EPILOGUEThe wedding of Jason and Elizabeth was the talk of the country for years. Everyone could hardly imagine how their union had come to be but one thing was very sure. There were in love with each other and the people could see it.Jason Rodrigues had found the bone of his bone through a surrogacy deal; he was one happy man who had just entered a forever contract with the love of his entire existence.For Elizabeth, it all felt like a dream and one she did not want to awaken from, she had always loved him and she was going to continue loving him forever.It was like the priest had said“…till death do us part”THE END>>>SNEAK PEAK INTO THE WORLD OF MARA SINCLAIR AND LUCIEN RODRIGUES [EXTRA STORY FOR MY LOVELY READERS]“Being heavily pregnant looks absolutely good on you, Liz” Mara said laughing at the face Elizabeth was making whilst standing. It has been a year since the love marriage between her best friend Elizabeth and her husband, Jason Rodrigues and she was alrea
Mara Sinclair was not a woman to be trifled and she made sure that everyone she worked with knew that. The only person who was actually aware of how soft she was, was her friend and newly wed Elizabeth Rodrigues. Mara was bridesmaid at her wedding and she could swear that it was the best she had ever attended, her friend glowed and shimmered all through and her eyes teared up at the sight. You could feel love in the air, dancing around the couple; a kind of love that had overcome from plenty struggles and difficulties, waxing strong between them.“They look beautiful, don’t they?” Lucien has whispered in her ear; he was best man and the groom’s brother.“Yes, they do look beautiful.” She concurred, blinking her eyes so her tears did not come.“You also look very beautiful in that dress, the high slit is very err… provocative.” He said, his voice dropping to a whisper.“Keep your dick inside your trousers, gigolo.” She told him, rolling her eyes.Granted she and he had had sex about twi
Lucien smiled as Mara opened the door wider, allowing him in. He inhaled the flowery scent of her, allowing himself a moment to think about the last time they had seen; at his brother’s wedding where she had teased and called him a gigolo. He was over all that now but it did not stop the smile from lighting up his face. She had seemed surprised to see him and had taken in his appearance with one sweep of her perfectly beautiful eyes and he was grateful he had worn a really good- looking suit although he had no idea what the occasion was, she looked stunning as always even dressed in that office garb.“If you continue staring at me, I am going to pluck out your eyes.” Mara commented as she closed the door.“Charming as always.” Lucien laughed.He and Elizabeth hugged as she gave him hell about only visiting when he is invited.“I have a lot of work going on but I promise to visit more often.” He told her as his brother came around for a hug.“You look fatter, what has Elizabeth been fee
“I am only going on this date with you to prove to Elizabeth that I do not need a man in my life at the moment and she could stop trying to matchmake us.” Mara said as she and Lucien walked.She had accepted going out on a date with him because he figured there would be no harm in it and Elizabeth had specially promised to leave her alone if nothing special sparked up between them.“You are hurting my feelings.” Lucien said, placing a hand to his chest in chivalry.“Oh please, where are we headed?” She asked, eyeing his grinning lips.They were so kissable, she thought“I don’t know exactly but I heard of a grand opening for a restaurant and I thought we could be amongst their first set of customers.” Lucien said“Lead the way then, mister.”Lucien smiledShe looked so stunning and all he could think of was how much he wanted her very naked underneath him. When he had called her the goddess of beauty earlier, he had not been lying. He had stayed awake the previous night trying to catch
Mara was sure of her mistake when she was awoken the next morning by the incessant ringing of her phone, she groaned trying to untangle the sheets that had wrapped itself around the legs.“Fuck it” she cursed and reached for her phone.Elizabeth had called her thirteen times in the last hour and it could only be because of one thing… she had kissed Lucien!Mara had no idea what had come over her except the fact that it was not going to happen again. She dialed Elizabeth’s number, her heart in her throat.“You are awake, you slimy coward” Elizabeth screamed into the phone.“What is it?” Mara asked even though she knew exactly what it was.“I am coming over to your place right now and you have to give me all the juicy details on what prompted that kiss, the internet is blowing up, you moron.” Elizabeth squealed in delight while Mara groaned.“Don’t move around with the baby, I will come over as soon as I get out of bed.” She told her.“If you are not here in an hour, I will come over. I
Mara was hunched over her table when the door burst open and Lucien spilled in looking as delicious as he was angry. Her receptionist followed closely behind him, muttering apologies at the intrusion and not being able to stop it.“Excuse us, Arianna; thank you.” Mara said, her eyebrow arced at the man.She waited until the door was closed before she spoke, her face showing annoyance.“What do you want?” she asked.Lucien came around to stand beside her, glancing outside the window; to the street below.“I have been thinking about you.” He said, his voice dangerous low.I have been thinking about you too, Mara thought fleetingly as he turned around to face her.His beautiful eyes hooded and showing barely contained anger.What is he angry about? She asked herself.“I don’t see that as a solid reason for barging into my place of work and harassing my receptionist.” Mara said, eyeing him.“You have not been taking my calls, Mara Sinclair and I am not one to be so rudely ignored after wha
