" At where?"" He's In Texas, working as a laborer in a crude oil Industry"." Hahahaha " I burst into laughter. " I thought he might be doing something huge for a big comeback, what a waste" I laughed.I continued to laugh, the absurdity of the situation overwhelming. "A laborer in the crude oil industry? He's gone from high-flying hotel manager to manual labor? That's hilarious! I really didn't have to bring him down more he went down himself."Jasper grins, clearly amused by my reaction. "I know, right? It's not exactly the glamorous life he's used to. But it's more than what he deserves."My laughter slowly subsides, and I shake my head in disbelief. "I can't believe we found him. But what now? should I do more harm than good? Or let him be?" I ask."That's a tough one, love," Jasper pat my hair, "I know he is horrible. But at the same time, he's working a pretty miserable job and he's not exactly a threat to us anymore.I frown, my mind wrestling with the options. "I just don't
Colin POV " Yahhhhh" I screamed as we pulled the Mud pump from its position to the next. "Almost there, almost there " the third guy remind us as we kept pulling.I wipe the sweat from my brow as the hot Texas sun beats down on my back. I’ve been working on the oil rig for months now, a far cry from the tech founder work i’m used to. But right now I don't mind, I need to survive.This job is different. it doesn't require me to put on a fake smile and kiss up to people who I shouldn't kiss up to all day. I can just put in my hours, do my job, and not have to worry about anyone judging you. deep down I know it's not just the work that's changed. I've changed too.We pull the Mud pump to the new spot it needs to be. " You all did a good job," The third guy add. I rest my back on the wall slowly slipping to the floor as I felt worn out. I've been here for 5 months. It hasn't been easy. Dad still borders me a lot about money and whenever he feels frustrated, Mom keeps encouraging me. Wel
Colin POV “Shush” Olivia shushed me with a kiss. Pressing her body closer.I could feel Olivia's lips on mine, her body against mine, and for a moment, everything else fades away. It's just the two of us, like the last night we spent together.But then, I remember why I left her, why I ran away from it all. And a part of me knows I can't go back to the way things were.I break the kiss, stepping back and taking a deep breath. "Olivia, we can't do this. If this is why you are here we should just go out separate ways"" Okay, okay! I've heard you" she moved back but took my hand again as she led the way. When we got to my room, she stood in the middle staring at everything. Everything looked miserable." You live here?" She asked with an irritated expression on her face, I noticed but acted like I don't. " I'll go take my bath" I took a bowl. " You can sit on the bed....i mean mat" I gesture to the mat on the floor.Olivia nods slowly, I hope she backs off realizing I'm living this mi
Colin POVI stopped several Taxi, giving them my location but none agreed to take me home, giving the same reason " it's too far from here, just get a hotel for the night" they all say.I sigh, a sense of resignation hitting me. It seems that I'm stuck, forced to spend the night in Texas with Olivia, We arrived at the hotel." checking in?" The receptionist asks." Yes" Olivia replied, taking a step closer to the receptionist when she twist her ankle, she almost fell to the side immediately I held her." Here!" I took the card from her and hand it over to the receptionist, who checked us in."Room 203," she says. "Have a good night." She hand me back the card." Can you walk?" I asked Olivia who nod as I helped her to the hotel room. We got to the hotel room and I sat her on the bed.I knelt down in front of her as I helped her take her shoe off, she winc as I examine the ankle. " It's a little better I place her leg back on the floor.”I made to stand up when I heard my name "Colin
Colin POVFor the past days Olivia stayed back with me in Texas.I came back from work opened my door to see a different room, I'm i in the right room? I step back to leave when I heard "surprise!!" Taking a glance over at the person to see Olivia." Is this my room?" I asked. " Yes it is" she grin. Everything was different my mat was gone replaced with a bed, other things changed.my jaw drops as I survey the new, more homey look of my room. I'm speechless, unsure of what to say. Olivia just smiles, clearly pleased with herself."I thought the place could use a little love," she said, gesturing around the room. "What do I think?"I look around, still trying to process the transformation. "It's...it's amazing," I replied, my voice low and awed. "I had no idea you were this talented with interior design." Olivia laughsI took in all the little details. Olivia has clearly put a lot of effort into this, and it shows. "I wanted to make this place feel like home," she add, coming up behi
Paige POV." Jack, Jack!" I yelled as I followed Jack from behind trying to stop him but he kept walking. "Why can't I?" I screamed." you can't" he yelled turning around. " If it goes out, i'll loss my career and everything, she has two people behind her!." Only Jasper!" "And Her Father founder of Kings Group, Jasper and her Dad are scary!" Jack barked taking a step closer. " I prevent you from doing that because I know we might lose our lives if they find out. A late friend of mine once encountered Jasper in the states, he ruined my friend till he committed suicide. Just because Jasper doesn't say much or show himself doesn't mean he's calm, hurting his woman would provoke his wrath. you don't know the other part of Jasper, you don't know how scary he is. He can ruin a person with just a pen." I don't care!" i yelled back.Jack's eyes narrow, his jaw clenched tight. "you don't care?" he ask, "Well, I do. I care about you, and I won't let you throw away your life because of wha
