“Wake up already!” Darcy tugged on Elle’s shoulder, but she only turned to the other side and continued as if she felt nothing. “Come on already. If you don’t wake up, you’ll be late for your graduation!”Estelle’s eyes snapped open at the last word, and she pulled herself up to sit down, a yawn leaving her mouth. She rubbed at her still sleepy eyes as they settled into awakening.Darcy had been staying with her the last couple of days, heading towards her graduation. She wanted to be present for the celebration and took leave from work to be beside her and support her.The graduation, as planned, would have been held a month ago, but Lyon and Jace stepped in to request a shift. Their positions and impact on the university made the heads consider their request.The vice chancellor, Mr Phillips, intends that Estelle is important to them as well since she has been heavily involved in the institution’s affairs since joining, and they wouldn’t mind going out of their way for her. It was pe
And you make me feel like I’m out of my mind, but it’s alright. (it’s alright)Nothing ever gets me high like thisI pick my poison and it’s youNothing can kill me like you do.Rita Ora - Poison Estelle Bigg’s POV“The countdown has begun, Elle!” Darcy Khan, my roommate and close friend announced, stepping into the lecture hall. Her high-pitched Indian accent gave a sweet melody to the words she just said as she approached the desk I sat on. She slammed her heavy textbook on my desk and caused a bang. A few heads of the students also in the hall turned in our direction, but she paid them no mind and kept her attention on me.I glance up at her and found her beaming. I knew her words were aimed at me because I had wearied her about my desire to go home in the last month and I ticked the calendar every day as a way to encourage myself. “I can’t wait,” I admitted, releasing a deep sigh."Are you ready for it?" It was the last week of the second semester and it was also the last week of
Six days later,I released a deep sigh as I stepped out of the examination hall, knowing that I was done with my third-year exams. My first instinct was to call Lyon and tell him I was done and taking the afternoon flight like I had already planned, but telling him I had completed my exam would leave him in an expectant mood, which might disrupt his ability to work with a straight mind.It would be my first time, but I was going to leave without informing him of my departure just to surprise him. I had spent three months in Oxford, and I couldn’t wait to get home. Also, I couldn’t wait to see the look that would be on his face when he saw me in a few hours.I grabbed my bag and turned to see Darcy at the door. I saw the bittersweet expression on her face as she stared at me, and the excitement I had on my face decreased.“Sorry, I do not mean to ruin your excitement.” She said this, her eyes dropping. She had also packed up her bags and would leave with the six a.m. flight tomorrow, bu
After a five-hour flight in turbulent weather, we arrived in Lagos safely, and I headed for Banana Island, where I lived with Lyon. On my arrival, I saw how the workers and maids warmly welcomed me, and it warmed my heart. It was a Friday, and so I expected Lyon to finish work earlier, but Yao, his driver, informed me of an ongoing deal at work, which was still ongoing.He asked if I wanted to wait for them to finish and come home, but I had travelled seven hours to surprise him, and I knew I didn’t have the patience to wait.“Take me to him,” I said, and his brow narrowed at me.“You just got back and still look stressed out. Are you sure you don’t want to wait for him?”I nodded in agreement. “I know, but patience has never been my strongest virtue.”He knew that, and a few scars I had since childhood attested to the fact. “Alright then, let me grab the keys.” He said this and departed from the living room.Two minutes later, he returned and nodded at me. I fell in line with him, and
Father talked all the way home; he was trying to feed me with all the important stuff he believed I had missed in the last two years of being away from school. I didn’t mind; I wanted to hear all the petty gossip, and I missed our little talks all the while I was away.“So, what about you? Any boyfriend I should be sharpening my boots and preparing for?” He cocked his full brow at me.I chuckled and rolled my eyes. “I wish.”“Why do you wish? You are a beautiful young lady, and let’s not forget that you are smart. These are all qualities you inherited from your old man. You’re welcome. You should have men swooning and fighting each other over who will take you.”I laughed harder, covering my mouth because my laughter was turning ugly. “I wish that was the case.” I said this after my laughter subsided.“Or are the men at Oxford blind or retarded?”They weren’t; I was messed up in the head.I had a boyfriend at the university after I started, but I knew it was a mere distraction, which w
I moaned out as his lips met the space where my shoulder and neck met, and he nibbled on it. I squirmed and twirled under him, grinding my hips and upper body against him for friction.“Oh fuck, fuck...” I gasped as his fingers applied pressure on my swollen clit, rubbing me with a sure touch while thrusting into me. “Jace...” I breathed, opening my eyes, which were glazed with lust, to gaze up into the intense amber eyes above me.“Let go, baby,” Jace whispered as he rocked his lower body, plunging into me faster, deeper, and harder. His thrusts grew more frantic. His compelling eyes, which were dilated from breath-stealing bliss, never left my lust-filled eyes even once. “Come for me.”My eyes snapped open, and I turned around in bed, coiling myself into a ball. This wasn’t the first time I’d seen Jace in a dream. Nor was this the first time he had touched me and had his way with me. It started when I was seventeen, and it has integrated since then. Now, I see him at least three time
