I watched as Rominic vehemently insisted, "Lavender, I'm telling you, I'm not sick." I stared at him blankly as I proceeded to remove the medications from the bag. Rominic let out a huff of laughter, sensing that I wasn't buying his claims. "Seriously, I'm fine!" he insisted.My gaze traveled over his trembling form. Despite being bundled up in layers of blankets and heavy coats, he was shivering uncontrollably. The only aspect of him that seemed stable was his voice."Mm hm," I hummed sarcastically in response."I'm okay, Laverne. Don't you trust me?" He pleaded. I ignored his protests and walked over to the water dispenser, filling a glass with warm water. I approached him, setting the cup and the bag of medications on the nightstand before beginning to remove the pills from their sealed packets."You bought me drugs?" He asked, his tone laced with uncertainty."Uhm," I replied, gathering the medications in my palm and stretching them out to him. Rominic took a deep breath, his gaze
Stacy departed with the doctor, and Cadmus also left the office. Once they had all gone, I approached Rominic's desk, intent on completing any outstanding work to the best of my abilities. I found myself constantly moving between the two desks, juggling tasks to ensure everything was handled while he rested peacefully, like a baby. At some point, I simply stopped working and found myself gazing at his sleeping form.At first, I was utterly perplexed by the unfolding events. Stacy swiftly snatched the drugs from Rominic's drawers before I could get a good look at them, hastily handing them off to Cadmus. I couldn't reclaim them from Cadmus without causing an unnecessary commotion, which was the last thing we needed. My curiosity, however, was piqued.I leaned back in my chair, closed my eyes, and drummed my fingers on the table. I could have sworn that someone had mentioned to me once that Rominic was unwell and that a certain someone always ensured he took his medication. But I couldn
Rominic's ViewpointI flexed my throbbing shoulders, trying to work out the lingering ache. The pain had subsided somewhat, but it still nagged at me. I felt an urge to just punch myself in the face, a self-loathing impulse that I had to resist.After Lavender's outburst the other night, I knew I was likely to lose control again. But despite the temptation, I had refrained from taking my usual medication. Deep down, I had this foolish hope that by enduring the discomfort, Lavender would see that I was punishing myself more harshly than she ever could. Of course, that plan had been a total failure, and before I knew it, I had foolishly taken more than I should have.I didn't want Lavender to see me in such a state, but I knew she already had. And knowing Lavender, she wouldn't stop until she uncovered the truth. Part of me hoped she would investigate, thinking that perhaps I could gain her sympathy. But another, more rational part knew that using her conscience against her was wrong. B
The drive to the restaurant was a tense affair. It took several minutes before Lavender finally snapped out of her daze, but I refrained from commenting on the foolishness of her initial reaction. I had no desire to engage in another tiresome argument — I'd had my fill of those for the day.Lavender grumbled and muttered to herself throughout the remainder of the journey, likely cursing me under her breath. By the time we arrived, her temper had been thoroughly exhausted. She practically leapt out of the car before it had even come to a complete stop — a reckless move that made me pause. This was not the meek, cautious woman I had once known.As we entered the restaurant, I couldn't help but notice the marked change in Lavender's demeanor. Gone was the nervous, clingy woman who would typically cling to my arm, pressing her bosom against me in a transparent attempt to overcome her inhibitions. No, the woman who strode through the door was self-assured, almost to the point of arrogance.
Parker looked at me with an amused smile. "You got yourself another Stacy?" he asked, his tone laced with a hint of teasing."Why are you always surrounding yourself with women, Rommy?" Caroline drawled, her voice dry and unimpressed. I shuddered at the nickname she used. I kept my mouth shut, knowing that words were useless when they came from me — she was immune to their effect."Is it because you think I will always tolerate it?" Caroline continued, her gaze unwavering. "I have a heart that loves you, you know." "Lady, do be quiet or we will leave and you won't see your darling Rommy again," Lavender interjected, her tone clearly sarcastic as she used the nickname. "Sir, please sit down so we can get this over with," she added, reaching for my hand and snaking her fingers around my wrist, pulling me down into the chair. The place where she touched me left my skin buzzing even after she removed her hand. I stared down at my hand, momentarily lost to the world around me until Parker
I only intended to save him. It wasn't that I cared who wanted to throw themselves at him—no, my focus was solely on protecting my children. Another woman in his life was a threat to their happiness and future. They had only just started to love him, to trust him, and I couldn't bear the thought of his attention being snatched away by some newcomer.My children deserved his unwavering love and devotion. After all, he had been largely absent and useless for so many years. Now that he was finally making an effort to be a father, I wouldn't allow some witch to swoop in and try to claim him. Not on my watch.That tiny, insistent voice in the back of my mind whispered, 'Or you could just admit that you don't want another woman's hands on him because he's yours.'I scowled, irritated by the truth in her words. 'Dear subconscious, don't you have better things to do than torment me with your brutal honesty?''Telling you the truth is what I choose to do with my time,' she retorted unapologeti
A wistful smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I gazed up at the night sky, feeling the cool breeze caress my skin. Ferris had brought me to our special place, a secluded corner of the park that had become a sanctuary for our group of friends.This was where Ferris and I had first discovered the spot, and we had later shared it with the rest of the guys, transforming it into our own private haven. The memories of the countless hours we had spent here, laughing and sharing our dreams, welled up within me, causing a prickling sensation behind my eyes."Here, I found it in my car!" Ferris exclaimed excitedly, stretching out a can of soda towards me. I quirked a brow at him, a hint of amusement playing on my features."What? How long has that been in your car?" I asked, unable to resist the urge to tease him.Ferris bit his lip, his gaze shifting upward as he pensively counted on his fingers. "Erm… yes! That time Link and I went to a basketball game!" he declared, his eyes lighting u
I stared at Ferris with a sarcastic smile, waiting for him to provide his glorified excuse. I was infuriated that not only was he advocating for the man who had ruined my life, but he didn't even seem angry about it.I knew Ferris well. He was the kind of person who was true to his conscience, no matter what. He didn't like to suppress his emotions or deny the truth, and that was one of the many things I both loved and hated about him. If he was trying to be an advocate, then it must be something he had thought about for years, and most importantly, it had to be true. That alone was enough to make me furious. I didn't want to know what had happened to Rominic after what he had done to me. He could rot in hell for all I cared.Ferris inclined his head upward and smiled at me, a hint of sadness in his expression. I returned his smile with scorn. He shrugged his shoulders and leaned back on his hands. "Aren't you going to say anything?" I prompted."Haven't you noticed that something is