CARLTON'S POV The loud sound of the alarm almost destroys my eardrum and I hastily turn it off before more damage can be done. I forgot to charge my normal alarm clock last night, so I had to use the manual one with changeable batteries. Now I remember why I stuffed it in the cupboard years ago. The stupid thing is too damn loud. I get up from the bed, do my regular morning stretches, before taking the alarm and stuffing it back into the cupboard. I turn to leave the room but I don't make it to the door before I change my mind. I take out the alarm clock and throw it into the trash can instead. I walk into the bathroom and brush my teeth, before heading downstairs to the kitchen. I start brewing some coffee and open my phone to check my emails while I wait. “What is this?”Marigold walks into the kitchen holding her phone up to my face. “What is what?”“This,” she points to the screen and glares at me, her nose flaring up. I squint my eyes to look at what she is showing me t
MARIGOLD'S POV It has been exactly three days since my fight with Dahlia in front of the school compound. People took videos and pictures and posted them on the net. At first the headlines were, CEO of Tristan Delight at Texas branch gets into an embarrassing fight with a fellow parent at her children's school. The next day they had completely changed. Apparently the newly found public attraction had made people dig in more on my life and Dahlia's. The new headlines were…CEO of Tristan Delight at Texas branch engages in a fight with her stepsister over the CEO of Stewart's Foods Co, husband to the stepsister. I mean, I'm excited about the news and all but the least they could do is use my name. Now I have to parade around like the ‘stepsister’. I'm not complaining though, this is the most publicity I've gotten in years. Today is the third day and I'm just loving the comments and articles online. It's all hateful comments against Dahlia. People are defending me, saying Dahlia is
DAHLIA'S POV The eyes of the man embracing me grows wide and he immediately pushes himself off me. I feel a little hurt but then I remember that it's Carlton. He's a cheat and sneaking around is his specialty. “We…we were ju…just hugging,” he stammers, “there’s nothing going on I swear it.”I fold my arms across my chest and watch as Carlton pathetically tries to explain the situation to Tristan. Tristan scoffs and moves further into the room. “I know you were just hugging because I know Dahlia, she'd never fool around with someone's husband. It's beneath her,” he says looking at Carlton. I know what he's doing. Yes, everything he's saying is true and I believe it but he's also trying to mock Carlton, knowing fully well that Carlton was sleeping with someone else when he was still married to me. And it's working because the look on Carlton's face says he feels ashamed and he wants to kill Tristan for mocking him. Carlton's jaws tightens and his shoulders get tense. Tristan al
DAHLIA'S POV “Miss Dahlia, is it true that you're having a private relationship outside work with Mr. Carlton Stewart?” One of the reporters asks almost putting the mic in my mouth. I have to get out of this, out of here. How did I get myself in this mess?Oh yes, I remember, I walked out of the auditorium room and was met with this paparazzi asking inappropriate questions. .Who even gave them permission to enter here? And they are asking unscreened questions which puts me in a tight place. “Miss Dahlia, please explain your relationship with Mr. Stewart,” another one shoots a question. I immediately turn and glare at him, he instinctively steps back still keeping the mic close to my mouth. This is too much. The blinding lights, the multiple mics in my face. I can't take it. My head begins to spin and it feels like I'll collapse anytime soon. As the reporters keep throwing questions at me, I feel my knees begin to grow weak. No, no, no. Don't give up on me now. They are givin
DAHLIA'S POV “What is going on here?”Sunny's voice gets loud as her expression goes dark. She looks between Tristan and I, her lip twitches as realization sets in and she begins pacing. “Sunny, calm down,” I say, trying to ease her. Her reaction is perfectly valid, maybe Tristan might be oblivious, although I doubt that, but I know how Sunny feels about him. And here I am kissing someone she likes. But I couldn't help it, I was caught up in the moment. I shouldn't have betrayed her like that, still, the pull between Tristan and I was too much to ignore. The way he stared at me, the lustful look in his eyes. If Sunny hadn't interrupted, I wonder how far it would have gone. Maybe it's because I haven't been touched or kissed in a while, because why else will I give in? My thoughts are in a haze but with the growing fury in Sunny's eyes, I have to prioritize her feelings first. “Calm down? You're telling me to calm down? I walk in here, tired as hell from work, hoping to see that
DAHLIA'S POVWe have to get him on his feet at least. We'll help him walk to the car and the rest will be easy. One of Tristan's arms is draped over my shoulder, the other is draped over Sunny's shoulder. He is still in pain, and groaning as we push our way to my car. “Almost there,” I groan feeling bad for Tristan as he tries to suppress the pain and not groan. “It's okay, Tristan, you'll be fine. We are almost at the car,” I try to reassure him. Sunny is quiet throughout. We finally get Tristan into the car. “I have to do something, I'll meet you there,” Sunny says, sounding suspicious. She doesn't wait for me to reply before she walks away. Tristan groans again bringing my attention back to him. I'll deal with Sunny later, Tristan is my priority for now. I quickly enter my car and drive to the hospital. I finally found time to get my car from the mechanic shop. Tristan groans in pain the whole way to the hospital and I feel really bad for him. I try increasing my speed but
