SARAYA'S POV My lips cracked up in a smile as I opened his message first.There was a loud knock on the door. I immediately got out of bed and hurried to the door wondering who the hell that is. I opened the door and found a young, tall guy about Eighteen years old. He must be Evan—My brother who looks and is behaving... different. An imbecile, I have to reveal. It's no little wonder our father wants me to take over the business. Evan had the mind of a seven year old."Hey there, little guy." That clearly was an irony compared to how tall he towered over me wearing a pair of lenses, but he is my younger brother after all. He wrapped me up in a bear hug and without saying a word, ran off to his room that happened to be opposite mine. Separated by the long lobby.I closed the door and walked back to bed. 'If we had the same mother, would he have turned out different or was my father fated to have an imbecile son?' The thought of a whole different life if my parents had been marrie
ARLAN'S POV: I walked in with a ready smile for the camera and my plus one, Matilda, by my side. I sighted my good old friend, Alex, already making his way towards me. "Arlan! Hey man." We embraced like two long lost brothers meeting after a very long time. "Matilda," Alex took her hand and kissed the back of her hand, " it's a pleasure meeting you again. I'm glad you've come to came to my party." Matilda smiled at him. "My pleasure." "Matilda!" A lady called out in shock. "Is that you?" She asked and pulled her into a warm hug. "Never thought I would see you here." "Oh my goodness, Tessy. It's been such a long time," Matilda replied all smiles. "Pardon me, gentlemen." She apologized after they broke off the hug, still holding each other hands. "Meet Tessy, my friend from college." "Hi!" Tessy waved at me. "Nice to meet you Tessy!" I took her hand and kisses it. "If you don't mind, gentlemen. I think I have a lot of catching up to do with my friend." Matilda said as
ARLAN'S POV:‘Great’ I roll my eyes, ‘Just what I don't need’ "Mr. Arlan Reef.'' She counts out my name, moving close."So, it's Saraya Newman, isn't it? Don't even answer that, it's a stupid question now." I let out a sigh, releasing the tension off my chest. I took a sip of the wine in my hand, it now tasted unpleasant - like acid, compared to the good taste it had almost an hour ago."Are you mad I wasn't completely honest? When we met, my family was yet to officially introduce me. Fuck it, I hadn't even met them yet. Hilton is my mother's last name that I have been using until I met my father, so technically I didn't lie" She kept her voice low. "And also,” she adds, “ about the other night-""Little Miss." I cut her short, glaring at her in disbelief. How could she even be talking about that night with me now. I opened my mouth to say something, but I was still too stunned to utter another word. The memories of our different encounters came alive in my head. My hand had touch
SARAYA'S POV:As Arlan's words, "Someone has seen us," pierced the air, my reverie shattered, and reality slapped me back into awareness. The flutter in my chest, the thrill of our secret moment, instantly disappeared, replaced by a chilling dread. My face twisted with worry, my mind racing with the dreadful possibilities.What if it was my dad, my stepmom, or worse still, Isla? Getting in trouble was the least of my concerns now, but dragging Arlan into the mess was never part of the plan.I swiftly smoothed my dress, my fingers tremble slightly. I hope he doesn't notice. "I'll see you inside," I whispered.Our eyes locked for a fleeting moment, and I saw the mirrored concern etched on Arlan's face.With a deep breath, I watched as Arlan vanished into the sea of guests, his broad shoulders slice through the crowd. I gave him a few minutes' head start before following, my heels clicking on the marble floor.As I entered back into the party, the paparazzi mobbed towards me, holding out
SARAYA'S POV:The room felt heavier with each second that passed. Evan’s eyes blazed with an intensity that made my stomach churn. He wasn’t just angry; he was hurt.I stood slowly, keeping my hands by my sides, palms open in a gesture of calm. My mind raced with different thoughts for a way to fix this, to make him doubt what he thought he saw.“Evan,” I began softly, my voice as steady as I could make it. “You must have misunderstood. It wasn’t me you saw.”His body stiffened, and his lips trembled as though the words he wanted to say were trapped behind a barrier. He balled his fists tightly, and when he finally spoke, his voice cracked, raw and strained.“N-not… m-m-mistake,” he stammered, each word clawing its way out of his throat. “S-saw… you!” His finger shot toward me, shaking with anger. “At… w-w-window!”My breath caught. I could feel the blood drain from my face, but I forced myself to stay calm.“Evan,” I said gently, taking a cautious step forward. “I know you’re upset,
ISLA’S POV:The hallway was quiet save for the soft creak of the wooden floor beneath my feet. I was heading to the kitchen for a cup of tea to calm my nerves, when I heard Saraya’s voice coming from Evan’s room.It wasn’t her usual tone. "What could be the problem?" My instincts kicked in as I slowly approved the slightly ajar door.“Evan, please,” Saraya was saying, her voice low but pleading. “You have to believe me.”My brows furrowed. "What is the problem between these two?"“D-don’t… t-touch me!” Evan’s voice came next, shaky but loud, and full of anger. The boy rarely raised his voice. Whatever had happened must have deeply upset him. I could stay back and watched.I pushed the door open without knocking.Both of them froze. Evan stood stiffly by his bed, his face red and tear-streaked, while Saraya stood a few steps away, her hands raised as though trying to calm him down.The sight was enough to make my chest tighten.“Someone want to tell me what’s going on here?” I asked, m
