POV Brian Moncrief. I can't look away from her, it's impossible and I think I'm not the only one. All the men and women around us keep looking at her. The truth is that I don't blame them, in fact how could I? Lisa is beautiful. If there was a word to describe her I think it would be perfect, she is absolutely perfect. The only thing that doesn't fit is her arm around this man's arm, I hate seeing them together, I especially hate the look that throws me. I understand then that my suspicions were founded, there is indeed something between these two. Considering how possessive he is with her, there is absolutely no mistaking the relationship they both have. "Welcome to our modest home. " I say while greeting Mason.I see Lisa shudder at the mention of the word our, I understand it perfectly. This mansion was her family's, I was surprised when my father told me he had bought it, I was surprised not many of my father's actions. But I could never say anything for fear of losing everythi
POV Drake. Scarlet and Mason lead us to the table, we're sitting pretty and Tony Moncrief keeps introducing me to his business partners as the new investor he's going to work with. I'm having a lot of fun with this whole thing and I can't wait to tell him to his face that he won't be able to work with me because of the disgust I have for him. I am especially anxious to be able to prove to the whole world the malpractices of which he is the author and of which I am sure that Lisa's father is not his only victim. I look for Lisa with my eyes, where could she have gone? I saw her go out and go on the balcony and since then I don't know where she could have disappeared."It's me or the atmosphere of this evening is totally gloomy? "My sister asks.What I love about Scarlet is without a doubt her frankness, she says things as she feels even if it pleases or displeases."Yes my love, Drake doesn't like these people much. ""I must admit he is not the only one, did you see the look of this
POV Lisa.I watch the car drive away without reacting, once it is far enough away, I collapse on the gravel and put my hand over my mouth to stifle a sob. The tears flood my eyes and I can't hold them back, no matter how hard I try to wipe them away, they just come back as if I'm doing nothing. It's all over. My heart is shattered, I feel empty inside and I have no explanation to give to anyone. The funny thing is, I'm the one who ended the relationship, so much the better, right? That way I won't be heartbroken when he finally does. A hand rests on my shoulder, I turn around and meet Brian's worried face. "Are you okay Li?"Of course I'm okay! No but what a silly question. I close my eyes and am about to send him packing when I remember that it's Brian, it's always been him. It seems that when we try to make him understand something, he hears the opposite. And right now, I'm really not in the mood to explain anything. "Can you walk me home please? ""I can take you anywhere you wan
POV Lisa.No matter how many times I repeat all the phrases to motivate myself mentally, I can't do it. I know I have to get up, I have to get up and go to work but I can't! I feel really weak, after spending the whole weekend under the covers crying. Maddie came knocking I don't know how many times, but I didn't open the door. I didn't want to talk to her, I didn't want to talk to anyone or see anyone. The only time I went out was when I went to the bathroom, I haven't swallowed anything since, my stomach is in knots. All I want to do is stay here for the rest of my life. I spent the whole weekend thinking about why Tony Moncrief was putting me through all this, what could I have done to him? Why do I have to be so fixated on me? I never did anything to make him think that I wanted anything with him. If only Dad were here, I'm sure he would have found a solution. Dad was always good at dealing with any problem, he always knew how to handle any situation, unlike me who runs away from
POV DrakeThree years ago...I let out a sigh and look out the rear view mirror, it's time for me to go home. It's been three weeks since I last slept at home. I haven't tried to call Sierra and neither has she, which is fine by me. Our relationship is going from bad to worse, I even suspect her of having an affair. With whom? I don't know, but I'm not an idiot either. I see all the laughing on the phone, she's getting all dolled up and perfumed every time she goes out. The most egregious thing is that she even decided to leave our room and go sleep in the guest room. As if I disgusted her and breathing the same air as me was impossible for her. It fucking hurt! It hurts every time I see her talking on the phone with who knows who. It hurts every time she walks by me and pretends I'm not there. We live in the same house like two strangers and it's really starting to piss me off! Because I wanted to build my future with her, I wanted children, a dog and a whole lot of other things tha
POV Lisa. I close my computer with a sigh and lie down on my back, I can't work. I don't feel like it, my thoughts drift to everything but what I am doing. I bring my hand to my throat and tighten the necklace I have around my neck, the one Drake gave me. I haven't had time to give it back yet and I don't know if I will. Drake hasn't come to the office a single time this week, I don't know if it's because of me. And this situation makes me so uncomfortable. I want to see him, I want to know he's okay, even if he doesn't look at me, doesn't talk to me, I just want to see him. I hear the doorbell ring, who could that be? I really hope it's one of Maddie's acquaintances, because I really don't want to see anyone. I hear whispers outside my bedroom door, I roll my eyes, if they think they are being discreet they are mistaken, but what could they be talking about? It is undoubtedly about me, because if it had not been the case, they would not try to take all these precautions so that I do