My heart skipped a beat at the sight of them as they walked into the restaurant.Jace was the only man who made me feel like I wasn’t enough, and the worst thing was that he didn’t use his mouth to say those words. How could I fault him, though? He had no idea how I felt about him and might never know.The lady he had beside him was tall, had long hair, and had an hourglass body like the one the model on the magazine cover had. Standing beside him, she complimented him in every way.Jace had always had a thing for the model type. I would know. I watched the ring of women he kept around him throughout the years I’ve known him. Janet, his late wife, was a top model in the country.However, unlike Janet, who had brunette hair, this lady he now held in his arms had blonde hair, and she had a charming smile on her face. Her face was as red as tomatoes, and she was trying not to give too much away. I couldn’t fault her for the lack of control she had over her emotions. I would be the same ar
My clinical training would begin this week at St. Louis Hospital, the only hospital affiliated with the University of Oxford in the state, and for the next eight weeks, I would learn and work three days a week. At the end of the eight weeks, I will receive a report on my performance, which I will take to the university, and my grade will be recorded. I discussed this with Lyon, and he agreed that his driver, Yao, would bring me over for affirmation today. I came in to meet with the head surgeon at the hospital, Dr Julian Bassey. I submitted the written consent given by the university, which I was to deliver to him. It was a request to train at the hospital for the next eight weeks. Dr. Julian had no issue with it because I wasn’t the first student to undergo training at the hospital. He welcomed me on board and shared a few working ethics and conditions with me. I had done my research last night, so I wouldn’t come in wanting. St. Louis Hospital was founded over seventy years ago an
“Wake up already!” Darcy tugged on Elle’s shoulder, but she only turned to the other side and continued as if she felt nothing. “Come on already. If you don’t wake up, you’ll be late for your graduation!”Estelle’s eyes snapped open at the last word, and she pulled herself up to sit down, a yawn leaving her mouth. She rubbed at her still sleepy eyes as they settled into awakening.Darcy had been staying with her the last couple of days, heading towards her graduation. She wanted to be present for the celebration and took leave from work to be beside her and support her.The graduation, as planned, would have been held a month ago, but Lyon and Jace stepped in to request a shift. Their positions and impact on the university made the heads consider their request.The vice chancellor, Mr Phillips, intends that Estelle is important to them as well since she has been heavily involved in the institution’s affairs since joining, and they wouldn’t mind going out of their way for her. It was pe
Jace was barely out of the shower when his phone rang. He walked over to the bed stand where he kept his phone with only the white towel around his waist and glanced at it. The caller ID read Lyon, and he wasted no time in answering the call.“Hello, Lyon.”“Elle is awake,” was all he said before ending the call.Jace arrived at the hospital thirty minutes later. He had made plans to meet with the board of directors this morning and discuss prospects for the company amidst his battles with the authorities. However, he changed those plans after getting a call from Lyon about Elle’s awakening. He called his PA, Becky, and asked to have the meeting shifted from nine a.m. to eleven a.m.It was a sudden change but a necessary one, and he took advantage of that and headed for the hospital, where the woman he loved waited for him. His heart raced in excitement with every minute that went by, and he wanted to see her. He needed to and couldn’t wait to be in the same room with her.He came to t
Elle could hear faint voices from not so far away as her consciousness returned. Her heavy lashes pulled apart, and her eyes fixed on the ceiling, trying to wrap her head around her environment and also how she got here. She heard the heart monitor beeping on her left side. Beside it was an IV pole stand holding a drip bag hung on top of it, which was connected to her left hand through its little tube.She stared around, trying to figure out her environment. She figured she was in the hospital, which meant something bad had happened. She wondered how bad it was and how long it had been since she had been in the hospital. Her head hurts a little, and they made her eyes dim.She stared around, despite her pain, and found someone beside her with his head lowered and his hand holding onto her right hand. She knew it was Lyon—his hair, his touch, and the smell of him.Her head hurt a little when she tried to recall the past event that brought her here. Could it have been that bad? She wonde
