Tilda’s POV.I stood on the balcony, feeling the cool air brush gently across my face as I took a deep breath. I bit my lower lip softly as thoughts of Richard filled my mind again. Why couldn’t I help it? It was torture, constantly thinking about him, and it was becoming harder and harder to get him out of my head, especially with us practically living under the same roof. “When is he going to be back, anyway?” I muttered to myself, glancing at my wristwatch before looking back out over the balcony. My foot tapped impatiently against the floor as I waited, hoping his car would appear at the mansion gate any moment now. Then it dawned on me. What exactly was I doing? I looked like a wife waiting for her husband to come home, and the thought made me cringe with embarrassment. I took another deep breath and turned to leave the balcony—just as I heard the sound of Richard’s car pulling up. I froze, watching as he stepped out of his car and glanced around. He looked up, and in that in
Tilda’s POV."Daddy, what are you doing?" Ivy asked again. I quickly pulled away from Richard, fear taking over me. Luckily, Ivy hadn’t seen us in such a vulnerable position yet. She was just calling out to make sure where we were.I sprang to my feet, dusting off the flour I had accidentally knocked over during the fall, while Richard also rose to his feet, brushing off the remnants. "What's wrong with you guys? What happened here?" Ivy asked curiously, looking around.Richard and I stared at each other for a moment, both of us struggling to hold back laughter as we realized we were covered in flour. Turning back to her, I said as warmly as I could, "Nothing important. I was just a little clumsy and accidentally knocked over the flour."I tried to calm the pounding of my heart at that moment. I was ridiculously scared, thinking she had discovered us, but to my relief, that wasn’t the case. A warm smile spread across my face as I asked, "Why did you get out of bed? What is wrong?""I
Tilda's POV.I stood before the mirror, adjusting the delicate lace veil over my hair, which flowed down my back like a dark, silken waterfall. The satin gown clung to my body in all the right ways, making me feel like I had stepped out of a dream. My heart pounded in my chest but in the best way possible. Several emotions flooded my veins as I stared at my reflection - happiness and excitement."Today's the day," I whispered to myself, barely believing the words.My breath hitched as I took in the sight of myself, a bride. After everything Wyatt and I had been through, the ups and downs, it was finally happening. I was marrying the love of my life.I twirled lightly, squealing a little. The gown swirled around me as I clenched my fists in excitement."I’m ready," I whispered to myself, feeling a rush of giddiness rising in my chest. "I'm ready to say 'I do'."The door creaked open, and Aunt Tina stepped inside. Her face was gentle, but the sorrow in her eyes was obvious. I knew her t
Tilda’s POV.I took shot after shot, feeling the alcohol scorch its way down my throat. The empty cans piled up on the table in front of me, mocking me with each clang. I was still in my wedding dress. The dress alone reminded me of the nightmare I had woken up to just hours ago. I had fled the hotel room—feeling Wyatt’s absence like a knife to my heart—and sought refuge in the one place that promised oblivion: a nightclub.I tried to drown my pain in alcohol, hoping it would numb the ache that was consuming me from the inside. But nothing could fade the betrayal I felt. Wyatt. My best friend. Emily. The two people I trusted most in the world. How could they do this to me? How could they be together? How could they get married on my wedding day?I thought about it. How did this even happen? When did they get together? How did I not know this? It seemed like their relationship blossomed right under my nose. I had never seen the signs. I felt so stupid. I forced a hollow laugh, tryin
Tilda’s POV “Wyatt,” I whispered in a husky tone as I clung to him, burying my face in the warmth of his neck. His familiar scent should have comforted me, but there was something unsettling about the moment. Still, I ignored it. My hands traced the sharp lines of his jaw until my fingers grazed his lips. I hesitated, savoring the softness before leaning in for a kiss. My eyes were closed as if I could seal the fragile peace between us. “I thought I’d lost you,” I murmured, my voice breaking as I held him tighter. My heart still reeled from the nightmare that had tore at my soul. “That nightmare felt so real... You leaving me for Emily, my best friend, was horrifying. But we both know there’s nothing between you and her, right?” I whispered against his skin, inhaling deeply. But instead of the familiar scent I expected, something foreign filled my senses. I froze. I opened my eyes, my heart racing, and instead of Wyatt’s soft gray eyes, I was met with dark brown piercing eye
