#ecommerce web design ideas

[brandingbridge123]

[k2websitedesign]

Elevating Kings County: The Power of Modern Digital Craftsmanship

In the heart of California's San Joaquin Valley lies Kings County, a region that seamlessly blends agricultural heritage with modern technological advancements. As businesses in Kings County strive to stay competitive in an increasingly digital world, the demand for high-quality, innovative Kings County website design has surged. Modern digital craftsmanship is at the forefront of this transformation, helping local businesses create impactful online presences that drive success and growth.

The Essence of Modern Digital Craftsmanship Modern digital craftsmanship in website design is about more than just creating visually appealing sites. It’s an art that combines aesthetics with functionality, user experience, and cutting-edge technology. This approach ensures that websites are not only beautiful but also intuitive, fast, and accessible, providing a seamless experience for all users.

Key Components of Digital Craftsmanship Visual Design: A website's visual design is its first impression. It needs to be striking, professional, and reflective of the brand’s identity. This includes the use of cohesive color schemes, high-quality images, and typography that aligns with the brand’s message. A visually compelling website captures attention and encourages users to explore further.

User Experience (UX): UX design is crucial in modern digital craftsmanship. It focuses on making the website easy to navigate, ensuring that users can find what they need without hassle. This involves intuitive layouts, clear calls-to-action, and responsive design that adapts to various devices and screen sizes. A superior UX leads to higher engagement and conversion rates.

Functionality and Performance: Beyond looks, a website must perform flawlessly. This includes fast load times, reliable hosting, and integration with necessary tools and platforms such as e-commerce systems, booking engines, and contact forms. Performance optimization, including image compression and code minimization, ensures the site runs smoothly and efficiently.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO): For a website to be successful, it needs to be easily found by potential customers. SEO involves optimizing the website’s content and structure to improve its visibility on search engines. This includes keyword research, on-page SEO elements like meta tags and headers, and creating valuable content that meets user needs.

Accessibility: Inclusivity is a key aspect of modern digital craftsmanship. Websites must be accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. This involves implementing features such as alt text for images, keyboard navigation, and compatibility with screen readers, ensuring everyone can interact with the site.

The Impact on Kings County Boosting Local Businesses: High-quality website design helps Kings County businesses establish a strong online presence. A well-crafted website attracts more visitors, engages them effectively, and converts them into loyal customers. This digital transformation is vital for local businesses aiming to expand their reach and compete on a larger scale.

Enhancing Community Connection: A well-designed website can also foster a sense of community by providing valuable information and resources to residents. Local businesses can use their websites to share news, events, and updates, strengthening their connection with the community.

Driving Economic Growth: By embracing modern digital craftsmanship, Kings County businesses can contribute to the local economy's growth. Successful online businesses attract more customers, generate higher revenues, and create more job opportunities within the county.

The Role of K2 Website Design As a leading provider of website design services, K2 Website Design is dedicated to bringing modern digital craftsmanship to Kings County. With a focus on creating visually stunning, user-friendly, and high-performing websites, they help local businesses thrive in the digital age. Their expertise ensures that each website is tailored to meet the unique needs of the business, providing a solid foundation for online success.

Conclusion Kings County’s embrace of modern digital craftsmanship marks a significant step forward in the digital transformation of the region. By focusing on visual design, user experience, functionality, SEO, and accessibility, local businesses can build powerful online presences that drive growth and success. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, Kings County is well-positioned to thrive, thanks to the innovative website design practices that are being adopted throughout the area.

[attractivewebsolution]

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[thehenrythomas]

What Is eCommerce Marketing?

eCommerce marketing, especially digital eCommerce marketing, is a confirmed tactic for drawing brand awareness and product orders for companies like yours. It is the practice of inducing awareness, sales, and brand recognition for an eCommerce or online store. Marketing for eCommerce companies utilizes methods like SEO, email marketing, PPC, and Google Ads. Do you need help designing an eCommerce site? If yes then connect with an expert web development company in Panchkula. 

[saintobio]

sincerely yours. (8)

↳ gojou satoru/reader

when a twist of fate led their marriage to the path of a quintessential tragic romance, two past lovers go through another series of experiences on love, heartbreak, identity, illness, and trauma along the road to a happily ever after. 

genre. heavy angst, amnesia, modern au, 18+ 

tags/warnings. profanity, mentions of cheating, implied suicide attempt, toxic relationship, explicit smut

series masterlist -> episode nine

9:21 AM.

Tap. Tap. Tap. The sound of your index finger drumming a slow and steady cadence against the table was nearly in perfect synchronization to the tick tock of the clock above the wall behind you. An icy, uninviting atmosphere was the best way to describe the current situation inside the conference room at this time of the morning, with the gelid detachment between the boss and her employees as you built a wall—an impenetrable wall—around yourself to keep the inner turmoil you had in your head. 

So, you listened. You succumbed to silence as a result. 

“I’d like to present this new idea that we, along with the ecommerce team, have come up with to increase engagement on our website.” Even as the marketing manager started to speak, you remained frigid. “We did go through some feedback that people have been posting online and they’re mostly saying that the current web theme is too plain and that they’re hoping to see a more engaging website, so we would love to propose some ideas that could improve Hearte’s overall online presence. We know that keeping the brand’s look consistent is very important, especially now that Hearte is still establishing its own name in the fashion industry, and we have currently done a phenomenal job with our brand style. However, as the online website is our visual storefront, not only is its functionality critical, but we also have to ensure that the web design is in line with our aesthetics.” 

9:26 AM. 

You leaned back on your chair with your arms crossed, looking up to speak to the manager from across the conference room. “Let’s keep the unnecessary introduction short and just go straight to the point,” you strictly announced, receiving curious eyes in return as it was their first time seeing you becoming all stern and unamused. Such an odd sight to see from a boss who used to have the brightest of sunshines reflecting on her smile. “What’s the proposal?” 

The marketing manager cleared her throat and moved her presentation onto the next slide. “Yes, Ms. Y/N. So… uh, based on the data that you can see on the screen, our online sales increased by 15% for the past two weeks, but we still have about 10% of shoppers abandoning their shopping carts. Earlier this week, we set up email campaigns and social reminders to decrease our abandonment rate and urge shoppers to return to their carts. While working with the IT team, we did some A/B testing to determine which version would drive our business metrics. We’ve also reached out to The Society Management and added Kendall Jenner to our PR list so that possibly, in the future, we can get her as a model for our landing page and attract the western market,” she continuously explained in a manner to convince you of how much effort their department was doing to increase Hearte’s sales, “But what we believe could bring a tremendous improvement on our website engagement is by introducing style guides. This will capture the interest of the audience now that they can mix and match some outfits based on their own style, and—”

9:32 AM.

Sigh.

“Ms. Ono, I have to be honest, but I expected more from you,” you cut her off by leaving a frank comment on her presentation, “Fashion brands have been doing style guides for years. You make it sound like it’s unique, but it’s nothing new. How sure are we that it will actually bring a dramatic improvement on our website engagement? I doubt most of them would even browse through it.” 

“Well, uh…” The marketing manager faltered, glancing at the head of the social media team for some help, which she didn’t end up receiving. “I think it’ll work the way we want it to as long as we introduce engaging copies that make buyers fall in love with the designs.” 

“You think?” You criticized her word of choice. “Ms. Ono, I gave you enough time to brainstorm with your team, so the moment you step inside of this conference room, you should have prepared whatever strategy you had in mind. I don’t settle for ambitious words like ‘I think’ or ‘I believe’. I want to hear a proposal that’s original, unique, and captivating. I want you to be a hundred percent sure that you know what you’re doing before you waste everyone’s time like this. Do you understand? Am I being clear? I want a proposal that would definitely get us somewhere and not just by assuming we will.” 

Were you being too harsh? They said that the fashion industry in itself was harsh, so what was so surprising about seeing you being strict, candid, and business-like? This was the nature of your job. This was normal. 

9:47 AM. 

Very timidly did Nobara raise her hand beside you to chime in on the discussion. “I know I’m not in the position to make suggestions, but…” She pressed something on her laptop before carefully sliding it to your side of the table, showing you what appears to be a classic early 2000s ‘dress-up game’ with a base model and a selection of outfits that were inspired by your designs. “I just wanted to show you this, Ms. Y/N. I do agree with Ms. Ono’s idea to introduce style guides, but maybe we can do it in an interactive way. I know the dress-up game idea may look childish and unsophisticated, but I was kinda hoping that we can just make certain adjustments so that it could match Hearte’s classy and simplistic style. We can have base models in different body types and skin tones to show our brand’s diversity, then we can have shoppers try dressing them up using the outfits on our current collection. That allows them to easily visualize how the pieces would look on a certain skin tone and body type.” 

The way everyone else in that conference table looked at Nobara was very obvious that they were expecting you to reprimand her for even having the guts to offer such a farcical idea. What does she know? They were probably thinking that. You’re just an intern. You knew they were saying that in their minds. On the other hand, you surprisingly liked her proposal and enjoyed the unique idea of introducing it to the website because her proposal actually did make sense. People would be curious, people would try it out by interacting with the website, and that means the engagement would rise up. 

“I like that idea. We can go with that,” you said, sliding the laptop back to her while nodding at the marketing and social media managers, “I need the team to discuss Nobara’s idea further and polish it thoroughly before we can start adding it onto the website. Make adjustments as needed and ensure that everything is still in line with our brand. If you notice any flaws with this proposal, you can flag them with me and I’ll review them.” 

9:54 AM. 

Just as you were about to wrap up the meeting, a certain someone entered the conference room in haste—panting out of breath with her long, wavy hair and creased red pants. “I’m so sorry, I’m late.” 

Her casualness made you clench your jaws tightly, fueling the fire to your already terrible day. You could no longer stop yourself from unleashing your rage as you looked up at her with a critical squint. “Ms. Hirai, what time’s it?” 

“It’s ten, I know. I’m so sorry,” she repeated her apologies and paid an apologetic bow to everyone in the meeting room, “I’m sorry, everyone. I was caught up in heavy traffic today.” 

You let out a silent scoff and ignored her compunctious act. “How long are we gonna keep using that excuse, really?” you questioned her, earning the intrigued eyes of your employees who were all sensing the sudden tension between you and your best friend, “As the fashion merchandiser and my second-in-command, you should’ve been here in this meeting with me, but where were you? You anticipated that there would be heavy traffic, yet you couldn’t be responsible enough in coming to work early knowing that we have a meeting? Or was it because you’re too busy doing other things so you’re no longer interested in showing up to work on time?” 

Akemi shook her head, contritely. “It’s… It’s not like that.” 

“Not like what?” Your icy stare bored into her. No trace of compassion was present in your eyes. “I’m sure you’re living a very blissful life outside of work and I’m glad you are, but is that also why you don’t bother with anything else anymore?” 

“Y/N—”

“Miss Y/N,” you corrected, “I’m your boss, so treat me like one.” 

Wide, chocolate brown eyes greeted you in response. It was clear that she was at a loss of words and could only repeat her meaningless apologies a thousand times. “I’m really sorry, Ms. Y/N. It won’t happen again.” 

“You didn’t even let me know that you’ll be coming in late,” you continued and ignored the pitiful expression on her face, focusing on her swollen red lips and her dewy, rosy cheeks. She must have had a really good morning to look like a cherry blossom on a spring day. Was she so preoccupied being all lovey dovey with your ex-husband this morning? Did she sleep comfortably on the same marital bed you used to share with him? Your jaw tensed visibly. “You’re just coming in whenever you want. You don’t respect people’s time. You don’t respect my rules. You don’t respect me.” 

Yes, you were overreacting by taking things too personally and it was the reason why you got up from your seat and bolted out of the conference room upon realizing your unusual outburst. You could hear the clicking sound of your stiletto echoing across the corridor as you stomped towards your office, swinging the glass door open and heading straight towards the ceiling-to-floor window to have some peace of mind. Peace? How ridiculous. How could you find peace? You couldn’t even grasp the fact that your best friend was acting like everything was normal. You couldn’t understand why she was rubbing her relationship to your face as if she wasn’t just a placeholder to somebody’s ex wife.

