“Flashback (2 Years Ago)”It was a simpler time for Faith. She had a pretty average life two years ago. She was going to college. She had her family around. She had her friends. She just started working and started becoming more financially independent. She was prioritizing her future. She was doing everything a twenty-year-old does. What she didn’t know was that something else was being prepared for her future. She didn’t know how catastrophic everything was going to become in just two years. People were already keeping an eye on her. They were stewing the worse possible future for her, and one of those people was no one other than Mateo. “Urgh, Mr. Lopez is going to give me grey hair! I can’t keep up with his assignments anymore!” Lara, one of Faith’s university mates, complained. Faith chuckled and playfully hit Lara on the back of her head with her book. “Be thankful, at least he does negative mark your projects unlike Mrs. Wilson – urgh!” Faith rolled her eyes. Lara chuckled,
Any normal human, who is meeting their long-lost sibling for the first, would start with questions such as; How was your childhood? What have you studied? What do you do? How was your relationship with your other siblings and parents? But what is normal about Faith’s life that she gets to ask such mediocre and bonding questions to her elder brother? Nothing…Instead, Faith had other questions, which would petrify any ordinary person – such as: What does the Bianchi family does? What is the story of Zeta and Dante? Who does Kai think is trying to kill Faith? Why is Mateo not trusted by Kai? How well does Kai know Mateo? Where is Aldo hiding? Is he even alive? Who sent Ethan after her? And everything about murders, betrayal, revenge, and crimes. Never did she think, her life would revolve around the factor that she hates the most – violence. Faith slowly blinked as she looked out of the window wall – her eyes fixed on the orange sky. It has been hours since Faith came to see Kai. The n
Faith let out a gasp as Mateo pulled her closer to him. Her body flushed against his. She is wearing an old loose t-shirt with cotton shorts underneath it, while Mateo was dressed in a plain white shirt that fitted perfectly on his body with grey sweatpants. Both of them were dressed to sleep. Mateo’s hand clutched the fabric of her shirt from behind – tugging it along with him, while Faith had one of her hand on the nape of his neck while the other one was on his back – her fingers dug into his back. Mateo tugged her lower lip in between his teeth making her shudder in his hold. Faith pushed herself closer to him. She didn’t think her first kiss with Mateo would be so intense, not that she minded. She didn’t know what went through his mind to show up at her door after midnight and kiss her like this, but she isn’t complaining. Mateo tastes like mint and whiskey. She finds this odd combination alluring for some reason. Mateo once again pulled her to his even when there was no space
“Are you okay, Faith?” Steven gently asked. Faith swallowed the lump in her throat, “No,” She whispered. How could she be okay after what information Steven just got for her? She was surprised when Kai informed Faith that Mateo’s assistant is here to see her. She remembers Mateo mentioning him when she asked him to look into her father’s phone records. She didn’t think Mateo will go through it now that he banished her from his life, but here is his assistant – giving her the most absurd news she could ever receive. Ethan is her father’s son. How is that possible? How could it be? She wasn’t willing to accept it, and she wouldn’t have if Steven didn’t come with all the proofs. Ethan’s birth certificate had Howard’s name as his father, not just that there was a paternity test that proved that Ethan is Howard’s son. Faith didn’t think she would get more shocks in her life, but she was wrong. And this one just shook her to her very core. Steven fixed his glasses by pushing them by the
270 missed calls, and 780 unread messages… After Faith returned to Kai’s penthouse, she switched on her old phone to be welcomed by a load of unread messages and unanswered calls. Some of them were from her old workplace, and some of them were from her friends – they all stopped trying to reach her after a while, but there was one person, who didn’t give up. Elijah. The last message Elijiah left for her was a few days ago. In every message he sent her, he is worried about her. In some messages, he expressed how much he misses her. In other messages, he is scared for her. Faith’s eyes watered as she read his messages. Her heart fluttered in her chest. There was at least someone who was missing her, who cared for her. After a long time, Faith felt like there was someone for her. She gulped and decided to answer Elijah back. She needed to talk to someone, maybe it was meant to be him all this time. Her heart is heavy. She needed a shoulder to cry on. So, she wrote him back. Faith to E
Elijah to Faith: I was so scared. I thought something happened to you. Where is this cousin of yours live? Is it okay if I drop by? I want to see you. It has been so long...Elijah and Faith have been exchanging text messages all day long. Of course, Faith didn't tell him the truth. She lied to him about her situation and said she is staying with her extended family. She told him that Kai is a cousin, and she is currently living with him. She did apologize for disappearing. She told him, she needed some time alone. Elijah bought it, but now he is asking her to meet him, and Faith doesn't know how to tell him that she can't leave the house unsupervised. There is another reason why Faith is reluctant to meet him, she doesn't want Elijah to get into trouble. If she is seen with Elijah, he might become her enemy's target as well. Faith doesn't know how to explain this to him."Urghh, I have to stall him again. I can't let him come here!" Faith groaned and laid back on her bed. While looki
