ERIKA"You know? I really thought the company that you started had a good potential. I really thought it would work out," he said."You don't have to-""I'm serious. I was actually very impressed with you and not just because I.. loved you."He quietened down as if he had said something he wasn't planning on and she immediately saw it in his face. But she decided to let it go as well just to avoid putting him in that position where he had to explain himself. No matter how wrong it felt, she knew it was all a matter of time before the truth was in front of her. She knew at that moment that to really understand the intensity of the situation and every underlying detail that she has made herself unavailable to, she had to wait for her father to actually come up with an explanation. Matthew Sterling had to. He was meeting with his downfall very soon, he had no choice but to go down after he narrates the whole story because she wasn't ready to believe there's nothing else.She didn't know
ERIKA"Just so you know, they know who you are and they know you've been living here. They also know about the relationship between you and Mr. Asher. That can make the situation a little easier and the reaction might not be that intense," Violet meant it with good intentions but that made Erika ten times more nervous.She won't be having a pleasant time, it had to be similar to a battle. And she was not ready, she needed to talk to Nigel."Where's Nigel? I need to see him immediately, I had no idea at all," Erika asked, her hands almost shaking with guilt and desperation. She really didn't want to meet people who would help her meet with her past because she didn't even know how to face it yet. It was already too much for her when she was just starting to settle in. But now she had to act quick and even though she didn't know why, she was thinking of ways to impress them.She didn't even know why she needed to do that. She was sure it would be fine if she stayed locked inside her roo
NIGELAnd this would be completely crazy and he was just realising it, his mouth dropped open. He looked at the driveway of the airport with a pit in his stomach because he knew Erika was freaking out just as bad. He had left in a hurry without even informing her and he had no idea if she was even up yet. But what mattered first was her mom. He knew his father would let him handle things his own way but the only one who would question the morality of it all would be his mother.And he didn't know how ready he was, and neither was Erika. Nigel let out a sigh and got out of his car to pick up his family with an elevated feeling in his heart. He had indeed visited them a few days ago when Laurent's surgery dates were near and even if his little brother's teenage hormones were turning her into a loner who hardly liked company, it felt like he was also going into a darker phase of his life, Nigel rarely remembered how his smile looked like. And that sent waves of concern in his mind and he
NIGELThey all barely spoke to each other. She smiled and Laurent just looked back at his phone. "Let's go then?""Has Ms Mary prepared everything or do I have to prepare myself to use my voice?" Julia said because she had never really liked Ms Mary. Nigel smiled at the thought that maybe their mutual hatred for that woman can create a sense of bonding between Erika and his mother.When he realised he was genuinely thinking this, he was quite shocked by how Erika had altered his brain chemistry. He had been unconsciously thinking of ideas on how to get them together and make sure they settled it out so that it was easier to get Erika mixed up with them. Nigel knew his family pretty well and he knew that they wouldn't burst out of anger or make backhanded comments. They would pretend they are just fine with Erika just to make him happy. They were just that kind of people and Nigel knew the consequences thoroughly.And that's why he wanted them to genuinely know her and like her from wi
ERIKA"Hi ma'am, it's nice to finally meet you," Erika spoke out, putting her hand out for Julia to shake even if Julia herself looked stupefied. She wasn't expecting this as her eyes moved from Erika, scanning her face, to her hands. Nigel stepped closer to them and stared at his mother expectantly, mirroring Erika's expression. Julia broke into a small smile."I was dying to meet you too. We need to have a long chat indeed," Julia, with a small smile, shook her hand gently. That's what told her that if she wanted to fix anything, she had to do it all herself. Erika knew what that meant and it didn't just account for Julia but everyone else.And she would. For herself. For them. For Nigel.She knew that before getting her hopes too up and watching it all eventually crumble, she had to take slow but productive steps. She knew she shouldn't try to butt her way into their lives but if she wanted to do this the right way, she had to make sure she was at least taken under consideration an
ERIKA"You did a good job, okay? I am proud of you, you faced them pretty well," he smiled on her neck and then caressed her head. She sighed and finally gave in to him. "She shouldn't have behaved that way with you, I told her to not say something that digs up the past but she did it anyway. I'll tell her that it made me mad and she won't do it again to you, okay?"Nigel was being so loving and caring that it was making Erika melt right into his arms. But deep down she also knew that it was wrong for him to stop others from doing the one thing that they had waited long to for. Confront the people they hate and that happens to be Erika, so be it."No, please don't do that. I don't want that at all," Erika said that made him pull away and look at her with a frown as if he wasn't getting what she was talking about. He waited for her to explain. "I don't want them to hold back. The only way I can get through them is by being real with them and letting them be the same with me. You should
