(ARIELLE'S POV)"Italy?" Ashley repeated, her eyes wide with surprise. "Yes, the founders of the scholarship have their academy in Italy," I responded, excitement sparking inside of me."What scholarship?" Ashley asked, her brow furrowed in confusion."The one Mr Stone, my manager, told me about," I explained. "I had turned it down, but I think it's the solution to my decision to move now.""Tell me more–"Ashley made to say, but I was already shooting out of my chair. I hurried to the sitting room and retrieved my phone from the couch, tapping on the calendar screen. My heart skipped a beat as I realized it was less than two weeks before the scholarship expired."What's going on?" Ashley called out."I have to call Mr Stone," I responded, already dialing his number."Hello?" Mr Stone's voice came through the line."Hi, Mr Stone. I'm calling about the culinary scholarship. I know I declined initially, but I'm interested now and would love to know if it's still Open.""Ah, Arielle! I'm
(ARIELLE'S POV)The waiting period before my departure felt like a time bomb, ticking away with each passing minute. A few days before I left, I decided to visit my mother and inform her about my departure. After having a careful deliberation, I decided it would be a great injustice to leave her in the dark.I found her in the garden, tending to her flowers."Hey, mum," I called from behind.She swiftly turned around, startled. "You, terrible child," she exclaimed, a smile creeping into her lips. "You startled me.""I know. That was the idea," I responded, flashing her a mischievous smile."Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be at work," she asked, taking off her gloves."Umm, I came because I want us to talk.""Really? Is something wrong?" She inquired, staring at me with concern."Not really. Can we talk inside?""Sure, sure. Let's head in," she mumbled, leading the way. "I got a culinary scholarship," I announced, the moment we were seated in the living room."Okay?" She sai
(JARED'S POV)It was a Saturday, and I walked out of the gym room after a strenuous workout. I was stunned to see Sofia slouched on the couch, flipping through TV channels. Wait, wasn't she supposed to be preparing for the Charity event?"Hey, aren't you supposed to be leaving for the charity event soon? I asked, approaching her. She turned to me with a dismissive shrug. "I'm not going.""Why not?" "I don't feel well," she said, placing a hand on her stomach. "The baby doesn't want me to go."I raised an eyebrow. "So, the money I gave you was for nothing, then?""Oh, I did order the dress, but I won't be donating anymore."My anger flared up like it had been waiting on the surface. "What's going on with you, Sofia? Why did you demand such a sum of money and now you're not even using it for the charity event?"Her anger flared too, matching mine. "Don't shout at me over such a little sum, Jared."I took a deep breath, trying to calm my temper. "Sofia, was there even a charity event,
(JARED'S POV)I instantly stepped on the brake pedal, reversing the car, and speeding off in the direction of the restaurant. On arrival, true to the reporter's words, the restaurant had been in a fire accident.My heart continued to thud as I approached the crowd of people compromising the fire department, customers, and staff. I used my eyes to search for Arielle.With each passing moment that I didn't set eyes on her, my heart clenched in my chest, as I tried not to think of the worst. When I couldn't find her in the crowd, I decided to approach any of the staff. Who knows, maybe she was absent from work today. With that feeble consolation, I approached Rebecca, whom I had spotted."Hey, Rebecca, are you alright?" I asked, genuinely concerned and not because I wanted information from her only.She looked at me, surprised but nodded. "Y–yes, I'm fine, thanks.""I'm so sorry about what happened," I said, and then glancing around, asked, "Where's Arielle?"She looked at me like one
(JARED'S POV)"What do you think your mother wants to talk to us about?" Sofia asked, breaking the silence in the car.We were on the way to my mother's place for dinner the next day, and Sofia wouldn't stop worrying about the motive behind the invitation.I shrugged. "I don't know.""I hope it's not for something bad," she went on."Yeah, me too."We drove in silence for a few more moments until Sofia spoke up again. "Are you sure you're okay? Your mood hasn't been your best since you returned home yesterday.""I'm fine," I responded, keeping my eyes fixed on the road. There was no way I was going to tell her that I had been worried about Arielle since yesterday. No way. It was going to cause another rift.Sofia nodded and looked out the window.We soon arrived at my mother's house, and the butler was already waiting at the door to take our coats. My mother was a fan of having numerous staff with different job descriptions, unlike me, who liked my space."Welcome, sir, Madam," th
