AUTHORS POV "Hello, who's this?" Archer's voice disturbed the silence in Sydney's Mercedes. Sydney answered in a weak tone, " It's Syd- Mrs. Reed." "Oh, Mrs. Reed, what a surprise. How may I help you?" "Could you give my husband the phone, please? His phone seems to be out of battery." Archer sounded skeptical, "Um... Okay, I'll do just that." Sydney's heart sank. She had hoped he'd say Gavin was in Paris. She had seen Archer in the Spa on Saturday so she knew he didn't go with Gavin. How couldn't she have noticed Gavin was lying? Archer always went wherever Gavin went as long as it was business-related. "Archer!" Sydney called immediately. "Yes, Mrs. Reed?" "Forget it, I'll wait till he returns home...and Please don't tell Gavin I called you." Archer hesitated but replied, " Yes Mrs. Reed, I'll do as you say." _____________ "The door is open!" Archer walked into Gavin's office with a mug of coffee. The office took up almost half of the top floor of the ma
AUTHORS POV SYDNEY WAS DRENCHED and shaking from the cold when she collided with a stranger. With her head bowed, she apologized. "I... I'm sorry." She tried to leave but the stranger grabbed her arm and pulled her back. Sydney gasped softly when her watery eyes gazed into the hard brown ones of the man she had run into. The same man that she'd met once and was the reason her image was in sham. Her gaze turned fiery and she disengaged her arm from his grasp. "Don't ever touch me!" She walked past him and he followed quickly after her. "You don't look good, Sydney. Are you okay?" He asked earnestly. "Leave me alone. I don't want to talk with anyone, just leave me!" She ran a hand through her hair and cried uncontrollably. Everything was a mess now. She used to laugh during meetings with divorced women when they'd discuss how their marriages were nothing to write home about. She never imagined her case would be worse. Didn't Gavin stop to think about how it'd make her feel?
STIFF AND BRUISED, Sydney got up from the hospital bed. A pain wave passed through her head and she steered. She held her head and headed to the hospital door. She remembered everything that happened the previous night leading up to her encounter with Gabriel. He'd still brought her to the hospital after all. She silently thanked God he had, what if Emily and Ethan had seen her in that horrendous state? She heard whispers coming from behind the door. She raised her head, and through the hole in the door, she caught sight of Gavin talking with Doctor Natasha, a bitter expression on his face. Sydney stood, catalyzed. Why is he here? Maybe he came to finish what he started. As if noticing her gaze on him, Gavin met her gaze. His eyes softened a bit but she still noticed the fire in it. Gavin drove her home, they hadn't said anything to each other since she got discharged. The somber music on the drive did nothing to mitigate the tension between them. Gavin gazed at her as she
AUTHORS POVCaleb killed the engine of his Porsche in the parking lot of the Hilton Five-Star Hotel, the sound of the ignition dying a stark contrast to the hum of wealth that filled the air. The parking lot was a veritable showcase of opulence, with sleek, high-end cars that seemed to gleam in the fading light of day. A Bentley here, a Ferrari there, and a Lamborghini that seemed to purr in the silence.Caleb adjusted his tie restively, his eyes scanning the parking lot with a mixture of disdain and envy. He could imagine the look of condescension when he entered the hotel. His anger boiled over thinking of all he had lost because of Sydney's infidelity.He released a frustrated breath, if he didn't put his shit together, he'd be selling his car to pay his debts. Sydney had been able to strike at the most delightful time of his life!Caleb slammed his hand on the steering wheel and groaned loudly. "Bastard child!"Ashley flinched slightly at his outburst. She sat in the passenger sea
AUTHORS POVGAVIN GLANCED AT ETHAN who was glaring at him. He frowned at him. Some minutes ago, he received a concerning call from Avery that Ethan got into a fight with some kid who said he abuses Sydney He had told Ethan his daddy, who worked in Gavin's company, told his mommy he saw Sydney swollen-faced and crying in the elevator after storming out of Gavin's office. Ethan got so angry and charged for him madly.Emily gasped excitedly when she saw Gavin. She peeled off Sydney's arm and ran to him. Gavin smiled with one corner of his lips raised and crouched to catch Emily.Giggling, she wrapped her arm around his neck and kissed his cheek, causing him to laugh. "I missed you." She admitted.He kissed her back, " I missed you too honey." He looked at Ethan and his smile slowly fell. " You too son."Ethan scoffed loudly. Sydney, who couldn't muster the courage to look at Gavin, spoke before Ethan could, " Ethan, go take a shower." She smiled nervously.Ethan ignored her and walked t
AUTHORS POVGIL ROBERTS STRODED drunkenly through the first floor of Beverly Hills restaurant; his eyes were bloodshot. Gabriel walked with him, annoyed by Gil's drunken state."I warned you not to take the drink from that lady." Gabriel chided.Gil held his head and groaned loudly, " It's not my f**king fault. She looked harmless."Gabriel threw him a look and spoke in his thick British accent, " A dishabille woman with nails the length of my d**k is a freaking red flag."Gil barked out an exaggerated laugh, " Then it means your d**k is pretty small."Gabriel shook his head, tired of his friend's behavior. They stepped into the elevator and Gavin pressed the sixth button. His face suddenly turned serious, and he slipped his long, slender fingers into the pockets of his blue, worn-out pants. He thought it was funny how people couldn't tell he was Alfred Patel's son when he was dressed in shabby clothes and looked like a middle-class man. He thanked God no one did at least not now