ERIKA"The contract," he voice drifted a little as if to make sure he was up for it and when she saw his eyes brighten, she took it as an immediate yes."Really?""The contract? Yes. Your heart? Never," she said and Nigel's hands immediately snaked up her back as she leaned in and pulled him into a deep kiss, the kind that was bound to leave him absolutely breathless. His hands gripped her harder and she took a deep breath against his lips as she pulled him in for more. They kissed deep but still sweet enough to spawn butterflies all over her stomach as she felt his beating heart."God," he murmured between the kisses and Erika's face completely flushed when her eyes parted and she realised she was almost in plain sight of everyone else as they were standing in front of the hallway area where anyone could walk by. Even if his kiss lingered and his eyes looked like he wanted more, she parted with him shyly, leaving him a little confused. "What happened?""Anyone can see us, wait!" Erik
ERIKA"I want you to have dinner with my family tonight and you have to be there, okay? My family is big on eating together and they don't leave anyone out. So, make sure you come down on time," Nigel informed her and a faint smile appeared on Erika's face that was almost hopeful. But the next sentence he said, dropped that smile right off of her face. "And take the car, the driver will go with you."And that created the ripples she was trying to avoid as she was now caught up in her own lies. If the car comes, she has to make sure that the driver doesn't see where she has gone. The people of Nigel's household already hated her and she knew they would keep an eye on her going anywhere she was not supposed to. She had to be extra careful with what she did. Erika wanted to deny Nigel of that but she has already said no a few times. Even if Erika knew she wasn't doing anything wrong or hurtful to Nigel, just going there to meet Metin and tell him she didn't need his help anymore, she fe
ERIKA"I genuinely loved you then, when I didn't know what it was like to have you so it was never about the chase that I would find someone else now that I know what it is like to have you. When I saw you, I knew you were the one even if I ignored it for as long as I could. I have no doubts that this feeling wouldn't change. You're quite literally the drug I am addicted to.""Well," she stepped closer to him as her hands snaked up his neck and coiled it till it was tight enough and wrapped him deeply into a hug. "That makes the two of us."The rest of the night was as peaceful as all of them Erika and Nigel had spent together because it never felt enough as it was just as easy going and soothing as ever. It felt like to her that everything was finally okay. Who knew what might happen to them next or what the future held for them. All she knew was that, it was truly one of a kind.~And that was all it took for everything to fall back into place with everything they wished for. The ne
ERIKAShe asked, knowing she was voicing his concerns as well because they never really ended up talking about it to the point that there was no room for confusion. "We love each other and in the world's eye we are dating. So.. we can just do that in real life too, right?" Nigel asked because he was not sure where she was getting at even if it was complex."But.. are you sure that will be the right move? We are still new in understanding the feelings we have for each other, we didn't even have enough time to spend with each other and really know the kind of people we really are because we have no time, are you sure we are ready to take the next step? Especially when I'm moving away to Paris?" She asked and even if the questions were very hard hitting, she had put them forward without contemplating. People spoke a lot about how things get serious and more real after the so called honeymoon phase of a relationship gets over. And if they needed to draw the estimate, she could tell that s
ERIKA"Just because I told you not to do something, it's not an order. It's not a command but a suggestion, a logical something I'm trying to tell you about. I know why you take what I say so seriously, because of the contract and how we started but that's not our reality, Sterling. We are equal and we'll listen to each other but we'll have our own free will, is that clear? You don't have to look up to me," he said with a concerned look on his face but it made her calm down just as quick.And she saw the truthness in his words because no matter how much she tried to deny the fact that she was, in fact, always scared of angering him and was always paranoid that he would flip and tell her this was all a joke, she knew it had stemmed from the time that Erika originally came to this mansion and agreed to be a comtracted slave because Nigel wanted so because of his revenge. But those days she has spent trying to decipher his unpredictability, it had also caused a shift in her own behavior
