“I cannot believe you are confronting me because of that secretary of yours!” Adelaide spat viciously, her voice rising with each word, “Is that it, Ivan?!” He had gone to meet her at her home yet the second time again, even if he detested it so much, and she was just right on time, ready to leave her house for a ball party that she had been invited to that evening. However, him asking her what she had gone to do in his office, and what right she had to treat his secretary so lowly, made her lose it immediately and started to speak angrily. He remained silent even with her explosive attitude, his stern gaze unwavering as he demanded answers, and knowing her, he knew that she would exude the exact behavior he had predicted - volatile and unremorseful. “That girl must have bewitched you! She has taken over your head and that is why you cannot even be in a normal relationship, even with your good looks!” Adelaide bemoaned bitterly as her eyes sharpened into a narrow critical gaze
“Wait. Was she the one you were with at the launch party?!” Adelaide Hamilton rushed more words at Ivan the more those speculations continued to occur to her, who stood in shock to hear what his mother was saying, as his stomach clenched in deep fury. “You slept with a lowlife human like her?!” Adelaide wanted to believe that she had just thought of the most absurd thing ever. “Do not ever talk about Skylar like that anymore!” Ivan interjected as he moved closer to his mother like a phantom, “She does not deserve to be sullied with words from you! Don't!” his voice trembled with indignation and echoed sharply, his eyes blazing with threat. “See how you are talking to your mother because of a mere servant!” Adelaide's heart trembled in trepidation at the way his voice commanded threat, but she refused to show it. She knew she shouldn't mess with him. “A servant?!” Ivan muttered in disbelief, his heart writhing to see his mother use words so carelessly in the most demeaning way,
Skylar swallowed when Ivan's eyes stared at her with an oblivion of how he was making her feel, her lips slightly quivered as she tried to reply to him, “I am very fine, sir,” she managed to whisper, his voice smaller than it had ever been. Ivan continued to hold her gaze, his thumbs gently brushing her cheeks, “Why didn't you tell me?” his voice was laced with guilt. She could swear that the expression that she saw lingering at the corner of his eyes seemed almost sad when he asked her why she didn't tell him, which made her wonder what he was talking about, and what it was that she had not told him. However, that was not even the most important thing at the moment, because there was another concern talking over her head right on that spot. Her chest was stifled with an emotion she couldn't quite name, and the way he stared at her apologetically, with a gleaming effect that caused crawling effects on her skin, made her feel vulnerable in a way she hadn't expected, “Tell you what?
The drive to wherever they were going seemed so long, with Skylar almost suffocating as she sat beside him in his sleek, brand-new sports car that he never rode with anyone but himself. She felt so uncomfortable sitting by his side while he drove both of them through the bustling city, when she was supposed to be the one driving the car as his secretary. For all the right reasons, she didn't understand what was going on or where they were going, her heart waiting in anxiety about where it would be. Ivan pulled into the expansive parking lot of a big, illustrious building, his car gliding into a spot near the entrance as he unstrapped his seat belt and stepped out so elegantly. She did the same, her eyes looking around to see where they had come to, searching for clues as they both took the underground elevator. That was when she saw the embellished golden letters that were scribbled on the walls of the elevator; AVARSON World Of Spas‘Why did they come here?’ she wondered as the el
Skylar sat in front of the mirror in her room after she took her bath and dressed up that night, as she gazed at her reflection so conceitedly, still amazed by the touch they had given her face at the spa to make it glow so impressively. The spa treatments worked wonders, which made her skin smooth and radiant, and her hair was styled to perfection in a way she had never done her hair, which made her feel like a different person. As she ran her fingers through her hair and admired it once again, her thoughts drifted back to hours ago, when Ivan suddenly entered the office and cupped his hands around her face so tenderly asking her if she was fine. Thinking of that at the moment, Skylar didn't realize that her cheeks had begun to turn crimson, as the memory of his touch and the way he had gazed at her, sent a shiver down her spine immediately.She felt her heart and stomach fluttering the more she replayed the scenario in her head over and over again, as her lips stretched into an e
“Dear me, your nails are so peng, girl!’ Kali's eyes lighted up in admiration as soon as she caught the sight of the gleaming luxury before her the moment Skylar was about to pass her credit card. “Thanks, Kali. I feel so good hearing that from you,” Skylar took one more glance at her wonderful nails once more, her heart swelling in exhilaration. “And how did I not notice? You look fire!” She complimented even more as her eyes studied Skylar, her lips curving into a tender smile that seemed more charismatic now, seeing her look so different from her usual self, “Girl. What is your secret?” “Oh goodness! You got me blushing so hard already,” Skylar's lips stretched into a very broad grin as she buried her face in her palms to hide her flush. “I am serious. You are glowing!” Kali went ahead to make her coffee, while Skylar stood patiently before the counter to get it, “Are you seeing someone these days?” her lips twisted into a mischievous smirk. “What?” Skylar's cheeks burned
