Navy's POV Cold air whooshed past me as I ascended the stairs of the lighthouse, the evening chills sending shivers down my spine.The lighthouse stood tall, its light cutting through the foggy sky."Why are you sitting here all alone?" I asked, having approached her quietly.Startled by my unexpected presence, Rosé jumped, "You startled me, how did you get here?""I saw the lights on... It is a lighthouse." I teased.Elodie stood up from the little stool to the rims of the balcony. She looked as if she was brimming with thoughts.I waited, eager for her words but nothing came.So I stepped up instead, "I came up to commend you..." I began, breaking the silence, "I see that you're trying." Squinting her eyes halfway, she smiled broadly, "You saw that," she blushed, "Thank you for our first peaceful lunch, it must have taken a lot of self-denial, but you did it for me and I'm grateful." My voice cracked with emotions as Rosé closed the distance between us. "I love you..." She whi
Rosé’s POVHe knew she was wrong but somehow he still chose her side. As the words left his mouth, my heart sank.“It’s not just a bed, the essence of this room is us. This is our matrimonial bed, and a third person on it is just disrespectful,” I explained, my heart pumping with frustration.I could tell Navy was feeling frustrated too, his eyes flared with irritation as he bellowed,“Why are you making a fuss? We’re not even in a …” he paused, swallowing the obvious remaining words.“When we’re not even in a real marriage,” I bet that’s what he wanted to say but he held back.In a situation where I was busy fighting for what I thought was for ‘us’, it only felt like I was opposing his mother to him. Tabitha’s nicely played theatrics painted a convincing picture of me as the bully and her, as the innocent. She made it look so believable. There was no need to explain myself, the disapproving look on Navy’s face announced his feelings clearly, tears welled up my eyes and threatened t
Rosé’s POVThe new day found me en route Navy’s family home in Italy. I regretted my impulsive decision the moment I rounded up at the large compound. What if showing up unannounced was a mistake? I wondered, my confidence slowly depleting as I took slow steps toward the door.Unexpectedly, the entranceway creaked open, revealing a vaguely familiar face staring back at me.“Enzo?” I raised an eyebrow. Enzo broke into a wide grin, beaming excitedly as he aimed for my handbag.“It’s fine, I can hold it. Please could you inform Mrs Leonardo that I am here?”“Mrs Navidad Leonardo?” He exclaimed in a thick Italian accent.“Yes, yes. That’s me,” I grinned awkwardly, “Then this house is your home as well, please come in ma’am,” Enzo replied.For some reason, he was more cheerful than I last remember. “Is everyone home?” I asked as we advanced to the living room.Enzo nodded, “Everyone except the evil lady Clarissa. We’re finally free from her…”“Oh!” I exclaimed, her absence surely benef
Paula and I ended our conversation minutes ago, yet I found myself unable to leave Rosé’s room. My mind raced with thoughts, wondering about her whereabouts.Despite Paula’s reassuring words, the lingering fear persisted,- what if she was somewhere in the streets, passed out like the day I found her outside my gate!Trauma, it seemed had taken hold of me, sending messages that stirred unimaginable emotions in my mind.Tossing the phone away, I slumped on the bed. My hands went to my head, as if holding it tightly would keep my thoughts together.A wave of unexplainable emotions hit me, but above all, fear and regret gripped my mind leaving me momentarily lost.Unexpectedly, a soft knock echoed in the room, I looked up to find Tabitha staring back at me. “Is everything alright?” She asked tenderly.In that moment, my troubled heart broke down, admitting my overwhelming emotions. The hands on my head went to my face, concealing my dripping tears.“No, no, don’t cry, you can talk to m
106NAVY'S POVEveryday was the same now, I woke up with the same emptiness and ended the day drunk. Still, Tabitha insisted it as progress. "You can only get better after now..." She’d say, "now, get up. Breakfast is ready"I sat up from the bed and unexpectedly held her down as she tried to leave."Is everything alright?" "I won't be around for your surgery tomorrow..." I began, Tabitha furrowed her brows quizzically, waiting for an explanation."I'm traveling..." I continued, "To where? We've discussed this severally. You're not a child, Valentino. How long has it been?""Five days," I mumbled,"And she hasn't reached out to you yet. You can't let her keep,...""I'm not going to her, Tabitha." I cut in."Oh!" She paused abruptly, "It's a business travel, might take a week or two...""Oh, that's a long time, but it's good. I'll be waiting when you come home." She said, finally walking away.The door slammed shut and I buried my face in my pillow.Recently, the moments I held my
NAVY'S POV"Oh, come on! That is barely even a matter. The French Government are just being mean!" Monsieur Luc vented as Taylor poured him another glass of whiskey."Luc, allow him speak for a second. What were you saying about Rosé? I am quite curious," Trent leaned in,I exhaled loudly, covering my face with my hands."I’d rather not talk about it..." "Well, to hell with the story!" Luc exclaimed, "let's drown our sorrows in a full glass of whiskey and gulp it in one go, it'll burn down our throat and wash away all these pain in one go.""You must crazy," Trent reposted."He's not crazy, he's just drunk. This is our third bottle, sir" I quipped, barely able to keep my eyes open. "Should we call it a night, gentlemen?"Trent blinked in disbelief, "I didn't think anyone was waiting for you at home," "Well, no one is..." I replied hesitantly."Good then, because we are to a club next. I know a bad place""Club?" Luc exclaimed urgently, "my wife will kill me,""It's just one night, m
Luc widened his eyes, mimicking my expression.“You can’t remember calling her by another woman’s name even though you were knee deep inside the young girl. How wicked of you?!” He teased. “Why am I here? How long have I been asleep for? Why did I pass out that way? I would never sleep with my assistant, what did I drink? What did you give me?”“Don’t make a fuss about it, boy. It’s just sex. What is the need of denying yourself some pleasure? Just do it, she didn’t sound like she hated it anyway…”“Why are you saying it like you were there?!”“Oh, everyone was there. You two were literally calling us all to watch. And that girl, you kept calling her Elodie.” “What?!” My jaws dropped, “I…” words failed me.Just then. Trent strolled in with an air of aloofness,“Nobody saw you, champ, relax. But he’s right about every other thing… and your phone has been ringing.”“Don’t you have a life outside work? Your design ‘Elodie’ is on every billboard now. Just have fun and relax,” he contin
I lost the motivation to do anything or go anywhere. I just wanted to document my pregnancy journey, every moment of the day. But even that had gotten boring, I lost interest in it when every passing day was a painful reminder that my daughter might not have her father, just like me.For days I was strong, I held it all in and ate breakfasts and dinner whilst battling a sore lump in my throat. I missed him, in a way unimaginable, it ached. I would've rather taken our fights over the absolute absence.Every day I woke up, I silently prayed the day would be the day he came for me."Hi happy pregnant lady, how is your documentary going? Can I see?" Maya's chappy voice echoed in the silence, bringing me from my thoughts.Maya, by the way, had been a huge sponsor of my documentary, I owed her a time view at least.Unwillingly, I pivoted the laptop to her, pressing the play button.Gentle, soothing music began to play in the background, as the visuals of my stomach progressing for the las
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