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Huling Na-update:
2024-06-24 21:51:09I 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˝Kaugnay na kabanata
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
Huling Na-update : 2024-07-01Better 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
Huling Na-update : 2024-07-02Better 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
Huling Na-update : 2024-07-03Better 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 contin
Huling Na-update : 2024-07-05Better 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
Huling Na-update : 2024-07-07Better 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 âI
Huling Na-update : 2024-07-09Better 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
Huling Na-update : 2024-07-11Better 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
Huling Na-update : 2024-07-12
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Better In Every Way   55. Just About Done
AlecI could barely manage to keep my composure for the rest of the night. The second Carlos left that conference room I wanted to rush to Carter or Lachlan and smack the shit out of them for ending up in this situation.More importantly, they deserve to have their shit rocked for hiding it until their fuck up was forced on me. I guess that habit is hereditary. Canât blame Cam anymore for his bad genes. Itâs a wonder I turned out the way I did. Itâs a wonder Barry or Rory turned out so much better than their parents.It takes all of my will power to put a pause on my anger and continue with the evening. As the host, I canât just leave while the party is going hot, so to speak. I have to paste a smile on my face and put on the performance of a lifetime despite my own feelings about the direction the night has taken.Iâm just about done with these people. And to make matters even worse, when I came out of the conference room and returned to the banquet hall, Dariana and Rachel had lef
Better In Every Way   54. Undermine
Alec I donât know what sheâs doing here, but clearly her plans for the evening do not involve getting herself back in my good graces. If they do, she has a really fucked up way of showing. About fifteen minutes after Dom and I walked away from Hadley and we went on to shmooze some more; I see Hadley move across the room from where she was stewing and plotting all the way to the table where Dari and Rachel are sat. I internally cross my fingers, hoping that sheâs not there to cause trouble. There are some heavy hitters in the finance industry sitting at that table. Aaron Pryce alone would be a decent sized fish that could introduce Carrington Holdings into the workings of the game this side of the pond. Im hoping she can be mature and put potential business interests over her personal ones. Besides, she knows fuck all about what could possibly be between Dari and I. Hadley approaching her sideways would be jumping the gun on an unsure situation, and sheâs too strategic, too
Better In Every Way   53. Late Additions
AlecIt took quite a bit of time and a lot of deep breaths and unsavoury thoughts for me to calm myself down after I let Dari out of the bathroom. I would have probably enjoyed the alternative a lot more, but that would have been a lot messier and harder to hide.I walk out of that bathroom almost ten minutes later, and I go to try reconnect with this crowd of people as best as I can. I spot Dom at our table, with a sour look on his face that he probably doesnât realise heâs making as he talks to someone whoâs face I cannot see as they are turned away from me. But I donât need to see her face to know who it is, because only one raven haired head could put that expression on Domâs face.And once his eyes meet mine, I can tell heâs more annoyed with me for putting him in this situation than he is with Hadley for yapping his ear off. âSo it seems you were serious about coming.â I say, standing next to Dom. âOf course I was. But you probably had a feeling, seeing as you went through a
Better In Every Way   52. Someone Elseâs
Dariana Emma was right. Once again to my annoyance, she was right. And damn her for it. A little quickie in the bathroom really does make things better. I walked out of that bathroom high off the fucking pheromones. A little post-nut-euphoria if you will. I feel like I might even be able to give Rachel a little more time that initially bargained for. I came out of the bathroom first, leaving Alec to sort himself out in the bathroom like he asked me really nicely to. But obviously not before making sure that I donât look like what I just did. And once I do, itâs like my social battery has been recharged. I suddenly have the energy to deal with the rest of the night. âYou look like youâre doing much better.â Rachel looks me up and down once I make it back to our table. âYeah, I think I just needed some fresh air and time to myself.â I say. âMmhkayâŚâ She furrows her brows, eying me suspiciously. âI knew you did. Now. Letâs go and try to make the most out of the rest of this e
Better In Every Way   51. Anchor
DarianaI donât know how long I stand in front of the mirror. Staring at my reflection and trying to summon my best smile for the next one or so hours that I am bound to this place. I close my eyes and try to imagine myself back at home, on my couch or in my bed, gorging on a large bowl of popcorn while watching some trashy reality television.I sigh. My god, when did my fantasies get so depressing.âWas I boring you?â Suddenly being made aware of the fact that I am no longer alone in this relatively small space had my jump a little.âWhat the hell!â I scold Alec as I look him in the eye in the reflection once I manage to calm myself from the scare. âWhy are you in here?ââI thought we could use a moment.â He says, in an annoyingly nonchalant tone. He starts to walk up to me, and in the mirror I see his eyes trailing all over my body. âJust us, no one else around.â His voice a little low.âWhat if someone saw you come in?â I ask, I am unwilling to let myself forget all of the potenti
Better In Every Way   50. My Knee
Dariana Dinner started shortly after we found our seats, but not before more people decided to graciously share their opinions on my life. Almost all of them falling somewhere within the realm of the same things my parents had been saying. About how itâs my fault because Cam was a âlow class pickâ, and in a somewhat mocking tone suggesting my career would âof courseâ drive away the âbetter onesâ. God, I forgot just how vapid and conservative these types could be. Unfortunately Shelby and I were at different tables, but thankfully I was considered enough to not be put at a table with a bunch of strangers. But that means, however, that I was put at the main table between Alec and some other HapheusTech exec I couldnât be bothered to maintain a conversation with. Heâs not bad or weird, just⌠old. And he works outside of any department I would need to collaborate with so thereâs nothing for us to talk about. And Alec spends a majority of the time talking to Dominic on the othe
Better In Every Way   49. In Our Seats
Dariana âIs that a question?â I ask her, but sheâs not looking at me anymore, sheâs too busy watching Alec walk away. Canât say I blame her, itâs a good viewâ one that I will never admit to watching myself. And I wonât begin to acknowledge it now. But seeing her drift off while watching after him makes me feel a bitâŚ. weird inside. But thatâs another thing I wonât begin to acknowledge right now. âA little bitâŚâ She finally manages to mumble. âCome on.â I say, pulling Shelby toward one of the tables so we could sit down. âThese shoes arenât exactly meant for standing around.â I say. They may be gorgeous, but this may be the last time I allow Emma to pick my shoes, the stiletto heal is biting into the heel of my foot. âThis isnât our table.â She says once we get to one. âWe can always just move later.â I shrug, nudging her into a chair and not-so-gracefully plopping into one of my own. âSweet relief.â I breathe out. âSo⌠You and Bradley Greene, huh?â I say in an attempt
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
