The first thing that occurred to MJ when she stepped into the room, was how packed it was; and then the first thing she thought when she spoke, was how every single person was looking at her. But the moment her eyes landed on the casket sitting at the podium, everyone and everything else disappeared, and she found her feet taking her to the front.
She stood in front of the casket with her back turned against the crowd, and placed her palm on top. A flash of the murder hit her sight and a gunshot echoed in her ears, causing her to grip the casket for dear life. She closed her eyes and released a sharp breath. "I stood outside this building for more than an hour and stared at the stars, hoping that they hear my call. I stood out there and listened to all of you talk about what a good man Alastair Cooper was. But the truth is, your words mean nothing." A chorus of whispers rose, and people started shifting in their seats; but MJ did not pay atte
"Did you speak to her?" Antonina asked the moment Logan walked into the room.The hall was almost chaotic as people were starting to leave. Antonina felt out of place since she did not know anyone except for her companion and business partner, Logan Parker. She only caught a glimpse of Jorge and MJ, but never got a chance to speak to either one of them.Both she and Logan were rendered speechless by MJ's words of remembrance. They did not know much of her story, Logan had since lost interest in anything related to MJ, up until she spoke.Antonina could see the conflict in his eyes as he tried to remain still. He was fidgety and kept playing with MJ's watch in his hand while trying to get a glimpse of her face as she spoke with her back turned against the guests. Antonina had to hold his hand down to keep him still, as Sandra was giving him a suspicious look.
MJ could not remember the last time she came to this house. She did not remember whether it was before Alastair adopted her or after she started the business; but she could never forget the house that was once her shelter.The old, brick-layered mansion still stood out amongst the beauty of the social elites of London, its red-tiled roof giving it a classic look. The yard was bare of any vehicles, it was free of plants or lawn, and the place that was once a pool, was replaced by an ugly fountain and a mini garden after one kid almost drowned.The interior of the house was modern and yet traditional, filled with imported accessories from South Africa and Nigeria. The couch in the sitting room resembled the skin of a leopard, and the pale walls were decorated with traditional, seamed mats and other Zulu and Tsonga gears.The walls along the staircase were decorated with pictures of every sin
"Thank God you came!" Javier said anxiously as he pulled the woman into a bone-crushing hug. He had been edgy since Alastair Cooper's funeral, and his paranoia had increased.He had been on the lookout from the day he decided to mess with Samantha Grayson, and now that he had seen Miss Sandoval; he was all over the place. He snapped at everyone and barely listened to reason. Everything made him angry, more especially seeing his wife, Danielle."Why did you call me here? What if someone sees us? Where is your wife?" Brianna asked as soon as she pulled away, the panicked look in her eyes making Javier rethink his decision. "Javier, we spoke about this; we can't be seen together." She said in her deep voice.Javier sighed and threw his head back in frustration. "I know." He breathed. "I know and I'm sorry." He looked at her with sad eyes. "I love you, Bree." He said and pulled her into anothe
The place smelled just as he had expected if not worse. The smell of disinfectants, meds, and death lingered in the air, every sweep of breath sending him on the verge of a nervous breakdown. The sounds of ambulances; the sight of nurses, doctors, and sick patients; and the colour of the walls, gowns, curtains, and sheets, filled his heart with hatred.It reminded him of what Carmen did to him, and it hurt more when he remembered how MJ was involved. It reminded him of how she had succeeded in breaking him; she had fooled him from the start, and he fell for it without thinking twice. Being at the hospital was like a trigger, but there was no escape for him; it did not matter where he was, the memory of MJ Billings would always haunt his conscious.He did not know whether it was the doctors, Jorge Billings, or the woman lying on the hospital bed; but Logan Parker felt like punching someone in the face.&
Sandra never thought the day would come where she would stroll around the garden with MJ Billings. She had dreamt of it many times before, but MJ was always cold towards her.To Sandra, MJ was a reminder of herself. The trials and tribulations she endured and survived. MJ was strong-willed and was a fighter, something which she sometimes came forward too strong about.She still remembered the first time Alastair brought MJ back to the house. She was the quietest of all the children Sandra had ever come across; she was laid back, cold, and untrusting. The only person she spoke to was Alastair, until eventually Alastair had to leave for his treatment after he was diagnosed with TB. Only then did MJ speak to her, although all she ever did was ask about Alastair and when he was coming back.She always stayed in her room, and when anyone came closer to her, she would send them scurrying away wi
MJ was never the one to take precautions, whether it was a matter of life or death, she just had to take a step forward. That was how she was and that was how it has always been. It was what she was raised to do, but for the first time ever, she felt trapped.She was trapped in a grief she had not felt in a long time. It weighed down on her like a ton of bricks, and her heart felt heavy with a wave of emotions. It perplexed her to feel so vulnerable, because despite her hard surface, she had feelings; feelings she feared to show to the world.She did not want to crack, she wanted to be strong as she had always been. But with every step she took forward, she took ten steps back. And that was how she found herself back at the bank after leaving Sandra's house.The front of the huge aluminium building, was littered with yellow police tapes, with the caution: Do Not Cross. The doors were broke
"Ah, Mrs Dos Santos!" Logan said cheerfully while reading his newspaper. "Welcome back to the land of the living." He said sarcastically as he placed the paper down and stared at her.Her eyes were still adjusting to the light and she kept swallowing and clearing her throat due to thirst. Logan smirked, the woman was always drinking water back home, she literally could not survive a few hours without it."W-water," she croaked out.He rolled his eyes and stood up, and then he picked the glass of water on her bedside and helped her drink with a straw. "You are welcome," he said as she laid back on her pillow."When can we go home?" She asked.Logan sat directly next to her on the bed and crossed his legs, displaying his black three-piece, Armani suit. "Funny you should ask that, because you already cost me days from work."&
The sound of the clock ticking with each passing second, was the only thing that made sense. It obstructed the silence and darkness that came with the night.Nights like these were the worst, especially when there were no stars in the sky; MJ felt alone and transparent. When the stars were visible, she would push time by counting them and making constellations; it made the night go quicker.But it was dark, and all she could do now was to walk around the house like a zombie all night, holding on to her teddy bear. At some point, she thought changing into comfortable night clothes, would make her fall asleep. But each time she closed her eyes, all she saw were Alastair's dead eyes.It was one nightmare after another. She could never remember the last time she had a peaceful sleep. She stood against the window and watched Cameron as he snored softly into the night, and she wondered; what wou