OCTAVIA'S POVAs I wiped down the counter, the familiar sound of the café's doorbell rang in my ears, but today it felt different, almost electric. For weeks, I had been on edge, glancing up every time the door creaked open, half-expecting to see that man or even Axel walk in again. I expect Axel and his goons to walk in here every minute. The memory of our last encounter lingered in my mind, his unsettling note echoing like a haunting melody. I could still feel the chill that ran down my spine when he had looked at me, eyes piercing through the small talk, making me feel exposed and vulnerable. Each day without his presence brought a strange relief but also a nagging sense of unease, like waiting for a storm that never came. I had convinced myself that maybe he had decided to ignore my existence and that I could finally breathe easy in my little café sanctuary.But then, just as I thought I could relax, the door swung open, and there he was, casually strolling in as if he hadn’t haun
***"You seem tensed and distracted, what's wrong," Nile asked twirling a lock of my hair between his fingers, I turn to face him, the sunset rays coming in from the window cast a soft golden glow on his already olive skin making him look almost ethereal. I trace his jawline with my finger then his shoulder, precipitation of sweat from our earlier activities moisten his back, I'm fully sated and exhausted but knowing he is not wearing anything except the cover of the blanket does little to stop my thoughts from going back to what happened with that man at the café earlier this week, I shrug the thought of, I shouldn't let this bother me anymore, if push comes to shove, I'll get a restraining order against him, he doesn't look like someone that can can afford to have the police on his payroll. "Nothing, I'm fine. I think I'm just a bit tired," "Is it the café? Is it getting more demanding? Do you need help? Should I hire someone?" He shot question after question. It was at times like
OCTAVIA'S POVAs I sit on my bed, the silence in the room feels deafening. My phone lies next to me; its screen is dark, but I can’t help glancing at it every few seconds, hoping for a notification that never comes. I feel a mix of sadness and anger swirling inside me, like a storm that won’t pass. Why did he have to storm out like that? My mind races back to the argument, the harsh words we exchanged, and the way his face twisted in frustration. I thought we could work things out, but now I’m left here, staring at this lifeless device, waiting for a call that I know might not come. I pick up my phone, scrolling through our old messages, trying to find a moment that reminds me of how we used to be. But all I see are the echoes of our last fight. It feels so unfair. I want to scream, to throw the phone against the wall, but instead, I just sit here, feeling trapped in this whirlwind of emotions. I can probably reach out to him first, but my pride won't let me. I want him to realize
OCTAVIA'S POVThe sound of the doorbell startles me away. Rose and I had fallen asleep in the middle of the movie. I look at the wall clock; it is twenty minutes last eleven. Who would be knocking on my door this late in the night? The doorbell rings again. Why is the person so inpatient? I check to see the person outside through the intercom. Nile's face came into view. I pressed the button and told him I'd be out in a minute. I walked into my bedroom to put on a robe over my pajamas. I opened the door but stepped out before he could come in. Rose is asleep in the living room, and I wouldn't want us to wake her. I looked up at him; he is dressed in a suit and still manages to look immaculate by this time of the night; the only thing that gave him away is the tired look in his eyes. I leaned on the wall and looked at him. "What are you doing here, Nile?" I asked"I wanted to see you." "This late at night? You disappear on me all day, and now you suddenly knock on my door when the w
OCTAVIA'S POVI watched Nile's face shift from surprise to a mix of anger and disbelief as I confronted him. His eyes widened, and for a moment, it seemed like he was searching for the right words, but nothing came. The silence between us felt heavy, almost suffocating. "How did you find out?" he finally asked, his voice low and strained. I could see the tension in his jaw and the way he clenched his fists at his sides. It was like he was trying to hold back a storm of emotions. I had expected him to deny it, to try to twist the truth, but instead, there was a flicker of vulnerability in his gaze. I took a deep breath and replied, “Your wife came to the café earlier this week.” I could see the realization dawning on him—the weight of his choices crashing down. "Wait, you have known for a while and you didn't say anything,? He asked.I gave him a deadpan look. "Really, that's what you are going to say; is that the point?" He looked away, as if he couldn’t bear to meet my eyes, and
OCTAVIA'S POV I rest my back against the door and I watched Nile walk away. My heart is heavy; I don't know what to feel. I have been used, I have been trampled on, I have been molested, I have been beaten, my hope has been dashed too many times, and now that I started to think I had a shot at happiness, it turns out it was all a lie. I walk quietly to the bathroom and turn on the shower. Sitting in the bathtub, I pull my knees to my chest and let the warm water envelop me. The shower is on; the sound of the water cascading down is almost comforting, but it can’t drown out the storm inside my heart. Tears flow freely down my cheeks, mixing with the droplets that splash against my skin. It feels like a release, a way to let out all the pain I’ve been holding inside for so long.I close my eyes and let the memories wash over me—each one a reminder of the times I’ve been hurt. The degradation I have had to go through, Philip, my father, who hurt me when he was supposed to keep me safe,
