"We barely got to hang out and you're leaving so soon." Vixy sighed."I know but things have been so difficult.""Yeah I can't believe that someone is trying to kill you, that's fucking nuts.""And I didn't even do anything." I frowned."That's just how fucked up people are. They have no chill. When will you be back though?""I'm not sure yet.""You know where to holla at me when you get back. We've gotta hang out.""Yeah definitely.""Here, I made cookies and packed some for ya. Be sure to have a safe flight and take care.""Thanks Vixy." I hugged her and waved as I left the house.It was so nice catching up with her.As I was walking up the street, I saw Jessica. She was talking on the phone with someone. When she saw me she ended the call and walked over."Hey Annette, how have you been?""I've been good. How are you?""Oh I've been great. Damien is taking me out for dinner tonight. We're dating." She smiled.Girl who the fuck cares? Why would I need to know that?"Well that's grea
"Annette." Was all he said as he stared at me."It's you." He took a step forward and I took a step back."You look so beautiful. You have no idea how much I missed you.""Nathan, what a surprise!" Candace said as she walked outside."Hey Mom, I was just passing through to collect some stuff from the basement.""Oh I see, come in then."Nathan walked past me, our eyes locked as he went inside.I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe him! The fucking audacity to say he missed me. I still couldn't look at him the same, not after the way he treated me.I closed the door and went upstairs. Why did he of all people have to show up?Then I got a text message from an unknown number.It was just a smiley face and the text that followed stated:"Be careful."What the fuck? Who the hell is doing this shit? I bet it's the same person from New York. But I left so there shouldn't be a problem.I went out on the balcony and took some fresh air. I calmed my mind and allowed myself to relax. This i
We sat down at the table staring at the mask and the rope.Suddenly, Alex got up and held the ski mask. He carefully observed it and then he pulled a strand of hair from it. One strand of light brown hair."Hand me a napkin, will you?" He asked and I nodded. I went to the kitchen and brought him a napkin.He gently placed the hair in the napkin and wrapped it."I'll send this to my friends in New York. They can get a match. They'll be sure to investigate it. It's a start. I'll also trace where the text is coming from. No pressure.""If you want I can send my hair sample if-"There isn't a strand of light brown hair on your head." I chuckled and he cracked a smile."But that doesn't mean that I didn't plan the entire thing and had someone do the dirty work for me.""I don't think you'd be this sloppy Mr. Detective. You'd have gotten rid of the evidence." "I just want you to see that I'm not guilty.""I knew that you wouldn't do something like that Alex. You're not the type of person.
It was around 11 am and Alex was at work. Yesterday evening he took me out for dinner to clear my mind.But the picture replayed in my mind. Sending me a picture of my dead mother was taking it too far.That was ridiculous.The message came from Damien's address too. This was too much. Too fucking much.I dialed Damien's number and on the 2nd ring, he answered. I knew Alex said that I shouldn't call him but I was fucking pissed. I needed to vent."Damien, you have some fucking nerve doing that shit!""Doing what Annie?""Sending pictures of my dead mother; sending all these threats through text. Are you kidding me?""Annie I don't know what you're talking about.""Don't play dumb. The messages came from your address.""Annie, I'm not even home. I left and went to Florida 3 days ago. Let me send you my location."Surely enough he was in Florida. What sense does that make?"I don't know who's been sending those messages that are pretty messed up but I wouldn't do that to you, Annie. I t
Alex loves me.He really loves me.My eyes welled up with tears at his words. I was bursting with joy.Nathan was speechless.He didn't say anything as he walked past me. He stared at me with sorrowful eyes.Alex walked inside, he looked surprised to see me standing there."I'm guessing you heard that?" He chuckled awkwardly."Yes I did." I blushed.Alex walked up to me and engulfed me in a hug."I want to make you happy and I never want to see you stop smiling. I'd do anything for you. These last few months have made me realise how much I care about you and want to be with you. You make me so happy. I love spending time you. You're so sweet and kind. I adore your free spirit and the way you won't settle for any less than you deserve. I love you." When he said those words I completely broke down.To be loved is such a great feeling. It's just as good as giving love."Alex you've been there for me and I can't get over the way you make me feel. You've been there for me through thick and
A beautiful reflection of myself stared back at me in the mirror. I wore the royal blue bridesmaid's dress Tiffany and I picked out."You look so pretty, Annie." Paige smiled as she fixed her hair."So do you!"We looked amazing.We joined Tiffany in the room she was getting ready in."Woah, you look beyond beautiful," I said when I saw her."Oh my gosh thank you! I was so nervous.""I've been trying to tell her to stop eating so many potato chips before her wedding. It's a bad time for food." Tiffany's mom, Jude sighed."Mom, there's never a bad time for food. Food fixes everything." Tiffany explained and we laughed."It's time to go girls."Tiffany's cousins, Sadie and Melissa were also bridesmaids. They looked so pretty.We arrived at the church and went inside to prepare ourselves. Almost every single one of the guests was there already."There's my favorite girl." Alex hugged me from behind."You look beautiful." He kissed my forehead."Thank you, Alex. You look very handsome." I
Nathan's POV"What the fuck is this?" I yelled at Evie."I made Mac and cheese, what's wrong with that?" She asked, confusion written on her face."I work my ass off and this is what you give me? Are you serious?""I don't see anything wrong with this. You're being dramatic.""No I'm not. You just fucking suck. Annette would always make me the best dishes. She would prepare delicious food. She even made dessert. Not Mac and cheese from a fucking box.""Why are you acting like this Nathan?""All you do is sit around and waste my money. You live and feed off me like a fucking leech. You quit your job for heaven's sake.""You told me that it was okay to quit my job. Where's all of this coming from all of a sudden?""You can't seem to do anything right Evie. I like my clothes lavender scented. That's what Annie use to wash them with.""Umm, what are you talking about? I did the laundry and you're upset about a scent. A freaking scent Nathan. At this point you're picking a fucking fight."
