Malcolm had been restless all morning since he arrived at work, and his workers were at the receiving end of his anger and frustration. He was unable to sleep since he received the news from Sinclair that Zoe could come back home, and it had him so bothered if she had been informed too about it.‘What if she decided to leave? What if she left and acted like she didn't know him? Would their relationship just end there?’ He thought all night, and still couldn't keep the thoughts away as he carried out his job in the office. He shifted uncomfortably on his office chair so many times, with a nervous tic crawling up his body, the more his eyes darted unconsciously to his phone, for what felt like the hundredth time, as if Zoe would call anytime soon to slam those words in his ear. His mind raced with worry as his thoughts spiraled him into anxiety, with each vibration or notification from his phone sending a jolt of nervous energy through his body, only to be met with disappointment as
“I heard that you have refused to return home,” Malcolm hit off the conversation with Zoe, breaking the silence that had been hanging in the air ever since he entered the room. He was curious to know what was going on in her head, and why she was being so unpredictable. “Yes. Any problem with that?” She tilted her eyebrows at him as she tore her gaze away from what she had been scribbling on paper since he entered. “I thought that was what you wanted initially,” a confounded look danced in his eyes as he stared at her with questioning eyes, in case she cared to explain her reasons before he asked why. But he knew she wouldn't talk more than what she was asked. “Well, I don't want that anymore,” she darted her eyes back to what she was doing. “Why? Are you really planning to get married to me?” There was a hint of anxiety in his voice as he spoke, wondering what her answer would be. She had been mentioning the marriage part and making new memories with him so casually for days n
“I cannot believe she refused to come home! What is she thinking?!” Francis Sinclair's voice boomed, reverberating through the house. His eyes were twisted in a blend of fury and bewilderment, as they blazed with scorching inferno, with the veins in his neck pulsing visibly. “I will try to convince her, sir,” Gary's eyes didn't meet his own, his voice calm and soothing. “She is hellbent on remaining there! I wonder what had come over her,” he barked furiously to no one in particular, his voice rising with each word.“I thought you wanted her to make a choice, sir,” Gary inquired indirectly, wondering what the old man was up to again, since he had not told him anything. If he remembered well, he was sure Francis Sinclair had just mentioned her return as a choice and not an obligation. “Because I was sure she would move back in, since she wanted to end whatever it was with Malcolm. And till now, nothing has been progressing! I have other plans already,” He almost lashed as his eyes
Zoe made her way into the mall with grace and elegance, her long, dark hair bouncing down her shoulders in glossy waves, perfectly framing her striking features. She was dressed in a stunning red dress that accentuated her curves with a sophisticated charm. Her high heels clicked rhythmically against the polished marble floor, each step exuding confidence and poise as she sauntered past. However, beneath the facade of composure, her mind was racing through so many restless thoughts. What had occurred the previous night played over and over in her head, and she blamed herself for acting rashly just because she saw the opportunity. ‘That was a close one,’ she heaved a sigh of relief again like she was reliving the moment, as she remembered how she had managed to escape such a crazy situation.“Isla. I thought you were inside,” she interjected instantly, leaving no chance for accusations or an overt display of guilt. “Why have you come here? If no one answered when you knocked you sho
“Do you want to play games here or can we leave now?” Zoe's brow furrowed with confusion, as she watched Martin, who had asked her to meet, playing a game at an arcade where she had gone in to meet him. She had expected a serious discussion over coffee or wine, and not a detour into this vibrant, chaotic wonderland.“You have not played this game before, right?” Martin turned to her, his eyes sparkling with excitement, her cute expression making him chuckle. “Looks childish to me,” her voice edged with frustration stated, as her pony farm style framed her beautiful face more overtly, highlighting her expressive eyes that incessantly darted around the room, observing that everyone seemed to be having fun. “What?” he laughed even harder, seeing how irked she looked, “It is fun. Try it and see,” he interrupted before she could even answer, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards a combat game console. “You are meant to be working, remember?” she argued sternly, still trying to make
“You cook so well, Zoe. How can you just navigate all these so easily?” Audrey's eyes glistened with admiration as she watched Zoe show her how to prepare the recipe she had chosen for the day. “You flatter me too much,” A warm smile curved Zoe's lips, as she glanced at Audrey teasingly, “We are making roast chicken with herbs and vegetables, as well as pasta too. To make this cooking perfect, we have to use fresh quality ingredients and to season everything well,” she showed Audrey how to do it. Audrey nodded as her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, ready to learn everything Zoe would be able to teach her. She had been trying to gain Irina's love and attention for as long as possible, so that her life would be much easier even if things went haywire in the long run. And since Zoe was willing to be friends with her, she thought that it was the perfect avenue to weaponize their friendship. Through her perfect cooking. “Since I have prepared the chicken, seasoning it with salt, pepper
