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Chapter 8: Intrusion
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56
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Treasured Yet Discarded Chapter 9: Green-Eyed Monster
Once I’ve clocked in at the Starlight Loung, I race to the bar, tying my apron around my waist as I try to catch my breath. “I’m so…sorry…I’m…late.”Lamont looks up from his planner as he sits at the bar, raising a concerned eyebrow. “Is everything alright?”“I ended up…” I place my hands on my hips and take in a deep breath so I can speak better. “I ended up with a flat tyre, so I had to catch the bus. I’m so sorry,” I apologise profusely.“It’s okay, you don’t need to stress yourself. I was starting to worry because you’ve never been late. You’ve never even called in sick before.”“I swear it won’t happen again.”He reaches out placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder, “Nalani, relax. You’re not in trouble. Just next time throw me a text to let me know you’re going to be late and it’s all good,” he smiles comfortingly.“I thought I did…” I frown. I pull my phone from my apron and open my messages to see my text to Lamont has a ‘message not sent’ warning. “Damn it! I’m so sorry Monty
Treasured Yet Discarded Chapter 10: Waiting Suitor
“You sure you don’t want me to drive you home?” Rory asks as he escorts me out of the Starlight Lounge.“I live on the complete opposite side of town to you, I can’t ask you to do that,” I argue, feeling guilty at the very thought.“You didn’t ask, I’m offering. You shouldn’t be catching a bus all alone at this hour,” he says with concern.“I’ll be fine; besides, I’ve got my trusty defence kit,” I say confidently as I hold up my keychain. It’s great! It’s got a whistle, an alarm, a torch, a seat belt cutter, a taser, a window breaker, and it’s cute and pink. Haven’t had to use it yet and I would like it to stay that way, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.Rory chuckles, “Okay if you’re sure.” He reaches out and squeezes my arm, “Have a safe journey home, I’ll see you tonight.”“See you tonight. Have a safe drive!” I call out as he walks off towards the parking garage.I put on my coat, untuck my ponytail and prepare myself for a walk to the bus stop when a voice has me freezing in
Treasured Yet Discarded Chapter 11: Digits
I take in a deep breath, inhaling the warm, intoxicating scent of vanilla, cinnamon, and pumpkin. A unique-smelling cologne, but one that is both sophisticated and delicious. We put on our seat belts, and he starts the engine up with a roar, surprising me. He chuckles at my reaction, pulls out into the road, and sets off towards my place.“What kind of car is this?” I inquire to fill the silence.“Ferrari SF90 Stradale Spider,” he announces proudly like that should mean something to me.“What made you get it?”“It combines exhilarating performance with open-air driving and Italian design,” he says with a dreamy sigh.“You sound like a car salesman,” I snigger.He chuckles, briefly smiling over at me, “Okay, I just really love how it looks.”I discreetly pull out my phone and Google the car. My eyes nearly fall out of my head when I see the price. I’m sitting in a $1.4 million car?! I cautiously look around me, suddenly feeling terrified to so much as leave a microscopic scratch on thi
Treasured Yet Discarded Chapter 12: Covetus Co-Worker
I enter the kitchen, juggling multiple plates, glasses, and cutlery like a circus performer. I reach the sink and carefully place down the dirty dishes, wiping the sweat from my brow with the back of my forearm.“It’s like every man and his goat is at the diner today,” remarks Estaban as he works the grill like a pro.“Dog, Estaban. The expression is, ‘every man and his dog’,” corrects Áine gently.“Goat, dog, cat, who cares?” he shrugs nonchalantly, making us chuckle.“You’re not wrong though. It’s only ever this busy during the holidays.”It’s only twelve o'clock and we’re already run off our feet. I feel like I should check my steps for the day because it has to be high. Neither of my jobs are high-perspiration jobs, and yet here I am soaking my pits because I’m running from table to table juggling orders and questions.As I grab a few sips of water from my water bottle, I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. I take it out and smile broadly when I see it’s a text from Julian.~ Let
Treasured Yet Discarded Chapter 13: Video Call
