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2024-10-29 19:42:56I am so sorry for the sparse updating these last few months. Like a fool, I started this book at the beginning of the semester with no real updating plan or schedule. All I had was an idea that I thought was worth sharing.
But now that exams and the semester have ended I have had time to sit down and really work on chapters. Starting from the 1st of July there will be far more regular (hopefully daily) updates. Thank you to anyone who has read this far. I am truly grateful for your support and patience. đđ˝Related chapters
Better In Every Way   28. Up Tempo
I honestly donât know what I expected. Alec and Dominic showing up to Melody Line anyway is somewhat very on brand for them. And now Rachel and I are fielding questions from Emma and Rory on their half expected presence. âDid you invite your boyfriend here?â Rory asks, pointing her question in mine and Rachelâs general direction. âNo, Dar?â Rachel answers rather quickly. âNothing to say about him being your boyfriend I see.â I say, raising my eyebrow at her attempt to throw me to the wolves that were our nosey friends. A blush quickly flushes Rachelâs features as she just silently nods at her defeat and takes a sip of her virgin cocktail. âWhatever, Iâm just going to invite them over.â Emma says, she scoots Rory out so she can stand up from the booth and walk over to where they are before giving any of usâparticularly meâ time to process what she just said she was about to do, never mind come up with a sensible objection. Very soon after she gets to their table and s
Better In Every Way   29.Elevator Doors
âI think Iâm going to head out, itâs getting late.â I announce to the table when I get back. âAh what? No!â Rory says to me before directing her gaze behind me. âWhat did you do? Have you been bothering her?â She shoots a hard glare at Alec. âMe? Why would you assume I did something?â Alec scoffs. âI just know you did something.â She looks him up and down with a suspicious glint in her eye. âDonât you need a ride?â Emma says, breaking through Rory and Alecâs bickering. âI could take you. Let me just get my stuffââ âNo. Sit.â I wave her off. âIâll be fine. I can just get a cab, you donât have to cut your night short because of me.â I give her a reassuring smile as I grab my coat and purse from the seat. I pull a few notes from my purse to pay for my part of the tab. âI think that should cover it. Plus a little extra if you get yourselves another round.â I say. I still see everyone giving me a weird look as if to say theyâre not all that convinced that Iâm okay to go alone. âGuy
Better In Every Way   30. Mad
As soon as Alec disappears from view, my discomfort gives way to annoyance. I try to dig my keys out of my purse and open the door to my apartment quickly so my neighbours donât have to be disturbed at close to midnight by the inevitable argument that will ensue between Cam and I. This night just keeps getting longer and longer. I storm into my apartment and toss my purse onto the kitchen counter before turning around and facing Cam. âWhat are you doing here?â I ask him as soon as he shut the door behind him. âI already told youââ He starts to repeat the same story he gave when Alec was here, pretending to play the part of the worried, doting âfriendâ. âIâm serious, Cam. What do you want?â I interrupt. He takes a deep breath. âYouâre mad.â He says. âNot yet, but Iâm definitely getting there.â I gesture with my hands for him to answer my question. âWhy?â He cocks his head to the side, studying me. âWhat the fuck do you mean âwhyâ? I find you at my door close to midnight, u
Better In Every Way   31. Headache
Alec My head kind of hurts. I canât even begin to think of why because it is pulsing so hard. Thank god for blackout curtains because daylight would have made this so much worse. I can barely remember when the cause of this hangover happened. All I remember is taking Dariana home, that mind numbing kiss in the elevator, and finding Cam sitting outside her door. An unwelcome interruption to could have been a very wonderful end to the night. It takes a while to figure out that that pounding sound that has defined my headache isnât actually my head, but rather my door. Itâs odd, who knocks like that? Rhythmically, for such an extended amount of time. I crack one eye open to see the time on the clock on my dresser reads a little past seven in the morning. Now Iâm annoyed. Someone is knocking at my door like a weirdo at a time when most people would rather be sleeping on a Saturday. I canât even ignore them. Theyâve been at this for so long, Iâm sure they wouldnât mind continuing.
Better In Every Way   32. I Get Busy
Alec I donât usually have a problem with waiting, but these days it seems like my patience is constantly being tested. So I have begun to truly despise waiting, especially in these circumstances. Sitting in this gynaecologistâs waiting room just to ambush Eliza as she comes out of her appointment is the furthest thing from my finest moment, but it has to be done. I havenât been waiting long, but this is a little humiliating. The other inhabitants of this waiting room, and itâs receptionist, are all looking at me like Iâm the deadbeat dad thatâs being kept out of the appointment for not showing up on time. It definitely doesnât help that Culture Converseâs older editions are part of the reading material in this waiting room. One of them even has a not so flattering picture of me on the cover. Iâd do anything to make that appointment go faster so I can get out of here. I really do need to get out of here. Eliza is only the first stop on a list of people I need to go see on my sid
Better In Every Way   33. Golden Boy
Alec I sit in my car for a little while before walking up to the house. I need to mentally prepare myself for what is about to happen. I have to calm myself down. If thereâs one thing I dislike more than having my patience tested, itâs having it tested unnecessarily. This entire day has been one useless endeavour after the next. What a complete waste of my day. I could have spent the day nursing a hangover from hell, lounging and relaxing for the first time in months. But a temperamental idiot had me rather spending my day trying to clean up a stain that has already set. My mental preparation is cut short, however, when Adeline comes around the corner from the garden and walks toward my car. âWhat are you doing here?â She extends her arms toward me for a hug as I get out of the car to greet her. âIf I knew you were coming I would have prepared something.â âYou donât need to worry yourself about that, I wonât be long.â I give her a kiss on the cheek. âIs Cam home?â âItâs the
Better In Every Way   34. Seen What?
