MELISSA'S POV I was pouring the coffee into the mugs when I heard his footsteps from upstairs. I turned, just in time to see him heading to the kitchen, his hair slightly messy from sleep. He smiled when he saw me, and my breath caught in my throat at how handsome he looked. My cheeks flashed pink as I recalled the steamy night we had shared the previous night. His touches were too sweet to resist, especially since I had craved them for so long. He had been away for almost a week on a business trip, and while he was away, we couldn't communicate much. Although that's quite unusual, I would guess he was only busy with work. I had received great news in his absence and I was more than excited to break it to him but his phone was mostly out of reach, so I had to keep it to myself and wait for him to return. He came back last night and I've been finding it hard to keep it to myself. My heart swelled with pride and joy as I envisioned his reaction. I will break it to him at b
MELISSA'S POV I gasp for air, reaching for the glass of water in front of me, but my fingers fumble and knock it over. Before I can fully process what's happening, Listowel is on his feet, moving with that effortless grace of his, pouring another glass and handing it to me. "Here, take a sip," he said and tried helping me with it. I snatched the glass from his hands and without thinking twice, gulped the whole water down. Why is he acting caring when he just shattered my heart? Isn't he the reason I was in this state? He watches as I drink, the expression on his face unreadable. The water soothes the burning in my throat, but it does nothing to ease the sudden tightness in my chest. Finally, able to calm myself, I looked up at him and asked with a shaky voice. "What... what did you mean by that, Listowel? About it being time to get divorced?" My knees wobbled underneath the table, but I held them back to maintain composure, waiting for an answer that made sense. He loo
MELISSA’S POV He may have used me, turn every shred of dignity I have down and ripped my heart open. I wiped the tears off my face, trying to gather what little strength I have left. So, it’s happening, everything I’ve feared, everything I’ve suspected. Listowell never valued me. The thought of it alone crushes me, and before I can stop myself, the tears start to fall again, hot and uncontrollable. I sink to the floor, my chest heaving with sobs. How could I have been so blind? How could I have let myself fall so completely for a man who never saw me as anything more than a convenience? I need to do something—anything to take my mind off the overwhelming pain. I pushed myself up, wiped my tears, and looked around the mansion that once felt like a home. It’s all a lie, every bit of it. I start to clean. I stripped away every decoration, every item that I brought into this house to make it ours. The soft throws on the couch, the family photos on the walls, the flowers I care
LISTOWELL'S POV It’s been three days since I left the mansion. I had received a call from my butler that I had to come to the office as soon as possible. A rival company had something on my company, Gordon Inc so I had to rush out and get it sorted. Later in the day, I received a call from Mr. Macinni, Wendy’s grandpa. I had a meeting with him and in the course, I lost my phone. I had wanted to call Lisa and inform her that I wouldn't be coming home but I stopped because I thought she might be angry with me. I still can't wrap my head around her reaction, the other day. Our marriage is purely contractual, and she's aware of that. Well, I’m home now, we can sort things out and if it is money she needs, I will triple it up for her. As I walked through the front door, an unfamiliar scene greeted me. I was expecting to see Melissa standing by the door, her graceful smile playing widely across her face. She would have come to hug me and take my briefcase while asking if I had
MELISSA'S POV ****SEVEN YEARS LATER**** “Congratulations Miss Mugins, you've been selected to participate in the Silver Edition of the Legal Hour Conference! See you at Aphrodite City Soon!” That's how the message read when it came through the mail that morning. I couldn't hide the excitement I felt as I saw my name boldly embedded in the list of eligibles. My dream has finally come true. It is indeed happening. My dream of becoming a lawyer is finally here. Seven years have passed, yet it feels like a lifetime. It feels like yesterday when I promised myself, to come back to Aphrodite City as the best version of myself. I left this place as a broken woman, a woman whose heart had been shattered into a million pieces. I didn't know where to go neither did I know my next move. It was as if the world was moving while I stood still. Everyone and everything was progressing while I stood still, hiding in my shell. I spent years of my life caring for that one person to the e
LISTOWEL’S POVMy butler, Kevin, had informed me earlier about my invitation to the legal hour conference. If not for the fact that it is one of the most prestigious events in Aphrodite City, I would have turned down the invitation. I hate meetings and conferences. But this is a chance for me to network with other executives and presidents of famous brands, so I wouldn't miss this for anything. To maintain my influence and power in this city; I've got to mingle with these people. Within the blink of an eye, my car pulled up in front of the infamous Glory Palace, where the conference was going to be held. It is an 82-floor building, known for its serenity and perfect ambiance, purposely built to cater to the demands of the first-class citizens in the city. Kevin walked up to my side of the door as soon as he turned off the engine. With a slight bow, he opened the door to usher me out. Fixing the one stubborn button on my suit that had removed itself from its hole earlier, I headed
