"You didn't tell me we're going so far from home." It was part accusation part uncertainty mainly because this was the most spontaneous thing Van had ever done in her life. She believed she has to plan everything down to the last detail before executing even a fragment of it and yet she had all but up and left everything the minute Jake asked her to trust him. Van knew it was stupid of her to believe anything he says but that was just her head talking, her heart on the other hand would follow Jake Calloway to the ends of the earth if he asked her to.That's how much she loves him. Jake pulled off his jacket and draped it on the sofa in the hotel room before he turned to acknowledge Van's accusations. "I'm sorry if I caught you off guard I just wanted you to take time off working so hard to relax a bit."Van still wasn't convinced so Jake covered the space between them and took both of her hands. "I just confessed to you how much I love you and I won't stop sayi
Ever since their encounter with Lucille Stefan has not been himself. Aside from the obvious attraction between them, Rella could tell that something was wrong. Something's bothering Stefan and she didn't know how to ask him or what to do to make him feel better. All she could do was offer her heart and body to him hoping that she could show him how much she loved him and that she's here for him no matter what. Stefan made a hearty breakfast for her in bed and he still hasn't said much. "Are you okay?" She asked hoping to get a response. "I'm fine no need to worry." "Was it something Lucille said, something about Jenny? You can tell me. I won't judge you."Stefan held her gaze it wasn't a sort of challenge or anything like that on the contrary he was staring at her like one would stare at a priceless jewel and it warmed her heart.Stefan took her hand and kissed her ring finger. "There is absolutely nothing for you to worry about. The way I feel about
Van squealed. "Gosh keep it down will you?" Rella tried to shush her. This was not at all what Van had expected to hear but she wasn't surprised either. She had always had a feeling that something like this would happen eventually. Stefan Diamond was a good looking man and Rella was attractive too and they're both red blooded male and female so… "Wow." was all Van could manage. And then she was demanding to know how it happened… everything. When Rella finished telling her the whole story Van leaned back in her chair. "If that ain't the most romantic story I've heard in a while." It was heart melting and toe curling but a more serious question would be does Stefan know the whole truth yet? The sullen expression on Rella's face told her what she needed to know. "It happened so fast. I was gonna tell him, I was prepared I even had a whole essay memorized but then just as I was about to tell him he told me he was in love with me. What was I supposed to
Rella's day had started out great. She got to hang out with her best friend, try out exquisite cuisine she's never had before, get to see breathtaking scenery with the man she loves but someone wants it to end in a bad taste. Stefan had insisted that Van and Jake stay at the beach house with them. They played charades and drank whiskey in front of the fire place. Everything seemed to be going smoothly when Rella's phone suddenly pinged with a new message.Meet me tonight to get your answers.The sender was unknown. What was so profound that someone wants her to know so bad? And how curious was she to take their word for it? How had they gotten a hold of her number in the first place? This was her first time in New Caledonia. These questions swirled in her head for a long time. She spent the better part of the evening feeling restless and mulling over what her next step should be. Should she tell Stefan about it? "What's on your mind you look distracted?" Stefan w
"You're not thinking of going there alone are you?" Van said as soon as Rella told her about the text message. "I want to know what it is." " They have your phone number isn't that creepy?" " When I meet them I'll ask them about it." " Rella! " Van yelled her name impatiently. " I'm coming with you." " Am I interrupting something? " Jake appeared in the kitchen suddenly startling them both. "No." Rella said. "So that means you won't mind if I borrow Van here?" "Go right ahead." She said ignoring the look her friend gave her.She would just get this over and done with she assured herself as soon they left. Sneaking out of the beach house wasn't that hard and once she was outside the gate, there was a car waiting with a tall man wearing dark suit leaning against it. He straightened when he saw her. "I have been asked to pick you up." The man said gruffly. "Your boss isn't here?" "N
" I had the weirdest dream last night. " Rella told Van the next day as they were making breakfast in the kitchen. " I was going to meet up with the mysterious person sending me those cryptic messages, you told me not to go but I was stubborn and went any way, I ended up getting kidnapped." " Well good thing your real self is smarter than your dream self. " "I know, and it was shockingly vivid. I thought I was going to die. But good thing it was only a dream." "are you going to tell Stefan about it? " " I should shouldn't I? " " He might know what kind of psycho we're dealing with. " Van had a point, Rella thought there was no point protecting whoever it was. It's better to be safe than sorry. They worked in silence until Van groaned all of a sudden. "What is it?" "Nothing I'm just being silly." "When has anything been silly to you? Spill."Van sighed knowing her friend would keep insisting.
