Five years ago “Hey there! It’s been a while!” Kate said as she came up to sit in front of Nadia with a bright smile looking like the perfect businesswoman in her designer suit. “Hi! It sure has been,” Nadia answered smiling at her cousin as she sipped from her juice and looked around the hotel rooftop. “I can’t believe how busy I have been since I decided to take over for your father at the company,” She complained. “You’re doing fine. I can clearly see that you’re more cut out for business than I am ever going to be,” She reassured her, “Still, I feel a little bad about taking a position that should have been yours from the start…” She said giving Nadia a guilty look. “I keep telling you not to worry about that. My father and I will never see eye to eye. Not to mention that Mark and I are too busy getting our own company ready. I’m more suited to coding behind a computer than handling office work, so things worked out perfectly for us,” She told her and Kate smiled brightly at
“There should be a limit to how extravagant this is going to get…” Nadia said feeling a headache on the making as she stared at her tablet. “With my mother, I don’t think that the word Limit and parties can even be put together in the same sentence,” Dean answered as he leaned back on his desk staring at his laptop with a wry smile. “This is a freaking Ice statue! I haven’t seen one since the last grand winter gala last year. And that’s the biggest event of the year in Starlington City,” Nadia complained and Dean sighed. They were currently in Dean’s office trying to catch up on the work they hadn’t been able to do thanks to this fiasco. But as soon as they were on lunch break, they got an email from his mother with the details of the engagement party she had decided to throw for them, and singlehandedly was preparing on her own… “I don’t have the willpower or the energy to try to stop her,” Dean said, “Why don’t we let her do whatever she wants to do?” Nadia furiously flipped thr
Nadia’s mind was a mess after the short conversation with Leilah. She stood there for a few long moments thinking about what she said. Leilah was their PR specialist, and one of the best in the company too. The way she handles tricky situations leaves nothing to be desired which is why they were able to safely handle the scandal from both inside the company and outside of it. The way she explained it made it clear to everyone that they were a couple capable of separating work and private matters, and the employees seemed to mostly accept their relationship without much negativity. Of course, it was still hard to deal with the bitter ones who had their eyes set on Dean. But that was something she’d had to deal with before and it was nothing much to complain about. But, in Leilah’s case, she asked for complete transparency. Nadia told her what she could but there were still truths she couldn’t bring herself to talk about to anyone. Like her revenge and her alter ego, WhiteFlowe. Th
“Luke! My little cupcake! How have you been?! Do you know how much Aunty missed you?” Leilah raved as she pulled Luke into a long hug. “Aunty Leilah! You’re hugging me a lot! I can’t bweath!” Luke complained then started giggling when she gave him butterfly kisses. “Okay, that’s enough. We’re in public. They’re going to take you for a pervert,” Nadia said and Leilah pulled away with a smile. “I don’t really care. I mean, look at the healing power of this little face,” She added pulling Luke’s cheeks as he patiently waited for Leilah to be done fawning over him. He was so used to her that he would just wait for the greeting phase to cool down. It was funny how the more composed one is the five year old and not the thirty-something businesswoman, “Aunty Leilah! If you still want to cuddle, we can sit together as we wait for Mommy to wear her dress,” Luke said eliciting another swoon worthy reaction from Leilah. After a few more moments, she carried Luke around on high heels. Somet
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Dean asked as he strode toward them taking Nadia’s hand away from Mark’s. His voice was low so as to not draw too much attention to them. His hand remained on Nadia’s as he came to sit beside her at the booth. Mark’s almond-shaped eyes went to their linked palms narrowing for a moment before he looked up at them with a provoking smile. “I see you two are still living the dream…” He said and Dean stiffened beside her. “What do you want, Mark?” She asked with a cool tone. “You know very well what I want, Naddy,” He said. Nadia could see the answer in his eyes. She could almost hear it. Even though he would never say those words in front of Dean. He was too careful for that to happen, which is why he was making her revenge much harder to get. ‘I want you… And I am going to get you,’ That’s what Mark wanted to say. But instead he was covering it with that annoying smirk acting like he was having the most pleasant conversation with them. “
Rushing into the apartment, Nadia was greeted by Leilah. She was holding a basin filled with water and a towel looking so worried and pale that Nadia would have feared the worse if she hadn’t known better. “Nadia! I’m so sorry! I don’t know how this happened. He suddenly broke into a fever and I didn’t know what to do. Daniel says that it's normal for children his age but I-” “Calm down! Everything is going to be okay!” Nadia told her with a wry smile. For someone who wasn’t used to taking care of children, a fever is something that they would probably freak out about. She freaked out the first time Luke was sick when he was still a baby. Mrs. Payne had to beat some sense into her back then. It became a learning experience for her later on. Before she could manage to calm Leilah down, Dean rushed past her heading into Luke’s room. “What’s wrong with him?” Leilah asked breaking out of her panic mode. “He had been like that all the way here. I kept telling him that Luke was probabl
