Fenella’s POV
I waited alone in the room. I had thought tonight would be fun with Laird before we went to the restaurant. But reality struck; we ended up arguing, and now Laird has gone out to smoke while I finish getting ready.
I wore a knee-length red dress with a low neckline and black high-heeled shoes. My hair was curled into sexy waves using a curling iron, quite different from my usual straight look. My lips were rosy, and my makeup was flawless.
It was silly of me to think tonight would be enjoyable. Honestly, I didn't expect Laird to become so jealous, especially of Alan. This was the first time a man had been so possessive of me. It made me happy in a way, but I didn't like it if Laird became furious.
A notification beeped. It was Laird's message
Fenella’s POVThe ringing of the phone has now ceased. Only silence remains, weighing heavily on my chest. Alan sent me a short message. Just a few words, but it swiftly made my guilt surge."What did he say?" Laird asked softly."He wants me to pick up the phone," I answered honestly, showing Alan's message to Laird.Laird glanced at the message briefly. "Just answer it; it seems like it's work-related," he muttered under his breath.I knew, despite Laird acting nonchalant, that his subdued tone was enough to make me realize he was annoyed and had been since earlier.Oh, come on. I just finished making up with him!I wanted to curse Alan, but it seemed my boss insisted I hear what he wanted to say over the phone. Finally, when Alan called me back, I answered."Yes, Alan," I replied quickly."Where are you?" he asked, with a noisy background."I just finished dinner in the Juarez area.""Don't tell me you're going to miss Jemima's after party," he scoffed."I thought it wasn't mandato
Fenella’s POVJemima Hors also stood up from her seat and hugged me tightly. "Thank goodness you came. Thank you, Fenella," Jemima smiled at me."Yes, of course I would come," I replied with the same enthusiasm.I was invited to sit next to Mallory on the sofa. Never before had I sat this close to an international pop diva. Oh my, I must be dreaming. Lord, even her body smelled so good with vanilla and floral perfume.Damn, I really didn't anticipate this. If only Laird had joined us, I wouldn't feel guilty like this. At least my worry about leaving him alone to have fun with myself would be lost.No, wait. I can't entirely blame myself, but I regret all of this. I should have followed Laird's advice and not fo
Fenella’s POVThis is such a mess! I don't know how this could happen or why Mallory would think Alan and I were a couple. I know Laird is mad at me, but I bite down hard on the inside of my mouth and hope we can resolve this misunderstanding in the end.I mean, I want to chase after Laird as soon as possible, but Mallory West herself is holding me back! She keeps engaging me in conversation with her cheerful demeanor."You know, I think you'd be perfect as the model for the music video of my title track. You're the perfect match!" Mallory excitedly explained her new project to me."Really? Haven't you always been the actress in your own music videos?" I asked with a pounding heart."Yes, but I feel like you'd be a better fit. After Alan showed me your photos and commercial videos, and then I saw you walk on stage myself, I immediately said, 'She's the one; I want her' to Alan," Mallory flicked her fingers."The concept album for next year is already set, and only a handful of people
Fenella’s POVI checked out of the hotel and took a taxi to the airport. Clearly, I was now so anxious because I didn't know if Laird was still at the airport or not—he hadn't responded to my messages!The taxi drove slowly while he tuned the radio to Spanish songs that I didn't understand. I thought I would reach the airport in half an hour, but the taxi slowed down due to roadwork ahead.My taxi got stuck in traffic for over fifteen minutes. When we finally reached the construction site, the driver rolled down the window and spoke to the construction workers in their orange safety vests. They spoke a while, and after the driver closed the window, he suddenly turned the car around."Uh, what's going on?" I asked in English.The taxi driver just glanced at me through the rearview mirror without giving any answer. I opened the online map app on my phone and saw that the route we had abandoned was indeed experiencing severe traffic. Once my taxi finally moved away from the congestion, I
Fenella’s POV"Oh fuck! Laird!"I quickly squatted down and shook Laird's body. His condition was pitiful.Laird was asleep in the bathtub, both his hands tightly hugging a nearly empty, large bottle of whisky on his chest. His body was folded in an uncomfortable position. I pressed the back of my hand to Laird's forehead, and his body temperature felt hot."Laird, wake up."I took the whisky bottle from Laird's embrace and placed it on the sink table. The blond man seemed deeply asleep with steady breathing. I put all my strength in my hands to lift and pull Laird out of the bathtub.My hands pulled on Laird's body and supported his shoulders. He was still too heavy for me to drag alone.I groaned and lifted his limp body enough to hug his waist tightly. He murmured and mumbled for a moment, but I truly did my best to get him out of the bathtub. His feverish body could worsen, considering he hadn't even turned on the room heater."Ugh, come on," I groaned loudly. I gasped for breath
Fenella’s POVI woke up with my eyelids still half-closed. I felt like I was still in a state of jet lag. Or maybe all of this was just the effect of the lack of sleep since last night.Forcing myself to get up, I finally saw that the bed next to me was empty, and the gap in the window curtains showed the lamp light from the neighboring apartment building.A thick blanket covered my body, and I gazed at my reddened body in some spots with small bite marks. Setting aside the painful fact, I immediately picked up my clothes from the floor in the corner of the bed. I walked out of the room while rubbing my eyes and blinking to see more clearly in the darkness.The atmosphere in Laird's apartment was not much different from the last time I saw it. It was almost entirely dark, with only two bright sources of light: the bathroom and the balcony. My eyes glanced at the clock on the living room table and were surprised to see the time.Eight o'clock in the evening? Does that mean I slept nake
Fenella’s POVEnd of 9th grade, 9 years ago…"Would you go out with me, Fenella?"Huh? I blinked in disbelief as I looked at the figure in front of me.What did he just say?I pondered in front of the soda vending machine. The 7th-grade boy just grinned, although I could catch a hint of redness on his cheeks. He adjusted his glasses and seemed to wait for me to respond to his question."Lloyd, you're kidding, right?"I had to be honest; my heart was pounding. This was the first time I'd been asked out on a date. What girl wouldn't be thrilled to be asked out?But, come on! It's Lloyd Evans! He’s Laird’s little brother!"Would you prefer it if I joked about this?" Lloyd asked, raising an eyebrow.Flustered, I didn't know where to look. Several times, I glanced back and forth between Lloyd's eyes, my shoes, or the corridor door between buildings.I truly didn't expect a boy of Lloyd's age to have the courage to ask me out. After all, I'm his senior. I'm in 9th grade, and Lloyd shouldn't
Laird’s POVI didn't expect to hear all of that. It's not like I wanted to eavesdrop, but I couldn't resist listening to their entire conversation. I hid behind the thick foliage on my neighbor’s house fence."What was that all about?" I asked, frowning.Fenella didn't answer and instead ran into her own house. I hurriedly walked to her front door and saw Fenella slamming it shut with a loud thud. Funny.I went inside my house and knocked on Lloyd's bedroom door. His room was right in front of mine, and I knew he was already inside."Come in," Lloyd said from inside the room.I opened the door as Lloyd was putting on a gray t-shirt and cargo shorts."Did you ask Fenella out on a date?" I asked cautiously."What? I didn't know you were into eavesdropping," Lloyd said casually, grabbing his newly bought game console."Cut the crap," I retorted.Lloyd's seemingly indifferent expression made me realize that he may have known about my presence from the beginning. He knew I had overheard th
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