(Jack)I put my hand on Ruby’s and squeezed it. She looked at me morosely. “How could this have happened?” she murmured.I grimaced. I did not know what to say.“Sarah has been struggling all these years,” said Ruby, “And she’s never let anyone know.”I rolled my eyes. “Well, I wouldn’t exactly put it that way,” I said, “She has tried to cause serious harm to everyone around her and close to her simply because of her obsession with Thomas.”“Stop it, Jack, Don’t be so cruel!” exclaimed Ruby. She slapped me lightly on the back.“The girl’s been going through Heaven knows what for so long,” she said, “She used to be in my dorm building, you know. Her room was across the corridor from mine. I sometimes caught sounds of her crying to herself. And I did once knock …“Sarah had opened the door, her eyes red and brimming with tears.“‘Oh, honey,’ I had said, ‘What is it?’“‘It’s nothing,’ she had replied, shaking her head.“I had walked into the room.“‘What happened exactly?’ I had asked he
(Lydia)“Know what?” I exclaimed, my eyes wide. Jack shook his head and took a step closer.“Let’s go sit down somewhere,” he said, “This is going to take some time.”***My head was spinning when he finished recounting the whole story to me. “Is this true?” I said softly to him. I could not look directly at him.“Yes, it is,” Jack replied softly back.I could remember things that put Sarah’s truth into perspective.***“You make such wonderful hairstyles,” she had said, while I combed the ends of her locks.“Mhm,” I had smiled back, staring into the mirror where she sat beaming up at me.“Where did you learn how to make them?”“Oh,” I had shrugged,” My mother always had an artistic streak. So, I mainly learned it from her.”Sarah had fallen silent. She had licked her lips.“You’re lucky to have such a good Mama,” she had said quietly.I had laughed, bracing myself against the pain of resentment that I had still held back then.***“I’m not close to my father either,” she had once dru
(Lydia)“Are you okay?” Ruby asked as soon as I got home. She ran towards me and put her hands over my arms. “I’m fine!” I huffed, slamming my bag down.“What happened?” she asked. Her expressions clearly betrayed her worry.“I pushed Clara Olsson,” I muttered, “She fell down on the ground.”Ruby’s jaw dropped. “You did what?” she gasped, staring at me wide-eyed.I looked at her and simply nodded.“Clara Olssen?” Mama asked, walking up to us, “You mean that blonde model from Europe or some place?”We could hear the television set blaring behind her as she stood there in the doorway of the living room.I pursed my lips and nodded again.“She’s on TV,” Mama said, gesturing for the two of us to come inside.“I’m sure she deserved it,” Ruby said as we strode up to the living room.“And where were you when this happened?” a reporter asked Clara.Her eyes were bloodshot and a few strands of her hair dangled loosely out of her perfect golden bun.“Outside the studio where Nathan’s recording,
(Lydia)Thomas jumped when he walked into the drawing room and saw me. “Lydia!” he exclaimed. His eyes widened. He pursed his lips. “Is it really you?” he said.I stood up and nodded.“Oh, baby,” he said, walking up to me. He threw his arms around me.“I’m so glad you came back to me, darling,” he said, “I thought you would never return.”I wrapped my arms tightly around Thomas, breathing in the comfort of his chest against my cheek. I closed my eyes and let myself stay in the moment.A tear slipped out of my eye.“Hey, honey,” said Thomas, “What’s wrong?”“I threw it all away, Thomas,” I said quietly.“Huh?” he said, “Threw what away? You’re right here with me.”I drew in a deep, shaky breath.“I messed up the movie, Thomas,” I said.He pulled back. He gazed into my eyes and cupped my face in his palms.“Who cares about a silly movie, Lydia?” he said.“It was the stepping stone of my career,” I mumbled, wrapping my arms around him again.“It doesn’t matter, baby,” Thomas breathed int
(Lydia)I giggled and sat up, I wrapped myself around him. Thomas smiled and kissed me. I did not want to ever let go again. I ran my hands down his smooth, muscular back.He removed my panties and pulled me closer into him. Thomas nibbled into my ear. He planted sweet kisses down the length of my neck. I pushed him down on the bed and climbed up on top of him. He smiled. I smiled back. Slowly, I lowered myself onto him. Thomas swooped me down and got on top of me.It was a feeling of complete submission on both ends: Thomas’s scorching eyes full of passion as they stared at me and my eyes full of love and delight as I looked up at him.I closed my eyes as I came and when I opened them, a smile had broken out on Thomas’s face.He hugged me. We lay there for a very long time.***I stepped out of the shower in Thomas’s clothes. “Hey, babe,” I said to him.“Hey,” he smiled at me. Thomas pulled me into his arms again. I leaned in, my hair still wet from the shower.“So tell me,” I said,
(Lydia)I took a deep breath to steady myself and took a look at myself in the mirror. My face was pale and beads of sweat were forming on my forehead. My stomach lurched horribly. This was going to be tough. But I opened the car door and walked towards the office.I was meeting with both Jonathan Nilson as well as Aaron Abrams. The latter was the director of the film and I was pretty sure that he, having seen how good I was in front of the camera, would consider still keeping me on the film.As I walked inside, I spotted at least twenty young women seated in the waiting area.These must be my potential replacements, I thought. I swallowed hard.“Come in,” said Abrams when the secretary told him that I was at the door.“Hello,” I said nervously, stepping in through the door.“Well?” said Abrams, looking up with his brows raised expectantly.“Sir, I’m terribly sorry about what happened yesterday,” I said, “And I assure you that nothing of this sort will ever happen again. Being a part
