Dante's Pov
I was sleeping and yet awake in my mind. I was being thrown into a pool full of water and strong hands were pushing my head deep into the water so that no matter how I fought to the surface, I sank deeper and choked on a large amount of water whenever I tried to scream.
I was stronger than that, and I was struggling, but I still felt so weak and destabilized, maybe drugged so that my body felt limbless. Suddenly, the hand slipped, and I seized the opportunity to swiftly jerk off and surface before those merciless hands captured me again.
I coughed and sprang up with a start to see two pairs of green eyes staring at me, almost popping out of their sockets from fear. Phyna, Larissa’s thirteen-year-old daughter, stood beside my bed, hugging her favourite teddy bear to her chest. Both hands protectively wrapped around it as if she was protecting it from a ghost she saw.
One of my haunting nightmares since I woke up or sleep paralysis, whatever that was, felt surreal.
“Hey, you okay?” I asked worriedly, wiping perspiration from my forehead with my duvet as I jumped off the bed.
She nodded, taking a step forward, then seemed to think against it and reluctantly backed away. “You're really awake. Grandma has started to glow. She asked me to summon you to the dining room. We are having dinner.” Phyna said, watching warily as I came to squat down in front of her.
“You've grown taller and look at those cheeks!” I squeezed her cheeks and she giggled and felt more relaxed when I hugged her. “What have you been eating?”
“You're about to find out.” She let me lift her up and take her downstairs to the dining room; her arms curled around my neck while she still held firmly to her furry friend. “I am a grown-up now, so you don't have to carry me around like a baby anymore.” She said when I put her down in a dining seat beside her mother.
“She still hasn't changed at all.” My mother smiled at her while I took the only empty chair beside Azalea.
She sat stiff in her chair and her eyes were fixed on the plate of lobster rolls in front of her. I looked around the table to find Morris and his girlfriend, Danielle, sitting across from us. She acknowledged me with a nod and the woman beside me started picking on her lobster rolls. I hate it when people play with food like that. Was there anything about her that I liked anyway?
“Could you assist me with my rolls, Larissa?” Phyna’s unapologetic voice broke the silence in the room and she was already looking at me with her mouth forming a perfect O as she realized her mistake.
“You seem to have forgotten some honours in my absence, Phy.” I reprimanded and she muttered an apology to no one in particular.
“So everyone gets to call her Larrisa and I don't? Doesn't make much sense to me.” She dug into the sandwich in front of her since her mother ignored her silliness by not passing her lobster rolls.
“She's your perfect match.” Emma laughed and drew everyone's attention to herself when she cleared her throat twice. “The hospital assigned you a doctor and that is why you see Danielle here.”
“Yes and I am sorry if it would inconvenience anyone, but I will be frequenting the house from now until the end of your treatment. I can assure you a quick recovery from now henceforth.” Dani completed cheerfully.
“Sounds like a deal.” I shrugged and ate quietly, while aware of the woman sitting beside me.
When I couldn't stand her unwelcoming figure, I excused myself from the table and went back into my room. I was about to lock my door behind me when she suddenly appeared in the doorway and asked to have a word with me.
“What is it now? I have only a few seconds to spare.” I pointed out, my face narrowing in annoyance.
“That's enough.” She entered and I closed the door before she started talking in the lowest of voices. “I am sorry to say this, but I just think you should be careful and aware of Morris and his girlfriend's plot against you. I…I…overheard him speaking to her over the phone and the day I arrived here, he was…”
“What are you driving at exactly? What are you insinuating? That my cousin brother, who has been taking care of me for the period that I was in bed and had kept my businesses running, has bad intentions towards me?”
“No, yes… I…I…” her voice broke off, and she flinched when I forcibly threw the door open so that she could walk away when she had time.
“If there is anyone I should be wary of, it'd be you! For your information, we are a closely related family and I don't trust you one bit! Not even enough to share my room with you. You're not all that and I didn't let you take charge of the company to prove that I believed in your capability or my mother's threat because they are false. I only did that because I know she loves these charity organizations that she runs and she won't hesitate to give everything away since she still has access to my assets and the key to my safes! So don't pride yourself so high and leave!” I grunted, my patience wore thin as her eyes welled up in tears. That is it, so freaking frail and dumb! How am I supposed to be with such a person?
She turned and quickly escaped from the heat of my gaze. I shut the door with force and walked to my bathroom to cool off pouring water on my face. What is wrong with me? Why am I so riled up by her presence alone? She is just some woman trying to talk her way into my heart so that she'll be granted access to step across boundaries and steal everything that I have built right from scratch and I am not about to let that happen!
What nerves! Morris has never done anything to be doubted in the family and she just appears from nowhere to claim he is planning some evil with his girlfriend! He probably put in good words on my behalf to have her extracted from work and posted in charge of my health and well-being because he cares. If there's anyone who needs to be dragged off my property, it would definitely be her! No wonder her family ditched her.
