"Naomi, I'm leaving."
His bluntness astounds me and leaves me speechless. I stand before Denzel, my soon-to-be husband, in my wedding gown. I eye him up and down and my heart sinks.
"Why aren't you dressed?" My voice comes out sharper than I intend. I feel pathetic inside but it appears as if I'm angry at him.
"We've to postpone the wedding. I have an important business to tend to." Denzel's words come out in a hurry. It feels as if he just can't wait to leave.
"What is so important that you're postponing our wedding?" My tone keeps getting harsher.
There's a lengthy pause before any of us speaks.
"I've found her."
The tears involuntarily slither down my cheeks. The ache in my chest intensifies and her name clouds in front of my eyes. Layla.
I angrily stomp towards him. I put my hand on his shoulder and turn him sideways to bring us eye to eye. My face feels hot from anger but his only shows urgency—urgency to get away from me to get to her.
"Why? What does she mean to you that you're so eager to cast me away and run to her?" I burst out.
"She means something to me!"
Anger flashes in his electric blue eyes for once. It's probably the first time I've witnessed the great Denzel Flynn losing his cool, and it breaks my heart. My next question comes out in a hushed, broken voice.
"And I don't?"
Denzel doesn't say anything. He approaches me carefully and perches a kiss on my head.
"I promise I'll make everything right when I return." He doesn't wait for a response and jogs out of the room, leaving me to my destructive thoughts
I've been planning for this day since the first time we met. But, in spite of the many preparations and planning, this day still came to suck in the end.
It's been around a year since Layla disappeared but Denzel managed to find her. In the past, when people mentioned that he loved his ex more than me, I didn't mind. Of course, I'd never imagined that he'd choose the ex over me.
And for the first time in a whole year, I doubt if he'd ever loved me. Or was I just another distraction from the pain of losing his beloved ex?
My knees buckle but before I can fall, a pair of arms wrap around me. And I instantly give in to the warmth of my best friend.
"Shh...it's okay." Marcus coos me as if I'm an infant as I cry into his warmth. He's my closest confidant.
I begin to utter incognizable sentences into his chest. He calms me down. Marcus was outside the door all this time and heard everything Denzel had said.
"I wanted to punch that smug face of his so bad, I can finally do it now without getting you mad." I snort at his comment. Marcus and Denzel have visible tension between them, neither of them likes the other. They only try to act civil for my sake.
I'm distracted for solely a moment before I remember Denzel and what just happened.
"Marcus...it hurts. It hurts so bad. He never loved me." I whine through my cries. The pain is heartbreaking, nothing painful I've been through in my life can amount to this feeling of betrayal.
Marcus brushes my hair and speaks softly. "Will you stay here and wait for him?"
I blink, wiping my cheeks. I haven't thought of that. I don't know what I want anymore since the wedding has been postponed. There is no choice for me but to wait for him.
Denzel Flynn is the sort of man no one would willingly mess with in their right mind. He's the youngest billionaire in Vancouver, someone who destroys establishments as easily as toys and has ties with the underworld.
Marcus appears flushed and calculating wordlessly. And then, he begins out of nowhere.
"What if..." Marcus trods on with his words carefully as if the wrong choice of words can lead him to jail. "You have a choice now. Would you like to leave with me, Naomi?"
He gazes down at me hopefully and I stand there dumbstruck with terror.