Dariana Before the elevator doors opened I had been feeling relatively good coming into work. The events of this past Friday night shoved neatly in the darkest corner of my mind labelled âlaterâ. I donât want to think about any of it. Well, maybe some of it. The first part of it before Cam showed up and wrecked my night. Wrecked is an aggressive word, but itâs the one I feel most appropriately describes about his presence that night. But I wasnât thinking about that. On the elevator ride up I was calm. I was excited about this new phase of development for the HaphaesTech project, but most of all I was glad to mostly be getting back to my regular routine. I feel like it is a opportunity to reset. After those doors opened, however, I could tell that the universe was not interested in letting me maintain my sense of peace. It really does not want me to rest. As soon as I step out of the elevator, the looks I get from my employees sets a heavy, uncomfortable feeling in my st
Better In Every Way   35 pt 1. A little immature
Dariana âYou Blackburn boys have a nasty habit of just showing up at my door without warning or invitation.â I roll my eyes as I nudge Barry out of the way to get to my door and open it. Today had been long enough as it was, and I just need to prepare myself for this week to be even longer. After lunch with Rachel I had meetings up to my ass to distract me from everything. No one really brought it up, but I could still see the looks people were giving me when they thought I wasnât looking. During one particular walk toward the boardroom I noticed that Elizaâs desk was empty. I couldnât imagine that she would come in. Although the article didnât mention her by name, it wouldnât take any one at the office much time or effort to figure out that it might be her. Especially since she wasnât really able to keep all her pregnancy symptoms under wraps. âWhat are you doing here, Barry?â I ask him, just as I notice that he had a few bags with him. âI canât really be at home right n
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Better In Every Way   48. That Friend
Dariana The sound of the doors opening is immediately drowned out by the music and the sound of chatter coming from the event hall. The familiar mixture of sounds does very little to comfort me, but it does serve as a sort of switch. Sending me into a practiced, almost robotic, stance; moving me through the room with an ease and grace I wish I felt. At first I try to convince myself that no one cares, that there are much more important and much more interesting people here for people to look at. That everyone is staring at Dominic and Rachel, the co-host and his new girlfriend. That would, of course, make for better news. Itâs new and interesting, where I hopefully have made enough rounds around dinner and tea tables that my scandal is old and tired. That hope dies in me when I separate from Rachel and her beau when they head for the bar and the eyes still follow me. People look at me out of the corner of their eyes, some donât even pretend to look like theyâre not tal
Better In Every Way   Sorry For The Mistake
*DONâT PAY FOR THIS CHAPTER!!! SKIP IT!!!* This was supposed to be a chapter but there was a mistake that I didnât notice pre-publish. It was an error with the title. Then I forgot I could just edit it so I re-published the chapter *insert facepalm here*. I am very very sorry for the inconvenience this may have caused, Iâll get better about these things, I promise. The rest of this is just going to be the first quarter of the next chapter because I cannot put less than five hundred words down and I really do not have much to say outside of my deepest apologies. Especially considering that I did warn you in the first line so you wouldnât be subjected to this. But if you are comfortable enough to have your settings set up in a way where you auto subscribe to chapters⌠*shrugging my shoulders* I feel like this is your lesson to be more careful. Because what if you donât like a book? Now you have wasted valuable coins on a book you donât likeâŚ. *sigh* tsk tsk tsk. Iâm glad I cou
Better In Every Way   47. Good For Them
Dariana Standing here, taking a good long look at myself in the mirror while I get ready, I am glad that Emma, Rachel and Rory didnât let me settle for the first dress I picked up off the rack. This one is much better. Itâs a black floor length, off-shoulder slip dress. The side is pleated in a way where it looks like itâs being pulled in a way that accentuates my curves that are usually hidden under many layers of professional clothing given the weather recently. Overlaying the pleats is some of the most exquisite beaded flower embroidery I have ever seen. Itâs so simple but so well done. Emma essentially put out a whole look for me, all I had to do was obey. All the way down to my hair and the silver accessories in it. âThis dress demands an up do.â She had said, last night when she was laying everything out for me. âGotta show off those collarbones.â Not to forget the makeup. Many inspo pictures were sent. A light smokey eye paired with a deep, plum lipstick. I wasnât
Better In Every Way   46. Wink Wink
