Zyna’s POV I ran along, before the beast changed his mind and decided to dump his young dumb blond and change into his tracksuit, ready to bother my existence. “Freaking bastard!” I screamed to myself. Somehow the anger and hurt and frustration I felt made me run faster. Damon was such a wrong choice, and everyday of the past nine years has cemented that fact. The libido driven moron couldn't even remember that he'd placed me on a curfew. But that was good for me, thanks Erica. One problem down, well, till I get home. The next was how to get to Zac's. I'd be such a fool to ever think of ordering a ride on my phone. Damon gets notified of everything I do on that phone. I thought hard and fast, still covering distance with my legs. I'd begun to tire out, and I'd even gotten to the busy part of two where most people do not do exercise, so I was beginning to feel weird. “Hey ma'am.” I sat next to an old lady at the bus stop. “Do I know you?” She asked without looking up
Emily's POV (brunch with Freda) “Hello, Freda.” I chimed as she entered my car. She looked weather beaten, like someone who was forcefully humbled. “Good afternoon, Ms Emily.” She said, “I noticed, still notice that you've been off today. Mind telling me what the hell is going on?” I asked. “I can tell you over the food.” She said quickly. “So I'm just supposed to sit here in silence and wait till then?” I asked lightly. “I'm sorry.” She chuckled. “Oh, I'll be alright.” I said, humming a soft tune as we wove in and out of the city traffic.I decided to do a different restaurant, maybe the change in ambience would make her mood lighter. “We just drove past…” She started to protest lightly, thinking I'd forgotten our stop. “Something different” I said, winking playfully. .She giggled and folded her arms, looking down on her thighs, and out of the window. Something was clearly bothering her. We soon arrived at a new restaurant I'd be eyeing since they launch
Adrian's POV “Baby, don't you think you should open up your company again? You don't have to be there for the first few weeks.” I begged Emily. Like I've been begging her to do many things of late. Eat, take water, stop thinking, stop crying, stop looking so bereaved, well she was. “I don't think I feel like doing it again.” She said, Her voice was almost permanently parched. Since Freda died at their lunch in the restaurant two months ago, she'd been through a lot, cut her hair even. “I know you can. It's okay to feel this way in the beginning, but I know that you can do it. You have to, Emily. She will want it.” I'd run out of every encouraging line I could use. For the first month, I had to move in with her, and received so many queries at the palace, but it was all nothing compared to watching her slowly grow out of the most intense part of her grief. “Is it not crazy that this thing is getting swept under the carpet?” She asked, the tears that never actually left
Emily's POV “Hello everyone.” I greeted. Even though it was Zac, and Damon at the table, with me of course, and my lawyer, I wanted it to be as formal as possible. “Can we start what we're here for?” Damon asked. He didn't sound rude or condescending, his eyes looked tired and worn out. “Yeah, sure.” I said, “That's why we're here anyway.” “Okay.” He adjusted his wrist watch. “When are operations at Nevada starting sir?” My lawyer asked Damon and his team. “Next week.” Damon answered. “I'll take that down…” My lawyer said as she wrote it down. I took every opportunity I could to look Damon and Zac right in their eyes. I had mad distrust, and while I didn't have the answers that I needed concerning Freda’s death, after such a long while, it didn't mean I'd give up on the search or write any one off. I also feel like she was onto something with Zac. Which made him very high on my suspect list. But he did look remorseful, too remorseful in fact. He'
Adrian's POV “How do you feel now, baby?” I asked when we got back home. I didn't say a word in the car. I let her do all the talking, which wasn't much, but I knew she needed a listening ear more than anything. “I'm tired.” She answered, but her voice had more strength to it. “You don't sound so tired though.” I smiled and threw her a glance. She looked more pensive and moody, than tired. “Is that a bad thing?” She asked me. “No, no it isn't.” I answered, taking her hand, “Damon left early.” I changed the topic. “Yeah.” She agreed, “He'd had enough of us.” She added. “That's just bullshit, from miles away, I could tell how hard everyone was trying to manage him. It's you guys doing the favour, not the other way round.” “Yeah, it was a bummer, really.” Emily was trying to engage me, but her mind really wasn't in it. “Were you able to make any compromises? Did he settle for something?” I asked her. I couldn't really tell why she wasn't in the mood for quest