(Lydia)He was sitting in the living room. “Ruby!” I called out, “Could you come here please?”. But before Ruby could come outside, I heard the sound of Thomas’s boots thud over the marble floor as he approached in my direction.“Uncle Thomas!” the children exclaimed. They ran up to him. Thomas immediately bent down and picked up both of the twins in either arm.Ruby walked up slowly and hesitantly behind him. Her eyes were wild and worried.“I’m just here to get the kids,” Thomas said gruffly.“Hang on a second,” I said to him.Just then, my phone began to ring. It was production. I answered the call.“Hello Miss Lydia,” said Abrams himself, “How are you?”“Uh,” I said, stepping over to the side.“Is this a bad time?” he asked.“No, no,” I said, “Absolutely not.”I glanced over nervously at Thomas, the twins, and Ruby.Then I looked down at the floor. “I can speak,” I said, “Sure.”“Great,” he replied, “Well, I just wanted to call to let you know that I’ve gone over everything that y
(Lydia)“It’s not just about the tabloids either,” I said to Mama, “It’s also that – I genuinely feel as though … as though … Thomas thinks that I’m lesser than him, somehow.”“Oh, honey,” Mama said, “Whatever makes you think that way?” She put the palm of her hand gently on my cheek and looked at me.“Because Margaret thinks that way!” I said, “And if Thomas could agree to marry Sarah because Margaret asked him to do so, then I need to work on becoming someone worthy and of note. That’s the only way that I’ll be able to fully integrate into their world!”“Thomas got engaged to Sarah,” Ruby countered, “Because she’s a spoiled rich kid!”. She tossed a peanut in her mouth from the tray in front of her.“That’s exactly my point!” I exclaimed, “Sarah would have never been able to snatch Thomas away from me if I had had any social standing in front of her. Margaret would have backed me, not her!”“For someone who claims to hate Thomas right now,” Ruby said, “You certainly sound like you w
(Lydia)When I woke up in the morning, I felt completely refreshed. Today was special. Thomas and I had a date planned, just the two of us. It had been far too long since we’d had an evening to ourselves, and the thought of spending uninterrupted time with him filled me with excitement. Thomas was already awake, sitting on the edge of the bed as he adjusted his tie. His usual morning routine was precise, and I admired how calm and collected he looked, even when I knew his day would be busy. “Good morning,” I murmured, leaning up on my elbows. He turned, smiling warmly, “Good morning, love. Sleep well?” I nodded, sliding closer to him, “You’re leaving early today.” “Lots to do before tonight,” he said with a wink. I couldn’t help but smile at the playful glint in his eyes. Recently, he had been waking up looking like he didn’t get much sleep the night before. But today, he looked like he rested well. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I kissed him passionately, savoring the
(Thomas)The drive back to the mansion was quiet, the city lights a blur as they passed by the windows. My mind replayed the events of the day, the chaos with that one candidate, the interviews that went nowhere, and then Jack. That wound, the tension in his voice, the possibility of Marco being involved, it all left a sour taste in my mouth. But I pushed it aside for now. I didn’t want to bring that storm home with me.By the time I pulled into the driveway, the mansion was bathed in soft light, welcoming and warm. I exhaled deeply, the weight of the day slowly lifting as I reminded myself of what mattered most, my family.Inside, the familiar sounds of home greeted me. Miles and Mabel’s laughter echoed from the living room, where they were playing with a set of blocks. Lydia sat nearby, her eyes flicking between them and her phone. When she looked up and saw me, her face brightened in a way that made the tension in my chest ease instantly.“Daddy!” Miles and Mabel shouted in unison
(Thomas)The hallways of the office were unusually quiet as I left the disaster of the last interview behind me. My steps echoed faintly as I made my way toward Jack’s office, needing a moment to vent about the absurdity of the day. Jack always had a way of grounding me, even when the world felt like it was spiraling out of control.But when I arrived at his office, it was empty. The blinds were drawn, the desk cleared except for a mug of cold coffee. I frowned, pulling out my phone to call him.He picked up after a few rings. His voice was low and somewhat strained when he spoke, “Thomas?”“Jack,” I said, glancing at my watch, “Where are you? I just came by your office.”“I’m at my apartment,” he replied, his tone clipped. “At your apartment?” I repeated, my frown deepening, “It’s the middle of the day, Jack. What’s going on?”There was a pause, long enough to make me suspicious. “I had to step out for a bit,” he finally said, “I’ll be back soon.”“Jack-”“Thomas, I’m fine,” he int
