"I am not going to live with you!" I half yell. He turns and cocks an eyebrow.I roll my eyes."I am not enthusiastic about it either." He continues to walk."I don't care what you have to say, Quinn, am not living with you. I agreed to come with you cause I didn't want to be around Oliver and his girlfriend." "Some family you are!" He presses basement on the elevator."At least we get along unlike yours." My tongue slips, he back is on me. I don't get to see his reaction."I'm sorry I didn't..." He cuts me."You didn't mean to say that..." He sighs frustrated. "Don't be sorry for what you mean."I shiver when we get to the basement. It is dark and isolated. I Fall into steps behind him, making sure to stay close to him as possible.He still has the blue old chipped truck. He reaches for the door and I stop him. "I am still not going to live with you, Quinn. The only place you are taking me is my apartment." I make myself clear."It is not safe." He insists."That could also be a li
I scramble every corner of Quinn's kitchen. There's no food, plate, cup or even spoon. My stomach grumbles and I yawn on top of it. The elevator opens and a muscular guy with a weather beat face steps in. "Mr Nickel asked me to pick you up." He is direct with no formalities. "Who are you?" "His family driver and bodyguard." He stays at one position. "Where is he?" I ask. "He apologises, he had errands to run." Not a muscle on his face moves as he speaks. "Alright, I will pick my bag." "I will be waiting for ma'am." He says. Ma'am? "Call me, Cara," I say as I leave and he nods. The ride to school makes me realise that Quinn's apartment is closer to school compared to mine. The ride is consisted of me trying to have a small talk with the driver/bodyguard, which he just nods and never speaks. He is gone the moment I step out. Few glances are directed at me at the parking lot, the scandal of Quinn and I are still a hot topic despite the one facing his family. I sling my o
NB: Zac is Oliver. He changed his name after the tragedy. Ten years ago I can't fall asleep. I move Zac's leg from my body and step out of his bedroom. He recently has been having trouble sleeping alone. Just like how recently things have been changing. My mother has turned into a zombie, a drunk zombie. We are strangers to her, strangers living in the same house. Silent and stolen gazes along the hallways. Holding her bottle close to her chest, like it will fill the emptiness in her eyes. She misses him. We miss him. It is eight months since we buried my father. The wound is still fresh, with the blow that we faced two days ago. The court dismissed the murder charges we pressed on the Nickel's. There wasn't enough evidence to show they had the motive or killed my father. I am on the last step of the staircase when I hear noises in the kitchen. Probably my mother, opening the cabinets to find more alcohol. I deter from my mission to walk in when I hear manly voices. "The order c
I blink severally and open my eyes wide. I look around, my attacker is lying on the floor. He painfully groans he is still alive. "We have to go!" Andre says in a tone I find rude. However, I am not leaving until getting answers from my assailant. I slowly move to him. Andre shot him at his abdomen."Who sent you? The Nickels? The Coopers', I mean my aunt and uncle? Who?" I scream at him. He has a scary face, it looks like it is sculpted with blunt object leaving uneven edges. His jaws are so prominent and pronounced. He is like one bucket of ugliness.He opens his mouth revealing his bloody teeth and gives me an evil grin before shaking his head. "Careful kid with who you trust." He shuts his eyes in pain. I shake my head, "What is that suppose to mean? All I need to know is who send you.""Neither of those people have anything to do with this. Just don't trust blindly." His hand goes to his wound. Andre is getting impatient and he looks like he could kill. He's wearing a wife-b
My jaw goes slack, I am mortified. "Take that back!" I point at Oliver. He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, "You aren't remotely close to who Dad was, a ruthless beast to anyone who crossed him.""He was a businessman, he ought to have been ruthless otherwise..." I say. "He made me watch him beat a man that had betrayed him. I was only four and that was just the beginning of the horrific incidents he forced me to be part of. And you think I would want that life again?" He shakes his head. My father was a gentleman, he would never hurt a fly. A man that read stories to me, he played house with me, he tucked me to bed with a kiss... No. "You are lying." My voice comes out unsure.He paces at one spot before looking down at me, "Of course it is understandable why you would think that. When Dad and I came back. He no blood spot on his white shirts, he smelled good and a diamond from Tiffany for his princess. While I returned more broken than I left. He protected you, you were
"That test was Greek, nothing close to what we are taught." A student banters as they walk towards me. I think it was a walk in the park. Derivatives and bonds are my strongholds so are going to ace it. I pull a strand of my hair. Am having a bad hair day and Quinn is nowhere to be seen. I will not be surprised if he turned me down for his fiancee. After all, they were all over each other in class. The group walks out; Courtney, Roxanna, Quinn and Ryan. This is going to be awkward. Courtney and Roxanna are looking at something in a tablet. Quinn is looking straight at me. Ryan facial expression tells it all. He is torn. He wants to be okay with me but still wants to stay mad. Courtney and Roxanna walk past me without a single glance. If Roxanna expects me to apologise, she better be prepared for the four seasons cause it will never happen.My lips form a smile as Quinn approaches. He never returns it, he walks past me like we never made arrangements. My face falls until a shadow bl
