ERIKA Nigel Asher smiled too, knowing he wasn't up against someone who wouldn't give him a tough competition. "This will be fun," he said, nodding once to himself, only making her intentions and ideas grow wider. She knew what were his pins and needles and she sure wanted to press them to get a reaction out of him. It was all fun and games after all, an ode to the newfound normalcy between them. But this almost always drove her to think where they would stand if things were different. If everything was normal, if he was a well meaning man, if he wasn't planning to snatch Erika's father's legacy completely. What would they be if not enemies? They got out of the car and entered the event. It was a summit with leading companies from all over the world. One company was invited from each country to meet and build up a rapport with each other. This opens up further business opportunities for both the companies and gives a greater scope for globalisation. Erika was relieved that she wou
ERIKA "And I wanna push you off the terrace to see how you react. You would like that, won't you?" She said with utter confidence that only made him laugh louder. "Come here and try. If you can even get me to bend over backward, you win," his confidence made her want to gauge his eyes out of their sockets. "Come close." And she just couldn't help herself as she rushed over to him at the blatant challenge. She rushed over to him and placed both hands on his chest and pushed with all her might, certain that he had to bend over if not fall because that wasn't what she wanted to do for obvious reasons. She put all her force over to that push to make him at least bend back but he did not move a single inch. He stood there with his cocky grin, making her look like a clown trying to fool herself. She pushed harder and harder, her body closing in on him as she tried to push with all her weight. What was more annoying was how his hands were at his side, he didnt even need support.
ERIKA After that, there was nothing left to say. Nigel backed up the car and got it running again, back to the hotel. They entered the room and he motioned Erika to go freshen up first. That's what she did, she quickly took her shower and came out. The awkwardness had only increased between them, worse than what they were back at the mansion. It was his turn to freshen up and watching him enter the washroom, Erika decided to leave. She needed a breath of fresh air. She stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her, not knowing where she was trying to go. She knew the corridors and directions a little bit so she just decided to explore. There wasn't much to see but she knew the one place that could instantly make her feel better, and when she looked down the floors, she saw the pool area right away. When she reached the pool, she sat on the edge and dipped her legs in the chilled water. Her breath relaxed and so did her rushing brain. It was as if she could finally breat
ERIKA "I don't even know why I am telling you all this," he said with a confused look as if he had just surprised himself. "What would we be if not enemies?" Erika slowly leaned towards his face with a half grin, as if to show that she was happy for her victory of seeing his vulnerable side for the first time ever. "Maybe.. friends?" He stared at her for a while as if trying to decipher the meaning behind her eyes with the slightest hint of guilt inside him. He wasn't the proudest of his vulnerable moment, especially after he had emptied some of his heart to his rival. He didn't look mad at himself, maybe slightly embarrassed. Erika just kept on leaning in till he was annoyed enough to push her away. And by that time, she had leaned in too close to him and was just about to trip towards him, he grabbed her face and pushed her back. But with the way she was turned, her upper body twisted towards him, and when he pushed her, she fell forward straight, losing her balance. And just
ERIKA A smile appeared on his face and he tilted his face just slightly to go in close to her lips, and the next words made shivers run through her spine. "Maybe this game was an excuse to get to hold you tight like this," he said. And that was all it took for her to completely melt. She didn't know what she felt at that moment but the way she looked up at him as if she was pleading to know if he meant that. If there was a slight possibility that this wasn't just a game and evil tricks for him. But as he stared down at Erika, his gaze only turned softer, his fingers slowly rubbing in circles on her waist and his warm breath on her. With Erika's hands wrapped around his neck tight, he looked like he had waited for a long time. If this was really a game, he was the ultimate master of it. And there was a seething hatred she felt about it. "You know what's worse than a liar?" She whispered to him, not being able to keep her scepticism out of her eyes. "What?" "A good liar," she said
ERIKA "I can't," she said and then looked at him, making his face completely dry up, "I'm going on a date too. You do know that, right?" And that always, somehow, managed to drain out all the colours from Nigel's eyes. If he liked her, why wouldn't he just outright say it? Even though Erika wouldn't believe a word he says, she would still have some basis to think upon. But he was truly giving her no chance. "A date?" He asked like he was totally baffled. "Yes," she nodded. "No, you can't," he said rigidly like he had every right to make her rules. She couldn't help but give him a look with disbelief. "What does that mean? You're going on a date too, aren't you?" She asked. "You said he was a friend," Nigel threw his hands up like he was tired of this. "Really? I won't go if you stay back. Will you agree to let go of your massive opportunity to keep me company? We are not friends and we have our boundaries, let's not overstep anything," Erika was factual and he stared
ERIKA "We look like the cringiest couple with matching clothes on a vacation," he commented as they walked to the car. She rolled her eyes just at that thought because it felt so unsettling. "I know, keep walking," she said, trying not to laugh as their clothes and shades matched, attracting attention well enough. They somehow avoided the reaction, visibly awkward but moving through it as they reached the car and it was a beautiful matte black Maserati in front of her and she couldn't help but gasp. She remembered the times she had an obsession with cars that she couldn't hold back at all in admiring it. Nigel must have seen it in her face as he went ahead and held the door open for her, making her recoil immediately into her nonchalant demeanour as she got inside, not helping the giddy feeling in her heart. "Where are we going?" She asked as he got in beside her, not paying much attention to any of it. She realised she loved surprises just not when they came from him. Erika rolled
ERIKA Erika frowned as he looked at her, scanning her face to make sure if it was a good idea and then he gave her a very subtle smile. "The beach first or the art gallery?" He asked, making Erika grin wide at his acceptance. She didn't know if he had cancelled the date but she was certain because of how the time passed after that. Nigel was more laid back as they drove to the beach, the conversations never stopped. He told her about his adventures in the city and how he loved travelling here every time possible. He drove her to a supposed "spot" that was his favourite and it was a part of the beach that was completely empty, more like a hideout. People usually visited that side which made it perfect for privacy and just uninterrupted time. They walked barefoot on the beach for some time, not running out of things to talk about with giddiness in Erika's stomach even though she knew she shouldn't get that excited about something like that because it wasn't supposed to end up well.
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