OCTAVIA'S POV As I stepped into the club, the pulsating music hit me like a wave, but my heart wasn’t in it. I glanced at Rose, who was already beaming with excitement, ready to dive into the night. “Come on, Octavia! Just a little fun!” she urged, tugging at my hand. I sighed, feeling the weight of my recent breakup hanging over me, but I let her pull me inside.The atmosphere was electric, filled with laughter and flashing lights. Rose darted to the bar, her energy infectious. “Two mojitos, please!” she called out to the bartender, her voice rising above the music. I stood back, still feeling out of place, my arms crossed defensively. “Are you sure about this?” I asked, trying to keep my tone light, even as doubt crept in. “Trust me, you’ll love it! Just wait until you taste this,” she replied, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. The bartender slid two tall glasses filled with vibrant liquid garnished with fresh mint and lime. As Rose handed me one, I took a tentative sip. The r
OCTAVIA'S POV "Are you okay?" Rose turned to me and asked. I nodded my head in response; I was a bit shaken by what happened, but the intervention of this mystery guy completely interrupted the panic attack I almost had. I shake my head again to expel the thoughts trying to creep in. "Let's go get another round of drinks; this whole episode has made me thirsty," Rose said, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the bar. As we got to the bar, Rose flashed a playful smile and leaned in closer to the bartender, giving him a flirtatious wink. "Hey there, handsome! Can we get two more of those fruity cocktails?" she asked, her tone light and teasing.The bartender raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the attention. "Only if you promise to keep dancing like that," he replied with a smirk. "What’s your secret? I need to know how to keep the crowd moving."Rose laughed, her eyes sparkling. "Just a little rhythm and a lot of fun! But I think your drinks have something to do with it," she sa
CHAPTER SIXTY TWOOCTAVIA'S POV My heart raced slightly as I stepped into the restaurant, and my eyes immediately scanned the room until they landed on Zion. He sat at a table at one corner of the resturant doing something on his phone and nursing a glass of water. My heart clenched as I drank in the sight of him, he still looks almost exactly the same, the same messy brown hair but he now has a faint stubble along his jaw. It made him look darker and more mature and his piercing green eyes popped even more. It suited him though because I can point out why but he has gotten even more handsome. I quickly reminded myself that this is not a date. Yet, as I watched his gaze move upwards and his lips curve in a smile as he looked at me, i felt my heart squeeze again. Memories of everything we used to have flooded my mind, the late night talks, our share jokes the laughter, even when we used to fight, the way he used to look at me like I was his entire world, the memories of the hurt an
CTAVIA'S POVEvery person we passed as we walked by stopped what they were doing, and nodded their heads in respect to my father. Lionel walked ahead with his usual commanding presence, and I followed closely, Aaron walked silently to my left like an unshakable shadow, while Mikel trailed slightly behind. It was hard not to notice the curious, borderline scrutinizing stares of everyone. They weren’t even trying to be subtle. I told myself it wasn’t personal and held my head high not betraying my nervousness. I'm just an unfamiliar face in a world where everyone is practically like family. But still the whole attention made my skin prickle, and this is just the start, I almost laughed to myself. The man leading us, he is a huge man and he had a complicated tattoo that covered his arms and part of his jaw, he was the one that welcomed us and he seemed to be the head of the warehouse. His eyes kept darting to me, and I'm not sure if it is just in curiosity. Either way, it made me want
OCTAVIA'S POV Bree popped out of nowhere, startling me as Aaron and I stepped out of Lionel’s office; she had clearly been eavesdropping, and now she is practically bouncing on her toes with excitement. "Was that really Dimitri, like the main Dimitri, leader of the Russian mob?!" She gushed. I almost laughed at her facial expression and her enthusiasm. "Yeah," I said. "You know him?" Her look turned dreamy, "Well, not personally, but that can be rectified, she sighed. "Dimitri is the youngest vor v zakone there has ever been and the most dangerous too. He took power from his uncle when he was just twenty years old, and he is feared by everyone in Russia." Bree continued as we all made our way to the living room."I have only seen him in pictures; he is the most handsome man ever," she shot Aaron a look. No offense to you, Aaron, but we are talking about Dimitri here." Aaron just looked bored. "I wonder if he wants to get married anytime soon," she continued dreamily, and I burst
