Fenella’s POV"How do you feel about it?"Laird asked with a small smile. I was sure he was nervous right now. He looked at me closely with his emerald green eyes, observing every movement of my face.Truly, I was starting to understand that my opinion mattered to him. There was a fear that I might criticize him, perhaps, but of course, I wouldn't shatter his dreams like that."Baby, I think you're amazing. I've always believed in you since we were kids," I said, holding Laird's hand."I still remember how you were always the star student in school. I'm confident you can do it and will do a great job." I spread a genuine, wide smile on my face.He used to dream of becoming a professional baseball player, but now he wants to be a businessman. Well, that's great. Whatever Laird does, I know he will excel at it.Laird held my hand tightly. His thumb gently stroked the back of my hand, and he smiled broadly after hearing my words of encouragement."Thank you, Fenella. Your support means a
Fenella’s POVWithout realizing it, time passed quickly as we stood in line to buy pizza and placed an order for delivery to Dave and Rowan's home—a small surprise gift for them. The sky stretched clear without a cloud in sight, with the midday sun shining brightly in early November.Lunchtime had begun, and most people were enjoying their packed lunches at the wooden tables. Laird and I chose to sit under a shady tree without a mat, letting the grassy ground serve as a comfortable cushion.I was nestled in Laird's embrace while we playfully fed each other pizza with affectionate giggles. From a distance, I noticed several young children starting to arrive at the small baseball field in front of us, filled with enthusiasm in their baseball uniforms."Hey, look. They're the Little League team." I looped my arm around Laird's."Yup. Brings back memories," he said, his gaze drifting over the scene in front of us."Yeah, Laird. You used to be so dedicated to playing baseball. Do you remem
Fenella’s POVI still remained silent, refusing to answer. My heart was beating fast. Laird's interrogation that forced me to answer was something I didn't like.If he saw my facial expression, I knew he could easily guess my answer. Therefore, even though Laird kept asking, I still covered my face with my knees."Hey, are you going to accept him?" Again and again, he forced me to answer.His taunting eventually disturbed me. I'm impatient and easily triggered by emotions. So, his voice, the way he manipulated words to persuade me, and his mischievous fingers twisting my loose hair now make me even more annoyed."Stop it," I said irritably."Tell me," he continued to persuade me."Stop! I'm going to reject him!" Finally, my emotions exploded, and I exclaimed in frustration."I've answered. Are you satisfied?" I glared at him, expressing my frustration.He simply remained silent. It seemed he was surprised by my answer. Laird's eyelids blinked, then he stared at me intently. Yes, I kne
Fenella’s POVOn November 10th, it was Laird's birthday. Of course, we celebrated it together. Laird had already reserved a table at a famous restaurant known for its intimate ambiance and live jazz music.Laird said he would be arriving soon to pick me up, so I didn't want to keep him waiting too long. With my hair neatly tied up, wearing a black bolero jacket with floral patterns, a sleeveless knee-length black midi dress, and ankle-high boots of the same color, I stood frozen on the sidewalk in front of the apartment."OMG!"My mouth dropped wide open, and I immediately covered it with both hands. I held my breath, eyes wide. A red hatchback car with a license plate I knew very well pulled up in front of me.The car I knew so well and had desired since last month. Yes, the same red car that I drove crashed into the park's fence late at night. Laird stepped out of the car with a broad smile."OMG, Laird!" I held back a scream with a wide grin."Yup, I know," he said, nodding and app
Fenella’s POV"Well, Fenella, dear, please sign here." Jessy handed over a folder containing job contract documents.My mouth dropped open as I looked at the stack of documents he placed on the table. I had just finished a magazine cover shoot and decided to take a short break in the café outside the studio with Jessy. After this, I still had another appointment later in the afternoon for a small promotional video shoot on social media.I was sure the list of projects I signed last month hadn't been completed yet, and now I was signing another stack of new project contracts. Wasn't I incredibly lucky?"This many more?" I asked incredulously."Yes, isn't it great? You should know Alan really went all out to promote you to all the agencies and producers." Jessy waved both his hands and emphasized each word, making sure I knew it was all real."Wow, it really feels like being the main model at an agency is starting to make a difference," I said as I began to open one contract title after
Fenella’s POV"So, I was going to be busy with a packed schedule until February next year," I said before biting a grape, its juice staining my fingers."Wow, that's fantastic. Are you really going to carry the title of supermodel now?" Laird asked as he peeled and sliced an apple with skillful knife cuts."Well, I have to finish all the projects properly before earning that title," I replied before popping the remaining grapes into my mouth."Hm, so does that mean you'll be crowned as a supermodel in February?" He asked with a lopsided smile, placing the knife safely on the table."Not automatically. Seriously, you know it takes patience and extra work to truly be branded a supermodel," I chuckled."For me, you're automatically a supermodel in my eyes," he said, reaching for my grape-stained hand and bringing my fingers to his mouth. Laird sucked dry all the red liquid from my fingers."You're quite skilled at seduction behind closed doors," I said with a gleeful smile, letting him w
