E L L EThe next morning, I got a call from Avery."Elle, something crazy happened last night. Check your WhatsApp, I sent a picture to you."I did as she said and went to my WhatsApp."Holy shit. Same thing happened to me, Avery. I have this small gash on my face and reddish patch.""What are we going to do? Should we sue them or something? I knew something was definitely off with their products, it was too good to be true. There must be a dangerous chemical in their products that's harming our skin. This isn't right.""I'm going to do a little digging, Avery. We need to find out what is in their products.""Elle, they're launching another line. A skincare line. Can you imagine what could happen to everyone? To us? This is ridiculous. And, to think they'd release another line after damaging the skin of people who bought their other products. That's ridiculous. Do you know how many women will buy that product? Millions. That's what's going to happen, and we're just going to stand and
E L L EI invited Daniel out to have lunch with Giovanna and I, while we discuss how everything goes.He arrived ten minutes late, already having an apologetic face as he approached our table. Daniel has been my friend for the longest time, and he's one of the sweetest guys I know."I'm sorry for being late, ladies. You know how New York traffic is.""It's okay, Daniel. You're not that late. Come, join us." I said and gave him a smile."Thanks.""Do you know Giovanna?" I asked and they shook hands."Nice to meet you, Daniel.""Nice to meet you, too. How have you been, Elle? It's been a while.""It's okay. I'm fine. You?""Yeah, good. So, what's up? Is there a problem?""Yes, there is. And, it's not a small one.""Okay. What is it?""Well, remember when we were at my house and I showed you the product samples from Rome Beauty?""Uh-huh.""Well, they did something really fucked up.""Like what?""They hurt a lot of people.""What? How?""I have no idea. All I know is, a lot of people ar
E L L E"That's what we've been trying to tell you, Elle. We've seen a lot of advertisements on their social media platforms. I can't believe this is happening."I was lost for words and was fuming with anger."They have no limits. Those bastards. I can't believe they are doing this.""They're going to release another line, and hurt millions of people.""And, their profits are going to double, or even triple. Those fuckers. She doesn't care. People's lives are at risk, and she doesn't give a shit. They don't deserve this. All she cares about is money. What a fucking bitch!""What are we going to do now?" Mina asked."We have one month to find out what's in their products, and the side effects. If something happens to a single person, we're suing their ass. And, we'll make sure everyone knows about this.""Are you going to tell Sebastian? Maybe, he's not aware."I looked at her, the sound of his name leaving a bitter taste on my mouth. "No, Mina. I'm not. He's the last person I want to
G I O V A N N AThe drive home was filled with thousands of thoughts, my mind was all over the place. I felt anxious. Was there something wrong? Why did Avery seem so distant lately? Did something happen? What did I do?Questions upon questions ran through my mind.I had no idea what to do.My palms were clammy, and my heart rate was through the roof. It couldn't be that she saw Claire's texts, could it? I shook my head, and continued driving.There's no way. She's not like that. She wouldn't do such a thing. She'd let me explain.I parked the car and took the elevator, taking a few deep breaths, hoping I'd be able to calm down.Once I reached the door, I took my keys out and unlocked the door. I placed them on the coffee table, and walked to the kitchen.Avery was sitting on a chair, staring out of the window, looking so peaceful.She's gorgeous.Her golden locks cascaded down her back, framing her face. Her eyes looked sad, and I could tell she was upset.She must be hungry."Hey,
G I O V A N N AI was out for my morning run and decided to take a rest and get coffee at my favourite coffee shop, before heading home.Once I got there, the place was full of customers and I waited for my turn to order.After a few minutes, the line got shorter and the lady behind the counter greeted me with a smile."Hey, Gio. How are you doing today?""I'm great, thank you. Just getting my daily dose of caffeine." I chuckled."Haha, yeah. It's not even 8 in the morning and I'm dying already. The usual?""Yes, please.""One caramel macchiato, coming right up. Would you like anything else?""No, thank you. Just the drink, please.""Okay, here's the bill." She said, handing me a piece of paper.I handed her the money, and waited for her to prepare the drink."Here's your order." She said, handing me the cup."Thank you, have a nice day.""You too."I took my drink and walked towards a table, when a voice that I hadn’t heard in years said my name. A voice that I had almost forgotten ju
G I O V A N N AWhen I got home, I saw that Avery wasn't around. She usually comes back home at the same time as me, unless she has a photoshoot or interview, but those are usually scheduled after lunch.I went into our bedroom, and grabbed a change of clothes and headed into the bathroom.After a quick shower, I walked out and changed. I was wearing a black tank top and sweatpants.I walked downstairs and into the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water.As I sat on the sofa, the front door opened and a smiling Avery walked inside, carrying her gym bag and a bottle of juice."Hey, baby. Did you have a good run?" She asked, walking towards me."Not exactly.""What happened?" She asked, placing the bottle and bag on the floor, and then sitting next to me."I ran into an old... friend.""Who? Do I know her?""Claire.""Claire? You mean...""Yeah. I was at the coffee shop and she showed up, trying to make conversation with me."The switch up in her mood was so evident that I immediately regre
