Apartment 46

While I Was Bleeding Out, He Lit Lanterns For Her

Katie Oettgen

As I lay on the floor of our manor, bleeding out from a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, I used my last ounce of strength to call my husband, Cole. I begged him for help, my vision blurring. But the only thing I heard was the clinking of champagne glasses and his mistress's giggle in the background. "Stop the drama, June," Cole snapped, his voice cold. "We're about to go on stage. Don't call again." He hung up, leaving me to die alone on the Persian rug while he accepted an award with another woman on his arm. I woke up in the hospital days later. My baby was gone. They had removed my fallopian tube. Cole finally arrived, smelling of expensive scotch and his mistress's perfume. He didn't hug me. He didn't cry. Instead, he leaned over my hospital bed, pressing his knee into the mattress until my fresh stitches tore open and bled. "You embarrassed me by calling an ambulance," he hissed. "My mistress, Alycia, says you're faking it. Clean yourself up." He left me bleeding again to go announce a $10 million donation to Alycia's "groundbreaking" medical research. I stared at the TV screen, numb. The research Alycia was taking credit for? It was mine. I wrote that patent years ago under a pseudonym. They thought I was just a poor, orphan housewife who needed Cole's money to survive. They had no idea I was actually a billionaire scientist hiding my identity. I pulled the IV needle out of my arm. A drop of blood fell onto the divorce papers I had been hiding. I didn't wipe it off. I signed my name right over it. Then I walked into the bank, reactivated my dormant account with $128 million, and bought the penthouse directly overlooking Cole's house. The mourning widow is dead. The avenger is born.

Romance Crime Revenge Pregnancy Enemies to Lovers Pregnancy Personal Growth

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GABRIEL

I couldn't fucking believe I lost my mind again!

I woke up in an unfamiliar bed the next morning with a pounding head, and according to my memory, I had sex with this woman whose legs curled around my stomach. The last time I woke up in a stranger's bed, I found my face plastered across every front page of a tabloid and the web with the most outrageous title.

CEO of Stark Apparel Inc. Gabriel Stark Spotted in A Hotel with A Senator's Daughter Having a Scandalous Affair!

Clearly, they only target me because of my reputation and my popularity in the corporate world. The woman in the tabloid wasn't even a Senator's daughter, she was a Mayor's daughter. This was why I don't fucking believe in the news. They obviously just wanted to sell out papers. The past few years had been chaotic enough as if I was some kind of a celebrity. I was a businessman, not a fucking Hollywood actor.

I carefully moved her leg aside. I slowly crawled out of the bed, trying not to make any sound. I quickly get dressed, picked up a sheet of tissue paper and a pen from my suit jacket.

Thank you for letting me devour your pussy last night, even though I couldn't remember much — G

Before I managed to exit, I pulled out my phone and checked the messages from an unknown number. It was Wednesday today, so it was Cate. Tuesdays and Thursdays are Megan days. I opened one of the messages.

See you tonight, handsome.

I texted a reply, Can't wait. See you, Cate.

She replied a heart.

***

Ten minutes after ten, I still couldn't get a sight of my executive assistant. She was supposed to be in my office at nine. What the hell was she doing on her desk? I was finished talking with people she was supposed to contact. I already made my coffee and set a meeting with my designers. Given the fact that she was late again this morning, she literally just lived across the street. She never ceased to amaze me with her unacceptable excuses as to why she couldn't be on time.

I wanted to give her a chance because her she was recommended by a friend. I began to wonder if my thoughts of her being an incompetent employee were true. Another twenty minutes of impatiently waiting, I called her desk.

"Mr. Stark, how may I help you?" she answered right away.

"I told you to be here in my office at nine. It's almost eleven."

"Oh, I am so, so sorry, Mr. Stark. I'm on my way."

She hung up, and within a minute, she stepped into my office carrying a portfolio. She put it on my desk and sat across me.

"Mr. Stark?"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"What is it, Ms. Will?"

She leaned closer. "I saw you last night, " she whispered.

I frowned. "Last night? Last night where?"

"At the Carlyle with a redhead. Seeing you there made me think that what they are saying about you is true. I mean, how do you do it? Sleeping with so many women when I see you here every day?"

I stared back at her.

"I just wanted to know what kind of a boss you are." She leaned back in the chair, "At least tell me the details in case people ask me about you. I mean, I can create a so-so story about you just to wrap the truth, right?"

"Can we not talk about this, Ms. Will?"

"Wait." She held up her hand. "I just really want to know about your sex life, " her voice lowered down, "I can look past the non-fraternization policy in case you want to try me in your bedroom. I can do everything that might please you. I don't mind if you leave me in a hotel room since we're going to meet again in the office anyway. Sounds fun, yeah?"

What the fuck!

"Ms. Wills, if you love your job, you might want to shut your mouth and let's start working." I rolled my eyes. "I need you to explain to me these designs so ask them to do their next step, can we do that?"

"Then after that, I can go?"

I clenched my fist. Can I just fire this woman?

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