Eloïse Woods, who adheres to her mom's footsteps in becoming an Ankara fashion designer, Meets the elegant embodiment of a telenovela model. Like water to a dying plant is this mysterious man to a desiccating heart. Eloïse breaks the suffocating chains of her dad's guidance as she plunges into the arms of the first man she decides to donate her heart to. A building begins to crumble, Fingers are pointed, Someone is used, A heart is broken. Can every broken heart really be mended? Romance/Mystery
View MoreHey beautiful humans. Welcome to The Chiseler BB4 (Blackbook 4) of the Woods series. Have you checked out BB1, BB2, and BB3 yet? If yes, congratulations🙂 if no, pls do check it out.
Love you all much much. Your Author Zagzahzlau.
~••~
"The shade, tsk tsk, I don't like it," I said whilst punching my phone.
My friends--Marila and Bennie--had managed to pull me out of my cocoon from the comfort of my beddings tenderness on a Saturday afternoon to the Mall out of my very own wish.
Traditional purchase was my weak bone, but lately, I hadn't been in the mood for it for reasons not worth mentioning. Not yet.
"Are you serious right now, Eloïse?" Marila scolded, resting both arms on her hourglass waist. "This is like...the twenty-third dress you are condemning without even sparing it a glance."
For the first time in an hour did I lift my orbs off of my phone to collide with a furious set of hooded amber eyes.
Marila was an exemplar of perfection; tall she was, with prominent curves and edges. I nicknamed her hourglass for a reason. Her skin was of ivory neutral undertone, soft and smooth as a baby's butt.
"Don't plug my brows bald," I said. "As I said, the shade is horrible. One might take you for a beetroot in that dress."
Bennie, the beige warm undertone lass with tiny sterling grey eyes, showered a burst of hysterical laughter. "Eloïse, Jesus, that was so mean."
"I was just..." Marila narrowed her once wide eyes and stomped into the changing compartment with a viscious strawberry facial mask on. "...being truthful." I shrugged.
Honestly, she deserved it. Somehow. I understood she was trying to lighten my mood by squeezing me out of my 'partially comfort' zone to the Shopping Mall, but she of all people should've known I didn't get easily fascinated when on my 'transition period' as they named it because Ace had left.
Yes, that mentally, physically, and emotionally got me on the verge of total derangement. Ace was that sweetest-everybody's dream older brother concealed in unnerving jerk clothing. He was also that older brother who would compliment you in public and savagely disgrace you in private.
Our love was incomprehensible, a love which just both of us could understand.
Now, when my parents announced to us--Myself, Beth, and Nate--about Ace's departure to Cameroon, we all became a ball of crying mess in the living room, especially Beth and I, crying at time intervals, with one of us picking up from where the latter stopped. Since then, my mood had never been the same.
I had bombarded my mom with several discouraging questions like; What if he gets seriously ill, you know him mum, he wouldn't go to the hospital and he might die or something worst-don't really know what could be worst than death but, I just had to say anything just so my brother could stay with us.
I starved myself for as long as two days, to no avail.
'Won't you eat today too? Just let me know so I don't stain an extra plate.'
I even threatened to fall from the rooftop.
'If you jump from up there, there are two things involved baby; it's either you get seriously injured or die. If you get injured, let me make it clear to you that hospitals are in existence and if you die, we going to make sure to call the coffin dancing guys for the funeral.she had said. That's just to name a few.
My mum, Zaphrina Tatiana Woods, is...a good woman in her own special way, who knows just how to deal with my tantrums, unlike my dad.
I heaved a sigh at how frustrated my life would be without Ace. From my peripheral vision, I sighted a guy in a grey Blueberry imprinted hoodie on a pair of black ripped jeans. His hair must have been long because a little mop of platinum blonde hair kissed his shoulder blade despite the hood. The distance didn't benefit any further detailed examination of him.
He had a peculiar way of staring at his surroundings as he did the expensive wristwatches concealed in a glass frame. Then, followed the rack of pretty expensive button-up shirts.
I watch him meticulously graze his fingertips from one shirt to another.
"Hey, Are you even listening to me?"
Marila chimed. I hadn't even noticed her return, talk less of whatever thing she blabbered about.
"Urghh. I'm never trying this shit again. Your transition period won't be the death of me." She rolled her eyes. "I can't believe I'm leaving the Mall with a virgin credit card."