"I can't believe you brought a bunch of posers to my apartment!" Oliver pours a drink to one the guest. She takes a sip and pours the rest on the floor. "Disgusting!" The despicable guest spits and staggers away. "I am being humiliated in my own house and on top of that I get to be the help of his despicable beings."Oliver throws me a dirty look and looks down at his now stained carpet. I had no other choice but to use Oliver's apartment as mine and host a house warming party. I couldn't use Quinn's Penthouse, he made that very clear. "I will make it up to you," I promise. Oliver grunts and walks away with a tray full of drinks. "We are now patronizing with low life helps." Roxanna walks up to me. I decide to ignore her snide remark about my brother. Only Quinn know him. She doesn't take the hint, she continues to talk, "He is cute though and a bit younger than you. I won't mind having a taste after you." I grit my teeth at her comment. Like I would let a vulture-like her
The next morning, Quinn picks me up. Theo is with him. The kid looks distraught. His focus is fully on his phone. "I heard your brother was picked up by the cops for questioning. What happened?" He starts the engine of his Lamborghini. My brother's confession from last night is still fresh in my head. He confessed that he was stealing money from the shop to finance Nimo's lifestyle and his new apartment. He also revealed he was fired a week before the fire incident when Robert found out. But swears he never burnt down the shop or kill him. Which I believe. "The mechanic shop he was working at burnt down. So they needed him to clarify some of the things." I say. "If you need any help am here," Quinn says. Courtney crosses my head but I push the thought away am not planning on doing anything with him. Am here because am fond of Theo. "Want to play some game kiddo?" Quinn asks him through the rearview. I can't believe he is a father and I must admit he is good at it. Theo doesn't b
Elope with me.Those words hang around me. How can he ask me such a thing in the middle of my crisis? The ride back to his penthouse didn’t do any good. I couldn’t stop thinking about his proposal, in fact it rendered my other problems as nothing.I have never been a wedding girl, never attended one, never pictured myself as a bride. So his question was beyond me. We stayed the night at the pent house as usual he left us there to go be with his wife, the irony! The next day, Kelly orders an uber for us and I am glad to be back at my apartment. She leaves for work and I am left all alone. I sleep most of the morning and when I wake up I draft my resignation letter. I honestly don’t know what to do next but I want to hurt Andre and his mother as badly they have deceived me. I decide to read my mother’s diary. Most the entries are when she was a teenager. She seemed so in love with Wayne and Ryan’s mother didn’t lie. It is because of him that their Friendship ended the only Question I hav
Graduation day finally arrives.The day welcomes me with two open hands, it is a good day, a promising one. The ceremony is commencing. The sitting arrangement is based on honours classification and alphabetically based on the student's surname. I am on the front row because I am graduating with a first-class, and so is Quinn. He is a seat away from me.I can't bring myself to concentrate on what is being said ahead of me. I have my tablet pretending to be taking photos but I am chatting with Jack. I invited him for my graduation despite the terrible date we had the other day. He sends a GIF, it is so damn funny. I put my hand over my mouth to stop myself from laughing. Someone lets out an annoying cough, I turn to find Quinn giving me a wicked stare. I roll my eyes and concentrate back on my chat with Jack. I will not let him ruin my day like how his words ruined my date.What did he even mean with his words? Does he know something I don't? Shit, I am doing it again, letting Quinn wi
Cara's Pov"Psst...psst...psst." For a second I think I am imagining the annoying hissing sound until I feel a wet towel fall on my shoulder.I awkwardly smile at the family seated on the table I am currently cleaning. I put the dirty dishes on a tray. I turn with a grim face to find Kelly smiling at me. She signals at me to look at the entrance. I do.My favourite pair of couple walk in. Some of the customers turn to look at the newest couple in town. Instagram has turned them into couple goals. Their matching outfits, their live sessions on social media doing things together, working out together, they have even become marriage counsellors.I quickly carry my tray and hurry back to the kitchen."Should I go to their table and accidentally trip carrying hot, super hot pepper soup?" Kelly walks in after me."No, that is what they want. Drama." I throw the wet towel back to Kelly. It leaves a damp spot on my shoulder.I walk back to the door and peep to see where Quinn, Courtney, Roxan
