You let her seduce you again?¡± I let the pause hang just long enough to see her chest rise and fall rapidly. ¡°On the contrary, I showed up at her ce, unannounced. That was the same day you wereing back from your honeymoon.¡± I should¡¯ve told her that Grayson knew about it, but that conversation wasn¡¯t about him, it was about Harper. ¡°And you didn¡¯t bother to tell me about it?¡± she snapped. ¡°Since when do I tell you about my private life?¡± She huffed, shaking her head like she was brushing me off. ¡°You know what? It doesn¡¯t matter anymore. She¡¯s out of the picture because Kate-¡± ¡°Kate?¡± I cut her off. She blinked rapidly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you two a thing?¡± I slowly nodded to myself at how quickly she put abel on it. ¡°You must be so stupid to think that I¡¯m that stupid,¡± I said. Her jaw dropped like she was offended. ¡°This was what you wanted all along, but I just let you believe you¡¯d won.¡± My voice was low but sharp. ¡°You¡¯re my brother,¡± she said, almost pleading. ¡°And-¡± ¡°Brother?¡± I forced augh. ¡°That¡¯s never stopped you from going to extreme lengths just to see me lose.¡± ¡°Oh, please! Not this again. We haven¡¯t had this conversation in years. I thought we were past that shit since you stopped bringing it up.¡± ¡°Past it?¡± I stepped closer, my jaw clenched. ¡°Just because I tolerate you and give you a small spot in my doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re good again.¡± life ¡°You know what?¡± She lifted her chin. ¡°Keep that little spot for someone who actually wants it because I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°That,¡± I said, savoring every word while pointing a finger at her, ¡°is music to my ears.¡± Her re lingered on me before she made a sharp turn. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± I sighed in satisfaction. ¡°Good riddance.¡± 55 vouchers She stormed off, heading back downstairs so she could leave and I couldn¡¯t wait. I had wanted to do that for a while and it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulder. I no longer had to wear that mask I had forced upon myself for years. Everything was just as I wanted it to be. With her out of the way, I took out my phone and dialed Harper¡¯s number. The first time, it rang until it cut. I tried a second time and it was the same thing, making my chest tighten I even feared that she might have left. By the third try, I had alreadye up with a few options to find her in case she wasn¡¯t going to pick up finally, the line clicked. but ¡°For someone who stopped picking my calls, you¡¯re definitely not giving up now that it¡¯s your turn,¡± she said from the other end of the line. I chuckled softly. ¡°Where are you?¡± Harper Zoey and E had returned inside after Maddox had called so they could give us some privacy. I waited right by the samerge tree on thewn, thinking back to what the two of them had said about Grayson. They were right about everything, but it wasn¡¯t as easy as waking up the next morning and forgetting about the way he made me feel. Maddox came outside faster than I expected, moving with long strides like he was running out of time. Before he could even get too far, two drunk girls followed him from inside. He looked back and paused, the two of them now surrounding him as they giggled. I couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying, but one of them ced her hands on the sides of his arms from behind. He chuckled and pushed her hands away gently, but the other one ran her hand down his chest. She was slow and bold with it. He gently pushed her away, too. I pursed my lips. That was what he deserved after the way he made it seem like he was flirting with every girl¡­ except me. He managed to convince them to go back inside, then continued looking around, swinging his head from left to right to scan the yard. I just watched him for a while to see how long it would take for him to find me. Then, he ruffled his hair in defeat, pulling out his phone and dialing a number. When my screen lit up, I shook my head but picked up while watching him from a distance. ¡°Can¡¯t seem to find me, huh?¡± I teased him, my tone t. ¡°You might as well tell me where exactly you are,¡± he said, like I was wasting his time. 37 55 vouchers Even after giving him directions on where exactly he could find me, it took him a while to get there. I made it easier by emerging from behind the wide tree trunk, my arms crossed after putting my phone away. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d say this,¡± he said when he stopped right in front of me, ¡°but for the first time, this ce is too big.¡± ¡°Now it bothers you because of how long it took you to find me?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± He moved closer, but I took a few steps to the left to widen the distance between us. ¡°I see we¡¯re getting straight into it,¡± he said it like a joke. My eyes narrowed. ¡°I¡¯m still mad at you for not picking up any of my calls and texting back like you didn¡¯t want to until you eventually just stopped. I only picked up when you called because you stopped Tiffany from announcing something to humiliate me up there in front of everyone.¡± ¡°We both know what she was going to say and I wasn¡¯t going to allow it. That was private.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I let out a dryugh. ¡°I thought you liked to brag to your friends about stuff like that.¡± His mouth twitched. ¡°Not in the way you think.¡± He began to walk along the pavers, his hands in his pockets. I followed suit, the silence dragging on for a while before he spoke. ¡°I¡¯m certain you heard about Kate and I even before everything you saw today. Grayson definitely didn¡¯t miss the chance to make sure you stayed away.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t have to,¡± I said. ¡°Your actions already did the job.¡± ¡°Harper,¡± his tone shifted to something lower. ¡°you need to know that the thing with Kate was-¡± ¡°I was watching you closely and you were trying too hard,¡± I cut in. ¡°I already figured it out and a lot more.¡± He stopped in his tracks, suddenly facing the night sky. ¡°That, right there, is the reason you scare me.¡± 10:02 Tue, Sep 16 37 Chapter 32 Harper E55 vouchers Blueprint 32 Chapter 32 Harper E55 vouchers I didn¡¯t know if Maddox expected me to say something in return, or if he was about to say something himself, but the silence felt like if neither would happen, it wasn¡¯t going to matter. We let it stretch on for a while as he continued to face the sky until he finally said, ¡°Margot shouldn¡¯t have done that to you.¡± My eyes went wide. ¡°How did you-¡± ¡°I heard it when you were with Zoey and E. I was just in the study with Uncle Sebastian¡­the whole time.¡± He emphasized thest part. I let out a chuckle of relief. ¡°They thought my description was nonsensical.¡± ¡°It was quite the opposite.¡± He barely made eye contact as we got back in the rhythm of moving along the pavers. ¡°Good thing I was there when you said it. We probably wouldn¡¯t be here right now. Anyway, I¡¯m leaving tomorrow.¡± I thought he¡¯d say more about the painting, but I chose not to push him. ¡°I know. That¡¯s one of the reasons I came. Even when you were being such a jerk, I wanted to say goodbye.¡± ¡°Goodbye?¡± He scoffed. ¡°Who says this is thest time?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re the one who made it feel that way.¡± ¡°Guilty.¡± He raised his hands in defeat. ¡°It must have been so hard for you to see my clothes in your closet.¡± ¡°That part.¡± I nodded in agreement. ¡°Keep them for now. You¡¯ll definitely give them back one day. When the timees, I¡¯ll tell you how.¡± He stroked his chin, looking at me from head to toe like he was stripping me naked with his eyes. Grayson had looked at me in a simr way not too long ago, but there was something about the way Maddox did it that sent a rush between my legs. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what Tiffany says about your dress, it shows off everything I¡¯ve missed about you, or at least most of it.¡± ¡°And you think that¡¯s going to fix everything?¡± I stopped in my tracks and crossed He sighed. ¡°Let me make it up to you.¡± ¡°How?¡± I tilted my head. ¡°Come with me and I¡¯ll show you.¡± He smirked, holding out his hand for me, my arms. 16:02 Tue, Sep 16 ¡°I don¡¯t think Kate will like this.¡± : 37 55 vouchers. ¡°She¡¯s probably passed out by now. She¡¯s not even my girl. I just want to have a good time with you. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not about to fuck you.¡± I scoffed. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go.¡± I didn¡¯t know what exactly he was up to, but something about stepping into the unknown made it exciting. As soon as I gave him my hand, he led the way back to the party. ¡°When is your birthday?¡± he asked casually. ¡°June 5th.¡± ¡°Be nice to me and I might throw you a party like this.¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°Like that¡¯s going to happen. Oh, wait¡­¡± I stopped in my tracks again and he followed suit, watching me rummage through my purse. Then, I took out a long narrow box neatly wrapped and handed it to him. ¡°Happy birthday.¡± He took it, a small smile on his lips as he narrowed his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s inside?¡± ¡°How about opening it so you can find out?¡± He scoffed, nodding in agreement, proceeding to open the box with a smirk but as soon as he checked what was inside, it faded and I held my breath. Did he not like it? ¡°Well?¡± I forced a chuckle. ¡°What made you get me something like this?¡± His expression was unreadable. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just¡­pretty stupid, right?¡± He smiled in satisfaction, gently closing the box. ¡°I haven¡¯t painted anything in years. This art brush set must be a sign for me to get back into it, so no, it¡¯s not stupid at all.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you like it.¡± I exhaled deeply, relieved. ¡°You looked like you were about to cry.¡± He teased me. ¡°You wish.¡± I rolled my eyes. My breath hitched when he suddenly pulled me closer by the waist so we¡¯d make our way to the party. My body recognized his ming touch, making me clutch my purse. 37 55 vouchers The base thumped louder when we were back inside, but that wasn¡¯t the reason I could feel the rush of my own pulse. It was the girls shooting res at me. He noticed it and was so amused that he held me even closer when he led me to his semi circr lounge chair that stood out from the rest and poured me a drink. I expected him to hand it to me. Instead, he held onto the back of my head to bring me closer and it was just so easy to obey him. I leaned forward, drinking from the ss as I watched him scan every inch of me that he could see. I swallowed hard because I¡¯d missed every bit of that. The moment was interrupted when the girls who¡¯d been shooting me res came over, wanting to pull him up so they could all dance, but he leaned back in his seat, throwing his arm over my shoulder. Even when they insisted, he just shook his head lightly. He wasn¡¯t in the mood to dance. As soon as they gave up, they turned to leave, ring at me onest time. I didn¡¯t even dwell on that as I spotted E and Zoey dancing with the Bary twins. They excitedly waved at me, d that I was now chilling with Maddox. I could already imagine them asking me for details afterwards. To grab my attention, Maddox brought the ss to my lips again and I was about to face him and drink, but paused when I spotted Tiffany and Grayson. She had led him to dance right where I¡¯d see it. She was all over him and the second her eyes met mine, her lips curved into smile, one that said I would never have him. It made my stomach twist. Grayson even made eye contact with me but looked away when she possessively grabbed the sides of his. He ced his hand at the back of her neck and their lips met in a passionate kiss. He was only kissing his wife, but the more I watched the two of them, the more I felt the burning sensation in my chest. Maddox blocked the view of the two of them when he brought his face real close. He didn¡¯t even have to say it for me to know that he had noticed. He then leaned towards the side of my cheek, his lips brushing against my ear. ¡°Dance with me.¡± He held my hand, pulling me up without waiting for my reply. I didn¡¯t even resist. I needed to blow off some steam, so I intertwined my fingers with his. It was his birthday and those in the way stepped aside to give us some room. The res were sharper than before and I was certain Kate would¡¯ve done the same thing had she been able to witness that moment. He stopped right where Grayson and Tiffany would be able to see us and that was when he turned me towards him with an aggressive pull that made my breath a little heavy. Holding me by the waist, he dipped his head so he could rest his forehead against mine, his mouth so close I could feel the warmth of his exhale. My gaze was fixed on him, but I could still feel all the eyes watching us. It was his first time dancing ever since the party had begun and we were in the spotlight. While others cheered, some girls made it seem like they thought they had a chance. 16:02 Tue, Sep 16 37 55 vouchers The moment both his hands rested on my hips, my movements were fluid as I threw my arms around his neck to perfectly match his energy. ¡°You¡¯re enjoying this.¡± He licked his bottom lip. I tilted my head back, my lips parting in a small smile. ¡°Maybe.¡± When his hand slipped up my spine, as if he was testing how far he could go without starting something neither of us would want to stop, it reminded me of everything we had done beyond that present moment. His hands had been on every inch of my body and it began to feel like he was inviting me to something more. He rested his face right on the nape of my neck and his warm breath against my skin felt like gentle caresses. He didn¡¯t do much, but it was enough to make me close my eyes for a few seconds, trying so hard not to lose my senses right there. When he raised his head only a few secondster, I felt a little empty as I could no longer feel his breath against my skin. He stared into my eyes like he was daring me to look away, but how could I when he knew how to get under my skin? His eyes turned darker with a desire I was too familiar with, but then he spun me around to get behind me. He had his hands on my hips, guiding how they swayed for him. I even looked over my shoulder, teasing him with my gaze. He looked at me like he was giving me a silent warning, but I wasn¡¯t about to stop. I was so lost in the moment that I closed my eyes and threw my hands in the air even as I faced forward and raised my chin towards the ceiling. His hands traveled further up to the narrowest part of my waist, grabbing it like he owned it. It was only when I opened my eyes and faced forward that I realized Grayson and Tiffany had been watching. Maddox had made me forget that they were there the whole time. They slowly stopped dancing as she dropped her hands from his neck a little too hard. She only wanted to see me break but things didn¡¯t go away. As for Grayson, he just couldn¡¯t look away. There were other people now standing between us, but his gaze was still sharp enough to slice through the crowd. For a few seconds, that was a satisfying sight to see, but it began to bother me. What was his problem? He looked like he wanted to rip me away from his brother¨Cin-w. Then, Maddox¡¯s hands possessively pressed harder into my hips as he spun me around so I could face him again. He wanted me to pay attention. I thought that maybe I only agreed to dance with him because Tiffany was showing Grayson off and I wanted to get back at her, but the more I danced with him, the longer I wanted to be there. The music shifted to something slower and I ced a hand at the back of his neck, the other one resting right on his chest. ¡°Look at you.¡± He teased me. I didn¡¯t even have aeback for that but I still held him tight enough.
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55 vouchers Then, he brought his lips near my ear and I thought he just wanted to tease me with his lips, but his next words made my heart skip a beat. ¡°Upstairs, where it¡¯s just you and me.¡± 16:02 Tue, Sep 16 Blueprint 33 Chapter 33 Grayson 55 vouchers It had taken me a while to find Tiffany and she didn¡¯t even pick up my calls or return my messages. It turns out she had locked herself in one of the bathrooms just so she wouldn¡¯t show her face to everyone else while she was still furious. ¡°What were you going to do up there when you picked out Harp and Kate?¡± I spoke over the music as I had her in a corner. She rolled her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me I have to deal with this after that shit with Maddox.¡± At first, I thought it was just because of how he had dragged her away, but the way she breathed hard told me there was more to it. ¡°What happened between you two?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve done nothing but be a good sister to him and he wants to act like I ever begged to be in his life? He¡¯s still mad about what mom and I did to him. Who holds a grudge that fucking long? He¡¯s always just looked for a reason to push me away. Like I give a shit.¡± Tiffany never took ountability for what she had done and while I wasn¡¯t fond of Maddox, especially after he slept with Harper, even I would¡¯ve felt the same way had I experienced something like that at the hands of her and her mother. ¡°Turns out Harper slept with him again. Did you know?¡± I shrugged, swallowing hard. ¡°There¡¯s no way it happened a second time. She didn¡¯t tell me anything.¡± She sneered. ¡°Of course she didn¡¯t tell you. How could she when she doesn¡¯t want you to know that she¡¯s really a slut? But fuck that. I¡¯m done meddling in his fucking life. We¡¯re leaving right now. I just need to find Kate. Where the hell is she?¡± ¡°She wasn¡¯t where I left her when I came back inside. I needed a moment away from all this noise.¡± ¡°Ugh! She¡¯s not even replying to my texts and¡­¡± She trailed off, making me wonder what was going on with her. I followed her gaze and to my surprise, Maddox was with Harper, holding her close while they sat together and he poured her a drink for everyone to see. I was wrong to think I¡¯d never see them like that again. My gaze then shifted back to Tiffany when she held my hand and said. ¡°Dance with me.¡± ¡°What?¡± I furrowed my eyebrows. Wasn¡¯t she the one who just wanted to leave? I soon realized she hadn¡¯t had her moment up there when the mic was cut and yanked from her. She still had a score to settle with Harper and all it was going to take was to show me off. I knew it better than anyone that it would get to Harper. It also pissed me off to see her with Maddox after everything that had happened that night. 0: 36 55 vouchers Tiffany led me through the crowd while already dancing and I followed her with no protest. I loved watching her sway her hips to the music. She found what she thought was a perfect spot, then began dancing up on me. My hands were instantly all over her and I even kissed her. She giggled, wrapping her arms around my neck before running one hand down my chest. She might have wanted to do this to get back at Harper, but she was getting me too excited and I had to keep myself under control in front of everyone. I forgot about Harper for a while as I couldn¡¯t look away from my sexy wife dancing up on me. It was the cheering that made me look over and to my surprise, Maddox¡¯s hands were all over her as they danced. I tried to focus on Tiffany, but it wasn¡¯t the same anymore. Their bodies were so close that it made me think about how much closer they had already been with no clothes on. He was so possessive with her that when he spun her around and her ass was right against his crotch, he bit his bottom lip at her seductive dance moves like he could take her right there. He then looked right at me, that smug expression on his face like he had won something. She threw her hands in the air like she was ready to surrender and when she opened her eyes and they met mine, she only danced harder. I thought she would¡¯ve stopped at that moment, but no, the two of them kept going. Tiffany sneered, dropping her hands from my neck in defeat. In my peripheral vision, her phone screen lit up and she just left me there with her phone pressed against her ear. I was d she left because no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn¡¯t stop watching the two of them. Their lips didn¡¯t even touch, but it felt like they were doing more than just kissing. Then, he said something to her right against her ear and she stared into his eyes as if searching for something. His hand slid down to hers and she was the first to intertwine, making him face the direction that would lead them upstairs. Their steps were a little rushed, like they couldn¡¯t wait to get away and that snapped something in me. I didn¡¯t even think when I began to move towards the stairs. I still kept a distance while keeping track of them. They were already on the steps that would lead to the third floor when I felt a hand grab me from behind. I looked back, my eyes widening a little as I said, ¡°Babe?¡± It was only when she stopped me that I came back to my senses. ¡°Babe, where are you going?¡± Her phone was still in her hand. ¡°The bathroom. The ones upstairs aren¡¯t so crowded. Who was that on the phone?¡± ¡°Kate, or should I say¡­someone using Kate¡¯s phone. She¡¯s a whole fucking mess after taking all those shots. This n actually backfired because she didn¡¯t do much.¡± 36 55 vouchers She went on and on about everything that could¡¯ve been done differently, including Harper ending up with Maddox on the dance floor, but to me, it just felt like she was wasting my time. ¡°Go and find her,¡± I cut in when she was still in the middle of saying something. ¡°I¡¯m on my way. I just wanted to tell you that it might take a while and-¡± ¡°Take your time.¡± I forced a smile. ¡°Thanks, babe!¡± She seemed too excited, but I didn¡¯t even question it. I just wanted to go further up the stairs. I had lost track of where exactly Maddox might have taken Harper, making me move along the hallways like a mad man. AD Blueprint 34 Chapter 34 Grayson 36 55 vouchers It seemed all my efforts to find them were for nothing until I realized he might have taken her to his bedroom. I didn¡¯t want to imagine it, but it was a possibility, so with long strides, I made it to that floor, slowing down the closer I got to that bedroom door. I stopped right by the door and held my breath just to listen, but there was nothing. I was just about to turn away and look elsewhere when I finally heard that fucking gasp of pleasure from her. I then flinched when something mmed against the door, making me take a step back. ¡°Fuck!¡± Maddox grunted from inside. The constant mming against the door made my chest tighten. I didn¡¯t know if he had her pinned against it while lifting her, or if she had her hands against it for support but whatever it was, he was balls deep inside of her and it took everything in me not to knock down that door. I should¡¯ve walked away with the little dignity I had left, but I just couldn¡¯t stop listening. ¡°Give it to me!¡± she begged for it and that made me want to punch the wall. She moaned his name like he was a sex god or something, like she had never had it like that before. I stood there for so long that I heard her orgasm and everything went quiet for a few seconds. They were done and I had to get out of there before that door would open. Just as I took my first step, I heard them fucking again. I shut my eyes tightly, wondering when it was going to end. Maddox was acting like someone who hadn¡¯t fucked in a long time. She was louder the second time, like he was fucking her hard and she was just taking it, even begging for more. He made it sound like he owned her and I hated every part of that. It was 2 AM and the party was over. Most of the guests had left and some were already on their way out. Zoey and E were in thepany of the Bary twins, the pairs looking at each other like they were about to have a good time once getting to their destination. I hadn¡¯t left yet and was still taking shots rapidly while holding a bottle in my other hand, hoping it would make me feel better, but it just made me feel worse. Maddox and Harper still hadn¡¯te downstairs ever since I had heard them fucking in his bedroom It made my blood boil as I imagined just how long they had been fucking up there. Just to feel at ease, I told myself he must have snuck her out through the back just so she wouldn¡¯t feel 16:03 Tue, Sep 16 embarrassed since many might have suspected it. ¡°Hey, still enjoying the party?¡± E teased me. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving soon.¡± I took another shot. ¡°Won¡¯t you wait for Harp?¡± Zoey giggled suggestively. ¡°She called just a few minutes ago and told us to go.¡± I tightened my grip on the bottleneck. ¡°She did?¡± F 55 vouchers. The two of them proudly nodded in unison, now making their way to the front door as they waved at me. I leaned back in my seat so hard that the chair might have flipped over. As I drank from the bottle, I spotted Maddoxing down the stairs, his hair a little messy. He was looking around just to take note of who was still at the party when he spotted me. I could spot that smug expression from a distance as he approached me. ¡°I see you¡¯re still here,¡± he said, sitting beside me. ¡°This is what a party is for, isn¡¯t it?¡± It took everything in me to hide my rage. ¡°I actually thought you left with Tiffany.¡± ¡°She had to take Kate home and is spending the night there. She left a long time ago.¡± ¡°And you stayed.¡± ¡°Yeah, for the party.¡± ¡°For the party,¡± he repeated quietly. My eyes narrowed, but I had nothing to say. As I drank from the bottle again, his phone rang and he immediately smirked at Harper¡¯s name. ¡°Ready for more?¡± he said as soon as he picked up. The call was short but enough to make me want to smash the bottle against the table or something. Rising to his feet, he said, ¡°I need to get back upstairs, where all the fun is now.¡± He turned to leave, but I spoke before I could stop myself. ¡°Still leaving town today?¡± He chuckled, like he knew why I was asking. ¡°Yeah, by noon,¡± he said. ¡°Hey, are you sure you¡¯ll be able to drive? Help yourself to one of the bed-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be just fine.¡± I interrupted him. : 36 55 vouchers Even if I wasn¡¯t in the right state, there was no way I would sleep in that house with Harper in his bed. I watched him hurry up the stairs, like he couldn¡¯t wait to fuck her again and it made my blood boil. I finally had enough and made my way outside to the car. I slowed down as I spotted Harper¡¯s car, clenching my fists at the realization that it was going to be parked there for as long as she was inside. I had never been so jealous. 16:03 Tue, Sep 16 Blueprint 35 Chapter 35 Harper ( 136 65 vouchers Around 9 in the morning, I stepped out of the shower in nothing but a towel, looking around to check if Maddox had returned, but he was still downstairs. I¡¯d woken up alone in his bed, my body a little sore from the wild night we¡¯d shared. My dress and underwear were on the same chair we¡¯d fucked on and my mind took me back to the moment when I straddled him and he thrust from below. Biting my lip as I thought about just how wet I was, I stretched out my arm to reach for my clothes when the bedroom door swung open. He stood right in the doorway, dropping his gaze to my legs. ¡°You¡¯re up,¡± he said. I felt like he had already stripped me naked with his bare eyes and that made me tighten the grip on my towel. ¡°Clearly,¡± I said. He stepped further inside and closed the door, then came so close that his chest almost came in contact with mine and I could feel the heating off his body. I spotted a subtle lip bite, making me swallow hard. I was aware that I was standing there, practically naked in front of him. ¡°I just checked downstairs and there¡¯s gonna be so much cleaning,¡± he said, still looking at every inch of me instead of anywhere else in the room. ¡°There are so many popped balloons and empty bottles on the floor. Someone decided to smear some cake on the wall. I didn¡¯t even dare open the fridge in the kitchen. I¡¯ll probably find a shoe in there.¡± My lips curved into a smile just to shut out the memory of his hands on my body. ¡°You sound like a guy with experience.¡± I expected an immediate reply. Instead, what I got was silence and we stood there for a few seconds. His gaze briefly dropped to my bare thighs again and I forgot how to breathe. Maybe it was because I could still feel him kissing and licking them. Then, as if nothing was happening, he stepped back and said, ¡°You¡¯re lucky you get to leave in your own clothes this time.¡± I smacked my lips, like I was disappointed that he was leaving like that after teasing me so hard without even touching me. ¡°It¡¯s only because you were careful this time.¡± ¡°Just so we¡¯re clear,¡± he paused with a smirk. ¡°I only did it so you don¡¯t walk out of here in another pair of my clothes.¡± ¡°Like they¡¯re anything special.¡± I rolled my eyes. 36 55 vouchers He scoffed. ¡°You know they are. When you¡¯re done here,e downstairs for breakfast or to carry a trashbag.¡± And with that, he closed the door behind him, leaving me standing in ce like I was waiting for something else to happen. It was only after I told myself he wasn¡¯ting back that I reached for my clothes and dropped the towel to the floor. After that moment when I danced with him even after I¡¯d gotten back at Tiffany, he was maic again and I had no regrets abouting upstairs with him. He made me feel like he hadn¡¯t fucked in a while when he rushed me into his room and had me right against the door with my hands resting on it. We had taken it from there, to the chair, to the bed and finally, to the gym. That was thest ce and only after he hade back from downstairs to check on who was still at the party. We fucked like we were saying goodbye. After putting on my dress, I came back to the bathroom, drying my hair while looking in the mirror. The air blew my hair upwards, exposing every hickey on my neck. I knew I would have to dab a lot of powder around that area and I didn¡¯t mind. I wondered if Grayson had watched me go up the stairs with Maddox. For someone who¡¯d kept watching me dance, I was certain he did and it didn¡¯t matter to me what he thought about it. Maddox pulled up to my ce in his car and my immediate expectation was that he would step out and open the door for me, but he caught me off guard when he turned towards me, his arm resting on the steering wheel. He slowly dragged his gaze all over me and it was the kind of look that made me want to press my thighs together. ¡°The Bary twins seem to be so into your friends,¡± he said. ¡°They told you that?¡± I chuckled nervously. ¡°I¡¯ve known them for years,¡± he said casually. ¡°This is the longest they¡¯ve been with someone after meeting at a party. Anyway, your car will be here soon. A few more hours to go and I¡¯ll be off to the airport. You¡¯re gonna be okay?¡± ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± I gave a small teasing smile. ¡°I¡¯m leaving, but Grayson and Tiffany are still here.¡± My smile faded at how right he was about that. I didn¡¯t even get the chance to think about it much as he gently ced his hand on my thigh, making me close my eyes with a gasp. ¡°If you ever need to blow off some steam¡­¡± he trailed off. ? 636 ) 55 vouchers I opened my eyes with a chuckle, using that to hide how his touch made me feel. He didn¡¯t have to say anything more for me to figure out what he was trying to say. ¡°You make it sound like it¡¯s a service.¡± My voice was barely above a whisper. ¡°It is and it¡¯s exclusive.¡± His grip on my thigh tightened possessively. ¡°No one else is allowed in.¡± Even though I closed my eyes again, the casual arrogance in his tone made me want to tell him he had no right to be so full of himself, but all that came out was silence. My body was locked in on his touch. ¡°I keep saying if you ever need to blow off some steam, but one day,¡± he paused, just to lean forward and his lips were now close to the side of my face, ¡°I¡¯ll be the one to call you. And when I do¡­¡± His hand slipped toward my inner thigh. ¡°You¡¯lle. No hesitation.¡± I should¡¯ve told him that I wasn¡¯t his booty call, but he had been there for me when I wanted to forget about Grayson and my broken heart on more than one asion. And the picture in my head of him calling me, of me showing up, was already too exciting. Suddenly, he pulled back his hand from my thigh and it felt like something important was now missing from my body to make me feel whole again. My mind had taken it that far. It was always so easy to lose control around him when he was in that mode that made me want to surrender, so I cleared my throat topose myself, then spoke casually like he hadn¡¯t just done things to me with his gaze, touch and words. ¡°You keep saying all this when you know you¡¯re leaving San Francisco. It¡¯s not like you¡¯ll be right next door. You¡¯re going to London.¡± With a smug expression, he said. ¡°I¡¯ll be the one to handle that part. You only need to follow my lead. Got it?¡± AD Blueprint 36 Chapter 36 Grayson 36 55 vouchers I was d Tiffany wasn¡¯t yet back from Kate¡¯s ce. I looked like hell with dark circles around my red eyes, the same clothes I¡¯d worn at the party and a faint throbbing headache that only added to my troubled state. I looked like a zombie, and not the one that went around moaning for brains. I¡¯d been tossing and turning in bed for hours, constantly thinking about Harper and Maddox fucking like there was no tomorrow. She¡¯d been so into it even when fucked hard. She wanted it. She¡¯d sounded so damn sexy but instead of enjoying it, I hated every bit of it. Because it wasn¡¯t me she was begging for more. The way he got excited when he needed to return upstairs because she was fucking ready, the way I left her car parked in his front yard, it all burned my chest. Even with the sunlight filtering through the curtains, I stared at the ceiling, hoping that sleep woulde if I forced it hard enough but the harder I tried to shut out any fucking images of them, the clearer it became and I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. It was 11 in the morning and I needed to know where she was. I just needed to make sure Maddox still didn¡¯t have her in his bed. Pacing right near the bed, I dialed her number before I could talk myself out of it. ¡°Hey!¡± she said from the other end of the line, her voice soft and casual. Trying to sound natural, I said, ¡°Hey, I just thought I¡¯d check on you. The party was wild and you drank too much. Any hangover?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good. What about you?¡± ¡°You know I don¡¯t get drunk easily.¡± ¡°Yeah, but the way Maddox described it when he came back upstairs was crazy.¡± I clenched my jaw at the mention of his name. ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m home now.¡± I was so relieved that I sat down on the bed, but it still didn¡¯t erase the fact that she had been with Maddox all night. ¡°Did you really have to end up with himst night?¡± I asked before I could stop myself. She sighed. ¡°Please don¡¯t start.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only asking because of how you barely spoke to him for the past-¡± ¡°We talked about everything, right after you went back inside. We¡¯re good now.¡± ¡°So you just ignored the fact that he was fucking Kate and-¡± ¡°The thing with Kate is¡­none of my business. Like I said, we¡¯re good now.¡± 36 E55 vouchers I feared that if I dragged out that conversation, she would only catch on to what else was going on with me. Maddox was leaving but I was still in town. That was all I needed to turn things around. ¡°Let¡¯s do something this afternoon.¡± ¡°Uh¡­really?¡± she asked like she now had a smile stered on her face. ¡°Yeah, just you and me. We haven¡¯t been out in years.¡± ¡°Oh¡­I uh¡­¡± I smirked in satisfaction. She could fuck Maddox if she wanted for a whole month straight, but when it came down to who really made her wish for more, it definitely wasn¡¯t him. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she said. ¡°I have so much work to do today. I haven¡¯t even checked my work emails yet.¡± ¡°Then we can do it any day you feel like it. I¡¯ll wait.¡± She giggled like a teenager. ¡°How¡¯s this Friday?¡± ¡°Perfect and don¡¯t worry about Tiffany. I¡¯ll handle that part. Where do you want us to go?¡± ¡°You¨Cyou¡¯re asking me?¡± ¡°Yeah, anything you want.¡± All it took was making her feel special and she was back to that girl I always knew. With or without Maddox, I realized it was that easy. I just needed to y my cards right. As she began to tell me everything she had in mind, I heard the sound of an engine outside, so I looked outside the window and spotted Tiffany¡¯s car. It was still going to take her a while to get to the bedroom, so I began to take off my clothes while still on the phone with Harper. I even stepped into the shower as soon as the call ended. Though freshening up wasn¡¯t going to get rid of my dark circles and red eyes, it was still going to make a difference. It took her so long to get to the bedroom that I even stepped out of the shower while in a robe. Finally, the door creaked open and she walked in with bare feet, her heels in one hand while she had her purse in the other hand. What stood out the most was the fact that she was wearing a different dress. ¡°You look awful,¡± she said, a little grumpy. ¡°Someone¡¯s in a bad mood.¡± I kissed her on the lips. : 55 vouchers ¡°I¡¯ve had a very rough night. Kate kept throwing up and even did it on my dress. I took this one from her closet and it costs way less.¡± ¡°Let me guess, there¡¯s more?¡± I wrapped my arms around her. ¡°Kate and I had discussed the game I was going to make the guests y at the party. She¡¯s the one who opened her mouth and told Maddox about it. She was already so drunk when she did it. She fucking ruined everything.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you even say this in front of me when you know Harper and I are close.¡± She pulled away to face the mirror, twisting her face in anger. ¡°I only tolerated her all these years because she was your friend. Now, she¡¯s being a slut in my brother¡¯s life, not that I give a shit anymore.¡± ¡°I see you¡¯re still mad about what he said.¡± ¡°I told mom and dad. They¡¯ll talk to both of us, but it makes no difference to me.¡± ¡°Does that mean this can finally end? No more going after Harper since you no longer care about who your brother sleeps with? Besides, he¡¯s leaving her behind. That means she¡¯ll be all alone.¡± She scoffed. ¡°So what? I know she fucked himst night. I¡¯m not just going to-¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. Not another word about this.¡± My voice was low butmanding. ¡°But-¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to say it a second time.¡± She sneered. ¡°Now you openly defend her?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just tired of all this. Be the girl I married, not this one, who¡¯s constantly plotting her revenge. I can¡¯t stand it.¡± ¡°You know what? You¡¯re right.¡± She smiled sweetly, reaching for my hand. My eyes narrowed suspiciously. She chuckled. ¡°Why do you look like you don¡¯t believe me? I hate it when you look at me like I disgust you. It¡¯s the same way you looked at me when that waitress almost messed up my dress during our honeymoon. Fine, no more revenge. I shouldn¡¯t be wasting my energy on that loser.¡± ¡°You mean that?¡± My head tilted. She threw her arms around my neck. ¡°I mean every word. I promise.¡± I hugged her tightly and kissed her forehead, but I didn¡¯t know if I could trust her to keep that promise. She had said exactly what I wanted to hear, so why did that bother me? 16:04 Tue, Sep 16 Blueprint 37 Chapter 37 Harper 55 vouchers E, Zoey and I came to the animal shelter for a different kind of fun. We¡¯d had enough of partying and drinking. There was a tiny golden retriever pup nibbling at the ends of my hair as I tried to scoop him into myp. ¡°So, how does it feel without Maddox in town?¡± E asked,ughing at the soft little growl the beagle pup in her arms made. ¡°Yeah!¡± Zoey leaned towards me with wide eyes, her ck dress covered in white fur from her tiny husky. ¡°Now that you can¡¯t be with him in less than thirty minutes and do whatever you want to each other, how does it feel?¡± I looked at both of them in disbelief, but giggled when my golden retriever licked my cheek. ¡°You two can¡¯t be serious right now. And why are we talking about this here?¡± ¡°Come on. It¡¯s not like there¡¯s anyone else around, so how does it feel without him?¡± E wiggled her eyebrows. ¡°Why are you making it sound like I haven¡¯t seen him in months? It¡¯s only been two days.¡± ¡°Well, yeah, but still, how does it feel?¡± The tiny husky wriggled in Zoey¡¯s arms. I sighed. ¡°You¡¯re both reading too much into this.¡± ¡°What else do you expect after what you did?¡± E¡¯s eyes narrowed as she pulled her beagle away from her shirt before he chewed a hole through it. ¡°You spent two weeks not seeing him and he spent that night paying attention to everyone else, only for the two of you to end up in bed together!¡± ¡°Look, one thing just led to another and that¡¯s it. He¡¯s now hours away and-¡± ¡°Aha!¡± Zoey yelled a little too loudly, scaring the puppies. ¡°OMG I¡¯m so sorry my lovelies.¡± She looked around at each one of them, then back at me. ¡°There, you said it. You miss him.¡± My eyes narrowed. ¡°None of those words came out of my mouth.¡± E smirked at me. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to say anything directly. We can tell.¡± ¡°I understand that the two of you just want to see me move on, but it¡¯s not going to happen like this.¡± I gently scratched my golden retriever¡¯s ears. ¡°Now that I think about it, you¡¯re right.¡± Zoey huffed. ¡°Looking at the way things are going right now, it¡¯s not enough. We¡¯re going out with the Bary twins this evening and they know all about Maddox. Maybe they can tell us something about him that you don¡¯t yet know, like what he likes and stuff like that.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± I firmly shook my head, bringing my face real close to the golden retriever so our noses could touch. ¡°Look, I¡¯ve told you several times that what I have with Maddox is nothing serious.¡± EX 55 vouchers ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± E rolled her eyes dismissively. ¡°It¡¯s always so funny to me that you keep saying that and yet you two fucked like animals.¡± ¡°Yeah and doesn¡¯t he text you like¡­ all the time?¡± I leaned back against the wall, letting the golden retriever curl into myp. ¡°Don¡¯t the two of you. Text me all the time as well?¡± They nced at each other, then back at me. ¡°Good point!¡± they said in unison. ¡°Don¡¯t get mad at me for saying this,¡± Zoey paused, setting her husky down and throwing a squeaky toy, ¡°but maybe you should actually stop sleeping with him.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± My voice was loud. E tilted her head with a smirk. ¡°Is that your way of saying you want to keep doing it?¡± I blinked rapidly. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. Anyway, what were you trying to say, Zocy?¡± ¡°I just feel like the more you keep doing this, the harder it¡¯ll be for you to move on. You keep saying there¡¯s nothing between you two, but for how long will you stay this way?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you the same ones hyping me up to enjoy the fun with him while itsts?¡± ¡°That was before we saw how you act around Grayson.¡± E scratched under the beagle¡¯s chin. ¡°We just want to see you happy.¡± ¡°Ooh, How about Dean?¡± Zoey suggested. ¡°Not this again.¡± I huffed. ¡°He¡¯s just a friend and doesn¡¯t give off that vibe. We¡¯re getting to know each other and I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll ever be anything more than that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it starts and then before you know it, you¡¯re ripping each other¡¯s clothes off! Today might be the day since you¡¯re going on a date with him.¡± ¡°We¡¯re just grabbing some dinner together at a fast food restaurant and that¡¯s it.¡± My tone was dismissive. ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re stuck with Maddox?¡± Zoey held up her beagle¡¯s paws to make him wave. ¡°You make it sound like it¡¯s a bad thing.¡± I shot her a yful re. ¡°Looks like someone likes being stuck with Maddox,¡± they teased me. I tried to shut them up, but they just wouldn¡¯t stop. I eventually gave up and let them say it for as long as they felt like it. I might¡¯ve felt the same way about Maddox back when he was just Tiffany¡¯s brother to me and things changed between us, but I wanted to keep things as they were with Dean. It wasn¡¯t every guy that came into my life that I was going to sleep with. 16:04 Tue, Sep 16 : 36 55 vouchers Dean and I were on our way home and had decided to walk since it wasn¡¯t too far from my ce. I had lost count of the number of times he had made meugh. I could still feel my ribs hurt. He had so many stories to tell me and each one of them kept me intrigued. ¡°Damn,¡± I said, when I finallyposed myself to stopughing. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you had it in you like that.¡± ¡°Yup, that¡¯s what most people think at first nce, until they actually get to know me and I prefer it that way.¡± He grinned. While he¡¯d managed to grab my attention most of the time while we had dinner, my attention split each time Maddox sent me some nasty texts that were for my eyes only. I still had to y it cool around Dean so he wouldn¡¯t think I had little interest in being with him at that moment. It was for this reason that I barely replied. A few seconds away from my doorstep, Dean said, ¡°I haven¡¯t had this much fun in a long time. How about we watch a movie Friday evening?¡± I smiled politely. ¡°I¡¯d love to, but I already have ns.¡± I¡¯d been counting down to Friday so I could spend time with Grayson ever since he¡¯d told me he wanted us to spend time together. Nodding in understanding, he said, ¡°How about Saturday?