Selene's POV. "He said that?" Julie asked in a bewildered tone as she cleaned the tabletop in front of her."Of course you did, why do you think I'm angry?" I responded before picking up a dishcloth. For the past few days, my anger knew no bounds and the only way I could express it was to go out to meet my friend, Julie. She was even closer than Lily because I was the one having to babysit such a grown woman simply because she couldn't keep herself in check and now I had to waste my time trying to do a lot just to appease her. She hadn't been picking up my calls, making things even worse. Sometimes I wondered how I was able to get in contact with such a person who wasn't interested in self-development and would rather wallow in discussing issues that didn't pertain to any of our growth. "I don't think he meant anything bad," she began before shaking her head when she realized that she had probably stepped on my nerves around I was not going to respond in a way she like. "I'm only s
Jakob's POV.I watched the time religiously like I had an appointment when I was only waiting for Selene to return from wherever she went. I didn't understand why a person would stay so long outside especially when they knew that there was so much at stake. She was almost robbed a few days ago yet that didn't deter her from painting the town red. I would never understand how some people reasoned. I knew that my words had hurt her, and she had maintained her distance, which I wasn't quite happy with. My mouth was going to land me in trouble one of these days and I knew that for a fact. Funnily enough, I hated the silence; how was I supposed to cope with not having anyone to disturb or try to make me feel lesser than myself? She had a way of getting under my skin and I was hoping that she returned as soon as possible. My phone rang, to my surprise, because I had caused everyone not to be able to reach me except her. "Yeah?""I'm sorry to disturb you, sir. I wanted to inform you that
Selene's POV. "I know right? She is not going to like this especially when she wakes up. I can almost see her eyes rolling in fear when she discovers that..." My eyes fluttered open so that I could get to know those guys who were talking especially in my ear. I saw Julie standing in my room but to my surprise, Jakob was also in his wheelchair, staring at me. "Why is everyone looking at me like I am a ghost?" I asked defensively. Julie's eyes sparkled with mystery and I found myself backing up. What had these two been planning behind my back? I knew that my friend was the most stable person I had in my life right now, but it didn't still stop me from thinking that she might have suddenly abandoned her brain, and that's why she was here with my supposed husband. "I guess this is my cue to leave. Have a nice day, Julie." Jakob responded, making me shake my head in shock. I would never have expected that both of them would suddenly become best of friends. When did this happen and I wa
Jakob's POV.I smiled when I heard the sound of footsteps descending the stairs. I hope she had finally finished berating her friend for calling me when she was in need. That lady had so much spine, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Why the hell was I even thinking about her when I had so many important messages to attend to? Discussing with her friend overnight was going to tell on me today but that was the only way I could also catch a glimpse into her life besides what she had shown me. The footsteps stopped right in front of me, making me raise my head pretending that I had noticed her. "Good morning," Selene said in a soft voice making me squint. Had I mistakenly stepped into an alternate universe where she of old people decided to be sweet to me, especially in the morning after her friend had discussed so many things with me? "Good morning, how did you sleep?" I couldn't help but ask I pretended to stare into her face but freaking hell, she was hot this morning, not eve
Selene's POV.I noticed a pair of eyes on me and looked up right in time just to see him averting his gaze. "If I didn't know better, I would think that you are impressed by me." I joked, watching him roll his eyes yet not still speaking. I didn't know why Julie had ever imagined that this tactic was going to work out. She had promised that it was fail-proof and that she had encouraged a lot of people who had ended up getting men eating out of the palms of their hands. I didn't think it was going to be so in Jakob's case. I knew that calling him my husband irritated him but he was only trying to be as civil as possible. "If I didn't know better, I would think that you have a degree in accounting and have a great eye for detail." He retorted, suddenly sucking the playful atmosphere. Refusing to be deterred, according to Julie's infamous words. 'if you want him to notice you, then you have to do something that no other person has.' I raised an eyebrow; he was goading me just to be
Selene's POV.I jumped apart from Jakob who rolled his eyes at his father's voice. "Who would have thought that you would come to visit your crippled son without being forced to? I'm pretty sure that you're not here for me you're only here to see if my wife has disappeared." He said with anger and sarcasm dripping from his voice. I needed no soothsayer to inform me what was going on. He probably had a fight with his parents concerning this marriage, just as I had done, and now was trying to return to the normal state."Son, how incorrect can you be? I came to felicitate with my lovely daughter-in-law. You, of all people, wouldn't ask me not to do that, would you?" His mother piped up.I glanced at the lovely woman. She was beautiful for her age. I could see where Jacob got his handsomeness from even though I was never going to admit it. "Hi darling, your husband can be a pain in the butt sometimes but I guess we just have to make excuses for people we love, don't we, dear?" She aske