ARLAN’S POVThe boardroom buzzed with subdued voices as one of the directors droned on about quarterly projections. I leaned back in my chair, arms crossed, trying to focus on the conversation, but my thoughts were elsewhere—on her.Saraya.I had been doing my best to put distance between us after the close call last week. It had been reckless, far too close for comfort. Evan’s shadow at the window was a stark reminder of how easily everything could come crashing down. Yet, no matter how hard I tried, her face, her touch, her laugh—they haunted me.A quiet buzz from my phone on the table snapped me out of my thoughts.I glanced down at the screen, the name lighting up like a beacon.Saraya.My chest raced, I hesitated, letting the screen go dark again. She shouldn’t be texting me, not now.The vibration came again. Another message. And then another.I clenched my jaw and turned the phone face down, ignoring the insistent buzzing as I forced my attention back to the meeting.“Arlan, do
SARAYA’S POVThe line went dead, and I stared at the phone in my hand, my chest heaving as the silence engulfed me. My anger was still burning, but now, it was mixed with something else—something sharp and raw that made my throat ache.I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe he was avoiding me.I wanted to scream. I wanted to throw my phone across the room, but I didn’t. Instead, I just held it, staring at the screen where his name still lingered."Why am I so unlucky when it comes to the matters of the heart?" I asked soliloquizing.Here I was, feeling like I was begging for something that wasn’t there. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. Was this really how he felt about me? How easily he could pull away, just when I needed him most? Was I just another thing he couldn’t deal with?I paced the room, clutching the phone in my hand. I’d never been the kind of person to play games, but that’s what it felt like he was doing. Careful, he called it. But was that really it? Or
MARY'S POV."That little rat, I wish I could just yank his neck off his body this instant. How dare he spy on me?" I asked breathing heavily at the realization that I was about to drag down.Arlan aside, if Isla gets to find out about this, she will never look at me the same way again."I've built my reputation to be a submissive wife, respectful daughter in law and dutiful mother and all of that is about to come crashing down because of that idiot! I can't stand that let that happen." I told myself.I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I paced the room. "I have to do something very fast." I kept reminding myself as several thoughts ran through my mind but none of my ideas were good enough for the situation I had found myself.Ian thought he had me cornered, thought he had the upper hand? "That fool had no idea who he is dealing with, I will show him that I'm not to be disrespected.""But you have until tomorrow morning, what can you do before then?" A tiny voice ask
IAN'S POV."Awesome," I clapped my hands. "So Mary intends using Dominic to spy on Saraya. Guess I'm not the only one who is worked up about Saraya's existence." I said to myself."I've known she didn't care for Saraya like she claims to but I don't know Saraya made her so insecure she would go all the way.""Let's shake her up a little with this." I said staring at my phone before replaying the voice note."Isn't it too early to confront her? What if it goes down south?" A voice said in my head. "While it's still early, time is not on my side. With the way the company's shares have been plummeting since I took over, it's just a matter of time before those punch of greedy people start discussing my impeachment.""I'm in no position to consider the timing, even if it's just a straw, I have to grap it tightly with both hands and figure out a way to survive."I stood up and headed to her room with a victorious smile. "Let's see how she would react."I knocked twice on the door, taking a
SARAYA'S POV.I walked in feeling exhausted, at this point, there was no more tears coming out from my eyes.Gabby who had been waiting quickly rushed to me. "You gave me quite a scare, you wouldn't pick your phone..." She was saying when she finally looked up and saw my face. "Oh my, what happened?"I sank into her arms. "I hurt him, Gabby. I did."Gabby wrapped her arms around me, her grip firm and reassuring. "Who did you hurt?" she asked gently, stroking my hair."Dominic," I whispered, my voice hoarse. "He—he told me again he had feelings for me, and I... I couldn’t give him what he wanted."Gabby sighed, pulling back slightly to look me in the eyes. "Saraya, it’s not your fault. You can’t force yourself to love someone just because they love you.""But he’s been nothing but good to me," I said, my voice breaking. "He was there when I needed someone, when I was at my lowest. And instead of appreciating him the way he deserves, I—""You were honest," Gabby interrupted. "And that’s