Three Months Later… It was one of those weekends where both enjoyed each other's company, Stefan worked really hard at whatever he sets his heart to and his business was at the receiving end of it all. Stefan was dedicated and Rella loved that about him and respected him for it. He reminded her of herself when she was volunteering at an orphanage before the heartbreak that brought her home she was dedicated to her work and all those children brightened up her life, she never left a stone unturned to see that everything went smoothly. Even though Stefan and his grandfather don't quite see eye to eye he still has immense respect for the old man and if not for him he never would've met Rella. Never would've crossed paths with her and he never would've married her and even dreamed that such happiness was possible. Rella made him a better person. She made him see that happy ever after wasn't just in fairytales and that one could attain it with the right person. The
Rella's laughter filled the air with her hair flying in the wind. It was exhilarating, riding out here with the weather that was just perfect. It’s been a long time since she'd felt this free. The vast field was stunning to look at with lush green grass spanning the landscape; there was a lake just up ahead glittering in the sunlight it'd be nice to just lie out here on the grass and feel the sun on her skin. She quickly dismounted. "You're really good," Stefan commented as he equally dismounted. "Where did you learn to ride like that?" "I learned to ride when I was seven and I joined the equestrian club in high school." "Come, you must be hungry let's have something to eat." He took her hand and led her to the lake where a blue checked table cloth was spread out on the grass and a picnic basket sat on it.Rella turned to him surprised. "When did you prepare all this?" "Well actually all I did was pack everything into the basket." He told her honestly
Walking down the aisle towards the man of her dreams had always been Rella's dream. Yes she was a hopeless romantic and right now her focus was on the man at the altar. There was just him, everyone else seemed to fade away and when he smiled up at her there was no doubt in her heart it was all for her. No more pretense, no more lies, no more deceit, she wasn't walking down the aisle towards someone else's fiancé in someone else's dress no, she was walking down the aisle towards the love of her life who sees the real her in her own gorgeous wedding dress. Stefan was impatient for the ceremony to end not because he wanted to get it over and done with like the last time but because he couldn't wait to have her all to himself. Never in a million years had he ever thought that he might end up madly in love with anyone to the point that he couldn't start a day without her infectious smile and he couldn't end his day without tasting her lucious lips. They exchanged their vo
" I've missed you so much it hurts. " Stefan murmured against her neck. They managed to make it back to the bedroom before he could devour her on the stairs. "I've missed you too." Rella said a moan escaping her lips. She cupped his engorged member and Stefan stiffened and pulled back. "I think we should stop before things get a bit too heated." "Why? In case you haven't noticed I want you too." "I don't want to hurt you. You just came out of the hospital." "I'm not an invalid you know." "I'm just being cautious." " Such a spoil sport."Stefan chuckled. "why don't we get you to bed… " "You're leaving, please stay." Rella protested. "I'm not leaving." Stefan assured her before he climbed in after her and gathered her in his arms. "Try not to wiggle too much." "Like this?" Rella said wiggling her behind against his crotch.Stefan hissed out a curse while she snickered. "Fiend." It
Stefan realised too late that he didn't get flowers, but no matter he was going to get her back first and then he'd give her all the flowers in the world. He punched the doorbell in anticipation, a woman in her late forties almost identical to Evie Cortes stood by the open door and Stefan knew without a doubt that he was at the right address. "May I help you?" "Uh, good evening ma'am my name is Stefan and I have come to see Rella.Marjorie stared at him long and hard then assessed him from top to bottom and her eyes widened for a second before it was gone in a snap. "Rella isn't here." She told him and Stefan's heart dropped into the pit of his stomach. " What, but I was told she'd be here? " " You were told wrong. I haven't seen my niece in a while. "She must be lying. Stefan thought. But what reason does she have to lie to him? If Rella wasn't here, if she didn't come here at all then where could she be?This isn't how he envisioned the day would end. No,
Stefan smiled as he took out the gold band with a heart shaped diamond atop it. It couldn't be more perfect conveying all of his feelings at once. She's going to love it he was sure of it. "You've found her." Stefan shut the jewelry box before he turned to find his grandfather leaning on his cane by the bedroom door "The love of your life." Because that's what the ring is meant for, his grandmother's ring given to her by his grandfather before they got married which has been passed down the family for many generations now. "Not yet in a manner of speaking but I will." "When I saw your grandmother for the first time I knew she was the one and I did everything I could to make her realise that I was the one as well." His grandfather explained. " I know we haven't been able to see eye to eye since your parents died and I know that you think me controlling and insufferable but I try my best to raise you well. Everything I've done good or bad were all for you
