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CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
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Falling Just as Hard CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
OLIVIAAll my life people have always said demeaning things to me because I had no family but never has anyone said it so plainly to my face. That I wasn’t worthy.The others at least had the decency to whisper it behind my back.I never asked for this kind of life. I didn’t choose to have no family, or anyone to call me home. All I ever wanted in life was the one thing that was denied right since I was a child.The ability to belong to a family, to experience the warmness of that bond. To feel the love of a father and to be held by a mother who cared for you but than herself.It had been though growing a thick skin and paying what others said no mind. No one wanted to be friends with me, like having no parents or siblings was my fault.Going from one orphanage to the other as a kid was enough to scar me a lifetime. To think that were people who judged me for something I had no control over.“So having a family or not is what determines your worth to other people?” I ask in a heated t
Falling Just as Hard CHAPTER TWENY-NINE
OLIVIAIt was a complete bluff saying that I won’t see Jake, that much is certain when I find my way back to the apartment.Maybe it was a coincidence that the building he had left me in was around the corner. I take bold steps towards his building, telling myself that I was here just for answers and to take a few necessities from my room.How do I face him after knowing all that he has done? I wonder if he’ll try to deny it in my face or act all natural like what he did wasn’t a big deal. It wouldn’t be to him anyway, stealing girls’ heart must come to him so naturally.Even as I pound up the stairs I fought with myself if what I was doing was right. If confronting him would be okay or if it would only end up hurting me the more.I pause when I’m halfway through the stairs and try to talk myself out of seeing him. There’s a huge possibility that he was with his newly wedded wife at the moment and I might be interrupting something pretty intimate between them.They got married hours a
Falling Just as Hard CHAPTER THIRTY
OLIVIAThis is the first time ever that I’m seeing twinkling stars. I hate it but it does not look nor feel pretty.My head hurts like I’ve been crushed by a giant truck and left on the floor to die for good. It makes me remember when Jake had hit me with his car, which led to the beginning of our contract.I lay on the cold hard ground and let the exhaustion I feel weigh my bones further down. I was at a big disadvantage. It was one weak female against four boys that are mostly likely not sober.A hiss escape my lips when I try to open my eyes. It hurt like hell and it wasn’t even where I’d been hit.With my right hand pressed to the ground I push myself up, wheezing when I stumble and fall.One of them search my pockets of my gown and pulls my hair when his hand comes up empty.“If I had any money I wouldn’t be here in the first place,” I tell him whilst trying to loosen his hold on my hair. It would be a miracle if I don’t end up bald this night.“Looks like you have a smart mouth
Falling Just as Hard CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
OLIVIA It takes me more than a minute to process what he just said and when I do I look at him in disbelief. I point at myself then at him. “You want me to follow you home?” I ask slowly so he easily understands what I’m asking. It’s not like he’s asking me for a walk through the park. Or for coffee, brunch, even dinner. “Yes, but please don’t take it the wrong way.”I laugh because it’s the most nonsense I’ve heard in a while. How the hell am I not supposed to take it the wrong way? “Do you always ask girls that you saved from creeps at bus stations to follow you home?” I know I’ve asked the wrong thing this time when he flinches before answering. “Might be hard to believe but no, I don’t usually take strangers back to my home,” he speaks to me like he’s growing impatient. Well, I have all the time in the world because I currently do not have a destination. “Hello,” I say with a little sarcastic wave. “In case you forgot, I’m a stranger too.” “There’s just something about you t
Falling Just as Hard CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
OLIVIAI had turned down dinner with him because it felt too much, he was doing way more than I thought it would and it bothered me. Being indebted to him for staying the house in his place was more than enough for me. Making me dinner was something too much to handle, and I don’t want to fill like I’m owing him so much. Soon I’ll think of how to leave here and start over on my own. I can’t stay with him forever, nor do I intend to. That would be mooching off him and I don’t do that. Not when it was what Jake’s father had actively accused me of doing to Jake. I need to be my own person now and not depend on others. I had only myself now. I let my back hit the door from the position on the floor. Hearing him walk away from my door when I turned down dinner hurt even when it should not. I’ve only known him a couple hours and he was walking me feel this way. My stomach hurts like hell for being empty for too long but it was a small price to pay for having a roof over my head right no
Falling Just as Hard CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
OLIVIAHe stands there transfixed, trying to understand what I was talking about. I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose in order to gather myself. I point behind me. “Your parents, they’re in there. And your mother is somehow convinced that I’m your secret girlfriend that you’ve been keeping away from here.” The laughter that engulfs him lets me know that this was a normal behaviour for her. Which would make sense because Mac told me of how she was always trying to set him up with different girls. “I’m sorry you had to go through that. My mother can be a lot especially when it’s something that concerns me.” He steps through the threshold and dumps his gym bag at the door, probably to clean it up before keeping it where it’s supposed to be. “It’s fine,” I say from behind him as we walk to the kitchen. “She’s a lovely one.” And he should be happy to have someone like her as a mother. I didn’t have anyone to encourage me to date girls or anything. There was no one urging me to go ou
