Nadia sat down at Dean’s kitchen counter silently watching him as he read through the article that already made its way to the media and was now infesting most of the news outlets. Her picture was palstered in the front showing her face from before and after her transformation to Nadia Rowell. Not that she did much except for dye her hair back and add the glasses. Sometimes simple modifications made radical changes. “To think that you were a Talbot…” He said with a sigh rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly looking at her. “You don’t have to treat me any different now that you know the truth…” She told him with uncertainty, and he looked up at her with a smile. “You think I would be upset about this little bit of news?” He asked and she shrugged internally relieved by his reaction. Last night, she had hacked into the newspapers’ system looking for Rolland’s article. It took her moments to find it, and minutes to realize that most of Rolland’s threats were bluff bravado. The story
"Dean..." Nadia said with an exasperated sigh as she leaned back from him.She really was taking him seriously there for a moment."Hey! I'm being serious," He said and she shook her head."How can it work out after all the mess that happened? Your best course of action is to announce that you gave me the job to help me out and that everything is a misunderstanding. Otherwise, your reputation is going to suffer and they may even take you for Luke's real father," She said."I don't care about what they say. Besides, I don't mind being called Luke's father," Dean said and Nadia's eyes widened."Dean. You must realize what you're saying right now," Nadia said her tone darkening, "This is not a game!""Listen to me for a moment, will you?" He insisted grabbing her hand to stop her from leaving her place. Sighing, Nadia looked at him and waited."I know for a fact that things are complicated right now. But I think that this is the simplest and surest way to resolve this problem. The media w
Nadia rubbed the back of her neck before she returned to typing on her laptop. As soon as she began working, she realized that this was a false alert and that she didn't need to follow the tracks of this hacker. It was simply an internal glitch, someone from the development department must be testing her firewall. Some of them were having a hard time accepting that WhiteFlower, an outsider, is doing a better job at protecting their digital system than they were. Wich was why she was paid a hefty sum of money which all went to support her multiple investments. If these fake alerts kept going she was going to have to report it to Dean to deal with the development team. It was high time they hired some female IT employees to drop those men's edge a few pegs down. She was always in for letting a little male ege take a healthy fall. Nadia then realized one thing. If she was going away in a few days, there was no way that she will be able to continue her relationship with WTech. So her pl
Nadia sat alone in her apartment her mind traveling miles away when she heard a knock on the door. Luke was asleep tired from his agitation and panic and having cried himself to sleep. Nadia’s heart still hurt remembering her son’s reaction to her suggestion. She felt ashamed to be reminded of her connections by her affectionate five years old. But her mind had still been set on their departure. Opening the door, she noted how the house was dark as the sun set so she turned on the light to face a somber-looking Dean. “Come in,” She said and he abided by her command not speaking a word as he went inside. “Would you like something to drink?” She asked leading him to the kitchen. “Are you really leaving?” He asked and she sighed turning around to look at him. “Was it Daniel?” She asked him and he gave her a blank look. “He was more than a bit confused. And so was I when I heard that you were planning to leave…” He said then hesitated, “Listen… I have no right to stop you from leavi
“Mommy, are we still leaving?” Luke asked making Nadia’s heart go out to her son. Before she could muster the words to reassure her son, Dean was already making his way toward him. He knelt before him looking him in the eyes. “Don’t you want to go away with your mommy?” He asked and Luke shook his head vehemently. “No, I want to stay here with everyone,” he answered with a small frown. “Then why don’t you stay here with Uncle Dean? We can wait for Mommy here,” he said. Luke frowned and then looked at her his eyes filling with more tears. Then mustering his strength, he seemed to try stopping himself from crying before speaking. “No, I won’t leave Mommy alone. She will be lonely without me. I have to stay with her!” He exclaimed giving Dean the challenging look she suddenly remembered. It was the exact same look she’d given her father when she’d told him that she would be having Luke. She was ready to let go of everything to be with him. And now he was ready to do the same for h
“You will never know how glad we are to hear that you two are still going through with your engagement,” Said Dean’s mother as she sat before them with an excited smile. “We know, Mother. You’re practically brimming with happiness,” Dean teased and she frowned at him and sighed. “I had always wanted a daughter. But I was only blessed with a son, so I always considered you as my own daughter Nadia,” She said completely ignoring Dean. He was getting used to his parents’ preferential treatment of Nadia. At first, he was shocked but over the years he grew used to it. His parents had always wanted a daughter, somehow this felt more like him being introduced as the boyfriend, not the other way around. “Thank you, Mrs. Wess. I mean Maria,” Nadia said blushing slightly as she looked down. It seemed like Nadia was the one having more trouble getting used to their affection. Nadia’s phone rang and she looked down at it. “You can take that, I’m sure it’s important,” His father said and Nadi
“Here is what’s going to happen, gentlemen,” Nadia said as she stood in the meeting room the group of developers who turned out to be responsible for the hacking incident were standing before her their heads bowed and their skins as white as a sheet of paper. Dean sat at the back of the meeting room watching everything. His presence was in case she needs his intervention but now he realized that his intervention wasn’t needed. They didn’t even seem to notice his presence. This is how scared they were of Nadia. He smiled as he watched her lecture them to the point of tears, it was ridiculous to watch, they were grown men, and Nadia wasn’t exactly a big woman. But still, her presence was no joke. Dean was simply glad that this time he wasn’t on the receiving end of her anger. She came into the office all eyes on her. Whispers followed them around about the article but she paid them no mind, she didn’t seem to notice at all and even if she did, Dean had the impression that she wouldn’t
“Nice to meet you, Dean Wess,” Dean said giving the man a business smile as he reached out to shake his hand. Mark Colt, a man in his mid-thirties, elegant, tall, and less full than Dean, Stood up to greet him with a charming disarming smile that didn’t quite reach his golden gaze. “Mark Colt at your service. I am so sorry to reach out at such a critical time but I had to meet you after what happened.” He said making Dean wonder why would he want to reach him. He’d met Mark Colt in the past on one of his business trips to Blue Ridge City. He had tried to offer Dean his company’s services but Dean had been preoccupied then by the sudden cyber attack that almost cost them their database. So he had hurriedly returned to Starlington ending any prospective talk of collaboration. To think that he had been this close to Nadia back then, had he agreed to meet with Mark, he would have had a chance to meet Nadia too. But she would have still been Mark’s fiance back then. Somehow, the though
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