ROSÉ'S POVI glanced at my hand and the missing ring stirred my heart. "Am I married now or what?!" I fumed, clenching my fist together fighting back the anger and pain that coursed through my heart.The cab driver dropped in a street nowhere close to the airport. I wouldn't be withstand the pitiful look on his parents' faces.Maya would be too disappointed...I walked blindly, my head filled with nothing but lingering sad thoughts about how my life turned out to be."It always comes crashing whenever it is getting good.." I broke down in tears, and wept my heart out in the middle of the road, unaware of the cameras capturing my darkest moment.A good Samaritan quickly scurried to me and covered me with his trenchcoat, guiding me to a waiting Mercedez Benz luxurious car."Don't let anyone see you like that." A deep baritone voice echoed in the air, as if to scold me."I don't care anymore!" I interjected."Then what? Do you feel better? Be more constructive...""Who are you?" I count
NAVY’S POVWith each passing moment, the silence at the other end stretched on until the phone chimed with a familiar voice."Hello, son!""Mother..." I muttered, "I need your help!"“What about?” Mother’s voice resounded with urgency and the words suddenly became too embarrassing to say.How could I call step-mother against my birth mother without making any attempts.“Baby clothes shopping,” I lied, “I’ll let you know when we are ready…”“Navy, I won’t be waiting by the phone for us to go shopping. Make it sooner!” She quipped, excitement evident in her voice.After ending the call, I slipped back into my phone and went back to Tabitha. As I drew closer, she grabbed a bunch of clothes and tossed them into the fire.“What are you doing, Tabitha?!” I demanded,“Stop it right now!” I roared.Tabitha jumped, startled by my sudden outburst.“Why are you burning my files?!” I bellowed,“They don’t have your name on it.” Tabitha responded.“So what then are you burning?” I demanded, “Tha
ROSÉ'S POV"Help me regain myself..."My cracked voice echoed across the dining table, registering the cold silence between us."How exactly can I do that?" Noah asked, after what seemed like a careful consideration. His gaze carried so much warmth and concern that I couldn't help but waver in my quest for revenge.My stomach protested loudly against my plan."You need to eat to at least have a chance to fight."A flush crept up my cheeks, staining them with a shade of plush pink, as I dropped my gaze to the floor."Thank you for the food..."Noah’s warmth engulfed us melting every stranger tension between us. I found myself drawn to his sincerity, his words to just love my life lingered in my mind, weakening my resolve with each passing moment.Taking a deep breath, I lifted my gaze to meet his, and our eyes met. Noah’s face lit up with a soft smile, “do you have any allergies?”“No…” I replied. After a few moments of silence, I mustered the courage to voice my gnawing request.“Co
NAVY’S POV“You don’t seriously expect me to jump on your dirty sham, do you?”“Come on, Cecilia, what do you have to lose…”“My pride, Navy. You want me to be a stand-in girlfriend so that you can tame your mother… for what? So that you’ll go bring back your wife? Do you know how dumb that would make me look?““Didn’t we already agree on this? You know you want Darcy, go for him…”“You are right,” Cecilia cut in, “I was sleeping with Darcy for a while, but it wasn’t anything serious.” She breathed, her voice shaky from a racing heart.“Well then, you could try him?”“I don’t…” Cecilia’s voice faltered as she turned away, “I don’t want him, Navy. I want you, I always want you. I won’t have any stability with Darcy, no future, just vibes and live-by-the-moments.”“I can’t do this for you Navy without wanting it to be real. I’m sorry… go fight your battles alone. Or go call Maya Sergio, whoever that is…”“It’s my stepmother!” I blurted out, regretful the instant it left my lips but it
Rosé’s POV“Kiss me,” I whispered in his ear, rubbing my teary face on his neck. Slowly, Noah disentangled from my hold, our eyes connected and we remained that way until he broke contact, lingering his gaze on my lips. “Just do it…” I muttered. Noah gazed at me thoughtfully, and at a point, I thought he would really do it. Instead, he jolted from the couch and straightened his shirt.“Uh…” he cleared his throat, “I better head home…” he said. Embarrassment flooded in as I struggled to compose myself. “You can stay here for as long as you need to sort out yourself. Call the reception if you need anything. Take care Mrs Leonardo, good luck.”And just like that, he turned around and walked away. As I watched the broad of his back disappear into the hallway, my heart tightened in a knot of pain and self-loathing.“Everyone leaves in the end, is that how it is now…?” I sank my head into the couch and tears flowed freely.Two days had passed since Noah left, and I found myself stil
Rosé’s POVThe sad rays of sun on an odd winter morning sieved into the curtains of the hotel suite. I stirred away from it, seeking a shield for my face.I settled in a comfortable curl position cuddling my elongated stomach.The image of me on that billboard in Paris sent daunting chills to my spine.What if he recognized me? Would he come in search of me?Who will take care of my daughter?I quickly shrugged away such thoughts and jolted out of bed. The dining area had turned into my makeshift office. It turned out guest blogging wasn't as easy as expected. It's a competition. You must fight to be featured on the day's articles on the website. That's how you make money. The last two days had been a struggle. My articles died the instant I put them out.I was brimming with pent-up frustration and stress. Not being able to detect what I was doing wrong made me feel inadequate. Fear gripped me as I wondered if this was the end of my career. I was bad at the one thing I thought I
