AMANI“I hate him, Zuri. I hate him.” I sob heartbrokenly against her chest. “How could he say something like that? It h-hurts.”Zuri pats my back soothingly, over and over again. “I’m so sorry, baby. I should’ve come with you.”I never knew I could outrun Bhyron, but I managed to make it to Zuri’s room and slam the door in his face before he could catch up with me. It’s been an hour and I’m still a wet, sobbing mess. It suddenly hits me that I’m not only crying because of Bhyron’s hurtful words. I’m crying because I miss my son terribly. I’ve held myself back from thinking about him for days, but all the memories slammed into me today with the force of a sledgehammer.My heart hurts. I want to hold him one last time. I miss my baby.After another twenty minutes of endless crying, Zuri becomes impatient. She pulls me away from her chest with a heavy frown and quickly wipes my face.“Did you kill your son?” She asks fiercely.I frown, my face crumpling in a fresh round of tears; “n-n
AMANII make sure to keep my voice cool and calm as I look over at Bhyron and ask;“Will that be all, Mr. Macaulay?”He takes another step in my direction and I have to bite my lower lip to force myself to stand my ground. I’m not scared of this man. He will never, ever take advantage of my emotions again.I lift a hand, stopping him in his tracks; “And where the hell do you think you’re going?”His hooded eyes search my face. It almost feels like he’s trying to figure me out. “I wrote you a note and you threw it into the fountain.” He says in a matter-of-fact tone, as if unable to believe my audacity.Surprised, I flick a glance at the fountain and sure enough, a white envelope floats amongst the petals. He really did write a note.Although I’m itching to know what he wrote, I force myself to appear unperturbed. I shrug;“A pity. Not that it concerns me.” I take a deep breath and instantly regret it as the intoxicating scent of his cologne filters into my nostrils, sending skitter
AMANI“Amani! Oh my god, what did he do to you?” Zuri runs forward and pulls me into a tight hug the second I walk into the dressing room.I’m still in a daze so I remain stiff and unmoving in her arms until she notices and releases me. “Hey, is something wrong? Did that bastard do something to you?” I look her in the eyes when I say this, hoping she can understand my confusion;“Zuri, he called a doctor to check on me.”My best friend blinks in shock.“Wait, what?”The dressmakers are still trying to set up the different dresses that I’ll get to choose from, so I have time to pace the room and just freak out.“I became a little light headed at his office earlier and almost fainted. He called a doctor… because I swooned a little bit.”There’s that painful feeling in my chest again. I press my hand against my heart and massage gently, hoping to ease the stinging pain.“I swear the man blows hot and cold like a bloody dead fuse. I cannot seem to understand him.”Zuri grabs my arm and
AMANI“Oh no, she didn’t!” “Oh, yes, she did.” I confirm.“That dehydrated, cross-eyed donkey!” Zuri sounds angry as hell. “I swear, I’ll show her back to the stables where she belongs!”She shoots to her feet and makes to leave the room but I grab her wrist just in time, pulling her back into the padded chair. She lands with an angry “huff!”“Why are you stopping me? I’m trying to teach that thirsty bitch a lesson.”I almost roll my eyes. “Zuri, I heard Bhyron and Grandpa invited a lot of important guests for this party. Please don’t go out there and ruin things. Sharon isn’t even worth it.”She stares at me incredulously. “Since when do you care about Bhyron and his guests?”I swallow thickly. Zuri is extremely observant. I don’t want her to know about my new feelings for Bhyron just yet. “I don’t care about him. I only care about Grandpa.” The makeup artist is finally done with my makeup and I get to my feet. “Besides, we don’t have any proof, and even if we did, Bhyron will alw
AMANI“…Bhy, Amani is very disobedient.” She says accusingly. “You choose the colours of the day yourself and she deliberately went against your wishes. She’s embarrassing you before all your guests…!”The room is as silent as a tomb. The only audible sounds are that of my heart pounding with rage.My eyes stray to Sharon’s arms that are firmly interlocked with Bhyron’s and the red in my eyes burn even brighter. I fist my fingers to tamp down on my temper and retain my composure.Sharon’s right after all. The colour for the bride-to-be was cream and Bhyron had already chosen a simple yet beautiful cream dress for me. I hate him but gotta admit, he’s got great taste.Anyways, I’m currently dressed in a floor length dress that’s completely bare at the back and extremely revealing in the bust area — the complete opposite of Bhyron’s dress which was very modest.The icing on the cake? The dress is blood red — Bhyron’s most hated colour — and so are my lips. I’m evil, I know.Bhyron’s eye
“You will never hurt me and dictate how I react…”— AMANI***They say revenge is best served cold, but I’m smoking hot so I prefer my revenge to match.Zephyr walks into the ballroom like he owns the place. He just ran for Mayor of New York City the second time and won. He’s a man of the people. They absolutely adore him. And he’s the most perfect specimen I could ever choose for my revenge. Not only is he charismatic, he’s also the kind of man you would call “lethally gorgeous.”His hair is white-blonde like mine, his eyes the most piercing grey I’ve ever seen. It also helps that he’s above six feet with the body of a Greek god. So he’s both successful and attractive. Lucky, lucky me.Zephyr was definitely heartbroken when I informed him of my engagement, but in his exact words; “as long as you’re breathing, I still have the chance to take you from Bhyron and give you the life of your dreams. The life you deserve.”I zero doubts that Zephyr can indeed give me the fairytale life of