“Y/N?” Akemi’s voice cut you out of your toxic trail of thoughts—your mouth thinning with displeasure while you didn’t bother turning around to meet her gaze. Breathe. You had to breathe and think rationally. “I…I understand you’re really angry right now, but I was hoping we can have this much needed talk.” 

You could feel her reaching for your hand at the height of your frustration and your defensive instinct led you to angrily swing your arm away, accidentally hitting her cheek as you pivoted on your heel to face her. It took two seconds for your eyes to shift from glaring in frustration to widening in surprise after seeing the small cut your diamond ring left on her cheek. “Are you okay?” 

“Y-Yeah, no, it’s fine,” she insisted with her palm pressed onto the right side of her face. “I deserved it.” 

Good lord. What was happening to you? Despite having all these unspoken rage and unresolved conflicts between the two of you, you would still drop everything and be concerned for her. You would still let your walls collapse. You were the villain that couldn’t stick to being a villain. Why? Why did you feel this way? Was it because you knew she wasn’t technically doing anything wrong? Or was it because you were just projecting your personal frustrations onto her? Was betrayal really the issue here? Or was it the huge possibility that she could in fact be Gojou’s one true love? You had thought of this before, but the same questions in your head never stopped. And never did they stop from invading your headspace as you made your way towards the small fridge to grab an ice pack that you soon offered to Akemi, leading her to one of the couches while finally coming into your senses. 

Yet there was silence and nothing but awkward silence when you two sat at a safe distance from each other. 

“I’m shameless.” She was the first one to break the uncomfortable atmosphere. “I know you’re thinking that and I do agree with you. I really am shameless to even look you in the eye right now.” 

You sighed and looked away, only to keep yourself from the furnace of pain that you had been bottling inside. “Stop. You’re making me seem like a villain right now. I’m tired of seeing myself this way.”

She closed her legs and sat humbly, reaching forward to squeeze your hand. “You’re not. You’re not a villain and you never were,” said the same woman you accidentally smacked a few minutes ago, “I understand why you would feel a certain way towards me. I’d even understand if you hate me so much that you wanna murder me. I’m your best friend and I know about your history with Satoru, yet here I am seeing your ex-husband behind your back. I didn’t mean it. I didn’t plan it. I truly didn’t. Even though you’re not together anymore and I’m technically not homewrecking anyone, I’m still putting us—you and I—in a really awkward position. You didn’t deserve any of that and I’m very sorry.” 

At least, she was self-aware. But looking at the brighter side of things, you were getting calmer now that you were hearing her side of the story, though that didn’t stop you from feeling any less horrible. “I don’t really care who you date,” you claimed, adamantly, “And I most definitely do not care who Satoru chooses to date. We’ve been divorced for three years.” 

“It’s still not right that I’m seeing him.” She let her guilt speak up for her. 

And you let your resentment speak for you. “Then, why him of all people?”

“It’s…” 

“Complicated?” 

“Y-Yeah…” 

You decided to keep a straight face. “How did this happen?” 

Akemi looked as if you had just forced her to be on the hot seat because of the apathy on your visage. “It was a drunken mistake at first and we kinda just…”

“I’m not asking about when you two started fucking,” you replied, bluntly. Something you had never done before in your usual sophisticated vocabulary. “I’m asking when you realized you have feelings for him. When did you fall in love with him?” 

She had trouble finding the right answer. “It just happened. I d-don’t really know. Whenever you asked me to look after him, I guess the bond he and I developed from that made me see him in a different light.” 

You disregarded the pain in your chest and let the volcano explode on its own, because her answer only meant that she was already growing feelings for your ex-husband at the same time you were confiding to her about him. That was the worst part of it all. 

“Why do you like him?” you questioned further, “Despite knowing what happened while I was married to him, why did you still end up falling in love with him? If that’s so hard to answer, then don’t think about us or me or our friendship. Just think about the decisions you made for yourself. Why are you with Satoru?” 

Her gaze found the floor. Hesitance. Guilt. Shame. Those emotions were all dancing in her eyes in a complete roundabout. While she took a moment to fully reassess her decision, you weren’t sure if you deserved to still feel hurt when she gave you an honest answer. “When I met Satoru, I didn’t meet the toxic, cheating ex-husband that he was known for,” she said, slowly, “I met a man who holds such a high respect for his ex-wife, adores his son like his greatest gift of all, and values his marriage more than anything else in this world. I met a vulnerable man who isn’t afraid to open his heart to strangers. A man who gave me emotional support even when he’s the one who needed it the most. I… It’s hard to explain, but…” 

Was there really anything left to say? Her point was clear, and your silence while she was speaking was more so because you were trying not to let the tiny pricks in your heart affect you further than it already did. The fullness of her voice and the way her eyes shined when she talked about him were enough to tell you that your best friend had truly fallen in love and you would be cruel to take that away from her. Even from him. They would not have been involved in such an intimate relationship if there had been no attraction between them to begin with, so then… Why did it feel like you were being cheated on? She was no Sera, and he was not the Satoru that only used you for his corporate ambitions. It was just Akemi and Satoru—they were each other’s right person at the right time. The only thing blocking their path to a loving relationship was you. 

You. The irrational and spiteful ex-wife. The ex-wife who always played the ‘victim card’. The selfish ex-wife who wanted all the good things to only come her way. 

Well, god be damned, because you were beginning to confuse yourself with the version of you that wasn’t even remotely like you at all. She was just a mirrored image of yourself that you thought people perceived. 

“You can do what you want.” The moment you spoke again, you were already creating a huge wall between you and your best friend, making sure that there were boundaries that none of you should ever cross now that she had chosen to be with someone you had sincerely loved in the past. It may sound like you were letting go, but truth be told, you just didn’t think that you even had the option to hold onto anything. Satoru wasn’t yours and you weren’t his anymore. You were two individuals living separate lives. “If you wanna be with him, that’s your choice. I don’t plan on intervening. It just… just really surprised me that you didn’t have the decency to tell me at all.” 

Akemi nodded, apologetically desperate. “I understand how you’re feeling and I’m sorry. I really, truly am sorry, Y/N.” Her voice and her countenance did show the genuineness in her plea to be forgiven, but you were too numb to feel anything else. “I hope we can stay friends despite everything.” 

How could you even stay friends in a situation like this? 

First option was to keep pretending that their relationship wasn’t bothering you. Second option was to focus on your own relationship with Toji to the point where everything else just didn’t matter anymore.

Yeah, you thought. You could certainly choose the latter. 

“Our friendship isn’t my top priority at the moment,” was your straightforward response to her, “I wanna focus on my son and his relationship with his father. That’s all.” 

Any regular person would have thought: ‘Wow, Y/N. You handled that well.’ ‘You’re so mature.’ ‘You’re a lot calmer than we expected.’ The thing was, you really did think that you had been way too calm about it. In spite of the scene you caused at the conference room, or the dramatic exchange you had with Akemi in your office, you still handled it much better than one would think. In TV shows or movies, the ex-wife would have dragged the best friend to the ground, slapped her face, pulled her hair, started a nasty catfight, and called her all the terrible labels you could think of. Look, part of you wanted to do that. And the other part of you—the sympathetic, altruistic part of you—thought you shouldn’t do that. You would only look pathetic. 

Of all the negative things Satoru had made you feel over the course of your failure of a marriage, this aftermath was probably the toughest. 

You just weren't in the right state of mind to justify why. 

You also couldn’t justify why you had been looking for unhealthy ways to cope with stress and anxiety. If anyone from your family saw you standing at the smoking area near the parking lot right now, they would have given you an earful of how you must be out of your mind for even putting a cigarette stick between your lips. How exactly could tobacco be good for you? You would say, first of all, that nicotine does in fact cause pleasant feelings to distract you from unpleasant ones. You couldn’t find any other way to relax your mind any faster than one cigarette stick could. Besides, staying in the office and seeing Akemi around was getting too suffocating and you couldn’t afford to have your negative mood lingering in your mind for the rest of the day. One stick wouldn’t hurt. Another one wouldn’t, too. And another one should be fine, right? 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” 

The irony. You didn’t even have the time to recoil before the main cause of your stress showed up in front of you, frowning after he snatched the cigarette stick out of your lips. He was quick to throw it to the ground, stomp on it like he would do with your heart, and give you a questioning look that made you scoff at the ridiculousness of this situation. This could be a dream for heaven’s sake. Or a hallucination. There was no way Satoru Gojou would be standing right in front of you just as you were thinking about him.

“Since when have you been doing this?” he questioned again, holding your wrist this time to make you realize that his presence or this interaction wasn’t just a figment of your imagination. It would have been better that way, but the reality was, Satoru was there and he wasn’t the least bit pleased. “I know you’re mad at me and this isn’t the right time for me to chew you out like this, but…” he paused, taking your cigarette pack. “I can’t believe you’re fucking smoking right now, Y/N. Did you get this habit from Toji?”

Okay. Gojou could be way out-of-line sometimes, but this was the apex of it. 

“Don’t bring Toji into this,” you snapped back, shooting him a glare that could easily kill. “What are you doing here?”

You could see how deep his inhale was just by the loudness of his sigh after it. His face showed a combination of yearning, regret, frustration, and pity as if he was deciding which emotion should dominate him more. But among the multitude of emotions that were drowning him right now like a tidal wave, he looked all the more exhausted. Whether it was dealing with you, trying to make amends with you, or simply being around you—you could tell that he wanted to drop his constant need to care for you because it was beginning to tire him out. 

He didn’t really answer your question, and instead, asked one of his own. “Are you smoking because of stress?” he asked, trying to mask the sympathy in his eyes. “It’s bad for you. Set a good example for Sachiro.” 

You’re bad for me, you wanted to say. Why did it even matter to him, anyway? You were nothing more than just a mother to his child. Anything outside that role was completely not his business anymore. The fact that he was even within the vicinity of your office was ridiculous, because you were already having a bad day and his presence was adding further into it. “Don’t you dare talk about setting a good example to my son like you’re so righteous yourself.” 

“Y/N, come on.” He reached for your hand once more as if trying to show how much he cared or how worried he was with what you were doing to yourself because of him. “I don’t want you to—”

“Keep your fucking distance, Gojou. You’re not in the place to give a damn about me anymore,” you raged, withdrawing your wrist and breathing heavily as you tried to keep yourself from further exploding. You would have. You were so close to cursing him off, but you saw the flash of pure shock in his eyes, and that was how you realized what you just did. All these violent reactions, these unusual outbursts—these were not you. This was not the meek, soft-spoken ex-wife that he was once married to. 

“Toru?” 

Unfortunately, Gojou no longer had enough attention span to listen when he looked away, only to turn to his new woman with a genuinely worried expression painted on his face as soon as he saw her coming out of the building with a hand on her cheek. You realized that he was actually here to pick her up and was doing everything that a caring boyfriend would; checking every inch of her face to see how bad she was hurt and asking her what happened and whether she was okay. You didn’t know how to react the moment he turned back to you with his tired, yet passively accusatory eyes. “Did something happen?” 

You knew that his question actually translated to: ‘Did you slap her?’ With your thorough knowledge about his acquired trauma from physical violence, you felt the sudden need to clear your name, but you didn’t know if you should be grateful that it was already your best friend who did the part in doing such. “Nothing happened. It was an accident.” Her tone was almost begging before she started tugging his arm. “Let’s just go, please.” 

Satoru didn’t want to let it go, but decided that it was best to just leave it be as he glanced at you with a slightly detached gaze. “I’ll see you in a couple of days,” he reminded, referring to the dreaded New York trip together with Sachiro. 

A conflicted look from him and an apologetic gaze from her. That was all that you received before they got inside the car and left you alone and miserable in that parking lot. You watched his car fade into view with her on the passenger seat and him probably holding her hand as he drove through the street. Just when you thought you could actually stomach the sight of him and her together, it would be a big fat lie to say that it didn’t sting. It stung worse than the times he ran after Sera than to stay behind with you. Worse than when he used to treat you like a mistress rather than a wife. 

You must be going crazy, indeed. Who in their right mind would cry over her ex-husband in the middle of the parking lot? Why would you even shed tears when you were the one who wanted him to find someone else and move on? This was becoming a never-ending loop because you were letting yourself be affected by it. It shouldn’t be that way. Never. 

