There was something wrong with the address Charles sent Calvin, but he couldn’t place it. Kicking his legs under the passenger seat, he dialled his best friend’s number. The car was silent as he waited for the call to connect. His driver looked back, but Calvin shook his head. He had to confirm the address first before heading over to his sister’s place to say hi to Faye.Charles picked up, and his first statement was, “Hey, Charles. Is the address correct?”“Yes. Why?”“Just asking.”Calvin paused to pull the phone away from his ear. Like he did when Charles sent him the address, he frowned at the letters on his screen. He knew this restaurant and how long it usually took to get a reservation. Days, sometimes, it could take weeks. But that wouldn’t be a problem for Charles.Calvin’s worry was that the restaurant was better suited for business meetings and dat
Hana had always known she wouldn’t marry for love. But she had hoped to have some things done her way. Even her engagement party wasn’t in her control. When Baba told her to dress pretty this evening, he hadn’t mentioned the occasion. He hadn’t even let her sister or mother come with her. What she thought would be a father-daughter special moment turned into a private engagement party.There was only one photographer in the room to cover the ceremony. Nothing that happened there was her choice. At first, she had looked forward to seeing Kyle, but he had to reveal his true womanising self by coming to her party with another woman.What was his point? To hurt her? Well, it worked. He broke her already broken heart.A tap on Hana’s shoulder made her sit up straighter in the backseat. Kyle had left without wishing her well, and Baba had asked them to leave after that. Her eyes opened, and she got a full glimpse of Baba&rsquo
A newspaper dropped in front of Calvin’s desk, and he flung it across the wall after taking one look at the pictures on the first page. KJ chuckled, sliding into a seat far away from his brother. He hadn’t expected to see a picture of Hana and Charles smiling at each other on the front page of The Punchline newspaper.“Someone is in a mood,” KJ commented. His kid brother didn’t seem to care for his foul mood. He retrieved his phone from his pocket, tapping on the screen until it no longer responded. “I knew the face looked familiar. Shouldn’t you be happy for our cuz? How come we didn’t get an invitation?”“And you won’t get any,” Calvin snapped.“What the fuck is wrong with you?” KJ asked. His chair swung from left to right, and he gripped the armrests. A smile split his lips. “Is it because of the board meeting? Relax. I always have your back.”Calvin scoffed
Hana knew she was making a mistake talking to another man when her future husband was somewhere outside. But as her eyes glazed over Kyle, she knew it was a mistake she would willingly commit. Charles hadn’t even noticed her leave. He had spent more time talking to his friend, Larry, than he had done with his soon-to-be wife. She had expected him to call or text given how much time she had spent here in the restroom but got nothing from him.“Hana,” Kyle started. God, she hated how he called her by her real first name. She could sense that he was about to reject her.“I want you,” she repeated. She stepped back, one hand on the door’s knob. “You.”Entering the restroom, she kept the door wide open. Emotions flittered across Kyle’s face. Knowing his real name to be Calvin Kyle McKenna hadn’t changed her opinion of him. They could work on his playboy ways. Once he joined her, she locked the door. None of
The car was eerily silent, but Hana didn’t care. David was driving, and her father was seated behind with her. She spent the ride home with her forehead plastered on the window, touching her lips and smiling. She could still feel the heat of his lips on hers. So, that was what an orgasm felt like? She liked orgasms, especially if it was Kyle giving them to her. Maybe they could do it more. Oh, yes. If they married, it would be her right. What would she have to do? For sure she would cook for him. Mama always did that. What if he didn’t love her?At least he was good to her.The car stopped in front of their house and Hana raced up the stairs before her father could say a word. Her sister was nowhere to be found as Hana made her way to her room. Instead of going to call Cara, she charged for her bathroom and discarded her panties. Standing in front of the mirror, she pushed a finger into her vagina but felt nothing. Maybe she wasn’t doing i
Hana was on autopilot mode as she hit her father. The pentup anger, frustrations, and resentments was poured into each strike. She only snapped out of it when he fell to the floor with a thud loud enough to break her out of her reverie. There was blood. But she wasn’t sure whose. Her sister was also on the floor. She crouched, tapping Cara on the shoulder. Her back screamed with each move she made since she had taken most of the hits there. She shook Cara again, calling her name so she would wake up.“Cara,” she whispered. “Cara?”Cara was lying on her side, like she had curled into this position to protect herself from their father. Her hair was also stuck to her temple. Hana tried to pry it off to get a better look at her sister’s face but her fingers came off with blood. A scream stuck to her throat. Hana raised her head in her mother’s direction. Mama hadn’t moved from the couch, and the resentment she fel
Dinner was silent until Calvin cleared his throat. He had asked his siblings to stop by the house ahead of their usual Friday routine because he didn’t want to repeat the same news twice.His dad sat at the head of the table with his wife beside him. Camilla was by his side, and KJ on his mother’s left. When Kyle Sr raised his head, Calvin’s nerves took over.“I, I…” Calvin coughed as a mix of grey and brown eyes turned in his direction. No one stopped eating, but he noticed they weren’t eating with the same speed as before. “I have an important announcement to make.”They all grinned. KJ winked and gave him a thumbs-up. His dad stared between both sons and picked up his glass of water. KJ must have assumed he wanted to talk about the result of last week’s meeting, but it was something else. He couldn’t do this without the family’s blessing or awareness.“I’m gettin
Hana stood on her toes, her body shaking from hunger and tiredness. Her feet ached from making the long journey from the alley she slept in to Kyle’s company. Standing in front of Tech Valley for too long hadn’t also helped. Each day she came here hoping the result would be different, but it was the same.Security had refused to let her inside to see Mr Kyle McKenna. It must have been her dress or face that scared them. As much as she had tried to clean herself up in the hospital’s restroom before leaving that day, she could still feel dry blood on her dress. Her hair was also tangled from the many times she had run her fingers through it.She left her hair down to hide the bruise on her cheek. She didn’t know Baba could hit that hard. Now she understood why Mama always did everything to avoid another hit.Cars drove past the building, honking as they went. A few entered and drove out, but she didn’t recognise any to be Kyle’s