DAHLIA'S POV The morning is dull and the sky humid. I make sure the kids wear jackets and have scarves tied around their neck before dropping them off at school. Throughout yesterday night and this morning, thoughts of Tristan have been on my mind. Our kiss, seeing him in so much pain. I wish everything didn't go down the way it did. I have had time to think about it too, and I owe Sunny an apology, and a huge thank you for her impact on my life and that of my kids. So in a good spirit, I make breakfast for Tristan and Sunny and dish theirs in a cooler. I freshen up, drop my kids at school and head to the hospital. The hospital environment always gives me jitters. Seeing people walk in and out with one condition or the other, in pain, receiving bad or good news. It's almost overwhelming, so I quickly make my way past everyone and head to Tristan's room. The door is a little open and I can hear someone talking. I walk in to see the doctor speaking to Tristan about his condition. Bu
CARLTON’S POV It's been three days since my encounter with Dahlia at the hospital. She still asks about Andre's health and I admire her for being so invested in his well being, something his own mother can never do. But that's about it. She has no interest in reiterating the conversation we were having that day and I respect that. It's a sensitive topic for her and I will be as patient as I can be. My patience seems to be wearing out as I stare at her while she assesses the beet roots on the shelves. We are at a raw food materials store. It's one of our events to prepare for the physical classes. After this we will converge at the front of the store to take pictures. So far everything has been going well except the constant urge to speak to Dahlia. Ever since the day at the hospital, I keep getting intrigued by her. The little things she does, how her fingers gently caress the fruits, how her lips curve into a slight smile as she assesses vegetables. She must really like the thin
Dahlia “Mummy were you really married to uncle Carlton?” That question pierces through me like a newly filed sword. No, it’s just the question but the innocent eyes of my all four kids as they are bearing through me. I’m feeling different emotions all at that same time. Anger. Guilt. Fear. They were never supposed to find out about this at all. How dare that woman? Words can’t express the amount of anger I’m feeling towards her right now. Towards everything. Right now we are all in the plane as the BOOTCAMP was said to be holding in Los Angeles. Every family are occupying different rows of seat as we are all flying in the plane. Carlton and Andre are somewhere at the back and after settling in, Gavin decided to throw the cold question at me. For the very first time, I’m unable to formulate any words to say to my kids. I don’t want to lie to them but at the same time, I don’t want this discussion. Especially with them. It’ll trigger a whole lot of other questions likeWhat happened
Carlton POV, Most of the parents who came for the Bootcamp seems to know each other. When I and dahlia walked together into the hall, we long splits up as friends who knows us came to greet us. While I leave dahlia with her old friend, I walk off with a business associate of mine leaving Andre behind to mingle with his peers. But I actually regrets doing that because Andre got involved in a fight with some kids right inside the hall. Dahlia’s kids were also involved too. The table quickly turn. Me and the other parents of the kids have to separate the fight while everyone in the hall has their attention towards us. “What the hell happened?” Dahlia yells, glaring at both her kids and the all other kids. “They started it!” Gianna snap, pointing at the other kids they fought with. “They were making fun of Andre.” She divulged and I frown. A girl among the other kids retorts Gianna. “She’s lying. I and my friends just said sick kids can’t survive boot camps.” The kid said wi
Carlton’s pov, Most of the parents who came for the Bootcamp seems to know each other. After our encounter at the car park, dahlia and I proceeds into the hall along with the kids. As Expected we walks into a rowdy scene. Parents who probably knows each other are scampering around greeting each other. Kids are buzzing around mingling with their peers. Some staffs are engaging in different activities, some walking around and others prepping up speakers for the camping speech. “Dahlia!” Right at the entrance, some woman comes rushing dahlia with a smile on her face. She seems to know dahlia and at the sight of her, dahlia’s face lits up. “Omg, Carolina. Look at you!” They begin to talk when one of my business Associates Alfred hijacks me from no where. “Hey Carlton…” he acknowledges me with a warm smile on his face. “Alfred…” We begin to greet each other and I don’t realize Andre has walk off my sight. Along with Dahlia's kids. until a ruckus suddenly exudes in the hall tha