MELISSA’S POVAs I forced myself through the crowd, trying as much as possible to endure the curious stares of the people around, Wendy’s image played relentlessly in my head. She looks like a literal model. Her slim pretty face, her hair, make-up, dress and the jewelry she was adorned in screamed nothing but luxury. At a glance, anyone can tell she's a typical spoiled rich brat.The kind of glare she shot me when our eyes met is what startled me and caused me to pull myself from Listowel’s embrace. I must admit, I got frightened by her unexpected presence. I felt like I had taken something that’s not mine. Just like seven years ago, I couldn't help but think that I'd stolen her man. I did it once and I don't plan on repeating it. Things naturally crawl to their owners no matter how far they wander. Seeing her wrap her hands around Listowel’s arms caused a stir in my chest. It was as if she was asserting her ownership of him even when he had me tight to his chest. I swung the doo
MELISSA’S POVMy heart raced heavily against its cage as I exited the forecourt of Saint Glory. I turned left to join the main road, my car almost hitting someone else's. It was the honk of incoming cars that saved me from the commotion I was about to create. I couldn't think straight. My mind was only filled with the urge to run from him. “I have to get out of here” I whispered and sped off. But as I drove through the vibrant city, a series of unanswered questions lingered in my mind. I couldn't help but whisper them aloud. Why did Listowel pull me tight to his chest like he'd found a lost treasure? Why did he follow me to the parking lot? What did he want to tell me? Does he still think of me as the naive woman he met seven years ago? Maybe I should have stayed. I shouldn't have run away. I should have let him know that I’m no longer the 23-year-old girl he toyed with. I bit my lower lip in regret as memories of the past rushed in. *Flashback*I vividly remember the day my
WENDY’S POV A glint of hope flashed in my eyes as he went inside the shop. Was he getting them for me? Does he plan on visiting me today? Gosh… I should have stayed home and waited for him to surprise me. My heart swelled with excitement and I became even more certain that they were mine when he picked a bouquet of white lilies. Oh my God. They are my favorites. I've given so many hints on my social media pages that I love lilies. But I didn't expect it to have caught Listowel’s attention. My heart raced faster in my chest as I watched him pay for the flowers before returning back to his car. Was Listowel going to apologize for the humiliation he put me through? “Yes..yes.. He is,” a little voice in my head replied, causing me to giggle to myself. Tucking the loose strands that were hanging on my face behind my ears, I admired my reflection in the dashboard mirror before starting the car. A thought flashed in my mind while I continued tailing Listowel’s car.
MELISSA’S POV Immediately the clock struck five, I packed up my stuff into my bag and hurried off downstairs. I couldn't wait and go home to celebrate this massive win with my family; Nancy and Crystal. I can only imagine their shocked yet excited faces when they hear this. While exiting the forecourt of Legalstone, I waved to the colleagues I met on the way goodbye till I got to my car. Staring into thin space, I heaved a sigh as I started the engine. The traffic in town was kind of hectic but managed to pull through. Coming to a stop in front of the apartment complex where I reside, I turned off the engine and hurried to my house. The cozy smell of the scented candles I had put on the shelves in the hallway leading to my house filled my nose as soon as I walked out of the elevator. As I was approaching my house, I noticed something unusual on the floor right in front of my door. I took a few steps closer to check what it was. As soon as my eyes fell on it, I st
MELISSA’S POV My senses heightened as I slowly inhaled the sweet aroma exuding from the coffee before me. Vapor from the coffee hovered in my face as I brought the cup closer to my lips, blowing air over it in an attempt to cool it. While darting around in admiration of my new work environment, I took a sip of the coffee. As soon as the earthy taste of it glided its way down my throat, I got energized to start my day. Settling in the swiveling chair in my office, a wide grin formed on my lips as I glanced around my new workplace in admiration. The large office I was seated in was assigned to me this morning after attending a brief orientation with Mr. Montenegro, the executive director. My office was huge and even though the decor didn’t really suit my taste, I felt ecstatic about it. The exciting and most important part of this all was that I wasn’t sharing it with anyone. My hands shot up to my face as I covered my lips in disbelief. In as much as this was real,