“Have you seen the news this morning?!” Amelia almost blew Skylar's ear off the phone the next morning, just after she saw numerous news feeds with headlines about Ivan's new girlfriend. “Yes, I did,” Skylar's voice was calm and composed, as she got ready to take her bath. Her heart had been aching since she saw the headlines, and the tabloids that had splashed his picture across the front pages, arm in arm with a glamorous model, claiming she was his new girlfriend. It felt like a punch to the gut. “He had a girlfriend all along?!” Amelia yelled again, that Skylar had to keep the phone away from her ear instantly so that she would not go deaf. She just placed her phone on her bed and activated it on the loudspeaker as she began to step out of her clothes. “I have no idea,” she tied her hair into a bun, and walked to where she kept the new body wash she had just purchased. “Why are you not doing anything? Why are you so fine with it?! He took advantage of you even if he had a
“What?” Amelia's voice went off the grid as she murmured breathlessly, “You like your boss?” She gawked incredulously, her mind failing to comprehend what she had heard her friend say. “Yes, I think so,” Skylar hesitated her words, “I cannot keep him out of my mind these days, and I know it is more than just being concerned about the affairs of a boss,” She let out a weary sigh, her head hanging languidly on the edge of the chairs. “You are kidding, right?" A flippant smile curved Amelia's lips as if to compel Skylar to give up on her silly joke, “You are just playing around, right?” she teased. “I wish I was, Amy. I cannot even get out of my head these days, and I keep feeling intense emotions of wanting that I shouldn't feel for someone like him. It might be more intense than you think,” she pinched her lips with her teeth, her eyes brimming with unspoken frustration. “Wait, are you serious?” Amelia gawked in disbelief, as she stared at Skylar as if waiting for an explanat
“The surgery had just ended and was successful,” the surgeon, who had just come out of the theatre room still dressed in her blue scrub, and had a nose mask hanging below her chin, told Skylar with a reassuring smile that didn't brighten her face.Instantly, the world around her paused for a millisecond as the tension that had been hanging in her body crumbled instantly, and dissipated into the air. Her legs gave way below her body, and before she knew it, she had fallen on her knees, as she felt the hard, cold floor press against her palms that rested against the floor, the weight of the news sinking into her mind. Her right hand which was trembling covered her mouth, as a stifling gasp that felt like it had been locked in her chest for hours escaped her, alongside the tears that trickled down her cheeks. ‘She was alive. Her mother was alive,’ she heaved a sigh of relief, unable to handle the excitement. “Thank you, doctor. Thank you so much,” were the few words her voice could u
“I am sorry, we cannot be together,” those heavy words hung heavily between the two standing across from one another, and the receiver, Leo, blinked hard as he stared at Kali, who had broken the news to him.“What.. What is wrong, Kali?” His lips barely found the right words to utter because his brain was barely functioning coherently. That was the last news he expected her to bring to him, just when he was planning that they would go hiking together since she liked doing that. ‘Things had been going fine between them for the past few days. What went wrong?’ His eyes took a haunted look as if awaiting an explanation from her. “Nothing is,” she looked away from him while resting her back on the railings of the rooftop recreation spot they were standing, because she said she wanted to go there when he asked what she wanted to do. “Kali, meet my eyes,” Leo stared at her, his heart wanting to reach out to her in the most intentional way, as his right hand stretched and caught hers in
Skylar made her way into the five-star restaurant, her eyes glancing briefly through the few people that were seated in the room, until they landed on Grayson, who was seated by the window, his face brightening with a warm, sweet smile the moment he raised his head. She instantly flashed a warm smile at him from where she was standing, and he rose to his feet, as a gesture to welcome her which almost melted away her initial nervousness instantly. It made Skylar's eyes almost roll in shock because she never thought she could see him smile considering their first and second encounter. “Hi, Sky,” he greeted her with a sweet smile, and politely offered her a seat across from him, “You look absolutely gorgeous,” his eyes lingered as he took in her dress, and her smile.“Hi, Gray,” she responded with a nervous smile, “You don't look bad yourself,” she finally settled into her seat. “How have you been these days?” He initiated the conversation, his eyes peering at her. “Been great,” Skyl