“Toji.” You were doing your hardest to conceal the weakness in your voice as you pressed your phone into your right ear. “I-I need you… right now. Please.” 

“Hey, I was just about to pick-up Sachi from daycare. Is everything okay?” 

Wiping your eyes, you looked at the dull skies wondering if the universe was trying to reflect all these emotions running inside of you. “Yeah… Can you come soon?” 

He didn’t really hesitate to answer, quickly understanding that he had to drop everything else right now and be with you. “Alright, I’ll be there.” 

Satoru was conflicted, but he didn’t know what exactly made him feel that way. Was it because he saw you smoking in the parking lot? Or was it because he could tell that you gave Akemi a tongue-lashing after catching her half-naked at the penthouse a few days ago? Either way, both options were not very you. And he couldn’t understand why you were slowly starting to look less and less like the person he knew, which was confusing on his part because you had been adamant on telling him to forget about you. You were rigid on your decision to not let him enter your life as your husband for the second time around. He told you he still loved you, but you said you loved another. He told you he wanted to work things out and make your family complete again, but you said you were already doing that with someone else. Gojou knew his hands weren’t clean and the reason you may be acting that way was because out of all the women he could have been with, it had to be Akemi Hirai. Your best friend. Your confidante. Your business partner. She was a territory he shouldn’t have crossed, yet he did. 

But, at the same time, she was the only person who had been there for him during his lowest. She was the company he needed when his heart was the loneliest. He couldn’t even remember the amount of times she came to his aid when he was crying over his memories of you, memories that he could no longer hold onto. Akemi brought peace to his heart, and if there was anyone else he could be with, it would be her. 

It was becoming more and more clear to him how he felt about her. 

Although, voicing that out loud was a different story. Keeping it in his thoughts was for the best because he didn’t want to lead Akemi on. She didn’t deserve that nor did she deserve to feel like a substitute for someone else. He wanted to be a hundred percent sure about being with her before he could fully confess his real feelings for her. It could still develop through time, perhaps far better and more passionate than what he was sharing with her right now, but until then, settling for what they had at this moment in time was for the better. What was important was that both parties were clear about diving into this relationship. 

He wasn’t ready for commitment and she understood that. She was willing to wait for him. She was helping him move on in the least painful way. Where else could he meet such a person like her? 

She was gentle, motherly, sensitive, and intuitive. She was classy and sophisticated. She knew how to dress nicely. Her nails were always clean and pretty. Her smile was very charming. Her laugh, endearing. She was the perfect woman anyone could have. 

“Why’d you suddenly want to go to the mall?” she asked, intertwining their hands together as she looked up at him with her beautiful doe eyes. Her question made him cut out of his trance, remembering that they were strolling around the galleria. 

He touched the small wound on her cheek as if stroking it could make it heal faster. “Nothing,” he said. “Just a last minute idea.”

Truthfully, Gojou wasn’t sure why he had brought her there. All he knew was that he had a lot going on in his mind while he was driving through the city and the next thing he knew, he was already pulling up at the galleria out of his natural instinct. But since they were already there, he might as well buy her a little something. Anything. And then his eyes caught sight of Chanel as if the high-end boutique was pulling his feet with such gravity that it led him to go inside the store while hand-in-hand with the woman next to him. 

“Mr. Gojou, how are you?” 

Right. The staff knew him so well, especially for the amount of times he had been there with his ex-wife when you two were still married. 

“Are you looking for anything specific?” One of the familiar ladies that used to assist you approached him with a lingering stare towards Akemi. “Perhaps for your…?”

He cleared his throat. “Yeah, can you… uh,” he turned towards the rack of tweed sets, “Do you have any new collections?” 

“Yes, absolutely,” said another lady, “Right this way, sir.” 

It was easy to notice how the staff were exchanging glances at the sight of Satoru and Akemi together, but his mind was far too distracted by the nostalgia of being in that place alone to even care about his surroundings. All he did was look back at Akemi and encourage her to try out the newest collections that they had, thinking that she was oblivious about what was going through his head. “You go and pick whatever you like.” 

Although she was clearly not used to it, Akemi did eventually try on some of the outfits he specifically had chosen for her. They were Chanel’s signature tweed sets that he always found to be very elegant, and he definitely wasn’t wrong that they would suit her when she came out of the dressing room to show him how the clothes wrapped her small frame perfectly. 

He could see your smile through her face, your excitement when you tried the outfits on, and the shine in your eyes when you looked at yourself in the mirror. Except, Gojou had to remind himself that you weren’t her. That his mind was just messing with him. 

No, this was wrong. Why was he thinking about you while he was with her? 

He had to have some sort of distraction. Something so tangible that all of his senses would go numb. 

The one way he was able to overcome that dilemma was by sharing yet another steamy exchange with Akemi later that night. He couldn’t remember who initiated first, but it must have been the equal desire that they had for each other when they dove straight into a heated makeout session the moment they stepped inside his bedroom. One thing led to another. First he was kissing her lips, then her collarbones, then her inner thighs—devouring her completely with his lust-driven actions, doing the most by pleasuring her body using his own. 

She was a giver just as she was a receiver. Not that he didn’t expect her to be so experienced when it came to sex, but she definitely knew what she was doing without any guidance from him. Perhaps he just wasn’t used to it anymore. Perhaps he had just forgotten how it felt to have sex with someone who didn’t rely on him to initiate the next steps they should do. Fuck, he couldn’t even remember the last time someone stared at his eyes while putting his hardened member inside her mouth the way she did. She knew her power over him while at his most vulnerable state, ruining his masculine ego and destroying it with her own feminine pride. 

And in the midst of their intimate session, Gojou was zoning out while he was sliding a condom across his shaft, ready to enter her from the back. His mind was giving him a flash of memory, not a distant but recent one from two days ago.

“I still can’t believe you did that, Mom. You’re being ridiculous.” 

His mother wasn’t exactly showing the slightest hint of regret on her face despite knowing full well that sending the custody claim almost made you lose your mind. She was keeping a straight face as she sat on the barstool next to him, taking a sip of wine from her glass while he, on his own, was downing a glass of scotch. “She had it coming.”

Satoru sighed his frustration away. “Don’t do that again or today’s the last time you’ll ever see me.” 

“What are you talking about?” His mother frowned. “Who was there for you when you were trying to end your own life because of the lies she told you, huh? You’re feeling bad for her now, but did she feel bad for you back then? You missed three years of your son’s life because she was being too spiteful towards you.” 

He had never met someone more stubborn than his own mother, but maybe this was a clear sign for Satoru to realize where he must have acquired that one similar trait of his. After all, people always made it seem that he was more like his dad even though he despised being compared to his father. To say that his mother was a complete angel was a lie. But neither was he. “Whatever, just don’t… Just leave Y/N alone. She’s still the mother of my child and I don’t want us to keep fighting. At least, for Sachi’s sake.” 

His mother finished her glass of wine before turning the stool towards his direction. There was a minute of silence that passed between them before she spoke again. “I just don’t want you to get back with her, darling. You two are toxic together.” 

Funny, because he could say the same thing for her and his father. “Well, it’s not gonna happen now. Y/N’s gonna hate me forever.” 

“What, ‘cause she rejected you again?” 

“No,” he countered, shaking his head and chugging all the remaining liquor on his glass. “She knows about the thing I have with Akemi now.” 

Her mouth fell open, gasping as she did so. “Y-You… and Akemi? Are you together?” 

Satoru expected this reaction from her, but didn’t think she would actually be more fixated on his new relationship than the effect it would bring on her ex-daughter-in-law. “It’s not something to be proud of, Mom.” 

“Well, I’m proud of you,” she still stressed that fact, “It’s nice to hear that you’re finally moving on, Satoru. Y/N is not good for you, but I know Akemi will be. I like her and I know she’ll make you a lot happier than Y/N ever did.” 

“You’re still awake?” Gojou let out a yawn as he felt the heaviness of his eyelids telling him that it was time to sleep. He tried checking the time on his phone, but realized that he still had the photo of you and Sachiro as his lockscreen. He wasn’t planning on changing it anytime soon, but considering that Akemi saw it, he was expecting that she would have something to say, yet nothing came out of her mouth. She simply stayed silent while laying on his chest, letting him touch the slope of her naked back as she slightly raised her head to meet his eyes. He had already closed his phone and placed it back on the nightstand. “What, did I not tire you enough?” 

“Shut up.” She hid her reddened cheeks and smiled on the crook of his neck. Her hand was placed on his chest, fingers tracing his collarbones. “No, I’m just thinking about how you’re gonna manage New York and all.” 

Satoru’s breathing was still for a few seconds, keeping his eyes glued on the ceiling as he held her on your marital bed. “You’re scared that the infamous cheater is gonna cheat on you or something?” he joked, a distasteful one, but still meant to ease whatever was burdening her mind. “Not gonna happen even if we’re in an open relationship.” 

“That’s not it,” Akemi quickly replied, denying his claims, “I’m more like hoping that you’ll be patient with her. She gets angry a lot these days and we know we’re the main cause of it, so please. Please don’t try to argue with her, okay? If she says hurtful things, learn to understand her.” 

He wrapped his arms tighter around her smaller frame. Gojou was certain that he was about to doze off soon now that he had closed his eyes and let the exhaustion pull him into a good night’s sleep. “I won’t,” he spoke his words slowly, drifting off to dreamland, “I won’t make her angry.” 

“Okay.” He felt her lips kissing his jaw just before the both of them gradually matched the calmness of each other’s chest. One heart, one soul, two bodies.  “Good night, ‘Toru.” 

…

…

…

In the middle of his sleep, he mumbled, “Good night, Y/N.”

On the other side of the city, you woke up in the middle of your slumber, facing the handsome face of your fiancé, Toji Zen’in, who had already drifted off to dreamland while holding you in his muscular arms. No wonder people were jealous of you for having such a refined man like him in your bed every night you go to sleep. The thing was, you had no reason to feel discontented with your life since you already had everything. You were wealthier than the average person, you ran a business that you were passionate about, you had an adorable son who meant the world to you, and you had Toji. There was nothing else you could ask for. And if by remembering Sera’s words back then, you would be selfish to ask for anything more because others didn’t even have half the fortune you had. 

So, in that sense, you should be happy. 

You had to be happy. 

You were happy, right? 

“Go to sleep,” whispered a half-awake Toji, stirring from his sleep as he held your waist tighter like you were his comfort pillow. “You alright?” 

Sighing inwardly, you traced the scar on his lips. “You’re so gorgeous.”

His lazy, boyish smile came into view. “I know that,” he joked, closing his eyes as if succumbing into a few more minutes of sleep. “Don’t tell me you’re turned on right now ‘cause I can go all night. Doggy. Missionary. Cowboy. Reverse cowboy.” 

Were you? Maybe a little. And maybe you had to have a distraction from your ‘source of happiness’. 

“That’s very naughty of you, Mr. Zen’in,” you replied, cheeks heating up from his vulgar words. Your hand was finding its way to his toned chest, while his were traveling to the curves of your waist and hips. You could feel him angling his body to make sure he had access to slide your underwear just a little above your knee, gliding his hand along your thigh before letting his fingers touch your sensitive bud. “T-Toji—”

A smirk appeared on his lips. “Hm? I thought you wanted this?” 

You nodded, taking a deep breath. “Y-Yeah, I…” There was no use holding back from moaning because his fingers knew how to move perfectly well, playing with your clit in circular motions before sliding two of them into your entrance. “...Fuck.”

“Feel good?” His hot breath tickled your neck, moving his mouth from your collarbones down to the valley between your breasts. “Wish you knew how delicious you are.” 

Another moan, much louder this time around, escaped your lips when he attached his mouth onto your breast, sucking the round mass with his tongue doing God’s work. You were so high into sexual desire that your back arched on its own, dominated by the pleasing sensation all over your body. You could barely even respond to him when he started asking why your mood had been so down when he picked you up after work or why you still wouldn’t tell him whatever happened back there. 

“It’s nothing,” you replied, disregarding the painful encounter you’ve had with your ex-husband and your best friend. “...Just work stuff.” 

