I tensed in bed as he raised the volume of the television.“…and she has been getting a lot of hate for what she did to the dress. When I first saw the video of her ripping the bodice, I was horrified, that was..the dress, you know…” She told the interviewer who nodded sympathetically.“Then she came on stage in this absolutely beautiful dress, it wasn’t the same as what my mother was makin-if you’ve seen the original you would understand.” A photo of Saskia’s dress taken after her death, and my alterations at the show was placed side by side on the screen.“I’ve attended shows with my mother and every show she always had something to say about the designs, what she would do differently. That night for the first time after her death I felt she was-she was there with me.“ my heart leapt out to Hilde as she wiped a stray tear from her eye.“Mae Ricci did not ruin my mother’s dress. She did the exact thing my mum would do if she was in that situation. I can even admit that she made i
Panic rose in my chest as her forehead leaked blood in an almost steady stream. I temporarily forgot that she had gotten the injury by bashing her freaking head on the tile like it meant nothing to her.“Oh my god, are you okay?” I ask and reached out for her.My action seemed to trigger her because she screamed even louder causing me to shrink away from her. Then she pulled on her hair ruining the perfectly done updo.I had never seen someone act this psychotic, I was worried she was going to harm herself. Oh who was I kidding, she already did. The goal now was to make sure she didn’t do something worse. I rushed to the bathroom door and yanked it. it didn’t budge.Ethan knocked on the door calling my name, so she had locked it when she had come in. I opened it quickly, talking rapidly while he looked me over checking for wounds.“It’s not me, it’s Ava!” I tell him and Ethan paused like he really didn’t understand what I was saying. I was relieved the bathroom was a while away f
I had the house to myself, which was a good thing in my books. There was no one here to see me sulk and stuff my face with food. My only company was Gideon and he kept to his own his side of the house. Even my escorts were unavailable. Guess at the end of the day, protecting his precious Ava was more important than guarding me.For the millionth time that day I filled my bowl to the brim with cereal and sat crossed legged on the plush rug, as I watched several reruns of my mother’s favorite telenovela, since my life was becoming one. They might have tips for handling my fake husband’s possibly crazy ex.To say I was in shock was a simple term, so many times I had replayed that night in my head, wondering if I missed something.We were talking, and then she slammed her head on the counter. My hands were no where near her, I think? With the fear I saw on her face after she raised her bloodied head, I wondered if I had actually done it in a fit of rage, and wiped the incident from my mem
I looked down at the clear liquid, hesitating.“You didn’t say anything about the new decor Wynona.” I pointed out, pouting as I raised theglass.“Oh yeah!” she giggled turning around. “It looks great, I would have done a lot more…”-she ran her hand across a frame of a painting. I could not tell what the artist was going for, all I could see were legs and a ton of color, but I liked it. Seeing my chance, I emptied the contents of my glass into the plant pot beside me, hoping the dosage would not be enough to kill the plant.I raised the glass to my lips just as Wynona turned.She frowned at me, then shrugged and smiled. “I wanted us to drink at the same time, but hey! I appreciate the spirit.” She downed hers and gagged, sputtering. “How the fuck did you manage to keep this down with a straight face?”“Oh you know, Italian genes.” She snorted at that.It took a little convincing, but Gideon reluctantly agreed to let me go out without him, even though his brows stayed knit together as
That was the longest shower I had probably taken. I let the hot water run over my body for the longest time, to wash away the smell of alcohol and my anger at Ethan for his words. Was I angry at what he had said, or the fact that he was with Ava all day and only came to boss me around, or was it just the fact that he had been with Ava? I knew this feeling. Jealousy.I turned off the shower and stepped out.By the end of thirty minutes, I had on pants and a cashmere top, and carried the luggage I had packed for the trip, enough for a week. My eyes fell on the drawer containing Wynona’s gift and my cheeks colored.Ethan had also changed clothes and was now dressed in cream colored slacks and a light colored polo shirt. He stared at one of the art pieces I had got. I cleared my throat to alert him of my presence. He gave me a once over and nodded his approval.“You ready?” He asked coldly.Dotting Ethan was gone, and brooding Ethan was back.After I nodded, he turned on his heel and open
Cool air blew around me raising my hair off my neck as it barreled in my face. I could smell the sea from our place. I itched to see the beach but waited as Ethan led us to the main house. Natural looking décor hung around the property giving it a calming feel. I now understood why rich people went on vacations in homes like these. “Is this really yours?” I asked incredulous“Not mine specifically. My grandfather bought this property a long time ago, it has been in the family ever since, why?” I forced my grin down and unlocked the patio door Ethan pressed his phone to his ear and moved down a corridor as he spoke into the receiver.I took off my sandal heels and ventured further unto the patio. There was a little dinner setting, covered Jacuzzi and a little swing, but more importantly, the empty beach. I felt drawn to it. God I would love the week we would spend here. I walked to the sand and sunk my feet in, allowing it to cover my toes. A giggle of pleasure escaped from my lips. It