Selena POV "Push..." the doctor screamed as I lay on the labour room table biting on the cloth in my mouth. Sweaty and in pains.The doctor's words ring in my ears as I grip the edges of the table, every muscle in my body straining with effort. I feel like I'm being torn apart from the inside out, but I know it will be over soon, I'll be meeting my baby soon. But the soon turns into hours.I've been in labor for hours now, and every muscle in my body trembling with fatigue. my body is drenched in sweat, my clothes clinging to my skin, and I can feel my strength draining away.I grip the sheets, my teeth clenched so tight that the cloth in my mouth becomes soggy, “ A consent form needs to be signed, this is taking too long!” The doctor said to the nurse, “ get her husband to sign the consent form” she said to the nurse who dashed out of the labour room.“ you can do it, try….push….” She shouts.I tried, I really tried but I couldn't anymore I felt so weak….“ Her husband isn't outsid
Selena POV " Theo Santos your turn"I pick up Theo and carry him to the nurse, who smiles warmly at Theo and I. "Hello there, Theo," she coos. "Let's get you a vaccine so you can stay healthy."I watch as the nurse prepares the syringe."Ready?" the nurse asks, and I nod, closing my eyes as the needle pricks Theo's skin.After the vaccine is administered, Theo lets out a wail, his face scrunching up in pain. I quickly scoop him up, cradling him against my chest and shushing him gently as he wails so loud."There, there, sweetheart," I whisper, trying to soothe him. "It's over now. you did great."The nurse gives Theo a sticker, and I gave him a smile, trying to distract him from the pain.Finally done, i called James. " We are done"." I'll be there ma'am" he replied.Within minutes James came, we got in and he zoomed off. " To Lisa's" I said to James who nods and zoomed off maintaining the child on board speed.In no time we arrived at Lisa's. I opened the door to find her sleeping
Aviva POVWe sat there, holding hands, glancing around nervously"So, where do we go from here?" I asked, After minutes.Levi smiled, "We’ll take things one day at a time,”“Will you go back to the states soon?” I popped the question, i don’t want Levi to leave i really don’t want him to leave. I want him to stay. Levi stared into my eyes and smiled. " I'll need to, I'm not done with my studies there yet, so..you get it!" he smiled awkwardly."When?" I asked,"When will you go back?"Levi placed his hand on mine, patting my hands, "In a month or two ,and mind you, It's not going to be forever, we'll definitely keep in touch. I promise, and I'll come back to visit whenever I have space. And I'll literally make space."" Alright," I nod even though I'm not okay with it. " So what should we do next?" "How about a real date?" "A real date?" I repeat, "What do you have in mind?"Levi leaned in closer, "How about we go to the beach? We could watch the sunset and then grab some dinner at t
Aviva POV My stomach fluttered as I stood there, still lost in the intensity of Levi's gaze. His words had hit me and had made my heart flutter, and I could feel blood rushing to my cheeks."I want you to know…." I trailed off and swallowed hard. "that I've never stopped thinking about you. I've missed you every day since we stopped talking, but I was too stubborn to admit it."We suddenly heard a door crack open and Levi quickly turned back and then faced me, " That might be my mom. She's on her way here to wish me good night. Can we meet tomorrow?""Sure," I stepped back, giving Levi some space, and tried to regain my composure. "Just tell me where and when."Levi glanced over his shoulder, listening for the sound of footsteps. "Meet me at the cafe downtown tomorrow at noon, We can talk more then."I nodded, and before I could say anything else, Levi leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to my cheek. "Goodnight, Aviva," he whispered, his breath tickling my skin. Levi turned to le
Aviva POVI gasped, shutting my mouth with my hands and pulled myself back into my room. I watched Levi step out of the car and glance over at our house. I can't let him see me. Dad had already issued his ultimatum and made it clear that I was on probation but still I refuse being on one. If Levi saw me trying to escape, he might try to help, and that would only make things worse. I held my breath and pressed myself against the wall, praying Levi wouldn't catch a glimpse of me through the window. After a few tense moments, I breathed a sigh of relief as Levi walked into their house ,probably not expecting me to be standing at the side of my window. The thought of Levi in town, just across the street, made me so excited. If only I could see him, talk to him, tell him what had happened. But that would be foolish, and I knew better. I stood in the darkened corner of my room, keeping a watchful eye on the street. It was getting really dark, and I found myself wishing for it to get very d
