(ARIELLE'S POV)As the party got underway, I insisted on stepping aside for a moment to call Rebecca and Stephen. I needed to let them know about my decision to take two days off.They readily agreed, assuring me they’d keep things running smoothly at the restaurant in my absence. Relieved, I thanked them and ended the call before heading back inside.What Ashley called a pre-party turned out to be a lively, classic celebration—music, drinks, dancing, and endless chatter. It had been ages since I’d attended something like this, and I couldn’t help but feel a little thrill as I mingled, catching up with people and sneaking in a few moments to casually promote my restaurant.But as the evening wore on, the fatigue of the day finally caught up with me. My energy waned, and I felt the telltale weakness creeping in. Dwayne, as if sensing it, stayed close by. At one point, he gently patted my shoulder, leaning in to whisper, “If you’re tired just go back to your room and rest. You’ve got t
(JARED'S POV)I left Arielle's office basking in the fulfillment and satisfaction. Seeing her eyes light up when she received the gift made every moment worth it. I replayed the scene over and over again in my head, her fingers tracing the outline of the sculpture, her voice slightly trembling as they conveyed her gratitude. It was a peak moment, one that I wouldn't forget in a hurry.Deep down, I wish I could spend more time with her, but I had to see my Mom. She had called earlier, asking to see me, citing that she had something important to discuss with me. Now, as I drove towards the mansion's direction, I hoped it was as important as she made it sound because she has a history of exaggerating things and making them more ambiguous than they actually were.Soon, I pulled into the compound, and I didn't bother parking in the garage as I figured I'd be leaving soon. I go inside, have the "important" discussion with Mother, say hi to Nana Jean, and I'll be on my way. Easy peasy.I got
(JARED’S POV.)I walked up the steps, my eyes fixed on Mr. Langley just so I didn’t have to speak with anyone else. I couldn’t trust my mother in situations like this. She had a way of roping me into unexpected conversations.“Mr. Langley,” I called out as I stepped up to the yacht’s deck.He was deep in conversation with a fellow I surmised to be the sailor. “Ahh. Jared. Come up here, son,” he gestured with his hand. He quickly dismissed the sailor.“Son?” I scoffed inwardly. Not when he's top on the list of the people I suspect to be sabotaging my company.“Hi, ” I nodded with a forced smile. “Quite a remarkable yacht you’ve got here,” I chipped in with a smile.“Oh it’s a rental. Cost a decent sum alongside the apartment. And to think we’re only renting for a couple of days! Crazy, I tell you,” he shook his head. “Sorry we had to drag you all the way out here.. away from your company. I know it must have cost you a lot to honor the invitation,” he said, clasping my hand in both of
(JARED’S POV)I turned around with the bottle of wine in my hands and found Tiana looking at me with knowing eyes. She’d caught me staring, and I had to avert my gaze quickly.Much later in the day, the sailor turned the yacht around for the beach house. We didn’t encounter the other yacht on the way back. I kept hoping we’d run into them at some point so I could see Arielle again. But that didn’t happen, so I decided to call herThe phone rang for a while without an answer until she finally picked up.“Hello. Arielle?” I said tentatively.“Hello, little brother,” Dwayne’s voice came through the speaker. I felt my blood boil with anger at the sound of his voice.“Where’s Arielle? Why are you answering her phone?” I demanded.“Relax. She’s having a swell time with the others. It’s her birthday tomorrow so we’re treating her to a nice time,” he said. I could hear the smile in his voice. “Did you forget it was her birthday, little brother?”Of course! I mentally face-palmed myself. I did
(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
(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
(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)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
(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