As you closed your eyes, you could feel Satoru’s fingers entering deep inside of you, deep enough to have reached your g-spot and have you moaning wildly. It felt unreal. It felt goddamn out of this world. But since Satoru was familiar with every inch of your body, his touch alone could easily send you to seventh heaven. He was heavenly. He was saintly. That mesmerizing gaze of his paired with his sky blue eyes and messy white hair. His beautiful, beautiful face, watching you beg for him to do more. More. More…

“Satoru…”

The intense feeling suddenly stopped, awakening you back to your senses as you opened your eyes and saw the dark, animalistic gaze of Toji Zen’in. “What’d you say?” he asked in a deep voice. 

Out of panic, you slightly pulled away and shook your head. “N-Nothing. What did I say?”

“I thought I heard you say his…” he trailed off, pulling his fingers out of you and instead, placing a tight grip on your hip. “Did you?” 

“No, no. Not at all.” Your voice came in a hushed tone, looking at his eyes intently. “Why would I do that?” 

He let out an exasperated sigh, falling back into the bed with one arm under his head. “Don’t play games with me, Y/N.”

Desperation led you to climb on top of him, sitting on his crotch before encasing your lips with his soft ones. “I’m not,” you mumbled, kissing him again. “I never did. I promise.” 

Yet, despite your attempts at inviting him for an open-mouthed kiss, he had already lost the interest to engage in sexual activities with you. He didn’t say anything nor tried to argue about the shit that you said, but he did stay silent for a couple of minutes, simply holding you on top of him without another word to utter. It scared you to think what was going through Toji’s mind, but this was also all your fault. Why, in the first place, did you even let your mind imagine that white-haired toxic ex-husband of yours when you had Toji Zen’in in front you? 

Perhaps in this relationship, you were the toxic one. 

You were the poison that could kill the life out of the man who only wanted to love and heal you. 

“Toji, I’m sorry…” 

He held his breath. “Should I be concerned that you’re going on a trip with him?” 

“No, it’s…” Pulling away, you gave him a look of combined sincerity and denial. “We’re just gonna fix Sachiro’s papers, you know that. We won’t even be staying in the same room.” 

Fixing Sachiro’s papers. Dealing with his dual citizenship. Changing his last name to Gojou. Solidifying your son’s identity as the son of Satoru Gojou. That’s all there is to it. All the technical matters. 

“Is he staying at a hotel or are you letting him stay at your apartment in Manhattan?” he asked, although there was no hint of suspicion in his voice. Or at least, he must be good at hiding it. 

You chose to be honest. “I have to let him stay at my apartment,” was your answer, leaning your head on his shoulder. “Only because Sachi wants his dad around all the time. We’re just trying our best to co-parent.” 

Toji’s dry humor took over. “You sure you’re not gonna let him fuck you senseless?” His tone was laced with resentment. “And then you’ll come home to me crying about how he got you pregnant for the second time. You’d better kiss our marriage goodbye if that happens.” 

“What kind of person do you think I am?” you retorted, annoyed by his word of choice as if you were a cheating scumbag. “If he’s gonna get someone pregnant, that won’t be me.” 

His eyes sparked with curiosity. “What do you mean?” 

Deciding between telling and not telling, you figured that the latter would only cause more drama to bounce back at you like a boomerang. “He’s with Akemi.” 

It looked like Toji didn’t hear it right. “Akemi? How’d that happen?” 

“I don’t know what kinda relationship they have, okay?” you snapped, no longer wanting to keep up with this topic further. “I just caught them. They said they’re seeing each other, but it’s complicated or whatever—I don’t really give a damn. But he’s with her is all I know.” 

Toji went silent for a few minutes, unable to determine whether he should find the situation pitiful or humorous. One thing for sure though, was that he found it unbelievable. “That son of a bitch,” he muttered under his breath, smiling in disbelief, “So this is what’s ruining your mood these days, huh?” 

Your eyebrows furrowed in response. “It’s not.” 

“Your ex-husband slept with your best friend. Yeah, I’d be mad, too.” His comment wasn’t really meant to irk you, but he successfully did so. Minus the intention. “Getting mad is understandable, getting jealous is questionable. Which one are you?” 

Fuck it. “I said I’m not jealous. Will you stop now?” You sunk yourself under the covers, turning your back on Toji. “I don’t wanna talk about it.” 

Now that he knew and you saw his reaction, you wondered what it would be like if Gen and Ian knew. Or if your dad knew. What would they think of Satoru? What would they think of Akemi? No, nevermind that. What would they think of you? Another fool in a deck of cards? Another game that was played with? 

You didn’t want to know. 

Ideally, you and Satoru really shouldn’t have gone to this New York trip together as if your family was still intact, because as much as you wished that that was true, you were far from that. You were only playing house for the sake of your son, but that also meant putting you in a painfully awkward situation together as ex-spouses. He had a girlfriend back home and you had a loving and loyal fiancé who proved the whole word that he was loyal to you. And although your respective partners were supporting the whole co-parenting situation, you knew by yourselves that this was nowhere to near to being comfortable for them, too. 

“Everything okay?” You heard the familiar voice of your past, only to see his dull, blue eyes taking a peek at you. 

“Yeah,” you replied, almost inaudibly. You just boarded the plane while Satoru was talking to the pilot, and found your spot on one of the beds in his private jet. It took a few minutes for him to get to where you were now. “Why?” 

He shrugged, eyeing a sleepy Sachiro next to you. “Just wanna make sure you and Sachi are comfortable.” 

You didn’t know what else to say, so you just looked back at your peaceful son who was hugging his elmo plush like the cute angel he was. Even though he was growing so fast, you could still remember how he was just as small as a puppy in your arms when he was first born. The memory of it caused you to press your lips on his forehead, caressing his soft, white hair. At some point while observing the scene, your son’s father thought it would be a good idea to slide the blanket further up your shoulders, acting as though he was only doing it to keep Sachiro warm. And later, he sat on the reclined airplane seat, drinking the coffee that was served to him by the stewardess. 

It was crazy. 

Crazy that Toji could be lying next to you and you would feel nothing. But Gojou was meters away from you and your mind was on a never-ending race. 

Just before noon, the airplane landed safely at JFK airport and Satoru’s driver took you straight to Central Park Towers, treated like a V.I.P. by security just because your ex-husband was Japan’s third richest person and second most influential businessman. At times like these, you would almost forget the power Satoru held even before he was the chairman. You two were almost royalty. Now that he was leading the Gojou Group, his reputation only grew more despite the scandal of your broken marriage. He knew not to share his relationship publicly anymore nor did he expose Sachiro to any of his social media. It was a mutual decision for you to keep your son away from the spotlight knowing the scrutiny and the lack of privacy that would enter your lives once again—all the unnecessary noise, the unwanted comments, the unruly attention. Besides, for safety reasons, Sachiro had to be hidden from the public since he would become the sole heir to his father’s conglomerate, inheriting his parents combined assets that could one day make him the richest and most sought after bachelor in Japan. 

“Mamaaa!” A lively Sachi came running to you as soon as he entered the lobby of the apartment suites, his father following him behind. 

“Careful, baby!” you said, standing at the lobby while talking to your housekeeper, “You might trip.” 

Satoru decided to carry his son after noticing your worried expression and immediately walked towards you. He was all smiles as he looked at Sachiro’s cheerful blue eyes. “He seems a little excited, isn’t he?” 

“He lived here for almost three years,” you answered, signaling a quick ‘thank you’ to your housekeeper before guiding your boys to the elevator. “He must’ve missed the place. Did you, Sachi?”

“Yes, mama~”

It was a little bittersweet for your ex-husband, though. Especially the moment he stepped inside the apartment, looking at every corner and realizing that it was the same place you had lived in back when he was suffering from emotional distress on the other side of the world. This apartment was where his own child grew up in and he had no idea he had even existen then. Not only did that make you a terrible ex-wife, but it also made you a heartless mother. You had separated them and now you were taking him to the place where you had his son hidden from him. 

That wasn’t your intention. That was never your intention. 

“I’m glad you chose a nice place,” he complimented, acting as casual as possible. “Does your father own this place or?”

“Gen loaned it to me,” you said, holding Sachiro’s hand while letting Satoru follow you closely. You stopped at one of the guest rooms and urged the tall man to feel at home. “You can stay here for the meantime.” 

“I don’t wanna make things uncomfortable for Akemi.” He looked away, avoiding your eyes. “I can just stay at a hotel—” 

“Dada!” His mini-me tugged at his hand along with yours. You already knew that those puppy eyes would look back at the both of you. “Sachi wants Dada to stay.”

Frankly, you weren’t upset a while ago, but since he had to bring up Akemi and make it seem like her feelings were his priority, you lost all the will to be kind. Was their relationship that deep for him to act like such a loyal, righteous partner? Where was that same loyalty when he married you? “Do whatever.” 

Noticing the tension between his parents, Sachiro’s eyes started to well up with tears and that was all it took for you two to completely focus your attention back to your 3-year old. 

“Sachi…” Satoru tried to reach for his son, but you (spitefully) beat him to it. 

“It’s okay, my baby. Don’t cry,” you comforted your son, picking him up and carrying him in your arms, “Daddy will still visit you every day even if he's staying at a hotel.” 

Satoru, as guilty as ever, shook his head and wiped his son’s eyes. “No. I’ll stay here for Sachi, okay? Don’t cry anymore.” 

It felt like hours sitting on that enormous sofa, staring at the television screen even though your mind was miles away. You had already texted Toji good night and reassured him that everything was fine, but you still couldn’t stop thinking about what he was doing back home. Sachiro had fallen asleep almost half an hour ago, and how you wished you could also enjoy your slumber while snuggling under those heated blankets, but how could you? How could you be comfortable in the presence of an ex-husband who was coming out of his room, freshly showered in his low-waisted sweatpants and tight-fitting black shirt? Not to mention how he was obviously flexing his arms while drying his mop of messy, white hair with a towel. Ridiculous. A little seductive, but definitely ridiculous. 

“Still up?” His sky blue eyes met yours as soon as he looked up. 

You adjusted your position on the sofa and leaned on the corner, pulling a small cushion to place above your thighs. “Can’t sleep.” 

And the night went on just like that. You, sitting on the couch. Him, sitting on the other end as if going near you might suffocate him. It didn’t help that the silence was beginning to be too uncomfortable. You couldn’t tell what he was thinking of. Perhaps Akemi? Perhaps you? You doubted the latter. 

“I think…” You cleared your throat to escape from the awkward tension. “I think I’m gonna go for a night swim. You can go to sleep next to Sachi tonight, just make sure not to wake him up.” 

Satoru’s curious gaze trailed on you as you got up and tightened your robe. “It’s a little too late at night to go for a swim, no?” 

You couldn’t even face him as you responded. “I need to clear my mind off some things.” And by things, you meant him and this whole mess of a situation that you had put yourselves together. Two divorcees staying in the same living space wasn’t exactly a brilliant idea to begin with.

“Want me to join you?” asked Satoru, and he himself could not believe he asked that question. He may have asked it out of his innate care for you, probably worried for no damn reason. What he didn’t realize was how wrong his suggestion was, especially that you two were dating other people now. 

If only you were such a cruel person, how ironic would it be if you allowed Satoru Gojou to join you for a quick night swim? 

How ironic would it be for you to feel each other’s warmth under the crystal pool, getting carried away by the romantic lights that lit the city? 

How ironic would it be if the intense sexual tension ended with you doing things under the sheets, completely disregarding the fact that the both of you had respective partners who were overthinking this exact NYC trip?

How ironic would it be if, for once in your life, you became the cheater? 

Thankfully, you didn’t have the mindset of a cheating person. 

However, it was Satoru who took back his initial offer. “Never mind. Forget I even asked that,” he muttered, sounding annoyed more so to himself rather than at you. 

You offered a nonchalant shrug. “Okay.” 

And as you were heading to the poolside, you could sense Gojou’s presence behind even though he just very clearly rejected the idea of going on a swim with you. He was still the same confusing man that you married before. Only now, he was ten times worse. “Wait, Y/N.”

“What?” You turned around, annoyed at his push-and-pull behavior. At this point, you didn’t really care what he was thinking of anymore. All you did was to take off your robe, leaving yourself with only your underwear on before you slowly got down on the pool. 