AUTHORS POV" I was so glad when my husband contacted AIDs. He returned home begging for my forgiveness; I barked a hard laugh right in his face and threw him out," Angelica shared her story, causing all the women sitting under the gazebo on Theresa's patio to laugh. Theresa had asked Sydney in front of the women to join them for evening tea. Sydney couldn't let these women think she was a coward because of a man, so she accepted. She made sure to sit a good number of seats away from Theresa to show her displeasure. They had been gossiping about celebrities when Sydney joined in and they diverged wickedly to failed marriages."I wouldn't blame your husband, though, " Veronica hid her disdainful smirk behind the mug of coffee she had in her mouth. "Samantha is one fine speck of a woman."Samantha, who sat next to Theresa, gritted her teeth and forced a fake smile. " You should learn to shut your windows when committing adultery sweetie."Sandra, who was sipping Chinese tea, chok
SYDNEY STOOD BY THE KITCHEN window with a wearisome look while gazing at the sprinklers that went off in the garden. It reminded her of her mother. She recalled the days when Ashley would stand by the garden back in Arizona with a watering can in her grip as she watered the flowers. She missed her mother; she had been having nightmares of Ashley in a large gray box, lying next to Xavier. She thought about taking Ethan and Emily to Arizona and not returning, but Ashley's last message made her rethink.Avery poured tomato soup into the saucer. She walked to Sydney and placed a hand on her shoulder. " What's wrong, you haven't said anything since I got here?"What was there to say? Sydney shrugged nonchalantly, and they both went to the dining room. Sydney slipped into a seat next to Sofia. She had been a frequent and helpful visitor- to Avery's disposal.Avery looked at Sofia with contempt. " Um, Sofia darling?"Sofia looked up from the book she was reading. She smiled questi
" What do hell do you mean by Gavin made a deal with the devil?" Gil nearly choked on his wine when Gabriel told him about Ethan's dream and his thoughts on it.Gabriel pushed a glass of water to him. " Not the actual devil. Antonio's brother."Gil drank the water too quickly and looked at Gabriel with wide eyes. " No shit, you mean Alejandro?"Gabriel shifted on his chair. He'd come to a club that played hip-hop songs cranked to the loudest so no one would be able to monitor his conversation properly." You know him?"" Yes, eyebrows pierced. Tattoos. Scars. Silver teeth. He looked like he'd been through a fire. " Gabriel looked around the club to see if anyone was watching him. He leaned forward and asked, " How did you know him and why haven't you shared this information with me before? " Gabriel gasped. " Don't tell me you struck a deal with him. "" Oh, for the love of Mary, do I look that stupid to do such a thing? "" I can't be too certain you don't. "Gabriel rolled his eyes
GABRIEL SPENT THE NEXT two hours staring at the sky. He was freezing. It was the first time he'd felt so cold. His mind kept on reeling on every unpleasant thing he'd done. Things he had been told. Things he'd seen. Things that could have happened differently if he'd controlled his emotions; if he'd listened to the warnings.Ethan reminded him greatly about his childhood. What his mother's infidelity had caused him. There was no one to help him and pull him out of his misery. There was no one willing to sit and understand what was wrong with him and he was unwilling to believe anything was wrong with him.Gabriel walked into the house. He passed by Sydney's room and saw she was asleep. He went to Ethan's room and pushed the door open quietly. Ethan was moving on the bed. His eyes were tightly shut. A wince was planted across his face as he kept on turning. He seemed to be having a nightmare." Don't shoot him, don't shoot him please." Ethan cried.Gabriel went to him quickly, he sat
" Charlotte, you should have spent Christmas with your boyfriend; he must be feeling down without you with him."Gabriel returned to the dining room just in time to hear his father change the topic from politics. Alfred had visited Gabriel as soon as his spies delivered news that Sydney and her kid had left Gabriel's place. He insisted Gabriel followed him home for Christmas. Gabriel was adamant at first but when he remembered his father was a lonely man with no one except him and Charlotte, he had to agree.Charlotte blushed and slipped out her hand under Alfred's to brush a strand of hair off her face." It's my obligation to spend the holidays with my husband." Alfred smirked and took a bite out of his chicken breast. " Did that apply to all your ex-husbands also?"Gabriel slid into the chair next to his father. Gabriel wasn't a bit surprised by his father's indifference towards Charlotte's infidelity. They were more of friends than husband and wife. Alfred lost his attraction t
