Alexis sighed heavily as one of the drunken men held her down. She turned to him, ready to slam his face with her purse or maybe her fist. Whichever one worked faster.
‘Going so fast?’’ he asked in a slur, his breath smelling like rotten fruits mixed with herbs.
‘I’m not here to keep you company,’ She gritted out.
‘I want to take you home with me,’ he purred, his eyes mischievous. It made his hideous looking face look even more hideous.
Trying not to gag, she forced a straight face and laughed. ‘You can’t even afford me.’’
The man laughed and dug his hand into his pocket to withdraw his credit card. He waved it in her face. Alexis knew this man wasn’t joking. Whipping her head, she looked around the club, wondering where Haven went. He said he had to pee and he’s been gone for five minutes.
She turned back to the man. "Get your hands off me," she said, her stomach churning.
‘’I know you wanted me over. You’ve been eyeing me since you came in.’’ The man snickered. ‘’Lucky you. Girls like you are just my type.’’
She tried to pull her hand but his grip on her wrist tightened. He placed his hand on her hair, stroking the strands almost crazily. Then he leaned forward, breathing heavily on her neck. ‘’You smell so nice.’’
"Let go while I’m being nice," she warned.
‘’You’re such a tease.’’
She should have known what would happen if she came to a place like this. It was all Haven’s fault, leaving her behind and now she had to deal with this harassment from a creepy man. Just when she was thinking of flipping him over, she felt a hand on her ass, grabbing it roughly.
She felt blood rush to her face and without thinking brought her fist up, slamming it straight into the pervert’s jaw. He let her go, stumbling across the dance hall. For a moment, she felt herself wobble forward but then a pair of hands clamped on her shoulder, holding her down. When she turned around, it was Haven.
‘’You bitch!’’ The man was up, ready to pounce on her.
Haven raised a brow at the man, making him halt. "One more step and I will break your legs," he said in a cold tone.
The man gulped, visibly sweating. Alexis glanced at Haven. The pervert in front of them was two times Haven’s weight and yet he stood still like a rabbit facing a tiger. It made her wonder if Haven was part of some dangerous gang she didn’t know about. It
‘’It’s her fault!’’ he yelled.
‘Oh please.’ Alexis scoffed, rolling her eyes. ‘’You came to me.’’
‘I don’t care whose fault it is.’’ Haven stepped closer to him. ‘But if you lay your hands on my wife again-’ he didn’t have to complete his words. The man got the memo and ran off without another word.
As Alexis watched him, she felt Haven step beside her. He looked at her for a second before walking away. She fought back a smile, wondering why she felt this happy hearing him call her ‘his wife.’
Well, she was his wife.
His fake wife to be exact.
And their story began exactly a month ago.
‘Come again? I didn’t hear you the first time.The blonde haired young man sitting on the other side of the desk stared at his friend in utter disbelief, as though the words that came out were too foreign to understand. He stared for so long he didn’t know whether to laugh, cry, be embarrassed or be confused. Haven Gray rubbed his temples, clearly agitated over his friend's reaction. His hands clenched into fists as he remembered the conversation he had on the phone with his mother a few days ago.“I need to see my grandchildren,” she said.“You're not getting any younger,” she complained.“Do you want me to die a lonely woman,” she whined.Haven wasn't sure how well he'd handled her entire phone conversation without him throwing his phone halfway across his room.And then he'd told her he was already planning to marry someone soon. Which was a big, stupid, lie. But he needed her off his neck. And then she'd ask that he bring this new soon to be wife of his because she was well aware
She raised a brow. ‘’Why is he being so shy?’’ she muttered to herself and turned to meet the next table. She noticed that there were two men seated on it. One had hair the color of midnight and the other had blonde hair. They seemed to be discussing business, seeing as they were clothed in designer suits. One wore a black shirt with a gray tie, while the other wore a brown coat over his black turtle-neck inner. She couldn’t help but notice the one with dark hair and how gorgeous he looked. She thought she was used to seeing attractive men come and go every day, but his was different. She was irritated by how different it was. What was the deal with handsome people and their alluring aura?''Hello,'' she said. ‘’My name is Alexis. Can I get your order?’’The blonde looked up at her. ‘’Alexis? Beautiful name.’’Now, he was flirting with her? She noticed the dark haired one gave him a look before returning his attention back to his phone. The blonde studied her face, his blue eyes squin
