༺RAYNE༻ “How do I look?“ I stand in front of Kim, my hip cocked to one side, one hand resting on it. I smile and bat my lashes, waiting for her approval, my fingers drumming against my hip, my shoulders squared. Kim gasps theatrically and puts a hand over her mouth. “Oh my goodness, dear! You are breathtakingly gorgeous! You're going to steal the show and make Mr Everhart forget his name!” she chirps, grinning from ear to ear. A soft pink tint spreads across my cheeks and I turn back to stare into the full-length mirror. I really do look good. I have a very long, silky black evening dress on, kind of like a ball gown, with a thigh-high slit that lets my long, lean leg do all the talking. The back of the dress plunges down into a very low, daring V, highlighting every slope and arch of my back. I smooth out the silk of my gown and put my mask on, a black velvet masquerade mask with pretty feathers and tiny, glittering gems stitched along its edges. Tonight, we're attending Sabrin
༺RAYNE༻ “The late Oliver Everhart, your son... was my father. I'm his son and your grandson.” The words of the waiter resound in the room over and over in the midst of the stunned, deafening silence. The atmosphere has immediately turned stiff and still, heavy and ridden with collective shock and unasked questions. Daniel is the first one to break the silence with a loud, bitter roar. “This is absurd! This is an insult! You think you can worm your way into our family’s fortune with this outrageous claim? How dare you?! You’ll pay for your audacity, you worthless nobody!” With no more than five long, angry strides, he closes the distance with Oscar and snarls, “Get out! Get out of our sight before I lose all control and rip you to shreds! There's no place for bottom-feeding leeches here! We already have one worthless freeloader siphoning off our family's wealth and we don't need another!” The last barb was a direct shot at Liam. And it leaves its imprint on Liam because when I gla
༺RAYNE༻ Yesterday was a scene straight out of a cliche soap opera like Leo said. Oscar showing up like that out of the blue and dropping a bombshell about being Lucas' long lost grandson raised more questions than answers last night. Lucas has decided to conduct a DNA test and even expedited the process, demanding results within the next 48 hours to put an end to the uncertainty. I heard it would be done in a very private lab to ensure the results would remain confidential. Oscar's DNA samples were collected last night and they'll be compared to Lucas' DNA, as well as the family's archived DNA records from Oliver's personal belongings. And now we're all waiting anxiously for the outcome. But no one is more anxious than Liam. He's been utterly quiet since we left the party after Oscar's whole earth-shattering claim. His silence screams louder than words, his eyes mostly fixed on some invisible point, lost in thoughts I can only begin to imagine. It's as though Oscar's presence has
༺RAYNE༻ “The DNA test results between Oscar Montenegro's DNA and Lucas Everhart's DNA, as well as the family's archived DNA records, indicate a...” Dr Samantha Gable takes a deep breath, her hands clutching the paper tightly. What on earth is wrong with her? Why's she stalling like she's afraid of our reactions? The suspense is killing me already and I'm not the only one. Someone tell this woman to spit it out already, for goodness' sake! Let's just get this over with. There's no reason to torture us with any more suspense. Dr Gable's eyes lock on Lucas when she finally says, “A match.” And then, those same eyes wander to Oscar. “It's a 99.99% match, confirming Oscar Montenegro as Lucas Everhart's biological grandson.” “What?” Lucas and Daniel say in perfect sync, their faces pale and their jaws slacking open. Liam just stays frozen, his gaze falling to the floor like he knew for a fact that Oscar's words weren't just empty claims and that the results would turn out to be positi
༺RAYNE༻ Lucas welcomed Oscar into the family, warmly and wholeheartedly. He pulled him into a tight embrace, apologized for never getting to know him and promised to make up for lost time. I could've sworn I saw a tear slide down Lucas' face that day, which was odd for a man who was always tough and mostly kept his feelings locked away. Him hugging Oscar like that was a beautiful, heartwarming sight. But I know three young men who'd blatantly disagree. When Lucas spoke to the family that Oscar was one of the Everharts now and that he ought to be treated as such, Liam, Daniel and Leo stared at the guy with pure hatred, like they wanted him to be dead for just existing. They all glared at Oscar like he was a disease infecting their family, their cold, hard stares boring holes into Oscar's soul. For the first time, the three of them have a common enemy. For the first time, the object of their hatred isn't each other but an outsider whose existence is threatening to reshape their fut
༺RAYNE༻ Days later... I just finished showering and I slip on the first nightie I can get my hands on, a short, soft, silky lavender dress. It's only after I've worn it, I realize how thin and transparent it is. My nipples are practically poking right through, very visible and my areolas are also noticeable too, dark rosy circles with a mild puffiness. My eyes bore into the mirror as I dry my hair with a towel and keep checking myself out. I've never worn this nightdress before. I think I bought it on impulse on one of my shopping sprees with Sabrina. She made me buy it. It's been sitting in the drawers ever since. A deep sigh leaves my lips as I think of Sabrina. It's been a while since we spent time together or even chatted. Ever since my memory loss, she's been keeping her distance. She came to visit me once though, when I was really suffering from amnesia but then I found her presence suffocating and overwhelming. We struggled to reconnect. She sensed my discomfort and detach
༺RAYNE༻ I laugh nervously, trying to cover my slip. “My instincts just kicked in. I think I must've learned it... somewhere.” I shrug casually. I have to think before I speak else Liam might figure out I've been pretending all along. I keep massaging him, applying gentle pressure on the soft spots in his temples. I feel him relax and flex his neck, his head lolling slightly as he lets out a soft sigh. His eyes drift closed, his breathing slowing. My lips curve into a smile. I'm glad I can help him relax even if it's just a little bit. As I'm working my magic on him, Liam nuzzles his face between my breasts and takes one of my nipples with his teeth. I shiver and giggle. “Liam!” He looks up at me, locking eyes with me but doesn't let go of my nipple. He takes his sweet time, sucking it and nipping at it with his teeth. I gasp and weave my fingers through his hair, pressing my chest to his face. The eye contact while he's swirling his wet tongue around my nipple and areola is insa
༺RAYNE༻ My gaze on Genevieve tightens, my eyes constricting. A fresh wave of anger sweeps through me, making my muscles tense, my fingers clench involuntarily and my chest heaves with agitation. What the hell is this woman saying? “Liam asked you to come?” My tone is ridden with scepticism. I scoff. “That's a lie. My husband would never ask you to come anywhere near me. He'd never ask you to set foot in our home.” “Oh, but he did.” She twirls her hair and smoothes it with her manicured fingers, leaning forward. My mind is spiralling with so many questions. Why did this woman show up out of nowhere after being out of our lives for a long time? Why is she here? Did Liam really ask her to come? Why would he ask her to come here without telling me? Why does he want to see her? It doesn't make any sense. I fold my arms and shake my head in disbelief. “I don't believe you.” “Believe what you want. I don't really care. Please let Liam know that I'm here. He's the one I have business w