ROSÉ’s POVAs if it was a scene from a romantic movie, his flickering eyes locked with mine there, making my heart flutter.“He came…”I thought to myself, “just when I thought everyone had abandoned me, he showed up.”At first, a soft smile of gratitude tugged the corners of my lips but faded away when I sensed the hesitance in his steps.As he neared, his demeanor dissolved any thought that someone had come to check on me.Darcy’s demeanor lacked warmth, his usually glimmering emerald eyes now dark and mocking as he gazed at me.“Are you lost babygirl?” He asked with a smirk.Plush pink bloomed on my face instantly and I knew to put my gaze down.“How have you been?” His voice firm, yet oddly excited for the kind of expression he had on his face.He adjusted the cap on his head, further concealing his face.“Won’t you answer me? It seems you’re okay, seeing as you can still afford a luxurious hotel…”“Tell me, who is paying for this? Navy’s mother? Or his father? I’ll give you an a
NAVY’S POVWinter in Washington had dragged on a wee bit longer than usual.The piece inspired by Elodie had received recognition from all over the globe. Every time, I signed the production of a new batch, guilt tugged at the back of my mind- today wasn’t any different. As I signed each of the next hundred coats to be released this week, a familiar pang of guilt knotted in my stomach. I reassured myself that it was okay. Still, it was barely enough to hold me back from setting up a press release. Despite the fact that ‘Elodie’ was one of my most successful designs in my career, I decided to end it.“This is the last release for Elodie.” I declared firmly. Soft murmurs and protests erupted in the conference room, “what?! Why? Can he do that? Thousands of people have their order waiting.” Both the press and VARDE’s workers were saying the same thing.A wry smile graced my lips as I scanned across the room. “Not one of you is wearing the trench coat on, yet you object to my decisi
It was a cheat sheet, or something like that. But the evening was set. A house wedding, one I had never seen. Mother would turn wherever she was if I ever attempted something like this. Alexander called it a parlor wedding. It was happening right in my living room. We redesignedput my minimalist style living room aesthetic to good use, the chandeliers above creating a dimly lit room as dawn set in.Guests trickled in, their murmurs mingling with our choice of music.Alexander stood by the makeshift altar, being the head of two long feast tables, placed at the center. I stood behind him taking in the sight of everything we had done together.The scent of fresh flowers filled the air, the vibrant colors of the floral arrangements contrasting beautifully with the muted tones of the room.Soft candlelight danced on the two-tier cake, sitting at the center of the table.Alexander was particular when he said there were twenty people coming. As his parents arrive right on time, I couldn
Rosé’s POVI left Amelia straddled to his forefront, with a direction of how the rest of the day would go for her. Navy asked a million questions, yet before we left, Alexander asked the same questions all over again.“Is there anything that comes as an instinct to men?” Paula asked, shaking her head in disbelief.Finn stepped into the driver’s seat with my sister right beside him in the passenger’s seat. Paula instantly exclaimed, “I’m getting married tonight, please let’s focus on the road.”A soft chuckle escaped my lips as I glanced at Finn, “she’s burning you,” I teased, Finn nodded agreeably, “I am searching for a good comeback…”Paula broke into a soft laughter, flailing her arms in the air. “What are we buying first?” “A wedding dress first, before the bridesmaids dresses. We haven’t even decided on the color. We’re wasting time!” Grace exclaimed, strangely motivating us in the right way.“Pink,” Paula replied, her voice cracking with emotions, suddenly she broke down in
Chapter 146Rose's POVAs we all know, every story ends. Sometimes a new story begins where the old ended, other times, it is really the end. Grace's life was about to turn to the next chapter. I could already see the fire in her eyes, she could accomplish anything. I wasn't interested in fighting for her before, but seeing her want things like every normal girl her age felt fulfilling, striving to have a purpose told me we were alike in more ways than just blood. "Maybe having you as my legal guardian won't be so bad," Grace's voice boomed into my thoughts, her excitement evident in her bubbly tone."I was worried about us, about the kind of relationship I would have with you." She continued in a tone calmer than the first.I glanced at her with an eyebrow raised. "She told you about me?"Grace nodded, her gaze softening as she glanced at me. "There are only two people mamañ talks about you, and her mother.""She was always complaining about you." Her voice shivered faintly as she