Tilda’s POV.I glanced down at the screen and froze. It was a message from a strange number. A cold shiver crept up my spine as I opened it.Attached was a selfie of us—one I had no recollection of taking. The sight of his face next to mine made my stomach twist.His message read: "If you ever want to escape again and lose yourself in my arms, I'll be here. Only I am allowed to touch you and make you feel that way. I'll keep this photo as a memory, but don't worry, I didn’t take any explicit photos or recordings. I'm not that kind of person. Sorry for taking your number without permission. Take care of yourself, and move on from your heartbreak."The words crawled under my skin. He sounded possessive, like I was some kind of treasure he could claim whenever he pleased. And the casual way he said it—like I should be grateful he didn’t exploit me further—left me feeling violated all over again.I sat frozen in the backseat, feelin several emotions swirling inside me. Fear prickled at th
Tilda's POV.The next morning, I got up before dawn. I was Ted to be as early as possible in order to make a good impression. After the chaos of yesterday, I had expected to be brought down by thoughts of Wyatt and Emily’s betrayal, but instead, my mind kept returning to the little girl—Ivy, the director's daughter. Today, I would officially become her nurse, and I felt a strange feeling of excitement blooming in my chest.I slipped into my uniform, taking extra care with my appearance. My hair, usually thrown up in a messy bun, was neatly styled, and I applied a touch of makeup, just enough to enhance my features. I wasn’t sure why I felt the need to look my best, but I was meeting the director for the first time and I wanted to make a good impression.Dr. Ben and Nurse Abby had been clear in their instructions—there was a certain way to behave around the director. I had heard many things about him - a man of few words and strict boundaries. He valued discretion, and more importantl
(Tilda’s POV).“Fuck,” I muttered to myself.How did I get here?I couldn’t believe my eyes as I stood there, frozen, staring at the man in front of me. Less than 48 hours ago, this very man and I had shared an evening that I thought was a one-off—an impulsive, passion-filled encounter I had planned to leave in the past. But now, here he was, in the middle of the room, his arms around a young girl who I now knew to be Ivy, the director’s daughter… my patient.I’d barely registered the little girl’s voice until she asked, her tone full of curiosity, “Why are you staring at each other like that? I hope you’re not flirting.”A nervous laugh escaped me, and I tried to regain my composure. “Oh, Ivy, don’t be silly. I just want to speak to your father alone for a moment. Something I noticed around the house,” I added, hoping my voice didn’t betray my internal panic.As Ivy shrugged and trotted off, I glanced back at him, and he was just as stunned as I was. His gaze was fixed on me, wide-
Tilda’s POV."Daddy, what are you doing?" Ivy asked again. I quickly pulled away from Richard, fear taking over me. Luckily, Ivy hadn’t seen us in such a vulnerable position yet. She was just calling out to make sure where we were.I sprang to my feet, dusting off the flour I had accidentally knocked over during the fall, while Richard also rose to his feet, brushing off the remnants. "What's wrong with you guys? What happened here?" Ivy asked curiously, looking around.Richard and I stared at each other for a moment, both of us struggling to hold back laughter as we realized we were covered in flour. Turning back to her, I said as warmly as I could, "Nothing important. I was just a little clumsy and accidentally knocked over the flour."I tried to calm the pounding of my heart at that moment. I was ridiculously scared, thinking she had discovered us, but to my relief, that wasn’t the case. A warm smile spread across my face as I asked, "Why did you get out of bed? What is wrong?""I
Tilda’s POV.I stood on the balcony, feeling the cool air brush gently across my face as I took a deep breath. I bit my lower lip softly as thoughts of Richard filled my mind again. Why couldn’t I help it? It was torture, constantly thinking about him, and it was becoming harder and harder to get him out of my head, especially with us practically living under the same roof. “When is he going to be back, anyway?” I muttered to myself, glancing at my wristwatch before looking back out over the balcony. My foot tapped impatiently against the floor as I waited, hoping his car would appear at the mansion gate any moment now. Then it dawned on me. What exactly was I doing? I looked like a wife waiting for her husband to come home, and the thought made me cringe with embarrassment. I took another deep breath and turned to leave the balcony—just as I heard the sound of Richard’s car pulling up. I froze, watching as he stepped out of his car and glanced around. He looked up, and in that in
Tilda’s POV. I felt my heart twist, a strange mixture of relief and vulnerability washing over me. His words were simple, but there was a kindness in them that caught me off guard. Still, a part of me couldn’t help but question it. I wanted to ask so many questions but decided to keep shut. I thought about agreeing as I saw reasons with him. Maybe later on when we start talking well again like before, I will ask you to spend weekends at my place. “So are you going to accept my offer? To move in here?” he asked. I nodded without hesitation and saw relief wash over his face. But then I wanted to ask him questions like; Why was he at the mall with that lady? Who was she? Where had he dropped her? Was she Ivy’s new mum? There were so many questions and yet I had zero answers to them and if I did ask them it would feel like I was prying. I didn’t want to do that. With a sigh, I shook my head and focused on what was before me. “Thank you,” I murmured, my voice barely audible.