Zacs POV “Your timing is somewhat uncanny.” I said to Zyna as her call came in immediately I stepped out of Damon's vehicle. We had an argument in the car about me not signing the deal on his behalf, and he said I should consider myself unemployed, Well, jokes on him, as usual, because he's the same person who handed his office keys to me and asked me to sort out some things in his office because he was going away for the day. “How so?” Zyna asked. Unfortunately for me, I'd begun to see her as something more than a sex toy since Freda passed. That day was undeniably one of the saddest days of my adult life. Especially since we didn't end on good terms and she was so bitter with me. She came one night when Zyna and I were at it, we were drunk and high, and I'm sure I made one or two cutting remarks.. Although I do not have a clear memory of what happened that night. I remember her storming off and never picking my calls. “Well, I just got out of the car.” I said, and I'
Emily's POV “Hey Zac.” I called him. I spent the whole day thinking about what to do. I'd been fed full of lies and half truths by the police and other ‘witnesses’, I was tired, they were tired. I felt it was high time I took the matter into my hands, “Is this the wrong time?” I asked, knowing that two hours to midnight would always be the wrong time. “No, Emily.” He sighed, “Don't be a stranger.” He said. “Thank you.” I cleared my throat and sat up. “What are you up to?” He asked, trying to ease the tension. “Nothing practical, I've just been thinking.” I bit my lower lip. “That's all I do these days. I'm just trying to make sense of it all.” I was surprised at how freely I was pouring my heart out to this man. “That's fair. So what did you arrive at? Do you still have questions, or have you got the answers now?” He asked me. “I have questions. A lot of them but only a few make any sense.” I said truthfully. “That's fair. And it doesn't have to make sense
Zac's POV I wasn't really dipping the whole situation until my call with Emily. Shockingly, I realised how interwoven everyone was. I walked into the middle of it all, feeling like an analyst who'd done a very good job of studying how to wreck everything from the inside, but somehow, I've been caught up between it all. As much as I wanted to pay no mind to Emily's questions, I wasn't sure there were things I could put past Zyna. “Got home safely?” I asked Zyna immediately she picked my call. “I'm a big girl, I can handle myself. You know it's too dangerous for you to be calling me at this time.” Her voice was as low as it could be. “Yeah, I know, I'm sorry about that. Uhm, I need to see you soon.” I said. “Oh, my gosh.” She sounded animated, “did I lay it on you that good?” She asked me. “No, no.” It broke a piece of my heart to disappoint her, but that's how life goes. “There's just something I'd love us to discuss.” I tried not to make myself sound as serious as pos
Emily's POV “What are you doing here?” I asked him, stunned. “I'll shout, call for security. Why are you here! But it was locked from outside! Get out!” I searched frantically for my purse with pepper spray, but I remembered that I left it in Damon's office. “You heard I was out of the hospital huh?!” “Emily, please calm down.” Zac begged. Around his eyes were circles far darker than Adrian's. “What the hell are you doing in here?!” I asked him again. “Have you forgotten that I work here, Emily?” He replied, trying to calm me down. “No, I haven't. But you have a lot to explain to the authorities, not me, and I'll make that more if you do not get out of here right now!” I screamed. “Please lower your voice.” He begged. Then I remembered that Damon was waiting outside for me. He could probably make out a few noises, but nothing enough to barge in. “Damon is outside, if you do not get out right now, I'll scream his name.” I threatened. “How would I Emily? you kn
Damon's POV “That was rough.” I said as Adrian left us both. But she didn't look like she wanted to talk about it. “Shall we go out, somewhere different?” I offered. “Where do you have in mind?” Emily asked. “I was going to let you pick that.” I said. “Haven't been in one since Freda died, well, except for those meetings you organised to scream at my lawyers and I.” She said. “Emily, everyone was acting out, I admit, but things were, and still are, rough.” I tried reasoning with her, “I wish all those didn't happen, but I've been through more than you can imagine.” “Damon, that's no excuse.” She said, “Nothing is ever an excuse enough for you to treat me the way you did. You were nasty, very nasty. And you knew I was mourning.” “I agree, Emily. I'm dropping the charges, I said that already. And I'll do whatever you want.” I begged. She looked at me skeptically, and looked out. I heard her give a deep sigh, and I knew that it couldn't mean something good.
