“What happened?”Instead of going to my penthouse, I am now in my brother's villa. The whole ride all the way here was quite long because it's far from the city.“Do you want to drink something?”Wine!Yeah, right. I'm not going to be deceived by that. No alcohol for me for a month.If... I can take it. Can you imagine a month of not drinking?“Thanks for asking. A glass of water will be nice.”We're now in the kitchen of his villa, and it's oddly bigger than my bedroom. This isn't my first time here, but I somehow forgot that his place was this huge.He places a glass of cold water for me on the counter just beside my hand. I'm sitting on a stool and he's leaning his hips near the door leading to his back lawn.“How was your day with him? Did he change at all after five years?”Oh, there it is. I swear, if this conversation is going to turn out to be about my personal life and choices, I will leave even if it means that I need to walk a few miles to reach the highway.“Trudy, I don't
“You're boosting my confidence even more, sis.”My brother takes his shirt off before taking a quick dive in the pool.Oh, damn. I wish I could swim. That's the only thing that I could envy someone else for.“I'm just telling you the truth. You know, what I can observe from my point of view.”He shakes his head to get rid of the water that managed to enter his ears. “Alright, then. Perhaps, we're just on the same side. That's why your point of view miraculously aligns with mine.” He made a heavy emphasis on the word ‘miraculously’, and that made it seemed like we never agreed on something.“Anyway, I saw your campaign ad for Calvin Klein.” Trudy's lips suddenly form a genuine and proud smile that I immediately take as a compliment. “It was all over Las Vegas. Hell, the marketing is so intense. I've never had a partnership like that. I bet you were paid a lot.” The way that my brother is talking is similar to how I talk when I can't believe that such things could be possible.It's like
After lunch, my brother and I continued to talk about his one and only true love. He once again offered to drink liquor, but I had to force myself to fight the urge of wanting to drink. I have to take a break from drinking. It's for my own good.Yeah, right. I'm going to go clubbing with Lucas, yet I'm avoiding alcoholic drinks?How can I beat the temptation if I'm exposing myself in front of it?The talk that I had with my brother was quite long. There were a lot of things that he wanted me to know. Things that he had been keeping from me and from our own parents for years now. Things that held his truth and emotions captive.Things that made him feel afraid.He indeed was needing me. He has no one else to turn to.I left my brother's villa with a promise that I will never tell anyone else about everything that he told me. And I'm not even expecting him to do the same. I don't care if he starts telling other people about how stupid I am for letting Lucas back into my life. I don't ca
The exact location of the club is at the topmost floor of the building. And it's almost ten o'clock, yet I'm still inside my car.Uncertain of what to do.Out of all the clubs in Chicago, why did they decide to settle on this one? Why does the location has to be the number one problem? I haven't even stepped inside, yet I'm already dealing with this shit.So, what am I going to do now? Am I going in? Or am I going to back out? I don't want to keep Lucas waiting. But at the same time, I also don't want to let myself walk inside the devil's lair.If I do, my brother will definitely pester me about it again. It will be all over the internet, and it will make headlines. They are going to waste their time thinking what could I be doing inside the club that Mr. Bryce fucking Tryst owns.But despite those consequences, there's really nothing else to consider. There are no consequences that are heavier than it. I mean, my family is not going to disown me for having fun in a club where I'm not
“You know most of them?” Lucas questions me as we both sit on the leathered furniture surrounding the table in the middle.The furniture is circular, and we are sitting on the left side where no one else is sitting with us. They are all in front of us.“Yeah, I know most of them. Schyler and Sylvester are friends of my cousin, Harvey. And then, Isequel is, well, let's just say that I know him.”I don't know how else I'm going to shrug the confusion within me. I have no idea how to treat Isequel when he's a friend of both Conrad and Bryce. For pete's sake! Why is Conrad so friendly?“Okay. If you want to put it that way, then, it'll be that way.” Lucas grins at me before kissing my cheek without a warning.My cheeks immediately heat up.“I think I'm about to be tipsy.” His breath is touching the surface of my face, and I can smell the rum that he's drinking. “I've been fighting it since earlier. These guys seem so tough.” He continues to talk as my eyes just focus on his lips. There a
“Well, you guys look like you had so much fun.”Lucas and I are now back in our seats, and Isequel here decided to acknowledge us.I still don't know how to deal with him.“Yeah.” Lucas answers for us, which actually calms a part of me. My system is refusing to say a single word to Isequel. “Why didn't you bring your girlfriend? I was expecting that everybody will have a date tonight.” Lucas takes another bottle of rum, and he opens it to drink straight from the bottle.I lost count of the bottles of rum that he had opened to consume.“Oh, wait. She's your girlfriend?” Isequel meaningfully flashes his smile at Lucas. And this man beside is about to lose his shit because of what he's drinking. I don't know why, but that's what my gut is telling me.To answer Isequel's question, Lucas just smiles at Isequel too. Probably doesn't know what to say. It's a good thing because it's a strong sign that I'm not going home tonight trying to carry a drunken man.“There's no clear label.”There. I