Azalea's Pov It wasn't enough that Dante broke our second kiss as if he regretted kissing me, Zara had to call me for the first time since I was married off to him. More like thrown out of my father's house which I never felt like a part of. I don't belong anywhere. I'm always unwanted and chastised. I didn't know she had my number anyway.Whipping my head around to look at him now seated by the bedside, his eyes on me, waiting. I called Zara's name to make sure I heard the caller right, then bit down on my lip where his sharp perfectly white teeth had cut and hissed.“Can you do me a favour, Azalea?” She asked.“A favour?” I frowned, touching my forehead to tamp down my swelling emotions. I looked away from Dante who read my expressions carefully. “Well, it all depends on the favour.”I listened for a while, impatient and edgy.“That is so much money that you are talking about!” I said, wondering why she would ask me for a loan. A huge sum of money at that.“Well, yeah. Bye!” I put
Dante's Pov “Where is the document?” Choosing a secluded spot in the old farmhouse, I watched Morris fetch a document from his suitcase and hand it to a woman in the backseat of a black Range Rover.It was hard for me to leave the house after watching Azalea sleep most of the morning. The only thing I thought about while she was snoring softly with her slightly parted lips was kissing her again. I wanted to feel her lips on mine, my tongue tasting her flavoured mouth, and her soft body pressed against mine as she reciprocated. But I had to leave when I heard Morris' car drive out of the house.I followed him closely in a rental so he wouldn't know who was following him if he noticed. I always leave the house in my jogging tight pants, polo shirt and sports shoes. Although watching my wife sleep delayed my leaving at my usual running hour, everyone would still think I went for a run since it's the only thing I'm allowed to do these days. My wife. That sounds strange, but I am beginn
Azalea's Pov When I woke up the next morning, Dante was still in bed, staring at my face as if he had been waiting for me to open my eyes.“Good morning,” I sat up, frowning at him. “Good heavens, I'm so sorry.” I apologized when I realized that I had drooled on his sheets again.He had seen me sleeping with my mouth open and spitting all over his bed. Maybe even snoring and talking in my sleep. What a shame!“I thought your soul had left your body.” He said, pointing at the wall clock.“Oh, no! Why did you not wake me up!” I jumped off the bed, sprinting to the door. I stopped in my tracks when I heard him laugh.“It is the weekend, wife.” He stood up and left the room, ruffling my hair on his way out. Who is this man in Dante’s body?He laughed. That sound. I felt good hearing it, so I watched him go down the stairs and I realized then that he had come back from jogging before joining me again in bed to probably scare my demons away. I can't believe I slept throughout the night an
Dante's Pov I stood by my window and stared hard at the pill box which I held in between two fingers. I shook it slightly before a car pulling into the driveway caught my attention. I watched as it stopped behind Larrisa’s car; Azalea stepped out and paused to look toward the direction of my window as if she sensed my gaze upon her, and then she walked gracefully into the house.Gerald drove the car toward the underground garage to park the car properly. I caught sight of the rubber gloves he wore when he rolled down the glass and brought his arm out to press the lock button so that the garage door pushed up for him to drive in. That reminded me of the man who was following me in the morning. I had made sure to lose him by juggling between buildings and running faster than I intended before coming back home. When did Gerald start wearing gloves? I must have been in coma longer than I was told because a lot has changed.A wrap on my door made me tear my eyes away from the window to an
Azalea's Pov “People say boys learn how to be men from their fathers. Would your son have wanted to learn from you, Mr. Mason?" I asked, my voice a bit louder than before. I was surprised by how easily the words came out despite my tension“Don't come closer! Don't talk about my son! You've no fuckin’ idea what you're saying!” He yelled, blindly throwing the huge rock he held. Anger surged through him like a wounded cat.Initially, I thought the rock was headed straight for me, but it struck the remnants of the ad screen hanging above the entrance. The impact caused the screen to crack even further, its supporting wire straining dangerously as it tilted unsteadily just inches from where he stood.Panicked, he turned to run, but his legs clipped together, sending him tumbling to the ground. The advertisement screen came crashing down beside him, arousing a collective gasp from the crowd. Reporters rushed toward the scene, their cameras flashing and shutters clicking furiously from eve
Azalea's Pov I woke up with a bright smile spreading across my face, but it diminished immediately when I noticed that I was alone in bed. I can't deny that last night was memorable; I don't think he'd already be awake and in regret for his behaviour last night, left when he woke up.He didn't have to run; this was his room, and he could have simply woken me up and sent me on my way. The thought bugged me as I left the room and closed it quietly before anyone saw me. This was my husband's room and it wouldn't be bad if anyone saw me coming out from his room, but I don't know for sure what they'd say and think in this house.I wasn't so lucky because Danielle chose that moment to come up to his room for his morning medication, but when she saw me lingering by Dante's door, she rolled her eyes and went downstairs again. I do wonder why she doesn't want to have a face-to-face encounter with me. She avoids me by all means, and I do wish her boyfriend would do the same instead of always t