MELISSA’S POVMy heart thumped faster against my ribs as the question came through. It seems the heavens aren’t on my side today. Why is everyone trying so hard to get on my nerves today? Or did they all collaborate with Listowel to ruin my time here? Now that I really thought of it, everything looks suspicious. First, it was the impromptu proposal, Yaw had called me to work on yesterday.Next was the rejection of the proposal. Followed by the team dinner, Listowel insisting on joining us and now here I was, being asked questions here and there as if there’s nothing else to discuss. Was I just overthinking or these are mere coincidences?My eyes trailed to the end of the table, where the voice came from. It was Priscilla. I had heard someone call her that when we arrived. But I couldn’t tell if this question came out of sheer curiosity or if there was something more behind it. For a moment, I sat frozen, thinking of what to say. I indeed know Wendy. Although I had heard of her
MELISSA’S POVHis words rang consistently in my ears. What does he mean by “everyone here knows you're special to me”?But what he said didn't bother me as much as the loudness of his voice did. He had said it out loud such that everyone had turned to look at us again. This is very unlike him. The Listowel I once knew liked to keep his things private and was reserved in nature. The man I fell in love with years ago wouldn't want people to glare at his wife with judging eyes. But the one sitting by me was a totally different person. He has changed or perhaps, I never knew him at all. I tried to steady my breath but the food in my mouth suddenly choked me. I couldn't swallow it down nor could I throw it out. My fingers trembled violently as I fumbled for the glass of water. But Listowel beat me to it.He reached for the water and quickly held it to my mouth, urging me to drink. Like a flash I gulped down three glasses of water, desperately hoping that it would help ease the burning s
MELISSA’S POVI swallowed hard, hating how vulnerable I sounded. “Why do you want to manipulate everything in my life?How much more do you need to hurt me before you stop? Do you hate me that much? What did I ever do to you? The least I thought was that I'd found genuine people who wanted to be by my side. But.. I guess it was all a facade. I thought….. I thought they were my friends,” my voice broke, the tears I've been holding back all this while freely cascading down my face like a free fall. My knees had become too weak to hold up the heaviness of my heart, making me squat before him. With my thighs supporting my elbows, I buried my face in my palms, when I finally remembered. It finally remember a pledge I made to myself. I had vowed to myself never to shed a single tear in front of Listowel. But I guess the weight of his actions has been too heavy for me to endure. No matter, how hard I had tried to suppress the vulnerable side of me, I guess he was the only one who c
MELISSA'S POVThe ray of sun filtering through the narrow space between curtains jolted me awake as it hit me. I spread my arms and stretched myself from the sheet that had tangled all over me. I glanced around to look at my surroundings and for a moment I couldn't remember where I was or how I got here.My head ached severely as I shut my eyes and flared it open once more. My hands instinctively reached out to a side of my head which was throbbing. I felt a dull non-stop ache through my whole body as I tried to sit up on the bed. Taking one more glance around, everything looked familiar.It then dawned on me that I was in my room and on my bed to be precise, "but how did I get here?".Moving my hands to my forehead, I attempted to recall how I came back home last night. My headache was even more as I struggled to remember how I had come home. My memory could only recap up to the encounter I had with Listowel in front of Murphy's, the bar."Gosh.., such a mess," I whispered, my sto
MELISSA'S POV"Omg., I can't believe I drank a whole bottle of wine last night..." I whispered to myself while staring at the bottle I was holding. My other hand instinctively reached out for my forehead because it was hurting me so badly. I took out the soup container from the fridge and poured some into a bowl before slipping it into the microwave. I turned it on and set it to heat for five minutes before heading back to the bedroom for the first aid kit box.Since it was my first time using the kit ever since I came to Aphrodite City, it took me a while to find the keys to it.I got an aspirin and swallowed after which I pushed it into the water before heading back to the kitchen. As if on cue, the microwave stopped as soon as I stepped foot in the kitchen. Using a glove, I took out the hot bowl of soup and set it before me.I wanted to heat for a while so I grabbed the remote, and turned on the television before scrolling through the channels. I intended to watch one of my favor