The next dayJace couldn’t remember the last time he was here, but his mother had spoken about doing this when things got out of hand. After silently waiting a few hours in the waiting room, he left for the hospital chapel a few wards away to his right. Things had gotten out of hand, first with Elle and then his name, which would affect his company eventually. The investigation was still ongoing, and he was still the prime suspect, as the only thing he had against Orlando was his words.Two days ago, following Julian’s advice, he hired a private detective on the case to look into things and find the blind spot of the entire event. His back was against the wall with every passing day since the accident, and he had to get one step ahead.There was still no positive news from the doctor on Elle’s case, and as long as she was here, he knew he could not function properly. She had to wake up, if not for anything. At least she had to wake up to make his life hell a little longer.He stepped i
Jace found his seat, being too weak to stand around for long after the doctor took his leave. Lyon, however, stood at the door, staring at him like he was some sort of monster. Lyon blamed him for his daughter’s state, and Jace couldn’t fault him. He blamed himself as well, and he would never stop blaming himself.It was barely a minute after the doctor left the room when two men walked into the waiting room. Jace moved his attention to them, wondering what they were doing and what it was they wanted.It turned out they had begun the investigation into the accident at the scene and had now come to the hospital to ask questions.“Mr Henshaw,” the first man called out, stepping forward and digging his hand into his pocket to pull out his badge. “I am Detective Rivers, and this is my partner, Detective Moore. We need to ask you a few questions.”Jace and Lyon told them everything that had happened to the best of their knowledge. When they asked what happened to Jace’s face, he told them i
“What happened?” he asked as they pulled away from the hug.Darcy shook her head, wiping her face. “I don’t know. She called four hours ago but never spoke, and all I heard was a bang followed by a crashing sound when I called her name. She didn’t speak, and when I called back, she didn’t pick up.” She explained. “I tracked her location with Dylan’s help and gave it to the emergency line, which I called immediately after. It’s been two hours since we came here.”Jace nodded his head at Dylan, who stood behind Darcy, and he nodded back. “How is she?” he asked, despite dreading the answer.“She’s been in the ICU since she came in.” She answered, “The doctor’s first call was to stabilise her. Since she did her last clinical here, they took her as one of their own.”“Where is she?” Lyon’s voice boomed through the hallway as he stormed out of the elevator and towards where they stood. “Where is my daughter?” He asked again, this time turning to the nurse at the counter to ask.“What’s her n
Jace had woken up with a wide smile on his face this morning, knowing what today meant. It was Ellen’s evaluation, and knowing her too well, he had confidence she would crush it. He could not wait to see her. Yes, he had a party to plan, but she was important.Lyon’s appearance yesterday had changed things, but Jace remained optimistic. He didn’t think they would make it through one month of staying away from each other, but they did, and now he was certain they would make it through.He had also kept his eyes out for news and gossip outlets to see what about him was on the news each day. Although he trended a few times in the past month, it was because he gained major deals and broke a record in the UK with the Henshaw Trust.Nothing about his personal life was known.A few sites hinted that he hadn’t been seen with any woman since he came to Oxford, and they wrote about him turning a new leaf. He almost agreed with the site when they speculated he had had a fill with the female gende
After ending the call with the attendant, Estelle came downstairs only to find Lyon there, as if he’d heard the call as well. He looked calm for a man who almost incapacitated another and had the rage of flipping the entire house upside-down last night. However, his knuckles didn’t look good. They were sore and needed medical attention, which he hadn’t given them yet. She worried for him, but her worry for Jace overshadowed her and fixed her mind on what was important. He asked if she was going somewhere, and she told him she was going to Jace, but before he could object, she told him she wasn’t returning to her room. She planned on going to him, and that was what she was going to do. He asked her if Jace was worth her defiance of his instructions, and she told him she loved him. He stepped out of the way without another utterance of words, and she ran out of the house to her car. She drove off, speeding just to get to her destination. Estelle arrived at the lounge lot and got out o
Lyon and Elle drove home in silence, neither of them willing to speak to the other. They were both mad at each other’s actions. Elle was mad at Lyon because he had given into his fury and turned into a man she didn’t know. Lyon was mad at Elle because she had left him in the dark, and she and Jace both made him out as a fool in their doing.They could barely bring themselves to even look at each other. As soon as the car stopped before the penthouse, Elle got down and walked over to it, and Lyon followed behind her. She entered the house but didn’t lock the door. This was his house, and she couldn’t lock him out of it even though she wanted to. Darcy wanted to come over after the celebration ended, but after the fiasco at the party, she knew her friend would not come back today. She would stay at her fiancé’s place until the smoke cleared.“How long has it been going on?” Lyon asked with a furious voice as she made her way towards her bedroom.She halted but didn’t turn to look at him.