(ARIELLE'S POV)The young man chuckled and took off his shades, revealing piercing eyes that sparkled with amusement. "Alright, there was a catch. How're you, Madam?"I was stunned, my eyes widening in surprise. Dwayne? Of all people? Before I knew it, laughter bubbled up from my chest, and I burst into tears–streaked giggles.He was the last person I expected to see, and I couldn't believe I sang alongside him without even recognizing him."You're so–" I started, still chuckling."A jerk?" He finished, grinning. "I know, guilty as charged. I'm sorry if I startled you. I didn't want to reveal my identity and startle you. I wanted to hear you sing, and I'm glad you did. You sing so well. Are you sure you've never had a music career?My cheeks turned warm at his flattery. I shook my head, still trying to process running into him again. Is this a coincidence, or some planned act?"Here," he cut into my thoughts, handing me a tissue. "You need it."I nodded and accepted it, dabbing at my
(ARIELLE'S POV)"You will be fine, won't you? And hey, promise me you won't overwhelm yourself," Ashley said, concern perched on her face.We were parked in the restaurant's parking lot. It was Monday, and I was resuming work. Ashley had driven me as she wouldn't let me board a cab or Uber."I promise.""Good. Have a nice day at work today, " she said and hugged me tightly."Thank you. You too," I said, returning the hug. After we disengaged, I grabbed my bag and alighted, waving.As I walked towards the restaurant's entrance, a feeling of nostalgia hit me. It had been weeks since I'd been away, but it felt like months. I took a deep breath, excited about my return.Suddenly, someone threw their weight around me, nearly knocking me off balance. "Goodness, it's so good to have you back!" Rebecca exclaimed."I know, right? It's good to be back, and I missed you," I said, laughing and hugging her back.She giggled and grabbed my hand. "Let's go in. I'm sure Mr Stone will be excited to
(ARIELLE’S POV)The moment I heard those words, I knew I was in trouble, and had a lot of explanation to do. I took a deep breath, bracing myself for the conversation.“Calm down, Mom. Can we talk about it in person?”“In person? No, we're gonna talk right now, over the phone!”“Fine,” I puffed out air in resignation. “What do you want to hear?”“Everything. How are you divorced from your husband, and he's already flaunting pictures of himself and another woman?”I stifled a scoff. That was definitely Sofia’s doing. “Mom, it's a long story. But to cut it short, we parted ways because we realized we're no longer compatible.”“And what does that mean? How come you two didn't realize that in the three years you were married?”I paused, thinking of the proper way to let out the words.“Has the cat suddenly got your tongue? Keep talking, Arielle.”“He's in love with someone else. I just couldn't keep up,” I muttered.“The lady he's been flaunting?”I nodded, “Yes.”“That stuck-up billiona
(ARIELLE'S POV)"Let's keep walking," Ashley whispered, tugging at my arm.But Sofia had already spotted us and was calling out. "Arielle! Ashley!""Ignore her," Ashley whispered again.But it was too late; Sofia was already rushing towards her. "Hold on, you two."To avoid a scene, as people were already sparing us glances, Ashley and I reluctantly stopped. Sofia caught up with us, a smile I could tell was fake, plastered on her face."Arielle, Ashley? What a surprise to see you two. What are you doing here!?" She asked, her eyes conveying her surprise."We're here for a conference," Ashley responded."Oh, the independent women's conference? I'm here for it too," Sofia exclaimed. By now, Jared had joined us, standing beside her."Babe, Arielle, and Ashley are here for the conference, too. Isn't that a great coincidence?" She asked, placing a hand on Jared's shoulder.Jared nodded, his eye darting briefly to mine before avoiding eye contact. "Hi, Arielle. Hi, Ashley."Sofia continued,
(ARIELLE'S POV)As we turned around to find out why Sofia was screaming, our eyes widened in surprise. Sofia was bent, clutching her stomach, her face contorted in pain."Are you okay?" I rushed to her, concern on my face.Sofia didn't respond; she just kept groaning. I grew scared and beckoned Ashley to come closer. "I think she's hurt, let's help her," I whispered.Ashley hesitated before rushing to my side. "Arielle, are you sure? I don't know, but I don't trust her.""Let's just help her," I said, trying to help Sofia stand straight.Just then, two women approached us. I was relieved; more hands would be appreciated."What happened?" One of them asked.Sofia looked up at them, tears now brimming in her eyes. "She...she tried to hurt me. I'm pregnant, and she pushed me," she said, pointing to me.A loud gasp escaped Ashley's and my lips as we exchanged surprised looks. What was Sofia talking about?"How could you?" The first woman turned to me, her face turning red with rage. "You'
(ARIELLE'S POV)"I still can't wrap my head around what happened," Ashley huffed, flinging her handbag on the couch the instant we stepped into the living room. "That woman is unbelievable!""Ash, just let it slide," I sighed, slumping next to her. "I'm alright, and that's all that matters."Ashley turned to face me, her face serious. "You see, that's the problem. You're too soft and unproblematic, and that's why she picks on you all the time. She should be hiding her face with all she's done to you instead, she's still making trouble.""Ashley, no need to rehash things," I pleaded, rubbing my temples."But someone needs to remind you," she countered. "Do I list all she has done to you?" She asked, her eyes challenging.""No, don't bother," I replied, waving my hand.Ashley scowled. "You need to stop being nice to your enemies, Arielle. Sofia is your enemy; treat her as such. Imagine wanting to help her after all she's put you through."I sighed, feeling exhausted. "Ashley, drop it,