MELISSA’S POVWhat!" I exclaimed, the remote I was holding, slipping from my hands. My stomach twisted as I watched the photos displayed on the screen. Who the hell did this? A tight knot formed in my throat as I stared at the images of Listowel and I replayed continuously on the screen. I bet these photos were taken last night.Examining them from afar I could attest that they indeed looked intimate! Some of the photos had Listowe vividly pulling me tight to his chest, while the others had him, petting my hair, while the rest were shot when we were standing outside of the bar.Did Listowel intentionally had this released? I mean, that man is unpredictable and can do anything. But why would he do this?" anxiety gnawed at my brain as I tried to connect the dots.No, come to think of it, everyone knows of his engagement with Wendy Macinni, so he can't possibly do this.My heart pounded heavily in my chest as I paced up and down in my room, trying to find answers to my numerous questi
WENDY'S POV A few minutes after joining the main road, I got stuck in a traffic jam. “Why is everything not going my way today?” I shouted, frustration evident in my voice. I reached for my phone which I had tossed aside earlier and started browsing the internet as I occasionally glanced at the traffic, impatiently wishing that there was another route other than this to use to my destination. Truly, Listowel's name is at the top of the trending news. More and more articles, write-ups, and videos circulated on the internet and the comments were an eyesore. I so much hate these people who call themselves fans! They cheer you up after an achievement and treat you like a literal goddess but when something bad circulates the air, they suddenly have something mean to say. I don't even blame them. The only person I blame is Listowel. I am his fiance for Christ's sake? How could he allow these photos to linger on the internet especially when there are already articles on his encoun
LISTOWEL'S POVThe constant ringing of my doorbell jolted me awake from my sleep. A groan escaped my lips as I lay down, the sharpness of the noise threatening to tear my earlobe."Who the f**k is that?" I cursed under my breath, I unwrapped myself from the blanket, pulling myself up. Pain coursed through my entire body as I tried to lift myself.The light rays from the chandeliers hit my eyes as soon as they flared open. It was after my eyes fully opened that I realized I had passed the night on the bare floor. "How did I end up here?" I asked inwardly as l attempted to recall how l came home last night. But the consistent ringing of my doorbell irritated my ears, distracting my thoughts.The coldness of the floor caused me to sit up on the sofa as it seethed through my body. It was after, I sat up that I realized I had passed the night on the floor. Rubbing my eyes, I made my way toward the door to check who in the world had the guts to disturb my slumber like this. My head thr
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.
MELISSA’S POV Nancy glared at me, her lips pouted as she fumed, “Are you trying to make fun of me or what?” No…, why would I? I'm just concerned.”I said back, fighting the urge to burst into laughter because I know very well her current relationship status. “Melissa! Are you trying to tell me you don't know how bad I am at relationships? Or you've forgotten that my last talking stage barely lasted a week?” Slipping from the couch to the floor, I burst out into a loud hilarious laughter as my guts threatened to burst from the choke. Nancy has always had bad luck when it comes to men. All the men she's ever gone on a date with either had a flaw that was too much to ignore or had an overly cringeworthy perfection. I brought up the question of kids just to distract her from the subject she was pushing to discuss. Leaning back on the couch, she rolled her eyes at me and said, “I know you are just trying to be messy. I won’t mind you.” I didn’t say anything again. I only l
MELISSA’S POV “I think we will go in for this.” I finally said to the realtor on our third round of inspections. We had already checked on four different apartments but none of the designs fitted our taste. With that, the realtor handed me the document which bore the transfer of ownership agreement, prepared for me to sign. Glancing at Nancy and Crystal who were also gazing at me with so much delight in their eyes, I heaved a heavy breath before I accentuated my signature. Afterward, I handed over my credit card after which a sum of $180,000 was deducted. Yes. I didn't just rent the apartment. I bought the full house. Crystal jumped and spun around in excitement. “Can I have a big room? With a desk and a big shelf for my dolls?” “Yes, my love. You’ll have your room, and yes, a big space for you to arrange your kids as well,” I said, smiling wall to wall. Nancy hopped onto the queen-sized bed, spreading her arms wide as she giggled like a child. “I can’t believe this