‘’Well, you see…’’ Matt trailed off. Sam rose a brow, suddenly catching up. The only friend who would do something like this was the one who always came to the cafe with him. The one who had- ‘’Gotten into that scandal?’’ she voiced out. ‘’That friend of yours? Haven Gray?’’Matt’s nervous smile was the answer she needed.She gapped, nearly tipping the vase behind her in surprise. ‘’That really handsome friend of yours?’’ She repeated. Matt met her eyes. ‘’You don’t have to put it that way.’’Sam had heard about the scandal between Catherine Hales and THE Haven Gray. Their news had circulated around the internet like wide-fire. She was surprised to find out that these two who rocked the world with their relationship suddenly called it off. Haven had claimed they decided to go their mutual ways due to some complicated reasons, but Sam knew that wasn’t the case. Well, she was one of the few who knew what really happened, thanks to her amazing investigative skills. Catherine had cheate
‘’A week from now, sir,’’ Johnson replied with a big smile.One of the workers seated beside him, pointed to the desk. Haven shifted uncomfortably, staring down at the paperwork in front of him. For some reason, he couldn’t concentrate well today. He sighed. It was all Matt’s fault, telling him he had found someone and had planned a meet up today. Every few seconds, he would glance down at his phone wondering if it was time yet. What was taking Matt so long?‘’Mr. Gray?’’His head snapped up. ‘’Can we reschedule this meeting?’’ he said. The others in the meeting talked amongst themselves, but they agreed nonetheless. After the meeting, he made his way back to his office and found Matt waiting for him by the front door. He held up a hand in greeting. ‘’How was the meeting?’’Haven reached for the door handle, pressing it down. ‘’Boring,’’ Haven said as he walked in. Sighing, he plopped down on his chair and dug out his phone. ‘’Isn’t it time yet?’’ He pinched the bridge of his nose.‘’
She had tried to have one at a time, but it didn’t go so well. And so, she decided to indulge herself into work rather than one filled with fake love and commitment.What an irony it was now, that she was indulging herself in said fake love and commitment.‘’Yeah.’’The driver nodded and started the engine, driving off to the cafe she was meant to meet her new husband.Well, fake husband.The cafe they chose was a famous one. Not only was it famous, it looked like those fancy restaurants only rich and elite people went to. Alexis suddenly felt out of place.‘’Should have worn a skirt instead,’’ she muttered to herself. Well, there was no need to think about it now. She thought, taking a deep breath before walking through the pull-in doors. When she entered, the sight that greeted her was surprising to say the least. The ceiling was elaborately decorated and a grand staircase led to a finely lavished second story of the building. The walls were a semi-white pallor with hints of lavend
‘’I said it's a ridiculous idea,’’ Alexis said and quickly added. ‘’But I’m here anyway.’’Haven’s brow furrowed as he pushed himself forward in his seat, leaning so close to Alexis, she leaned back in hers. When he stopped, she caught her breath, uncomfortable with their proximity. The scent of his cologne wafted through the air and it smelt good. It reminded her of dew. She looked into his gray eyes and swallowed nervously. His presence was almost overbearing. Clearing her throat, she told him. ‘’You’re too close.’’He leaned back and chuckled for reasons unknown to her. Alexis turned to Matt, his arms folded as he watched them. ‘’I think your friend is nuts.’’Matt laughed and agreed with a shrug of his shoulder. ‘’Maybe.’’‘’I’m not nuts,’’ Haven said. ‘’I just wanted to test out something.’’‘’Well, next time try not to get too close. You could receive a punch.’’ Alexis raised her fist, letting him know she wouldn’t hesitate to. ‘’Anyway, before I sign anything, I want to know ho
"Something about a poor girl divorcing her rich husband sounds interesting to me," she remarked with a playful smile.‘’Alright,’’ he agreed. ‘’If that’s what you want.’’She extended a hand forward and this time he took it. ‘’Well then, I guess we now have a deal.’’ Alexis’ phone went off for the fifth time in just three minutes. Annoyed, she pulled it out of her apron pocket to see the name Haven Gray flashing on the screen. She frowned. Jeez, what kind of accurate time keeper was he? Fine, she knew she had agreed that he could call around two since they apparently had somewhere to be today, but it wasn’t even two yet. Why was he in such a hurry?Not wanting to give him the satisfaction of answering quickly, she pocketed her phone back, putting it on silent.‘’Was that Haven?’’ Sam asked, coming out from the back room.‘’Yeah,’’ Alexis said. ‘’I told him I’d be at work by this time.’’‘’It’s not like you can’t answer while working.’’ Sam said with a stare. ‘’Just tell him you’re bu
