The click of her heels on the polished lobby was sharp and loud. Olivia’s heart was beating fast. Each step was a rebellion against the sensible woman she’d been for thirty-six years: a chartered accountant, a single mother. That woman was gone, replaced by this creature of impulse, walking towards her own undoing. She was a voluptuous blonde, her short, styled hair a deliberate choice to feel sleek and powerful, but righ...

The next evening, when Jay walked into the corner shop, he wasn’t expecting to see Nadia behind the counter. She looked even more striking than before — brown hair loose around her shoulders, red top showing ample cleavage, glowing caramel skin, her usual playful glint shining in her eyes. “Well, look who’s back,” she said, her tone lilting. “No Tanya today — sorry to disappoint.” Jay smirked. “I’ll survive.” “Oh, I bet y...

Jay was twenty-eight, freshly employed, and adjusting to life in a new city — living in a small studio apartment four days a week for work, then commuting back to his girlfriend, Sara, for the rest of the time. Practical, yes — but not exactly romantic. Long hours and mismatched schedules had left their relationship feeling a little out of sync. The gym became Jay’s other new habit — part routine, part distraction. What s...