Evelyn.
Leaning against the balcony railing, I took a sip of my coffee, its bittersweet flavour providing a much-needed respite from the stress that threatened to consume me. By conveniently feigning a headache, I managed to escape the formalities of greeting the arriving guests one by one, effectively dodging any encounter with Jacob.
Damn, that man seemed to defy logic with his ever-growing handsomeness.
From my vantage point, I could see the gathering around the poolside. It was like a scene straight out of a poolside party movie. Handsome men were aplenty, some being Dad's business partners' sons, while others represented their fathers' interests.
But amidst this sea of attractive individuals, my eyes only craved stolen glances at the green-eyed Italian male perched on a chaise lounge. Unlike the others, he maintained a certain air of casual elegance, leaving only a few buttons undone, revealing a glimpse of the gold chain around his neck. Every now and then, I caught a tantalising peek at his tattoo—a masterpiece that seemed to originate from the left side of his chest and undoubtedly extended down his arm.
What was God thinking while creating this masterpiece? He is too good to be true.
I tore my gaze away from him and looked at the sky. The weather was nice today enough to make me want to go for a walk, which was pretty rare for me to do.
"Evelyn...what on earth are you doing out here?" Clara's sudden loud voice jolted me, causing me to gasp and spin around. My hands instinctively tightened around the coffee mug, preventing it from slipping through my fingers.
"Clara...you scared me half to death!" I placed a hand over my chest as my heart continued to pound erratically.
"For heaven's sake, everyone's by the pool having a good time, and here you are, acting like a lone ghost," she rolled her eyes and strolled towards me, clad in a swimsuit with a poolside robe draped over her, "Go on, change!"
"I didn't bring any swimwear," I shrugged, hoping my little white lie would hold some weight.
"Oh, you little liar. I packed your suitcase with you so don't like your flimsy excuse will work on me," Of course, she saw through my ruse. What was I even expecting?
"B-but..."
"No buts," she cut me off, "Go and get ready, otherwise I might, unfortunately, have to drag your ass there."
Realising that further resistance would be futile, I finally exhaled a defeated sigh. "Fine, I'll get ready."
A victorious smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she nodded. "Good. Be downstairs in a few minutes, or else I'll have to come back up here to check on you."
"Alright," I rolled my eyes and made my way into the closet.
Thankfully, I had unpacked my luggage the previous night before going to sleep, so locating my swimwear proved to be a relatively hassle-free task.
I opted for a black triangle bikini, pairing it with a flowing white chiffon sheer robe. Pulling my hair back into a loose bun, I intentionally left a few strands framing my face. After slipping into the swimwear, I draped the robe over it, stealing one last glance in the mirror to ensure I looked presentable. Satisfied with my appearance, I made my way toward the poolside.
I wished my perverted mind would stop making me look at Jacob again and again. It had only been a day since his arrival, yet he had already managed to send my sanity teetering on the brink.
Amidst the cacophony of guests' conversations, the sound of their laughter and the clinking of glasses filled the air. The waiters were serving everyone drinks and other delicacies.
Familiar faces started to emerge from the crowd, including some individuals I despised from the depths of my being. One of them happened to be associated with my dad's company—a woman who stirred an intense irritation within me: Gloria Henderson-- A fucking wicked bitch. She embodied everything despicable, a cunning and promiscuous woman who shamelessly pursued any man within her reach, regardless of her marriage to a military husband who likely believed her deceptive facade of unwavering love.
The mere sight of Gloria's conniving ways triggered a surge of irritation within me. How could she brazenly manipulate and betray her husband, all the while pretending to be a faithful and loving wife? It disgusted me to witness her deceitful actions, and my disdain for her reached its peak.
My jaw clenched in anger.
Fucking bitch!
"Don't give her that death stare, Evie. People will start thinking you've got some personal vendetta against her," Clara whispered into my ear, breaking my intense gaze. I had been absorbed in glaring at that woman, who was shamelessly flirting with an unknown guy.
"I hate her, Clara!" I groaned under my breath.
"Me too but you know where your dad had to invite all of his colleagues, so he couldn't just exclude this one bitch from the list." She sighed, "Anyways, ignore her and enjoy the party. There are plenty of attractive boys around here." Her voice took on a mischievous tone.
"I don't need just any boy, Clara," I chuckled. "I need a real man."
Her eyes widened in disbelief. "Thank goodness you didn't say that in front of your dad. He'd probably ground you for days, forgetting all about the wedding plans and whatnot."
"Yeah, yeah, as if I care," I rolled my eyes and made my way towards the bar set up in the corner.
"One cocktail, please," The bartender began preparing my drink with a friendly smile.
Well...he was cute. However, my eyes wandered around the party, and as expected, they settled on Jacob. But, this time, the sight that unfolded before me, made my skin crawl in a whole new way—Gloria, that fucking bitch, was now making blatant advances towards Jacob, trying to get into his pants, of course.
