||Hardie Morrison||The ride was not that long cause Lincoln could see the urgency burning in me and he drove faster than usual. He was at first surprised when I gave him the hospital's location."Are slowly dying and you keep it away from me?" He asked."No, not that. Something more urgent than my own life." I had replied."Tell me, what's it that's more urgent than your life?" He pressed on. The Lincoln I know loves digging in into any situation at hand but I'm not ready to give him the actual answer."It doesn't matter if I tell you, you might get to know with time." That was the reply I gave to him.I barged into the doctor's office with burning rage with Lincoln trailing behind me, I grab the doctor by his collar. "What happen to her? You better start talking now Smith.""I'm sorry, I'm not the head doctor. I don't know who you are talking about." The doctor said with fright."Where the hell is Smith Barney then?" I growled at him."He's currently in the theater room, he's been a
[14]||Hardie Morrison||Morning came much faster than expected and somehow, I was feeling tired and exhausted. For past few days, I deprived myself of proper sleep and now I guess my body can't contain it anymore.I've been escaping different escapades this past few days and finding myself in another one." Arrgh! I need a long break from this shiit that's been happening lately." I uttered with a long sigh."A few hour sleep will do." I managed to convince myself.***Letting out a soft moan, I stretched my tired muscles before getting up bed. Okay, its seems I haven't slept for long or it's the time who decided to stop."Thought you will be sleeping a little longer cause you really need it, Hardie." Lincoln was sitting on the sofa next to the dressing table. I never noticed he was there."Since when have you been here, eh?" I uttered with a frown on my face."Long enough to count the stars." He replied, nonchalantly."Arrgh! Remind me to lock my doors when I'm about to sleep." I gr
[15]||Arlington Arlington||Its been three days since I saw Hardie and its very difficult to forget his existence, even when I tried my best to.Thanks to Min Hung, she always find a way to make me smile and that's seems enough to forget about Hardie for a while. Even if it seems hard, I know I'm gon' forget about him with time."Hey, look what I got." Min Hung flagged two tickets at my face."What's this for...?" I creased my brow."My sister was gift these tickets to see a movie but since she'll be busy, she asked me to give her own out." She explained. "So, you gon' be my plus one.""Oh, right." I flashed her a smile. "When are we seeing the movie?""Tonight. Looks like luck is on us today, cause we'll be closing earlier than usual." Her face was beaming with smiles."Then count me in."***Jesse walked in with red face, anger and tinge of jealousy, visible on her face. She really look like a haunted doll right now and I couldn't help but chuckle."What's funny...?" She fussed, her
His' Bait[16]The ride from the eatery to her home was in silence, not just any silence, but thick and awkward silence. She wasn't stealing glances like she used to and its making me feel uncomfortable.I stopped at the front of her home and she proceed to hop out without uttering a word but I quickly grabbed her right arm swiftly."You angry at me cause I don't attend church service, huh?" I asked."No, why will I? I mean, its your life not mine." She replied slowly.I scoffs at her reply. "Then why the silent treatment? The Arlington I get to know love stealing glances at me and she's much of a talker." I explained."Ahh, that." She let out a dry smile. "I'm just tired, that's why."I gave her a long stare before shrugging my shoulders. "Fine, then.""Yeah. Good night." She uttered before hopping out of the car. "Drive safe, Hardie."I smiled unconsciously, why does my name sound surreal on her lips. "Yeah, I'll."She flashed a wide smile before running just like she used to. "Ahh!
