Fate really is playing me like a puppet.I just got rid of one stepbrother only a day ago and it throws another one right back at me.But I guess…the new one seems much better than the old one.Embarrassed, I quickly apologize for making a big fuss earlier. But Liam doesn’t seem to mind that at all, “I should be the one to say sorry. I thought your dad had already told you about me and I just couldn’t resist the temptation to see the surprise on your face.”I let out an awkward laugh, “I didn’t know dad’s girlfriend—I mean your mom—has a son.”“Really? You dad didn’t mention a word about me? I thought he was so fond of me. Well, that hurts,” he clenches his chest and pretends to be shot in the heart. “Ouch.”Jenna has a big stupid grin on her face. She turns to me and mouths me again: HOT!I sigh internally. My other stepbrother is also very hot, but we all know how that turned out.“So why were you in the airport?” Jenna asks him. “You weren’t there to pick us up no?”“Not really. I
Even Eason being here would be less of a surprise for me. Mr. Ramirez needs to talk to me? But about what? What could possibly bring him from the east coast to the west? I swallow hard and step aside, whispering under my breath, “Please come in.” Mr. Ramirez makes his way through the door and then nods at Liam, who still seems very confused at the moment. “Umm Nat? Who is this again?” Liam asks me with a frown. Right at this moment, dad and Hallie follow us out of the dining room. Dad freezes the moment he lays eyes on Mr. Ramirez—of course he recognizes his ex-wife’s current husband. “Sorry for intruding,” Mr. Ramirez says calmly, his eyes glancing around the room. “I just need a moment with Natalia.” “What? Why?” Dad takes an instinctive step forward and snaps. “Did—did something happen to Alicia?” “Oh no, it’s nothing like that. Nothing urgent. I really just need 5 minutes alone with Natalia,” Mr. Ramirez says. I’m slightly relieved hearing that mom is ok, but it makes me e
“NO—!!!” I let out a sharp scream and make a lunge forward, stepping in between him and Liam. Eason stops abruptly in his track, his grip on the bottle tightening, his chest rising and falling rapidly. “What the fuck are you doing!” I yell to him, making sure Liam is safe behind my back. “Drop your bottle now! Or I’m calling the police.” His eyes become redder, as if the next second his eyes will cry blood. “That’s the first thing you say after so long?” he asks with a trembling voice, which is filled with sadness and rage. “Do you have any idea what kind of life I’ve lived ever since you left?!” I was sad at first. But now hearing him say these, anger starts to build up in my heart again. I grit my teeth taking a firm step forward and snatch the bottle from him. He quivers for a bit but doesn’t resist. I smash the bottle to the ground making a huge noise. “What kind of life you’ve lived? Do you have ANY IDEA what kind of life I have lived?!” I growl, unable to control my temper
THREE YEARS LATER. I rush down the street, knocking a few shoulders along the way and stepping into one icy mud pond. The cold winter air is like a blade cutting through my lungs. After making a sharp turn at the corner, I finally see the bus station. A bus has just arrived. “Wait…Please wait a second!!” I yell to the driver. But he only gives me a cold and indifferent look before closing the door and driving away from the station. “…Fuck!” I bend down taking a time to catch my breath and then check the time. It’s already 16:37. Now I have exactly 23 minutes to make it across the town and arrive at the restaurant I work in, which is impossible, which means I’m so screwed. Today is not the day to be late, because I’ve made a plan to talk to my manager about making an early withdraw of my salary. My rent is due in a few days and the incredibly high living expense in New York is sucking me dry. I have a student loan to cover my tuition, but I still have to work my ass off to pay
I’ve imagined a million times what it would be like when we meet again. Maybe at our family gathering, maybe at a friend’s party, or maybe even at my wedding in the future.But I’ve never thought about this, with him sitting there with his beautiful new girlfriend, and me standing there all embarrassed like a clown.This can’t be any worse.But unlike me, he doesn’t seem surprised at all. He simply looks at me calmly, as if we just saw each other this morning.“Babe,” his girlfriend pouts. “This is the stupid waitress I was talking about. She ruined the outfit you got me and—”He cuts her off, “Natalia.”He isn’t pretending that he doesn’t know me, as I thought he would be.But he used to call me “Nat” and not “Natalia.”Then he stands up from his seat and leans forward, giving me a gentle hug. I can smell his scent, the familiar scent of mint and woods, but this hug feels very strange. His hug used to be full of passion and energy, but now it’s polite and aloof.“It’s been a long tim
I crouch down there frozen, staring at him. “I said midnight. And you just waited me till midnight?” my voice is filled with shock. “Yes,” he nods. “But why?” I ask, perplexed. I can’t think of one reason that would make him wait in the weather like this for 2-3 hours. Is he just trying to be nice? Or does he still have feelings for—no, impossible. I immediately laugh at that fleeting thought. And then I hear his answer, “I said I want to have dinner with you. You clearly haven’t eaten anything. Come, let’s go.” He rises and gestures me to follow. Before I realize, I’m already walking with him side by side under his umbrella. The chilly wind hits me, and I shiver. The next second, a scarf that still carries his warmth lands on my neck. “It’s cold during the night, isn’t it?” he says casually and looks straight ahead, paying no attention to the astonished look on my face. “Don’t forget to check the weather next time.” I touch the scarf, which smells so much like him. It’s irres