I close my eyes in regret. “Go away, Dylan.”“You have a date with Julian Easton? Bull fucking shit,” he scoffs, walking over and standing between us.“It’s none of your business, so like she said, go away,” snaps Áine.“I wasn’t talking to you lard-ass,” he says snidely, the instant hurt filling Áine’s face.I jump to my feet, “That does it. You seriously need to back the fuck off. I am so sick of your shit. I’m sick of you harassing me and every other woman here, and the gross name-calling. You intruded on our conversation, she was in her right to say what she said, but you had no right to say that to her,” I snap at him, my voice rising with every word.“What the hell is going on?” calls out Estaban, coming over with a large ladle in his hand like he’s ready to use it as a weapon.Dylan’s eyes narrow into angry slits, his nostrils flare, his jaw ticks and he clenches his fists as if he’s ready to throw a punch. “I should have fucking known you were like all the other women in this
Treasured Yet Discarded Chapter 14: Call From Home
This week has gone by slower than a sloth crossing the road!I rarely have anywhere to go or anything to do, so I’ve never felt in a rush for time to move forward, but my date with Julian on Sunday has made this entire week feel like it’s going so slow that it’s going to start moving backwards soon.Bad news first. Dylan was not fired. I know. I’m shocked as well. Apparently, Gary had every intention of firing the little pervert, but then his sister came rushing to her baby boy's defence, begging Gary to give him another chance. And because he obviously lacks a backbone, he bent over backwards to accommodate his sister. So now we’re still stuck with him, and it’s been hell.Gary has put him on probation, but it means nothing to him. I get the feeling that for his entire life, Dylan’s mum has bailed him out of trouble, so he’s never had to learn to take accountability for his actions, and it’s really doing him and everyone around him a great disservice. It’s also turned him into a gian
Treasured Yet Discarded Chapter 15: Blinded By Stars
I take my tray to the bar, and as I lean on it, I briefly stretch out my back to stop it from locking up. The lounge is always busy on a Friday and Saturday night, but this Friday seems to be extra busy. Why are both of my jobs running me off my feet this week.?“Can I get a Tom Collins, a glass of the Four Roses, and a glass of the 2010 Pionero Cabernet Sauvignon?”“Coming up,” Chayton nods, working on my drink order.I turn to tend to my tables only to crash into a human wall. I stumble back but firm hands catch me and hold me steady.“I’m so sorry!” I instinctively cry out. I look up into familiar hazel eyes and gulp when I register where I’ve seen them before.“I just seem to keep knocking you down,” Mr Chapman teases with a contrite look on his face.“It was entirely my fault this time, Mr Chapman,” I reassure him.He lets me go and slides his hands into the pocket of his slacks allowing me to register how different he looks from the first time I saw him. He’s gone from casual to
Treasured Yet Discarded Chapter 16: I Don't Play Games
Suddenly Julian looks up, his sapphire eyes lock on mine and his flirty smile morphs into dread. I quickly walk off, making my way towards the staff room because the last thing I want is to make a scene or be part of a scene. I am not that kind of person, and I really don’t want that kind of attention at my place of employment.I walk off as fast as I can when I start hearing Julian call my name, but I do my best to ignore him. As I keep walking, I hear his voice getting louder until I feel a strong hand grip my arm and spin me around.“Lani, would you just stop!”I yank my arm back harshly, “Do not manhandle me. Don’t even try it,” I snap at him.He holds his arms up in surrender, “Okay, I’m sorry, but can we please talk?”“What’s there to talk about? I know what I saw, and you can’t convince me otherwise.” I take a deep breath, centre myself, then look up at him calmly. “Look we’re not dating, we’re not a couple, so you can do what you want, but I don’t play those stupid games and I
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Treasured Yet Discarded Chapter 58: Empty Pt 2