||Hardie Morrison||"How can you be so careless, Hardie." Lincoln scolded like a father would do to his favourite son.I scoffs at his statement. "Its just a random stray bullet that my arm was unfortunate to welcome. Not that it was intentional though.""Arrgh!" He pressed his temple with his eyes tightly shut, clearly frustrated. "I don't know what to say to you right now, I'm speechless."The doctor cleaned the wound after she removed the bullet, dressed it before applying bandage on it. In less the ten minutes, she's done.This isn't the first or second time, I'm used to being shoot that it seems like a routine for me."You will need to rest more often this days, you really need it with the state of your present condition." The doctor advised, whilst she packed her tools."If only he'll listen, that might have been better." Lincoln said flatly.The doctor shook her head. "I'll be back tomorrow to redress your wound.""Yeah, I know that." I scoffs at her statement. The doctor quick
||Arlington Arlington||I sigh as I packed some of my clothing in my bag pack, fastened the zipper and flung the back pack on my shoulders."Aren't you done, Arling?" Mom called from downstairs."I'm coming already." I rushed out, racing to the stairs and I almost tripped."Be careful, Arling. You need to stop racing like a kid." Mom scolded as I descend from the stairs."You want me to hurry up." I argued."But I never asked you to get injured." She scoffs. "Anyways, let go. I can't afford to miss my flight.""Yeah. I know." I replied and gave a small smile.Mom is going on a month business trip, she recently got a promotion and now, she will representing her company on three consecutive meetings.She doesn't want me alone at home so she suggest that I should stay with Jamel for while till she's back."You might feel bored staying alone and unsafe too, its better you spend a few weeks with your brother till I'm back." She had said the previous night at dinner."So, when are you coming
.[19]||Arlington Arlington||"Sorry, but I don't do Korean." Gareth said with disdain. "Besides, you just a mere waiter who has nothing to offer."Min Hung was all red, clearly embarrassed.I don't know why but I was furious at Gareth, he should at least be nice with her."Why can't you act normal for once? She was only admiring you not that you are handsome though." I said, disgust laced in my voice. "The fact that you're my brother's best give you no right to say shit about my friend.""Just go to your room already, Arlin." Jamel quickly interrupted before Gareth could say a word, Jamel knows my mouth might not stop running. I eyed Gareth before leading Min hung upstairs.Guys like Gareth has no reason to exist, though. I've always hate every thing about Gareth since I know him, his manner if speech at most. I still wonder how he managed to be Jamel's best buddy till date.I wish he could just disappear from Jamel's life with no traces at all.***"I'm sorry about what happened do
[20] ||Arlington Arlington||"Who is Hardie to you, Arlington …" that was the first question I was welcomed with immediately I stepped into the house.I was taken aback by the question. Did Jamel found out I've been seeing him lately? If so how?I pretended not to have heard him and proceeded to the staircase, I barely took three steps when he asked the same question again.I stopped at my track. "What' did you mean who's Hardie to me?" I made sure I sound annoyed."I'm not joking around, Arlington. Answer my question and that fvcking pretence of yours." His voice was really cold, and that alone send chill down my spine.I could see the lop side smirk visible on Gareth's face, he knows a thing about this?"To be honest with you, I don't understand what you are blabbing about. Right, everyone knows Hardie and he's the state top drug dealer. Why will I wan' share a relationship with a drug dealer, huh?" I said with feigned annoyance."Arlington, stop lying to my face." Jam
[84]The sun dipped below the horizon as the fiery colours infused the sky above the sky above them, painting the perfect backdrop for the end of an era. As the crimson hues bled into the night, Lincoln couldn't help but admire the scene from the rooftop terrace if Hardie's lavish home.The cool breeze brush past them, bringing forth a scene of melancholy that mirrored the thoughts racing through Lincoln's mind. It was hard to believe that after all the hardship they had faced together, their journey was slowly screeching into a halt.Hardie, in his usual assertive manner, told Lincoln that he did not plan of letting him go anytime soon. Despite anticipation, the words slammed into Lincoln's chest like a brick wall, causing him to struggle for breath.Although, Lincoln had mentally prepared for such a confrontation, the reality was far more difficult to accept. Over the years, the two had become intertwined in a complex net of loyalty and betrayal, blurring the lines of their allianc
[83]"Isn't she the same with her?" I heard her asked all of a sudden, her voice was laced with outmost surprise or maybe shock.I raised my head up to the television's screen, trying to figure out what she was talking about. It was Ms. Roselle, that was her name, Hardie's mom. Why is she on the media all of a sudden? "She's the one, right?" She asked again, this time turning to me. "This is Hardie's mother." "Yeah." I nod in agreement, drawling my words. "I'm sure she is the one, she looks like her and the name too." "Why is she on the screen then?" Charlotte furthered, staring questioningly at me. I frowned at her question, we are both in the same room and she is the one who had informed me about this yet, she is asking me such a question? She's seriously unbelievable! "Were you not the one who just told me about it?" I return her question back to her. "And we are yet to listen to what she might have done." "You are right." She said sounding defeated but I did not really care.