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be visiting my aunt and might be with her all day. How¡¯s Sunday?¡± ¡°I like the sound of that.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I really had a good time, even though the steak was a bit too salty.¡± I giggled. ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°I hope this won¡¯t get you in trouble with Maddox.¡± I still smiled, but my eyes narrowed. ¡°Why would that happen?¡± ¡°I saw the pictures and videos from his birthday party. You two seemed very¡­close.¡± ¡°We¡¯re just friends.¡± ¡°Of course you are.¡± He scoffed as he began to walk away. ¡°Good night, Harper.¡± He nced back and smiled at me, not stopping in his tracks for even a second. As I watched him turn at the corner, I remembered what Zoey and E had said to me about sleeping with him, but I still felt the same way at that moment. I didn¡¯t see myself in bed with him. He was just a friend and I wanted to keep things that way. I finally made it inside the house, changing into something morefortable and replying to Maddox¡¯s text at the same time. I had texted Grayson a few hours earlier, but he hadn¡¯t yet replied. He usually did that to me. His message thread was right below Maddox¡¯s and it hurt every time I was replying to him. 36 55 vouchers Each time I looked at his message thread, my gaze dropped to Grayson¡¯s name, wondering when he¡¯d read my text and reply. I was just about to open another text from Maddox when Grayson finally read my message and as soon as I spotted those three bubbles floating, I held my breath in anticipation. I had only sent him a greeting, but the fact that he was replying made my heart flutter. I hated it, but I just couldn¡¯t help it. Then, my heart shattered when the bubbles disappeared, like he had just deleted whatever he was typing. I stared at the screen, hoping to see the bubbles again, but nothing happened. I pressed my lips together in disappointment and tossed my phone next to me, telling myself not to get my hopes up ever again. As soon as my phone began to ring, my first thought was that Grayson had decided to give me a call instead of texting, but when I looked at the caller ID, I felt stupid because it was Maddox. Why did I keep doing that to myself when it came to Grayson? I shut him out, wanting to distract myself. I thought Maddox wanted to take it up a notch with everything sexy we¡¯d been talking about. It was for this reason that when I picked up, my voice was already a little flirtatious. ¡°Looks like someone just couldn¡¯t wait.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the name of thepany you work for?¡± I frowned. ¡°Why are you asking me that now?¡± ¡°Just tell me thepany name.¡± His voice was urgent. ¡°DataSphere Solutions.¡± ¡°Fuck,¡± he said under his breath. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Blueprint 38 Harper : 36 55 vouchers I should¡¯ve known it wasn¡¯t over when Tiffany¡¯s efforts to further expose me during Maddox¡¯s birthday had failed. What I didn¡¯t expect was how she had decided to strike back. It turned out thepany I worked for, DataSphere Solutions, was one of thepanies that belonged to Maddox and she used that to her advantage. She had made another post and this time, it was aimed at exposing the fact that I was sleeping with the boss and it I had lots of people talking about it. ¡°I never say this enough, but my brother, Maddox Aldridge, was destined to be a leader. Just look at him, running severalpanies at the same time. Honestly, it wouldn¡¯t be possible without his most loyal employee, Harper Moore. She¡¯s always by his side in his office and even in his bedroom. That¡¯s some constant dedication right there!¡± I was so shocked by it that I constantly paced while on the phone with Maddox after reading the post. ¡°I¡¯ve been working for you all along?¡± I asked. He sighed. ¡°Not exactly.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± I stopped in my tracks. ¡°When did you join thepany?¡± ¡°Three months ago. When will thise to an end?¡± ¡°Sleeping with me definitely doesn¡¯t help,¡± he said casually. I shook my head with disapproval like he could see me. ¡°You sound like you¡¯re finding humor in this.¡± ¡°Right now, I am. You and I have never met or fucked in an office¡± ¡°That¡¯s what grabbed your attention? How did she find out where I work? I only told Grayson and then¡­¡± I trailed off at the realization. ¡°There it is,¡± he said from the other end of the line. I huffed, taking a seat. ¡°In what context would he even tell her about where I work?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking the wrong person.¡± ¡°What I don¡¯t understand is when I first mentioned DataSphere Solutions to Grayson, he never said anything about you being the CEO¡­unless he didn¡¯t know.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I like it when you show me how smart you are sometimes. Let me guess, you¡¯re worried that this might affect your job, but here¡¯s what you¡¯re going to do. Rx your pretty ass while I take care of this.¡± My eyes narrowed. ¡°Why do you sound like you have the perfect solution to this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I do.¡± He sounded confident. 36 55 vouchers As soon as the call came to an end, I dropped my head hard onto my pillow, wondering what he was going to do about it. He sounded too calm. I knew I shouldn¡¯t have done it, but I checked Tiffany¡¯s post again and it had everyone talking, others even confirming that I was really sleeping with Maddox Aldridge because apart from the photos and videos, they¡¯d seen me at the party going upstairs with him. How could he possibly fix that? I got on the phone with E and Zoey and they were so worried about me that they even wanted to cancel their date with the Bary twins, but I wasn¡¯t going to let them. While it was too soon to judge, things seemed to be going well for them and I wanted them to enjoy it while itsted. All I could do was wait for Maddox and I hated the way I felt helpless. Grayson On the day Harper had told me thepany she worked for, I had no idea it belonged to Maddox. I¡¯d casually told Tiffany about it a few days ago. She could¡¯ve told me that her brother owned it, but why would she? It was the perfect set up for her to strike back. Not only was I fuming that she¡¯d gone to such lengths to expose Harper, it was also because we had talked about that and yet she was still doing the same old thing. I was on my way back from the office. Good thing I wasn¡¯t driving myself. Otherwise, I would¡¯ve crashed into something. I called Tiffany several times, but she didn¡¯t pick up, like she knew what I was going to ask her. I sent her several messages, not even getting a single reply. The constant back¨Cand¨Cforth, I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. While I didn¡¯t like the fact that Harper was fucking Maddox, thest thing I wanted was for her to be exposed like that no matter how much I now hated the guy. I could only imagine what she was going through and wanted to check up on her, so I called and when she picked up, she sounded so calm. ¡°Hey.¡± I furrowed my eyebrows. ¡°Hey, you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m good.¡± She was chewing something. ¡°Have you seen the post?¡± She swallowed. ¡°Yup.¡± 16:04 Tue, Sep 16 ¡°Sooo¡­¡± : She forced a chuckle. ¡°Sooo what?¡± ¡°Do you know how much that¡¯s a bad look for you?¡± ¡°I know, but Maddox told me he¡¯ll take care of it.¡± ¡°Maddox¡­¡± My jaw clenched. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Is that why you sound so unbothered?¡± ¡°All I can do is wait.¡± : I sighed. ¡°I actually thought you¡¯d jump in thements or something.¡± ¡°No need. He told me to wait.¡± ¡°And you listened.¡± I shut my eyes tightly. ¡°He made it so easy to listen to him. Honestly, I¡¯m really tired of all this.¡± ¡°I actually spoke to Tiffany about everything and I thought she was done, but I guess not.¡± 36 E55 vouchers She scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re so gullible that you listen to everything Tiffany says. That¡¯s how blind you are. Did you honestly think she was going to let this go?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to her and by the time I¡¯m done with her, she definitely won¡¯t do something like this ever again.¡± ¡°Look¡­¡± she trailed off like she didn¡¯t believe me. ¡°There have been too many times where I¡¯ve held on to the hope that you¡¯ll do something and well, you did nothing. That¡¯s why I¡¯m not getting my hopes up this time as well.¡± I gave her a reassuring smile like she could see me. ¡°Things are going to be different this time. Just trust me.¡± It bothered me that Harper thought so little of me when it came to Tiffany and I hated how right she was. When I finally made it home, I headed straight upstairs after finding out from the butler that she was in the bedroom. I was ready tosh out at her, but when I opened the bedroom door, I stopped in my tracks with wide eyes at the pillows all over the floor. She was on the edge of the bed, breathing hard with her head low. ¡°What happened here?¡± I closed the door behind me. ¡°This isn¡¯t happening!¡± Her voice was quiet as she rocked back and forth. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± 16:04 Tue, Sep 16 36 E55 vouchers She pushed her hair back so hard that I thought she¡¯d pull it out. ¡°How the fuck did I not know about this? I had a perfect n and Maddox fucking ruined everything!¡± My jaw clenched. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I wanted to talk to you about. You lied to me.¡± ¡°He shouldn¡¯t have gotten involved.¡± Her voice was quiet but filled with rage. ¡°Did you hear what I said?¡± I sat next to her. She instantly rose to her feet, kicking a pillow with a loud grunt. ¡°Shit! I hate him!¡± I still couldn¡¯t get an answer out of her no matter how many times I asked her to exin to me what was going on. It was only when Harper sent me a text that I no longer bothered to get answers from Tiffany. ¡°Did you see it?¡± ¡°See what?¡± I replied. ¡°Maddox took care of it.¡± ¡°He did? How?¡± ¡°Just check hisment onTiffany¡¯s post.¡± Quickly, I took out my phone and straight to Tiffany¡¯s page. I had to scroll for quite some time to get to Maddox¡¯sment. ¡°Appreciate the family support, Tiffany. Just one small correction, Harper Moore isn¡¯t my employee. She never was. I sold thepany four months ago and that¡¯s before she joined. I must admit that I admire your effort to talk about something you don¡¯t know.¡± The replies under hisment were of everyone quickly turning on Tiffany. ¡°Imagine being corrected in public by your own brother. So embarassing!¡± one girl said. I read a few more of them, then set my phone aside and began to take off my shirt while looking at her. ¡°So this is why you¡¯re so upset. I should have known you were lying to me when you told me you were done with this.¡± She rolled her eyes dismissively. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter right now. Can¡¯t you see that I feel betrayed? Why didn¡¯t he say anything when he sold DataSphere Solutions?¡± With the necktie in my hand, I smacked my lips, getting up from the bed. ¡°You know what? That¡¯s it.¡± My voice was quiet but still loud enough for her to hear me. As I approached the door, she rushed to me, her voice now filled with panic as she held onto my arm. 16:04 Tue, Sep 16 : ¡°Babe, where are you going?¡± : 36 E55 vouchers ¡°This house is big enough for the two of us. I just want to be alone.¡± I didn¡¯t even look back at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°For what? You always do as you please anyway.¡± My voice was a little harsh. She blocked the way, cing her hands on the sides of my face. ¡°I promise that I¡¯ll change.¡± I scoffed. ¡°Like I¡¯m actually going to believe that.¡± I was about to pull her hands off of me when she said, ¡°I really mean it this time and just to show you how serious I am, I no longer have any objections to you spending time with Harper on Friday.¡± My forehead creased. ¡°Really?¡± She smiled at how my voice sounded softer. ¡°I know you were still going to see her anyway, but you need to know that is how I feel now. I just don¡¯t like seeing you so upset with me. I¡¯m sorry, okay?¡± She began to kiss my cheek, each kiss getting closer to my lips, I wanted to push her away and leave, but the softness of her ass when she guided my hand made me forget it all and I lifted her. While I wasn¡¯t fully convinced that she meant what she said, I was still d she told me she had no problem with it. If only Harper knew all the things I was going to do to her on Friday. Ìï Blueprint 39 Chapter 39 Harper 36 55 vouchers Friday evening finally arrived and I kept checking myself out several times in the mirror while Grayson was on his way to pick me up. I wanted to look perfect. I had no makeup on except for some lipgloss, hair in a messy bun, white tank top and some ck high waist jeans. It had been years since we¡¯d had fun together and I couldn¡¯t wait for us to bond again. He showed up in a tight grey shirt that entuated his physique and white sweat pants. His hair was a little messy and fuck, I felt like an idiot as I imagined that we were in another universe and he hade to pick me up as my boyfriend so we could go on a date. ¡°You look gorgeous,¡± he said, wrapping his arms around me. I just wanted to snuggle in his chest but had to y it cool. We first went bowling, where he told me about the confrontation Tiffany and Maddox had after he¡¯d dragged her away from everyone at his birthday party. The bowling ball felt heavier than I remembered and as I lined myself up with thene, I said, ¡°Wait, they really argued like that?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± he said, standing just behind me. I swung the ball forward, releasing it with more hope than skill. It spun too far to the left and only clipped three pins, making him mockinglyugh at me. ¡°Damn, only three? You suck.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± I yfully rolled my eyes. ¡°You know, I can¡¯t believe that Maddox and Tiffany said all those things to each other at the party. He seemed cool when he came outside and we talked. He never said anything.¡± He picked up the ball like it weighed nothing, then looked back at me and said, ¡°Maybe you¡¯re not as close as you thought you were.¡± I wanted to tell him that he was wrong as I had gotten to know a few things about Maddox, but I knew what he was trying to do and it wasn¡¯t going to work. He swung the ball smoothly and it glided straight down thene before smashing into all ten pins. ¡°Ha! Now that¡¯s how you do it!¡± He pped hard for himself. ¡°Show off.¡± I crossed my arms and gave him a mocking re. He won the first round and even after it went on a few more times, not once was I the better yer. I was aware of that and just loved watching him y, even with that wedding ring on his finger. I had also missed the yful rivalry we always had when we were younger. 16:04 Tue, Sep 16 There was still so much to do and I was already enjoying every moment of it. 36 55 vouchers We stopped by a vending machine and he handed me a soda, his expression a little serious like something had been bothering him. ¡°I still feel awful that it was because of me that Tiffany made that post about you sleeping with your boss.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Come on, we talked about this.¡± ¡°I know, but it still bothers me. I gave her exactly what she needed. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± There was something about the way he looked at me that made my heart flutter. ¡°I just really need you to believe that I¡¯m deeply sorry, Harp.¡± My grip tightened on the bottle because of the way he said my name. ¡°Apology epted, again.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s not kill the mood. We came here to have a good time.¡± I only meant to get him hyped up, but when he took a few steps forward and towered over me, I forgot how to breathe. ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s just you and me.¡± Words escaped me and his eyes dropped to my lips, then back to my eyes. Even though I hoped it meant something deeper, I told myself not to read too much into it. It was for this reason that I took a few steps back and turned to face the other side. ¡°We should go before the movie starts. It¡¯s a fifteen minute drive.¡± I cleared my throat. He walked right past me, reaching for my hand and leading the way. I looked down at our fingers intertwined and pressed my lips together to hide my smile. I had arge bucket of popcorn while he had a smaller size, his arm over my shoulder like I meant something more. When we got to the entrance of the movie theater, I stopped in my tracks at how it waspletely empty. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked. I looked around, my voice filled with doubt. ¡°Are you sure we¡¯re in the right ce?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°Then where¡¯s everybody?¡± ¡°They¡¯re right here.¡± He pointed at both of us with a smile of amusement. ¡°What?¡± My eyes went wide. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s just you and me.¡± 16:05 Tue, Sep 16 ¡­ My jaw dropped. ¡°Are you telling me you booked out this whole ce for us?¡± 36 55 vouchers He proudly nodded, taking me along with him since his arm was still over my shoulder. ¡°I wanted today to be about the two of us, especially in a ce like this.¡± Since my return to San Francisco, there had been quite a few times he¡¯d said and done a lot of things that made me feel special, but nothing couldpare to that moment. For years, I yed out the perfect date in my mind with him and that was starting to feel that way. I didn¡¯t want him to see just how much he was making me blush, so I stuffed my mouth with popcorn. We¡¯d both picked out a ssic horror movie we used to watch together and just like him, he hadn¡¯t seen it in years. We took our seats somewhere in the middle and the setting felt so intimate due to the lighting. Throwing his arm over my shoulder again, he said, ¡°Just in case you get scared.¡± My heart skipped a beat, but I chuckled as I looked up at his jawline. ¡°I¡¯m not scared. I know how the story goes.¡± He looked down at me and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m still not letting you go.¡± He even brought his face a bit too close, making me hold my breath, but only a few secondster, he looked away by facing forward to focus on the movie. I pinched myself hard as I looked to the left. What the hell did I think was going to happen? After the movie, Grayson brought me to a luxurious bar, one that he personally owned and even though I sat with him at the counter, I was still uneasy. ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea?¡± I asked. ¡°I already told you that Tiffany has no problem with us spending time together.¡± ¡°Yeah, but-¡± He leaned forward. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you have a problem with it now. You weren¡¯tining when we went bowling and watched a movie, where it was just the two of us.¡± I huffed. ¡°I just don¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve seen her beg me. She hates it when I¡¯m mad at her. I was fucking furious, Harp. I told her I was leaving her-¡± ¡°You wanted to leave her for good?¡± I said it a bit too quickly before I could stop myself. Shit. 16:05 Tue, Sep 16 Blueprint 40 Harper 36 55 vouchers ¡°What? No way,¡± Grayson said. ¡°Why would I divorce her?¡± He poked his cheek like he was actually offended by what I said. How my heart would¡¯ve leaped for joy had that been the case, but there had been so many times when he could¡¯ve done that, yet he still chose her. ¡°All I told her was I¡¯d leave her in our bedroom since I couldn¡¯t stand her,¡± he said. ¡°She hates it when I¡¯m mad at her.¡± ¡°Look, I know you said she¡¯s totally cool with this, but I¡¯m still not buying it and if it turns out I¡¯m right, then I¡¯d rather not be friends with you because-¡° He quickly ced his hand over my mouth to shut me up, bringing his face real close. ¡°Don¡¯t ever say shit like that again, Harp. Got it?¡± Fuck, seeing him like that made my heart skip a beat. I nodded, my gaze dropping to his gorgeous lips that now smelled like whiskey. ¡°Good,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Dropping his hand from my lips, he leaned back with a heavy sigh. ¡°I can¡¯t lose you, Harp. If I¡¯m being honest, the past few years haven¡¯t been particrly easy.¡± I drank from my bottle. ¡°Howe? I thought you had it real good. You and your family worked hard even after making highly profitable investments. Now you even run your ownpany and have achieved that billionaire status. Back in junior high school, I would¡¯ve never thought you¡¯d reach such heights. You did great.¡± ¡°While you¡¯re right about that part, I had no one to talk to.¡± ¡°I was only a phone call away,¡± I reminded him. He gave a half smile. ¡°I know, but everything was just different after our graduation, especially with the way you left. It just wasn¡¯t the same anymore. You weren¡¯t there-¡° ¡°I was always there,¡± I tightened the grip on the bottle neck, ¡°but I just didn¡¯t want toplicate things and college was right on time.¡± ¡°I had so much to tell you, so much to share with you and I thought about you. I really did.¡± I lowered my head with a sigh. ¡°But you just never felt like sharing with me in the end. I mean, why would you? Tiffany was right there.¡± ¡°Actually, no.¡± I raised my head. ¡°What do you mean?¡± : 36 55 vouchers He paused with the ss in his hand. ¡°Tiffany was the only girlfriend I ever had. Before she came into my life, it was just me and my best friend.¡± He proudly nced at me and I had to force a smile. ¡°Yeah, it was just the two of us, but what¡¯s that got to do with anything?¡± ¡°She was my girlfriend for a very long time. That¡¯s before I chose to spend the rest of my life with her.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I swallowed hard at those words. ¡°We broke up a couple of times but quickly got back together within a week. We just couldn¡¯t stay away from each other.¡± He said it with so much pride that it made my stomach twist. ¡°So¡­ why did you break up? Did you cheat on her?¡± He scoffed. ¡°Not even once. That¡¯s how much I love her.¡± ¡°Then¡­ was she one who cheated on you?¡± Heughed like I had just said something ridiculous. ¡°It had nothing to do with cheating. She constantly disrespected my family and I couldn¡¯t stand that. She apologized each time, promising that she would change, but it was always the same thing and we broke up. It took her a while, but there came a day when she was ready to make a real change. That¡¯s one of the things I love about her. She eventuallyes around.¡± I chuckled bitterly. ¡°And everyone believed her?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± He brought the ss to his lips and finally took a sip. ¡°Including your sisters?¡± ¡°Yup, they all adore her, especially my parents. Anyway,¡± he paused to shift in his seat, ¡°even when we were together, it¡¯s not everything that I could tell her. Certain things just didn¡¯t feel right. It had to be someone else.¡± I raised my eyebrows. ¡°There¡¯s no way you kept it all inside.¡± He chuckled softly. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what happened.¡± 36 55 vouchers ¡°For real? You couldn¡¯t share it with anyone else? Come on. I know that apart from me, you had other friends.¡± ¡°I did, but they weren¡¯t you.¡± He raised his head to look at me. ¡°You knew everything about me, just like I knew everything about you. I wasn¡¯t just going to move on to someone else and start spilling all my secrets. That¡¯s why when you weren¡¯t there, I just decided to deal with shit on my own. It was hard, you know, going through everything alone and not getting a second opinion from anybody. I just did whatever my heart told me and because of that, I made a few wrong decisions along the way. I keep asking myself that had you been around, maybe you would have guided me to make better decisions.¡± Fuck, my heart was pounding hard. I could even feel a slight tingle on my cheeks. I had to fake a chuckle to keep myposure. ¡°Well, damn, you¡¯re making it sound like I¡¯m supposed to be this wise person who gave the best advice.¡± I gestured with my hand. ¡°You really did. Just think about it, I only ever got solid advice from you and it always worked out.¡± I internally scoffed. He always took my advice, except when it came to Tiffany. ¡°I had so much going on with my family at that time and my sisters and I actually fell out at some point over some property left by my grandfather.¡± I firmly shook my head. ¡°I find that pretty hard to believe. You¡¯ve always been so close.¡± ¡°Well, yeah, but sometimes things change, and that moment came. There were so many ways I wanted to handle that situation, but you weren¡¯t there with me.¡± I smiled painfully. ¡°You could¡¯ve told me over the phone.¡± ¡°I know that we still called and texted, but I couldn¡¯t talk about it because it just felt like you shut me out, so how was I supposed to open up?¡± Ìï Blueprint 41 Harper 111 My forehead creased at how he had the nerve to say that to me. ( 10 ] 55 vouchers ¡°I¡¯m the one who shut you out? Are you sure about that?¡± I raised my voice a little, making the few customers turn their heads towards us. ¡°Well, damn, people can¡¯t just mind their own business My voice was quiet and softer now, making him chuckle, ¡°You know what? I¡¯m sorry I said it like that. We¡¯re here now and that¡¯s what matters,¡± he said. I nodded in agreement. ¡°So, tell me about all the shitty decisions you ever made. I¡¯d like to hear them. He grinned, clearing his throat before he began to speak. As I listened to him, I watched his face the whole time. That was the longest I had ever been with him since my return. I had missed out on so much and it was the same for him when I began to tell him all about college. ¡°Hold on, you actually dated that guy?¡± He tilted his head with amusement. ¡°Yeah and that was two years ago.¡± ¡°Everything you said made it sound like the guy really loved you.¡± ¡°He really did.¡± ¡°But your heart just wasn¡¯t there.¡± ¡°Exactly and I thought it was better not to lead him on.¡± ¡°Maybe you did that a bit too soon.¡± He leaned forward. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that sometimes, you fall in love with someone as time goes by?¡± ¡°I did give it time, but it just didn¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°For how long were you guys together?¡± ¡°Six months.¡± ¡°And everything was good?¡± ¡°It was great.¡± : ¡°Even the sex?¡± He smirked. : 36 55 vouchers I gave him a side eye. ¡°Of course. He was just my type. He had everything I was looking for in a guy, but the heart wants what it wants.¡± ¡°Exactly, just look at Tiffany and I.¡± I balled my hand into a fist so I wouldn¡¯t m the counter. Why did he have to bring her into the conversation? It made me so mad, but I exhaled slowly not to show it. ¡°Yeah? What about her?¡± I asked with fake enthusiasm. ¡°So many things about her turn me off ¨C she¡¯s mean to most of the people she just considers servants, throws tantrums like a child and doesn¡¯t care about consequences. Even with all that, there are so many things I still love about her. The heart really wants what it wants.¡± way At that moment, I regretted the fact that I let the conversation about her keep going. The he spoke about her shattered my heart so much that I ced three shot sses right in front of me, poured whiskey in all three and took the first shot so it could burn my throat. I didn¡¯t even put down the ss and was already bringing another one to my lips when he ced his hand on my wrist. ¡°Whoa, slow down,¡± he chuckled in surprise, taking the ss for me. ¡°Why?¡± My eyes narrowed at his wedding ring. ¡°Aren¡¯t we here to have a good time?¡± ¡°Yeah, but not like this. I see what you¡¯re doing here.¡± He nodded, like he¡¯d just figured it out. ¡°What?¡± I was fuming inside, but when he leaned closer and smiled at me, I melted. ¡°You¡¯re doing this on purpose.¡± He smirked. ¡°You want to get as drunk as you can know that no matter what, I¡¯ll take care of you. because you Having him that close wasn¡¯t good for me, so I leaned back, picking up the shot ss that was on the counter and bringing it to my lips. ¡°You¡¯re right about that, so cheers!¡± I hadn¡¯t heard half of what Grayson had been talking about as the whiskey made me feel like I was going to pass out. I even rested my head on the counter for support. I could barely hold a ss and when he spotted me almost dropping it, he reached for it and : put it back on the counter. : 36 55 vouchers ¡°I think that¡¯s enough now. You might start throwing up all over me.¡± He teased me. ¡°How about¡­¡± He trailed off when his phone began to ring on the counter. I looked over and it was Tiffany. He just watched it for a while, like he didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°Well, are you going to pick up?¡± Izily asked him. He looked away from the screen. ¡°You turned off your phone before we even left your ce and I should¡¯ve done the same.¡± He rose to his feet, then stood right beside me when he was real close and said, ¡°I¡¯ll call her backter. Wanna know why?¡± ¡°Why?¡± My breath was a little heavy. Wrapping his arm around my waist, he said, ¡°Because I¡¯m not yet done with you. I¡¯m taking you home. Let¡¯s go.¡± His breath, his touch, the heating from his body and the look in his eyes all made me feel like I could fuck him right there. It must¡¯ve been the alcohol, which was why I still tried to fight it. ¡°Can I get one more bottle?¡± I pouted. ¡°No. We¡¯re leaving right now.¡± ¡°But-¡± ¡°I said no.¡± His voice was gentle as he pulled me up from my seat. I could barely stand on my own and when I almost fell over, he stood right behind me, wrapping his arms around me. The back of my head rested against his chest and I could feel the vibrations of his voice against my ear. ¡°You¡¯re drunk as fuck. This is exactly what I was talking about.¡± I giggled. ¡°You think this is funny?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just d you¡¯re here.¡± I looked back at him as I said it and felt so bold that I could do anything, and yet, when I gazed at his lips, I still couldn¡¯t go for it. ¡°We should¡­ we should go,¡± I said, finally looking away. ¡­ It took everything in me to keep myself under control. ¡°I¡¯m never letting you drink like this again.¡± He led me to the exit. ¡°No one¡¯s gonna stop me!¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± He grinned. 36 55 vouchers He opened the car door for me, still standing by my side to make sure I didn¡¯t fall over while getting in. He closed the door, making his way to the other side so he could get to the driver¡¯s seat. I rested my head against my seat and couldn¡¯t stop swooning over him. I told myself that I could do whatever I wanted that evening and I could just me it on the alcohol. It was that simple and yet I still didn¡¯t have the guts to even kiss him on the cheek. When he got in, I watched him fasten his seatbelt, then he paused when he looked over at me. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you have fastened your seatbelt by now?¡± He sighed. ¡°Oh¡­that.¡± ¡°You know what? Just sit still and I¡¯ll do it for you.¡± When he leaned closer and began to fasten the seatbelt for me. I could feel the heating from his breath right on my corbone. His lips were so close to mine that all I had to do was hold the sides of his face and kiss him, but once again, I just sat there and did nothing. The ride home began and it was quiet at first until I said something. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°For what?¡± He kept his eyes on the road. ¡°I really needed this, with you.¡± ¡°Me too. I know I say this a lot, but I missed you and today was different.¡± ¡°So¡­are we doing this again?¡± ¡°Do you even have to ask? Of course we are. This is just the beginning. It¡¯ll be like old times. again. That reminds me, I want you to listen to this.¡± He only continued to drive and I felt like I was waiting for nothing. ¡°You want me to listen to what?¡± 200 1.55 vouchers He pressed a few buttons on the dashboard and when a certain song began to y, my eyes widened as I sat up with a gasp. ¡°This used to be our song!¡± I squealed with delight. ¡°It¡¯s still our song. It always reminded me of you each time I yed it. I know we stopped being as close as we were before, but I never stopped thinking about you¡± I¡¯d heard him say that so many times, but why did it sound so much better now that I was drunk? He kept his eyes on the road as he began singing and I was so lost in his side profile that I just watched him. ¡°Come on, sing!¡± He nudged my shoulder. I snapped out of it, joining in on the fun while still watching him. He turned up the volume and as the song progressed, it came to the part where we usually shared the lines like it was a duet. I wondered if he¡¯d remember which lines belonged to me and to my surprise, he did. It made me so happy that I sang at the top of my lungs. When we got to my ce, he didn¡¯t just drop me off by the doorstep and leave. He took me upstairs while still holding me close. Even when we made it to my bedroom and I sat down on the bed, he did it with me while still holding me close, his hand perfectly ced around my waist. The set up was perfect and my thoughts ran wild. ¡°Are you gonna be okay?¡± he asked, looking down at me while I rested the back of my head on his chest. ¡°I think so.¡± I giggled. ¡°I¡¯d stay for a few hours, but I need to meet my father¨Cinw. Tiffany doesn¡¯t know it yet, but tomorrow evening, we¡¯re going to London to see Maddox. He wants them to talk things out and work on their rtionship. Don¡¯t say anything to him.¡± ¡°My lips are sealed.¡± I turned my head to look up at him, my gazending on his lips. Once again, he was so close that I could feel his breath. I only needed to lean in and I would finally taste his lips, maybe even straddle him and do everything I¡¯d always imagined. His grip on my waist tightened just a little and that had me fired up even more. He didn¡¯t look away, like he was waiting and that was my chance. But even though I¡¯d wished for that for years and everything was perfect, I asked myself, was it worth it? 16:06 Tue, Sep 16 Blueprint 42 Grayson 36 55 vauchers Harper was all dressed up for our evening out together and was in these tight jeans that entuated her sexy curves and a tank top that showed off just how busty she was. And there was that fucking messy bun and a bare face. She was wless and had me speechless for a moment as soon as she stepped out of the house. Bowling with her was fun and I won in the end, but I still had fun watching her roll the ball down thatne. It wasn¡¯t just because I was curious to see how good she was, it was also because that gave me the chance to take in the view of her curves as much as I wanted. I found myself clenching my jaw each time I remembered that Maddox had seen every inch of those curves with no clothes on, especially that night I heard them fucking each other. I made her feel special when I booked the entire movie theater to watch a ssic movie with her and while my initial intention was just to mess with her head, I liked being there with her and even enjoyed every moment of it. We¡¯d seen that movie so many times in the past that it was a core memory. She still wasn¡¯t fully convinced that Tiffany was cool with the two of us hanging out and I understood her. While I also didn¡¯t fully believe her, I wanted it to be true so badly that I shut out all my doubts. It was hrious to me when she rushed to the possibility that I wanted to leave my wife when I was mad at her. She was only setting herself up for everything that I was going to do to her, apart from what I¡¯d already done. In the past, Harper was always there to listen and it felt so good that I could finally talk to her again about everything that I couldn¡¯t tell anyone else. How I¡¯d missed that part. When she told me about Mike, I wanted to ask for a picture but told myself it didn¡¯t matter what he looked like because he¡¯d never be me and she confirmed it when she told me she just couldn¡¯t keep going with the rtionship. I brought Tiffany into the conversation and could tell just how much it pissed her off when she began taking shots. All I had to do was get real close to her face with a smirk and I watched her melt. She was just too easy. She got so drunk that I had to hold her for support. I did it on purpose when I constantly brought my face real close to hers. I wanted her to kiss me so badly. She leaned on me for support as I held onto the narrowest part of her waist and was so cute when she asked for another bottle, but that was enough and I wanted to be alone with her.
  1. 036
55 vouchers When I stood behind her and her ass came in contact with my cock, fuck, it did things to me. I¡¯d fantasized about her a few times after her return. Who wouldn¡¯t when she was looking like that? I teased her again in the car when fastening her seatbelt and her soft plump lips were right against my cheek. I even took my time with the belt, hoping she¡¯d grab my face and kiss me, but it didn¡¯t happen. Finally giving up, I looked ahead and the ride was silent as I wondered why she was fighting it when she knew she wanted me. She broke the silence when she thanked me and her face lit up when she hoped we¡¯d spend some time together again. I wanted it too, so that wasn¡¯t going to be thest time. I chuckled in amusement at how excited she got when I yed our song. We werepletely off¨Ckey, but fuck that. She matched my energy and sang her lines perfectly, even knowing when it was my turn to sing. I hadn¡¯t felt so free in a long time. That was one of the best nights I ever had. When I pulled up in her driveway, she wasn¡¯t able to get out of the car on her own. I had to hold onto her as I guided her up the stairs until we got to her bedroom and sat down on the bed. I could only think about all the things I wanted to do to her even as I told her about Mr Aldridge¡¯s n for Maddox and Tiffany to work on their rtionship. Even though I told her that was the reason I couldn¡¯t stay, I wanted her to beg me to stay so badly. I wondered what I was going to do if she did. She was so drunk that she might have finally begged me to fuck her or something and I would¡¯ve felt like a king. I dipped my head low when she looked up at me and it took everything in me to hold back. I wanted her to initiate everything. Her lips were so close that I could feel her breath get a little heavy. It sounded so sexy that I felt my cock twitch. I even slightly tightened my grip on her waist so she¡¯d make that one move I was waiting for. Suddenly, she closed her eyes, moved away from my chest and rolled over on the bed, her waist slipping away from my hand. She got realfortable as she curled up, her eyes closed as she said, ¡°Thanks for bringing me home. Good night.¡± My jaw clenched. What the fuck was that? She looked like she had already fallen asleep and I watched her face for a few seconds, unable to blink. Even in her drunk state, she¡¯d been able to fight the urge to beg for me when I was right there. 36 55 vouchers I sighed in defeat as I got up from the bed, not even wishing her a good night as I made it out the door. I couldn¡¯t even keep my head up as I got to the stairs. I would¡¯ve never thought she¡¯d do something like that when the set up was perfect. That night, she crushed my fucking ego. C Blueprint 43 hapter 43 Harper I woke up on the living room couch and as I sat up, I spotted a bottle of whiskey on the floor. Despite the slight headache, I chuckled at how I had decided to celebrate an hour after Grayson had left. I didn¡¯t care that I was already drunk. When I reached for my phone and looked at the time, my eyes widened. It was already 10 in the morning and I needed to get ready and meet Aunt Patricia. I came to the bathroom and hummed loudly to the music sting from my phone as I brushed my teeth, lightly bopping my head in front of the mirror. Not even the hangover could stop me. I was so proud of myself that I even sang for a few seconds with foam in my mouth while shaking my hips to the beat. I did it. Grayson had sat on the bed with me and the moment was perfect, but I¡¯d chosen to resist all the urges that would lead to me smashing my lips on his. I¡¯d once initiated an unforgettable night between Maddox and I when I¡¯d told him straight to his face toe in for some hot sex, but that was different. I needed it so badly. While Grayson had looked like he wanted me too, I was also certain that despite the way he¡¯d been so close, he would¡¯ve rejected me had I moved my face closer. any For the first time, there¡¯d been no one to save me. It was just me and the guy I still loved so much. I did it all on my own and there wasn¡¯t even a phone call to get in the way. I spat in the sink, rinsed and checked the sides of my mouth in the mirror in case I¡¯d missed a spot. Then, the music suddenly stopped when my phone buzzed and I frowned as I looked over at the edge of the bathtub where I¡¯d put it. I even rolled my eyes, wondering who had decided to spoil the fun for me. As soon as I reached for my phone and saw Maddox¡¯s name shing on the screen, I smiled a little. He and I had barely spoken the previous day, thest time being some timeter in the afternoon. I hadn¡¯t even told him I¡¯d be out with Grayson. There was no need for it. After swiping to answer, I put him on speaker. ¡°You just had to ruin it. The song was just getting to the good part.¡± ¡°Ever heard of reying a song? Yeah, you can do that,¡± he said bluntly. ¡°You know, I actually got my hopes up that you¡¯d call me again.¡± : ¡°Again?¡± I furrowed my eyebrows, tossing the toothbrush back into its holder. 36 EX 55 vouchers ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± His voice was now rich with amusement. ¡°After the way you were blowing up my phonest night with constant video chats, I thought you¡¯d do the same after waking up.¡± 1 frowned. ¡°Wait, I called youst night?¡± He chuckled in azy way. ¡°You did more than just call me.¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t remember anything.¡± ¡°Not even the part when you were showing off that bottle of whiskey while drinking it like it was just water?¡± ¡°I¡­what did we talk about?¡± I asked. ¡°We had a nice chat for several hours. You were very¡­expresssive. Don¡¯t tell me you really don¡¯t remember a thing?¡± He teasingly lowered his voice. I blinked rapidly. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± ¡°Am I?¡± I could hear the smirk in his voice. ¡°When you first called, that bottle was already half empty. You even mentioned you were celebrating something big.¡± Heat shot to my cheeks. ¡°Did I say what it was?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about that,¡± he teased, like he enjoyed leaving me in suspense. ¡°All you need to know is that you were nasty in the best possible way. You don¡¯t even realize just how much that turned me on.¡± I swallowed hard, my pulse now racing like he was actually doing something to me. ¡°You know what? I think you¡¯re making this up. You¡¯re just messing with me because you know I can¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°I guess I should¡¯ve recorded it,¡± he said without shame, his tone smug. I moved towards the mirror and stopped right in front of it, ring at my own reflection as if I could somehow re straight at him. cing a hand on my forehead, I said, ¡°Okay, fine, just give me one detail, please?¡± A low chuckle came through the speaker. ¡°If I tell you, you¡¯ll just hang up on me and never show your face again.¡± I dropped my hand, holding my head high. ¡°Try me.¡± He went silent but I could hear him breathing and I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. Chapter 43 ¡°Please¡­¡± 55 vouchers ¡°Mm, you sound almost exactly the same as you didst night ¨C hungry and desperate, like you¡¯d do anything if I just told you. I don¡¯t even think you realized how badly you wanted me.¡± I smacked my lips. ¡°You¡¯re making it sound like I was pathetic.¡± ¡°No. Irresistible. You don¡¯t even know how much I wanted to get on my private jet and show you exactly what you were begging for.¡± Fuck. I closed my eyes, trying to keep myself together and act like he wasn¡¯t getting under my skin. ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me what I said,¡± I managed to say. ¡°And I¡¯m not telling you shit. Not until you¡¯re sober enough to say it right in front of me.¡± I sighed with frustration. ¡°But how will I know?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not my problem.¡± And with that, he hung up on me. I spent the next few seconds just staring at the screen with my jaw dropped like I could see him. Then, I scrolled to my call history and my eyes widened. I¡¯d called him four times between 1 AM and 4 AM, the shortest call being around thirty minutes. What the hell did I say? Grayson had taken real good care of me when I was drunk and I would¡¯ve thought that he¡¯d be the first to call that morning, but for as long as I didn¡¯t call or text him, neither did he and I wondered what was going on with him. I used the bus as my car wasn¡¯t in the best shape and was on my way to meet up with Aunt Patricia when I sent him a text. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re working on a Saturday,¡± my message said. I expected the usualte replies, but it came as a surprise when I spotted the bubbles floating only a few seconds after I¡¯d sent that message. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± His reply felt cold, but I told myself I was just imagining it. ¡°Guess what?¡± : 36 55 vouchers I waited, constantly watching the message thread in the hopes of seeing his reply. But a few seconds turned into a few minutes and he hadn¡¯t even read my message. Aunt Patricia lived an hour away from my ce and even when I got off the bus, I still hadn¡¯t received a reply from him. I figured he might¡¯ve gotten too busy and would text me back soon. I was supposed to meet up with Aunt Patricia at the hotel she worked at and just as I was about to take my first step up the stairs, my phone buzzed, the message from Maddox making me clutch my purse. Blueprint 44 Chapter 44 Harper : 36 55 vouchers MADDOX: ¡°Since you want to know so badly, I¡¯ll tell you, but I won¡¯t waste it over the phone. You¡¯reing to London on Friday and don¡¯t bother to show up if you¡¯re not ready to obey.