POV Drake."You killed my daughter! " I gasp as I look at Sierra's mother, not knowing what to say back, everyone's eyes on me, I've got nothing to say. Even if I tried to give her an answer, I couldn't do it. I myself am still struggling to understand what happened. I'd come to see my wife, for God's sake! I certainly didn't expect the scene I witnessed. I can still see all that blood and there's even more on the floor, the cleaning lady hasn't finished cleaning it up yet. I blame myself so much! I feel so pathetic right now, I tell myself that if I'd been there, none of this would have happened. She wouldn't have gone over the railing, I should have been looking after her. After all, marriage isn't a smooth ride, just look at my parents, my father who hates my mother but stays married to her, maybe for all the wrong reasons, but at least he stays married to her. A voice screams at me that it's my fault. The hardest thing for me was learning that my wife was cheating on me, she wa
POV Lisa."Get out of here! " I wake up with a start and stare at the ceiling, thinking back to what happened the night before. I'd be lying if I said I expected a different reaction from him, I may not have expected him to jump on the ceiling when he saw me, but I didn't expect him to reject me like that either. I expected, I'm not sure what I expected to be honest. I just wanted to see him, to be with him and know that he was all right, to see the color of his eyes when he came out of that coma. But nothing went as planned. Shouting that I was born in a sea of bad luck, everything I do or touch always ends badly. I pick up the teddy bear lying next to me and hug it. No, to be exact, it's not my fault, it's the fault of this man who wants to destroy my life because of his obsession with me. I hate him so much, I curse the day these people came into our lives and I curse them for the mess they've made of it. First in my father's, then more and more in mine, now in Drake's. Except I'm
POV Drake.I watch Lisa sleep and stroke her belly, she's gorgeous. I bury my head in her hair and breathe in her scent. I do this ritual every morning, to be sure that what I am experiencing is real. This happiness that I live with her seems so sensitive to me that I myself would not believe it if someone had told me. I leave a last kiss and I go down to the kitchen without making a sound. I decided to cherish the beings I love the most, namely my wife and my daughter who is still in her womb. Sometimes I think back to what happened that evening and I tell myself that if things had turned out differently, I would never have found the woman I love. …After Mason told me that Ryan had committed suicide, I didn't know how to react. I was sad, I never wanted him dead. Ryan was my brother and even though he didn't believe him, I loved him. I loved my brother and I wanted him to be a better person. I had at this moment a succession of emotions which mi
POV Lisa.I pretended to pass out to buy some time. Time why exactly? I do not have the faintest idea. I am paralyzed with fear, but I will probably not give this man the pleasure of seeing me cry. He untied me to lie on a mattress on the floor and left to do I don't know what else. I rub my ankles and wrists which have turned purple from being tied up for so long. I then put my hand to my belly, as if it could save my little baby from feeling all the stress I was feeling right now. My God what am I going to do? How am I gonna get out of this shit? I'm only sure of one thing, I have to get out of here. I have to find a way to leave before he comes back. I get up and walk to the window, it's way too high for me to see anything. I look around for something to pull myself up to the window. I finally see a chair a little further. I go get it and climb on it. I look through the glass and see nothing but black, it is dark night and in the distance I can even see the mountains.Where did thi
POV Drake.A week after my conversation with Mason, I hosted a family reunion at my parents' house. I needed answers, I needed to hear why Ryan did everything he did. He almost ruined my company, I would have lost practically everything if Mason had not discovered in time everything that was going on. I take my head in my hands and breathe. Everyone is present, of course Ryan is not there yet. I isolate myself in the library and try to reach Lisa. When I turn on my phone, I see that she tried to reach me, I call her back. His phone is out of service. I sigh, I really need to hear his voice. Damn, I need her right now more than ever. But it's complicated to be able to talk to each other and even more to see each other lately. She has a lot to manage on her side and me too, so much that we absolutely have more time for each other.When I try to get out, the light in the library comes on and I see my father sitting in the back of the room, a glass of whiskey in his hands." Dad ? What ar