[82] ||•Lincoln Shire•||"Welcome..." The hotel receptionist uttered, wearing a delightful expression as she smiled warmly at us.I'm not the type that smiles but I was kind enough to reciprocate it. Charlotte, on the other hand, just gave her a slight nod with a blank expression on her face. It's obvious that she's too tired for all of this, every thing about her tell it all."Two VIP..." I simply stated but the stare on her face tells otherwise, I need her not to say much before I understand her expression. "We'll just hop for any available rooms left, okay. As far as it's as comfortable as a home, we have no choice to it."She shook her head with an apologetic look on her face. "I'm sorry, Sir..." She muttered, avoiding eye contact with Charlotte and I. "It's just a room left, all other rooms are occupied for the night."Mere looking at Charlotte, she was not comfortable with herself as she scrunched her face tightly in displeasure. "Why...?" She requested with indifference
[81] ||•Lincoln Shire•||The day has been kind of hectic for Charlotte and I, tailing and spying on other lords just to get want we want from them.Well, as usual, Charlotte was used as the bait to get to them. I must commend how much she has done in the nick of time.She made every thing much easier for me since they are things I can do and places I can't penetrate as a male, yeah .Retiring for the day, we decided to lodge the night in one of the suites around till the next day.I would have vouch for a clubhouse instead because there, I would surely meet with new lords but Charlotte had insisted we get a proper night sleep instead.Well, I have no other choice to obliging. We will just find a suitable suite for us after we are done with our drinks. •••"I think I need a break after this." Charlotte muttered before chugging down her last cup of wine. "This is becoming much more challenging than it ever was.""What break —?" I asked with my brows raised in questioni
[80] ||Hardie Morrison||I speed up and in no time, we arrived at the park, the same park I brought her to couple of months ago. It was just few weeks after we met. Arlington was a little bit surprised, well, it reflected on her face."I guess I did not see this coming..." She countered with a soft chuckle after. "Why did you bring us here?"I ignored her question and helped her undo her seat belt. "Come on." I said instead and hopped down from the car.She hopped down immediately after I did before I was able to turn around. "I can always help myself with the door, you should stop worrying over little things." She said as she shut the car's door behind her."Little things also matters, Arling." I told her in reply and hold her hand, and intertwined it with mine. "What did you want?" "I want… that." She pointed at the cotton candy not to far from us, wearing a wide smile on her face. The smile of hers that I did not want to miss, not now or ever.I’ve done so much wrong
[79] ||Hardie Morrison||"Ms. Roselle is coming home with us." Arling suddenly announced which made Hardie stopped in his track."What...?!" I blurted out, almost choking on my own breathe. " think I heard wrong, yeah. What did you say?""What did I say?" She repeated my question with her brows deeply creased. "I said; Ms. Roselle would be coming with us, did I say some thing awful?"These days, ever since this fóxy human suddenly introduced herself to you, I see you enjoy getting on my nerves...” those were the words I wanted to reply her with but said some thing else instead.I know and I'm sure of it, this fóxy human is trying to cause a rift between Arlington and I the same way she did to Amelia and other people too.But then, I would never give in to such cheap plan she drafted. I'll just have to pretend I never heard Arling speaks about her or made mention of her name."Aren’t you tired of staying here?" I asked, diverting the topic else where. "You’ve been in the ho
[78] ||Ms. Roselle||There are so many things to regret but I don't think I have a reason to regret any of them, except of course, if I lose access to them.Yeah! That would be my only regret!How do I regret my source of income and wealth? Because I smug in drugs? Or because I'm an old stripper and a s3x worker? Probably because I rob dignitaries off their wealth?I've done and indulged myself in so many shits and dirty works and I'm glad I did, if not, how do I gather so much wealth in the nick of time?But of course, I do have one regret! It's hurts me and I'm suppose it's never too late to rectify it!No taming Hardie when I have the chance to was my only regret! I couldn't hold in the pain I felt seeing him succeed in his own games and outsmarting other drug lords in the game.Most time, I do wonder how he was able to attain such height at a very young age. He used to be the gentle type who barely talks or socialize himself with others, how did he turn out to be the b
[77] ||Hardie Morrison||It was hard to convince Arlington about the babies being alive, she felt we were lying about them to have want her to go home with out thinking of seeing the babies.For this, I have to asked the doctor if it was okay and safe to visit just for the air to be clear and he gladly permits with out blinking an eyelid about it."They are much stronger than they were in the last few days and out of danger too." He told me. "They are recovering faster already, it safe to visit them."Due to the babies being conceived earlier than they were supposed, one of them was too weak and barely look like she was going to survive as of when they were birthed.The impact from Arlington's fall made her weak and having almost near de@th experience. Thankfully, she turned out to be a strong survivor and did not d¡e and the other baby was safe too.I couldn't just imagine how hard it will be on Arlington to hear about one of the babies not surviving. She will definitel
[76] ||Hardie Morrison||The weather temperature today was cold but not that very cold. That doesn't matter, what matters is Arlington would be discharged any time from now since I already signed documents for her to be discharged."Please, keep her under close watch and make sure she doesn't go under pressure. She should be stress free too and nothing should threaten her health status too." The doctor advised as he scribbled down things on a pad. "She is still prone to shock and I'm sure you won't want her to go in to coma again.""Why will I? I won't be foolish to repeat such mistake again." I muttered in response. I don't want her mom to take her far away from me, I won't be able to stand the pain that would come after it."Here are the drugs she will be using..." The doctor handed the scribbled piece for me, not after explaining each benefit of the scribbled drugs and how she's suppose to use them."When is she gon' be discharged?" Min hung was the first to asked immediat