NAYAWe lay in bed, tangled together, his fingers gently running through my hair. He didn’t say a word, but I didn’t mind the silence. It was a comforting kind of silence, the kind that made me feel at peace. In his arms, I felt like I had no worries in the world like nothing outside of this moment mattered. I loved the feeling, and I wanted it to last forever.I let out a small sigh and pressed my cheek against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart, inhaling his scent and his warmth surrounded me, making me feel safe in a way I had never felt before.“Naya,” he called softly, but he didn’t say anything after that.I smiled, knowing he just wanted to say my name “You just felt like saying my name, didn’t you?” I asked, a small laugh escaping my lips.He didn’t deny it. Instead, he repeated it, but this time, he called me by my full name. “Anaya”I laughed again, feeling something warm spread through me. There was something about the way he said my name, always letting i
LEONI was smiling way too much like a little girl l, I was in love and I had someone that was in love with me too, not just anyone but Naya. I'm not someone that believes in fate and all of those things but I am positive that Naya was my soulmate. Even the way our bodies moved in sync and how my body responded to her touch was different, it almost felt like I was made for her and I loved it. I'm really glad I didn't keep burying my feelings and embraced it“Hello” I heard fingers snapping in my face and when I looked up it was Nick“What is it?” I asked“Have I been talking to myself for the past ten minutes?” he asked with raised brows“No, no I heard you” I lied“What did I say then?” he asked“Well, you-”“Go on,” he said“Dont question me I’m your boss” I rolled my eyes at him“Thanks for the reminder it seemed to have skipped my mind” he laughed“Well just a little recap we were talking about Ryan” he reminded me“Yes Ryan,” I said and he just laughed“Well I think what could be
AMARIEI was pacing around the house filled with worry as my eyes kept drifting to the clock. It was past midnight and Kayla wasn’t back home yet, she might have gone to the club or party with friends but her phone wasn’t going through and I couldn’t help but be filled with worry“How long would you wait for her?” James asked from the stairs“Have you tried calling her?” I asked“You should know her by now she will come home when she is ready,” he said“Come to bed” he added“Go without me I would wait a little” I breathed out still pacing through the living room and he went back in. I took out my phone and tried her number again but it said the same thing it has been saying for a while now that the number was switched off. Not long after I heard the door rattle open to reveal Kayla, she walked in with a blanket around her shoulder and her eyes looked swollen like she had been crying“Kayla?” I asked and she just stared at me for a moment before walking past me to climb the stairs“Wh
KAYLAI spent the next few days stalking Leon everywhere I could find him. He didn't have a social media presence so it was difficult to find out what he was up to. Luck shone on my side when I saw Tech Nova was doing an event to promote their new products inviting celebrities and influencers to attend and the CEO would be in attendance. That was my chance to meet up with him, I have been looking for an opportunity and one finally cameI quickly picked out an outfit, one that was going to make all eyes glued on me, something good enough to snatch Leon’s attention. I settled for a single-strap red dress, bold and impossible to ignore. It hugged my body in all the right places, showing off my curves. The slit ran high up my thigh, just enough to tease but not too much. The neckline dipped low, revealing smooth skin and the diamond necklace resting on my collarbone.I slipped into gold high heels, the kind that made my legs look longer and my walk more confident. I let my hair fall in so
NAYAI was home alone, Leon and Nick went out together for something relating to TechNova but I didn't know the details. So I spent the day in the library getting lost in a romance novel. The days when Leon segregated me to parts of the house came running back looking back, it had turned into a funny memory. Never would I have guessed or admitted if anyone told me Leon and I would get to the stage we were, everything happened so fast. I once hated my life and the position I always found myself in but I grew to love where I was and the person I was married to.If I was to go back in time I wouldn't fight it but accept it wholeheartedly.My phone buzzed beside me, the screen lighting up with a call from an unknown number. I stared at it, letting it ring. I wasn’t in the mood for anything that could ruin my day.But then it rang again.My finger hovered over the screen, hesitating if I should pick up or ignore it. A part of me was curious about who could be so persistent. But another par
AMARIE“Amarie!” I heard my name being called, loud and urgent.“Where are you?” My husband's voice echoed through the house, filled with tension.I quickly made my way down the stairs, my heart pounding in my chest as I rushed down. Something was wrong, James never sounded like this unless it was serious.“I am right here,” I called out. “What is going on?” I askedAs soon as I stepped into the living room, I stared in confusion as he was pacing back and forth, his hands gripping his hair tightly. His breathing was uneven, and his face was twisted in frustration. My stomach clenched at the sight, I could immediately tell something was up and it was something big and bothersome.“Did something happen?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady, but my throat felt dry.He stopped pacing for a second, looked at me, then turned away again.“There is trouble,” he muttered, almost to himself.“What are you talking about?” I pressed, stepping closer.“There is trouble,” he repeated, his voic
