"I AM GOING TO KILL YOU, MAX," I groaned in pain."Few more minutes,"Exhausted, I was not able to lift my feet for another step."I want to die. There is nothing I can do with this life."For the whole trail, I cursed Max,My eyes wandered looking for Darius, who was busy taking care of her doll.Damn, I wish Landon was here.Although I met lots of hot guys from another team,"Ru, we are here."Finally,"Stop cribbing and look at the view."He held my hand and took me near the cliff."Wow,"Everything changed when I saw the view, the clouds holding the lavender-vermillion color, the shades of green, and the sunlight piercing through them."This is...""Beautiful," Max completed."And you were cursing me," he snorted.I rolled my eyes and hugged him.We came to the site where we were supposed to arrange the tents for others.The instructor told us to finish our task as the evening approachesWe finished our task and settled around the bonfire where people were enjoying and dancing.No
I jumped into the pit full of mud,My heart drummed fast against my rib cage, fear crippled in the nerves.It was all my fault.Maybe she tried to come out, but the pit was deep.I hugged her, wiped the blood drops from her face."Rubel...""Rubel..."I gently caressed her cheeks,She tried to open her eyes, but her drained body didn't help her."What the heck?" Max was startled."Bring rope, and call others; She is hurt."He nodded and ran towards the camp.Tears filled my eyes; I hugged her once again."Darius..." she whispered against my neck."I am sorry."Max brought ropes and people to help us.I wrapped her body against me with the help of rope.Slowly others pulled us out of the pit,It was a tedious job, as it might hurt her more.The doctor took her to the camp,Max and I ran with them for the whole time; I was praying for her well-being.They cleaned the bruise on her forehead and bandaged it.I was not amazed to see they kept a crepe bandage on her hand.She was lying on t
~RUBEL~Now that I already knew his heart, I needed to fix my mind. Why walk the way when you have to walk alone.There is no way he could accept me more than a friend. No wonder I was expecting too much from my stupid life.Who will choose a girl like me? But why does it feel something different when he looks into my eyes?Is it my foolish heart's desire who wanted to read the emotions I was desperately waiting for,but alas! I was wrong when he clearly declared me as his friend,No way I could allow myself to fall into a place of vulnerability.I will try my best to deny these feelings.But is it even possible? Can I control these feelings?We are friends, and we will be friends. "Are you ready?" Darius questioned.As discussed, he made me think about Marcus's wedding.I nodded,"But...""Say yes,"Suddenly somebody knocked at the door. "AMAZON PACKAGE,"I opened the door, and there, my eyes met with Samuel. "Hey, neighbor.""Hey,"I tried to grab the box, but Samuel took a few step
We reached Sangmore resort, not to mention the chilly winds and snow captured my attention.For a while, it dragged to the moment I spent with Marcus, discovering this beautiful end as a wedding destination,It was indeed the beautiful place I imagined."It's beautiful," Darius muttered, shifting his eyes from the scenic view towards the resort.My eyes landed on a small part of the land that was decorated for another wedding, I guess,It hurts when you desire the most, and you didn't get it.The only difference was the man changed, but the destination was the same. But that's what I was there for, to pull myself as one, to fix my mind."It's mesmerizing," I whispered.His hand grabbed my hand, which shifted my gaze towards his face."Are you ok? We can go back if you want?" I smiled,"No, I am fine. It's better to face the fear. How long am I going to run from it.""Atta girl, that's my girl."I grinned, showcasing my tooth like a cute bunny."I am going to show him...what he lost...
