It had been fifteen minutes since Benjamin talked with Jane, but his head was still feeling hot and heavy. No amount of rubbing his forehead and temples helped him right now.Amber brought a glass full of juice to him and was smiling, “I made sapodilla juice, sir. Please have it and give me your opinion.”Benjamin took a sniff and looked at her. “Did you add elaichi?”Amber was startled. “S-Sorry, I forgot to add cardamom powder. Give me a second.” She quickly rushed out.“She wants me to announce my break up with Rye first, huh… What will Rye think if I do that?” Benjamin kept staring at the glass. “It’s easy to break a glass, but a woman’s heart…”He had already broken her heart once. If he were to upset her badly once again, would she be able to take it? She might be a strong woman, but what if she were to make a stupid decision on the spur of the moment?Benjamin dropped the glass at once. But he stopped it with his foot before it fell to the floor. The glass perfectly stood on hi
Rye wondered why Uzza called her, but to her shock, Uzza was eating plum fruits in a round red hat. Uzza only wanted to share plum fruits with her.Rye could only smile and eat together with her. They did grow these fruits on Sciocidad, but this was her first time eating the ones grown in the outer world.“How are they?” Uzza asked.“They are not bad,” Rye said. “But the ones we grow back at home are like juicy little apples.”“Yeah, everything we can find here is like a degraded version,” Uzza sighed. “Even the people are…” she could hear Selena talking with someone on mobile and was talking about Jacob and his drug-related issue. “You’ve lived outside for many months, so what did you understand?”“Mm? Well, at our home, we only need to grow trees and plants to live,” Rye opined, “but in this world… people need at least one of the four things.”“What are those four things?” Uzza curiously asked.“Money, looks, intelligence, or education,” Rye said. “If you don’t have at least one of
If it was anyone else that had asked for his hand for a dance, Benjamin wouldn’t even have thought about it. But the one asking now was Rye, the woman he had spent the most time with up to this point in his life.“Haven’t you two danced together already when you were young?” Uzza said, trying to break the ice between them. “Why are you thinking so much now, Benjamin? Just grab her hand and craft a step or two. Trust me, first love is the best. There’s no better feeling than dancing with your first love.”“I don’t just want to stop at being just his first love,” Rye said without hesitation. “I want to be his last love also.” She smiled through her eyes and reached out for Benjamin’s hand and grabbed it. “If you are not going to hold my hand, I will hold yours.”Benjamin pursed his lips. “R-Rye…”Before he could say another word, Rye put her finger on his mouth. “Shh, don’t act like I’m asking you to sleep with me. It’s just a dance. Don’t make a big deal over it.”After she removed her
“I’ve also just checked an e-copy of your marriage certificate. It turns out that the name there isn’t yours. It’s called Benyamin Wilde. So, in this present messed-up timeline, you were never Rebecca’s husband. Not even for a second. You didn’t even get married yet, so…” she brought her lips closer to his cheek. “Wouldn’t it be totally fine if we kiss each other right here and now?” Rye’s words skipped Benjamin’s heartbeat. He turned his head away to his left.Rye didn’t like that, but she didn’t get upset about it as she was just teasing him.“I know I’m being a little rude, this is reality, Benny,” Rye added. “You never married anyone in this reality yet. So, why don’t you just let things go and head back home?”“I would still like to live in this villa,” Benjamin replied softly.“Benjamin, you are like thunder,” Uzza intervened. “Rye is like lightning. If you get together, your kids are going to be like thunderbolts. How was my poetry?”“Very mediocre,” Rye commented frankly whil
In the later afternoon, the aroma of cappuccino filled the room, and one could see the rainbow through the glass wall, as it was mildly raining outside. The winds were crashing into the trees and disrupted the leaves and made a mess out of them, but it was a beautiful sight to watch for both Jane and Rebecca who were sitting in the comfort of their room.Jane was in a good mood because the song she was playing on her mobile, and the atmosphere outside only added to it.“I think it was in a setting like this… I used to have a big crush on my neighbor,” Jane said. “He would come out in the rain and break the logs wearing a tank top. I used to drool at him. Sometimes I would wear a camisole and go out, hoping he’d see me the same, but he considered me just as a little girl, I think.”“How old were you back then?” Rebecca couldn’t help but ask. “Don’t tell me you were underage.”“Haha,” Jane’s mouth curved into a smile, but she didn’t reveal her age. “The weirdest thing is that I don’t ev
Uzza was reading a newspaper in the bathroom. She saw a company named Breeka, which sold many skincare products from sunscreens to baby powders.“How is such a company making nearly a hundred billion in revenue?” she wondered. “Something is suspicious.”She put the newspaper aside, then grabbed her mobile and researched about the company and found out some disturbing truth.“So, they mix ingredients like Benzene in their skincare products, which cause blood cancer, and one of the affiliated companies treats leukemia and earns billions every year. That’s not strange at all. These people are money-hungry vampires. Why can’t the people see through this? Then again, I know the answer. They are too busy with their own lives. They don’t have time to look around, and they’re paying the price for it by paying for products that are harmful to them. It’s not just the skincare products, but most companies that have ties to the pharma industry have been doing this for a very long time.“We’ll hav