My jaw clenched involuntarily, and my teeth ground together as I observed her witch-like nails trailing up and down Jacob's arms. His sleeves rolled up to his elbows giving her easy access, and she was clearly trying too hard to appear seductive or maybe to convey just how easily she could be taken to bed.
Jacob, on the other hand, looked anything but pleased. I could see his uncomfortable laughter and his body language inching away from her touch, yet she persisted, reaching out again and again.
Why was I even paying attention to this? He was a grown man perfectly capable of handling himself and dealing with women like her.
I tried to keep my focus on the drink but one sip and everything felt tasteless.
God, Evelyn! He's not your husband, nor your boyfriend! Calm the fuck down!
Taking another sip, I continued to send daggers with my eyes in Gloria's direction, her shameless flirting still in full swing. Jacob appeared visibly irritated, though he maintained his composure, politely responding to her seemingly pointless questions.
"One Negroni, please," I found myself requesting the bartender, ordering the very drink that happened to be Jacob's favourite.
As the bartender prepared it, I untied my robe, leaving it open but still draped over me, and held my half-finished cocktail in one hand and the Negroni in the other.
Before I even realised it, I was walking towards Jacob, propelled by an inexplicable force. His eyes fell on me sooner than I had expected, and they lingered, taking in my figure. Gloria, sensing Jacob's attention shift away from her, followed his gaze and noticed me walking over to them.
Completely ignoring her, I smiled at Jacob and positioned myself next to him, leaning against the bar. "Here's your favourite," I said, gesturing towards the drink in my hand.
His brows rose ever so slightly in surprise as he accepted the drink from my hand. Our fingers brushed against each other, sending an electric shiver down my body.
"Oh, Gloria," I turned my attention to her, noting the strange expression on her face. "It's so nice to meet you. How's your husband? Is everything alright?"
My carefully aimed words hit their mark, causing embarrassment to flood her features. She fumbled with her words, glancing at Jacob, who appeared shocked by this newfound discovery.
"Yeah, he's fine," she hesitantly let out, "Excuse me, I'll get a drink for myself and be back." With a flimsy excuse to mask her embarrassment, she hurriedly made her way towards the bar I had previously occupied, despite another bar being conveniently nearby.
As Gloria disappeared, I saw Jacob visibly relax, relief washing over him... and me.
He turned to look at me, his green eyes now filled with a different intensity, stirring up a jumble of thoughts and emotions within me. At that moment, a surge of courage washed over me, empowering me to take a daring step.
Just when he was about to say, I found myself leaning closer to his ear and whispering the next words, "Thank me later, Jacob."
With those words hanging in the air, I walked away, advancing towards Clara, dropping my open robe onto the chaise lounge where Jacob had been seated moments ago.
I could feel his intense gaze on me the whole time, so intense that the hair on my neck stood up but I didn't let it affect me much for him to notice.
I joined Clara in the pool and a few other women who were now talking about the wedding plans. Though the conversation was uninteresting, I couldn't help but be drawn back to Jacob Adriano's piercing green eyes that never seemed to divert their gaze.
My own eyes trailed to look at him, I saw him slowly raising the drink to his mouth and taking a sip as he stared only at me as if the sight of me was more savouring the drink itself.
Well damn...it was not going to be easy to stop me from getting hauled towards him.
Evelyn"Evelyn, get the hell out of the pool....you'll catch a cold!" Dad's voice echoed across the poolside, but I chose to ignore his yell and swam to the other side, determined to enjoy the water."I am not a kid, Dad!" I shouted back, my voice laced with defiance as I leaned against the edge of the pool. "Go and get some rest!"The party had ended an hour ago, and the once lively poolside had now emptied, revealing the vastness of the mansion Dad owned. It was nothing short of a palace, capable of accommodating over a hundred people, though there weren't nearly as many guests invited. But I had a feeling the wedding day would be an exception."Evelyn, I said get out right now!" Dad ordered but once again, I paid no attention to his words.At that moment, there were only four of us left by the poolside: Clara, who was struggling to suppress her laughter; Dad, who was determined to spoil my swim; me, defiantly sticking to my decision; and Jacob, silently observing the entire spectacl
EvelynCurrently, I found myself seated in my dad and Clara's room, surrounded by a mountain of clothes on his bed. They were gifts he had purchased for his friends and relatives attending the event, and now, after sorting and packing everyone's presents, there were two identical shirts in different sizes remaining, intended for my dad's best friend.The very same person whose words from the previous day continued to echo in my mind."Why is there an extra shirt?" I inquired, placing the magazine I had been flipping through onto the nearby table."Oh, I bought two different sizes for Jacob since I wasn't sure how muscular he might have become," Dad chuckled, drawing closer and settling himself on the bed. "He certainly has built himself like a giant."I couldn't help but disagree with the notion that Jacob's physique resembled that of a giant. In reality, his physicality was far more subtle and captivating. There was a remarkable balance to his muscular frame.Even though his muscles