Fenella’s POVThe sweet and tangy taste of the grape immediately filled my palate. Half of it dropped red juice from my lips to my chin. Drop by drop, it stained my skin down to my groin.I still held the gaping grape in my hand and brought it to my neck. I applied the grape piece to the base of my neck and then slowly down to my breasts. I did all of this while my eyes remained fixed on Laird's eyes, burning with desire.Intentionally, my fingers squeezed the grape onto my left nipple. The juice immediately reddened and moistened my areola. Not stopping there, I also applied the fruit to my right nipple."I'm very hungry now," he growled, licking his lips."How about it? Do you feel wild enough to venture to Mexico with me?" I asked, then slid the grape down to the inside of my thong."I think I need a tester first. I don't want to get stuck there without getting a proper reward," he said as he leaned forward."Uh huh. I'm sure after tasting the tester, you will immediately buy everyt
Fenella’s POVI sat on the plane next to Jessy. We weren't too far from the cockpit, but we were still seated in the economy class section. To my left was one of the female models from Gene, while on my aisle side was Jessy.The plane was still preparing for takeoff, but Jessy seemed restless. I figured he might need to use the restroom urgently, so I gave him some privacy in his agitation. Seriously, he kept looking back multiple times, his legs shifting uncomfortably, and I had to pretend to adjust the music on the screen in front of me."Fenella," Jessy called out."Finally. Yes, Jessy, dear?""Um, can I switch seats to sit next to Mike? I'll convince Alan to move to this seat if you don't mind," he wh
Fenella’s POVThree months later…“State of New York vs. Alan Schmidt! All rise, and please be quiet!”The bailiff announced the case name in a loud voice. I sat in the audience with my heart pounding and my feet restless. The reporters waiting in the back of the room fell silent, capturing every moment as the judge entered.I squeezed Laird's hand to quell my nerves. He smiled at me and whispered that everything would be okay. I nodded and offered a small, reassuring smile in return.This was the final appeal at the Supreme Court. After this, Alan wouldn’t be able to appeal again until his sentence was served. After two long years of a drawn-out case with various appeals from Alan’s side, we had finally reached the finish line.The judge began reading various considerations and court notes. They took turns reading the decision documents. Time seemed to crawl, and I began to feel drowsy.I occasionally glanced at Alan, who sat in his prison jumpsuit. His once curly, neat hair had grown
Fenella’s POVTwo years later…I held Laird's hand, squeezing the palm that felt damp with sweat. A smile appeared on my lips as I tried to calm the nervousness he had felt since we left the house. This was the first award ceremony for him, Dave, and Rowan. They couldn’t sit still in their seats either.I couldn’t deny that I felt the same. My heart raced, even as the host made jokes that had the audience laughing. Still, I tried to remain calm because I didn’t want to make him more anxious than he already was.“The winner of the Best Mobile Game of the Year is...” The music stopped, the announcer paused, tension built, “My Supermodel!”“Oh! Thank God!” I exclaimed behind my hands that covered my open mouth.“Congratulations, honey!”I immediately stood up and hugged Laird tightly beside me. I cupped his face in my hands and kissed his lips strong and quick. He smiled broadly and whispered for a moment, “I love you, baby. Thank you.”“Congratulations!” I shook hands with Dave and Rowa
Fenella’s POVI stood at the edge of the balcony. My hands are firmly gripping the iron rail of the balcony as my eyes gaze at the nighttime scenery in the distance. Puerto Vallarta, a cliff with a stunning coastal view that showcases the beautiful side of Mexico.Perhaps there is truth in the saying—including Lloyd's yesterday—that bad memories must be replaced with good ones.Since arriving in Mexico until now, all the bad memories have been erased and replaced with the beauty of a honeymoon vacation with the love of my life. It's not bad, really.Despite the heavy trial we went through yesterday, we finally had some peace of mind. The night breeze blows through my hair. There's a strange sensation, but I don't want to go into the room yet. Until Laird came from the balcony door and immediately hugged me, enveloping me in soothing warmth.“Hey,”“Hi, baby. Are you done showering?” I asked, raising my head to look at Laird's face for a moment.“Yup.”“You smell nice,” I said as I inh
