Months passed, Los Angeles, California......
The glass doors of JMA Innovations slid open, and Michelle stepped into the buzzing office, her heels clicking on the polished floor. Heads turned, whispers followed her, but she carried herself with the kind of grace that came from both confidence and lineage.
"Good morning, Miss Michelle!" voices chimed as she walked past rows of desks.
"Good morning, everyone!" she replied with a radiant smile that disarmed even the most envious eyes.
At just twenty-three, Michelle had risen quickly, too quickly for some, to the position of Chief Operations Officer. Her beauty, tall athletic frame, and charm were undeniable, but it was her determination and sharp mind that earned her respect.
Inside her office, she barely had time to settle when a familiar knock came. A woman in her early thirties entered, elegant in a tailored dress.
"Aunt Emilyn," Michelle greeted warmly. "What a surprise."
Emilyn, the CEO, smiled. "I wanted to see how my newest COO is doing. How are you settling in?"
Michelle chuckled softly. "I'm adjusting to the culture here in L.A. The pace, the pressure... but I'm learning. I want to make Uncle Paul proud."
"That you will," Emilyn said. "He's grooming you and Kryzel to manage his companies. But don't worry—he knows you don't want anything to do with the pharmaceutical side."
Michelle's face shadowed for a moment. "Yes. I could never touch that business. I'll do everything else, but not that."
Emilyn studied her quietly, then shifted the conversation. "What are your plans tonight?"
"I was hoping you'd join Kryzel and me. We're meeting her friends at a bar. It's also my first paycheck as COO. My treat!" Michelle's eyes lit up.
Emilyn laughed. "Well, in that case, how can I say no?"
Meanwhile...........
The afternoon sun filtered through Mae's bedroom window when her phone rang. She picked it up lazily, thinking it might be another reminder from her office about the documents she needed to prepare for Monday interview. But when she saw the name flashing on the screen, her heart skipped a beat.
"Troy." Her hand trembled slightly before she answered, her voice soft and cautious. "Hello?"
"Mae," Troy's deep voice carried through the line. It was warm, familiar, the kind of voice that could pull her back to that summer on the beach more than a year ago. "I'll be back in the Philippines for a week. I have a project here. I was wondering... if we could meet."
For a moment, Mae was silent. The memories of their last night together flooded her. Her lips curled into a smile she tried to suppress.
"Really? When will you be here?" She asked, her tone light but betraying her hidden excitement.
"Monday. I'll only be staying until Tuesday before flying out again. But I don't want to leave without seeing you," he said with sincerity.
Mae bit her lower lip, trying to calm her racing heart. "Alright. Monday, then."
After they hung up, Mae sat motionless on her bed, her mind drifting back through the years. Troy's voice had opened a door she tried so hard to keep closed. She admired him, she even missed him at times but not the way she missed John. John had been different, deeper, like a wound that never healed.
She leaned back against her headboard, staring at the ceiling, and the memories came rushing in like waves she couldn't stop.
The first was of her father's funeral, his casket surrounded by wilting flowers, her mother's faint sobs, and the heaviness that wrapped around her like a shroud. Losing him had been the first domino that pushed her life down an uncertain, dangerous path.
YOU ARE READING
The Unbroken But Impure
RomanceA story of a young woman who, though still a virgin, already carries experiences with men because of painful events in her life. How long can she protect her honor? Will she still be able to offer what she has been safeguarding to the man she loves...