“Well, that’s unfortunate. I was expecting to have fun with you guys. It’d be lame if you leave now.”Bryce is still trying everything that he can just so he can change Lucas’ mind.But I know better. If only I could talk to Lucas privately, I would tell him that Bryce’s version of fun is different from the version of fun that we all know.Right now, I could only hope that Lucas wouldn’t be convinced by Bryce and his mind games that come with hidden intentions.“Man, if he wants to leave, he will leave. You can’t make someone stay even if you go down on your knees and beg.” Isequel adds, but the tone of his voice doesn’t sound like he meant what he just said.I wouldn’t be fooled by these two. If there’s something that I always need to remember about them, is that they would never betray each other. Bryce stays for Isequel, and Isequel stays for Bryce.Conrad was the one who told me that. And right now, I can perfectly see it even in different angles from my perspective.“I guess. I me
I never thought that it would be so easy admitting to Lucas a certain part of my past that I don't like talking about.It's not that I want to forget it permanently, nor do I exclude it being a part of me. But it's just, Bryce Tryst had already brought enough damage in my business and in my personal life.Remembering that he used to be a part of my life will only make a lot of things worse for me.“I still can't get over it.” Lucas comfortably settles himself on the bed as he pulls the blanket to cover his body. He's shirtless, and he only has boxers down there.“So, he wasn't lying earlier?” Questions keep on coming out from his mouth after the very moment that I revealed to him that the devil is my ex-lover after all.And I want to answer all of them, but I know that it will drain me, and then I will eventually get pissed. And I don't want to be like that to Lucas, so, I tried to divert the attention away from the informations that he's having a hard time to grasp on.“Yes, Lucas. H
"Good morning, Kevin. Why are you grinning like that?"Kevin opens the door for me as we both enter my office.Last night was somehow special to me, but it definitely had to end. I have work for the next day, and so I went home to get some sleep.Hell, I only had a few hours of sleep. I made it in my penthouse around 2 o'clock in the morning."You could never guess." The grin on Kevin's face is now matched with his voice that sounds like he's about to drop a bomb before me.Usually, when he's like this, I always end up getting good news that makes me day. So, I don't feel nervous about it because I need something to motivate me do loads of work.But can't he just tell me?"Of course, I could never guess. But can you just spill the beans for me?" I sit on my swivel chair, and he settles himself on the chair in front of my table.He's still grinning like an idiot."You haven't checked your phone yet, didn't you?" Oh, now he's taunting me."To be honest with you, I didn't have the time t
“So, how cruel is life to you lately?” Heide pours me a glass of champagne that my head tells me to decline. But I've had enough declining, so I'm taking this one.Just this one.“I would say about forty percent. I mean, you know. Same old shit. I disappeared for five years, and now that I have come back, nothing much has really changed. I just feel stronger now.” She hands me the tulip glass and I accept it with my gut bubbling in excitement.I really missed drinking liquor.“You're still loaded with work?” She takes a sip of her champagne.I nod, “Yeah.”“And there's still a problem with your Uncle Naveen?”“Uh-huh.”“Still no long-time lover?”“Yes, positive. Still no long-time lover.”I can see that she's having trouble believing me, but at the same time I know that she trusts me. I don't know how to put in words, but that's how she looks right now with her frowning and with her eyes squinting at me.“Why is it so hard for you to find a lover?”I know that she's seriously asking m
“Call me when you can, okay? Update me about the family dinner.”I swear to God, I want to roll my eyes every time I say ‘family dinner’.“Sure. But maybe I'll be in Vegas next week. So... let's update each other, I guess?”Harvey laughs after saying his goodbye as he enters his car. I wave my hand at him, and then I also climb into my car after I watched his disappear.We had a long conversation that it took us a long time to finally get to the part where goodbyes are said. If I didn't mention that I have to drive my ass all the way to Heide’s place, I don't think he'll even think of going home.But I'm glad that he will chase the love of his life.The woman surely doesn't want to be found, but Harvey is doing everything to find her. And I doubt that he won't find her since Harvey does have a lot of connections to deal with situations like this.Well, I have nothing left to say. But to wish them both good luck.Dear Destiny, kindly give my brother and my cousins their deserved happy
