(ARIELLE'S POV) “I feel there's a lot you have been hiding from me, Arielle,” Ashley said, her tone serious and disapproving. I sighed, and looked away from her because she was telling the truth. We were alone in my hospital room. And now, I felt much better and stronger because I had freshened up, changed into one of the dresses Jared brought me and had breakfast and my medications. “You know, it's unfair to call me your best friend and keep things from me–” “Fine,” I said in resignation. “What do you want to know?” “For starters, who is this Sofia lady? She's the pregnant lady I told you I saw Jared going home with. How come she was at your house, and what's her relationship with Jared because he cares about her so much?” I sighed yet again, probably the umpteenth time since today, before proceeding to tell Ashley about Sofia and how she waltzed into Jared's, and I’s life. In all I said, I ensured I kept the part where Sofia pushed me, and news about my pregnancy out. Jared
(ARIELLE'S POV) I looked up to stare at the person I had bumped into. It turned out to be a young man, and in the fleeting moment I looked at his face, I couldn't help but notice how attractive he was. His eyes were a drowning emerald green, and his features, chiseled and rugged, left me momentarily speechless. I shook my head, snapping out of the spellbound. “I'm so sorry,” I quickly began to apologize. My eyes darted a short-distance away, and I saw a phone lying on the floor. “Is that your phone?” I asked, not waiting for an answer as I scurried towards it, picked it up, and handed it back to him. “Fortunately, no harm was done to the phone. I'm sorry again.” All this while, the young man had not uttered a word. And when he finally did, he had an amused smile on. “No need to apologize, really. I should be the one apologizing.” I shook my head, “No, I was the one who wasn't looking and bumped into you.”He chuckled softly, the sound low and warm. “Then let’s call it even. I was
(Arielle's POV) *****Three days after***** “Good morning, Arielle,” Doctor Wade smiled warmly as she entered the room. “I'm pleased to inform you that you're okay now and fit to be discharged. Your husband just needs to sign the discharge slip, and you're free to go home.” My face instantly lit up with a smile. “Thank you, Doctor Wade.” She nodded and turned to leave the room. “Take care, Arielle. Have a smooth recovery at home.” Ashley, who was sitting beside me on the bed, smiled and held my hands. “You're finally returning home, Arielle. I'm so happy for you.” I returned the smile. “I'm happy too, Ashley.” Just then, Jared entered the room carrying a small paper bag. "Good morning Love. Got breakfast for you."“Thank you.” I replied plainly. The past three days have been really awkward. We were more or less like strangers. I barely saw him, save for his routine check-in that never exceeded a few minutes. It was always like he was rushing to leave me and go be with Sofia. Wh
(ARIELLE'S POV) The ride home was one of the most annoying experiences I have ever had. Sofia did everything possible to upset me, by fussing and being all over Jared. She was either dabbing his face with a handkerchief or playfully throwing her arms around him. And while at it, she ensured to give me jeering looks through the rearview mirror. “Can you play some music, Jared? I'm bored,” her loud voice suddenly sounded, breaking the silence in the car. “What do you want to listen to?” “That song we used to listen to in high school, 'I will always love you,' by Whitney Houston,” Sofia said. “I don't have that song anymore,” Jared said, his eyes fixed on the road. “Why wouldn't you have a song that meant so much to us?” Sofia pouted, appearing hurt.He shrugged and chuckled, and I felt a sting. He always seemed relaxed around her, something that felt oddly reserved when it was just the two of us.Sofia shot him an exaggerated sigh before pulling out her phone, acting as if her wh
(ARIELLE'S POV)I shot Jared a confused look, expecting some sort of explanation, but he just brushed me off.What the hell? Don't tell me Jared agreed to accommodate Sofia in our home without informing and discussing it with me?“Agreement?” I repeated, this time, my voice was firmer and demanding. “Tell me, what agreement, Jared.”“Watch your tone, wifey.” Jared narrowed his eyes at me before glancing over at Sofia. “We talked about it earlier.”“Talked about what?” My patience was wearing thin. “You can’t just invite someone to live here without discussing it with me first. I’m your wife!”Sofia stood up, her hand still on her stomach. To garner sympathy, I guess. “Jared, tell her,” she said, holding his hand. “We agreed that I could stay here until I get back on my feet, and get a place of my own.”“Back on your feet?” I exclaimed, incredulous. “You're pregnant Sofia, and not handicapped. You need to be thinking about the future, and not freeloading off us!”Her face flushed with
(ARIELLE'S POV) I was roused from sleep by a gentle tap. My eyes fluttered open and I saw Jared peering down at me."Dinner is served, Mrs. Smith," he said, his voice warm and teasing as he pressed a light kiss to my forehead. "Dinner? I was startled and sat up. "What time is it?" I inquired, looking at the window, and I realized outside looked dark, but the room was illuminated by the bedside lamp. Jared chuckled. "You have been sleeping for four hours. Come to think of it, you never slept this much. Are you alright?" "I'm fine," I quickly replied and got off the bed. I was sure my recent weakness and proclivity for sleep was because of the pregnancy, but I was not about to admit that to Jared. "Alright," Jared said with a nod. "Shall we?" I nodded back, and we both walked out of the bedroom. As we strolled to the dining room, I asked, "So, what's for dinner?" "Roasted potatoes, broccoli, and chicken," Jared replied with a smile. I stopped to stare at him in surprise. "How co