Naomi West ****** “Naomi West? Please sign here.” The postal delivery officer loans me his pen. I’m still on a call, so I don’t bother asking him questions. Even though I’m not expecting a parcel, I still take it. After all, it’s too small to be a bomb. I shut the door after the man and turn back around into my home. I flip over the parcel in curiosity to see who is the sender. To my utter confusion, there is no return address or the sender’s name on it. An anonymous parcel? Fine, not a bomb, but it definitely has something to do with drugs. “Mommy! Mommy!” Ben’s tantrum draws my focus from the phone call and the parcel. I hurriedly place the parcel at a height where my little demon can’t reach. I search the drawing room to catch him running towards me like a thief escaping cops. Behind him, Marcus jogs into the hall with Ben’s backpack and bottle. I understand at once why the little demon is running away from him. Ben quickly hides behind my legs and holds onto them before I
"Is everything here?" Marcus asks once we get the stuff inside our apartment. Yes, and by ‘our’, I mean we're sharing it. We rented it as soon as we saw the design. It was indeed the best deal we could find on two days' short notice. Besides, it will be only a temporary residence until I save up enough to buy a home. I can't believe I'm going to be living together with him. I remind myself that it's only temporary—but it doesn't change much. "Did you get a response from Myra?" Marcus puts down a box of kitchen utilities he was carrying on the floor and cuts them open. My eyes follow his arms, the way his muscles flex and relax and the sweat that coats them. He's only wearing a blue T-shirt and jeans. I'm not attracted to him or anything, but I haven't dated for five years. It doesn't hurt to admire a free show, right? His question comes back to me. "She's invited us to an event. Skylight Novels & Publishing is going to celebrate the opening of its branch in San Francisco tonig
"Five years... Destiny is truly a bitch, right?" Denzel throws his head back and laughs maniacally. I check my surroundings once more, but I can't find the slightest trace of humanity. Denzel continues to laugh but stops when he notices me staring into the distance, not heeding him. The next thing I know, both his arms slam down on either side of me, caging me between him and the wall. His chest aligns with my face. Even with the shirt on, I can imagine his muscles just by their outline. My face feels hot. "Why did you come back, little rose? Aren't you afraid of the consequences I can make you suffer?" He angrily slams his hands on the wall, talking through gritted teeth. He takes my chin in his grip and tips my head up to meet my eyes. My heart is beating frantically. I can't stare off into the distance to ask for help. I can only crane my neck and gaze at his handsome face and let the fragrance of his shaving cream overwhelm me. The scent catches me off guard when I recognize
Denzel Flynn ****** I feel distracted during the entire meeting hour with the executives. The manager of the Application Management Department, Parker, updates me on the current stage of our app and its faults, stretching the meeting unnecessarily longer. I’m not always this impatient. But I have an important file lying on my desk that can change my future forever and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. ‘I want the file I asked for on my desk, Jake.’ I text my secretary for the tenth time. He sends me a yellow face, frowning emoji. Jake doesn’t like to be told twice. I smile inwardly, knowing that the file is waiting for me on my desk. “Sir, to rectify the faults within the app, we’ll need another five months before the launch.” It tips me off. “You said that during the last meeting as well, Mr. Parker.” The meeting hall falls silent and my words echo. I see Parker visibly gulp his spit down his throat. “After going over the data, I estimated that someone working with your sala
After leaving my office in Jake’s capable hands, I’m headed to meet James Davenport, a well-known, eminent movie director and producer, and my brother-in-law in his mid-thirties. In terms of business, James isn't a rotten apple, but when it comes to fame and social life, his reputation is no better than common trash. When Chloe told me that she wanted to marry James, I had the man investigated inside out. Sleeping around was his hobby and the words faithfulness and loyalty weren’t in his dictionary. He initially thought that he’d be able to get away with dating Chloe. That was before he found out about her full name. After marrying Chloe, I strictly banned him from partying. He didn’t take me seriously until I promised to relieve him of his manhood if he ever proved to be unfaithful to his wife. The driver pulls over before the studio. I get out of the car and find the usually bustling spot to be uncommonly quiet. Outside, not a single person can be spotted and on top of that, the
Naomi West ****** “Ben, be quick. Or you’ll be late for school.” I pack Ben’s lunch box and place it inside his backpack. It’s been around a week since our move. The first thing I did after securing my job was to find Ben a good kindergarten in the neighbourhood. It excites me to think Ben will be in elementary school next year. I call him out once again. No response comes from him or Marcus. I drop the bag on the kitchen counter and make my way towards his bedroom. When I push open the door, I find Ben’s entire closet lying on the floor. I guess he wasn’t able to find his dress. “Marcus?” I retreat from his room and go to search Marcus’s bedroom. The two of them must be up to something. I push open his door and step inside. I don’t notice it at first, which is my fault. “Boo!” Ben and Marcus scream at my face, and I scoot back in fright. I scream and clutch my heart. My mouth gapes in shock. “Benjamin Marcus West! How dare you?” I put my hands on my waist and try to act intim