“There you go, one more bite,” Nadia said as Luke took the spoon into his mouth chewing the already hashed porridge before making a show out of gulping it down. “Good boy. Now you’re going to heal much faster,” She said ruffling his hair and he gave her a flushed proud smile. Dean watched the exchange with a smile before their eyes were on him. “What?” He asked. “The porridge was delicious, thank you, Uncle Dean,” Luke said, “You’re welcome buddy. It was my pleasure,” Dean answered with a smile. “You know how to cook very good food even though you’re a boy, and you also wear an apron,” Luke said and Dean leaned forward ruffling his hair. “Knowing how to cook doesn’t have to do anything with being a boy or a girl. There are girls who don’t know how to cook and there are boys who know how to cook,” Dean answered. “That’s true. Mommy is a bad cook even though she’s a girl!” Luke said with enthusiasm and Dean laughed. Nadia glared at them both with fake indignation. “It’s not lik
Nadia had woken up in the middle of the night to find herself practically in Dean’s arms. He had one arm under her head and the other on her waist heavy and uncalculating with sleep but still close enough to make her heart face fast. Reaching for Luke who was snuggled between them, she checked him for a fever to find that he was still a bit hot. As she got out of bed to fetch the cold compress and Dean’s eyes cracked open as his hand reached for her empty space. The simple gesture surprised her and the familiarity with which he seemed to unconsciously deal with their unusual situation struck her again. Making her way back into the room, she found Dean and Luke snuggling into each other peacefully asleep. Once she changed the compress, she debated whether to get back into bed with them. Her tired body got the better of her and she got back into bed with them. As soon as she could feel their warmth, Luke’s small hand reached to clutch her shirt at her stomach while Dean’s hand stret
Nadia woke up with a start breathing heavily as sweat dampened her temple. Feeling someone shift beside her, she shivered at the whisk of air passing through her damp skin as Dean sat up in bed beside her.“Hey…” he whispered and Nadia sighed covering her face with her palms.“I’m so tired of this…” she said hotly as she tried to suppress the frustration tears that threatened to fall down her cheeks.She felt a blanket being thrown on her shoulders before Dean’s big and warm hands stroked her back slowly soothing away the nerves that had been keeping her body tense.“Come on, lay down…” he said in a soft tone and Nadia followed his command laying against him as he circled his arms around her.His fingers combed through her hair slowly massaging her skull. Her heartbeat was begin in to slowly return to its natural rhythm when he finally spoke again.“Maybe you need to say your goodbyes..” he said slowly.The way Dean spoke and how he acted was becoming their routine. Since her days in t
Three weeks later, "So, how was your last check-up with the doctor?" Nadia asked as she sat at the bedside of the huge man before her.The man chucked and gave her a wry look as if asking her if she was really asking him this question."I should be the one asking you this question, Miss. You're the one who got admitted recently," he said with a smile."Oh, come on, Blake! Mine was just a flesh wound and too much drama. You're the one who was about to cross to the other side for a moment there," She answered with a fake frown.Blake, the man who saved Luke when he was kidnapped, regained consciousness only after Nadia was admitted to the hospital. The first thing the man asked for was his hospitalized daughter and Luke.Nadia had made a vow to herself that she would do her best to protect the man and his daughter no matter what. So once she heard that he was awake, she visited him and they began talking. It turned out that the man wasn't a criminal and that he only did this mission b
Dean raced down the seemingly endless corridor, each step echoing with a sense of dread. This floor had been reserved exclusively for Nadia's penthouse, accessible only with her permission or a special keycard. Yet, Dean knew that Mark had the potential to breach the security. Nadia had been aware of this vulnerability in the system, which was why she'd consented to have a bodyguard with them at all times.But Miller, in his attempt to spring this trap, had incapacitated their bodyguard, leaving them vulnerable just when Mark arrived. As they approached the open door, Dean's heart raced with a mix of fear and determination. Agents ahead of him cautiously entered the room, assessing the situation. When Dean was finally permitted to move forward, the sound that greeted him was heart-wrenching.Nadia's muffled sobs pierced the air, a stark contrast to the chaos within. Mark lay on the ground, his face a grotesque mask of brutality. Nadia was in Karl's arms, her tears flowing uncontrollab
