“What are you doing here?” Eureka snapped, still holding the door ajar.
Cassandra raised an eyebrow. “Won’t you at least allow your best friend to enter?” Cassandra said sarcastically, a pretentious smile fueling her face. Eureka’s blood boiled at the mention of her being her best friend. “Best friend indeed. You’re not worth being an acquaintance. A wolf in sheep’s clothing, that’s what you are. Now turn around and get lost,” Eureka said, pointing her finger angrily behind Cassandra. “Baby,” Cassandra cried as she sighted Raymond coming their way. “Your little vixen doesn’t want to let me in.” The force at which Raymond pulled Eureka away from the door made her stumble back, almost falling. “Babe,” Raymond smiled, embracing Cassandra with all the warmth he possessed. “I didn’t know your flight would arrive so early. Why didn’t you call me to come pick you up? Hope it wasn’t stressful locating this place,” he said as he broke free from the hug, his eyes bright and his tone cheerful. There was something about the way he looked at Cassandra, his soft smiles, the sparkle in his eyes. He was indeed in love with her. “I wanted to surprise you,” Cassandra smiled, her hands on Raymond’s shoulders while she fondled his hair from the back. “I just couldn’t wait to see you.” Eureka stood frozen on the spot, watching the pair. This was supposed to be her honeymoon. Couldn’t Raymond wait for them to return home before cheating on her? It was too much of a humiliation, but what could she do? Who could she turn to? Her parents would be the last people to listen to her. “What is the meaning of this, Raymond?” she snapped, her tone laced with anger as she stepped towards them. “Why is she here? Why would you invite your side piece to our honeymoon?” “Mind your language,” Raymond fired back, facing her. “You don’t get to question me on who I invite to my honeymoon. This would have been her place if you hadn’t manipulated my father into making me marry you. We are married now, but stay out of my business,” he yelled at her, his expression dark and spine-chilling. But when he turned to look at Cassandra, everything changed. “I’m famished, baby. Can I have breakfast now?” Cassandra mumbled, her voice barely audible. She was trying to spite Eureka even more. “Yeah, sure. Let’s have breakfast together,” Raymond interlocked his hand with Cassandra’s, leading her to the dining room. Cassandra glanced back at Eureka, a satisfactory grin stretching her face. Eureka clenched her fists, gnashing her teeth before storming out of the house. “What are you staring at? Go get another plate now!” Raymond barked at Rita as he pulled out a chair for Cassandra to sit on. Some minutes later, Rita went out to look for Eureka. She found her in the gazebo, her head resting on a table. “Ma’am?” Rita tapped Eureka on the shoulder, making her jerk a bit as she lifted her teary eyes to look at Rita. “Can I sit?” Rita asked, and Eureka nodded for her to as she wiped her tears. “I’m sorry about what the boss said to you. Don’t you think you should report him to his father? I’m sure he wouldn’t allow such a thing,” Rita suggested, concerned. Eureka chuckled sadly. “It’s too early, Rita. It’s barely 24 hours since we got married, and I will already start complaining? For how long will I continue to complain then?” she said. “But what the boss is doing is not good. How could he bring his mistress to the house on your honeymoon?” “Well, like he said, our marriage is just on paper. He can do whatever he wishes. I just want the honeymoon phase to be over already. I can’t wait to go back home,” Eureka said, reclining against the chair. “I understand how you feel, ma’am,” Rita expressed her concern. Eureka had to avoid Raymond and Cassandra as much as she could. She stayed up in the room after leaving the gazebo, insisting her lunch and dinner be served in the bedroom. She tried convincing herself with the fact that she didn’t like Raymond, but the thought of him finding solace in the arms of another woman gripped her heart. Tears kept welling up in her eyes each time she heard them laugh and call each other sweet names. She tried distracting herself by focusing on sketching a dress when the door burst open, Raymond entering. She glanced at him once. He moved closer to her, his hand landing on the paper she was drawing on, making her look at him. “Cassy wants to sleep,” he said calmly. “So?” Eureka shrugged, her voice barely audible. “So, you have to move to the other room.” “I don’t understand,” she turned her attention to him. “You want