Hello, dear readers! Thank you for reading Rafael and Savannah's story. Please don't forget to follow and review what you think about this story. Are you looking for your next read? You can try my other stories: The Professor Who Loves Me, Bad Boy Billionaires, and The Billionaire's Mask! Hope to see you there! Love, Margarette
SAVANNAH My husband didn’t love me anymore. His love burned out for some time now, leaving me with a void in my heart and an ache in my body that I believed would be filled with new flames when the old spark returned. But the coldness remained. Our usual bond had faded, and the lovemaking didn’t feel as good as it used to. It was hurried and robotic. I tried several times to figure out what had gone wrong. I married Edward after we graduated from NYU. We’d been together since we were eighteen, so we decided it was time to settle down. I was crazy in love and nothing else mattered but him. For starters, Edward stopped telling me he loved me. Second, he didn’t want a child. I understood we were busy, but we had been married for five years. Finally, where did he go on Saturday nights, and why did he often change his phone password? Edward stepped out of bed after our loveless sex, letting the blanket fall to the floor. “Would you like to join me in the shower?” “No, I’m still not fe
SAVANNAH Eleven years ago... “Excuse me, Ms. Morris,” Mr. Ward interrupted our literature class. “I need Ms. Gibson at the main entrance.” I checked the clock. There were only thirty minutes left before the period ended. Did I do something wrong? Or did Michael come home? But my brother said he wouldn’t be home until Thanksgiving. I excused myself to my literature teacher and followed Mr. Ward to the main entrance. No one was there. “Mr. Ward?” “These kids.” He shook his head. “Well, look at that.” I wasn’t sure what he was referring to while looking at the wall until I pictured a drawing of a huge pink heart. It had my name scribbled unsightly in the center. I love you, Savannah Gibson. My mouth dropped. What the hell? “Who do you think did this?” my teacher asked. I shook my head. “I have nothing to do with this.” “Yes, but this is your name. If you can’t point out anyone, you might as well take responsibility.” “But, sir—” “No buts, Ms. Gibson.” Mr. Ward scowled at th
SAVANNAH“Edward did what?” Wesley’s voice thundered in the coffee shop at Midtown we always went to.“Hey!” I hissed.“Sorry.” He gritted his teeth. “I’m going to fucking kill him, Savannah. I don’t care if he has a rich aunt.”Riley patted her older brother’s arm. “Relax, dude. That’s not helping.”The three of us had been best friends since our early teens. We were supposed to be four, but Sofia returned to Mexico for college, and we hadn’t seen her since.“So, what are you going to do?” Wes asked.I rested my chin on my palm. “He can go to hell. I’ll resign from my position at New Star Media.” I looked at Wes. “You said you have a vacancy in your department. Is it still open?”“So, you’ve finally considered that now, huh?”Wesley Allen was associate marketing director at Sebastian Entertainment Group. The company was founded as a record label, but after acquiring subsidiaries, it expanded into a global mass media and entertainment studio conglomerate with a net worth of eighty-fiv
SAVANNAH After my two-hour update about the business trip, I submitted my resignation on Monday morning. Amara picked up the envelope and stared at it, but she wasn’t surprised. “Effective next week. You know I like you, right?” she said. “I’m so sorry, Amara.” “Savi, you are smart, obedient, and enthusiastic. You met deadlines and submitted outstanding ideas that helped me numerous times. Can we talk about this first?” “Believe me, I’m grateful to be here and I will be thankful forever, but—” “But my nephew is an asshole. Yes, he is.” Amara might be Edward’s aunt, but she was fair. I had a colleague who was cheating on his wife with another colleague. Amara fired them the next day she found out. She was strict with work, but the employees loved her. She was still single at age forty-four, so relationships and men were never an issue. I now understood why she was that way. She always said men were always the problem. “Edward told you.” She stood up and turned around her desk.
SAVANNAH “What? ‘You looked exhausted? That’s the difference between us?’” Riley quoted Sofia’s words in rage. We were now at the bar, drinking our favorite cocktails. “I will cut her tongue when I see her.” Wesley laughed that he almost teared up. “Are you sure that’s Sofia?” “Why would she lie about it?” I said. Riley hugged me. “That’s okay. Let’s just forget about her.” “Yes, so let’s change the subject. Hey, I sent my resume,” I told Wes. “Did you get it?” “Yes, but I couldn’t show it to my boss,” Wes replied. “He’s busy with something the CEO asked him to do.” “That’s fine. I can wait.” Wesley clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “Great. You know I really need your marketing knowledge and organizational skills. You’ve helped Amara with your ideas. I’m surprised she let you go.” Edward was still her nephew. Of course, she’d choose him. “Nah. I’m glad she let me go.” “Listening to you sounds exhausting,” Riley suddenly commented. “I still think owning a restaurant
SAVANNAH Riley squealed in my ear when the call ended. “Sexy voice,” she remarked. “He oozes sexiness everywhere.” I couldn’t believe the man would personally meet me. He could’ve sent anyone. Rafael. His name was Rafael. I wondered what his family name was. I wanted to stalk him on social media. “Do you girls know what time it is?” Wesley complained. “Can we go home now?” Riley’s mouth twitched. “You’re just jealous. Nancy broke up with you.” Wes glared at his sister. “Shut up. Are you a child?” “Nancy broke up with you? Why didn’t you tell me?” I questioned. This was news. We always told everyone about everything. Riley was biting her bottom lip, looking down. Wes waved his hand dismissively. “I just didn’t want to worry you.” I pouted. Sure, I’d be worried. Wes met Nancy because of me. “I’m sorry.” “It’s not your fault.” He smiled, patting my shoulder. “Hey, it’s getting late. I have an early meeting tomorrow.” “Oh, of course.” I nodded, then looked at Riley. “Are you go
SAVANNAH I kept myself busy the entire day, avoiding Edward. He was preoccupied with work, so I assumed he had no time for a coffee break. No one in the office knew about our marital issues, but I refused to tell anyone—not even Emma. Brett, who was also my boss, seemed clueless, but if he knew, he was still usually professional. “Ms. Reed?” But Brett wasn’t friendly, either. We didn’t dislike each other, but we didn’t like each other either. “Ms. Reed,” Emma’s voice pushed through my disarrayed mind. “I’m sorry. What is it?” “Are you okay?” “I’m fine. Where were we? Oh, it’s our, uh, current biggest project.” “I’m sorry. I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but it’s almost seven. Didn’t you say you have an appointment?” “Seven?” I checked my watch. God. I didn’t notice. “Ms. Reed, we still have three days.” She looked at my face curiously. “I was watching you, and you weren’t stopping. Your eyes were glued to the computer all day. Everyone went home.” I looked around our o
RAFAEL“Congratulations!”My family uttered simultaneously at the dinner table. Julian announced he’d successfully impregnated his young wife. It had been six months since their wedding.His wife, Anya, was one of my best composers and songwriters, despite being new in the industry. The songs she wrote for pop star Ophelia Grant hit seven hundred thousand sales on the album and half a billion in audio streams. She now had offers to write songs for an upcoming animated fantasy film.Their story was similar to those of romantic comedy movies. Julian was Anya’s music professor at Whitlock School of Music. I was skeptical about their relationship; I thought Julian was stupid to date his student. But it worked out for both of them. I admired these types of marriages, but it didn’t mean my views about settling down changed if I met someone like my brother’s wife. I didn’t think I could handle being a doting husband or a father. I just couldn’t see myself changing diapers and bathing babies.