Selene's POV."What do you mean by he lashed out at you when you're not the cause of his problems? You can be a handful, but that's not an excuse for him to do that, especially when you are trying your best to be helpful to him. Do you need me to come talk to him?" She asked, her voice taking an annoyed tilt. "You know knock some sense into him? He can't keep pushing people away because he has an ailment." I rolled my eyes, "I am seriously at wit and with that man. He is impermeable. It's almost as though I have offended him right from the start and now was the best time for him to unleash whatever ire he had to dish out. I know that he might be hurting but that doesn't give him the right to treat me like a gum under his shoes.""I feel ya, babe." "Are you sure you feel me, or are you just telling me this to make me happy?" Julie burst into laughter, shaking her head slightly as she assembled the cups. "I have different approaches for this situation but I don't know your state of m
Jakob's POV.I didn't think that loneliness could become second nature but the walls seemed to lack life because the person who was supposed to bring it was absent. Martha knocked on my door twice but I refused to let her in. I wasn't hungry, especially for homemade meals. I just wanted to be left alone for a long time. Selene had not told me that she wouldn't be coming home tonight.I hoped she wasn't out there drinking and doing something stupid expecting me to come bail her out. I was going to end up saying something that I would regret, and quite frankly, I didn't want to get on her bad side, especially after how she stood up for me to my parents. My parents had left when they realized that she hadn't come downstairs to have that conversation they eagerly wanted her to have with them. This is one of the things I liked about her. Liked? That's an overstretch! I wasn't supposed to see any reason to like about her.Maybe it was just boredom dealing with me at its peak. I brought o
Epilogue(Author’s pov) The afternoon sun streamed through the windows, casting golden lights across the room. Selene sat on the bed, her laptop was open and her fingers flew over the keys as she responded to emails. Her work demanded her attention too much these days, but it was difficult to concentrate when Ethan was running around the house like a whirlwind. The little boy had energy that never seemed to run out. He kicked his small red ball against the walls and let out triumphant cheers when it bounced back, then ran after it with wild excitement. Selene had gotten the ball for him on his 3rd birthday and ever since, the boy had turned it into his companion and his father hadn’t stopped talking about how he was going to be the best football player in the world. His tiny feet thudded against the floor and along with his squeals of excitement, Selene was frustrated. She didn’t know how else to caution him and had already gotten tired. "Ethan, slow down!" Selene called, he
Selene’s Pov; I kept hearing voices, some were familiar and others, unfamiliar, but what enraged me was that I couldn’t tell whom the voices belonged to. My eyes fluttered open slowly after a while and I blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to the blinding light in the room. The room was unfamiliar and I glanced around, trying to recall how I got here. The ceiling glowed with the harsh fluorescent light. The sharp scent of antiseptic burned my nose, the rhythmic beeping of a monitor filled the silence around me and my body ached, as if I had been torn apart and stitched back together. I tried to move but my legs didn’t respond and panic rose to my chest. I sucked in a sharp breath, my hands moving to my thighs. My fingers trembled as they pressed against my thighs and then my knees, nothing. No sensation, no movement. Nothing at all! A strangled noise escaped my throat as I tried again, harder this time, but my legs remained dead weight beneath me. No, no, no. My heart slammed
Author’s Pov; Logan glanced around quickly, his breath came in ragged gasps as he sprinted through the prison corridor. His palms were slick with sweat, and his heart raced, but that didn’t stop him. This was his moment. This was the perfect opportunity and this time, he was going to ensure that he was successful. But fate had other plans for him.Just as he reached the gates, someone yanked him back. "Going somewhere?" The warden’s voice was taunting. He had been watching the man and knew that he was up to no good. Turns out he was right. Logan gritted his teeth, trying to pull himself out of the man’s grip, but it was useless. Within seconds, two more guards tackled him to the ground, pressing his face into the cold floor. "Son of…" Logan growled, struggling against their grip. "Shut it," one of the guards barked, twisting Logan’s arms painfully behind his back. "You really thought you could buy your way out this time?" Logan chuckled darkly, despite the pain. "Do you ev