I almost stutter, “M—Mr. Johnson, what are you doing here?”He picks up his baseball bats and points it at me, “What does it seem like? I’m here to move you out of my house! Hurry up! Don’t make me force you.”I take a step back, staring at his baseball bat warily. Mr. Johnson is a little hot-tempered, yes, but I didn’t think of him as someone who would beat the shit out of his tenants just because they missed one payment.“What are you doing with that bat?” I ask carefully keeping my safe distance with him. “There’s no need for that. I—I can call the police!”He rolls his eyes at me, “Cut the crap little girl. I don’t hit woman, but if you keep mooching off me, I might lose my temper. So get moving, now!”“Please, Mr. Johnson. Just one more chance. I promise you I’ll get the rent ready by the end of this month. Something happened at work, and I didn’t—”“NO!!” he roars, covering his eyes with his hands. “No excuses! You said the same thing last month and you still came back empty-han
I let him take me home eventually. I know this is a terrible idea and the wise thing to do is go find a place on my own and stay as far from him as possible. But so many ups and downs in one night, my head has already stopped functioning. So I go for the easy option. Not surprisingly, he lives in the fanciest place in the Upper East side. His apartment is huge and well-decorated, just like the one he had in Boston. I carefully step into the foyer, feeling both awkward and nervous. I glance around the spacious living room and notice no sign of trances of a woman. So he and his girlfriend don’t live together. “Why are you still standing there?” he turns around and smiles at me. “Come on in.” I slowly make my way into the open kitchen, staring at him as he opens the fridge and gets me a bottle of water, and asks, “Are you sure your girlfriend won’t mind?” He shrugs, “Why should she mind?” “Because if my boyfriend brought a someone home without asking me first, I would be pretty an
A large group of people escort me downstairs. Because it is absolutely impossible to move in this dress by myself. The delicate lace of my gown sweeps along the polished wooden steps. I must move very slowly and carefully to avoid any mishaps. I grip the banister, my heart pounding with a mix of excitement and nerves.At the bottom of the staircase, servants hold open the grand double doors leading to the garden.The scent of fresh flowers wafts in, mingling with the warm early summer breeze. I take a deep breath, letting myself savor this magical moment.And there my dad is, tall and dignified, dressed in his sharpest suit, waiting for me just by the doors.“Dad.” I whisper, reaching out to hold his hand.He turns, his eyes softening as they meet mine. “Nat, you look absolutely—”“Stunning.” I smile, “I know. Mom told me the same thing earlier in tears.”Then I am shocked to find that there are tears gleaming in his eyes as well.My dad is never a man of emotions. This is literally th
The next morning, I am woken up by the early sunlight and a series of noises.Still half-asleep, I groan and rub my eyes, frustrated.What is going on…Who is out there screaming and yelling…Somebody is trying to get some sleep here…Then something snaps me back to reality like a whip—Fuck! Today is my wedding day!!!Then I hear my mom’s shrieking in the living room, “Is she still asleep? She should be up half an hour ago!”“She is probably in the bathroom. Let me go check on her, Mrs. Ramirez.” That is Jenna’s voice.“Oh thank you darling. You are a life savor…”Light footsteps approach the bedroom door. I only have one quick second to grab the sheet and cover up my naked body before the door flies open.“Morning Nat—OMG, you ARE still in bed!”“…I couldn’t sleep last night.” I swallow, pretending to be calm.Meanwhile, I quickly scan the room—Good, Eason is gone already. I can’t imagine what kind of temper tantrum mom would throw if she finds out that we spent the night together.“R
Today is the last night before my big day tomorrow.Everything is under control. All the guests have checked into the mansion already. Through the window on the 5th floor, where my bridal suite is located, I can see workers working on the final decoration of the wedding venue in the garden.Everything is on the right track. Except for one.My mom.“Natalia, have you seen the seating chart?!”I stand in the center of preparation room, seeing my mom bustles around with a fervor that is both impressive and exhausting.Dresses hang from every available hook, shoes and accessories are scattered across the floor, and my mother’s meticulous lists cover the desk. The room buzzes with pre-wedding chaos, a stark contrast to the calm I crave.I sigh, “Mom calm down…”“I can’t find the seating chart anywhere! And we need to make sure the caterer knows about Uncle Frank's shellfish allergy!”“Mom—”“And where the hell is your wedding planner!!!” mom raises her voice and cries, “We paid him 1000 buc