Later that night.Jane ended up sleeping in Rebecca's room, on her bed, and Rebecca was not at all used to someone sleeping in her room. On top of that, Jane had the habit of putting one leg or hand on top of another person. All this didn’t let Rebecca get any sleep.At around twelve in the night, Rebecca came out to the balcony. It was pretty cold, with the wind blowing roughly. “Mm?” She noticed someone in the garden. It was a Red-haired woman whose hair was whipping about in the air. She looked like a standing lioness of sorts. Even though Rebecca couldn’t see the face, she could tell it was Rye. “What is she doing alone at this hour?”Rye, who was talking with a man in a black cloak, also noticed Rebecca’s presence. “You should leave.”In the blink of an eye, the man turned into a blur and disappeared. In that darkness of the night, Rebecca couldn’t even see that man.Rye then turned around and looked straight toward Rebecca and waved her hand, showing a big smile.Rebecca waved h
There was absolute silence for the next three to five seconds. It was as if a silence bomb had been dropped on Rebecca’s head, and she just didn’t know how to react. She wasn’t even sure if she heard it correctly.Did he just say I Love You to her?Does that make any sense?What was he even thinking?Was he drunk?Or was he trying to date another girl right now?All these thoughts rushed in her mind, making her feel crazy.“I love you, too,” Just then, Rye’s voice reached Rebecca’s ears. Suddenly, Rebecca’s expression changed after seeing Rye in the garden.So, Benjamin said ‘I love you’ to Rye and not her? She felt like slapping herself on the back of the head for thinking Benjamin was proposing to her. She felt so stupid right now.At that same time, Rye was looking at Benjamin, and he was also looking back at her, exchanging mental messages.“I covered your ass just now,” Rye said, “and said I love you, too, even though I knew you didn’t direct that I love you toward me. You owe me
Shawn brought Benyamin into the villa.With hands in his pockets, Benyamin looked confident and comfortable, as if he didn’t fear anything.“Why did you hit Riley?” Jacob asked him. “For a man to kick a woman in the gut… something vulgar like that…. I never dared to even put such a scene in my movies. What are you thinking when you kicked her? What are you trying to prove?”Benyamin coldly looked at Riley, and she ran and stood behind her mother.“Look at him trying to threaten Riley in front of all of us,” Fiona blurted. “What more proof do you want? Kick this bastard out of this building!”“Why did you hit her?” Jacob asked Benyamin, but he didn’t respond.“Tell us the reason,” Rebecca stepped forward. “Why did you do it? If you haven’t done anything wrong, why are you hesitating?”“I’m not hesitating,” Benyamin replied. “That woman attacked me, and I defended myself. That’s all there is to it. If I really wanted to hurt her, I would have easily punched her nose and broke it.”Selen
Fiona caused a lot of noise and attracted the attention of everyone in the villa.She told them how Benyamin kicked Riley without any conscience, and it enraged Riley’s brothers, uncles, aunts, and dad.Selena was also quite upset by it. “I knew he’s trash, but he stooped to another lower level now.”“He wouldn’t have hit Riley without a reason,” Rebecca backed Benyamin. “First, ask her what she did.”“Are you doubting my daughter?” Fiona glared at her. “You think your husband is a saint or what?”“Whoa, hold it,” Selena intervened. “You don’t talk to my daughter in that tone.”“Why? She’s a princess who rules this country?” Fiona snorted.“One of her hair strands is much more important to me than you and your whole family put together,” Selena replied without hesitation, leaving Fiona and her family members stunned.Benjamin was on the first floor, watching the proceedings. (It’s her obsession over her eldest daughter that has made my life difficult in this villa. She’s obviously not
In the dorms.Maara was swinging the nun-chucks and was hitting two tennis balls against the wall.Benyamin was in the same room, lying on the bed, with his hands under his head. “When are you going to get married, Maara?”Maara didn’t say anything.“You should find someone suitable for you in this city,” Benyamin opined. “Then you won’t have to go back to Sciocidad. That place is pretty boring, isn’t it?”“No, it’s not boring to me,” Marra replied. “It’s where my friends and family are.”“Tsk, you’re boring,” Benyamin openly stated.Maara hit the tennis balls at an angle so that they flew straight toward Benyamin’s face.However, he caught them both with one hand.“Are you butthurt by what I said?” Benyamin smirked. “You are tall and dark. You won’t find a suitable mate in Sciocidad, so you should find your partner here among the commoners. I was telling you what's good for you, but instead of thanking me, you are getting angry at me.”Maara turned to face him. “I can’t feel it, but