EvelynAs I scanned the bustling dance floor, my eyes followed the spirited movements of everyone, each finding their groove with partners and friends. But it was my dad and Clara who truly caught my attention, twirling and swaying at the heart of the floor. A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. They looked absolutely adorable, and more importantly, my dad looked genuinely happy.Since my mom left, my dad had endured countless hardships, yet he never wavered in his role as the perfect father. He was the epitome of what it meant to be a dedicated parent. I yearned for his happiness, and it was evident that Clara would be the one to ensure that infectious smile never faded from his face."Hey, Evelyn."A deep, melodious voice shattered my trance, pulling me back to reality. I turned towards Jacob, who walked over and perched on the neighbouring stool, his eyes locking with mine, momentarily suspending time in its enchanting grasp.Oh... hi!" It took me a second to notice his attir
EvelynFrustrated and overwhelmed, I leaned against the kitchen counter, trying to calm myself down. I took a deep breath, attempting to push aside the swirling emotions that threatened to consume me. I couldn't deny the truth, though. My feelings for Jacob ran deep, and his obliviousness to them only intensified my frustration.Oh, how I loathed it! His enigmatic ways. His riddles and ways of overlooking the very things I wanted him to understand.It was solely intentional, a calculated choice. He was not a damn child to be clueless about the fact that I have liked him for years and I still did. I was fucking obsessed with him and this dude simply couldn’t care less to give a fuck about that.Enough was enough! I was done.Fuck Jacob Adriano!"Guess there's one thing you can't..." The bitch inside my head interjected, maliciously aiming to worsen my already frayed mood with her offensive remark."Well...to hell with you too, you little snake!" I snapped back, silencing the conversati
EvelynI awoke to the merciless grip of a pounding headache. A very bad one indeed.Grimacing, I instinctively pressed my fingers against the throbbing side of my forehead, while taking small sips of the coffee Clara had handed me just moments ago."Why does your headache scream of a night drowned in alcohol?" Dad asked, arching one of his eyebrows as he nonchalantly crunched on a packet of chips.Dad and his knack for suspicion. Just unbelievable!"Yes, I drowned in a tank of it.” I scoffed.A frown etched across his face as my words sank in, but before he could respond, Clara swiftly intervened."Samuel, let her be,” she scolded, her voice firm, “Don’t bother her!” "How am I bothering her?" Dad asked, his disbelief evident."You are," Clara asserted, her tone unwavering. "By bombarding her with pointless questions at this moment.""I was merely curious about the cause of her sudden headache. There must be something more to it," Dad persisted, his suspicious gaze fixated on me once
Evelyn "Finally you all got time to come," I said as Jennie, Nancy, and Mason entered my room, their hands filled with shopping bags.These dorks will never change!"Oh, come on, Evelyn," Jennie plopped down beside me on the bed, "It's not our fault your dad's wedding turned into a destination extravaganza. We had to finish our assignments early just to get our leave approved.""Sure, blame it on me. It's not like any of you take your studies seriously," I retorted."Enough with the lecture," Nancy said, collapsing on the other side of the bed, "You're hardly one to talk. You spend all day daydreaming about your dad's hot Italian best friend." They all burst into laughter."Just spare me and drop the subject of that headache," I groaned."Wait, I see you've given him a new name," Jennie interjected, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Something must have happened.""We can discuss your forbidden uncle later, Eve. But first, here's a little something to spice up your evening," Mason non
JacobThis evening was weirder than the previous ones, at least....for me. While everyone seemed to be perfectly enjoying their evening, something felt off.The coffee tasted increasingly bitter against my taste buds as I observed Evelyn laughing and chatting with that new guy, sitting a little too close for comfort. My comfort.There was no denying her breathtaking beauty. Her silky dark hair, enchanting hazel eyes, captivating smile, and radiant complexion held an irresistible allure. Beyond measure. They beckoned to me like forbidden fruit, tempting me to indulge in sinful desires. Oh, how I longed to take her to my room and ravish her!Damn it, I knew I had to contain my thoughts. But, I just couldn’t. The memory of her lips pressed against mine in the kitchen still haunted my thoughts. RelentlesslyShe was driving me to the brink of madness, every movement, every word, every smile and laugh sending shivers down my spine. Even without actively doing anything, she had an uncanny a
Evelyn"Evelyn, rise and shine! We can't afford to be tardy," Clara nudged me, determined to rouse me from my slumber whilst I tried to sink my head into the pillow."Not today, Clara. My head is throbbing like a war drum," I groaned."Did you drink alcohol last night?" Her keen observation was almost immediate; Of course, she couldn’t miss the scent of liquor."Don't breathe a word to Dad, but yes. I may have consumed an entire bottle.”God! The consequences were evident in my pounding head and queasy stomach. "Why did you overdo it? You know your tolerance for strong liquor is lacking," she sighed, sitting beside me.I couldn't reveal the true reason, could I? Absolutely not."I simply wanted to let loose and have some fun, but I went a little too far with the alcohol. Perhaps sticking to beer would have been wiser," I confessed, turning on my back and pinching the bridge of my nose, “The idea of having fun fucked me up.”Of course, it was a lie. Every syllable that escaped my lips