¡± I should¡¯ve rolled my eyes and told him to go to hell. Instead, I bit my lip so hard that I nearly tasted blood. I wasn¡¯t supposed to like that. As the heat began rushing between my legs, I reread his text over and over again until my phone suddenly rang, the name shing across the screen bringing me back to reality. It was Aunt Patricia. ¡°Hi, Auntie. I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right on time, sweetie.¡± Her voice was warm but tired, just as it always was after shift. ¡°Wiat for me in the hotel lobby. I¡¯ll be there in a few minutes, okay?¡± After the call, I ced my phone against my chest, now making my way up the stairs as Maddox¡¯s text was still stuck on my mind. The air in the lobby was cool, but not enough to help fade away the heat from my body. I sat on one of the chairs and crossed my legs, pretending like I wasn¡¯t imagining Friday and wondering how far he¡¯d go once he had me right where he wanted me. I even chuckled to myself at how I had already decided that I was going to show up. I only meant to read his message one more time, but my gaze dropped to Grayson¡¯s name right below Maddox¡¯s, still waiting for that fucking reply. Quickly, I looked away, opening Maddox¡¯s message thread to text him back, my hands a little shaky. ¡°Fine, I¡¯lle.¡± ¡°Of course you will, just like you always do.¡± I scoffed and was still lost in the double meaning of his reply when Aunt Patricia called my name. ¡°Harper!¡± My head shot up to follow the sound of her voice and there she was, approaching me in her faded work uniform. She didn¡¯t just sound tired, she looked tired, but her face lit up when she saw me. I quickly rose to my feet, throwing my arms around her and inhaling the smell of faint bleach 16:06 Tue, Sep 16 andvender fabric softener from her uniform. When she pulled back, she still had her hands on my shoulders. 36 E55 vouchers ¡°My goodness, Harper,¡± she paused as she studied me from head to toe. ¡°You look prettier than you did on your graduation day. What¡¯s the secret? Is it a new diet? A new boyfriend?¡± I chuckled dismissively. ¡°It¡¯s definitely not a new boyfriend.¡± ¡°Are you sure about that? Considering everything I¡¯ve been seeing onlely about you and Mad-¡± ¡°What? You saw that?¡± I raised my eyebrows. ¡°We¡¯re going to have a long chat about that when we get home.¡± Her eyes narrowed like she was warning me. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were now into social media.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not. Penelope and Tracy show me everything.¡± I forced a ¡± : 55 vouchers She smiled as she adjusted the strap of her handbag. ¡°That¡¯s nothing new to me. You know I¡¯ve dealt with that for years. They¡¯re actually home. You should have seen their faces when I told them you wereing over. They¡¯ve been asking about you all week.¡± I forced augh. ¡°They could have just called or texted me.¡± Her smile faded slightly. ¡°You know how they are. Now that they¡¯re in college, they¡¯re even more difficult.¡± My cousins had always treated me like I was part of their little crew whenever I was around them, but underneath all that, was just the aim to make me look like I didn¡¯t belong there. Our steps came to a stand still when we got to the bus station and she said, ¡°Now that I think about it, I¡¯ve been going on and on about my work, but how is it going with you?¡± I gave her a warm smile. ¡°It¡¯s great. I turned down Grayson¡¯s offer to work with him. I¡¯m ok with DataSphere Solutions.¡± ¡°I actually thought you would have epted since you¡¯ve known each other for years.¡± ¡°Well, yes, but things are different now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right about that.¡± She gave a sad smile. ¡°I saw his parents the other day at the mall and they treated me like they didn¡¯t know me. I guess that¡¯s what happens when some people turn filthy rich. I¡¯m just d nothing has changed between you and Grayson.¡± I sighed. If only she knew how much had changed between us. Aunt Patricia opened the front door and as soon as I took my first step in, I flinched a little at how loud my cousins were the moment they saw me. ¡°Harper!¡± They both rushed to hug me before I could even fully get inside, Then, they pulled me along to the couch, both of them squeezing on either side of me as Aunt Patricia made her way to the bedroom to get changed. The three of us sat in silence as their eyes scanned my outfit, hair and the way I now carried myself. ¡°You know,¡± Penelope began, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe this is you. Like¡­you used to hide behind those giant hoodies, remember?¡± Tracy snickered, nudging my shoulder like it was that funny. ¡°You were always the shy nerd 36 55 vouchers with her face stuck in a book and here you are with silky hair, wless makeup and clothes that actually fit. You look different and actually pretty.¡± It wasn¡¯t the first time they were saying that to me. I¡¯d heard it when they came to my graduation, but it seemed that they just couldn¡¯t fully believe it. ¡°And yet when I look at both of you, there¡¯s nothing different,¡± I said with a chuckle, their smiles instantly faltering. ¡°The new coat of paint seems a little darker and actually fits the rest of the room better.¡± My voice was casual. They nodded in agreement but seemed less enthusiastic, more like I¡¯d managed to turn the tables. To them, I had always been the awkward Harper that no one took seriously. The one exception was Aunt Patricia. She was the only one who ever looked at me and saw more than that. Maybe that was why I loved her the way I did. ¡°Ooh! That reminds me!¡± Penelope turned to face me with wide eyes. ¡°Are you Aldridge a thing?¡± I chuckled dismissively. ¡°No, we¡¯re not.¡± and Maddox ¡°Oh,e on, no need to deny it.¡± Tracy teased me. ¡°We saw his reply under Tiffany¡¯s post.¡± ¡°Yeah, but he was only clearing things up about how he wasn¡¯t my boss.¡± Tracy snapped her fingers. ¡°Exactly, he didn¡¯t deny anything else, like the fact that you two are sleeping with each other!¡± ¡°Damn, how do you do it? It¡¯s one thing after another. There¡¯s so much drama, Harper.¡± Penelope leaned back in her seat as she studied me. ¡°You know what bothers me the most?¡± Tracy chuckled with disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s Tiffany. She has some nerve to expose others when she¡¯s cheating on Grayson with another guy!¡± My eyes narrowed. ¡°What?¡± B Blueprint 45 Harper ¡°Tiffany¡¯s cheating on Grayson?¡± My voice was louder as I quickly leaned towards Tracy. It was only when she leaned backwards with a nervous smile because I¡¯d caught her off¨Cguard that I straightened up again. ¡°I know it¡¯s shocking, but damn,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just¡­what?¡± I couldn¡¯t close my mouth. ¡°You just couldn¡¯t keep your mouth shut, could you?¡± Penelope shook her head with a look of disapproval. ¡°Harper, don¡¯t listen to a word she says. She¡¯s not even sure.¡± ¡°But I saw her kissing another guy!¡± Tracy pursed her lips. ¡°Did you really see that?¡± Penelope narrowed her eyes with doubt. ¡°I was there, remember? We never saw her face since her back was facing us. We only saw the guy.¡± ¡°But that was Tiffany Ford. I¡¯d know that figure and hairstyle anywhere!¡± The two of them went back and forth a few times and I just constantly moved my head from left to right. It was only when I stepped in that they finally gave it a rest. ¡°That¡¯s enough, you two. When did this happen?¡± Penelope scoffed. ¡°You believe her?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m just trying to understand something.¡± ¡°In other words, she believes me!¡± Tracy bragged. ¡°Anyway, this happened on March 10th. Penelope and I were out at night when we saw Tiffany.¡± ¡°But she was at Maddox¡¯s birthday.¡± My eyes narrowed. ¡°See what I was telling you?¡± Penelope snickered at Tracy. ¡°It wasn¡¯t her. All thatte night drinking got to your head.¡± Tracy threw her hands up in protest. ¡°I still stick to what I saw. I know it was 4 AM and I was drunk, but it still looked like Tiffany to me.¡± 36 55 vouchers They continued to argue, but I just sat there, thinking about how Tiffany had left the party before 2 AM so she could take her best friend home. I was just about to ask for further details when Aunt Patricia¡¯s voice cut through the loud voices. ¡°That¡¯s enough gossip. Harper, sweetie,e with me outside for a minute.¡± I nodded with a small smile, my mind now stuck on getting the full details about what had happened. Aunt Patricia ced her hand on the back of my shoulder as she led me to the back door. We came to the quiet and small backyard in silence and I constantly nced at the door like I could see inside the house. She leaned against the wooden railing with arms crossed, studying me while lightly shaking her head. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± I asked. ¡°I know you just want to get back there and listen to the rest of the gossip, but don¡¯t bother. You know how Tracy has always been so quick to jump to conclusions.¡± ¡°Well¡­I¡¯m just¡­¡± She chuckled softly. ¡°I know that you have history with Tiffany and you and Grayson have always been close. Just be careful, okay?¡± I sighed with a nod. ¡°Good. Sit with me.¡± She pushed herself off the wooden railing and led the way to the small table with four chairs. I sat right next to her after she took her seat first and she intertwined her fingers, making me swallow hard. Whenever she did that. There was usually some scoldinging up. ¡°There was a time when your name wasn¡¯t stered all over the inte buttely, it is and not for the right reasons, at least not the ones I¡¯d like to see.¡± ¡°Aunt-¡± She held up her hand, letting me know she wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°I saw those clips from the party of you and Maddox. Is he your boyfriend?¡± I chuckled dismissively. ¡°Boyfriend? Of course not. He and I are just f-¡± I stopped myself 36 E55 vouchers before I could say I was just fucking him, remiinding myself that I wasn¡¯t talking to my friends. ¡°We¡¯re just friends.¡± ¡°And yet, you two seem closer than that. While it backfired, his sister even went as far as to let it be known to the rest of the world that there was something going on between you two. Sweetie,¡± she paused, cing the palm of her hand on top of mine, ¡°I¡¯m only looking out for you. Your heart isn¡¯t meant for all these games. Take care of yourself, alright?¡± I firmly nodded, but the images that shed in my head were about Friday. I still had time to tell Maddox I wouldn¡¯t go, but I didn¡¯t see that happening, because it gave me a rush that made me anticipate what was toe. It was only when she spoke again that I snapped out of it. ¡°A few days ago, I took some fresh roses to your mother¡¯s grave and found fresh lilies. Looks like you got there before me.¡± I smiled painfully. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°You really need to stop thanking me. She was my younger sister. Why wouldn¡¯t I do that for her?¡± I frowned. ¡°Well, not everyone wants to show up there, like Anna.¡± ¡°The way I see it, she¡¯s been there so many times and empty¨Chanded, just when no one¡¯s watching her.¡± My lips curved into a wide smile. I hoped that was the case. ¡°While that¡¯s still better than nothing, it still hurts. I miss seeing her and just giving her a hug.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you heard from your sister over a month ago, even if it wasn¡¯t a warm reception. The rest of us have tried but she just wants to be left alone.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what it¡¯ll take for her to open up her heart again.¡± ¡°Just give it time, okay?¡± She gave me a warm smile. I clenched my jaw, unable to smile back. ¡°That¡¯s all I do.¡± ¡°If you knew her home address, would you go?¡± I forced a chuckle. ¡°No. That would be up to her. I¡¯ll keep waiting until she¡¯s ready.¡± Aunt Patricia was the best cook I¡¯d ever known. Too bad my stomach had no room left for 36 55 vouchers more of her tasty meals. I still made sure to pack something I could have for dinner since it was already getting dark. ¡°Can¡¯t you stay the night and leave tomorrow morning?¡± she asked while fixing my hair. ¡°I¡¯d love to, but I have some pending work,¡± I said to her. ¡°I should¡¯ve finished it yesterday but I was upied. It can¡¯t wait. I promise I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± She nodded in understanding, wrapping her arms around me for a warm hug. I didn¡¯t know how much I needed that until I was in her embrace. ¡°I¡¯m always here for whatever you need. Never forget that, my dear.¡± She patted me on the back as she broke the hug, ready to lead the way out the front door when I saw that as my opportunity. ¡°I just need a minute. I didn¡¯t tell Tracy and Penelope that I¡¯m leaving.¡± She scoffed, like she was suspicious of me, but she let me go upstairs anyway. I found the two of them in their bedroom, as if they had been waiting for me. ¡°I told you she¡¯de.¡± Tracyughed in her sister¡¯s face. ¡°Now, give me my $20!¡± Penelope rolled her eyes, pping the $20 onto Tracy¡¯s palm. ¡°You just had toe up here. Are you really that curious?¡± ¡°Look, Grayson is my friend and I¡¯m just looking out for him. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t just let this go.¡± I still kept in mind that it wasn¡¯t known for a fact that it was Tiffany, but I wanted to know all the details so badly and I didn¡¯t know if I was doing it for Grayson or for my own selfish reasons. Tracy came real close, telling me the details with dramatic expressions. While I had no one in particr in mind, the guy¡¯s name was someone I would¡¯ve never imagined. Blueprint 46 Maddox I stood in my home office, the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows giving me the beautiful view of the city beneath me. While the night lights and stars in the sky were quite the sight to look at, they didn¡¯t hold my attention the way they usually did and it was because of Harper. Friday was just a few days away but it felt like months. That was how much she made me want her. She shouldn¡¯t have been in those jeans in thete¨Cnight video chats. They¡¯d gotten in the of everything she could¡¯ve shown me. way I was d she wasing but my patience was already running thin. After the previous night, I needed her under me, surrendering to my control. I turned away from the window and reached for my ss of water. I needed to focus. My father was on his way and I didn¡¯t want to keep thinking about Friday while he was present. It was going to be his first time visiting me in my new home and while he made it sound like a casual visit, that was so unlike him. I was certain he wanted to talk to me about something important. Could it have been what we had discussed the day we yed golf? At the sound of an engine pulling up into my front yard, I took the elevator to get to the ground floor faster, even clearing my throat like I was about to make a speech in a boardroom. He still made me want to act like that. The doorbell rang right as I got to the door and when I opened it, it wasn¡¯t just my father standing there. Grayson, Tiffany and Margot were with him. Why the fuck had theye? The thought of the unpleasant visit made me tighten my grip on the doorknob. ¡°You¡¯re the only one I was expecting,¡± I bluntly said to my father. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d havepany.¡± ¡°We all wanted to surprise you! It¡¯s good to see you, too, dear.¡± Margot faked augh in her annoying voice. ¡°Speak for yourselves.¡± Tiffany rolled her eyes with crossed arms. ¡°Being here already suffocates me.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why did you bothering here?¡± My expression was nk but my tone was a little sharp. ¡°Ugh! Do you actually think I want to be here? I came because mom forced me.¡± 55 vouchers I almostughed. Of course she had a part to y so she could keep up appearances in front of my father. ¡°Are you going to let us in, or will you keep us standing here?¡± his voice cut through the standoff. With a clenched jaw, I stepped aside and swept my arm toward the living room. Grayson was thest one toe in and as he walked past me, I had a small smirk, thinking about everything Harper had said to mete at night. He noticed it and even stopped in his tracks, but I shrugged and said, ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± he said, continuing in his steps so he could sit beside Tiffany. I sat right across from the two of them, my single seat not so far from where my father had taken a seat. Unlike the rest of us, Margot didn¡¯t yet take her seat as she was too busy looking around the entire living room. ¡°This is very impressive. You have such excellent taste a-¡± ¡°Anything to drink?¡± I cut her mid¨Csentence as I looked around at everyone. I didn¡¯t have time to listen to her fakepliments. ¡°Thanks, but that can wait,¡± my father said, his tone firm and businesslike. ¡°We¡¯re here to talk about what happened between you and Tiffany at the party.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, honey!¡± Margot annoyingly added, dropping herself next to him and right on the side where she would be close to me. ¡°That argument should¡¯ve never happened,¡± he continued. ¡°The way I see it, what¡¯s done is done and the best we can do is move forward. Now, both of you are going to talk about this, right now. By the time we all get back to San Francisco, everything should be back to normal.¡± Tiffany pursed her lips, shooting me a re. ¡°I have nothing to apologize for.¡± I leaned back in my seat with a faint smirk. ¡°Neither do I.¡± ¡°Maddox.¡± His tone was sharp and the kind he used when he wanted obedience. ¡°You¡¯re the older one. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t expect you to be so emotional over what happened. Tiffany¡¯s your sister and one day, my wife and I will be gone from this world. When that happens, the two of you will only have each other.¡± I had to press my lips together just so I wouldn¡¯tugh. But I wasn¡¯t about to say anything. I didn¡¯t care what anyone present thought of me. My eyes were still on Tiffany while she kept ring at me, but just for a second, I caught her 16:07 Tue, Sep 16 ¡­ : 36 55 vouchers ncing at Margot and when she looked back at me again, she uncrossed her arms with a warm smile and a fake softness in her eyes. ¡°Dad¡¯s right.¡± Her voice was now sweet. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t let things from the paste between
  1. us. Can we start over?¡±
I didn¡¯t miss the act for a second, but I decided to y along. I knew that was what my would¡¯ve wanted. My lips curved into something that looked like a smile, even if it wasn¡¯t. ¡°Sure.¡± father Margot loudly sped her hands together. ¡°Excellent! How about the two of you spend some time together tomorrow? You know, a little sibling bonding?¡± ¡°I¡¯m too busy,¡± I said, not even ncing at her. ¡°Oh, then how about next weekend?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± My eyes were now on Grayson who was looking down at his phone. ¡°I already have ns with Harper.¡± His head shot up towards me with shock written all over his face. He blinked rapidly topose himself, but I had already seen it and loved every second of it. He looked like he wanted to ask me about it right away and even opened his mouth, then shut it quickly as he had to y it cool in front of everyone else. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still giving that girl your precious time,¡± Margot said with genuine disapproval. ¡°I thought what you had with Kate was-¡± ¡°Real?¡± I cut in. ¡°You know how it goes with me. Anyway, Friday¡¯s not possible because I¡¯m not cancelling on Harper.¡± I thought it was over with Grayson, but I was wrong because he couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. ¡°I thought you¡¯d be spending time with Juliet or ire.¡± I let out a humorlessugh at how he brought them into the conversation. ¡°I haven¡¯t even met up with them in a while. I¡¯m too busy for that.¡± ¡°Not busy enough if you¡¯re meeting up with Harper.¡± Blueprint 47 Maddox I scoffed at how his mask cracked hard right in front of me and I was just about to give him a reply that would make his hand tighten into fists when Tiffany spoke first. ¡°Ever since I found Harper at your ce back in San Francisco, I was so focused on getting back at her, but not anymore. Grayson told me to stop and I listened and you know what? I feel at peace.¡± Everyone began to praise her with words of approval but I wasn¡¯t buying it, not even for a second. I watched her closely. Even with that grin, something just didn¡¯t feel right. There was something still calcting about her eyes. ¡°I know you two haven¡¯t yet decided on a day when you can hang out and bond,¡± Margot began, ¡°but I¡¯m just d that we are past this. It broke my heart to see you two drift apart.¡± She ced a hand on her chest like she actually meant it. ¡°I think it¡¯s time we all had something to drink!¡± She looked around like she owned the ce. I already wanted to get away from everyone and that was my chance, so I rose to my feet, ncing at Grayson onest time as I walked past him. He was still fuming. When I came to the minibar, I paused before I could even reach for a bottle from one of the shelves. I had always told Grayson that he wasn¡¯t fooling me and he was now doing a terrible job at hiding what was really going on with him. Then, I heard footsteps approaching from behind me and I slowly turned around. There was a small satisfied smirk at the corner of my mouth because it was exactly who I was expecting to see. ¡°You didn¡¯t have toe all the way here. I was only going to take a minute to bring what everyone asked for. Well, I guess you can¡¯t wait to have that drink.¡± I didn¡¯t bother to hide the mockery in my tone. He came real close as he scanned the shelf, his breath now a little heavy. Reaching for a bottle of vodka, he said, ¡°This thing with you and Harper-¡± ¡°Of course, that¡¯s what you came for. I mean¡­why else would youe here so we can talk in private? Anyway, I told you before that I wasn¡¯t leaving the fun behind. It¡¯sing to me. You had your fun, so let me have mine. It¡¯s not my fault that it ended when it did for you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± He turned to face me while poking his cheek. ¡°Last night, you took Harper home and that was it.¡± 36 EL 55 vouchers ¡°I only told you that I was spending time with Harper, so how did you know that part?¡± ¡°She called me, you know. We had quite some interesting chats all night. She was drinking and celebrating the fact that she did something huge.¡± I still wanted to tease him, so I took it a step further. ¡°Tiffany and I aren¡¯t yet in good terms, but if you ever cheat on her-¡± ¡°Why would I cheat on her?¡± He lowered his voice. ¡°The only reason it didn¡¯t happen with Harper was because she was able to resist.¡± I was so blunt with it that I spotted his jaw clench. ¡°Harper¡¯s just my friend.¡± He exhaled sharply. ¡°A sexy friend that no man can resist and I¡¯ll take full advantage of that as long as she wants me. She didn¡¯t even hesitate when I told her toe over on Friday. I¡¯m-¡± My phone ringing from the back of my pocket grabbed my attention and I took it out, smirking as I looked at the caller ID. ¡°Guess who it is?¡± I showed off Harper¡¯s name shing on my screen before picking up. ¡°It only took you half of the day to get back to me,¡± I said to her. ¡°There was no way I was going to read that text in front of my Aunt,¡± she said from the other end of the line. ¡°You¡¯re nasty.¡± ¡°That makes the two of us.¡± I leaned against the counter and kept the conversation going with Harper, watching Grayson die inside. He even opened the bottle, pouring himself a ss and drinking it all at once while he listened. I should¡¯ve cut the call short and returned to the living room, but there was something so satisfying about seeing him like that. I told her about the travel arrangements, the private jet and all and it got to a point where Grayson couldn¡¯t take it anymore and actually left me there, his steps a little rushed. 16:07 Tue, Sep 16 55 vouchers My father and I came to the garage, where we could finally be alone and he constantly looked around at my car collection. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised that you left some of the cars back in San Francisco but made sure the motorbike was brought here,¡± he said, standing real close to it. I chuckled softly, approaching it and running the palm of my hand on the handle. ¡°Yup, this baby goes with me everywhere now. I haven¡¯t even used it again since the day Uncle Sebastian got it for me.¡± He nodded but said nothing immediately as he continued to look around. ¡°Did you go to Larkspur Hills?¡± he finally said. ¡°No. I haven¡¯t had time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your new estate and it¡¯s waiting for you, you know.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± I faced the floor, thinking about how Margot showed off that day in front of everyone. Going around the motorbike so he could stand on the other side with me, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to say this but stopped myself so many times. The truth is¡­ I was jealous when Sebastian revealed your birthday present.¡± My head shot up in surprise. ¡°Really?¡± He gave a half smile. ¡°You were a million times happier than you were when you received our present. It felt like I¡¯d missed a mark. I just wanted to do something special for you. He beats me at everything and even came to your new home before I did. Well, on your next birthday, he won¡¯t stand a chance against me.¡± I chuckled with amusement. ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°Nothing¡­it¡¯s just¡­.nothing.¡± Hearing him admit that, carried so much weight but just as I loosened up a bit, he said, ¡°The food should be ready by now. I¡¯m starving. We should go.¡± I cleared my throat, my smile fading. ¡°Yeah.¡± I was just about to lead the way out when he said, ¡°As a father and husband, I¡¯m just trying to keep the peace in our family, but just give me some more time and I¡¯ll make things right. I promise.¡± 16:07 Tue, Sep 16 Blueprint 48 Harper : ??)) 36 E55 vouchers I was making myself some hot coffee when Maddox was telling me about the travel arrangements. It only made me anticipate Friday even more. ¡°You¡¯re seriously going to have that private jet ready for me?¡± I asked with raised eyebrows. ¡°Yup, you¡¯ll be picked up from the airport and brought to me.¡± I frowned. ¡°Wait, I only get to see you when I arrive at your ce?¡± ¡°Exactly. I told you that you would have to obey if you want to know what really happened but hey, I know you already want to do as I say anyway.¡± His voice was a little suggestive, making me subtly bite my lip like someone was going to see me, yet I was just in my kitchen. ¡°Grayson was listening,¡± he said. He must¡¯ve mentioned it to see if I would be bothered. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s already there?¡± I asked casually. ¡°You knew he wasing?¡± ¡°Well, yeah, but he told me not to say anything. It was a family intervention. So, did Tiffany make up?¡± you and Just mentioning her name reminded me of everything I had learned from my cousins. He sighed. ¡°We¡¯re working on it. Looks like you¡¯re really good at keeping secrets.¡± ¡°Is this the part where you feel like telling me a few of your own?¡± I smirked. ¡°Don¡¯t tempt me.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I have to go, but first, there¡¯s one other thing you need to do when you¡¯ll being here.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I asked, stirring in the mug with a spoon. ¡°You¡¯re going to wear my clothes.¡± I paused, then burst intoughter. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± ¡°My clothes and nothing else.¡± 55 vouchers I furrowed my eyebrows when I realized he was being serious. ¡°Wait, you really mean that?¡± ¡°No.¡± I could hear him smirk. ¡°Just carry them with you, but I want to see you in the sexiest lingerie you can find. The bill is on me. Just so we¡¯re clear, you don¡¯t have to do all this.¡± ¡°Screw that.¡± I leaned forward like I could see him, lightly stirring my coffee again. ¡°Good, but that lingerie is for my eyes only.¡± I scoffed. ¡°What? You think I¡¯ll just leave the house in lingerie? I¡¯ll cover up with a trench coat.¡± ¡°I also want to see you in some sexy heels. Is that clear?¡± His voice was so low andmanding that I swallowed hard with excitement. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good girl.¡± And with that, he hung up on me. I closed my eyes and it took me a few seconds to even put the phone down. He was pretty clear about what he expected to see on Friday and I shook my head at how I wanted every part of it. I took my mug with me to the living room, my phone in my hand and as soon as I sat down, I received a text from Grayson. I shook my head before even reading it because it took him so long to reply. It was nothing new, yet it still bothered me. I was about to take a sip when I paused as soon as I opened our message thread. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re serious abouting to London on Friday.¡± I set the mug down just so I could quickly reply, my lips pressed together as he always tried to stop me from doing the one thing that helped me not focus too much on him. ¡°Out of 10, 10 is just how serious I am! Lol¡± He read my reply, but didn¡¯t text me back. I was used to thete replies, so I set my phone down and picked up my mug again. I was a few sips in when I received a call from E and I got a little excited. I hadn¡¯t been able to reach her and Zoey for hours. ¡°How is it that I couldn¡¯t reach both of you at the same time?¡± I said as soon as I picked up. ¡°Girl, that doesn¡¯t matter right now. We just read your message. What? Tiffany¡¯s cheating on 16:07 Tue, Sep 16 Grayson?¡± : ¡°Give us the details!¡± Zoey demanded in the background. ¡°You two are actually together? Are you with the Bary twins?¡± ¡°Give us the details first!¡± they said in unison. 36 55 vouchers I giggled. ¡°Fine, I heard it from my cousins, but it¡¯s not yet been confirmed since Tracy didn¡¯t see Tiffany¡¯s face. The guy involved is Josh from the convenience store at the corner.¡± Zoey gasped. ¡°The handsome sales assistant?¡± ¡°Yup! I only told the two of you that we went to the same high school, what I didn¡¯t tell you was that he was one of the nerdy kids, like me and not popr at all. Tiffany used to actually bully him a lot.¡± ¡°And now she¡¯s fucking him?¡± E chuckled in disbelief. ¡°Now that¡¯s totally messed up! You should just straight up ask him!¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± I hesitantly trailed off. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea. Maybe I can just observe him after he leaves work in the evening and maybe, I¡¯ll spot him with Tiffany one of these days.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you already have too many deadlines? You don¡¯t have the time for that with so much work,¡± Zoey reminded me. ¡°For Grayson, I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Hmm, are you sure it¡¯s just for Grayson?¡± E asked. She was right to question my reasons and the truth was that I was also doing it for myself. Friday had my emotions all over the ce because in just a few hours, I¡¯d be on my way to London. Apart from that, I felt like the universe was finally on my side because I finally had solid and undeniable proof that would expose Tiffany. I¡¯d only managed to see her with Josh the previous evening, which was why I¡¯d barely slept all night, thinking about how long I would wait before telling Grayson about everything. Then, I thought fuck it. The sooner he knew the true character of the girl he¡¯d married, the better. It was early in the morning, so for a start, I sent him a text. 16:07 Tue, Sep 16 ¡°Hey, please call me as soon as you can.¡± 36 E55 vouchers I sent the message and put the phone beside me, my heart already pounding hard. It only took about a minute for him to call me and I sat up quickly. ¡°Hey!¡± I said with so much energy. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he said in his morning voice, his tone a little t. I frowned. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, why?¡± ¡°You just sound like-¡± ¡°You asked me to call and I¡¯ve done that, so what¡¯s up?¡± I pouted a little at how rude he was to me. Maybe he¡¯d fought with Tiffany or something didn¡¯t go too well with one of the business deals he¡¯d been working on. ¡°Are you alone?¡± I asked. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m downstairs.¡± ¡°I know this is short notice, but can youe over? There¡¯s something I need to show you. It¡¯s important.¡± My voice sounded sharper than I intended. ¡°Like¡­ right now?¡± ¡°As soon as you can.¡± I firmly nodded like he could see me. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be getting ready to go to London to the freaking yboy?¡± He said it with so much annoyance that I realized that¡¯s why he was rude to me. He still hated the idea of Maddox and I having a good time. ¡°It¡¯s only morning and I don¡¯t have to leave right away,¡± I said. ¡°How soon can you get here?¡± ¡°Give me an hour and Harp?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°This better be worth it.¡± 16:08 Tue, Sep 16 Blueprint 49 Harper 36 55 vouchers I¡¯d been pacing near my bed ever since Grayson had told me he was on the way, my phone already in my hand as I watched the pictures and videos I took of Tiffany and Josh kissing. It felt like it took him forever to get to my house. I had never been so impatient. Finally, I heard the sound of an engine pull up in my driveway and I was so quick to get to the living room that I almost tripped over myself while rushing down the steps. I was already out of breath when I sprinted across the living room, as if the proof would vanish if I dyed. I opened the door a bit too quickly and widely, then paused, telling myself to calm down. I stood right in the doorway as he stepped out of his car in his suit, looking as polished as he always did when heading to the office. When our eyes met, he didn¡¯t even smile at me as he said, ¡°I¡¯m here now.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t youe in?¡± He huffed as he nced back at the tinted windows of his car while still approaching my front door. I stared a bit too long at every inch of him and only looked away when he faced my direction and was getting closer to the doorway. I moved backwards and to the side so he coulde in and as he walked past me, I watched his side profile. His expression was still unreadable but I knew that as soon as I would show him the proof, shock would be written all over his face. ¡°Have a seat,¡± I said, pulling him down on the couch with me. ¡°So, what¡¯s going on?¡± His tone was t as his eyes scanned me. I swallowed before I could speak. ¡°There¡¯s something you need to see.¡± I gestured with my phone, then pulled up the photos and videos I¡¯d gathered. Everything was so solid that not even Tiffany could talk her way out of it. My hand shook as I handed him the phone, letting him check it all out on his own. As he looked at the screen, he clenched his jaw and said nothing, not even scrolling to the next picture immediately. Then, he finally scrolled, watching the video of Tiffany and Josh kissing. 36 B55 vouchers. Even after that, he said nothing and had that nk depression, like he was taking it all in. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know it hurts to find out that Tiffany¡¯s been cheating on you. I just didn¡¯t want to tell you without showing you the proof. This is who she is.¡± Then, heughed as he lowered his head. The sound was sharp and humorless. People express shock in different ways and I was under the impression thatughter was his way of doing it. He shook his head a few times, then raised it to look at me as he said, ¡°Tiffany was right.¡± The words made no sense at all and only made my chest tighten. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± He didn¡¯t answer my question. Instead, he rose to his feet and headed straight to the front door with my phone. I was so confused but followed behind him. ¡°Wait, where are you going?¡± I asked. He swung the door open and stood in the doorway for a few seconds before heading outside. ¡°Grayson!¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± His voice was low but sharp. That wasn¡¯t exactly the reaction I was expecting, but I followed him. He only stopped when he got to his car and leaned against the hood. When he nced over his shoulder at the passenger seat and the door opened, my eyes narrowed in surprise as Tiffany stepped out while fixing her hair. She held her head high as she approached him and when she was close enough, he threw his arm over her while she ced her hand on his chest. ¡°What¨Cwhat¡¯s going on here?¡± My voice was barely above a whisper as I was now the one in shock. ¡°I just showed you what¡¯s been going on.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just like I told you,¡± he said. ¡°Tiffany was right about you.¡± ¡°About me?¡± I pointed at myself. : 36 55 vouchers ¡°My wife told me that you¡¯ve been stalking her, trying to dig up some dirt. I didn¡¯t want to believe it. But now?¡± He held up my phone. ¡°You just proved her right.¡± My lips parted, but I couldn¡¯t even find my words. How could this be happening? Tiffany quickly took my phone from him, watching the pictures and videos I¡¯d taken and she gasped like she was some victim. Grayson quicklyforted her by gently rubbing the side of her arm. Finally finding my words again, I said, ¡°I¡­don¡¯t unders-¡± ¡°What don¡¯t you understand?¡± He cut me off. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll make you understand.¡± He took out his phone, unlocked it to swipe a few times, then, when he found what he was looking for, he held the screen up to my face and my stomach twisted. It was a picture of me standing across the street from a cafe and watching Tiffany with my phone camera aimed towards her. The angle made me look like I was hiding, which was actually true. But quickly, I needed to clear things up. ¡°You have it all wrong,¡± I said, my voice trembling. ¡°I was only trying to-¡± ¡°Stop.¡± His tone was harsh as he cut me off. ¡°Just stop. Do you hear yourself? I know that you and Tiffany have never had the best rtionship but how could you stoop so low? I thought better of you.¡± ¡°Grayson, you know me. You know I wouldn¡¯t-¡± ¡°Do I?¡± He cut me off again, not giving me the chance to speak. ¡°Right now, I don¡¯t recognise you at all and I¡¯m extremely disappointed in you.¡± Those words had tears threatening to stream down my face. ¡°I¡¯m d Kate spotted you when she did and took this picture of you, following my wife around just to dig up some dirt and when you found nothing, you faked all this just to have something to show me. We all know what¡¯s possible with technology these days and the fact that your profession is-¡± He suddenly stopped himself when Tiffany burst into tears, even covering her face with both hands. He immediately looked down at her, his anger turning into something soft and protective as heforted her. ¡°You know I hate it when you cry. I¡¯m sorry I doubted you, babe.¡± His voice was gentle. He was still talking to her with a soft expression in his eyes but as soon as he nced at me, he 16:08 Tue, Sep 16 red hard like I was the worst person on the. 36 55 vouchers Tiffany sniffled, finally dropping her hands from her face with her mascara already ruined. She didn¡¯t even raise her head just yet, keeping it low like some innocent victim. ¡°Harper, how could you be so evil that you faked these pictures and videos?¡± Her voice cracked. ¡°I thought I was starting over when I put an end to my thirst for vengeance, but here you are, still taking shots at me. And babe, it still hurts me that you wanted toe to her defense. Now you know who she really is. I wish I didn¡¯te here. I fucking hate it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay baby. We¡¯re leaving right now.¡± His voice was warm and loving. ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand. None of this is good for me and I hate that this is happening because I don¡¯t want to make it about me, but¡­¡± She hesitated, her voice trembling like it took everything in her to speak up. ¡°This kind of stress isn¡¯t good for me in my condition.¡± His forehead creased. ¡°In your condition?¡± She shook her head. ¡°This isn¡¯t the right time and I shouldn¡¯t say anything right now, but¡­¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± His voice was urgent as he framed her face with so much tenderness. After letting out a shaky breath, she said, ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡± Öæ Blueprint 50 Harper : 36 155 vouchers Grayson¡¯s jaw dropped before smiling through the shock. ¡°You¨Cyou¡¯re pregnant?¡± Tiffany nodded, cing her hands on his chest with soft sobs. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re going to have a baby.¡± He chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead like she was the most precious thing in the world. They spoke to each other in hushed and loving tones about a beautiful future together and I watched as my proof burned uselessly in his hand since he still had my phone. He didn¡¯t even look at me when they broke the hug and he wrapped his arm around her waist to walk her back to the passenger seat. After opening and closing the door for her like a perfect gentleman, he began to make his way back to me, but he wasn¡¯t even my focus. She rolled down the window and poked her head out with a faint triumphant smile that only I could see. I should have told him to look back and see what was going on with her, but what difference was that going to make? It was only when he was right in front of me that I focused on him, his forehead veins popping out As he handed me back my phone, he looked to the side before I could even take it. He made me feel like the sight of me was disgusting. I reached for my phone to take it from him but he set it free before I even had a firm grip, like he wasn¡¯t going to give a fuck if it dropped to the ground and broke. I caught it quickly as a reflex, then scoffed as I looked down at the screen, a tear now running down my cheek. ¡°Oh, now you¡¯re going to cry?¡± He mocked me in a harsh tone. ¡°Just because your n backfired? My wife decided to put aside her revenge just so we could all start over and here you are, not willing to let it go.¡± ¡°You really chose not to believe me, not that it¡¯s anything new.¡± My voice was quiet, like I was still processing everything. 16:08 Tue, Sep 16 : ¡°What¡¯s there to believe when you faked it all?¡± 36 55 vouchers ¡°You know what¡¯s so fucked up?¡± I sniffled as I wiped my tear. ¡°You only dismissed my proof, calling it fake even after seeing Josh¡¯s face, but you didn¡¯t do the same when it came to the proof of me stalking her. How is that even fair?¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re just pissing me off even more. Still trying to make me believe that what you have here is real?¡± I chuckled. ¡°Now this is funny to you?¡± He scowled. ¡°I was there. I saw it so how can it not be funny when I just figured out what¡¯s going on? You¡¯ve just decided to be blind to the truth. Anyone can see that I¡¯m not lying. The day wille when you¡¯ll see the truth with your own eyes. Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t w-¡± ¡°Just shut up!¡± He snapped, getting closer to yell in my face. ¡°Haven¡¯t you already done enough? You know what? It was my mistake for letting us get close again. I should have kept things as they were when you returned to town!¡± His words broke me so hard that I was about to burst into tears, not because he was mad at me, but because he still chose to keep being with Tiffany despite everything I had told him. ¡°You know what?¡± I sniffled. ¡°What is it this time?¡± He sighed with irritation. ¡°Fuck you!¡± His lips parted, but it took him a few seconds to speak and I took that chance to make things clear between us. ¡°I¡¯ve always stood by you and tried to show you the truth, but-¡± ¡°I never asked you to do any of that for me! I don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m still here listening to this shit.¡± He stormed off to his car, ncing back at me. ¡°Just stay away from us!¡± He mmed the door loudly once he was inside. As the car drove past me, Tiffany smirked at me before rolling up her window, I froze in ce even after the car disappeared at the corner, my hand clenched tightly around my phone. I dragged my feet back inside the house and it was only when I came to the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror that I realized I was still crying over him¡­someone who never 16:08 Tue, chose me no matter the situation. 55 vouchers After wiping my tears, I pressed the palms of my hands t against the frame of the mirror to make a promise to myself. That was thest time that I was going to cry over him. He didn¡¯t deserve my tears. He never did. My desire to expose the truth had ruined our friendship and for as long as he was not going to apologize to me, I wasn¡¯t going to beg for him, never. I drew in a long breath with my eyes closed and as I exhaled, I opened my eyes while nodding to myself. I leaned over to wash the tears away and when I stood upright again with a towel to wipe my face, I could still see the redness in my eyes but it didn¡¯t make me feel awful this time. I was going to stick to my promise. Every word he¡¯d said to me yed in my head even as I pushed through my work on myputer. I needed to get it done, or at least most of it. I pressed the keys harder than usual, only because I was still fuming, but as the minutes went by, I was in control. It took me a few hours and when I was done, I came to the kitchen to make myself something to eat but my phone buzzed on the counter before I could even open the fridge. It was a message from Maddox and I meant to open our thread so I could read in full but ended up opening the one below and that was Grayson¡¯s. I wanted to click off quickly but paused when I saw the red text at the bottom. He had blocked
  1. me.
