Who’s with who in a cabin surprise, A door left ajar led to tangled lies. Xavier’s charm, Bella’s plight, Tina storms in to ignite the night. With laughter from twins and chaos to show, Who knows the truth? Just go with the flow!
“Xavier!” Bella hissed, her voice shaking with frustration. “Why didn’t you lock the door?”Xavier looked up, his relaxed expression turning to confusion.“Why do you keep going on about it, Bella?”“You’re such an idiot sometimes!” she snapped, crossing her arms tightly over her chest.“We were—” She cut herself off, blushing harder. “We were having sex, and you left the door unlocked.”Xavier’s jaw clenched. Her sharp tone sliced through the room, and he felt his anger start to rise.“If I forgot to lock it,” he said coldly, “then why didn’t you lock it?”Bella’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Are you serious right now? You expect me to be thinking about locking the door when you’re the one who’s supposed to handle stuff like that?”Xavier stood up abruptly, temper flaring. “Oh, so now it’s all on me? You could’ve locked it just as easily. Why are you acting so helpless?”“Because of you, I had to face that humiliating situation!” Bella shot back, her voice growing louder.“You left th
Xavier glanced at his phone and saw Logan’s message flash across the screen."Where the hell are you, man?"With a heavy sigh, Xavier dialed Logan back. It didn’t even take two rings before Logan answered.“Finally! I’ve been trying to reach you for hours!” Logan’s voice was a mix of concern and exasperation.Xavier got up from his bed and flopped down onto the sofa, rubbing his temples. “Yeah, I know. I’ve been… occupied.” He let out a sigh, trying to shake off the stress.“Occupied? Dude, you’re supposed to be relaxing. I didn’t force you onto this cruise just so you could stress out over more stuff. You need a break.”Xavier let out a half-laugh, half-groan. “Well, it hasn’t exactly been the stress-free escape you promised. It’s a mess here.”Logan’s voice softened, shifting into his professional tone. “Okay, what happened? You sound like someone just told you the pool bar ran out of rum.”Xavier sat up, running his hand through his hair. “I invited this girl, Bella, to my room. We
Xavier stepped onto the deck of the cruise ship, his eyes scanning the surroundings. The cool night breeze brushed against his skin, but his mind was preoccupied.“Where is Leila?” he muttered under his breath.He looked around again, but she was nowhere in sight.“She said she’d meet me here,” he whispered, a frown creasing his forehead. “Or at least, that’s what the server told me.”He took a deep breath, his frustration rising, and turned back toward the interior of the ship. “Let’s ask the server again,” he said to himself, ready to retrace his steps when suddenly, a splash of cold, vibrant liquid drenched him.Xavier froze, his designer suit now soaked, the coldness seeping through his clothes. He looked down at the colorful water dripping off him in disbelief.“What the—?!” he shouted, spinning around, eyes wide with anger.Standing behind him, grinning mischievously, were Zane and Alana, the notorious twin siblings. They held oversized water guns, and the moment their eyes met
The morning sunlight spilled over the deck of the cruise ship, casting a warm golden hue on the calm ocean waves. Xavier leaned against the railing, exhaustion clear on his face. He hadn’t slept well; the night had been a restless one, haunted by the argument with Leila and the chaos caused by Zane and Alana. Every time he tried to close his eyes, those memories played on repeat, gnawing at him with a heavy guilt. Now, as dawn broke, he felt the weight of his thoughts pressing down, the peaceful ocean a stark contrast to the turmoil churning inside him.“Maybe I was too harsh with Leila,” he thought to himself, running a hand through his hair.Should he apologize? He knew he’d acted out of frustration, not considering Leila’s situation. With a deep breath, Xavier headed toward where he knew she’d be.Leila sat in a quiet corner of the deck, staring out at the horizon. The twins were nowhere to be seen, and Xavier noted the calm on her face, though her eyes seemed heavier than before. H
“You didn’t tell me, where’s their father?” Xavier asked again.He noticed a look in Leila’s eyes—something deeper than the words she was saying. It was as if the pain she carried wasn’t just from a stranger’s story. It felt personal and intimate, and it pulled at him in a way he couldn’t explain.“He’s living his life, unaware of his two children,” Leila replied, her answer vague.Xavier could tell she didn’t want to talk about the man, so he said, “He must be pretty irresponsible.”“I think so too,” Leila said, nodding.“You must love Zane and Alana a lot,” Xavier said.“I’ve raised them with love,” Leila continued, her voice soft but filled with emotion. “Everything I do, I do for them. They’re my whole life.”Xavier felt a strange admiration for her in that moment. Here was a woman who had taken on the responsibility of two lives, with no one to share that weight. He looked down, feeling an unfamiliar tightness in his chest.“I have a sister too,” Xavier said, breaking the silence
Xavier paced back and forth in his cabin, the weight of anxiety pressing down on him. Stuck on the cruise, with no way to reach Calla directly, an idea suddenly hit him.“I’ll call Dad. He’d know where she is,” Xavier thought, grabbing his phone. Despite their complicated relationship, his father, Thomas Donovan, had always been closer to Calla. Unlike him, Dad actually showed her love—though that affection never seemed to extend to Xavier. Their relationship was nothing but rocky, strained by years of bitterness and neglect.He dialed his father’s number, anxiety making his fingers move faster than his thoughts. The phone rang… and rang… and rang. No answer.“Come on, pick up,” Xavier muttered under his breath, frustration starting to build. He tried again, gripping his phone so hard his knuckles turned white.On the fifth attempt, Thomas finally picked up, his voice rough and annoyed. “What do you want, Xavier?” His words were slightly slurred—no surprise there.Xavier didn’t waste