Stefan made a mad dash home after he was told she discharged herself. He didn't wait to kill the engine before he was flying out of the door and running towards the house like a mad man. "Rella!?"He yelled out her name. "Sir is something wrong?" Henry the butler asked meeting him halfway through the living room. "My wife, is she here?" "Madam hasn't been back since both of you left yesterday." "You're sure?" "Absolutely." Stefan walked past the old Butler and made for the stairs holding on to the possibility that she might've come home without Henry's knowledge.He pushed open their bedroom door calling out her name once more but there was no answer. He threw open the closet to find everything intact; no item was out of place. She'd taken nothing with her. Stefan staggered back, it was all he could do to avoid breaking down completely. He whipped out his cellphone and began making calls. " I'm sorry Stefan I don't know wher
Rella's world had slowed down in that moment when she saw Stefan's horror mirroring her own, when she realised that they were both thinking the same thing. Everything that happened after that was a blur. She heard him yelling to someone to bring the car around and then he was lifting her up. The ride to the hospital took a lifetime. "I'm sorry but your wife's had a miscarriage…"They were too late and now the doctor is saying she's lost her baby. She tuned out the doctor's words after that first damning sentence. Everything was spinning and she couldn't breathe. Rella started sobbing while Stefan turned and left the room–he probably couldn't wait to get away from her. The doctor was still talking to her but Rella had since tuned her out, her voice getting drowned by the silence in her head–normally there'll be a roaring–but there was utter silence that Rella was afraid she wasn't in her skin anymore.Rella was oblivious to when the doctor left the room and Van was there w
It was on a magical evening one month later that her best friend Van and her husband Jake Calloway renewed their vows and it was everything they both could've hoped for. Family and friends who weren't present the first time they said their vows were present today. Van was surrounded by family she thought she never had and right there under the arch in the shape of two swans decorated with daisies, her friend said her vows again. Rella was happy for Van of course, after everything that's happened her best friend deserves to be happy but she was also jealous, she could not help this foul feeling churning in her guts that made her wish she was in Van's place instead surrounded by so much love and not in this sham of a life she was living pretending everything was okay. But this day was Van's happy day and so she smiled throughout the whole ceremony unitl her cheeks ached. Rella glanced sideways at Stefan who was sitting beside her, she knew if he could help it he'd be far from her
Van hated hospitals. Especially when it reminded her of her dad's condition, and how much he suffered before his passing. Hospitals are filled with gloom and despair. People die in hospitals and she couldn't shake up the thought that Jake might die just like her father.No, she had to believe that nothing would happen to Jake, that he wouldn’t share the same fate as her father because she didn't think she had it in her to survive another tragedy. Jake’s friends; Christian, Dave and Max, were all there including Rella her best friend and her husband Stefan Diamond who's also Jake's friend. They'd arrived a few hours ago and were as worried and afraid as she was but they were trying to make her feel better instead. Rella had held her hands through out the waiting period while Jake was being operated on and Van had cried on her shoulders voicing out her fear. Her grandfather had called to hear how Jake was doing after Jake was transferred to the recovery room some time late
Over the next few days it was safe to say that Van's relationship with Jake was getting better. Jake was determined and patient. If there was anything she loved about him it was his resilience and ability to focus and get what he wants. Van also loved his warm smile, his strength and his ability to love no matter what. She felt giddy with his courting, like she had the first time he asked her out. Van pressed the phone against her ear and smiled a good natured smile like she never had in a while. Her heart almost on the verge of exploding with joy and happiness and everything that was good. "Look out the balcony, I have a surprise for you." Jake told her and when Van looked out she saw him standing outside the gate holding out a banner that read: I love you Vanessa Wilkins Montenegro. Van still wasn't used to being referred to as a Montenegro but she was certain she would get used to it pretty soon. After her father’s death Van thought that she and her