Immediately I feel dread wash over me and those unpleasant gut bubbles rising in my stomach. The urge to check behind me starts to creep in and quickly my head begins to spin.“You couldn’t have phrased that another way?” Áine chastises Irina.“Nothing terrible has happened,” Irina quickly assures me, only easing my dread by a fraction.“Then why did you sound all foreboding like that?” I prod, breathing through my anxiety as Áine rubs soothing circles on my back.“Okay, so that’s on me. I was just going to say…Julian’s been calling me. He’s shown up to my place and left voicemails and text messages, all of him looking for you. I haven’t told him where you are because it’s none of his fucking business. I just thought you should know he’s clearly desperate to talk to you,” she informs me.Just hearing his name causes a pang in my chest. Since I left the penthouse I blocked and deleted his number. He came to the diner a couple times but each time someone covered for me and told him I wa
Treasured Yet Discarded Chapter 57: Empty Pt 1
“Nalani, are you sure about this?” Lamont gently asks, his eyes filled with sadness as he holds my letter of resignation in his hands.“I’m sorry, Monty. I’ve thought long and hard about this and as much as I liked working here and the people I’ve gotten to know, I just don’t think it’s in my best interest to stay. Recent events have caused me to have painful memories here and with what’s going on in my personal life, I think changing jobs would be good for my safety,” I delicately explain.Finding work isn’t easy in this economy but for my wellbeing, I need to put myself on lockdown. I’m looking for new work and I’ll be sure to let my employers know not to hand my information out to anyone who asks no matter what. I’m also looking for a new place to live so I can start fresh. Making sure this guy couldn’t call me is one thing, but he knows where I live and he knows where I work, so the next best thing I can do is change that. Is there a chance he is watching my every move and will st
Treasured Yet Discarded Chapter 56: Done Pt 2
The sound of glass shattering wakes me from my deep sleep with a jolt. I sit up in bed, my eyes alert and frantic as I look around the room. I reach across the bed, pulling my phone out from under my pillow and see that it’s two in the morning. I unlock my phone and type 911 into the keypad as I carefully get out of bed and make my way to the door.With my heart clogging my throat and cold dread rolling through me, I carefully open the door, make my way to the hallway railing and peer down to the floor below. I glance around and finally, my eyes fall on the source of the crashing. I let out a deep sigh of relief and slip my phone into my pocket as I make my way downstairs. With each step, my concern grows as I watch a dishevelled-looking Julian haphazardly pour himself a glass of vodka while shards of broken glass lay at his feet.His cheeks are rosy, his eyes are glassy – but not from crying – his jacket is nowhere to be seen, and his shirt is rolled up to the elbows with his bowtie
Treasured Yet Discarded Chapter 55: Done Pt 1
“And that girl was so mean. I can’t believe she smacked the fork out of his hand,” Áine remarks shaking her head, recalling our shift at the diner.“I don’t know the poor guy, but I hope he sees sense and dumps her. No one should be with someone that toxic,” I add as we step off the elevator and into the penthouse.“Even you know when to leave a toxic relationship. No offence,” she adds sheepishly.“No offence taken,” I assure her, making my way to the kitchen to grab some snacks and drinks from the refrigerator.“Are you sure Julian won’t mind me being here?” she nervously asks.“He’s not my warden, Áine. I can have friends over. I had asked Amber if she wanted to join, but she’s swamped at work.”“Maybe next time,” she chirps optimistically.That’s something I love about Áine…well, I honestly love just about everything about her. She is so bubbly and optimistic, just wanting to see others happy. There aren’t many people like her; I just wish she could direct some of that optimism to
Treasured Yet Discarded Chapter 54: I Can Do This Blindfolded
Taking a deep breath I try to calm the worms crawling around in my stomach. I place my hand on the door, take in one more breath for good measure, and walk into the diner. I’m only two steps inside when someone scares the daylights out of me by screaming my name.“LANI!”I’m immediately wrapped in a bear hug by Bernadette, who I haven’t seen in ages. She squeezes me tight, rocking me back and forth as her thick wavey brown hair gets all up in my mouth.“I can’t believe you’re back. I was worried we’d never see you again,” she whines in her thick German accent.I smile, hugging her in return and giving her a tight squeeze. “You know me, I’m a workaholic, I was bound to come back eventually,” I say playfully.“Are you just visiting or are you back back?”“I’m back back, I just need to go talk to Gary.”“He’s in his office,” she informs me, beaming.“You’re the best,” I smile, giving her a kiss on the cheek and making my way to Gary’s office.As I’m about to knock on the door, I get an u