Quinn's povI can't believe it is over a month since the wedding. Life has been crazy, what would have been or perceived as a honeymoon by the public was just a business vacation.Courtney spends her days shopping and the evenings posting what she shopped for. I spend my days in meetings one after another and my nights going through the reports from the meetings.Only occasionally I would steal a peek in the social media. I would click to a specific profile. She was dormant in social media but I was hoping she had posted something. Ryan had stated his intention so I stalked her to see if she agreed. Later I would log out and feel like the biggest scum on earth to be stalking another woman even when my wife was in the room. I would secretly send flowers to Courtney to ease my guilt.Our nights in bed we spend talking of old days and how our days were. Sometimes we fell asleep with our clothes on. I never initiated any intentions of sexual activity. Somehow I found myself relaxed and co
It has been almost two months, I find myself back at the University. We are to pick our gowns for the upcoming graduation in two days.My mind is focused on the building ahead of me. Kelly offered to escort me though she has decided to stay in the car. Over the time we have worked together we have grown closer. I feel I can trust her and with time she has proved that."Excuse me..." I barely hear the person trying to capture my attention."Excuse me..." The intruder taps my shoulder, I relentless remove my earphones.I turn to find a man staring back at me. His mouth is hanging slightly open and I am left to wonder what was his motive by disrupting me if he is just going to stare at me.He shakes his head from his thoughts. "Sorry, I don't mean to waste your time but it is my first time. Could you help me, I am lost. Which way is the psychology department?"My moment of anger dissipates when I realise he is not wasting my time. "I am heading that direction," I state."Just my luck." H
This is a filler chapter.Cara POVI wipe my forehead with the back of my hand. Today the hotel is filled to capacity. Everyone's eyes are fixed on the television, phone, laptop or anything that is streaming the Nickel's wedding of the century.I glance at the wall clock, my shift should be ending in a few. I just want to be out of here."You are going to miss the best part." Kelly, a coworker, says. I have known her for several days I have been working here."And Tony will fire your ass once he finds you watching that nonsense instead of working," I warn her as I load dishes into the dishwasher."So you aren't over the guy, look at you." She moves closer."I would have had to be into him to get over him." I staunchly declare.She rolls her eyes, "Sure honey, and my boobs are real." My eyes move to her chest where her plastic boobs are pushed up close to her chin. "Like what you see?" She shakes them in front of my face. I suppress a smile. I like Kelly, she is real and never sugarcoa
Quinn's povFive years ago"Another one please," I push my glass towards the mixologist that is trying to impress drunkards with his skills."Quiny..." I turn to find my sister, Meg together with my cousin, Leo. I groan. Ryan had convinced me that i wouldn't run into someone i know at this club."I had to find out from the papers that my brother was back. Where have you been hiding for those months?" She takes the stool beside me as Leo is left standing.We had a normal relationship, we barely hugged, kept in touch. I cared for her, just sucked at showing it. On the other hand, Meg, having spent most of her time away from home as punishment for her rebellious behavior. That did her more good than harm, she was never shy at expressing herself, she lived her life to the fullest and the influence of our toxic parents never affected her."I haven't been hiding. I have just been busy.""Heard Dad threatened to cut you off if you didn't come back and study business to take over the empire."
"Where do you see yourself in the next five years?" The Human resource guy implores.This isn't going how I expected. I thought it would be the C.E.O, my uncle, that will be interviewing me.I square my shoulders and confidently talk about how I predict my career will grow in the next five years and my contribution to the organization.The HR listens to me with indifference. I can hardly tell how this is going.After I have answered his questions he speaks."How soon can you start?" He asks."Tomorrow, " I answer."Okay. You are supposed to be here by five thirty the hotel opens at seven and everything ought to be ready. You will start out as a cleaner then from your performance we shall see how it goes."My head is turning, what is he talking about?"uh...i had applied for an assistant accountant trainee position." I remind him. What did he smoke?"Yes. You did. Did you not read the entire job description?" His tone is disapproving.No, I did not. But that is not a thing you tell you
The Dday finally arrives. We find ourselves; Oliver and I outside the deans office. We are early no one is yet to arrive. Not even the dean."What if he lied to Andre? Oliver is standing at the notice board. My attention is drawn when I see an announcement for those that meet the requirements can start on the graduation application. I am drawn back when Oliver speaks again."On the card you received it did indicate he was out to get back at us." Oliver says worried. I know how much being in this university means to him."Whatever happens we deal with it." I encourage him."Then you better be ready." A voice says. I look up to find Quinn's hard stare on us. He is alone.I stay tight-lipped. If I speak I will vex him and that will be bad for Oliver. Any day It would be my pleasure to argue with him. However Oliver has other plans..."If you think you can terrorize us like your father did to mine. You are wrong!" Oliver hisses at him."No one that is terrorizing you. And neither did my fa