Mayeli carefully placed the dishes in the sink filled with soapy water. She put on hand gloves and set to work.Bryelle was with her Mom, while Killian had gone outside the house to take a business call.Mayeli sighed. She had a lot on her mind. First, there was Bryelle, who was getting better, thankfully, but the Doctor said she had little chance of surviving the next two months. And then there was Killian and Shaila hating each other for some reason, which she had no idea about.A hand slipped around her waist, and she jumped, her back colliding with Killianโs broad chest. His sweet smell engulfed her, reminding her of musk and mist.โI didnโt hear you come in,โ Mayeli said, smiling. His warmth spread over her body and along with it, hunger for him. Gosh, he still had his effect on her.Killian pecked her on the cheeks before releasing her. โI missed you.โ His eyes slowly left her eyes and moved slowly to her exposed cleavage, making it burn suddenly.โStop,โ Mayeli laughed, hitti
Mayeli blinked awake and took a few seconds to get familiar with her surroundings, then she remembered the afternoon with Killian and her cheeks burned.She turned around to his side of the bed was empty. There was a note lying beside her that was marked Mayeli. She smiled as she recognized Killianโs perfect handwriting.What is this man up to? Mayeli thought. Her heart was already racing. Her face threatened to split from ear-to-ear grin as she opened the piece of paper.Meet me on the balcony, the note read.Zuri flung her cream duvet away from her body and got out of bed. She felt both fear and the abandoned enthusiasm of a six-year-old child on Christmas morning. Was he about to do what she was thinking?She grabbed her purple robe, wore it and headed for the balcony. A table covered with at least five kinds of dinner options was in the middle of the balcony. Two chairs, a fancy tablecloth, and a bucket with a bottle of champagne on the side and the most gorgeous view of London. I
โItโs going to be okay,โ Killianโs deep, husky voice said to Mayeli for probably the hundredth time. He was hugging her tightly in an attempt to keep her from falling apart.Mayeli wept like a baby. What was going to happen to Bryelle? Seeing her all covered in blood and looking lifeless on the floor, almost took the life out of her.โMaybe you should take her out for some fresh air?โ Tyse said. โSheโd do better with it.โโIโm not going anywhere. Not when my daughter is on the surgical table,โ Mayeli snapped between hiccups.Mayeli knew Tyse was just trying to be helpful, but she was feeling very crappy at moment and she couldnโt help it. Plus, his suggestion may not be as helpful as he had thought.โShould I get you water or something?โ Diora asked. Her voice sounded worried and scared.โYes, please,โ Killian replied. He was surprisingly calm, or was he just trying to be calm for her sake? Bryelle was precious to both of them, especially him, since he had only chest met her fully. Th
The tension in the air was thick enough for even the sharpest knives. Mayeli followed Killian to the doctor's office, their arms firmly clasped together.Killian drew out a seat for her, and she sat down. He drew another one for himself and sat down beside her.Killianโs Doctor stared at them for a few minutes, not saying anything.โSpeak,โ Killian commanded, his voice cold and impatient. Mayeli sent a look, and he had the grace to look sorry for just a few seconds before his cold mask returned in place. She almost laughed, despite her tears and anxiety. It had been a while since she saw this cold and commanding side of Killian.Doctor Gail cleared his throat. โI've run several tests since the last surgery we just performed, and I think I should perhaps run more before I break this news to you.โMayeli felt her hands trembling and when she looked, she saw it was actually Killianโs clasped over her's. He was nervous.Killian looked away, and his free hands moved to his eyes.Mayeliโs
Mayeli stared at her full-length mirror with a smile. She was wearing a floral blue dress and she had packed her hair into a neat low bun. On her feet was a pair of silver wedges and she held a matching Zara purse.She had put in the effort to look pretty.It had been three weeks since Bryelleโs recovery, and everyone was running around to plan her and Killianโs wedding.Shaila was talking to the event planner inside her and Killianโs new apartment. Tyse was organizing the food sections, while Truce was speaking to the wedding cordinator. Her Mom had insisted of taking care of her wedding dress and she had gone to do that with Bryelle.Mayeli and Killian were going cake shopping. Their wedding was in two days and almost everything was set.Mayeli couldnโt remember the last time a smile hadnโt been on her face in the past three weeks. She had been so happy and so scared that everything was a good dream she would wake up from and be faced with her ugly reality.But each day, she had wok
โThis looks nice,โ Mayeli said, pointing at a white three-step cake that looked beautiful.Killian gave her a bored look that said, โDo whatever you want.โ She had dragged him against his will to do the cake buying with her. Beautiful thing, he couldnโt say no to her.Mayeli turned to the receptionist, a young woman in her early twenties. โCan we taste this?โโOf course, Sirโฆ Ma.โ She had atransfiguredd smile on her face as she stared at Killian.Mayeli felt the urge to wipe off the smile from her face. Killian chuckled at her reaction. He was enjoying the situation?Mayeli glared at Killian, but in return he gifted her one of his charming smiles. He took the cake from the receptionist, cut a bit of it and gave it to Mayeli.She smiled and ate the cake. It tasted lovely.โHowโs it?โ Killian asked.โItโs good.โKillian tastes the cake himself and nods. โSeems like something I can easily beat.โโYou bake?โ The receptionist asks Killian, still smiling, this time seductively.I turn to
