We went back home after our dinner. The flight was great, smooth, and uneventful. I landed softly into sleep for most of it, my body exhausted from being so hyped up the entire weekend. By the time we reached home, it was nearly morning.We climbed into the car, the stillness of the early hour wrapping around us as we headed towards the Blackwind estate. When we arrived, the driver got out, promptly coming around to open our doors. Thomas appeared shortly after, stepping out to help with the bags and unloading the trunk.Emerson reached for my hand and started leading me inside, but I pulled him back.He turned to me, his face puzzled, a hint of surprise in his eyes.“Come on,” he said softly, urging me forward “Let’s go get some shut-eye before tomorrow. I’m sure there’ll be a lot to work and things to deal with at the office today.”He looked tired, his face reflecting the weight of reality waiting to crash in on us. It made me feel sorry for him.“Come on, just give me two minutes,
We were both holding hands, laughing softly and exchanging smiles, not about anything in particular—just the joy of being together, close, and spending time together. Everything felt easy, as though the world had finally granted us a brief respite from its constant demands.As we made our way up the stairs towards our room, it wasn’t explicitly stated where we were headed, but we both knew. It was unspoken yet certain, a magnetic pull guiding us to the same destination.But just as we reached my door, his phone started ringing.Emerson paused, pulling it from his pocket. His expression shifted into something apologetic, almost guilty, as he glanced at the screen.“I’m sorry,” he murmured, his voice heavy with regret. “I have to take this. It might be important.”“It’s okay,” I replied softly, though disappointment tugged at my chest.He answered the call, stepping slightly to the side but staying within reach. “My assistant,” he explained briefly before speaking into the phone.“Reall
Madeline looked down, her face a deep shade of red as she fidgeted nervously. She seemed utterly embarrassed, her hands clasping and unclasping as if she didn’t know what to do with them. Finally, she sat opposite me, clearly struggling to find the words."I know I’ve been overdoing it," she admitted after a heavy pause."Overdoing what?" I asked, raising an eyebrow."Overdoing this." She gestured vaguely toward the table and then around the kitchen. "Everything."I sighed, my patience wearing thin. "I really don’t understand, Madeline. Could you just explain to me what’s going on so I can understand what the hell you’re talking about?"She exhaled deeply, leaning forward slightly. "Okay, this is the thing. I realized I haven’t been welcoming, and I haven’t been acting well towards you ever since you came here," she began, her tone cautious.I raised my eyes in a way that said, 'Alright, I’m listening. Keep going.'I wasn’t about to interrupt her now. She knew she had been treating me
I stared at her for a moment as I thought about how she had made me feel. My emotions swirled—anger, sadness, and hope all fighting each other. She had hurt me so deeply because I thought she would have understood. I had expected her to be in my corner, but she hadn’t been. It had felt like losing my mother all over again because she had been playing that part for a long time, and it wouldn’t be easy to forget that either.But I could see the effort she had made. I could see that she was trying. She really tried. She did all of this, the food and made a mess of herself in the process, and now sat there, waiting for my response. I exhaled, my shoulders relaxing slightly."Madeline," I began, my voice steady but firm. "I won’t say I’m not hurt by what you did because I am. It did hurt me. You did hurt me. But I can also see that you’re trying, and that means something to me. I cannot say it will go back to the way it used to be, but I can say that I want there to be peace in this house.
"Rose, are you okay?" I asked, watching her with concern as she stood there, wide-eyed and frozen."Um…um, sorry," she mumbled, quickly bending down to pick up the cleaning utensils she'd dropped. Her hands fumbled, and after gathering everything, she hurried out of the room without looking back.I turned to Madeline, a questioning look on my face. "What was that about?""I don't know," she replied nonchalantly, shrugging. "She was so surprised to find us together, I think."I frowned, confused. "Why would she react that way though?""You know Rose," Madeline began, settling into her seat. "The two of you have been at odds, and she was pretty mad at you. Honestly, being like her mother, I was just trying to comfort her during that time. And…well, it’s true, I was with her. I was on her side. So, we kind of hated you together."She said it in a lighthearted tone, almost joking, but it still hit a nerve. I forced a smile, though the memory of those strained moments was still raw."Yeah,
I sat there, lost in my thoughts, trying to piece together the worry threatening to consume my mind. The silence of the early morning felt heavy, and the unanswered questions gnawed at me. Emerson’s absence, Jason’s casual comment—everything felt off, and the uncertainty was unbearable.When I thought I couldn’t take the stillness anymore, I decided to move. Perhaps doing something, anything, would help ease the restless feeling.I opened the window, the cool morning air brushing against my face. I made my way to Emerson’s verandah, drawn to the promise of quiet reflection. The world outside was serene, the faintest hints of dawn creeping in, yet it offered me no peace.I stood there, looking out into the distance, my hands gripping the railing as if steadying myself against the weight of my thoughts. But even the calm view couldn’t soothe me. After what felt like an eternity, I exhaled deeply, realizing I’d had enough of staring into the void.Turning back inside, I made a decision t