Not that she needed to anyways.She heard Haven sigh on the phone. ‘’Don’t overthink it. You won’t have to do much.’’‘’Right,’’ she said. Of course she won’t have to do much. All she had to do was act her part. She did a bit of drama in high school, so it shouldn’t be a problem.‘’I’ll come pick you up soon,’’ he said. ‘’I give you two hours.’’She stared at the wall clock. That meant she had an hour to shower and get ready. She heard a click. She scoffed. What a dickhead. He hung up on her.‘’So, where are you lovelies going?’’ Sam was back.‘’A date,’’ Alexis deadpanned.‘’How exciting!’’ Sam gleaned.Alexis didn’t share in her glee. Exciting? Annoying and nerve wracking was more like it."At the very least, you will get free food," Sam said.‘’That I won’t be able to stomach?’’ Alexis sighed. But Sam was right. At least she would get free food.Alexis waved goodbye to Sam as she left the cafe shop and hopped into her beat up corolla. Her apartment was only a few minutes away, ten
Haven considered her for a minute, clearly not persuaded, but he didn’t thrust it. He walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder, pressing tenderly. “You’ve been working yourself out of late. Come on, let’s get to bed. You should get a few rest.” She gestured, thankful for the pardon to elude the uneasy contemplations whirling in her mind. “Yeah, you’re right. Let me just wrap up here.” Haven kissed her on the chin and headed back upstairs. Alexis observed him go, the warmth of his touch waiting on her skin, but the fear still chewing at her inner parts. She rapidly wrapped up folding the clothing, her hands moving mechanically as her mind began to race. When she was done, she turned off the lights on the ground floor and made her way to the room. Haven was as of now in bed, flipping through the channels on the TV with a sight of boredom on his face. Alexis slipped into the bathroom, sprinkling cold water on her face, trusting it would wash away the unease that clung to her
Alexis was in the centre of folding the final stack of clothing when her phone buzzed on the countertop. She’d had a long day, filled with errands, chores. It was about 11 p.m. She rubbed her chin, feeling the fatigue throb that continuously appeared to crawl up when she was overtired. But the sight of her phone vibrating once more drew her thoughts back to it. She picked up the phone, anticipating it to be one of her friends, likely Trina or Melissa, sending late-night messages about something unimportant. The screen showed an obscure number. A cold shudder ran down her spine, but she dismissed it, considering it could be a robocall. Still, something made her falter. After a minute, she swiped to reply to the call and lifted the phone to her ear. “Hello?”There was a delay, and for a minute, she thought the call might have been a mistake. But at that point, she listened to it, a swoon, nearly subtle breath on the other end of the line. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Sh
Alexis took a deep breath, choosing her words carefully. “I’m saying I miss us. I miss what we used to have. The time we went through together, the little things we did to get each other feel loved. Of late, it feels like we’ve been more centred on stuff, like this car, than on each other.” Haven Stood there, the gravity of her words gradually sinking in. He had thought the car would bring them closer, but presently he saw it in an unexpected way. He realised that while he had been working hard to deliver, he had lost sight of what truly mattered. “I just needed to make you happy,” Haven said, his voice gentler now. Alexis ventured closer to him, putting a hand on his arm. “I know you did, and I love you for it. But what I truly need, Haven , is you. I need us to be together, truly together. I want us to work on our relationship, to build a cheerful home, not just a decent house with pleasant things.” Haven't Felt a lump in his throat. “I’ve been so focused on the wrong things, hav
And she hated it. Abhorred that he had moved on, that he had found somebody else. Abhorred that she now did not have a hold on him. As she wiped her tears absent, Vanessa promised to herself that she would find a way to make him pay for dismissing her. She wasn’t done with him however. Not by a long shot. But deep down, a part of her knew that she had lost him. Which hurt more than she would ever admit.Haven could barely contain his fervour as he drove the new car off the dealership parcel. The sun glimmered off the smooth dark paint of the luxurious car, and the engine murmured with a smoothness that came from top-tier craftsmanship. He could as of now see the look on his wife’s face when he pulled into the garage. Alexis had continuously specified how much she loved this specific show, how she appreciated the way it mixed style with control. Haven had worked additional time for months to astonish her with it. He knew she deserved it. She worked hard, a bit like him, and if there wa