My eyes won't quit the hoody guy as Marila kept grumbling and whining like the drama queen she is. We walked past the cashier's to the exit door when Bennie requested we paused.
"Jesus, Bennie, This is something you shoulda done ere long," Marila complained in a duh tone. "Now you going to make me embarrass myself further by standing here like a potted plant without shopping bags."
"I didn't know I desired it until I saw it." She shrugged. "I hope tchoupi likes it."
My vision, which had managed to divert from the mysterious lad to Bennie and Marila's little dispute made me lose track of my stalkee.
"Just hurry up, I've basked in enough embarrassment today...Hey, What have you been looking at this whole time?" Marila, who had finally noticed my absent-mindedness wriggled her lengthy neck to succession. "Ohhhh, he's...hot?" she hesitated, stating the obvious; she didn't mean it.
The lad walked away from the shirt rack to the exit, just then did I meet amber eyes and shook my head at her disdainfully.
I knew just where she was driving at; pretentious compliments, peer pressure, and pleads had become her national anthem.
Oh say! Can you see by the dawns early light...
Oh Eloïse! Can't you see by the dawns early light...
"For real," She proceeded, waving her fingers to a presently imaginary figure of him. Conducting, was what I called that. Something she often did when talking. "I mean, look at those sexy, dirty, faded jeans clinging to his muscled legs so perfectly and that local store cheap hoodie clutching his William Levy torso-"
"Jesus Christ, Marila just stop already ok?"
It was irritating. She had a tendency of performing this way whenever I set eyes on the opposite sex which could either be when I admired his outfit or when I spotted a flaw dangling somewhere on his physique.
"Oh Eloïse, can't you see? You are sixteen and still single." she rested a hand on my shoulder. "You ain't getting younger deary, life's short and you need to live it to the fullest with five very important aspects; shopping, spar visiting, boys, boys, and boys. As I speak, you aren't even close to experiencing half of life's most important aspects. I won't lie to you, sometimes, you make question your sexuality. Please, for the sake of our friendship, get you a boyfriend." she corked her head with a pretentious worried look. "I could hook-"
"No thanks," I swatted, almost immediately rolling my eyes at her. Even though none of such could ever halt her from lecturing me with the whole dick issues.
"Done," Bennie alerted as she walked to us with a ball of yarn, for her kitten, in hand while struggling to keep her credit card with her free hand in her purse. Together, we exited the mall to the penetrating radiance of the sun above our heads.
"Hey, thief! Somebody call the cops."
A chubby old man exited an antique store. In his hand was a lengthy piece of carved mahogany polished wood, it took me a moment to realize that it was an African sculpted elephant's tusk.
His short legs wouldn't expand more than three feet as he set on pursuing the said 'Thief' who's body was already vanishing down the street.
Something. Something about him stroke recognition as the image of the retreating grey hoodie slashed with that of the mysterious lad from the shopping mall.
"Can't believe this," I heard Bennie utter from behind me. "I thought such happen only at dusk."
"Well, you gotta stop thoughting Bennie. The world is coming to an end. I think I will need more guards when next I'm going shopping. I can't have this happen to my shopping bags. Oh God, I can't even imagine my poor designer shoes in the hold of such a malevolent creature."
"Hey," I called to the man who wasn't far enough from earshot. "Sir, please wait up."
The chubby man stopped abruptly as if sighted a green light before him from nowhere. He dropped the wooden elephant's tusk to clutch his knees while exhaling and inhaling heavily like he just ran a marathon when he barely even made five steps into the journey.
"I...I hope you have a good reason for stopping me," He managed to cough in between breaths.
I walked to Mr. Chubby trying my best not to let my eyes wander around me at the numerous eyes staring. I only hoped among them wasn't an alert machine to have called the cops already.
From behind me, I heard my friends call and questioning my action but I ignored them for I was at the brink of doing something I hope I never regret.
"What did he take from you?"
"You mean, what did he steal," he corrected. "The most valuable item of my shop worth a lot of thousands," he knelt onto the roughly tarred pavement with undeciphered muffles of what sounded like curses?
"That was the second out of three rarest Africa's most precious articles and that bast--"
"How much?" I cut him off immediately.
"Huh?"