E L L EIt's been a couple of days since I gave the products to Daniel for the tests, and the wait was killing me. But, I knew it wouldn't be a good idea to rush him.I couldn't afford any mistakes. Not now.I took the day off from work, because I love been feeling a little under the weather and had been trying to manage it, but I couldn't. So, I thought I'd call it a sick day.I was sitting on the sofa in the living room, with a blanket draped over my legs and my laptop on the coffee table.I was attending to the documents Mina sent to me, basically doing my office job at home and relaxing.My head was banging, and I was feeling too feverish. I could literally feel my bones shivering. A sudden knock on the door brought me out of my daze, and I walked over to the door, and opened it.Giovanna was standing by the door, a smile on her face, as she looked at me."Good morning. I went to the office and was told you're a little unwell. How're you feeling?" She asked and pulled me into a hu
E L L EShe didn't push it further, but I could see she wasn't too happy about the fact."Okay. Well, let's get your fever down and I'll go make you the soup. You should eat something.""Thank you, Gio.""Anything for my best friend. Now, give me the towel."Best friend? I liked the sound of that. She placed the small bowl of water on the table, and sat next to me, and dipped the towel inside the water.Once she was done, she wrung the water out and placed the towel on my forehead. The water was cold, and it felt soothing against my hot skin."How's that? Does it feel good?""It does, thanks." I said with a relieved sigh. I turned and laid in a more comfortable position, with my head resting on the pillow and the towel still on my forehead."I'm gonna go make you the soup, okay? You lie here and rest, and I'll bring it for you.""You're an angel, Gio. I'll owe you.""Nonsense. That's what friends are for. And, I'm your best friend." She winked and I laughed."I don't remember you ask
L A U R ATWO DAYS EARLIER I had a very long and tiring day, and I wanted nothing more than to have a warm bath, drink some red wine and relax. My car pulled to a stop in front of my apartment and I got out of the car, grabbing my bag from the back seat."Thank you, Mark. See you tomorrow.""Goodnight, Ms. Laura."I entered the elevator, and as I waited to arrive at my floor, I closed my eyes, trying to gather myself.Once I'd arrived on my floor, I got off the elevator, and headed down the hallway. I unlocked my apartment door and walked straight into my bedroom, shredding my clothes and jump into the bathtub.I prepped my bath with my favorite bubble bath, and once the tub was full, I added a few drops of lavender oil, and a couple of epsom salts, and then stepped into the warm, scented water.I relaxed, and the heat eased my tired muscles. I sighed in satisfaction, sinking my body further into the tub. I popped open the wine bottle, pouring a glass, and taking a long sip.I'd had
S E B A S T I A N My personal assistant arranged all the necessary documents needed for my last meeting of the day, as we drove towards the building."Sir, we're here," he informed me, and I checked myself in the mirror one last time before I stepped out."Good morning, Mr. Black," the receptionist greeted me. "Please follow me, they are waiting for you in the meeting room.""Thank you," I said, following her.I saw two men sitting at the table, and the moment they noticed me, they stood up. "Mr. Black, it's a pleasure to finally meet you," the taller of the two men said."It's a pleasure to meet you, too," I replied, shaking his hand."Please, have a seat."They motioned for me to sit, and once we were all seated, we got straight down to business."So, I believe the contracts are in order?" the taller man asked."Yes, and my assistant has the copies with him. We can sign them after we've discussed everything.""That's great. Let's begin, then.""As you all know, my company, Black En
E M I L YMy heart skipped a beat the moment Ivan walked into the party. He looked so good, of not better. His hair was slightly longer, his beard neatly trimmed.He was the definition of handsome.His eyes were bright and twinkling. The smile on his face was so beautiful. He had been avoiding me for so long, but he still came. He didn't have to, but he did.He was dressed in a dark blue suit, and he was holding a small gift bag, and I couldn't help the tears that gathered in my eyes. He hasn't seen me yet, and I wondered what his reaction would be like if he does. Would he be happy? Sad? Angry?Or would he ignore me and walk away. I would definitely notl be surprised, because I deserved it.I stood still, trying to calm myself, and a deep voice startled me from behind.My heart was pounding so fast that I could hear it in my ears despite the loud music blaring in the background. His familiar cologne filled my nose, and I closed my eyes, trying to control the overwhelming tears that w
