When Brett and Victoria invited me to go to the mall, I didn't say no. I know that my parents and I agreed that I couldn't spend too much time in public places because of Mary, but the mall was different. There were too many people there and even if she followed me, she wouldn't be able to do a thing to me. Besides, I wasn't alone, and I was alert this time. I wouldn't let her lunge at me and slice me open with a knife.I meet them at the entrance. Things feel the same between us even though the last time I saw them was in the clinic. Well, I saw Brett there. Victoria never came inside my room to see me, so the last time I saw her was at the engagement party that went wrong. She seems a little awkward and I’m not sure why. Could it be that she’s embarrassed about not coming in? I understand it. If my best friend had been attacked by her own sister during her engagement party, I wouldn’t know how to handle all that either. Brett did, and he handled it really well, but I won’t criticiz
I look up at Luca when Miguel has disappeared from sight. “She’s dead?”He nods gravely. “That’s what you wanted to talk to me about?”“I found out an hour ago or so,” he says. “She was at the hotel. I didn’t know. None of us did. She called me before she did it and told me that nothing happened that night. She lied about it for over six years. Six whole fucking years, Laura.”I shake my head. “This is awful.”Just when I thought that things couldn’t get worse, this happens. It’s truly tragic. I can’t begin to imagine what he’s feeling right now. Guilty. Angry. Tired. He looks like it. I slide my hand in his and squeeze gently. He squeezes back. This confrontation with Miguel probably drained him even more. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”“No,” I say, rubbing my arm absentmindedly. “He was just a little agitated and I guess that’s what scared me.”He shakes his head. “You don’t know what it’s like for me to see him like this. I grew up with Miguel. He wasn’t like this. The man I saw t
When I told Luca about what Mary had done, he made a drastic decision that I didn't disagree with. We should leave our parents' houses and move in together. It was the most sensible decision we could make considering the circumstances. Why should we keep living with our parents when our lives were in danger? Clearly I wasn't safe where I was even though I thought I was. If Mary broke in to destroy my room, she could have easily done that with me inside. I couldn't fight her if she came with a gun. She could easily shoot me. I don't know why he didn't suggest both of us living at his family house. It was more spacious and had double the security. I think it has something to do with his mother. He mentioned something that got me thinking even though he didn't elaborate. Something about her losing him if she didn't respect his decisions. I didn't ask what it was. In time, he would tell me if he wanted to. Finding an apartment wasn't hard. We had the money; all we needed was to find a
It’s the day of the big move. I call it ‘big move’ because this is the only time that I’ve ever left home. I didn’t go away to college, and I only ever spent a few nights away from home. Two weeks at most when I went on trips with Brett and Victoria.Luca comes to fetch me. There are two cars with him, one behind and another in front of his. The security guards start loading my things into the cars. Luca looks at my baggage and asks, “This is it?”I frown. “You don’t think that this is a lot?”“I was expecting a lot more,” he says, then smiles. I step into his embrace and he kisses the top of my head. “How are things?”“The same,” I sigh. “There’s no sign of her.”“Same with Miguel. I don’t know how you managed to come across him at the mall, if I’m being honest.”My parents leave the house and walk toward us. We stand waiting for them to reach us. Luca shakes my father’s hand, and then my mother steps toward him and kisses his cheeks. “Won’t you come inside for a coffee or maybe a
There’s nothing sweeter than waking up in your brand new home for the first time. I stretch my arms high above my head and yawn. I then sit in my bed and inhale the patchouli lingering in the air. It’s therapeutic. The spot beside me on the bed is empty. Luca told me last night that he’d have to leave extra early because of a meeting, so I’m only expecting him later. Meanwhile, I’m going to have to figure out what to do all day. I make the bed and then jump in the shower. I’m revitalized. I didn’t know that what I needed to feel better was a change of scenery until now. I spent a good while under the hot spray. The water helps me relax. It also helps me think. There isn’t much food in the house. That’s the one thing we don’t have enough of. Luca said I have to be careful, and that if I had to leave, I could ask Gregory to take me. He said it wasn’t supposed to be done all of the time but I think today I can make an exception. I’m excited and we need groceries. I could ask someone t
LucaAs soon as Priscilla leaves, I’m relieved. I sincerely don’t know how she found out I’m living here. My mother, of course. I’m going to have to have a serious conversation with her. She can’t keep doing this. I’m honestly sick and tired of where everything is going. I came here to lead a peaceful existence. It isn’t enough that Miguel and Mary are after us to kill us? I have to have Priscilla chasing me around and talking about second chances? When my men told me that she was downstairs, I didn’t want to do anything about it. I was waiting for Laura to arrive. I didn’t need this shit. My first instinct was to ignore her, but then I felt angry. Furious, actually. What the fuck was she doing here? I knew it was my mother, but I wanted to know why she had come looking for me. I wanted to warn her to leave and never turn back. Couldn’t she understand that I moved on? That I was happy with someone else? At first, I told them to tell her I wouldn’t have her. She should get in her ca
Luca Laura won’t talk to me. She’s been in the room for too long. She won’t even have lunch. I decided to not say anything else to her. I know she has to calm down. We can discuss things again when she’s calmer. I’m upset. I haven’t felt this way in a long time. Things were going well. Things were fucking great just this morning before I left for work. Waking up with her beside me was amazing. I pressed my nose against her neck as I took her from behind, and everything felt perfect. Her warmth. Her scent. Her moans. They were music to my ears. It felt right. At that moment, I saw myself doing that every single day until the day I died. I was looking forward for that to happen every day. To love her and be with her before I went to work. It gave me strength. It made me want to work harder and better. My day was going great before Priscilla decided to show up and ruin everything. I don’t eat the food the chef has prepared. I don’t have the stomach for it. I can’t eat while Laura is i
I wake up in the morning feeling nauseous, so much that I race to the bathroom. I empty my stomach completely. I heave until there's nothing left. I then sit next to the toilet pot and put my head in my hands. I feel sick. My stomach won't stop churning and I have this bitter taste in my mouth. It makes me want to throw up again, so I do. Nothing much comes out. I flush them splash cold water on my face. I take my time getting ready. I don't apply makeup today. I feel far too sick. I lay down on the bed and try to get some sleep because I got none last night. I was thinking about what happened with Mary, and then with Priscilla. Seeing her made my blood boil. I was so upset that I stopped thinking for a while. I got out of the car without waiting to be told to. I stared at the car she had just gotten into. I stared at it until it sped away, and I could've sworn that she was staring at me through the tinted windows. Probably smirking. I stomped upstairs. Gregory tried to stop me bu