"Have you been taking your prenatal vitamins?""Yes, I have.""That's good.""There's the baby." The doctor smiled as she pointed to the monitor."Everything looks good. Let me just wipe this gel off.""Are you both first-time parents?" She asked and we both nodded."Well, that's very nice. This is truly a wonderful experience for you both." She smiled as she wiped the gel off.After we were done, Alex and I had breakfast at the diner. Then Alex dropped me home and he went to work.I was watching TV when the doorbell rang.When I got to the door, Evie was standing there with shades on. Her lips were bruised and her face was caked in makeup.This isn't good!"I know I'm the last person you want to see but I need to talk to you. Please.""You're right I don't want to see you. So leave. I don't care about what you have to say."Wait, I need to talk to you, please. Just a few minutes of your time. Please." She pleaded and I sighed."Fine, come on in."Phillip went to the balcony and Xande
I knew what I had to do now. I wanted Alex to feel better. I wanted him to know that he could trust me with his feelings and emotions. The morning of the anniversary, I woke up before Alex and collected a bouquet of fresh, beautiful flowers I had ordered. Ruth said that Alex would always buy Brianna pink carnations. Those were her favorite flowers. The night before, I had already prepared a picnic basket. Then I went and added a few more things this morning. When I arrived home, Alex had already taken a shower and was eating the breakfast I had made before I left. “Good morning, Annie,” he said.“Good morning Alex.”“Where did you go?” He asked. “I got these,” I showed him a bouquet of flowers and his eyes widened. “Annie……what are you doing?” He avoided eye contact and dropped his fork. “I’m here with you. I want you to talk to me. This time around is a little tougher but I want to be here for you. Please let me in. It’s not always okay to handle these things alone. Trust me.”
After everything with Nathan and the drama with Paige and Alex, everything became calm. Alex and I returned to our usual routine of being in love with each other. There was something that was bothering Alex and I keep feeling like we were about to have another issue. I asked him a couple of times but he kept telling me that he was fine. I didn’t buy it. I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what the problem was but I needed to find out. I couldn’t keep asking him so I decided to do the next best thing. It was high time I paid his parents a visit. I got into the car and drove over to their home. I knew Alex wasn’t very close to his parents but maybe they knew something. A few moments after knocking on the door, it opened. A woman opened the door, she looked exactly like Alex and immediately I knew it was his mom. “Hi you must be Annette. Please come in.” She smiled. “Hello, it’s nice to meet you.” I greeted. “You’re just glowing with this pregnancy. Congratulations. It’s a shame when mar
Alex’s POVHer soft lips parted when she noticed me. Tears were cascading down her cheeks. She was too pretty to cry so why did she have to experience it so much. I wished for a better life for Annette, I wanted her happy all the time. When she told me about the kiss with Nathan, I was broken and hurt. How could she allow that to happen? I really couldn’t help the betrayal and anger I felt when I thought about it. But then I realized that she trusted me so much that she told me what happened and I knew she knew what the repercussions would be and she told me anyway. Nathan reached out to me a couple days ago and explained the situation. I knew my cousin well. I knew that he wouldn’t have given up Annie so easily. I knew that it wasn’t Annette’s fault. There she was, standing in front of me, surprise written all over her face. “Alex,” she whispered. “What are you doing here? This is not what it looks like,” she stated as more tears welled in her eyes. “I know.”“Nathan called m
“Why would you kiss Nathan?” Evie asked. “He kissed me, and the thing is, he said he needed closure, but I didn’t know how to react.” I sighed. “Maybe that’s all he needed to leave you alone. It’s going to be like a memory for him, you know. I can get why Alex is upset, though. Knowing you kissed someone else would make him upset, hurt, and angry, but he just needs some time to cool off, and he’ll be fine.” Christiana added. "Yeah, I guess you’re right, but my friend really shamed me for it. She attacked me. I knew it came from a place of hurt, but I can’t see her the same again.” “She’s probably cheating; that’s why she reacted like that.” Evie rolled her eyes. “I don’t know, but it really hurt me so much. She’s one of my best friends, and to hear her say that was painful.” “It’s okay, Annie. Forget about her. Besides, you have us now.” Evie placed a hand on my shoulder and gave me a comforting smile. Somehow, that made me feel so much better. The next few days were a blur, E