“You want it to be a marriage arrangement?” Mara squealed.She had agreed to sign a contract with Lucien to be his girlfriend not his wife and sitting across from him now, she could hardly believe her ears.“Just being my girlfriend will not be enough to satisfy the ravenous crowd seeking for news about us but the announcement of you as my fiancée will be enough to shut them up.” Lucien said, watching her face.She appeared shocked and it was fine because he knew not what he was doing asking her to enter a contract to be his wife.“You are treading a really thin line, Mr Rodrigues. I really do not see the big deal in just stating it out as it is. We are friends and the kiss was exactly what it was; just a kiss.”“You know what the media will do with that news? They will eat it up, spit it out as trash and then proceed to turn you into a gold digger. Your business will be in ruins and I will remain untouched because I can do no wrong to their eyes.”“I cannot pretend to be getting marri
Mara walked up the stairs and knocked, taking a deep breath. As preposterous as Lucien’s proposal was, she had agreed to it and she was knocking on his door so early in the morning to decide and sign the contract. They both needed each other and she just hoped it wasn’t going to be anything more than that. The creak from the door startled her from her thoughts.He looked irritated like he was still sleeping and she had woken him up“You are still in bed; it is nine o’ clock.” Mara said, glancing at the watch attached to her wrist.“I wasn’t expecting you so early, did you even sleep?”Mara brushed past him and into the house; he was bare chested and she did not want to continue looking at his toned abs, it was distracting.“You wonder why you are never taken seriously and you are still in bed by 9pm in the morning.” Mara huffed, taking a seat.“I worked really late and I really was not expecting you this early, don’t you have like work to do?” Lucien snapped; he was cranky.“This is wo
CAMILLAAfter the previous day encounter and the kiss… I wasn’t sure I wanted to be on the same team with Nathan.In all honesty, I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted.My lips still tingled from the memory of Nathan’s kiss, and yet, the feeling did NOT settle in the way I expected. It wasn’t the passionate rush of desire or the warmth of something more. No, it was an unsettled ache, a reminder that whatever this was between us was anything but simple.I stared at the ceiling, my mind spinning in a hundred different directions. My thoughts kept circling back to that kiss.Why had he gone and kissed me?The last thing I needed was to get caught up in Nathan’s mess, in whatever internal struggle he was going through. I could not afford to lose myself in him. Not again. He had kissed me, and now I had to decide whether to let it go or pull back before things went any further.I dragged myself out of bed, staring at the clock—7:00 AM. My meeting with Nathan was at 9:00, but I had a hundred t
NATHANI was stalling.Her apartment had grown quiet except for the rhythmic ticking of a clock on the wall, but I stayed seated at her table, watching her stack dishes in the sink. My car was fixed. My excuse to linger here was gone. Yet I couldn’t bring myself to leave.She moved with a confidence that was uniquely Camilla. She wasn’t trying to impress anyone…least of all me…but damn, she did. I traced the curve of her spine with my eyes as she walked back into the living room, her bare feet soft against the floorboards.I should have been thinking about Eleanor. About Trish. About Alicent. About the cold-blooded satisfaction I would feel when the truth about Eleanor’s death finally saw the light of day. But all I could think about was how Camilla and how I should be apologizing to her.“You’re awfully quiet,” she said, sitting across from me, tilting her head to study me.“I have been accused of worse.”She rolled her eyes. “You are always like this. Mysterious and brooding. You wou
CAMILLA “Good morning.” I started at him, unsure of exactly what I was looking at. Then it hit me: the smell. Warm and savory, the scent of something cooking drifted through the air…eggs, maybe toast. It was so out of place… he was out of place here. I moved, the motion sending a fresh wave of pain through my skull and a queasiness to my stomach. I groaned again, slower this time, trying to steady myself. “Morning,” I mumbled hoarsely, my voice barely more than a croak. He was standing by the stove, his back to me, a pan in one hand and a spatula in the other. His shirt was untucked, the fabric clinging to his broad shoulders in a way that made him seem even larger than usual. In my tiny kitchen, he looked impossibly big, like he didn’t belong there, yet somehow…he fit. “What are you doing?” I asked, my voice weak but laced with confusion. Nathan glanced over his shoulder, his profile catching the morning light. His hair was a little messy, like he hadn’t bothered t