Denzel Flynn ****** After venting my anger on that terrible excuse of a husband, I drive to the highway. I pull over when I reach the particular spot and see a black van parked beside the road into the light forest. I have trouble finding him in one go. He steps out of his van in a dark jumpsuit and a mask veiling his face with only his mouth exposed to the air. He looks like a kidnapper, but he’s much more than that. I get out of my car and walk up to him. The reason I recognize him from far away is the golden skull necklace hanging from his neck. That’s his signature. “Is everything ready?” He points me to follow him without uttering a word. Z is sensitive about his identity. All these years of collaboration and I’ve never seen this man’s face or heard his voice. Yet, I trust this man more than my executives. Z opens the trunk of his van. The first thing that catches my eye is two gallons of blood. I don’t think my body will make up for this amount, even if I bleed to death. A
Naomi West ****** I drive away in my car as fast as possible after abandoning Denzel. I didn’t think it’d work, considering how clingy he’s been ever since getting discharged from the hospital. But thank God it did. And I can resume living my life like a free bird. Feeling joyful, I play London Boy by Taylor Swift and sing along with her. “You know I love a London boy. I enjoy nights in Brixton, Shoreditch, in the afternoon. He likes my American smile like a child when our eyes meet, darling, I fancy you–” My phone beams from an incoming call. It’s an unknown number. The memories of snakes on my floor and threatening emails on my computer come crashing down on me. I pull over. I’m staring at the screen long and hard and just when I’m going to receive it, the call ends. I end up blankly staring at the lightened screen. Calm down, Naomi. It’s just a number. It can be spam, or loan givers. For all I know, it can be a prank call. I give myself all the excuses to make this situat
I have been feeling guilty towards Marcus all night. Even though I made that Devil sleep on the couch and didn’t spare him a single glance this morning, my heart weighs heavy when I think of Marcus and how unfair I’ve been to him.Which is why the first thing I did in the morning was to schedule a meeting with him. I wanted to take Ben out as well, but Denzel probably knew about my intention and ended the discussion before it even came up.On the plus side, at least Marcus and I’ll be able to have a conversation like proper responsible grownups—on the downside, I won’t have any shield to hide behind.The bell jingles on the cafe’s door, warning us about a new presence. I look up and notice Marcus walking up to my table. For some reason, I can’t bring myself to smile.“Marcus, hey.” I speak, but even my tone sounds too monotonous. He nods, acknowledging my presence, but doesn’t speak up.Gathering courage, I say. “About last night. I’m truly sorry. Had I known beforehand, I would’ve d
Naomi West******“Let’s go Ben. Time for bed.” I intentionally don’t yell out my plans for tonight when I call for Ben. Denzel has been playing the role of a jealous and offended husband ever since we mentioned Marcus’s name this morning. It’ll only blow his head if he were to know what we’re going to do now.Ben finishes his dinner early and discards the dishes in the sink before running to his bedroom. With one more lookout for Denzel—still refusing to budge from the sofa and watching Frozen 2—I slip inside Ben’s room.He’s already sitting up on the bed under the covers when I enter. He excitedly looks at me as I approach my side of his bed and take out my phone.“Quick. Before daddy gets too weird.” He whispers, acting as if we’re kids watching a movie after curfew.I open my contacts and video call Marcus. I hand the phone to Ben as we wait patiently for Marcus to pick up. After three rings, he eventually does, but it changes to voice call.“Is it a bad time?” I ask, desperately
Unknown POV******Layla Kingsley stares dumbfounded at what she’s just discovered. After spending many weeks in isolation, plotting and planning and fearing for her life, it’s like she just hit a jackpot.But she never entered in the lottery, which is why the sight before her, the crucial piece of information, also gives her chills.This is it. This can change her whole life.She takes out her phone to capture this shocking moment. She continuously taps on the photo icon to take pictures from multiple angles.With a lingering look at the truth she’s just discovered, she walks away before anyone notices her presence. She laughs as she takes the street to her apartment. She’s been in so much pressure for the last few weeks, trying to come up with desperate measures to find something on the Flynn’s. But it’s been a pain in the butt with blondie and Davenport not picking up her calls. After her last meeting with Chloe, she made it clear that she wanted to come clean in front of her dea