"What are you talking about, Harvey? He can't do that. He doesn't have the authority."Harvey starts to massage his forehead as he rest his head on the couch. It's clear that he's already stressed enough about it, yet I'm still adding more to it. Making it worse for him.Well, how the hell should I react? He can't expect me to be happy regarding this shitty information."That's what I thought too, but I guess the whole family decided to give him that authority since his one and only son is finally back."What? Uncle Naveen's son is back?Oh hell, what is happening?"So, it's going to be a dinner dedicated for his son? Welcoming him? Is that it?"The audacity. Uncle Naveen couldn't be more shameless. He's a thick face, and I don't understand why the whole family would just let him have things his way.And now, I'm certain that it's going to be hell for all of us because his son will definitely add more fuel to the fire.His son is an exact carbon copy of him. We used to get along with h
“What?!”As much as I want to, I can't contain the sudden attack of surprise within me.After assisting the girls earlier, I went straight to my office to call my friends. And now, we're all face timing each other.“Yes, Aurella! You heard me right. Now, what are we going to do?”It must've been God's plan to urge me to call my girls. If I didn't, I wouldn't know that Heide is now out of prison.“How is that possible? I mean, wasn't she sentenced for like a decade?”I'm not certain how long she's supposed to be in prison, but I didn't expect her to be out this early. She must've used a huge amount of money to be out.God. That woman and the power she holds.“I don't know anything about it too. But yeah, it's like she was sentenced for a decade or more.” Liv's voice is quiet and calm, but I can still sense that we all share the feeling of being afraid.There's no reason for us to be afraid. After all, Heide is our friend for such a long time. But after what she's done to Conrad, I don'
“She’s so secretive, and sometimes it makes me wonder how those two suddenly found their way to each other and became a couple.”This woman beside me is now spilling too much information that I’m unaware of if I’m even allowed to know it.I haven’t even moved past the fact that Bryce Tryst has a girlfriend, and this woman here decided to blabber on and on.“Their relationship is so private that they can’t be seen together in public. My friend said she feels like Bryce is hiding her, but somehow, she was able to shrug it out of her system. He showers her lavish gifts though.”It doesn’t feel like she’s here with me to buy an engagement ring anymore. A little bit of this TMI chat, I will start felling like Bryce hired her to pester me today.But why would he? The hell I care if he has a girlfriend.“I mean, what else is there to need, right? If I were in her shoes, I wouldn’t even feel like my boyfriend is hiding me. I will feel like I’m single instead, and I’m undeniably rich. How good
After all the interactions that I have made with the customers, I finally get to head to my office to have a short rest. It’s quite draining to entertain people, and sometimes people on the internet tend to forget that.They tend to forget that celebrities are also humans. We also get tired.“What’s that?” Instead of greeting Rina, a question gets ahead of me with my interest being caught by the bouquet of white roses on my table.“Oh, someone sent this for you, ma’am.” Rina is in between of keeping her smile or letting it show because it’s starting to creep in. She’s losing to herself because I can see that she’s also intrigued.“There’s a card in between the flowers, but all I saw was the name of the receiver.” She hides her face by covering it with her hand. But before she can even fully hide it from me, my eyes already saw that she’s blushing.“Let me kill your curiosity for you, Rina.” I chuckle, as I walk to my table to see the card myself.My hand quickly picks up the card that
“He lied to you, Unique. I wouldn't use you to forget her.”Lucas is standing in front of me, and both of his hands are making gestures as he continue to talk. I sit comfortably on my swivel chair; convincing myself not to take every word out of his mouth too seriously.I was about to do make an ‘anonymous’ agreement with the people that Bryce has transactions with. But then, this man showed up.“I know that I should've told you from the very beginning. But I thought that it would be more fragile if I mention her name to you.”Yeah, right. More fragile, my ass. He's kind of making a point, and I know that I will instantly flinch once he mentions her name. But I still do think that it might've been better if he told me as early as it can be.Because right now, I can't think of any good reason why he wants to make it up to me this time.Nothing as good as his aim to show her that he's better with me.“I'm sor—”“Why don't we talk about this later? I'm quite busy, and I would very much li
When the phone call with Vincent ended, I didn’t waste any second and changed back into the dress that I was wearing earlier. I returned the robe to where I took it from, and I gathered my things before silently leaving the hotel room.There’s a part of me telling me that I shouldn’t trust Vincent, but how else would he know about Lucas’ girl best friend? How else would he know about Dahna’s sister? If it’s a trick created by Bryce and Vincent, at least it helped me to separate myself from Lucas.It helped me realize that Lucas will never be mine.As I wait for the elevator to open, I start to type a message for Kevin regarding the first thing that we will be doing tomorrow. Lucas had already brought too much baggage in me, and now that I know about his hidden motives, I am willingly putting distance between us. I need to focus on what I must do, and what I must not do.I can’t promise to myself that I will never be fooled again, but I will try my best. Knowing that once I start givin