NAYAI tried to brush away the conversation I had with Kayla but what I didn’t get was her saying she was supposed to get married to Leon originally, I didn’t understand what she meant by that, and that somehow found its way to remain in my mind as I waited for Leon to return so I could ask what it was about.I sat in the living room waiting for the door to open up. After about an hour the door opened and Leon walked in with a smile on his face but I didn’t return it. I needed answers. “Did you miss me?” He asked placing a peek on my forehead“Why the long face?” He asked pinching my cheeks playfully “Did anything happen today?” I asked“I was waiting to get to you so I could tell you what went down,” he said“What is it?” I asked“It is quite interesting but expected to be honest,” he said with a smile as he sat beside me“But first you tell me what’s up with you,” he said“Well I got a call from Kayla,” I said“Really?” He eyes widened“Let me guess she tried to threaten you?” He
AMARIEThe next few weeks were hell everything had completely destroyed in our faces, it was bad to the point that James started selling off things we owned to try to keep the project going. He started with our vacation home then Kayla's car that he got her for her birthday but that wasn't enough still so I started to sell off some of my jewelry but all that was still not enough. The reporter kept calling and demanding for money or he would expose the news to the press but we have given and given that there was no more to give.Kayla locked herself in her room and refused to come out, I didn't know what that was about but she needed to go be with Ryan and get him to love her so we could ask for his help and tell him the truth rather than the truth being revealed through the press because that would be let all hell loose on us.“Kayla open the door” I knocked on her door“Let me fucking be Mom I am not going to meet Ryan” she hissed“This is for your good, everything can crash to the g
RYANThe taste of bitter powder still lingered on my tongue, mixing with the metallic flavor of blood from where I’d bitten the inside of my cheek. I didn’t even know how long I had been lying there, curled up on the same dusty couch in that dark apartment, the air thick with smoke and the stench of liquor. The curtains were drawn shut, blocking out the sun, or maybe it was already night again. Time had stopped meaning anything.My head was spinning. I’d taken too much this time, too many pills, too much alcohol. But I didn’t care. I didn’t want to feel anything not shame, not the loss or the rage that burned deep within me.I tried to stand but a wincing headache rushed through my spine causing me to fall on the couch, I let out a groan and took a big gulp of the bottle of whiskey in my hand before reaching for my phone. The brightness of the phone almost knocked me out, it was past two in the afternoon. I was scrolling through the notifications when I saw something that caught my ey
NAYAWhen I opened my eyes, the room was quiet except for Leon and Nick’s voices. They were speaking in low tones like they didn’t want to disturb me. I didn’t catch everything they were saying at first, but when I listened a little more, I heard them mention something about a video and the press.“What’s going on?” I asked, my voice still a bit weak.Leon quickly rushed to my side. “Sorry, we didn’t mean to wake you,” he said gently.“You didn’t,” I replied, shaking my head slowly.My eyes landed on the laptop screen, and I noticed a video was paused. “What’s that?” I asked, pointing to it.Leon’s eyes followed mine. “I should go get the doctor to check you,” he said quickly, trying to change the subject.“Don’t do that, I am fine” I said firmly. “Just tell me what’s going on this time, Leon,” I told him He hesitated for a moment. “It’s Jennifer,” he said finally, and my eyes widened.“What? Did she try something again?” I asked, suddenly alert“No, nothing like that,” he answe
LEONThe anger in her voice was very loud and clear, I had never seen her like that it was like watching a different person but in a good way. Although it happened at a rough time she had the last laugh and it was so satisfying to watch. Their faces as they watch every word come out of her mouth, they must have forgotten she wasn’t the same girl they taunted and trampled on. They thought her words were just her bluffing because they thought she was weak and there was nothing she could do to them.And she showed them, they didn’t know how much she gave her all into making sure she brings them to their downfall, how persistent she was during that period was what drew me to her. I was so proud of her because she fought that battle against them and she won after they laughed in her face repeatedly, now it was left to them to waste away wishing they could go back in time and not get on her wrong side.She laid in bed and just stared at the ceiling without uttering a word and I sat beside h