LISTOWEL’S POV. Her question took me by surprise, causing me to flinch a bit. Honestly, it wasn't my intention to spy on her all the time. When she returned to Aphrodite City months ago, I was afraid that she might vanish again overnight. That's why I have my men on guard, checking out if there’s any unusual movement going on with her. But when she became the target of the media’s celebrity drama, I had to tighten the security around her. Lisa might not know but my men have protected her from several media intrusions. She's had so many reporters lingering around to question her unnecessarily but she never bumped into any. I wouldn't really say it is all thanks to me because I was the root of it in the first place. If I had not carelessly interacted with her in public as I did some months back, she would have lived her life peacefully like any normal person. That's why I almost went crazy when I couldn't find her whereabouts nor get a text to the plenty of messages I was spam
MELISSA’S POV My gaze shot up, meeting his. What does he mean by I should be thanking him? For what exactly? Rolling my eyes at him, “What good in particular have you done to me for you to deserve my appreciation?” I asked, his statement irritating my nerves with each passing second as it rang in my ears. He didn't utter anything in response, he only stood still, his hands tugged in his pockets while staring at me with an intrigued expression. I forced my way past him and just as I was about to open my car door, his voice broke through “Let’s see if you'll still say this after you see this…” Snapping his fingers, the boot of his car flung open almost hitting Kevin, who was standing a few meters close to it. Kevin inched closer to the boot, took out something, and closed it before turning to head toward us. I squinted my eyes as my gaze fell on what he was dragging behind him. I was about to look away when it suddenly dawned on me! My eyes widened while my mouth fl
MELISSA’S POV “Can I have the bill, please?” I asked, gesturing towards a waiter who was passing by. Nodding in response, “Would you like any other thing else ?” He asked, leaning in closer to my shoulders. “No I’m fine,” I replied, wiping the oil on my lips with the tissue paper before me. “Alright, please give me a few minutes. I will get it for you.” He replied before turning to leave. Digging my hands into my bag, I grabbed my purse while checking in my head which card to use. My eyes felt hazy and a small yawn escaped my lips. I couldn’t wait to get home and nap for a while. In no time, the waiter brought the bill and it was nothing like I had anticipated. The price was quite pricy for just a plate of jollof rice. Maybe because this isn’t a local restaurant,” I thought in my head as I swiped the card on the atm. Beep beep..! My heart almost burst out of my chest as my card declined. “Oh God, what kind of embarrassment is this?” I muttered warmly as I pull
MELISSA’S POV Letting out a deep breath, I let go of my grip on the seat as the pilot announced a successful landing and welcomed us to Aphrodite. I love taking flights and traveling around the world. But throughout all the countless flights I’ve boarded, one thing I couldn’t get used to was the shaking of the plane during landing. My hands were clutched tightly on my seat because of the anxious feeling I get whenever we are landing. Standing up and heading to the door, the harsh breeze of Aphrodite City hit my face as if to remind me of the kind of life I’ve been enduring here. While descending, I reached out for my shades, put them on, and headed to the check-in point. Coming back to Aphrodite City was like a bitter pill that I couldn’t escape. It was bound for me to swallow. I guess no matter how many times I flee this city, I will still find my way to it. Or should I say the city itself will still find its way to me? That’s why I made a silent pledge to mysel
LISTOWEL’S POV The urgency in Kevin’s voice caused me to shift to the edge of my seat. “What is it?” I asked keeping a straight face even though my ears were itching to hear what it was. Kevin gestured for me to hold on but my patience was already wearing thin. “Tell me,” I demanded, my voice low yet commanding. Kevin looked unfazed by my tone. His calm expression as he continued to listen to whatever he was being told over the phone didn’t match the urgency with which he had previously exclaimed. “Yes… yes, I understand, Hold on,” he said as he lowered the speaker to his lips and spoke into the phone. Turning towards me, “Sir, one of the men at the airport believes to have spotted Miss Muggins,” he relayed, cutting me an enthusiastic smile. My heart skipped a beat and I felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted off my shoulders. But no, I wasn't going to believe that easily. I wouldn’t be fully relieved until I made sure that what he is reporting was tr
LISTOWEL’S POV Seated in my living room was Kevin on my right and Joey, the best hacker in the country on my left. Joey is said to be very good at what he does and only operates underground so it took lots of resources for Kevin to get him to me. He is a blonde-haired teenager with piercing sharp eyes. Based on his height, I would guess he is an inch above six feet. Although he appears imposing, his slender arms and legs create a contrasting impression. He’s wearing an oversized hoodie and joggers and has on a black face mask which covers a significant part of his entire face, making it hard to describe his other features. Ever since he sat down and got to work, he hasn't lifted even a brow nor has he said anything. His gaze has been focused on the laptop before him while his fingers rhythmically click on the keyboard. I had requested to be brought here so that he could track Melissa for me. Although the police are still working on the case, they are too slow to like.