I shut my eyes and snickered, only because I wasn¡¯t expecting him to take it that far, but I didn¡¯t even bother to check if I¡¯d been blocked anywhere else. That was more than enough for me to get the picture. Finally clicking off, I read Maddox¡¯s message and my lips curved into a small smile. ¡°You better get your pretty ass to the jet on time. It¡¯s ready for you. Make sure you pack everything you need or nothing at all. It doesn¡¯t matter. Just get here on time.¡± I couldn¡¯t tell if he still had no idea that my n had blown up in my face, but he didn¡¯t make me feel broken. He just wanted me in London¡­and I would soon be on my way to him. Blueprint 51 Chapter 51 Harper 36 55 vouchers The private jet was nothing like I imagined, it was better. There were white leather seats, champagne in a silver bucket and a flight attendant who treated me like I was royalty. Each time she smiled at me, she called me Miss Moore. I almostughed as I wasn¡¯t used to that kind of respect, but I wasn¡¯t going toin. During the entire flight, I reyed that day¡¯s events, telling myself I needed to work on my feelings so I could bury everything that I felt. I treated that as an official new chapter in my life and it made everything so much easier. With a champagne ss in hand, I only meant to shift in my seat but I was so clumsy with it that I almost spilled some of it on my trench coat. I sighed with relief as that didn¡¯t happen in the end. I chuckled quietly at how I couldn¡¯t risk making a mess of the trench coat because it was the only clothing hiding what was underneath and it was for Maddox¡¯s eyes only. I even crossed my legs to get morefortable, ncing at the sexy ck heels I had on. He had been so impatient before, but now, he was silent and that only made me anticipate the moment I would see him even more. The jetnded at 10 PM and a chauffeur was waiting on the runway with a limousine. He smiled at me and held the door open for me like I was someone important. I got into the backseat,fortably sinking into the plush leather seat. By the time the limousine pulled up to his ce, I could feel my heart pounding in my ears. I carried my handbag with me when the chauffeur opened the limousine door for me and swept his hand towards the front door. My steps came to a halt right when I was in front of it and I sent Maddox a text to inform him that I had arrived. Just as he had instructed me to do. I was certain that he¡¯d heard the engine, yet I still felt the need to tell him. His reply was so instant that it felt like he¡¯d been waiting with his phone in his hand. ¡°Come straight to the home office. Third floor,st door on the left.¡± His instructions sent a shiver down my spine. He wasn¡¯ting to meet me at the door. He wanted me to go in there and find him. I pushed open the front door and walked into the foyer. It took me a moment to head to the 16:09 Tue, Sep 16 35 55 vouchers third floor as I couldn¡¯t stop looking around. I couldn¡¯t even decide on which one I preferred between his new ce and the one in San Francisco. I had two options to get to the third floor, the stairs or the elevator and I ended up using the elevator. I told myself it was because that was the easiest way I could get to him since I was in heels, but I also just couldn¡¯t wait to get to him. When the elevator doors opened and I got to the third floor, I stared down the hallway with polished ck tiles and tall white doors. I was already heading towards the left so I could get to thest door when I heard him. His voice was sharp, each word filled with frustration. I figured he was on the phone as he spoke quickly in that business¨Clike tone. As I walked closer, the door was ajar and I caught his voice again. It was controlled but unmistakably upset. I pushed the door open with no hesitation and he didn¡¯t even look at me right away. He was standing by a floor¨Cto¨Cceiling ss window, his suit jacket over the back of his chair and sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His eyebrows were drawn together and his hand gripped the phone tightly. Everything about him was so serious and intense that it just radiated power and tension. I should¡¯ve felt intimidated, but it all just sent another shiver down my spine. I stood in the doorway, unable to take my eyes off him. While still on the phone, he noticed me mid¨Csentence when he raised his head, his eyes locking on me and burning straight through the trench coat I still had on. I felt barely acknowledged when he looked away and took his seat at his desk. He dropped heavily into the chair and leaned back like a king with his legs apart. While still on the phone and speaking in that sharp andmanding tone, he finally looked in my direction again and crooked a finger to summon me using his free hand. That sent a rush between my legs. I closed the door behind me, set my handbag down and slowly made my way to him. When I was getting closer to him, he gestured with his hand for me to stop, then pointed at the trench coat so I could take it off. I slipped out of the trench coat, letting it fall to the floor and his eyes trailed over every inch of me in my ck lingerie, his voice now growing harder for the poor soul on the other end of the line. ¡°No, that¡¯spletely uneptable. We had a contract and you¡¯re the one who chose not to do your part.¡± : 55 vouchers He then crooked his finger again so I could get closer and the moment I was close enough, he reached for my waist with a shocking force that pulled me down into hisp. I gasped, my arms wrapping around his neck as a reflex. He breathed right against the nape of my neck as he feasted his eyes on the nipples poking through thece, his arm locked on my waist and firmly in ce. I was now so close to the phone against his ear that I could finally hear the person on the other end of the line. ¡°Mr Aldridge, you¨Cyou don¡¯t understand, please!¡± ¡°I understand perfectly,¡± he snapped, his tone growing even colder as he slid his hand to the middle of my thighs so I could spread them apart. I wanted him to touch me so badly that I did it. He looked straight into my eyes as his fingertips travelled towards the middle, like I was the one he was mad at. ¡°What I don¡¯t understand is how you thought you could y tricks with me and get away w-¡± He stopped himself when his fingers came in contact with my bare pussy lips. The lingerie I had on, had no fabric covering the lower part of my pussy, just how I wanted it to be. He narrowed his eyes a little, like he was impressed that I¡¯d picked out something like that. ¡°Just in case no one has ever told you this¡­¡± He trailed off while still on the phone, shoving a finger inside of me. ¡°You don¡¯t y such dangerous games with me.¡± I had to swallow my moans by biting down on my lip when he began to finger me, even casually looking away from me when he added another finger, like he was just dealing with some paperwork. My eyes rolled back as I pulled on his cor, not knowing what else I could do with myself since I had to keep it down. He didn¡¯t have to say it, but his eyes gave me that warning when they met mine again. They were dark and lustful, a stark contrast to the anger in his voice. When he quickened his pace, I spread my legs wider like that would help, but I just squirmed in ce, my entire body beginning to tense up as I felt it building up. ¡°Is that good enough for you?¡± That was obviously directed at the one on the phone, but he looked into my eyes while saying it and I nodded while biting my lip. I didn¡¯t want him to stop. His fingers were quickly drenched in my cum as his movements turned more slippery and he 16:09 Tue, Sep 16 smirked. ¡°Good.¡± : The call finally came to an end and he casually ced the phone on the table. 35 55 vouchers. Teasingly spreading my cum all over my pussy as he brought his lips closer to mine, his voice was dripping with lust. ¡°Right on time. I¡¯m d you came.¡± É« Blueprint 52 Chapter 52 Maddox : 35 E55 vouchers I copsed against the pillows on the massive bed, my sweaty chest rising and falling rapidly as my lungs fought for air. Harper¡¯s voluptuous figure still trembled against the sheets like she could still feel me inside her even though I¡¯d already pulled out. I threw one arm over her sweaty stomach like I owned her and thest hour felt like I did. The silence carried on for a while with just the sound of us breathing hard until I let out a low chuckle. ¡°Fuck.¡± My voice was rough and still dripping with lust. ¡°If you ride me like that ever again, I¡¯m sending you an invoice for damages.¡± She raised her head slightly. ¡°Damages?¡± I smirked, moving my body closer. ¡°You were bouncing on my cock like you were trying to kill me¡­aggressive little thing.¡± She knew I was right, but she just didn¡¯t want to admit it and even looked away. ¡°Now you want to act all innocent?¡± I grabbed her chin so she could face me again. ¡°I like when you¡¯re in control, but don¡¯t forget who you¡¯re in bed with. I¡¯ll always pin you down where I want.¡± She looked like she had aeback ready but before she could speak up, I flipped her over and shey t on her stomach, my hand gently wrapping around the front part of her neck as I teased her ass with the tip of my hard cock. Harper had fucked me like there was something she needed to forget and while It came as a fucking pleasant surprise, I was in total control this time, keeping her pinned down however I liked and there was something so sexy about watching her surrender to me. I opened the fridge in the kitchen for some water when Harper¡¯s voice came from the doorway, ¡°Can I have a ss, too?¡± she said, approaching the counter and resting her elbows on it. She was wearing nothing but my shirt, the same one I¡¯d given herst time and she looked sexy in it with her thick thighs on disy and that damp and messy bun. 16:09 Tue, Sep 16 : 35 55 vouchers As I poured both of us some water, I noticed her constantly ncing at her phone screen with her thumb hovering over it. ¡°You know,¡± I began, ¡°you make it look like the screen is going to bite you and that¡¯s why you¡¯re not doing anything.¡± My voice was teasing. She shrugged, trying to brush it off while still staring at the screen. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Nothing?¡± I repeated, approaching her with two sses. ¡°You¡¯ve checked it at least five times in thest thirty seconds. That¡¯s not nothing. It¡¯s 1 AM, a new day and that means it¡¯s Anna¡¯s birthday.¡± Her head shot up in surprise. ¡°How did you know that?¡± I stopped right next to her but she didn¡¯t even look down at the water. Her continued surprise as her eyes were locked on mine was amusing to watch. ¡°You haven¡¯t sent your sister a lovely message to wish her a happy birthday in the years, but this time is different because she¡¯s turning thirty.¡± past few She was speechless for a few seconds, then finally blinked rapidly. ¡°Hold on, seriously, how do you know all that?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who told me.¡± I pressed her ss against her arm. She took it, narrowing her eyes at me. ¡°I¡¯m the one who told you?¡± ¡°Where else do you think I heard it? From Grayson?¡± Her expression shifted at the mention of his name, like she didn¡¯t want to hear it. Must have been because she¡¯d heard about Tiffany¡¯s pregnancy. ¡°But¡­I don¡¯t remember telling you anything,¡± she said. ¡°Remember that night you were drunk?¡± I raised my eyebrows. ¡°That¡¯s when you told me. Actually, you told me a lot of things. You just started talking about Anna¡¯s birthday and didn¡¯t know what to do. It was kind of hard to give you my advice because I don¡¯t know the full story between you two and you didn¡¯t give me the details, like it hurt.¡± She huffed as she took a seat. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know if I should wish her a happy birthday.¡± I nced at her screen and she had already typed a long message. ¡°Come on. What¡¯s the worst that could happen?¡± I said, taking a seat beside her. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. It¡¯s not that simple.¡± 16:09 Tue, Sep 16 35 55 vouchers ¡°Then make me understand. I¡¯ve always been curious, you know. On second thought, you don¡¯t actually have to-¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± She took a sip before speaking, tightening her fingers around the ss of water. ¡°Anna¡¯s my half¨Csister,¡± she finally said. ¡°We only share the same mom and never met our dads. That¡¯s why we kept herst name. After I was born, the resemnce was so strong that we looked like we shared the same parents.¡± ¡°Yup, I remember seeing her a few times. Your mom¡¯s genes were quite strong.¡± I thought that would get augh out of her, but she turned even more serious as her dropped to the surface of the counter, like something lingered there. gaze ¡°My sister and I were very close but everything changed after mom died. She got in trouble and was locked up for five years. When she was released, she was a totally different person and started pushing me away.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I rested my elbows against the counter, watching her carefully. ¡°She couldn¡¯t keep a rtionship and kept making bad choices. She thought she was a bad influence on me and didn¡¯t want to drag me into her mess, so one day, she left town without saying a word.¡± Her lips trembled, like she wanted to say more, but she only managed to slump her shoulders like there was so much weight pressing down on her and it twisted something in me. ¡°Even with all that, you loved her.¡± My voice was soft. She swallowed hard, tears glistening in her eyes. ¡°I still do. I wanted to stay close, but she wouldn¡¯t let me.¡± Seeing her like that was¡­unsettling. Maybe it was because she was hurting in a way I could rte to, even if I¡¯d never admit it. ¡°So¡­¡± she said it loudly even as she trailed off while patting her eyes. ¡°What else did I say that night? Tell me everything.¡± She chuckled and that instantly brightened the mood a little. ¡°You better be ready, lots of embarrassing shiting up,¡± I yfully warned her. ¡°I can take it.¡± ¡°Of course you can.¡± I smirked, licking my bottom lip as I nced at her thighs. She rolled her eyes at me with a scoff. 16:09 Tue, Sep 16 35 55 vouchers ¡°Well, you were celebrating the fact that you didn¡¯t give in to your heart¡¯s desires. Grayson was right there with you on your bed but you had the power to resist.¡± She looked inside her ss of water like she could see herself in that moment. ¡°I don¡¯t remember telling you that either, but yes, that¡¯s how proud I was. It was like my biggest test and I passed. I¡¯ve spent years wishing for something like that, but it wasn¡¯t worth it at all. I just couldn¡¯t do it, not even kiss him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d it didn¡¯t happen. He¡¯s married to my sister and that would have been cheating on her. It doesn¡¯t matter if you two are friends.¡± ¡°Were,¡± she corrected me with a frown. ¡°What happened?¡± She narrowed her eyes like she didn¡¯t believe me. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know about Tiffany.¡± ¡°That she¡¯s pregnant?¡± ¡°No, the other part.¡± ¡°What other part?¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡± She poked her cheek. ¡°They must have decided to keep it to themselves because they thought it was bullshit.¡± She scrolled on her phone, then handed it to me when she got to some pictures and videos of Tiffany kissing Josh. As she told me what had happened earlier, her voice cracked a few times like she was about to cry. She couldn¡¯t even look at me. ¡°I would have never thought that Tiffany and Josh would be a thing, considering how she used to make fun of him,¡± I said. ¡°But how is your proof considered fake and what Kate took of you is considered to be authentic?¡± She ced her hand on my arm with wide eyes. ¡°Yes! That¡¯s exactly what I said! You really believe me.¡± Her voice turned quiet towards the end. I looked down at her hand on my arm and she quickly pulled back. She and I had fucked so many times, but why did that simple touch feel¡­different? Snapping out of it and looking up at her face again, I said, ¡°Of course I believe you. Grayson just doesn¡¯t want to see it.¡± ¡°I was ready to do everything in my power to prove just how real this is, but I realised it¡¯s not worth it. We¡¯re not even friends anymore. He fucking blocked me.¡± ? 55 vouchers As soon as she said it, I raised the corner of my mouth for a split second. Maybe hearing all that was some good news to me. But I could see just how much it was hurting her, like she was fighting back tears again. How could she not feel that way when she lost someone like that and someone who didn¡¯t even care enough to take her side? Tiffany always came first whenever Grayson had to make a choice or pick a side. I couldn¡¯t wait for the day he¡¯d finally see the truth with his own eyes and I wasn¡¯t even about to get involved to try and convince him. He chose to be blind. It actually bothered me to see Harper like that and I thought that was the perfect moment to slightly switch things up.. ¡°There¡¯s something else you said to me that night while you were drunk as fuck,¡± I said. ¡°Ready to sink into the floor out of embarrassment?¡± She closed her eyes, like it was going to make her cringe so hard that she didn¡¯t want to know. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should hear this.¡± She hesitated with a nervous smile. ¡°I thought you said you could take it.¡± I teased her. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just messing with you,¡± I admitted. She shook her head in disbelief. ¡°You already had my heart racing for nothing. I hate you. So, what was it?¡± ¡°You called me a hypocrite.¡± AD Comment Blueprint 53 Chapter 53 Harper 35 55 vouchers. Before Maddox could even tell me the rest of it, I already knew why I¡¯d called him that. It had been on my mind for weeks and it made me chuckle. ¡°Because you stopped me at the bar that night so I wouldn¡¯t regret it but jumped at the opportunity once it was offered to you?¡± He nodded firmly, taking a sip of water from his ss while looking down at my thighs. Even after setting down the ss, his eyes were glued to my thighs. ¡°Your biggest mistake was teasing me by kissing me during Grayson¡¯s party. You left me wanting more and that night, I wanted you so badly that I chose to be selfish.¡± His gaze lingered right in the middle of my thighs, like he¡¯d tell me to open wide or he¡¯d do it with his bare hands. The thought of it actually made me wait. ¡°Wanna know thest thing you said to me during thosete night video chats?¡± He teased me, meeting my gaze again. ¡°There¡¯s more?¡± I smacked my lips. ¡°Yup¡­you asked if you could sit on my face.¡± He said it so loudly that my jaw dropped with embarrassment. ¡°Wha- that never happened.¡± I covered my face with my hands while shaking my head. ¡°It definitely did.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I wish I¡¯d recorded it. I meant what I said when I told you it was only going to happen after you said it to my face while sober. So let¡¯s hear it.¡± He daringly sat back and I swallowed hard. I¡¯d definitely thought about it. That was something I¡¯d always wanted to try out and Maddox always made me feelfortable enough to explore, but I just couldn¡¯t say it even when the silence carried on for a while. I couldn¡¯t get the words out. ¡°I guess you don¡¯t want it. Fine.¡± He sighed. I quickly dropped my hands a little too hard in protest and only realized how obvious I made it when he smirked at me while shaking his head. ¡°Everytime, I keep seeing something new that I like about you.¡± He teasingly leaned forward. 16:09 Tue, Sep 16 ¡°Yeah? And what is it this time?¡± I didn¡¯t lean back or toward him. 35 55 vouchers I suddenly gasped when his handtched onto my thigh and just as I closed my eyes, my phone buzzed while in his other hand and he chuckled loudly. ¡°What?¡± I asked, opening my eyes. ¡°I see E and Zoey simultaneously text you.¡± I gasped as I snatched my phone from him. ¡°Whoa!¡± He raised his eyebrows. ¡°Scared I¡¯ll see something I shouldn¡¯t? Rx, the screen timeout was a few minutes ago.¡± I hadn¡¯t been paying attention to how long the screen had been on and just panicked at the thought of him seeing whatever E and Zoey had sent to me. They liked to give me sexy suggestions at times when they knew I was going to be with him. As soon as I unlocked my phone and yed E¡¯s video first, I chuckled softly and immediately held up the screen to Maddox¡¯s face so he could see what was going on. ¡°Partying at 1 AM with the Bary twins. This must be their nightclub in France. I see your friends are still having a st, but don¡¯t let them catch feelings.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± I pouted a little, swiping left to watch Zoey¡¯s clip. ¡°The twins aren¡¯t themitment type.¡± ¡°Like you.¡± I only meant it teasingly and expected a yboy reply with a smug expression, but all it did was turn him serious. ¡°Exactly.¡± He faced the counter. ¡°No time for that shit.¡± ¡°Ever had a girlfriend?¡± I asked before I could stop myself. ¡°We finally got to that question.¡± He raised the corner of his mouth. ¡°Yeah and twice in the same year but I quickly realized it wasn¡¯t for me. That was seven years ago.¡± ¡°You make it sound like both times were awful.¡± ¡°They were, but only because of me. Not that it matters anyway.¡± ¡°Actually, it does.¡± I just wanted to hear more. ¡°Some other time.¡± He shook his head dismissively and rose to his feet. ¡°I¡¯ll show you around.¡± 16:09 Tue, Sep 16 : 35 55 vouchers It was the second time he was doing that, not wanting to talk about something personal in detail and I didn¡¯t want to push him. It took me a few seconds to get up from my scat as I wondered what it would take. ¡°What?¡± His expression turned nk as he held out his hand. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± I said, giving him my hand. The moment he grabbed it, he pulled me towards him until I was right against his chest. I expected the usual sexy teasing when I caught him biting his lip, but he suddenly nced to the side and when he was looking at me again, his expression was just nk and he took a step back. ¡°This way.¡± He walked ahead of me to the stairs and I wasn¡¯t going to say it, but I knew what was going on with him. He thought he could avoid the topic about his ex¨Cgirlfriends by turning things a little sexy, but he knew he didn¡¯t have to do that anymore. ¡°So¡­ is this it?¡± I said, finally breaking the silence as I gestured with my hand across the walls of the hallway on the first floor. ¡°What do you mean?¡± He didn¡¯t even nce at me. ¡°The walls are a bit too¡­in. I¡¯m used to seeing paintings and all.¡± ¡°I have a few ideas in mind. Just follow me.¡± With no further information, I followed him around for the house tour until we got to thest door on the top floor. ¡°This is what I was talking about,¡± he said, then opened the door for me. It was a spacious art studio, filled with some of his paintings from San Francisco and my lips curved into a smile, especially when I saw one of my favorites and rushed to it on one of the tables. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you actually thought I was leaving all these behind.¡± He teased me. ¡°I wasn¡¯t even thinking of this,¡± I admitted. ¡°I thought that¡­never mind.¡± ¡°No, tell me.¡± He came closer, standing right behind me. I could feel his warm breath caress the nape of my neck. ¡°I thought you wanted to have the walls in this ce like a nk canvas so you could start 16:10 Tue, Sep 16 ¡­ : painting from scratch and fill up the hallways as time goes by.¡± He chuckled softly, making me look back. ¡°What?¡± I asked. ¡°Again, another thing I like about you.¡± His voice was quiet as he smiled at me, like he was impressed. 35 55 vouchers I smiled back, d I was right, but his expression soon turned nk and his jaw clenched as he moved to the left, approaching another table with arge box. cing his hand inside, he said, ¡°You¡¯re not far from the truth. I¡¯ll hang up some of the paintings from San Francisco, then maybe¡­¡± He trailed off when he found what he was looking for. ¡°I¡¯ll get back into painting again.¡± I gasped in pleasant surprise at the sight of the small box I¡¯d gifted him for his birthday. ¡°You brought this, too?¡± ¡°Yup, why would I leave this behind when it¡¯s possibly a sign from the universe? With each passing day, I feel like I can get back into this. I just don¡¯t know where to start.¡± ¡°Just give it time and you¡¯ll figure it all out.¡± ¡°Careful, or you¡¯ll be the one I paint next.¡± I wanted tough hard, but it didn¡¯t sound like it was aplete joke, especially when his gazended on the lone child painting in the corner. Snapping out of it, he said, ¡°Now, get your bare ass over here and help me organize these paintings.¡± He said it so casually that I scoffed. I¡¯d just realized that was an urate description for someone who¡¯d been walking around in only a long shirt. He couldn¡¯t decide on how many paintings to hang on each floor and which ones. He needed my help and I actually enjoyed the experience. We spent hours in the art studio until we went to bed around 4 AM. The morning sun filtered through the curtains and when I felt it against my eyelids, I had to wake up. I reached for my phone and realized it was already 10 AM and Maddox had also sent me a message an hour earlier. 35 55 vouchers ¡°Went for a run. Tell Tim what you want for breakfast, though you already had the best meal in bedst night.¡± I could hear the smug tone in his voice. Of course he wouldn¡¯t just leave it at telling Tim what I wanted for breakfast. He had to remind me, like I could forget. After a fun and quick reply to let him know I was awake, the brightness drained from my face when my eyesnded on Grayson¡¯s message thread. I was so curious that I checked again and just as I thought, I was still blocked. Thest thing I wanted was to constantly see his name each time I was checking my messages. It was for this reason that I decided to delete my entire chat with him. I wasn¡¯t going to keep doing that to myself. I got out of bed to freshen up and while still in a long robe, I made my way to the minibar and took a seat as I waited for my breakfast. I was making fun of E and Zoey in our group chat when the sound of heels clicking against the marble floor caught my attention. I turned my head in that direction and poked my cheek, the oneing my way pissing me off. Blueprint 54 Harper 55 vouchers Kate was in some sexy heels and a tight dress that was so short that it almost looked like a shirt. ¡°Ugh! Still here?¡® She rolled her eyes, cing her purse on the counter. ¡°Put on some clothes and leave. Time¡¯s up.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve gone deaf. Maddox and I have ns this afternoon.¡± She raked her fingers through her hair like it wasn¡¯t well done. Sliding off my seat, I said, ¡°ns? He didn¡¯t tell me anything.¡± She sneered. ¡°Why would he tell you when you¡¯re nothing special to him?¡± ¡°And you are?¡± I crossed my arms. She shot me a re, then sneered again. ¡°You¡¯re so pathetic, Harper. Coming all the way here after your n backfired just so you can get back at Tiffany? Newssh, it doesn¡¯t fucking matter anymore! She has the man of your dreams and is happily pregnant!¡± Her words stung, but I wasn¡¯t about to let it get to me. ¡°You know, I¡¯m actually d you¡¯re here.¡± I took a few steps forward with my head high. ¡°You¡¯ve been stalking me, trying to find some dirt on me as payback for how you weren¡¯t the one who ended up with Maddox on the night of his birthday. You went as far as covering up Tiffany¡¯s infidelity just to paint me as this obsessed stalker. Whatever pictures you took of me, you saw her with Josh, too. It¡¯s actually sad that you¡¯re still ¡®that¡® girl.¡± Her mouth twitched with a forced smile, like she was mustering aeback and I waited. I wanted to hear it. ¡°So what if I ride hard for my best friend?¡± she bragged, I chuckled in disbelief. That was it? ¡°Best friend, huh?¡± I thoughtfully nced at the ceiling before looking back at her. ¡°Hasn¡¯t she benefitted more from you than you have from her? You¡¯ve been covering up for her for years, even when she¡¯s not cheating. You¡¯ve even taken the fall for her in the past when you didn¡¯t have to. Does it make you feel good that you hold the best friend title in her life? That¡¯s not friendship, that¡¯s just desperation to stay within her circle. She only keeps you around because she has use for you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk about shit you don¡¯t know.¡± She gritted her teeth. 35 B 55 vouchers ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I tilted my head. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard of a time when you said no to her. You¡¯ve always said yes. Haven¡¯t you ever wondered what would happen if you said no a-¡± ¡°Just shut the fuck up! That¡¯s none of your business!¡± Her voice cracked even when it was so loud and I flinched a little. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d get to her like that. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Maddox said, making his way to the mini bar. I jerked my head in his direction and there he was, shirtless and drenched in sweat with an empty water bottle. I thought I¡¯d just tell him I was leaving since Kate had now arrived, but no, I chose not to. I stood in ce, a hand on my hip as I watched his bodynguage. ¡°Even when I told you not to show upst time, you still did,¡± he said to her, his tone with a hint of irritation. She giggled as she seductively approached him. ¡°Come on, Maddox. We both know that sometimes, that just means you¡¯re ying hard to get.¡± She was just about to throw her arms around him when he stepped to the side and headed right towards me. ¡°I had no idea Kate wasing,¡± he said to me with a heavy sigh. She burst intoughter from behind. ¡°No need to exin anything to this loser.¡± His jaw clenched, like he was about to say something to her, but instead, he smirked at me and said, ¡°Wanna taste just how sweaty I am?¡± ¡°What?¡± I blinked. He suddenly pinned me against the counter and smashed his lips on mine, his hand cupping the side of my face. It was slow and sensual, making me melt into the kiss even with the taste of his sweat. Even as he pulled away, his gaze was still on my lips. ¡°See what I mean?¡± His voice was quiet. My lips parted in shock and it wasn¡¯t even because I knew Kate was watching us. ¡°Already had breakfast?¡± he asked me. : ¡°Not yet and I¡¯m starving.¡± My lips curved into a smile. 35 55 vouchers ¡°That makes the two of us.¡± He then looked back at Kate. ¡°You can also grab a bite if you want.¡± ¡°No thanks. I¡¯m not hungry. I was just leaving.¡± She smiled, looking at the ceiling while blinking hard, like she was trying not to cry. ¡°In that case, safe flight back home,¡± he casually said to her. ¡°Yeah.¡± Her heels clicked quickly against the floor as she came to the counter and picked up her purse like she was snatching it from someone, then stormed off. I poked my head to the side, my gaze still trying to follow her even when she was out of sight. It was only when Maddox snapped his fingers in my face that I paid attention. ¡°Hmm?¡± I looked up to meet his gaze. ¡°Feeling sorry for her?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Are you sure? That¡¯s what she gets for doing something like that anyway. Apart from the Tiffany stuff, which I heard, what else did she tell you?¡± ¡°That you two have ns.¡± I traced his sweaty chest with my index finger. ¡°What ns?¡± His forehead creased. I shrugged. ¡°She knew she¡¯d find you here by showing up when she did.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I cleared things up,¡± he said, rubbing his thumb on my lower lip. ¡°Now, enough about her. I seriously need that shower. Too bad you already took one.¡± 1 rolled my eyes, fully aware he wanted me to go with him, but I ced my hand on his chest and gently pushed him away. ¡°Your loss,¡± He bit his lower lip, moving backwards while watching me. Breakfast was everything I wanted it to be and more, which was why it took me a few minutes to leave the table even when I was done. 35 55 vouchers Just as I was taking it all in, I heard Maddox¡¯s voice getting louder in the hallway. He was on the phone, something about going to Dubai for an urgent meeting and just like that, I knew I was going to leave. There was no way I was going to stay there without him around. His figure finally came into view and he was in a long sleeved shirt, unbuttoned all the way down to show off his sculpted muscles and I stared like I could lick it. ¡°That was my dad. Change of ns,¡± he said as soon as he got off the phone. I blinked, now looking up at his face. ¡°I heard.¡± ¡°This wasn¡¯t part of the n at all. I made sure to clear my weekend schedule.¡± He ced his hand at the base of my chin. ¡°I wanted you here all weekend. I have an idea.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°Come with me.¡± Blueprint 55 Chapter 55 Maddox 35 E55 vouchers I didn¡¯t want my time with Harper toe to an end so abruptly. I wouldn¡¯t have minded had it been some time in the past during our previous sexual encounters, but something in me still wanted her around. Whatever it was, it made me speak before I could stop myself. I meant it. I wanted her toe with me. cing her hand on my wrist while I still had mine at the base of her chin, she chuckled loudly. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± she said. ¡°We leave in two hours.¡± My voice was confident. ¡°Hold on,¡± she paused, pushing my hand away from her chin and cing it on my side. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯ming with you. I mean, what will I do over there?¡± ¡°The same thing you came to do here. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t have apartments in Dubai. It¡¯ll be fun.¡± She smacked her lips. ¡°The difference is that this is your home.¡± In short, she said no and that left me a little disappointed. I wasn¡¯t even able to hide it because she was constantly watching me. Just to hide it quickly, I licked my bottom lip as I crouched down beside her, running my hand along her leg. ¡°Is that your way of saying you¡¯ll be back here?¡± She closed her eyes at the sensation of my touch. ¡°Maybe.¡± That was a good enough response for me to know she¡¯d be back. I wanted her toe back. ¡°So, we haven¡¯t yet talked about my clothes.¡± ¡°Took you long enough.¡± I rose to my feet. ¡°Follow me.¡± I made my way to the stairs, then waited for her to go past me so I could watch her from behind. Her robe was thick but I could still make out her curves. ¡°Where are we going?¡± she asked without looking back. ¡°Bedroom.¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t we use the elevator?¡± ¡°So I could miss out on watching the view in front of me?¡± She looked back at me with a chuckle of disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re really something else.¡± ¡°I know. That¡¯s why you¡¯re here.¡± 55 vouchers As she was approaching the bedroom door, I went past her and opened it for her, keeping it open as she walked in. ¡°I have something special for you,¡± I said as I closed the door. ¡°This time, it¡¯s not my-¡± ¡°Cock?¡± She giggled. It took me a few seconds to even tell her she was right. It always felt good when she knew what I wanted to say, maybe too good. Was I starting to enjoy that a little too much? I watched her, unable to figure it out. It was only when she spoke again that I snapped out of it and moved further into the bedroom, heading straight to my closet. I picked out a medium sized shopping bag, then handed it to her. ¡°What¡¯s inside?¡± She grinned. ¡°It¡¯ll only take you a few seconds to take a look inside and find out.¡± She yfully rolled her eyes as she put down her phone. ¡°Of course.¡± As soon as she looked inside the bag, she gasped, her head shooting upwards to meet my gaze. I had seen her smile so many times, but nothing like that. Her expression was so bright that it felt different. She quickly took out the red dress and unfolded it, holding it up right in front of her after dropping the bag. ¡°Did you really buy the same exact dress you ripped off of me that night?¡± ¡°Yup, same size and all. I had lots of people working their asses off to find it.¡± Her lips curved wider as she ced it against her corbone while looking at herself. She even stomped her feet and I found myself smiling. She was cute. ¡°I wanna try it on,¡± she said. ¡°You should.¡± My voice was quiet as I took a few steps forward. ¡°I was just about to say that.¡± 16:10 Tue, Sep 16 Then, I stepped to the side, took a seat on the chair and leaned back. ¡°Face me and try it on. The mirror can wait.¡± 35 55 vouchers With pressed lips, she slowly turned around, then looked right at me as she slowly took off her robe, like she was teasing me. I was so impatient that I almost got up to take it off myself. She knew what she was doing to me and I caught her small smirk. She was enjoying that and I let her have her moment. The rob finally slipped off her shoulders and down to the floor, the sight before me making my cock twitch. It wasn¡¯t just the curves of her breasts and hips that caught my attention. It was also the loose hair strands that fell over the nape of her neck. She was about to tuck them behind her ear when I spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch that hair. Just put on the dress.¡± I actually preferred seeing her that way. As she began to put on the dress, my eyes tracked every move she made. She slipped her leg into the dress and my gaze shifted to the other leg as she did the same. My eyes travelled upwards when she slid it past her hips and I took onest look at those perky breasts before the fabric covered them up. The contrast of the red against her skin and that fucking slit on her thigh made me want to stroke and kiss it. Just as I thought of walking over to her so I could zip up her dress, I soon realized that she didn¡¯t need my help when her hands reached the back with ease. She grunted a few times but was still able to get it done, even closing her eyes as if that would help drag the zipper upwards. When she had it all the way up, she sighed with relief, then ced a hand on her hip while looking right at me. ¡°How do I look?¡± ¡°Beautiful.¡± My voice was quiet. Her eyes widened a little at the specificpliment that came out of my mouth. Even I was a little surprised, making me press my lips together for a few seconds as I nced to the side. What the hell was going on with me? Blueprint 56 Maddox : : 35 55 vouchers Harper paused in front of the mirror, poking out her left hip to strike a pose, then did the same with her left hip. I¡¯d meant to say she looked sexy when she wanted my opinion, but beautiful was all I could say. Even at that moment, she was beautiful. She turned around to check out what the view was like from the back, her thigh with the slit ced in front of the other one like she was about to strut. Her soft giggle as she smoothed the fabric on her hips made my lips curve into a smile. I didn¡¯t know the dress would mean that much to her. ¡°You¡¯re acting like I gave you diamonds,¡± I said, finally getting up from the chair and approaching her. ¡°It¡¯s just that this is one of my favourite dresses.¡± ¡°I can tell.¡± I stopped right in front of her and ced my hands on her shoulders, then turned her around in one swift move so we could both face the mirror. She was still a little surprised by my actions, her wide eyes watching me in the mirror. ¡°What? Thought I was about to rip it off of you again?¡± I teased, whispering against the nape of her neck that had hickeys all over. She closed her eyes and dropped her head to the side, like she was waiting for my lips toe in contact with her skin. ¡°I don¡¯t hear you saying no,¡± I whispered again, moving my lower half closer so it coulde in contact with her soft ass. Her breath hitched when I tucked a few hair strands behind her ear and her lips parted in pleasure. She didn¡¯t even want to see us in the mirror. She only wanted to feel what I was doing to her. The ends brushed against the back of her neck and she arched her back like that sent a shiver down her spine. ¡°The private jet will take you back to San Francisco.¡± My voice was quiet as I scanned her figure from the back. ¡°What about you? Don¡¯t you have to leave soon?¡± She wasn¡¯t even loud enough, her voice low and seductive like she didn¡¯t want me to stop. ¡°I¡¯ll use the other one,¡± I said. ¡°Other one?¡± : 35 55 vouchers ¡°There¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t know about me,¡± I bragged in a quiet voice, watching how the fabric clung to her figure. The more I stood in ce with her ass poking against my cock, the more I felt the blood rushing to it. She must have felt me getting hard as she subtly pressed against me a little more. Just to see her reaction, I dropped my hands from her hair and took a few steps back, her eyes finally opening with a pout. She quicklyposed herself, but I saw it and it was cute. ¡°Do your makeup or whatever you need and I¡¯ll drop you off at the airport.¡± I took off my unbuttoned shirt and opened my closet for something different. ¡°Did you do it?¡± ¡°Do what?¡± She walked past me to get to her handbag. ¡°Did you text Anna?¡± She sighed. ¡°I just couldn¡¯t do it.¡± I looked over as she rummaged through her bag. ¡°You still have time. The day is far from over.¡± ¡°I know, but¡­¡± She trailed off, like that was the only way she¡¯d be able to find whatever she was looking for. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about typing a long message and everything I want to say is already in my head, but I just can¡¯t.¡± Finally picking out one of my favorite suits when I travel, I said, ¡°If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t let this day pass me by.¡± She sighed. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± My eyes followed her as she made her way back to the mirror with a tiny sponge and some foundation or concealer. I couldn¡¯t tell which one it was. But the first thing she did was cover up the hickeys and it made me chuckle. ¡°Never leave those products behind,¡± I said as I approached her. ¡°You know what I like to do to you.¡± ¡°Not you bragging about¡­¡± She trailed off when her phone buzzed on the table, a light giggle escaping her lips as she looked at the caller ID. Her giggle wasn¡¯t one of the polite ones she gave to strangers or the teasing ones she gave to me. It was softer, like it belonged to someone else. 16:10 Tue, Sep 16 35 55 vouchers I angled my head just enough to catch the name lighting up the screen. Who the hell was Dean? Pressing the phone against her ear, she looked back at the mirror while smiling with each word she said to him. I found myself listening harder than I meant to and when herughter filled the room, it made my chest tighten. Even the softest chuckle got under my skin. I told myself to focus on putting on the suit, so I took it with me when I made my way to the bathroom and shut the door. The sensible thing to do would¡¯ve been to block out her voice by being far from the door. Instead, I ced my ear against it, even holding my breath as if that could make her words louder. ¡°You better not leave without seeing me!¡± Her tone was yful with an edge of something real under it. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is it.¡± My jaw clenched. This is it? What the hell was that supposed to mean? The conversation was longer than I thought it would be, like she could talk to him for hours and I heard enough, so I forced myself away from the door, telling myself I didn¡¯t care even when I knew I did. When I walked back out, she was still staring at the screen with a smile even after the call hade to an end. ¡°Is that your new catch? You two sound really close.¡± I asked, grabbing a necktie from my closet. ¡°He¡¯s just a friend,¡± she casually said from behind me. ¡°Now that I think about it, I never told you about him before.¡± ¡°Why would you want to tell me?¡± My tone came out sharper than I meant. ¡°He¡¯s the guy from the bar. Remember when you got in the way that night?¡± I looked back at her in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re friends with that guy?¡± ¡°Crazy, right?¡± She sighed. ¡°We¡¯ve been friends for a while. He¡¯s actually such a good guy.¡± I tightened the grip on my necktie until the silk wrinkled. Good guy? ¡°Not sure why you¡¯re still talking about him.¡± I said tly, approaching the mirror and standing next to her. ¡°You¡¯re the one who wanted to know.¡± She scoffed. She was right. But that didn¡¯t mean I wanted to hear it. ¡°And you had a thing with his cousin before breaking her heart,¡± she added. I met her eyes through the mirror. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Wow, you make it sound like you¡¯d never do such a thing¡± C 1X 55 vouchers chest. Her sarcasm made me chuckle lightly, but it didn¡¯t case the tightening in my ¡°What¡¯s the cousin¡¯s name?¡± I asked, more to cover the irritation than the curiosity. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I never asked. It was none of my business anyway.¡± She moved closer, like she wanted to help with my tic, but I took a step to the left just to show her that I¡¯d do it on my own and her hand dropped. ¡°Put on your heels so I can drop you off.¡± My tone was colder than I wanted it to be. Her forehead creased, like she was trying to read me. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just the emergency meeting that¡¯s on my mind. I¡¯m almost ready, so make it quick.¡± She nodded in agreement, approaching the closet to pick up her heels. I watched her bend over and I couldn¡¯t help it as I kept looking back at her and before I could stop myself, I followed her, ced my hands on her hips and pulled her back towards me until her spine pressed against my chest. My fingertips gently ran through her hair while I held her still. ¡°I told you before that this is exclusive,¡± I whispered against her ear. ¡°Dean better not be part of it.¡± AD Blueprint 57 Chapter 57 Harper : 55 vouchers I was curled up on the couch with E and Zoey in my living room, their heads heavy against my shoulders while I gently rubbed the sides of their arms in slow circles. It was one of the ways Iforted them so they wouldn¡¯t drop actual tears over the Bary Twins. ¡°I hate to say it, but this was going to eventually happen,¡± I said softly. ¡°You both knew that it was nothing serious. You were just having a good time with the twins.¡± Zoey let out a dramatic huff, pushing her head off my shoulder so she could look me in the eye, her hand pressed against her chest like she was offended. ¡°It¡¯s just, they were so fun and acted like gentlemen.¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± E chimed in from the other side, her voice a pitch higher with frustration. ¡°And here I thought things were just getting better.¡± She shoved her hair out of her face and picked up her phone from the table for what had to be the hundredth time. She hadn¡¯t stopped reading the message that Adrian had sent to her. It was the same one Aiden had sent to Zoey, word for word. ¡°You¡¯re an amazing girl. Thanks for all the good memories. It was fun while itsted.¡± ¡°I really thought that Aiden and I were going strong. I guess it was one¨Csided.¡± Zoey sighed with an effort. ¡°You two really fell for these guys,¡± I lightly teased. E groaned and grabbed the nearest pillow, swatting me on the arm with it. ¡°Don¡¯t say it like that. It only makes it worse that the fun is over and we didn¡¯t see iting.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± I dragged the word out before pressing my lips together. ¡°¡­I kinda did.¡± Their heads shot towards me with narrowed eyes. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± They asked in unison. I threw my hands up defensively. ¡°Okay, calm down. Last weekend, Maddox told me the twins don¡¯t do themitment type of thing, just like him.¡± Zoey gasped, shaking me by my shoulder like I¡¯d justmitted a crime. ¡°And you didn¡¯t say anything?¡± ¡°How was I supposed to just say it?¡± I forced a chuckle. ¡°I didn¡¯t know how to make it sound ¡­ : better, so I said nothing. I also didn¡¯t want to ruin the fun for you guys.¡± 12 55 vouchers ¡°Well, it¡¯s all in the past now.¡± E slightly frowned as she gently punched the side of my arm. Then, with a grin, she said, ¡°At least you and Maddox still have your thing going on.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always told you two that it¡¯s nothing serious.¡± I rolled my eyes dismissively. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Zoey pursed her lips. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that he warned youst week about Dean?¡± I hesitated. ¡°Well, yes, but that doesn¡¯t mean-¡® ¡°Yes, it does!¡± They said in unison. ¡°Ugh! You two are ridiculous.¡± ¡°No,¡± Zoey said, leaning forward to squeeze my hand. ¡°You two really look so good together. Can¡¯t you just like¡­give him a chance?¡± I rolled my eyes in disbelief. ¡°Did you not hear a thing I said?¡± ¡°You just don¡¯t want to admit it, but we see what¡¯s going on.¡± E smirked. ¡°Maddox kissed you right in front of Kate and now he calls and texts you more frequently than ever before. He¡¯s even in San Francisco today for a few business meetings, but I bet he has a huge surprise for you afterwards!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Zoey firmly added. ¡°And since the day you came back from Londonst weekend, he¡¯s asked about Dean a lot. Isn¡¯t it obvious? The idea of you and Dean getting closer bothers him.¡± Rising to my feet, I brushed my palms over my jeans. ¡°Look, Dean and I, that¡¯s never happening. And Maddox¡­¡± I exhaled, waving a hand as though that exined everything. ¡°He¡¯s just be a little possessive, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°You know what I think?¡± E¡¯s eyes thoughtfully narrowed. ¡°Had it been Grayson acting this way, even without doing much, you would¡¯ve already convinced yourself that he was in love with you.¡± Her words hit me so hard that I smacked my lips together as I frowned and lowered my gaze. E gasped and pped her mouth. ¡°Oh, shit, I shouldn¡¯t have brought him up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s okay.¡± I assured her with a smile that didn¡¯t reach my eyes. ¡°You¡¯re so dumb sometimes.