“I don’t need a weapon, darling. I am one…”***AMANI“…take it all back.”When I asked Bhyron for all of those things at the dining table that fateful day, heaven knows I was joking. I never intended to accept any of Zephyr’s gifts. Infact, I was gonna thank him and politely decline, but after hearing Bhyron’s harsh tone, the evil little bitch in me is having a rethink.I step forward, giving myself enough space to turn around and look straight into his angry blue eyes. I don’t want to cause a scene before the guests, so I fold my arms and say in the calmest voice I can muster;“And what right do you think you have to make that decision on my behalf?”His anger suddenly dims by a few thousand watts, leaving me confused.“What do you mean, Amani? Will you really accept his gifts?”I shrug, “and if I say yes? What’s the problem with that? You couldn’t get these things for me when I asked. In fact, If I remember correctly, you preferred to hold Sharon’s hand and walk away from me inste
AMANIIt’s been five hours since the disaster of an engagement party. Five hours since grandpa apologized to the guests and sent them on their not-so-merry way. Five hours since Bhyron disappeared… and there’s a strange, heavy weight in my chest that I can’t seem to get rid of no matter how hard I try.It’s currently past midnight and I haven’t slept a wink. Instead, I continue to pace the length of my room, occasionally peering out the window to see if Bhyron has finally returned home. Grandma Alice and grandpa have both called him repeatedly with no response. I even cajoled Aunt Ophelia and ordered Jay to call him, but there’s still no response. His phone is ringing alright, but he’s obviously refusing to answer.“…please, Zuri. Just try his number once. I promise I won’t ask for any other favours throughout this week.”Our wedding is in a few hours and Bhyron is nowhere to be seen. If his plan was to punish me by making sure I worry to death, I’m afraid to admit that he’s almost
BHYRONAmani left with grandpa a few minutes ago but I’m still seated behind my desk, staring at the CCTV footage on my computer and watching the bags I bought go up in smoke.My intention was to apologize to her. I guess that failed, woefully.I don’t give a shit about the amount of money I spent. I can make that back in seconds. What matters is the look of pure hatred I saw in Amani’s eyes. That will haunt me forever.I bury my face in my palms and take a deep breath. Amani looked angry. Enraged. How she knew I was watching her through the CCTV, I’d never know. But for a moment, it felt like she was looking straight into my eyes, like she knew I was there. I get to my feet and pace the room. My wedding is set to happen in the next thirty minutes. I’m already dressed up and waiting to be notified to come downstairs for the ceremony. My long term goal of marrying the one woman who has the power to set me ablaze with just one look is finally about to be fulfilled, but I’m restless.Dr
AMANIJay flinches at my harsh tone but stands his ground. “Miss Amani, I assure you that the boss does not consider you a whore. These are just wedding presents and he’d be pleased if you accept them.”I tilt my head to the side, struggling to rein in my temper. That’s the thing — I never, ever want to partake in any activity that pleases Bhyron Macaulay. I still regret my little mistake from a few hours ago.I wanted to please him and it backfired right in my face.I look up and my eyes coincidentally lands on the CCTV camera positioned high up on the west wall. My fingers twitch with annoyance as a devious thought suddenly crawls into my mind.“Your boss is watching us right now, isn’t he?” I ask Jay, not bothering to take my eyes off the camera.Jay follows my line of vision and lets out a small curse when he realizes I’ve seen the camera. His tone suddenly changes, becoming defensive;“Miss Amani, I…”I shoot him a look filled with annoyance and he clamps his mouth shut.“There’
AMANITHREE HOURS LATER…My wedding is set to hold in the next two hours and I’m an emotional wreck.I stare at my swollen eyes in the mirror, willing my mind to forget everything that happened in that room three hours ago.“Girl, we don’t have time for this. The makeup artist has been waiting for you for almost two hours. You haven’t even tried out your wedding dress. I’m not sure you’ve even taken a bath!” Zuri half-yells, pacing the room nervously.“At this pace, we’ll never be ready on time. Not that I want you to marry that sonofabitch, but grandpa will be upset…”I keep staring at the mirror, trying to figure out the hollow-eyed woman who stares back at me.Anger, bitterness and shame swirls in my guts when I remember the smugness in Bhyron’s eyes after he successfully fooled me. The bastard tricked me. Once again, he proved that I can never trust him.“…and you won't even tell me what happened! Where were you this morning? What happened to you?” Zuri babbles non stop, pacing r