(ARIELLE'S POV) I had arrived in Italy and settled in, although the first week was a maze of orientation and waiting for students who had delays in arrival, to arrive. The academy provided accommodations, but I chose to stay outside campus due to my pregnant state. I got a decent apartment and spent the week touring the city, registering for antenatal in a hospital, and keeping in touch with Mom and Ashley. But none of it filled the emptiness gnawing inside me. Late at night, when the city was quiet and my thoughts drifted back to Jared and the child I had lost, I felt the weight of it all. I tried hard to stay distracted, burying myself in activities so I wouldn’t have to remember those painful memories. Classes finally began, and during a break, I stepped out for some fresh air. As I made my way through the courtyard, my heart skipped a beat.A familiar figure caught my eye—broad shoulders, tall frame, dark hair... My breath hitched. Jared?But when he turned around, I imme
(JARED'S POV)Eight months—it’s been eight months, but it feels like an eternity. My life has spiraled in ways I never anticipated, and not for the better. Sofia and I... we were never meant to be. I see that now.What started as an escape—maybe from my own demons—has become another prison, one I built with my own hands. Regret gnaws at me, but it’s too late. Too late to fix what I’ve broken.The moment Sofia lost the baby, everything changed. I wasn’t ready for it—not for the life she carried, and certainly not for its loss. But as the weight of the grief sank in, I realized it wasn’t just her child I was mourning.It was the child I lost with Arielle.The one I could have had. The one I wasn’t there for.I can still hear Sofia’s voice from that day—shrill, desperate. It rings in my ears even now, haunting me in quiet moments.(Flashback)I was knee-deep in paperwork, trying to escape into the dull routine of the office when my phone buzzed on my desk. Sofia’s name flashed on the scr
(JARED’S POV) I watched in horror as Sofia's grip on the laptop tightened. "Sofia, please," I begged, trying to keep my voice low and not aggravate things. "Don't do this. That laptop has very important files and contacts." "Important files and contacts?" she sneered. "Or just important contacts?" "Sofia, stop this," I warned, my patience wearing off. "I'll stop when you fire that secretary of yours," she spat. My jaws clenched, as I paused to weigh my options. I couldn't afford to lose these files. "Fine, I'll fire her." Sofia's expression changed a little now, a sly smile spreading on her face. "Do it now." I grabbed the intercom, my hands heavy with reluctance. "Brooke, you're fired, effective immediately." Brooke's voice came through the intercom. "Sir, please...what did I do?" But I ended the call, unable to best her pleas. "Satisfied?" I asked Sofia, my eyes hard, and my tone cold. "No," she replied, her eyes glinting mischievously. "Promise you'll come hom
(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
(ARIELLE’S POV)I was stunned by the question to say the least, but I braced myself. If I told him the truth, it would be hurtful. In the first three years of Maverick's life, his biological father was not present; who would he have thought to be more important back then when the only male figure he knew was Dwayne? No, I didn't think that this was a multiple-choice question because I never asked Maverick. I never saw the need to,and I don't see it now either .I didn't want to give my child such a difficult problem. But if he really had to choose, I didn't think Jared had a chance of winning either. It was just a tough path to take.As I stood there, silence hanging in the air like a cloud, I could feel Jared's eyes on me, waiting for an answer. I knew I had to say something, but the words got stuck in my throat. I didn't want to hurt him, but I also didn't want to lie to him or give him false hope about anything. Certainly not on this topic. He seemed to have realized my stance e
(ARIELLE'S POV)"So this is the situation. Can the four of us go to Maverick's Open Day together?" I inquired, holding Maverick's hand with my left, my right hand casually resting on the car door as I turned to face the company I had. In front of me stood Dwayne, who had just opened the car door with a smile that was too innocent coming from him, and for this gathering. Behind me was my mother, who was wearing a smug look that read, "I totally expected this and I warned you about it." I could sense her eyes on me as if anticipating how I would handle the situation.But there was no immediate response from either of them, and my eyes darted to Jared, who was seemingly sulking in his position, leaning on the car's bonnet and behind his sunglasses. I still couldn't fathom why he showed up in such intimidating glasses, like he was going on a deadly mission, rather than his son's school's open house party. It's been days since the scandal, and somehow, he and his PR team had done a goo
(ARIELLE’S POV)When Jared finally answered my call, I could sense the stress he was already going through from his voice."Arielle, I'm in the middle of something. Can I call you back?"I hesitated, unsure how to approach this. The news still echoed in my mind, and I could barely find the words. "I… just saw the news," I chose to ignore the part where I had heard his confession, trying to focus on what really mattered. "What's going on?"He sighed, and I could almost hear him rubbing his temples. "Everything's fine. It's just a misunderstanding. My PR team will handle it, and by tomorrow, no one will remember this made-up story."His words were a little reassuring. I tried not to stress him further, not wanting to add to his stress. "I'm not worried about you; I'm just afraid this will affect our son's open day.""Don't worry,” He smiled softly, “I have everything under control. The Open Day will go smoothly, and this scandal will blow over," he assured me.I nodded, even though he c
