(Emily's POV)A knock on the door startled me and woke up from my deep sleep. The door slowly opened. I yawn while getting up and glance at the person who entered my room."Emily, it's time for breakfast." Lea softly said.I lay back on my bed and buried my face in my soft pillow, "I'll eat later."After a second, she smacks my ass with her palm causing me to wince in pain, "Lea!" "Don't let Steve come and get you," she warned.Oh God, she really never changes."I... I'm just tired..." I whined but she slap me for the second time. "Stop doing that 'diet' word, Emily. It does not make you pretty. You should eat more to make yourself beautiful."I sigh, "I am not trying to be pretty or beautiful or whatever adjective that is.""You need to! How can you get a boyfrie--" she stops.Boyfriend?She already knows I'm not in the mood to mingle with a guy. She's just doing that in order for me to forget Dimitri. She wanted me to because she doesn't like Dimitri for me.I heard her sigh. "I'
(Emily's POV)Cutlery scrapes the plate, there’s wet chewing and loud swallowing. Elbows are drawn in, backs straight, and my eyes falling everywhere but on their eyes.This is the quietest and most awkward breakfast I have ever experienced since I am back here in LA.I bet Lea and Steve fought by the time of their date. They're having a lover's quarrel which infuriated me more. I'm having trouble to swallowed my dinner because I was full from the Starbucks free meal given by a handsome priest.I'm still wondering if he really is a priest or was just devoted.Wait... Why did I conclude that he is a priest? On what grounds?Why am I bothered anyway? And I should not give a damn about that stranger's life.I was startled when Lea dropped her spoon with a loud clangor on her plates and grabbed a glass of water from the water pitcher. Right then, Steve stood up with a loud creek from the chair and was open the fridge to grab a bottle of water before he slammed closed the fridge door with
(Emily's POV)-5 months later-I exit the nurse quarter after taking my belongings with me. My shift just ended an hour earlier and I am waiting for Lea to finish her shift. While waiting I fell asleep and just woke up to see the time passing by quickly. It's already dark outside. But Lea is still not around. Is she in mandatory overtime? She did not notify me though.I dialed her number but totally forgot that she must not have her phone right now. Sighing, I leaned on the bench while waiting in the lounge, watching Tom and Jerry on the tv.Every day is tiring for me. Everything seems new. But it's better to be this way. I seldom think about him nowadays. But the new thing is I cannot hang around with friends without Lea.Well, she's my best friend, of course, we stick to each other all the time, but there is a chance that Steve won't let her have fun outside, so I was also dragged out of the world of fun too.It's not I hate being trapped in the hands of my brother, it's just like,
(Emily's POV)I yawned as I wait for Lea and the others to finish their lunch. Some of them are in different departments but why are they devouring their food with proper etiquette? Having a conversation with my co-nurse in the mae department makes my boredom go away. Apparently, this is one of the days that stress was not blasting our heads. We should be grateful though. Maybe that's the reason why these fellas are enjoying their break.But not me.This day appears to be different to me. I've been anxious since this morning and it bothers me, maybe for a whole day. This feeling only shows up if a flood of patients from an accident came through our emergency sliding door. And it frustrates me that I cannot even eat properly. I was hoping no children involve all the time.Lea will be busy again, for sure.They've been talking about the new surgeon. And I know who that is. They all seem interested in him but why? My gaze turned to the window of the hospital cafeteria, a loud siren fr
(Emily's POV)I entered the nurse lounge and headed straight to my locker, while catching my breath, taking my stuff out of my locker, and exit the room without changing my clothes. As I am wearing my hoodie, I grab my phone and dial Steve's number.As I have a perfect memory of the plate number, the color of the car, and the brand of the car they ride to escape from me.Dimitri's getting on my nerves.I spotted Lea who was about to reach me. "Are you going home?""I'll head to Steve first but he is not answering any of my calls.""Why? Just wait for at least an hour. Steve is somewhere out of the Encino but he's on his way now.""I can wait at the station."She grabbed my arm with a confused look on her face. "Just wait here, Emily. You know that you are forbidden to wander alone."I held her hand, "I'm fine, Lea. Just inform Steve that I'm on my way to his station.""But- EMILY!"I run off to the main door of the hospital and hailed a cab. "2710 West Temple Street," | immediately sa
(Emily's POV)Warm, humid air breezed into the studio from the open terrace doors, rustling the sheer curtains. Below the veranda lay a white sandy beach, crystal-blue water, and palm trees swaying in the wind.Steve's cousin chooses me to be her model for a campaign for a vegan product. I never agreed to this but she begs for me to do it, well, of course, the pay is low if she is acquainted with her worker. Well, I have a background in modeling from way back in high school, so this is not new to me.Though even here, my thoughts wandered across the Atlantic Ocean. I wondered what Aosta Valley, Italy looked like in the summer. My imagination pictured the country covered in eternal ice and snow. Still, Italy called to me while paradise's breeze caressed my hair."Chop, chop!" Flora, Steve's cousin clapped her hands in the air, her tribal-patterned poncho rising to show the leotard beneath. "Carlos is going to be here in ten minutes, and you know how much he hates to be kept waiting."T
(Dimitri's POV)It's 3:00 in the morning and I'm driving over to The Conga Room, with Mali in the passenger seat next to Lucio who's driving.I'll just finish this quarter between me and Delimer. Yes, we're both not dead. It took me months to figure out through Italian Police that he was not dead. Everything was set up. Our death was a counterfeit. So that the association will not be involved in our family matters.I scoffed at the word 'family'.There's no family in the first place. He ruined the word 'family' between us. He keeps following Emily, so I'm doing my best to watch her from afar, making sure Delimer would not touch even the tips of her hair.He choose this and I'm making sure he would not hurt anyone anymore because of his readiness to rule the association.As we drive over to the club, Lucio watches me instead of the road."If you won't turn on my brother, the first bullet out of my gun goes right between your eyes," I tell him.He was against the idea of me killing my
(Emily's POV)I took a Lyft ride on my way to Riverside. It's my day off but Flora makes me work on my supposedly peaceful day. I thought of that woman and her stupid tarot card. I mentally tried to figure out the odds of her drawing that card. I imagined all kinds of crazy ideas like she'd watched me from behind trees for years and then played The Devil to unsettle me.Frustrated with my musings, I exhaled and told myself it was just a coincidence. A freaky coincidence... But I refused to think about it again.I stood in front of my childhood home. My original home, where Dad killed my Mom, and I survived through that. All thanks to Steve. I wasn't thrilled about being here again though.When I entered through the front door, it was clear the electricity had been turned off. No lights. No water. The house radiated heat beneath the hot summer sun.I grabbed a water bottle from my bag and poured a bowl for the stray dog who was lying on the couch. Panting, he plopped down on the cool