(Lydia)As we pulled into the driveway of the mansion, I couldn’t help but glance at Ruby in the passenger seat. Her face was calm, her usual cool composure firmly in place, but I could tell she was exhausted. Whatever had happened earlier was still playing in the back of my mind, but I didn’t press her further. Ruby had always been good at deflecting, and I knew better than to push when she wasn’t ready to share. The front door opened before we even reached it, and there stood Mama, smiling weakly but genuinely. She leaned on her cane, her movements slower since the surgery, but her spirit was intact. Ruby was by her side in a flash, steadying her and guiding her gently back into the living room. “Ruby, you didn’t have to come all the way here if the boutique was busy,” Mama said softly, though her eyes betrayed how much she appreciated the gesture. “I wanted to,” Ruby replied simply, her voice steady, “And you know me, I don’t trust anyone else to make sure you’re properly ta
(Thomas)The office felt unusually stifling today, as if the walls were closing in on me. My desk was piled with documents, but my attention was split. Half of my mind churned through what would happen when I met Nathan again.I had not seen him face to face since the last time, the night I found Lydia after he had kidnapped her. My blood boiled just thinking about that moment. I would have made a rash decision if it wasn’t for Lydia’s hand in mind and the thought of our kids, their smiling faces flashing through my mind.They had already spent so much time without me, their dad, I wasn’t going to make a horrible decision by harming Nathan and landing myself behind bars.I was glad that I hadn’t acted out of emotion, but that was also due to the fact that Lydia was right in front of me, looking relatively unharmed. If he had done something to her…then I would have taken it into my hands.Apart from this, there was also the added stress of finding another personal assistant for myself.
(Lydia)By the time I reached Ruby’s apartment, I could hardly breathe. My legs burned from climbing the stairs two at a time, but I didn’t care. My mind was racing, filled with every worst-case scenario I could imagine. Ruby’s phone going unanswered and her not showing up at the mansion had sent my thoughts spiraling into dark territory.I pounded on her door, my fist landing hard against the wood.“Ruby? Open up! It’s me!”The hallway was eerily silent, my frantic knocks echoing off the walls. I pressed my ear to the door, hoping to catch even the faintest sound of movement inside.“Ruby, please! Are you okay?”The seconds stretched unbearably. Then, finally, I heard the muffled shuffle of footsteps. Relief surged through me, but it was fleeting.The door opened just a crack, and Ruby appeared, peeking through the gap. Her face was calm, but her eyes held a flicker of something…annoyance? Discomfort?“Lydia,” she said, her voice carefully even, “What are you doing here?”I pushed th
(Lydia)I spent the car ride back home in relative silence, my thoughts consumed by everything that had happened in the past few months. The whirlwind of Nathan’s threats, Jack’s complicated relationship with Ruby, and Mama’s illness. It felt like I was constantly running a marathon with no finish line in sight.Now, as I crossed the threshold into the house, a surge of relief washed over me. At least for a few hours, I could breathe.My speech in the Assembly Hall had been well-received and I was grateful for that. What I had done was a long time coming because I had been worried about Mabel and Miles’ school for quite some time. Ever since they came home one day and told me what the kids were talking about, I had a thought in the back of my mind that this was going to be a problem moving forwards. And it was.Well, I hope all of that was settled now. As I walked into the living room, I saw Mama sitting in a recliner, bundled in a blanket despite the warmth of the room.“Back alread
(Ruby)I left the boutique in the afternoon to go to my apartment. I had some chores to do and I knew the apartment was probably a mess. When I reached there, I immediately started to do laundry. It took time, but I got it done just in time.As I folded the last of the laundry, I couldn’t help but think about what to eat since I’d planned to grab a quick bite before heading to the mansion to look after Mama. One of my workers was closing the boutique for me today, a rare reprieve I desperately needed. I had just gathered my things when a knock at the door startled me. I paused, glancing at the clock. I wasn’t expecting anyone. Peering through the peephole, I saw nothing but the empty corridor. My first thought was that it might be another bouquet. Curiosity got the better of me, and I opened the door. What I saw made me gasp so loudly I nearly dropped my bag. “Jack!” He was on his knees, his face pale and sweaty, twisted in pain. Blood stained his shirt and pants, and his han
(Jack)The tension had been building inside me all morning, a storm of frustration and unanswered questions I couldn’t shake. Thomas’s decision to meet with Nathan still gnawed at me. It wasn’t just the secrecy of it, though that alone was bad enough, it was the recklessness. The risk. But as much as that boiled my blood, there was another matter weighing heavily on my mind, and this one had a name: Marco.By midday, I’d had enough. I wasn’t going to get anything productive done sitting in my office, stewing over things I couldn’t control. I grabbed my jacket, told my assistant I’d be out for the rest of the day, and headed for Amanda’s apartment. If anyone could give me answers about Marco, it was her. When I reached her apartment, Amanda opened the door, her eyes widening slightly in surprise as she asked, “Jack? What are you doing here?” “We need to talk,” I said, stepping inside before she could protest. She frowned but didn’t argue, closing the door behind me. Her apartme