The evening breeze brushed gently over the terrace of Ivan's home, and the beautiful scents of marigolds and lavender from the garden which was situated not far from where the two friends sat, permeated the cool evening breeze with a nice fragrance that was soothing. Sitting across from Ivan, was Leo, who was dressed in a finely pressed summer shirt and slacks, as he slouched comfortably against the chair he was sitting on, with a light grin sitting on his lips. Gently, he swirled the glass of whiskey that was nestled between his fingers, as he stared at Ivan, who had been gazing hard at him for the past few seconds, as if thinking of what to say first. And then, he finally spoke. “So, you are telling me it has taken you two days since you landed to get a drink with me all because of a lady?” Ivan cocked a brow at him. “You know I have not seen or spoken to her since that …….” “Says the man who shows up on my doorstep after disappearing for half a year, and felt like he had to
It was late at night already, but the skies were still as bright as evening, which gave a physical misrepresentation of what time truly was, and had tricked Amelia into believing that the night was still young. She had quickly dressed up for work and sat in front of the dresser for a quick makeup touch, as she used the curling iron to press her hair while trying to gloss a shining red lipstick across her lips at the same time. However, while in haste to leave for her shift that night, her eyes caught sight of Skylar's restlessness through the mirror, whose body was sprawled lazily on the bed, with one hand tucked under her head, the other holding her phone close as she stared at the screen with an unreadable expression. “You never told me what happened last night,” Amelia began, trying to sound casual as she fluffed her hair over one shoulder, “You came home so gloomy and sad,” she glanced at the mirror again, while observing her closely.Meanwhile, Skylar was so engrossed in wha
Ivan stepped into his office after the meeting had ended, and was so surprised to see Skylar sitting at her desk, as calm and composed as ever. It was as if she had not refused to pick up his call all day, or failed to inform him as usual that she would not be around in the morning. She had him so worried. Regardless, a sense of relief washed over him in the most exhilarating manner, before he walked across to the front of her table, a little worried that she seemed bothered by his palpable presence, “Where were you, Sky? Your phone has been off since yesterday,” he gazed at her so intently when he questioned, as if beckoning her to look up at him. Without meeting his eyes, Skylar continued to type fast on her computer as if she had a deadline to meet, and murmured a sincere apology, “I am so sorry for missing the meeting, Mr. Hamilton. It won’t happen again,” she spoke calmly and eloquently. Ivan was taken aback by her very professional tone, as if to shut him out and install
With a weary and bothered heart, Ivan made his way to the office the next day, bothered that Skylar's phone had been off since the previous night. He was a little later to work than usual because a minor collision occurred with his car that morning on his way to work from a rough driver, and it distorted his plans to come early by a few minutes because he had the car towed and another brought to him.Quickly, he stalked out of his elevator as soon as it chimed open on the last floor with large strides in the most elegant way, and instantly made his way to the front of his office, as he opened the door to the office instantly, hoping to see her. However, disappointment clouded his face as soon his eyes fell on the empty desk where Skylar was supposed to be sitting behind. The chair was pushed in, and her papers were still untouched from the previous day. ‘Where was she?’ He wondered, his eyes raising in concern as he hesitated for a few seconds before entering inside, and made his w
The morning sun which Skylar had always loved suddenly felt unkind as it cast its harsh light on her weary face as she trudged into the main doors of the huge company, because it seemed as if it amplified the ache in her heart and the anger she felt from deep within. She made her way into the CEO's VIP elevator with its access card because she gracefully wanted to avoid bumping into any of the company workers, not minding the talks they might make again as to reasons why she got to ride the elevator when Ivan was not even with her. She could barely look at herself in the elevator mirror that she was surrounded by when she got in, and each glance she took at her reflection revealed her tired, hollow eyes and puffy cheeks, which she had spent half an hour trying to conceal. Despite the makeup, traces of last night’s turmoil clung to her like an embarrassment that she couldn’t wash away. It was obvious that she had cried so much. Skylar just wished that she was so open and cared less
Skylar stepped into her apartment with deep weariness engraved deep into her bones, as the weight of what she had just witnessed sat heavily on her chest, crushed her with each breath she took, and blurred her eyes with suffocating tears. The image of Ivan and Gwen kissing replayed in her head like a broken record over and over again, and it was as if a knife had been thrust into her gut. It was almost too hard to bear in mere sight, and the thoughts it brought to her mind severed her heart mercilessly. It suddenly felt as if all the moments that existed between her and Ivan meant nothing. Like she didn't even exist, enough for him to respect what happened between them. Like she didn't matter. Nothing hurt her more than the fact that the sight confirmed her fears and made her feel smaller than ever. It was even more terrifying because she didn't have the right to get angry at him. After all, they were just flings anyway. They didn't even have a name for what they were doing, so she