me to vacate the room for Cassandra?” she tilted her head, her tone laced with disbelief. “You heard me right. Pack your bags to the other room now,” he said, his voice firm. “I won’t do such a thing,” she declared, holding Raymond’s stern gaze. “Over my dead body will I leave this room for Cassandra. Like seriously, what’s your problem, Raymond? Why couldn’t you at least wait till our honeymoon phase is over before inviting her? That’s so disrespectful, you know that?” “And who am I supposed to be respecting?” his voice dripped with disgust. “The marriage term, Raymond!” Eureka snapped, standing. “I have been trying to accept this misconduct of yours, but the more I try, the more it chokes. If you have no respect for our family who arranged this marriage, you should respect holy matrimony itself. Love you or not, I won’t have you ruin my honeymoon. I want that woman out of this house earliest tomorrow,” she declared, her eyes blazing with anger. “And if I don’t?” Raymond tilted his head. “Then, you leave me with no choice but to report you to your father,” she said between gritted teeth. “You wouldn’t dare!” he groaned, grabbing her arm tightly, his eyes darkening. “Let me go,” she struggled to free her arm from his clutch, but he was holding too tight. “If my father hears anything about this, I will make sure your family’s company liquidates, and your parents will be thrown into abject poverty, one they can never recover from in a million years. Dare me!” he warned her, letting go of her hand.Eureka couldn’t believe her ears as she stared at him, her chest heaving with anger and frustration. “I hate you, Raymond,” she muttered, her voice barely audible, her eyes stern on his. “But leaving this room for Cassandra? That’s never going to happen,” she dared him, sitting back on the stool and wiping the tears trickling down her face.“Baby,” Cassandra’s voice broke the tense atmosphere. Raymond’s intense gaze softened as he looked toward the door, where Cassandra stood yawning. “I’m sleepy, baby. Go get my bags from the other room,” she said, walking toward the bed.“I’m coming,” Raymond replied, sounding like the devoted lover he was, before leaving the room.“How does it feel, Eureka?” Cassandra’s sleepy tone vanished, replaced by a sharp, taunting one as she settled on the bed. “I can easily command your dear husband to do whatever I want. The sooner you pack up and leave this room, the better for everyone. This is my honeymoon now, and you’re the unwanted third party,” she
The following morning, Eureka headed downstairs, yawning and stretching. She had slept heavily and didn’t realize Raymond had entered the room she was in. Reaching the living room, her eyes scanned the space. “Rita!” she called out, yawning again. She knocked on Rita’s door, but there was no response. She searched the kitchen, checked outside, and looked everywhere she thought Rita might be. “Shit!” she cursed, suddenly remembering she had locked Raymond and Cassandra in the bathroom. She rushed upstairs, her slippers echoing through the quiet house. Bursting through the door, she froze at the sight of Cassandra sleeping peacefully on the bed. The scene twisted her stomach. She wanted to drag Cassandra out of bed, but knowing Raymond would retaliate, she sighed and quietly closed the door. As she turned to head back downstairs, she came face to face with Raymond, his eyes narrowed and fixed on her. “Your plan failed,” he mocked, stepping closer. Eureka instinctively stepped
“You let her go!” Cassandra wailed, hitting Raymond with her balled fists as she sprang up. “What am I supposed to eat now? Is this what you call food?” she pointed at the eggs benedict with a sneer. “Calm down, babe,” Raymond said, cupping her face with one hand. “Why don’t you go make what you want for now? I’ll handle Eureka later. It’s too early for a fight.” “You’re taking her side!” Cassandra snapped, batting his hand away from her face. “Why are you suddenly on her side? You should’ve dragged her back, pushed her into the kitchen, and locked her there until she made what I want. Why didn’t you do that? Have you forgotten she locked us in the bathroom last night? If you hadn’t broken the door, we would’ve slept there,” she grumbled, disappointment lacing her tone. She had come to make Eureka pay for marrying her man, but if Raymond kept being lenient with her like this, her mission wouldn’t be accomplished. “Alright, you can have this,” he pushed the tray over to her. “I