George came to Rebecca who was sitting in front of a piano she hadn’t played in a long time.“Will you help me with learning the piano?” George asked her politely.“I myself am relearning it, so, no,” Rebecca replied, “uncle.”George laughed. “I’m your brother-in-law, not your uncle.”“Both are fitting,” she retorted, “in this case.”George found it embarrassing and frustrating that she wasn’t giving him any face even though he was just trying to be friendly, albeit with hidden intentions. “Do you know what happened to your sister’s husband?”“Akash left, it seems,” Rebecca said.“Yeah. But the shocking thing is that Veronica isn’t crying,” George opined. “Even enemies will shed tears as they’re parting, but… how come your sister isn’t shedding a tear? I didn’t know her heart was so cold.”“It is good that she’s not faking her crying like some others do,” Rebecca replied, startling George.“I-Is that what you think? Now that you put it that way, I don’t disagree.”Just then, Fiona arr
“Haha, did Veronica’s husband really go back to his country?” Fiona laughed excitedly as she privately talked with her daughter Riley in a guest room. “I didn’t think things would happen so smoothly. Now, we just need to introduce one of our rich allies to Veronica, and the rest will take care of itself. I should also deal with Rebecca’s husband, too.”“Mom, I need to tell you something,” Riley said.“Go on,” Fiona was eating sweet bread which Delle had made.“I…” Riley hesitantly said. “I think I’m in love with Benjamin.”Fiona choked on her bread.Riley quickly gave water.It was only after drinking the water, Fiona was able to breathe again. She took a few deep breaths and looked at her daughter in shock. “Are you fucking kidding me? You have a wedding soon, and you’re saying you fell in love with Rebecca’s husband? A pizza-delivery guy?”“No, mom. Rebecca’s husband is Benyamin, the guy with the wolf haircut, but the one I fell in love with is Benjamin,” Riley clarified, “the guy w
“It’s obvious that your sister has come here with a goal,” Selena was talking to Jacob in his room. “Fiona is a snake through and through. We can’t let her stay here for long, or she’ll cause our family to split up. If we give our daughters to the billionaires she refers to, then they will try to have control over our family. You do realize that, don’t you?”“So you want me to send my sister and her family away when they came to our house after so many years?” Jacob asked her back in an annoyed voice.“Yeah. You can’t hesitate with a snake, or it will bite you when you’re most vulnerable,” Selena added. “If you don’t send her away, she will stick in this house for a while and make a mess out of our family.”Jacob thought about it. “I can’t do it myself, but I know someone who can.”“Who?” Selena curiously asked.“Your eldest daughter,” Jacob smiled.“Rebecca?” Selena was surprised for a second. “I see. If Fiona confronts Rebecca about her marriage, then Rebecca wouldn’t just watch. If
“How are things with your family, brother?” Fiona asked.Selena raised an eyebrow. “You’re in a family that deals with real-estate, so you should already know how we’re doing.”“Haha, I do, but outside information can only be trusted so much,” Fiona responded. “Recently, we’ve worked hard on getting a marriage deal for Riley. Her fiance owns a reputed sports agency that deals with covering all the popular international sports. He earns hundreds of millions every year, but his father is a tycoon in the alcohol industry. Their net worth is in tens of billions.”“Good for you and your daughter,” Jacob smiled.“By the way, Brother,” Fiona glanced at Veronica and Akash. “What does Veronica’s husband do?”Jacob’s expression slightly changed.Veronica frowned and looked at her mother who was looking back at her with a rather poker face.“He is staying at home for now,” Veronica said openly.“Pfft, he’s jobless?” Riley snorted. “Your taste is so bad, Veronica, not just in terms of finding a pa
Benjamin went to the first floor and waited in the hall until Rebecca left her room.Then he went to her room. The door was locked, but he solidified his energy in the keyhole and opened the door.He entered the room quietly and saw the water bottle on the table next to her desk. It was half-full.Benjamin took out the vial and poured a drop of water into the bottle while saying ‘I love you, Rebecca.’He entered the bathroom and poured a couple of drops in the bathtub while once more uttering the three words ‘I love you, Rebecca.”He was about to come out of the room, but then he stopped and then ended up leaking another drop of water on the pillow, and another on the blanket. “I love you, Rebecca.”“Hopefully, this will help,” he thought.Benjamin then hurriedly left the room and then went to the rooftop. He mixed a few more drops in each of the four water tanks, while saying the words out, “I love you, Rebecca.”He looked at the vial.Three fourths of it was finished.He put the via
Despite Uzza, Rye, and Benjamin living in separate rooms, there were many guest rooms still available in the mighty Sterling villa, the best property on Rachel Hill.So, the families of Jacob’s siblings stayed in those rooms without any issue.But the problem was with the cousins, who were trying to show off. They acted arrogant and haughty with Veronica and even mocked Rebecca for the little hair she had on her head, not even bothering to wonder why exactly her hair was like that.Rebecca didn’t even bother talking to them, or sparing a word with them because she knew how selfish and self-centered these people were.Jacob and Shawn might have forgiven these people, but Rebecca couldn’t just act like nothing ever happened.She didn’t treat them badly, either. She just ignored them and minded her business.However, her cousin sisters got their eyes on Benyamin who was quite good-looking. Her cousin brothers were also unable to avert their eyes from Rye.Rye looked more like an exotic f