Falling Just as Hard CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
OLIVIA Of course I had to work for sweet old Rachel. I can only call her that in my head because she looks like she’ll really bite my head off if I so much as suggest her growing age. It’s obvious she takes a great care of herself from how she still looks younger than the age I estimated for her in my head. Happiness can do that you, I muse. It had this way of brightening up your day and everything that is around you. It made your heart lighter and less full with worries. Watching Mac and his family together made me appreciate the love hey so obviously shared between themselves. But it also made me wonder if my family could have been like this if we ended up together. Or would we have been one of those viscous ones that looked for how to bring each other down at any slightest turn. My bet was on the latter. A couple filled with love like Rachel and Peter would never abandon their child, ever, no matter the circumstances. I must have been something vile when they had given birth
Falling Just as Hard CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
OLIVIA We spent more time after we did the dishes before Rachel announced that they had to drop in and visit an old friend whose daughter had just put to bed the previous week. She was so excited that you’d think it was her daughter that gave birth. “That’s how she is,” Mac explained as we walked them to the door. “She gets so happy when she sees children.” “Do you have other siblings? You guys must be many,” I say but his expression turns dark before he forces himself to smile again. “No, it’s just me.” He moves forward and opens the door for them. It’s pretty obvious that there’s a story there, why a woman who loves children has just one child would be a sad story. “Olivia darling, I’m going to miss you,” she says and pulls me into a hug. “You can get my number from Mac, make sure to call me so we can put the final details on your job.” She pulls away from the hug but doesn’t let go of my hand. “When do you want to start? Next week okay for you?”I shake my head. “I’d like to s
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Falling Just as Hard Chapter 80
It’s not the strong hospital smell that wakes me up or the warm hand on my cheek. But the twinge of pain that starts in my lower abdomen and spreads to my entire stomach. The first word I say is, “Jake,” followed by a sharp gasp. I hold the side of the bed tight and try to will the pain away. But the more I try to act like it’s not there, the more it eats me up from the inside out. Something warm touches my head at the same time I hear a faint voice ask, “Where are you hurt?” I’m in so much pain that I don’t jump with glee when Drew’s worried face comes into my line of sight. He’s alive but my brain is trying to process what’s wrong with me first. It’s a blood shattering battle. “The doctor-” I gasp, “Call the doctor. Oh my God Jake,” I clutch my stomach, bending over to try and ease the contraction that I’m feeling in there. My baby better be alright, he has to be. Drew removes the needles in his arm when he processes what is happening and leaves the room to get t
Falling Just as Hard Chapter 79
I’ve been paranoid since the meeting with Father, if Drew notices he doesn’t comment on it or ask any questions. . I sigh for the tenth time since we drove out of the house. I know Drew is being patient but with the way he’s tapping his fingers against the wheel I know he’s dying to ask me what happened during the meeting. It’s not like I’m hiding it from him, I’m just waiting till I’m sure what exactly is going on with Sherp till I tell him. There are so many questions that I’m afraid of what the answers will be. The first will be if Sherp has been working for Father the whole time he knew me, which from what Father said I think is the case. Still, he could’ve easily exposed my identity from the very beginning but he didn’t. I need to know what his game is in order to access this situation properly. I mean he gave me the very explosives I used to blow up the boat, why would he do that if he was working for Father? Most importantly, why is he helping Father look fo
Falling Just as Hard Chapter 78
Skipping dinner seemed like the best thing to do when we got home. After our make out in the office, I’ve not been able to look Drew in the eye.The smile on his face hasn’t left ever since and I’m worried he thinks we’re much more than a fake couple now.I can’t deny that what happened is the only sunshine I’ve had in my life since learning that I’ll be having Jake.It’s part of the reason I’m scared to think so much about it. I’m not ready to put a name or tag on how we both feel.My only mistake was skipping out on dinner and turning in early so I wouldn’t have to talk to him. Now I’m lying down wide awake because the hunger gnawing at me won’t let me sleep.I watch the rise and fall of Drew’s chest as he sleeps before slipping out of the bed. I’m careful not to wake him on my way out, carefully navigating through the dark room.When I make it to the stairs I almost leap in joy. Food at last. I take the stairs two at a time and run to the kitchen when I’m down.I cry out in relief
Falling Just as Hard Chapter 77
I don’t come downstairs until the doorbell rings. I’ve done a pretty good job of avoiding Jenny and now I was going to risk running into her. The entire house is quiet when I come down, she must be taking a nap. For some reason I tiptoe to the door and stifle a startle when I open the door to a rather grumpy looking Dr. Shelby. All since I’ve known him, he was always smiling, patient. There was this airiness that surrounded him, it always made you feel at ease with him. But all that is left now are deep frown lines on his face and I hate to be the reason for it. “How did you think drinking while being pregnant was a good idea?” he asks the moment he steps past the threshold. “Why keep a child you’re not going to take proper care of?” My breath seizes in my lung. With a slight tilt to my head I study his expression. His eyes are accusing as he glares at me. This right here is not Dr. Shelby. Someone has taken him and put in place this angry version that I’m not used to.