Eureka sat opposite Raymond in a five-star restaurant, nestled in the bustling city of Paris. Her focus was fixed on the transparent glass, lost in thought. What if she had married the man who truly loved her? Would she have experienced the beauty of Paris to the fullest? Would she be among those who praise the remarkable city of romance? She sighed, overwhelmed by everything.“Eureka?” Raymond’s voice snapped her out of her reverie. She looked at him. “You seem lost. What would you like to eat?” he asked as the waiter waited on them.“Anything you’re eating,” she replied simply, returning her gaze to the glass. Raymond placed the order, and the waiter left.“Eureka,” Raymond called again, this time with frustration in his tone. “I thought you said we should act like a couple to avoid suspicion. Why are you lost in thought? Don’t you like it here?” he asked calmly.“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “The place is nice, I like it,” she added simply, keeping her attention on
“Let go of me!” Eureka yelled as Raymond dragged her into the house. She struggled to free her hand from his tight grip. He shoved her roughly onto the couch, making her cry out in pain.“What do you think you were doing with him?” Raymond snapped, his irritation boiling over. “How could you behave so shamelessly in public? You’re my wife!”His words ignited Eureka’s anger. She shot to her feet, shoving him back and causing him to stumble.“Don’t you dare try to manhandle me!” she fired back. “What gives you the right, Raymond? You flirt with Cassandra and then flare up when I talk to your cousin? What do you take me for? From now on, I’ll flirt with whoever I want, and you won’t do a thing about it. Watch me,” she declared, turning to walk away.Raymond grabbed her arm, forcing her to face him again.“You’re my wife!” he growled through gritted teeth. “I own you, and you will obey me. This is the last time I want to see you with Harvey. Do you understand?”“Pray you don’t find me in
From the day of the slap, Eureka avoided crossing paths with Cassandra and Raymond. She barely gave them a chance to complain, quickly fixing meals and cleaning the house. She had become a housekeeper on her own honeymoon. When she suggested staying in a hotel, her father-in-law insisted they use an apartment he had reserved for them. Now, here she was. On this particular day, she plugged in her headphones, listening to music while cleaning the living room, when her phone buzzed. It was Raymond’s father calling. She hesitated, her mind racing to conjure lies that could convince him the honeymoon was going perfectly well. “Good day, Uncle,” she answered, her tone filled with feigned excitement. “Good day, dear. How have you been? Sorry I haven’t called since the wedding. I hope everything is going well with you two,” Raymond’s father said, his voice full of concern. He had taken a liking to Eureka ever since the day she gave him a ride when his car broke down. He believed she wa
The ringing of Eureka’s phone pierced the room, jolting her awake. The soft glow of sunlight filtered through the light curtain, brightening her face. She yawned, sat up, and stretched, her body aching. She rubbed her eyes while feeling around the bed for her phone. A sharp soreness between her legs made her wince, and she realized she was naked, covered only by the duvet. Memories of last night flooded her mind, but as she scanned the room, she noticed Raymond was gone. He had left her. “Who the hell is it?” she groaned as her phone continued ringing nonstop in her handbag, still on the vanity table. She scrambled out of bed, wrapping the duvet tightly around herself. Taking out her phone, her eyes widened at over 50 missed calls from Harvey. She gasped, stumbling back as she remembered she was supposed to attend the Paris Fashion Week event with him. “Shit,” she cursed under her breath. As if on cue, Harvey’s call came through again. She didn’t know what excuse to give, but she a
"What the hell is going on, Eureka?" Harvey asked as she pulled him away from the house. “Who is in there?” Eureka didn’t answer until they were back in Harvey’s car. She tried to compose herself, searching for a believable lie, but her emotions betrayed her. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. “Talk to me, Eureka. What’s the problem?” Harvey’s voice was soft, almost comforting. She glanced at him. “It’s nothing… I’m fine,” she whispered, her heart pounding in her chest. Harvey reached out and held her hand, making her look at him. “You know you can always talk to me, right? What’s wrong? Who are the couple in the house, and where is Raymond?” His questions only deepened her despair, and she broke into sobs. The idea of having a husband who openly cheated on her was her greatest fear, and now it was her reality. “It’s okay,” Harvey said gently, wiping her tears. “Just remember, I’m here for you whenever you need someone to talk to.” She nodded. “Thank you,” she m