Navy’s POVLove only took a moment, and I was witnessing that moment right before me.Finn had no notice of the heart that was not beating for him, fascinated by his mere presence.My gaze flickered from Rosé to Finn, before returning to Grace. It was only then I noticed her striking semblance to her sister. Her gaze captured the depth of her desires, her long wavy hair began to bounce as she jumped in surprise, startled by an incident we were yet to see.The server had over poured the coffee, spilling the hot drink on her dress.Finally the incident that would bring them together had finally presented itself. Just the interview was his opportunity to retain Rosé.“I apologize for that…,” Finn paused, swiping his gaze on the features of the inconvenient customer to be certain of the status. From the look on his eyes, it was obvious that he was stricken by her. In that moment, I wondered what could have drawn him to her, I wanted to know if it was her beauty or her smile.I couldn’t
Chapter 144Navy’s POVThe sister’s fight had ended the moment Grace face was flooded with tears. Rosé fragile as usual gave in to her emotions too, joining her in tears. The morning sun was yet to show his face, yet the sniffles from her mother and aunty must have woken my daughter, her presence now contributing to the chorus of tears in the room.I fell into a state of chaos, torn between racing to my daughter or my wife, not knowing who to console first.Amelia got louder, hurling me towards her direction.“I’m sorry,” Grace’s soft voice echoed in the room, “please, let me rely on you… as a sister. I have no one else.”Cradling my daughter on chest, I turned to face them. Rosé was quivering slightly, her face flushed with a mix of tears and relief. “Hmmm,” I exhaled softly, looking between mother and daughter.“Such crybabies.” I remarked, stirring a blush on Rosé’s face.“I think she is hungry…” Grace croaked, her voice barely above a whisper.I nodded, “I think so too… and I f
Chapter 143Navy’s POVI blinked my eyes open, perturbed by the noise in the house. It was barely a minute since I closed my eyes, my eyes were heavy from the the lack of sleep.The first image that came into my view, was an image of Rosé packing a luggage, and instantly, my heart plummeted at the sight of it, thudding against my chest.“Baby, what’s going on?” I asked, the drowsiness in my eyes was completely gone as I jolted to my feet, making my way to Rosé.“Please, tell me, what’s wrong? Please…” Rosé turned to me, her eyes blaring with something I had never seen before.“Let’s go to Paris… let’s go today, now, let’s just go!”“Why?” I asked, “I’ll do whatever you want me to do but I need to understand why first.” “Mamañ, she’s gone…” Rosé replied, her voice quivering as she spoke, “She left Grace here and disappeared, just like me… she’s abandoned her. You think she’s still going to change? You think we still have a chance to her support? That woman deserves to burn in hell!”
Chapter 142ROSE POV Navy sat on the armchair in my spacious room, observing me as I paced agitatedly around, seething with anger at mamañ.“I can’t believe her!” I breathed, “The message Andre sent to us is a clear threat, yet she perceives it as him seeking her. What’d I tell you? She would choose Andre over anyone at any time.”“Elodie,” Navy’s soothing voice interjected, imbued with longing. As our eyes met, I could not help but notice the desire in his gaze. His gaze steadied on me, the intensity of it sending shivers down my spine. Despite my anger at mamañ, in that moment, all I could focus on was the sudden pull between us. His presence filled the room, wafting around me like a curl of smoke.“Rosé,” Navy murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, but it echoed loudly in the silence between us.“Uh,” he cleared his throat, “She is just in love… could you look at it from that perspective?“A wave of disappointment struck me as the desire in his eyes faded while he spoke.I
ROSÉ’s POVA soft exhaled escaped me, as my eyes crinkled with tears, a lump formed in my throat as I struggled to speak.“What… what do you mean, Maa?” Grace spoke out finally, breaking the silence.The answer to that question I already knew. Mamañ had acted as expected.“Henry Benoit,” she sighed sadly, “I’ve wronged him in so many ways. Andre tried to kill him once, or twice…” Our eyes met briefly moment, and I could tell from her expression that it was more than that. “Only the truth mamañ.”Mamañ bowed her head in regret, memories flooding back.“Rosé, Andre tried to harm him so many times that Benoit got a restraining order against him.”“But he didn’t stop, did he?”Mamañ shook her head sadly, her tears welling up.“He didn’t, he tried every means possible.”“Why didn’t he just arrest him?” Navy’s voice boomed into the air, shifting our attention to his tall figure emerging from the hallway.“I put her back to bed,” he explained, planting a peck on my cheek as he joined the
As I stayed in his arms, breathing in his faint fragrance and warmth until a soft coo of a baby interrupted the silence.“It’s Amelia!” Navy gasped, excitement bubbling in his voice.“Wait, you called her Amelia?” I exclaimed, surprised. “Well, I figured she could have two names.”A soft chuckle escaped my lips as I stepped out of his arms. “I’d love that…”Navy nodded, cupping my face in his hands. “I’ll take care of her, you go to the dining.”Taking a deep breath, I made my way back to the dining room, where mamañ and Grace were still seated, their conversation paused as I stepped in. Grace’s appearance was nothing like mamañ’s, and the more I studied her features, I was more convinced that she wasn’t Andre’s daughter.“Mamañ, Grace,” I began, my voice steady, despite the turmoil within, “let’s talk,”Mamañ raised her gaze to me, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.“Where have you been?” I asked, my voice demanding nothing but the truth.“Here and there…” Mamañ replied, dartin