The luxurious Maybach pulled up to the entrance of the opulent building, and the tall, able-bodied chauffeur who had driven it stepped out, and scurried to the other side of the back door to open it gracefully. From the vehicle emerged Zoe, who had been invited to the private launching of one of the biggest investment companies in the city, LASGOW.Dressed in a well-fitted floor-length black sleeveless dress intricately embellished with thousands of tiny black diamonds that shimmered under the light of focus which was on her, she exuded timeless elegance and a captivating presence that drew people's collective stare at her. Her subdued beautiful makeup screamed redundancy, which perfected the flawless look she radiated, and her hair, which was cut short to her chin, framed her face like a halo, making her look fiercer than she usually portended. Zoe sauntered into the banquet room, with the blinding lights of the cameras catching all of her perfection, as she carried herself with a
Zoe's heart skipped a breath, and she let out a soft gasp, because she had not expected to see him there. Yes, they were business partners to everyone. But, between both of them, they knew it was more than that. As crazy as it sounded, it was true that they shared the same bedroom. As insane as it was, she was his supposed fianceé whom no one knew about. As normal as it should be, she didn't want to see him at the moment when she was supposed to be away from everyone who knew her so much. ‘Shit! Why was he here?!’ A frown framed her face instantly, knowing what he was definitely capable of if he saw her. She didn't even want to speak to him. The instant plan was to retreat away from where he might see her since he had people still talking about his presence, and she tactically sidled away from those she was sharing light conversations with before he arrived, hoping to blend into the crowd and avoid his gaze or attention at all means. However, it was too late. Malcolm had already s
The morning sunlight filtered through the floor-length curtains of the living room which were usually barely opened, with its mild rays radiating heat against the body of the lady that was sprawled on the couch, her tightly shut eyes squinting endlessly. Unable to cope with the intensity of the sunrays, Zoe tried to turn to the other side the way she usually did on her bed, when her other hand suddenly landed on an open space causing her heart and eyes to jump open at the same time. ‘Shit. Where was she?’ she wondered, as her eyes which were initially struggling to open parted instantly from the shock that she landed on the floor from the chair. ‘She was sleeping in her living room and not her room?’ Zoe panicked, as she pulled her body up instantly, and looked around, wondering if it was truly morning already. ‘How long did she sleep?’ she wondered, her eyes scanning around as if she could tell just by that. She could tell from how she was feeling in her body that she slept a lot
“You know her?” Jasmine asked reflexively, before she shook her head, realizing what a weird question she asked, “I guess she is so popular that you even know her,” She shook her head again, “It is no news if a child born today knows her.”“Ye…es. Yes. Yes, I do,” Justine answered, almost stuttering, her voice and gaze a little distant as if she was getting lost in the thoughts of something else. Her face suddenly stiffened in a more deepened shock. “She is. She is somehow the daughter of my first love, and friend who betrayed me so terribly. It is crazy how life turns out,” she continued to rant endlessly, deeply bitter because she just couldn't help but wonder how. She ran a thumb along the rim of her glass, staring at the city as if the answers were out there somewhere, and continued to speak, “And I know that it is not the child's fault that all this happened, but I cannot help but be resentful,” she paused again, her head spinning. “Sometimes I get sentimental, which is why I
Malcolm's face turned pale as soon as she heard her question, and cats got his tongue so bad because he had not even expected her to ask on such a serious note. Words suddenly eluded him and his mind became a blank mark. “I just had to ask you know,” She let out a breathy, humorless laugher, the wine making her bold, or maybe just honest, “I mean my life is still pathetic even if I am rich, and I still cannot be happy. You would never even be happy with me. Just like we never were,” she smiled. Malcolm's heart sank the moment she said that, and his eyes, dark and weighted with things he never said, locked onto hers.“Find another woman,” she murmured as if compelling him, “One you don’t have to share so much guilt with, and have to atone to, for the rest of your life. And maybe I might find someone too someday. Someone I don’t have a love-hate relationship and very bad memories with.” “Love-hate?” Malcolm echoed, his voice less composed, or quiet now, his confusion betraying his co