Naomi West******I’m not mad. I’m not second-guessing my life choices at the moment. I’m only fuming with an uncontrollable amount of disappointment, hiding all of my viciousness behind a polite smile.I watch, standing in a corner as my dad empties my mom’s stuff from Denzel’s old room. He wasn’t exactly a cheerful lad when he found out that his wife has been living in a man’s room all this while, but one look at my face and he knows to keep his mouth shut about it.He only has himself to blame for what his wife has been through.But like myself, my mom isn’t one to hold grudges. My mom and dad had been MIA on me for three days since she went away with him and they only arrived this morning, that too, to fetch her things.I haven’t made peace with the fact that she’s so easily forgiven him, but who am I to judge, right? I can only bite my tongue and swallow my words for their happiness.“Did you eat a whole lemon for breakfast? Why do you look so sour?” My mom playfully bumps into m
Denzel Flynn******I never imagined Naomi’s father to run away like that. When I learned about his fleeing from the receptionist, it was bad enough. But when I overheard Mrs. West telling about their intimate moment from the night before to Naomi, it was a blow to my face.I’d warned myself to not get emotionally involved, but I end up being a part of this big drama, anyway. I guess that’s a package deal that comes with having a family.Mrs. West was not in high spirits after I broke the news to her but she was willing to spend the remaining days in the resort for the sake of our efforts. Even though we decided to stay and have fun, most of her time was invested in Naomi’s and Ben’s health.It was a nightmare to be short. If I exclude the morning picnics near the lake and occasional dinners and outing, we spent the last two days locked in our rooms.Now, it’s the seventh day, and we’re on our way to the court so little rose’s parents can finalize their divorce.The air inside the car
“Achoo!” I sneeze and snort, hugging the blanket close to myself early in the morning. It appears as though last night’s fun is catching up with me.“Achoo!” Ben sneezes beside me. I drape my blanket over him and pull him closer. At one point last night, he successfully washed his head in the chilly rain while I was too engrossed thinking about what his daddy said.Thinking about Denzel, my face heats up and I bury my head in my lap. Because of the Ben’s presence, I successfully avoided him last night.But what now?I think my thoughts summon the Devil as he enters our room. I try to act cool despite having a whole zoo running around in my stomach. No matter how hard I try, though, my face would always look like a blushing tomato.'I love you too.'His words resonate in my head and despite the huge, red warning signs, I feel myself surrounded by the dense fog created by his words. “Achoo!” Ben and I sneeze at once, struggling with a runny nose.Denzel raises an eyebrow and stares at
Naomi West******My parents kept to themselves all day, ignoring me, Denzel and even Ben at every turn at every corner. Denzel and I tried really hard to spy on them from a distance all afternoon, but everything seemed as normal as possible. It really struck a nerve in me when my dad shot me a warning look from his table during lunch when he spot me hiding behind tree pots.In the evening, when I refused to budge from my place, Denzel carried me away, claiming that I’ve developed an obsession with spying on my parents.It’s not that. Can you really blame a daughter for being curious? And it’s not like I’m hiding under their bed or something—now that’d be a scandal.After Denzel carried me away from my mission, he brought me back to the lakeside at sunset. Ben was already waiting for us near the water. It looks like he’s fallen in love with the environment here. Upon further inspection, I also find a cloth placed on the sand a little away from the water with an enormous basket on to
Denzel Flynn******I turn back to little rose to give her my undivided attention. Her fingers are fidgeting on the table to busy herself. Her mind keeps wandering to the door her parents and Ben disappeared into a while ago.“I thought you were a gold digger,” Little rose’s eyes flash at me with such intensity that burned my face. She’s indeed confused at my words and holds back her temper.“Like one of those women who deliberately spoils a rich man’s suit in hopes of getting close to him. But then again, I thought spoiling someone’s coat and putting them in a hospital are quite different matters.”She’s looking at me with an eyebrow raised.“All in all, I didn’t have a very first clear good impression of you, so I wanted to know you better before I could judge you.”I lean into the space between us with my arms resting on the table. She looks intimidated by the gesture, but in a good way. “Would you like to know how I feel about you right now?”Her cheeks flush and she immediately
Naomi West ******The soft rays from sun kisses my skin, melting my insides and compelling me to sleep. I had a sandwich earlier, but both Denzel and my dad restricted me from touching the wine. And whilst the three adults drank wine, I had to accompany Ben with a glass of orange juice.Serves me right, though. I don't recall much from yesterday. Everything is a blurry image after I drank the two glasses of wine. Even though I had my suspicions, Denzel assured me that the wine was a bit old and nothing else.However, I don't blame myself for passing out, since my dad came back last evening and promised to stay with us until the end of the week. Being overjoyed, I prepared everything this morning and here we are, sitting on the grass under the sun as one happy family."Ben don't wander too close to the water!" Denzel yells over my shoulder. Ben looks back at his father, smiles and walks further into the lake.I want to laugh so hard but I stifle it. I don't need to hurt Denzel's pride