Kaiden jumped back abruptly, landing on the hard floor with a thud as a black car swept past the spot he had stood just seconds earlier. Blood seeped from his elbow, which had been bruised by the rough marble floor. His head spun for a moment, his vision blurring. Hayley rushed forward, crouching beside him. “Kaiden, are you okay?” she asked, checking his arm. Kaiden regained himself, leaped to his feet, and pulled his hand away from her just as his driver ran over. "Don't touch me!” he snapped, startling Hayley, who trembled a bit. "Go inside!” "What did I do? Why are you mad at me?” Hayley asked, her voice shaking. "I said go inside! Don’t you listen?” he yelled, and she quickly rushed inside, locking the gate. “Are you fine?" Kaiden's driver asked. “Isn’t it obvious?" Kaiden retorted, walking back to the road. “Did you get the plate number? What car was it?" he asked as they crossed the road, this time looking carefully. “It’s a black Chevrolet, but I couldn’t get t
Kaiden stood along the street, leaning against his car, waiting. He stamped his foot on the ground, his attention shifting from his phone to the house before him. His driver stood nearby, patiently waiting on Kaiden. They had been there for over an hour, yet nothing. Kaiden said nothing, just staring at a certain house, while his driver, choiceless, didn't utter a word either.Kaiden straightened from the car, relief washing over him as Hayley stepped out of the gate across the street. She looked left and right before crossing over to him. "Hi, Kaiden,” she greeted, a broad smile plastered on her face. "It took you ages to come out,” he hissed, opening the car door for her. "I'm not entering. Do you want to kidnap me?” He hesitated. "There are better people to kidnap out there. What would someone do with you?” he sneered. “Are you entering or not?” "I wish I could punch you… so hard!" she groaned, entering th
Dark room. Low whimpers. Stench of blood. Thumping heartbeat. Fear, pain, and loneliness lingered in the ominous air. The moon, as if it noticed the helplessness of the life in the small room, peeked its warm, dim light through the small opening of the window.Kailani, slumped on a chair, her head lolled to the side, her ruffled hair cascaded around her, soaked in sweat and tears. Her body trembled slightly, her hand clawed at her clothes against her chest as if protecting the remains of her innocence. Being locked up in the damn room for days had taken a toll on her. Her eyelids heavy against her eyes, she could barely see. Fear crept under her skin like a thief breaking into a house.Hard patting of shoes jolted her, her frail body coming back to life as she forced herself to sit up, scared of what came next. Her ears narrowed as if trailing the sound of the footsteps. Suddenly, something clicked against the wall, causing white light to flood her face, blinding her. Her head dropped
Kaiden entered the car beside Kailani. She had her phone in hand, scrolling through social media as usual. People do change, he knew, but not this fast. Not a sister he knew so well transforming into a nightmare in the blink of an eye. Whenever he stared at her, something gnawed at him, a feeling he couldn’t quite comprehend. The excitement, the unstoppable feelings, the joy he felt at seeing her were no longer there. He could no longer hear his heart thump loudly in his chest like it would explode if he stopped seeing her. He could feel the distance, the void, the silence between them even when they talked often. Something was missing, though he couldn’t place his hands on it at first, but Hayley’s video sparked a lot of imagination. Constantly, his mind twirled back to that day at school, when everything changed. He knew he felt it then. The sickness meant something. He hardly fell sick, but everything changed when he met her, when he connected with her, and her absence always cos