Tilda’s POV. Dr Ben soon joined us as nurse Yonda stopped talking. I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself and start acting like I was not pained by everything that was happening. I watched as Richard stood firm, his tone cool and commanding. “If you’re done with Ivy, Dr. Ben and Nurse Yonda, I’d like her personal nurse to stay with her from now on.” Dr. Ben nodded without hesitation, gathering his things quickly and casting an almost apologetic look my way. Nurse Yonda, however, lingered, her expression unreadable. But Richard was unfazed, extending his hand to her. “Tilda’s badge, please.” Nurse Yonda’s face faltered for just a moment, a flash of anger and perhaps even embarrassment, before she reluctantly placed my badge into his outstretched hand. She shot me one last, seething look, and then turned on her heel, following Dr. Ben out of the living room without another word. I stood rooted to the spot, still reeling from everything that had happened. Richard turned to
(Tilda’s POV).I looked at him like he was joking.Was he being serious right now?If there weren’t any emergency or the weather wasn’t bad I would have cursed him out and won’t go in.But he was my boss and this situation needed me to drop my ego as I needed any help I could get.I entered and realized the woman wasn’t in the car any longer.I didn’t want to ask him any question so I kept shut and laid in the car.He floored the car through the wet roads as my heart pounded.I started to wonder if we would die just because of his daughter.He rode like he was a formula one driver. Silent, confident and careful.We arrived in less than ten minutes. The gate opened before we got there and he sped through the yard as he skid to a stop before the stairs of the mansion.I rushed into the house to meet the butler standing outside Ivy’s room looking sad.“Oh no, no, no!” I growled while running like a mad woman, wet and tired, maintaining my speed so I would not fall on the tiles.I got to
(Tilda’s POV).The next day being Friday was my day off and while I laid in bed, I was glad to be away from that home that gave me mixed feelings.Ivy made me feel like I could care for her and keep her safe. Richard on the other hand was a bit complicating at best.With my free day, I decided to go to the market to get something I would need in the house.I got up, had my bath and started for the kitchen to grab my store bags and I headed for the supermarket in town.While out, my aunt called me.“Hey, I’m sorry, did I get you at a bad time?” She asked as I closed the door of the cab I was getting down from.“No, aunty. I’m fine,” I sighed. “What’s up?”“It’s about your dad,” she said as I halted in my steps.Oh God no, was my first thought.“You don’t have to panic or anything. Your dad has been in his best health in the past few days and his attacks have been away for sometime now. He’s not doing bad and he’s getting better.”My heart calmed as I jabbed at her. “Why don’t you lead
(Tilda’s POV). The next morning was a drag for me. I woke up and started out my day in a very slow manner. When I finished bathing, dressing up and getting out of the apartment, I heard a honk. I got to the front door to see a black car with a driver standing by it. He held open the door for me and I knew it had been from Richard. He had promised to send a driver for me every morning and this was him fulfilling his promises. “Thank you,” I said, getting into his car as he drove me to the mansion. I got out and I was still marveled at its magnificent structure as I had been the first time. However, when I stepped into the mansion, I remembered the rage I had seen in his eyes. I was nervous about everything. About what had happened between us and his words about knowing why I isn’t want to give him a chance. His rage towards me using his daughter as an excuse. It all rang in my head as I walked to the stairs which had me slowing down as I started to think Richard
(Richard’s POV). I walked with her down the steps, feeling an odd sense as we crossed the driveway together. When we reached the car, the driver stepped out, holding the door open for her. “I’ll drive you home,” I said, which came as a shock to her. She watched me take the keys from the driver as I entered the car and pulled out of the driveway. With an easy ride, I drove her to her apartment and stopped in front of it, putting the car into a spot before turning to look at her. “You drive… better than me,” she chuckled and I shrugged. “I’ve had years of experience.” She nodded. We stared at each other, the tension between us rising to high levels before she grabbed her bag. “Thanks for… the ride,” she said. “Anytime.” She got out of the car and waved to me as I waved back before watching her walk to her door. When she entered the house, I pulled out of her driveway, heading back home. This was going to be a long night of drinking and maybe going through some f
(Tilda’s POV).“Good night, Richard,” I said softly, turning to head into the mansion.“Good night, Tilda,” he replied, his voice warm.As I walked away, I couldn’t help but smile. Starting fresh might just be harder than I thought—but somehow, I didn’t mind.I slipped through the tall doors of the mansion, heading straight for Ivy’s room. She was curled up under her blankets, her eyes lighting up when she saw me.“Tilda!” she greeted me with a grin. “How did your talk with my dad go?”I chuckled, settling into the chair beside her bed. “It went well,” I said, keeping my tone casual, though the truth was far more complicated.Her grin grew wider, as if she’d been waiting for some drama. “Good,” she said with a satisfied nod. “I’m glad you’re here. The last person was always… well, she was always hitting on my dad. She was pretty, but she was always trying to get him to pay attention to her instead of me.”I gave her a sympathetic smile, a little surprised by her candidness. Ivy seemed