(Jared’s POV)I knew I had to get out of here before the situation grew worse. The frenzy was growing by the seconds, with Sofia's mother still yelling and weeping, throwing accusations at me left and right.I tried to step away amidst the crowd of reporters swarming around me, but they were relentless, shoving the mics close to my mouth, asking questions, and urging me to answer "Mr. Smith, is it true you drove your fiancee to attempt suicide?" One reporter asked, her voice loud and accusatory.“No. That’s not true.” I refuted simply, struggling to keep my composure. Every word I spoke felt like it was being twisted, and the situation was only getting worse. The best choice was to shut up.I pulled out my phone, my jaw clenched in frustration and anger. I didn’t know what the Golds were playing at, but they wouldn’t get away with this. If they thought they could destroy my reputation with lies and scandal, they were gravely mistaken.Oliver picked up on the first ring. “What can I d
(JARED'S POV) “Ma’am, you need to quiet down. You’re drawing so much attention to us,” Tiana rushed over to restrain her. “Let them hear! Let the world hear, Jared Smith, you wicked man!” Sofia’s mother screamed, her voice raw with grief and fury. “It’s your fault my daughter is in that ICU, fighting for her life! If anything happens to her, I swear to God, you will pay for this!” Her words were like a slap, each one stinging with a venom. I took a step back, trying to keep my own voice steady, trying to keep control. “Come on, ma’am, this isn’t the time for this. This isn’t the place for this kind of conversation.” “I’ll speak my mind whenever I damn well please, Jared!” she spat, her face twisted with anger. It was then that I saw him—the man standing at her side. Sofia’s father. I had no idea he was here. Wasn’t he supposed to be recovering from his illness? What was he doing here, in the same hospital as Sofia? Sofia’s father took off the oxygen mask he’d been holding against
(JARED’S POV.)The room was still covered in a cloud of smoke. I stood in a state of confusion, unsure whether to start cleaning the kitchen from the pan on the floor or the lump of burnt ginseng lying on the other side of the kitchen. Then there was the cooktop to clean out.Arielle shook her head and opened the windows wider to let out the smoke.“Oh yeah,” I cursed under my breath and beat her to open the sliding glass doors that led to the backyard.“What were you even cooking?” she asked, with an amused smile.“I was trying to cook some soup,” I replied like a child caught doing something silly.Dwayne, unbothered by the chaos, continued preparing his Caesar salad. “I told him to stick to stocks and shares, but he didn’t listen,” he chuckled, clearly finding this whole thing amusing.“This is all funny to you, right? Well, it’s all your fault. If you hadn’t riled me up I’d have kept my focus on the pan and none of this would have happened,” I pointed at him accusingly.Dwayne shr
(JARED’S POV)I couldn’t quite put what I was doing in the kitchen into the adequate words, but I felt my way through it. I pulled out a pan from the cupboard above me and placed it down on the cooktop. Moments later, Dwayne shuffled into the room.Arielle had fallen asleep on our watch— more like she’d asked us to give her space to rest from our bickering. It was always Dwayne instigating fights and bickering.“You’re not given up on seeking me out, huh?” I said to him with a little eye roll.He let out a scoff and walked past me to the other end of the kitchen. “You wish. I’m here for something better. You’re not worth my time,” he said.I bit back a sharp retort and pretended his words hadn’t sent a convulsing sting down my spine. He was clearly in the kitchen for some silly competition. But I was more than ready for him this time. Arielle was yet to touch either of our flasks which were cooling away in the fridge somewhere. So technically, we didn’t have any place making more food
(ARIELLE’S POV)I turned in my sleep. My left side was beginning to hurt from lying on it for too long. Morning sounds floated around me, and I dated a peek out the open window from my lying position. The lights hit my eye with such harshness that I shut them back and willed myself to go back to sleep. I was very grateful to be lying on my own bed, in my own room, under my own roof, far away from the smell of disinfectant and air freshener laced with a myriad of medicine smells. I felt nauseous at the mere thought. This felt good— being back in my room felt good.But apparently, fate had other plans because almost immediately I settled in for another round of sleep, the sound of the doorbell ringing through the house filled my ears and chased away whatever little tranquility I was trying to savor.The ringing didn’t stop no matter how hard I tried to will it away into nonexistence. I let out a weak sigh and gently threw the bed covers off my body. I swung my legs down to the floor wit