Elias flashed him a small smile. “Can’t help myself, Russo. Too many troubles on my plate. Nicotine calms me down a bit, and besides… It’s just what men do.”“It’s a health hazard, that’s what it is,” Zeke chided.Elias chuckled, self-deprecatingly. “Being depressed is worse.”Vanessa broke out a grin and quickly sidled up to him with her arms wrapped around Elias’ shoulders. “Hey now, El. You’ve got me now. I’ll gladly be by your side whenever you’re feeling the blues.”At the very least, h
Mimi took a deep breath and turned away from their blindingly public display of affection. It did not matter how much resolve she had in leaving him. Seeing those two together being lovey-dovey still caused a sharp sting to her heart.As Elias left with Vanessa huddling closely to him, Mimi tightened her fists and withstood the surge of agony coursing through her chest.Then, quite suddenly, warmth blanketed her from her shoulders.Startled, Mimi turned and found Zeke’s coat over her shoulder
“I want Mommy! I want Daddy!” he slurred in a tearful tantrum over and over again, seemingly ignorant of where he was or what was happening. Jeanette listened to his desperate plea and felt the cracks forming in her heart. She had told the young boy nothing about her relationship these days, but the sensitive child had quickly felt something was amiss, anyway.His parents were the two people dearest to him in the entire world. To watch them separated was akin to seeing his most cherished, happi
As the sun climbed an invisible slope up the sky, it sweated blinding golden rays to the world below. With fresh breakfast bagged in one hand, Damon hurtled toward the ward in a flight of hurried steps, but he was soon greeted by the sight of Jeanette, slumped forward to the side of her son’s bed, soundly asleep.Sunlight traced the outline of her small, petite frame and exposed a small but stark shadow cutting across the bedsheet. She almost looked like she was huddling to herself, and as her
Damon’s jaw clenched. Rage erupted in his head.That was what had happened. So that was what had happened! F*cking Xavier and his scheme were at the center of it again!Damon had believed that what happened between himself and the secretary was because of booze, even if he was skeptical about that simplistic explanation. He had not been at all drunk out of his wits, so why had he hallucinated and seen Jeanette in the secretary? So why would his body feel feverish and bursting with libido?A
Back in the ward, Jeanette was blinking her groggy eyes next to the bed as though she had just woken up, cracking a big yawn and rubbing her eyes like a bleary, languid cat.Damon smiled and dispelled any trace of grimness from his face while his features quickly softened. “Why don’t you take a longer nap? You overtaxed yourself last night,” he pointed out in a low, hushed tone.She shook her head. “I have to check Fe’s temperature.”“I bought breakfast. There’s waffles and sandwiches,” he sa
He audibly inhaled. “I already found the evidence proving both me and my secretary’s innocence. You’ll know the truth soon enough.”Jeanette said nothing. She shut her eyes and tried hard to manage the war zone ravaging in her mind. It felt like a bundle of entangled brambles in here. Picking them apart would be a Sisyphean labor.Her thoughts drifted to the night that had gone by, to how insecure Felix had sounded in his delirious episode, and her heart ached. She had been toying with the que
Vanessa was around 18 years old. Her features were still a little childish, but the aura she carried was strong.Mimi might have admired Vanessa’s edginess if she hadn’t been so aggressive against her during their first meeting. However, she really hated how she took shots at her without clarifying the situation.Mimi sat in front of Vanessa, looking sullen.“Why have you called me here?”She frowned. There was no one else here, and Mimi couldn’t be bothered to keep up her hypocritical facade.Mimi might have considered avoiding burning bridges if Vanessa hadn’t threatened her. However, she wasn’t in the mood to concern herself with these things. Vanessa never played by the rules. Regardless of how much she wanted to keep the peace, she would have no choice as long as Vanessa refused to let her off.Vanessa took a sip from her cup of coffee and cleared her throat. “Mimi, since I invited you, I’ll go straight to the point. Let’s not beat around the bush. I want you to stay away