CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Thousands of years could pass, and Angelie would still recognize that voice, the voice that haunted her dreams but also warmed her heart.

"Jeff," she whispered, barely believing her eyes.

Sonia immediately released her grip on Angelie's hair. The man in front of her screams power and danger, an aura so intense that even the boldest would hesitate.

"Who are you?" Sonia asked with a shaky voice.

"Someone capable of destroying your entire generation, Ms..," Jeffery said, his voice low and full of rage as he stepped closer.

"If you ever try this mistake again, consider your life gone. I don't make promises I don't keep."

Sonia and her girls, trembling in fear, turned and ran without looking back.

All the while, Angelie stood frozen. She couldn't believe Jeff was here, her prince in shining armor.

"Are you okay, Angelie?" Jeff's voice was soft now, like he hadn't just threatened to deal with someone.

He gently examined her, making sure she wasn't hurt.

"Were they trying to bully you?"

"No, no, they can't," she said firmly. She meant it. Never again would she allow herself to be bullied.

When Jeffery arrived in New York, the only person on his mind was Angelie. He needed happiness, and somehow, she had always been his source.

He was walking up the building when he spotted her being harassed. Rage filled him instantly, but his upbringing restrained him from laying hands on a woman.

If it had been a man, there would have been blood, and he meant every single word.

He gently helped her up. "Come on, let’s look around the city."

Angelie nodded, secretly excited.

Jeff drove this time. He wanted the moments to be just them.

They arrived at a beautiful location overlooking the water,  the weather was usually friendly if it aligned with them.

"This is beautiful," Angelie said, genuine awe in her voice.

"Just like you," Jeff replied casually, not even glancing at her.

Angelie's heart somersaulted. If she could replay those words forever, she would.

She kept stealing glances at him.

"How are you?" she finally asked.

Jeff sighed. "Good enough."

"How's your brother, Tim? I haven't seen him in a while."

"He's fine... just living," Angelie answered softly.

She didn’t want to go into details, as that would bring up unanswered questions.

They spent hours together, walking, talking, laughing. When Jeff finally dropped her off, Angelie's heart could barely contain her joy.

If this day could come every day, she would gladly jump on it.

*************************

Tim lay on his 6-by-6 mattress, his room neat and warm as always. Tim has always detested an untidy environment. Julia walked in carrying a tray with hot, steaming rice.

"You'll make me fat. You want me to become ugly?" Tim teased.

"Even if you lost all your teeth, you'd still never be ugly to me," Julia shot back, laughing.

"Here, eat this. It's a new recipe I learned from Mom."

"Thank you. How is she?" he asked, accepting the tray.

"She's fine. That money the good Samaritan gave us covered her drugs."

“Now, I don’t have to worry about her medical expenses.

Tim nodded, a pang of guilt hitting him. "I'm glad. You didn’t have to marry anyone to pay her bills."

Julia noticed the pain flashing across his face but brushed it off lightly.

"She'll be fine."

Tim dug into the meal. "Hmm, this is delicious."

"Yeah, but not as good as Angelie's cooking. I can’t wait for her to become the world’s best chef," Julia giggled.

Tim was still eating when his phone buzzed. An email notification popped up.

His heart raced as he opened it, and then he screamed, lifting Julia into the air.

"I got the job!" he shouted, spinning her around.

Julia screamed with joy, hugging him tightly. Then, almost instinctively, she leaned in and kissed him.

Tim froze for a split second, then deepened the kiss; he never imagined how much he yearned for those soft lips. 

It felt like he was in paradise and would rather remain there.

********************

At an upscale restaurant, Anita clinked glasses with her manager.

"Cheers to your engagement," her manager said.

"I want to organize a press conference and it's kind," Anita said, her eyes gleaming. "Something that will go viral and make an outlandish statement. It'll boost my fan base and land me more endorsements."

They discussed inviting top magazine outlets, arranging for exclusive press coverage, and building the perfect image.

"This engagement will make you a household name," her manager promised.

Anita smiled. That was the plan.

“We will be the power couple, two powerful families, a top model and a successful CEO, picture the headline,” Anita was just over the moon.

********************

Tim sat in his new office, grinning like a fool. The space was modern and spacious, a far cry from the cramped office he used to share with six people.

This was a dream come true; working with this company was something he never saw coming years back.

He was working on a draft when memories of Julia’s kiss flashed in his mind.

"Why hasn't she visited? Why is she avoiding my calls?" he wondered, anxiety creeping in.

He decided he would go see her after work, or later.

Something had changed between them, and he needed to know what it was.

*************

Jeffery sat in his office, today he dressed causal, flipping through financial files. His brow furrowed deeper with each page.

"This doesn't add up," he muttered.

He rang his secretary, who informed him that Lucas had personally handled those accounts.

Without thinking, Jeff stormed toward Lucas’s office.

He didn’t bother knocking.

He pushed the door open and met them.

There, tangled up against the desk, was Lucas... making out with his assistant.