¡± Zoey shook her head with disapproval at E, then gave me a soft, reassuring look. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Harper. Don¡¯t let her mouth ruin the vibe.¡± E pouted, throwing her arms around me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It just still pisses me off that he chose 16:11 Tue, Sep 16 : that bitch even after everything. Imagine if that baby isn¡¯t even his!¡± 35 55 vouchers My eyebrows furrowed as that possibility flickered in my mind. For a few seconds, I pictured it, then shook my head hard to shut it all out. It didn¡¯t matter. I hadn¡¯t seen him or spoken to him since he¡¯d blocked me. I¡¯d beenpletely cut off. ¡°You know what?¡± I broke the hug, my voice firmer. ¡°Enough about him. If we¡¯re going to talk about boys, no Grayson.¡± ¡°Did you hear that?¡± Zoey tilted her head at E just for emphasis. ¡°Shut up.¡± E replied, rolling her eyes. suddenly giggled, making both of them exchange matching nces of curiosity before looking at me. ¡°What?¡± Zoey smiled like she was already in on the joke. ¡°It¡¯s just that this was supposed to be about you two and the Bary twins but somehow, it turned into being about me.¡± ¡°We¡¯re okay. Right, Zoey?¡± E said quickly. ¡°Yeah, totally!¡± I lightly shook my head at both of them. Weren¡¯t they the same girls who had their heads on my shoulders not too long ago? ¡°Well,¡± I said slowly, ¡°if you two are okay, then I guess I¡¯ll just cancel the shopping spree I was nning to cheer you up.¡± They gasped, clutching my hands with exaggerated puppy eyes as they begged me to take them. I fought hard to keep a straight face even when I knew I was just messing with them. During the ride to the mall in my car, Zoey took the wheel and E was in the backseat, loudly singing along to the breakup song ying on the radio. She was dramatic with it, like she¡¯d actually been through an actual break up and that only made it hrious to me. The song was just about to get to the chorus when I received a call and turned down the volume, but E wasn¡¯t too happy about it. ¡°Hey, why did you do that?¡± she asked, bringing her face towards the back of my seat. ¡°I just need to take this call.¡± I nced back at her. 16:11 Tue, Sep 16 : : 35 55 vouchers ¡°But the song was just getting to the best¡­¡± She trailed off when I showed her Maddox¡¯s name on the caller ID. ¡°You know what? Fuck the song!¡± yfully rolling my eyes, I ced the phone against my ear after picking up his call. ¡°Hey¡­¡± ¡°Everything okay?¡± he asked from the other end of the line. ¡°Uh¡­yeah.¡± My eyebrows furrowed as I was a little confused. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Is everything okay with your friends? How are they doing? The Barcaly twins told me.¡± ¡°Of course they did. I¡¯m taking my girls shopping. Shouldn¡¯t you be in a meeting right now?¡± ¡°The next one is in two hours. I¡¯m at the Aldridge Estate and Grayson¡¯s parents won¡¯t stop talking about the baby and they¡¯re the least annoying ones. I¡¯m just d I won¡¯t have to do this shit much longer.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Nothing. Have fun. I¡¯ll call youter.¡± My girls wouldn¡¯t stop teasing me after the call, but I was more focused on what exactly he was talking about. After the shopping spree, I brought them to one of my favorite restaurants to grab some lunch. It was a cheap and simple ce but the food was always so tasty like it was meant to be served in one of Maddox¡¯s elegant restaurants. E and Zoey sat on the same side of the table, directly facing the entrance to the restaurant while I was on the other side of it and facing them. They were all smiles while talking about their new dresses. They weren¡¯t even talking about the twins anymore. Even when our order was served, I thoughtfully watched the two of them eat first. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up?¡± Zoey leaned forward. ¡°Don¡¯t like the food?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that. I just have a feeling that you two are really gonna be okay,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± E raised her ss like it was a toast. At that moment, I wished I could be just like the two of them. It was so easy for them to move 55 vouchers on from the Bary twins because whatever they felt wasn¡¯t that deep and it had only been a few weeks. My feelings for Grayson weren¡¯t just a few weeks, they were several years. I shouldn¡¯t have thought about him, but I did and it was because I was mad at him. As I was taking a sip from my ss of juice, their eyes opened wide while looking straight at the entrance before ncing at each other. I sensed a shift in their bodynguage, making me tilt my head. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you two?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look back.¡± E¡¯s voice was quiet. ¡°Why not?¡± I was so curious that I looked back and instantly regretted it. Grayson was holding Tiffany¡¯s hand as he looked around for a spot that wasn¡¯t taken, his head movements freezing the moment his eyesnded on me. Ìï Blueprint 58 55 vouchers Harper Tiffany was never the type of girl to dine in such ces. She had always described them as cheap and not fit for someone of her status, which was why it made no sense to me that she hade to such a ce. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she knew I was there and just wanted to rub it in my face that she¡¯d won. Grayson¡¯s face was expressionless and that only made my heart ache. I expected something, anything, but not that. I thought it was going to be one of those situations where Tiffany was going to be the one to grab his attention so he¡¯d stop looking at me, but before she even did that, he looked away on his own like I was just a stranger. The people at the next table were just about to leave and as soon as they rose to their feet, Tiffany wrapped her arm around Grayson, leading the way. They were both heading towards me and I actually held onto the hope that when he was close enough, he would finally say something but when he walked right behind my chair, he didn¡¯t even acknowledge me and my heart shattered. While it was clear that we weren¡¯t talking anymore since he had blocked me, I didn¡¯t expect him to take it that far. I didn¡¯t even look over right away as they took their seats. My chest was heavy, but slowly, I faced my friends, but could see Tiffany and Grayson in my peripheral vision. Like an idiot, I looked over at their table, wondering if he would finally look at me, but he didn¡¯t. His entire focus was on Tiffany. Just as I nced at her, our eyes met and she had this triumphant smile that made me ball my hand into a fist. It was hard to act like they weren¡¯t there, but I gave it a shot and fought harder to focus on my friends, who weren¡¯t so is exactly why I love this ce.¡± My lips curved into a forced smile. I wasn¡¯t going to break in front of Grayson and Tiffany. 16:11 Tue, Sep 16 : 35 55 vouchers My girls did their best to keep me distracted, but the most difficult part was acting like I still couldn¡¯t see Grayson and Tiffany. It was still enough that E and Zoey had so much to talk about that I couldn¡¯t hear a word that was being said at the next table but in my peripheral vision, I could see those gestures, the two of them holding hands and even sharing a kiss. I would¡¯ve enjoyed the food so much more had they not been at that table but it was still so delicious that I wasn¡¯t about to let the two of them ruin the fun. Then came the part when I took a sip from my ss of juice at the same time as my friends. and it was then that I finally heard Tiffany¡¯s annoying voice like she had been waiting for that specific moment. ¡°Babe, I¡¯ve already started thinking of names. How¡¯s Troy?¡± He chuckled softly. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious Troy? Hmm, I was thinking more¡­ Samantha.¡± ¡°What? No.¡± He giggled at her response. ¡°I really want us to have a boy.¡± Her voice was annoyingly cute. ¡°The way I see it, it doesn¡¯t matter. That¡¯s going to be the most beautiful baby in the world with your pretty eyes and pointy nose.¡± She giggled like she was a teenager in love. ¡°I¡¯m so d we¡¯re starting this new chapter together. Remember when someone tried to break us apart but failed?¡± He kissed the back of her hand. ¡°How could I forget? No matter what, they¡¯ll never seed. You¡¯ll alwayse first, baby.¡± I didn¡¯t want to hear anything more, not just because it was hurting me, but because it made me cringe a little, so I pushed back my chair, looking at E and Zoey. ¡°I just need to use thedies¡® room,¡± I whispered to the two of them. They both gently nodded in understanding, but I could see the looks of concern in their faces. When I came to thedies¡® room, I didn¡¯t even enter any of the stalls. Instead, I stood in front of the wide mirror, staring at my reflection just to see what the others could see. My eyes were glistening with tears and that¡¯s all I wanted to see, not them rolling down my cheeks. He didn¡¯t deserve my tears. How could he just throw away our friendship for years just because he chose to be blind? 55 vouchers Quickly patting my eyes dry, I did a touchup of my makeup after I¡¯d smudged it a little around the eyes. I was in the process of packing everything in my purse when the main door opened and Tiffany walked in. She closed the door behind her, but didn¡¯t even move from that spot like she wanted to keep me inside. With a hand on her hip, she said, ¡°This ce is filthy. Only dogs deserve to eat here. I mean¡­ that¡¯s why you¡¯re here, right?¡± I didn¡¯t say anything back, zipping my purse and holding my head high as I approached the door. I stopped right in front of her, clutching my purse as I said, ¡°Move.¡± She sneered. ¡°Why would I do that? We¡¯re just getting started here¡­in this fucking filth.¡± I scoffed. ¡°If you really find it filthy, why are you here?¡± ¡°Look, the guy of your dreams got me pregnant and I¡¯m not in control of my cravings.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± I clicked my tongue. ¡°The way I see it, you knew that I was here and for you, it was the perfect opportunity to rub it in my face even if it meanting to a restaurant way below your standards.¡± She burst intoughter, typing something on her phone. ¡°I¡¯m not the one who knew, Kate did. We were all at the mall and-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a fuck,¡± I cut in. ¡°You might have been able to fool Grayson, but I was there. I saw you kissing Josh.¡± She dramatically gasped. ¡°Oh, really? Come on. That never happened. I¡¯m not a whore like your sister.¡± Her words made me snap and when I raised my hand to p her, I stopped myself when I realized she was pregnant, but she gasped with wide eyes like the damage had already been done. ¡°How dare you try to put your hands on a pregnantdy?¡± She ced her hand on her cheek. ¡°I warned youst time not to talk about my sister!¡± I spat, putting my hand down. She sneered. ¡°But she¡¯s a whore and everyone knows that.¡± She was really trying to give me a reason to p her just so she could use it to her advantage, but even though I was fuming, I wasn¡¯t about to fall for it. ¡°Get out of the way,¡± I warned her. 85 vouchers ¡°Nope, I¡¯ll move once you admit that your sister¡¯s a whore. She was fucking everyone in town.¡± My blood was boiling and while I wanted to grab her by the shoulder and shove her to the side, I chose to grab her by the wrist instead and pulled her to the side. I thought that was it but after I let go, she fell to the floor all on her own, then looked up at me with fake disbelief. ¡°How dare you push me in my condition?¡± ¡°What?¡± She burst into fake tears like I had actually done it and I rolled my eyes as I made my way out. On the other side of the long hallway, I spotted Grayson approaching with hurried footsteps but he slowed down a little when he noticed me, his expression cold as he looked to the side. Then, Tiffany rushed past me to get to him while fake crying with her hair now all messed up. She buried her face in his chest and whatever she said to him, made him shoot res at me. Firmly holding her hand, he charged towards me with his other hand balled into a fist and my nostrils red while breathing hard. He¡¯d already believed whatever she¡¯d told him and it was for this reason that I was ready for whatever shit was about toe out of his mouth. AD Blueprint 59 Harper :. 35 B 55 vouchers ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Grayson spat, his voice slicing through the air and making a few heads turn, but he didn¡¯t care that people were watching and just wanted tosh out at me. ¡°Look what you did to my wife!¡± He held up Tiffany¡¯s wrist for me to see and I spotted a huge red mark which wasn¡¯t there before. I knew right away that she¡¯d done that to herself but made it convincing enough so he¡¯d buy into her performance. I opened my mouth with a hundred things to say and a hundred ways to defend myself, but the second I heard the rage in his tone, my words just crumbled in my throat. It wasn¡¯t just that he believed whatever Tiffany had said to him, it was that he didn¡¯t even ask me. He didn¡¯t give a shit about my side of the story and that cut deep. ¡°Can¡¯t you just fucking move on?¡± He scowled. My eyebrows furrowed. Move on from what? From years of friendship that he easily threw away? ¡°You just had to go this far to get my attention, right?¡± ¡°What?¡± My voice was barely above a whisper. ¡°I told you to stay away from us, that¡¯s why I blocked you everywhere. You knew that the only way to get my attention was toe after my wife.¡± Tiffany wrapped her hand around his arm, her face now resting on his chest while she was still fake crying. I spotted the smirk and that only infuriated me even more. If only he could look down at her, he¡¯d see what I saw. But why would he when he was so focused onshing out at me? ¡°Right now, you¡¯re a lot of things,¡± he said, grabbing my attention again, ¡°but what I didn¡¯t expect was for you to be this cruel to someone who¡¯s pregnant. How could you push her to the floor like that?¡± ¡°Did she tell you what exactly hap-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit what happened!¡± He cut me off with gritted teeth. ¡°You hurt her. That¡¯s all that matters.¡± ¡°She¡¯s the one who was provoking me,¡± I retorted as I shot her a re. ¡°She constantly called Anna a whore, trying to bait me, but I didn¡¯t fall for it. I walked away.¡± EZ 55 chers ¡°Aren¡¯t you ashamed of yourself for making up such lies?¡± Tiffany chimed in, her voice filled with practiced innocence. She pressed her hand against her chest like she was barely holding herself together. ¡°If that¡¯s what really happened, how do you exin the marks on my wrist?¡± I exhaled sharply. ¡°You did that to yourself.¡± Grayson scoffed. ¡°Now you just sound ridiculous. I don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m still listening to you when I know you¡¯ll make anything up just to paint yourself as the victim in all this. This is yourst warning, I¡¯m not going to let anyone hurt my wife, not when she¡¯s carrying our little one. Try this again and I¡¯ll get you arrested.¡± My heart broke into a million pieces. He actually threatened me with no hesitation. The fact that he took it that far left me at a loss for words even when I parted my lips to speak ¡°Look at you now, that definitely shut you up,¡± he said mockingly. ¡°Actually, no.¡± I held my head high, making him tilt his head a little in surprise. ¡°I was just processing how dumb you are. You¡¯vebelled me like some kind of obsessed freak but let me make one thing clear. My world doesn¡¯t revolve around you. If I gave you that impression before¡­¡± I stepped closer, my eyes locked on his. ¡°Wake the fuck up. I seriously don¡¯t care if you never speak to me again. All I¡¯ve ever done is look out for you, but you¡¯ve never given a damn.¡± Just for a few seconds, his hardened expression cracked and I caught a flicker of something else which vanished as quickly as it came. Poking his cheek, he said, ¡°Enough of you ying this guardian angel. I never asked you to be one.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard enough.¡± My voice slightly trembled from restraint as I moved to the side. But he moved along with me and blocked my way. ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere because we¡¯re not done he-¡± ¡°Fuck off!¡± I cut his words in half as I shoved him to the side. ¡°Babe!¡± Tiffany gasped as she rushed to him. ¡°How dare you?¡± She shot me a re. I stormed off with long strides before either of them could stop me, my heart pounding hard with fury and pain. He called out my name from behind me in a sharp andmanding tone, warning me over and over again to stay away from the two of them and she chimed in with a warning of her own. I was deeply hurt as I could still hear every cruel word he¡¯d said to me, but unlike thest time 16.11 Tue, Sep 16 that he took her side when I tried to expose her, I didn¡¯t shed a single tear. When I returned to the table, E and Zoey leaned forward with concern. 35 EX 55 vouchers ¡°Not long after you left to head to thedies¡® room, that bitch got up too,¡± Zoey said quickly with a clenched fist on the table. ¡°I wanted to follow her right away, but E stopped me. She believed you could handle it on your own.¡± ¡°E was right.¡± I gave them a small smile, trying to keep my voice light. ¡°But why do you look so sad?¡± Zoey¡¯s gaze narrowed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I¡¯m okay.¡± They nced at each other like they didn¡¯t believe me for a second, then faced me and spoke in unison. ¡°No, you¡¯re not I sighed heavily in defeat, slumping in my chair as there was no need to pretend. They knew me too well, so I told them what had gone down in the bathroom and hallway. ¡°You know what? Forget about those two assholes.¡± E gasped as soon as she said it. ¡°I can call him that too, right?¡± My phone buzzed with an unexpected text from Maddox that put a genuine smile on my face and as I epted his invitation with a quick reply, I firmly said, ¡°Of course you can. That¡¯s exactly what Grayson is now.¡± Ìï Blueprint 60 Maddox : 35 55 vouchers Harper replied to my text faster than I thought she would. The smirk at the corner of my mouth wasn¡¯t just because she answered, it was also because she was curious, wanting to know where I nned to take her. For some reason, that small detail mattered to me more than it should have. I was in the middle of typing out the time I was going to pick her up after my meetings when Mrs Ford spoke from behind me. ¡°Maddox, dear, you¡¯ve been in the backyard for quite a while now.¡± I nced over my shoulder, forcing a polite tone. ¡°I had a few work calls to make.¡± ¡°But I thought you were on a break.¡± She smiled too warmly. ¡°I only had a couple of hours and now, it¡¯s time to go.¡± ¡°And what about some dessert?¡± ¡°I can always have someter. It¡¯s just dessert.¡± She chuckled at that. ¡°You¡¯re actually right. Dessert can wait. It¡¯s just a shame you¡¯re not able to stay until my son and daughter¨Cinw get here.¡± She nced around, lowering her voice with excitement. ¡°Imagine if she gives birth to twins.¡± Though a smile stayed on my lips, I was grinding my teeth inside as that must have been the hundredth time she¡¯d spoken about Tiffany¡¯s pregnancy. That was all anyone wanted to talk about and If I had to hear it one more time, I¡¯d lose my patience. I knew that the only way to not hear more of it was to leave. I was just about to excuse myself when Margot emerged from the corner, speaking to me in her annoying voice. ¡°There you are! I¡¯ve been looking all over for you.¡± She smiled at me, then her gaze turned sharper as she nced at Mrs Ford. ¡°Now I know who¡¯s responsible for keeping you away from me.¡± Mrs Fordughed nervously. ¡°Oh, not at all. He was actually making a few work calls. He says it¡¯s time to go.¡± Margot eyed me from head to toe, like she was inspecting for a stain or some shit like that. ¡°Can¡¯t you stay a bit longer? You haven¡¯t even had dessert.¡± ¡°Your mother¡¯s right,¡± Mrs Ford quickly chimed in. ¡°Have some dessert before you leave.¡± 35 55 vouchers My lips curved into a forced smile and it wasn¡¯t even because I was about to spare a few more minutes. It was because the Fords folded whenever Margot or Tiffany opened their mouths about what they felt was best in any situation. They both tried to suck up to my family no matter what. Margot and Tiffany knew this pretty well and they used it to their advantage whenever they wanted to. It didn¡¯t matter what she and her daughter said or wanted, Mr and Mrs Ford had no objections. They never wanted to get on their bad side. It wasn¡¯t always like that. There was a time when Mr and Mrs Ford tolerated no disrespect from Margot and Tiffany. They didn¡¯t even want her for their son at the time. But she imed to have changed and wanted to do better because she loved him, so she was once again embraced but I wasn¡¯t buying into that shit. Tiffany hadn¡¯t changed. After getting back with Grayson, I soon learned that behind the scenes, she and her mother belittled the Fords. Grayson never found out because his parents never said a word about it. Why would they rat out Margot and her daughter when they were able to score several million¨Cdor contracts that were only possible because of Margot? ¡°I really can¡¯t stay,¡± I said, already moving past them. ¡°The meeting starts soon. I have to go.¡± I had onlye to the estate so I¡¯d be present while my old room was cleaned. They¡¯d taken advantage of my visit by making a meal and that had only irritated me even more. I wasn¡¯t there to socialize. The meeting wasn¡¯t even starting soon. I just wanted to get away. Margot¡¯s voice followed behind me while she tried to keep up. ¡°You and Tiffany haven¡¯t actually spent time together since we all came to London. You¡¯ve been too busy giving attention to that¡­thing.¡± My steps came to a halt as I clenched my jaw while ncing at her. ¡°Her name is Harper.¡± ¡°Of course it is.¡± She rolled her eyes. Then, Mrs Ford chimed in with that fake motherly concern. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe Harper¡¯s this type of girl. It was so disappointing when my daughter¨Cinw told me what¡¯s been going on. She used to be such a sweet girl. Who knew that she would turn into someone like this? While I¡¯m d she doesn¡¯t cause problems for my son¡¯s marriage-¡± I scoffed before I could stop myself. If only they knew what was actually going on. Mrs Ford frowned, ncing at Margot, then back at me. ¡°Did I say something funny?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± I said smoothly. ¡°You were saying?¡± If Grayson and Tiffany hadn¡¯t told them what had happened with Harper trying to expose the infidelity, I wasn¡¯t going to say anything either. I was just going to sit back and wait for the day 16:12 Tue, Sep 16 the whole truth would be exposed. : 35 55 vouchers Grayson wasn¡¯t fooling me when it came to Harper, but when the situation got too extreme, he chose Tiffany, ready to bury his friendship with Harper just so he could stand by his wife. I hadn¡¯t even had the chance to talk to him in private since that had happened and I wasn¡¯t going to do it over the phone. Too bad they weren¡¯t at the estate when I was there. As I made it back inside the house and came to the living room, I found my father with Mr Ford, who wouldn¡¯t stop bragging about thetest contract he¡¯d signed thanks to Margot. ¡°Maddox, there you are!¡± Mr Ford said. ¡°I was just talking to your father about the southern region-¡± ¡°I¡¯d really have to stay and chat, Mr Ford, but I¡¯m runningte.¡± My tone was polite just so I could hide my irritation. ¡°Is your room as clean as you want it to be?¡± My father asked, rising to his feet. ¡°Yes, it is.¡± ¡°And the keys?¡± He stepped closer. ¡°Right here.¡± I patted my back pocket. ¡°Good. Keep me posted.¡± He ced his hand on the side of my arm. That simple gesture and unspoken approval lit something in me. I nced at Margot and caught her subtle re, like it was so wrong of my father and I to share such a moment. After onest goodbye, I made my way outside to the car, but heard footsteps behind me. I nced back and nearly rolled my eyes in their faces. Margot was following me, Mrs Ford apanying her like she just had to be part of it. ¡°Since you can¡¯t stay and have some dessert,¡± Margot began, ¡°why don¡¯t you just give me a minute and I¡¯ll pack something for the road?¡± ¡°Thanks, but there¡¯s no need.¡± I looked away and faced forward. Grabbing my arm from behind, she said, ¡°Come on, my s-¡± ¡°I said no.¡± I yanked my arm free with a sharp tone. Margot clutched her pearls, like I¡¯d just hurt her deeply. ¡°Well, I just wanted to do this for you : since you can¡¯t spend more time here with me.¡± 35 55 vouchers Mrs Ford brought her hands together, like it broke her heart to see me treat Margot like that, but I knew exactly what this was ¨C Margot making sure she looked like the patient and loving stepmother in front of a witness. She wanted the story to get back to my father and I¡¯d be painted as cold, resistant and ungrateful. If only she knew that she¡¯d be exposed in the worst way possible one day. I finally left the estate and made it to the city, the noise sounding like music to my ears because it wasn¡¯t Margot. As I turned into one of the streets, I spotted a familiar car parked on the side of the road with a t tyre. There was no sign of Tiffany but Grayson was there and he was just the person I was looking for. I was hoping to get inside his head regarding the incident with Harper. ( Blueprint 61 Maddox While Grayson leaned against the car with his arms folded as he watched the guy working on the t tire, his head shot up when he noticed me, but he soon looked away like I was nothing but an annoyance. I didn¡¯t expect anything less, which was why I continued to make my way to him, my hands. casually shoved in my pockets and voice smooth when I finally spoke. ¡°Need a hand?¡± He exhaled deeply. ¡°Not sure where exactly I have a sign saying I need help.¡± His tone was way sharper than I expected, making me tilt my head in amusement. I stood right next to him and mirrored his stance by leaningzily against the car. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± I asked, studying the stiffness of his side profile. He still faced forward, not even turning for a second to look in my direction. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a busy schedule?¡± ¡°Come on, how could I just drive past my one and only brother¨Cinw?¡± My voice wasyered with mocking sincerity. He scoffed, his arms folding even tighter across his chest. ¡°Now, are you actually going to tell me what¡¯s going on with you or should I assume my presence pisses you off this much?¡± He exhaled sharply, moving to the other side of the car. ¡°Harper hurt Tiffany a few hours ago.¡± I raised my eyebrows with genuine surprise and curiosity as I followed him. ¡°Oh, really? What happened?¡± His jaw flexed, like it pissed him off to even think about the incident as he told me. ¡°Harper shoved Tiffany to the floor in thedies¡® room.¡± I let out a low chuckle. ¡°Is that it?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± His tone got a little defensive as he shot me a re. ¡°It means you still haven¡¯t told me why Harper pushed Tiffany.¡± ¡°Like you don¡¯t already know how obsessed Harper is with Tiffany and me. She tried to y the victim, but I wasn¡¯t falling for it.¡± ¡°Did you actually see Harper push Tiffany?¡± My tone was deceptively calm. He briefly shut his eyes. ¡°No. Tiffany told me and she was hurt.¡± ¡°And just like that, you believed her.¡± ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I believe her?¡± He balled his hand into a fist. ¡°I¡¯m never going to believe anything Harper says after her attempt toe between my wife and me failedst week. If Tiffany says she was pushed, then that¡¯s what happened.¡± I let out a shortugh. ¡°I just don¡¯t understand why you¡¯ve decided to be so blind.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with standing up for my wife. Now that she¡¯s pregnant, I won¡¯t let her get hurt.¡± ¡°And what if she¡¯s actually been lying to you?¡± I watched him closely and for a split second, his hard mask slipped, uncertainty all over his side profile before his mask slipped back on. ¡°Why would Tiffany lie to me?¡± He poked his cheek as he turned to face me, his eyes sharp. Looking him right in the eyes, I leaned in with deliberate ease. ¡°You know what Tiffany is capable of. You¡¯ve also known Harper for years and she¡¯s never tried to sabotage your rtionship, so why would she do it now? Last Friday, she came to London and showed me the pictures and videos she took of Tiffany and Josh. I believe it¡¯s not fake.¡± It took him a few seconds to speak and when he did, his voice was low and strained. ¡°So she actually came to you after what happened? Anyway, I¡¯m not surprised that you¡¯re defending her. I don¡¯t expect anything less from the guy who¡¯s fucking her.¡± I chuckled with a light nod. He just had to bring that up. ¡°It makes no difference to me that you believe her. She faked it,¡± he insisted, his chest now rising and falling faster. ¡°Did she? Fine, let¡¯s say she faked it, why aren¡¯t you saying the same thing about Kate¡¯s proof that Harper was stalking Tiffany?¡± He pushed himself off the car to widen the distance between us. ¡°If you¡¯re trying to make me feel bad about Harper, it¡¯s not going to happen.¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s quite the opposite.¡± My smirk widened. ¡°I¡¯m d you two aren¡¯t friends anymore. Blocking her was a bit too extreme, but it worked because now, she has more time My lips curved into a forced smile and it wasn¡¯t even because I was about to spare a few more minutes. It was because the Fords folded whenever Margot or Tiffany opened their mouths about what they felt was best in any situation. They both tried to suck up to my family no matter what. Margot and Tiffany knew this pretty well and they used it to their advantage whenever they wanted to. It didn¡¯t matter what she and her daughter said or wanted, Mr and Mrs Ford had no objections. They never wanted to get on their bad side. It wasn¡¯t always like that. There was a time when Mr and Mrs Ford tolerated no disrespect from Margot and Tiffany. They didn¡¯t even want her for their son at the time. But she imed to have changed and wanted to do better because she loved him, so she was once again embraced but I wasn¡¯t buying into that shit. Tiffany hadn¡¯t changed. After getting back with Grayson, I soon learned that behind the scenes, she and her mother belittled the Fords. Grayson never found out because his parents never said a word about it. Why would they rat out Margot and her daughter when they were able to score several million¨Cdor contracts that were only possible because of Margot? ¡°I really can¡¯t stay,¡± I said, already moving past them. ¡°The meeting starts soon. I have to go.¡± I had onlye to the estate so I¡¯d be present while my old room was cleaned. They¡¯d taken advantage of my visit by making a meal and that had only irritated me even more. I wasn¡¯t there to socialize. The meeting wasn¡¯t even starting soon. I just wanted to get away. Margot¡¯s voice followed behind me while she tried to keep up. ¡°You and Tiffany haven¡¯t actually spent time together since we all came to London. You¡¯ve been too busy giving attention to that¡­thing.¡± My steps came to a halt as I clenched my jaw while ncing at her. ¡°Her name is Harper.¡± ¡°Of course it is.¡± She rolled her eyes. Then, Mrs Ford chimed in with that fake motherly concern. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe Harper¡¯s this type of girl. It was so disappointing when my daughter¨Cinw told me what¡¯s been going on. She used to be such a sweet girl. Who knew that she would turn into someone like this? While I¡¯m d she doesn¡¯t cause problems for my son¡¯s marriage-¡± I scoffed before I could stop myself. If only they knew what was actually going on. Mrs Ford frowned, ncing at Margot, then back at me. ¡°Did I say something funny?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± I said smoothly. ¡°You were saying?¡± the If Grayson and Tiffany hadn¡¯t told them what had happened with Harper trying to expose infidelity, I wasn¡¯t going to say anything either. I was just going to sit back and wait for the day the whole truth would be exposed. Grayson wasn¡¯t fooling me when it came to Harper, but when the situation got too extreme, he chose Tiffany, ready to bury his friendship with Harper just so he could stand by his wife. I hadn¡¯t even had the chance to talk to him in private since that had happened and I wasn¡¯t going to do it over the phone. Too bad they weren¡¯t at the estate when I was there. As I made it back inside the house and came to the living room, I found my father with Mr Ford, who wouldn¡¯t stop bragging about thetest contract he¡¯d signed thanks to Margot. ¡°Maddox, there you are!¡± Mr Ford said. ¡°I was just talking to your father about the southern region-¡± ¡°I¡¯d really have to stay and chat, Mr Ford, but I¡¯m runningte.¡± My tone was polite just so I could hide my irritation. ¡°Is your room as clean as you want it to be?¡± My father asked, rising to his feet. ¡°Yes, it is.¡± ¡°And the keys?¡± He stepped closer. ¡°Right here.¡± I patted my back pocket. ¡°Good. Keep me posted.¡± He ced his hand on the side of my arm. That simple gesture and unspoken approval lit something in me. I nced at Margot and caught her subtle re, like it was so wrong of my father and I to share such a moment. After onest goodbye, I made my way outside to the car, but heard footsteps behind me. I nced back and nearly rolled my eyes in their faces. Margot was following me, Mrs Ford apanying her like she just had to be part of it. ¡°Since you can¡¯t stay and have some dessert,¡± Margot began, ¡°why don¡¯t you just give me a minute and I¡¯ll pack something for the road?¡± ¡°Thanks, but there¡¯s no need.¡± I looked away and faced forward, Grabbing my arm from behind, she said, ¡°Come on, my s-¡± ¡°I said no.¡± I yanked my arm free with a sharp tone. Margot clutched her pearls, like I¡¯d just hurt her deeply. ¡°Well, I just wanted to do this for you : since you can¡¯t spend more time here with me.¡± Mrs Ford brought her hands together, like it broke her heart to see me treat Margot like that, but I knew exactly what this was ¨C Margot making sure she looked like the patient and loving stepmother in front of a witness. She wanted the story to get back to my father and I¡¯d be painted as cold, resistant and ungrateful. If only she knew that she¡¯d be exposed in the worst way possible one day. I finally left the estate and made it to the city, the noise sounding like music to my ears because it wasn¡¯t Margot. As I turned into one of the streets, I spotted a familiar car parked on the side of the road with a t tyre. There was no sign of Tiffany but Grayson was there and he was just the person I was looking for. I was hoping to get inside his head regarding the incident with Harper. Blueprint 62 Chapter 62 Harper 77 55 vouchers Maddox drove with one arm on the wheel, his gray shirt so tight that it made it impossible not to notice every flex of muscle. The white smart pants only added to the effect of him being effortlessly attractive. He looked good and he knew it, too. ¡°You know, now would be a good time to tell me where we¡¯re going or do I have to keep on guessing?¡± I asked for the third time. ¡°You told me to put on a nice outfit but emphasized that I wearfortable shoes and I still don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what¡¯ll make it fun.¡± His eyes were still fixed on the road. Before I could roll my eyes, his handtched onto my thigh and heat shot through me instantly. I could never get over how easily he could do that to me. Just a touch and I was already on the edge of wanting more. But I wasn¡¯t even able to lose myself in the moment as he quickly pulled away to turn on the radio. Not only did that leave me feeling empty, it also left me feeling disappointed. When he turned up the volume, a familiar melody made my chest tighten. It was our song with Grayson. He and I had sung along to it on that Friday night just like we did when we were younger, like nothing had changed. But everything had changed and it made my stomach twist. His harsh words from earlier that day pushed their way into my mind. I blinked quickly with my lips pressed together, trying to hide the sadness in my eyes. ¡°You okay?¡± His voice was softer. I sighed with an effort. ¡°Grayson and I used to sing this song all the time.¡± His hand moved like he was about to change the song, but I stopped him. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Let it y.¡± I refused to sit there and sulk over a broken friendship. ¡°Hey, we¡¯ll be there by 6 PM. That¡¯s like five minutes from now, so your impatient ass can keep track.¡± His voice was teasing, like he was trying to cheer me up and it was already working. ¡°Are you sure about that? All I see is dirt and grass.¡± I huffed. ¡°Patience.¡± He chuckled lightly. Only a few minutes after saying that, a wide sign carved in stone appeared. WELCOME TO LARKSPUR HILLS! I let out augh in pleasant surprise. ¡°You actually brought me here?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± He spoke so casually like it was the most normal thing in the world. ¡°I haven¡¯t had the chance to check 10:00 Thu, Sep 18 B.. : out this particr birthday present since it was given to me.¡± 77 55 vouchers My jaw nearly dropped while we were still at a distance. The estate looked like something out of a dream. It was intimidating in its size and nothing like I had ever seen before. The security guards at the front gates addressed him with so much respect as he drove past them. shing me a grin, he said, ¡°I hope you¡¯re ready for the tour. We might be walking for hours.¡± I thoughtfully tilted my head. ¡°Is that why you emphasized that I wearfortable shoes?¡± He nodded with confidence. When he parked, he stepped out first, running a hand through his blonde hair before circling around to open my door. I stared at him the entire time. Never in a million years had I thought I¡¯d be spending so much time with him. The walk through the estate revealed threeyers of mansions. The outeryer was luxurious, the inneryer even more luxurious, but it was theyer at the very center that was the most extravagant of them all. Two hourster, we finally reached thergest mansion in the center and it was in this specific one where I got a tour inside. I couldn¡¯t stop looking around and had the urge to touch the marble surfaces. Even the towering windows were unlike anything I had ever seen before. ¡°This is insane. It¡¯s absolutely beautiful.¡± He shrugged, leaning against the frame of the master bedroom door. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± I chuckled in disbelief. ¡°Just alright?¡± ¡°Nothing beats the motorbike uncle Sebastian gave me. That¡¯s a real gift.¡± His nk expression shifted to something more flirtatious as he came closer but didn¡¯t touch me. ¡°One of these days, I¡¯m going to take you for a ride and that day, you¡¯ll get to ride something else other than my cock.¡± I didn¡¯t mean tough, but I did. It wasn¡¯t because I found it funny. I had just been caught off guard. He held his head high as he watched me, like he was proud of himself. ¡°Wow, when did youe up with that one?¡± I teased him. ¡°I¡¯m just d it made youugh, considering what happened today.¡± ¡°Yeah? What¡¯s that?¡± I crossed my arms. ¡°I ran into Grayson a few hours ago and he told me about the incident with Tiffany when you were at the restaurant.¡± His tone waszy. Grayson¡¯s version must have painted me as the viin and as soon as Maddox told me he¡¯d spoken to him, there was a spark of curiosity within me. I wanted to know what exactly Grayson had said, but I quickly shut it down. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± My tone was t. ¡°Let¡¯s not waste time talking about that. We both know you don¡¯t have much time left since you need to head back to London tonight.¡± 77 55 vouchers Just as I was making my way to the bedroom door, he suddenly pulled me back and I gasped when I was facing him again and just an inch away from his face. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± he said quietly, his gaze dropping to my lips. ¡°We should put the time we have left to good use. We can grab something to eat after this¡­¡± I knew that look in his eyes and it sent a wave of heat between my legs. While holding my hand, he brought me to the balcony, the cool air hitting my skin. I didn¡¯t even get the chance to appreciate the view of Larkspur Hills from that high above as he soon towered over me and ced his lips on mine before I could speak. He didn¡¯t even touch my body, as if he was waiting to see if I¡¯d pull away. Moaning softly against his lips, I wrapped my arms around his neck and that sent a signal to him to deepen the kiss. His hands then slid down to my thighs and he impatiently lifted me as our breaths turned a little heavy. He ced me right on the balcony couch, quickly exposing my lower half and burying his face between my legs. I arched my back at the sensation of his warm and wet tongue on my clit, my hands running through his hair as I looked down at him. With no residents yet, I was as loud as I wanted to be. It waste in the afternoon and I came to the cemetery. The ce was so quiet that I could hear the sound of my own footsteps. I knelt before my mother¡¯s gravestone, sweeping off some dry leaves with my hand before putting down the fresh bouquet of flowers I had brought with me. ¡°Hey, mom,¡± I whispered with a smile. ¡°I brought you some fresh flowers.¡± I forced a chuckle, my smile not even reaching my eyes as I spoke my next words. ¡°Looks like Anna hasn¡¯t been here in a long time. You know, I almost sent her a text but in the end, I was scared of being ignored. I still wonder how she celebrated her birthday. I just hope she¡¯s happy and safe, wherever she is.¡± I stayed for a while, talking to her about everything that had been going on with me while tracing her name carved into the stone. I curled up on the couch as soon as I returned home, cheering myself up by dropping the first text in my group chat with E and Zoey. They quickly replied, joking about how they werepletely over the Bary twins. Just as they began to tease me about the time I had spent with Maddox the previous day, his name shed across my screen with a video call. It was such perfect timing. 10:00 Thu, Sep 18 G ¡­ 77 55 vouchers He was still setting down his phone when I picked up and he grinned with a wiggle of his eyebrows. When his camera was perfectly still, I leaned forward like that would help me figure out where he was. I could see the sunlight in his silky hair and on the side of his face. I was also used to a quiet background but this time, it was full of clinking sses and chatter. ¡°Where are you?¡± I asked, tilting my head. ¡°Outdoor restaurant. I¡¯m meeting a client.¡± While I was mostly focused on him, I also watched the people in the background moving around. Then, someone rushed past the screen while calling out for a taxi and my heart skipped a beat. It was a side profile I knew too well and it instantly brought tears to my eyes. ¡°No way.¡± My voice cracked as I covered my mouth. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He leaned towards the screen with concern. ¡°I just saw Anna! Please, follow her! Don¡¯t let her get away!¡± AD Blueprint 63 Chapter 63 Maddox The moment Harper¡¯s voice cracked, begging me to follow Anna, I pushed my chair back with my body weight so fast that it scraped against the pavement. I didn¡¯t even care that I had grabbed the attention of the people around or that someone might¡¯ve been right behind the chair. The call was still running, and I tightened my grip around my phone, determined to find her sister. ¡°She has long purple hair and a green shirt!¡± she managed to say with a pang of desperation. I pushed through the crowd in hopes of spotting anyone that fit Harper¡¯s description, but the path leading to the main road was chaotic. There were cars honking, taxis pulling up and driving off before I could even get close enough. There was no sign of her. I stood by the sidewalk, my chest tightening with frustration. Harper was going to be crushed and I hated the fact that I had to be the one to tell her I failed. I sighed in defeat, making my way to somewhere quieter with the phone still in my hand. I rested my back against the wall before bringing the camera back up to my face and I froze. She was in tears, not even looking at me. She¡¯d set her phone down at an angle where I could see her shoulders shaking, her hands covering her face. It only made me feel worse, but I still had to tell her. ¡°Harder,¡± I said carefully, my voice low. ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to spot anyone that looked like Anna. She must have gotten away before I could get too close to the taxis. I can find her. I have lots of people who can work on it right away.¡± Her shoulders trembled harder, her hands on her face muffling her sobs and fuck, I felt useless and that was rare. My jaw clenched. I had never felt so desperate to assure her. ¡°Hey, we¡¯ll track her down. I¡¯ll make sure of it.¡± It still felt like I wasn¡¯t getting through to her, but then, out of nowhere, she dropped her hands. Her cheeks were still wet and eyes shining with tears, yet her lips were curved into a bright smile. It caught me so off guard that I just stared with words stuck in my throat. With a deep exhale, she said, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Her voice was shaky. ¡°I was just hoping you¡¯d be able to stop her on time just so I could see her again¡­ but there¡¯s no need to look for her. Just knowing that she¡¯s in London is enough. I¡¯ll be content with that.¡± My eyes narrowed. She looked like she was longing for something more. ¡°Are you sure?¡± I asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± She wiped her cheeks with a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯ll call you backter. I need to make a few calls.¡± Her voice was now less shaky and she sounded happier. It was the only reason that I was relieved. I even about stuff like that? Harper I hated myself for the fact that as soon as I knew where Anna was, the first person I wanted to call was Grayson, but he and I weren¡¯t talking anymore, so I called Aunt Patricia instead. I was in the kitchen, making myself something to eat while the phone was on the counter. With the onions hissing on the pan, I had to turn up the volume even when my phone was on speaker. ¡°Really?¡± Aunt Patricia gasped with delight from the other end of the line. ¡°Yes! I¡¯m absolutely certain it was her!¡± I chuckled, ncing at my phone on the counter. ¡°Her hair looks so different now. It¡¯s purple longer. She looked a little rough, as always.¡± The moment Anna had passed by Maddox¡¯s screen behind his chair shed in my mind and I smiled sadly. She was right there but I couldn¡¯t reach her. ¡°This is such good news!¡± Aunt Patricia said, snapping me out of it and making me stir the onions again. ¡°Oh, my dear Anna. I can only imagine what it would have been like had Maddox been able to stop her on time and you spoke to her. Why not just call or send her a message?¡± I froze mid¨Cstir, the wooden spoon hovering over the pan. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± My voice was hesitant and it was more to myself than it was to her. ¡°Harper, dear, we both know how much you want to do this, so why not just go for it? And don¡¯t give me some silly excuse about how you don¡¯t want to bother her when she wants to be left alone. You¡¯re the one who pushed Maddox to follow her and get her to stop. How is that any different from you reaching out to her?¡± My hand tightened around the wooden spoon at how her words hit me hard, the sizzling pan filling the silence. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right.¡± I leaned against the counter. ¡°Then do it!¡± She cheered me on, her voice strained with encouragement. ¡°I will. I just need to finish making this meal.¡± ¡°Sounds like someone¡¯s stalling.¡± ¡°Wha- I¡¯m not¡­¡± I sighed, briefly pressing the palm of my hand on my forehead. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. I promise.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you to call me back and tell me. Just don¡¯t make me wait too long.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°No matter what, Anna¡¯s your sister. This won¡¯t go on forever. Maybe she just needs a little more push.¡± When the call came to an end, I immediately called E and Zoey, who said the same thing my Aunt did. It was for this reason that I set the spoon down and switched off the stove. The urge to contact my sister was now so strong that I didn¡¯t feel like eating anymore. I paced for a few seconds, thinking about what I was going to say to her, but I couldn¡¯t quite get the words right. It took me a while to realize that I was using that as an excuse to stall. It was as if I wasn¡¯t going to contact her as long as I hadn¡¯t perfected what I wanted to say. I knew I wouldn¡¯t be at peace if I kept doing that to myself, so I finally went for it and dialed her number, but she didn¡¯t pick up. Just as I had expected. I called a few times more but it was still the same thing. Instead, I typed what I wanted to tell her, even clenching my teeth as I read it a few times. ¡°Hey, I saw you in London. Your purple hair looks cool! I miss you.¡± My thumb hovered over the send button, my heart pounding hard as I tried to talk myself out of it. But this time, I wanted her to know how I felt, so I finally sent the message. Blueprint 64 Maddox I came to a high¨Cend luxury store after receiving a notification that my shirt was ready. The designer himself handed me the bag with my long sleeved white shirt inside it. Not only did it cost more than any other shirt I¡¯d ever bought in my entire life, it was also a custom fit, tailored down to thest stitch. I could have had it delivered, but no, I wanted to be there and see the final product with my own eyes and it was worth it. Holding onto the straps of the bag, I began to make my way to the exit of the store when a feminine voice came from behind me. ¡°Maddox?¡± I turned quickly because the voice sounded unfamiliar, but as soon as I scanned her face, it took me less than a second to figure out who she was. We¡¯d fucked before, back when I was in the mood for anything that walked in heels and moaned my name the right way. Even with all that, I couldn¡¯t even remember her name. She strutted towards me in her tailored suit, her hips swaying along with her short skirt. ¡°Who knew I¡¯d be starting off this morning like this? It¡¯s been over a year now.¡± She shed me a smile of invitation, tilting her head. ¡°I tried to contact you a few times, but there was no call or text from you. After that night we spent together, I thought¡­¡± She trailed off like she wanted me to fill in the nks. I gave her the kind of smile people mistake for warmth, but the reality was that I was already halfway out of the conversation. ¡°Yup. Anyway, good to see you again. I have to go,¡± I said. As soon as I turned around to continue making my way to the exit, she stopped me by grabbing my arm. ¡°Wait,¡± she said,ing to the front and leaning in like it was supposed to hypnotize me. ¡°Maybe we should¡­ see each other again?¡± I looked down at her hand on me, then back up at her face as she fluttered her eyshes at me. ¡°If you mean like this, then yeah. You¡¯ve seen me,¡± I said, pulling away from her grip. Her lips parted like she was at a loss for words. I didn¡¯t even stick around to figure out what she wanted to say. I stepped to the side, hoping this was finally going to be the time I made it out of the door. Just as I was approaching it, she spoke from behind me in a flirtatious tone. ¡°Call me!¡± Lazily, I waved my hand without turning around, letting her think whatever she wanted. I got into my car while still thinking about what led to the night I had spent with that girl but quickly, I shut it out. I had more important things to think about. I had talked myself out of telling Grayson about Harper so many times since the previous day but found myself unable to let things be as they were. It was for this reason that I finally dialed his number, putting the phone on speaker while my eyes were on the road even though I hadn¡¯t yet started the engine. ¡°Hello?¡± His voice was t, like he was talking to a stranger. I wasn¡¯t even about to dwell on that. I had one thing to do and no matter what, I was going to make sure I did