“Calla, you’ll stay with Dad until I get back,” Xavier said as he stepped into the dining hall of the cruise ship.“But what’s going on?” Calla asked, her curiosity piqued.“I’ll explain when I’m back,” he replied, scanning the room.“Don’t leave me in suspense,” Calla tried, hoping to persuade him to spill the reason he was so insistent that she stay at her dad’s place.“Calla, I’ve told you—you’re not leaving Dad’s. I’m not asking you to stay long. I’ll be back in a day, and we’ll talk then.” Xavier’s tone grew serious. Before she could argue, he ended the call.He set the phone down on the table, the soft murmur of voices and the scent of fresh croissants and coffee filling the air. After talking to Calla, the tension and frustration that had been weighing him down eased. Knowing she was safe made him feel lighter.Now, he just wanted to savor these last few hours before the ship docked tomorrow. It was his final day of peace before diving back into the chaos of work. As he headed
Xavier Donovan stirred awake to the distant sound of the cruise ship’s horn, signaling they were approaching land.'Guess the vacation’s over,' he muttered to himself, staying in bed a moment longer.He glanced toward the small round window, where rays of sunlight streamed through. 'What time is it?' he wondered, reaching for his phone—10:30 a.m. 'Great, I overslept.'Running a hand through his messy hair, Xavier sighed. The cruise would be docking soon, and with it came the end of his brief escape. He sat up, taking in the sight of his half-packed luggage. The realization hit him hard: the lazy mornings, the laughter, and the blissful quiet of being away from constant meetings and phone calls were over. He’d be back to his hectic life as a billionaire businessman in no time.He dragged himself to the bathroom, splashed water on his face, and got ready to leave the ship. “Alright, I guess I’m ready,” he said, eyeing his reflection in the mirror before stepping out.Xavier stared at hi
The hum of the busy café enveloped Xavier and Logan, the cacophony of conversations blending with the clinking of cups and plates. It was the kind of place where people gathered to catch up, to share stories, or simply to escape the demands of their day-to-day lives. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee hung thick in the air, mingling with the faint scent of baked goods.Xavier sat stiffly in his chair, his hands wrapped around a steaming cup of black coffee. His posture was uncharacteristically tense, and his eyes remained fixed on the swirling liquid inside the ceramic mug.Around them, the café bustled with activity—baristas called out drink orders, groups of friends laughed loudly at a corner table, and couples leaned in close, lost in private conversations. But none of it seemed to register with Xavier. His thoughts were elsewhere, consumed by a woman who had unexpectedly—and irrevocably—woven herself into his life.Logan, seated across the table, observed the scene with his usual
Xavier had walked for several blocks, his mind consumed with thoughts of Zane and Alana’s troublesome behavior, the uncertainty of their future, and the overwhelming responsibility that weighed heavily on his shoulders.His visit to the school had been unfruitful, and the confrontation with Bella Abram earlier had only reinforced his belief that she wasn’t going to help him with his children.Still, the idea of her—her calming presence, the connection she had forged with his children, and the promise of her wisdom—lingered in his mind. He needed someone like her. He couldn’t manage it on his own, and if she would just agree to be there for Zane and Alana, perhaps they could finally find some peace.So, he decided to go to her apartment, to give it one last shot.Xavier stood in front of the apartment door, knocking with a firm but respectful rap. The door swung open, and Bella's face immediately softened with surprise, though a hint of irritation flickered in her eyes. Before she coul
Calla stood among her friends, their laughter weaving through the air like a familiar song. They were chatting about their lives, about the little things that didn’t matter much but seemed to fill the gaps in their days.On the surface, everything felt lighthearted and carefree, their voices blending into the hum of the bustling café. But while Calla smiled and nodded along, only half-listening, a part of her mind wandered elsewhere, unable to fully engage with the moment.Her thoughts were tangled up in the storm waiting for her at home. She couldn’t stop thinking about the growing distance between her and Xavier—the unspoken tension that seemed to hang in the air whenever they were together. Then there was the chaos caused by Zane and Alana, who always seemed to bring disorder wherever they went, stirring up trouble like it was second nature. And, of course, there was Drake.The thought of him made her stomach twist into knots. She couldn’t shake the image of him sitting alone in th