SARAYA'S POV."Dominic, ever since I met you, you've been a good person and friend to me. I wouldn't want to jeopardize our friendship.""What are you scared of?" He asked."I'm scared of everything!" I snapped. "Letting someone new in and being vulnerable to them is something I don't want to do anytime soon.""I think it's time you let go.""What?" I asked like I didn't hear him the first time."I said it's time you let go of your obsession with Arlan." He said firmly, making me nervous. "He is never going to be yours, he is expecting a child with Matilda and if my memory serves me correctly, she should put to bed anytime from now."The realization in his words made my heart go cold. Dominic must've noticed how his words got to me but he didn't stop."Are you really going to stand between a father and a child because of your obsession?" He added.I felt the sting of his words like a slap across my face. Obsession? Is that what he thought this was?I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my
DOMINIC'S POV."Saraya...""Dominic, what's going on?" She asked sounding so worried. "I just got to my phone and saw your calls and message. Is my dad okay? Are you okay? Is everyone fine?""Calm down, princess." I managed to break through her worrisome questions. "I came to see you.""What?" She said. My actions took her by surprise just I had expected. "You mean you came all the way from Sydney to Colorado just to see me?" She asked like she needed to be sure."That's correct." I affirmed."Dom...""I know what you want to say but you can chastise me for showing up unexpectedly when you see me. What do you say?" I suggested, hoping she would agree.There was silence on the other end. I could almost see the way her brows would be furrowing right now, the way she’d bite her lower lip when she was trying to process something she didn’t see coming.I held my breath, waiting.“Dominic…” she finally said, her voice softer this time. “Why do you have to make such trip when we could have e
DOMINIC'S POV.The flight touched down at the airport and I soon checked out."Saraya, here I come!" I screamed out drawing stares from onlookers but I didn't care.I bought out my phone. "Okay, let's do this." I said, dialling her phone. It rang a few times but there was no reply. "Could she be busy at the moment?" I thought to myself, wondering why she wasn't picking I flagged a taxi down, "take me the closest and coziest hotel around, I'm so tired."The taxi ride was quiet, but my mind wasn’t. My heart raced faster than the car, my thoughts were fixated on one person—Saraya. I could help but wonder how would she react when she see me? Would she be surprised? Shocked? Angry?I leaned back in the seat, running a hand through my hair. “She’ll probably be mad at first,” I muttered under my breath. Saraya wasn’t the type to welcome unexpected visitors with open arms, especially not when she had told me that the last time I showed you expectedly on Christmas day. But I silently hoped wi
ALEX'S POV.I patted his back awkwardly, the strength of his hug catching me off guard. “I’m here, Arlan. I’m okay now.”He pulled back just enough to look me in the eyes. “Do you have any idea of how I felt when you collapsed? I couldn't focus knowing fully well it would be on me if you never wake up?”“I’m sorry I got you and everyone worried.” The words came out in a whisper, guilt settling in my chest.“You’re sorry?” He shook his head. “Don’t be ridiculous. Its all my fault, I should've told you everything...” His voice broke again, and he rubbed a hand across his face.I tried for a weak smile. "It's okay." I replied. "It would have been difficult if I were in your shoes too."“Thank you for coming around,” he said, but a small, relieved laugh slipped out anyway.I gestured to the chair by my bed. “Sit down before you fall over. You look like you haven’t slept in days.” I said pointing the eye bags beneath his eyes.“I haven’t,” he admitted, sinking into the chair. His elbows re
ARLAN'S POV I tried getting some sleep but it was impossible as my mind ravished with the thoughts of Saraya. I thought about what she could be doing but I couldn't mutter the courage to call her, not with what I saw at the airport."You're such a coward, Arlan. You don't deserve her." I turned on my side again.Her smile seems genuine and I couldn't remember the last time she smiled at me that way. All I remember was her tears and struggles whenever she was with me.I sighed and sat up. Restlessness took over me but I knew drinking wasn't an option. Not with Matilda, who is due with our baby anytime from now. For their sakes, I have to be sober.I decided to keep myself busy by going to my study to sort out the stack of documents that had been left untouched for days.I took off the bed cover and got off from bed. My study is attached to my bedroom so I grabbed my phone and headed there.I sat down and placed my hand on the stack of documents and I cursed my procrastination as I got
MARY'S POVI locked the door behind me and stood stark naked in front of the mirror and ran my hand through my damp hair.Ian's word replayed in my ears. "You’re doing this for yourself." He wasn’t wrong, but he didn’t know the full story."How could he? I had given eighteen years of my life to this family. Eighteen years of sacrifices, sleepless nights, and tears that no one else would ever understand and what do I get for it? Being used, made to accept every decision like my voice doesn't matter and condescension." I said in tears.No one has the right to chastise me, least of all Ian, with his arrogance and his facade of righteousness when everything seems to be slipping out of his hands."Ain't no way in a million years will I allow this chance to pass me me by." I said determined. "You can call me all sorts of names and it wouldn't matter as long as I get what I want."I looked at my stunning body in the morning, at forty one, I still had it. My round and firm breasts compliment