(ARIELLE'S POV) I knew what I was about to do was wrong, as it went against my principles, but I couldn't help myself. My hands moved involuntarily as I typed in a password. Jared had mentioned in the car that his password was my name, right? Well, it was time to find out. I typed my name, and to my amazement, the phone unlocked. I clicked on the message box, and on Sofia's messages. “Hey, are you done bathing?” “Will you come keep me company after you're done?” “Why aren't you responding? Is Arielle awake?” “Are you ignoring me?” “Jared!!!!” “I can’t sleep. Come down, and let’s go outside and look at the stars, just like we did when we were teenagers.” “You promised me at the hospital's garden that we would stargaze, remember?” Angrily, I muted the phone and dropped it back on the couch. How shameless can Sofia be? She should be asleep, and not texting a married man to go out at night to stargaze with her. I returned to the bed, disturbed. Sleep had fled my eyes at this po
(ARIELLE'S POV) I felt Jared's body tense beside me, his arms freezing in place. I knew I had said something I couldn't take back. The question was, how would he respond? “Oh, I think I might have used your shampoo accidentally,” Jared spoke up after a while, trying to sound nonchalant. I felt a raw searing pain in my chest. It was always painful whenever Jared lied to me, and it hurt even more because I knew he was lying to me. The fragrance of the shampoo was vanilla, and I didn't use vanilla shampoo. I used lavender. That fragrance was from no other person but Sofia. He probably got it when she leaned her head on his shoulder. “Is anything the matter, Arielle?” Jared asked. His voice was soft.What could I say? What was left for us to say? I could almost hear his voice in my mind if I dared to ask him. The soft pleading, the reasoned excuse—anything but the truth. I was so tired of his “good friend” routine. Tired of the endless dance we did around everything, pretending the
(JARED'S POV)As much as I hated Dwayne's guts, I knew thanking him was the right thing to do. But his lips curled into a cold smile that never got to his eyes. "What, are you thanking me as her ex-husband? Or as the guy trying to win her back?" He said the words with a note of mockery that couldn't be missed.My jaw clenched, and I felt my face heat up with anger. What was funny about what I just said? "You're something else, you know that?" I muttered under my breath, trying so hard not to lose my cool. But it was hard to ignore Dwayne, not when he was deliberately being annoying.But he didn't seem to want to back down anytime soon. He let out a mirthless laugh, one that triggered me further. "And you're an idiot, little brother. You're so focused on juggling the mess with all those women around you that you miss what's right in front of you."I felt a surge of anger at his words, but I still forced myself to stay calm. I can't keep letting him get under my skin. Seeing that I wa
(SOFIA'S POV)I stood frozen, my heart hammering in my chest as the sting of Dwayne’s slap lingered on my cheek. The pain itself was nothing compared to the fear that followed crawled up my spine, seizing my chest with an icy grip. It wasn’t the slap that unsettled me. It was the calm that followed. The quiet, dangerous calm in his voice, the chilling intensity in his eyes.I stared at him, unable to look away. His gaze... those eyes… green, like emeralds, sharp and piercing, as if he could see straight through me. There was something about them that felt so hauntingly familiar. A memory buried so deep in my mind that it started clawing its way out, unwilling to be ignored. The more I looked at him, the more something in the back of my mind screamed, This is wrong. This is all wrong.His voice, low and steady, carried a weight to it: calm, but with a thread of something far more dangerous. My breath caught in my throat as my mind raced, sifting through memories, but each time I tried
(JARED'S POV)I stood there, my heart pounding, my mind filled with chaotic thoughts.No, this didn't feel right.My heart sank at Sofia's words, but my instinct told me that her face—the way she was acting, like she had some big revelation—felt off. I’d dealt with her enough to know when she was up to something, and right now, I could feel she was hiding something.But she spoke so confidently about Dwayne entering the room, as if it was crystal clear in her mind. Could there be any truth to what she said?Was it possible that Sofia's statement was not completely groundless? The thought made me pause, a flicker of doubt creeping in.If Sofia is really deliberately making trouble, why did she link Dwayne and Arielle together? Could something really happen between them?The image of Arielle and Dwayne together flashed in my mind, and I had to shake it away. No, I couldn’t let panic cloud my judgment. This was Sofia’s usual play—spinning webs of confusion to manipulate others for her o
