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FlashbackOver three years ago,"What do you think of a parlour that caters to every woman's beauty needs?" Cecil asked as she fell onto the couch beside me and placed her legs on my lap.“You will need to elaborate,” I replied.“We are looking at a parlour that sells cosmetics and other body essentials, gives spa and massage services, and carries out makeovers and glow-ups for our clients." She elaborated, "I did my research, and all three are always separate. I plan to make them all accessible at one stop for women looking for everything in one venue. This puts an end to too much stress. We will have the latest products in beauty and body care and provide body therapy sessions. As we advance, we would incorporate door delivery, and customers wouldn’t have to stress themselves out by leaving the comfort of their houses.” She finished, and she looked like she had thought everything through.“That sounds like a great idea,” I said after thinking it over. I was genuinely impressed. “I
Decision on what to wear tonight. Things like this were my kryptonite; it was easy to dress up for work and dates, but anything that differed from these two always had me wanting to pull my hair out. It could be that I didn't want to dress too formally, but I didn't want to stand out while there.Though I had known about it a month prior, I didn't prepare for it.“Do you think she would be there?” Vivian asked over the phone as I pulled out the clothes I finally decided to wear. A grey long sleeve, black suit and plain trousers. Unlike last year, there was no colour code.I buttoned up my white shirt and adjusted its collar. “I do not know, and I do not care at this point,” I answered.It was Robb and Ivory’s thirty-first anniversary, and it was the first formal outing I was going on without Cecil by my side. We didn’t break up, but I came close to doing that. I knew Cecil, and I knew she would hurt herself if I ended things with her, especially now. We were just apart. Perhaps I'll
Imela wore a violet dress that stopped above her knee and had its front parted. She had moderate makeup on her face, and her lips had nude lipstick, which matched her earrings. Her hair was in a neat bun with a lock hanging over her face to give her an edgy look. Her boyfriend had a black suit on a white crew-neck shirt, and they both looked simple yet elegant for the event.Unlike at the company’s anniversary, they didn’t seem to know anyone here, so the couple stayed with each other. She was still smiling at whatever Fermín kept whispering into her ear, and the cuteness made my heart ache. I groaned. Why did she have to bring him? Why was she here?The last time I checked, this was a party for family and friends, so why was she here?They said misery loves company.Well, I was miserable, and I wanted everyone else to be a little miserable with me. Is that too much to ask?"Do you want to go and say hello?" Seth once again pulled me out of my thoughts.I snapped out and turned my at
Third POVAfter Imela placed a bid on the finished artwork of Seth, she and Fermin said their farewells to the celebrating Planes and took their leave from the party.Their drive home was twenty minutes, but they did it silently, and neither wanted to break it. Usually, Fermín kept Imela engaged in one conversation or the other, but there was no such thing this time. For whatever reason, he didn't want to break his silence. The awkward silence began after Imela returned from the restroom. All the way home, they maintained it, and Imela stared out the window to keep herself distracted from it all. Her hand trailed her face a few times, reminiscing about Oliver’s touch on her skin, which now made it feel different to her touch. She had no affection for Oliver, so why did she feel this way?Caesar opened the car's door as it stopped in front of the house. She stepped out and walked into the house, and Fermín followed behind.“Mamá!” Ocean called, running downstairs and towards her with
Cecil walked into Stop's boardroom and discovered six of the seven board members already seated and waiting. She didn’t call for a meeting or know what this was for, and the confusion showed on her face. Her bright smile immediately faded, and she paused at the door with a startled look. “What is going on? And why are you all seated here?” “We all received emails last night requesting our presence at the company this morning by nine.” Maggie Reid, the blonde-haired lady in glasses seated on the left side of the room, answered. She was Cecil’s cousin and a major stockholder at Stop as well. Cecil received the performance statement last night from the finance department, and it was their lowest recording in two years. She had hoped to call for an official meeting with the board members, discuss the state of the parlour, and possibly declare bankruptcy. All of this she wanted at her own pace, but their gathering had snatched that opportunity from her. “I hope I am not too late,” Olive
Oliver’s POVThe anger and the helplessness of knowing her back was against the wall showed themselves on Cecil’s face. This was business and not a personal affair. Ela was a very business-minded person and kept everything professional. It was a show of respect to everyone seated, but Cecil didn't care about how she looked.She turned to me a few times, but I could do nothing. If I were to rise, Lewys would have attacked me, and I also didn’t want to get up. Ela was offering to buy Stop, and in so doing, I wouldn’t lose my investment. This was a win for everyone, including Cecil, but she didn’t see that.Getting fired on the spot made things worse.The security team marched in and came to lead her out, and Ela followed them. I followed, “You think this is the end?” she demanded as soon as they were out. “You think you are just going to come here and take everything away from me?”Imela gave her a pitiful look. “I think the answer to that is yes, I can.” She took a step forward. “And
My ride arrived after a few minutes, and I bid farewell to Vivian and told him to wish me luck. Knowing Cecil, she wouldn’t take the news well. A breakup would be the last thing she would accept, especially after everything she had been through, but this was for the best. It is better to break up now than when we are married. As long as Imela was here, I would never belong entirely to another, not really. Admitting it to myself was the first step out of confusion. Cecil deserved a better man—a man who would take her and all the love she had to give seriously. The car came to a stop, and I got down and paid. I walked into the house, and there was an opera theme playing. That was the first. I made my way further in, dragging myself as usual to the door and opened it. I stepped in and found Cecil seated on the bed, sobbing, and Chloe Reid, her mother, seated beside her, patting her back and consoling her. My stomach turned, but not in a good way. I didn't get along with the Reids as
Third POV Nina stood at the door, watching the make-up artist put the finishing touch on Cecil's face. She looked so beautiful on her special day that it brought back a few memories. Cecil had chosen a lace ball wedding dress that would trail behind her when she walked. There was a silver crown on her head that pinned the veil and her braided hair behind her and kept them both in place. Nina didn't understand the crown when she first saw it, but now she does. Cecil's father, Hunter Reid, was downstairs, and her mother, Chloe Reid, was in the room for moral support. The bride's maid and trail occupied the next room, and there were about five of them, all wearing matching royal blue dresses. Everything was in place, and in all but an hour, they would be at the chapel where the wedding would take place. Nina always had reservations about Cecil; she didn't trust someone who would date her friend's husband immediately after his divorce. It showed she was never a friend to Imela, and that