Treasured Yet Discarded Chapter 53: Can't Keep A Girl Down
Entering the apartment with my shopping bags I’m immediately greeted by Julian’s enraged voice emanating from somewhere upstairs and reverberating around the spacious penthouse. Concern fills me as I cautiously make my way upstairs, the sound of Julian’s pointed words increasing in volume with each step I take. I guess that’s another reason to have an apartment with more walls: they act as a sound barrier.“No, no, NO. You swore to me it was a sure thing, Gradin. You were the one who told me I was a shoo-in for a Best Actor nomination at the Oscars, and now you’re trying to tell me I’m not even a fucking consideration?! I’m not involved in any fucking drama or bad press so either I’ve been blacklisted for some ungodly reason, OR YOU FUCKING LIED TO ME!” he fumes.Yikes…he didn’t even sound this angry when the police were over here. I learned the hard way that Julian doesn’t handle criticism or rejection well, so I don’t think I want to be in the line of fire when he’s upset like this.
Treasured Yet Discarded Chapter 52: Ring Ring
“Lani?” calls Julian’s voice gently followed by a light rap on the door.I sigh, pulling my legs against my chest, “What?”“Can I come in?” he tentatively asks.“It’s your house,” I remind him.He opens the door and lets himself in. I look over to see him watching me with a sheepish look on his face. He walks over and sits on the edge of the bed, probably deciding it’s better to keep a safe distance from me.“I’m sorry,” he says sincerely, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. “You’re right, this isn’t happening to me, and I don’t have a right to get so worked up on your behalf and make this about me and how I’m feeling when you’re the one going through this. I shouldn’t have done that,” he admits.“I don’t blame you for getting upset, and I appreciate that you care, but I’m struggling enough to make sense of all this to myself, worrying about you freaking out on top of everything is just too much for me right now and I’m sorry if that’s selfish but I am seriously over
Treasured Yet Discarded Chapter 51: Protect and Serve? Ha!
Sitting on the sofa I stare at my hands, determined to pick this frustrating piece of skin that has come up close to my cuticle. I just know it’s going to keep getting caught on things and will drive me insane. I never understand how they occur. You never really see it happen; you just suddenly one day feel a sting or feel something catch, then you look and there is another tiny piece of skin that’s come up from around your nails. It shouldn’t be so annoying, but it is.“Lani,” I hear a familiar voice call my name.I look up into concerned sapphire eyes. They used to smile more, but now they just seem to either look at me with guilt or concern.“Hmm?” I hum.“Here, I made you some hot chocolate,” Julian explains, sitting beside me and placing the mug in my hands. “Sugar is good for shock,” he assures me with a comforting smile.Shock? Is that what this is? Honestly, I’ve been through so many emotions lately that I can barely keep them straight. They’ve all started to bleed together an
Treasured Yet Discarded Chapter 50: Photographs
***I give Irina and Áine the biggest hugs I can as I reluctantly say goodbye to them. Having them here and spending the day with them has been like a booster shot to the arm. I wanted them to stay and never leave, but I know they have lives to get back to, and it’s not like I’ll never see them again. I guess I’m just feeling homesick for our regular get-togethers.“I want you guys to know you are welcome to stop by any time, day or not. I’ve missed hanging out with you guys,” I say sadly.“On the bright side, your bedroom here is bigger than your whole studio apartment,” Áine chuckles. “For a change, we all fit comfortably.”I smile half-heartedly. As nice as it is here, I miss having my own place. I miss the home I made for myself. That being said, I’m not ready to go back and even if I do, it will only be to pack up the rest of my things and move the hell out. You couldn’t even pay me to continue to live there now.Áine quickly kisses my cheek goodbye and gets in the cab waiting fo