GAVIN'S LEGS WERE MADE of ten pounds of steel. He was motionless. Deaf. All he could hear was the faint echo of Ethan's name on Alejandro's scarred lips.Sydney's eyes were like the moon as she ran behind Gavin, nearly knocking him off. " Ethan, are you okay? Jesus Christ what if it touched you." Sydney's arms were around Ethan's body, shaking. He was still screaming. He couldn't stop screaming.The bullet managed to pass through the space between the outline of his cheek and shoulder, making its way into the glass wall.By the time Gavin regained his ability to move, Christopher had poured out of the house, his eyes wide in matching shock. Mathilda was hiding behind a wall in case there'd be another gunshot.Christopher looked between the wall and Gavin. " Holy shit, how did this happen?"" Someone please call the police and an ambulance. He isn't moving." Sydney screamed.Gavin was stumbling as he walked to Ethan. He pulled Sydney gently away from him and grabbed Ethan's raised sho
THE SCENT OF ROAST CHICKEN consumed the whole of Gavin's smart house. Gavin had hired a few excellent chefs to cook up something for the feast since he knew barely anything about cooking and Avery refused to get out of her room.She'd been behaving uncanny for some weeks, his conscience pricked him to ask her what was wrong. When he did, it didn't end well. Gavin nearly had a knife in his heart. She kept on screaming it was his fault she was in this position and chased him around the house with a knife.He promised himself to stay at least ten feet away from her.He'd expected her to be locked up in her room during the feast but she was the first at the table.Sydney came in five minutes to the stipulated time. She mustered all the strength in her not to lose her composure. The house looked exactly how she'd left it but it felt a whole lot different. It was like a shallow pit sucking her into memories. Memories she so desperately wants to forget.Sydney looked at the couch. She reme
SYDNEY WATCHED THE waves form and crash. Her heart was colder than the snow falling, tighter than the pressure from the oxygenless point of the sea. Her heart wanted to split and burst.She had just wanted to look at the sea with a smile on her face and no care in the world before Gavin called.She wondered why she answered his call so quickly. There was something wrong somewhere, she felt it. It was like he was going to be wiped out of existence if she didn't take his call.She had a dream the previous night. Gavin was sitting on a wooden bench in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by mists. A phone was held to his ear. He was shaking. Saying something about Ethan. Then the phone dropped and so did his body. The mist turned red.Sydney was breathing a little too hard when she asked him how their kids were. He noticed it." You are breathing uneasily, what's wrong?" He sounded so genuine it made her stomach churn.She wanted to tell him. " Nothing." But she couldn't.Gavin sighed, " Th
" Why don't you sing a Christmas song for us, ehn friend?"Gabriel clutched the knife he used to cut into his turkey a little bit tighter. Gil had been getting on his nerves since he served Dinner and sat a couple distance away from him. " Oh, I forgot, you mix auto with tenor and soprano with bass." Gil chuckled on the glass of water placed in his mouth. " We don't want your bad voice ruining Christmas Eve."Sofia intervened quickly. She grabbed Gil's face in her palm and made him look at her " Why are you being such an a**hole? Stop it. "Gil didn't look at her. His eyes were fixated on Gabriel's angry ones. They looked like they were ready to jump on each other. No one spoke again. There was a foul aura around the dinette. It was like everyone had beef with each other except Gil and Sofia. Sydney made sure to avoid eye contact with Gabriel who wouldn't stop passing glances at her.She felt like a pile of rubbish after what she'd done. She didn't want her and Gabriel's friendshi
" It's sweet of Gabriel to cook up the meals. " Sofia remarked as she lay on a chaise lounge watching Gabriel cook. She moaned at the aroma of the turkey. It was freezing on the yacht, but Sofia and Sydney couldn't care less. They didn't want to miss the serene views of birds flying across the waters, waves crashing, and whatnot. Sydney hadn't felt any sense of relaxation since Gabriel professed his affection for her. She wanted to believe it was some sort of joke or dream. He must have been feeling lonely and needed a shoulder to lean on, and Sydney was there for him. Maybe that's why he confused their friendship for love. The heart is a tool the devil uses to ruin people's life. Ruin friendships. Ruin good relationships. She reckoned. The only source of relaxation she found was when she stepped into Blake's yacht. It was a good thing she'd accepted his offer. Ethan and Emily would love it here. She would have loved to bring them, but Gavin called and said he wanted them
AUTHOR'S POV " Your check is on the dining room table, pick it up when you are done. And don't you dare go into my wife's room; I don't want you looking through her closet." Sherwin Peters said disdainfully to Gil before picking up a coat and leaving. Gil sent two middle fingers to his back and growled, " Open your eyes, a**hole; your wife is cheating on you with a seventy-two-year-old horse rider." Gil sighed when he realized he was talking to himself. He raked his fingers through his hair and looked at the broken fence through the kitchen window. " I need to get myself a real job. Joseph would also have if he existed in the 21st century." He laughed at himself. He was a worthless piece of shit. He thought. He couldn't even hold one woman he'd like— lust for. " Don't think of her, Gil, she must be having an orgasm for that b**tard she was holding hands with. What man even paints his fingernails? He must have a really small— shut up Gil, that's enough." He groaned an