DarianaI hate how quickly the days are going by. This week in particular seems to be in a rush to get done. Itâs feels like just yesterday when I was tryingâ and failingâ to convince Rachel to let me sit out the gala. But I blinked and now itâs Friday and Emma, Rachel and Rory are dragging me from store to store to find a dress for tomorrow evening.I would have been fine with the first dress from the first store, seeing as I didnât really want to put in too much effort for something I wasnât really keen on going to in the first place, but they would not let me.That and the fact that they didnât have it in my size and it is too short notice to put things in for alterations.âIâm tired.â I dare to complain, leaning on Emma so I donât have to carry my own weight. Rory and Rachel are walking slightly ahead of us, engrossed in their own conversation.âItâs your fault for leaving things for the last minute.â Emma rolls her eyes.âWhy canât I just wear something I already have? I donât ne
Better In Every Way   45. Pet Name
The walk to my office was longer than Iâm used to. Or at least it felt that way. Your brain has a funny way of stretching out and building up moments that youâre dreading. And that is what I am feeling right now, dread. Not for any other reason than the fact that I donât really know what I am walking into. I meanâ I knew she would be here at some point, she had warned me after all, I just didnât expect that point to be today. It feels too soon. I feel rushed. I finally make it to my office door. I take a deep breath to prepare myself for what is waiting behind it. When I open the door I am greeted by Hadleyâs back to me as she pours herself a drink from my bar cart. âSure, help yourself.â I say as I walk in; causing her to jump up a little in surprise, spilling a bit of my not-so-cheap twenty-five-year-old single barrel bourbon. âAlec, hi.â She says, offering a small smile. âI didnât think youâd mind.â âOf course not.â I say, trying my best to keep things polite. âWhat are yo
Better In Every Way   44. Punchline
Alec âYouâre here.â I say, very much shocked to see Dom walk past me to his office. Over the last few weeks Iâd seen him so little I had actually begun to forget that he works here and is not stationed at Brokk for some reason. âIâm not saying itâs not nice to see you, Iâm just surprised. Itâs a good surprise, Iâm just⌠surprised.â I continue to ramble as I follow him to his office, his foul mood stinking up the hallway as he moves along. âWhy are you here?â âDonât you have other things to do?â He groans. âPerhaps.â I shrug. âBut your sour mood is written all over your face and it has peeked my interest.â âItâs really none of your business.â He shakes his head and starts to set up his work station. âI think itâs my business when my partner seems a little worse for wear.â I say. âNow, tell big bro whatâs wrong.â I tease, and he scrunches up his face. âShe doesnât want me there, so I thought Iâd just come back to my own office. I see itâs been collecting dust.â He sig
Better In Every Way   43. It Happened
Dariana I have been staring at me computer screen for an amount of time I couldnât possibly have perceived, never mind kept track of. This morning started off like any other. It felt like I was finally starting to fall back into a routine, like it would just be another unremarkable Monday morning. I walked down the hall from the elevator to my office without anyone staring at me. I greeted Liliana at her desk. She followed me into my office to brief me on my day and she changed out the flowers while making a remark about the âanonymousâ sender under her breath and I pretend not to hear her. Like normal. Like any other average Monday. But it wouldnât be my life if I got to start off my week without a single out of the ordinary thing happening. And this weekâs out of the ordinary thing is an email from Eliza. Subject line: Resignation. Sheâs resigning? I have been reading and rereading her resignation letter for so long it has completely stalled my morning. I can hardly believ
Better In Every Way   42. He Knows Me?
Alec Brea follows Rory out as she leaves the rest of us sitting in uncomfortable silence. Cam keeps staring daggers at me, and I am compelled to act on my earlier promise. âBarry come on. I think we should go too.â I tap Barry on the arm as I get up. âCongratulations, you guys. Thank you for the food Adeline.â Barry, looking like he has been itching for this moment, does not waste a second in getting up and getting out of there. In fact, he makes it to the car before I do. He is already inside by the time I get to the front steps. Just as I am making my way down them, I hear Carter calling my name so I pause to let him catch up to me. âYou okay? You donât have to leave so soon, Adeline made that chocolate and strawberry mousse cake of hersââ He starts as soon as he gets to me. âNo, Iâm good. Iâm jusâ Barryâs got school tomorrow so Iâve got to get him home.â I say, hoping that it would be enough to end the conversation and he could just let me go. But that seemed to just be
Better In Every Way   41. Youâre Joking
Alec Barry goes into a coughing fit, choking on his food as soon as the words leave Lachlanâs mouth. âWhat did you just say?â He says between coughs. âThe wedding wonât be anything big, itâs more of a formality. That way we can get it done as soon as possible. Elizabeth is far along enough already, we canât waste any more time.â Adeline takes the conversation over from her husband. The whole room is shocked to silence. Somehow this silence is even more quiet than the one before. Gone are the sounds of utensils scratching against the plates as everyone has abandoned the meal to stare at the newly engaged couple. âI suppose a congratulations to the happy couple is in order.â I say, raising my glass to them before taking a large swig of my water. Everyone else around the table mumbles their own congratulations, theyâre a little uneasy but theyâre all mostly genuine. Contrary to my well wishes, the couple donât seem so excited about their impending nuptials. Why would they b