“Miss Simon? “I jump when a hand lands on my shoulder, I raise my head and meet my mother's gaze, who is looking at me with a worried air. "Are you alright sweetie? “I smile at her reassuringly and she gently presses my hand to infuse me with her strength. I take a sip of water and look at the lawyers in front of me. I feel Brian's gaze on me, but that's the last thing I can really worry about today. I can't believe his bitch of a mother called a fucking conciliation meeting, as if that could solve the problem between us. Right now, I'm so on edge that I'm able to get on that table and rip his head off.“I'm sure we can find an agreement. ” She said in her sour old voice. “I can't believe you can even think of this possibility! I said banging hard on the table. “You can't just show up and take everything that belongs to us! Brian's mother continues. “You mean the money your husband stole from mine? ” My mother said.“Things didn't happen…” “Shut up! I told him in a surprisingl
POV DrakeI watch the cars go by from my office window, it's crazy how much I miss these moments. My office, my employees, everything, absolutely everything. I decided to come to work today. I needed it after what happened this weekend, I needed to get out of the house and think about something else that wasn't related to our personal problems. First, there's the most important thing, which is this thing with Lisa and Moncrief. After receiving the briefcase, we went to the police station the next day to lodge a complaint. What was supposed to be handled discreetly ended up in the media spotlight, triggering a media frenzy. Moncrief managed to escape, but his son and wife are under investigation to find out whether they were also complicit in his actions. Personally, I think there's no way this man could have done what he did without telling his wife or even his idiot son. Their businesses have been suspended and they too are under investigation. I hope we can nail the bastard soon. Wi
POV LisaI receive a blow in the face, roll onto the bed and land on the floor, hitting my head. "Damn it! "I muttered. I get up with difficulty and rub the back of my head, looking at Drake lying on the bed and not stopping gesticulating in his sleep. I let out a sigh and walk over to him, lay down and place a kiss on the top of his head. Then he does something incredible, unconsciously lifting his leg. I'm so surprised that I stay in shock for long minutes before realizing what's happening. Drake has just lifted a leg, unconsciously yes, but he's done it. I know it's because of this horrible nightmare he's been having for a week now, sometimes I'd like to get inside his head to find out what's causing him so much torment. I take a handkerchief from the dresser and blot his forehead, then press myself a little tighter against him, so he can feel my presence. I want him to know that I'm here and that I would never let him down. The love I feel for this man is something indescribable
POV DrakeI hang up and put my phone in my jacket pocket. Zack has just confirmed that Lisa is now safely with him, which means I can get on with something else. When he told me that she'd just run out on him to go I don't know where, I had to ask the doctor to stop the therapy because I couldn't have gone on if I hadn't been reassured that he'd found her, especially as she was unreachable, and when he finally did find her, she was in this café with this guy and I asked Zack to wait for her to finish before taking her home. Home, I can't believe I'm finally ready to let another woman into my life after all these years. Me, who'd been through the ordeal because of a woman. The idea of opening the door of my home to Lisa seems so obvious that I wonder how I didn't think of it sooner. "Are you reassured, Mr Lancaster? " "Yes." I say, shaking my head.I roll my chair to the center of the room and look at the clock. "Is it over yet?" "We still have thirty minutes. "I remain silent fo
POV Lisa.I hang up with a sigh, beginning to wonder if what I'm doing is really a good idea. Brian is really driving me crazy! With his calls, his messages full of love. Not to mention the looks Drake gives me every time my phone rings. Just this morning, he called me while I was having breakfast with Drake and Drake almost put my phone in the coffee pot. If I hadn't held it back, I don't know what would have happened. I get up and grab my purse to head out the door, thank goodness Mason isn't here to hold me accountable. And with Ryan at the head of the company, it's become something else, he too comes to work when he feels like it, which creates an incredible mess. Drake really needs to come back and take this company back in hand. I have to admit that being away at the moment doesn't make me any different from anyone else, but I really have to get to this appointment. Knowing Brian as well as I do, he might well be able to barge in here and create a scandal. I head for the elevat
POV BrianI tap my foot on the floor, hang up for the fifth time since this morning and throw the phone on the bed. Why doesn't she answer me? Why is she avoiding my calls? I've been trying to reach her for two bloody days without any success. My thoughts begin to wander and I start to imagine everything and anything. Who could she be with? Is she with him? Is he putting his hands on her again? I don't want him anywhere near her! I think back to our conversation, to the moment when he clearly told me Lisa would never be mine. I tried to kill him, I threw myself at him with a butter knife, I wanted to stick it in his neck, if only that bodyguard hadn't interfered. I don't want anything to disturb this reconciliation between Lisa and me. Especially not now, after all these years, I've finally found her and I've no intention of losing her. I close my eyes and think back to that day when we were at university, I'd just had an argument with my father and I was at my lowest ebb. Once aga