Leah stared at her phone, her heart still racing from the anger boiling inside her. She couldn’t believe the nerve of Alex, calling her out of the blue with that nonsense. After everything he had done, after all the pain he’d caused, he had the audacity to suggest something so ridiculous. Which prompted her to delete the call, erasing every trace of him from her phone, as if that could wipe away the bitter memories.Now, she needed to talk to someone who would understand, someone who could make her feel better and help her clear her head.. Without hesitation, she dialed Richie’s number. The phone rang and he answered, his voice instantly soothing her frayed nerves.“Hey, beautiful,” Richie said, his tone warm and full of affection. “What’s up?”“Richie, you won’t believe what just happened,” Leah said, her voice tinged with frustration. “I’m so annoyed right now.”Richie chuckled softly. “What’s got you all worked up, babe?”Leah took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down enough
Alex’s anger and frustration were still clear in his eyes. He had spent the last few hours pacing, thinking about Leah and their last conversation. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. How could she reject him like that? He has to do everything he can for her to see that they belonged together.He picked up his phone again, his hand trembling slightly as he scrolled through his contacts. He hesitated, his thumb hovering over Leah’s name. Should he call her again? What would he say? He knew he couldn’t just let it go, not now, not after she had dismissed him so coldly. He was done playing nice. This time, he would make her listen. She had to understand that she didn’t have a choice.With a deep breath, he tapped her name and brought the phone to his ear. The ringing seemed to last forever, each tone making his heart pound harder. Finally, she answered, her voice calm but with a hint of irritation.This time he was calling with an unknown number."Hi, this is Leah. Can I
It had been another long day at work for Richie, but the thought of hearing Leah’s voice was the only thing keeping him going. He dialed her number, the sound of the ringing filling the quiet office.“Hey, babe,” Leah answered, her voice soft and warm, instantly making him feel at ease.“Hey, beautiful,” Richie replied, smiling to himself. “How was your day?”Leah sighed lightly. “Oh, you know, the usual. Running around after the kids, dealing with work stuff… nothing too exciting. What about you?”“Same old, same old,” Richie said, rubbing the back of his neck. “But hearing your voice makes it all worth it.”Leah chuckled softly, "Babe! You never change. Always have something to say back.. huh?"..“Well, I try,” Richie replied, his tone playful. “Gotta keep my lady smiling.”Richie could picture Leah sitting on the couch, maybe with a blanket draped over her legs, a small smile playing on her lips."Anything new on your side".. Richie asked."Yeah.. there's something bothering me"..
Richie leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples as he thought about the conversation he needed to have. He had just finished his call with Leah, and the lingering concern in her voice kept echoing in his mind. He never knew Alex wasn’t someone to underestimate, and it was time to make sure Leah was protected at all costs, not knowing how far he might go. He picked up his phone and dialed Dazzle. The ringing seemed to go on forever, and Richie tapped his fingers impatiently on the desk, waiting for Dazzle to pick up. Finally, the line connected.“Yo, Richie!” Dazzle’s voice boomed through the phone, cheerful as always.“Daz, we need to talk,” Richie said, his tone more serious than usual.“What’s up, man?” Dazzle replied, the cheerfulness fading a bit as he sensed Richie’s mood.Richie exhaled slowly. “It’s about Leah. I need you to make sure the guards are always around her, day and night. No slipping, no gaps. I don’t want anything to happen to her while I’m away.”Dazzle’s voi
Dazzle drove down... parked outside Leah’s house, leaning casually against his car. He wanted to have an easy conversation with her, about Richie’s instructions. Which was clear enough…Leah’s safety came first, no matter what.As Leah stepped out of the house, her eyes met Dazzle’s. She raised an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Dazzle? What are you doing here?”Dazzle straightened up, pushing off the car. “Leah, we need to talk. Richie gave me some instructions, and I want to make sure you’re okay with everything.”Leah tilted her head, her smile fading slightly. “Instructions? What’s going on?”Dazzle sighed, trying to find the right words. “Richie’s worried about Alex. You know how he’s been acting, and with Richie out of town, he doesn’t want to take any chances. So, he asked me to make sure the guards are following you around at all times, except when you’re at home.”Leah’s eyes widened in surprise. “Guards? Following me? Dazzle, I’m not some kind of c
Kimberly stood by the kitchen window, her eyes narrowing as she watched Dazzle and Mariam sitting in the pagoda outside. They were deep in conversation, laughing and joking as they went over the details of the proposal. From this distance, Kimberly couldn’t hear a word, but she didn’t need to. The sight of them together was enough to stoke the embers of her jealousy into a full-blown fire.She had noticed how often Mariam had been coming over lately. At first, Kimberly didn’t think much of it…after all, Dazzle had said it was all about helping Richie. But the more she saw them together, the more it bothered her. The way Mariam leaned in close to Dazzle, how he seemed so comfortable around her, it gnawed at Kimberly’s nerves.She bit her lip, her mind racing with thoughts she didn’t want to entertain. What if Mariam was more than just a friend? What if Dazzle was bringing another woman into their lives right under her nose? The thought made her blood boil.Kimberly slammed the cupboard
Mariam drove home in silence, the day’s events pressing down on her. The confrontation with Kimberly had left her shaken, though she tried to brush it off. The accusation of being Dazzle’s mistress was baseless, of course, but it still stung. It reminded her too much of the mistakes she had made in her own life, particularly with Jack. Mariam’s mind drifted back to the last time she had seen Jack. Their breakup had been messy, full of misunderstandings and accusations, most of which had been unfounded. She had accused him of things he hadn’t done, letting her own insecurities drive a wedge between them. And now, watching Kimberly’s jealousy flare up like that, it brought everything rushing back. By the time she pulled into her driveway, Mariam’s eyes were wet and icy with unshed tears. She sat in the car for a few moments, trying to gather herself. The memories were too fresh, the pain too raw. She had been so sure of herself back then, so convinced that Jack was hiding somethin
Three days later……Leah parked her car, the guards following right behind her. She grabbed the small bag of supplements from the passenger seat. The store had been a bit busier than usual, so it had taken longer than she anticipated. Glancing at her wristwatch, she saw that it was already past 7 pm. She sighed, thinking about the quiet evening she had planned for herself…a good book and a hot bath. Richie had mentioned he'd be back in a few days, but no specific date or day. She figured she had the house to herself for at least another night or even more..As she walked up to the house, the warm glow from the living room lights spilled out through the windows. "Maybe I’ll just watch a movie instead,"..Leah thought, imagining herself curled up on the couch.She pushed open the front door and stepped inside, immediately sensing that something was different. There was an energy in the air, something familiar but unexpected, Richie’s cologne filled the air. "Is Richie home? Without le