Darius opened the door as he latched the key at its place-making me see a beautiful view in front of my eyes.My jaw dropped open when I saw the room was decorated with candles and Lilies."What the..."I turned towards him with wide eyes."Did you..."I squinted when he gave me his signature smirk crossing his hands over his chest."Do you like it?"I cupped my mouth with surprise as tears filled my eyes.I never thought he would surprise me like this.I nodded and hugged him; he saw happy tears in my eyes."Hey...""I didn't expect this from you. I mean, why would you surprise me like that?" I bit my lips."Because we didn't come here to live up with your old memories. I want you to remember this place with happy memories between us."He again touched my heart."That's super cool, Mr. Delucia. I am wondering what you will do if you are in love with someone." I smiled,He blushed,"Consider it the same."My eyes wide opened again, asking questions."What? Are you in love with me?" I
~DARIUS~I closed the door behind my back and instantly went to open a bottle. It was getting hard for me to act like a fucking friend when I was clear about my feelings for her,She was the most beautiful person I met in my life. How did someone reject her? Call it my destiny, I met her, but the worst part is, I couldn't tell her the truth.I wanted to break Marcus's face; I saw him near the elevator. That fucking bastard wanted her to feel vulnerable, wanted her to feel rejected.I could see how surprised he felt when I rested my hand on her waist,But I let it drain all the feelings because I wanted to see that beautiful smile and sparkly eyes with surprise.I let her open the door, and as she entered, I latched the key.As expected, I could see her beautiful smile playing on her face; I didn't want her to feel bad. I came here to over-right her bad memories and turn them into good ones.She hugged me, kissed me."That's super cool, Mr. Delucia. I am wondering what you will do if y
~Rubel~I never realized I opened my heart to a level where he could hurt me.Hundred dollars, my worth,I knew he would come to talk to me, but I immediately packed my stuff.Tears never stopped; all things were blacked out in front of my eyes.I pressed the elevator button like a thousand times, wanting to get away from this suffocating aura where I could feel him.The door opened and I towed my bag inside.Once the door closed, I could see my messed up face, that perfect bun; happy smile face was gone.A few moments before we came from the same elevator, I was happy, and now?The pain was enough for me to choke; It felt like my lungs stopped taking the air needed for my body,I had to hit myself on my chest,"Breathe, Rubel,""Breathe,"I coughed, but the oxygen didn't reach the level where I could sustain for long.Did I have a heart attack?Seized my chest, I kneeled in that elevator; I was not able to breathe,Suddenly the door opened, and a man entered the chamber."Mam, are yo
~Rubel~With hurting words in my heart, I left the room.There was nothing to explain from my side. I didn't know why I talked to him like this,"You never fell in love with me? You never felt special about what we had?" He whispered from the back.That cuts me through; I stopped for a moment but didn't turn.What should I say? Yes, I loved you to this level where I allowed you to make a bet on my worth. And how stupid I am, I still love you,"It doesn't matter... my love, my feelings are not more than a hundred dollars worth."I came down, but he didn't stop following me.Once I reached the exit, I saw Anna looking at me and the back.It was hard to control everything.Without any further notice, she dashed towards him."You swine, how could you? How could you hurt her like this," "Ann.., Ann... no... no.."She slapped him.I cupped my mouth with a scare, but Darius's eyes never left my face."Look at me, you bastard,"Ann was yelling at him, and he was gazing at me.I grabbed Anna
~DARIUS~Oh my God, all this time she thought wrong about me?"It was a mistake thinking you could love me for a night when you were in love with Aurora from head to toe,"Her words bombarded my head like canon,All the blood rushed to my head, thinking of how she misunderstood me.I never loved Aurora, never.Damn it,My eyes saw them leaving the hospital.I couldn't stop myself from following them,I saw him going into a tall building, which I am sure would be their house.I wanted to clear everything with her, but is it needed?She was married to him, who was cheating on her.I punched the steering wheel with frustration. All this time, it was a fucking confusion that made her stay away from me.I was processing all these things when I saw Samuel coming down and settling in his car.My curiosity ignited when he called someone; I wanted to follow him and, I did,He drove for the next thirty minutes and stopped in front of an old house, Why the heck did he stop here,Before I could
It's been a week; I saw Darius. Watching him with that girl who could be his wife hurts me. Does that mean he left Aurora and came back to his old girlfriend? I was lost in thoughts when my phone buzzed, "Hey babe, how are you?" "I am good, Ann." "Guess what; I am coming to California," "What?" After I left, Samuel and they accepted their love for each other. Samuel came to California to expand his Youtube channel while Anna was not able to decide how to leave Manhattan. "Yeah, my one-month notice period is going to be over soon." "What? Does that mean you are going to shift here?" She nodded with a wink, "That's cool. Does Samuel know about it?" "No, it's a surprise for him." Max joined the conversation, extending my next meal. "How's the little one?" "Don't ask," I rolled my eyes, "So when are you coming here?" Maz chewed the popcorn, "I am coming in two days; we will visit Samuel at this event." She added, "What event?" "I don't know; he told me he will be aw
~Darius~ I never expected to see Rubel in that shop. How could I? After our last night, I couldn't figure out what triggered her anger to the limit that she left immediately, I was tired of everything, even asking so many times that she didn't want to share anything with me. I thought to give her some time, I waited for a week, but she didn't call me. I thought to visit her, but I was scared, so I asked Max, "Max, do you know where is Rubel," "I am sorry, Darius. But even if I know, I would not tell you," At that moment I wanted to punch him, but then I remembered he was trying to be her best friend who wanted to protect her, "Fine," I decided to call my brother Leo, "I am coming back." I was tired of everything; I knew I came to prove myself, but when dad called me last time, he agreed to let me follow my passion in his company. Well, I thought to give it a shot. I called him back and agreed to work in our family business. Everything settled down. Leonardo married K