Selene's POV The doors opened, and the soft melody of the piano filled the small chapel. My heart pounded so hard I thought everyone could hear it. I took a deep breath, but it didn’t help much. My hands felt empty without someone holding them. I had dreamed of this day since I was a little girl, but in those dreams, I never imagined walking down the aisle alone. I had imagined my father to be the one ushering me down the aisle in my glistering and beautiful wedding gown and then into the hands of my husband but I guessed everything happens for a reason. I gripped my bouquet tighter and took my first step. My mother sat in the front row, smiling at me with teary eyes. Jakob’s parents sat beside her, their faces warm and kind. Martha gave me a thumbs-up. Sean nodded, his face serious, but I knew he was happy for me. Julie was grinning, whispering something to her boyfriend, everyone looked at me with love and support, but the empty space beside me was too loud, I was not supposed
Author's POV Two weeks had gone past since they returned to the country. It had been a hard time, keeping memories of sorrow; joy, however, was to remain valid for this night. Jakob and Selene’s parents sat together for dinner, sharing laughter and memories in a great camaraderie of friendship. Summer warm, one could hear names and clinking of glasses and rejoicings. Jakob surveyed the table. He breathed in once. “I want to say something, there is something very important I would like to say.” The attention of the room shifted to him. Selene appeared sweetly and placed her hand on his. He lifted his glass. “But before I say what I have to say, first of all let us take this toast,” he paused as they all took their glass of wine, " To family.” “To family!” Everyone chimed in and raised their glasses. Jakob looked on smiling. “I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for all of you. You have been my backbone, my strength. You pulled me out of the deep waters. Selene’s father..” J
Author's POV Mia planted herself on the cold bench within the jail cell and tapped her fingers against the metallic bars, letting out a huffed breath as she pulled out the tiny phone she had hidden in her pocket and moved her fingers quickly to dial Jacob's number. She needed to act fast before the prison guards on duty came to check on her and caught her, being without a phone was the worst thing that could ever happen to her in this cruel place. She cleared her throat and she mentally went on the words she was going to say to Jakob. The phone rang: once, twice, three times, and then he finally picked up, his voice barely above a whisper. "What do you want, Mia? How were you able to call me anyways?" She swallowed hard, pressing the phone closer. "Jakob, listen, I don't have much time so you have to listen to me attentively. I need you to get me out of here." Silence. Then a small chuckle. "You need me to do what?" Mia clenched her teeth. "Bail me out, Jakob! I shouldn't b
Selene's POV The TV had been on for some time, but my focus had wandered off entirely. My mind had been busy wandering amidst all the things I had to do when my name rang a bell.I blinked."Selene Carter’s art collection is making waves throughout the industry!" said the host, announcing. "People are talking, and the demand to see the owner herself is growing loud."I froze.Jakob must have been scrolling through his phone. "Did they just say your name?"I nodded slowly. "I think so."Jakob raised the volume. The host continued: "Collectors and critics are raving about the unique style, and emotion behind every piece. The name Selene Carter is being whispered about in art circles, and they want to know who she is?"My phone buzzed again, and a notification popped up, someone had mentioned me in a tweet."Where is Selene Carter? We need to see her! #ArtGenius #Masterpiece."Another tweet appeared."This woman’s art speaks to my soul. Who is she? Someone tell me!"I swallowed. This co
Jakob POV I breathed out the moment the plane touched down. It was a lengthy flight. Selene shifted beside me, stretching her arms. She didn't look at me, nor had she for most of the flight. I cared little, not my problem anymore. "We're here," I said, unbuckling my seatbelt. She sighed. "Yeah, we are here finally. The journey for me is so tiring, I need a cool bath and a soft bed to lay on." "Hmm,” I hummed, nodding in agreement to what she wanted. We got our bags and walked out from the plane. The airport was teeming with people; I barely noticed. My eyes straight went to the front where our parents stood awaiting, they spotted us instantly. My mother waved cheerily, and my father grinned beside her. Selene's mother stood there, too, blood-shot but relieved. I expected just a simple greeting, maybe some hugs but as soon as we stepped closer, laughter broke out. My parents were laughing so hard I had to blink, "What's so funny? Is there something on us or did we do something
Jakob's POV. At this point I knew that I was in for some huge ride and I needed to prepare myself for the reality of the situation. This was absurd for me to say the least, but even at that I was only hoping that I will be able to do what I should. Sometimes I wonder why I bothered myself so much with her situation when I should have been able to decipher that she didn't think of me in such a manner. It was more like a thing of convenience for her and even though I didn't want to accept it I guess I found myself doing that already. It didn't mean that I loved it, but I had no choice. "She was going to fight tooth and nail just to have her freedom, or what she considered freedom and I needed to be wise about fighting someone like this. It almost never ended well. I picked up my phone and called my friend. He was the only one who could tell me the truth without hiding. "I need your help because I think I am running mad. I need your help because this woman is about to make me into som