Falling Just as Hard Chapter 76
There’s a soft touch on my shoulder and I look up to see Drew’s worried eyes. He raises his brow asking if I’m okay and I nod. Daisy shakes in my arms, the sleeve of my gown stained with her tears. The meeting should go on but I also can’t leave her in this state when I’m the primary reason she has to go through this grief. “Let me take you home,” I whisper to her. The meeting can always wait, but for now I need to calm her down and make sure she’s okay so she doesn’t hurt herself. She nods into my shoulder. I turn to Drew, “Can you take over the meeting, I’ll take her home now,” I tell him. “Why? Everyone has agreed to you being the new chairman, so you have to finish up. And with Daisy we can’t risk them changing their mind” he whispers to me. I shake my head. “Her feelings right now are more important. You can explain the situation to them and have them vote now. They’ll understand why I have to leave right away,” I say. Daisy is already trembling from c
Falling Just as Hard Chapter 75
Never did I think I’d be back here, in this soulless city that has had nothing but pain to offer me. But here I am, sitting in Drew’s passenger seat with the window down. There’s a random song playing on the radio that fills the silence dwelling between us. I’m grateful for it because after the tense conversation we had, we both needed to process our thoughts. I have to think of myself as Cassie now, I need to slowly immerse myself into her persona. Above all, I have to become her for this irrational plan of mine to work. “Aren’t you cold, the window has been down for so long,” Drew says, his attention still on the road. “Oh, I didn’t realize,” I reply. My body chooses that exact moment to shiver. I don’t miss the smile on Drew’s lips. “What were you thinking so much about?” he asks. I twist slightly to him. “You said you want nothing to do with the company…” I start. His short laugh is nervous, “Yes?” “But I have no idea how to actually run the company
Falling Just as Hard Chapter 74
Everyday that I see the sun rise is torture to my soul. Every morning that I wake up without Don by my side, tears my heart into a million pieces. I don’t know where life ends and where death starts. They’ve both become the same to me. It has made me prisoner in this dark perilous place called my mind. I sit by the window every night and wait for a dawn that never breaks, but that even is too much to ask. This is my own hell. This is my own home. There’s nothing on the news about the explosion. If I hadn’t been there myself I wouldn’t even believe that it happened. No bodies have been found. That is both my hope and my nightmare. Two long months of emptiness and guilt, that is my punishment. What if he’s really gone? What if he didn’t survive? No one could be alive and stay hidden for that long. What if he’s out there looking for me? I deflate. The chances are unlikely, especially after the way we parted. I should have held onto him a little longer, laced his f
Falling Just as Hard Chapter 73
Something was wrong, even a blind man could see it from miles away. I listened through the entire meeting but barely heard a word. They talked mostly about shares and opening another branch in some city I didn’t catch the name. My eyes shifted to the jot pad Car had left on the table, his handwriting had to be the ugliest thing in the world as I scanned over what he had written. He was my assistant, but it felt like he was more, like I should care for him. The meeting was barely over when I stood up from the meeting and left. I went straight to the restroom, sure that a clue to whatever was wrong with him would be there. I went straight to the waste bin that was at the far end of the restroom. Lying at the bottom was a rumpled toilet paper that was stained with blood, and lots of it. There was a sudden panic as I closed the lid, there was something going on with him but what if it was something that wasn’t entirely my business. It was clear he was sick, but sick w
Falling Just as Hard Chapter 72
His lips. They tormented me more than my father. The things I had felt in those few seconds always rattled my heart and made butterflies flutter in my stomach. But then I always remembered, his panic-stricken face after and the fact that he hated me, just like they all did. “I’m sorry” I said as I detangled myself from him and stood straighter, adjusting my tie in the process. He said nothing. He didn’t even acknowledge the fall or the awkward moment his arms had been wrapped around me. Maybe he did this often, letting his male personal assistants fall into his arms. It hit me then! A scandal, Don involved with his male assistant, a gay relationship. It would ruin a respectable family like his. The doors dinged when we got to the ground floor. I walked after him making sure to put a decent space between us. I’ll rather fall on my butt than into his hands again. A black sleek limousine was already waiting when we got out of the building, the other staff glaring daggers a