“Can we please forget I said that? It is embarrassing enough that it happened, I don’t want to recall it too.” Faith spoke while covering her face with her hands. She can’t believe she spewed the details so impulsively. Piper and Blaire shared a glance before Blaire nodded her head, “Okay,” She muttered before she sat on the bed beside Faith, “Just one question, though.” She spoke. Faith heaved a sigh and uncovered her face and looked at Blaire. Blaire continued, “Earlier, were you talking about stalling Mateo?” She asked. Faith exhaled and lift herself to her elbows and shook her head, “No, I was talking about a – friend,” She replied slowly. Piper narrowed her eyes, “Just friend?” She asked.Faith glanced at both women looking at her curiously. She blew her cheeks and sat straight, “We once dated.” She muttered, “But, now we are just friends.” She added. Piper and Blaire shared a glance and smirked. Before either one of them could say anything, Faith waved her hand dismissively,
That sinking feeling that makes one feel heavy – so heavy that turning into weightless fog seems like an easy escape, that’s how Faith feels when she came face to face with Mateo. The kiss, the rejection, the pain, the embarrassment – all rushed back to her the second her eyes met Mateo. She gulped and quickly avert them. She fidgets her fingers while looking everywhere but the man, who doesn’t have any plans of doing the same as her. Unlike her, he kept his eyes fixed on Faith.“So, how does this work?” Blaire asked – looking from Mateo to Kai. In the living room of Kai’s penthouse, he and Mateo sat on different couches. While Mateo was closer to his team, Kai was sitting at a distance – he doesn’t like to get too close to people and with so many people present in his living room – it was getting hard for him to stay in the room. Piper noticed Kai’s ill at ease, but she didn’t comment nor did she make a move to make him feel better because she doesn’t know how to do it without sendi
A good day came months after. The people of the village finally got their freedom. When that happened, week-long celebrations were held at the village, and all of them were invited, especially, Faith, Mateo, and Kai. It was a joyous occasion. Even when everyone was dreading back where they all spend the worst days of their lives, of course, they went anyway. Hesitant at first, everyone had a great time. Faith had never seen the people of the village have such a festive spirit. It was truly a beautiful week. Faith spends most of her time with her grandmother, Kami, and his family. Benji didn’t want to go with them, but when Kami asked – he couldn’t say no. Lora (Kami’s sister) was there to welcome everyone. Everyone could see how excited Benji got when he saw her. Piper and Kai exchanged a knowing glance. Benji has a crush on Lora. He had it since he came here for the first time. After he returned to the city, he kept in contact with her in one way or another. Faith was happy to see
(One Year Later)Even today when Faith closes her eyes and thinks about her recent past, she can’t truly process it. She can’t believe that so much changed in the past couple of years. From losing her entire family to almost getting killed to find a new family – a new purpose – everything in her life was nothing less than a lesson – a brutal and painful lesson. Currently, she was sitting in a meeting along with Kai and Mateo – but they weren’t the only ones there. The three of them were hosts, while the other distant members of the Ricci and Bianchi clan, a few mafia leaders, and a couple of correspondents from the village were in the room. The debate was on – whether the village/island should be given its independence or not.Faith was sitting in between Kai and Mateo. She averted her gaze to the other side of the room where Kami sat along with a few young faces representing the village. Faith could tell that the young boy was nervous. She shoots him an assuring smile. Kami smiled ba
Kai didn’t say anything in return. He just impassively stared at Mateo before they were interrupted by Faith and Piper’s loud laughter. Both looked at the girls to find that Ethan had managed to pull Levi into the pool. He grabbed Levi’s ankle and pulled him in, making the water splash around and the girls laugh. Mateo heaved a sigh and shook his head as he watched his friend emerge from under the water, not looking much impressed. Noel was standing behind Levi when Ethan pulled him in, he was now watching them two. Ethan laughed and splashed some water towards him with his hand, “What are you doing up there loser? Get in!” Noel shook his head, “No, and you need to come out too.” He looks at all of them, “You all do. It is chilly and the water is cold,” he added. “It is not that cold,” Piper replied. It was because Kai switch on the heater to warm up the water, but that’s mean it was okay to be in a pool on a chilly night under the sky. Just at that moment, Piper sneezed. That was i