Killian is dead.โItโs been a month now, Mayeli, and youโre still not eating well. Youโre barely visible; all I can see are bones and dark circles. I know he meant the world to you, but how long would you keep this way? Everyone is worried and your daughter is broken too, and I know youโre trying to be there for her, but you need to look out for yourself tooโฆโ Doctor Andrea was speaking, but she wasnโt listening. She hardly ever listened this day.โMayeli!โMayeliโs eyes flickered open. There was Andrea, disturbing her peace again. She pulled the sheets around herself tighter, not wanting to be spoken to. Bryelle was lying beside her on the bed in a deep sleep. She hadnโt slept like that for weeks since Killian died.โWhat do you want?โ Mayeli asked Doctor Andrea, her voice barely a whisper.Andrea walked into her room with a smile. โI left earlier because you fell asleep. The chefs told me you and Bryelle ate a few minutes ago. Iโm so happy. It means youโre getting better. Howโs Brye
Playing Malibu Nights by LANY as I write.Mayeli wandered along the trail near a pond from the melting snows of winter. The sky was crystalline blue, the air cool. She filled her lungs with it and held it for a moment before letting it out slowly. Two bluebirds flitted overhead, dipping and swirling in a joyful dance to the hint of spring.It was midweek, mid-afternoon, the ides of March. Five days short of the first day of spring. Killian died on this day, just a year ago. He had betrayed her, leaving her to raise their child on her own.He had left a message, that was the last reminder of his lovely voice. โIโm so sorry, my sweetheart. Mayeli, I wish I had done better, given you all the nice treats and treated you like the princess that you are. Iโm sorry I hurt you so much, my love. I feel like a mess right now because I know Iโm only hurting you more. I donโt have much time, so Iโll say this.Iโll always love you, my princess and I hope we get to meet in our next life. I promise
Kreed laughed and stood up. He picked up the baseball bat he had been holding and threw it to Tyse.โBeat Killian to death with it, and Iโd let you live. You did nothing to offend me, did you?โMayeliโs eyes widened.โWhat?โ Tyse asked.โYou know itโs either you or him, right? Or mostly both. So why donโt you save yourself?โMayeli thought of what to do to buy time. Of course, no one was coming to save them, since Kreed said he had taken care of the police, but she had no other option. She couldnโt watch what was about to happen. Sheโd rather die first.โKreed, when did you become this evil? Thereโs still a way out of this, you donโt have to commit more murders.โKreed laughed for a long time, and when he stopped, he faced Mayeli. โThe day your father burnt down my family, he created an unrepentant monster. I only trained the monster. First I worked with the CIA, then with the FBI, then as a special intelligence security agent, and when I was convinced I had learnt everything I wanted
Mayeli and Killian turned to see Kreed standing a few feet from them. He was wearing the same outfit he had been wearing this morning before she had left him. Black turtle-neck top, black trousers, black boots and a dark brown long coat.But this time there was something different. He was wearing black gloves. But that wasnโt it. What was he doing here? How did he know she was here? She told no one.Kreed took a step forward, and Killian immediately reached for his pocket.Kreed was faster. โLet me borrow your words. I wonโt dare if I were in your shoes because Iโll shoot you down without hesitation. Now rid yourself of your weapons and donโt try to play smart.โKillian did as he was told.Mayeli couldnโt believe her ears. This was Kreed, right? Or did he have a twin? Or perhaps was this a replica of him? Or cloning? She didnโt understand. Why was Kreed pointing a gun at them?โKreed. Whatโs happening? I donโt understand.โ But Mayeli was beginning to understand. She recognized the loo
โYou should drive faster!โ Killian barked at Tyse.โAt this rate, weโd probably die in an accident before we get to her,โ Truce screamed.Killian turned to him. โDo you deserve to live?โTruce shook his head. โNo. Tyse, drive faster!โHe was still mad at his friends for abandoning Mayeli when he was away for the stupid reasons they gave. He had trusted them to take care of her while he was away, but they had done just the opposite. They had begged and apologized severally, but he wasnโt forgiving them yet. Heโd make them work for their forgiveness, and so far, theyโve been doing just that.โMaybe you should take the wheel!โ Tyse barked at Truce. โIโll drive faster, Killian,โ he replied, Killian with a smile.โIf that bitch, Shaila so much as touch my woman, I wonโt hesitate to strangle her with my handsโ, Killian said through his teeth.How could he have missed the signs?He had known Shaila wasnโt the sister she pretended to be, and he had known she was still obsessed, but he didnโt