Vanessa took a step closer, her voice dropping to a tempting murmur. “You can’t let me know you don’t miss what we had. The energy, the connection… the way we fit together.” He knew what she was doing, playing on his feelings, attempting to make him keep in mind the great times and disregard the terrible. But he wasn’t that man any longer. He had learned from their wrongs, from the harmful cycle they had been caught in for distant as well as long. Haven’s eyes solidified. “Vanessa, you should leave.” She overlooked him once more, taking another step forward, her hand coming out to touch his arm. He jumped, walking back once more until his back was against the wall. Vanessa saw the faltering in his eyes and moved in for the slaughter. “Come on, haven” she whispered, inclining so near that her lips brushed against his ear. “Just one more time. You know you need to.” For a minute, Haven was quiet, the thoughts of their time together flooding his mind. He recollected the way they had
Her intellect was a tornado of emotions—anger, fear, perplexity, and a profound, chewing pity that she couldn’t appear to shake. She needed to accept haven, needed to believe him like she continuously had. But something was distinctive this time. There was a separation between them, a sense that he was holding something back, and it panicked her. As she stood there, misplaced in her considerations, she listened to the swoon sound of his voice on the ground floor, and she knew he was on the phone. Portion of her needed to walk down there and request answers, to force him to tell her everything he was stowing away. But another portion of her was as well depleted to battle any longer. She just needed this bad dream to be over. But how might it be, when she didn’t indeed know what the bad dream was? Alexis squeezed a hand to her chest, feeling the quick crash of her heart beneath her palm. She took a deep breath, trying to consistent herself, but the unease waited, a dim cloud that refuse
Alexis’s eyes relaxed for a brief minute, but then the hardness returned. “Then let me know what’s truly going on,” she demanded, her voice trembling somewhat. “Don’t just stand there and let me know to trust you. Trust is earned, Haven. And right now, I feel like you’re asking me to believe a stranger.” Her words cut profound, and Haven felt the sting of them like a physical blow. He needed to tell her everything, to lay it all out within the open, but he knew that wasn’t possible—not however. There were as well numerous factors, as well many unknowns. And until he had all the answers, he couldn’t hazard dragging Alexis' encouragement into the mess that had landed at their doorstep. But how could he make her get it without losing her? “I’m going to settle this,” he said, his voice firm, in spite of the fact that saying it with enough conviction would make it genuine. “I promise you, Alexis, I’ll get to the bottom of this. I’ll discover the truth, and when I do, I’ll tell you everyth
“I know,” he said, his voice thick with feeling. “But I don’t need to select between you and do what’s right.” “And what approximately what’s right for me?” Alexis inquired discreetly. “Don’t I deserve that?” Haven closed his eyes, the weight of the circumstance squeezing down on him. He knew that no matter what he said, it wouldn’t be sufficient to recuperate the fracture that was developing between them. “You do,” he at last said, his voice scarcely over a whisper. “You deserve more than I’m giving you right presently. But I need you to believe me. I need you to accept that I’m doing this since I care around you—because I care around us.” Alexis looked at him, her expression a blend of adore and distress. “I don’t know if I can believe you right now, Haven. Not when it comes to her.” His heart sank at her words, but he didn’t contend. He couldn’t. “I understand,” he said, standing up and venturing back to allow her space. “I just trust that one day, you can.” She didn’t respond,
“Not at fault?” Alexis’s voice was presently bound with outrage, and she pushed her chair back suddenly, standing up. She began pacing the kitchen, her developments jerky and disturbed. “You’re defending her, Haven. You’re protecting the lady who has tried to come between us time and time once more. And you’re doing it over me, your wife.” Haven stood as well, his hands spread out in a signal of pacification. “Alexis, it’s not like that. I’m not choosing her over you. I just need to get the truth of what’s going on.” “The truth?” Alexis halted pacing, turning to face him, her eyes blasting. “The truth is that she’s controlling you, like she continuously does. And you’re falling for it. Again.” Haven felt a surge of dissatisfaction. “It’s not like that, Alexis. I’m not falling for anything. I’m just attempting to be reasonable. Vanessa—she’s been through a lot. We have a history, yes, but that doesn't mean I’m dazed by what’s happening now. I just need to make sure we’re not making