Faith and Piper were wasted. If having one drink after another wasn’t enough, they were now drinking straight out of the bottle. “We should go swimming,” Faith slurred a suggestion to which Piper enthusiastically nodded her head, agreeing to it. Before anyone could stop them, an equally drunk Ethan got on his feet and threw his fist in the air, “Hell yeah! Let’s go!!” he yelled out and hooted. Everyone else was so concerned about Faith and Piper that they didn’t even notice just how much Ethan was drinking. These three were completely wasted. Noel was slightly tipsy. Where else, Levi, Mateo, and Kai only had a single drink so they weren’t drunk at all. They decided to stay sober to keep an eye on girls, and well – now Ethan as well. “Excellent,” Levi muttered under his breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. He moved to Ethan, who was swinging from one side to another with a bottle of one of the most expensive whiskeys in his hand. Kai glanced at the bottle in his hand. He didn’t
Faith was in her room, changing with there was a knock on her door. Her room was now filled with done and undone boxes. She will be moving out tomorrow and there is so much left to do. But currently, she wasn’t focused on it. She is certain that she will be able to pack before the movers arrive. She was concerned about the dinner party they were having tonight. Faith had already invited everyone and now she was changing for the night. By the knock on the door, she was certain that Mateo has arrived. She quickly picked up the clothes she threw on the floor and put them on the bed before she spoke, “Yes?” The door opened and indeed it was Mateo. He looked good. Fresh and well-rested. It took everyone over a month to get over what happened on the island. The exhaustion and trauma (for some) didn’t leave for days. Mateo was looking like he did when Faith first met him. The difference between then and now is that then he had a hard scowl on his face, and now he was smiling. Then he threw
“Are you all packed up?” Piper asked Faith who came to her room to visit. Faith looked at Piper and smiled. “Yes, almost. Just a few things are remaining to be packed,” she replied. In two days, Faith is moving in with Mateo. For the past week, she has been very busy. She didn’t realize how comfortable she has gotten at Kai’s place, that now that she was winding everything up here, she feels sad to be leaving. When she started packing, she was excited. For her, moving in with Mateo is like a new chapter of her life, but as she proceeded, she realized how uncomfortable yet relieving it is to end this brief, daunting, and challenging chapter of her life. Piper was sitting on the bed, reading, when Faith knocked on her door. She exhaled and smiled broadly at her, “So, are you excited?” She asked. Faith chuckled and sat on the bed beside her, “I am.” She nodded her head, “But I am also nervous. There are so many ifs and buts in my head that I can hardly sleep at night,” she replied hon
“Thank you,” Piper hugged and thanked Faith, before she looked at Mateo, “Thank you both of you. I don’t know what would have happened if it wasn’t for you two. I would have been living on the streets,” she added. “Hey!” “What the hell?” Levi and Kai spoke at the same time. Piper pulled her eyebrows together and looked at both of them. Kai was frowning while Levi stepped forward, “What do you mean you would have been on the streets? Are you kidding me? I would have never let you be on street. Damn, I thought you thought of me as a friend, but boy was I wrong.” Levi scoffed. Where Kai just watched her dumbfounded. She softly chuckled at Levi. “Oh, I would have never bothered you. You already got your hands full,” she told him bobbing her head towards Benji’s room. The door of Benji’s room was open and inside everyone can see Benji and Ethan playing video games. They were so engrossed by what they were playing that they didn’t even notice the people outside looking at them. Ethan and
Kai squinted his eyes. When he was coming out of Piper’s room, he did not expect Faith, Mateo, and Benji right outside – watching him walk out of the room. Their curious gazes made him feel like he was sneaking out of her room after a one-night stand. Mateo was shamelessly smirking at him. Faith was curiously watching him, and Benji had his eyes narrowed at him. Kai cleared his throat and ignored Mateo’s comment and Faith’s question. He was about to tell them that they shouldn’t be so nosy when the doorbell rang. Faith and Mateo pulled their eyebrows together and looked at each other, “Who is here so early in the morning?” She muttered and watched as one of the helpers opened the door. It was Levi and Ethan. “What are you two doing here so early?” Mateo asked with his eyebrows knitted together. Levi didn’t look good. He looked like he didn’t sleep all night. Ethan looked tired as well, but not as exhausted as Levi. Levi glared at Ethan at Mateo’s question. Levi heaved a sigh. His sh
Kai has been inside Piper’s room for an hour. He was now sitting on the floor while she was sitting on the floor as well but she sat by the window. She was watching outside the window while her knees pressed to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. While her eyes were fixed outside, Kai’s eyes were fixed on her. They have been talking for the last hour. No yelling or name was calling. There were no accusations, nor did they completely patch up – they were just talking, which was due for some time now. They fight. They have had sex. They have done everything, but they never get the chance to sit and just talk about themselves. About their insecurities, about their feelings, about everything they bring to each other. Piper last put forward a very interesting point, “Aren’t we toxic for each other? There is just too much we don’t agree on.” She had muttered. Her point was quite simple. She told him that even if Jeremy hadn’t attacked her or anyone else, and even if he was just try