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Work Until Your Signature Becomes An Autograph

Between Work And Screens

Elliot Hale had always preferred the shadows. At work, he was practically invisible: the man who quietly turned chaos into order without asking for praise. No one remembered his birthday, and his desk was strategically tucked into the corner of an open-plan office, like a detail everyone had forgotten about halfway through designing the building. And that was fine with him. Being overlooked meant being safe. But online, in the quiet hum of his favorite forum, he wasn’t invisible. He wasn’t “that guy from the finance department.” He was “TailoredTips,” the anonymous go-to guru for anyone in need of advice. Love troubles? He’d solved them. Wardrobe crises? He’d turned fashion disasters into triumphs. A friend’s floundering confidence? Restored with a few typed words. It was the one place where he could say what he truly thought, uncensored and unapologetic. That’s where he first met her. Of course, he hadn’t known it was her at the time. The woman who called herself “Vee” on the forum was smart, funny, and refreshingly candid. She spoke about her life as if she were untangling a knot no one else could see, venting about her “unruly employees” or her endless schedule of social events. But beneath her polished tone, Elliot could sense her loneliness, her need for something real in a world that expected perfection. For weeks, they talked. First in public threads, then in private messages. Their connection was instant and electric, sparking late-night conversations that blurred the line between strangers and confidants. He became her anchor, her secret adviser. And every time she asked him to meet in person, he gently deflected, keeping the fragile boundary between their two worlds intact. Because Vee wasn’t just anyone. She was Victoria Langley, the CEO of his company. The woman whose voice could silence a room. The woman who, just hours ago, had stood in the center of their office, sharp heels clicking against the marble floor as she delivered a scathing critique of his department’s latest report. She hadn’t even glanced his way. Why would she? He was nobody to her. And yet, that same evening, she had messaged him online, desperate for advice on what to wear to a gala, thanking him for being her “lifeline” when no one else seemed to understand her. Elliot stared at the glowing screen of his laptop, his heart thudding in his chest. He should stop. This was dangerous. Reckless. Every time he gave her advice—every time he offered her a piece of himself—he was tightening a noose around his own neck. But then she sent another message. Vee: “I don’t know what I’d do without you. Sometimes I think you’re the only person who really sees me.” His fingers hovered over the keyboard, trembling. He typed out a reply. TailoredTips: “I’m just glad I can help. You’re stronger than you think, Vee.” He hit send and leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly. Two lives. Two versions of himself. And one impossible secret. Elliot knew it was only a matter of time before his world came crashing down.
Wintwrites_forfun · 56 Views

Innocent Until Proven Guilty

"Speaking of knowing things…" Kyle said slowly, "You still haven't given me a chance to tell my story." "I know," said Andrea. "I was having too much fun speculating. Finding you like this is a gift, and I don't want to tear the wrapping off all at once. ‘Building up the anticipation makes it better.’" Kyle blinked again, then gave a quiet snort of recognition at his own words being thrown back at him. "So what is your speculation?" Kyle asked. "Oh I don't know, probably something utterly disappointing. Did they pick you up for speeding on the way to the farmers market? I guess that wouldn't explain the uh…" she gestured at his injury again. "It wouldn't explain that now, would it. Oh, I know! You got into a fight over the last piece of bluefin!" Kyle just shook his head slightly. "No? I guess it's too much to hope you did something really exciting like rob a bank—You're not secretly a cat burglar are you, Kyle? Lose your balance breaking into an art gallery? No…?" Kyle looked unamused. "Very funny, Chuckles, would you mind taking this a little more seriously?" "Of course," said Andrea. "Very serious for a lawyer to have been arrested. You could be disciplined. Disbarred! Why, we might not see each other in court anymore. Wouldn't that be a shame." "Wouldn't it though," replied Kyle. "So that's the kind of guy you think I am? Stealing fine art and fighting in fish markets?” Andrea pondered some more. "I know!" she exclaimed. "Did you get into a fight with someone's boyfriend? Did it turn out that you were your young lady's bit on the side, and you ended up having a domestic dispute?" Kyle winced. "Is that it?!" Andrea had been teasing, but it seems like she had touched a nerve. To whatever degree Kyle had seemed like he'd been playing along, even as worn down as he was, that last remark had left him deflated. Kyle hung his head. "It wasn't like that…" "Oh sure, like you haven't been collecting notches on your bedposts." "I'M not like that." "You're not? That's not what your reputation says, out there collecting numbers and breaking hearts. I heard that you were a real ladykil–" "Andrea! I'm not–" Kyle shouted, grabbing her hands. His hands were strong, and his grip so tight it almost hurt. His expression so intense, frustrated and hurt and… scared? Andrea knew she had been twisting the knife a little into something that bothered him, but what had caused this reaction? It was only for a moment, then Kyle seemed to catch himself and let go. He slumped back in his chair and slid his shackled hands back below the table. Andrea leaned back as well, adding to the distance, and folded her arms, no longer smiling. She glanced at the duress button out of the corner of her eye. If Kyle had kept holding her as tightly as he had been, she wouldn't have even been able to reach it. "I think we're ready for storytime now," she said seriously. “I think you had better start at the punchline. What have you been charged with, Mr Wynn?" Kyle took a deep breath before he raised his head once more. "Murder, Ms Mason. First Degree Murder." *** Andrea Mason, a defense attorney who cares more about justice and protecting her clients than just winning cases. But the one man she hates to lose to is her rival, the arrogant prosecutor, Kyle Wynn. Kyle represents everything Andi hates about unscrupulous win-at-all-costs lawyers, and for years they have traded arguments in the courtroom and barbs in the hallways. Their paths cross again when they find themselves on a high-profile murder trial. As much as Andrea might despise Kyle, she can’t believe it when HE is charged with the horrific murder. But she is even more shocked when he asks for her to represent him at trial… *** #SLOWBURN #STRONGFL #CRIME #MURDER #FLIRTY #ROMANCE If you want to know what to expect, check the reviews! ฅ^-ﻌ•^ฅ Burrito says to join here: https://discord.gg/qr7eUnxT2F
slowestcook · 690.5K Views

Until Dusk Protocol

At the heart of a wish lies an attempt at completion, a human desire to become our true and final selves. Wishes are fuelled by regrets and are bound eternally to the past, serving as approximations of what once was. We all experience regret and nostalgia, leading us to make wishes and find despair, but can we become our true selves despite this all? That's where the story of a girl who struggles to control her desires begins... Two souls sharing the same body and memory are living in Kyoto 2031. Tang-Ji Shizukesa, a girl who's grown up in her previous life with a hardcore passion for gaming, is now a bookworm in her new life who has no interest in video games. Along with her, Kazami and Hoyeon, the three childhood friends who separated 7 years ago due to an accident, have now been reunited again in a VRMMORPG game known as Dusk Protocol. The game has a unique combat system known as "Leere," a physical manifestation of an individual soul that can be conjured into deadly weapons. As Tang-Ji navigates this virtual world, she confronts the echoes of her past and the dissonance between her former self and her present identity. How will she cope with the rediscovery of a life she thought she left behind? How will Kazami and Hoyeon react to the new Tang-Ji? In a world where reality is malleable and death is just a click of a button away, the boundaries between past and present blur, forcing everyone to grapple with the truth of who they truly are. Disclaimer: This novel contains explicit language, violence, racism, and sexual scenes. There are also scenes that deal with various traumas, from physical to emotional to mental. (THE CHARACTERS’ CIRCUMSTANCES , TRAITS, AND BELIEFS IN THIS NOVEL ARE ALL BASED ON A TRUE STORY.)
Hiese_Kirisaku · 34.2K Views
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