I hear my phone alarm go off and realize that I had fallen asleep on Joshua's chest. It was already morning. I lazily open my eyes. Joshua was still asleep. I serenely admire his face. His breathing was calm. A silly smile spreads across my lips as I witness how peaceful he looks.Slowly, Joshua wakes up. His gaze falls on me."Why are you staring at me?" he whispers, a sleepy smile appearing on his lips."Because I can," I retort playfully."Silly..." He pulls me into a hug, burying his face in my neck. The silly smile on my lips only grows wider."You can stare at me as much as you want... whenever you want... always," his muffled voice against my neck sends shivers down my spine.He lets go of the hug, sitting up and painfully getting out of bed. He puts on the white shirt lying on the floor and comes back to the bed to give me a kiss."Will I see you later?" he asks, still close to my lips, and I nod my head. "Have a great day, beautiful," he whispers and steps back, going to the
Why was she so cruel? What had I done to deserve that treatment? I felt powerless in the face of her poisonous words, unable to react at the moment she spoke them. Now, the words echoed in my mind, fueling a storm of emotions within me, filling me with fear and anxiety. I confess they left me in a dilemma. I didn't want to give in to her demands, but I also didn't want to face the consequences of her threats. That girl was capable of anything and she could seriously harm me. I let out a long sigh."Are you okay?" Hannah whispered to my left, from the auditorium seat, after hearing my audible sigh.I diverted my attention from the lecture to look at Hannah."Yes," I nodded. I wouldn't tell her about my problems with Madelyn."Are you sure?" she asked suspiciously. "You've been acting a little strange since you came back from the bathroom. Did someone bother you?""No, it's just that... Not everyone here is pleasant, and I didn't get along with someone," I replied."Oh, I see. That happ
Nathan returns with the order that Madelyn had placed."Do you need anything else?" he asks the woman at the table behind us."No, thank you," her voice sounded sweet, unlike what I was accustomed to facing."Okay. Just let me know if you need anything," Nathan returns to the counter and I watch his path, stopping my gaze at Gregory, who was also giving me a curious look from the other side of the counter, surely because Madelyn was in his café.I stand up from the couch and walk up to the counter where Gregory was standing."You're... ""Surprised to see Madelyn Chapelle in my café? Yes. Definitely yes," he says incredulously. "She never comes here. Not after I bought the place.""What do you think she's doing here?""Based on what you told me about her, would it be naïve of me to think she only came to try one of the best cappuccinos in town?"Our gaze was focused on her. I lean against the counter, intrigued. Looking at her, seeing her alone, with a downcast expression on her face,
Joshua, three years ago.Several times he caught himself looking at the watch on his wrist. He seemed anxious. His gaze always turned to the arrival hallway. He seemed to be waiting for someone. The longer the minutes passed, the more restless he became."Why is she taking so long?" he muttered, tapping his foot lightly on the floor. "She should have arrived fifty minutes ago." He checked the time on his wristwatch again.Joshua turned to look at the large flight schedule board. Maybe he had arrived too early, or at the wrong time. Analyzing flight by flight, time by time, he realized that the plane Madelyn was on had already landed, but she hadn't shown up yet. Getting more nervous, Joshua started pacing back and forth in the airport lounge, extremely restless.A female voice sounded among the people, causing him to quickly turn towards the direction where the voice was coming from, thinking it was his girlfriend. Without success. It wasn't Madelyn."Joshua!" It was Samantha, a frien
I take a deep breath as I watch him leave. I couldn't understand why he was so upset. What could have happened between him and Madelyn to make him act like this? What kind of relationship did they have? This was something Joshua should have told me or already told me, instead of storming off like he did today."Are you okay?" I hear a soft voice. I turn my head to the side, glancing briefly at the woman behind me. She was the last person I wanted to talk to at that moment."I don't want to intrude, but... I overheard part of the argument between you two," Madelyn approaches, standing beside me. I observe her movements from the corner of my eye, seeing her putting her hands in the pockets of her red coat and looking vaguely down the street."I'm sorry for what happened. I guess coming to this dinner was a terrible idea," she said sadly. "Joshua has always been a bit explosive, especially when it comes to being the last to know something. But in the end, he just needs some time to cool
The end of the day was already approaching. I packed up my things to leave the office. Samantha was also getting ready to leave."If you need help finding a great hotel, I have some references," she said with a sly smile on her face. I didn't even want to imagine Samantha's references, and I let out a brief laugh. I grabbed my bag and walked to the elevator. I saw Joshua approaching and joining us. A sudden silence fell over us.The three of us waited patiently and silently for the elevator to arrive on our floor. After a few minutes of waiting, the doors opened, and Samantha stepped back."Oh! I just remembered that I forgot to check something," she said, taking a few steps back."What did you forget?" I asked."Something," she said, casting a suggestive glance in my direction and smiling cunningly. It was obvious that she did it on purpose just to leave me alone with our boss. I entered the elevator after Joshua.I let out a sigh. There were still a few floors to go before we reache
Madelyn, three years ago."Where is he?" Madelyn looked around the airport for Joshua. "I knew I should have warned him that my flight would be delayed," she sighed. She took out her phone and walked towards the taxi stand, getting into one of the cars. "Why isn't he answering?" she muttered to herself as she gave the driver her apartment's address.Madelyn tried calling Joshua a few more times during the ride, but he didn't answer. The taxi driver soon parked in front of her building. Madelyn got out, paid the fare, and walked inside."Why isn't he answering me?" she wondered, getting frustrated. Joshua wasn't returning her calls or even picking up. Had something happened?As luck would have it, Madelyn saw him leaving the building. He looked furious."Joshua...?" she called out, confused. Why did he seem so angry? Madelyn shouted his name, but he didn't respond. He walked quickly towards his car and sped off.Confused and dazed, Madelyn hurried inside her apartment, intending to put
Numb, I watch Joshua, Jack, and the "real Madelyn" talk."And what do you intend to do?" Joshua asks."I'm not sure yet. But I'll do everything possible to get Emeraude to a rehab clinic," Madelyn responds, standing up next to Jack and Joshua."I think that's a good idea. Because enough is enough. It's been years of that girl interfering in my life. And now, since I know she's not you..." Joshua moistened his lips and quickly looked at me. "I just want her to pay for everything she's done."Strange that he interrupted what he was saying to look at me. His behavior actually made my heart beat faster. Had Joshua endured all these years of the girl's intrusions in his life because he still loved Madelyn? If he had said he wanted Emeraude to pay for everything she did only after discovering the truth, then perhaps Madelyn still meant something to him. Otherwise, he would have stopped her from tormenting his life from the beginning."She'll get what she deserves," the girl affirmed. "I hav