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¡°Are you with Tiffany?¡± ¡°She¡¯s with her mom. Why?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something you need to know about Harper.¡± He sighed with irritation. ¡°Just in case it hasn¡¯t been clear that I don¡¯t care anymore about-¡± ¡°She saw Anna.¡± ¡°What?¡± His voice was suddenly filled with surprise. ¡°Where?¡± I lightly shook my head at how that caught his attention. ¡°She saw her in London. Actually, it was just through my phone. Couldn¡¯t stop her on time, but you should¡¯ve seen her face just knowing that her sister is in London and she¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°When did this happen?¡± ¡°Yesterday.¡± ¡°Yesterday? And you¡¯re only telling me this now?¡± His tone was a little harsh. ¡°Yup. Harper even sent Anna a text to let her know, but nothing yet, as usual.¡± ¡°Wait, why are you even telling me?¡± His voice was softer again. ¡°Even with the shit going on between you two, you¡¯ve known each other for years. You know how much this means to her and I know it matters to you too.¡± He scoffed. ¡°Now I¡¯m supposed to thank you?¡± Before hanging up, I said, ¡°Don¡¯t bother. I don¡¯t need that from you. I did it for her.¡± Harper I was at the convenience store, getting a few items that had run out while on the phone with Aunt Patricia. I couldn¡¯t even fully pay attention to the items I was there for as I kept ncing at Josh, who was standing at the register. There were a few times where it felt like he was watching me but each time I looked over, he wasn¡¯t. 9:55 Sat, Sep 20 It was obvious that Tiffany had told him that I¡¯d attempted to expose them. While my n had blown up in my face, I wasn¡¯t going to stay away from the store forever. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, my dear,¡± Aunt Patricia said from the other end of the line. ¡°You did your part by contacting your sister yesterday.¡± ¡°Well, yeah, but you know how it goes with Anna and honestly, I wasn¡¯t hoping for an immediate reply. Even if it takes her weeks to do it, that¡¯ll be okay. It won¡¯t even matter if she¡¯ll push me away again. As long as she knows that I know where she is.¡± ¡°I¡¯m hoping this is the moment she realizes that there¡¯s no use in pushing you away.¡± I smiled. ¡°Yeah, Tracy and Penelope want us to hang out today since they don¡¯t have too much going on, but I won¡¯t be able to make it. I have so much to do.¡± She chuckled. ¡°Let me guess, they were extremely disappointed?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± I dropped a jar of peanut butter into my cart then made my way to the counter to get in line. ¡°The three of you can always hang out some other time. Besides, their college is just twenty minutes away from your home.¡± ¡°I promised them a good time once we¡¯re all not so busy and I¡¯ll make sure it happens. Don¡¯t worry, no alcohol.¡± She scoffed. ¡°Like I¡¯m actually going to fall for that. I have to get back to work. Later, dear.¡± After the call, I slipped the phone back in my purse and at the same time, the woman ahead of me left. It was now my turn and Josh was waiting for me with a smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes. AD Send gift No Ads 9:55 Sat, Sep 20 Blueprint 65 Chapter 65 Harper ¡°Hey.¡± I managed to say as I ced my items on the counter. My voice came out lower than I intended and it made me feel like I was the one doing something wrong. His gaze met mine briefly and his lips curved into a smile. It was the kind of smile that was polite enough to pass, but without much meaning behind it. He nodded once, his hands already moving to scan the items. His gestures were so quick that I knew he wanted it to be over quickly. I¡¯d been to that store so many times and that moment felt like I¡¯d stepped into another world. Normally, Josh would ask how I was doing or crack ame joke about how I still loved the same snacks that I used to have back when we were in high school. But this time, there was nothing but the t beep of the scanner. Even the pop song ying in the store, which was meant to make waiting in line less painful, wasn¡¯t enough to help with the awkward silence between us. If anything it made it worse. ¡°That¡¯ll be $70.¡± His eyes slightly narrowed, even though his tone was still within the boundaries of customer service politeness. But that look told me everything that I needed to know. Tiffany had definitely told him what I had done or had attempted to do. Pressing my lips together in a smile, I rummaged through my purse, wanting to get the money as soon as possible. I finally took it out, sliding the bill across the counter. He took the money without a word, slipped it into the register and handed me the change like I was any customer, but his eyes said otherwise. ¡°Have a good day. Next!¡± I raised my eyebrows a little at how he dismissed me so quickly. other As I picked up my bag and approached the exit so the person behind me could get their turn. I nced at him once, epting the fact that he couldn¡¯t stand the sight of me. I texted E and Zoey about it before I began to drive, then sent a quick reply to Dean. I promised I¡¯d call him as soon as I got home since I didn¡¯t want to be on the phone while on the road. E and Zoey were also aware of this but kept blowing up my phone with constant calls and texts. They wanted the full details on what had happened at the store and it made me roll my eyes. I should¡¯ve waited until I was home to tell them. My phone was on the passenger seat and every time it buzzed and the screen lit up, I couldn¡¯t help but nce at the sender¡¯s name. I¡¯d been doing that since the previous day, hoping that it was Anna. I¡¯d told myself over and over again not to get my hopes up that I¡¯d hear from her so soon, but I just couldn¡¯t help it. I pulled up into my driveway, taking my bag with me in one hand with my purse in the other. My phone rang a few more times and I chuckled in disbelief. They just couldn¡¯t wait. Only because I would¡¯ve loved it to be true, I let myself imagine that it wasn¡¯t E and Zoey waiting for the details. Instead, it was my sister, who finally decided to get in touch with me and wasn¡¯t going to stop blowing 9:55 Sat, Sep 20 up my phone with calls and texts until I picked up or replied. 20 I unlocked the front door and went in, already a little out of breath as the bag got heavier the longer I carried
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As soon as I ced it on the kitchen counter with a sigh of relief, I unzipped my purse and took out my phone faster than I usually did. The screen lit up and I held my breath but as soon as I realized there was still nothing from Anna and what I wanted was still just wishful thinking, I sighed with disappointment. Putting the phone on speaker, I called E and Zoey, the two of them joining the call at the same time. ¡°Start talking!¡± E yfully demanded. ¡°Damn.¡± I scoffed, looking down at the screen like I could actually see her. I took out the items from the bag and ced them on the counter while telling them in detail everything they wanted to hear. ¡°You know what, Harper?¡± Zoey said to me. ¡°What?¡± I asked, putting some bottles of water in the fridge. ¡°I know you feel awful that he treated you like shit, but you did nothing wrong. The nerve of him to even act that way!¡± ¡°Fuck that guy!¡± E quickly added. ¡°We should¡¯ve been at the store with you and brought up Tiffany in our own little conversation while making sure he heard us.¡± Knowing the two of them, they would¡¯ve done that and more. They were able to get petty at times. ¡°Enough about him. Any word from Anna?¡± Zoey¡¯s voice was now softer. I sighed, pausing with the fruits in my hand. ¡°Nothing yet.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± E asked with sweet concern. ¡°Yeah.¡± I gave a reassuring smile to myself. ¡°I really hope she replies, but even if she doesn¡¯t. That¡¯s okay. As long as she reads my message.¡± I¡¯d sent it the previous day but each time I checked, she still hadn¡¯t read it. It hurt me a little, but I was willing to wait. Not wanting to focus on that, I decided to change the topic to something that would get them excited. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to call Dean after this. He said he might being back soon.¡± Zoey squealed. ¡°Can I have him?¡± ¡°No.¡± E responded quickly. ¡°Because I¡¯m the one who¡¯s going to have him. Harper, you don¡¯t mind because 9:55 Sat, Sep 20 you have Maddox, right?¡± I rolled my eyes at how they still had a certainbel on what I shared with Maddox. The two of us had fucked five times and I still didn¡¯t feel like I was going to stop any time soon. He made it so difficult to resist him E and Zoey went back and forth about who was going to have Dean and I just let the call run for entertainment purposes. When it finally came to an end with no one ready to give up Dean, who actually had no clue that my gorgeous friends were fighting over him, I gave him a quick call then got to work. While my gaze was mostly on myptop screen, I nced at my phone screen a few times every hour. I¡¯d always been able to hear it buzz and see it light up, but I thought I might¡¯ve missed something that day. I finally shut down myptop around 8 PM when Maddox called. He kept bragging about his custom made white shirt. It was nothing new to hear him brag, but it sounded like that particr shirt was treasure or something. It all made sense when he told me the shirt was embellished with 14 diamonds along the sleeves, which made it cost $400,000. The call was meant to be short, but we ended up talking a bit longer as he still hadn¡¯t yet figured out what it was going to take for him to start painting again. Later, I curled up on the couch to watch some TV with my phone right next to me. I just couldn¡¯t take it anymore, so I reached for it and opened Anna¡¯s message thread. My heart sank because she still hadn¡¯t read my message but at the same time, that gave me some relief. Just as I was about to click off, she finally read it and I instantly rose to my feet with wide eyes while still looking at the screen. The three bubbles began to float as she typed her reply, making me hold my breath as I wondered what she would say. ANNA: ¡°What the fuck? You¡¯ve been following me?¡± It should¡¯ve hurt my feelings, but it didn¡¯t. I smiled because I heard from her and even chuckled as I typed my reply. ¡°That¡¯s not how it happened. I wasn¡¯t even in London. I saw you pass by someone I was talking to. I¡¯m in San Francisco. I miss you. I¡¯ve been thinking about you a lot. I really wanted to text you on your birthday but changed my mind because of being pushed away. But it doesn¡¯t matter what happens this time. I was just d to see you even though it wasn¡¯t in person. Are you okay?¡± I didn¡¯t expect an instant reply and I was absolutely okay with that at first, but it turned into a few minutes, then a few hours. At that point, I told myself not to even check if she¡¯d read it. It wasn¡¯t good for me. I went to bed close to midnight as the thought of when she¡¯d reply kept me up. One more time, I opened the message thread and noticed she hadn¡¯t yet read my text. I told myself that was okay. It was still going to take a lot more time for things to go back to how they used to be. 9:56 Sat, Sep 20 Just as I got into bed and turned off the lights, my phone began buzzing from the bedside table. J¨¢y les about who was calling me was Maddox since he and I hadte night calls at times. My second gunsmis Arte but I quickly dismissed that possibility. When I finally looked at the caller ID. I sat up quickly, womlering it my eyes were deceiving me. It was Grayson. AD Comment Send gift Blueprint 66 Harper Grayson had blocked me to erase me from his life, as if I were the viin in his story. My hands trembled as if they didn¡¯t know what to do. I told myself that I should just ignore my phone and let it ring. It was best to give him the impression that I didn¡¯t care at all but deep down, I knew the truth. He still had me. A single call shattered the walls I¡¯d been trying so hard to build. Not wanting my screen to stop shing with the iing call, I rushed to pick up. It wasn¡¯t like I couldn¡¯t call him back, but I treated that first call like it was so precious. I cleared my throat topose myself, d that I was the only one who could hear my heart pounding hard. ¡°Hello?¡± I held my breath as soon as I said it. ¡°Hey, still awake?¡± he asked from the other end of the line. He sounded so casual like it was just another regr phone call and that made me squeeze the pillow. I told myself that I first needed to point that out, but it felt like my heart was about to betray me. This time, I fought against it and listened to what my brain was telling me. I even climbed out of bed and turned the lights back on. I then ced a hand on my hip, like that would make my next wordse out better. ¡°I was just about to go to sleep,¡± I said, my tone a little t as I moved to the mirror to stare at my own reflection. ¡°You¡¯re thest person I thought would call me after what happened. And at this time of the night?¡± I closed my eyes and held my breath again, hoping that his next words would be an apology for everything he did and said to me. ¡°I heard about Anna.¡± His voice casually came through the speaker once again. My eyes shot wide as I stared at my own reflection, like I could actually to show him how surprised I was. ¡°How did you know about that?¡± I tilted my head with furrowed eyebrows, leaning towards the mirror as if I was actually asking him that in person. ¡°Maddox mentioned it yesterday in the morning,¡± I instantly leaned away from the mirror, straightening up again in surprise. ¡°He did?¡± ¡°Of course. He knows that I know how much it means to you to find your sister, so here I am.¡± I ced a hand on my chest as my lips curved into a smile. It was more about Grayson calling me than it was about Maddox making the effort to tell him. I hated it, but I couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°Did she finally reply?¡± he asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. 11:58 Sun, Sep 21 d. : ¡°Yup. That was a few hours ago and she was so harsh, even though it was just one line.¡± ¡°But that didn¡¯t even hurt you because you were so happy to hear from her.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± My eyes widened in pleasant surprise. 65 55 vouchers The butterflies in my stomach made me feel like pping myself. He really knew how deep my rtionship with my sister was. But that wasn¡¯t the time for that because he¡¯d hurt me badly, so I didn¡¯t try to hype him up too much that he was right. Smacking my lips, I said, ¡°I did tell her everything that was in my heart right after she replied, but that was thest time I heard from her. ¡° ¡°Maybe she just needs a bit more time. I think she¡¯s finally realizing that you¡¯re going to keep fighting for her.¡± I already hoped that was the case, but hearing him say it sounded like something new. ¡°You think so?¡± I asked. ¡°Yeah and I¡¯m happy for you, even after everything you did and-¡± ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa¡­¡± I shot a re at my reflection like I was directing it at him. ¡°After everything I did? What exactly did I do?¡± ¡°Harp, you seriously crossed the line, but I¡¯m willing to look past it for the sake of your sister.¡± ¡°Is this the part where I¡¯m supposed to apologize?¡± I snapped. ¡°That¡¯s the only right thing to do for things to go back to how they were. You¡¯re the one who messed up because Tiffany was done with getting her revenge on you.¡± The butterflies were gone and my stomach twisted. ¡°Heres the thing,¡± I paused just to point a finger at the mirror, ¡°I have nothing to apologize for because I did nothing wrong.¡± He scoffed, his next words sounding like a warning. ¡°Keep this up and I¡¯ll-¡° ¡°You¡¯ll what? Hmm?¡± I ced the palm of my hand on my forehead, hating myself for even dreaming a little, but I was d that reality kicked in quickly, I was already getting used to it. ¡°I need to get back to work,¡± he said. ¡°You should¡¯ve used the past few minutes on that as well.¡± Those words came out quickly before I could stop myself. But even after he heard them. I didn¡¯t feel the need to take them back. I meant every word. I was better off not hearing from him. It was for this reason that I hung up on him without a second thought. I tossed my phone on the bed behind me, taking a few deep breaths to calm down. I let him get to me and maybe that was okay because I needed another reality check. Things were never going to work out how I hoped they would. 55 vouchers Maddox I had so much work to do that I was only able to stop around 4 AM. My n was to take the day off, no meetings or anything else. Just resting and staying at home. I needed that so much. I was just about to put my phone on the bedside table after already getting in bed when Harper called. My first thought was that maybe she was drunk again since our most recentte night calls only went up until 1 AM. I thought I could just spare a few seconds to tell her how exhausted I was, so I picked up. ¡°Let me guess. The 8 PM call we had wasn¡¯t enough and you still want more?¡± I smirked. ¡°She wants to see me!¡± She chuckled with so much excitement. ¡°What?¡± I quickly sat up, wondering if that was exactly what I thought it meant. ¡°Yes! Anna gave me her home address and wants me toe to London so we can talk! She doesn¡¯t want toe back to San Francisco after everything that happened here!¡± She squealed, then hummed like she was doing a little dance and I let her have her moment. I even imagined what she must¡¯ve looked like. It made me chuckle a few times. ¡°What?¡± she asked when she heard me. ¡°It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s nothing. When does she want to meet you?¡± ¡°Whenever I¡¯m ready and I¡¯m ready right now.¡± She huffed. ¡°The only thing standing in my way is that all flights are fully booked for today. I just don¡¯t want to wait for too long, but what can I do?¡± She sounded like she was pouting as she went on to further talk about it. It was so cute that I shook my head with amusement. ¡°Harper¡­¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± She was a little out of breath. ¡°You can get here faster using my private jet.¡± I smirked. She gasped. ¡°What? Really?¡± Her reaction made it sound like she had never been on a private jet before, but I knew it was only because she was so excited to meet Anna. I had the desire to make that possible for her, but why did making her happy suddenly matter so much to me? Blueprint 67 Chapter 67 Maddox : (59) 5 vouchers I was on my way to the airport to personally pick up Harper, a cup of coffee in one hand as I spoke to Uncle Sebastian over the phone through my earpiece. ¡°Since when do you offer your private jet to anybody?¡± he asked from the other end of the line. ¡°Harper isn¡¯t just anybody,¡± I said, keeping my eyes on the road. He chuckled, making me raise my eyebrows a little. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Harper isn¡¯t just anybody? Each time I hear you talk about her, you make it sound like something has changed. Falling for her?¡± I scoffed at the caring up ahead, like that was him. ¡°Of course not.¡± My tone was dismissive. ¡°You¡¯ve asked me that before.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll keep asking you until you actually tell me the truth.¡± ¡°But this is the truth.¡± ¡°Nope! When you¡¯re ready to admit it, I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± ¡°The way I see it- shit!¡± I panicked when the cup of coffee almost slipped from my hand and stained my shirt. ¡°Maddox? Is everything okay over there?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, setting down the cup of coffee. ¡°I almost stained my shirt.¡± He mockingly clicked his tongue. ¡°I listened to you brag about that new shirt most of this call and by the looks of it, you¡¯re gonna have to be extra careful with it.¡± I sighed with relief. ¡°I¡¯m already working on that. Not even the tiniest stain is going to get on this shirt.¡± ¡°Sometimes, the more you try to be careful, the more you end up messing up.¡± My eyebrows furrowed. ¡°That just sounds like you¡¯re waiting for it to happen.¡± ¡°Of course not. Have fun with your girlfriend.¡± I shook my head. ¡°She¡¯s not my girlfriend.¡± ¡°Oh yeah, you¡¯re making it look like she is. Just look at what you¡¯re doing for her. Would you do that for Kate?¡± I parted my lips but realized I wasn¡¯t even sure what I was going to say in response to his question, so I just 12:53 Mon, Sep 22 M cleared my throat. ¡°We¡¯ll talkter.¡± :. : 59 5 vouchers He chuckled, like he knew what I was trying to do. ¡°We¡¯ll talkter. There¡¯s something we need to discuss.¡± His tone suddenly sounded serious and I wanted to ask what it was all about, but he hung up before I could. Shortly after the call, Harper told me that she had arrived at the airport and I drove faster, like I didn¡¯t want her to bete. I arrived ten minutester, pulling up beside her and rolling down the window for a better view. She was in a full jeans outfit, the blue in great contrast with her white shoes. Her makeup was heavy around the eyes, her lips in a glossy nude shade. My favorite thing of all was her messy bun. I always loved the way it brought attention to her face. ¡°Ooh, came to show off your new shirt with diamonds?¡± She teased me. I stepped out of the car first, responding as she followed behind me while I opened the car door for her. ¡°You should be d you¡¯re here to witness this moment. This isn¡¯t just any shirt.¡± She yfully rolled her eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve made it very clear so many times. Can we go?¡± She fastened her seatbelt a bit too quickly, making my lips curve into a smile at how excited she was to finally meet her sister. I was right to make that assumption because as soon as the ride began, Anna was all she could talk about. She was d things were finally turning around for the two of them. I may not have been there to witness her longing all those years, but in the short time she and I had gotten closer, I could see it. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to tell Grayson about it.¡± She looked over at me. ¡°Just by hearing you say that, it looks like I did, because he ended up calling you.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Her face lit up and I didn¡¯t have to wonder the reason behind it. It was because of him. No matter what, she couldn¡¯t change the way she felt about him. ¡°He definitely calledte at night.¡± Her nose scrunched with irritation. ¡°I thought that was a good thing. Am I missing something?¡± She poked her cheek. ¡°He said he¡¯s willing to look past everything I¡¯ve done for the sake of my sister.¡± Hearing her get into detail about the conversation they had over the phone made me smirk a little in satisfaction. I wasn¡¯t trying to be selfish, which was why I¡¯d told Grayson about Anna, but hearing her say that things were far from getting back to normal between the two of them made me rx a little bit more in my seat. The ride was smooth with little traffic until we turned at the corner and joined a busy road. It already didn¡¯t look good. ¡°Since you¡¯re familiar with this ce,¡± she began, her voice a little irritated, ¡°how long until we get to Anna¡¯s address?¡± 12:54 Mon, Sep 22 M ¡°About fifteen minutes.¡± ¡­ : ¡°Does that include waiting time in traffic?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± : 59 5 vouchers She sighed with frustration as she crossed her arms and pouted. She was making it look like she wouldn¡¯t find Anna home if she took too long. There was no need to rush because she would still be waiting, but seeing her so eager to get there as soon as possible was quite amusing. ¡°Maybe I should tell her that there might be a short dy.¡± She rushed to take out her phone, typing quickly and sending her text. Afterwards, she rested the back of her head against the back of her seat with her eyes shut. I wasn¡¯t so focused on driving anymore, so I watched her side profile. Her impatience was so cute. Some of the cars up ahead honked loudly but the traffic wasn¡¯t getting any better. If anything, it seemed to be getting worse as we had barely moved from our initial spot. I even thought Harper would get so impatient that she might jump out of the window. It was only when her phone buzzed that she smiled a little and sighed with relief. ¡°It¡¯s Anna. She understands and she¡¯ll wait. I just don¡¯t want to get her so mad that she changes her mind and decides not to meet me.¡± Harper wanted everything with Anna to be so perfect that she was already thinking about the worst thing that could happen. ¡°It¡¯s just like she said, she¡¯ll be waiting for you. Rx, okay?¡± She nodded, taking a deep breath. Even though I tried to encourage her to stay positive, the traffic wasn¡¯t getting any better and twenty minutes went by without much happening. Her jaw clenched a few times like she wanted to say something but stopped herself each time, The road we were on was the shortest way to Anna¡¯s home address, but with the traffic, it was now the longest way to get there. I wanted her to get to her sister as soon as possible, so when I got to an intersection, I turned left, driving into another road. ¡°Hey, where are we going?¡± she asked. ¡°Only in this situation, this way should be much faster.¡± Her eyes lit up with delight and seeing that reaction made me feel like I had aplished something great. She could barely contain herself, her hands sped together with so much hope in the next few minutes. 12:54 Mon, Sep 22 M¡­ ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± : 59 5 vouchers As soon as I gave her the heads up, she began fixing her make up and hair like it wasn¡¯t already perfect. This was going to be such a special moment that I decided to even make a short video just so I¡¯d show herter on. We pulled up into the driveway of the address and she looked at the house with a smile but soon covered her mouth, like she couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked. She proudly ced a hand on her chest. ¡°This is the most beautiful house I¡¯ve ever seen Anna live in. She looked rough that day when I spotted her through your screen, but she must be doing so well.¡± She was almost teary eyed, but raised her chin while shaking her head. Nothing was supposed to ruin her make up. Before I could even step out and open the door for her, she did it herself and rushed to the front door, leaving me behind. It took me a few seconds to get out as I processed what she had just done. Finally stepping out of the car, I opened my phone camera and began filming. This moment was going to be unforgettable for her. She rang the doorbell a few times, her hands together as she looked back at me. She spotted the camera and pointed at it with a chuckle. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea!¡± She whispered like she didn¡¯t want to wake someone up. When the door finally creaked open, she looked ahead first and my gaze followed. For a few seconds, Anna didn¡¯t step out, but the door was wide open. Then, I heard sinisterughter, the kind that was so familiar that it made me firmly shake my head. No, it couldn¡¯t be. Harper looked back at me like she was thinking the same thing, and then came the reveal when the figure showed herself. It wasn¡¯t Anna. It was Tiffany. ¡°Gotcha, bitch!¡± she snickered in Harper¡¯s face. Blueprint 68 Maddox : 95 A 5 vouchers Tiffany¡¯s first words made it pretty clear that she¡¯d been behind the whole thing, but Harper was so much in denial that she pushed Tiffany aside. ¡°Where¡¯s my sister? What have you done to her?¡± Harper¡¯s voice cracked with panic as she frantically looked around. Tiffany ced her manicured hand over her mouth to hold in herughter, her eyes wide with mockery. ¡°Aww¡­is this you ying dumb? I got you real good, didn¡¯t I?¡± She moved closer to savor the sight of Harper¡¯s eyes now glistening with tears. Anna wasn¡¯t my sister but I felt my chest splitting in half at the sight of Harper being crushed. She had been looking forward to meeting Anna but it was all for nothing. ¡°Care to exin what¡¯s going on here?¡± I asked, my tone sharp as I tightened my grip around my phone while I was still filming, even though I just wanted to hurl the phone against the wall. She looked over with a smirk. ¡°I thought you¡¯d never ask.¡± Her gaze then shifted back to Harper. ¡°I have something for you. Wanna take a guess?¡± Harper was at a loss for words as she just stood there, her chest now rising and falling rapidly. Rummaging through her handbag, Tiffany said, ¡°Just a moment. It¡¯s right¡­ here!¡± She pulled out a phone, holding it up to Harper¡¯s face. ¡°You can already tell that this isn¡¯t mine. It looks like crap. That¡¯s why it belongs to Anna! I didn¡¯t kidnap her or anything. I just executed the perfect n at the perfect moment. I had someone snatch it and give it to me. That¡¯s right, you¡¯ve been talking to me the whole time.¡± ¡°No.¡± Harper managed to say in denial, tears now streaming down her face. ¡°Oh, yes!¡± I tried to put the pieces together of how we arrived at that moment and I shut my eyes, instantly ming myself. I was the one who informed Grayson about Anna being spotted in London. He must have run his mouth to Tiffany without realizing she¡¯d use it to tear Harper apart. I should¡¯ve kept my damn mouth shut. ¡°So here¡¯s the thing,¡± Tiffany said, circling around Harper. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to get back at you ever since you tried to destroy my marriage and I wanted to hit you where it hurt the most. That¡¯s why when Kate told me she spotted Anna here in London. I knew that was just perfect. It was a beautiful afternoon, a little robbery and then poof, Anna¡¯s phone was in my hand. I¡¯ll admit that I didn¡¯t know what to do with it. That was until you texted first. You gotta admit that I did pretty good.¡± She flicked her gaze to me, like she expected apuse. I should¡¯ve been relieved that her n began way before I told Grayson, but everything just made my blood boil. 95 B 5 vouchers Then, Harper¡¯s knees buckled and she dropped to the floor, her trembling hands failing to keep it together. The thud caught Tiffany¡¯s attention, making her look down at Harper like she was nothing. ¡°That¡¯s right, your sister never wanted to see you,¡± she rubbed it in her face. ¡°Did you really think this was going to be your big reunion? I had to pay $3,000 to rent this house for today just to watch you break and it was totally worth it.¡± Tiffany went on and on about her n and it was only when I tightened the grip on my phone so hard that my knuckles hurt that I realized I was still filming. I shut it down, stepping forward until I was between the two of them and faced Tiffany. ¡°I admit that you¡¯re capable of a lot of things, but how could you do this?¡± I couldn¡¯t hide my disgust. ¡°Looks like someone didn¡¯t hear a word I said.¡± Her eyes narrowed with a sneer. Behind me, Harper¡¯s soft and broken sniffle made me turn around to face her and I crouched down. Her eyes were tightly shut while still in tears, but there was movement in her throat that told me she was still holding in so much. I just wanted to wrap my arms around her. ¡°Well, this was way more satisfying than I thought it would be, but I¡¯m bored now, so I¡¯m leaving.¡± Tiffany hummed happily as she made her way to the door and for a few seconds, I just stared at her. She really was Margot¡¯s daughter. It was only when Harper sniffled again that I looked back at her. I had to do something. I reached out with my arm, resting my hand at the back of her head. ¡°Come here.¡± She loudly burst into tears as she buried her face in my chest, gripping the back of my shirt so tightly that it felt like she might tear it apart. I didn¡¯t even bother lying to her with empty words about how everything was going to be all okay because the truth was that it wasn¡¯t. Her cries only got louder and even as I gently stroked the back of her head, it didn¡¯t help calm her down, so I stayed with her on the floor for a while. But there was no use being in that house any longer. It was only going to make her feel worse. I got up, pulling her up along with me. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± My voice was gentle. For a brief moment, as I was looking down at her, she shifted the position of her face and right there on my shirt, I spotted the ck streaks of mascara and powder. She was in so much pain that I held her even tighter. Fuck the shirt. Nothing else mattered. She was robbed of something so important to her that I couldn¡¯t imagine what she was going through. Her shoulders trembled as I guided her to the car and seeing her in that state made me want to still hold her close, so I put her in the backseat, got in as well, then threw my arm around her as she sobbed into my chest. It actually took me a while to get to the driver¡¯s seat. Her hopes and dreams were shattered and it broke something in me. 5 vouchers Harper A few hours went by and I still couldn¡¯t get over what Tiffany had done to me. There was no way I could. She was right. She hit me where it hurt the most and the ache didn¡¯t fade. I reread the thread with Anna the way people reread old letters, line after line, trying to find any hint that I¡¯d missed in the most recent messages. I didn¡¯t even question it as Tiffany¡¯s tone in the texts sounded just like the distant sister I knew. Grayson called me once again and I declined his call. He¡¯d been calling me for the past four hours but I didn¡¯t feel like talking to him. Aunt Patricia and my friends were eagerly waiting, constantly sending me messages to hear the good news and that only hurt even more because there was no good news. I was curled up on the bed with my back against the headboard when Maddox walked in. He had left me alone for a few hours, just as I had requested. Joining me on the bed, he said, ¡°Hey, you okay. That¡¯s actually a dumb question. Don¡¯t answer it.¡± In any other situation, I would¡¯veughed a little, but I was far from feeling cheerful. ¡°Sorry about all this,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. I¡¯m sorry about your shirt.¡± My gaze dropped to the mess I¡¯d made on it. He chuckled lightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s no big deal.¡± ¡°Says the person who was bragging about how special the shirt is,¡± I reminded him. ¡°Why do you still have it on? Trying to remind me that I¡¯m responsible?¡± ¡°Forget about that. It doesn¡¯t matter. There are more important things to worry about, like you.¡± He looked at me as he said it and my heart skipped the beat. ¡°I know how much you were looking forward to this and Tiffany took that away from you.¡± I sighed in defeat. ¡°What hurts me the most is that there was never a moment when I was actually talking to my sister. She wasn¡¯t looking for me. She didn¡¯t want to see me. She¡¯s here in London, living her life like I don¡¯t exist. And then there¡¯s Tiffany. She¡¯s going to get away with this like nothing happened.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been doing some thinking and this will never end.¡± I scoffed. ¡°There¡¯s nothing she can throw at me now that¡¯s going to be worse than this.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right about that, but I think it¡¯s time to get her off your back for good.¡± ¡°How?¡± I nced at him, my eyebrows raised with curiosity. With a smirk, he said, ¡°Go out with me.¡± Blueprint 69 Maddox (95 5 vouchers Coffee breaks were supposed to be the time that I had something to drink, but the cup of coffee was already getting cold as it barely had my attention thanks to all the emails, contracts and stack of files that were spread across my desk, waiting for my signature. I was so focused on putting my signature on the contracts that I ignored my phone when it rang a few times, but whoever it was, just wouldn¡¯t give it a rest, so I reached for it across the table to check the caller ID and it was Tiffany. Her name shing on my screen made my jaw tighten. I hadn¡¯t spoken to her sincest week, when she had done that to Harper. She had given me another reason to like her even less. When my phone rang for the sixth time, I exhaled sharply, leaning back in my chair. She wouldn¡¯t be blowing up my phone like that if it wasn¡¯t urgent and I knew exactly why she just wouldn¡¯t stop calling, so I finally answered. ¡°You know,¡± I began, ¡°when you call somebody and they don¡¯t pick up, it¡¯s probably because they¡¯re busy. I¡¯d expect you to know that.¡± ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t give me that!¡± she snapped, her voice so sharp that it made me pull the phone slightly away from my ear. ¡°What the hell is this post on your most popr profile? A picture of Harper with a heart emoji as the caption? Have you lost your damn mind?¡± I let the silence drag out for a few seconds just so I could savor her outrage. Then, in the calmest tone, I said, ¡°I thought it would be obvious but since you¡¯re so slow, I¡¯ll just spell it out for you. I¡¯m dating her.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± ¡°You should see my serious face right now.¡± ¡°But¡­but¡­ why her? Why not-¡± ¡°Kate? The same one you¡¯ve been pushing on me?¡± The other end of the line went silent for a few seconds and when she spoke again, she didn¡¯t even answer my question. ¡°It already pissed me off enough that you were sleeping with her,¡± she said. ¡°Now, you two are together? Don¡¯t you realize that it brings her closer?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the whole point. Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± I said casually. ¡°No fucking way. This isn¡¯t right. I refuse to believe that your yboy days are over.¡± ¡°Are you blind?¡± ¡°But..what the hell did she do to you to make you turn out this way? After everything I¡¯ve done, she just won¡¯t stay out of our lives.¡± ¡°And that¡­¡± I trailed off as I thought about it ¡°¡­is exactly why I like her so much.¡± 10:48 Wed, Sep 24 ¡°No. I won¡¯t let her get away with this. She¡¯s going to pay f-¡± 95 5 vouchers ¡°Enough,¡± my voice was sharp as my jaw clenched. ¡°Things are different now, so you better leave her alone or you¡¯ll have to deal with me. You already got away with what you did to herst week. No oneshed out at you because you¡¯re pregnant and you knew that would happen. But you better be careful because Harper¡¯s not just some girl anymore.¡± She chuckled bitterly. ¡°So that¡¯s how it¡¯s going to be? You¡¯re going to take her side?¡± Leaning forward, I rested my elbow against my desk and looked at my hand. ¡°I can actually count on one hand how many times I¡¯ve taken your side ever since you came into my life. Anyway, I don¡¯t have time to keep listening to your endless rant. I need to finish up here because I have to meet Uncle Sebastian, then take my girl on a date.¡± She scoffed. ¡°Your girl?¡± Before I could even hang up, she went on another rant, her voice screeching through the speaker. I ended the call before she could finish. I gently ced my phone back on the desk, a satisfied grin on my lips as she didn¡¯t see thising and it was only the beginning. When I¡¯d made the suggestion to Harper, there wasn¡¯t even the slightest sign of hesitation in her eyes or voice. Had Tiffany not gone after the one thing Harper wanted the most, things would¡¯ve been different but now, I wanted to protect her. I felt the need to do so. She was still hurting about the fact that Anna never contacted her. While I was aware that I was never going to be who her sister was to her, I was going to do my best to give her a good time, just like I always did. Later, I met up with Uncle Sebastian at the golf club bar and the first thing he said before we even greeted each other made me shake my head. ¡°I just knew that sooner orter, you and Harper were going to make things official!¡± I almostughed at the word official as we took our seats at the counter. If only he knew what the actual n was. ying along, I nodded in agreement with a confident smirk. ¡°You were right. I stopped questioning my feelings and just went for it. Tiffany¡¯s not too happy about it.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°As expected. The nerve of her to react that way after what she did. And to think that someone like that is your sister. You know what? Enough about her. I have something that¡¯s actually important to talk about,¡± ¡°And it took you one week to tell me.¡± I huffed. ¡°Come on. We¡¯ve both been busy and I didn¡¯t want to tell you over the phone. Just an hour from now, I have to go to Japan, but I made the decision to spend some time in London.¡± ¡°Well, here we are,¡± I said. ¡°So, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting a divorce.¡± I blinked rapidly, caught off guard. ¡°What?¡± 95 E5 vouchers ¡°You should see the look on your face,¡± he said with amusement. ¡°It¡¯s beening for a while. Your aunt asked for it. She said we¡¯ve grown apart.¡± For once, I didn¡¯t know what to say, not even when he waspletely at ease about his marriage ending. Finally finding the words, I said, ¡°I really wasn¡¯t expecting this. I never saw the signs. You were always so happy with her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the thing.¡± He gave me a smile which didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°No one ever knows what goes on behind closed doors. You¡¯re someone who knows that pretty well.¡± I expected him to linger on the subject just a bit longer, but the next thing I knew, he was opening a bottle of whiskey and pouring a little in my ss and his. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to be drinking with me like this since you¡¯ve got ns with Harperter on,¡± he said. His divorce was still on my mind, but I forced myself to smile. ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯ll take me a while to get to San Francisco.¡± He shook his head with disapproval. ¡°Is this how it¡¯s going to be? Constant flights from London to San Francisco just to go out on dates?¡± I paused with the ss in my hand, his question giving me an idea. ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re the best.¡± AD Blueprint 70 Chapter 70 Harper #55 vouchers I propped my phone on the dressing mirror as I fumbled with the curling wand. I was trying so hard not to burn my fingers while talking to E and Zoey on the phone. ¡°Finally!¡± E squealed. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re giving this thing with Maddox a chance. Do you know how long we¡¯ve been waiting for this?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Zoey chimed in right after her. ¡°It¡¯s about damn time.¡± I gave a small smile, even though they couldn¡¯t see me. If only they knew the truth. I wasn¡¯t about to tell even my closest friends that the whole thing with Maddox was fake. I didn¡¯t even hesitate when he¡¯d asked me to fake going out with him to get Tiffany off my back for good. ¡°Hey,¡± E continued, ¡°have you seen thements under the picture Maddox posted!¡± ¡°To be honest,¡± I paused, trying to curl a few strands, ¡°I haven¡¯t read thements. I don¡¯t even want to know what they say.¡± ¡°Well, we read them all!¡± Zoey bragged. ¡°It¡¯s crazy that so many are surprised when a few weeks ago, there were videos from his birthday. You know the ones where you two were dancing all over each other?¡± ¡°This is different,¡± E chimed in. ¡°That¡¯s because Maddox himself posted Harper on his page with a fucking heart emoji. Now that¡¯s some rtionship territory right there!¡± Usually, I would¡¯ve been dismissive about it, but I had to y along. ¡°You¡¯re right about that.¡± ¡°Aww, isn¡¯t she cute?¡± Zoey teased me. ¡°You two look so good together. The next thing you know, he¡¯s going to get down on one knee.¡± ¡°Which,¡± E cut in dramatically, ¡°would make Tiffany your sister¨Cinw! Can you imagine that? I would eat up that drama every single day!¡± Before I could argue, I heard someone at the door downstairs, making me put down the curling wand as I told them we¡¯d talkter. Like they shared the same mind, they demanded pictures of my date in unison. I hurried down the stairs with my hair half done as I didn¡¯t want to keep whoever was at the door waiting since I¡¯d already taken a while toe out of my bedroom. What I was certain of was that it wasn¡¯t Maddox. I would¡¯ve heard his engine pull up. When I opened the front door and came face to face with the person who was at my doorstep, my eyes narrowed with a sudden wave of rage. Seeing Kate made me tighten my grip on the doorknob. I still wasn¡¯t over how she was the one who had set the ball rolling for Tiffany¡¯s n in London. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I bluntly asked. 55 vouchers She gasped dramatically, bringing a hand to her lips. ¡°Damn, Harper, I¡¯ming to your ce for the first time and this is the wee that I get?¡± ¡°I asked you a question. What do you want?¡± She took a step forward, getting closer to my face then looking past me to take a peek at the interior. ¡°Tiffany never came inst time and she said it looked like there wasn¡¯t much. I agree.¡± Thest thing I wanted was to be that close to her. It only fueled the urge to push her so hard she¡¯d fall and roll over, but I practiced a little restraint. Instead, I poked a finger on her chest and pressed, my hostile gaze locked on hers. ¡°Get¡­back,¡± I said slowly. As a reflex, she moved back, ncing down at my finger on her chest with disgust. She pushed it away, only to tightly grab onto my wrist. ¡°You think you¡¯ve won just because Maddox is giving you all this attention?¡± I sneered, not even trying to pull back my wrist. ¡°Is that the reason you¡¯re here? Oh, wait, I shouldn¡¯t even be surprised. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s been going after him.¡± If I was going to sell the story that Madddox and I were dating to anyone, it was going to be to her. I knew she¡¯d tell Tiffany all about that incident. Letting go of my wrist with a downward push, she said, ¡°You officially being his girlfriend is going tost a week or even less. He hasn¡¯t been in such a rtionship in years.¡± ¡°That was until I came along and rocked his world.¡± I gloated with my head high. ¡°I¡¯m sure you must be wondering how I pulled it off.¡± She sneered. ¡°It¡¯s perfectly clear. You threw yourself at him over and over again until he had no choice.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± My eyes narrowed thoughtfully. ¡°That sounds a lot like you. But wait, he didn¡¯t choose you.¡± I ced a hand over my mouth to hold in myugh. Her jaw clenched, her pbacking in quickly. ¡°Looks like you¡¯reughing again. You weren¡¯tughingst week when you realized Anna was never interested in meeting you.¡± My expression of amusement almost cracked. Her words hurt and she was right, but I wasn¡¯t about to show it and let her win. ¡°I understand that being Tiffany¡¯spdog has its benefits for someone like you. How about you run along and find a different way to keep her entertained?¡± ¡°You fucking bitch.¡± Her voice was barely above a whisper. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you were hoping to achieve bying here to rant, but we¡¯re done here. I¡¯m actually wasting time when I should be upstairs in my bedroom. My hair isn¡¯t even done yet and my boyfriend will be here soon. We¡¯re going on a date!¡± 8:05 Thu, Sep 25 99 55 vouchers She chuckled bitterly as she scornfully looked at me. ¡°In a cheap outfit. I¡¯m not surprised.¡± ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. My boyfriend bought this for me. You know how he values certain clothing standards.¡± She frowned, her chest rising and falling rapidly. ¡°One day, I¡¯ll have thestugh when ites to Maddox.¡± Izily nodded in agreement. ¡°Good thing it¡¯s not today.¡± I expected a sharp pback. Instead, she turned around to leave, her head low as she got further away from
  1. me.