Xavier exhaled deeply, the weight of his frustration bearing down on him as he rubbed a hand over his face. His fingers lingered for a moment, as though trying to physically wipe away the tension that had settled there. The events of the night had pushed him to his limits, and he could feel his patience thinning to the point of snapping. When he finally spoke, his voice was measured but laced with weariness."I’m not going to sugarcoat this, Clara," he began, his tone firm yet tinged with a hint of regret. "You have to be strong for them. They need stability and structure—someone who can manage their energy and their... behavior. But if you can’t do it, then I’ll find someone else." His gaze softened slightly as he added, "I won’t have you put yourself at risk like this. It’s not fair to you, and it’s not sustainable."Clara’s face betrayed a flicker of emotion—relief, perhaps, or frustration. She didn’t say anything, simply nodding before stepping away. Xavier turned his attention ba
Xavier sat in his room, his mind still swirling with the events of the day, an unrelenting storm of thoughts and emotions that refused to settle. His frustration had been steadily mounting, each passing hour adding to the weight of his responsibilities pressing down on him like a crushing load.He had tried—tried to accept, tried to be patient with Zane and Alana—but the constant chaos they brought into his life was starting to wear him thin. The noise, the mess, the endless string of antics that demanded his attention—it was all unraveling him from the inside out. How much longer could he keep up this façade of calm, this pretense of control, when every fiber of his being felt like it was fraying?Suddenly, a scream shattered the stillness of the house, the sound piercing the quiet like a dagger and sending a cold jolt down his spine. It wasn’t just any scream; it was a chilling, desperate cry that carried with it an unmistakable note of terror. His heart leaped into a frantic rhythm
Xavier’s footsteps echoed through the quiet hallway as he walked into the house, his briefcase still clutched tightly in his hand. It had been a grueling day at the office, filled with back-to-back meetings and relentless attempts to solve yet another financial crisis. But despite the chaos at work, his mind hadn’t been able to stay focused. His thoughts had kept drifting, circling around one person: Calla.He hadn’t seen much of her today, and that fact alone had weighed on him. Work had consumed his time, and his family’s constant demands had drained the rest of his energy. Now, as he entered the living room, the sight before him made his chest tighten.Calla was sitting on the couch, her legs tucked beneath her, with Zane and Alana on either side of her. The three of them were leaning in toward her phone, their heads close together as they spoke animatedly, laughing and chatting over something on the screen. For a moment, Xavier stood still, just watching them, his presence unnotic
Xavier’s footsteps echoed loudly down the polished school hallway, the sound bouncing off the cream-colored walls lined with student artwork and motivational posters. His thoughts churned with frustration and uncertainty as he approached the principal’s office.It had been months of trying—trying to discipline, understand, connect—but none of it seemed to make a difference. Zane and Alana were spiraling, their rebellious behavior showing no signs of stopping. Their bond with him, fragile at best, threatened to break entirely.He clenched his fists at his sides, feeling the familiar mix of anger and guilt rise in his chest. He wasn’t enough for them—he could admit that to himself, even if it stung. They needed more than he could give, and he was desperate enough to ask for help. That’s why he was here.Principal Carter had suggested meeting Bella Abram, a teacher who had managed, against all odds, to reach Zane and Alana. Her reputation for patience and understanding had made her the t
Calla sat on the edge of her bed, her legs crossed beneath her, a book lying open in her lap. She’d been staring at the same page for what felt like forever, the words swimming in front of her eyes. Normally, reading was her refuge, the one place she could retreat when everything else felt too chaotic, too overwhelming. But not today. Today, her mind wouldn’t let her focus.It had been days since she last heard from Drake. Their last conversation hadn’t gone well—well, none of their conversations ever really did. He had a way of making her feel small, guilty, like she owed him something, even now. She should’ve felt relieved that he was keeping his distance. And she did. Mostly. But the silence? It felt strange, unsettling, like a storm brewing just beyond the horizon.Then there was the mess at home. Tension had wrapped itself around the house like a suffocating blanket. Thomas’s presence didn’t help. Having their father there was like living with a ghost of bad decisions and broken
The sunlight was just beginning to pour through the blinds of Xavier’s bedroom, casting long golden streaks across the floor, when the chaos started. He’d barely stirred from bed when the unmistakable sound of small, hurried footsteps pounding down the hallway reached his ears.It was a sound he had come to dread over the past few weeks. He had hoped—prayed—for a quiet morning to gather his thoughts, but with Zane and Alana in the house, moments of peace were as rare as snowfall in summer.Xavier exhaled heavily, rubbing his temples as he sat down at his desk. He had barely pulled out his chair when the door creaked open with an all-too-familiar hesitance, as if the culprits behind it knew they were trespassing but didn’t care.Sure enough, Zane and Alana sneaked in, their faces plastered with mischievous grins that could only mean one thing: trouble was brewing. The gleam in their eyes was the kind that made Xavier’s heart sink. It was that glint of pure, unfiltered mischief that onl