I sat on the hospital bed staring into the distance while Leon sat beside me, he looked down and troubled, that it made me feel horrible. He also lost the same way I did but he was only trying to make me feel better while he battled with his own grief internally. I couldn’t even hold him and tell him everything would be fine, my mind wasn’t in the right place, we both needed each other and I couldn’t be there for him.“Have you had anything to eat?” I asked and he turned to me quickly surprised to hear me speak“Don’t worry about me I am fine” he said giving me a little smileHe still had his head wrapped with bandages and he hadn’t had any rest yet, his eyes looked red and heavy.“How could I not? Just look at you we went through the same thing and you are still trying to look after me when you are also hurting” I cried“Naya” he called cupping my face in his hands“Look at me, I am fine as long as you are fine,” he said the tone in his voice breaking my heart even further “But I’m
KAYLAIt was like a dream, one minute I was planning a holiday to escape everything that had been going on around me, and the very next minute everything was taken away from us. It was frustrating when our accounts got frozen but in my head I expected it to get fixed. Dad would take care of it was what I said. But it was like someone was actively working extremely hard to bring us down, I would never forget how Dad got arrested. I was still in bed when I heard a loud bang from downstairs, I was so confused and scared but I ran down the stairs to see what it was about just to see a sea of policemen storm into the house and whisk Dad away before we could react. Mom had to go around taking loans to afford a lawyer, it was embarrassing and unbelievable. I couldn’t wrap my head around how we could fall so fast, it didn’t happen with warning or little but everything happened at once and too fast for me to process. I cried myself to sleep every night because mom kept saying stuff like I ha
NAYA Being in that ward tied to the damn drip and the continuous beeping that filled my ears made me feel like I was being held captive. I wanted to leave the damn environment but they didn't want to let me leave. “I can’t stay here it is suffocating, I need to leave,” I said to Nick “Just a little more while and you will go home” Nick answered his voice laced with pity “I can’t, it feels like I am being held captive. I hate it here” I sobbed “How about we get some air outside” he suggested “Alright” I mumbled He took a wheelchair and tried to get me to sit on it when I stopped him “I can walk” I kicked the chair away as I got on my feet “Careful” he rushed to my side to assist me but the look I sent his way made him know better than to hold me I lost my baby and that was hard enough, staying in bed made me feel more helpless and way worse than I already was “Leon is now the CEO,” Nick said beside me “That’s good” was all I said It was good news but right
I headed back to the hospital so I could be with Naya while Nick could carry on sorting everything out, the evidence was clear and inevitable. The only way Jennifer could avoid getting arrested was if the evidence was destroyed and that would never happen not on my watch. I got down from my car and before I could step in an older-looking man with specks of grey hair scattered over his hair stopped me with his both hands stretched out by his side “Where is my daughter?” he asked a whiff of his alcohol-filled breath hit meI tried to walk around him and leave but he rushed and stood in front of me again asking the same question “Where is my daughter?!” he asked shouting this time“Go find your daughter or whatever else where to leave me and get out of my sight before I punch you in the guts” I threatened through my gritted teeth, I was in no mood to deal with a drunk“If you don't take me to her now I will come back with the press,” he said pausing me in my tracksWhat was the fucked
LEONIt was hard watching Naya devastated and broken and once again it was me who put her in that position. Just after celebrating that we were going to be parents it was taken away from us. It hurt so much but I couldn't show that in front of her, I had to be strong for her but I was moments away from slipping. I wanted to scream and crush them both to crumbs even after being named CEO. That wasn't enough, I need to finish them off for good.She clung to me tightly but didn't say a word after she cried her eyes out and I held onto her not letting her go. I couldn't tell her the good news since the moment had been stolen away and it didn't even sound like good news anymore with what we had going on. Our bundle of joy that we rejoiced over was gone, and I couldn't begin to imagine the pain that Naya was going through.“Congratulations boss you did it” Nick whispered once Naya fell asleep “Doesn't feel like a victory” I breathed out, he was talking about me becoming the new CEO of Valo
NAYAI slowly opened my eyes, my vision blurry at first. Everything around me felt hazy like I was trapped in a dream I couldn’t wake up from. I tried to make sense of where I was, but the steady beeping sound filling my ears told me all I needed to know. I was in a hospital.I felt something strapped to my face and instinctively reached up, pulling down the oxygen mask. My body ached, but I ignored the pain and tried to sit up. The moment I moved, a sharp sting shot through me, making me wince.Before I could push myself any further, I heard hurried footsteps. Nick rushed to my side, his face filled with worry.“You are up,” he said happily “Stay still I will go get the doctor” he whispered“Where is Leon?” I asked but he rushed out to get the doctor I winced at every movement I made every part of me hurt and there was a throbbing in my head that didn't want to go away. Every time I close my eyes I see flashbacks of the car ramming into us, I thought that was it, I genuinely thoug