โI donโt understand,โ Mayeli said, carefully. Shaila was getting drunk, and Mayeli feared what she would do to her. At the moment, she wasnโt the woman Mayeli had known all her life, she was a wounded animal seeking blood.โI met Killian in our second grade. He was two levels higher than me, so we never really talked. Everyone loved him, everyone wanted him, and I wanted him more than any of them. And one day, I went home after school and he was with his parents in our house. Father had introduced them as his friends and ours, and had told us they were going to have dinner with us.I still remembered how overjoyed I had been that day. I had asked my maid, Nisha, to make me the prettiest little girl ever, and during dinner, I did everything to get Killianโs attention, but he didnโt care. He didnโt even notice my hair or dress or anything, but I didnโt give up. After dinner, he talked to me, he told me my dress was pretty and he liked my tiara. I was so overjoyed that I couldnโt sleep t
Mayeli typed Killianโs office floor number on the elevator keypad, 67.She could hardly wait as the box took her upwards. She hadn't met Killian since that day at the mall and she couldn't wait to see him. Her heart was racing already, and she could feel a hunger in her lower belly, a hunger he had awakened.The elevator stopped and the doors slid open. Mayeli stepped out eagerly, heading for the last building on the floor. When she reached, she rang Killianโs office doorbell. No one answered. She rang it again, but nothing. Thankfully, she knew the key pass.โI'm coming in,โ she said, and pushed the door open. Surprisingly, the office was empty.The office was just the way Mayeli remembered, the same. White high walls, one glass wall showing off the breathtaking view of the City of London, a large oak table and a chair behind it and two in front. A mini-parlour of four black cushions and a white table, and lastly a glass shelf holding Killian's books, magazines, trophies, and aw
Mayeli braided the last strand of her sisterโs hair slowly, listening to Bryelleโs tale of her latest BTS crush, Jungkook, and laughing. Her daughter was crushing on celebrities already.โI have a shoot with V soon, he might not be your favourite, but you should come,โ Shaila said.Bryelle shook her head. โI want just him, no one else.โShaila laughed. โSuit yourself.โ She turned to Mayeli. โBe fast would braids, babe, I need to be somewhere soon.โShaila had been going out more frequently recently, and she never said where she was going, no matter how many times Mayeli asked. Mayeli decided to let her be. She would come around when she wanted to.The doorbell rang, and Bryelle went to get it. She returned a few minutes later.โMom, itโs Kreed.โ She walked past them into her room. Shaila turned to Mayeli with a stupid smile on her face. โYour husband is calling.โMayeli frowned, tossing her hair behind her. โHis not my husband, stop with the joke.โShaila laughed. โI have somewhere t
Killian covers the distance between him and Mayeli. She looked so flawless, so beauty more than he had remembered. Just a glimpse of her took his breath away, just a glimpse of her rose his hunger so intense that he hardly had control over it.He covered her slim waist with his arms and took in a breath of her.โKillian?โ She called, her voice shocked. โIs this real? Am I hallucinating? Howโs this even possible?โShe started to check his body. โAre you real? Are you hurt or burnt?โ Tears were already flowing down her pale cheeks again. โHowโs this possible. Am I losing it?โKillian knew she had too many questions, but he couldnโt explain, not yet. He was here to warn her and he didnโt have much time.He turned her to face him and almost regretted it when his eyes fell on her fleshy, exposed, full and ready for him. He shook his head; just being near her drove him crazy, and it had been so long. He had watched from a distance and longed for her, but it wasnโt yet time. He had to think
โYou should be careful,โ Kreed said, helping Mayeli out of the car.Mayeli chuckled. โIโm careful as I am. Youโre the unnecessarily worried one.โHe had been fusing over her for months now since she got out of bed. She was fine now, but he wonโt leave her. He was always by her side, and sometimes she wondered when he had time for himself.Bryelle came to Mayeliโs side. She pecked her. โIโll see you later Mom, my friends are waiting.โ She ran off before Mayeli could say a word.They were meant to eat dinner together after shopping for clothes, but she had come up with excuses that she had to meet up with her friends.โSheโs growing up so fast,โ Kreed said, laughing.Mayeli turned to him. Today was his girlfriendโs birthday, but he had been with her all day. โArenโt you going to meet Sonia?โThe smile faded from Kreedโs handsome face. โWe met before I came by this morning.โMayeli sighed. She knew Kreed had feelings for her, but she had no way to confront them. She wasnโt interested in
Mayeli slowly opened her heavy eyelids and tried to understand her environment. The smell of anthesptic filled her nostrils and her lungs burned. Her throbbed and her body felt as stiff as a log of wood.She tried turning, but her body had a mind of its own. The bright light streaming from the windows blinded her weak vision. She recognized the room after a while, it was her room, but why was she strapped to a bed, and why were there several equipment attached to her body?She couldnโt move or think; her whole body throbbed.The door opened and a familiar face walked in. She looked older, though. Mayeli tried to remember and slowly, her memory returned.Bryelle, her daughter.She tried to call her name, but her voice came out as a low whisper; even that effort was painful. Bryelle rushed to her side. She was wearing a short black skirt and a pink jacket. Her was packed in a high bun. She looked different, dazzling, and all grown up, not the little girl Mayeli had known.โMom, youโre