(JARED'S POV)As I stepped out of the dining hall, I couldn't help but feel disappointed. Arielle had disappeared, and I had no idea where she had gone. I had been looking forward to talking to her all evening, but it seemed like fate had other plans or she was intentionally avoiding me.So I decided to focus on the utmost task at hand–confronting Matt Harrison. After tricking me and going contradictory to our agreement, it was expedient that he and I had a little chat.After a little looking around, I found him smoking at a corner of the deck, the dim night lightning casting a shadow on his face. I approached him, my footsteps echoing on the wooden floor.My footsteps alerted him, and he turned to face me, a smile spreading across his face. "Ahh, Jared, I have been expecting you. Took you long enough to find me. Sigh, the murderous glances you kept casting at me; I almost swore you'd rip my heart out the instant dinner ended.""Well, it's a good thing that you know that I'm not a man
(ARIELLE'S POV)The bathroom door creaked open, and out stepped Dwayne. His hair was damp from a shower, droplets sliding down his broad, muscled chest. For a split second, we both just stared at each other, equally startled.“Arielle?” His deep voice broke the silence, his brows knitting together in concern.My mind foggy, I blinked repeatedly to ensure it was indeed him not my hallucination."What are you doing in my room?" I asked, trying to sound strong. I looked around the room, taking in the familiar surroundings. The bed, the dresser, and everything in it–everything looked like it belonged to me, but something felt off.“This is my room.” His frown deepened as he stepped further in. “I’ve been staying here since we boarded the ship.”I shook my head, a feeling of panic enveloping me. "No, no, this is my room," I insisted. "I remember vividly. I was just... just in the..." I paused and tried to recall my earlier actions, but my memories were hazy.Frustration welled up inside me
(ARIELLE'S POV)As I stepped out onto the deck after dinner, the cool evening breeze swept through my hair like a soothing caress. The sky was a beautiful sight to see at that time of the day, a hue of blue and white.Beside me, Ashley and Maverick were deep in conversation, laughter spilling out between them as we walked. But soon, as usual, Ashley excused herself, shouting with a grin, “I’ve got to go scout some handsome guys for my next evaluation sheet! Margaux’s waiting for me.”I couldn’t help but chuckle. It was typical Ashley—always on the lookout for "research material," as she liked to call it. I also knew, unless the situation was really extreme, she wouldn’t willingly spend more than 10 minutes with a kid. Maverick was an exception, of course.But she was still a good sport. She bent down and offered him her hand, her voice sweet as she said, "Alright, little man, let’s get you to your grandma. I’m sure she’s waiting to spoil you rotten."Maverick grinned, his eyes twinkli
(DWAYNE'S POV)As I settled Maverick into the seat beside me, the tension in the room seemed to dissipate. The sudden rush of chaos had passed, and now the room was filled with the soft clinking of silverware and the low hum of conversation. Crisis averted.With the atmosphere settling back into its rhythm, I let my gaze wander around the table, subtly studying the faces of those present. The Langleys were deep in conversation with Matt, their voices rising and falling with bursts of laughter and lively debate. Jared and Tiana sat next to each other. She was trying to engage him in conversation, leaning in now and then, but Jared seemed far more interested in the food than her.I once caught him staring at Arielle with so much intensity and longing and he looked away the moment he noticed I was looking at him, too. "Poor guy," I smiled inwardly.Sometimes I really don’t understand him. Does he truly care about Arielle, or is he just angry because she's moved on and refuses to come b
(ARIELLE'S POV)My first reaction when Margaux broke the news to me was that of disbelief. I sat frozen in the lounge chair, my widened eyes fixed on her as she delivered the news."I'm sorry, but my Dad has extended a dinner invitation to the Langleys and their visitors," she announced; her face was a picture of anger and frustration, one that conveyed her disapproval of her father's decision."By 'visitors,' you’re not telling me it’s...?" I trailed off, dreading the answer."Yes, Jared Smith," Margaux finished."Why would he do that?" I blurted out, finally snapping out of my initial shock. But as the words left my mouth, I felt a flutter in my chest. It wasn’t the worst thing that could happen... but it was weirdly convenient. Jared just happened to be on the same ship? What were the odds?I glanced at Dwayne, looking for answers. Had I missed something? He just shrugged and gave me a wide, innocent grin, like he had no clue either."Oh, great! A perfect party ruined by one rotten
(JARED'S POV) After the call ended, I shoved my phone into my pocket and got off the bed, heading out of the room to wait outside the Dock for whomever Matt was sending. As I walked down the hallway, I could hear the sound of chatters and laughter coming from the room within. I quickly quickened my pace, hoping to avoid getting drawn into a conversation. But my luck ran out as I turned a corner and bumped into my mother and Mrs Langley. They were standing by the rails, sipping iced tea and engaged in a hushed conversation judging from how their lips moved silently. But Mom's eyes lit up the instant she saw me, and she smiled warmly. "Hey, dear, where are you off to?" She asked, eyeing me curiously. "I'm meeting with an important business partner," I replied, trying to sound as casual as possible. I also forced a smile, hoping to reassure her. But she frowned, not having any of it. "But you promised to keep everything concerning business away for these few days, why are you going