I woke up earl y that morning to make breakfast. A little exchange since he had made dinner for us last night. After a comfortable meal, we set on our mission.He stopped us in front of a unisex shop for clothes and helped me out of the car.The shop was unassuming on the outside but absolutely gorgeous on the inside. With bold- looking interior design that would appeal to both their male and female customers. A sales representative welcomed us and asked who needed outfit.“We both do.”“Would you like your fitting together?”“She should get started with the designer. It won’t take me long to find a suit.” he replied with a charming smile. The representative grinned back at him.“Of course Mr. Crowe.”She led me to a small room and people brought in snacks and food while I waited for them to bring dresses out. She walked in, in a cute black business suit with her afro styled in a low bun.“Mrs. Crowe. It is a pleasure to finally meet you! I’m Imani. ” she said fondly with light in her
I moved towards him hesitantly.“You know you can just play music on your phone right?” I said to lighten the mood. “Riya’s going to have a live band playing. This is as close as we get to imitating that atmosphere. plus...music sounds more romantic when coming from one of those. It’s my father’s favorite thing. Step closer” I held my breath as I stopped in front of him. “Closer Mae.” I did.He sighed, exasperated and pulled me closer to his body. “Now put your hands around my shoulder.” He ordered. “follow my lead”He showed me a basic waltz and then some, where we could move around the room. I giggled when I almost tripped. “Let's just stick to staying in one spot alright?”My laugh died in my throat when I noticed that Ethan had gone completely still beside me. His hands still rested on my hips where he tried to steady me. when I looked up at his face inquisitively, his eyes locked into mine, revealing a blaze of desire.He sighed, “You’ll be the death of me, Mae.“ I didn’t know wh
MAEThe moment the door opened, and I saw who it was, my heart stopped. “Dad?” I croaked, my voice barely above a whisper. Tears sprang to my eyes almost immediately. I tried to sit up, but he was already by my side, gently pressing me back down. “Don’t push yourself,” he said softly, but there was worry in every word. He pulled up a chair and sat next to me, his hand covering mine. “You should be resting.”I blinked up at him, confused. “What… how are you here? Shouldn’t you also be resting?” My dad had fainted just two days ago and seeing him there made my chest ache.He gave me a small smile and shrugged like it was nothing. “I heard about a certain Mae being treated at the hospital. Someone mentioned your name, and I… I had to make sure it was you.” His voice cracked a little at the end.I swallowed hard, my throat hurting. “I’m okay now, Dad. I promise. I should be the one worrying about you. How do you feel?”“I'm fine.” He replied with a small smile. He just held my hand, his
CMAEThe moment Ethan walked in, my heart stopped. Not in a good way. He looked rough like he’d been through hell and back, but he still had this commanding presence about him. And those men in suits behind him? Yeah, that didn’t help. My stomach twisted, the knife in my throat feeling colder and sharper than ever now. Ava’s grip on me tightened, and I could feel her shaking just slightly. Their coming closer was making her nervous and her knife pressed into my neck even more, scaring me.“Ethan,” she said, her voice cracking but still carrying that desperate tone. “Tell them to stay back, or I’ll kill her.” That sent a chill down my spine, like ice running through my veins. She pressed the knife closer, and I winced, biting my lip to keep myself from crying out. It hurt, my shoulder had still not healed from the accident and the way she was pressing it down hurt badly.Ethan raised his hands, palms out, his voice calm, like he was trying to also calm her down. “Ava, just let her
ChaMAEMy eyes snapped open, and for a moment, everything was a blur. My head throbbed like someone had hit it many times, and my mouth was dry, my tongue sticking to the roof of it. My head hurt badly, like badly, especially the back of my head like it had been hit.I blinked a few times, trying to figure out where I was, trying to remember what had happened, but nothing made sense. The air was damp and cold, and there was this faint, musty smell that made my stomach twist. I looked around, my vision finally clearing, and panic hit me almost immediately, making my heart pound harder than ever.I was in a huge, dark basement, the kind you only find in horror movies, except this was real life, my life. The only light came from a single bulb hanging from the ceiling, swaying slightly like it might go out any second. My arms and legs felt heavy, and when I tried to move, I realized why. I was tied to a chair. Thick ropes dug into my wrists and ankles, holding me in place no matter h