S E B A S T I A N"You'll always have a special place in my heart, Elle. Thank you for making me smile, and giving me memories I will always cherish. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your life, and thank you for the years we shared together. Thank you for everything.""I won't forget you, Sebastian. Before everything crashed, you had made me smile, and laugh. And, you gave me a wonderful experience that I will never forget. Thank you, and take care of yourself, okay?""You too. Take care, and please don't hesitate to contact me, if you ever need anything.""Same goes for you."She gave me a hug, and I hugged her back, feeling the last of the bitterness leave me."Goodbye, Sebastian.""Goodbye, Elle."She walked away, and I was left all alone, standing there, under the stars, a small smile playing on my lips.The bitterness was gone, and so was the pain.For the first time, in a very long time, I was truly free.I was finally free.I heard the sound of heels clicking and a piss
S E B A S T I A NThe last person I had expected to see when we arrived at Laura's cousin's party was Elle.And although, meeting her here was totally unexpected, for the first time since our divorce, I didn't feel that tight constricting pain in my heart, and nor did my palms start sweating.In fact, I actually felt...calm, and peaceful.Perhaps, I had finally found closure.It was the first time in months that I had seen her, and not once had I felt a twinge of jealousy or anger when she was around Mikhail.Seeing her now, standing beside him, her belly protruding, and her eyes looking straight into mine, with a look of confusion and uncertainty, I could actually admit that she looked happy.She looked healthy and content, and I was glad that she was doing well. She was finally living the life that I couldn't give her. She was finally with a man who deserved her and was taking care of her, the way she needed to be taken care of.Laura had her arm looped through mine, and was looking
E L L EI was still standing in shock and disbelief. What exactly was Sebastian doing here? And, did he seriously walk into the birthday party of my best friend, with his mistress?This was the first time I was seeing him in months, and I didn’t like it one bit. I was certain that Avery or Giovanna hadn’t invited him, or did she? No. Giovanna didn’t even know about the birthday party to begin with. So, who else could have invited him?“What the fuck is he doing here?” Mikhail growled behind me, circling his arms around my waist protectively, pulling me closer.His body was tense, and I could feel his heart beating against his chest.Sebastian was holding his mistress' hand, and they were smiling, looking as happy as a couple could be.He was wearing a grey suit and the woman had her hair styled into a perfect bun, she was very beautiful. Her eyes were big and blue, and her face was covered in make-up. Her black dress hugged her slender body, and she looked very classy.Her face looked
E L L EI sat at my vanity table, my towel wrapped around my body as I started with my make-up. I applied a light foundation, followed by a little blush, mascara, and red lipstick.My eyes were bright, and my cheeks were flushed. I looked absolutely different, and I could definitely see the glow that everyone was talking about. My skin was literally flawless, and I haven't had a single acne in months. The baby was trying to show the world that she's going to be a good girl, but is literally about to rupture my ribs from her constant kicks.She was a very active baby at just seven months. Two more months to go, and it could even get worse. Mikhail was busy getting ready, and he had been checking up on me constantly to make sure I was fine.I took out the hair curler and curled my hair into loose curls, letting it fall around my shoulders.Afterwards, I put on a light perfume, and stepped into my dress. The shimmery yellow mermaid gown clung tightly to my body, accentuating my curves. M
M I K H A I LI drove my car into the driveway, and turned off the engine. After a few talks with the security guards, I walked into the house with a bouquet of Elle's favorite flowers.It was strangely quiet today, because I usually see Elle in the living room, either watching a movie or sleeping.I decided to go up the stairs and look for her in the bedroom. As soon as I twisted the door open and stepped in, I was met in a dark dimly lit room.There were candles everywhere and flowers and rose petals on the floor. The sight before me almost knocked the air out of my lungs. The sweet scent from the candles, her scent, it was all overwhelming. Elle was in a red lingerie. A sexy two piece lingerie, and her stomach was protruding. She looked like a goddess. One who God has taken his precious time creating under the moonlight, perfectly moulding each and every curve and feature.She was the definition of perfection. A gorgeous goddess. Her hair was flowing down her back, and she had he
E L L EI was home all alone today because I just didn't feel like going to work. I wanted some peace and quiet, and quite frankly, I was too lazy to go anywhere.Today would be my off day. To sleep, watch a movie, snack and repeat.I had a huge bowl of popcorn and my eyes were glued to the TV, watching the romantic comedy I had rented from the library.It was a beautiful Friday and the weather was perfect, and I wanted to relax and spend the day alone.My phone was on silent and the door was locked. I was having a relaxing time, and no one could mess with me. I placed the huge bowl of popcorn on my belly. Yes, this baby was growing too fast that my belly was not big enough to hold the popcorn.I was a quarter through the movie when my doorbell rang, and I frowned. I paused the movie and sat up. Who could that be?It rang again, and then there was a loud banging on the door.I groaned and got up, walking to the door."Hold on a second!"I opened the door and was met with wide grins. "