Kaiden was seated by Kailani’s side on the couch, staring as she scrolled through her phone, chuckling. Since the incident two days ago, he was just seeing her. She looked so calm and collected even when the internet was buzzing with her name. She didn’t seem to care about the fact that she was trending and not for a good cause. “What’s the problem, Kayla?” Kaiden asked, his voice barely audible. “Oh my God!” she exclaimed, laughing out loud as though she didn’t hear what he said. “Kayla.” “Don’t be a killjoy, Kaiden. What do you want?” she retorted, not sparing him a glance. “You know you can always talk to me, right? What has changed? You act so differently now. Did eighteen years affect you this much?” he stated. Kailani sighed in frustration, turning to face him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Can you leave me alone? I need to focus.” “Mom is hurting. She lost her biggest contract because of what you did. You aren’t even remorseful or ashamed. My fans are t
“Stop this madness, Kayla!” Kaiden snapped, pushing her back. “What has gotten into you? What did they give you at that party?” he jumped up. She grabbed his hand, pulling him back down on the couch. “Why are you so mean? I want you, can’t you see that?” she muttered. “Listen. Stop it and listen!” he gripped both her hands. “What did those friends of yours give you at the party?” he demanded, his grip instinctively tightening. “Ouch, you’re hurting me!” she cried, twisting her wrists in his tight hold. He quickly let go of her hands. “It’s just a kiss, Kaiden. Why are you hurting me because of that?” she cried, tears filling her eyes. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” he apologized. “Kiss me first, then I’ll accept your apology later.” “I can’t do that,” he declared. “Should I go meet someone else to do it?” “Geez! You can’t do that either.” “Then what? I’m feeling randy, isn’t that obvious?” she stated, her fingers entangling in he
The tension in the house grew as the family paced back and forth, their phones in hand, dialing Kailani and her driver’s number a million times. “I think you should call the police, Mom,” Kaiden suggested. “Did the driver kidnap her? What the hell is this?” he whined, sinking into the couch behind him as he felt dizzy. “Be careful, son. Mr. Thompson can’t do such a thing. He was recommended by the best agents in Beverly. Moreover, the cops will do nothing until it’s been twenty-four hours. I don’t think she’s missing,” Eureka stated. “Then, where did she go?” Eureka’s phone rang, the driver calling. She quickly picked up. “What’s this all about, Mr. Thompson? Where’s my daughter?” she demanded. “What do you mean, ma’am? I left her at school,” he responded. “Well, she’s not at school, so where is she?” “I wouldn’t know. I had to go see my wife at the hospital. I left the phone in the car, that’s why I missed your calls. Have you contacted the school, ma’am? I drove her in
Kaiden fidgeted in his seat, checking his wristwatch even though it had only been ten minutes since Kailani left. He stamped his foot against the floor, his eyes shifting between the door and his wristwatch. Stetson entered the class, spotting Kaiden tapping his finger on the desk as if counting the minutes. “Are you okay, Kaiden?” Stetson asked, moving closer to his side. “Did you see my sister?” Kaiden asked abruptly. “Not really. She was with you when I left. What happened to her?” Stetson replied. “She was summoned by the principal,” Kaiden stated, jerking up. “Watch over my backpack. I need to go get her.” “Relax, dude. If she’s in the principal’s office, I don’t see why you should go there. She’ll be back,” he assured him. “Get off my path,” Kaiden uttered, his tone tight. Just then, Kailani entered the class, a broad smile tugging at her lips. “I told you,” Stetson commented, going over to his desk. “What’s up? Were you missing me already?” she asked. Kaiden n
“Have you lost your mind, Kaiden? How could you tell Stetson such a thing?” Kailani scolded as she pulled him up to her room. “What do you expect him to think? Oh my God! I can’t believe this!” “Let me ask you a question, were you going to accept his stupid proposal?” he snapped. “What if I was? What if that’s the only way for us not to think we belong with each other? What if we need others to come between us? What if that’s the solution?” she asked, disappointment laced in her tone. “There’s no solution, Kayla. I love you means I love you. You can’t be with that smiling boy. What were you even thinking? I would sit and watch you accept him, spend more time with him, go out alone with him. God forbid. That’s never going to happen. Over my dead body,” he groaned. “Kaiden!” “Don’t Kaiden me! I don’t fucking care what society thinks anymore. You’re my sister and the same girl I love. If you think I’d watch you be with anyone else, think again.” “It’