BHYRONI don’t know how much longer I can keep this up and I think it’s high time I told myself the truth.Hurting Amani’s feelings is not as satisfying as I thought it would be. Taking my revenge does not fill my heart with joy like I thought it would.The hurt and confusion in her eyes breaks me every single time. This was supposed to be easy, goddamnit! I was never supposed to feel anything for her. My job would’ve been goddamn easier if those bright, chocolate eyes didn’t appeal to my dark soul every single time.My goal was to take revenge for all the pain that Amani and her family caused me, but I barely stopped myself from pulling her into my arms just five seconds ago. All I wanted to do was clean her up, hold her and make sure she got a few hours of sleep before the wedding. And that was not the bloody plan!I slam the door behind me and lean against it, trying to calm my pounding heart.Anger, raw and venomous stirs in my veins. I’m angry at myself for hurting her and furiou
AMANI“…suck my dick, Amani. If you’re able to make me cum, I’ll let you wear the dress.” Shock, mixed with violent arousal explodes in my belly, leaving me weak and temporarily unable to think properly.My arms around Bhyron’s neck slips but he catches me at the last minute, cupping my lower back and pulling me against his chest in a half-embrace. I’m completely enveloped in his intoxicating heat and my heart is a large, melted puddle of goo. If not for his support, I’d have fallen flat on my face a long time ago.I should slap his face and stomp out of the room, but my brain is already conjuring images of his thick, swollen cock deep inside the walls of my throat. I gulp helplessly.It’s settled. I’m fucked.“What’s it going to be, little caramel?” He whispers huskily, trailing his fingers across my heated cheeks. “Will you suck my cock or do you want to live without my forgiveness? I can already feel your wetness on my thigh. If I touch you down there, my fingers will come back d
AMANI“You can forget about the dress. It’s not for you. You don’t have to wear it…”I never wanted to wear Bhyron’s dress. I never wanted a dress that was made specially for some strange woman whom he’s obsessed with. But those harsh words coupled with his cold expression hits me like a goddamn punch in the gut.He’s clearly saying I’m not worthy enough to wear the same dress as the woman of his dreams. Jealousy burns like a fever in my throat. I’ve never wanted to beat up an imaginary woman so badly in my entire life. I’m almost ashamed of myself. Almost.I stiffen against him, holding his gaze while trying not to burst into stupid tears. I wouldn’t even know why I’m crying in the first place. So what if Bhyron is in love with some unnamed dancing bride? I don’t like him. I shouldn’t be bothered.The logical thing to do would be to step away from him and lick my wounds while I still can, but the last time Amani was logical, George Washington was still president.Instead of counting
AMANIBefore I can get my thoughts together, Aunt Ophelia hurries forward and grabs my arm, her eyes wide with a haunted expression that sends chills down my spine; “Amani, dear, you have to leave. You cannot be seen in here.”Now I’m more confused than ever and even more determined to find out what the hell is going on. I’m convinced that Aunt Ophelia knows something. She’s definitely hiding something from me.She tries to pull me towards the exit but I stubbornly dig my feet into the ground, refusing to move. Noting my hesitation, Aunt Ophelia looks over her shoulder and lifts one questioning brow; “Sweetie, what are you doing? We have to leave.”The forced cheer in her voice and the tiny, fake smile plastered on her lips makes me even more resolute to go nowhere.I pull my arm from her grip and fold them, looking her straight in the eyes;“Okay, aunt. Spill. What are you hiding?”A flash of panic lightens her eyes before she’s able to hide it beneath a confused expression.“What
AMANII’m shocked to my bones. I’m in awe. I’m blown away.I move closer to get a better look. The closer I go, the grander it becomes.I barely have the words to describe it — It’s beautiful. It’s gorgeous. It’s definitely expensive… and also seems familiar as hell.I search my memory on a quest to figure out where I’ve seen it before. It’s very unique, very unlike anyone of its kind out there. A second later, it finally dawns on me, leaving a strong bitter taste at the back of my throat. I remain rooted to the spot, blinking rapidly in shock as the pieces slowly fall into place. The current object of my obsession is a wedding dress. It sits alone on a raised platform in the middle of the room, sparkling and shimmering like a rare creature in all its glory. The platform is made of black onyx stone and probably costs far more than what my parents’ entire company is worth.And the dress itself… I lack the words to describe it. It sparkles from top to bottom, and a closer inspection
AMANII can’t sleep. I tried to, but images of Grandma Alice crying her eyes out against Bhyron’s chest literally chased me around a rocky path in dreamland, armed with a sharp knife.I shoot awake some moments later, breathing like I just engaged in a sumo wrestling contest. Sweat pours down my face in torrents despite the cold AC that blows my heated skin.Looking around the dark room, goosebumps rise on my arms and my heart tightens with fear at all the shadows hanging around. I hate darkness with a passion that rivals Hades. I cannot sleep without the lights on and practically glaring. Zuri hates me for it, which is why we can never share a room.The only reason the lights are off is because Zuri opted to sleep with me tonight after I practically clung on to her when everyone left. My chest tightens painfully as I recall the strange feeling of abandonment that weighted my shoulders when I realized the entire family was upset with me, Aunt Ophelia inclusive.Memories of that sla