POV ZaraI sat at the restaurant table, my fingers tracing the rim of the glass, waiting for Kayden. Time ticked by slowly, and with each passing minute, the hope that he would walk through the door dwindled. I knew it was foolish to wait, especially since he was with Monica, but I couldn’t help myself. I kept telling myself that he might still come, but deep down, I knew he wouldn’t.Feeling a gnawing emptiness in my stomach, I finally gave in and ordered some food. If nothing else, I could at least fill my stomach. The waiter brought my meal, and I started eating, trying to push away the disappointment that was steadily building inside me.As I was halfway through my meal, I felt someone approach. I looked up, expecting to see Kayden, ready with an apology or an excuse, but it wasn’t him. It was Kai, his younger brother.“Kai?” I blinked, surprised.He slid into the seat across from me with a casual grace, his smile easy and knowing. “What happened? Did you get stood up?”I flushed,
By the time I got home, it was already ten. The house was quiet, and when I reached our room, it was pitch-black. But then I heard a voice from the sofa inside.“So you do know how to come back.”The suddenness of it scared me, and I turned to see Kayden slowly getting up from the sofa. I patted my chest, trying to calm my racing heart. “Are you trying to scare me to death?”He looked at the time, his expression stern. “What time is it? Why are you only back now?”“I stayed out a little later with my friend. Oh, how come you’re home?”With Monica so close to us now, I would have thought he’d run over to accompany her. Why was he here?“This is my house. Of course, I can be home when I want to,” he replied, his tone clipped.“Oh. You can continue watching the TV then. I’m going in to change,” I said, trying to sound indifferent as I walked into the bedroom, not looking back at him.But as I changed into my pajamas and lay on the bed, reading my script, I couldn’t help but notice how mu
But I couldn’t help it. My heart was racing, and my mind was spinning. I could feel something hard pressing against my leg, and it took me a moment to realize what it was.Oh no. No, no, no.“Y-y-you… Now… Now what do we do…” I stammered, completely at a loss.Kayden looked at me, his expression dark. “How am I supposed to know?!” he snapped, clearly frustrated.I was on the verge of tears. “You don’t know, and neither do I. It’s your thing, not mine.”He sighed, looking down at me, his face softening just a bit. “It may be my thing, but it’s not listening to me now. Perhaps it’ll listen to you. Say, what do we do?”I swallowed hard, feeling completely out of my depth. “But, but…”“Help me touch it. Take it that you’re comforting it, okay?” he said, his voice husky.“But…”“What else can I do?!” he growled, grabbing my hand and pressing it against him.My hand touched the towel, and I could feel the heat radiating from his body. I could also feel his size. I’m sure my face turned scar
POV KaydenAs I stood there, watching Zara walk away, Monica’s voice grated on my nerves. She clung to my arm, whining as if nothing had changed between us. “Kay, why didn’t you come over yesterday? I’m only a few steps away so you can come over regularly.”I glanced at Zara, who had turned her back on us, her shoulders stiff with what I knew was irritation. I gently pushed Monica’s hand away, but she refused to let go, her grip tightening as if she could physically hold on to what we used to have. She saw Zara look away, and I could practically see the smugness in her eyes.“Zara…” I called after her, but she didn’t stop. She just kept walking, her back straight, determined to distance herself from this mess.Monica pulled at me again, trying to redirect my attention. “It’s okay, Kay. Just leave her be. There are plenty of cars anyway.”I stopped and looked at Monica, the frustration bubbling up inside me. This couldn’t continue. Her constant presence, her refusal to accept the reali
POV ZaraI was on the phone with Yvette, telling her about the trip to Hawaii Island. “Kayden said it’s a Thanksgiving gathering. We’re going to Hawaii Island.”Yvette’s voice came through the phone, tinged with a mix of awe and envy. “Just look at other people’s events. A whole family holding an event at Hawaii Island.”I couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s my first time too. I’ve never been to Hawaii.”“Okay, go have fun. Take it as a break since you’ve been working hard recently,” she said, her tone warm and supportive.After the call, I decided to look up Hawaii Island online. The pictures were stunning—crystal-clear waters, white sandy beaches, lush greenery. I couldn’t believe I was actually going to such a beautiful place. Excitement bubbled up inside me, and I hurried to the bedroom to start packing.In the room, I began pulling out swimsuits and clothes, laying them all over the bed. Each piece seemed important; I wanted to make sure I had the perfect outfit for every occasion.As
The afternoon was beautiful. The sun was shining brightly, and the sea was a stunning shade of blue. As I stood on the beach, I noticed that it was empty, save for a few tourists playing in the distance. The Marshall family had sectioned off a part of the beach to ensure privacy, making it feel like our own private paradise.Mother found Kayden alone and pulled him aside. “How are you and Zara getting along now?” she asked, her tone full of concern.“We’re doing well,” he replied, sounding more relaxed than I expected.“Then why aren’t you taking the chance to have a kid?” she pressed, her voice filled with the typical motherly worry.Kayden sighed, “Mom, you can’t simply have a baby whenever you want. We will slowly work hard toward it.”She narrowed her eyes at him, clearly not convinced. “Why not? Are you two really working hard at it? You’re not bluffing me, right?”He looked ahead, his expression unreadable. “Of course, we’re trying. If you don’t believe what I’m telling you, the
POV KaydenAfter a while, I grew tired of swimming and decided to head back to the shore. The cold water had done its job, calming the fire that had been raging inside me. As I emerged from the water, my body still dripping wet, I could feel the sun’s warmth starting to dry me off. I wiped my face, the saltwater stinging slightly as I glanced at Zara.She was standing there, covering her mouth and looking far too excited. Her eyes were practically glowing with admiration as they scanned my body. It was as if she were trying to see through me, her gaze lingering on every inch of me like some kind of lens.Oh no…I could feel it happening again. The very thing I’d just tried to cool down was starting to rise back up, betraying me. This damned woman…She noticed my expression and asked innocently, “What’s wrong?”I sighed, trying to suppress the irritation that was quickly building up inside me. “Who said you could look at me?” I shot back, my voice tinged with frustration.Zara blinked,
As we walked, she moved toward the water again. I quickly pulled her back, “You don’t know how to swim, so don’t go in yet. We can go back to the pool at the resort so that you can learn how to swim first and then come back here to swim.”She looked impatient, but I wasn’t about to let her get hurt. I held onto her until she finally relented.That night, we rested in the villa. Zara was exhausted, falling asleep early. I watched her for a while, feeling a strange sense of peace. When I woke up the next morning, I had some work to take care of, so I left quietly, not wanting to disturb her.Later, as I was wrapping things up, I saw her walking outside with my mother. They were talking and laughing, and I couldn’t help but feel a warmth in my chest. My mother looked so relaxed, so happy, and I knew it was because of Zara.As they walked, I overheard bits of their conversation. My mother was telling Zara how proud she was of me for organizing the family gathering. I almost smiled at that