Fenella’s POV“Oh, sweet Mother, that was divine!” Jessy took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Then he opened his eyes wide while his mouth continued chewing my mother’s crab cakes. The murmurs and cheers were still heard until he finally finished his last bite.“I was glad you liked them,” my mother smiled broadly.“I didn’t just like them. I loved, loved, loved them!”Everyone around us laughed at Jessy’s confession. We felt the same way because my mother had succeeded in making a super delicious wedding reception dish. Truly, our Baxter family home was filled with guests. Even though we had invited only a small number of people, our home had never been this lively.The decorations of pink, white, and red flowers and balloons filled the entire room. The furniture had been rearranged to create enough space for the guests to dance or chat. Soft music played through the speakers set up in the corner of the room.Occasionally, guests would step up to change the music, hold the microph
Fenella’s POV“Honey, you looked absolutely stunning,” my mother said. “Thank you, Mom.” I smiled wide upon hearing my mother's compliment. She handed me a bouquet of wedding flowers that was a mix of pink, red, and white colors. I then grabbed the small bouquet and held it tightly. “I couldn’t believe we pulled this off all in just a week.” My mother shook her head, her eyes wide. “We even thought to get married the day after he proposed, but I remembered your words about wanting to prepare every detail of my wedding. You only have one chance because I'm your only daughter, so here we are.”“I just hoped those fruit tarts and crab cakes would be enough for all the guests.” “It’s okay, Mom. If the food wasn’t enough, we could stuff them with the wedding cake. That’s the job of the five-tier cake you ordered.”“You're right. I'm grateful that Mrs. Maddox's bakery shop is willing to take on the order." She sighed and stared at my face."Oh, I wish your father could see you, even th
Fenella’s POV“Fenella.”“Yes, Laird.”Laird called me right after I arrived at the apartment.“Where are you right now?”“I'm at the apartment,” I replied quickly as I grabbed a glass of mineral water from the dispenser.“Oh, thank goodness. I'm on my way home,” he said.The apartment door opened, and I immediately saw Laird's figure enter. My mouth was slightly agape, with my eyes widening. My forehead wrinkled as I watched him walk in. I glanced at the clock on the table and realized it was 2 p.m.“Fenella,” he called in his distinctively low voice.He stepped inside and met me in the kitchen. I hurriedly set my water glass down on the dining table. For some reason, Laird's face looked different. There was a hint of a happy smile on his face, though the look in his eyes was dark, and I couldn't describe the meaning behind it.“You're home? One second you're calling me, the next you're standing in front of me,” I chuckled.Suddenly, he let down his backpack on the floor. Then he hug
Laird’s POVI took several deep breaths and let them out. I couldn't help but feel uneasy and anxious, and various bad thoughts were raging in my mind. My hands repeatedly smoothed my tie or combed my hair. Hell, I couldn't calm myself down!This wasn't the first time my father had gone this far. Using bodyguards to pick up other people by force, who does he think he is?I hate his methods. He's called the shark of the legal world for a reason. This is how he acts. Stalking, coercing, and making people bend to his will until they're crushed by Hugo Evans' ambition.Now he was after Fenella. He flew from Boston to New York for her. I just knew it.I almost know what my father wants from my girlfriend. Maybe he wants to tell her to stay away like some of the girls I dated at university. It could also be that he wanted to ask about the case involving me and Malgolm Golden together.Whatever it was, I was waiting for a call or mes
Fenella’s POVMy eyes blinked after hearing Mr. Evans' words. My brow furrowed as I tried to understand his reasoning and failed miserably. I remained silent, but eventually, my heart was stirred to dig deeper.“Excuse me? Why is that?” I asked slowly, being careful not to make a misstep.“Because he helped my enemy,” Mr. Evans replied firmly.Again, I could only blink. An enemy? Yes, Laird had told me how Mr. Golden had an affair with his mother. But wasn’t that ten years ago? In fact, Mr. Evans had been busy with his young girlfriend.Still, Laird had helped to do the right thing. I didn’t want to argue with him, but I began to feel that Mr. Evans' disappointment in Laird was beyond reason.“But he helped capture criminals. He has contributed to the community.” I voiced my opinion again and swallowed to ease my nervousness.“You don’t know anything, kid. He helped my arch-enemy without considering my feelings.” Mr. Evans scoffed in frustration. “How dare he? Sometimes Laird can be u
Fenella’s POVI willingly got into the black van, leaving Jessy alone on the sidewalk. I was sure he would immediately contact Laird. Maybe he would explain the situation to him, and Laird would call me right away.Sure enough, my phone rang just minutes after the van had driven away from Laird’s office building. I answered the call immediately.“Hello, Laird.”“Hey, Fenella. What is this about Jessy seeing you being abducted by a black van? He said you willingly got into the vehicle and mentioned it was my father’s men.”Laird asked with tension in his voice. His breath sounded hurried on the phone, but I didn’t want to make him more anxious.Well, yes, I was panicking too because suddenly I had been approached by men in black suits who resembled mafia. However, they mentioned Hugo Evans, Laird’s father. I didn’t want to give his father a bad impression, or I would lose th