"It's nice to see you always running to the rescue of your fiance... But we can't have you going in there ruining our plans yet," Miller said with a smile as he looked at his agents and nodded."Make sure they won't run away," he ordered."Hey! What are you doing!" Keith protested as they surrounded him."You were in on this all along..." Dean said gritting his teeth as he struggled against the agents that were holding his hands back.How had he not seen this?"Wait a minute, What are you talking about?" Miller asked looking at him with a frown."You're acting like nothing is wrong, then why are you standing at the door of our apartment building stopping me from getting inside? Is the agency now supporting Mark, or were you on his side all along and we were the idiots believing you?" Dean asked feeling helplessly frustrated as he pushed back against the men holding him only to be overpowered again."Wait a minute, I think there is a misunderstanding here..." Miller trailed off and Dea
"Dad, call the bodyguards and make sure to keep an eye on Luke!" Dean told his father as he made his way to the front of the house where he parked his car."What's going on?" He asked following him."Mark managed to escape from the police. The first place he would be heading to is where Nadia is. I need to head there right now," Dean explained and his father nodded."Okay, be careful. I will call the police to make their way there too." His father said as he closed Dean's car door after he got in.Dean nodded and started his car starting to back up when the passenger door opened and Keith jumped inside."Think that I would let you go alone this time too?" He asked with a smirk."It's gonna be dangerous," Dean warned."The more reason I need to go with you," Keith insisted, "What are you waiting for?"Dean sighed and backed away from the spot making his way toward the penthouse. He sped through the street his car eating up the road between them. He had never regretted the distance bet
Nadia opened her eyes as she felt someone lean against the bed beside her. Looking up, she found Dean smiling down at her the sunlight streaming through the window making him look as if there was a halo around his head.Groaning, she shidted to her back readying herself to cover her face with the blanket only for him to stop her with both arms."You need to wake up," He said softly."Said the guy who wore me out last night," She retorted with a sigh, "You're way too bright for me to look at, go away,"He chuckled finding her statement funny, even though she wasn't joking."It's already noon, you're going to sleep all day at this rate," He informed her but she simply shook her head stubbornly."I can't move... My muscles are sore," She complained.Dean smiled and leaned down against her pressing a kiss against her neck, right where he left a mark last night."Realy? Even though I went easy on you last night. I was having such a hard time holding back while you called out my name, in mo
"Oh, it's finally here..." Nadia remarked as she walked past Dean at the kitchen counter. He nodded absently as he stared at the test making Nadia wonder for a moment if there was something wrong with it. Leaning over his shoulder, she could see the positive green letters standing out like neon lights in the darkness."It's positive," She stated."Yeah..." He said with a satisfied smile kissing the palm of her hand as he resumed staring at the paper. Nadia smiled shaking her head at the man, he was just way too cute. Ruffling his hair, she resumed walking toward Luke's room to see if he was ready."He should be here anytime now," She informed Dean who nodded again not moving from his spot.Nadia found Luke in a similar state to his father bent over his toy his shoes and socks only half worn."Luke! You're supposed to wear your socks. Our guests will be here any moment," She said with a smile."Who's our guest?" Luke asked as he finished wearing his socks."It's my father..." Nadia s
"You..." Dean took an exasperated breath letting it out slowly..Nadia sat on the couch uncomfortable as she looked away from him. She was readying herself for another scolding when she felt a hand on her head softly patting it. Dean was looking at her with a gentle smile."If this is going to give you some peace of mind then by all means, let them meet. But I don't want you to do it at the expense of your feelings," Dean reassured her."I want Luke to meet him and know that he has a grandfather... But I can't bring myself to trust him. I don't believe that someone can change like that overnight..." She explained.Dean leaned back and she leaned against him snuggling into his arms."I always thought that it was strange that your father seemed to always think that he was the victim. It was as if he felt like he was betrayed by you but in fact it was Kate who was lying to him about you all the time. Perhaps he was never that bad of a person in the first place..." Dean said, then he corr
Standing before the hole in the ground, Nadia was filled with so many thoughts and feelings. One of them was that she was probably a hypocrite standing there wearing black and listening intently to the prayers of a man who knew nothing.Another thought is that... Well... It was sunny. Nadia always had this conception that it never was sunny on funerals, it was always raining or gloomily grey. But no, it wasn't, it was sunny, and flowers were blooming around while butterflies were mating. Burds chirping and most of all... it was warm and pleasant.To sum it up, it was the weather that destroyed her conception of funerals...Nadia watched silently as they started lowering the coffin to the ground. The coffin was made from dark wood. One Kate would have hated. And decorated with white spider lilies. Kate hated white. She always said it wasn't a color. Although she would conveniently wear it whenever she felt like the situation would require from her to add a flare of innocence. Mainly w