CAMILLAIt was useless feeling sorry for myself, I thought.The lighting in the club was low as I stepped in with my friend, Bella.“Not bad” I murmured.“Told you” She responded triumphantly. “This is what you need to get over him. Nathan Clark is an asshole and should dump him in the dust where he belongs”I wanted to correct her that he wasn’t an asshole, he was merely disturbed but I did not.I was not here to sympathize with him or even think about him. I was here to have fun and that is what I am going to do.I was putting on a red dress and it complimented my eyes way more than I thought it would.“Come on, we should get a drink” Bella pulled me to the bar.The bartender winked at both of us and then asked what we would likeIt was at the tip of my tongue to say nothing but I was at a club, wasn’t I?“Sex on the beach” I announced.Bella turned to me, surprise in her eyes. I was pretty sure she thought she would have to force me to drink.“I would have the same” She told the ma
NATHANThere was nothing to say as I dropped Camilla off at her home.I waited until I was sure she had gotten in before I headed in the direction of my mother in law’s house.I pushed in Christian’s number, my teeth gritting as it rang.I was furious.I did not want to admit I was more furious at myself than anything.“How did your date go?” Christian’s asked as soon as the phone line clicked.“Send me the name of the witness” I grunted.“What is wrong?”“Send the name, dammit”“You need to calm down, Nathan. Where are you going?”“To settle this once and for all” I told him. “Now send the damned number to me”I hung up before he had the chance to say anything or convince me to back away because I would not.I drove way above the speed limit, stopping only when I had gotten to the mansion’s gate.It brought back memories of family dinners where I had to defend Eleanor over and over again. Where snide remarks about the reason I was with her reached my ears and she said nothing about
CAMILLA“I did not think I was ever going to see you again, Camilla” Sarah smiled as soon as I entered the restaurant.She wagged a finger in Nathan’s direction, shaking her head at him.“With the kind of food you sell? I will be coming in here for a very long time” I smiled back.Nathan and I took our seats and waited.She had a queue as usual and I could not help the smile as I glanced around.“You would have watched your father kill me” Nathan commented.“I admit that would have made me feel better for a bit” I told him.He appeared shocked but I could tell from the way his eyes twinkled with delight that he thought it hilarious.I had not expected he would go over to my parent’s house especially seeing as I wasn’t there in the first place.My father however had called me when he arrived with a gun to his head and asked if I wanted to see him. I had hesitated just for the fun of it“I deserved that”“Yes you did” I agreed.“Thank you for coming here with me”I nodded once.Sarah dr
NATHANI was pacing like a fucking clown.I was expecting Camilla at the office today to discuss the project that we were involved in together and I could not help the restlessness coursing through my body.I wasn’t one to be this nervous about anything.“Deep breaths” I told myself, trying to go along with my instructions but to no avail.So much so that when my receptionist announced her presence, I had worked myself into a frenzy.My breath caught in my throat as she walked in, her eyes taking the room before settling on me with stark clarity.What had I been thinking? I thought.Starved of attention?Who was the blithering idiot now?“You look well” She commented, taking the seat in front of me.“You look beautiful” I murmured.She paused, her eyes meeting mine.Sparks flew, that was for sure.“How do you feel?” She asked instead.“Much better. Thank you for attending to me yesterday. For even accepting the phone call from me”“Of course, I am not a demon even though I do hate you
CAMILLAI stared at my ringing phone with Nathan displayed boldly as the callers ID.What the fuck did he want?I however put it to my ear, my heart jumping at the sound of his voice“Camilla, I know you can hear me” He rasped“What do you want?” I asked.“To talk” He answered.His voice appeared tortured… like there was something wrong with him and for a minute I was concerned before my head overrode my stupidity.“Concerning the project-” I began“Not concerning the-” He sighed, his voice trailing off.“I need you” He muttered softly that if I had not been paying attention, I would have missed that simple statement.“Mr Clark” I stopped when I heard his labored breathing.“Is something wrong with you?”“No, its nothing… I just need to speak with you”“Nathan, what is the matter? You sound distressed”He chuckled and then I heard him cough in the background“You are not concerned about me now, are you?”“This is not a joke, what is wrong with you?” I asked again, feeling panicky.He
CAMILLAMy father drove us straight to the house and I did not argue nor say anything when we arrived and my mother enveloped me in a hug.“Oh baby” She crooned.“I am okay” I reassured her“Come on in”I inhaled the familiar scent of home, my muscles relaxing.“I am going to bed” I announced.Their words fell over themselves as they agreed immediately to my request.My eyes closed as soon as I fell on the bed. I did not want to think of anything, I did not want to begin to analyze the anger in my heart directed at one person in particular.When I finally opened my eyes, it was noon.I made my way downstairs and was met with the searching eyes of both my parents.“Are you okay, baby?” My mother asked.I took a seat beside them.“I am not some fragile child you have to be worried about always, mother” I said.“You are my child and I have every reason to be worried about you” she countered.“I am going to be fine” I told her.My father said nothing but I turned to him anyways.“I have d