Aviva POVDad finally turned to look at me, his expression unreadable. For a long moment, he said nothing, simply staring at me as if he were trying to see into my very soul.At last, he spoke, his voice as hard and cold as steel. "Aviva, I hope you understand the seriousness of your actions today. Not only did you endanger yourself, but you also brought dishonor to our family name. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly feeling dry. "I'm sorry, Dad," I whispered, maybe this will defuse his anger, i bent my head, unable to meet his gaze so everything could die down. Dad's face remained expressionless, his gaze still fixed on me. "Sorry is not enough," he said flatly. "You need to understand that your actions have consequences. You were warned about associating with the Santos family, yet you deliberately disobeyed me. This will not be tolerated."I felt my heart sinking as I listened to his words, knowing that whatever punishment he had in sto
Aviva POVMom, clearly noticing my disheveled appearance, stepped forward and placed a hand on my arm. "Aviva, are you okay? What happened?" she asked.The Vice-Chancellor cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. "I'm afraid there has been an altercation on campus," he began. "Both Aviva and Jeff Benson have been involved, they got into a fight, and there are consequences for their actions."Dad frowned, "What kind of consequences?" he demanded, But then turned to me, "Before that, Aviva, what happened? Why did you and Jeff…Ben get into a fight?"I swallowed hard, trying to find the right words. "He...he was being aggressive, and I tried to defend myself.""And why was he being aggressive?" my mother pressed, glancing at Jeff."Because..." I hesitated, knowing that the truth would only make the situation worse.Dad stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. "Because why, Aviva? Don't make me ask again."I bit my lip, feeling my heart pounding in my chest. "Because he was
Aviva POV"Yes, your parents. This incident must be reported to them, and to the school authorities."My heart pounded, "Follow me," the guard ordered, motioning for Jeff and I to follow him towards the administrative building. As we walked, I caught Jeff shooting me a glare.The security guard led us towards the administrative building,while my heart raced. I knew that once my parents found out about this incident, it wouldn't just be a matter of school gossip. They would be furious.I could picture my father's expression, his disappointment and anger. And my mom.. she would be heartbroken. They had always been so protective of me, and now this.Jeff walked a few steps ahead of me, silent and sullen. I could feel his eyes glancing back at me, but I kept my gaze fixed on the ground.With each step towards the administrative building, my pounds. It wasn't just the thought of getting in trouble with the school authorities that terrified me, it was the thought of my parents finding out a
Aviva POV For a month I heard nothing about Levi, I tried his contact but it wasn't reachable, I got Sam's contact and asked him about Levi but he said nothing and told me he has nothing to say to me. " what do you mean you have nothing to say to me, i really want to know about Levi i haven't heard from him for a month" " That's none of my concern Aviva or whatever you are called" Sam snapped, " You messed with Levi and now you want to know about him, what audacity!" I stared at the screen of my phone, stunned by Sam’s words. How could he just brush me off like that? I know I made a mistake. Despite Sam’s hostility, I decided to keep trying to find out what's up with Levi. I strolled out the house and waited at our gate staring at the Santos house waiting to see if I would catch sight of Levi but I didn't for a week. One evening i waited, staring at the Santos house when I saw the house help walk out with a trash bag. Immediately I came out and followed her from behind, when she
Levi POV"Are you serious?" I asked, glancing around, "Just because Jeff Benson wants something, doesn't mean he will get it. Aviva is a person, not some prize to be won."Sam shrugged, clearly unconvinced. "Look, I'm just telling you how it is. Jeff is the king of this place right now. If he wants Aviva, he'll get her. And once he does, she'll forget all about you." "You don't know Aviva like I do, Sam. She's not some shallow girl who can be bought with money or status and besides her Dad is rich."“ Oh come on, who doesn’t want to have fun with the big guys?” “ She isn’t like that!”Sam shook his head, “I get that you're all in on this, but you need to open your eyes, man. Aviva might be special to you, but she's just another conquest to Jeff. He'll get bored of her in a week and move on to the next girl, and you'll be left picking up the pieces."I scoffed, ignoring Sam's words. "You don't know what you're talking about. Aviva is different. She won’t allow that, I trust her with
Levi POV"I thought you'd be excited about this opportunity, Levi. The program is for gifted students in Tech, and it's a chance for you to further your education in the States. It's a prestigious program, and not everyone gets in."I swallowed hard. "But I...I don't want to go."Mom's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why not? This is a great opportunity, Levi. It could open up so many doors for you and like you always say, you want to work on things yourself without your dad’s help, this is it."I shook my head. "I just…"I just don't want to leave," I said firmly, my eyes meeting Mom's. "I have my life here, my friends, my studies. And while I appreciate the opportunity, it's not what I want right now.""Levi, are you sure about this? This could be a life changing opportunity for you.""I know, Mom," I replied, "But I'm happy with the life I have here. I don't want to uproot everything for this program."Mom's expression hardened as she realized I wasn't budging. "Levi, you're being inc