(JARED'S POV)I scribbled my signature on the last document, relieved that I had finally tended to the last of the paperwork stacked on my table for weeks. Just as I was about to put the papers away, a knock sounded on the door."Who is it?" I called out."It's Cristina, sir," my secretary replied."Come in."Cristina entered, looking a little flustered. "Apologies for disturbing your work, sir, but I'm having some trouble accessing the company's database."I nodded in understanding. Cristina is new, barely two days at the company. My previous secretary had resigned as she was relocating abroad with her fiance."Take a seat, and let me show you," I motioned to the vacant chair.Patiently, I showed her how to navigate the database. And a few minutes later, she had gotten a hang of it."Thank you, sir," she said, rising to her feet. "I really appreciate your patience.""You're welcome." As she turned to leave, I called out, "Cristina?""Yes, sir?""Are you active on social media? You k
(ARIELLE’S POV)I was getting vegetables and other cooking utensils ready when I felt a jolt in my stomach. I winced and grabbed the kitchen island, waiting for the wave to die down. I knew it would because it was a feeling I was familiar with.The feeling had started three days back, and at first, I had attributed it to what I ate. But it happened again, and again, and it's the third day already.I didn't read much meaning to it because it wasn't painful, just a sharp jolt that rippled through my abdomen like a tide of waves. And seconds later, it was gone like it never happened.Deciding it was nothing serious, I didn't bother telling my Mum or Ashley about it. They'd freak out and drag me to the hospital, and I hated hospitals. They reminded me of so many ugly memories. And so shoved the thoughts of it aside, deciding it would stop the same way it started. No need to worry anyone."Are you alright?" Rebecca inquired, looking at me closely.I forced a smile; I hadn't realized I'd p
(JARED’S POV.)I stopped by a flower shop on my way to the restaurant. Thankfully, the storekeeper was a friendly middle-aged lady. She took me through the large shop, showing me different flowers sticking out of fancy flowerpots. The place was designed to have an infinity garden theme—it felt like a walk in paradise, with all the smells and sounds. There was a deer statue in one end and a flowing water fountain from which fishes jumped into the air on the other. A squirrel sat on a rubber tree statue in the far corner, while a bunny stuck its head out of a log somewhere else. I let my awe of the place cover up for the fact that I didn’t know what flower to get Keira.“Having a hard time deciding what to get her?” she asked with a kind smile.I nodded, scratching the back of my head in embarrassment. “Gosh. I don’t even know what which to get her. She loves Lavender, hit I want to pair it with another nice flower,” I confessed.“Well, no one ever goes wrong with a mix of lavender and
(ARIELLE’S POV.)I sat in my office for the first time since the hospital incident, and I had to keep a hard fight to keep my mental energy flying high. I couldn’t help but feel a bit overwhelmed by the mountain of work that welcomed me on my first day. Jared and Dwayne had insisted that I let things at the restaurant handle themselves under Stephen and Rebecca’s care. And even though they’d done their jobs very thoroughly, I still had a mountain of paperwork to sign through. Turns out the administrative expectations of the restaurant didn’t take a break like I did.I heard a knock on the door and raised my head from the document before me. Stephen walked in, his lips stretched out in a goofy smile as always. Rebecca pushed past him almost immediately.“Get out of the way, Ste…,” she began saying but paused to observe him. He’d frozen still with the smile still intact, like a mascot. “Hey. Earth to Stephen,” she snapped her fingers in his face and caused him to jump back in fright.“T
(ARIELLE’S POV.)The other parents were taking forever to get ready. The sun was going down and the skies were stained a bright orange. Jared looked at his watch multiple times and I could tell he was growing restless and would’ve disappeared if Maverick’s emotions weren’t involved.The public address system crackled to life and the principal took the stage. All eyes filed in the direction of his booming voice. “In a matter of moments, the race will begin… hold on. I’d like to acknowledge the presence of our biggest sponsors…,” he said. But we didn’t need to hear him finish his sentence.Out of the blues, Mr. Langley appeared in sight, Tiana perched on his arm. They had the facetious look of hypocrites putting on a good show for all who cared to see.“What are they doing here?” my mother asked, her face set in a skeptical frown. I looked at Jared too who was having a hard time concealing the contempt on his face. We exchanged a knowing look and I shook my head in the negative to keep