Eason and Mr. Ramirez heard about what happened later that day.“Katherine?” Eason’s voice darkens immediately. “She is a fucking nobody. Her family went bankrupt. Their reputation stinks! How dare she fight you on this venue?”“And I hate it when people go behind my back and bother my family with things from work.” Mr. Ramirez says with a frown. “I will give my people a heads-up, telling them to cut off any connections with her and her husband immediately.”Looks like Rosa’s husband’s proposal will go down the drain even before it got a chance to be presented to Mr. Ramirez.It feels so great to be protected by your own family.Eason still seems mad, “I can’t believe anyone is still willing to marry Katherine! Don’t they know that this woman is crazy?”“Rosa’s family is new to the town,” mom says.Eason lets out a snort, his green eyes gleaming icily, “Maybe they will be interested in Katherine’s history.”I know what he is thinking.If he finds a way to leak Katherine’s history to Ro
I stare at Katherine with shock.Seriously, I am the thief?!She is the one who tried to steal Eason’s inheritance!She doesn’t look at all like the sweet and kind girl I first met, the one who exuded elegance.Now she is sharp and bitter, but her expression gives away how weary she really is. Her cheeks are pale, and her hair is dull and split. It must have been a long time since she last visited the salon.The bankruptcy really taken a toll on her. She doesn’t need me to make her more miserable. She has taken care of that herself.“Mom, let’s go.” I give Katherine a look of disgust. “Don’t waste our time talking to her.”I grab my mom and try to walk around Katherine.But Katherine blocks our way again.“Why are you leaving? Are you afraid? Afraid of facing me?” her voice is sharp and shrill. “Do you know what people have been saying about you? You are a slut, Natalia! You steal other people’s fiancé because you can’t stand them living a happier and more wealthy life than you are! Lo
I widen my eyes slightly in shock.That is the last thing that I expect.Honestly, where does that come from?“What letter?” my dad asks with a frown.“Oh, there is a letter that Eason wrote to Nat years ago, when they first met. He chose to do ask her out in the most traditional way—by putting it down on the paper. Don’t you think it would be so romantic and meaningful to read that letter on the wedding? You know, to commemorate the beginning of this relationship?”“What does the letter say?” Hallie asks curiously.“Well that is the main thig—none of us know, except for the two of them.”I let out a dry laugh.My mom doesn’t know about this but the letter actually means more than that. It not only marks the beginning of our love, but also the years-long prejudice and misunderstandings between us.It is literally the start of everything.I look over to Eason and want to see his reaction toward this.…He is blushing like a red ballon.I am so damn shock.Eason is the most barefaced, ego
I am too stunned to say anything.“We are in Fiji? How??”The last thing I remember from yesterday is drifting into sleep in Eason’s arms. So did we take a flight after that? How come I didn’t have any memory of that?!“Did you drug me?” I eye him suspiciously.He laughs heartly, “I didn’t. It all thanks to your own magic potion. Two bottles of them.”I rub my forehead embarrassedly. I was really hammered last night. I should have known that Eason was up to something to get me drunk.“So,” he smiles. “Do you like my surprise?”I stand on tiptoe to kiss him on the lips, “I love it.”Nothing is better than a getaway trip to Fiji after an exhausted month.Eason knows exactly what I need.The smile on his lips gets wider as he says, “Well, wait till you see this.”He holds my hand and leads me down the stairs, through the villa’s back yard and out to the beach.The sand is white and warm. The ocean is turquoise-blue. And there is a long table set on the beach, surrounded by roses and lilie
Our lives go back to normal after we return to New York.I have my school work and job hunting to do. And Eason has his company. We all have our own ways to stay busy and occupied. Yet since we already live in the same apartment now, we still get to spend plenty of time together.And living with Eason…is such a magical experience.He has lots of works to do, and yet he still manages to find time to buy me flowers, make us dinner and pick me up from school.He also sent away the cleaning lady. Because I didn’t like a stranger walking around in our apartment. And he was eager to share the duties.He broke a glass the first time he did the dishes, since—apparently—someone like him has never washed anything in his entire life.But he is a quick learner.Now every time I come back to our apartment, the laundries are done, the sheets are changed and all the dishes are nice and clean.I felt bad that he needed to find time after work to do those chores when he could easily hire someone to do
Natalia’s POVThe rest of my Christmas holiday is amazing.Eason and I get to cuddle on the couch all day watching our favorite movie or reading books together. Now that everyone in this house knows about us, there is no need for us to hide anymore.The only people I am still worried about are Mr. Ramirez’s friends and business partners. Those upper-class people can gossip.I just gave them one huge scandal to chat with when I exposed Ms. Griswold in front of a room full of guests. If they find out that the Ramirez heir is dating his stepsister now, God knows what more vicious words will come out of their mouth.Yet my deepest fear is bound to come true.One day, Eason and I are in the living room. He was playing his guitar. And one thing led to another. We start making out on the couch.No one is around. Our parents won’t come back until after dinner. We both let our sanity slip away.None of us notice the front door opening.And when we hear a horrified cry, it is too late.I jump o