"I detest repeating myself, sir,"
"Young woman, I'm not ready for any childish prank if that's what you and your friends have conspired. Now, get out of my moaning side will you?"
This man was getting my nerves all cooked up already.
"Eloïse, come on let's get out of here," Bennie said, pulling me by my arm.
I abruptly swatted her hands away before reaching for my purse.
With my checkbook and pen in hand, I shot my focus back to Mr. Chubby for him to see how serious I was about it.
"For the last time sir, how much does that article cost?" I rose my voice at him more than it's normal calm tone and immediately felt a stinging sensation; It wasn't my habit scolding at or replying back to elderly people. My mum once told me doing so was going to make me susceptible to misfortunes in future as per 'traditional beliefs' but this man right here gave me no choice
"That single he stole was three thousand."
"Here," I forwarded the cheque to him, "that's six. I'm interested in the other."
Sorry I don't feel it when writing in first person.
"You see, even though Finna had her fair share of bad attitudes displayed, they weren't as bad as those the man she had come to love so badly had begun to portray; he didn't sleep home some nights and not because he spent it with another woman, no. He didn't show her affection anymore, didn't take her out on dates or business parties, he didn't eat at home, indulge her into conversations, and all that." "All these worried Finna considering that she had fallen too deep and madly for this man and could not picture a future without him. So she sat him down on a faithful day and asked him what she'd done wrong, if he didn't love her anymore. And if it were the case of the latter, she'll peacefully leave. Guess what he said to her." Eloïse shrugged "That he still loved her. So much even." "Then why was he acting that way?" Eloïse hastily asked. "'Cus she didn't show interest in things he was excited about." "Hm, that was...a silly reason to behave like an arse." "To you. You should
"I uh..." Craig soothingly tightened his grip on her fingers, rubbing them simultaneously. "I have to leave the country soon fo—" Craig's beautiful face instantly tensed, a conspicuous frown in sight. "How soon is that?" "Less than a month." Eloïse's eyes denied meeting his. "Sorry I interrupted. Please proceed." "My designs were exhibited to an haute designer who approved them and he's willing I work with him. So...yeah." She shrugged. Eloïse felt Craig's stare warm her face all through her little speech. "How long will you be gone for?" "Six months or so, I'm not quite sure." Craig pondered. "Is this the trivial situation you referred to?" Eloïse said nothing. "You assume you're insignificant to me?" She still did not speak. "Where is it?" "France." Craig sighed, "I have nothing to lose as of now. As much as it hurts to admit, I'm tremendously skeptical about getting this job any moment soon. Implying that I'll have to start applying for a job in France then." Eloïse would
"Next," Troy, the photographer, said. "Tilt your head a little more to the left. Alright, perfect." "I thought he'll be here by now," Zaphrina worried as her eyes met her watch. "We are five minutes in. You sure he's not forgotten or something?" "He'll be here soon, mum. Perhaps something came up or he's caught in traffic," Eloïse shrugged and chuckled. "Funny how the roles have turned. Where's the mother who tells me 'a worried mind isn't healthy' hmm? And look at what you're worrying over, it's not even that much of a salient event." Zaphrina comported and focused on the photo shoot meanwhile, Eloïse faded away from the aggregate of photography staff to make a call. It had been ten minutes ago since she'd called Craig to no avail. Not known to be late, Eloïse, however, was certain he would show up since he'd assured her two days ago and earlier that day. She went to voice mail after two rings and wore the crown of persistence this time around. For the first time. Saints on her s
Craig had respected the curfew to the latter; he'd taken her back home seven minutes to time. Four of which they'd spent walking the short distance he'd parked his car away from Eloïse's home. When she asked why, his retort was to spend a little more time with her hand in his. "How do you cope living here?" He asked. "In what context?" Partly conscious, as a result of his big hands warming hers in addition to the circles he made with his thumb at the back, Eloïse wondered. "It's serenity. A little too deafening." "I'm used to. Born and raised in it. What I find deafening is the commotion out of this area." No one spoke for a while. "Don't you admire such places?" "I do. A lot. I love me some alone time every once in a while just like I love some commotion." "How's that?" "It's the way I grew up; my mum was the quiet type and my dad, the calm irritated type. They didn't last long. Spent time fluctuating from one to the other. Eventually lost both and had to live with granny." "I