Gojou, on the other hand, was ridding himself of his shirt and sweatpants to join you in the pool with just his boxers on. What even was this situation? You two had that same question in your head despite swimming at the edge of the pool to stare at the cityscape. “I only asked to join you because I wanted to talk. That’s all.” 

You wanted to laugh at how he was clearing his intentions to you. 

“Why do you sound defensive around me?” He couldn’t see it, but you were rolling your eyes as you leaned against the pool coping. “I never knew Akemi would be the jealous type.” 

Satoru looked surprised by your claim, seeming as though he didn’t recognize the kind of person you were anymore. You were never this unreasonably sarcastic nor acidic with your words during your marriage even at the height of his affair with Sera, yet you had just become the worst version of yourself. “She isn’t,” he muttered, finding his spot next to you, “But I don’t wanna give her a reason to be.” 

You huffed. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. You make it sound like I’m gonna make a move on you or something.” 

“I never said that.” 

“You were thinking about it.” 

“Says who?” 

What is it about Satoru Gojou that makes him so irritating? Was it the way he talks? The way he thinks he’s always right? The way he acts like he’s such a clean person? 

“Please,” you retorted, bitterly. “Toji isn’t comfortable having you around me, either. Just so you know.” 

“Can we just—” There. His last string of patience finally snapped and his true colors came to show when he grabbed your wrist and made you face him. The spiteful Satoru. He was back, even just for a second. “Y/N, I’m not trying to argue with you here. I’m trying to talk to you like a civilized person. You’re the mother of my child and I respect you. I’d still care for you and will always protect you, but I want you to at least act like a fucking person around me. You’re a grown woman.” 

Wasn’t it bad that he, of all people, was basically telling you to grow up? Memories of your marriage and all the back-and-forth arguments that you had with him flashed before your eyes. He should be the last one to say such a thing. “You’re the one who’s been crossing the fucking line with me since day one, Gojou. Don’t tell me to—”

“And do you wish I had just killed myself for you to forgive me?!” The ridges of his neck became prominent, making his anger much visible now. He was staring down at you intensely, backing you against the edge of the pool, trapping you in between his arms. “I’d have probably done that. But you…You did unforgivable things to me and look how easy it was for me to forgive you.” 

You looked away, not trying to have this conversation again. Not trying to have your guilt eat your heart out. Maybe your behavior really had become too much and it was about time you take a step back and realize how ridiculous you had been acting because no way was this man trying to make a better point than you. 

“I slept with Akemi, I know. She’s your best friend, I fucking know. But I never did that to get back at you,” his voice bore so much authority in them. “I begged on my knees just to be with you again. Swallowed my pride just for you to be my wife again!” His breathing became ragged. “But you chose to move on. You said you love Toji. You said you’d be happier without me, so why don’t I deserve to be happy without you?” 

The inability to speak wasn’t because you were at a loss of words. The problem was choosing the right ones. Words that wouldn’t put you in a disadvantageous position. Words that wouldn’t make you look like an unreasonable person. 

“You wished me well when you first found out about Akemi and I. You said you don’t care who I choose to date even if that choice is her,” he said, much calmer this time. He was placing his forehead against yours, body pressed against each other. “If that was true, then why are you still so angry with me?” 

Your heart raced as you locked eyes with him. His eyes were the same kind of blue that reflected off of the surface of the pool. Anyone could easily get lost in it, but you knew where to place yourself in order not to. “I’m… not angry…” 

“Baby, you and I both know that’s not true,” he said with a serious gaze, lifting your chin with his hand. 

But you swatted it away, averting your eyes. “Don’t call me baby. You’re being ridiculous.” 

With a loud sigh, Gojou gave up and simply placed his forehead on your shoulder, letting you feel the weight of his head and the warmth of his breath. “If you were still my wife, I’d have kissed you right now,” he declared, breathing heavily as if stopping with all of his will to do what he just said. “I’d touch every inch of you, tell you how much I love you, carry you back into that room, and make more beautiful babies with you…” 

“Satoru,” you warned just as he pulled away, smiling despite the sorrow in his eyes. 

“…But I won’t do that. I’m not gonna do that,” he claimed and sounded like he was convincing himself rather than clearing it up. “Akemi doesn’t deserve a partner who can’t move on from his ex-wife, so I’m doing my best to forget about you.” 

Your breathing took a halt. You weren’t sure where those tiny pricks in your heart came from. Toji needed the same. He deserved a wife who wasn’t pining for her ex-husband. Satoru was just being true. 

“Then, forget about me,” you gave a barely audible reply. 

Gojou pulled away and kept his distance now, showing that he was indeed trying to stick to his words. “I will.” 

Why did it hurt when it shouldn’t have? 

“Good.” 

He looked at you with eyes that carried a million emotions. But what was most visible was him seeing the light, probably realizing that he truly was doing the right thing and that he was proud of himself for being able to resist you. Because then, that only meant he was only a few steps away from the path of moving on. That if he could let you go, then he could live a better life. 

It only made sense why he pulled that little stunt back there—being close enough to you was probably his way of differentiating how his body reacted to you versus how it reacted to Akemi. And now that he was able to determine whatever difference that might be, it would be easier for him to know what exactly to avoid. 

After all, you two would be spending the rest of your lives as a present mom and dad to Sachiro. Co-parenting was your only connection and the only way to make that work without falling for each other was to rid yourselves of any kind of attraction towards one another. 

Good for him. 

“Let’s be good parents, Y/N.” Satoru looked at you from across the pool. “Let’s set a good example for Sachi and show that divorced parents can still be good parents. Let’s not be toxic to each other, especially not in front of him.” His words were coming from his personal experience and as you knew the whole history behind the mess within his family, you were truthfully considerate of his words. His traumatic experiences were what shaped him to become the problematic man you once married, and he was doing his best not to let his own son be the same. “I’ll provide Sachiro with everything he needs and I’ll always be present in his life, so please let me have as much time with him as possible. I’m making up for the three years I lost with him.” 

You nodded. “I don’t have a problem with that. 

As the established relationship you had with Gojou became more professional and strictly transactional, the distance between you two also grew more and more. There was no longer any space for love and intimacy. There was only familiarity and acquaintanceship. 

“Go to sleep soon,” he said without sending another glance your way, climbing out of the pool and reaching for his clothes, “We have a long day tomorrow.” 

[darklydeliciousdesires]

Runaway - Chapter Eleven.

Good morning (or afternoon, or evening, depending where you are!) besties! I hope everyone had a lovely weekend. Huge thanks for your continued interest in this little story, damn, you guys are understanding the assignment regarding engagement! We’re zooming to the 30 notes unlock on every chapter! I hope you enjoy the next as much as you have the rest :)

Previous chapters - Prologue  One  Two  Three  Four  Five  Six  Seven  Eight  Nine  Ten

Taglist - In the comments, please DM to be added/removed

Words - 2,427

Warnings - 18+ content throughout, minors DNI!

“So, you got that meeting this morning, huh?” Manny asked, Carmen lying against his chest, idly stroking his abs.

“Yeah, and I’m pretty nervous about it, to be honest. Sales haven’t been great, but I do keep on suggesting that we move to push greater into ecommerce. I even offered to appoint myself to it, since I know web design. For whatever reason, though, they’re reluctant.” She worked for a small cosmetic chain, with a few outlets across Southern Cali, most of their sales being from their storefront operations, as well as stalls at expo’s.  

“Well, maybe the sales figures will suggest they can’t afford to be any longer. Hey, why not write up a business plan or something, see how they react to that when they see it all laid out, your plan of action, projected earnings, overheads, etc?”  

She lifted her head, nodding. “What a great idea! I didn’t even think to do that, but I will! I mean, I don’t have time now, but I’m certainly going to mention it.” Pausing, she kissed him, humming happily. “You’re so great with this kind of thing.” When she was like this, she was wonderful. She was the bright, kind girl he’d fallen in love with, always quick to praise others, a stark contrast to how she could behave when something lit her fuse. “What do you have planned for today?”

“I’m meeting with Lily this morning, going to get some stuff for Lola since I don’t have a clue where to begin.” He waited for it.  

“Oh, right.” There it was, disinterest, just as he expected. “Well, I better get up and get ready. Do you want breakfast?”  

“I ain’t hungry, just a coffee, please.” She was quiet with him for the remaining hour before she left for work, Manny internally shaking his head, but not broaching it with her. He was in no mood for an argument, and he didn’t want her going into her meeting upset either. He was relieved when he arrived at the yard, to be greeted by one woman who never gave him an ounce of anything other than solid friendship and love.  

“Hey, Lils. Thanks so much for doing this.” Greeting her with a hug, Manny turned to click the fob on the new vehicle he’d bought, figuring he needed adequate transportation now he had a baby to ferry from place to place when she was with him. He and Hannah had arranged it, Manny beginning in taking her overnight a few times a week so she could catch up on sleep and work uninterrupted, and he could begin building a bond with his daughter.

“No problem, buddy. I hope you’re ready to spend a fortune!”  

She was taking him shopping for all things baby, except for clothes, since she had an absolute abundance of things from when Willow was little that she happily donated to him. He needed a guiding hand, and as a mother, she was perfect. She knew what to do.  

“Man, this is a sweet ride,” she spoke, getting into the passenger seat, Manny nodding. It was going to cost him a sizable amount in monthly repayments, but not as much as if he’d bought the GMC 4x4 truck brand new. Being an outlaw, he made good bank, but anything he paid in cash for that he couldn’t explain was paid for out of his legitimate earnings, should he and the club become under such scrutiny as indictments, was at risk. He was smarter than that, they all were.

“Well, I gotta keep up with your fancy ass and the brand-new Jeep.” Lily’s very profitable earnings within the UFC had meant she could upgrade from her very old, very unreliable Toyota, buying herself the car she’d wanted for years.

“Did Angel tell you, we took it off roading at the weekend. It was so much fun!” Only Lily would spend that much money on a car and then take it out on a pursuit that almost guaranteed it getting trashed.  

“And how much of it is left?”  

“You’re rude! All of it!” she cried, smacking his shoulder.

“Hey yo, easy with the beats, badass. I’m trying to drive here! It’s been a while since I’ve been in charge of four wheels,” he protested, reaching to flick her forearm. “So, what was your dad doing underneath it yesterday then, hmm?”

Lily bit her lip, crinkling her nose. “Might have lost a couple of bolts on the oil sump.” His raised eyebrows prompted her laughter. “Stop with the face, or I’ll start telling you a load of unnecessary shit you have to buy just to fuck with you.” By the time they’d gotten to the store, making their way around, he did actually think she was fucking with him, by the sheer amount of stuff that got placed into the cart. Babies.; they certainly needed a lot of stuff.

“Okay, so you got the crib and other furniture for her room, right?”

“Right,” he confirmed, throwing an elephant print blanket into the cart. “I got the crib assembled already.”

“You got a chest of drawers for all her clothes to go in? What about a changing table? I mean, you don’t really need one, but it makes life easier than doing it on the floor or any other flat surface, trust me.” Nope, he hadn’t thought of that, although he already did have the chest of drawers there in his spare room that he could easily clear out and use. “Oh, I meant to ask you. How’s Carmen coping with it now?”

He winced slightly. “Yeah, not great. I’ve been heaping focus on her so that she don’t feel pushed aside, but I dunno. She ain’t happy about any of this at all. Well, she’s fine just as long as I don’t mention Lola.”

Immediately, Lily frowned, pausing from what she was about to say with an interjection of ‘you’ll need two packs of these, because they get lost all the time’ before throwing in two four packs of pacifiers, taking a breath. “Listen, I don’t want this to be coming from a place of bias, because we don’t get on,” she began, Manny snorting softly.

“Putting it mildly.” He smiled, though, because he understood that it was mostly his fiancée's fault, that the women didn’t see eye to eye. She was insecure over Manny’s female friends, especially ones as attractive and successful as Lily was.