After I practically sprinted out of the restaurant, I sat in my car and tried to compose myself. I didn’t think Paige would go that far, not in my wildest dreams. I was hurt and confused. All I was trying to do was give her some advice, and she just threw my issue back in my face. Tiffany was ringing my phone, but I ignored her. I was in no mood to talk. I just wanted to be alone. I decided it was best to go back home and try to relax. But some part of me felt like she was right. I didn’t have to go over to Nathan’s house, and I shouldn’t have done that. As I pulled up to my home, I thought about Alex and what it meant to be with him. I knew I had to come clean and apologize to him. I just didn’t know how. After I got out of the car, I went inside and met Alex in the kitchen. He had already started dinner. "Hey, back so soon?" He smiled when he saw me. That smile made me shiver. Here he was, happy to see me, but I had betrayed him."Alex, we need to talk." I said."What's wrong
"Earth to Annette, are you okay?" Alex asked, and I nodded."Yeah, I'm fine." I forced a smile, and he frowned. "Annie, is something bothering you?" He pressed, and I sighed."I promise, I am fine. If something was bothering me,. I would have told you. I am sorry for worrying you, baby. I guess I am just excited for Evie to come out of the hospital this evening.""I know you guys are going to be great sisters." He smiled, and I nodded. "Aren't you going to meet with Paige and Tiffany for lunch?" He asked."Yes, I am. I have some catching up to do with them."How was I going to tell Alex about the kisses I shared with Nathan? How am I going to tell him that I didn't pull away? I just stood there, stunned. “Alex, there’s something I need to tell you,” I began, my voice barely above a whisper.He looked at me, his eyes filled with concern. “What is it?” he asked.“I…I ran into Nathan the other day,” I said, pausing to gauge his reaction.“And?” he prompted, his gaze never leaving mine
"Good morning, baby," Alex cooed as he rubbed my head. "How does breakfast in bed sound?""Sounds like a plan." I murmured as I took the tray. "This looks delicious." I smiled, and he nodded. "Of course it does. I made it." He winked, and I blushed. I couldn't get over how happy I was with Alex, and I was really glad our lives were back to normal. “Enjoy your breakfast, love,” Alex said, his eyes twinkling with affection.“I will, thanks to the chef,” I replied, playfully raising my coffee mug in a toast.He laughed, a sound that warmed my heart. “Anything for you, darling.”“Alex,” I began, pausing to take a bite of the perfectly cooked eggs. “This is... amazing. You’ve outdone yourself.”He beamed at the compliment. “Well, I had a good reason. I wanted to start our day right.”“And you have,” I assured him, reaching across the bed to squeeze his hand. “Thank you, Alex.”His smile widened, and he leaned in to plant a soft kiss on my forehead. “Anything for you, baby. Always.”"So
Alex arrived at the hospital shortly after. I was so excited to see him. "How's everyone doing?" He asked. "We're all good. I'm just very nervous about Evie. Also, Kathy passed away. Apparently, when we left her tied up, Mai shot her. She couldn't have made it." I explained. "Well, that's unfortunate. Mai is a cold-blooded killer, and she's never going to see the light of the day after what she did," Alex said. "Damn right, you are. She is borderline crazy and I never in my wildest dreams would think that she would take things so far."Nathan walked over to us. He looked like he was on the brink of tears. "Hey, can I talk to you guys for a second?" He asked, and we both nodded. "Alex, you're a good man. I know it doesn't mean anything, or it doesn't matter what I say, but I know you're going to be a great husband to Annette. I just wish that I didn't fuck up beyond repair. It's definitely heartbreaking to see her be with someone else. I fucked up our lives for a few moments of p
Annette's POV "If you make a fucking move, Damien is dead meat." I yelled. "Annie, what are you doing?" Damien asked as he tried to walk over to me. "Don't fucking move, Damien!" I snapped, and he stood in his place. Kenneth placed his gun in his pocket, much to everybody's surprise. "I know you're in the car, Mai. Get the hell out right now! Don't forget, I'm not afraid to go the distance. I'll kill Damien; if I have to, then I'll do the same for Alex and all my friends. So, let's settle this!" "Annie, what's going on?" Nathan asked, but I ignored him. A little while passed, and the door creaked open. Mai stepped out of the car. "Annie, just calm down, please. There's no need for violence." "I don't give a fuck, Mai. Tell Damien what you did!" "Mai, what did you do?" Damien asked, and she sighed. "It's not what it looks like. I promise you that." She walked up to him. "Wait, don't tell me, did you start this?" Damien gasped. "I know it looks bad, but that’s not how it is;