¡°Do you have feelings for him?¡± I asked. She suddenly stopped in her tracks, her hands balling into fists. I gasped, hurrying outside and blocking her way just so I could look at her face. ¡°Of course you do. I mean¡­ just look at you. It¡¯s so obvious that you can¡¯t even hide it. I even saw it that day, when you showed up to his ce in London unannounced and he kissed me in front of you. I¡¯m pretty sure you bawled your eyes out when you were far away.¡± She lowered her gaze, her nostrils ring like she was about to clear things up and convince me it wasn¡¯t the case. But she just stood there in silence. I wanted to feel bad for her, but after what she and Tiffany had done to me, I didn¡¯t give a shit. ¡°You know what?¡± I continued, ¡°There¡¯s actually one way that you can be Maddox¡¯s girlfriend.¡± Her head shot up so fast that I scoffed. She wanted to hear what I had to say. ¡°The one thing that needs to happen is that you just need to be me. Oh, wait, you can¡¯t. Looks like it sucks to be you right now.¡± Tears now glistened in her eyes and not even that could ruin the fun for me. ¡°When I say you¡¯re going to regret this, I mean it.¡± She shot me a re. ¡°I¡¯m already regretting spending so much time out here with you when I should be finishing up. You can go now.¡± I stepped to the side and hurried back to the open front door, a smirk of satisfaction on my lips¡­because that felt good. O Blueprint 71 Chapter 71 Harper As I stepped out onto the front porch, Maddox was already leaning against his sleek ck car. He was in a suit that clung to his body like it had been made for no one else but him. With his silky blonde hair pushed back to entuate his features, I could already tell that he was going to have everyone swooning over him and wishing they were me, without even realizing it was all supposed to be fake. ¡°You look dashing,¡± I said before I could stop myself. He smirked, like he had heard exactly what he wanted. As he approached me, he curved his arm, the move almost aristocratic. ¡°Shall we?¡± I slipped my hand into his arm and he guided me towards the car. He smelled so good that I inhaled sharply a few times for as long as I was that close. I smoothed the elegant dress he¡¯d bought for me after I got in the passenger seat, looking at him as he closed my door. ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me why you bought me something like this or where you¡¯re taking me,¡± I said. He got into the driver¡¯s seat, his lips curving into a smile as he fastened his seatbelt. ¡°All you need to know is that you¡¯ll be blown away.¡± It reminded me of thest time he¡¯d left me in suspense and when I¡¯d realized he was taking me to Larkspur Hills, I¡¯d realized that it was worth it, which was why I just needed to trust him at that moment. As the ride began to a destination that I still didn¡¯t know, he ced his hand on my thigh, right on top of the fabric. There was nothing sexual about it, yet it was still enough to send a shiver down my spine. Maybe it was because that still counted as teasing as I was made aware of every shift of his fingers. My bodyfortably melted into his touch and I just sat there, watching the road head with him. Then, his phone screen lit up, Dad shing on the caller ID. It was going to be the second time that I was around when he picked up his dad¡¯s phone call and I wondered how it would be this time around. With his earpiece in, he picked up and said, ¡°Hey, Dad.¡± Without looking at him, I listened attentively and was stunned in just a few seconds. His voice wasn¡¯t cold and distant like thest time I¡¯d heard him. It was warmer. The call was short and as soon as it ended, I turned towards him, raising my eyebrows. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop, but I can¡¯t help it since you¡¯re very close to me. You didn¡¯t sound cold this time.¡± He nced at me, his hand finding its way back to my thigh. ¡°Things are a little different now.¡± ¡°How different? That¡¯s if you don¡¯t mind telling me.¡± A He didn¡¯t answer right away, like he was wondering whether or not to open up. 65 vouchers. Finally, he raised the corner of his mouth as he said, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about it soon enough, but what I can tell you for now is that he¡¯s so d I¡¯m dating again after so many years. He¡¯s even invited us to the estate for lunch tomorrow.¡± ¡°Us?¡± I raised my eyebrows. ¡°Yup. Us.¡± He nodded firmly as he stopped at a red light. I tilted my head in surprise as I wasn¡¯t expecting an invitation so soon, but that was exactly what we needed. Tiffany would have no choice but to choke on the sight of me walking in as Maddox¡¯s girlfriend. That¡¯s if she was going to be there. ¡°Well,¡± I said, ¡°it sounds like the perfect ce to sell this rtionship of ours.¡± His eyes lingered on me longer than they should have, and there was something unreadable in them. I thought he had something to say, but nothing came out until he had his eyes on the road again. A few minutester, I thought that was the perfect time to bring up an earlier incident. ¡°Kate came over to my ce earlier.¡± ¡°To do what?¡± ¡°What else? She went on this rant about you and stuff like that. I got to learn something about her. She has real feelings for you.¡± ¡°And?¡± My jaw dropped. I expected something more. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Yup. She can shove whatever she feels for me down her throat. Like I give a shit.¡± I didn¡¯t even push the matter any further as he clearly didn¡¯t care how she felt about him. About twenty minutester, he said, ¡°We¡¯ll be there in ten minutes.¡± I still couldn¡¯t figure out where we were going, but the farther we drove, the more familiar the streets became, until my heart skipped a beat in recognition. ¡°Wait¡­¡± I inhaled sharply with wide eyes as we approached the ss and marble building known as The Valmont House. ¡°You¡¯re not- You can¡¯t be- What?¡± He chuckled with satisfaction, smoothly, pulling up into the driveway. ¡°What? Surprised?¡± My jaw dropped. ¡°What are we doing here?¡± He didn¡¯t answer me right away, just savoring the look of surprise on my face. Then he finally said, ¡°You once mentioned how much you love Dante Moretti and how you could never get 7:02 Fri, Sep 26 into one of his art exhibitions. Well, today¡¯s your lucky day.¡± 6953 55 vouchers My heart began racing as my whole body buzzed with excitement. If not for the seatbelt holding me in ce, I would¡¯ve thrown my arms around him to hug the life out of him. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this!¡± I whispered, my eyes glued to the building as though it might disappear if I blinked. Right in front of it, there were limousines lined up and the people stepping out of them were in breathtaking. outfits that looked like they belonged on the red carpet. And now that I looked at the dress Maddox had chosen for me, it all made sense. He stepped out first, then came around to my side of the car to open the door for me. I gave him my hand. after he offered me his and I stepped out, still blown away that he had brought me to the Valmont House. He nodded at a few familiar faces and held me closer as we approached the steps, as if marking his territory when he caught a few men staring at me. The lobby was so breathtaking that I couldn¡¯t stop looking around. There were crystal chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling, multiple ck and golden stairs leading in different directions and the unique lighting gave the entire ce a unique glow. There was still so much to see but my neck already ached a little as I¡¯d been constantly moving my head in all directions.. I didn¡¯t even realize how much I was gawking until Maddox leaned in and said, ¡°Careful, or you¡¯ll give yourself whish.¡± I gently elbowed him, still taking in the view of everything around me. Right there on the ground floor, we approached a door that was guarded by men in tuxedos. It was the kind of security that was full of intimidation. I already felt uneasy, but Maddox on the other hand was still radiating confidence. One of them held a sleek clipboard as he asked in a cool business¨Clike tone. ¡°Names?¡± ¡°Maddox Aldridge and Harper Moore,¡± hezily said. The guard¡¯s eyes scanned the guest list and I actually held my breath, but quickly realized there was no need when he nodded. ¡°They¡¯re here,¡± he said, stepping aside ¡°Wee.¡± The guards behind him pushed the door open and as we walked in, I sighed with relief. Just as expected, when I nced at Maddox, he was still unbothered. I stared at his side profile for a few seconds, his posture at ease with a smirk at the corner of his mouth. ¡°What?¡± he asked, catching me mid¨Cstare. ¡°I just don¡¯t understand how you pulled this off. It¡¯s usually so impossible to get on that list, even for people like you.¡± 7:02 Fri, Sep 26 He nced at me, eyes filled with amusement as he leaned in closer. ¡°I was able to get us on that list because I¡¯m Maddox Aldridge.¡± Blueprint 72 Chapter 72 Maddox Only a few seconds after we stepped inside, Harper forgot all about me. Her wide eyes roamed the walls, her jaw dropping with every new piece of art sheid her eyes on. She wasn¡¯t trying to hide her genuine reaction. ¡°Honestly, everything is more beautiful in person,¡± she whispered, almost to herself, but it was loud enough for me to hear. I shoved my hands in my pockets, watching her move from painting to painting like a kid that had been unleashed in a candy store. It all made me smile even when I didn¡¯t mean to. She stopped in front of one particr painting, leaning closer to take in the details. A few strands of her perfectly styled hair slid forward to cover one eye and she blew at it a few times but it refused to cooperate. It stubbornly fell over her eye again. I caught myself staring at her the entire time and she must have felt it because she suddenly turned her head towards me. Quickly, I changed my expression to bored and nonchnt, like I hadn¡¯t just been staring at her. Why the hell did I even need topose myself? I had nothing to hide. She walked towards me, lowering her voice until I felt the warmth of her breath against my ear. ¡°This is the best art exhibition ever!¡± I tilted my head down at her. ¡°Of course it is and it¡¯s about to get even better.¡± She scoffed, raising her eyebrows. ¡°Better than seeing all this up close?¡± ¡°Yup. It¡¯ll be a million times better.¡± Her curiosity was adorable, but I didn¡¯t leave her waiting too long. ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re about to meet the artist himself.¡± She gasped so loudly that a few heads turned quickly. She pped both hands over her mouth, her eyes darting around the room like she had justmitted a crime. I held in myugh, savoring every second of her reaction. She could cover her mouth all she wanted, but she couldn¡¯t hide the sparkle in her eyes. It was the kind of excitement I¡¯d been hoping to see. There was a sudden round of apuse that broke out behind us and Harper turned with wide eyes. I already knew who it was before I even saw him. ¡°There he is,¡± I said, leaning closer to her. ¡°Dante Moretti, in the flesh.¡± Her reaction was priceless. She froze with lips parted as the sight of him left her at a loss for words. He walked towards the crowd, lifting a hand to greet everyone with the kind of effortless charm that made his name legendary. Then, his speech began, thanking everyone foring and the inspiration behind each piece. 7:02 Fri, Sep 26 200 255 voucherk The whole time, Harper¡¯s hand rested on my arm and she unconsciously squeezed it lightly every now and then, her attention fixed on him, not me. I didn¡¯t even mind. Her excitement showed through every small gesture, especially when Dante spoke about the painting she loved the most. When he finally wrapped up and the crowd began to break up, I leaned towards her ear. ¡°Come on. It¡¯s time to meet him.¡± ¡°What?¡± She blinked rapidly, like she was stunned. ¡°You mean-¡± I didn¡¯t even give her time to finish as I pulled her along, heading straight to him. He noticed me approaching him and instantly smiled at me. ¡°Maddox Aldridge!¡± He greeted me warmly, cing his hand on my shoulder. ¡°Such an honor to have you here. It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Too long actually.¡± I smiled back. I hadn¡¯t been to his exhibitions in a long time. Then, I pulled Harper closer. ¡°There¡¯s someone you need to meet. This is Harper Moore.¡± ¡°It¡¯s such an honor. I¡¯m a huge fan of your work.¡± Her voice trembled lightly and it was so cute that I held in myugh. ¡°Thank you. That means more than you know.¡± He gave her a genuine smile. ¡°Would you like a picture together?¡± Her eyes grew so wide that I thought they might pop out. The look on her face had me holding back anotherugh. ¡°Y¨CYes please.¡± I stood back, watching her glow as he posed with her, her phone clutched in her shaky hand. She looked like she¡¯d just been handed the universe. When he excused himself to mingle with the others, she just stood frozen and stared at him like she couldn¡¯t believe it had just happened. She still hadn¡¯t even put her phone away. Then, she looked at me with genuine happiness and that did something inside of me. Tiffany had put her through hell the previous week. I¡¯d wanted to give her something like that to erase even a fraction of that pain and by the look on her face at that moment, I knew I did it. The two of us had dinner at one of my restaurants and I chose a corner table with the best view. She hadn¡¯t stopped talking since we sat down. She reyed every detail of the exhibit and still hadn¡¯t stopped checking the picture on her phone. I didn¡¯t even interrupt her. There was a constant sparkle in her eyes with every word she said and it all traced back to me because of my decision to bring her to the Valmont House. It all boosted my ego in ways I hadn¡¯t expected. 7:02 Fri, Sep 26 Then, she stopped talking, her gaze turning into something curious. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± she asked. I blinked as I looked to the side. Shit. I¡¯d been staring at her a bit too long without blinking. 12.55 vouchats I leaned back in my seat, slipping into my usual self. ¡°Nothing.¡± I pulled my phone from my pocket, looking down at the screen like that had been the n all along. ¡°Just a second.¡± She raised her eyebrows in curiosity but it all made sense to her when I held up the phone in front of me with the camera facing her. She posed, even tilting her head a little. Her lips curved into a natural smile that didn¡¯t even need effort. She then went crazy with the poses, doing whatever came to mind and I loved seeing that side of her. Even though I took a few pictures, I only meant to pick one but as I scrolled, I realized every picture hit differently. One was with herughing, one with her pretending to re at me and one with her caught off guard mid¨Cblink, but it somehow still looked wless. I couldn¡¯t choose. I wanted to post all of them. I was too caught up in the thought of it when someone called my name. ¡°Maddox?¡± That feminine voice sounded familiar and I raised my head from my phone, my heart skipping a beat at the sight of her. She approached our table from behind Harper, dressed to kill in her short dress that showed off her long legs. I wasn¡¯t expecting to see her and she looked at me like she wasn¡¯t expecting to see me either. Juliet. Blueprint 73 Chapter 73 Harper When I heard a feminine voice behind me, calling Maddox¡¯s name, I turned my head and saw someone around my age strutting towards our table like the restaurant was her runway. She had long legs, a sexy short dress and was dripping with confidence. She was the kind of girl that looked like she belonged on a magazine cover. I looked back at Maddox just in time to catch a strained smile and that said enough. He knew her well. It must have been the yboy in him that had history with her. Even when she got to our table, she walked past me and stopped by his chair like I wasn¡¯t even sitting there. ¡°It¡¯s been a while,¡± she said, her voice breathy. ¡°Been busy,¡± he replied, his tone just as cold as his expression. He wasn¡¯t being weing, but that didn¡¯t stop her. She leaned closer, trying to ce her hand on his shoulder but he moved to the side, a sign for her to stop. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to see you here,¡± he said. She pulled back her hand with a light chuckle. ¡°I just got back in town and thought I might order a meal here. The food here has always been so excellent. I¡¯m d I came because I got to run into you. We have so much to talk about.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to youter.¡± Hezily gestured in my direction. ¡°I¡¯m in the middle of a date.¡± She finally looked in my direction and I caught the scorn in her eyes. ¡°I can see that. I even saw you on his page, apart from all the other posts I¡¯ve seen about you in the past few weeks.¡± I could already feel the subtle aggression towards me, but I smiled politely and tilted my head. ¡°Who are you?¡± She chuckled before introducing herself. ¡°I¡¯m Juliet.¡± The name rang a bell. I couldn¡¯t stop the little scoff that escaped my lips as I leaned back in my chair. Maddox frowned while Juliet narrowed her eyes, like they were both wondering why I reacted that way. ¡°I¡¯m Harper,¡± I said to her. ¡°You look like a nice girl and all, so I¡¯ll give you a piece of advice. Run. Maddox had quite a long list of girls he liked to-¡± ¡°Whatever you want to say, don¡¯t.¡± I cut her off. ¡°The past is the past, so I don¡¯t care.¡± She smacked her lips, like she wasn¡¯t expecting that. Then, she straightened her back, as if trying to regain herposure but her ring nostrils gave it away. ¡°Can I borrow Maddox for a moment?¡± she forced a smile. ¡°No,¡± I said bluntly. 355 vouchers Maddox let out a littleugh with raised eyebrows, like he couldn¡¯t believe I had just said that out loud. I didn¡¯t even regret it at all as I watched her part her lips like she wanted to protest. But before she could speak, Maddox shut it down. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Juliet. We¡¯ll talk some other time. I¡¯ll call you.¡± And just like that, he ignored her, turning his attention back to me and talking about the exhibition as if she wasn¡¯t present. Embarrassed, she had no choice but to walk away. Even though Maddox wasn¡¯t my boyfriend, it felt good to watch her storm off like that. He also watched her for a few seconds, then brought his gaze back to me, leaned forward and said, ¡°That was hot.¡± I yfully rolled my eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what girlfriends do?¡± I expected a chuckle or something. Instead, what I got was a curious expression as he tilted his head. ¡°When Juliet said her name, what was that?¡± ¡°Oh, that.¡± I paused just to take a sip from my ss of wine. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that name before.¡± His eyebrows furrowed. ¡°But I never mentioned her before.¡± ¡°Grayson told me.¡± He nodded in understanding. ¡°Of course he did.¡± ¡°Yup, he mentioned it once, when he was still trying to give me reasons to stay away from you. He also mentioned ire.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Those two names usually go together. The three of us had a¡­.thing.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. The steak is delicious.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± ¡°Do what?¡± I paused. ¡°Change the topic so suddenly. You can ask me whatever you want. I know you want to.¡± He daringly smirked. He was right. I had a few questions about Juliet and ire. ¡°How did you meet them?¡± ¡°At a friend¡¯s birthday party. I wanted something different that night. They¡¯re friends, so I took them both with me. One night of fun turned into several more, behind the other¡¯s back. You¡¯re judging me, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What? I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± My tone was defensive. : He shook his head like he didn¡¯t believe me. ¡°It was fun while itsted, but I got bored.¡± ¡°So let me guess, ire might show up someday like Juliet?¡± ¡°Yup. You better be ready for that.¡± ¡°I¡¯d be pissed if I were hearing this as your girlfriend. Good thing I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± His voice was suddenly low. ¡°Anyway, ever since this rtionship went public, has Grayson contacted you?¡± ¡°Yup and I don¡¯t pick up his calls. He¡¯s actually been trying to reach me since what happened in London with Tiffany, but I¡¯d rather not talk to him. Ever since he said he¡¯s only made an exception because I saw Anna, things just aren¡¯t the same anymore. It¡¯s because I know that if not for her, he wouldn¡¯t even be talking to me and I¡¯d still be blocked.¡± ¡°Then why did he call you after our fake rtionship went public?¡± I paused, then shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know and I don¡¯t care.¡± He chuckled, lightly shaking his head. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy for you to say all this because he¡¯s not actually here. It¡¯s always easier to ignore someone over the phone. Let¡¯s see if you¡¯ll keep this up tomorrow at the estate.¡± I almost choked on my wine. ¡°See?¡± He teased me. ¡°Yoi know what? I¡¯ll be right back. I need to use thedies¡® room.¡± Maddox Harper was gone for at least five minutes and thedies¡® room was on the same floor, which meant she shouldn¡¯t have taken that long. She must have been touching up her makeup or something. I opened my gallery checking all the pictures I¡¯d taken of her. I couldn¡¯t help but smile to myself as I had finally decided that I was going to post all of them. Quickly, I opened my page, added the pictures and a caption, then posted. As soon as it was published, the sound of approaching heels caught my attention, so I looked up and I nearly rolled my eyes. Juliet was back. ¡°I thought you were gone,¡± I said with a little irritation. ¡°I¡¯m still around. I just noticed you¡¯re all alone and I had toe over. I didn¡¯t believe you when when you said 11:39 Sat, Sep 27 you¡¯d call me. I know you¡¯ve had your fun with me.¡± ¡°Then why are you even here?¡± She chuckled dismissively as she took a seat. ¡°Where¡¯s your girlfriend?¡± ¡°In thedies¡® room.¡± ¡°Then I better leave before she finds me in her seat. Ugh! She¡¯s so mean.¡± ¡°She¡¯s just trying to keep her man from girls like you,¡± I bragged. ¡°You keep forgetting that I¡¯m not just any girl.¡± She leaned forward flirtatiously. ¡°You and I had a good time and then you just¡­ stopped calling and texting me.¡± ¡°You could¡¯ve texted first.¡± ¡°I know, but I loved the chase when you chose me first and not ire. It was fun while itsted, but you know what? If you ever need something a little more¡­exciting-¡± ¡°No.¡± She scoffed. ¡°Damn, you didn¡¯t even let me finish.¡± ¡°No need to hear it. The answer is no.¡± She thoughtfully ced a hand on her chin. ¡°You know, I always thought you¡¯d never get yourself a girlfriend because you always made that so clear, but here you are. I can¡¯t help but wonder what Harper did right. What¡¯s that one thing that made you fall for her?¡± I took a few seconds to think about it, leaning back in my seat with a sigh of wonder. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± AD Comment Send gift Blueprint 74 Chapter 74 Maddox 55 vouchere On our way back from dinner, the drive to Harper¡¯s ce was quiet, except for her soft humming to the music on the radio. Her voice was barely audible, but it was enough to catch my attention. I found myself watching her more than the damn road. There was a way she absentmindedly tapped her fingers on her thigh, and that faint smile on her lips with her eyes closed. It got me. For the first time in a long time, I didn¡¯t feel the urge to touch her. Just watching her like that was enough and that realization scared me a little. Suddenly, she opened her eyes and looked over, making me jerk my eyes back to the road and pretend to focus. ¡°So¡­¡± she broke the silence, ¡°what am I supposed to wear to lunch at your father¡¯s estate?¡± Her timing couldn¡¯t have been worse as I was still trying to get my shit together after nearly being caught staring. It took me a few seconds to answer and she tilted her head, probably wondering what was going through my head. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it,¡± I finally said, keeping my voice casual. She raised her eyebrows with curiosity. ¡°What? Are you going to buy me a new outfit every time we have to go on one of these fake dates?¡± She teased. ¡°It¡¯s worth it.¡± The words slipped out before I could stop them and I instantly regretted it as her expression froze, surprise written all over her face. She wasn¡¯t expecting to hear that from me. The look she gave me made me instantly want to take it all back or at least cover it up with a smirk, an arrogant remark, fucking anything but in the end, I had noeback. When we got to her ce, I killed the engine and got out first, just like I always did. I held out my hand for her and as she ced hers on mine and stepped out of the car, I resisted the urge to hold her by the waist. I didn¡¯t even want to let go of her hand. I thought it was ridiculous that I felt that way, so I finally dropped my hand from hers. As we made our way to the doorstep, she wouldn¡¯t stop talking. Her voice and movements were full of happiness that made me nce at her side profile more than I should have. ¡°I know I¡¯ve said this a lot already, but I still can¡¯t believe you took me to The Valmont House,¡± she said, her handsing together like she was holding some invisible treasure. ¡°I¡¯ll never forget a single second of it. And the picture I took with Dante, I¡¯m framing it! That was¡­ damn, that was everything.¡± Seeing her so damn grateful over something so small still got to me. 11:49 Sat, Sep 27 M¡­ 473 at Savoochers After we got to the door, she began rummaging through her purse for the keys. ¡°Where the hell are they?¡± She muttered, digging deeper, her frustration rising. ¡°No, no, no. I can¡¯t believe this. Great¡­now I¡¯ll have to break down the beautiful door just to get in.¡± I leaned against the pir, watching her quietly. Hearing her panic wasn¡¯t annoying. It was amusing. She sighed, checked again and suddenly, her face lit up. ¡°Yes!¡± She pulled the keys out with triumph, doing a little hop in her heels and almost fell over. My reflexes took over and my hands wrapped around her waist before I could think. ¡°Careful,¡± I said, keeping her steady. Her face was so close to mine that I could feel the warmth of her breath. My eyes even betrayed me when they dropped to her lips before I forced myself to let her go. Quickly, she turned around, slipping the key into the lock. I stood behind her, fighting the image that ran through my head, which was turning her around, kissing her and carrying her inside to strip her naked. But no. I just stood in ce, my hands at my sides. When the door creaked open and she stepped inside, she turned back to me with a weing smile. ¡°Come in.¡± I shook my head lightly. ¡°I can¡¯t stay. I¡¯ve got work to do.¡± That was a lie. I had cleared the whole night just so I could rx. I also didn¡¯t know how long I¡¯d be out with her. There was still so much time, but I didn¡¯t feel the need to go inside. Her eyes flicked with surprise, but she hid it fast. ¡°Okay, thanks for this evening. Goodnight.¡± ¡°Goodnight, Harper.¡± Even after the door closed, I stood there for a few seconds. Maybe I should¡¯ve gone in so I could make her moan my name just like I always did, but as I walked away, I shook my head firmly and smiled to myself. That night was different and somehow¡­ it felt right. Harper E and Zoey were the first people I called early the following morning, their simultaneous squeals making me pull the phone away from my ear. ¡°The Valmont House and dinner at one of his restaurants?¡± Zoey said. ¡°This is just the beginning of greater things toe. The envy and hate in thements on the pictures Maddox posted! If only I couldugh in all their faces!¡± ¡°OMG, Harper!¡± E said, ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re giving yourself a chance to be in a rtionship again and with someone who deserves you, not that asshole Grayson.¡± 11:49 Sat, Sep 27 M¡­ My smile faded instantly and I went silent. It must have been obvious as Zoey clicked her tongue at E. ¡°Why did you have to bring him up?¡± A ¡°Look, I just couldn¡¯t help it, okay? Harper, you know I won¡¯t bring him up ever again if that¡¯s what you want.¡± I forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯m okay. No need to avoid talking about him.¡± Clearing her throat, Zoey said, ¡°Enough about him! Back to your boyfriend! That must¡¯ve been such a romantic date.¡± She sighed like she had just imagined it all. ¡°Did you have lit candles and roses? Was there somebody ying the piano for you two?¡± ¡°For me, the best part was meeting Dante,¡± I said. ¡°Girl, we know you love art and all but right now, we don¡¯t care about Dante,¡± E bluntly said. ¡°We care about Maddox. What happened after he dropped you off?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°What? Nothing?¡± they said in unison. ¡°Nothing at all.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Zoey snapped her fingers a few times like she was right. ¡°I¡¯m not. He said he had work to do and just left.¡± E gasped dramatically. ¡°That guy treats you like a full¨Ctime job when he gets his hands on you to make you feel everything he wants you to fucking feel.¡± ¡°I know.¡± My voice lowered as I thought about how on the way back, he didn¡¯t even touch me. Something felt different. Ell and Zoey brought up some theories, but I barely heard them as my mind kept reying the moment at my doorstep. There was a way he caught me, his hands sensually around my waist as his eyes dropped to my lips and then¡­ nothing. As I still tried to figure out why, my phone buzzed with a text from Maddox. ¡°Check your front door.¡± I was so curious that I wasted no time telling my girls. I¡¯d call themter. I quickly hung up and hurried down the stairs, my heart racing as I took long strides in the living room. When I held onto the doorknob, I didn¡¯t know what to expect, so I held my breath, then swung the door open. 11:49 Sat, Sep 27 M Blueprint 75 hapter 75 Chapter 75 Harper 73 56 vouchers There was a huge ck box that was neatly ced on my doorstep and tied with a silk ribbon. The packaging made it seem like something from a luxury store. I took it inside, closed the door and dropped it on the couch. When I opened it, the first thing I saw was a $4,000 receipt. I rolled my eyes with a chuckle as it was typical of Maddox to do such a thing. He wanted to make sure I knew exactly how much he had spent. Putting the receipt aside, I trailed my fingers over the ck fabric in the box. I was so curious about what it was that I took it out and held it up. It was then I realized it was a dress. There was no way I was going to try it on in the living room as I wanted to check myself out in the mirror, so I rushed upstairs, took off my clothes and put on the dress. I stood right in front of the mirror, feeling a little seductive as my corbone and shoulders were exposed. The top half of the dress clung to my body while the lower half cinched at the waist, then loosened into a skirt. The dress was the right length to show off part of my legs while keeping it elegant. I grabbed my phone, texting Maddox quickly to tell him that the dress was a perfect fit. His reply was almost instant as he asked for a picture. I smiled, loving the idea of making him wait until he¡¯de to pick me up just to see me in the dress. I was just about to put down the phone when he sent another text and this time, it had nothing to do with the dress. MADDOX: ¡°It¡¯s been confirmed. Tiffany and Grayson areing.¡± Even though seeing Tiffany¡¯s name triggered me a little, I knew what the n was, so I stared at my reflection and leaned forward like I was actually looking at her. I couldn¡¯t wait to y that game. A few hourster, I stood in front of the dressing mirror, curling thest strands of my hair into ce when my phone screen lit up with an iing call, Dean¡¯s name shing on it. ¡°Hey, you,¡± I said, cing the phone between my shoulder and ear. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just styling my hair.¡± ¡°Getting ready to go out?¡± His voice was filled with thatid¨Cback charm he always had. ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°Anything special?¡± He chuckled softly. ¡°Let me guess, another date with Maddox?¡± 11:49 Sat, Sep 27 M Chapter 75 27.45 vouchers ¡°Something like that. For you to say another date, I¡¯m guessing you saw what¡¯s been trending sincest evening.¡± ¡°Exactly. I¡¯ve talked myself out of this so many times, but I can¡¯t help it anymore. What did you do to him? The guy is supposed to be a heartbreaker, not someone who takes his official girl to art exhibitions.¡± I chuckled as I yed my part. ¡°His heartbreaking days are over now that I¡¯m around.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe that. I still feel that you need to be careful. You know what he did to my cousin. I¡¯d hate to see him break your heart, too.¡± I smiled painfully. ¡°That will never happen to me.¡± He sighed. ¡°I know you¡¯ve fallen deeply for him, but don¡¯t forget who you¡¯re dealing with. He might be your boyfriend, but he¡¯s still Maddox.¡± ¡°I know who he is,¡± I replied, my voice softer this time, ¡°But trust me, I won¡¯t get my heart broken.¡± I meant every word I said, because Maddox could never break my heart. The only one with that Grayson and he¡¯d already done it. power was At the sound of an engine outside, I paused with the mascara wand in my hand. It didn¡¯t sound like the usual sound I was used to. Curiosity got the better of me and I rushed to the window and peeked through the curtain, my jaw nearly dropping to the floor. There was a ck limousine right in my driveway. A chauffeur in a ck and white suit stepped out and opened the back door. Maddox stepped out in a beige suit, his hair styled just as it was the previous day but this time, he had some sunsses on and that made him look like he owned the entire city. My phone rang from the dressing mirror and I rushed over, his name shing on the screen. I pressed it against my ear, rushing back to the window just to stare at him. ¡°A limousine?¡± That was the first thing that came out of my mouth. He smirked, his voice casual. ¡°Yeah, I felt like doing something different today.¡± I had to remind myself that all that was normal for someone like him. It shouldn¡¯t even have surprised me as much as it did as I¡¯d been on his private jet before. Putting the mascara away, I made my way downstairs and opened the front door for him. His eyes scanned me from head to toe, slowly and deliberately. ¡°Well? How do I look?¡± I asked. He didn¡¯t answer right away. Instead, he lowered his shades and spoke in a quiet voice that was enough to 11:50 Sat, Sep 27 M make me press my thighs together. ¡°Turn around.¡± 73 55 vouchers Fuck. I¡¯d missed hearing him talk to me like that, which was why I immediately did as I was told. I gave him a whole 360 to show him the dress he¡¯d chosen for me from all angles. When I turned back to face him, his lower lip was stuck between his teeth, his eyes lustfully darkening. He then closed the distance between us, pulling me closer by the waist. My breath hitched as my hand rested on his chest. He didn¡¯t have to say, but I could feel the possessiveness radiating off of him. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± His tone was more of amand than it was an invitation. The previous evening had been different. He¡¯d been too restrained when he¡¯d dropped me off, but the guy taking me to the limousine was the Maddox I knew. The chauffeur held the door open and I stepped inside first, a gasp escaping my lips at the interior. There were cream leather seats, subtle golden lighting, a ceiling that glittered like stars and a minibar filled with a variety of liquor and champagne. I gotfortable in my seat, my fingers tracing the leather as I said, ¡°This is¡­¡± I trailed off as words failed me. Maddox took the seat right next to mine, stretching one arm across the backrest. The sleeve of his jacket brushed against my shoulder and he smirked at my reaction. ¡°Wait until you see the other ones.¡± Other ones? As if that one wasn¡¯t enough to blow my mind. As the ride to the Aldridge Estate began, he poured champagne into two sses and handed one ss to me. I wasn¡¯t even able to sip in peace as he wouldn¡¯t stop staring at me, especially my thighs. I didn¡¯t even have to wonder what was going through his head. I knew it all too well. Trying to shift the tension, I said, ¡°So, how did it feel being back in your San Francisco home and sleeping in your previous bed?¡± ¡°It was awesome.¡± He set down his ss to pull out his phone. ¡°I missed that bed. You¡¯re the only one who was missing from it.¡± I rolled my eyes. He was definitely back. ¡°I spoke to Aunt Patricia a few minutes before you arrived,¡± I said, watching the bubbles rise and pop in my ss. ¡°She¡¯s not happy about this at all. I¡¯m guessing you know why.¡± Hezily tilted his head as he scrolled on his phone and said, ¡°Tiffany.¡± I nodded in agreement. ¡°She says I should be staying far away from you, not getting closer. She¡¯ll never forgive Tiffany for what she did to me in London. That¡¯s why she can¡¯t stand that I¡¯m dating you, even though I¡¯m not.¡± 11:50 Sat, Sep 27 M¡­ For just a second, he paused with his thumb on his phone screen. ?? (73) 55 vouchers ¡°Yup,¡± he said, his stone casual at first as he continued scrolling through some work emails, then his voice turned quieter. ¡°Good thing this isn¡¯t real.¡± After that, he took his arm off the backrest, stared out the window and the conversation just died. I tried a few times to pull him back in with small things about the art exhibit, the dress, even ament about how unreal the limousine felt, but his replies were just short, like he wasn¡¯t interested. His phone was still in his hand even though he wasn¡¯t using it and it was then that I assumed it must have been because of those emails. He must¡¯ve had so much pending work but chose to be with me so he could convince Tiffany that I was his girlfriend and get her off my back. With that in mind, I gave him some space, making myself busy on my phone by reading thements on his most recent post about me. Not one girl gave me apliment on how gorgeous I looked and left it at that. They just had to add some subtle negativity. I stole nces at Maddox every now and then, but not once did he stop staring out the window with a nk expression. Finally, he broke the silence, his voice back to his usual self. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± I immediately put my phone away, smoothing the fabric of my dress and ready to put on a show. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Blueprint 76 hapter 76 Harper Maddox had told me that we¡¯d arrived, but every glimpse of the horizon only revealed endless empty grounds. ¡°It really feels like we¡¯ve been in this limousine forever since you told me we¡¯ve arrived.¡± I looked over at him as I said it and it wasn¡¯t even in protest, but in curiosity. He didn¡¯t answer right away, just nced at me from the corner of his eye. ¡°Everyone feels that way the first time theye here. This is all part of the estate. Just wait.¡± N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on find?novel It took another five minutes, but I finally began to see a change. On both sides of the road, there were trees trimmed so perfectly that they looked like they had been painted. There were also fountains that sparkled even under the afternoon light as we moved along. Then, the limousine turned at the corner, revealing the main house and it instantly took my breath away. It was so towering that it looked like something out of a historical film. I was already feeling so small and almost out of ce. We finally made it to the front yard and the chauffeur stepped out first and opened the door for Maddox, who then came all the way around just to open the door for me. The chauffeur could¡¯ve done that, but Maddox wanted to use every opportunity just in case they were watching from inside. I had barely taken any steps towards the towering house, yet it seemed to grow bigger. My dress might have cost $4000, but it felt so ordinarypared to that ce. I was still looking around when Maddox intertwined his fingers with mine after holding my hand. ¡°By the looks of it, Grayson and Tiffany aren¡¯t yet here,¡± he said. ¡°Come on. It¡¯s time to make an entrance.¡± I followed him, my heels clicking softly on the pavers. As he guided me towards the front doors, leaned towards me to whisper, ¡°My dad¡¯s in the study. He¡¯s the one I want you to meet first. He says we¡¯rete but so what? The goal was to make an entrance anyway. One more thing, I don¡¯t give a shit about Margot.¡± It was so sudden and blunt that my eyes widened and I stopped in my tracks. ¡°What?¡± He scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t act so surprised. I know you don¡¯t give a shit either. That¡¯s why when we get inside, there¡¯s no need to pretend. You¡¯re not trying to impress her.¡± His grip on my hand tightened as he continued to talk about how much he didn¡¯t care about her and I looked down at it. ¡°What exactly happened for you to feel this way about her?¡± He sighed, loosening his grip on my hand when he realized what he was doing. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you all about itter. Let¡¯s go.¡± 87 265 vouchers The entrance hall didn¡¯t make me feel small. It made me hyper¨Caware, like every step mattered. There was a line of butlers and maidservants right along that hall who greeted us with politeness while bowing slightly. It was their warm smiles that made me feel at ease for a few seconds. But that all vanished the moment we rounded the corner into the living room and Mrs Aldridge was right there, rising from her seat the moment she spotted us. ¡°You¡¯re here!¡± Her face beamed with that venomous politeness and my chest tightened, memories of the p she¡¯d once delivered at Maddox¡¯s birthday shing in my mind. Maddox exhaled with an effort as he whispered to me, ¡°I kinda knew we¡¯d run into her first, but that doesn¡¯t change anything. Watch.¡± He faced forward as she approached us, her arms open as if to hug him. ¡°It¡¯s good to have you home, my son.¡± Just as she was about to lean in so she could wrap her arms around him, he took a step back, holding up his hand to block her and the fake warmth from her smile faltered. I had to swallow my gasp and press my lips together at how he didn¡¯t hide his emotions at all. I knew he didn¡¯t give a shit about her, just as he had told me, but I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d show it like that. Then, her gaze shifted to me and she didn¡¯t even attempt to shake my hand, her eyes scanning me with a mixture of disbelief and scorn. ¡°I would¡¯ve never thought that my son would end up taking you seriously.¡± His grip on my hand tightened once again and I looked up at him, wondering what was going on with him. Quickly, my attention shifted back to her when she said, ¡°I wonder at what point you two decided to get together, considering the type of history you¡¯ve had in the past few weeks.¡± Her nosiness was loud and irritating and after the p from that day, I was no longer going to tolerate her. The best part was, I didn¡¯t have to pretend, thanks to him. It was time to ignore her, so I nced up at Maddox and spoke in a sweet voice. ¡°Babe, I thought you said I was meeting your dad.¡± He smirked, like he was impressed. ¡°You¡¯re about to meet him. This way.¡± And with that, the two of us walked past Mrs Aldridge, her mouth open as if to protest, but we didn¡¯t stop or even look back at her. A rush of triumph and relief washed over me. The power of ignoring her felt so satisfying and I was going to save her every moment of it. Maddox stopped at a polished wide door, gently knocking on it while bringing his head closer to listen. ¡°Come in,¡± a deep andmanding voice answered from inside. I instantly felt a knot in my stomach. This was it. This was the man whose approval mattered the most. If I was going to keep up this fake rtionship, I had to face him. 16:11 Mon, Sep 29 87 55 vouchers Maddox pushed the door open and guided me inside. The study was lined with books wall¨Cto¨Cwall and the air was a mix of cigars and cologne. Mr. Aldridge stood near therge desk, his sleeves rolled up and eyes fixed on a stack of papers. He finally looked up and his face was just a nk expression, but his words caught me off guard. ¡°Ah, there you are,¡± he said, warm and polished. ¡°You¡¯re a littlete, but¡­¡± his eyes scanned our outfits. ¡°¡­I can see why.¡± His nk expression didn¡¯t match his tone, but that was still enough to put me at ease. cing his hand on my waist, Maddox said, ¡°This is Harper, my girlfriend.¡± Mr. Aldridge gave a faint smile as he stepped forward. ¡°I obviously know who you are, but now, you¡¯re the girl who finally melted my son¡¯s heart.¡± I managed to force a small smile. ¡°You¡¯re right about that.¡± I was just d my voice didn¡¯t crack. ¡°What can I say?¡± Maddox chimed in. ¡°She actually did it.¡± I had to pretend like Maddox¡¯s tone made my heart flutter. Mr. Aldridge chuckled softly, still with a nk expression as he turned towards the window, where the curtains framed the long stretch of the driveway. ¡°I have to admit that I was watching you two from up here when you arrived. You made quite the entrance. I¡¯m happy for you, Maddox.¡± I still couldn¡¯t get over the way Maddox had spoken to his father the first time I¡¯d heard him on the phone, and the way he sounded different yesterday. Seeing their interaction in person now made it all much clearer that things were definitely a little different and I wondered what had led to that. I couldn¡¯t wait for him to tell
  1. me.