She made an agreeable face, her lips pursing and tilting. “Alright, I’ll give you that. But for real, this is another human life, and she’s an adult. Lola is a baby! I get why she’s mad, because this is what she was looking forward to with you, and here you are having it with a woman who isn’t her. She likely feels very threatened, and Hannah is so pretty as well, and seems nice, from the short time I spent with her. I understand as a woman how all of that might impact her, but still, she needs to pull herself together and realise it isn’t all about what she thinks and feels.”  

Lily had, as ever, articulated it beautifully for him. Also, she’d given him pause for some perspective he hadn’t thought of before, Carmen upset that she wasn’t the woman he’d had his first child with. Shit. Of course, that was going to be difficult to deal with for her, especially for a woman who had the kind of propensity for selfishness and insecurity as she did.  

“Sleeping doughnut! You need one of these, they’re a lifesaver. You’ll get moments where she’ll likely only settle if you’re there, so you can just put this in your bed and put her in safely as the sides will keep her in place and more importantly, mean it’s impossible for you to roll over and smush her in your sleep.” She placed that in the cart, suddenly pausing. “What’s up?”

He shook himself. “Sorry, it was just what you said about Carmen being upset that the whole first-time parent thing wasn’t being shared with her, and it hit me, that you’re right. I didn’t even think of that, and I like to think I’m a thoughtful person when it comes to my loved ones, you know?”

“You are, Manny.” She paused, walking around to wrap him in a hug. “You have a hell of a lot on your mind. New baby, wedding planning, the club. Don’t be so tough on yourself.”  

As it happened, it wasn’t him who would be toughest on him.

“I need to send a deposit for the wedding flowers. Is there even enough money to do that after all of this? I’d cover it myself, but I just paid out nine hundred for the bridesmaid's dresses,” Carmen asked, Manny carrying the last of the bags in a couple of hours after his shopping trip with Lily, who he’d dropped at home. A considerably less tense household than his own.  

“Babies need a lot of stuff,” he explained succinctly, opening the door to Lola’s room, noting he needed to continue airing it in there as it still smelled strongly of fresh paint, the walls transferred from a mulchy dark green to brilliant white, giving it the illusion of a lot more space than the small room actually had. “You need a hundred for the flowers, right? Don’t stress, baby. I got it.”

“A hundred and fifty.” she confirmed, walking past into the kitchen after pausing to kiss him and give her thanks. No offer of help came, though, no interest in what was going on with him. She only cared about the wedding flowers being secured. It was beyond Manny why she needed to spend three hundred dollars on flowers anyway, but for the sake of a quiet life, he didn’t question it. “Just let her get on with it, smile and say ‘yes, babe’ whenever opening your wallet is involved, mano.” Bishop’s advice to him echoed through his head more and more, the closer they got to their wedding date, which was just over eight months away.  

After he’d packed everything away, the room near enough completely ready to have a small person stay within it, he went to the kitchen, finding Carmen cooking her delicious shrimp curry, a frown creasing her pretty features. “Querida, we need to have a conversation about Lola, or more accurately, your reaction to her,” he began, his fiancée immediately sighing audibly, lifting her wine glass to her lips and swigging back a large gulp.  

“Listen, I know that you’re upset about it, but what can I do? I’m not gonna abandon my child. As a child whose father walked out on him and his siblings, there ain’t no way I’ll be that kind of dad. I understand that it’s hard for you to reconcile, though, that my first child isn’t with you, that this is something we’re not going through together. Except we are, though. You’ll have your own relationship with Lola too, as her stepmom,” he explained, moving her hair and kissing the side of her neck. Immediately, she tensed.  

“You have no idea what I’m feeling, now all this has happened! I feel like this is going to push me aside, make you lose focus over the wedding, over me! I don’t want to resent the baby, because she’s just a baby, but I do!” she cried, shrugging him away from her, stalking across the kitchen to the bottle of red wine and topping up her glass.  

He closed his eyes, counting to ten. Manny wasn’t the type to escalate to anger quickly, but when dealing with someone who seemed to be revelling in being selfish and deliberately stubborn, it was a natural progression. “Baby, Lola hasn’t even come to stay here yet and you’re acting like she’s moving in and I’m asking you to move out. She’s gonna be here two nights a week to begin with, that’s all. And tell me how, so far, I’ve lost focus over you or the wedding?”

Her silence spoke volumes, Carmen knowing she was wrong.  

“See? Can’t even give me an answer, because you know it hasn’t happened, and it won’t. All I’m doing is making room in my life for my kid. It wouldn’t kill you to do the same instead of being so disinterested and cold about it all.”

“Cold? Cold? How fucking dare you! I am not being like that at all, or disinterested! I’m trying to get used to it, so quit pushing it on me!” she shouted, stirring the curry aggressively, the sauce beginning to fleck the countertop beside the stove. “Anyway, did you get those food menu choices I emailed to you? What do you want?”

Again, with bringing it back to the wedding. He’d already told her he liked it all and so just choose whatever she wanted as he wouldn’t mind either way. “Whatever you want, darlin’.” The weight of it yanked at his shoulders, sagging down as he pulled a beer from the fridge.  

“It isn’t just about me! I want you to take an interest as well!”

“I have, but if I say anything that’s even slightly different from what you want, I get a fuckin’ earful for it, so whatever, Carmen. You choose.”

Her response was sharp, each word toned with the vermillion of her ire. “See? You being passive is being uninterested, you just tell me to pick whatever, because you don’t care!”

Oh, he’d match the hue of her anger, unprepared to be the peaceful one for a second longer. “It’s because whatever input I have, unless it’s what you want, it’s a no go! I swear the Christ, Carmen, this whole wedding is bringing out a side of you I ain’t ever seen before, shit! Why you gotta turn everything into a battle?”

“I’m not!”

Yeah, not much. “You do, though, this is why I leave the decisions to you for the sake of not being argued with, and even that ain’t enough for you! Screw this, I’m outta here.”  

He had to leave, because he knew if he didn’t, he’d bring the fact she was being selfish when it came to his child into it as well, and he was above throwing that at her, no matter how unreasonable she was being. He wanted to give her the chance to having Lola around physically first, thinking that perhaps seeing the baby might make her settle into it more.  

He could but hope it would come together simply enough.  

[risetomastery]

How to Turn Your Online Business Dreams into Reality

Introduction: The Digital Frontier of Entrepreneurship Selecting a Niche and Business Model: The Foundation of Success Building Your Online Platform and Brand: Your Digital Headquarters Creating High-Demand Products and Services: Delivering Value to Your Audience Implementing Effective Marketing Strategies: Attracting Targeted Traffic Diversifying Revenue Streams for Maximum Profits: Building Financial Stability Optimizing for Maximum Profitability Long-Term: Building a Sustainable Business Conclusion: Turning Dreams into Reality True successful story

Introduction: The Digital Frontier of Entrepreneurship

In today's digital age, the rise of the internet and technology has revolutionized the way we do business. It has opened a world of opportunities for entrepreneurs to start and run their own businesses online. Online businesses offer flexibility, scalability, and the potential for global reach. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step framework for building a profitable online business from the ground up. Whether you want to start a side business or build a full-time online empire, follow this ultimate guide to turn your idea into a thriving, sustainable online business. With focus, grit, and commitment to continuous improvement, you can build the profitable online business of your dreams.

Selecting a Niche and Business Model: The Foundation of Success

The foundation of every successful online business is choosing a profitable, in-demand niche and a business model tailored to your goals. Select a niche you're passionate about; this will make creating content a breeze. Conduct thorough keyword research to assess search volume and demand. Join relevant online communities to connect with your audience and understand their needs. Evaluate direct competitors in the niche and aim for less saturated niches or unique angles. Consider affiliate marketing potential, as some niches offer higher commissions. Assess opportunities to create multiple products and monetize in diverse ways. Examples of popular online business niches include health, fitness, personal finance, pet care, tech, travel, content marketing, home design, spirituality, language learning, and more. Choose a business model that complements your niche and provides multiple income stream opportunities. Many successful online businesses incorporate 3-4 monetization models. Some of the best online business models to consider include: 1. Blogging: Make money with display ads, affiliates, and branded products. 2. Online Courses: Sell your knowledge and expertise as courses. 3. Dropshipping: Curate and sell products without inventory. 4. Affiliate Marketing: Earn commissions promoting other companies' products. 5. Information Products: Sell online books, templates, checklists, and more. 6. Virtual Services: Provide consulting, freelancing, coaching, or other services. 7. Subscription Membership Site: Offer exclusive content or tools for a monthly fee. 8. E-commerce Store: Sell physical products, merchandising, and more. Your choice should complement your niche and offer multiple income streams. Many successful online businesses incorporate 3-4 monetization models.

Building Your Online Platform and Brand: Your Digital Headquarters

Your website or blog will serve as the headquarters for your online business. Invest time upfront in creating an optimized, professional-looking platform. Purchase a domain name that matches your brand, ideally a .com if available. Select reliable web hosting with optimal speed and uptime. Install WordPress or ecommerce platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce. Design an on-brand, mobile-responsive theme that conveys your style. Include essential pages like Home, About, Contact, Services, Blog, and Shop. Set up email marketing and analytics to capture leads and track traffic data. Create visually branded assets such as logos, color palettes, fonts, and graphics. Ensure a cohesive user experience across all touchpoints. If you lack web development skills, consider hiring a freelance designer to bring your vision to life. Continually optimize your website for higher traffic, leads, and sales over time. This includes technical enhancements, user experience improvements, and page speed optimizations.

Creating High-Demand Products and Services: Delivering Value to Your Audience

The key to running a profitable online business is consistently creating products and services that deliver extreme value to your audience. Popular digital products you can create include online courses, eBooks, guides, checklists, software, premium memberships, virtual events, video tutorials, templates, and more. When brainstorming products, look for opportunities to simplify lives, save time, educate, entertain, or improve outcomes for your target customers. Leverage your expertise and tap into the skills of others to create premium offerings. High-value services like consulting, freelancing, coaching, and more can also be extremely lucrative. Promote your services through your website and social platforms. Structure your offerings to passively earn income over time, such as online courses that continually generate sales vs. 1-on-1 services that require ongoing effort. Deliver an excellent user experience across your products and relentlessly optimize based on feedback to foster raving fans who refer others.

Implementing Effective Marketing Strategies: Attracting Targeted Traffic

Once your online platform and offerings are ready, it's time to start attracting targeted traffic using proven marketing tactics. A diverse marketing mix is key. Some of the top strategies include: 1. Content Marketing: Create engaging blog posts, videos, and visual content. 2. SEO: Optimize your website for search engines through on-page optimization and link-building. 3. PPC Ads: Utilize platforms like Google, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for pay-per-click advertising. 4. Email Marketing: Build your email list with lead magnets, newsletters, and automation. 5. Social Media Marketing: Employ organic and paid tactics to engage your audience. 6. Affiliate Marketing: Recruit others to promote your products and earn commissions. 7. Influencer Partnerships: Collaborate with relevant influencers in your niche. 8. Live Events: Host local meetups or virtual events to connect with your audience. 9. Podcast Guest Appearances: Grow your authority and reach new audiences. 10. Retargeting Ads: Remarket to previous site visitors across the web. Start by focusing on 1-3 core channels, then expand your efforts over time. Pay-per-click and social ads can help quickly scale an audience, while SEO and content creation tend to be most cost-effective in the long-term. Leverage tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Business Suite, and landing page builders to optimize results across all campaigns. Don't hesitate to enlist help from digital marketing agencies and specialists.

Diversifying Revenue Streams for Maximum Profits: Building Financial Stability

Generating multiple streams of revenue is key for building a highly profitable online business. Diversification reduces risk and provides stability as each income channel goes through ups and downs. Here are some of the most lucrative online business revenue models: 1. Product/Service Sales: Your core monetization stream. Ensure competitive yet profitable pricing. 2. Advertising: Display ads, sponsorships, native advertising, etc. Set up Google Ad Manager. 3. Affiliate Marketing: Promote other company's products for commissions. Join affiliate networks. 4. Memberships/Subscriptions: Offer exclusive benefits, content, or tools for a monthly fee. 5. Events: Sell tickets for online or in-person events and training programs. 6. Dropshipping: Curate and sell products without holding inventory. 7. Physical Merchandise: Sell branded products with print-on-demand services. 8. Consulting/Freelancing: Sell your skills and expertise through 1-on-1 services. 9. Tip Jars/Donations: Allow fans to tip or donate to show support. Aim to generate income from both active efforts like service packages and passive streams like online courses that earn as you sleep. Automate processes wherever possible to scale income without increasing workload proportionally. Reinvest profits back into growing your business and diversifying income channels to create an unstoppable snowball effect over time.