It was no doubt a miracle that her father worked overtime that Friday evening yet, he did not fail to have a message passed on to Eloïse's date despite it that her mother unfailingly passed on. 'She should be home before 8:30,' she had said with a smile of admiration. 'You two have the fun of your lives.' Eloïse narrowed her eyes at her mother as she read and understood the assignment between the lines. Earlier that moment, while she was being dolled up, Zaphrina had given her one or two seductive pointers. And of course, she planned not on using any. Eloïse cringed at the thought. "You okay?" Craig worried. "Okay. I mean, yeah, I'm okay." She straightened up as the waiter who took their orders returned with a pitcher of minted water and a bottle of champagne. Craig gave her an intense smoldering stare while she watched the waiter fill their glasses and immediately he departed, she cooled her heated body with the cold glass of minted water. "You look good," He complimented for t
Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah, Dubai.8:13 a.m "Mr. White," The man in a beige Bisht atop an unblemished white kandoora called in his thick Emirati accent as he received his guest's hand for a shake. "Nice to see you." "The pleasure is all mine, Sayyid Kareem." "Have a seat." The tall brunet young man in a black tuxedo obeyed with a smile on display. Almost immediately, waitresses filed in with assorted platters of breakfast pastries to occupy the entire table. "How are you enjoying your stay in Dubai so far, Mr. White?" "Wonderful is an understatement." He watched his cup being shaded with black coffee, expressed his gratitude to the waitress, and watch her leave. "My delight to do business with you is beyond words, Mr. White." "Same here. After all, what other bank can I rely on with my money, eyes closed, but yours?" He watched Sayyid Kareem sip his coffee with glee. "I've heard a lot about it from associates running their businesses over here. It's been reported to have be
"Mum? Can I talk to you?" She found her mother in the workshop pinning a mixture of brick red and blue material on a mannequin doll. Zaphrina made sure to discard the pin that kept her mouth sealed on her work table before dedicating her whole attention to her daughter. "About what?" She removed her apron and sat down gesturing to Eloïse to sit too. "About Leo's proposal." "Okay?" Eloïse was about to talk when someone knocked. It was Daisy, a new apprentice, who wanted Zaphrina to check out her work. "I'm busy right now, Daisy. Just give me some time and while you're at it, could you please come up with a mock-up of Mrs. Ogechi's traditional outfit? Use the calico I left on Sandra's work table. If it's not enough, get some from the storage room. I'll check on that too when I'm done." "Sure thing, ma'am." "Okay, so, back to you, what was your conclusion?" "I agreed." Her mother proudly smiled. "Because Julien Vauthier was the catch." Her mother's eyes widened. "Jesus. I know he
"We should have told him everything. There were chances of him changing his mind," Zaphrina complained as she neatly hung her husband's shirts in the closet. To say Ace's behavior didn't trouble her will be an understatement as she happened to have observed that it worsened if anything. Perhaps flying him out wasn't the best idea. Perhaps she thought wrong; that Ace would someday change and that, that was the best and only place. That it was the only solution. "I doubt that. You know how he gets whenever the company's mentioned. His mind is made up." Marley typed away on his laptop. Zaphrina's eyes glistened with sorrow thinking back to her son's profile after mentioning the reason for their visit. He must have felt like an outcast. Bethany was right after all. "Honey," Marley pulled out his glasses, set aside his laptop, and deserted the bed after realizing his wife's withdrawal. "Come now, you need to rest, relax, and not think too much." He gently massaged her shoulders whilst
Before departure time, Eloïse had avoided and ignored Ace all day, Craig had not responded to any of her messages, and she'd learned the news from her father about Ace not having plans of returning home anywise. All that devastated her. On their way to the airport, she refused to board Ace's car with the little ego she had. If he didn't feel the need to apologize for his poor behavior, then she will have to fly back in unchanged circumstances. Too much of everything becomes a disease. Ace had always had people coming around despite his wrongs and that made him feel extraordinary, empowering, belittling, and keep him wanting more. So what if the roles changed, will that lead him to an early grave? Eloïse thought as she pretentiously scanned through a magazine while they waited to board the plane in a few minutes. Before her next eye-blink, Eloïse's left hand detached from the magazine and was being pulled alongside her body by a force unknown to physics to a place yet to be known
Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.
Comments