Adrian's POV “Come on guys, don't stop your little love play on my account.” I said to Damon and Emily. I can't believe that was the girl that just left me a few minutes ago at the hospital. “Why are you here?” Damon, who's supposed to be my friend, asked. “Am I trespassing?” I chuckled. “No, no. Come on, come on.” He said, standing up and giving me his seat. I took it. Not only because I wanted to prove that he was younger, stronger, and less smarter than me, but because I was also beginning to feel slightly light headed. “Thank you.” I smiled at him, “and hello!” I acknowledged Emily. “What are you doing?” Emily asked. “Don't you think I should be asking you that? I mean, I just met your hands on another man's chest, in his office. It didn't look like it's business yall were transacting.” I replied to her. “Well, you have no right to. Seeing as we are over.” She said, crossing her arms over her chest. I thought I heard a chuckle escape Damon's lips. “Ca
Damon's POV “I'm surprised that you came here first.” I said as Emily took her seat. The way my heart leapt when I saw her made me feel a little ashamed. “Don't be. You're the reason I am in town anyway.” She replied. She didn't look too strong, but she definitely had more colour than I saw on her when I visited her at the hospital. “Do you miss being here?” I asked, looking to kick off on small talk. “It's all bad memories. How could I?” She replied quickly, “besides, that's not why I'm here.” Emily cleared her throat and crossed her legs. “Pray tell, then, sweetie.” I gave up on the small talk. “Are you still suing me?” She asked, after staring in my eyes for over a minute, unblinking. “I should be.” I replied. “That's not an answer though. You have every right to, but are you still doing it?” She asked again. “My team would want me to.” I replied. “Stop evading the question.” Emily looked at me. “Then, really, what do you want me to say? You come i
Adrian's POV “What happened?” I asked, looking around. It was all white walls and smelled like antiseptic. “Welcome back.” Emily said, smiling at me. I thought I was in heaven, but she wouldn't be in a hospital gown if I was. “Hey you.” I smiled back. My memory was vague and pieced, but I knew I didn't fall asleep on good terms with her. “Dr Marcus says you worked up a storm when you arrived.” She said, “I'm sorry. I just needed to see you.” I explained. “I'm surprised.” She said, looking away from me. “Don't be, Emily. I promise you, I'd never be that stupid again.” I said weakly. “Careful.” She remarked while I tried to get up. Only then did I see the drip that'd been connected to my body. “What happened?” I asked her. “Short or long version of it?” She replied, smiling. “Uhm, the latter. I'd love to hear your voice for much longer.” I answered. “I guess I'll be speaking till I run out of batteries then, and I know that it won't be long.” She
Adrian's POV “I think your woman just got wheeled into our hospital.” Marcus, a mutual friend between Damon and I texted. I heard the phone chime over an hour ago, but I was too mad, seething at her doorstep to check it. It seemed she'd grown a lot of wings. I know what I did was off putting, but I didn't expect her to leave town and get hosted by Damon, or that Zac guy. The thought of anyone's body on hers made me see red. “What?!” I texted immediately. I couldn't believe it. That can't be possible. She was fine when I left her earlier in the morning. I checked the time, and it was about sixteen minutes past 2AM.The roads were dark and quiet, it was just me, on her front porch. I raced back into the car, did a careless reverse that could have cost me the very expensive aesthetic of my cars’ behind, and even Emily's flowers. “She's in the ER. Gotta go.” He replied, I read the text on my dashboard since I was screen sharing . “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” I yelled at myself.
Zac's POV “Do you want to talk about that?” I asked Emily. Since Damon walked out my door, she'd been painfully quiet. The air was still stiff and even a pin drop would count as noise. “Does it sound like something I want to talk about, Zac?” She sniffed, wiping her eyes. “No, it doesn't.” I said, “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to poke around.” “It's not your fault.” She replied softly, “My whole life is a sore spot of late. It seems like it's too much drama to be just me, you know? Do you ever feel that way? That you have an alter ego that somehow contributes to the mess you've made of yourself?” “Emily, I do not mean to spite you with this, but my life is not anywhere near the chaos you're in. I have my own drama, trust me, but all the damage done are things I can account for.” I said. “Hmm.” She nodded, nervously toying with her hair. “Emily, talk to me.” I prodded. “I'm not gonna sit here and act like I'm not afraid of what is going on in your mind. Shit happened,
Damon's POV “I'm listening.” I said, gently egging Emily to continue with her story. I stared at Zac because there was no other person to look at. I couldn't tell how I felt about Emily, and even Zac for that matter, but with Zac, it was more defined. We still had to work together, so regardless, until I decide to do away with him, corporately or literally, we're stuck. “Can I get that drink?” She ignored me and looked at Zac. “Are you sure?” He asked, coming closer to her. “Zac, my heart is beating too fast,” She said. As I watched their little play, my patience wore thin. But it was a price to pay for knowing the truth about something. I sat there as Zac fetched a drink from who knows where. He poured her a glass and returned to where he'd been standing. “This is a part of my past I'd never spoken to anyone about.” Emily said, burying her head in her hands. “I'm not just anyone, Emily.” I said, checking her. “You can't just be anyone.” She said sarcastica
Emily's POV Like I said, every single time I thought I was low and had hit rock bottom, life discovered a newer ‘low’ for me. “Do you really have to be here, Damon?” I asked Damon. Just when I started nurturing the thought of being cozy and tucked in for the night, on Zac's couch of course, Damon decided to rear his ugly head. “Why don't you keep that question for your backstabbing boyfriend and let me talk to my employee?” Damon's tone carried every bit of intended sarcasm. “Don't speak to me like that.” I shut him up. I'd had enough of men telling me what to do for a lifetime. “That's true. I should not be speaking to you at all, without my lawyers present.” Damon smirked, knowing he'd hit the right spot. I bit my inner cheeks to keep my tears at bay. Just like when I'd been married to the monster, I had to hide my tears, cause I'm pretty sure he gets off on seeing me sad. “Good evening, Damon.” Zac greeted, emerging from the room. He had a duvet and two pillows