Dahlia POV, The morning has been a whole new vigor of excitement as today is their BOOTCAMP. But me? I don’t really know. I’m not so thrilled about Bootcamp due to my past traumatic experiences but that Aside, I’m also worried that Tristian isn’t here yet. It’s already 9 Am and my kids are all dressed up already, including me. In fact they are already waiting in the car while I’m just in my room packing up relevant stuffs for the camping. Sunny had really been of great help all morning. And right now, she’s still helping me. “Do you really need these much mattresses?” Sunny asks I’m stuffing several mattresses into a bag while she had been passing them to me. “Of course, I wouldn’t want my kids catching a cold.” I said and she groan then roll her eyes. “And Tristian,” she suddenly hollers. “You said he would be here this morning. What’s keeping him?” She asks with a scoff, feigning her usual annoyance over Tristian. Well, even me would like to know what’s keeping him. If he
CARLTON’s POV, After the marigold sex tape shenanigans has been eradicated, I decided to finally face my father. More he called few moments ago after I just parted ways with dahlia and I drove straight ti the mansion and I found him at the living room standing and facing the glassed wall. Even as an old man, he still bears that intimidating Aura around him and I hated the way my body reacted to him. Especially when he twirls to face me, his stern dark eyed unnerves every inch of me. I just pulls up a firm, unbothered facade as I wait for him to speak. And I’ve been waiting since like the past ten seconds. “Finally, you decided to show up.” He finally speak with a calm voice then he walks away from his position. My eyes follows him keenly and the next thing he does actually stuns me. He walks towards the wine rank. Bring out a red wine and two glasses. He fetches some quantity each glasses and pass one over to me. I hesitate for a second before collecting it then he walks back to
Dahlia’s POV, The drive to wherever we are heading is quiet and cozy until Carlton brings up the subject of Tristian. “You know, I’ve been wondering.” He begins. pulling my attention from the phone I’m operating, I turn to face his side profile. “What do you have on Tristian?” His question completely throws me off and I arch my brows at him. Then As if reading my mind, he speaks further. “Like getting Alan to release marigold sex tapes and still getting him to take it down, couldn’t have been so easy. Yet he he did all that just for your sake. You seem to have something on him and if you don’t, then he definitely has a thing for you.” And there he goes again trying into pry into mine and Tristian’s relationship. I know what he wants to hear and that’s what I’ll be giving him… but in a non pleasing way. “You are absolutely wrong on that.” I began, eyes still pinned to his side profile. “Tristan doesn’t have anything for me. I mean not everyone does good things and expect somet
Dahlia Carlton finds a place to pull over and following the direction that Tristian sent us, it wasn’t hard to track Alan’s apartment. He’s in block B among the many jumbled apartment we passed by in the cranky area. “How does Tristian even get to know this place? Does he runs thuggery or what?” Carlton literally vocalized my thoughts as we step over some piles of woods. From what I know, Tristan never knew Alan before until marigold welcome party. However, I don’t know if Carlton is merely making a harmlessly observation or he’s trying to rob Tristian with a bad image. So I don’t respond, I just shrug and we continue walking. After walking a few distance we finally arrives at Alan’s door. We knocked a couple times on the door but after getting no response, we both walked into the apartment. we haven’t walked for long when I started hearing faint sounds. At first it isn’t Audible but the closer we approaches the place it’s coming from, I get to make sense of what’s going on.
“What are you doing here Grayson?” Sunny’s voice cuts through the thick silence in the Air. She probably figured I needed help and spoke on my behalf. I can only hope that Grayson doesn’t press on with his initial question because heavens know I’ll have to lie to him. Thankfully, Grayson drops the stupefied look on his face and responds to Sunny’s question. “The math Assignment you gave us all.” He walks fully into the room and that’s when I noticed the book in his hand. My eyes follows him as he extends the open page to sunny. “I couldn’t do mine. I can’t find the answers to any of the questions.” He whines boldly like it’s a normal thing for him not to know basic maths. And what gets more into my nerves is the way sunny reacts to it. “Oh sweetie, I’ve forgotten I gave you an Assignment. Wasn’t this in like four… three days ago?” She pets Grayson with her usual sweet voice while giving Grayson a poppy look. Grayson shrugs. “Okay, don’t worry. I will teach you how to solve
“What are you doing here Grayson?” Sunny’s voice cuts through the thick silence in the Air. She probably figured I needed help and spoke on my behalf. I can only hope that Grayson doesn’t press on with his initial question because heavens know I’ll have to lie to him. Thankfully, Grayson drops the stupefied look on his face and responds to Sunny’s question. “The math Assignment you gave us all.” He walks fully into the room and that’s when I noticed the book in his hand. My eyes follows him as he extends the open page to sunny. “I couldn’t do mine. I can’t find the answers to any of the questions.” He whines boldly like it’s a normal thing for him not to know basic maths. And what gets more into my nerves is the way sunny reacts to it. “Oh sweetie, I’ve forgotten I gave you an Assignment. Wasn’t this in like four… three days ago?” She pets Grayson with her usual sweet voice while giving Grayson a poppy look. Grayson shrugs. “Okay, don’t worry. I will teach you how to solve this