The balcony doors of the Grand MEL-CO suite were open on the fifteenth floor to the cool night breeze, which carried the faintest scent of the sea not too far away from the beautiful view. Seated there comfortably were two dear friends, who took the evening to meet up and get lost in the reverie of the moment while sharing how their days had gone without seeing one another. A glass of whiskey sat between the fingers of Justine, a stunning woman at forty-nine with beautiful striking features, as she leaned back against the cushioned chair she was sitting on, with two of her legs stretched out to the front, while delicately swirling the stem of her half-empty wine glass. A long, satisfied sigh escaped her, as she stretched her arms overhead, her eyes glistening with admiration of the beautiful sight before her. “You have no idea how much I needed that spa today,” she mused, tilting her head toward her friend, “I swear, Jasmine, it was divine. You would have loved it.” She sighed d
“My new life here,” Malcolm mentioned casually, his eyes still studying her quietly, wondering what she would say. Zoe tilted her head slightly, thinking and considering what she would say, “It is very nice, I think,” she mumbled quietly, with a modest grin that just reflexively graced her lips, and he instantly noticed just when he was about to thank her for her kind word. It surprised him almost to see that his suspicions were confirmed the moment he saw her gazing at the interiors and arts in his house in a different way from her usual demeanor. “You seem different from your usual self,” his eyes studied her expression, but Zoe was not looking at him again, her eyes lingering around the living room as if nothing else mattered. However, she raised a brow when she heard him say that, and a sarcastic laughter escaped her lips, as she raised her glass to the light which was a reflection from the chandelier above, and did a little swirl before mumbling, “More broken, I guess.”“No,
The moment Zoe stepped into Malcolm's house, the door shut behind her with a quiet click, sealing her inside a space she never thought she would ever step into, as Malcolm walked behind her. It wasn’t just that the space was as familiar as hers, it also had similar interiors, exteriors, and dimension placements that it almost felt like she was entering her own house. However, the outlook was completely different. His, had a quiet, effortless luxury woven into every inch of it and smelled everything like him too. Her own house had remained untouched ever since she moved into the space she lived in but never truly settled into, but his own had undergone a completely crazy transformation. Even if it was painted in dull, lifeless hues of grey, cream, and black color in a way she used to hate, seeing how everything in his house blended so perfectly, warmed her heart.As Zoe further made her way to his living room, she noticed that the floors shone beneath her feet in a way that was poli
As Zoe drove through an unfamiliar street, something in a store window caught her eyes which had not, even when she walked around her mall. It was a massive, intricate diamond chandelier, with its glass crystals catching the light in a way that made them look like frozen wings of butterflies. It was huge and extravagant in the way she had never wanted her things, but she wanted it. It didn't have to be from her mall. She didn't have to preorder it. She just wanted it right at that moment. And without a second thought, she pulled over, walked in, and bought it. On her way home too, she stopped to do a fifteen-minute grocery shopping that she could have done at her mall in the neighborhood store and purchased a lot of things she wasn't even sure she needed. By the time she got home by evening, she regretted not asking for help carrying the chandelier in. The lightning fixture was so heavy in her arms when she tried to pull it, that she knew there was no way she could wrestle it thr
It was late in the evening already by the time Zoe finally decided to clock out from the office, and she just took her private elevator to the underground parking lot of the mall to avoid attention since the mall was usually more parked in the evenings and also nighttime when people were just leaving their workplaces. Dylan, who had been waiting by the side of the car, straightened at the sight of her and instantly walked to open the door for her, as he stood by the other side waiting with one hand holding the door and the other resting around his stomach region. However, he noticed as she got closer, that there was something a little different about her manner of walking and her demeanor. Usually, his keen eyes could decipher when she was not in a good mood, times she was glad about something, and times she was sad. Most of the time, she was usually distant and beyond sad. But now, he saw that her lips, which were always pulled into a thin straight line of seriousness, held the fa
“You don't call me anymore,” The voice of the lady on the phone filled with a silent and low resentment, questioned with a very low tone, as if what she was talking about was not brewing fierce anger within her heart. “You know I told you I have been busy,” the voice came from the other side of the phone.“Fuck you and your silly busyness,” Isla scoffed, the softness in her voice suddenly dissolving, “You pick up my call after days only to tell me bullshit? You think you are too important now? Too good to pick up the damn phone?!” A bitter laughter rolled out of her lips again, as if trying to understand the absurdity of the situation. “You are my plaything, remember?” her lips curved into a derisive smirk, as her voice went low while dripping with a menacing reminder, “I own you, and every damn thing you own! Every damn thing! And you are going to be doing every fucking thing I ask you to do every time I call. I shouldn't be the one chasing you,” she spat. A deep suffocating silen