EmmersonI looked at Mina, and I could tell she was anxious. The way she shifted slightly, the uncertainty in her gaze—it was clear she didn’t know how I’d react to what she’d done. But what she didn’t realize yet, what I needed her to know, was that I liked it.I loved what she’d done.Her taking the initiative, making decisions, putting her foot down—even though she wasn’t sure if I’d approve—it showed strength. It brought balance to us, to our relationship.You see, I’m older than Mina. Old enough to be her father, truth be told, and that naturally gives me a certain leverage over her. Not just age, either. My wealth, my experience, my knowledge of the world—those things, too, have a way of tipping the scales in my favour.But she... Mina. She balances it all.She brings spice into my life, a brightness I didn’t know I needed. She gives my days meaning, and fills them with louder happiness than I’ve ever known.And I have to admit, I never thought this would happen. Not in my wilde
EmmersonHours earlier, I had been reluctant to leave Mina behind. The thought of being away from her after our weekend together felt unsettling, but duty called. Work waited, and I had no choice but to head to the office.As soon as I stepped out of the car, Jason was already at my side, a folder in one hand and his phone in the other, firing off instructions like a well-rehearsed machine. "Mr. Blackwind," he started, keeping pace with me, "we’ve got a full schedule today. Here’s the updated itinerary. We’ll need to go through these documents before the meeting."At least we had been exchanging updates over the weekend, so I wasn’t walking in blind."All right, so when are we expecting her?" I asked as we strode towards the elevator."According to her assistant, she’ll be here by 10. That gives us a couple of hours to finalize everything.""Good. And Eric?"Jason hesitated, a slight tension creeping into his voice. "He hasn’t arrived yet."I stopped in my tracks and turned to him, f
"Oh... yeah," Eric muttered, realization dawning on his face. "Yeah, I remember. Tough stuff, that." He glanced at me with a raised brow. "Did that really happen? Because for a second, I thought you were just trying to paint her as a villain.""Of course, it happened!" Rita snapped. "You can go back to our high school and ask. But I kept her secret. That’s why nobody ever found out she was the one who did it."Ritq had gained Tina’s curiosity, her eyes narrowing as she leaned forward. "What are the two of you talking about?" she demanded. "I want to know. Maybe it has something to do with what happened to Trey tonight."I felt my head spin. "Are you serious right now? How are the two even connected? I just met Trey tonight! What does that have to do with anything I did in high school?"Tina’s lips curled into a smug smile. "It shows your history—your history of violence."I groaned, dragging a hand down my face. "Oh my God, I can’t take this anymore!" I turned to the officer, my patie
"You're not running away from this," Eric suddenly snapped at me. "You're not running away from what you did. You're staying here until the last second. I mean, look at Rita. She's pregnant, but she's still here. This is a person you're going to work with. Can't you just stay until we make sure he's okay and fine, and then we’ll all go home?"I flinched at his words, turning my head. His eyes were locked on me. He had been watching us, waiting, studying, and now he had his moment."Mind your own business and take care of your wife," Emerson interrupted, "and leave mine to myself."Eric scoffed, rolling his eyes, but he obediently placed a hand on Rita’s back. "It’s okay, baby," he cooed, his voice dripping with false concern. "We’re going home soon. I’m so sorry about this whole thing." He made a show of shaking his head, as though the weighing heavily on him.I didn’t dignify him with a response.The police officer sighed deeply. "I know you want to go home. I want to go home too,"
After the nurse disappeared, the silence in the waiting room thickened. Every pair of eyes turned to me again.Tina’s gaze was sharp and accusing, her lips pressed into a tight, angry line. Eric didn’t bother hiding his disgust. He looked over me with disdain. Rita threw glances at me now and then and I couldn't tell what she was thinking, but I knew which side she was.I sat there, wondering.Why does Trey want to see me?The question circled in my mind over and over like a broken record. It made no sense. Why would he want me, of all people, by his bedside? This wasn’t just strange—it was absurd. Whether he realized it or not, he was putting me in a position I didn’t want to be in, a position I didn’t ask for.The minutes dragged on in agonizing silence.Finally, Tina broke it with a snarl. “Oh no. No one is stopping me. I’m going to see my son.”Without waiting for anyone’s response, she marched off furiously as she barreled down the hallway in search of Trey’s ward.Emerson exhal