OCTAVIA'S POV The first thing I remembered when I woke up was Zion's text from yesterday; I had completely forgotten to reply to his message after I got home. The sunlight streamed through the curtain, and I checked the clock on the wall, and it was already past nine am. I didn't know I still slept in till this late; it's been a while. I blinked and sat up, rubbing the drowsiness from my eyes, and groaned as I stretched out across the bed. I grabbed my phone from the bedside table, and I opened my messenger app and saw the text. I started typing a reply, "Good morning, Zion. I'm sorry I didn't," I deleted the whole thing and decided to give him a call instead. I took a deep breath, dialed his number, and pressed the phone to my ear. The dialed twice before he picked up “Octavia?” Zion’s familiar deep voice came through, and my heart squeezed slightly; hearing his voice stirred up a mix of emotions. We have spoken properly since… well, since things fell apart between us. "Hi," I
OCTAVIA'S POVMy body moved swiftly with a practiced ease that I still find fascinating as I kept punching the bag, my fists almost in sync with the beat of the music blasting in my ear, I didn't hear the sound of anyone come in but I saw the door of the gym open through the side of my eye making me still for a brief second. My breath came out in soft pants and I looked at the entrance to see Aaron coming in still in his outfit from earlier. He walked inside and leaned causally again the wall opposite me, his stoic expression still intact as he watched my watch him, he raised a questioning eyebrow at me when I didn't do anything. I felt a bit self conscious under his steady gaze, but I ignored him and turned back to the bag and threw another punch, trying to shake the. But the weight of his presence and his silence was unnerving, and I found myself slowing down. "Are you done?" He asked flatly, his voice breaking the silence. I stopped mid punch and lowered my fists. My knuckles
OCTAVIA'S POV My eyes met Aaron's from across the room, and the buzz, the murmurs, and the quiet conversation—all of it faded to the background. He was leaning casually against the back wall, arms crossed over his broad chest, his face, as usual, was unreadable and stoic, as though nothing in the room interested him. But then, his mouth quirked ever so slightly into the faintest hint of a smile. I blinked, taken aback by the subtle change in his expression. Something flickered in his eyes, something very similar to...pride? Approval? Whatever it was, it made my heart race. For a moment, it feels as if the weight of the day has lifted; I don't feel the stares of the people looking at me; I feel at ease. I held his gaze, the corners of my lips tugging upward instinctively. The room and everyone in it blurred into insignificance, and for a fleeting moment, it felt like it was just the two of us in the world. Wait! What was that?I broke the eye contact, looking around the room to make
OCTAVIA'S POVEvery person we passed as we walked by stopped what they were doing and nodded their heads in respect to my father. Lionel walked ahead with his usual commanding presence, and I followed closely; Aaron walked silently to my left like an unshakable shadow, while Mikel trailed slightly behind. It was hard not to notice the curious, borderline scrutinizing stares of everyone. They weren’t even trying to be subtle. I told myself it wasn’t personal and held my head high, not betraying my nervousness. I'm just an unfamiliar face in a world where everyone is practically like family. But still the whole attention made my skin prickle, and this is just the start; I almost laughed to myself. The man leading us, he is a huge man, and he had a complicated tattoo that covered his arms and part of his jaw. He was the one that welcomed us, and he seemed to be the head of the warehouse. His eyes kept darting to me, and I'm not sure if it is just in curiosity. Either way, it made me wa
OCTAVIA'S POV I just finished dropping my coffee mug inside the dishwasher when I heard someone walk into the kitchen. I turned back to see Aaron walking casually into the kitchen. My eyes widened slightly at the sight of him. He was dressed in a crisp black suit; his broad shoulders filled it out even more perfectly than a mannequin would, and he completed the look with black shades. Even though I have seen him in suits before, something about him today was different. He looked more polished, intimidating, and, as much as I don't want to admit it, exceptionally handsome. “Are you ready?” he asked in his usual low, calm tone. I made to clean my hands over my pants before I remembered that it is leather, and I let it hang awkwardly on my side and gave him a small nod. “As ready as I’ll ever be.” “Good,” he said. “It’s time to go.” Without another word, he turned and headed for the door. I followed him outside, my heart pounding a little faster with each step. The sight that greet
OCTAVIA Bree gasped, clutching her chest like she was genuinely offended. “What’s wrong with it? Everything! You’re about to meet the cutthroat people in the Mafia, and you’re dressed like you’re going to a grocery store!”“Ohh, I thought this was fine,” I muttered, feeling a bit self-conscious.“No, no, no,” she said, shaking her head as she grabbed my hand. “Come on. We’re fixing this. Right now.”Before I could protest, she got in front of me and grabbed my hand again.“But Bree, is it really necessary?” I tried to argue as she pulled me down the hallway that leads to the rooms.“Trust me, it’s very necessary,” she insisted, practically yanking me toward her room.When we finally reached her door, she flung it open. This is my first time entering her room, and as I stepped inside, I immediately noticed how different her room is from mine. The layout is very similar, but where my room has a minimalistic and neutral decor, Bree’s room is an explosion of color and her personality. So