(DENZEL'S POV)The gears clicked into place in my head. I’d been missing a key detail this whole time. Of course. “Your nephew. The kid is your nephew!” I pointed out in a moment of eureka. “Of course. Jared Smith is your brother. Now you’ve made me look stupid,” I said with an animated pout."You’ve been stupid from the start," Dwayne said, amusement laced with dry contempt. "That’s your problem, not mine. Stay away from Jared and his family." My brain was racing. My lips stretched out in a smile. “You see, sir, actually I think we’ll make a good team.” He raised an eyebrow."I know how it goes with you rich brothers—fighting tooth and nail over family assets. Even if you are a Mafia godfather, so what? There's still more wealth to go around in the wealthy Smith, right? You’re using a fake identity to compete with him, which means there’s a reason. Whatever it is, I can help you." I was on a roll now, the more excitement buzzing in my veins as the more I realized. “Jared owes
(DENZEL’S POV.)I licked my lips in self-absorbed satisfaction as I watched the gears in the man’s head move. He’s a dangerous man.That’s the first thought that struck me.There’s a vast difference between how men and women look at other men. A woman might first notice the tailored black suit sculpting his broad shoulders and tapering waist, the sharp cheekbones and chiseled jaw that gave him a sculpted air.But I? I saw the quiet promise of violence beneath his composed demeanor.He stood tall, his frame lean but deceptively powerful—built for precision rather than bulk. Those weren’t gym-trained muscles but the product of relentless, high-intensity exertion. A body honed for efficiency. For lethality.A man like Jared was a lion or a tiger—the noble king of the jungle. But this man was a leopard. Not the biggest beast in the wild, but the deadliest.I made a mental note: If I could deliver someone this menacing into my grandfather’s service as a foot soldier, the old man might jus
(DWAYNE’S POV.)My legs carried me in the direction I’d been looking earlier, my eyes involuntarily scanning the place for any signs of the face I’d seen. He was supposed to be away— at least for a long time. So it didn’t make any sense that I was seeing him out here in the open. Maybe I was just paranoid. Or maybe it was just my mind giving me a reason to keep away from Jared while he attained hero status before his son.I stepped around a family of three, the parents laughing as they tied their legs together with their little daughter’s. It was a simple, beautiful moment—one I had no right to interrupt. The little girl giggled, catching my gaze, and I gave her a quick wink before moving on. Then I saw him again. This time, he was in motion, moving through the crowds. My pulse slowed in calculated awareness. I didn’t know if he was the mastermind or just another pawn, but I wasn’t about to take any chances. I murmured “excuse me” and “sorry” as I cut through the moving bodie
(DWAYNE’S POV.)“Fist bump?” I held out my hand for Maverick and he brushed his knuckles gently against mine and pulled it backwards with a soft “whoosh” to mimic an explosion. Jared was in the corner. He’d finally let the paramedics tend to his injuries which thankfully didn’t need any serious medical intervention. Half a bottle of spirit and swabs of cotton later, he was all fixed up and ready for the race.The public address system crackled to life and all heads lifted up to the now cleared stage where the principal was standing, his face devoid of its usual sternness. The smile on his face seemed so out of place — and must have been an uncomfortable expression for him to make— because it looked more like a grimace than anything else.I pulled Maverick in closer and stroked his hair tenderly. Jared’s eyes trailed to us and he looked away.“I want to sincerely apologize again for the accident earlier on. You must believe me when I say the school will never do anything to put our st
(DWAYNE'S POV)I couldn't remember ever being scared as I was when I saw the chandelier falling. Without thinking, I bolted off my seat with one mission in mind; save Maverick. Fortunately, Jared was faster. And for the first time, I didn't think about who saved the little boy first, no thought of competition whatsoever. All that mattered at that point was that Maverick was safe.I just couldn't imagine what would have happened if anything had happened to either Maverick or Jared. As much as I hated to admit it, Jared was still my blood and that was not changing. I would rather have him alive as my sworn rival, than dead.As we stood there, trying to process what had just happened, parents approached us to offer consolation and thank the stars for not letting harm come to either Maverick or Jared. A group of school staff approached us, too, looking worried and apologetic."I'm so sorry, everyone," Maverick's class teacher said, her voice shaking. "It was an accident, a totally unexpec
(ARIELLE'S POV)After that round of activity was over, there were subsequent ones, and soon it was time for the talent show. In the talent show, parents anxiously watched as their kids and wards who were participating came on the stage. I was anxious as well, as Maverick was also participating.Minutes ticked by, and pupils trooped in and out of the stage for their performance, but there was no sign of Maverick. I shifted impatiently in my seat, wondering when his turn would be. His class teacher had earlier come to pick him up, citing that he had to get dressed in his costume in preparation for his performance, but there was still no sign of him.I was just about to turn to the others to voice my concern when Maverick emerged. He was the last to appear as others were already done with their performance. I sat up properly in my seat, curious about what Maverick would show. I turned to others to see if they were as anxious as I was, and that was when I found that Jared was no longer i