Optimizing for Maximum Profitability Long-Term: Building a Sustainable Business

Launching a profitable online business is an important first step. However, creating systems and processes that enable high profitability long-term is vital for sustaining growth. Here are some best practices for optimizing operations and profitability: - Obsessively track KPIs and metrics for all marketing channels and funnels. Analyze data to optimize underperforming areas. - Create excellent customer support systems. Provide prompt, personalized support to increase satisfaction and referrals. - Automate repetitive tasks wherever possible with tools like Zapier. Automate lead collection, customer onboarding, analytics, inventory management, etc. - Systematize your product creation process to quickly test and validate new product ideas, then scale those that resonate. - Document your systems and processes so future hires can replicate them. This includes SOPs for customer service, product fulfillment, etc. - Build a skilled team over time by hiring virtual assistants, freelancers, agencies, and eventually full-time employees. Focus on higher-level strategy. - Maintain work-life balance as a long-term entrepreneur. Make time for adequate rest, leisure, and self-care to avoid burnout. By staying agile, embracing innovation, and relentlessly providing value to your audience, you can build an online business that delivers meaningful income for decades to come.

Conclusion: Turning Dreams into Reality

Starting and running a profitable online business takes consistent effort and persistence. However, by zeroing in on a niche, selecting the right model, crafting high-value offerings, implementing diverse marketing strategies, diversifying your revenue streams, and optimizing for maximum efficiency, you can build an online business that provides freedom and fulfillment for years to come. Remember to stay obsessively focused on understanding and serving your target audience. Combine your passion with grit, resilience, and creativity. With the right mindset and business foundations in place, you have immense potential to build a thriving online business that stands out and makes a lasting impact. The time to stop dreaming and start taking action is now. Follow this comprehensive guide to turn your online business idea into reality, step-by-step. You can build an online empire that allows you to live life on your terms. The possibilities are truly endless if you commit to continuous learning and improvement. Let this guide spark the fire within and set you on the path to online business success. Start pursuing your online entrepreneur dream today.

True successful story

To illustrate the principles and strategies discussed in this comprehensive guide, let's delve into the inspiring true story of Pat Flynn and his online business, Smart Passive Income. Smart Passive Income - About Pat Flynn Background: Pat Flynn was once an aspiring architect who unexpectedly found himself laid off during the economic downturn in 2008. Faced with uncertainty, he turned to the online world to seek alternative income sources. His journey began with a blog, which he aptly named Smart Passive Income (SPI). Selecting a Niche and Business Model: Pat recognized that there was a significant demand for information about creating online businesses and generating passive income. He was passionate about sharing his experiences, both successes and failures, and helping others navigate the world of online entrepreneurship. Pat's chosen niche was personal finance, but his business model extended beyond blogging. Building Your Online Platform and Brand: Pat invested in creating a professional-looking platform for SPI. He purchased a domain name, set up reliable web hosting, and designed an appealing website. His commitment to providing value was evident through the content he produced on his blog, podcast, and YouTube channel. His brand, Smart Passive Income, became synonymous with transparency, authenticity, and actionable advice. Creating High-Demand Products and Services: One of Pat's significant successes came from his creation of online courses and informational products. He developed courses on topics like email marketing, affiliate marketing, and podcasting, leveraging his expertise and audience trust. These products delivered immense value to his audience and contributed significantly to his income. Implementing Effective Marketing Strategies: Pat's marketing strategy was built on content marketing, podcasting, and email marketing. He consistently produced high-quality blog posts and podcasts, which not only attracted a dedicated audience but also positioned him as an industry expert. His email list grew as he offered valuable lead magnets and nurtured his subscribers. Diversifying Revenue Streams for Maximum Profits: Pat's income streams diversified over time. In addition to course sales, he earned from affiliate marketing, book sales, and speaking engagements. He also ventured into software development, creating tools like the Smart Podcast Player. This diversification provided stability and mitigated risk. Optimizing for Maximum Profitability Long-Term: Pat was relentless in optimizing his operations. He regularly analyzed data and user feedback to improve his products and content. His team expanded as the business grew, allowing him to focus on strategic decision-making. Pat prioritized work-life balance, emphasizing family and well-being. Conclusion: Pat Flynn's journey from unexpected job loss to the creation of a successful online business, Smart Passive Income, serves as an inspiring real-life example of the principles discussed in this guide. His dedication to providing value, commitment to continuous improvement, and willingness to diversify income streams are key takeaways for anyone aspiring to build a thriving online business. Pat's story reminds us that with the right mindset and a clear vision, online entrepreneurship can lead to a fulfilling and prosperous career.

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[rajeshsingh]

"Unlocking the Power of Hyperlocal SEO: Your Key to Dominating Local Markets"

In the vast digital landscape, where global giants reign supreme, local businesses often find themselves struggling to make their mark. This is where the magic of Local SEO comes into play. It's not just about being online; it's about being online where it matters most - in your local community. In this blog post, we will delve into the world of Local SEO and explore how it can help your business thrive in your immediate surroundings.

The Rise of Local SEO

Local SEO has come a long way from being a secondary strategy to a cornerstone of digital marketing. With the advent of smartphones and voice search, people are increasingly using search engines to find local products and services. Google has adapted to this trend by providing more localized search results, making it imperative for businesses to optimize for local search.

The Essentials of Local SEO

Before diving into the nitty-gritty of local SEO strategies, it's crucial to understand the basics. Key elements include:

Google My Business (GMB): Claiming and optimizing your GMB listing is paramount. It's essentially your business's digital storefront.

Local Keywords: Incorporate location-based keywords into your website content and metadata.

Online Reviews: Encourage customers to leave reviews and respond to them promptly. Positive reviews boost your local credibility.

NAP Consistency: Ensure that your business's Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) are consistent across all online platforms.

Content is King (Even in Local SEO)

Creating relevant, valuable, and locally focused content is key to attracting local audiences. Consider the following content ideas:

Local Guides: Create guides to your city or area, showcasing your expertise and involvement in the community.

Local Events: Cover local events, and if possible, sponsor or participate in them.

Customer Spotlights: Share stories of satisfied local customers or clients.

Local News: Stay updated on local news and trends and provide your unique perspective.

Building Local Links

Link-building remains a critical component of SEO, and it's equally important in local SEO. Consider these strategies:

Local Directories: Submit your business to local directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and local chambers of commerce.

Local Partnerships: Collaborate with local businesses and organizations. It can lead to valuable backlinks and shared audiences.

Local Influencers: Partner with local influencers to promote your business. They can help spread the word effectively.

Mobile Optimization

Given the increasing use of mobile devices for local searches, mobile optimization is non-negotiable. Ensure that your website is responsive and loads quickly on smartphones. Implement click-to-call buttons for easy contact.

Analytics and Ongoing Optimization

Regularly monitor your local SEO efforts with tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console. Analyze data such as website traffic, click-through rates, and conversion rates. Use these insights to tweak and optimize your strategy continuously.

Conclusion

Local SEO isn't just a buzzword; it's a lifeline for local businesses in the digital age. By focusing on local optimization, you can connect with your community, attract local customers, and grow your business in ways that weren't possible before. Embrace the power of local SEO, and watch your local presence flourish.

In this hyperconnected world, remember that your next customer maybe just a local search away. So, ensure your business is discoverable, appealing, and relevant in your neighborhood.

Our Services:

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[happilyfulllove]

Web Design in Madurai

Are you looking Web Design in Madurai ? Right now you are on right website. Century Minds are Madurai based Web design company and developing best websites like eCommerce, Blogging Website for Daily update and custom website development as per requirement of customers.

We provide better response for our client. Our team provide good communication with customer. Web Design in Madurai is an art where we craft websites, it involves a variety of aspects such as – graphic designing, web pages layout, logo, colours, layouts content generation and other things. A professional designers have the ability to highlight every details through their creative ideas.

We have a team of expert for Web Design in Madurai for our company who have years of experience in web designing and worked with many brands. We understand that web designing is a creative task that involves many things to deliver innovative and eye-catching designs to our clients. We deliver you with customized web designs that matches your businesses perfectly.

We’re a reputed and also most cost-effective Web Design in Madurai , Tamil Nadu. Our experience and knowledge has made us the best web designing company in the entire city. Our experts discuss with our clients about their requirements and expectations at every stage of development in order to deliver 100% customized solutions and results. We work round the clock on the doubts and queries of our clients to find best solutions and to deliver them with most appropriate results as per individual expectations of our clients. Our customization services are very much in demand which is why we are one of the leading Web Design in Madurai .

Contact With Us

Century Minds

Address: 32/44, 1st Floor Pillayar Kovil 2nd Street, SS colony, Madurai - 10, Tamil Nadu, India.

Phone:  72007-51000

Mail:  email@centuryminds.com

Website: www.centuryminds.com

[b2bindianportal]

B2B Portal in India

B2B E- Commerce Platform

The relevance of B2B e-commerce to a company’s marketing and sales strategy is simple. E-commerce websites increase the company’s visibility in the digital world and make it easier for them to reach out to their target audience. Taking into account that the B2B market is a lot bigger than the B2C market, companies have ample potential to achieve success.

It's no longer difficult nowadays, thanks to the accessibility of niche b2b portals that can help business owners get started with an e-commerce website. These portals provide all the support needed for developing, designing and managing an e-commerce website, at a fraction of what it cost traditional entrepreneurs.

The e-commerce websites that are specifically designed for businesses to buy and sell with other businesses, generically known as B2B portals.

There are many benefits that come with using B2B e-commerce, such as reduced overhead costs and a higher customer lifetime value.

B2B e-commerce often has different considerations from B2C sites in terms of design, features, and functionality.

A Complete Guide to B2B E-Commerce Platforms and Strategies Used Today

Introduction to B2B E-Commerce

E-commerce can be defined as buying or selling of wares or services over the internet. Some researchers believe that ecommerce shall replace some of the traditional business models in the future. This is due to the convenience and wide range of products it offers in comparison to physical stores.

B2B ecommerce is a way for companies to buy and sell products or services between themselves without involving third party sellers. Additionally, many b2b businesses are now turning into b2b marketplaces where they focus on developing their own platform instead of selling products from other sellers.

Targeting the Right Audience

A go vertical strategy is a business strategy that focuses on a specific market for a business to grow. By targeting customers in one particular group, the company can hope to grow in that area and keep expanding.

When a company decides to go vertical, they do not want this segmentation to interfere with the purpose of their business. It is important for them to maintain their original idea and goals while adapting them for a specific niche.

A successful go vertical strategy will have all of the pieces necessary for success: it's clear who you're going after, what you're offering them, why they should buy from you, how your product will solve their problem, etc.

How to Make Selling Easier with Automation Tools and Efforts

Automation tools are great for streamlining processes and eliminating unnecessary human efforts. They free up time and also promote efficiency in work. A web automation tool is a software that is used to automate repetitive tasks that can be executed via the web. There are many types of tasks that this tool can help you with, such as filling out forms, collecting data from websites, generating email leads and more. The automation tools used by marketers often include: - Email Autoresponders- Landing pages- Marketing automation software (for example Marketo, Pardot or Nimble)- Web scraping software that can analyse data from websites and extract it in a simple or complex manner (for example Zapier, IFTTT or Google Sheets)

Getting Better Results with Dynamic Retargeting Strategies

Retargeting is an important step in the customer lifecycle for any e-commerce business. It can be used to promote new products, boost sales, and encourage repeat visits.

Retargeting is a type of marketing that reaches out to shoppers with ads based on their browsing history. Shoppers are shown products they've visited before with the goal of generating a sale from the previous visitor.

Some popular retargeting platforms are AdRoll, Facebook, and Google Ads Retargeting (GAR). GAR provides cost-effective ways for e-commerce businesses to target potential customers and increase conversions.