MAEIt was Julianna. Of course, it was Julianna. Why did I think she wouldn't come? Of course, she would. Seemed like everyone knew her except me and it was killing me. I wasn't even sure if she and Ethan had dated before. I wasn't sure about anything anymore.She walked onto the balcony like she owned the world, dressed to kill in this beautiful black dress that hugged her figure perfectly. She looked completely perfect. Her makeup was flawless, not a smudge out of place, and her hair looked like it had been styled by some overpriced Hollywood professional. She had this effortless grace about her like she knew people were watching, and she loved it. I felt tiny in comparison. I felt out of place at that moment. She was like the epitome of beauty, and I was the epitome of nothing. Well, not nothing. I believed in loving my body, but she just suited him perfectly while he and I were odd together.She made her way over to us with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, slipping he
MAEI spotted him the second Lindsey walked away like my eyes had been programmed to find him in any crowd. He stood near the far wall, looking way too good in a perfectly tailored suit, a drink in his hand, and that confident, effortless stance that used to make me melt. My stomach did this weird flip, and for a second, I thought about bolting right back out the door. But then Lindsey’s voice yanked me out of my thoughts. “Okay, I'm back.” Before I could react, she handed me another drink, her energy as bubbly as ever. “Thanks for coming. Seriously, it means so much to me!” I forced a smile, trying my best to match her enthusiasm. “Of course. I’m honored to be here.” She rolled her eyes and smacked my arm lightly, laughing. “Oh, stop being so modest. You’re family. I'm surprised you and Ethan didn't come together, but oh well. Couples always fight, right? Now, eat whatever you want, okay? I’ll be right back. Again. I have to say hi to a million more people.” “Go, go,” I s
MAEIt was another picture of Ethan and Julianna. They were holding hands, her other hand clutching a bouquet like they were in some sort of romantic movie, which made me sad instead of happy.My chest felt tight like someone had taken a fistful of my heart and squeezed it. And it hurt badly. I wished there was medicine for heartache because I couldn't take any more of this pain. I just wanted peace. Sighing, I tossed my phone to the side, the screen going dark as it hit the pillow. My fingers brushed against my cheeks, and I realized tears had started falling again. Why couldn't I stop crying? It was definitely because of my pregnancy. Not because of Ethan. Not.I curled up on my bed, wrapping my arms around my stomach without even thinking about it. My voice cracked as I whispered, “I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry you can’t be close to your father right now.” My hand instinctively rubbed the small curve of my belly, as I could somehow comfort the little life growing inside me. The ac
MAEEthan walked toward us, his chest rising and falling like he’d just sprinted a marathon. “How’s your dad?” he asked with worry. He sounded sincere, like he was genuinely worried, but I couldn't think about why he was there or how he even knew my dad was at the hospital. I glanced at Miles, waiting for him to answer, because I sure wasn’t about to and the only other person who could have told him was Miles. I'd been with Mum all night so it sure as hell wasn't her and if it was Miles, I was going to kill him. Tear him in half.Miles rubbed the back of his neck, looking awkward, and said, “He’s stable now. My mom's with him now.” I stood there, my arms crossed tight against my chest, looking between the two of them. My brain was spinning. Why was Ethan here? He couldn't have magically known Dad was here. My eyes narrowed suspiciously at Miles, and he caught the look. He sighed like he knew what my question was. “I called him,” he admitted, shrugging like it was no big deal. “W
MAE Miles and I bolted outside, my heart hammering in my chest. The second we stepped out, I froze. My dad was lying on the ground, his face pale, his eyes closed. My mom was kneeling over him, her hands on his chest, crying. “Oh my God! Honey!” she sobbed. “Please, get up! Don't do this to me!”“Dad!” I shrieked, running toward him, my broken foot hurting way worse than earlier. Miles sprinted past me, grabbing his phone and already dialing. “I’m calling 911!” he shouted, his voice shaking, not helping my frayed nerves at all.I dropped next to my mom, my hands hovering over Dad like I didn’t know what to do. “Dad?” I whispered, my voice cracking. “Come on, wake up. Please.” He didn’t move. He didn’t even flinch. My mom’s cries were breaking me into a million tiny pieces. My heart was pounding hard, blood rushing to my head, making it very hard to think or breathe. The walls seemed to be closing in on me.It felt like forever before the ambulance arrived, though it couldn’t have b
MAEI zipped up my bag with shaky hands, my chest heaving as I threw the last of my stuff inside. My heart was screaming at me to stop, to wait, to give him a chance to explain, but my brain wasn’t having it. I wanted him to also say something, anything, apologize, beg me to stay, tell me what actually happened, at least explain, but Ethan? Ethan didn't seem to care.He wasn’t even begging me to stay. He wasn’t apologizing. He was just standing there like I wasn’t literally packing my things and leaving, like I didn't mean a single thing to him, like what we had, our love, our bond, our marriage meant nothing to him. And it fucking hurt. It hurt to not see him fight for us. Did he even care about us at all? Did all this even mean anything to him?And then he said it.“Maybe we do need a break from each other.”I froze. A break? I wanted to believe I'd heard wrong, but I didn't. He had said we needed a break and I wanted him to say that he was kidding. I wanted him to say he wasn't s