ERIKANigel's face was a mixture of exhaustion and anger but as he moved to Erika, closer and closer, covering the distance between them, her eyes kept getting thinner to slits as she shut them down tight as she flinched when she felt his silhouette cover her entire body and his strong hands grabbing her into a tight hug."Thank you, Erika. I don't even know how to say it but thank you so so much," he let it all out with his head buried in her shoulder as she stood as still as a rock that was electrocuted. "For the first time in years, he has called me his brother."His voice was shaky, almost like he was experiencing a sense of euphoria or a different unknown form of an emotion altogether. Something he has probably never experienced before. And all Erika could do was stare at him and feel him around her in awe because she was still processing how her stupid move had turned out. She could've thought of a million more alternatives on how this thing could've turned out as but not this b
ERIKABut before she left, she stood by the doorway and looked back at Laurent, a spitting image of a young Nigel, and said the words that shook him even harder. "But your brother did mention that you two drifted away a lot, apparently, it's not the same as it used to be between you two anymore. That's why I assumed you hated each other. Anyways, I'll get going, thanks again!"With that, Erika left a completely raged Laurent behind knowing that he hated being called enemies with his own brother. And even if it had raised any kind of conflict in his heart that would ultimately lead to a confrontation, her job there was done. And now if things magically go the way she wanted it to go, it'd all be better. That's what she prayed for as she took her nervous steps away from his doorstep and towards Erika's own room. She just hoped this doesn't take the turn for the worse. She went back to her room and started working on the budget and planning of her moving to Paris that Nigel had done a l
ERIKAViolet had been there and in her words, he looked very upset about something and he was pleading with Nigel to let him meet her but Nigel was taken aback so he asked Metin to come back when he was home. He asked me to send you the message and get you to call him. And that made her finally let out a sigh of relief. Metin was sorry and guilty about his actions. He wanted to say sorry and that was the reason he did it. Finally, it felt like she could breathe a fresh air and let off the steam of everything happened in the last day. Maybe things were finally looking up and maybe this was a sign that she should just go through the plan she had thought of last night without thinking of the consequences too much.Even if Nigel had asked her not to meddle in or try to talk to Laurent about any of this or just anything at all, Erika knew she had to disobey that because if she doesn't take the first step, all of their steps would inevitably stay static. Someone had to take the blow first
ERIKAIf he wanted to sleep in her bed, he'd have just stayed but he was the one who got up to leave first without her asking. What else could that mean? Erika immediately gaslighted herself into regretting saying that. And before she could try to switch it around, his eyes lit up."Yes, of course," he said like that was the easiest decision of his life. It took Erika aback."You will?""Yes. I didn't think you'd want me staying here," he came back on the bed to fill the spot that felt extra empty after he left."Of course I would," Erika said, smiling with the familiar warmth. And that's how he climbed into bed with her and slowly laid down beside her. They faced each other, laying side by side as they looked into each other's eyes silently. The unsaid was a lot in the room, more than she could let out on. It felt like crumbling and being fixed in the same moment but at least having someone to go through that with. His soft eyes were comfort enough."Come here, you must be tired," he
ERIKAThat's why, when the door sounded because someone had arrived, she couldn't find the voice to ask them to come in. But finally when she called them in, someone entered the room with a trolley with food. Erika didn't have it in her to tell that person to leave because she didn't want to eat. She sighed and looked up to see Nigel starting to set up the food on the table in front of the couch and start placing it in order. Erika's mouth opened and closed in shock."What are you doing here?""I'm here to eat. With you," he said with a small smile, making her mouth drop open with shock at the thought that he had left the table. He read the shock off of her face and decided to give her a better clarification for this. "Yes, I left the table after you did. Thanks for asking. And no, you're not jeopardizing my relation with my family because we've had hundreds of fights like this, even way worse than this. They know I'm not doing this under your influence because I've never been that pe
ERIKA"He doesn't like to talk about his surgeries after so we couldn't tell him you've been there for all his surgeries. He doesn't know and he's mad so he won't ever come talk to you about it," Julia said, she was just as worried, her eyes filling up with tears."It's alright, I understand him," Nigel nodded with a small smile. That's when Lydia returned alone with a strange look on her face. "Where's Laurie?" William asked."He said.. he wouldn't eat if.. Erika's sitting at the table," Lydia informed, washing everyone over with a sense of confusion. The awkwardness spread and it looked like even Lydia didn't want to say it out loud but Laurent had asked her to announce it to let Erika really know what was up. She gulped and looked around with an expression she didn't know how to change. And even though everyone else looked horrified, they knew what was the right thing to be done."Erika, I.. it would be better if.. god, I'm embarrassed to say it," Julia started and it clearly look