Is Your B2B Marketing Strategy Up To Date?

Having a B2B marketing strategy often means that you have to have an entire team of people (or at least one) in charge of executing it. It also means thinking about who your target audience is, how to find them, and how to convince them to buy from you.

A successful strategy is built from an understanding of the company’s own capabilities and limitations. You need to know what resources you have, as well as what skills your employees possess before putting together a plan.

[brandingbridge123]

" Your brand is the heart of your business; your reputation is its beating pulse. "

[ideastreammarketing02]

Idea Stream Marketing – Ecommerce Website Development

We provide stunning web experiences that drive visitors to become repeat clients

You have only seconds to help keep a new visitor on your site from leaving. Without a clean and visually appealing website that offers a clear call to action, chances are your site visitors will leave quickly without utilizing your services. At Idea Stream Marketing, we're here to encourage these visitors to not only remain on your site longer but also become clients.

Website Development

We utilize the best practices when it comes to developing your website, this means that not only will we create a visually appealing website, but we also ensure it is up to standard with the latest technological developments in the web world. Your website will be responsive on all viewing platforms as well as utilize the latest organic SEO practices ensuring a seamless user experience.

We Use The Latest Practices

Whether your website is built on Wordpress or Shopify, we ensure that we utilize the latest technology and advancements to keep your website up to standards.

We Utilize The Best Plugins

We guarantee that your website is using the best and most recent plugins. For example we have the ability to implement an accessibility plugin to your website to ensure people with disabilities are able to navigate your website in a way that is still simple and efficient. We also offer SSL certificates, which make your website secure and prevent your from being blacklisted by Google or other search engines.

  Eye-catching and Effective

Our websites are not only stunning, they also offer a seamless user experience. These two qualities combined together result in visitors staying on your website longer and higher conversion rates.

   E-commerce

Using e-commerce platforms, we can make your website your most efficient selling tool. Through using the latest e-commerce platforms, we can increase conversion rates on your website by making it simple for visitors to become customers. For sites centralized around the sales of products, we offer websites built on the Shopify platform to optimize sales.

 Using e-commerce platforms, we can make your website your most efficient selling tool. Through using the latest e-commerce platforms, we can increase conversion rates on your website by making it simple for visitors to become customers. For sites centralized around the sales of products, we offer websites built on the Shopify platform to optimize sales.

Shopify Websites

We create stunning websites on the Shopify platform, which is the most effective way to sell your products online.

WooCommerce

If you have some products to see, but not too many then WooCommerce is a great e-commerce option for you. This effective shop is built right into your Wordpress website and allows customers to easily view your products and make purchases online.

   Content Management Systems

CMS allows you to create, manage, and modify content on your website without expert knowledge. We provide clients with content management systems as a way to easily update content on the website without the hassle.

  Easy To Use

We ensure that you have an innate understanding of the CMS platform so that you can modify your website simply.

Gives You Control

Utilizing CMS gives you control over the changes you make to your website.

For more details on our products and services, please feel free to visit us at: web designer long island, webdesign long island, ecommerce website long island, web design company long island & website creator long island.

Please feel free to visit us at: https://ideastreammarketing.com/

[manjuruldesign]

Book Selling Ecommerce Landing Page Design

Hello Creatives,👋 I'm presenting a Book Selling Ecommerce Landing Page Design. My goal is to create a smooth user journey through creative visuals. Always appreciate your valuable critique. Feel Free to share your significant feedback.

I'm highly interested in making your idea successful through innovative digital products. Let’s design a great experience for your users on the web💻 and mobile📲 platforms.

📧 • Work Inquiries: hellomanjurul@gmail.com 🎯 • My Portfolio: www.manjurulislam.com

[thehenrythomas]

eCommerce addressed over 14% of sales in 2022, and the average percentage is noted to increase over the upcoming years. If you want to get in on the eCommerce measures, you must ensure your company website has the necessities it needs to succeed. That is why I have noted down a few of the essentials that every eCommerce website must have:-

Keep reading to know more about these eCommerce website essentials!

Mobile-friendly design

Did you know that more than half of all website traffic now arrives from mobile devices, and 61% of customers are more probable to purchase from mobile-friendly websites? That signifies making your eCommerce website mobile-friendly will boost your website traffic and conversions!

For making your eCommerce website mobile-friendly ensure to utilize a responsive website design – it is an ideal practice for eCommerce website design.

Responsive websites work well on all the screens on which someone views them, so your website appears great and performs correctly on laptops, tablets, and smartphones.

User-friendly navigation features

If visitors can’t quickly find what they require on your eCommerce site, they’re unlikely to adhere around long and even less likely to make a buy.

Helpful, easy-to-use website navigation is one of the most essential eCommerce website features. For amazing eCommerce UX website design, have clear menus that let visitors browse additional product classifications.

Ensure these menus are in easy-to-find locations, such as across the top of every page.

You can even let visitors filter and sort products by cost, style, size, manufacturer, and other features. The features you have in your eCommerce website design rely on the products you offer and the features that are vital to your consumers.

Security features

Another eCommerce website design must-have is good security. You require to save your consumers’ data, and you require to display to visitors that your eCommerce website is secure and reliable. If shoppers don’t trust your website, they probably won’t make a purchase.

Insufficient security even opens your company up to substantial financial and legal dangers.

Some of the most important website security measures have:-

Buying a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate, which allows your website to transmit data securely

Utilizing an address verification system (AVS) and credit card verification value (CVV) at checkout

Building secure passwords and updating them regularly.

Major shopping cart and checkout buttons

Easy-to-use cart and checkout features are important eCommerce website features. To boost conversions, ensure you’re ‘add to cart’ and ‘check out’ buttons show prominently on your website. When the visitors click into their cart, show them all the appropriate attributes, such as the name, cost, and quantity of each product in their cart.

Shoppers should even be able to drag objects or modify item quantity directly from their cart. Even, allow consumers to save their cart so they can come back to it later.

Several payment opportunities

What makes a good eCommerce website? The manner you receive payment. Allowing as many payment options as possible enhances your consumers’ experience and can boost conversions.

In addition to main credit cards, think of accepting payment modes such as PayPal and Apple Pay. Show icons of official payment strategies on your website, so shoppers understand in advance what they can utilize to purchase your products.

Do you need help designing an eCommerce site or building a bespoke eCommerce platform? If yes then it is propounded to connect with the experts of a web designing company in Chandigarh.

[socialvinod]

The List Of 15 Best Digital Marketing Companies In Bangalore

SocialOrange.in — We help you design ROI based Digital Marketing Campaigns and Branding Campaigns to generate leads and new customers across all digital platforms. Services: Search Engine Optimization, PPC Lead Generation, Ecommerce Ads, Website Design. Located at: Bangalore & Chennai. Clientele: Knowledgehut, Agile Labs, Ciel HR, Kings Scantuary, OyeExpress, Armour Digital OOH Contact: +91–8618893861 / hello@socialorange.in

FoxyMoron About the company: Established in 2008, FoxyMoron was started by just 4 friends as an experiment and now that experiment has converted into one of the India’s leading independent digital agencies. They have worked on many innovative,impactful, interactive and award winning campaigns. Services: Website Designing & Development, SEO, SEM, Social Media, Public Relations, Games and App development, Print campaigns Located at: Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru Clientele: AXN, L’oreal, High Street Phoenix, VIP, Parle, Cadbury Bournville, Starbucks, ITC among the others

Dentsu Webchutney — has worked with some leading companies in India. They have created some award winning and memorable campaigns for their clients that have helped the brands to build and sustain relationship with their audience. Services: Online advertising, Website Designing, Mobile Marketing, SEO, Analytics, Application Development and Social Media. Located at: Mumbai, New Delhi and Bangalore. Clientele: Microsoft, P & G, Airtel, Unilever, Wipro, HDFC, Titan and many more Awards: Web Chutney has won the DMAI awards for its projects for Remit2India, Standard Chartered and Cleartip.

WATConsult — Digital Agency and Social Media Agency India About the company: WATConsult is a full service digital agency that delivers across the value chain right from launching a brand via digital to building a brands salience via digital to driving business leads and sales for a brand. Services: Digital Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Search Marketing, Mobile Marketing, Digital Analytics and Digital Video Promotion. Located at: Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore Clientele: Nikon, Warner Bros, Phoenix Marketcity, PVR Pictures, Sony Six, Godrej, ONLY, Vero Moda among the others Awards: Some of their awards include DMAi Gold Award for Lead based search campaign (Reliance Group), Youth Marketing Award for Best Disruptive Digital Campaign (Jack & Jones), IAMAI Digital Award for best social media campaign (BestSeller Group)

Pinstorm About the company: Founded in 2004, Pinstorm ranks among the leading digital advertising companies in the world. They have adopted an approach that sees strategy, user experience, research, web design, mobile-friendliness,advertising,viral videos, search optimization, Facebook campaigns, Twitter updates, real-time listening and responses as a seamless set of tactics that stem from one overarching brand strategy. Services: Search Engine Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, viral advertising, Online Reputation Management etc. Located at: Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Zurich and Santa Clara. Clientele: Walt Disney, Yahoo, Canon, HSBC, Café Coffee Day, ICICI, ET Now, GQ among many others

Social Wavelength | Social Media Agency of the year Aout the Company: Social Wavelength is a Social First Digital Agency that has worked with some of the largest brands and companies around the world to help them embrace Social and Digital platforms. Services: Digital Strategy, Social Media Communications, Social Media Listening, Media Buying, Content, Analytics etc Located at: Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad Clientele: Idea, HDFC, HUL, Nokia, Franklin Templeton Investments, Star Plus, Just Dial among many others.

Digital SciFi If you are looking to take your brand out there then look no far than Digital SciFi. Operating out of Hoodi, they offer SEO services, create a brand, developing a brand, and also generate leads for your brand. They also research and identify ways to reach potential customers and generate revenue.

DigitalLove DigitalLove, a digital marketing company located in Bangalore, Domlur is an old hand when it comes to digital marketing services. Their unique way of formulating a marketing strategy focused on optimising profits have worked well for their customers. They also provide SEO and SMO training. They are also a Google Certified Partner with decades of experience in Market research, SEO Ranking, lead generation, and conversion.

DigiCliff A relatively new addition, this seven-year-old digital marketing company has already worked with many big names in the market. Located out of New Thippasandra, they take on an innovative approach by focussing on adding value to their customer’s organizations. They have a well-proven track record in providing web, social media and mobile solutions.

0AliveNow AliveNow, a digital marketing agency based out of Bangalore, Indira Nagar was started in 2009. Since then, the SEO agency and its owner has scooped up many awards. They have worked with many international names as well as small local businesses too. If you want your name alongside Nandos, Hard Rock Cafe, ITC, Hyundai etc., you might want to check them out for your needs

Webenza Webenza, the newcomer in this list has just crossed three years since its inception. They have managed to garner a corner for themselves in the area of digital marketing where the competition is pretty strong. They provide SEO services, blogging and social media marketing. This relatively small company of just 50 professionals have managed to outdo many larger companies with a much bigger workforce.

AdSyndicate AdSyndicate is one of the oldest digital marketing agencies in India with around offices in 25 cities. This digital marketing company provides Digital Marketing, Social Media management, Search Engine Optimization, chatbots and lots more. Their client list is varied including Union Bank of India, Hyundai, and Western Digital etc.

CPCLabs offers excellent digital marketing services including lead generation, email campaigns, social media management and optimization. They have a team of experienced professionals who can help your business achieve success in online marketing.

AdRoll is an excellent company for online marketing and lead generation.

Keen SEO Agency, New Krishna Park Road Keen SEO Agency is all about using SEO to increase visibility. They’re experts at providing SEO based website building, website Auditing, and keyword research strategies to bring more consumer engagement. Solid proof of how Bangaloreans top anything that involves a lot of traffic’, whether online or on-road.

Bright Ads, Geddalahalli One of the top agencies that provide digital marketing in Bangalore, Bright Ads is well-known for its creative team. From product design to copywriting, from animation to 3d modelling. They do it all. Also, their office is equipped with the latest tools and computers. So you won’t have to keep getting annoyed at your design softwares crashing again and again (thanks to your 100 year old laptop).

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