I couldn’t believe it. Trayson was awake. Talking. Alive. Relief and dread worked together inside me. I was glad he was conscious—no one here wanted a murder charge hanging over their head. But he was awake.Do you understand what I mean?He was going to talk. And what would he say?Would he say that Emerson attacked him? Would he twist the truth in his favour? Every eye in this room had already judged me. Even the officer, who was supposed to remain neutral, seemed to believe I was guilty.The worst part? Tina.This was the same woman who had spent the entire dinner praising me, gushing about how much she liked me. Her son had said so himself too. Now, here she was, transformed into a raging lioness, accusing me of being a monster who had hurt her son. And no matter what Trayson said—no matter what those security tapes from the restaurant revealed—Tina wasn’t going to believe that her precious son was an arrogant asshole.BUT, No alcohol in his system? Seriously?I remembered the fla
Everyone's eyes turned toward me, their expressions thick with anger, surprise, hatred, and disappointment. I could feel their judgment like sharp knives against my skin.Emerson's hand moved to his face, shielding his eyes as though trying to block out the truth or perhaps the sight of me standing there. He was the one person I wanted to look at, the one person whose reaction I needed to see. But he didn’t meet my gaze. I stood frozen, letting their stares cut into me, letting their judgment pour over me.Tina’s hand trembled as she raised it, pointing at me. Her voice was sharp, almost unrecognizable.“You tell me—what did you do to my son?”She pushed herself up, her entire body shaking with rage. I couldn’t move. I stood there, rooted in place, my breath caught in my throat, my mind blank. Tina was coming for me, and I didn’t know what to do.Eric grabbed her arms just in time, pulling her back as she lunged toward me. “Tina, stop!”The police officer stepped between us. His cal
“He is not dead, Tina!” Emerson snapped, his voice filled with frustration. “Stop acting as if he’s dead. He is alive and doing well. He is going to wake up, he’s going to regain consciousness, and he’s going to say what happened. Why are you causing all this ruckus? Why don’t you wait until he wakes up and speaks about what happened?”Tina’s expression hardened, her face replaced with suspicion and anger. “Because I’m afraid that one of you will get to him before I do,” she retorted. “Maybe you’ll get rid of him before I can find out the truth. And I’m going to protect my son.”Emerson’s face twisted in disbelief. “ Are you serious right now? I can't believe this, now you think we want to do what?“ Emerson released a sad laugh before he continued. “It’s okay if you don’t want me or Mina to go close to him. You’re his mother. You’re the first person he’s going to see. He’s going to tell you everything.““ And when he does tell me something, I don’t want any of you to flee. You’re g
I sat there on the chair, just sitting, staring at the walls, watching nurses and doctors pass by, their steps brisk, their faces a blur of calm and urgency. They came in and out, speaking softly, holding clipboards in hushed tones. My mind was blank. My body felt distant, as though I was a spectator of my own life.Then, out of nowhere, I heard the hurried click of heels—a determined, sharp sound cutting through the quiet of the hospital. Voices followed voices trying hard to be composed but strained.Tina and Emerson appeared first. They weren’t walking together; they were locked in a tug-of-war of anger. Emerson’s face was tight, his jaw clenched. Tina, her eyes wild, was a storm barely held in place.And behind them, a police officer.The sight of the uniform turned my stomach to ice. Panic surged through me so violently that I thought I might be sick. It’s done. We’re done. Everybody knows. I didn’t know how far this would go, but my mind raced to the worst. Was I an accomplice?
They were all staring at me, waiting. The room felt smaller, and my heart raced. I was nervous. Too nervous. So I blurted the first word that came to my head."Nothing."Tina’s eyes darkened, her voice rising. "What do you mean nothing? Treyson is lying in there. He is hurt. His life is on the line, and you’re telling me that nothing?""I mean… nothing really happened," I stammered, my voice weak. "I don’t know what you expect me to say. I just… I don’t know what happened."Her anger rose as she stepped closer. "What do you mean you don’t know what happened, Mina?""Okay, let’s just calm down," Emerson interjected, his tone soothing as he placed himself between us. "I get that our emotions are running high, and we all want answers, but let’s take a breath."Tina was having none of it. Her glare burned right through me. "No. I want to know what happened to my son. You and Mina were the ones with Trey when it happened, and I want to know exactly what went down. Are you going to tell me?
I know some people are going to call me a hypocrite, but Eric always treated Tina with respect—almost like she was his mother. He had just called her his godmother at dinner for Christ's sake.This was so inappropriate.I didn’t know if he was taking advantage of the situation, taking advantage of her, or if he didn’t even realize what he was doing. I didn’t know.But seeing the look on Rita’s face?Now that was good.That was priceless.The way she got mad. How her face turned red with fury. My heart released some heartache.As we reached them, Rita shifted her body, positioning herself firmly beside Eric. Emerson and I stood directly in front of Eric and Rita.Emerson didn’t waste time.“How is he? What did the doctor say? Is he going to be alright”Tina, trying her best not to cry, answered, “They haven’t told us anything. Ever since we got here, nobody has told us anything. I don’t know how my son is doing. I’m so worried. I just hope he gets out of all of this alive.”Eric reach