Seven months later "The baby is healthy," the doctor smiled while she gave me another pair of my sonography pictures. "I am sorry, doctor, I used to ask for these pictures every time," She smiled, keeping the cold gel on my belly, "I understand, Rubel, it's a beautiful journey, and I know how you are going to put it in an album," I looked at Liam and Max; they were there on my every visit. Liam shifted his law firm to California just because I wanted to stay here, Max quit his job to take care of me. They pecked a kiss on my head, "Thank you for doing this for us." It's like I heard billion times how thankful they were to me for accepting being their surrogate, "You have to be careful, Rubel. No stress, stay positive, listen to the good things," The same old things my doctor used to tell me, I nodded and saw Liam taking notes to instruct Max. Max wiped my belly and helped me to stand up. "Woah..." I felt a kick, "What? Are you alright?" Liam asked, "Yes, Liam, I am f
As Samuel, Anna, and Max waited outside, Liam settled in front of me. "What happened, Liam?" I asked softly. He pressed his lips together as something was resisting inside him. "I want you to be our surrogate mother." What? I furrowed my brows, trying to figure out more about it. Did I hear it right, a surrogate mother? "Ru... I know I am asking a big thing from you, but..." He held my hand, "Max and I want to become parents, and we were looking for a mother. You know how people judge and it's hard..." I listened to him, still processing the information in my mind. "But.." "I heard your answer when you talked to Max, and honestly, it touched me when you expressed your feeling of becoming a mother. The way you said, it's a blessing, and the woman who would help us would be a blessed one. I want you, I want you to carry our child," Tears filled in his eyes. "Liam, Yes, it's a blessing to become a mother and develop a life inside you, but I don't think I am ready for this." I
~RUBEL~ There was something different, different from my usual mornings. What should I say; I felt complete. When I opened my eyes, I was not in my place but a familiar one. The hair on the back of my neck stood up when a cold blow touched it, a hand wrapping my waist pulling me close. Darius. "Did I?" I looked at my body which was not covered with my clothes. Did we have sex? Like actual sex? Did I confess something? I lifted his hand gently, turned towards him. My lipstick on his cheeks and bite marks on his shoulder, I cupped my mouth immediately, Shit. But whatever it was, it worked as a healing moment on my aching soul. For the last few days, I wanted to meet him, and now he is in my arms, and sure we did something because I am feeling something down there. Slowly I got up and saw bloodstains. Nervous? Yes, I am not a virgin anymore. Happy tears came to me, I wanted to kiss him with excitement, but I controlled myself. I had sex with the man I love, not with any ra
I thought we would stay in a lodge, but Darius being Darius, booked a well-reputed hotel on the way. We went to our room, and there he settled our stuff and made me sit on the couch. My dress was ripped and my thighs were covered in mud and scratches. I wanted to scream, wanted to cry my lungs out, and excused myself. "I will..." he nodded with a thin smile, As I entered the bathroom, I looked at myself in the mirror. My perfect liner smudged all over my eyes; my trembled lips were swollen; Lifted my hand gently to caress my skin, and a lone tear fell on my hand. It was not the pain; it was Landon's betrayal. I couldn't believe I trusted a monster. My thighs were hurting as his bite marks made me limp a bit, I grabbed a tissue to fix my makeup and my lipstick. How could I fix myself? The moment was miserable; the pain was unbearable. I grabbed another tissue to wipe the smudged kohl, but it didn't help either. Toiletries fell from the rack, I was drunk, and everything was
Safe Arms I came back as Samantha's next plan was to see a movie. Although I was tired, I stayed because Landon wanted to see it. As the movie finished, all entered their room, except me. "Are you coming?" "Yes, in some time. You go ahead," I smiled, Landon left me there, I walked to grab some sips, but my eyes landed on a figure standing near the lamp post; it was none other than Aoife. "What is she doing here? It's late," I muttered, I thought to ask her, but there, Xander came and rested his jacket on her, "Wow," They talked about something, but it was clearly visible how much they were in love with each other. She tried to get away, but he stopped her. Girl, you are in love with him, Looking at them my eyes filled with happy tears, "Aoife, you got true love," I whispered, He loves her, maybe scared to tell her. I felt somebody was standing next to me, Landon. I rested my head on his shoulder, "They are in love." "He loves her; look at that, Landon." "Why is lo
The bus ride made me nauseated; I felt I was stuck in a closed room with no supply of oxygen, "How long?" "Why, what happened? Are you not feeling good?" Landon grabbed my hand, "No, I am feeling..." how to tell him, "Nothing, I want to sleep." I closed my eyes, but the noise coming from the side was enough to disturb me; Samantha was laughing at Darius's jokes. Angrily, I stood. "Where are you going?" "Nothing, I need quiet." I stared at Darius. "But..." Without further notice, I went to the back seat and slept. After some time, I blinked my eyes and snuggled on my cozy pillow. Wait, I was not in the bedroom; I was on the bus the last time I closed my eyes. But why does it feel so cozy? The same cologne, who always made me happy. I flutter my eyes as my eyes landed, on the front seats, Landon laughed with Samantha, then who was sitting next to me? No, no, I took a deep breath, thinking my thoughts could be wrong. I looked up, where that perfect jawline caught my att