¡°Now that you two are here, we only need to wait for Tiffany and Grayson,¡± Mr Aldridge said, turning to face us again. ¡°Harper, about what my daughter did to you in London, it shouldn¡¯t have happened.¡± My eyes slightly narrowed as the thought of the pain I¡¯d been through upset me a little. I didn¡¯t expect him to bring it up so suddenly and I wondered how I was going to feel after seeing Tiffany. AD Comment Blueprint 77 Harper 87 55 vouchers Maddox decided to show me some parts of the house, his hand resting on my lower back like it was the most natural thing in the world. I couldn¡¯t decide if it was for show, or if he had forgotten that we didn¡¯t actually have to pretend when no one was around. But I reminded myself of the countless times he¡¯d held me like he owned me. When we came to the indoor swimming pool lined with white loungers, I subtly nodded to myself. ¡°What?¡± he asked after catching it. ¡°I can¡¯t tell which swimming pool I prefer between this one and the one at your ce. ¡°Mine is obviously better.¡± He bragged. I rolled my eyes. ¡°Keep telling yourself that.¡± He chuckled while shaking his head and we kept moving until the tennis courts came into view. There were two of them, side¨Cby¨Cside and I already felt that was a bit too much, but I reminded myself of where I was. ¡°Do you even y tennis?¡± I asked, raising my eyebrows. ¡°Wanna get in there and find out just how good I am?¡± I raised my hands in defeat. ¡°Let¡¯s not even bother. I suck.¡± Stepping forward, he bit his bottom lip and said, ¡°Of course you do.¡± I yfully rolled my eyes as I gently hit the side of his arm. ¡°Let¡¯s just go.¡± We walked further along the estate path when we came to an open field, the trimmed hedges and manicuredwns so perfect that I couldn¡¯t look away. I was busy wondering how they came out that way when I realized he wasn¡¯t looking around like me, he was looking at me. I could feel it in my peripheral vision. Every time I jerked my head in his direction to catch him looking at me, he quickly looked away, like he was studying the hedges and manicuredwns on the other side. I decided to ignore it, or at least pretend. ¡°You know,¡± I began, ¡°After seeing a few floors inside the house and most of the outside, I still prefer your ce.¡± That stopped him in his tracks, turning to face me with furrowed eyebrows. ¡°Which one exactly? San Francisco or London?¡± My steps came to a halt too. ¡°Both. In my eyes, either one is better.¡± He studied me for a few seconds before facing forward again and resuming his stride. ¡°Most grownups prefer 16:11 Mon, Sep 29 the Aldridge Estate.¡± 9: 87 55 vouchers I quickly caught up with him. ¡°Good thing I¡¯m not one of them. I believe age group might be influencing preference here and that makes sense¡­.because I¡¯m young and fun!¡± Iughed, but the sound came out a little shaky because he was still staring at me. And it wasn¡¯t in that way that made it feel like he wanted to own me between the sheets. He looked at me like he was searching for something. By the time we made it to the spacious garden with a variety of flowers, he was still looking at me and I couldn¡¯t take it anymore, so I stopped in my tracks again with folded arms and turned to face him. ¡°Okay, seriously, what¡¯s going on with you?¡± He didn¡¯t answer right away, his hands sliding into his pockets with a deep sigh. ¡°I¡¯m worried about you,¡± he said, his eyes locked on mine. ¡°What?¡± The words hit me harder than I expected. ¡°I said I¡¯m worried about you.¡± I forced a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± His eyes slightly narrowed, like he didn¡¯t believe me. ¡°I saw the way your face changed when my father mentioned Tiffany.¡± My stomach twisted, but I kept my head steady. ¡°I¡¯ll be just fine when I see her.¡± He shook his head slowly. ¡°That¡¯s not it. You¡¯re still mad that she got away with what she did to you in London.¡± He was absolutely right about that and I pressed my lips together, trying not to give him the satisfaction of being right. But then, I just couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± I said, ¡°but I understand why. And I¡¯m the one who agreed to a fake rtionship with you so I could get her off my back, so that¡¯s what we¡¯ll do. Now, are you going to keep showing me around or do you prefer standing here and talking about her?¡± He seemed like he didn¡¯t want to let it go, but he decided not to push, raising the corner of his mouth as he nced at my legs. ¡°You¡¯ll be tired in those heels. There¡¯s still so much to see.¡± I ced a hand on my chest with a little entitlement. ¡°Then you¡¯ll just have to carry me.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± His forehead creased with amusement, but it soon faded when his gaze shifted past me as it turned sharp and alert. Curious, I looked back to follow it and at a distance, I spotted Mrs Aldridge watching us from a window. With a firm grip, he intertwined his fingers with mine, grabbing my attention again. His posture was now all 16:11 Mon, Sep 29 about performance and possession. ¡°It¡¯s showtime.¡± He winked at me and fuck, that actually made my heart skip a beat. This content belongs to find¡¤novel As we moved further along, my mind circled back to what I had witnessed when we arrived. ¡°I can¡¯t help but wonder what your dad will say when he finds out you ignored a wee hug.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t say much about it.¡± His voice was confident and dismissive. ¡°Really?¡± I tilted my head with surprise. He nced down at me. ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°Well, what about me? I treated her the same way you did.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I told you to do it. She¡¯s no one important, so don¡¯t worry.¡± My eyes narrowed. ¡°Look, she isn¡¯t the nicest person out there, but she¡¯s still your mom-¡± (873 55 vouchers ¡°Don¡¯t ever call her that,¡± he sharply cut me off as he let go of my hand, his gaze suddenly turning cold. My steps came to a halt, shocked by the sudden tone of his voice. It wasn¡¯t like him, not with me. I parted my lips but no words came out. Then, it finally clicked. Earlier in the living room, every time Margot called him her son, his hand squeezed mine a little too tightly. He sighed quickly, dragging a hand down his face. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to sound-¡± ¡°Like an ass?¡± He chuckled lightly, his expression not so cold anymore. ¡°We¡¯re far enough from the house, so no one¡¯s listening. You¡¯re obviously wondering why things are like that between Margot and me.¡± I didn¡¯t even want to nod as I thought I might overdo it. I was too eager to find out. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s definitely crossed my mind,¡± I admitted. His mouth opened, like he was finally about to tell me. ¡°When I-¡° His phone suddenly rang in his pocket, cutting him off mid¨Csentence. My jaw clenched, wondering why that had to happen at that moment. I crossed my arms, watching him take it out and nce at the screen. ¡°It¡¯s my dad.¡± He picked up and the call was just a handful of words. 16:11 Mon, Sep 29 55 vouchers ¡°Change of ns,¡± he said to me, slipping his phone back into his pocket as he looked at me. ¡°It¡¯s time to go. Grayson and Tiffany are here.¡± I smacked my lips. ¡°Well, okay, good thing you¡¯ll keep talking as we head back.¡± ¡°Nope.¡± He reached for my hand, pulling me along with him. ¡°What? Come on.¡± I groaned. ¡°You left me hanging.¡± ¡°I know,¡± he bragged. ¡°You¡¯ll just have to wait. me it on Grayson and Tiffany¡¯s arrival. It¡¯s their fault.¡± While I hated that he was going to make me wait, I hated it even more that it was time toe face to face with Tiffany¡­and the only guy who could make my heart race for so many reasons. AD Blueprint 78 Harper 63 vouchere Maddox led me through the front door again and when we turned at the corner and made our way towards the living room, my chest tightened at the sight of Tiffany, sitting on the couch with her legs crossed. Right next to her was Grayson and God, he looked unbelievably attractive in that suit. Even after everything he¡¯d said and done, seeing him again and so close, made my heart flutter. My gaze then shifted back to Tiffany when she chuckled mockingly, heat instantly rising in my cheeks as I was fuming. I wanted to charge towards her and punch her right in the face, even though I knew I couldn¡¯t even do that. The thought of it already made me clench my fist and I would have done it with both hands if not for Maddox holding onto the other one. He felt me squeeze his hand and immediately squeezed mine back. I looked up at him and he subtly shook his head, telling me to stay calm. I even thought he and I should just go another way, but no. This was exactly what needed to happen. I needed to show her that she¡¯d never see me break down the way I didst time. I had already bawled my eyes out until my tears dried up. As I led the way, she tilted her head to the side with narrowed eyes, like she was wondering what I was about to do. They both rose to their feet and began to approach us, Grayson getting closer to whisper something to her. Afterwards, he cleared his throat and said, ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Harp.¡± He had the nerve to act like he hadn¡¯tshed out at me several times and that should¡¯ve upset me, but it didn¡¯t. Maybe it was because I was with Maddox but he spoke to me first and that made me feel special even when I knew I wasn¡¯t. I only managed to smile, unable to say anything in return as I didn¡¯t have anything nice to say. When we were close enough to each other, Tiffany paid no attention to me as she focused on her brother. ¡°New suit?¡± she said like she was impressed. ¡°Yup,¡± Maddox bragged, his hand resting on my hip. As Tiffany admitted she was jealous and demanded to know who the designer was, Grayson took in the sight of me from head to toe with a nk expression. And then, it was only for a second, but it was enough for me to catch the crack in his expression when his gaze lingered on my cinched waist. It made my heart flutter like a fucking idiot and I nearly smiled. But everything changed the moment he pulled her closer and held her by the waist in an intimate way. I tried so hard not to stare at him, but how could I not when my broken heart was still longing for him? ¡°I still can¡¯t believe dad invited you for lunch so soon,¡± Tiffany finally locked her eyes on mine with a look of disgust, her expression softening when she looked at her brother. ¡°It¡¯s been so long since you brought a date 16:12 Mon, Sep 29 AB 55 vouchers that he thought he¡¯d better be quick before you get bored and move on. I wasn¡¯t even surprised when I heard that dad was behind all this. It can never be mom, knowing what she knows about this bi-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking dare,¡± Maddox warned her. ¡°You better watch the way you talk to my wife,¡± Grayson cut in to warn Maddox. Maddox scoffed. ¡°Never one to speak up these days when Tiffany¡¯s saying some shit, but quick toe to her defense the moment she gets what she deserves.¡± Grayson didn¡¯t even say a word, only looking to the side. ¡°Anyway, before mom and dade back down,¡± Tiffany said in her annoying voice. ¡°Let¡¯s get one thing clear, Harper. I put the past behind me and gave up any acts of revenge but you started it again when you made up those lies about Josh and I. I just got even by going after what you wanted the most. So don¡¯t stand there and act like you¡¯re the victim here, because I am. Isn¡¯t that right, babe?¡± She turned her head to look at Grayson, wanting his approval. I actually held my breath, wondering what he was going to say about it. And it was just as I expected. ¡°You should¡¯ve just backed off, Harp,¡± Grayson said, holding Tiffany even closer. I scoffed, d I didn¡¯t return any of his calls or text back. Because that was what I was going to hear from him. Maddox must¡¯ve picked up on how hearing Grayson say that made me feel as he moved behind me and wrapped his arms around my body. ¡°Babe, need a drink?¡± he said against my ear and the vibrations of his voice and warmth of his breath sent a shiver down my spine. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± I looked to the side and up at him with a bright smile, cing my hand on his arm. ¡°It¡¯s not too long ago that we had champagne in the limo on our way here.¡± ¡°Then let me guess, you just want to grab a bite?¡± I giggled. ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Tiffany rolled her eyes. Maddox and I looked over and she couldn¡¯t hide her disgust, but I didn¡¯t even pay much attention to her as I was more focused on Grayson, who had his jaw clenched as he kept ncing at my hand on top of Maddox¡¯s arms that were still wrapped around me. What the hell was his problem? ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Mrs Aldridge¡¯s voice chimed in from the stairs. We all looked over and there she was, making an entrance while on Mr Aldridge¡¯s arm. She was acting like we hadn¡¯t met earlier when Maddox and I had ignored her. ¡°I thought you¡¯d all be in the dining room,¡± she continued. ¡°Come along. There¡¯s so much to talk about.¡± Not only was her tone sinister, she also specifically looked at me when she said it. 86 355 vouchers I¡¯d never expect anything good from her and despite Maddox telling me not to pay too much attention to her, I had a feeling that something wasing. Find the newest release on find~novel 16:12 Mon, Sep 29 Blueprint 79 Harper A 186 55 vouchers Mr and Mrs Aldridge took the seats at the ends of the table while Grayson and Tiffany sat right across from. Maddox and me. Each time I came to the conclusion that all the food was served, the chefs kept returning with more to add to the table. The aroma was enough to make my mouth water. In any other situation, it would¡¯ve deeply hurt me to watch Grasyosn and Tiffany whisper to each other, knowing that despite everything that had happened, he was still the one. But I didn¡¯t get to see much as Maddox had my full attention, talking about Dante and how he¡¯d take me to all his uing exhibitions. My genuine excitement seemed to get on Grayson and Tiffany¡¯s nerves the one time I nced at them. It was only when Mrs Aldridge cleared her throat and clinked a ss with a spoon that we all stopped talking and looked in his direction. ¡°When I said we had so much to talk about, I didn¡¯t mean to yourselves.¡± She rolled her eyes with a chuckle and paused, as if waiting for someughter, but that wasn¡¯t as funny as she thought it was. Maddox and I even shared a knowing nce. Quickly realizing it, she said, ¡°Anyway, the menu today was my idea. Enjoy!¡± Discover more novels at find?novel She sat back down with a smile that faded when she nced at me. I paid little attention to her as Maddox asked me what I wanted to have first since there was so much variety. I first went for what made my mouth water the most and as we all began to speak, his tone polite. faciat, Mr Aldridge was the first to ¡°So, Harper, it¡¯s so interesting to me that you and my son¨Cinw go way back.¡± I paused with the fork in my hand, forcing myself to smile and I caught Grayson doing the same. ¡°Yes, we do. I¡¯ve known him for years,¡± I said, my voice getting quieter towards the end as I thought about how he threw all that way for Tiffany. hough for ¡°I remember seeing the two of you in the streets when you were younger, looking like you were looking for some trouble.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Mrs Aldridge annoyingly cut in. ¡°Those days were fun while theysted. Grayson dear, if you could choose between going back to those days and this particr moment in time, what would it be?¡± He chuckled in disbelief. ¡°Do you even have to ask?¡± He lovingly looked at Tiffany. ¡°I¡¯d choose being here with my wife and our little one on the way over everything else.¡± 16:12 Mon, Sep 29 ¡°Me too, babe.¡± Tiffany chimed in, her voice sweet. ¡°Aww. Isn¡¯t this so romantic?¡± Mrs Aldridge said. ¡°You two are such lovebirds!¡± 86 65 vouchers I was trying so hard not to roll my eyes at her. Mr Aldridge was only trying to get a conversation started and she flipped it so it wouldn¡¯t be about me. ¡°So. Harper, how¡¯s it so far working at DataSphere Solutions?¡± Mr Aldridge asked, still trying to keep the focus on me. I smiled, appreciating his efforts to pay attention to me. ¡°It was much easier in the beginning but now, the workload is too much. Sometimes I don¡¯t even think I¡¯llplete tasks on time.¡± ¡°Too bad none of us here can rte,¡± Mrs Aldridge annoyingly cut in again. ¡°That¡¯s because we don¡¯t answer to anyone. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± She looked around the table for approval, Grayson and Tiffany being the only ones who nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t be the only one here who¡¯s curious.¡± Mrs Aldridge leaned forward, her eyes locked on Maddox and me. ¡°We all know you¡¯ve been messing around with each other for a while now and-¡± Mr Aldridge loudly cleared his throat to keep her in check and she paused for a few seconds, as if to choose her next words wisely. ¡°When did you two decide to get together?¡± she said. Maddox looked over at me. ¡°It¡¯s close to two weeks now. I just realized I wanted something more than what we had¡­because she¡¯s amazing and when I told her, it turns out I wasn¡¯t the only one feeling that way.¡± ¡°Well, better than nothing, right?¡± she mockingly said. ¡°Did you know that there are some situations in which nothing is better?¡± I raised my eyebrows a little in surprise at how that was obviously aimed at our fake rtionship.. ¡°Son,¡± Mr Aldridge said, ¡°you haven¡¯t brought anyone home before. I¡¯m d we finally get to share a moment like this.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if these two broke up tomorrow.¡± Mrs Aldridge chuckled with delight. ¡°Knowing Maddox, he¡¯ll get bored easily since this has been going on for a while. That¡¯s why as a girl, you never give it all away before a rtionship turns-¡± ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve decided to keep the center mansion in Larkspur Hills for myself,¡± Maddox sharply interrupted her. Mr Aldridge nodded, like he was pleased. ¡°That¡¯s great. I was wondering if I¡¯d hear something like that.¡± ¡°That ce was so huge that before Maddox took me there, he gave me a heads up to wear somefortable shoes,¡± I chimed in. ¡°That was great thinking.¡± Mr Aldridge pointed out. ¡°Wait, you went to Larkspur Hills?¡± Mrs Aldridge¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°When was this?¡± 16:12 Mon, Sep 29 ¡°A while back.¡± Maddoxzily sipped from his ss. 8 65 vauchere ¡°And why am I only finding out about it now?¡± She snapped a little, mainly because things weren¡¯t going her way. ¡°Honey, leave him alone.¡± Mr Aldridge shut her up. ¡°I thought I told you about it. I must have imagined it. The important thing is that he liked it enough to keep something for himself.¡± She huffed, leaning back in her seat with pursed lips. For a moment, she seemed defeated. Then, she reached for her ss of water, bringing it to her lips but not drinking from it right away. ¡°Oh, Harper, I hate sitting here and pretending like we all don¡¯t know what¡¯s going through your head about Tiffany and what she did to youst week in London.¡± AD The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Blueprint 80 Harper I hated how she put me on the spot and it took me a few seconds to even react. 655 vouche She knew that no matter what, I wasn¡¯t going tosh out the way I would have, had Mr Aldridge not been present. To my surprise, it was Tiffany herself who seemed to panic when she said, ¡°Mom, there¡¯s no need to bring that up right now.¡± ¡°Oh,e on sweetie. It¡¯s okay.¡± Her mother chuckled dismissively. ???? ????s? ???????s ?? find[?]ovel Even with that, Tiffany still seemed a little ufortable and she wasn¡¯t the only one. Grayson huffed loudly, his eyes darting between his mother¨Cinw and me. Was I missing something? I nced at Maddox and all he did was just smirk at me, as if he liked where things were going and was just going to enjoy the show. ¡°As far as I know, my daughter put everything behind her so she could focus on this new chapter, now that she¡¯s going to be a mother. For whatever reason she did what she did to you-¡± ¡°For whatever reason?¡± I snapped. ¡°You say it like it¡¯s not already obvious and¡­¡± I trailed off when Maddox leaned towards me and whispered in my ear. I had to keep my expression nk when all I wanted to do was grow wide eyed as I learned that Grayson and Tiffany didn¡¯t talk about the Josh situation to anyone. Maddox even left it up to me to talk about it or just let it be. As he sat upright again, I faced the table, wondering what difference it was going to make if I brought up Josh. I didn¡¯t know if Mr Aldridge wouldsh out at me, depending on whether he was going to believe me or not, but his reaction didn¡¯t matter. Grayson¡¯s reaction was all that mattered and I¡¯d already seen how he¡¯d stood by Tiffany¡¯s side no matter how solid my evidence was. It was for this reason that I chose not to even bring it up. Since it was believed that there was no reason behind what Tiffany had done, the situation should¡¯ve worked in my favor even more, but it didn¡¯t. She needed to be painted as the one who was wrong foring after me the way she did, but Mrs Aldridge was her mother and that was enough to make any situation work in their favor. ¡°Harper,¡± Tiffany said in a sweet voice, cing a hand on her chest. ¡°I¡¯m deeply sorry about what I did to you. I really did put the past behind me, but I just couldn¡¯t help it and fell into old habits a-¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Mr Aldridge sharply cut her off. ¡°How dare you sit here and-¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Tiffany suddenly whimpered, cing a hand on her stomach with her eyes shut in difort. Grayson and his mother¨Cinw panicked the most and she even rushed to her so they could check on her together. (100 55 vouchers ¡°Will you be happy if something happens to my grandchild?¡± Mrs Aldridge snapped at her husband, who was now worried and just stood in ce after getting up from his seat. I couldn¡¯t tell if Tiffany was being serious or just trying to use her pregnancy to her advantage. It all became clear when she assured everyone she¡¯d be fine, waited until they were back in their seats, then nced at me, as if to show me she had everyone wrapped around her finger. ¡°I¡¯m the one at fault, here.¡± Mrs Aldridge yed the victim. ¡°I¡¯m the one who brought up the incident in London. Starting now, we won¡¯t talk about it. That¡¯s not good for my poor daughter¡¯s condition.¡± ¡°Mom, it¡¯s okay. I still want to apologize to-¡± ¡°Oh, please, nonsense. Your well¨Cbeing is more important here. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± She looked around the table for approval. Mr Aldridge had a few moments where he¡¯d spoken out strongly against his wife and daughter, but at that moment, he said nothing. Was he also wrapped around Tiffany¡¯s finger? He didn¡¯t seem like the type, but the situation made me feel that way. As Mrs Aldridge encouraged Tiffany to focus on taking care of herself, I felt Mr Aldridge looking in my direction. I looked up from my te, only to find that his gaze was on Maddox. I looked over at Maddox and he was doing the same thing. At that moment, it felt like they shared a knowing look. Then, Maddox looked at me, smirked and focused on his meal. It was none of my business. That wasn¡¯t even a real rtionship but whatever was going on, I felt left out and I hated that it might be that way forever. Maddox stretched his hand to reach the bowl of potatoes, even straining his voice a little, but they were just out of reach. Mrs Aldrige was close enough to pass them on to him, but she pretended not to see him struggle, even talking about the uing ball that was meant to be a fundraising event. It was obvious that she just wanted him to ask and he did, but it was the way he did it that made me swallow my gasp. ¡°Margot, pass me the bowl of potatoes.¡± Everyone went silent and she blinked rapidly at how he had addressed her. She smiled in disbelief but said nothing about it and I realized that wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d addressed her like that to her face. I nced at Mr Aldridge, expecting him to scold Maddox and address his step¨Cmother ordingly, but he just cut his steak in silence, not even pausing for a second. The only ones who seemed like they had something to say about it were Tiffany and Grayson, but they knew too well Maddox wasn¡¯t afraid of them. ¡°I¡¯d love to help,¡± Mrs Aldridge finally said, ¡°but my hands are full. You can reach it by getting up.¡± Tiffany ced a hand on her lips to hold in herugh of satisfaction, and I caught Grayson pressing his lips together. He was obviously on Tiffany¡¯s team. Maddox rose to his feet with ease, as if he knew that would happen but he still didn¡¯t care. He must¡¯ve done it just to further show me how much he didn¡¯t give a shit about his step¨Cmother. By the time lunch was over, my stomach was so full that I barely had room for dessert, but I wanted a taste of that chocte cake, even if it was just the tiniest slice. Tiffany and her mother belittled me in subtle ways, even making Grayson participate by constantly asking for his opinion and that was the only part that got on my nerves. Thanks to Mr Aldridge and Maddox, I barely paid attention to them as the three of us constantly spoke about the uing ball. It was already expected that I¡¯d be in attendance. Mrs Aldridge couldn¡¯t stand her husband¡¯s genuine interest in wanting to get to know me and when she couldn¡¯t take it anymore, she spoke louder than everyone else. ¡°Hmm, this was so lovely. I¡¯d love to do this again. Harper, now that you and my son are dating, you should bring your family next time. You obviously can¡¯t bring your mother. May her soul continue resting in peace.¡± The sweet cake instantly tasted bitter in my mouth and my eyes narrowed at her. It was obvious that I didn¡¯t appreciate thatment, but why would she stop there? She just had to make it worse with her next words. ¡°Oh, I know! You can definitely bring your father, unless you still don¡¯t know who he is.¡± Blueprint 81 Chapter 81 Harper : 27) 55 voucher4 Her words cut so deep that I could feel the ache in my heart and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. How dare she bring up my parents like that? She nonchntly picked up her ss of juice, took a slow sip and set it down again, all while keeping her gaze locked on me. Right across from me, Tiffany smirked, not bothering to hide her delight. She loved every minute of her mother¡¯s cruelty towards me. My gaze then shifted to Grayson, who was right next to her and for the first time, ever since we¡¯d all taken our seats at that table, he didn¡¯t seem to be on their side. His posture was stiff, his eyes darting away like he couldn¡¯t bear to be part of what was going on. He knew my family history and just how deep his mother¨Cin-w¡¯s words hadnded. The difort on his face also told me he wished she hadn¡¯t gone there. Mr Aldridge didn¡¯t even bother saying anything, but the way his fork stopped mid¨Cair with a nk expression as he pushed his te away, was louder than anything else. Mrs Aldridge had gone too far and every second I sat there, made my blood boil. I was so furious that I just wanted to get up and leave, not just the table, but the estate. The more I looked around the table, the more my vision blurred as tears threatened to roll down my cheeks. I didn¡¯t want to burst into tears right in front of her and her daughter. But just as I attempted to push my chair back, Maddox¡¯s firm hand rested on top of mine under the table. He didn¡¯t say a word, but when I looked over at him, he smiled faintly as his eyes told me to stay. I thought about it and realized if I walked away at that moment, Mrs Aldridge would have gotten exactly what she wanted and I wasn¡¯t about to give her that satisfaction. I nced at the chandelier above to hold back my tears and when I looked back at her, my voice trembled at first but grew steadier with every word. ¡°Unfortunately, I still don¡¯t know who my father is.¡± I let that fact hang in the air before continuing, Maddox still holding my hand. ¡°So I guess I¡¯lle with Aunt Patricia next time. You¡¯re all going to love her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s wonderful,¡± Mr Aldridge chimed in warmly, leaning forward with genuine curiosity. His eyes thoughtfully softened in a way that made my chest loosen. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if I¡¯ve met her before. Who exactly is she?¡± Relief washed over me as I began to tell him about Aunt Patricia and where she worked. He nodded along, recognizing the ce and even expressing interest in meeting her there if I¡¯d take a while to bring her over. His attention was so sincere that my face lit up. Beside me, Maddox gently squeezed my hand, pride shing in his eyes at how I¡¯d managed to to turn the situation around without even raising my voice orshing out at his step¨Cmother. ok on her face She was so disappointed that she barely 8:59 Wed, Oct 1 touched her dessert. : 79 55 vouchers Tiffany pursed her lips with crossed arms, the two of them ncing at each other with a knowing look. I was still chatting with Maddox and his father when I nced at Grayson and caught his lips curved into a small smile. Was he d that I hadn¡¯t given his mother¨Cinw and wife the reaction they wanted? I couldn¡¯t understand him anymore and that left me unsettled. The dessert left a bitter taste in my mouth as I kept on reying Mrs Aldridge¡¯s words over and over and over again. I was just d I could finally get away from the dining room as Maddox brought me out to one of themon balconies, his hand around my waist even when we got there and no one was watching. It was only when I wanted to rest the back of my forearms on the railing that he let me go. I even leaned forward, watching the beauty of the estate, from the flowers, to the blooming trees and the cool breeze hitting my face all the way down to my exposed shoulders. ¡°I¡¯d ask if you¡¯re okay, but I already know the answer to that,¡± he said, standing behind me and trapping me with his arms by cing his hands on the railing. I sighed, shaking my head. ¡°I knew she was up to something, but not that.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Anything is possible with her and that look on her fucking face was everything when she failed.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°For what?¡± I looked up at him. ¡°For making sure I didn¡¯t get up. Things would¡¯ve turned out differently.¡± ¡°What type of boyfriend¡® would I be if I didn¡¯t stop you?¡± He smirked. I chuckled as I looked back at the view below, but closed my eyes and arched my back when he suddenly began to reposition the ends of my hair that caressed my skin. ¡°Even if we weren¡¯t doing all this, I wasn¡¯t going to let you do that in front of Margot and Tiffany.¡± I wasn¡¯t even able to respond to that, too focused on the way he made me feel. When he stopped and took a few steps back, I pressed my lips together with disappointment. Just when it was starting to get good, he had to leave me wanting more. I felt him next to me and when I opened my eyes, there he was, looking around at the beauty below. ¡°Which do you prefer, a custom made dress or something straight from a store? The fundraiser isn¡¯t so far away.¡± 9:00 Wed, Oct 1 : ¡°Well, since it¡¯s a fundraiser, is there a need to look so¡­fancy?¡± He scoffed. ¡°You really have a lot to learn.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right about that.¡± I admitted. ¡°Your dad¡¯s cool.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m finally seeing that again after so many years.¡± He had a poker face, as if a distant memory held his smile captive. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask. He smirked again. ¡°Yup.¡± He was hiding behind that smirk and I didn¡¯t push just yet. 55 vouchers I needed to use the bathroom and that seemed like some relief for him as we wouldn¡¯t talk about it. ¡°Do you remember your way around the house?¡± he asked, suddenly pulling me closer by the waist. My breath hitched as my chest came in contact with his. ¡°You showed me the ground floor and first floor. I¡¯m pretty sure I remember.¡± ¡°Good. Call me if you need anything. I¡¯m heading up to the study to talk to my dad. There¡¯s something we need to discuss.¡± He didn¡¯t let me go right away, rubbing his thumb on my lower lip, as he watched it closely. I even waited for him to lean forward and ce his lips on mine¡­or anything to not leave me hanging, but he suddenly held my hand and led the way back inside. While I hated it when he teased me like that, he knew exactly what he was doing as it would make me want every part of him even more when he¡¯d make me moan his name. After washing my hands, I lingered at the sink, watching my reflection in the mirror for a while. My lips curved into a proud smile as I reyed Mrs Aldridge and Tiffany¡¯s reaction when the n had backfired. I dried my hands, straightened my back and made my way out of the bathroom. I expected to have a few more minutes of peace, but the universe just had to test me because as soon as I closed the bathroom door, Tiffany came into view, leaning against the part of the wall that was on the same side as the bathroom. She had her arms crossed, like she had been waiting for me. ¡°I honestly wonder what you did to get into my brother¡¯s head,¡± she said, scrunching her nose. ¡°Whatever it is, it won¡¯tst. He was better off with Kate or literally everyone else who isn¡¯t you.¡± Her aim might have been to make me feel worthless, but I was far from feeling that way. With a smug, I tilted my head. ¡°Why are you so confident it won¡¯tst?¡± She pushed herself off the wall with her eyes narrowed in disbelief, clearly not expecting me to snap back at 9:00 Wed, Oct 1 her so quickly. (79 ) Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n Find[?]ovel 55 vouchers ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s see. My brother has never brought any girl home, not once, but you being here doesn¡¯t make you special.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Hmm, I think it does.¡± ¡°Nope. It makes you temporary. That¡¯s why I¡¯m not worried about this.¡± She was extremely confident in her words, but I refused to let her see me falter. ¡°Funny,¡± I said. ¡°You sound worried to me.¡± When I made it a few steps past her to get away, her handtched onto my arm and she pulled me back, my eyes widening as I came face to face with her again. ¡°Why are you leaving so soon?¡± she sneered. I pulled my arm away with a grunt. ¡°We have nothing to talk about.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± She chuckled, like she was up to something. I turned to keep walking in the opposite direction, but her voice echoed through the hallway, her next words making me freeze. ¡°We definitely have something to talk about, unless you tell me that you don¡¯t care about Anna¡¯s phone.¡± Blueprint 82 Harper Discover more novels at f?ndnovel As soon as Tiffany mentioned my sister¡¯s phone, I hoped that when I turned around, I¡¯d see her dangling it and I¡¯d be able to snatch it from her. But when I finally turned to face her, she had both hands on her hips. I was a little disappointed, but I still intended to go back to her. I returned to her with long and hard strides that made my heels click loudly against the marble floor, my heart pounding hard in my ears. ¡°Where the hell is it?¡± I asked, looking all around her body like she had it hidden somewhere. She mockingly clicked her tongue while shaking her head at me. ¡°Damn, talk about desperation. You¡¯re probably thinking that I¡¯ve kept it somewhere. That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. I¡¯m not that considerate. I smashed it and dumped it in the ocean.¡± ¡°What?¡± My loud voice echoed through the hallway. ¡°Damn, take it easy or you¡¯ll disturb the little one growing inside of me.¡± I just wanted to yank her hair or something and the fact that I couldn¡¯t do it made me grit my teeth. ¡°How could you do that?¡± She gasped dramatically. ¡°How could I not do that?¡± She sighed with satisfaction, crossing her arms again as she circled around me. ¡°I enjoyed every second of smashing that damn phone. Wanna know a fun fact? Before I did that, I went through every app on it and now, I know everything about Anna, like whether or not she¡¯s employed, her pathetic love life, actual home address and if she has any social life.¡± The way she said it all gave me no answers to any of the questions I¡¯d had all along. It could¡¯ve been one or the other. ¡°I know you¡¯re dying of curiosity,¡± she said when she stopped circling around me and stared me down. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything. You only need to get on your knees and beg me.¡± I longed for my sister more than anything, but not even that would make me get on my knees in front of Tiffany. I swallowed the lump in my throat, my lips curving into a confident smile. ¡°You¡¯d really love it if I did that, but it¡¯s not happening¡± ¡°Awwe on.¡± She pouted. ¡°You know you want to.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s the thing, I don¡¯t need to hear anything from you. I only need to say the word and Maddox will set up a team to find out everything you know.¡± She nodded, throwing her hands up in defeat. ¡°Well, that¡¯s your loss. On second thought, this is great. Until Maddox steps in, you¡¯ll die inside every time you see me, knowing that I know everything about your sister while you know nothing.¡± 9:00 Wed, Oct 1 A 79 55 vouchers Sheughed with so much satisfaction in my face and kept going even as she moved backwards to get to the bathroom door. Even though she was already inside, I could still hear her annoyingughter. Then, she hummed, like she was at peace while I wasn¡¯t. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, telling myself it was all going to be okay, even when I couldn¡¯t p her. And with that, I opened my eyes and faced the other direction, wanting to leave that hallway before she would make her way out of the bathroom. A few seconds after I turned at the corner, I gasped with wide eyes when someone suddenly pulled me from behind and into a room. I didn¡¯t even have time to process who had done that to me, but I was panicking, trying to fight my way out of their hold. It was only when I looked in front of me and realized it was Grayson that I held my breath while he pinned me against the wall. ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± he said quietly. My heart should¡¯ve stopped racing upon realizing that I wasn¡¯t in danger and it was just Grasyon, but that was what made it race even faster. Not only was I trapped against the wall with his face so close to mine, his hands rested right around my waist and even when I was calm, he didn¡¯t let go. ¡°You scared me.¡± I managed to say, ncing at the bedroom we were in. ¡°I just really needed to talk to you alone and thought this was my chance.¡± His hand cement on my waist sent a shiver down my spine and I arched my back a little, wanting to melt into the feeling. ¡°You¡¯ve not been returning my calls or replying to my texts. Why?¡± he asked in a troubled tone, his face so close to mine that I could feel the warmth in his breath. His eyes scanned mine like he was searching for something and I just wanted to get lost in them. I should¡¯ve ced my hands on his chest to push him away, but his hands on my waist felt like they were right where they belonged. Finally mustering the courage, I shot him a re and said, ¡°Get back.¡± ¡°Why? So you can run back to your new fucking boyfriend?¡± He sounded so bitter that I was at a loss for words. He must¡¯ve picked up on my reaction as he quickly looked to the side, dropping his hands from my waist but not taking a single step back. ¡°Before today, you and I haven¡¯t spoken since the incident in London. I had no idea Tiffany was up to something like that.¡± 9:00 Wed, Oct 1 155 vouchers I scoffed, watching his side profile. ¡°Like that¡¯s going to change anything. What¡¯s done, is done¡± ¡°Had I known, I would¡¯ve stopped it. I didn¡¯t even see her with Anna¡¯s phone at any point. On the day she traveled to London, she told me it was for a fashion event and-¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± His head shot back towards me. ¡°I¡¯m telling you I had no idea and you¡¯re telling me it doesn¡¯t matter?¡± ¡°Fine, you had no idea. Good for you. But after you found out that she¡¯d achieved her goal, what did you do about it?¡± He pressed his lips together, looking to the side again as he finally took a few steps back. ¡°Exactly,¡± I said, trying not to raise my voice. ¡°You know what? With each passing day, I understand you less and less. There were times at the dining table when you didn¡¯t give a damn about me as you stood by your wife and mother¨Cinw while they found ways to belittle me. And then the next thing I knew, you were getting ufortable when your mother¨Cinw brought up my father. What the hell is wrong with you?¡± ¡°Look, over the past few weeks, I¡¯ve said a lot of things out of anger and I didn¡¯t mean them. I want this to work¡­you and I and this friendship we¡¯ve had for years.¡± I exhaled sharply, his statement pissing me off. I didn¡¯t know what he wanted from me anymore. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d see the day when you and Maddox would be official and you know what? You¡¯re not a good fit. You can do better.¡± ¡°Not this again. I don¡¯t need to do better. I¡¯m happy with him.¡± ¡°Come on Harp. You know I couldn¡¯t stand seeing you with him before and now that you two are together, it makes me feel worse.¡± My heart skipped a beat and I wished that it meant he was jealous, but it didn¡¯t. ¡°You¡¯ve always known that Maddox is a yboy. Even now, you¡¯re nothing special to him,¡± he said. I furrowed my eyebrows. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what Tiffany said.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You know? Wait, you heard our conversation?¡± I chuckled painfully. ¡°And you did nothing despite all the other things she said to me. Well, why am I not surprised?¡± ¡°That¡¯s besides the point right now,¡± he waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Which parts of the main house did he show you again?¡± ¡°What?¡± He groaned. ¡°Just answer me.¡± I sighed. ¡°The ground floor and first floor.¡± 9:00 Wed, Oct 1 He chuckled with satisfaction. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I thought. You¡¯re nothing special.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± I asked, offended. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. That¡¯s all I needed to know.¡± 79 55 vouchers His smirk bothered me so much that I went from being offended to being curious. What was I missing? Ìï Blueprint 83 Chapter 83 ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? f¦É?dn¦Ïvel Maddox F:. 27.00 I pushed open the door to the study and found my father already there, seated at his deck with his phone pressed to his ear. He didn¡¯t even need to say a word. I could tell it was an important call just from the way his forehead creased in concentration. When he raised his head and looked in my direction, his expression softened a little. He raised his hand and gestured towards the couches near the window. He still treated me with the same amount of consideration that he did when I had introduced Harper to him. I took a seat on one of the couches, stretching my arm along the backrest. After he wrapped up the call, he made his way to me, lowering himself onto the opposite couch with a faint sigh. ¡°That was the director in the southern region,¡± he said, loosening his tie a little. ¡°They¡¯ve hit a few snags.¡± I leaned forward. ¡°I can fly down there tomorrow if I need to¡± He gently shook his head. ¡°No. I¡¯ll handle it myself. You don¡¯t need to concern yourself with that right now since you have a lot going on in London.¡± I leaned back in my seat, studying him. Having him take that off my te felt¡­different. ¡°So,¡± he said after a few seconds, ¡°what about Harper? Shouldn¡¯t you be with her right now?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll join her once we¡¯re done here. She knows where I am, so I can spare a few minutes. What did you want to talk about?¡± He studied me for a moment, then rested his chin in the palm of his hand. ¡°You really like her.¡± My head tilted slightly. ¡°What makes you say that?¡± ¡°The way you look at her. You never looked at Kate like that.¡± Augh escaped my lips, even when I didn¡¯t mean to. Kate had never been anything serious to me. I didn¡¯t even realize my gaze on Harper was different, but hearing my father point it out, struck something deep inside me. ¡°Too bad her first time here had to be ruined,¡± he continued, his voice lower. ¡°My wife really crossed the line at lunch. I spoke to her afterward. She tried to justify herself by saying she was trying to get rid of Harper because of her social ss. As if that mattered.¡± His expression hardened for a moment, then softened again. ¡°She forgets how she was when I met her.¡± Anotherugh escaped my lips. ¡°Uncle Sebastian definitely says that at times.¡± ¡°He¡¯s the next person I wanted to talk about. I spoke to himst evening. He¡¯s really getting a divorce.¡± 9:00 Wed, Oct 1 ¡°Yeah¡­ that was shocking, to say the least.¡± : ¡°He sounded so casual about it.¡± He shook his head, as if remembering the moment he was told. 79 55 vouchers I nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s exactly how he was with me. We even shared a drink. Like his marriage hadn¡¯t just crumbled. And the way he always used to look at his wife, I thought he was crazy in love.¡± He sighed deeply. ¡°Sometimes, people just drift apart.¡± Just as he was about to speak further, the door creaked open, and just like that, the air shifted when my father gave me a heads up. ¡°I told Margot toe here.¡± After closing the door behind her, she made her way to the couches as if she owned the damn ce. Her eyes narrowed slightly when she saw my father and I sitting across from each other like equals. Without hesitation, she took the seat beside him, cing her hand possessively over his. ¡°Well, your father emphasized the importance of my presence, so here I am.¡± I almostughed at her attempt to clear things up. ¡°I didn¡¯t even ask you anything yet. There¡¯s no need. It¡¯s your house anyway.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right about that.¡± She pursed her lips before smiling again, like she had my father tightly wrapped around her finger. She turned her head towards him, her voice turning sweet. ¡°So, honey, what is it you wanted to discuss?¡± He exhaled slowly, not even meeting her gaze, but looking past my shoulder instead as he said, ¡°I¡¯ve decided to visit Rachel¡¯s gravesite.¡± She pulled her hand away from his in a sharp movement, herposure faltering. But she wasn¡¯t half as shocked as I was. The words hit me hard and my chest tightened. After all these years, he actually said he would visit her gravesite and out loud. Margot recovered quickly with fake politeness. ¡°Why now?¡± Even with her voice carefully controlled, I could still hear the bitterness underneath it. As if she could ever cover it up by cing her hand over his again. I saw right through her. She didn¡¯t approve. She never would. She must have expected my father to change his mind, but his gaze remained as steady as his voice when he spoke his next words. ¡°Because some things need to change. And that should¡¯ve happened a long time ago.¡± Even though I¡¯d never admit it out loud, hearing him say that and finally taking a step toward honoring my mother was better than the entire Larkspur Hills. 9:00 Wed, Oct 1 ¡°Maybe we should go together,¡± he said, finally looking at me. ¡°Yes,¡± I said quickly, nodding hard, my chest a mix of relief and excitement. ¡°Yes, absolutely.¡± 79 55 vouchers For the first time, Margot looked like the outsider in the room, the corners of her mouth unable to hold her smile. ¡°Is that all you wanted me here for?¡± she asked, her voice steady. ¡°Yes,¡± he said without hesitation. She pressed her lips into a thin line as she rose from the couch, smoothing down her dress. She might have faked her smile all she wanted, but her steps betrayed her. They were too hurried. Like she couldn¡¯t wait to be gone from a conversation that hadn¡¯t gone her way. I was more than satisfied to watch her like that. I didn¡¯t have to say anything to my father, like throw my mother¡¯s name at him like a weapon. He came to that decision on his own and that alone was enough to make me d I kept my mouth shut. He didn¡¯t even linger on it like I half expected. Instead, he shifted the conversation. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re bringing Harper to the fundraiser.¡± ¡°Yeah, she¡¯ll definitely be there. She was actually talking about how there was no need to be so fancy when I wanted her to make a decision about her dress.¡± As if on cue, my phone buzzed from the back of my pocket. It was a text from her. ¡°I¡¯ve been on the balcony for a while. It now feels a little awkward being alone.¡± I exhaled quietly, hovering over the screen with my thumb as I didn¡¯t reply right away. I looked back at my father and said, ¡°I¡¯m thinking of moving back to San Francisco.¡± His forehead creased. ¡°San Francisco?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°There¡¯s more workload in London,¡± he pointed out. ¡°You haven¡¯t even been there for two months.¡± ¡°I can handle it,¡± I said confidently. ¡°Working from here won¡¯t be a problem.¡± He gave me a look of amusement. ¡°I see what¡¯s going on here. You just want to be closer to Harper.¡± I yed along. ¡°You got me.¡± I thought back to that drink I had with Uncle¡¯s Sebastian and the way he¡¯d pointed out the inconvenience of constant flights between London and San Francisco just for my fake dates with Harper. I smirked, lowering my gaze as I typed a quick reply to her that I was on my way. 55 vouchers My father¡¯sst words lingered and as much as I wanted to brush them off after I told myself I was only ying along, I couldn¡¯t. Because there was a part of me that actually wanted toe back because of her. I came to the balcony and found Harper waiting for me, her arms crossed as she stared below, like the view had personally offended her. She didn¡¯t even look back when I arrived. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked as I approached her. ¡°It¡¯s Grayson.¡± Her voice was furious. She still wasn¡¯t even looking at me. Of course it was because of him. I leaned against the railing next to her, keeping my expression calm, even though my jaw clenched slightly. ¡°Still letting him piss you off after everything?¡± Her head shot in my direction. ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Sure looks like it.¡± She let out a heavy breath, pacing the balcony like she was trying to walk the anger out of her system. ¡°I don¡¯t even know where we stand anymore. One minute he¡¯s against me, then the next, he¡¯s¡­¡± she trailed off while firmly shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯s justplicated.¡± I hated the way she said that, like she was giving him an excuse. Like she still wanted to believe he could be the guy she needed. ¡°So what?¡± I said, my voice low. ¡°You two are going to be best friends now?¡± My tone was sharper than I intended and she stopped pacing just on the other side of the balcony as she faced me again. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Everything¡¯s just messed up. It¡¯s like I said. He switches sides whenever it suits him and I¡­¡° She trailed off again, tightly wrapping her arms around herself. I pushed myself off the railing, closing the distance between us. ¡°You wish he would always choose your side, but that will never happen and you know it.¡± She parted her lips, like she wanted to argue, but no words came out and she dropped her shoulders with a sigh of defeat. ¡°When did the two of you even talk?¡± I asked. ¡°It was right after I spoke to Tiffany.¡± She huffed. ¡°You spoke to her? Alone?¡± My eyes slightly widened. ¡°Rx. I didn¡¯t drag her by the hair across the floor or anything like that. She told me she smashed Anna¡¯s phone and dropped it in the ocean.¡± 9:00 Wed, Oct 1 ¡°Well, shit.¡± 79 EL 55 vouchers ¡°She wanted me to beg for all the information she found on that phone about my sister, but no.¡± ¡°My offer still stands. You know I can easily find out everything about her now that we know she¡¯s in London.¡± She gave me a small smile. ¡°There¡¯s no need. I want her to be the one toe looking for me.¡± That statement alone made me clench my fist as I remembered how she¡¯d hoped she was finally reuniting with her sister but it was all a set up. ¡°You know what? There¡¯s something Grayson said to me and I haven¡¯t forgotten about it. Tiffany said it too.¡± I raised the corner of my mouth, thinking it was about to be some bullshit. ¡°And what was that?¡± ¡°That I¡¯m nothing special to you.¡± I scoffed. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Yup and it¡¯s because you didn¡¯t show me everything. Grayson didn¡¯t tell me what he meant by that no matter how many times I asked.¡± It all made sense and I nodded in understanding. ¡°I know exactly what that means,¡± I said. ¡°If Tiffany has even the slightest doubt about us, she won¡¯t stop with her bullshit. She needs to see you as someone special to me. I meant to do this anyway, soe with me.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!